Call of Duty®: Black Ops + Empire: Total War™ + Order of War™ + Order of War: Challenge

Title: Call of Duty®: Black Ops:
Genre: Action
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision

ABOUT Call of Duty®: Black Ops:

The biggest first-person action series of all time and the follow-up to last year’s blockbuster Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 2 returns with Call of Duty®: Black Ops.

Call of Duty®: Black Ops will take you behind enemy lines as a member of an elite special forces unit engaging in covert warfare, classified operations, and explosive conflicts across the globe. With access to exclusive weaponry and equipment, your actions will tip the balance during the most dangerous time period mankind has ever known.

Black Ops is a first-person shooter, retaining the same gameplay mechanics as previous Call of Duty titles. The player assumes the role of a foot soldier who can wield various firearms (only two of which can be carried at once), throw grenades and other explosives, and use other equipment as weapons. A player close enough to an enemy can kill with one knife blow. A character can take three stances: standing, crouching or prone. Each affects rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. The player can drop to the prone stance from the standing stance while running, and can momentarily sprint before having to stop. The screen glows red to indicate damage to a player's health, which regenerates over time. When the character is within the blast radius of a live grenade, an on-screen marker indicates where it is in relation to the player, helping the player to move away or to throw it back. Among the weapons new to the series in Black Ops are crossbows with bolts and explosive ammunition, Dragon's Breath rounds and ballistic knives.

The player assumes the role of various characters during the single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the story. The playable characters are special forces operatives conducting black operations behind enemy lines. In this way, the player's characters have their own traits such as voices and shadows. Each mission features a series of objectives that are displayed on the heads-up display, which marks the direction and distance towards and from such objectives. The player is accompanied by friendly troops throughout the game. Although primarily a first-person shooter, certain levels feature sequences where the player pilots a Hind helicopter and guides friendly troops from a SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft. The campaign features several scripted cinematic moments. One of them is a bullet time effect during the "Victor Charlie" level, activated when the player fires toward the last enemy of a Viet Cong squad.

Key features:

• Cinematic Single Player Campaign: An epic campaign and story that takes you to a variety of locations and conflicts all over the world where you will play as an elite Black Ops soldier in deniable operations where if you are caught, captured or killed, your country will disavow all knowledge of your existence.
• Signature Multiplayer: Call of Duty’s signature multiplayer gameplay returns with new perks and killstreaks, deeper levels of character and weapon customization, and all new modes including:
  • Wager Matches: One in the Chamber, Gun Game, Sticks and Stones, Sharpshooter
  • Theater Mode: View, record, and edit your favorite moments from multiplayer, and share with your friends
  • Combat Training: Test your skill solo or Co-Op with friends against AI enemy players
• Zombies!: Fan favorite Zombie mode is back providing endless hours of Zombie-slaying entertainment, solo or Co-Op

Title: Empire: Total War™:
Genre: Strategy
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA

ABOUT Empire: Total War:

Dominate the 18th century on land and sea. Command the seas, control the land, forge a new nation, and conquer the globe. Empire: Total War takes the Total War franchise to the eighteenth century Age of Enlightenment — a time of political upheaval, military advancements, and radical thought, captured in stunning detail in Empire: Total War.

Empire: Total War introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. For the first time in the Total War series, you will be able to intuitively command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board, taking control of your men as they fight hand-to-hand on the decks of these wooden behemoths.

In addition, Empire: Total War will see further enhancements to the Total War series’ signature 3D battles and turn-based campaign map. Real-time battles will pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map — for many, the heart of Total War — introduces a variety of new and upgraded elements, including new systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents; a refined and streamlined UI; improved Advisors; and a vastly extended scope, taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and, for the first time, the untapped potential of the United States of America.

Title: Order of War™:
Genre: Strategy
Developer: Wargaming.net
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX, Eidos Interactive

ABOUT Order of War™:

In the summer of 1944, the Second World War entered its end-game when the Allies launched two major operations that would drive back German forces on both the Western and Eastern Fronts at once. Their names were Overlord and Bagration. Overlord famously commenced with the D-Day landings in Normandy and ended in the Liberation of Paris, while Bagration - a far less well-known but far larger Russian operation - crushed the invading German forces in the east, leading to their complete withdrawal from Soviet territory. Had either operation been unsuccessful, history could have been very different. In the ultimate test of military strategy, Order of War will challenge you not only to lead America's finest to victory in the west, but also place you in command of the German forces charged with repelling the Red Army's seemingly unstoppable offensive in the east. Even the keenest military minds will find that it's one thing to make history, but quite another to change it.

...Do you have what it takes to command?

Key features:

• Experience WWII warfare on an epic, cinematic stage; that truly captures the intensity and scale of the battlefield.
• Take Command of an entire armoured force consisting of up to 1000 soldiers, tank divisions, armoured vehicles, heavy artillery and air force.
• Players can choose between two different campaign modes offering completely different storyline, missions, objectives and environments.
• Experience the unique dynamic camera that allows players to command troops over huge geographical scale whilst maintaining movie-like vistas and detail.
• In-depth gameplay modes featuring 2 x different campaign modes, multi-player, Deathmatch, skirmish and Hardcore mode.

Reviews:

"A stunning game…" - Gameinformer.com (8.25 out of 10)

"Great mechanics and a beautiful presentation make Order of War shine brightly among some incredible WWII strategy games." - GameZone (8.2 out of 10)

Title: Order of War: Challenge:
Genre: Strategy
Developer: Wargaming.net
Publisher: Wargaming.net

ABOUT Order of War: Challenge:

ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE is a multiplayer stand-alone game in the world of ORDER OF WAR™, published by Wargaming.net, packing even more intense World War II real-time strategy action. With a focus on fast-action gameplay, and featuring exclusive bonus content, ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE is the ultimate way to experience online RTS gaming. With a new advanced gameplay system, ORDER OF WAR: CHALLENGE redefines combat mechanics and gives players a tense battlefield experience with plenty of room for wide-ranging tactics.

• 12 Unique Maps -- Each map features different types of cross-country terrain and urban areas to provide great replayability.
• 6 New Multiplayer Modes – With these new modes you have the opportunity to prove you are the best commander on the online battlefield in a variety of ways.
• Command troops of the USA, Germany or the Soviet Union - Grasp your units by knowing their strengths, weaknesses and discover how to exercise their power to defeat your enemies.
• 4 Co-op Survival Missions -- Play shoulder to shoulder with your comrades-in-arms to defend your headquarters from enemy attacks of increasing intensity. To get extra income and new reinforcement types, capture control points that appear randomly throughout the map but only stay for a short time.
• Hard-hitting Mercenaries Gameplay -- Choose your initial line-up of units, keeping in mind that good balance and proper positioning are all-important. Once you have selected your forces and brought them up to the front lines, capture control points to earn airstrikes and crush your enemy.
• Unique Expansion Experience -- Classic “capture-the-base” gameplay is completely new now as you and your rival get different types of reinforcements at different rates - slower and more powerful units vs. faster and less powerful units. Develop the best strategy to seize all of the control points and defeat your opponent.
• Fast-Paced Instant Battle Skirmishes -- At the start of each skirmish you are given a random group of forces, without the luxury of reinforcements or control points to provide replacements. Use your tactical skill and expertise to take advantage of the terrain and earn your victory by being the best commander.
• Epic Free-for-All Clashes -- Up to four players fight against each other choosing any nation they want. Capture control points to earn a decisive advantage over your rivals in grand battles where alliances are forbidden.
• Realistic Fog of War – Use new tactics and acquirements to become the praiseworthy commander.

    Reviews:    

"Order of War: Challenge has made me salt and pepper my crow, and eat it." – GameVortex, (9.0 out of 10)