Introduction

Welcome to The Wargamer's feature article series, "The Raw Recruit." This weekly feature offers release dates for upcoming computer and board games. The list doesn't include every computer or board game being released, however it does include almost all of the games we believe The Wargamer's audience will enjoy. The release dates presented in this article are for North American releases only and indicate "shipping" dates, not necessarily guaranteed in-store dates. Most major PC titles are released on Tuesday or Wednesday and are widely available across the country by Friday. These release dates are provided in association with The Wargamer's affiliate merchant partner, GoGamer.  Please send any new game release announcements to news@wargamer.com.

The Raw Recruits for the Week of November 20th

The big retail week of Thanksgiving is upon us, and it's marked by a couple of very interesting releases.  On the one hand, Microsoft dropped their next-gen console on the heads of gamers, giving them a chance to spend a few hundred dollars (more on Ebay!) on what Microsoft hopes will be the leading console of this latest generation.  In a move which in some ways reflects the changing marketplace for PC games, the three PC games being released this week will all be released via the Internet.  Those games are: War Plan Orange, Battlefield 2: Special Forces, and Dangerous Waters.

For the wargaming crowd, Matrix Games' Digital Download service is nothing new.  The publisher hardly sells its games on retail shelves any longer, and War Plan Orange: Dreadnoughts in the Pacific: 1922 - 1930 will follow that mold.   This quasi-modification of War in the Pacific is a full retail product featuring two all-new campaigns set during the 1920s.  The premise is an interesting one; the game recreates a hypothetical set of battle plans developed by the U.S. government during the years following World War I to counter the growing Japanese threat in the Pacific.  In this age pre-dating aircraft carriers, the naval stallion was the battleship, and so that is the primary focus of War Plan Orange.  Like War in the Pacific, the game will be played from an operational-level, provide plenty of management opportunities for players, and deliver a level of historical authenticity that's sure to please grognards.  Unlike War in the Pacific, War Plan Orange focus mostly on naval battles (no air wars here) and provide a lengthy list of improvements and changes over the original engine.  The new game is priced at $44.99 as a Digital Download from Matrix's web store.

In a move as a significant as Valve's release of Half-Life 2 via Steam last year, Electronic Arts has released their new Battlefield 2: Special Forces (and a Sims 2 expansion pack) via its new online distribution service.  This new direct-to-consumer offering is significant because EA is the world's largest publisher and in many ways is thumbing its nose at traditional retail outlets and embracing the more radical Internet delivery method popularized by much smaller companies.  While it's unlikely we'll ever learn how successful EA's strategy was, we do expect this pay and download option to continue.  What is Special Forces?  It's a basic add-on for this summer's hugely popular multiplayer FPS, Battlefield 2.  The new exp pack adds all sorts of nifty special forces-style gear, weapons, and vehicles, but not too much else.  Available in retail stores or online, the game is priced at $29.99.

Finally, Strategy First will release Dangerous Waters for the second time this year, but this time it will be available both via download and retail stores.  The naval sim from Sonalysts was first published by Battlefront this spring, but seeking a larger market, Strategy First was enlisted.  The changes to the original aren't substantial, so the game should really only appeal to those who missed out on the initial release.  Whether purchased online from Strategy First or from EBGames, the price will be the same at $39.99.  If you're still on the fence about the game, be sure to check out the demo linked below and enter The Wargamer's Dangerous Waters contest, which ends next week.

The Wargamer is a PC gaming first publication, but we should at least mention the release of the Xbox 360 because that's all our "mainstream" friends are talking about.  The technical advancement over the original Xbox is notable, making it at least equivalent to the top 10% of PCs on the market today.  From that perspective, the $400 (Premium) price tag seems very reasonable, but it's still quite expensive for a new console system.   At launch, there were approximately twenty new titles: most were from established franchises (including Call of Duty and Madden), but gamers we spoke to seemed largely unimpressed with the selection. Nonetheless, Microsoft expects to sell two to three million in the first weeks of the system's release; the overnight campouts and lines wrapping around your local Best Buy, CompUSA, Target, Wal-Mart, Frye's, CostCo, etc. should be proof enough that this console has some staying power.  For those willing to brave the widespread (rumored) shortages and the pricey price tag, let us make an informed recommendation: buy the "Premium" ($400) edition of the Xbox 360.  The "Standard" ($300) edition doesn't include any substantial features, most notably Xbox Live, and will cost more to equip with more advanced features. 

The Volunteer Recruits

Here's the current crop of game demos released in the past few weeks (some links may expire over time):

• Call of Duty 2 [655 MB] - Hollywood-meets-video games, scene: World War II.  Take 2!
• Dangerous Waters [257 MB] - The naval sim is hitting retail stores for the first time, so play it again for the first time.
• Diplomacy [94 MB] - Stab your friends in the back in Paradox's PC interpretation of this classic board game.
• Earth 2160 [357 MB] - Sci-fi RTS'ing for the fall is here.
• Legion Arena [235 MB] - Slitherine says, "Eat your heart out, RTW."

About the Author