Launch - Wargame: AirLand Battle

Today in Gaming: for those of you jonesing for a new real-time strategy game, Wargame: AirLand Battle may be the one that quenches your thirst. Paris-based developer Eugen Systems is known for their passion in warfare games. Previous titles have included Act of War and Times of Conflict. This is the second release in their Wargame series; the first was called Wargame: European Escalation.

In this game you take direct control of over 800 different types of units, which -- using a card based system (aka, your deck) -- you then deploy and use to liquidate your enemy.

The game is currently $39.99US for everyone except for players of European Escalation -- there is currently a 25% loyalty discount for you if you order on Steam.

• [BUY] Steam
• [LINK] Facebook
• [LINK] Home Page

Launch - Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods DLC

Today in Gaming: for fans of the Paradox Interactive game Crusader Kings II, there's a new DLC pack out today. The Old Gods is actually the fourth DLC pack for the strategy/RPG title. In this episode, you finally get to play as a pagan climbing to the top of the ranks. Also, there's a big focus on the vikings, boats, maps, and beards.

In case you're interested and don't have anything to do tomorrow, Project Lead Henrik Fåhraeus will be hosting a Live Stream on their Twitch TV channel (link below) starting at:

• 11 a.m. PDT
• 6 p.m. GMT
• 7 p.m. BST
• 8 p.m. CEST

You can pick up the DLC for $14.99US.

• [WATCH] [Twitch] Paradox Live Feed
• [BUY] Buy it direct from Paradox
• [BUY] [Steam] The Old Gods DLC
• [LINK] Crusader Kings Home Page

Launch - Rock Stars vs. Paparazzi

Today in Gaming: there's a new game out for your Android device. Rock Stars vs. Paparazzi is a game by Advanced Mobile Applications where you play the roll of a rockstar forced to send out waves of adoring fans -- armed to the teeth with more and more disturbing weapons -- to fight back an onslaught of enemy paparazzi.

Each paparazzo is armed with dangerous camera equipment that can be used against you in a court of public opinion. This is a whimsical take on the lane-battle genre.

• [PLAY] [Google] Rock Stars vs. Paparazzi

Launch - Bug Rush

Today in Gaming: Bug Rush is a free bug-zapping tower-defense game for your Android device where you destroy an army of invading bugs by setting up a maze of plants that shoot the bugs dead as they pass by.

• [WATCH] [YouTube] Bug Rush Trailer (Launch)
• [FREE] [Google] Bug Rush

Launch - Element4l

Today in Gaming: I-Illusions is an indie developer that has a brand new game out on Steam today. Element4l is a 2.5D platform game. It's very much an experimental title in which you play as four elements traveling together who must avoid not only the nature that you encounter along the way, but the sun as well.

The game offers up some physics puzzles, but not so difficult that kids couldn't play the game. But, there's a secret twist: the game will at times alter the rules to throw curve balls at you -- amping up the challenge as you go along on your journey.

On a side note, you owe it to yourself to visit their Web site -- which is really cool. Pay special attention to the background as you scroll up and down the page.

This title is out now -- being sold stand alone via their Web site or on Steam. Price: $9.99US.

• [WATCH] [YouTube] Release Trailer
• [BUY] [Steam] Element4l
• [LINK] [Facebook] Element4l
• [LINK] Element4l Home Page

Launch - The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing

Today in Gaming: Neocore Games -- most famous for their King Arthur RPG warfare franchise -- has just released a brand new game on Steam. The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is an action RPG where you play as the titular character and fight to protect the uneasy truce between the human world and the supernatural. The game is gothic-noir and full of massive battles with fearsome creeps.

Oh, and you get a helping hand from Lady Katrina -- a dead chick -- who you get to upgrade along the way. She can also help you set traps to protect your hideout from invading enemies.

The game is currently retailing for $13.49US (10% off for a limited time, normally $14.99US).

• [BUY] [Steam] The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing
• [LINK] Neocore Games Home Page

Launch - Skyward Collapse

Today in Gaming: Skyward Collapse is a brand new strategy game from Arcen Games (of A Valley Without Wind fame) that prides itself on throwing you into the mix with a motley assortment of rebellious and cranky minions -- as their god! The game begins with a very small board that then builds itself as you play. This gives the game an unpredictability that forces your strategy to run deep and defines your goal as balance -- not conquest.

The game is mostly geared toward single players but does have a co-op mode for up to eight players. It launched on Steam today and is currently available at 10% off ($4.49US) for a limited time.

• [WATCH] [YouTube] The Official Trailer
• [LINK] [Steam] Skyward Collapse
• [LINK] Skyward Collapse Home Page

Launch - Resident Evil: Revelations

Today in Gaming: Capcom has released Resident Evil: Revelations -- their action/adventure zombie game -- on Steam today. This game originally came out back in January of 2012 for the Nintendo 3DS. Now, it's being ported over to the non-mobile market.

You can get it for $49.99US on XBOX 360, Steam, PS3, and the WiiU.

• [LINK] Revelations Home Page
• [BUY] [Steam] Resident Evil Revelations

Launch - Jack & Jill's Pre-school Adventure

Today in gaming: Jack and Jill's Preschool Adventure is a game developed by Arista Games in conjunction with Little Flowers Montessori -- a leading pre-school in San Francisco -- for iDevices. The game engages pre-schoolers and teaches them important skills they will need to know before entering kindergarden, such as colors, counting, and the alphabet. There are six mini-games in total:

• balloon picking (colors)
• birthday cake (counting candles)
• fruit tree (alphabet)
• night sky (shapes)
• clouds (shapes)
• cards (matching)

You can play as Jack or Jill and can dress up like pirates or firemen or other things like that. This app is now in the iTunes store for $.99US.

• [LINK] iTunes: Jack and Jill's Preschool Adventure
• [LINK] Arista Games Home Page

Launch - Sanctum 2

Today in gaming: Coffee Stain Studios is an independent games studio that announced the release of Sanctum 2 -- the sequel to the surprise hit tower defense/first-person shooter game. The game will be available today beginning at 1:00pm EST. In the game, you have to physically set up towers in a 3D environment and then aid the towers in destroying advancing creeps with your hand cannon.

The game is available on XBOX Live for 1200 XBOX points or on the PC for $14.99US.

• [LINK] Steam: Sanctum 2
• [LINK] Coffee Stain Studios Home Page
• [LINK] Coffee Stain on Facebook

Launch - Hope

Today in gaming: a brand new indie game studio called Mr. Roboto has launched a brand new game for your Android devices today called Hope. The game is an "anti-game" in that it takes many of the tropes you see in classical games and turns them on their heads. For instance: instead of the hero rescuing the princess, in this game you play as the kidnapped party and must keep hope alive (hence the title) while waiting for rescue.

It's odd and quirky, but worth checking out. And it's free.

• [LINK] Mr. Roboto Home Page
• [LINK] Google Play: Hope

Launch - Anno Online Beta

Today in gaming: Ubisoft announced that Anno Online -- an on-line version of their popular Anno game series -- has opened up a public beta and is inviting everyone to come and play the game. Current users who participated in the closed beta will keep their current games and receive a special bonus statue as a thanks for their continued participation.

The Anno series of games are real time strategy/city builder titles that give players the experience of being an administrator of a colonial European settlement from which you must explore the world and expand your sphere of influence. I played about three hours earlier and I thought it was quite good. I encourage anyone who enjoys strategy games to have a look.

• [LINK] Anno Online Home Page

Launch - This is Not a Ball Game

Today in gaming: if you're looking for something truly original to take around with you on your iPhone or iPad, you might want to consider This is Not a Ball Game -- a physics game where you set up Rube Goldberg-esk experiments in a 1910s Paris carnival. The title of the game is a play on the work of Belgian artist René Magritte -- whose most famous painting is titled, "This is Not a Pipe".

The game is developed by Absurd Interactive. The game is free and has some in-app purchases if you're interested. You can pick it up today.

• [LINK] iTunes: This is Not a Ball Game
• [LINK] Facebook: This is Not a Ball Game
• [LINK] Absurd Interactive Home Page
• [LINK] Screenshots

Launch - Derpbike

Today in gaming: there's a wacky new dirt-bike game for iDevices called DerpBike. You can ride through 14 tracks on a dirt bike, a cloud, or a banana as a human or a gorilla -- all the while doing tricks and flips. Looks like some fun for an afternoon trip and it's free.

• [LINK] iTunes: DerpBike

Launch - Pinball FX 2

Today in gaming: Pinball FX 2 is a new game from developer Zen Studios and published through Microsoft. It's a pinball simulator that features dozens of virtual machine layouts skinned with popular memes. You can choose the table you like from the 23 that are provided or see if you can master them all. There's native support for 16:9 and 16:10 (widescreen) monitor resolution. You can compete with friends to see who gets the high score.

They also have six table packs:

• Zen Classics (4 remastered tables - Shaman, El Dorado, Tesla and V12)
• Marvel Comics (unknown)
• Marvel Avengers Chronicles (4 tables)
• Marvel Vengeance and Virtue (???)
• Star Wars (???)
• "The Core Pack" (4 tables)

The game itself is currently free to play "for a limited time" -- no idea what that means -- and then it apparently will cost money. No word on how much.

The table packs are currently $8.99US, but that's an introductory discount that will last until Friday, May 17, 2013. Then, they go back to $9.99.

• [LINK] Steam: Pinball FX2

Launch - Guide the Light on iOS

Today in gaming: Guide the Light is an egyptology-themed puzzle game for your iDevices, where you place mirrors in a maze to reflect light in various ways to unlock doorways. You can pick it up on iTunes for free.

• [LINK] Guide the Light Home Page
• [LINK] iTunes:

Launch - Chuck the Muck

Today in gaming: I know what you're thinking -- why would I want to chuck muck? Well, don't worry. Chuck isn't a verb; in this case, Chuck is a noun. Chuck is the muck, and your job is to help him along in his quest by using your finger to pull goo into bridges, sling shots, ooze cannons, and other useful objects. Chuck will collect crystals as he goes along, but be careful of the guards -- they don't like his high-flying spirit.

The game features forty challenging levels across four worlds (at least one of which is an exploding volcano). You can pick it up in the iTunes store for free!

• [LINK] iTunes: Chuck the Muck
• [LINK] Chuck the Muck Home Page

Launch - Tasty Tadpoles

Today in gaming: Tasty Tadpoles is a cute little game for your iDevices. It launched today in the iTunes store.

• [LINK] iTunes: Tasty Tadpoles

Launch - Q.U.B.E. DLC

Today in gaming: the developers of Q.U.B.E. have announced that their 3D puzzle game is getting a little DLC. Against the Qlock is a DLC pack that adds an all new ten-level time trial. It may take you a few tries, but in order to unlock all the levels you must accumulate medals.

You can find this expansion on Steam at an introductory price of $5.39US ($5.99US after May 13).

• [LINK] Home Page
• [LINK] iTunes:
• [LINK] Joystiq.com:

Launch - World of Trinketz

Today in gaming: indie game developer Dark Matter Entertainment has put out a new game on Facebook today called World of Trinketz. This game is a 3D virtual world that runs in the Unity 3D engine. It's a cute little game. You get to customize your guy down to the plaid in his bandana -- though I thought it was weird that most of the colors are locked at the start of the game. Anyway, the tutorial level shows you all the things you'll get to play with -- like candy sandboxes, a boombox for a dance party, a house with eyes that shelters you and your Trinketz, and your guide -- Ophelia -- who I love because she seems spunky.

You can choose your own name or have the game come up with one for you. I am Hunter MushyCat -- protector and purveyor of the Trinketz. I'll report back more after I'm done with my review.

• [LINK] World of Trinketz Home Page