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After much wait, the Mac version of Aliens vs. Predator 2 is finally here, and IMG's Nat Panek has the inside scoop in his review, which has been posted for your reading pleasure. The three-page article covers a wide range of game-related topics, including graphical performance, gameplay mechanics, multiplayer, and much more. Here's a snippit from the article:

You don’t need to have played the original Aliens vs. Predator game to be able to follow the storyline of the sequel, and that is mostly because the original game didn’t have much of a storyline to speak of. What plot there was, was conveyed through hilariously bad video clips of (and I would lay money on this) people who were almost certainly coders put in military-looking shirts and given hastily written lines to read into a camera. The sequel’s most obvious and most welcome improvement over the original is its complex storyline, which is conveyed non-chronologically and from three different points of view (and entirely within the game engine--no more video “experiments”). Think Pulp Fiction in space. There are actual characters with actual names and personalities, along with plenty of dialogue, which serves to advance the plot toward gruesome climaxes. Playing as a marine or a Predator, you can also find and read various messages on paper and computers, adding further depth to the world of AvP2.

IMG Review: Aliens vs. Predator 2

Aliens vs. Predator 2 (add to watch list)

Hyperion Entertainment (add to watch list)

MacPlay (add to watch list)

Buy Aliens vs. Predator 2

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Aspyr has begun shipping the Macintosh and PC versions of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. The multi-platform game was developed by Beenox and published by Aspyr. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 lets players take on the role of legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk and 13 other professional skateboarders as they skate through enormous free roaming levels, choose from 190 progressively harder goals and build their skills to perform 14 of the greatest skateboarding stunts of all time.

Here's from from the official press release:

“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 marks a revolutionary step forward for the franchise with its free-roaming career mode and progressively harder goal system,” states Dave Anderson, director, Activision Business Development and Licensing. “These features add a whole new dimension to the gameplay and provide a compelling new challenge for both novice players and ardent fans alike.”

“The Pro Skater series is legendary,” says Michael Rogers, President of Aspyr. “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 takes the game to the next level with huge advancements in graphics and gameplay. This is the closest you can get to skating without scraping a knee.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater® 4 delivers the deepest and most challenging gameplay experience in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. The game’s enhanced career mode allows players to earn respect and the chance to take on all new pro goals by conquering a skater-specific Pro Challenge based on each skater’s personal history.

Aspyr Media (add to watch list)

Beenox (add to watch list)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (add to watch list)

Buy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4

Desktop guru Brad Custer is back with another awesome desktop today. This week's desktop features MacPlay's upcoming first-person shooter, No One Lives Forever 2.

Here's what Brad had to say about his latest creation:

MacPlay announced earlier this year that they would be bringing No One Lives Forever 2 to the Mac. As time has passed there has been a growing request for a desktop featuring the lovely Cate Archer. Of course, I try to honor all requests. In this week's wallpaper I wanted to capture the feel of the box design for No One Lives Forever 2. So, with the help of MacPlay and the internet, I was able to create this desktop. I simply entitled this week's feature, "Top Secret", and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Custer's Desktops

Inside Mac Games and a prominent Mac game publisher have teamed up for a blockbuster event that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! The Mac game publisher, who wishes to remain anonymous at this time, will be announcing two new games exclusively on IMG Chat this Friday! That's right, not one, but two games!

The chat will be this Friday at 7 PM Eastern/4 PM Pacific. If you already have an IRC client, you can join the IMG chat by logging on to one of the servers listed on the IMG Chat page, then joining the channel #img. If you don't have an IRC client, you can download the IMG Chat program, which is a lot simpler than a typical IRC program and will automatically connect you to the #img channel.

For more information, head over to the IMG Chat page to download the chat client software. We look forward to seeing you at the IMG Chat this Friday!

Inside Mac Games (add to watch list)

IMG Chat

PlayMyth has announced the release of the latest revision to Myth III: The Wolf Age. Set at version 1.1.1, release candidate 2, the upgrade brings with it a small number of fixes and additions. Listed among them are the following:

1. Sprite Effect problems have been resolved. This means you should be able to turn on Grass Sprites and enjoy all the visuals of Myth III without having to worry about the dreaded "Sprite Freakout" issue that has plagued Myth III since 1.02.

2. Updated input routines.

3. Some speed performance compensations.

PlayMyth - Myth III 1.1.1 Release Candidate 2

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The Shadowbane website was recently updated with news on a Guild Database upgrade, along with news on the next patch for the game. The Guild and Map database was streamlined to make it much faster to access, and the update also notes new features to come:

The Online Maps and Guild Database systems have been streamlined and the overall performance drastically improved. We are currently working on new features to the online database that would allow easier navigation and searching. We hope to have these new additions sometime soon. If you have not tried out the Maps page or Database lately, go give them a whirl.

- It is no longer possible to use the management window to destroy a ToL.
- A killer's guild and nation name now correctly appears on your KOS List.
- Some code added to prevent any problems occurring to ToLs.
- Banished city members should no longer get /city messages.
- Building damage and healing should be saved and restored after server restarts.
- Characters will no longer be able to repledge into a guild they have been banished from.

- Fixed a number of instances where the world map was not refreshing (crests, names, etc.).
- Fixed an exploit allowing for instantaneous logouts.
- If you delete a skins file, it is now possible to use characters once used with that skins file.
- Connectivity improved between login and game servers.
- KOS list performance has been improved.
- It will no longer be possible to heal buildings with gold during any phase of a siege if buildings are within a certain range of the ToL.

Ubisoft (add to watch list)

Wolfpack Studios (add to watch list)

Shadowbane (add to watch list)

Shadowbane Guild Database Upgrade

Shadowbane Future Patch Notes

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PlayNet is pleased to announce that the WWII Online Newsletter, a subscription based emailing list where players of the popular massive online war game World War II Online can choose to receive updates of special in-game events and offers, has returned. Those with WWII Online accounts can choose to receive the newsletter by simply accessing their user profile. Here's the full news post from PlayNet's website:

We're bringing back the official WWII Online newsletter this week.

If you want to get it visit your account management page and click on 'My Profile' on the left-side navbar.

Be sure your e-mail address is up-to-date and you have YES selected next to, "Do you want to be contacted for events and
other opportunities?".

Newsletter Returns!

World War II Online (add to watch list)

PlayNet

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