Neverwinter Nights 2 is set to get a special limited edition version like other games, offering bonus items. Already available for pre-order, the limited edition offers:

• A powerful new feat called Blessed of Waukeen will grant a bonus to all saving throws, two special items, access to a unique weapon, and a magical golden aura that surrounds players’ characters.
  
• Detailed cloth map showing in-game locations
  
• Book of art, depicting characters and scenes from the game
  
• Two silver antique rings: Good & Evil

Revealed earlier, Ubisoft officially announced Prince of Persia: Rival Swords, the PSP sequel to Revelations and the portable version of The Two Thrones. Featuring new original content such as additional levels and new multiplayer modes, the game is scheduled to ship this Christmas in Europe and next year in North America. Details:

In Prince of Persia Rival Swords, the Prince makes his way home to Babylon, bearing with him Kaileena, the enigmatic Empress of Time, and unspeakable scars from the Island of Time. But instead of the peace he longs for, he finds his kingdom ravaged by war and Kaileena the target of a brutal plot. When she is kidnapped, the Prince tracks her to the palace - only to see her murdered by a powerful enemy. Her death unleashes the Sands of Time, which strike the Prince and threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. Cast out on the streets, hunted as a fugitive, the Prince soon discovers that the Sands have tainted him, too. They have given rise to a deadly Dark Prince, whose spirit gradually possesses him.

• New multiplayer experience: Versus play in timed races as either the Prince or Dark Prince. Interrupt and impede your opponent’s progress by activating switches in your own level that will trigger traps and obstacles in their level.

• Play and master two distinct characters: Wield the powers and weapons of two master warriors with different combat styles, attitudes and histories.

• Choose your way to kill: Master the expanded Free-Form Fighting system to destroy enemies in your own style, strangle them from afar with the deadly Daggertail, or surprise them with crafty Speed Kills - the choice is yours.

• Battle freely through Babylon: Dominate enemies on perilous rooftops, dodge through chaotic streets and ambush pursuers in dark underground passageways.

• Immerse yourself in a dramatic story: Experience unparalleled depth in storytelling as you fight your way through a twisting tale filled with adrenaline, tension and discovery.

• Brand-new chariot combat levels: Seize the reins of a chariot and battle through brand-new levels that are immediately available in the Main Menu for a quick adrenaline rush.

• Experience a masterful blend of gameplay: True to the Prince of Persia franchise, the game provides a variety of action combat, agility and story-driven puzzles - all masterfully blended into a rich gaming experience.

Activision CEO Robert Kotick revealed the launch titles for both the PS3 and Wii. This coming November will see both next-gen consoles launch with three games from the publisher, with both consoles receiving Call of Duty 3 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. The last title will be Tony Hawk’s Project 8 on PS3 and Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam for Wii.

In related news, he noted that most PS3 titles will be priced at $60, keeping in line with pricing of Xbox 360 games.

These have gone gold:

• Gothic 3
  
• Mage Knight: Apocalypse
  
• Pacific Storm
  
• ParaWorld

• Age of Pirates
  
• Company of Heroes
  
• Faces of War
  
• Joint Task Force
  
• Lego Star Wars II (PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, Gamecube, DS, PSP, GBA and PC)
  
• NHL 2K7 (Xbox, Xbox 360)

A couple of demos:

• F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point on Sierra, 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, AOL Games, Computer Games, FileFront, Gameguru Mania, Gamer’s Hell, Gamespot, Gameworld Network, VGPRO and Worthplaying

• LMA Manager 2007 on 3D Gamers, FileFront, FilePlanet, Gamer’s Hell and Worthplaying

• FIFA 07 on 3D Downloads, Boomtown, Computer Games, FileFront, Gamer’s Hell and Worthplaying

• Call of Duty 2 v1.3 (Mac) on 3D Gamers and Mac Game Files

• Heroes of Might and Magic V v1.3 on the Might and Magic website

• Madden NFL 07 v2.0 on EA FTP

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines v2.9 on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, FileFront and Worthplaying

With next-gen already here, 2K Sports announced new “standard-setting” features for NBA 2K7. The game will feature high-level visual player details with Signature Style animations; it will also include hyper-detailed arenas, enhanced arena lighting and numerous new camera angles.

Signature Style elevates next generation animation and adds new level of gameplay strategies as gamers adjust to the different shooting styles of each NBA player. Whether it’s Shaquille O’Neal’s two-handed drop step dunk, Steve Nash’s dribble, Gilbert Arenas’ wrap around the waist free throw routine, Richard Hamilton adjusting his face mask, Allen Iverson’s crossover move, or Shawn Marion’s fadeaway jumpshot, Signature Style comprises over 300 unique animations in shooting, dribbling, and dunking in NBA 2K7.

The level of detail has also been dramatically enhanced around the players, as NBA 2K7 features hyper-detail to every NBA arena. New lighting effects have been authentically replicated to give each court its own look and character. New crowd reactions and animations deliver more life to each of the games, as well as new arena specific elements of mascot animations, dance team performances, and much more. Lastly, users can experience the game with over 30 new camera angles ranging from the birds-eye view from the upper-level seats, to the eye level view from the coach’s cam. All of these cameras are further customizable to any gamer preference, giving gamers hundreds of new ways to watch the best NBA simulation video game for the next generation.

NBA 2K7 will be available for the PS2 and Xbox 360 later this month, with a PS3 version released in time for the Holiday season.

Three screenshots and two renders from Battlefield: Bad Company for the PS3 and Xbox 360:

Now that Deluxe editions are all the rage, NCSoft Europe sends word that it will launch the Good Versus Evil Combined Edition, a retail package combining City of Heroes and City of Villains.

To make it all the sweeter, the Combined Edition will include special in-game prestige travel powers and new hero and villain costume pieces. However, these items will also be available to current City of Heroes and City of Villains players via direct serial code purchase beginning September 29, so Combined players aren’t really very special.

Combined Edition will make its debut on store shelves throughout Europe on September 29 for £15/ €25. The retail package comes with 30-days of free play after which players only need to pay £9 per month to have full access to both of the games.

Even though the PSP has seen sales wane recently, mostly due to the launch of DS Lite, Sony has been adamant in maintaining the price of the portable. They still haven’t dropped the price, but for $250 one can now get the PSP Entertainment Pack which includes a PSP, a copy of ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin’ Trails, the Lords of Dogtown UMD movie and a 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. The company notes that the total cost of purchasing these products separately would be more than $300, so the Entertainment Pack is of value to consumers this Holiday season… who were planning to purchase the aforementioned items.

Really, what’s the point, Sony? Just drop the price of the machine already - nobody wants UMD movies when they can do the same thing with their Memory Sticks.

Having already announced that it will release seven games for the Wii at the console’s launch, Ubisoft has announced that Splinter Cell: Double Agent will also be available for the launch of the console, increasing the total to eight. However, the game won’t be available strictly at launch; it will be released this Christmas season. Here’s a bit:

Veteran agent Sam Fisher is back. But he’s never faced an enemy like this before. To stop a devastating terrorist attack, he must infiltrate a vicious terrorist group and destroy it from within. For the first time ever, experience the relentless tension and gut-wrenching dilemmas of life as a double agent. As you infiltrate a terrorist organisation in its American headquarters, you must carefully weigh the consequences of your actions. Kill too many criminals and you’ll blow your cover. Hesitate too long and millions will die. Do whatever it takes to complete your mission, but get out alive.

• Dual objectives to fulfill: NSA government agents and terrorists will each want you to accomplish opposing tasks at the same time.
  
• Discover the tension of being a double agent: Use actual tactics employed by today’s real-life double agents to sabotage the terrorists’ plans.
  
• Explore a branching storyline with multiple endings: Your choices have an impact on how the story and gameplay unfolds.
  
• A world of international espionage: Missions from all over the world, from Asia to Africa to the heart of the U.S. Experience extreme situations: underwater or in a sandstorm, hiding behind the dust or smoke - and even skydiving.
  
• New authentic gadgets: Master the latest weapons and gadgets used by NSA government agents in addition to black-market terrorist weapons.

Hoping to deliver the swinging ’60s with aliens, Garry Schyman has created a new, original score for Destroy All Humans! 2, the upcoming sequel to the tongue-in-cheek alien shooter from Pandemic Studios. Set during the ’60s, the game’s music draws influence from John Barry’s scores for the James Bond films from the era, as well as early Jerry Goldsmith and TV scores such as The Twilight Zone and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The 60-minute score was recorded with a live orchestra; a limited soundtrack album release will be available at Target with purchase of the game. A commercial release will also be available through Lakeshore Records.

Garry Schyman, who also scored the first game, commented, “For Destroy All Humans! 2 I immersed myself in the scoring of that period, listening to dozens and dozens of soundtracks from that time of many different genres. However, just as in the original Destroy All Humans! was set in the 1950’s, with Destroy All Humans! 2 I never attempt to intentionally satirize the game experience with the score. Instead the humor comes from playing it dead straight and letting the irony of the 60’s images, witty dialogue and straight orchestral scoring from the period create the fun.”

Destroy All Humans! 2 is set for release on the PS2 and Xbox on October 17.

Activision proudly announced that Call of Duty 2, a Xbox 360 launch title, has sold more than one million units in the US for the aforementioned console. According to NPD Funworld, the game is the best selling Xbox 360 title to date and is among the highest rated games for the platform.

The sequel, Call of Duty 3, is scheduled for release this November for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

The following quote from Viacom’s Q2 earnings report conference call set off quite a storm a couple of days back:

Importantly, Xfire just signed a deal with Sony to create a version of their platform for the new PS3, which will now enable Xfire to extend its reach further into the huge console gaming market.

According to the company, which is the owner of Xfire, a very popular online gaming community client, it is developing a version of its software for use in Sony’s online network for the PS3. However, before you get all hot and excited, 1Up carries word from SOE’s Chris Kramer that Xfire is being used for the PS3… but only in one game: Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom, a launch title. The technology deal is specific to the SOE game and is “separate and independent from the PlayStation Network Platform,” he said. Mike Cassidy, CEO of Xfire, added to his statement, saying that “Xfire is not part of the PlayStation Network Platform,” effectively closing any rumors.

Sony is yet to detail its plans for the PNP which will go live this November when the PS3 launches.

CDV has announced the availability of two new expansion packs for Blitzkrieg, its World War II RTS game. Dubbed Mission Kursk and Green Devils, the add-ons are only available for purchase digitally.

Mission Kursk The 15 missions in Mission Kursk’s campaigns will offer gamers a taste of the last great Eastern Front campaign of World War II. Characterized by brutal tank battles that first saw the widespread use of battlefield behemoths like the Tiger and Ferdinand, Mission Kursk contains 40 new units, 25 new structures, additional sound-effects and an upgraded graphics engine. Mission Kursk will offer gamers more than 50 hours of additional game play.

Green Devils Death from above threatens, as Green Devils introduces Blitzkrieg fans to the game’s first extensive airborne campaign. An additional campaign, “9th Panzers,” allows players to command units in famous missions such as Dunkirk, Operation Typhoon and Operation Citadelle. From the creator of Blitzkrieg: Burning Horizon and Blitzkrieg: Rolling Thunder, the Green Devils expansion will introduce players to all new battlefields and offer a four-mission “Tank School” that includes skill enhancing tips from the expansion’s designer.

Two new high-resolution screenshots from BioShock: