It’s been interesting watching post-AI War Arcen at work. Their idiosyncratic drunken approach to genres has always resulted in games worth talking about. Granted, some of those words might not be all that complimentary, but they’ve never once released a game that had any hint of hubris. Not even when they return to the space strategy genre that pays the bills. The Last Federation’s a strategy/tactics game set inside a simulation game, which sets it apart from AI War’s ridiculous spectacle of death. It displays the one thing that’s true of Arcen’s game: it was announced in January, and it’s coming out next week. … [visit site to read more]

Older readers may recall that in February we took a peek at The Last Federation, the new space strategy game from Arcen Games. Even older readers may recall that Arcen first came to our attention for AI War – and lo, many a joke about Quintin and iron was spawned. After confusing everyone with A Valley Without Wind, and some appealing experiments in between, they’ve now returned to the genre which made them.

But what manner of beast is The Last Federation exactly? AI War too, or something very different? That’s the kind of question which can only be answered by watching an hour long (and change) alpha video. And also by saying that’s a hybrid of intergalactic simulation, grand strategy and RTS. … [visit site to read more]

Arcen, purveyors of sundry indie oddities, sent a message by pigeon post in the early hours of this morning to inform us of their new game, The Last Federation. It has one of the finest single line pitches I’ve ever encountered – “The Last Federation is a Grand Strategy + RTS Tactics game” – and in honour of the good news that she delivered, the pigeon has now been promoted to Flight Lieutenant and provided with a suitable cap. TLF places players in the role of a mercenary leader in a procedurally generated galaxy, which contains eight alien races to menace and manipulate. The closest point of comparison may well be Soldak’s Drox Operative. Arcen’s pigeon also told us that the spiffing AI War is on sale this weekend, with the complete collection (five DLCs) available for $4.25 and the little blighter didn’t stop there. More news – and a couple of videos – below.

… [visit site to read more]

The Arclight Bundle over on Indie Royale is a single-studio special from Arcen. That means it includes: AI War, Tidalis, A Valley Without Wind 1 & 2 and Shattered Haven – basically everything other than their latest, Skyward Collapse. They’re even throwing in the new AI War expansion, Vengeance of the Machine, which has just gone into beta. The $8 buy-in unlocks soundtracks for all, too. Not bad at all.

Some more details below. (more…)

I usually hesitate to simply post sales news, because that’s what LewiePs are for. But in the case of RPS space-strategy favourite AI War I will make an exception. It’s 75% off with all the expansions included on Steam. That makes it $4.24 or £2.99 or €4.24, and that’s a fine price for such a huge slab of spaceshipular cleverness. A chunk of the money raised will be given to charity Child’s Play.

To discover why this bundle should be so appealing go here (and lament the unfinishedness), and also check the most recent trailer, below. (more…)

In the dark, distant future, when the universe has suffered heat death, all that will remain will be Arcen Games, stubbornly releasing new patches for their epic space startegy, AI War. The next patch is due tomorrow, it’s called 6.0, and as I understand the patch coincides with a new expansion: Ancient Shadows. That’s been available in beta for a bit, I think, but tomorrow should the full roll-out. They’ve been expanding and patching this beast constantly since 2009 and they show no signs of stopping. Needless to say, the expansion has tonnes of new features, including: “A whole new kind of human player. It’s possible to control champions alongside your main fleet, or to have a friend or family member control just one single massive ship.”

Trailer below. (And there’s sixty-five thousand words> worth of release notes here.) (more…)

It’s fair to say that Arcen fell of the pace a little with A Valley Without Wind, but then AI War was one of the most accomplished debuts any studio could hope for. If A Valley Without Wind had a stumbling gait, AI War was striding along like the coolest cat in town. It doesn’t have the nattiest threads and but none of that matters once you sit down and play. Ancient Shadows is a new expansion coming for the game, which pits emerging intelligences against players in conflicts that feel as much chess as tower defense or RTS. That’s a new expansion three years after release and it looks like a significant one. The beta is available now for pre-orderers. Details below.

(more…)

There’s no looking back for A Valley Without Wind now – its new, side-scrolling look is signed and sealed, as the below humungo-chunk (17 minutes!) of in-game footage proves. Also now on show from this time-straddling exploration and survival game are brand new character models, plus assorted armour for them to find, craft and wear.

I’m still not entirely sure what to think about the side-on perspective, but it’s definitely growing on me. As it is, this is a game I’m increasingly excited about – procedurally-generated world-roaming with, apparently, a proper layer of game on top of it.
(more…)

Today, Arcen Games wants you to get in spire(d). Light of the Spire is the biggest expansion for AI War to date, and with its release today it brings with it the series’ first story-driven campaign, a new Defender mode that should take “minutes instead of hours” to play, new AI types, new factions, new music and 180 new ships, which is great, as I was just sat here thinking that AI War really needed even more sodding ships. Just look at the size of the update they released back in October! Madness. (more…)

It’s Saturday, so that means it’s time for another…..Hang on, it’s not Saturday! Never mind. The lovely folk over at Arcen games have just sent word that they are lopping off an entire 60% off all of their games. Not only does buying DRM-free direct from the developers come with a free warm fuzzy feeling deep in your belly, but in this instance you can (optionally) also use the code you get from Arcen to register the games on Steam if you prefer. Best of all worlds. (more…)