This week’s Premature Evaluation sees our early access conscript, Fraser, flung into the nightmarish Eastern Front of World War I in multiplayer FPS Tannenberg. It’s a companion game to Verdun, but the weather is worse and and there are a lot more angry men with guns. >

A man sprints out of the woods just in front of my hiding spot, screaming as he jumps over fallen trees. Before I can even figure out if he’s friend or foe, there s a flash and a scream as he’s sent hurtling through the air, the latest victim of the enemy s mortar. He lands in the mud right next to me, where he moans and gurgles as the life slowly seeps out of him. It s a noise I ve become very familiar with in Tannenberg.

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World War 2 is all the rage again but for those who favour classic conflicts, not their ‘bigger and deadlier than ever’ sequels, World War 1 games are still kicking. The creators of WW1 Western Front FPS Verdun today launched the Eastern Front standalone expansion Tannenberg into early access. Tannenberg focuses on ‘realistic’ action and ramps it up with a new 64-player mode (Verdun caps out at 40 players). Here, have a peek in the early access launch trailer: (more…)

We ve had the iceberg, the fatberg and now the Tannenberg [Steam page]. The latter is not as immediately impressive as an unassailable blockage of congealed grease held together by a fibrous network of wet wipes, but it is> videogame-releated and thus of interest to you, the reader. It s a multiplayer shooter set on the eastern front of World War One from the studio that made Verdun. And they ve announced a release date of November 16, from which point it ll be firing all its shells into the trenches of our greatest enemy early access. (more…)

Humble’s latest Bundle is the ninth in the series of Jumbo bundles. As the name suggests, these gather up larger and more popular indie gems into one big package where – as per normal – the more you pay, the more you get.

This ninth Jumbo bundle includes river-bound roguelike The Flame in the Flood, Left4Deadalike Warhammer Vermintide, clumsylike platformer Human Fall Flat, trenchalike shooter Verdun and we-really-like American Truck Simulator, among others for up to $10/ 8. A portion of your money will go to fund the AbleGamers Foundation charity or any other charity of your choosing if you have a specific one in mind.

The Humble Jumbo Bundle 9 is live now and up for the better part of the next two weeks, if it seems like your thing. More games are set to be added at the end of next week, as well, so check back to see what else your money will have gotten you.

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World War 1 FPS Verdun is off to the Eastern Front in a standalone expansion this year, developers Blackmill Games and M2H have announced. Named simply Tannenberg [official site], after 1914’s Battle of Tannenberg, it’ll see the Russian Empire scrapping with the Central Powers from forest to plains. Verdun is fairly serious as shooters go, more Red Orchestra than Battlefield, and Tannenberg will continue that with new men, maps, weapons, tactics, and all that. Check out the announcement trailer: … [visit site to read more]

Scottish soldiers have arrived in World War 1 FPS Verdun [official site] and I’ve got nothing fancy to say about that, okay. As RPS’s junior Scottish correspondent, I feel pressure in matters concerning the country I’ve grown to love and I don’t want to blow it. I can swim in lochs, watch Still Game, and sing along to Sunshine on Leith but it won’t stop people being visibly horrified by how I mispronounce e.g. Milngavie. So look, Scottish soldiers are now on the virtual battlefield and I think they look jolly smart, thank you very much. … [visit site to read more]

It’s easy to forget that as we sleep soundly in our beds, the screaming, blazing grindwar of Battlefield 1 [official site] is still happening on foreign servers. It’s a good thing the combatants enjoy it. And, lucky them, there’s a new game mode being introduced as part of a Christmas event, as well as some other bits and bobs for the troopers. Snuggle up and I’ll tell you all about it. … [visit site to read more]

‘Horrors of War’ isn’t the cheeriest name for a chunky free expansion, but Verdun [official site] is a pretty somber take on World War 1 as first-person shooters go. Now its trench warfare includes a co-operative wave survival mode with the challenge of holding trenches for as long as possible against overwhelming odds, and gruesome new dismemberment for that real WW1 ‘war is hell’ feeling.

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The extent of the Christmas truces across trenches of the Great War in 1914 is still up for debate, but British and German soldiers kicking footballs all across no man’s land is now as much a part of Christmas Lore as The Happy Fat Chappy and the three gifts of Terry’s All Gold, Frankenstein, and Grrr. Trench warfare FPS Verdun [official site] is celebrating the truce itself again this year, with a special map where chaps from both sides can lark about together, throwing and kicking balls of snow and leather. Observe:

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The First World War is a not a common setting for first-person shooters. This perhaps isn’t a surprise, given that guns were a bit rubbish then, most deaths came from being shelled while huddled in trenches, gas was a grinding terror, and tactics often didn’t seem much more advanced than “Run quickly towards the enemy while yelling and hope they don’t machine gun you all.” That said, I’ve heard good things about WWI FPS Verdun [official site].

After almost two years in various forms of open beta and early access, the tactical multiplayer FPS today officially launched. It’s on Steam for 15.29/19,35 right now.

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