The IGI2 website has been updated with information regarding both the public Multiplayer Beta (which will be fun as there will be many more new players to introduce to the wonders of the M82A at full zoom), as well as the Single Player Demo.

The Multiplayer Beta will go public from Friday 10^th January, and will be available from multiple download locations (you could of course check Codemaster's own public FTP server). Hopefully the current Beta Testers will be given the opportunity to download it early so we can be ready to show new players around the map - assuming of course there's only the one map still.

The Single Player Demo will be released on Friday 16^th January at 2pm, one week later. Also released for download with the demo will be the all-new IGI 2 video entitled "Scope". The video will be available alongside the demo from Thursday 16th January 2003.

Blues News has posted a pointer towards some screenshots on GameStar purporting to be from the unannounced continuation of the Total War series Roman Total War.

There's only one screenshot available to non-registered users, although the thumbnails seem to indicate the shots are from game play, and include what appear to be Elephants.

Updated throughout the day.

Reviews

Updated throughout the day.

Reviews

Updated throughout the day.

Reviews

Sony have announced they have shipped more than 600,000 PS2 Network Adaptors worldwide. Of this, around 200,000 have been sold in Japan, with the rest being sold in the US.

The relatively low sales for Japan reflect the fact there's only one online game available there - Final Fantasy XI. US PS2 owners have a much greater breadth of games to choose from, a range that will also be available to European gamers once the adaptor is released in Europe.

Of course, if you don't want to wait, you can use a standard USB ethernet adaptor, as we mentioned back in October, to get online and play now. Most PS2 online games that have online capabilities should support these adaptors, and it is known that games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 definitely support online play through this type of adaptor.

Updated throughout the day.

Reviews

Nintendo of Japan have updated their planned release schedule for the coming year. Pikmin 2, Animal Crossing 2 (also know as Animal Forest 2) and the scrapped N64 launch title Kirby's Airland have all been confirmed for release during the coming year.

The full list is as follows:
February 2003

During the annual SI Games Christmas Speech, MD Miles Jacobson (which I missed), MD Miles Jacobson has announced that issue 2 of their ChampMan Magazine will be released on February 14^th, and will have a cover mounted demo of Championship Manager 4.

He has also announced the tentative release date for the game as February 28^th, but like everything "All of these dates are subject to change - a lot can go right and wrong in the run up to a game release, and it's impossible to predict exactly what will happen, but those are the dates we are working towards at the moment."

As a Christmas Bonus they have also released a number of new screenshot from CM4 showing off the new skins and some of the new features.

Following on from Gamespot's preview, Computer and Video Games have offered up their own take of Counterstrike: Condition Zero as part of their interview with Ritual's Creative Director Robert Atkins.

The interview covers a lot of ground, and includes information about the work being undertaken, as well as plans to release a patch to specifically bring the free version of Counterstrike up to date with changes in Condition Zero. In addition, Ritual plan to keep releasing Mod updates, with the next patch planned to include some of the items from the retail game, including the Riot Shield and Galil Guns.

Updated throughout the day.

Reviews

Failing any major announcements such as Quake Four not being a dimly lit FPS or that The Sims Online will feature X-Rated uncensored 3-in-a-bed romps, News0r will be on its crimbo break until 2nd of January. We may still post the odd story here and there - or we may be a little too "tired and emotional"...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers.