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Two Worlds II - All News

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Thursday - November 03, 2022
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Box Art

Thursday - November 03, 2022

Two Worlds II - Retrospective Review @ C4G

by Hiddenx, 15:39

C4G looks back at Two Worlds II:

Why You Should Play Two Worlds 2 in 2022 | 12 Years Later Retrospective

Sunday - November 24, 2019

Two Worlds II - Shattered Embrace Release on December 6

by Hiddenx, 08:56

New content for Two Worlds II will be available on December 6 on Steam. The new chapter Shattered Embrace will be available as DLC or as a standalone version:

Shattered Embrace

Picking up immediately after the events of "Call of the Tenebrae", you and your companions are stunned when the mythical, long lost Elves suddenly resurface on a remote island! But surprise quickly turns to alarm as the Elves reemergence brings a secret from the past with sinister echoes of the Tenebrae Order’s ancient evil! Now, with evil bearing down on the land and the unity of the races broken, the Shattered Embrace may spell doom for all of Antaloor!

With Dar Pha’s troubled mind assaulted by buried memories of her Elven heritage and an elite strike force of Adramelech’s zealots bearing down on you, you and your friends race to the Elven kingdom of Shadinar, only to find that the truce between Elves, Humans and Orcs has been shattered. In the kingdom of the Elves, seeds of distrust and prejudice planted long ago have borne bitter fruit and evil now wears many unexpected faces…

Explore the Elven kingdom of Shadinar on a vast, tropical island, where sunny, seemingly tranquil beaches are guarded by advanced machines and Elven magic. Pair with the Captain of the Royal guard and play detective in the biggest settlement in Two Worlds history as you investigate a dark plot and a brutal murder that threatens both the Kingdom and the royal family! Travel to lush forests and the steppes to hunt wild beasts outside the city walls for sport and ingredients, but don’t forget to equip yourself for your adventures and pick up side-quests in the bustling merchant port-town of Freehaven. Then, prepare yourself to enter a forbidden dimension, where a blood-red sun casts its sickly light on Hell itself and an ancient, slumbering god begins to stir!
Major Engine Update
The all new HD engine upgrade features a HD GUI interface and displays the beauty of Antaloor and its people like never before! Explore stunning new locations and battle new, incredibly detailed enemies with beautiful cutting edge effects!

Engine Update Features

  • A completely overhauled graphic experience, from top to bottom
  • Higher view range and more landscape details make for an amazing visual experience
  • Improved light & shadow system
  • Detailed, high resolution models and crisp textures
  • Beautifully rendered effects with an atmospheric weather system
  • Achievements included for TWII Main Game, PotFF, COT and SE
  • Breathtaking vistas, haunted shipwrecks and lush forests rendered in stunning HD
  • Never before seen areas of Antaloor teem with realistic life, both friendly and deadly
  • Upgraded particle and motion effects
  • GUI Interface in HD resolution

FEATURES

  • Hours of thrilling gameplay: Set in an-all new region of Antaloor, Shattered Embrace offers a deep campaign with a wide variety of side quests and missions to undertake.
  • New Weapons & Armor: More than 100 new weapons await your hand, from swords and bows to staves and daggers! Choose between 15 new armor sets (over 75 pieces) to protect you from your enemies, whether you’re a wizard or a knight!
  • Travel to New Lands… Explore Shadinar, the biggest city in Two Worlds history with four unique, expansive districts and the Elves’ never-before-seen Tropical Island
  • …and New Dimensions: For the first time ever, travel to alternate dimensions in the Two Worlds universe, including the Infernal Dimension of Hell!
  • A Cast of Characters Like No Other: Old friends return and new allies cleave to your side as you fight against sentient machines, bloodthirsty beasts, demons from hell and renegade deities from centuries past..
  • Brand New Guilds: Join one of the brand new guilds and prove yourself worthy! Advance through the ranks to get your hands on unique equipment and weapons.
  • Become the Ultimate Alchemist: New alchemy ingredients allow you to create even more powerful elixirs that can enhance your abilities and fighting prowess like never before
  • Great Weather and Magic Effects: New special effects and new weather systems and elements await you, both on the island and beyond.
  • Over 75 Minutes Of Brand New Music: A new soundtrack propels you along every step of your journey, from the paradise of a tropical beach to the fiery, blood red skies of the Inferno Realm.

Saturday - April 20, 2019

Two Worlds II - Shattered Embrace Announcement

by Silver, 05:51

@BluesNews A new expansion for Two Worlds II has been announced called Shattered Embrace.

Publisher TopWare Interactive and developer Reality Pump Studios officially announce Shattered Embrace, a final expansion for Two Worlds II that's expected in Q3 of this year. This was actually first mentioned three years ago with the announcement of Two Worlds III. Word is this conclusion to the game will be available individually, as part of the season pass, or as part of a new standalone version. Here are some screenshots, and here's word:

[...]

 

Thursday - August 30, 2018

Two Worlds II - Echoes of the Past 2 DLC

by Silver, 22:52

A new DLC for Two Worlds II called 'Echoes of the Past 2' has been released on Steam.

Your Two Worlds II multiplayer adventure continues in "Echoes of the Dark Past II": Three brand new domains await you, each with two unique paths, for a total of six never-before-seen maps to explore!

Deep in the desert, a bloody conflict is brewing, and you must choose a side! Join either the Vanderbilt mercenaries or the Veneficus University expedition, each with their own unique quests, and unlock additional multiplayer maps depending on your choice!

Desert Storm

Fight desert demons, hordes of the undead, and a crazed cannibal clan in the biggest Two Worlds II multiplayer map yet!

The Tenebrae Passage

Join the crooked magician, Mendel, as you scour the old Tenebrae tunnels and clash with the Vanderbilt mercenaries, fighting your way deep underground to an ancient Tenebrae tomb.

The Tenebrae Tunnels

Side with Victor and the Vanderbilts, go to war against Mendel and the Veneficus mages, and help the mercenaries infiltrate the old tomb before the wizards do.

Sanctuary of Sama'El

Help the Veneficus mages fight their way through the Tenebrae tomb, but when they make a final, desperate decision, whose side will you choose?

Sepulchre of Sama'El

Continue your adventure with the Vanderbilts, as you attempt to save the ancient tomb from destruction while facing a powerful ally… or a deadly adversary, depending on your decisions.

Desert Storm: Team Deathmatch

Return to the endless desert and duke it out against other players or desert monsters in the largest Team Deathmatch map in Antaloor's history, four times bigger than any other multiplayer map!

Thanks Farflame!

Monday - December 11, 2017

Two Worlds II - New Multiplayer DLC available

by Hiddenx, 19:28

A new multiplayer DLC called Echoes of the Dark Past for Two Worlds II is available:

Multiplayer DLC Echoes of the Dark Past Available

Return to Antaloor in Echoes of the Dark Past, an all new, multiplayer expansion for Two Worlds II!

Echoes of the Dark Past is loaded with everything you love about the Two Worlds’ series. An epic journey awaits you as you meet new allies and battle old, vengeful foes! You’ll need to master powerful, exotic weaponry and forbidden magics while forging new alliances to combat a freakish breed of hideous evil. Fight against a tyrannical foe and explore three never before seen maps in this lengthy expansion.
Two Worlds II season pass holders will automatically receive this new DLC.

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - July 15, 2017

Two Worlds II - Call of the Tenebrae released

by Hiddenx, 08:40

The standalone version of Two Worlds II HD - Call of the Tenebrae has been released:

Two Worlds II HD - Call of the Tenebrae

THIS IS A STAND ALONE SINGLE PLAYER VERSION OF THE DLC "Call of the Tenebrae" for "Two Worlds II" (It does not require the main game and no prior experience with Two Worlds titles is needed, but it is only recommended for experienced RPG Players)

At long last, it’s time to revisit the sprawling lands of Antaloor for another thrilling chapter in the Two Worlds saga! After the high-flying adventure of TW2: Pirates of the Flying Fortress, leave the skies behind and return to Antaloor in this exciting , Two Worlds 2 HD: Call of the Tenebrae!

In this new RPG adventure, the shocking murder of DarPha sets in motion a chain of events that reveals a powerful new magic and a creeping evil with sinister designs for the populace of Antaloor. Drawn into a battle between two warring leaders of a savage tribe of rat-like creatures, this horrific new enemy has managed to complete the bulk of its grotesque plan while the citizens of Antaloor have remained completely unaware. With only a few short days until their diabolical scheme is complete, the hero must act fast and defeat this new evil before the light of Antaloor is extinguished!

Team up with familiar faces and new allies alike as you unravel a genocidal plot that will destroy the harmony of Antaloor and leave its people and lands in ruins. Solve the mystery of the Elves’ disappearance and uncover powerful relics of a time passed as new revelations lead to shocking discoveries that will change the face of Antaloor forever.

Find sturdy new armor, powerful new weapons, brand-new locations and battle a fearsome new race in your quest to uncover the hidden secrets of Antaloor. Harness new crystals, upgrade your weapons and armor, brew new potions with an expanded alchemy system and battle new enemies and boss characters. New combat techniques and enemy behaviors will keep you guessing and brand new locations await you, from haunted graveyards and crypts to dank swamps and dark forests swarming with vicious enemies.

The fate of Antaloor’s people hangs in the balance and the stakes have never been higher. Uncover the nefarious plot against her citizens and discover the powerful secret that will rock Antaloor to its core. Welcome back to Two Worlds!

[...]

Friday - June 16, 2017

Two Worlds II - Call of the Tenebrae released

by Hiddenx, 20:31

The Two Worlds II addon Call of the Tenebrae has been released:

Two Worlds 2: Call of the Tenebrae

At long last, it’s time to revisit the sprawling lands of Antaloor for another thrilling chapter in the Two Worlds saga! After the high-flying adventure of TW2: Pirates of the Flying Fortress, leave the skies behind and return to Antaloor in this exciting new DLC, Two Worlds 2: Call of the Tenebrae!

In this new RPG adventure, the shocking murder of DarPha sets in motion a chain of events that reveals a powerful new magic and a creeping evil with sinister designs for the populace of Antaloor. Drawn into a battle between two warring leaders of a savage tribe of rat-like creatures, this horrific new enemy has managed to complete the bulk of its grotesque plan while the citizens of Antaloor have remained completely unaware. With only a few short days until their diabolical scheme is complete, the hero must act fast and defeat this new evil before the light of Antaloor is extinguished!

Team up with familiar faces and new allies alike as you unravel a genocidal plot that will destroy the harmony of Antaloor and leave its people and lands in ruins. Solve the mystery of the Elves’ disappearance and uncover powerful relics of a time passed as new revelations lead to shocking discoveries that will change the face of Antaloor forever.

Find sturdy new armor, powerful new weapons, brand-new locations and battle a fearsome new race in your quest to uncover the hidden secrets of Antaloor. Harness new crystals, upgrade your weapons and armor, brew new potions with an expanded alchemy system and battle new enemies and boss characters. New combat techniques and enemy behaviors will keep you guessing and brand new locations await you, from haunted graveyards and crypts to dank swamps and dark forests swarming with vicious enemies.

The fate of Antaloor’s people hangs in the balance and the stakes have never been higher. Uncover the nefarious plot against her citizens and discover the powerful secret that will rock Antaloor to its core. Welcome back to Two Worlds!

FEATURES:

An all new engine upgrade will display the beauty of Antaloor and its denizens like never before! See stunning new locations, highly detailed new enemies and allies and beautiful new effects!
  • Several hours of thrilling gameplay, in an all new adventure set in the Two Worlds universe, in addition to myriad side-quests and optional missions.
  • Brand new, highly stylized armor and weapons await you, regardless of your offensive focus. Choose from a wide variety of axes, maces, daggers, swords and spears, in addition to ranged weapons like magical staves, bows and arrows, rifles and crossbows.
  • A wide array of new weapon and armor enhancing crystals are scattered across the land, waiting for an intrepid explorer to discover them, granting your weapons new abilities and attributes.
  • Revamped and enhanced alchemy system with new ingredients and techniques for brewing all new tonics and potions, granting the player new options for offensive, defensive and restorative potions.
  • Explore the archipelago like never before; investigate new locations, from haunting crypts and swamps crawling with the walking dead, to sprawling villages, trading outposts and bandit camps.
  • Introducing a brand new race, a horrifying cross between rat and human called The Chosen, with motivations and aspirations known only to them. You must learn who among them is friend and who is foe before Antaloor is overrun!
  • Ferocious new bosses, each requiring fast hands and quick thinking as you discover and exploit their carefully guarded weaknesses.
  • New enemy tactics and strategies will keep you guessing, forcing you to master your attacks and keep your guard up.
  • An original, thrilling new story addition in the Two Worlds universe with friends and foes both new and old.
  • An epic soundtrack featuring an hour of all new music, plus a bevy of new sound effects and thematic music.

Friday - April 21, 2017

Two Worlds II - Call of the Tenebrae Release Date

by Hiddenx, 19:04

PC Gamer reports that the Two Worlds II DLC: Call of the Tenebrae will be released on May 25.

Two Worlds 2: Call of the Tenebrae expansion release date set

Six years since its last outing.

To be honest, I'd forgotten all about Two Worlds when news of a new engine and incoming DLC packs surfaced last year. Reality Pump and TopWare Interactive kicked off its high fantasy RPG series in 2007, and followed up with Two Worlds 2 in 2010 in Europe and 2011 in North America. It launched an expansion, named Pirates of the Flying Fortress, and then went rather quiet.

A third game, a new engine, and two expansions were announced last March—and now one of those, Call of the Tenebrae, has a release date: May 25.

So, six years on, what's it all about? Here's TopWare with the official word:

"Two Worlds II: Call of the Tenebrae plunges the Hero into a decades-old mystery and a battle against a hideous, ancient evil known as The Tenebrae. The stakes have never been higher, but our hero won’t face this threat alone. Friends and foes both new and old await you, as you fight to discover the truth behind a powerful secret that will shake the Two Worlds universe to its core."

[...]

Saturday - March 26, 2016

Two Worlds II - DLC: Call of the Tenebrae announced

by Hiddenx, 08:51

Hurls spotted the annoucement of Two Worlds II DLC: Call of the Tenebrae for Q2 2016:

Story:

In the wake of a rash of disappearances across the land, the Hero receives an unexpected letter from DarPha, compelling him to travel across Antaloor to assist her in solving the mysterious kidnappings. He arrives just in time to see a group of robed figures seemingly murder DarPha before disappearing into a magical portal. The Hero is thrust into a decades old mystery while a new race of horrific, rat-like creatures attempt to destroy Antaloor for good.

What's New:

Experience Antaloor with a major engine update that brings the archipelago to amazing, detailed life like never before! Visit new locations and interact with a host of brand new characters, both friend and foe! Solve the dark mystery of the Tenebrae and stop their hideous, rat-like followers, The Chosen. Listen to the all-new, original soundtrack as you battle hulking bosses with new weaponry, enchanted armor, alchemy skills, crystals, fighting tactics and strategies.

Gameplay:

All new villains, bosses and a new enemy race await you, complete with never before seen tactics, strategies and attacks. Creeping evil lurks around every corner, but fear not! Mix and match powerful new weapons and armor as you use some new tactics of your own to destroy the new threat to Antaloor. Hours of new quests and sidequests wait to be explored, along with all new sections of Antaloor, both above ground and below.

Friday - August 16, 2013

Steam - Two Worlds Collection Sale

by Couchpotato, 03:50

Steam has a new daily deal offering the Two Worlds II Collection for $9.99.

Today's Deal: Save 80% on Two Worlds II series!

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Saturday at 10AM Pacific Time

Friday - August 03, 2012

Two Worlds II - Review @ GameBanshee

by Aries100, 20:41

Gamebanshee has a lengthy 5 page review of this game written by Eric Schwartz. 

A quote about the moral choices in the game:

I was also taken aback by some of the game's moral ambiguity. While some other RPGs bill their moral choices as a big selling point, Two Worlds II actually has quite a few situations without ideal solutions, or parties that are happy to manipulate you to their own ends. One section of the game, for instance, revolves around a string of murders committed by rebels to Gandohar's regime - is it right to support the rebels, even if they're violent criminals, or is order brought by the guards more important? 

A quote about the quest design:

This also becomes a problem with the quest design. Two Worlds II is stuffed full of dozens, if not hundreds of fetch and kill quests, and most of them aren't at all interesting. Many of them seem purposely built to make you run into remote territory, back and forth, just to waste time. While other "hiking simulators" like Skyrim can be criticized for being mostly devoted to traveling the world, the key difference is that Two Worlds II largely lacks any interesting locations to stumble across, random encounters to take part in, and so on. The point of these simple travel-based quests in open-world titles is to give incentive for exploration, and Two Worlds II pretty much has none to make doing those quests worthwhile except for the experience and loot.

A quote on the magic system:

Last, and most interesting (especially for Elder Scrolls fans), Two Worlds II has a pretty interesting and original magic system which revolves entirely around creating your own spells. By using magical cards with different properties, it's possible to summon various creatures, apply buffs, throw around elemental bolts, and just about anything else you'd expect from an RPG, but with the added flexibility of being able to choose how you use those base components to your advantage. 


A quote about the combat:

It all falls apart for a few reasons. First, character movement can be clunky due to the fact that it's tied to the physics engine. Momentum, terrain and other factors influence how you move, which is fine for exploration, but in combat it means that movement can feel sluggish, or floaty, such as when making sudden turns or running up or down hills. Many of my deaths could be attributed to the controls, and sometimes I was killed because the ragdoll corpses left behind by enemies blocked my retreat path. 

And finally, the conclusion:

In the end, I can give my recommendation for Two Worlds II - on the condition that you're willing to overlook a lot of problems. Although it's not a game I'd personally buy at full price, if you're able to find it on sale, especially the Velvet Edition that includes the expansion pack, it will give you more than enough value for your money. Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting Two Worlds III, as I'd like to see the good ideas explored in Two Worlds II come to a more refined, developed, and polished form.

Source: RPG Codex

Friday - April 06, 2012

Two Worlds II - Free MP DLC

by Dhruin, 00:55

Huh, didn't expect more for Two Worlds II. TopWare has anounced a free multiplayer DLC for Two Worlds II offering a new MP mode and five maps to play:

Two Worlds 2 offers free DLC with a new Multiplayer mode and 5 maps for Easter weekend!

+++ Defense Mode arrives after demands from the community+++

Karlsruhe, Germany, 5th April 2012 – TopWare Interactive is presenting a special gift for all the loyal fans and players of Two Worlds 2. A new mutliplayer game mode, including five brand new maps, is now available on http://www.twoworlds2.com.

In this new Defense Mode, the old-school gameplay of classic castle-defense games is given new life. Since 1992 this gameplay mechanic has never degraded of its addictiveness and interest to gamers worldwide. Now, in Two Worlds 2, the game-design has been pushed forward once more. The player must team-up and defend Gandohar - the main villain of the Two Worlds 2 campaign - against constant waves of AI enemies. Tactical moves and solid teamwork, while using all the necessary skills, is paramount to survive these thrilling battles.

Alexandra Constandache CEO TopWare Interactive Inc. : “TopWare Interactive wants to push the idea of real-time, online, role play gaming a step further and has implemented this in the new Defense-Mode. We’ve had a ton of feedback from our community, asking for a gameplay mode that combines the classic style known from our Castle Defense game, but with all the features of a 3D action role playing game. We want to thank the fans for their immense feedback and let them know that they’re the reason why we’re releasing the DLC for free. We’re always eager for any and all feedback that can help us to make our games even better.”

For anyone who isn’t familiar with Two Worlds 2, the demo version of the Chapter Edition is ready for download here: www.twoworlds2.com Take a peek into the vast world of Antaloor!

Friday - December 09, 2011

Two Worlds II - PS3 Velvet Edition in Europe

by Dhruin, 22:42

The Two Worlds II release schedule is/was complicated but it seems the PS3 Velvet Edition has finally been released in Europe:

 

VELVET EDITION LAUNCHES ON PLAYSTATION IN EUROPE


Playstation3 players bedded on red velvet

Karlsruhe, December 9th 2011– TopWare Interactive today announced the European release of Two Worlds II “Velvet Edition”, also known as the Game of the Year Edition, on the Playstation3.

Embossed metal corners resembling antiquated brass anchor the signature red velvet game box, which also boasts an engraved Two Worlds II logo, making this release a fantastic addition to any game collector’s library.
In addition to the inclusion of the core Two Worlds II game and the expansion Pirates of the Flying Fortress, the Velvet Edition contains a metal decorative pirate pin modeled after reputation badges from the game, two exclusive multiplayer maps, soundtrack, bonus artwork and a highly detailed world map.

For more information please visit: www.twoworlds2.com

 

Monday - November 28, 2011

Two Worlds II - Worldmerge Mod

by Dhruin, 20:06

Here's an interesting Two Worlds II mod that "combines the Two World 2 main campaign, the eleven multiplayer adventure maps and the whole Pirates of Flying Fortress Expansion into one coherent, newly balanced singleplayer gameworld". I've no idea how well it all works but it sounds worth a look if you were planning to return to 2W2 at some point. Here's the full intro:

Worldmerge - though done without SDK/Toolkit - combines the Two World 2 main campaign, the eleven multiplayer adventure maps and the whole Pirates of Flying Fortress Expansion into one coherent, newly balanced singleplayer gameworld. It ties everything together with a very long new questline sending you all around the world of Antaloor, even to the most hidden corners. You will find three new difficulty levels (Novice, Expert and Master) with various tweaks and enhancements, each for a female or male player character, that bring a lot of extra challenge. In addition to that many great mods by gifted modders from the Two Worlds 2 community are included (see details below). The singleplayer game time (compared to the 45+ hours of TW2+PotFF) is easily extended by more than 15 extra hours (25+ if you choose the Master Difficulty).

Friday - September 09, 2011

Two Worlds II - v1.3 Patch Press Release

by Dhruin, 00:43

We've already highlighted the Two Worlds II 1.3 patch but today we received the official press release, which points out some of the key improvements:

TopWare Introduces New Features& Upgrades for Two Worlds II in Upcoming Patch

Patch 1.3 includes improved game functionality, additional mechanics, and 3D technology support

Karlsruhe September 8th, 2011 – TopWare Interactive announced today the inclusion of a number of new features and upgraded functionality included in patch 1.3 for Two Worlds II.  During the development of the upcoming expansion, Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress, Polish developer Reality Pump was able to make substantial upgrades to key game mechanics such as enemy A.I. (including diversified combat behaviors and improved pathfinding), character animations when interacting with elements of the environment, a new “auto-sail” feature for easier travel, and scalable interface options for all platforms.

Additionally PC and Xbox 360™players can look forward to an entirely new experience with the introduction of a stereoscopic 3D presentation option, made possible by advancements in Reality Pump’s proprietary GRACE game engine.  Working side-by-side with leading 3D hardware manufacturers, Reality Pump is bringing the world of Antaloor to life like never before!

Best of all, owners of the original Two Worlds II will not be required to purchase the expansion to enjoy all the benefits of the patch!

Additional changes and patch-logs can be found by following the link below and going to Support - Downloads
http://www.twoworlds2.com

Thursday - September 08, 2011

Two Worlds II - v1.3 Patch

by Dhruin, 00:29

A new patch has been released for Two Worlds II, taking the game to v1.3. You'd be forgiven for expecting this to be a minor preparation patch for the upcoming expansion but it actually addresses a laundry list of fixes. Among the list is the addition of 3D support and improved pathfinding and enemy combat AI. Head to Blue's for the full notes and here is their mirror list:

Source: Blues News

Saturday - July 16, 2011

Two Worlds II - Velvet GotY Edition Announced

by Dhruin, 02:17

Direct from TopWare:

Two Worlds II: Velvet Game of the Year Edition coming this October!

Including the expansion; Pirates of the Flying Fortress, which also releases this fall, Two Worlds II: GOTY hits shelves with a grandiose entrance!

Las Vegas, Nevada – July 15th, 2011 – TopWare Interactive is releasing the Two Worlds II: Velvet GOTY Edition this October 18th and they are doing so with glamorous class! The TWII: Velvet GOTY Edition not only comes bundled with the sought after expansion Pirates of the Flying Fortress, but is also uniquely designed in a limited collector’s box which is wrapped in black velvet (PC/Mac) or red velvet (console versions) and highlighted with metal corners made to look like antique brass. Moreover, there is a bold relief TWII logo of the same real metal at the top of the box.

Along with the multi-lingual version of TWII, this collector’s item also comes with all of the up-to- date upgrades. Additional extras include a huge double-sided world map and a valuable pirate head pin collectable, which subsequently is also available in-game! This exclusive item actually boosts the player’s parameters if hefted to armor! Together with another bonus disc containing artwork, wallpaper, videos, an extended soundtrack and two additional PvP multiplayer maps. More Antaloor simply isn’t possible!

This limited collector’s edition will be available for PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PS3!

Thanks to Oliver for a similar submission.

Friday - April 22, 2011

Two Worlds II - Castle Defence Game Announced

by Dhruin, 01:01

A Two Worlds II themed competitive strategy game has been announced, due for retail release in May. Castle Defence already has a demo on the new official site and here's the press release:

Two Worlds II sends an attack wave of strategy game goodness

-The retail version of the strategy game "Castle Defense" hits shelves this upcoming May 2011-

Las Vegas, Nevada -April 21st 2011- PC and Mac users everywhere prepare for the tactical intrusion of Two Worlds II: Castle Defense, a highly addictive strategy game based in the acclaimed fantasy universe of Antaloor coming to this Spring. TopWare Interactive has once again adhered to the fans of the franchise with this debut title, releasing it purely because of the amazing response to the free demo level of Castle Defense that was made available at the end of last year.

The story itself takes place between Two Worlds and Two Worlds II, giving the player some surprising back story about the conflict between Gandohar and the Orcs of Antaloor. Only now, slip into the mighty boots of Gandohar himself and the fan favorite henchman- Sordahon.

The gameplay makes the player utilize tactics and upgrades to defeat each wave of enemies successfully. The dark forests, abandoned ruins and winding catacombs will be stained with blood as the fight against the onslaught of Orcs ensues over the five beautiful regions. With the Arena mode and Highscore function, Castle Defense raises the bar for the ultimate challenge against online opponents from all over the globe!

The hybrid version of Two Worlds II: Castle Defense for PC and Mac will be in stores this May 17th 2011, as well as the iPad and iPhone version available in the App store.

For more information and demo version of Castle Defense visit : www.twoworlds2.com/cd/

Wednesday - March 09, 2011

Two Worlds II - Released in UK

by Dhruin, 20:58

We haven't seen any official announcements but some of our readers note that Two Worlds II is finally in stock at Amazon UK after several delays. Remember, it won't be available in regular UK stores so you'll have to hit up Amazon or a digital vendor.

Friday - March 04, 2011

Two Worlds II - UK Release Delayed

by Dhruin, 22:52

Yes, again. Reader Simon writes that Amazon pushed his order to late next week and Eurogamer notes a similar thing, so it's looking like the 11th or so for now.

Thursday - March 03, 2011

Two Worlds II - Zero Punctuation Review

by Dhruin, 21:26

I'm not a huge fan of Zero Punctuation but for those of you who are, his review of Two Worlds II is up. Do I need to say it gets criticised?

Wednesday - February 23, 2011

Two Worlds II - UK Release News, Reviews

by Dhruin, 21:23

I think it's fair to say Two Worlds II has one of the most convoluted roads to release of any game we've covered. According to Eurogamer, TopWare has confirmed a UK release - but it will be exclusively through Amazon.co.uk:

The good news: Two Worlds II will be released in the UK. The bad news: you won't be able to buy it in a high street shop.

Eurogamer can exclusively reveal that the UK version of Two Worlds II will now be an Amazon.co.uk online exclusive.

The release date has moved from this Friday, 25th February to this coming Tuesday, 1st March.

"TopWare Interactive is releasing the widely popular and highly anticipated Two Worlds II exclusively on Amazon in the UK on Tuesday, 1st of March, 2011," TopWare told Eurogamer. "Eager to get our game out to the RPG hungry masses, TopWare has decided to forego a retail release, and launch Two Worlds II solely on Amazon.com.

"If you had pre-ordered this award winning title elsewhere, they will not have stock as Amazon will be fulfilling all of the United Kingdom. Amazon will have all versions in stock, including the esteemed Royal Edition.

They also claim 2 million units sold.

While we're talking Two Worlds II, let's grab a ccouple of reviews. New Game Network (thanks, Blue's) says 81%:

The singleplayer portion of the game is a good length with the average playthrough taking 30-40 hours. If you rush through the game and stick to the storyline you can probably finish in as little of twenty hours, but this would be foolish to do since the best parts of the game are in the sidequests, and the later parts of the game will be incredibly difficult if you aren’t high enough level. Once you finish the storyline you can continue completing sidequests in the game world. If you enjoy the gameplay you might think about a second playthrough focusing on a different skill. In addition to the robust singleplayer component is a fairly substantial multiplayer offering. Competitive modes like duels probably aren’t worth your time, but the fairly lengthy co-op campaign can be a lot of fun if you play with friends. There isn’t much of a story in this campaign, but the looting and fighting is as fun as ever.

On the other hand, Edge says 5/10 (at least, I think that's what the "5" is for at the end):

In fact, this exemplifies Two Worlds 2: fun concepts brought low by crummy execution. Hand-to-hand combat can benefit from skill-based flourishes, but rarely goes beyond crude whomping. Large plains hide crannies galore, though you navigate them atop a horse with the handling of a bus. 150 or so quests sounds like a great deal, until you realise that there’s little beyond fetch X or kill X of that.

Finally, Two Worlds Vault has Episode 8 of Sordahon's Journey.

Sunday - February 20, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review Controversy, Next Game in 2012

by Dhruin, 00:53

One of our readers posted about some Two Worlds II review controversy in our forums yesterday, which I was going to ignore, but it's spilled onto several major sites. TopWare is accused of threatening to blacklist unless a site raised their score but TopWare's James Seaman claims they only wanted the scoring system to reflect convention, where 7/10 is average (not 5/10). You can read more on Desctructoid and Beefjack.

More interesting is one of James' responses in the Destructoid comments, where he says the next Two Worlds game will be released next year:

We are trying to do a better job every time and have brought in a brand new 3D modeling, animation and CG team for the next Two Worlds game coming out in 2012.

Friday - February 18, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review Roundup

by Dhruin, 21:36

Here's a quick Two Worlds II review trio, courtesy of Two Worlds Vault.  All three are console articles.

Wednesday - February 16, 2011

Two Worlds II - Reviews @ Terminal Gamer, FS

by Dhruin, 22:26

Here are a couple of Two Worlds II reviews. First, Terminal Gamer says 8/10:

The story has a depth and character list that goes well beyond most RPG’s, and you could easily spend weeks playing through the entire game. Lockpicking, pick pocketing, sword fighting, quests, and so on, lead you in to a world that is well designed and though out. The overall map of Antaloor is huge, but portals can be found that help you to quickly navigate between the areas of the map. There’s also a portal stone that will allow you travel to any given portal and a personal portal stone which can be dropped in a spot and become a temporary portal so as to be able to move between your current location and another portal. This is very helpful if you need to pick a lock but are out of picks. Drop your stone, teleport to a town and buy some lock picks, then teleport back to your personal stone. Be sure to pick it back up though.

FiringSquad has a large multi-page review and despite criticising all manner of things, their score is still 76%:

As it turns out, fighting in Two Worlds II is a bit dicey. I found both archery and spell-slinging to be rather awkward, so I opted for melee. Unfortunately, that boils down to alternating clicks and space bar taps, which is the only reliable way to get your warrior to attack at a consistent pace. You’re supposed to be able chain combinations together by appropriately spacing out your clicks, but there’s no clear indication as to how to do that and the timing varies depending on the type of weapon, how you’re using it (one-handed, two-handed, dual-wielding), and whether you are in an offensive or defensive stance. Yet more illusion of tactical depth is provided by the ability to block and parry, which really only serve to slow you down, especially when the majority of enemies use them as an excuse to just stand there and defend 80% of the time, preventing all damage except that from a special penetrating attack skill…

But wait, you’re still not finished with the prologue! By the time it’s through trying your patience, you’ll realize that the story makes very little sense, the writing is terrible, and the actors have less talent for reading a line than a bunch of tenth grade students forced to put on a production of Julius Caesar for their English class. Fortunately, things get a lot more interesting once you arrive in the first small town and are allowed the freedom to wander around and do as you please. As with most other open-world RPGs, Two Worlds II presents you with a whole boat load of side quests on your journey between locations critical to the main storyline. There are at least a couple hundred of these odd jobs throughout the game, and will constitute the majority of the time you spend playing.

In other Two Worlds II news, Southpeak has released another Sordahon's Journey, which appears to poke some fun at their delays in getting the game out.  Check it out at Two Worlds Vault.

Source: Blues News

Tuesday - February 15, 2011

Two Worlds II - Skills Database @ TW Vault

by Dhruin, 22:53

There's an updated Two Worlds II Skills database at Two Worlds Vault for those who'd like to plan ahead their characters.

Friday - February 11, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review @ Second Letter Media

by Dhruin, 21:22

Second Letter Media writes in with their point-style review of Two Worlds II.  There's no score but the sub-heading is "two steps forward, one step back", which is positive overall. Here's an excerpt:

And the other "missteps?"

Camera control. Not having an option to turn off "the camera automatically moves to look in the direction your character is facing" feature was a mistake. It makes all tactical and assassination situations frustrating. Trying to sneak along a wall while getting a look at the enemy before using your dagger was all but ruined by this mechanic.

Exploration felt hampered. The world in TW2 felt significantly smaller than TW1. In reality that isn't the case, but using the "multiple island" approach just made the world feel more compact than it was. Especially when you factor in the Swallows where they pulled a 'Fallout' by forcing you down corridoors instead of allowing you to explore.

Looting felt pointless later in the game. This further led to a lack of motivation to explore. Somewhere around level 26, I found weaponry made for a level 46 character. I never found anything better than that at any point there-after. TW2 is all about customization over discovery when it comes to good equipment.

Wednesday - February 09, 2011

Two Worlds II - v1.2 Patch

by Dhruin, 21:16

Two Worlds Vault notes a new v1.2 patch for Two Worlds II.  Head over for the file (24Mb) and the full patch notes but TWV says:

The update contains most pressing bugfixes, improves alchemy, spells and interface, and fixes various graphical issues. In addition, multiplayer balancing is improved as well as convenience tweaks (e.g. rarer merchant's VOs) have been introduced.

Note that this should be applied on top of v1.1.

Monday - February 07, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review @ CVG

by Dhruin, 12:14

CVG has reprinted a Two Worlds II review from Xbox 360 World - and boy, is it a shocker (4.8/10):

So while it sounds decent enough being able to kick off a scrap from far away in mage regalia before flicking a hotkey to instantly switch over to sword and armour, ready to mop up the grisly remnants... the whole set-up is borked in practice.

You might as well just stick to hacking-'n'-slashing. Speaking of sword-'n'-shield based melée, we also seem to remember sophisticated mano-e-beasto fight also being promised by Reality Pump, something that no role-player thus far has even half-nailed.

The whole theme of having to duck, dive and generally mix things up is one big wad of bull though, and you either end up just hammering the right trigger and trading blows in traditionally rubbish fashion or hightailing it about while spewing fireballs like Benny Hill in a dress.

Looks-wise, it's the usual fantasy RPG story - with some reasonably purdy looking forest/mountainous/desert areas underpinned by shatto character models.

"Shatto"?

Saturday - February 05, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review @ IGN

by Dhruin, 23:00

IGN has a rather vicious review of Two Worlds II and while I'm not sure the score of 6/10 is that far off, some of the criticism is over the top:

Meanwhile, somewhere between Reality Pump's offices in Poland and the western localization of Two Worlds II, someone mistakenly decided that the rest of their character development could be handled entirely by some of the worst voice acting I've heard in a game since the original Resident Evil. Every possible dialogue atrocity is here: tone deaf delivery, overly dramatic readings, engrish, mistranslated euphemisms and colloquialisms, missing words -- you name it, and Two Worlds II will at some point assault you with it. The dialogue atrocities and fantasy 101 sound effects make the music in Two Worlds II even more surprising by virtue of its competence. It's a fun, interesting score that avoids some epic fantasy cliches - it often reminded me of the original Diablo's soundtrack, and that isn't a bad thing.

Instead, Two Worlds II's bad is peppered throughout the rest of the game. The interface and menus are terrible and difficult to navigate. The quest log is riddled with grammatical errors and is oddly organized. The world doesn't feel particularly populated, and the quest design feels half-assed and riddled with wild difficulty spikes. There was a point early on in Two Worlds II where I had been cruising through the story, and was tasked with clearing a tribe of monsters from a termite mound. I galloped into the area on my horse expecting to dispatch them in the same way I had murdered countless other savages only to be worked over in short order. Ultimately, my only means of clearing them out involved picking one off from a distance, saving my game, and repeating, reloading at the points where I was discovered and quickly killed.

Two Worlds II - Review @ PCGamer

by Myrthos, 00:26

Desslock has reviewed Two Worlds 2 for PC Gamer. After not too many words he ends with a rating of 8.2 and the following summary:

TW2 still has plenty of room to grow, though. You can’t fight on horseback, for instance. Many skills are unbalanced—some are of dubious utility while others, such as Alchemy, feel half-baked. The single-player story gets increasingly linear for little payoff; we still get a sizable map out of the deal, but later areas aren’t as fleshed-out since the plot isn’t compelling enough to justify limiting open-world exploration. Multi­player is improved, but is disappointingly mission-based instead of allowing co-op wandering.

Yet it is such a huge improvement over its dismal predecessor that it’s oh-so-close to being an outstanding RPG. Its design just needs some rationalization and focus to achieve something great.

Friday - February 04, 2011

Two Worlds II - Southpeak cancels retail PC release for NA?

by Dhruin, 22:39

Dajjer writes that he received an automated call from Gamestop to say his Two Worlds II preorder for the PC had been cancelled.  Checking the official forums, it seems plenty of other people have received the same information.  No official word from Southpeak or TopWare that I can see but we'll let you know if anything comes out.

For those stuck trying to get the game in NA, Steam added Two Worlds II yesterday.

Thursday - February 03, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review @ Worthplaying

by Dhruin, 21:23

Two Worlds II (X360) has been reviewed at Worthplaying with a score of 7/10:

The world is huge. You start on a small island but as the game progresses, you move on to larger land masses, each filled with a number of side-quests that often ask you to kill or deliver something. Most of those are standard RPG fare. There are no "big decisions" to make, other than a few that might alter the outcome of what happens within their own quests, such as mistaking a band of robbers of someone else. TW2 is about as straightforward an RPG as they come where the story and quests are concerned. If you're hoping for the kind of consequential storytelling found in games such as Bioware's Dragon Age or Obsidian's New Vegas, it's not here.

Wednesday - February 02, 2011

Two Worlds II - News Roundup

by Dhruin, 22:26

I'll collect some reviews below but, first, some business items.  VG247 reports retail stocks are low:

“We can’t restock them fast enough,” she tweeted. “I’m getting the rundown of all the retailers that sold out of their initial orders. We’re printing more copies asap… wish retail would have ordered more to begin with so we wouldn’t be out of stock, but [it's] not a bad problem to have.”

SouthPeak’s initial reports find the platform selling through the most copies is the Xbox 360 version.

You might have seen this in the comments of yesterday's newsbit on the Royal Edition delay but, if not, you'll be waiting a bit longer.  According to Eurogamer, components for TopWare's Royal Edition were wrecked in transit:

"We just received the container from China with the Collector's Edition and other components and they are wrecked," TopWare managing director James Seaman informed Eurogamer.

"Several components were just a total wreck and unacceptable for us to give out to our fans.

"We are printing some of these in Europe now and the boxes are being air freighted from China.

This also explains the initial delays because this sea-freight arrived far too late to meet the original dates.

On to reviews.  GameSpot looked at the X360 version and awarded a score of 7/10:

If you played the original Two Worlds, you might not be surprised to learn that its sequel does not represent the role-playing genre at its most refined. What may surprise you, however, is that Two Worlds II's clumsy features don't greatly diminish the impact of its big, busy world. Here is an expansive third-person RPG brimming with fearsome monsters to slay, colorful spells to cast, varied quests to perform, and murky swamps to explore. The game lacks the fine points that adorn the greatest role-playing adventures--distinctive characters, a compelling narrative, and beautiful panoramas. But this is an entertaining journey nonetheless, due in no small part to intriguing but accessible systems that allow you to create your own magic spells, concoct potions, and upgrade your favorite weapons and armor. If you've been looking to lose yourself in a fantastical kingdom, and don't mind some clumsy combat, graphical inconsistencies, and nagging interface issues, Two Worlds II is a fine way to escape the rigors of the real world.

...and CNET awarded 3.5/5:

As with its precursor, Two Worlds II takes place in the land of Antaloor, where (once again), your sister is in trouble, and where (once again), the evil wizard Gandohar is up to no good. It's a suitable framework, but the game fails to build on its foundations. Through a series of good-looking flashback sequences, you eventually learn more about Gandohar, but the personal touch is conspicuously absent. The game devotes little time to giving your sister a personality, making her a simple MacGuffin to help put the story in motion, but nothing more. Nor will you meet many memorable characters. While much of the voice acting isn't bad, some of it is lifeless (your own character), ridiculous (a drunken local), or stiff (a student in need). The tomes you collect contain some fascinating tales and tidbits, but much of the dialogue sounds forced and unnatural--like something an author would write, but not something an actual person would say.

Lastly, Gamasutra has a piece called Critical Reception, where they summarise the reviews so far as they note a Metacritic rating of 75.

Thanks to Omega for several of the links in this and other newsbits.

Two Worlds II - RPS Impressions #2

by Dhruin, 06:55

I forgot to add Day 2 of Rock, Paper, Shotgun's impressions of Two Worlds II to the review roundup earlier.  Alec Meer has reached the savannah:

Now I’m back in another variant of cell-shaded Africa, collecting swords and killing beasts. It’s startling in both the unexpected reminensce and in the sharp change from the dingy claustrophobia of Two Worlds II so far. My purpose, as revealed in part one, has for now coalesced into an obsession with upgrading my weapons via a dismantlement-based crafting system. So that’s why I’m out in this desert. Running. Stabbing. Looting.

In a manner that I suspect may ultimately become haunting, Two Worlds II has poured everything into the incidental details of world, at the aching expense of dialogue, characterisation and common sense. I don’t care why my character is here in the slightest, but I am massively impressed by how well they’ve recreated and animated the ape (a baboon? I think so. My monkey-fu is not what it could be) that’s currently hiding behind a tree and flinging something suspiciously viscous at me. I can’t help but presume it’s monkey poo, but on the other hand it’s a lurid green colour and causes some sort of poison damage when it hits me. Best not to wonder.

Tuesday - February 01, 2011

Two Worlds II - UK Delay

by Dhruin, 22:07

After TopWare took back the UK publishing rights from Southpeak, it seems they're finding it a little hard to get the game out the door themselves.  According to Eurogamer, the UK release has been pushed back to Feb 18th:

There's been another UK release hiccup for Two Worlds II; the ambitious fantasy RPG has been pushed back from a 4th February release (this Friday) to 18th February, TopWare Interactive has confirmed to Eurogamer.

Thanks to Omega for this and several other links.

Two Worlds II - Reviews Roundup #3

by Dhruin, 22:04

A small group of three Two Worlds II reviews this time.  First, Destructoid is enthusiastic with an intro that would have easily suited the first game (8/10):

Two Worlds II is not the best made game in the world, and if you have even a modicum of intuition, you'd have already guessed that. Two Worlds II knows it's never going to be an Elder Scrolls or a Diablo, but it does its thing regardless, without apology and without remorse. This plucky, heartfelt, can-do attitude permeates the game experience to create something that, truth be told, is pretty damn great. 

Yes, you read that correctly. Two Worlds II is a great game. Its animations are awful, its combat loose, its voice acting ludicrous and its story inane. Yet somehow, it manages to become a rewarding, engrossing, absorbing experience at the same time, and the most amazing part is that you'll never see it coming. 

A site called That Videogame Blog also enjoyed it, comparing the game to a likeable "B" movie:

If you had any interest in the original, you will be happy to know that many of the problems with the first were fixed, and much has been added to give Two Worlds II a fuller, richer experience. Yet the game still has problems that will frustrate the uninitiated. If you’re a fan of this genre already, you’re set. Go have yourself a ball with this game, there’s lots to love. If you’re new to the genre though, you might be overwhelmed by a somewhat steep learning curve, a host of technical issues that range from silly to debilitating, and a story that doesn’t exactly “wow” you. Who knows, if you stick with it long enough, you may grow to like it or even love it. To be honest, I don’t think this game was ever really meant to be a “best of the year” contender. Rather, this is a game to have fun with, to enjoy, and accept its limitations; it’s a “B movie”, in videogame form, and who doesn’t love a good “B movie” every now and then?

GamingAllTheTime says if you don't enjoy this game, you're not a truegamer (9.5/10):

Two Worlds II wants you to know that the debacle of the first game is in the past. There is a fun, meaty, and worthwhile game here just dying for your attention. Don’t let the bad taste of a prior sampling ruin the feast of sequel goodness. Two Worlds II is worth every single minute and dollar. People who don’t enjoy this game aren’t true gamers, because everything about Two Worlds II just screams fun. And what reason is there to play games, other than for fun? Don’t be that guy. Pick up Two Worlds II. You will be glad you did.

Thanks to Omega and Ovenall for these links!

Monday - January 31, 2011

Two Worlds II - Reviews @ Eurogamer, SFX-260

by Dhruin, 20:56

Here's a couple of new reviews for Two Worlds II.  First, Eurogamer has their critique up with a score of 7/10 - apparently another patch is coming:

Perhaps the worst aspect is the sense of feedback in combat, which is largely non-existent. Melee players will feel this more than bow-users or spellcasters, as none of the weapons feel like they have any real weight or impact.

Certain foes will block endlessly as well, which is rage-inducing. One of the melee skills, Block Breaker, crashes straight through their defences, but it fails to open them up. Follow the strike with another, and their guard is right back up up again. You flail uselessly against them like John Inman pattering ineffectually at a window-pane – hardly conducive to feeling like a war-god.

It's galling, because Reality Pump clearly knows what makes an RPG tick. I sincerely hope these problems are recognised because a patch could fix them all and elevate Two Worlds II above the budget effort it currently resembles. It deserves more. [Editor's note: Indeed, Topware Interactive has been in touch to let us know that a patch is in the works which fixes some combat issues, including blocking, as well as the levelling in multiplayer. It should be ready for the game's UK launch.]

A site called SFX-360 also has a review, with a score of 3/5:

When fighting any enemy in the game you must first enter the menu to select the weapon and then once selected you must commence attacking the enemy. That sounds easy but you’ll find it rather cumbersome escaping the menu with the desired weapon and then once that is accomplished you’ll find yourself grappling with the awkward combat. Rest assured however, you do have options. When playing the game you have a choice between the three basic forms of combat, which are ultimately further delineated down the line; however, for now we will stick with the basics. First we have physical armaments like the swords, axes, and maces that form the melee class. Then there is the ranged class which is composed of a variety of bows for your archery pleasure. And finally there is the mage class which allows the player to cast a variety of magic spells which vary from area affect spells, to creature summons, to boosts to certain attributes. Though it may have seemed overtly erroneous, there is a reason that I strayed onto this tangent. For the most part, you’ll find that the combat for the ranged and magic classes work pretty well on the console. This is mainly because you are able to target enemies at a distance and make a swift escape given insurmountable odds. With the melee/fighter class you are forced to stay there and take the brunt of whatever force you are facing which can be bad when you find that your defenses aren’t exactly up. This stems from the fact that every action in the game can only be undertaken while standing completely still. Not a problem when dealing with keys on a key pad, but when the precision is so finicky and even some of the smallest tilts of the controller can throw off your attempt to defend, you will find yourself getting very frustrated in no time.

Grab some screens at Eurogamer, by the way.

Thanks to Omega for this and several other items!

Sunday - January 30, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review @ AtomicGamer

by Dhruin, 08:57

Two Worlds II has been reviewed at AtomicGamer, with a score of 8/10 - although the reviewer seems to have a mixed opinion of the single-player game:

The engine powering Two Worlds 2 has been much improved over what we saw last time, and while it rarely shows us finely detailed environments on a small scale, the wide-open vistas you’ll often see can do a lot to make up for it. Frankly, the introductory dungeon shows us that the game is perfectly capable of detailed small spaces, but it seems the developers simply didn’t have the time to put this level of charm and sophistication into every little hut and village. I think that both newcomers to the franchise, as well as Two Worlds veterans, will find themselves pleasantly surprised at the visuals presented here.

The epic single player mode does seem to go on forever, as the progress is slow, completion of quests can feel very dull sometimes, and the story isn’t really designed with those hooks that entice you to keep playing. And hey, it’s an action-RPG made in Europe, so this style is par for the course with these games - from Gothic 3 to Risen, The Witcher to even something like STALKER, it’s exactly what these developers go for: a wild disregard for quality assurance, unique atmosphere, hardcore gameplay, and a late-game payoff that comes at the cost of the instant gratification that American game developers are always striving for.

Source: Blues News

Thursday - January 27, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review Roundup #2

by Dhruin, 21:41

Another small roundup of Two Worlds II reviews and impressions, almost all on console.

OnPause has a short article that doesn't really provide much insight, despite the score of 8.5/10 (I'm amused the author notes he used a guide):

Two Worlds II has a plethora of features, items, and an almost endless environment to explore. One play through will surely never be enough. Once you have mastered the controls and layout, the game becomes a breeze and the content is more expansive than ever before. So, prepare yourself for one incredible ride. And that may be horse, or even by boat.

Tech Gaming goes into more detail on the nuts and bolts but, again, has little comment on the content.  Score: 85%:

Inevitably, Two Worlds II is going to evoke the memory of its lackluster predecessor- which is a shame, because the sequel conscientiously corrects almost all of the first game's failings. Ideally, the title should be judged for its inspiring accomplishments- giving players what will be one of the most replete games experiences they'll likely encounter this generation. Despite a few hitches, only the most fastidious fantasy fans won't be mesmerized by Two World II's captivating spell.

Over to Co-Optimus, who focus on the multiplayer experience.  Score: 3/5.

The co-op in Two Worlds 2 consists of seven mini quests that branch the story between the first game and the second - for the most part gameplay is identical to the single player but with the added strategy and chaos that comes from introducing seven other players into your game. I love seeing the variety of characters online: the game allows you to choose the race, sex, and general class of your character - it’s easy to differentiate people while playing online.

Teamwork seems essential, as these online chapters are quite difficult; and its nice to have a good balance of player classes.  It appears as though the game scales the number of enemies depending on the number of players - which is a good thing.  You can also easily split up across any area on the map, as there’s no tethering. Players share XP from kills, and it seems the host player sets the difficulty for the map, which makes it easy to power level your friends.

...and some first impressions from Rock, Paper, Shotgun:

The game starts, as an ancient law written by an idiot states all contemporary RPGs must, in a series of rocky tunnels. A prison, specifically, but that’s just an excuse for rocky tunnels. The plot continues on from whatever the hell happened in TW1, with you playing the brother of a girl possessed by some spooky evil and held captive by some growly bloke whose face you can’t see. It takes approximately eight seconds to realise that narrative is unlikely to be TW2′s strong point, but that’s OK: bar some shonky subtitle grammar, it’s not dreadful, it’s not insulting, it’s just banally there.

Following a brief spot of playing with the character creator (there’s a decent range of face-tweaking options, and it’s possible to create someone breathtakingly ugly if you so choose), you’re broken out of the slimy-rocked slammer by a group of orcs and a surly/sassy/sarly masked lady with comically impractical armour and pointy ears.

Thanks to Two Worlds Vault for several links.

Wednesday - January 26, 2011

Two Worlds II - Impressions @ Gaming Nexus

by Dhruin, 21:43

Gaming Nexus offers some early impressions of Two Worlds II after 16 hours play and they've been impressed so far, although the text doesn't really sell it:

Combat, is much the same as in a majority of RPGs, a mix of hack and slash with ranged combat. One of the problems with the game is that the monster AI isn't that strong in working with obstacles in the environment, so you're able to take advantage of this to stay safe and slowly whittle down the power of strong opponents. I've taken out more than one giant scorpion this way. It takes a bit of the fun out of the game to make use of this exploit, but I would have died several more times until I figured out the summoning spells without it.

The primary and side quests don't seem too repetitive yet, especially considering there are only so many ways you can write "go kill this" or "fetch that" quests. The rewards seem commensurate with the risks, though sometimes it may take finishing a string of quests to get a quality reward.

Two Worlds II - Official Release PR

by Dhruin, 21:20

Southpeak announces Two Worlds II is officially available in NA:

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. and LAS VEGAS /PRNewswire/ - SouthPeak Interactive Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: SOPK) and TopWare Interactive today announced that the critically acclaimed role playing game Two Worlds II will be in stores and available from digital retailers in North America on January 25th, 2011.

Two Worlds II is set to offer North American gamers a ground-breaking RPG experience after a phenomenal launch in Europe, which has delivered a wealth of 90%+ review scores and sales in excess of one million units during the first three weeks of availability, as recently reported by TopWare.

"Two Worlds II is set to become a benchmark for the RPG genre," said Melanie Mroz, President and CEO of SouthPeak Interactive, "the incredible review scores and blockbuster sales in Europe are testament to the hard work and dedication of the TopWare Team. We're thrilled to bring this deep fantasy experience to North American gamers."

James Seaman, Managing Director of TopWare in North America added "We've been blown away by the reception Two Worlds II has received and it's great that we're able to announce this street date. Fans of the Two Worlds brand have been fantastically loyal supporters and we think they will be thrilled when they experience this next step into the huge and evolving world of Antaloor."

Developed by Reality Pump, Two Worlds II will be in stores and available from digital retailers in North America on January 25th, 2011 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

For more information on Two Worlds II, visit http://www.twoworldstwo.com.

Tuesday - January 25, 2011

Two Worlds II - Review Roundup

by Dhruin, 23:19

Here's a small collection of early Two Worlds II reviews as the game hits NA.  Scores are a little mixed - definitely not as high as some of the earlier European reviews - but not bad, either.

Joystiq has an article structured like an interview, with a score of 3/5.  I found it hard to read but here's a snip:

"Now, don't get me wrong, I have my failings, my combat chief among them. Attacks almost always feel underpowered, hit detection seems almost random, there's no sense of weight behind attacks ... and that's just melee. Magic has its own problems, like how you're supposed to be able to use area-clearing spells when you get surrounded -- yet enemies attack so quickly you can almost never finish casting them."

"That sounds ... bad."

"You think that sounds bad, I haven't even gotten to my stunningly unintuitive UI. Get this: When you look at equipment statistics, things like 'Attack' and "Defense" are represented by inscrutable symbols that I never explain, not even in the instruction booklet! Luckily, I have an option to change those symbols to text buried in my Settings menu."

"So why have the symbols in the first place?"

"I'd ... I'd rather not talk about it. What I can talk about is my almost endearing level of graphical weirdness, everything from levels very obviously loading around you as you stand frozen in place to a running animation that looks like a bad improv student instructed by his teacher to embody a constipated duck. Oh, and your scalp spends a lot of the cutscenes popping up through your hair texture and making it look like you have a tonsure."

GameZone, with a score of 7/10 for the X360:

Two Worlds II has a nice variety of baddies to slay, but the combat is less than stellar. You can play as a warrior, archer, mage, or assassin. There is little strategy outside of spamming your main attack, which always takes a split-second to execute. I often noticed that my attacks went straight through my enemies instead of registering as hits. Whether this is a glitch or the result of invisible ‘dice rolls’ and stats is difficult to say. I wanted to leave The Elder Scrolls out of this, but the series still has one of the most engaging systems of skill-progression; the more you use a skill, the better it gets. Two Worlds II is far more traditional and allows you to distribute skill points at each level. It works, just as it has for years, but it isn’t nearly as immersive.

A short article at GameInformer, with a score of 7.75/10:

Like its 2007 predecessor, this sequel has significant problems. Though it features a new and improved game engine, slowdown occurs frequently, especially when you or enemies start slinging spells that put the in-game physics to work. The core story is generic, and the sloppy writing sometimes fails to explain what's going on or why characters are acting a certain way. Unlike the original, though, Two Worlds II is playable, with an improved user experience that shows how Polish developer Reality Pump has grown.

GameFocus.ca is quite enthusiastic, with a score of 8.5/10, although my impression was they weren't that far into the game:

But you know what? Ultimately, I didn’t really care. Despite its flaws, the depth of package and the improvements made over the previous game took center stage for me, making it easy to accept the things that weren’t so good, or even overlook them altogether. Right from the very beginning with the initial character customization options (which by my count numbered around 40 distinct features that could be adjusted), you knew that this was not the Two Worlds you remember. Not by a long shot. The features I covered for the purpose of this review just skim the surface. As players journey though Antaloor, they’ll also find multiple trade guilds, tons of dungeons to discover and explore, plenty of treasures to reap, and much, much more.

I have little doubt that players will lose themselves for at least 40-60 hours in the solo side of Two Worlds II. But just in case that’s not enough, Reality Pump has five multiplayer options at your disposal. From the Crystal Capture mode to the PvP and Dual modes to even a full-on seven chapter cooperative Adventure mode and the simulation heavy Village mode, there’s plenty of places to satiate your online desires. If you can pull yourself away from the solo campaign, that is.

...and a site called XXLGaming, who were quite impressed.  Score - 86%:

The rest of the game is full of your typical RPG style stuff like looting, lockpicking, customized weapon sets, and more. If I was to go into every detail that this game holds then I would be better off writing a book rather than an online review. Anyone that really wanted to enjoy the original Two Worlds but just couldn’t due to the technical issues will be ecstatic with Two World II and all it has to offer. Not only do you have the full single player campaign that will encompass hours upon hours of your time but you have a complete online plethora of options as well. These options include a separate online 7 chapter campaign as well as many multiplayer modes that include: Team Deathmatch, Duel, Village and Crystal Capture. You’ll definitely want to check out the online modes after some play time in the single player campaign. You will have to create a new character for online play though.

Thanks to Two Worlds Vault for several of these links.

Two Worlds II - Royal Edition for NA

by Dhruin, 22:57

Apparently TopWare (not Southpeak, who are handling regular publishing duties) will be releasing a limited Two Worlds II Royal Edition with 5000 copies available on February 4th.  The press release is dated January 5th but Blue's only posted it yesterday and we haven't seen it before:

TWO WORLDS II™ ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET

Two Worlds II Brings the Royal Treatment to North America

Las Vegas, Nevada - January 5, 2011 – TopWare Interactive is bringing a little taste of Royalty to North American fans. With the February 4th launch approaching and over 1.5 million units already sold, Two Worlds II is bringing its highly anticipated “Royal Edition” to North American fans. Managing Director, James Seaman commented, “As an avid collector of limited edition games myself, I’m extremely proud to bring the Royal Editions to fans and collectors alike.”
For the hardcore adventurer, Royal Edition sets are now available for pre-order exclusively at Gamestop and Amazon. However, with only 5000 units available in North America, fans will need to act quickly before these extremely rare collectibles are gone for good.

With goodies such as:

 

  • Bonus DVD (With music tracks, concept art, wallpapers, making-of documentary)
  • Double-Sided poster with World map of Antaloor
  • Special Edition Dragon Queen statuette
  • Unlockable in-game weapons and armor
  • Exclusive art book
  • Two Worlds II Limited Edition Collectables
  • Deck of Two Worlds II Playing Cards

TopWare is extremely proud to bring this phenomenal Royal Edition to North America and is looking forward to an amazing launch.

Source: Blues News

Two Worlds II - RPGamer's Impression

by Skavenhorde, 10:03

RPGamer's Editor-In-Chief, Michael Cunningham, gives his impression of Two Worlds 2. They also have an unboxing video of the Two Worlds 2 Royal Edition.

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be playing Two Worlds II, I would have run screaming (or laughing) in the other direction. I played enough of the original Two Worlds to know that it was a horrible mess, so upon hearing about another game in the series, I feared the worst. So I can't even begin to describe how confusing it is to be coming here today to share how much I'm enjoying Two Worlds II on the Xbox 360.

 

I don't know if the developer Reality Pump kept any of the same staff that worked on the first game or not, but the two games are as different as night and day. The game starts off with a decent character creation system, though you can only play as a male character. I had a ton of feature options, but I wasn't quite able to make someone that looked enough like me, so I just went with the coolest looking character I could create.

Monday - January 24, 2011

Two Worlds II - Tiny PC Delay?

by Dhruin, 21:06

We already know console versions of Two Worlds II are shipping in NA but, according to Destructoid, the PC version won't be around until later in the week:

The PC version of Two Worlds II will receive a three-day delay, according to Southpeak. The postponement was first noticed by Destructoid reader Aaron, who had been informed by Amazon that the game would run late. We checked in with the publisher, who confirmed the delay. 

The console versions are unaffected and will be available on January 25. Those wanting to play the game on their computers will have to wait until January 28. 

Two Worlds II - Some Stores Shipping

by Dhruin, 09:12

Steve dropped us a line to say his Two Worlds II preorder (PS3) shipped on Saturday according to the email notification, so it should be in his hands on Monday - one day ahead of the general NA release.

Thursday - January 20, 2011

Two Worlds II - Gamestop Preorder Bonus

by Dhruin, 21:06

Southpeak's manic PR guy sent us news of Gamestop's preorder bonus for Two Worlds II.  You'll get a sword called Luciendar and a new dungeon called the Labyrinth.  There's footage of the dungeon here and a snip from their press release:

So anyway, there’s a preorder offer with some kickass stuff going on at Gamestop for Two Worlds II right now.  Did you know?  Well, fear not!  I’ve got some new visuals for these goodies to share with you, including three screenshots of the MIGHTY AND GLORIOUS Luciendar Sword (and its stats!) and footage of the Labyrinth content which can only be accessed with the Gamestop exclusive preorder.  The labyrinths include an entire group of mysterious sub-terranian labyrinths (NO WAY!) for the player to explore for great looting and gathering of TEH XPs and serious monies, along with 2-3 hours of additional gameplay.  HOORAY! ======^.^======

Wednesday - January 19, 2011

Two Worlds II - Hotfix v1.1.2

by Dhruin, 23:12

A hotfix has been released for Two Worlds II, fixing a couple of issues from the recent "Gold patch".  From Two Worlds Vault:

The long wait is over, Patch 1.1.2 (16.1 mb) is here! This hotfix corrects the incompatibilities in the pre-patch saves that occured after installing Gold Upgrade on a game in progress. It opens locked gates for quests around Hatmandor and Cheznaddar, improves visibility of the interface when using an Xbox controller, and provides a new option that allows to resize the interface.

Two Worlds II - Sordahon's Journey #6

by Dhruin, 22:30

Southpeak has released the 6th part of the of live-action comedy series, Sordahon's Journey.  Check it out at VoodooExtreme.

Two Worlds II - Review and Preview

by Aries100, 15:10

There is both a review and preview out for this game. The review 8/10 comes from AllAgeGaming and here's a snip:

Well now you can see why; it has a lot of flaws, but in areas which don’t quite matter in this genre. Not many expansive RPG’s have particularly great graphics, yet they usually make up for the lack of visual prowess with a ton of wonderful gameplay mechanics and unique playability options. Two Worlds 2 perhaps takes both the good and bad to the extreme. That’s to say, look past its rough exterior and steep learning curve, and there is more quantity of superior quality here than most titles can shake a stick at. With great character development, both on and offline, and a slew of highly enjoyable and surprisingly great multiplayer modes, Two Worlds 2 has to be the best value for money ive seen in a long time from a retail game.

The preview comes from Atomic Gamers and should serve as an nice sample before the North American release. Here's a small taste:

What impressed me most in my first hour or two of Two Worlds II is that this attempt to make a serious RPG has had many successes that other developers haven’t really done right in the past: the crafting and upgrading system of making and upgrading potions and gear is interesting and unique, the magic creation system reminds me of Oblivion’s spell building but with some fun twists, and the world itself looks fantastic with a solid engine powering it. Sometimes it’s just the little things like the realistic-looking water or the way that waist-high plants are dynamically pushed out of your way as you walk through fields, and other times the game can put on huge, epic vistas.

Source: GameBanshee

Monday - January 17, 2011

Two Worlds II - Royal Edition Unboxing, Review

by Dhruin, 20:54

Omega sends in a couple of Two Worlds II items as the US/UK/AU release gets closer.  First, Platform Nation has an unboxing of the limited Royal Edition and, second, Eurogamer.nl has a Dutch review of the game with a score of 7/10.  According to my Google-fu, they found the game stable and bugfree with a wealth of different options but not enough quest variation, poor AI and little challenge.

Friday - January 14, 2011

Two Worlds II - Creative Vision Video Diary

by Dhruin, 21:38

Two Worlds Vault has a Creative Vision Diary Video, courtesy of Gametrailers.  Here's their description:

Fresh from the PR team from Topware US, here's the newest "Creative Vision Diary HD" video, narrated by Topware's Scott Cromie at GameTrailers.com. Scott details the history of the franchise, and goes on to showcase the marvelous customization options available in the game - from crafting, to making potions, to superbly complex spellcrafting system, with interesting new footage interspersed with the trailer videos and the game's intro.

Wednesday - January 12, 2011

Two Worlds II - UK Gets Royal Edition

by Dhruin, 22:45

I can't remember if we've covered this before but RPGSite has news the UK will get a limited release of the super-sized Royal Edition for Two Worlds II:

The Royal Edition is limited to 2500 units in the UK, and will include a World Map, Dragon Queen Statuette, Two Worlds II themed playing cards, some unlockable in-game weapons, a limited edition version of the actual game and a Bonus DVD that features music from the soundtrack, concept art, wallpapers and a making of documentary. The special edition will be available exclusively through massive UK retailer GAME.

Tuesday - January 11, 2011

Two Worlds II - Preview, Tweak Guide

by Dhruin, 22:26

Game Focus has a very short preview of Two Worlds II:

I played through the first 6 hours or so and barely scratched the surface. During that time, each element of the game was gradually introduced to me, beginning with basic melee combat to spell casting to alchemy and even horse riding (which is also much more intuitive). I found myself doing more exploring within the open world than actually pushing my quests forward; looking for new items to craft with, punishing foes with my duel-wielding arms of death or find supplies for my budding alchemy career. In a sense, this reminded me of the effect that Red Dead Redemption had on me when I first fired it up. And if that is indicative of the kind of world that Reality Pump has in store for us, we may still be exploring all the nuances found within Antaloor for many months to come. Ultimately, it would be a mistake to let the bad taste that Two Worlds left in your mouth taint your pallet as Two Worlds II is shaping up to be quite an enjoyable dish.

...and a .ini tweak guide at Segment Next.

Monday - January 10, 2011

Two Worlds II - Preview @ GameZone

by Dhruin, 21:13

GameZone has a generic preview of Two Worlds II:

Ultimately, Two Worlds 2 looks like a promising game. It’s not perfect: translation issues, a boring protagonist and a steep learning curve are among its troubles. What it does promise, however, is a compelling story, freedom to explore an enormous fantasy world and many, many side-quests. Enough for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours worth of play. Is the game breaking new ground? Not really, but it employs its fantasy stereotypes with pride.

Source: Blues News

Friday - January 07, 2011

Two Worlds II - Small UK Delay - New Date

by Dhruin, 23:28

TopWare sent us a press release announcing a new UK release date for Two Worlds II in the ongoing saga of shifting dates for this title.  They also claim 1.5m sales, which seems extraordinary growth from the 1m announced not too long ago, given no new markets have been added since then to my knowledge.  The new date is February 4th and here's the release:

TWO WORLDS IITM POISED FOR UK LAUNCH


Two Worlds II Coming to the United Kingdom After a Record Breaking Beginning

Las Vegas, Nevada - January 5, 2011 - TopWare Interactive is eagerly anticipating the February 4th UK release of Two Worlds II. With over 80 awards and 1.5 million units sold, Two Worlds II is poised to kick off the New Year by offering gamers an unbridled RPG experience. Managing Director James Seaman commented, “Everyone is extremely proud of what Two Worlds II has become, and we’re really looking forward to rewarding our faithful UK fans with a title worthy of their patience.”

For the hardcore adventurer, Royal Edition collector’s sets are now available for pre-order. With goodies such as:

•    Bonus DVD (With music tracks, concept art, wallpapers, making-of documentary)
•    World map of Antaloor
•    Special Edition Dragon Queen statuette
•    Exclusive unlockable in-game weapons
•    Two Worlds II Limited Edition Collectable
•    Deck of Two Worlds II Playing Cards

The Two Worlds II collector set is essential to any player looking for the ultimate Two Worlds experience, and is exclusively sold through GAME. With only 2500 units available, fans will need to act quickly before these extremely rare collectibles are gone for good.

TopWare is working exclusively with major retailers Amazon, and Game for the Two Worlds 2 UK launch. Fans may also pick up Two Worlds II from Ireland based GameStops and other various participating retail outlets.  

Once again, TopWare is extremely proud to bring this ultimate RPG experience to the United Kingdom and is looking forward to a very successful launch.

Thanks to Omega for similar news and several other items.

Thursday - January 06, 2011

Two Worlds II - 10 Essential Mods

by Dhruin, 21:34

I didn't actually know there was an active Two Worlds II mod scene but Omega dug up this article from a site called Segment Next with 10 mods to consider.  Most of them are tweaks and changes but you can play as a female, make the game harder, improve the combat AI and more.

Wednesday - January 05, 2011

Two Worlds II - ESRB Ratings Details

by Dhruin, 21:33

For those that care about such things, Destructoid has looked at the ESRB decision on the Two Worlds II rating for the US release ('M', if you didn't know).  Naked buttocks appears to have everyone excited:

Players can also slash at unarmed townsfolk who cry out in protest (e.g., "No, please! Stop it! Get away!"); some cutscenes depict creatures that have been impaled on large spikes. Other sequences include references to prostitution and sexual material (e.g., "Men pay women for their company, nothing more. It never becomes physical unless the girl wants it to" and "[He] did force himself on me. He invited me over under the false pretense of discussing an exam I failed.").

One quest allows players to access journal entries that reference explicit sexual fantasies of submission and bondage. In one cutscene, a female character's buttocks are exposed as she seductively approaches a male character. Language such as "f**k" and "sh*t" can be heard in the dialogue.

Tuesday - January 04, 2011

Two Worlds II - Alchemy FAQ

by Dhruin, 23:58

Head to Two Worlds Vault for an Alchemy guide for Two Worlds II.

Saturday - January 01, 2011

Two Worlds II - Mac Sys Reqs

by Dhruin, 00:15

Two Worlds Vault has the sys reqs for the Mac version of Two Worlds II, for those interested in that version:

  • Minimum:

    • OS: MACOSX 10.6,

    • CPU: Intel Core2Duo CPU,

    • RAM: 2 GB RAM,

    • Graphics: NVIDIA GF 8800 or AMD RADEON HD

  • Recommended:

    • OS: MACOSX 10.6 or higher,

    • CPU: Intel Core i5 CPU,

    • RAM: 4 GB RAM,

    • Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 5750 1GB

Wednesday - December 29, 2010

Two Worlds II - Why You Should Give It A Chance

by Dhruin, 22:55

A site called Hot Blooded Gaming has what is essentially a preview of Two Worlds II, titled Why You Should Give Two Worlds II A Chance.  They nominate five reasons, having played the game for 12 hours.  Here's an example:

We’ve played 12 hours of the game so far, and a lot of that time has been spent on both side quests and world exploration. We’ve just barely begun Chapter I, and already we’ve played through more content than most games have to offer. While some of the quests are admittedly basic, so far, each has offered it’s own appeal.

You’ll meet some interesting characters throughout your traversal of the land. Some you’ll like, some you’ll hate, but each character you’ll respond to in someway. In the first game, the majority of characters you encountered often seemed dull or uninteresting. With the sequel, character interactions related to quests are much more enjoyable.

Spotted at Two Worlds Vault.

Thursday - December 23, 2010

Two Worlds II - "Gold" Upgrade Patch

by Dhruin, 23:07

The promised "Gold Upgrade" (their words, not mine) for Two Worlds II has been released.  This v1.1 update enables DX10 (you'll find a new .exe in th game folder), adds additional graphical controls, inventory icons can be switched to a smaller size, improved AI and a whole bunch of fixes.  Links to the 77Mb file can be found here and patch notes here.  Presumbly, digital providers will package their own version shortly.  Here's the press release sent over by TopWare:

Las Vegas, Karlsruhe, December 23rd 2010 - What do you get when you take the gripping world of Antaloor, throw in a blockbuster storyline, stuff it with action packed gameplay, and pour on innovative and ground breaking systems like Crafting and Magic... and flavor it all with a Gold Upgrade? Voilá – the perfect RPG-Holiday-Treat!

The Gold Upgrade provides an immense download package for the award winning role playing game. With over 100 modifications and enhancements, Reality Pump and TopWare Interactive guarantee even more fun with the top selling hit! The Gold Upgrade provides a DirectX 10 Version of the game with extended graphics features, upgrades to enemy AI and revised gameplay balancing, as well as technical updates for ATI graphic cards just to name a few. You can find the comprehensive list in the Support area of www.twoworlds2.com.

Two Worlds II Gold Upgrade (78 MB)

Wednesday - December 22, 2010

Two Worlds II - Mac version for SE Owners

by Dhruin, 22:15

If you own one of the retail special editions of Two Worlds II - either the Royal or Premium Editions, you can now download the Mac version for free.  Press release follows:

Mac Welcomes Two Worlds II

+++ Download available now for those who purchased the Special Edition. Retail version goes on sale January 25th +++

Las Vegas, Karlsruhe, December 22nd 2010 - Mac owners should begin gearing up for an adventure of epic proportions. “Two Worlds II is now accessible to Apple users through TopWare’s offering of an exclusive download and serial key to Royal and Premium Edition owners in Europe. The 87 MB download utilizes the core files from the PC version which must be in the disk drive during Mac installation. And for the fans who didn’t purchase the Royal Edition, the standard Mac version of “Two Worlds II” will be available throughout Europe on January 25th. But if you own a Mac and just can’t wait to get your hands on the Apple version, the Royal Edition download special will remain available on all future sales up to January 25th!

Note: The Mac multiplayer mode is available from tomorrow, December the 23rd . With the appealing Gold Upgrade for the Windows PC version of "Two Worlds II" multiplayer features are compatible.

Start you download here: Two Worlds II – Mac

Two Worlds II - Castle Defense Promo

by Dhruin, 00:24

TopWare sent us a PR announcing a promo tower defense game for PC and iOS, as well as a $10,000 sweepstakes:

Two Worlds II`s $10,000 Castle Defense Sweepstakes

+++ The platinum selling RPG hit is now offering amazing prizes through it's Tournament Edition Castle Defense promo game +++

Las Vegas, Karlsruhe, December 21st 2010 - Bringing the epic Two Worlds II universe to an iOS platform was no easy task, but soon everyone can experience the gripping world of Antaloor with the hand held and PC, multiplatform hit: "Two Worlds II Castle Defense". Castle Defense requires skill and strategy as it throws players into Gandohar's twisted world. The Dark Lord must defend himself and his realm from Rogdor and his pillaging Orc horde.

Begin your journey for fame and honor now! Battle against other players in the pursuit of fortune and glory on the online leaderboard. Reach the top before the contest closes on January 10th 2011, and you could win cash from the $10,000 give-away. To kick off, the high score hunt is possible with PC and Mac. And soon versions for iPhone and iPad will also available as free download in the App Store!


Follow this link to learn more: Two Worlds II Castle Defense

Wednesday - December 15, 2010

Two Worlds II - NA Preorder Offer

by Dhruin, 05:33

Southpeak sends word of a new preorder deal (and new boxart) for Two Worlds II in the NA market.  Those who preorder in the US and Canada and follow the instructions can get a $10 rebate and nab a Sordahan "Yeah, I like to kill!" t-shirt.  They sent us a .pdf that I'll upload later but hopefully vendors will also have the application form.

Friday - December 10, 2010

Two Worlds II - Review @ GameShard

by Dhruin, 23:39

Two Worlds II has been reviewed at a site called GameShard, although any time the author says the campaign is "likely" to take 30 hours makes me think they haven't actually played it.  The score is 9/10 and here's a snip:

In terms of complexity, Two Worlds II sits somewhere between the behemoth free-roaming of Piranha Bytes' Gothic games and the more structured approach of an action RPG like Sacred 2. The main storyline is linear, and takes you across a series of large regions as you progress, but side-quests can be undertaken anywhere at any time - though new continents remain locked out until you advance the storyline. The rest of the world does level up alongside you, but only to a limited degree - none of the ridiculous Oblivion-style creature levelling here - though previously unlocked storage containers will contain loot roughly appropriate to your level. That might sound off-putting, but it actually works quite well; the system ensures that you feel a sense of progression as enemies become easier to kill, but there are still clear no-go areas where the opponents are much too strong, and also ensures that rewards from quests are always of some use. Given the open-ended levelling up system, which rewards you with stat advancements when you earn enough experience and skill points for various deeds associated with using particular skills, you have plenty of room to develop your hero as you see fit. And with the main campaign alone likely to take well over 30 hours, plus countless hours of sidequests and adventure, there's plenty to see and do in Antaloor.

Thanks Two Worlds Vault.

Wednesday - December 08, 2010

Two Worlds II - Jan 25 for US and UK, 1M Sales in Europe

by Dhruin, 22:30

TopWare has released a PR announcing a coordinated January 25th release for both the US and UK versions of Two Worlds II.  They also announce 1 million sales in Europe and take a dig at Southpeak by disputing the UK rights were "sold" back, saying Southpeak "relinquished" them:

TopWare Interactive taking TWO WORLDS II TM to the UK

Launch Date slated for January, 25th2011 for the UK and North America

Las Vegas, Nevada – December 8th, 2010
Happy Holidays from TopWare Interactive!  We're proud to announce that Two Worlds II, the major turnaround sequel of the year, has recently broken the one million unit sales mark in Europe after just three weeks on the store shelves. And, the momentum doesn't appear to be slowing. More than sixty magazines have awarded or reviewed the game as being exceptional, and player feedback has been tremendous as well.

As many know, the North American, Irish and UK release of the next installment in the Two Worlds franchise has been pushed back to January 25th, 2011.  Contrary to an earlier December press release in Europe by TopWare's publishing partner:  South Peak Games, has relinquished distribution rights in Ireland and the UK to TopWare in order to focus on their North American marketing campaign. The rights were not purchased back by TopWare, as was previously reported.

TopWare Interactive’s, managing director, James Seaman, had this to say: "Both TopWare and South Peak want our game to get the attention it deserves. South Peak wants to give the North American market 100% of their attention, and we're happy we were able to take some of the weight off their shoulders. Two Worlds II really is a labor of love, and after seeing how far the game has come, the fans are going to be blown away in January!"

TopWare also plans to open a UK office within the next six months that will support the press and all of the retail community in a positive and comprehensive fashion.

Thanks also to Inside Two Worlds for similar news.

Monday - December 06, 2010

Two Worlds II - UK Rights Sold Back To TopWare

by Dhruin, 21:27

Southpeak has sold the UK publishing rights for Two Worlds II back to TopWare, according to Edge.  Southpeak will retain NA and AU publishing rights but TopWare will publish the game in the UK in January.  The reasons aren't clear but presumably relate to disagreements on Southpeak's release delay.

Thursday - December 02, 2010

Two Worlds II - Sordahon's Journey #5

by Dhruin, 19:47

Southpeak sends news of another entry into their kooky Sordanhon's Journey spoof videos.  This one's musical, so you've been warned.  They also have a new official site for their release at http://www.twoworldstwo.com/.

Friday - November 19, 2010

Two Worlds II - v1.01 Patch

by Dhruin, 21:28

A v1.01 patch has been released for Two Worlds II, fixing some crashes and urgent issues.  According to the newspost on the German site, a major patch is planned before Christmas that will add features and new UI elements, improve AI and more.  Here is the patchlog:

  • fixed crash in singleplayer campaign during streaming of levels (CD icon) or during teleportation.
  • fixed one crash in multiplayer.
  • fixed quality of rendering ogg videos (when HD video option is off)
  • if game crashes while playing wmv videos then it is switched to ogg mode and next time ogg will be played.
  • fixed missing in shops magic cards: Air Life and Air Lightning.
  • fixed type of potion ingredients generated in village shops.
  • fixed endless invisibility spell error.
  • fixed wrong direction of camera in sniper mode in reversed vertical view.
  • fixed problem with changing bid by +/- keys in dice minigame on laptop keyboards.
  • fixed displaying wrong number of equipment parts in "destroy equipment" message box
  • added missing "Check for updates" option to settings.
  • some player reported long time of making savegames in full screen. It was possible caused by taking screen shot. Save screen shots can be turned off by console command: game.MakeSaveScreenShot 0 - it should be added to autosaveGame3.con file in Parameters subdirectory of save game.
  • one change was made which could fix problem with saving multiplayer characters / village. Now if sending data to server fails then game make two more attempts to send.

You can grab the file from TopWare, Worthplaying, Two Worlds Vault and no doubt everywhere else.

Thanks to Alistair, who says it seems to have installed properly on his GamersGate version, and Melvil.  I'd note that most digital services create their own patch versions, so be careful.  Also, the official forum seems to note some issues with MP games not saving.

Wednesday - November 17, 2010

Two Worlds II - Review @ The Gamers Paradise

by Dhruin, 20:36

A site called The Gamers Paradise has a review of Two Worlds II, although the article isn't particularly deep.  Score - 9/10:

The share amount of different side quests, a thrilling main quest, a beautiful looting system, the multiplayer experiences totally revamped and of course the beautiful, stunning scenarios is enough to keep the casual and also the hardcore RPG players busy for days. It still comes with some glitches and bumps along the road but when you consider the share size of the world it is very little negative. Also the loading within the game is short and this makes for a better flow of the game. I have to say that Two Worlds 2 will have me going back for more, but as of now I can only bow my head and call this a beautiful rendition of a RPG and proof that sequels can be so much better than the prequel.

Spotted at Two Worlds Vault.

Tuesday - November 16, 2010

Two Worlds II - Patch On The Way

by Dhruin, 21:15

A quick note from the Two Worlds II forums that a patch is on the way, although no news yet on the actual contents:

Hi,

I recieved a statement from Dirk Hassinger regarding the Patch question.
What he told me was the following:

They're of course working on a patch. Currently they're collecting the bugs and the wishes of the community.

So stay tuned for more info.
I will update the thread when there is something new to report.

Monday - November 15, 2010

Two Worlds II - Spellcrafting Guide

by Dhruin, 21:14

The spellcrafting is one of the more interesting parts of Two Worlds II and Two Worlds Vault has kicked up a guide to assist.  They also have some video examples of spells you can create.

Wednesday - November 10, 2010

Two Worlds II - PS3 Delay, MP FAQ

by Dhruin, 22:24

Here's a couple of miscellaneous Two Worlds II items.  First, Inside Two Worlds says the (German?) PS3 release has been delayed to the 18th because of printing problems.

Meanwhile, Two Worlds Vault has an interview with a betatester and forum mod about multiplayer.  There's quite a bit of detailed information, making the piece akin to a FAQ.

Two Hours With Two Worlds II

by Dhruin, 08:58

I didn't plan to pick up Two Worlds II early - in part because I expected the availability to be an issue but also because I've been a vocal critic of Two Worlds and I have plenty of other games to play.  When it popped up unexpectedly at Gamersgate just as I had a day off...well, I guess my impulse control needs some work.  At this point I've completed the tutorial and wandered a little of the starting savannah - not nearly enough to form any serious opinion but enough to get a general "feel" for the game.  With that in mind, I'm not posting this as a formal article but rather some temporary commentary and whatever you do, go find some more informed opinions before making any purchase decisions.

Two Worlds II is at once much better than the original, slightly disappointing and full of potential.  A litany of very minor things colour my experience at this stage but I can also see the potential for a very good - if predictably unpolished - action/RPG.

First off, the script hasn't tempted me to jump off a tall building to escape like the original almost did.  The "prithee this" and "thoust that" are gone entirely and while the writing isn't exciting, it's not offensive.  Likewise, the voice acting isn't great...but it isn't terrible.  The whole cliché backstory of the kidnapped hot sister and the evil lord is still there but the game quickly gets on to a reasonable footing - travel to a major town and find a way to make contact with some resistance members with criminal connections that might have information on Gandohar's background.  Investigation is a good premise for an open-world RPG.

The game has been stable and the performance is excellent but there's an obvious lack of detailed polish.  The menus and inventory icons look "chunky", the animation lacks "weight", there's a lot of clipping and the in-engine cut-scenes are amateurish.  Very early on there's a cut-scene where an ally is about to die but - in Rob Roy style - he grabs the sword of the enemy with one hand and lands a mortal blow with the other.  At least, I think that's what happened.  In my game, the ally vaguely waved his hand near the sword and suddenly killed the other.  Later, a key cut-scene didn't trigger but left me with a black screen and a couple of warthogs on the savannah have promptly sunk beneath the earth and disappeared as my arrow struck.

In addition - for my taste - the potentially great graphics are smeared with too much vaseline from the excessive HDR lighting.  And for some reason I can only select "none" or "1x" for antialiasing.

None of this is terribly important to me but it does take the sheen off.  Just to be clear, everything works fine if you ignore the guy standing over there with his leg clipped up to the knee.

On the other hand, the first major quest has at least three ways of completion, which is very welcome.  The solutions aren't greatly creative but they're solid enough.  You can also sense the sheer breadth...horses, boats, crafting, a genuinely interesting magic card system, gambling -- there's obviously a lot to do and I feel the developers genuinely tried to improve the formula.

The starting savannah area lacks the sense of reality you get from the original Gothics - cheetahs, warthogs, baboons, rhinos and ostriches are packed into close proximity - there's no sense of a genuine ecology.  On the other hand, the combat is surprisingly fun and much better than the original.  You can block and it feels more than just button-mashing.

So, at this stage, I miss the more sophisticated writing and characters I just left behind in Fallout: New Vegas and it certainly feels a little rough around the edges.  But the combat is surprisingly addictive and the width of possibilities is enormous.  I've seen one German review label it a "masterpiece", which seems ridiculous to me but if the idea of a better Two Worlds is attractive to you, this is worth a look.  Just don't expect revolutionary changes to the core concept.

Tuesday - November 09, 2010

Two Worlds II - Now on Gamersgate

by Dhruin, 22:57

Two Worlds II is now available on Gamersgate for anyone wanting a DD version or looking to get an early copy.  No regions are specified but this TopWare version was available for purchase by me in Australia, which is a Southpeak territory - that might indicate it's available worldwide despite the delay by Southpeak but your mileage may vary.

Monday - November 08, 2010

Two Worlds II - Screens @ Two Worlds Vault

by Dhruin, 20:29

Two Worlds Vault has kicked up some new screens for Two Worlds II to keep you going.

Saturday - November 06, 2010

Two Worlds II - Competition

by Dhruin, 22:25

Zuxxez sent throught news of a Two Worlds II competition:

Break the Antaloor Code!

Hello all you codebreakers out there! Find the secret password for taking part in our big "Two Worlds II" competition!
We'll be releasing the clues bit by bit over the next few days. Anyone who registers, will take part in our big draw featuring great “Two Worlds II” prizes!

1st prize: Xbox-360-Console plus “Two Worlds II”-Figurine and fan package

2nd prize: “Two Worlds II”-Roll-up-Banner plus Figurine and fan package

3rd prize: “Two Worlds II”-Figurine plus fan package

And all participants will also have a chance to win one of 10 "Two Worlds II" fan packages including an artbook with the original signatures of the developer team!

And here is the direct link to the competition: http://www.twoworlds2.com/competition/index.html

Thursday - November 04, 2010

Two Worlds II - Early Reviews

by Dhruin, 20:35

Here's a pair of early Two Worlds II reviews.  First up, RPG Italia has a review from closed beta (ie., not the final release).  It's an enthusiastic article and the score is 9.1/10:

Two Worlds 2 has very interesting dialogues, capable of catching the player’s attention. The main character has his own rough personality and his sarcasm reminds us of both The Nameless Hero of the Gothic Saga and Gerald of Rivia of The Witcher series. During our conversation with NPCs we can choose from several options and the discussion goes on as in any other action-RPGs. The story reaches levels of complexity and deepness that the first Two Worlds would only have dreamed of. The main quest starts immediately in order to develop into a lot of side quests, introducing various characters with their own personalities. The quests quality is notably high, and there is a good variety of missions.

Thanks to Inside Two Worlds for that one.

Eurogamer's German site has a similarly positive article with a score of 9/10.  According to my Google-fu, the author says 2W2 has "impressed me deeply" and he goes on to call it a "masterpiece".  The excellent German voice recordings are a major point ("loving crafted voice recordings") but we'll have to wait and see if that is similar in the English release.

Google translation here.

Wednesday - November 03, 2010

Two Worlds II - One Hour Gameplay Video

by Dhruin, 20:38

German site Gameswelt has streamed the first hour of Two Worlds II play.  Obviously this is German and very spoiler-ish but if you can't wait to see more of the game, head over.

In other news, Two Worlds Vault has some translated snippets from Polish site Gry-online:

  • The difficulty setting (three available) can only be set once and cannot be changed during the gameplay.
  • After the final cutscene, you're back in Antaloor and can continue exploration where you left off at the end of the main quest.
  • Quest markers are always clearly shown (no wandering around looking for the solution) and you can activate any quest to be tracked at will.
  • Map shows: visited teleports, altars, dungeons and some of the NPCs (the ones important enough to talk to, usually side questgivers)
  • Another confirmation: there's 40 different characteristics to be changed during character creation. You can also choose the level of difficulty, but not gender or race (those are reserved for multiplayer). There's also no classes, which has been highglihgted many times before. However, there's also no levelling cap, so if you want to, you'll be able to max out all the skills (and skills are largely what makes a "class"-like specialization in TW2).
  • Monday - November 01, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Icons Guide

    by Dhruin, 20:44

    Two Worlds Vault has kicked up a guide to the various status icons in Two Worlds II:

    There're many symbols in Two Worlds II inventory and GUI that denote many variables in regard to combat, protection, economy and exploration. Here's the shortlist of them with their meaning explained. In addition, some of the in-game mechanics that influence those stats and displayed values are also explained. 

    Saturday - October 30, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Review @ GamingXP

    by Dhruin, 23:15

    Inside Two Worlds points out a review of Two Worlds II at German site GamingXP.  The score is an impressive 90% and the "cons" listed seem fairly minor (although "weaknesses of Two Worlds not completely eradicated" is rather vague).

    Read the original here in German, the Google translation here or Inside Two Worlds summary.

    Friday - October 29, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Min/Max DX11 Comparison Screens

    by Dhruin, 23:06

    Again from PC Games.de, Two Worlds Vault has a side-by-side comparison of minimum and maximum settings using DX11 and 1920x1080 res.

    Thursday - October 28, 2010

    Two Worlds II - New Videos

    by Dhruin, 21:36

    Two Worlds Vault has four new Two Worlds II videos from German site PC Games.de.  The videos show off combat, crafting, the intro and questing.

    Wednesday - October 27, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Appearing at London MCM Expo

    by Dhruin, 21:43

    Two Worlds II will be appearing at the London MCM Expo this weekend for folks in that area of the world.  I'm told this the London equivalent of ComicCon and the show is open to the public.  More details at Inside Two Worlds if you are interested.

    Tuesday - October 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Mana Pool

    by Dhruin, 22:54

    UK site Mana Pool has a general preview of Two Worlds II with some quotes on multiplayer and bullet-points from the PR blurb.  Nothing new I can see:

    Reality Pump also claim the game is 25% larger than the original Two Worlds – with players easily being able to sink over 200 hours into it if they decide to do all side-quests and explore the world as much as they can. In fact, they claim the world is so large that you absolutely NEED a horse. We’ll be the judge of that but it certainly sounds very promising! Like Two Worlds, there is no class system and you can develop your characters in whatever balance you want between melee, ranged and spell-casting. You can even swap armour sets whenever you desire, therefore being able to fully utilize all your talents if you decide to go down several paths at once.

    Thanks, Two Worlds Vault.

    Monday - October 25, 2010

    Two Worlds II - PCGH Benchmarking

    Two Worlds II - Trailer @ RPS

    by Dhruin, 21:21

    There's a new "epic" trailer for Two Worlds II over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun that combines some scenery and a huge Tolkienesque battle with orcs.

    Friday - October 22, 2010

    Two Worlds II - MP Avatars, Trailer

    by Dhruin, 19:42

    Inside Two Worlds sends word about avatar creation for multiplayer in Two Worlds II.  Apparently, you'll be able to create up to five avatars and they have details and screens.

    They also have a CGI trailer showing a "battle of the races" at the coast of Oswaroth.

    Monday - October 18, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Screens @ I2W

    Sunday - October 17, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Hi-Res Screens @ PCGH

    by Dhruin, 10:29

    Inside Two Worlds let us know that German site PCGH has some hi-res Two Worlds II screens from some recent graphics testing they undertook.  You can view the original German article here, or head to Inside Two Worlds for a translation and the screens in their gallery.

    Friday - October 15, 2010

    Two Worlds II - European Version Gold, Small Delay

    by Dhruin, 21:29

    News from the Zuxxez site that the European release of Two Worlds II has gone Gold...and been delayed to November 9th:

    The good news first -"Two Worlds II" has gone Gold and production of the Game start's on Monday! Now the bad news..due to high pre-orders figures and the multi platform distribution throughout Continental Europe we unfortunately won't be able to release as planned on October the 21st Two Worlds II will now hit the shelves on November the 9th 2010.
    ZUXXEZ-CEO Alexandra Constandache:"Of course we realise that we are pushing the patience of the gamers with this short-termed postponement however we hope you will understand our reasons for having to do this .We had to make an unforeseen stopover due to the extremely high pre orders figures arising from the very positive press feedback during the last few weeks. We regret having to postpone to November the 9th but we feel committed to releasing parallel for all platforms throughout Continental Europe. The new release date will insure that all European players can start their adventures in Antaloor at the same time!"

    Wednesday - October 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Translated Review Q&A

    by Dhruin, 20:40

    Two Worlds Vault let us know they have translated comments from Polish site GameCorner.pl, who have apparently played the release version of Two Worlds II.  Here's a sample:

    Character movements look smooth. It's not Assassin's Creed level of animation, but it's still head and shoulders above e.g. Alpha Protocol. Trot looks kinda odd but still natural. Sprint doesn't look artificial. Sneaking and walking without running have correct animations. The combat also looks nice: the swings have the "momentum" feel to them, it's definitely not just swinging any weapon as if it was light as a feather. Blows do have an impact on the enemies. The only odd part is jumping - it looks a bit stiff. In addition, regular movement is not very precise, and sometimes to get to the box or when moving in a cluttered interior, you need to slow down to a walk or sneak. Horses have the worst animation - the mounted movement looks quite stiff in trot and jumping. Slawek notes that he didn't get the chance to fight mounted and there might be no possibility to do that at all.

    Monday - October 11, 2010

    Two Worlds II - First Magazine Review

    by Dhruin, 20:01

    Inside Two Worlds points out the first magazine review for Two Worlds II that we've heard about.  Apparently German mag XBG 360 awarded a score of 92%.

    In other 2W2 news, Two Worlds Vault has some new screens and the Achievements, for those that like such things.

    Friday - October 08, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interactive Maps

    by Dhruin, 19:58

    Two Worlds Vault has a handful of gameworld maps, including a hi-res one and a couple of interactive maps, including one that links to entries in their locations database.

    Wednesday - September 29, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Delay Confirmed in UK and AU

    by Dhruin, 22:09

    Not surprisingly, the other territories where Southpeak holds Two Worlds II publishing rights have also been delayed to January 2011 - specifically, the UK and Australia (in addition to the NA delay announced earlier).  This leaves the European areas published directly by Zuxxez for October 21st.  This time, TopWare writes the press release (perhaps to make sure Southpeak doesn't say the wrong thing?):

    TWO WORLDS II™ LAUNCH DELAYED; DEVELOPMENT COMPLETE

    Regional Launches in North American, United Kingdom, and Australian Territories Delayed into 2011 Over Market Concerns

    Las Vegas, Nevada - September 28, 2010 - TopWare Interactive announced today that publishing partner SouthPeak Interactive will postpone the launch of Two Worlds II™ until January 2011 within the North American, Australian and United Kingdom territories. The October 21st, 2010 release date (previously announced for those markets in which Zuxxez Entertainment holds publishing rights), remains steadfast and will not be postponed. The decision to delay the game within regions in which SouthPeak Interactive holds publishing rights arose primarily from concerns that the RPG genre was exceptionally crowded during the remainder of the 2010 holiday season. This created a troubling scenario which was not ideal for an independent title such as Two Worlds II™, and after careful consideration the choice was made to postpone the game.

    "Since the first announcement of Two Worlds II, we've very much been branded an underdog in a genre loaded with extraordinary franchises," commented James Seaman, Managing Director at TopWare. "That said, this is a year in which we'll see many of these great series roll out their latest installments, and naturally they'll do so during the holiday season. Truth be told, fans only have so much time to spend playing these content-rich games, and there were concerns our title could potentially be lost in the fanfare. Our publishing partner SouthPeak, to their credit, has acknowledged this fact and made an adjustment, postponing their launch of Two Worlds II™ into early 2011. We truly feel that we've developed a game that is poised to push the RPG envelope in many respects, from spell-casting to multiplayer, and everyone here can't wait for the opportunity for others to share in our hard work with us."

    A previous announcement made by SouthPeak claiming the game was unfinished, and was being delayed to provide additional development time is factually incorrect. All production, including QA and localizations, on Two Worlds II™ was wrapped in mid-September. Fans can rest assured the October 2010 and early 2011 releases will mirror one another in terms of content, with the exception of any patches or updates released between now and early 2011.

    As development studio Reality Pump forges forward with preparations for post-launch support and downloadable content development, fans in delayed launch territories can take solace in the fact that any multiplayer balancing issues addressed or additional free content published after the October release will be included in 2011 retail launch.

    While we're on this topic, The Final Dungeon has a blog post on this topic suggesting some hype had been built, which will now be wasted:

    Somehow, against all odds and despite the original game’s many, many failings, Two Worlds 2 had actually managed to build some hype.  Screenshots revealed an original-looking fantasy land filled with much better visuals, interesting architecture, and … dinosaurs.  A completely informal and unscientific survey of message board posts and blog comments seemed to suggest that many RPG fans, even some of those burned by the first game, were ready to give Two Worlds 2 a chance.  For me, at least, SouthPeak’s announcement this week deflates much of that hype.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Two Worlds II - TopWare Responds

    by Dhruin, 02:14

    TopWare has hit back at Southpeak's inference Two Worlds II needs more time, telling GameSpot the team at Reality Pump has moved on to post-release support and the real reason for the NA delay is the crowded release landscape:

    TopWare today told GameSpot that development on Two Worlds II had finished, and that SouthPeak's decision was actually made due to an "exceptionally crowded" 2010 holiday season of RPGs.[...]

    The TopWare statement went on to call SouthPeak's assertion that the game wasn't finished "factually incorrect." All production, bug testing, and localization work was finished in mid-September, the company said, adding that this year's and next year's Two Worlds II launches will contain the same content (except for patches or updates released in the interim, which could make it onto the 2011 retail launch disc). Instead of working to finish up the core Two Worlds II game, Reality Pump is instead readying its post-launch support and downloadable content plans.

    Thanks to Zloth on our forums.

    Tuesday - September 28, 2010

    Two Worlds II - NA Delayed to 2011

    by Dhruin, 22:04

    New yesterday that Southpeak has delayed the North American version of Two Worlds II January 2011.  The confirmation originally came via Facebook and Two Worlds Vault has an interesting statement that clearly implies a delay for quality reasons:

    There have been numerous posts recently regarding the release date of Two Worlds II. First of all, it’s gratifying to see that so many people care so much about the game and we thank you for your enthusiasm and passion. It’s definitely a game that we’re proud to publish; Reality Pump is on the verge of delivering a benchmark RPG experience.

    Here’s the vital news: Two Worlds II is set for a January release in North America. We understand that this is not great news for those of you eager for an October release and we can understand that you might feel that our European cousins’ potentially getting the game before you is frustrating to say the least. However, there’s a reason for everything and although we feel that the game is truly at ‘AAA’ level, that reason is that we want Two Worlds II to be absolutely flawless when it launches in the North American market. Although we could bring the game to market earlier in order to take advantage of the holiday buying season, we felt that we would do a better service to you by making sure that the game you want is absolutely as it should be.

    It’s vital to us that we always give you the best possible information and this is the reason that we haven’t commented on the date before now; we did not want to say something to you, only to have that information change once again. Now, we are in a position to confirm the January release date.

    As previously stated, in order to keep communication channels clear, we removed all earlier posts on this subject. Again, this was to prevent confusing rumors from spreading. For example, some people had stated that friends working at retailers have seen the game ‘in the back room’. This is completely untrue since manufacturing has not yet started.

    For those that have said that they will torrent or import the game because they simply cannot wait, there’s nothing that we can do to stop you. However, please remember that by pirating the game, you are hurting those who worked hard to make the game for you, reducing the chance of another game in the future. By importing the game, you’re paying more money for something that if you can wait, you’ll be able to buy in January at a cheaper price and that will have benefitted from heavyweight Quality Assurance (QA) for the North American market.

    We’ll have a further update for our friends in the UK, Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

    We sincerely thank you for your understanding, patience and continued support.

    Sincerely, The SouthPeak Team

    The implications for the EU version are interesting.

    Thanks to Propheet, VoxClamant and numerous forum posters and apologies for the late update on this.

    Monday - September 27, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Multiplayer Tidbits

    by Dhruin, 20:51

    Two Worlds Vault has collected some recent dev comments from their Facebook page on the different multiplayer modes in Two Worlds II.  An excerpt:

    We were working on multiplayer for quite some time. Most of our efforts were put on developing fine co-op mode for 2-8 players. Our multiplayer "Adventure" mode is a completely different one, more action-based. It's a campaign that takes about 12-14 hours to complete in the first run! You have to cooperate in your team so the gameplay is slightly modified but if you wonder how TW2 would feel like if it was an action RPG, this mode provides the answer and I guarantee that you will like it.
    After that you have an exceptional Village mode for the next 6-10 h + duels, deathmatches and crystal hunts!

    Friday - September 24, 2010

    Two Worlds II - System Requirements

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    The German Two Worlds II site has announced the PC system requirements.  The excerpt is German, of course, but easy to read:

    Minimale Systemvorraussetzung:
    - Intel oder AMD Single-Core Prozessor (2,0 GHz)
    - 1 GB RAM (2 GB bei Windows Vista und 7)
    - Windows XP, Snow Leopard
    - Radeon HD, Geforce 8800GT (Shader 3.0 und 512 MB RAM)
    - Maus, Tastatur, DVD-Laufwerk, Soundkarte
    - Internetverbindung für Multiplayer
    - DirectX 9.0c oder OpenGL
    - 8 GB Festplattenspeicher

    Empfohlene Konfiguration:
    - Intel oder AMD Multi-Core CPU (2,6 GHz)
    - 4 GB Ram
    - Windows Vista, Windows 7, Snow Leopard
    - Radeon HD 2900, Geforce 8800 GTX
    - Maus, Tastatur, DVD-Laufwerk, 5.1-Soundkarte
    - Internetverbindung mit 6.000 BPS für Multiplayer
    - 8 GB Festplattenspeicher

    Thursday - September 23, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Beta Testing Wraps

    by Dhruin, 20:51

    According to Inside Two Worlds, beta testing on Two Worlds II finished a couple of days ago.  Not surprising with the release getting close but nice to see things appear to be on track.

    Friday - September 17, 2010

    Two Worlds II - October 21st for Europe

    by Dhruin, 23:16

    The EU release date for Two Worlds II has been updated to October 21st.  Here's the PR (thanks to the official forum):

    Karlsruhe, 17. September 2010 – Shortly Antaloor will open it's gates for Two Worlds 2 which will be released in continental europe on October 21st 2010 for PC, Mac and consoles. Two Worlds 2 not only confronts you with authorative decisions ingame, you also have to decide which version you want to buy: Beside the standard edition there will be a premium edition and a strictly limited Royal edition (36.000 pieces). The premium edition has a dragon mega pin with a real Swarowski™-crystal as a highlight. Owners of the royal edition will get a hardcover artbook and a valuable handcolored statue. If you haven't preordered one, now's the last chance to get one, as many worldwide preorders have nearly led to sold out royal editions!

    At the same time, when the USK 16 title comes out, the official Two Worlds 2 walkthrough will be available, with 304 pages of concentrated insider know-how for all the inquisitive adventurers outside.

    ZUXXEZ-CEO Alexandra Constandache: "We've chosen that new release date, because we wanted to make sure that Two Worlds 2 will be as we had planned. Luckily for us we aren't dependant of other financial investors and in the calming position to put creativity in front of commerce."

    The Zuxxez site has the PR in German.

    Thursday - September 16, 2010

    Two Worlds II - US Mall Tour

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    Southpeak will be touring Two Worlds II around a bunch of US malls, according to a Facebook announcement:

    So, everyone needs another reason to go to the mall, right? Tell you what, we’ll give you TWO reasons. Two Worlds II and nail’d are both coming to a mall near YOU! [provided you live in or around one of these eleven cities…] BUT WAIT THERE’S MOAR! You could be one of the ten LUCKY/AWESOME people to WIN some SWEET SWAG! All you have to do is go to the nail’d booth in your mall, take a picture of yourself making your most X-...TREEME face in front of it, then post it here on our wall! Our top ten favorite faces will win a copy of the nail’d soundtrack and an official Two Worlds II t-shirt, previously unavailable to most everyone! Check out the list below to see when and where you’ve got to go!

    9/11-9/12 Minneapolis Southdale Center
    9/18-9/19 Kansas City Independence Center Mall
    9/25-9/26 Tulsa Woodland Hills Mall
    10/2-10/3 Oklahoma City Penn Square Mall
    10/9-10/10 Dallas/Fort Worth Grapevine Mills
    10/16-10/17 Houston Katy Mills Mall
    10/23-10/24 Denver Colorado Mills Mall
    10/30-10/31 Seattle-Tacoma Tacoma Mall
    11/3 Reno Meadowood Mall
    11/6 San Francisco Great Mall
    11/7 San Francisco/Oakland Stoneridge Mall
    11/13-11/14 Los Angeles Ontario Mills

    Thanks to Inside Two Worlds for the link.

    Two Worlds II - Release Date Confusion

    by Dhruin, 20:57

    The last official press release for Two Worlds II listed release dates of Sept 14 and 17, though recent interviews with Southpeak have mentioned October 5th.  Both Eurogamer and Joystiq have followed this up, with Eurogamer getting a "TBC" for Europe and Joystiq receiving confirmation of October 5th for NA.

    Wednesday - September 15, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Sordahan's Journey #4

    by Dhruin, 22:20

    The 4th part of Southpeak's comedic live action Two Worlds II videos featuring Sordahan is up at Joystiq.  It's the same brand of comedy as the last three but it made me chuckle.

    In other news, Ripten has Five Reasons Two Worlds II Won't Suck:

    Reason #2DEEP Customization.

    There are no classes in TW II, you build your own.  You can also build up and break down nearly any materials in the game to create better armor and weapons.  The crafting system is enormous and the spell system is currently being considered by the Guiness Book of World Records for the most player activated spells or abilities in a videogame . . .ever.

    Now, I know what you’re saying, “Oh great, a really complicated spell building system? No thanks.”  But alas! Not only is this system easy and intuitive, but it’s also easy and intuitive!!  You simply stack and arrange cards to upgrade and change spells!!  Want a lightning spell? Done.  Want an AOE lightning spell? Done.  Want an AOE lightning spell that shoots 5 bolts instead of 3? Done.  Want an AOE Lightning spell that shoots 5 bolts instead of 3 and ricochets off the environment? DONE.  See what I’m getting at here?

    Tuesday - September 14, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Previews @ TMG, LXP

    by Dhruin, 22:50

    Here's a pair of Two Worlds II previews from PAX, spotted at Inside Two Worlds.  First, The Married Gamers, who have a decent overview:

    Player can spend skill points to create a character that can be a variety of different fighting styles.  A character can be part melee and part mage to give him the best of both worlds in a fight.  The player can also set up specific armor sets.  The player can have one armor set that accentuates the mage’s powers and another for the melee.  The player can then quickly switch between armor sets as needed.  The inventory is set up as a wheel that is brought up by pressing down on one of the thumbsticks and navigating around the wheel.  It is a quicker, simpler way to scroll through items in the player’s bag.

    Combat is also streamlined allowing the player to string together offensive and defensive moves by pressing different buttons.  The moves flow together and make combat look very smooth.

    ...and Lost Exp like exploding things:

    Now onto the part a lot of you might have been thinking about. The COMBAT! Thankfully I had the privilege of checking out two types of classes. The melee fighter, and a caster. The combos of the attacks were fluid, and looked really impressive. I’d love to go on and on about how much fun it was hacking and slashing zombie like creatures to pieces, but I was spoiled. I was shown a caster, the mage class, and my brain LITERALLY exploded. That’s right, exploded. Now allow me to explode your minds with the knowledge that was dropped on me. Apparently there’s a spell combination system with the spells in the game, and the possibilities that are being created are also being submitted into Guinness World Records as having the most spell combinations in a game to this date. That just seems impressive to me, and watching exactly how spells were mixed and matched was impressive all on its’ own.

    Saturday - September 11, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview, Database

    by Dhruin, 22:22

    GameFocus has a Two Worlds II preview from PAX.  It's labelled "hands-on", but the first-hand impressions are limited.  A bit on crafting:

    In building your fantasy arsenal, there are a few new crafting features that is sure to grab your attention. The original Two Worlds allowed players to combine similar weapons to boost their stats. Two Worlds 2 takes the same idea, but adds further depth to it by now allowing for the items to be broke down into their core material components first. This adds an outstanding amount of choice as to how you want to craft weapons and armor. Another similar returning feature is the cards that are used for spells. Just as with the crafting, they too have been enhanced, bringing with it the ability to combine up to six cards to create wildly imaginative magical feats. Ever want an ice bolt that also grants a magic elemental shield and luminescence to the user? You got it! Or how about throwing out a multi fireball that summons a monster once it hits? Sure thing! Those who want to tank with a mage will drink the new spell combos up!

    Meanwhile, Two Worlds Vault has kicked off a weapons database with pictures and stats for the various weapons.

    Thursday - September 09, 2010

    Two Worlds II - PAX Shakycam Footage

    by Dhruin, 09:33

    Two Worlds Vault has three shakycam videos from PAX, taken by a GameSpot forum user.  The quality is pretty poor but worth a look for fans, along with the commentary TW Vault has supplied.

    Tuesday - September 07, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Community Interview, Preview

    by Dhruin, 22:07

    Inside Two Worlds writes that Ausir has the results of their community interview over at Two Worlds II Wiki.  Here's a sample:

    Two Worlds excelled at creating a beautiful game environment but fell short in creating an immersive experience. What is being done to improve immersion in Two Worlds 2?

    A lot! First of all, we hired professional story writers who take care of the main quest as well as the side quests and the “feeling” of the world itself. That means that we implemented a lot of NPCs whom you meet several times during your adventures. This way you get some relationships which evolve according to your actions. Even some love stories are implemented.

    ...or Inside Two Worlds has a summary of the salient points.

    Meanwhile, 2Worlds-game.de has a German preview that looks pretty interesting, and Two Worlds Vault has a summary of the important points in English.  They've split it up into "good" and "bad" points and it's a worthwhile read for anyone following this game.

    Monday - September 06, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Screens @ Worthplaying

    by Dhruin, 21:06

    Worthplaying has a handful of (hopefully) new screens for Two Worlds II.

    Sunday - September 05, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Interview

    by Dhruin, 22:22

    Inside Two Worlds let us know about a video interview from 2-worlds-game.de with Joeg Schindler at GamesCom.  The two videos total about 6.5 minutes with Two Worlds 2 running in the background, though you can't see much.  The conversation is in German but Inside Two Worlds has a short summary that inludes "Joerg confirms that the EU Version will be released towards the end of September".

    Friday - September 03, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post # 25

    by Aries100, 17:50

    Two Worlds II Vault has updated their site with Antaloor Post # 25. This time around, we will be taught how to do some herbal cooking, also there is some info about Tir Geal as well as hunter's journal, and more. A snip about Tir Geal:

    All I can do now is to save what still can be saved. Our little fellowship in Tir Geal is struggling to survive, but with every day our numbers get shorter and shorter in this desperate fight against the undead monsters, who turn the swamps - our home - into a huge deadly trap. I can feel how the evil manifests itself in our world, in the air and in everything that is alive. It's not just what happened in Tir Caillte. As horrible as it was. There's much more. Something, that's hard to get. People, who leeave the village, never come back again. All the undead... something or somebody must have brought them here. But how? What is behind all that?

    Thursday - September 02, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Interview @ XGN

    by Dhruin, 20:51

    Dutch site XGN has a video interview with TopWare's Joerg Schindler about Two Worlds II.  After an intro in Dutch, the conversation switches to English - I'm going to link via Two Worlds Vault who have the video and some commentary underneath on the finer details.

    Wednesday - September 01, 2010

    Two Worlds II - DRM Details

    by Dhruin, 22:50

    Two Worlds Vault is reporting DRM details for Two Worlds II, sourced from PC Games Hardware and Gamers Global:

    According to what Mariusz Szaflik from RP confirmed and Zuxxez told earlier GamersGlobal.de, the title will rely on similar protection as its predecessor: you activate the game via the internet or telephone up to 3 times (subsequent reinstalls on different systems or rigs will require you to contact the publisher) and play. The game doesn't require DVD in your drive to be played and similarly will not rely on Steam connection (for Steam-distributed copies).

    Head over for the links, including Google translations of the original articles.

    Monday - August 30, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Diehard Gamefan

    by Dhruin, 20:57

    Here's a Two Worlds II preview from a week back spotted at the Zuxxez forums.  Diehard Gamefan says they wanted to spend more time with the game but they sure don't explain why:

    My time with Two Worlds II was mainly spent roaming around killing any monsters I saw, talking to people. There were also some attempts at lockpicking, but the character I was playing as had low lockpicking aptitude (timing was also requisite for a successful attempt), so those fell flat. At one point I hit an NPC, and all he did was utter in a low deep monotone voice “hey” and “No, please, I have a family” (I heard it as, “No, please, I am heavenly“, which made no sense) and went right back to smithing something invisible as if I hadn’t just been trying to bludgeon him. Everyone in the room started cracking up, and Aubrey explained that that was just filler voice recording, so it likely will not be in the final retail version. I have to admit, while my interest in Oblivion quickly waned when I tried to play it, my time with this game actually made me want to try it (and no, not just because of that NPC).

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Atomic Gamer

    by Aries100, 17:29

    A preview for this game can be found at Atomic Gamer.   Here's something about the start of the game:

    You start in a prison, which seems to now be considered the stereotypical only way to start out a fantasy RPG nowadays (admittedly, it was a precedent set decades ago by games that have gone down as some of the best in history). You'll be broken out of - stop me if you've heard this one - prison as part of the intro and will have to stop the big baddie Gandohar and save your sister, the convenient damsel in distress, to boot.

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ IGN's Two Worlds Vault

    by Aries100, 17:18

    An interview with Music Director Borislav Slavov can be found at IGN's Two Worlds Vault.
    They talk about the effects and the soundtrack. Audio samples are also provided. An excerpt:

    TW Vault: How is what you do different from the audio team of Reality Pump? Do you work together to make in-game effects and OST come together in a harmonious way?

    Glorian: The audio team of Reality Pump is responsible for all the sound design and sfx creation in the game. On the other hand, I was responsible with my team for the music production. It was a great pleasure to closely work with the guys at RP and Topware and the leader of the project, Mirek Dymek. They were regularly sending me updated versions of the game, along with their ideas and feedback about the music production. One of the most amusing things that I can not forget was the term that Adam (one of the sound designers) invented to describe a highly varied music cue. He used to tell me: "You know, Glorian, make the next composition dark and more...song-like-with-changes!"[laughs] Ever since then we have used this funny term, when we want to describe a varied and versatile cue.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Friday - August 27, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ Two Worlds Vault

    by Myrthos, 22:10

    Two Worlds Vault has an interview up with music composer and director Borislav "Glorian" Slavov about his work on the music for Two Worlds II and before.

    TW Vault: Speaking of variety, ardent RPG fans will no doubt remember the brilliant "arabic desert" tracks you've co-created with Kai Rosenkrantz for Gothic 3. Some of the tracks presented at the Two Worlds II official site bear all the hallmarks of somewhat similar exotic, rhythmical compositions. In conveying the desert city or desert roaming, did you follow the similar path as in the Varant/Ishtar songs? What were your inspirations for the "desert" motifs and instrumentation?

    Glorian:Thank you for your kind words. Тhe very first screenshots I saw from Two Worlds 2 were from the City of Hatmandor. I was so pleasantly surprised that the first thing I did was to get my mandolin and start playing. I felt like composing a mixture of two very different and yet еqually emotional folklore elements – arabic and celtic, united in a single cue, which I thought would perfectly match the unique feeling and look of Hatmandor. As a result, one of the first tracks was composed for the game – „The Golden Cliff”, which is actually the meaning of the name ‘Hatmandor’ in the game. [You can listen to this track in the player window above]. For rest of the areas I followed the same approach, using a mixture of live instruments from both Western and Eastern folklores, to create a brand new one – the music of Antaloor.

    Wednesday - August 25, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Polish Interview @ CD Projekt

    by Dhruin, 22:33

    Pawel sent in this Polish interview with Reality Pump CEO Miroslaw Dymek at CD Projekt.  A Google translation can be found here but Pawel provides a couple of translated highlights:

    - After 2 months of beta testing average time for completing main quest line is 24-27 hours. The tester that spent most time in the game (112 hours) has discovered about 70% of the whole game world.

    - Dymek's favourite RPG? Assassin's Creed 2, though he admits it's got only elements of an RPG in it.

    - Mirek says: "Real fun in TWII starts multiplayer mode".

    Tuesday - August 24, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ UGDB

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    The ubiquitous Jake DiGennaro has been interviewed at Universal Gaming Database about Two Worlds II.  An excerpt on factions:

    UGDB: We remember that in the first game, faction affiliations was a bit limited, but were interesting in many ways. How have they evolved in the sequel and can you give us some examples of such?

    Jake DiGennaro:
    Faction ratings plays an important role in which quests will become available to the player, how various NPCs perceive the hero, and to a degree even the way the player will experience certain elements of the primary narrative. Align yourself with the Merchants Guild for instance, and while you may get a few bucks off purchases and access to some amazing "back room inventory" items not otherwise available, some groups in the game might begin to see you as a profit hungry snake who would gladly sell them out in exchange for a sack of gold.

    Source: Blues News

    Two Worlds II - Videos @ Two Worlds Vault

    by Dhruin, 10:01

    There's a trio of Two Worlds II shakycam videos from GamesCom collected at Two Worlds Vault, together with comments.  The quality is pretty bad but there's some new stuff, so worth a look.

    Tuesday - August 17, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Previews @ 411Mania, Reviewfix

    by Dhruin, 21:13

    Here are two new previews for Two Worlds II.  A sample from 411Mania:

    To give you an idea of how intricate AND personal the customization can get, SouthPeak's Aubrey Norris was telling me about a spell she made in Two Worlds II, the name of which I will withhold for now. This spell involves summoning a wind shield, where tornadoes protect the character and attack the enemy. At the same time, the spell also summons debris onto the battlefield. By walking into the debris, it gets caught in the tornado and does additional damage to whoever it hits. When you KILL the enemy, the corpse and it's weapons and armor get swept up in the tornado and also damage whatever else is in the vicinity, ensuring that the tornado will always pack an extra punch and won't die out. Aubrey calls her spell "The Sh1tstorm," and yes, the game WILL let you name it that.

    ...and from ReviewFix, who mention Oblivion every chance:

    If you dug the first game, you’ll feel right at home knowing that nearly every element of the game that you loved has been polish or fixed. Learning from the problems that hampered the first game, TopWare Interactive has brought out the big guns and it’s obvious right from the get go. No longer will horses walk away from you and gone forever are the shoddy voice acting scenes that bounced back and forth like a pinball, making it tiresome to watch the story advance. Taking a page out of “Oblivion,” gamers can now watch these conversations and still walk around the screen, making all the dialogue and story much more easy to digest.

    Friday - August 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - ElderGeek Video Preview

    by Dhruin, 23:52

    A site called ElderGeek.com has a video preview / interview for Two Worlds II with commentary and footage on a screen in the background.  The video is a lengthy 10mins, although I've only watched the opening couple of minutes, which features familiar escape-the-dungeon footage.

    Thursday - August 12, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ Kombo

    by Dhruin, 21:24

    Kombo.com has the first part of an interview with Topware's Jake DiGennaro, discussing "redemption, challenges, horses and more" for Two Worlds II.  With the recent Southpeak controversy, I thought I'd take this quote on their structure:

    It's being developed by Reality Pump, over in Poland. So what's Topware's role?

    We're the IP owners and worldwide publishers. Reality Pump is under the Topware umbrella, basically. They're a wholly owned studio by us. We own about three studios and we do our own publishing in Europe. However, for the United States, we don't have the kind of logistical framework to do our own publishing, so we partner with Southpeak games, and they're kind of our publishing partner over here in the states. And then we have a partner down in Australia and the south pacific area, and then we have one over in China and Japan and stuff like that. So yeah, we're the IP owners, and we're also the...it's kind of a weird blend, how our company works, in that we're the publishers, but at the same time, I spend a couple weeks every couple months over there working with them on the game. The lead English writer is actually a member of the Topware staff. The executive producer is a member of the Topware staff. So it's a very blurry line between what is Topware and what is Reality Pump.

    Wednesday - August 11, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Preview

    by Dhruin, 21:28

    The Two Worlds II forums noticed a video preview from IGN, which shows crafting and spell combining among other things.  I'm going to link to the forums, because the poster has provided some useful commentary.

    Monday - August 09, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Release Threatened by Legal Action

    by Myrthos, 19:52

    Gamerzines reports that bailiffs are threatening to seize stock of Two Worlds II from publisher SouthPeak before the title goes on sale in October or seize the proceeds if it does end up in the shops.

    The publisher, who is currently engaged in a lawsuit with CDV Software over accusations of non-payment, could have all of its stock of Two Worlds II seized by bailiffs before the game even goes on general sale, with the stock instead being auctioned off to cover debts allegedly owed by the firm.

    "The question is, do we seize the stock or let it sell and seize the proceeds?" said Lawrence Abramson, partner at Fladgate, talking to GamesIndustry.biz.

    Thanks Omega.

    Saturday - August 07, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Sordahon Video #3

    by Dhruin, 22:57

    There's a new comedic Sordahon live action video for Two Worlds II out - presumably the first two were successful.  Watch it at VoodooExtreme.

    Tuesday - August 03, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Royal Edition Photos

    by Dhruin, 22:47

    Inside Two Worlds has some advance shots of the Royal Edition packaging for Two Worlds II, apparently snapped by someone sneaky at a Topware sales meeting.

    Saturday - July 31, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #24

    by Dhruin, 22:03

    The latest Antaloor Post is out (direct link, .pdf), offering examples of quests in the university town, Ashos, a Diary of a Hero, a guide for gravediggers and more.

    Friday - July 30, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Archery Video @ Two Worlds Vault

    by Dhruin, 21:36

    A video that showcases the archery in Two Worlds II is up at Two Worlds Vault - worth a look for anyone that likes using bows in RPGs.

    Wednesday - July 28, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Return Trailer @ IGN

    by Dhruin, 21:19

    There's a Two Worlds II trailer at IGN titled Return that offers a collage of short sequences, showing off some sightseeing, combat, backstabbing and so on.

    Tuesday - July 27, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ Gamerzines

    by Dhruin, 11:03

    TopWare's Jake DiGennaro has been interviewed in the latest issue of Gamerzines (.pdf, direct link).  It's a pretty general conversation, although Jake does list the game length for Two Worlds II at around 40 hours including sidequests; here's a sample:

    "We took special care in identifying the things we did well that players enjoyed, as well as the areas we needed to improve that caused the game to suffer, and are excited to bring players back into the totally revamped world of Antaloor."

    "Two Worlds II is really the franchise's opportunity for redemption, and one we have not taken lightly."

    Thanks, Omega.

    In semi-related news, you can now pre-order Two Worlds II at Direct2Drive.

    Monday - July 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Magic Moments in Antaloor

    by Dhruin, 22:28

    Magic Moments in Antaloor is a collection of Two Worlds II magic casting video clips.  These are from the official site but Inside Two Worlds has collected them in a more convenient format, showing off Trash Vortex, Fireball, Necromancy and Invisibility.

    Sunday - July 25, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Making Fun of Two Worlds @ Destructoid

    by Dhruin, 10:23

    Southpeak has released two tongue-in-cheek live-action comedy videos about the failings of Two Worlds to Destructoid.  These are actually funny in a pointless way; a risky - but successful PR stunt, I'd say.

    Friday - July 23, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Screens @ GameZone.de [Updated]

    by Dhruin, 23:02

    Omega points out a couple of (hopefully) new Two Worlds II screens at GameZone.de.

    [Updated] PrinceofDeath points out the original source of these screens is actually PC Games.de, where over 40 shots are available in higher quality.

    Monday - July 19, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Preview @ PC Games.de

    by Dhruin, 22:18

    German site PC Games.de has a video preview of Two Worlds II.  Although the commentary is German, the actual game version is English, so it's worth a look for the couple of minutes footage.

    Friday - July 16, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ GameBanshee

    by Korplem, 19:34

    GameBanshee has a fairly positive preview of Two Worlds II from their time spent at E3. 

    To say that Reality Pump's Two Worlds sequel looks better, plays better, and runs better than the original would be a serious understatement. However, when you consider the state in which the first Two Worlds shipped (despite having some solid RPG mechanics underneath its horrendous framerate and painful animations), I suppose it really doesn't take much. That's not to say I don't have a few reservations about the sequel - I do - but it's promising to see that the teams involved are making every effort to bring Two Worlds II to a loftier position in your game library than the first one will ever reach. 

    Source: Blues News

    Tuesday - July 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Interviews, Screens

    by Dhruin, 23:44

    E3 pieces continue to trickle in with Omega pointing out a couple of Two Worlds II video interviews.  Both G4TV and Gamereactor.de chat with Jake DiGennaro, offering a general overview of the game.  Meanwhile, check out five hopefully new screens at Gamefocus.

    Wednesday - June 30, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Two-Part E3 Video Walkthrough

    by Dhruin, 22:34

    Inside Worlds Worlds dropped us a line about an updated two-part over-the-shoulder E3 video walkthrough for Two Worlds II.  Here's their description of the first part:

    In the first video the C.R.A.F.T.S system shown highlighting interesting aspects of the system.
    Jake also guides us through the Spell System for a more in-depth look at the interface used to make spells which consists of combining Elemental Cards and Carrier Cards(Which determine Behavior of the spell) furthermore explains the effect of adding Modifier Cards eg a Multiplier Card to a 'Projectile Wind' makes the spell send out 3 Projectiles instead of one.
    It seems you can also immediately roll a spell of another by adding a Summoning Spell in the 'second section' can make a creature summon as soon as the Projectile hits the floor.

    Friday - June 25, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Video Interview @ G4TV

    by Dhruin, 23:53

    TopWare's Jake DiGennaro has been interviewed at G4TV about Two Worlds II, in a three minute conversation from the E3 floor.  Thanks, Omega.

    Tuesday - June 22, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Destructoid

    by Aries100, 17:02

    Destructoid has a very positive preview of Topware's sequel to the first game. Here's the part about the combat in Two Worlds II:

    Combat is tighter, and has a very nice flow to it. Southpeak informs me that the combat is still being polished, but in this pre-release state it's still looking pretty good. The dreadful animations of the hilarious early trailer are nowhere to be seen. The game looks and runs a lot better now, to the point where it actually looks like a real videogame released in the current generation. What a nice bonus. 

    Source: GameBanshee

    Monday - June 21, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Two Worlds Vault

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    Two Worlds Vault writes in with a combination preview and interview of 2W2 from E3.  Here's a sample from the interview part:

    TWVault: There are some other points that players felt were simply missteps in design and not actual bugs per se. Some stuff just felt outright weird. Like, for example, there were almost no respawns anywhere in the world, so it felt empty afterward.

    Jake: When we sat down and talked about it it appeared that there isn't one answer here. Some people want to clean out the world, some prefer to have something to come back to. In Two Worlds II we thus allowed some spawning. For instance, in the Savannah, one of the large, sweeping regions in the game, you'll have regular fauna like cheetahs, baboons or ostriches, and those beasts that occur there naturally will definitely respawn. However, if you go out and slaughter everyone in the Dark Lord's castle (for example), you wouldn't want them to come back afterwards. We're trying to mix it up a bit, create context-related respawning. Make life reappear only where it actually makes sense.

    Friday - June 18, 2010

    Two Worlds II - E3 Gameplay Video

    by Dhruin, 21:39

    This footage of Two Worlds II comes via GameStar, so the introduction is in German though the subtitles in the action game are English.  It shows a five minute scene with the hero escaping a dungeon, on the X360 based on the prompts.  Thanks to the official forums for the link.

    Tuesday - June 15, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Screens and Art

    by Dhruin, 23:19

    A site called Allegedly Speaking has kicked up over a dozen E3 screens and concept art pieces for Two Worlds II.

    Sunday - June 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Pre-E3 Interview @ Two Worlds Vault

    by Dhruin, 22:41

    Two Worlds Vault sent in this pre-E3 interview with Topware's Jake DiGennaro:

    TWVault: Yay, can't wait! But speaking of E3 TWII presentation, what does TWII have that no other RPG or free-roamer shown at E3 can boast?

    Jake: I think Reality Pump has done an amazing job brainstorming and developing new approaches to classic RPG mechanics. While the card-based magic system is always the easiest feature to point to as it takes spellcasting in a very unique direction, features such as the crafting system, character advancement system, and alchemy systems are all designed in a way that affords players a scale of customization that is fairly uncommon in games within the genre. Also we have the Oculus, and who doesn't like the idea of cruising around the world as a floating eyeball that can explode!

    Thanks also to Omega.

    Friday - June 11, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Playable at E3

    by Dhruin, 23:06

    Inside Two Worlds let us know Southpeak will have Two Worlds II on display and playable at E3:

    +++ Very first time players will be offered to play the RPG +++

    TopWare Interactive is pleased to announce that for...the very first time players will be offered the chance to take control of Antaloor's greatest hero and begin exploring the vast countryside of Two Worlds II.

    Partnered with SouthPeak Games for the duration of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3, visitors will be granted access to a number of environments within the single player campaign, and have the opportunity to get their first glimpse at the mechanics behind the riveting multiplayer components. As if this wasn't enough, TopWare will also be
    showing for the first time worldwide the highly anticipated Battle vs Chess, the first true action chess game!

    Thursday - June 10, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Community Interview Questions

    by Dhruin, 21:09

    Ausir from Two Worlds II Wiki writes they have a community interview organised with TopWare.  Head here to add your own questions and hopefully have them answered by the devs.

    Wednesday - June 09, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #21

    by Dhruin, 22:16

    The latest Antaloor Post is out for Two Worlds II (direct link, courtesy of Inside Two Worlds), covering casting time and cooldown timers for magic, the savannah wildlife, a location called The Swallows and a brief interview with Mirek Dymek:

    AP:  How  is  the  progress  on  the  epic  RPG"Two worlds II" coming along?

    Mirek: Excellently! We are right on target, and currently focused on balancing a number of features and of course fine tuning the various aspects of the game. First up on the list finalizing the intuitive game controls, and ensuring the structured and organized design of all game menus. We have recently made significant alterations to the interface of  the  CRAFT  Tool  feature,  which  helps players more readily identify the numerous actions  possible  with  regards  to  a  single piece of equipment.  Whether destroying, upgrading, or re-colouring - all options and item requirements, such as colour dye pots for painting equipment or materials for up-grading,  are  shown  in  the  very  detailed item description.

    Thursday - June 03, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ RPG ITalia

    by Dhruin, 22:42

    Spotted this interview on the official forums, with RPG Italia interviewing Reality Pump's Jorg Schindler.  The conversation was originally in English and has been translated to Italian.  A sample:

    RPG Italia: Can you have a house or a wife (Something like in Fable)?
    Jörg Schindler: You will be able to buy a house or get one during a quest. Moreover there will be some emotional relationships between the hero and a number of women in the game. Some will be more platonically and some less…

    RPG Italia: How in-depth will the character interaction be? Like will the player be to choose who they want to be friends and enemies with, and will they help and hinder in the future?
    Jörg Schindler: Actions of the player will influence the gameplay. For example if the player decides to pay a “toll” to one of the rogues in a city to keep it from being interfered with,the guy will insult the player during the next meetings and demanding even more money. If the player fights the guy right from the beginning and wins, this will dispose of the rogue right away. Moreover there are much more emotional contacts to a lot of NPCs which not only appear once but a few times in the game. Depending on the former behavior these NPCs will determine If they are friendly or not.

    Monday - May 31, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Combat Montage Video

    Wednesday - May 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - E3 Trailer

    by Dhruin, 21:38

    Dilan writes in let us know Inside Two Worlds has posted the Two Worlds II E3 trailer on Youtube.  It all looks very pretty, though it's one of these quick-fire collages set to fast-paced music, so you don't get much time to appreciate anything.

    Inside Two Worlds also has a cloak design contest, for those interested.

    Monday - May 24, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Screens @ Worthplaying

    Tuesday - May 18, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Gamestop Preorder Bonuses

    by Dhruin, 22:28

    Joystiq has news of some Gamestop preorder bonuses for Two Worlds II.  You'll get a fancy sword that can be used at level 15 and an exclusive area, called Labyrinths of Hatmandor:

    The deadly Labyrinths of Hatmandor have become infamous throughout the lands of Antaloor. Countless adventurers have journeyed into the depths only to be lost of the shadows of the crypts. The Labyrinths were built ages ago to serve as the tombs of ten of the most powerful priests who lived in the Hatmandor Temple. Buried deep beneath the desert sands, the builders erected small underground pyramids to house the sarcophagi, and created an elaborate network of twisted tunnels to protect the tombs from grave robbers. Recently however scholars of the New Ashos University appear to have discovered remnants of the Labyrinths floor plans! It is said however that those who may manage to find their way through the convoluted mazes of the Labyrinth to the rewards within will have to face the decaying priests themselves in order to claim their treasures.

    Seize the unique opportunity to explore the intricate Labyrinths of Hatmandor. Plunge ahead into the dank crypts of the temple priests in search of exquisite treasures, but be prepared to have your skill tested as the quest will not be an easy one.

    I got used to preorder items with Dragon Age but a whole area?  Really?

    Wednesday - May 05, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ TW Vault

    by Dhruin, 21:01

    Two Worlds Vault caught up with Jake DiGennaro and Devon Smith from Topware US to talk about characters and quests in Two Worlds II:

    TWVault: Recent interview with Devon in Destructoid  touches briefly on some of the issues with quest lines, and general mood of the story. Do you plan on making the story a bit more like e.g. the Witcher or Mass Effect - in that it'll involve true moral choices, shying away from typical distinction between who's good and who's evil, providing a rudimentary motivation to even the seemingly most corrupt characters...

    Devon: I have a saying that's probably ringing in our writer's ears by now: "No good, no evil -- just people". Everyone is motivated by something. Sometimes it's as simple as money -- but power is never simple. There's a reason people seek something out like that.

    So, while you won't get a flashback to the childhood of every person you meet -- it's important that even our smallest roles hint that they have goals and even needs outside of the few minutes they spend with our hero.

    As far as the ways the player's morality will affect our hero? It's not so much about collecting good or evil points so much as eliciting interesting reactions. We try to make sure our Hero's reactions reflect those that the player might have themselves. It's a subtle system that isn't designed to punish anyone -- but pose the question as to whether or not you are much different than the man you set out to destroy by the time you reach his doorstep.

    Tuesday - May 04, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Release Date Set for September 14th 2010

    by Aries100, 18:57

    Gamebanshee brings words of the joint press release from South Peak Interactive and Topware Interactive that let us know that the game will be released on September 14th 2010. For those of us who long to return to the Antaloor world, the possibiliti is there.

    For good measure, here's the full press release:

    SouthPeak Interactive Invites You To Take Up Arms And Return to the World of Antaloor in Two Worlds II™ on September 14

    The Long Anticipated Second Chapter of the Epic Fantasy Series Dated for Consoles and Windows PC this Fall

    MIDLOTHIAN, Va.--SouthPeak Interactive Corporation (OTC BB: SOPK) and TopWare Interactive today confirmed that Two Worlds II™, the second installment in the hit fantasy role-playing game series, will ship to retail stores in the United States, Canada and South America on September 14, 2010. It will ship to stores in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2010.

    “TopWare and Reality Pump have spent a tremendous amount of time listening to feedback based on the original game,” said Richard Iggo, VP of Marketing at SouthPeak. “If the reaction we’ve seen so far from the press is indicative of what’s to come, we have a game that will be seen as a benchmark in the genre. ‘Epic’ is a word that’s overused and worn-out when it comes to games like this, so we’ve created a new word for Two Worlds II: Astronepic. Yeah, it’s that good.”

    Building upon the storyline from the first installment, Two Worlds II offers the willing adventurer the thrilling experience of a perilous and daring journey throughout a vast magical land. While undoubtedly rich in story, detail and content, the game also offers an array of unique approaches to classic game elements that push the envelope for the fantasy RPG genre.

    Featuring the all-new GRACE™ game engine, Two Worlds II seeks to offer an immersive blend of two of the most important role playing elements - strong atmosphere and dazzling visuals. Incorporating cutting-edge technology features such as Real Eye Adaptation, HD Dynamic Motion Capture, and Multi-Source Dynamic Lighting, the world of Antaloor comes alive like never before as a true role-player’s paradise.

    Two Worlds II will be available at retailers on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. More information can be found at www.twoworlds2.com or www.southpeakgames.com.

    About SouthPeak Interactive Corporation

    SouthPeak Interactive Corporation develops and publishes interactive entertainment software for all current hardware platforms including: Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, iPhone and Windows PC. SouthPeak's games cover all major genres including action/adventure, role-playing, strategy, racing, puzzle, sports and edutainment. SouthPeak's products are sold in retail outlets in North America, South and Central America, Europe, Australia and Asia. SouthPeak is headquartered in Midlothian, Virginia, and has offices in Grapevine, Texas and Leicester, England.

    For additional information, please visit SouthPeak’s corporate website: www.southpeakgames.com

    About TopWare Interactive

    TopWare Interactive, headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, is an international interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1991, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software on most current gen gaming platforms including PC, XBOX 360, Playstation 3, and Wii. A privately held company, TopWare is the first German based company appointed as a licensed worldwide publisher for both Microsoft and Sony for their respective platforms, and has additional offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and Petaluma, California.

    TopWare's catalogue of games includes role playing, action/adventure, strategy, racing, and simulation genres. "Jagged Alliance 2", "Earth 2160", and "Two Worlds" are just a few examples of titles that have emerged from franchises created by in-house developer Reality Pump.

    For additional information, please visit TopWare's website: www.topware.com

    Monday - May 03, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ PS3Life

    by Dhruin, 11:22

    Reality Pump's Mirek Dymek chats with PS3Life about Two Worlds II. The questions centre around the PS3 and multiplayer but here's a snip on the size of the gameworld:

    The Two Worlds II map spans an amazing 60 km2, we're not fans of comparing but Oblivion had 41 km2 and already required a lot of travelling with interesting areas sometimes few and far between. How do you keep the players from becoming tired of traveling large distances?
    Mirek Dymek: We have two methods of avoiding this - as well as the standard walking/running, players can ride, sail and teleport. Riding and sailing are much faster than walking or swimming - players will be able to see the environment they're travelling in - and actually enjoy their journeys. Well thought-out teleportation is especially important in our huge world. Thanks to fixed-location portals and mobile teleport stones, the player has a very sophisticated "travel network" at his disposal to get from A to B. And we've also implemented literally hundreds of side quests into the game - and these will guarantee that boredom remains an unknown word in Antaloor - even if a quest takes a player all over the vast continent!

    Saturday - May 01, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview Summary

    by Dhruin, 01:36

    Polish site Swiatgry.pl apparently has an extensive preview of Two Worlds II, based on what they saw from the CD Projekt Spring Conference. For those of us with rusty Polish, Two Worlds Vault has a bullet-point summary; here's an example:

    # Editors confirmed the following mini-games in TWII: lockpicking, alchemy (basics stay the same as in TWI), playing the instruments (Guitar Hero-like, apparently) and games of hazard.  [Two Worlds Vault: likely darts mentioned before].

    # Editors also confirmed the following special combat skills (known from TWI): disarming, dirty trick, pull shield and several others.

    # Bullet-time mode SFX start if an effective counterattack kills the opponent. The finishing and critical hits also somehow factor into this. Counterattacking is done by timing an outgoing attack right after manually blocking an incoming attack.

    Monday - April 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview Summary, Podcast

    by Dhruin, 21:19

    A different Vault but another Polish magazine summary with Two Worlds Vault writing a lengthy article about a preview from PSX Extreme PL:

    The cities in TW2 are vast. Some are not only occupying wide areas, but are also developed vertically - there's a lot of climbing possibilities, although actual free-running sequences known from Assassin's Creed are less likely. Devs promise that all (or almost all) that has doors can be opened (usually via a lockpicking minigame). Much like in TW1 you have to be well hidden, but unlike TW1 crime system isn't all-knowing. In fact, there's a subtle reputation system in place that can determine overall quests availability (but even night and day cycle can influence that particular availability) or how kindly hero's greeted in a city. Interactive AI is further complicated by the fact that (unlike in TW1) people will try to help you fight your attackers (or run scared) and there's a possibility of in-fighting between many monsters. There's been also a change to Stealth, apparently - from what the editors say, you can perform stealth attacks with many weapons (not just daggers) and animations for the kills will be varied for each weapon type.

    TalkXbox.com has a podcast with TopWare's PR guy, Jake DiGennaro.  According to a quick summary post on the 2W forums, a release date of September 14th is mentioned.

    Friday - April 23, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #19

    by Dhruin, 21:28

    Antaloor Post #19 has arrived, offering information on ranged combat, answers for three community questions (covering mini-games, the quest log and falling from heights) and a "diary of an unknown".

    Monday - April 19, 2010

    Two Worlds II - RPC Videos

    by Dhruin, 21:19

    Inside Two Worlds has posted three shakycam videos of the Two Worlds II presentation from the recent Roleplaying Convention in Cologne, Germany.  The presentation itself is German but the game version seems to be English, if you don't mind watching the handheld footage.

    Saturday - April 17, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Community Interview @ Destructoid

    by Dhruin, 22:35

    There's a community interview with Two Worlds II Narrative Director Devon Smith over at Destructoid. Unfortunately, the opportunity is somewhat missed with repetitive questions and little directed to Devon's specific area. Here's the opening question:

    Jonathan “Funktastic” Lee: From community member JoeCamNet: “What are your thoughts on the poor critical reception to the first game and how do you plan to take care of these problems?”

    Devon Smith: Coming from a fresh perspective from the first game (I wasn’t with TopWare Interactive [during the first Two Worlds]) as a gamer, there were a lot of features that I saw in the game that we really wanted to bring forward. There were things on the back of the box that were really great ideas that due to the development time, you know, [that I learned about] when I came to the studio, we just weren’t allowed to do. Whenever you do a sequel you want to refocus, you want to refine it, and in a lot of cases, remodel. So we’re on a brand new continent, we’re not retreading the old material from the last game; we’re not in the same place. It’s the same world of Antaloor, but as far as gameplay features and things like that, it’s about taking all the features that really worked in Two Worlds and things that we thought we could do better and do within the timeframe and really make those things seamless. Things like the combat [are] completely revamped with unique animations and attacks that are unlocked for certain skill sets. The ability to build and unbuild essentially, to destroy weapons, and recombine them. And, you know, our magic system. I don’t know the exact number, I’m the narrative producer, but there is a letter in it, which means that it is high math. [Laughter] As an English major, not my style.

    There’s infinite amounts of permutations and at this point, with a lot of things, it’s about finding the roof and just making sure that everything works within that. Building a world first, it doesn’t happen often, where you sit down and build a continent. You decide what you want to place in that world and then you tell the story within that world. We had a broad general direction that was on board when I came.

    We talked about the fact I worked on Dead Space earlier. On that project, I worked on the story within the timeline, within the fiction and I worked on the backstory. When I came into this project, that was already all in place. I’m telling the story through the dialogue, which in an RPG is where all the power is. As the narrative director for North America, my job is basically to make sure that it’s not just a translated story. It’s a story that appeals to western audiences. The way that we speak, the way that our actors inflect. Those all change the performances you see in the animation. We saw some blank placeholders today but that’s because when I’m finished, once I get back from my second round in Toronto, we will be adding animations as per the performances that our actors deliver.

    ...and I'll sneak an unremarkable preview at OXM UK in here, which covers the same ground as previous articles.

    Friday - April 16, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Gameshark

    by Dhruin, 11:03

    Gameshark is the latest site with a Two Worlds II preview:

    Even if the plot is not improved, the writing certainly is. The first game was plagued by Ye Olde Renaissance Fair Middle English as rendered by Poles, with a heavy helping of "mayhaps" and "my lieges". The dialog is now more natural, moving towards a more cinematic approach to the text and story. Console gamers will appreciate that this is not a late port of a PC game again. The developers are aware of both the limitations and opportunities presented by medium, so it will be a true multi-platform launch.

    Source: Blues News

    Thursday - April 15, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Updated Preview @ IGN

    by Dhruin, 21:36

    IGN has kicked up an updated preview for Two Worlds II.  It's a decent article but covers familiar territory, so here's a snip on the multiplatform development for the first game:

    Beautiful sunsets, rippling water, and blades of grass that push as you run through them are nice, but ultimately our mothers taught us that it's what's on the inside that counts. Reality Pump agrees, and has designed Grace to be an engine that allows them to develop simultaneously on PC and console. That may sound like a no-brainer to the non-development community, but this is important because it means that Two Worlds 2 should be a significantly more polished game than its predecessor. Because the first Two Worlds was meant to be a PC only game until less than a year before its release -- and the team hadn't made a 360 game before -- they lost a ton of debugging time in the push to put the game on 360.

    This and a several following articles were submitted by Omega, so I'll say thanks here!

    Tuesday - April 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Destructoid

    by Dhruin, 12:23

    Destructoid serves up a preview of Two Worlds II from PAX East.  Here's a nice snip:

    The NPCs wandering around the towns are also a lot smarter this time around and react to your character, which I found to be a very nice touch. In the oriental inspired town, the main character bumped into some NPCs and they were a bit taken back, seemed scared and would run away from him. We then had the main character draw his sword, which drew gasps from the townsfolk who were just having a leisurely stroll. It brought concern from a couple of the town’s guards, which had their hands on their sheaths, ready to defend the town’s inhabitants. It’s seeing things like this that gives me the impression that the developers really do care about what gamers say.

    Friday - April 09, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview Mini Roundup

    by Dhruin, 21:13

    Here are three new Two Worlds II previews that have come out of PAX.  First, Terminal Gamer and a snip on the Oculus:

    Another feature I really liked in Two Worlds II is the “Oculus.” This is an ability that allows players to essentially scout ahead and experience the world from different angles. With the push of a button, our guide initiated the Oculus, which is, as the name suggests, an invisible, eye-like bubble that can explore ahead. This ability allows players to identify enemies, plan ahead and possibly even avoid confrontation by seeking out an alternate route. The Oculus allowed our guide to witness a group of skeletons standing around from down at foot level to high up in the trees. It was a unique way to explore the world and offers intriguing possibilities to help aid your character through tough situations and help him plan ahead.

    They mention a release window of Q3 2011, which is a long way off.  Next up is Critical Gamer and here's a bit on dialogue:

    Two Worlds II wouldn’t be much of an RPG without the storytelling to back up all the combat and customisation. This was a major issue in the original game – it languished in stiff, awkward dialogue and cutscenes. But both Seaman and Kobylinski assured me that this was one of the major things they are addressing. “We just finished our first round of voice-over in Toronto last week and we’re in the process of implementing that, lip-synching and everything like that.”

    TopWare has also completely reworked how conversations are presented. “In a lot of classic, open-world RPGs you enter a conversation and it becomes the camera flip thing,” Kobylinski explains. “It’s this exercise where he says this, he says that, he says this. And while it reads very well in a lot of these games, we wanted to do something a little more unique in this game, a little more flavourful. So what we did was actually allow the player to move around within the conversation environment, pan the camera, pull the camera forward and back to make the characters themselves pop.” The closest comparison would be the original Assassin’s Creed, where players could wander around the room throughout the conversation. “It makes it feel more like the conversation is a natural part of the game world as opposed to being this separate mechanic,” he adds.

    And a very short article at Altern8:

    Another interesting aspect of Two Worlds II is its attempt to strike a balance between those who want a story rich RPG, and those who want to go through the game more directly and beat it in the most efficient way possible. The developers have included optional side quests, and various collectible items (such as books that provide story detail) as a way to entice the story lovers. But by making them optional, they are also working to appeal to those want the most direct path to the end. They didn't want the game to feel “like a chore,” but still wanted to provide extra depth and options for game play. Their ultimate goal was to find a way to achieve that delicate balance.

    Thanks, Omega!

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post # 18

    by Aries100, 19:15

    The 18th post at the Antoloor Newsletter is now available. Topics covered are a revised combat system, regions of Southern Antoloor, the economic system and much much more.
    Here's a snip about the new combat system:

    RP has added even more realism too – now you can only parry the blow of an opponent who is facing you, so you’ll have to watch out for guys (or gals) sneaking up behind you! There are four basic types of attack, and they form the basis of the combat system. You have the standard swinging attack with the left mouse click, you can jump into the fray with a powerful Leaping Attack, give yourself room to kill with the All-Round Strike and gain the respect of your opponents fast with a Push Attack.

    Tuesday - April 06, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ Gaming Lives

    by Dhruin, 23:14

    Gaming Lives speaks with Mirek Dymek from Reality Pump about Two Worlds II in this new interview.  Many of the questions surround the technology and graphics but here's a bit about factions:

    Should we expect to see the reputation system in Two Worlds II and, if so, will it play a major role in the storylines?

    Faction dynamics is an extremely important aspect of “Two Worlds II”. In the first Two Worlds, faction affiliations were present but their existence was limited. As the player gained ranks in a faction they were given several rewards in the form of discounted items and additional quests. In “Two Worlds II”, the player’s choices in faction-affiliated quests have a direct outcome with other opposing and allying factions as well as with the rest of the world. The player will have to choose the quests he chooses to accept from different factions very carefully – because alienating opposing factions will lead to the closure of alternative quest arcs. In addition to the benefits of the discounted items and quests, allied factions will offer the player skills and items that cannot be accessed anywhere else.

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ XXL Gaming

    by Aries100, 18:09

    A preview for Two Worlds II can be found at a site called XXL Gaming.
    Here's a snip about how you would start in the game:

    So the game picks up where the first one left off, for those of us that actually with stood the first game enough to finish it. We find ourselves back in the world of Antaloor again. Your character will have to refresh him memory if you will on skills he learned in the first game. I mean come on, he was a valiant hero and has an already established skill set. How could he forget all of that? I really like the fact that you will build upon an already capable hero.  Never fear, we asked if you had to play Two Worlds I to know what was going on in Two Worlds II and the answer was no. You will be fed information throughout the game on the back story and the characters involved. Now of course it would help to play the first game, but I will tell you right now that it may be a bit painful at times.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Thursday - April 01, 2010

    Two Worlds II - New Screens

    by Dhruin, 21:48

    Southpeak sent us 10 new screens from Two Worlds II, which we've tossed into our gallery.  You can view them all here.

    Wednesday - March 31, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Roundup

    by Dhruin, 22:28

    Looks like some effort is being put into marketing Two Worlds II.

    First, Two Worlds Vault has an interview with Mirek Dymek, specifically on multiplayer.  The first question:

    TWVault: Multiplayer has been a major selling point of the game, and it’s most likely what kept the game still popular among quite a few people, even got it a cult status. What can you say about the mulitplayer in console versions? Will Xbox version support, as previously, Live connectivity? Have multiplayer lag problems, that drove many players away, been dealt with on all platforms?

    -Mirek Dymek: The console and PC version will retain its MP build-up, but without the lag, of course! Previously, we’d taken the RTS multiplayer and adapted it to the RPG realm. It has been heavily basing on player-to-player synchronization, to the point of making situations in the game identical from every player’s viewpoint. Right now we’re rather focusing on fluency; the worlds are actually separate [even during the same match] and we use dead reckoning algorythms to approximate positions and events all the time instead. This means that if someone has ‘lag’ of some sort, the game doesn’t freeze, but the player who’s ‘lagging’ might be shown as standing still and then, on retaining connection, will simply be ‘teleported’ to another position as if not having had lag at all.

    Next, they also have a Q&A on exploration:

    TWVault: We’ve seen a lot of information regarding the upcoming release of TW2, mostly in Antaloor Post newsletter and in some specialist magazines, but some of the basics are still waiting to be ‘unveiled’. Can you tell our readers something more about the scope of the game – how long will it take to finish the singleplayer game? What’s the rough estimate of the landmass size?

    Mirek Dymek: Players who strictly follow the main story will need around 20 hours to get to the final Boss fight. And after that the game can still be played! If, on the other hand, a player wants to play all the side quests too, we're talking about 100+ playing hours. There's a heck of a lot of side quests in this big world of Antaloor (60 square miles) - which, by the way, consists of islands this time around. Much of the surface area is actually water - but since the developers have introduced a new sailboat feature, it’s no hindrance to players!

    ...and a preview from CD Projekt's Spring Conference, covering technology, multiplayer, combat, craft and magic:

    DEMONS is an acronym for TW2 magic system, which was about the most astonishing thing we've seen during the presentation. Imagine a game with such type of dynamic combat in archery or melee, but also aided by very potent magics. Antaloor is still a land of raw, untamed energies, harnessed by mages and warriors alike. DEMONS system, from what we've seen, consists of a spellbook with spellcards, collected or bought in the world, and an amulet, which is the "hotbar" of sorts for the spells.

    Much like in TW1, the amulet is the place where you can customize your spells - but unlike TW1 or even Oblivion, spell customization is almost an art form in TW2. First, there're 5 schools of magic, each containing 30-odd spells. Then, each of the spells can be used as a spell effect, rather than a single castable entity - you can use your CRAFT system (or so we think) to disassemble your amulet, "crack it open", to actually be able to remove and add spell effects at will, with certain Willpower level restrictions and amount of spells co-existing being limited. The variety of the effects has been presented with the example of a simple magic missile. The magic bolt at its most basic is a simple on-target spell, which may or may not hit the target depending on Line of Sight. Now, that same missile, can be made into a homing missile, chasing an opponent regardless of your LOS checks. You can then boost that homing missile by creating a Nova-type explosion around target upon impact. But that's not all; that homing Nova-splash magic missile can also be enchanted to ricochet from the solid obstacles (physics system, remember?) to provide chaotic movement puzzling a defender... THAT'S variety!

    Here's a preview from a site called Battlemouth, although they seem to believe the original game was Japanese:

    First up, we got a look at the intro Castle Tutorial level. It is obvious right away that they are moving to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the games graphics will be nothing short of stunning. The character skins are beautifully textured as are the settings themselves. Torches flicker and visibly put off heat; shadows that fall in the nooks and crannies of the castle as well as across faces add depth and mood that the first game didn’t even come close to. All of the cut-scenes, save two or three, are done with the in-game engine (developed specifically for this game, by the way). Jake explained that this is to break up the monotony of face-to-face, standard camera angles during dialogue-heavy scenes. The game allows you to move your character around the room or do whatever you want (besides leave the area obviously) during conversations, with special attention paid to character-tracking. In other words, your character is not going to just quit looking at the person he/she is talking to, which ends up making for a more realistic and less robotic atmosphere. Personally, I always found it odd when a cut-scene would show a conversation, and suddenly it would end and all the characters in the cut-scene are now in different places magically mopping floors. The character-tracking and ability to move freely within an area during a conversation help to combat this small annoyance.

    Finally, the official site is pointing out some themed Firefox Personas and InsideTwoWorlds has some concept art and renders from PAX.

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Joystiq

    by Dhruin, 08:06

    Joystiq has a preview of Two Worlds II from PAX, although the article is more an exclamation of their surprise than detail about the game:

    I rush back to the PAX East press room, locked in that strange place between disbelief and acceptance, nigh incapacitated by the surreal certainty that my worldview is in the process of being fundamentally shifted.

    "Guys," I say to the collected Joystiq staffers fully expecting my verbal evisceration of TopWare's follow-up. "Guys ... Two Worlds II actually looks kind of cool."

    They don't believe me.

    Monday - March 29, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Social Sites

    by Dhruin, 19:45

    If you're into social sites, Two Worlds II has added a Facebook page and Twitter feed.

    Friday - March 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #17

    by Dhruin, 20:28

    The Antaloor Post hits issue #17.  Topics include PhysX physics,  an Asian temple location, Mirek Dymek on their engine technology and "living logbooks".

    Wednesday - March 17, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ ITW

    by Dhruin, 07:51

    Dilan sends word of this Two Worlds II preview at fansite Inside Two Worlds from last week and based on a visit to Zuxxez' offices.  Here's a snip about quests, which is welcome (minor spoiliers):

    Here is a small teaser for quests (Possible Spoiler Alert):
    In Hatmandor the player has to stop a criminal syndicate and has to deal with the crime lord Mirage. The hero meets the cute waitress Reesa, who’s in fact the daughter of the ex crime lord of Hatmandor. Her family was brutally slaughtered by Mirage. If the hero decides to help Reesa to take revenge, you may find yourself in a romantic love story.
    In New Ashos the hero is able to enter the death zone of the “Swallows”, he can bring down a popular professor who harasses and abuses his female students. Also you can start a scientific career at the University of New Ashos and hold a lecture over Werbeasts. Before you do that you actually have to do some research.

    Tuesday - March 16, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Desktop Wallpapers

    Friday - March 12, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #16

    by Dhruin, 20:21

    The latest Antaloor Post is out (.pdf, direct link), although my pdf reader seems to have imploded so I can't tell you the details.  We'll come back and fill this in later.

    Thursday - March 04, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Eurogamer

    by Dhruin, 20:11

    Eurogamer is next up with a look at Two Worlds II:

    The dungeon we're currently exploring will eventually double as the tutorial, and it appears to move at a nice clip, shifting from the introduction of basic movement to rooms that ease you into combat, a library stuffed with books and globes that gives you a chance - if you want it - to learn a little more about the world, and finally, a fairly violent encounter with the game's baddies in which heads are severed, blood arcs through the air, and there's much ominous chatter about destinies and revenge.

    Stepping outside and things only get better. The game's outdoors environments are looking lovely, and there's far more variety to the art design. With a world that's 33 per cent bigger than the first game, the landscapes we're shown range from Brothers Grimm-style swamps, full of spooky, twisted trees, creepers, and thick mists, to cities with Persian influences, where peasants mill around in busy marketplaces and palms sway in the distance, and even an oriental plaza filled with wooden bridges and temples of red and gold.

    Wednesday - March 03, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Interview @ IGN Vault

    by Aries100, 20:02

    Mirek Dymek, the CEO for Reality Pump, has done a series of interview with IGN's Two World Vault about how things work in Two Worlds II. In this first part of the series, they talk about exploration. Things to come will include combat, magic and mutilplayer. Anyway
    Mirek has this to say about sailing and horses in Two Worlds II:

    TWVault: That's so cool! But considering that much land and water to cover, are there different types of mounts, sailboats, running speeds? We've not yet seen new horses of TW2, but at least 2 types of boats (a sailboat and a rowing boat), and we've noticed player will move differently depending on the ground type. Any skills related to exploration? Maybe a type of horse that can withstand attacks for longer?

    Mirek Dymek: As far as sailing's concerned, we're still at the balancing stage, so I can't really tell you about boat numbers or types at the moment. There will definitely be various breeds of horses and each breed will have its own speed, life energy and strength. When our hero is on foot, his speed and endurance depend on his "stamina value" - this is represented by a small symbol beside the life and mana energy symbols on the main screen. The way this value develops depends on the way a hero's skill points are distributed.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ Hooked Gamers

    by Aries100, 19:51

    A preview for Two Worlds II, the sequel to Two Worlds, can be found at Hooked Gamers.
    As far as importing your character from the original Two Worlds, amnesia seem to be thing that will hit your character being when being imported:

    The story of Two Worlds II continues where its predecessor left off. For those who passed up the first game there is no reason to fret as a quick recap at the beginning of the game will get players up to speed quickly. If you have played Mass Effect 2 and used the feature to import your character from Mass Effect 1, you will instantly see the lost opportunity here. Reality Pump still has time to implement such a feature but the current idea is to make use of the rather clichéd choice of "player amnesia" where you have forgotten all your powers and skills and start from square one.

    Tuesday - March 02, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ CVG

    by Dhruin, 21:28

    There's a look at Two Worlds II on the X360 at CVG, reprinted from XboxWorld360:

    Combat is another aspect to have been hacked apart and reborn from the ground up. The fractured animation, shoddy collision detection and gravity-defying prancing of the original raised only eyebrows and titters; now we're promised frenetic hack-'n'-slash complemented by an sophisticated parrying system and some swish AI that memorises attack patterns and punishes predictable players. Balletic finishing moves and even shield attacks are also on the agenda; let's just hope the tepid wolf and boar encounters have been left on the bestiary drawing board.

    Friday - February 26, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor post # 15 - Reputation System Covered

    by Aries100, 15:03

    The newsletter for Two Worlds II, The Anatoloor post, has seen edition number 15.
    This time around we get to know more about the desert city, the games reputation system and much more. Here's a snip from the Q&A:

    [dredd] Are there any more interactions between the game character and the different NPCs, something like a love affair,
    maybe?
    rP: You hit the nail on the head, dredd! The hero will be linked more and more to the emotional worlds of the Antaloor residents - love stories included. I use the plural - stories - intentionally here, by the way. In the bigger cities, the player can start a little love adventure of his own if he wants to. Of course platonic friendships with certain NPCs are also possible - and in return for his friendship these nice guys will actively help the hero to solve various problems in
    the world of Antaloor. 

    Source: GameBanshee

    Wednesday - February 24, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview Roundup

    by Dhruin, 09:48

    Here are three new Two Worlds II previews - all on the X360.  First, OXM Online:

    “Laughable.” “Frustrating.” “Hokey.” The creators of action-RPG Two Worlds have heard it all, and then some.

    “We realize we made mistakes with the first game,” admits Bert Jennings, producer at TopWare Interactive. And we’d agree: While it earned a cult following, Two Worlds had plenty of issues, ranging from an unbearable framerate to dreadful dialogue, from maddeningly difficult gameplay to an overall density that turned away casual gamers.

    Apparently, the production oversight is from Topware in NA this time.  From Nowgamer:

    Crucially, whereas the first game was developed in Poland and produced in Germany, Seaman has kept production in North America, keeping a tight control over the quality of the coding work carried out over in Eastern Europe. As well as overseeing the company, Seaman is taking no chances, taking on the executive producer role as well as being a lead writer. The other writing lead is Devin Smith, who possesses writing credits on Dead Space.

    Finally, VideoGamer:

    The second thing that jumps out at us is that most essential, but often overlooked, component of the RPG: words. One of the worst things about Two Worlds - and there were many - was the dialogue. "Verily", "forsooth" - words consigned to the vocabulary dustbin hundreds of years ago resurrected for use in a video game. It didn't work. It was embarrassing.

    "We realised what happened in the first game and where we needed to go," James admits. "We were happy with the graphics being done on the Grace engine, but could never go down that road again where people in Poland were trying to write a worldwide game in English." Thankfully, what that means for players is, Two Worlds II makes sense.

    Thanks to Inside Two Worlds for all three of these.

    Two Worlds II - HD Moveshots

    by Dhruin, 09:39

    Two Worlds fansite 'Inside Two Worlds' has a Youtube channel that features the two recent Moveshots in HD.  These are the same ones we already reported but much better quality.

    Thanks, Dilan, who sent this in a couple of days ago.

    Friday - February 19, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Hands-on Preview @ Games Radar

    by Aries100, 23:32

    Games Radar has written an article where they're talking about their hands-on experience. Be aware that there will be spoilers, especially if you haven't played or finished the first game. Here's a snip from the preview:

    One thing that's looking easier to grasp is combat. Another weak point of the original, it's looking more tactile now, with your development along the three classes of Mage, Archer and Swordsman open as you progress, and you can quickly swap between three outfits to suit different tasks, which encourages you to take a balanced path. Purists can still specialise, but reassign their points later if they've levelled down a blind alley.

    Source: GamesRadar

    Friday - February 12, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #14, New Screens

    by Dhruin, 20:14

    The latest Antaloor Post is up (direct link, .pdf), covering the Gargoyle monster, merchants, the D.E.M.O.N.S. magic system and blessings from above.

    The official site also offers four screens and two "moveshots", showing off the lighting and combat in an underground cavern / tomb.

    Monday - February 01, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Cloak Design Contest

    by Dhruin, 20:15

    Topware is holding a contest to design a cloak for inclusion in Two Worlds II - head here for the details.

    Friday - January 29, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #13

    by Dhruin, 20:31

    The latest Antaloor Post is out (direct link, .pdf), offering info on cave adventures, crafting, the Droser monster and a short development update.  Apparently they have their first playable version that is almost content complete.

    Edit: link fixed.

    Thursday - January 21, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ IGN

    by Dhruin, 19:42

    IGN UK has a preview of Two Worlds II, penned by Alec Meer.  Here's a bit on improving the script:

    "We wanted to add a more North American feel to it", explains Cromie. Unlike the first, this isn't being cursed/blessed with an in-house translation by Polish developers Reality Pump, but instead it's being co-written by developers at the US-based publisher Topware. Out goes the crazed cod-Shakespearean dialogue, in come modern cuss-words and a slew of detailed, enthusiastic and native-English in-game journals to consolidate and bulk up Two Worlds' patchy lore. Nonetheless, it picks up TW1's plot, the main points of which involve an evil god enslaving the land of Antaloor and maintaining sinister control of the player character's impractically-dressed sister. In keeping with recent RPG trend - see The Witcher and Dragon Age – Two Worlds II is subverting fantasy fiction stereotypes a little. Most notably, early in the game you find yourself allied with some orcs - traditionally (and in the TW1) the mortal enemies of swords'n'spells-based humankind. The reason for this erosion of fictional racism is a key plot point later in the game. As is the icky origin of the freaky Oculus, a floating eyeball you can use as either spy-camera or remote-controlled magic missile, which eventually becomes a big part of your fighting style.

    Tuesday - January 19, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Preview @ BrutalGamer

    by Magerette, 17:10

    BrutalGamer posts a hands-on preview and some screenshots from Topware Interactive's upcoming sequel, Two Worlds II, having played a little of both the PC and XBox360 versions. It's a very positive article all told. Here's a snip on combat:

    Over the whole preview event both played and shown, easily the most notable (and honestly, best) feature about Two Worlds II was the improvements – seemingly completely remade-[to the] combat system within the game.  Instead of pretty much 1 animation of a sword swing being repeated hundreds of times, it has a whole new combat system where attacks are turned into combinations and will vary depending on the weapon you’re using, guaranteed to be something different each time. And with the incredibly nifty armour set shortcut keys and the massive amount of variation which is available with the 200 weapons and god-only knows how many armour pieces, there is another variation for anyone who is into the whole ‘decking your character out’.

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - January 15, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #12

    by Dhruin, 20:07

    A new Antaloor Post is available about Two Worlds II (direct link, .pdf), offering a story about the destruction in an area called the "Swallows", pets (or the lack of, actually), the crab and more about the engine.

    Wednesday - January 13, 2010

    Two Worlds II - Technical Coverage @ PCGH

    by Dhruin, 20:17

    PC Games Hardware has a piece on the technical prowess behind Two Worlds II and the advantages of the PC version:

    From the screenshots and pictures of Two Worlds 2 that have been released up to now, one can see that the Reality Pump Studios are making an effort to create an visually impressive successor to the first Two Worlds game of 2007. PC Games Hardware had the chance to get some technical information about the forthcoming RPG from Lead Engine Programmer Mariusz Szaflik. He told us for example that GRACE (Graphics Rendition And Creation Engine), which Tow Worlds 2 is based on has been re-developed from scratch in order to utilize the possibilities offered by the current generation of hardware. One of the things the programmer mentioned is the support for multi-core processors.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Wednesday - December 30, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Screens, MoveShots

    by Dhruin, 20:38

    TopWare sent over this PR, announcing some new screens and "MoveShots" at the Two Worlds II site:

    Karlsruhe, December 30th, 2009 - Just in time for the New Year, the development team at Reality Pump Studios have released several new “Two Worlds II” screen shots. In addition to the screenshots from Hatmandor, the jungle, and swamp landscapes, TopWare Interactive also introduces MoveShots; 3 second videos revealing gameplay shorts. These, so-called, MoveShots serve as a very vivid forecast into the Antaloor universe featured in “Two Worlds II” as well as dispelling  any rumors about the possibility of doctored screen shots, which, unfortunately, are all too common throughout the modern day videogame industry.

    Please find these visual appetizers at www.twoworlds2.com

    The first shows a rogue-like character looking around a corner, then a warrior taking a combat stance, then finally a dual-wielder readying for battle.

    Wednesday - December 23, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #11

    by Dhruin, 06:45

    The Antaloor Post #11 is now available (direct link, .pdf), with the newsletter offering a look at portals, armour and the Scythe beastie from Two Worlds II.

    Friday - December 18, 2009

    Two Worlds II - New Website

    by Gorath, 15:12

    Zuxxez / Topware opened a new website for Reality Pump's upcoming Two World II.

    Monday - December 14, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post # 10

    by Aries100, 16:52

    The Antaloor Post has been updated with newsletter # 10 for Two Worlds II. 

    There's info about the swamp region, magic ingredients and mentioning of the combat system - and much more. Here's the deal on how the combat has changed from the first Two Worlds game, according to Mirek Dymek, the studio boss:

    Mirek: During combat, a wide range of various aspects interact with one
    another, creating a realistic overall picture. Included among these aspects is the fact that the AI of the NPCs is able to remember being attacked by the player! So if the player always uses the same standard attacks, he'll score fewer and fewer hits, since his opponent is constantly adapting his style to counteract what the player's doing. On the other hand, if the player uses all the different moves that are available to him, constantly changing his style, he'll score lots of hits. We've also integrated spectacular finishing moves and shield attacks.

    Do you think this combat system is better than the one used in the first game?

    Source: GameBanshee

    Monday - November 30, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Advent Calendar Contest

    by Dhruin, 18:51

    It's that time of the year again, with TopWare kicking up an Advent Calendar competition with consoles and game packs on offer.  Here's the official PR:

    “Two Worlds II” – Advent Calendar starts

    +++ Interactive Advent Calendar with fantastic prizes worth more than 10.000 US-Dollar +++

    Las Vegas, 30th November 2009 – For all visitors to www.twoworlds2.com - from today on, it’s chances galore for everyone! If you visit the site, you'll not only get inside information about the role-playing universe of “Two Worlds II”, you can also win a Gaming PC worth 1.000 US-Dollar! And all you have to do is answer the questions behind the doors in the Two Worlds II Advent Calendar! The prizes available over the Christmas vacation period are also mouth-watering... like one Xbox 360®, one PlayStation®3 or 300 US-Dollar in cash! And there's more… you can win great software packages and 12-month subscriptions to publications every day - behind every door on the Calendar!

    Saturday - November 28, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #9

    by Dhruin, 21:56

    A new Antaloor Post is out (direct link, .pdf), offering discussion of shopping and goods, the Crusher beast, improved underground labyrinths and (finally) an example of an interesting quest.

    Wednesday - November 25, 2009

    Two Worlds II - X360 Release Confirmed

    by Dhruin, 21:11

    Two Worlds II publisher TopWare has announced an X360 release for Spring 2010 - the same rough date as for the PC:

    Two Worlds II Officially Scheduled for Xbox 360 Release


    Las Vegas, November 25th, 2009 - Two Worlds II is officially announced for release on the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®. The much anticipated sequel to the million selling game Two Worlds will be published in the spring of 2010 by South Peak games in North America, South America, the United Kingdom and the Oceana regions and in Europe by Topware Interactive.

    Two Worlds II returns players to the realms of Antaloor, the high fantasy world of mysticism and awe from the first title, released in 2007. Two Worlds II has been built from the ground up for Xbox 360 with a brand new engine and gameplay mechanics aimed at delivering both hardcore and casual gamers a refreshingly robust role-playing experience.

    Rescued from prison by former enemies, the player once again assumes control of the unnamed hero, only to find the world of Antaloor has been forever changed in their absence.

    Boasting a diverse, living world and a limitless open narrative, Two Worlds II could very well be the next sleeper hit of the genre. Antaloor is a mythic world of pristine savannahs and mordant swamps, celestial cities teeming with life that will rise or fall entirely depending of the player's actions, as the reign of the implacable despot Gandohar threatens to throw the world into a state of irreversible decay.

    Friday - November 13, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #8

    by Dhruin, 21:33

    The latest Two Worlds II newsletter is out, with Antalor Post #8 (.pdf, direct link) offering an insight into books in the gameworld, zombies, a desperate Alchemist and - most importantly - the news that female character models in the game have been significantly improved.  Your sister Kyra will apparently be particularly sexy for some reason.

    Tuesday - November 10, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Trailer @ Rock, Paper, Shotgun

    by Skavenhorde, 14:18

    There is footage of Two Worlds 2 up at RPS. All they had to say about the trailer was that it made them laugh. I'm inclined to agree. Everything was fine up until the combat scene. It seemed a little odd to me.

    Monday - November 09, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Site Re-Launch

    by Dhruin, 19:51

    Reality Pump and co sent over this press release, announcing a release period of "Spring 2010" for Two Worlds II and a site re-launch, with a new video:

    „Two Worlds II" Makes History!


    New Teaser Page for the RPG – with upcoming video - reveals lots of story details

    Las Vegas, November 9th 2009 – Long ago, the era of peace was shattered in a terrible war between rivaling nations, leaving the land of Antaloor broken and changed. The race of Orphans swore eternal service to the four elements and their deities - Maliel, the Goddess of Air; Throglyn, God of the Earth; Yatholen, God of Water; and Aziraal, God of Fire. Dark magic also grew in power over the centuries in secret, until it emerged from the shadows to seize control...

    The Dark Lord Gandohar finally makes his move, planning to disrupt the balance between the elements and become a God himself. To accomplish this, he wants to harness the power of Aziraal, trapped within Kỹra, the descendant of the Orphans. Despite her ancestry, Kỹra cannot hope to endure the procedure for long. Having already conquered Antaloor, Gandohar devises a new plan from his stronghold in Oswaroth. If he succeeds, he will gain control over one of the most powerful characters in Antaloor...

    The saga created by weaving together the main story and different sub-stories promises to captivate the players as they journey through the atmospheric masterpiece of Antaloor. As the story unfolds through gameplay and cutscenes, "Two Worlds II" offers a profound journey into Antaloor's past, as well as insight into the fate of a long-forgotten ruler's dynasty.

    For more information on this - and the Ingame Story Teaser Video - go to www.twoworlds2.com

    Tuesday - November 03, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Podcast @ PC Games.de

    by Dhruin, 09:14

    Same podcast as the previous newsbit, with the Two Worlds II bit at the 42:10 mark.

    Friday - October 30, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antalor Post #7

    by Dhruin, 10:47

    The latest Two Worlds II Antalor Post has been released.  You can grab the .pdf file direct from Zuxxez if you don't subscribe and read about some history, the three ways to address locks and the the Velocis monster.

    Monday - October 19, 2009

    Two Worlds II - New Screens

    by Dhruin, 20:02

    Zuxxez and Reality Pump have released four new new Two Worlds II screens after a period of relative quiet.  Check out the screens at CVG and here's the accompanying press release:

    Four new screenshots from Antaloor showcase the swamp

    Las Vegas, October 19th 2009
    – It’s time again to return to the world of Antaloor. Fulfill your carnal curiosity by checking out four brand new screens directly from the RPG masterpiece, “Two Worlds II.” The game’s developers, Reality Pump, have created a revolutionary new engine called GRACE, and these screen shots give testimony to the engine’s capabilities.

    A trip to the swamps will demonstrate the breathtaking experience that Two Worlds II has to offer. The result of Reality Pump’s extensive technical development, the game’s environment has been painstakingly created to fully immerse the player into the Antaloorian universe. For example, the marshy ground sucks at the character’s feet hindering his movement more so then if he was on dry land. Additionally, dynamic sounds have been constructed to further demonstrate the game’s attention to detail. When the hero steps into the marshy ground, he will hear a terrifyingly disgusting squishing noise that will make the player cringe with delight.

    Luckily, there are many wooden paths and stakes placed throughout the swamp, which will allow the player to traverse the treacherous terrain with more ease. However, whether you can use the comfortable paths and bridges without paying a toll depends on the disposition of the local residents – and you better believe that “Have a good day!” does not pass their lips on a regular basis. But let’s face it…would you be bubblin’ over with joy if you had to wake up every day to drizzling rain and tendril of swamp mist?

    Friday - August 21, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Antaloor Post #2

    by Dhruin, 23:00

    Zuxxez sent us the second Antaloor Post newsletter for 2009, which offers an interview and details about the development of Two Worlds II.  Motion capture, player workshops, water pipes and the savannah are the main topics, while the interview sees Mirek Dymek talking about the factions:

    AP: Can you tell us more about the factions, Mirek?
    Mirek: There will be five different main factions in the game. Three are official and easily found - but the other two operate in the underground and the player will have to infiltrate it to find them. Players can freely decide the faction they want to belong to - but each group has its own individual quest and reputation system. In the Single Player mode, the player can become the head of a particular faction.

    For those that don't subscribe, PrinceOfDeath points out the .pdf can be downloaded from Two Worlds Vault (direct link). 

    Tuesday - August 11, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Screens @ Worthplaying

    by Dhruin, 23:18

    Four Two Worlds II screens are up at Worthplaying, showing off the outdoor scenery.

    Tuesday - July 07, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Content Clarified @ Joystiq, Eurogamer

    by Magerette, 18:52

    Joystiq and Eurogamer post a little more information about the upcoming Two Worlds sequel, recently announced as Two Worlds II but once referred to as The Temptation. They both quote publisher TopWare's  Dirk Hassinger, who says:

    "After Two Worlds the dev team started an add-on. Later this was too huge and became a full product (Two Worlds: The Temptation), but in the last year as the development went forward, we found the technology outdated and started a new engine generation from the scratch. Now it is a real Two Worlds II with state-of-the-art technology," TopWare boss Dirk Hassinger told Joystiq.

    "Of course some ideas and story partly developed in the last couple of years, which could have been a part of Two Worlds: The Temptation (PC/360) and Revelation (PS3), will be used for TWII, but it is for sure a different title and not a simple rename."

     

    Saturday - July 04, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Forum Snippet

    by Dhruin, 10:02

    Dantre points out a Two Worlds II snippet from the Zuxxez forums that reveals Reality Pump started over from Temptation with a new engine at some point, thus cementing the choice to call it a full sequel:

    That´s not exactly right. After Two Worlds the dev team started to develop a sequel / add on. But during the development first the project has grown that much that we decided to make a full sequel. In further development it came out that the (updated) Two Worlds The Temptation engine is outdated and we decided to start with a new game engine from the scratch. So basically The Temptation (and Revelation for PS3) are waved and Two Worlds II is a completly new game on 4 platforms.

    Friday - July 03, 2009

    Two Worlds II - Announcement @ BluesNews

    by Magerette, 17:22

    Blues News posts a press release from publisher Topware Interactive announcing a sequel to the 2007 rpg from Reality Pump, Two Worlds. There's an official Two Worlds II website up where you can sign up for the newsletter and see a few screens, and you can also view the same shots in the gallery at BluesNews.

    Here's the release:

    Karlsruhe, 3rd July 2009 – in the coming winter, the role-playing world of Antaloor will once again open its portals to PC, Mac and Next-Gen consoles. Following the fantastic worldwide sales success of the game’s famous predecessor, TopWare Interactive will once again open a radically new chapter in the fantasy world of Reality Pump.

    “Two Worlds II” presents a totally new gamer experience, one in which 2 years of intensive development has enabled quantum leaps in all spheres: completely overhauled AI and balancing standards, experienced authors, the active combat system and the brand-new engine all combine to provide an unforgettable experience where excitement, sheer enjoyment and graphics rule. “Two Worlds II” simply sets new technical benchmarks in the RPG genre, thanks not least to its seemingly unlimited number of dynamic light sources, micro-detail Parallax Mapping, 24 Bit HDR Post Processing, Space Ambient Occlusion and Human Eye Accommodation.

    The story of “Two Worlds II” is staged a couple of years after Part 1 - and it will lead you into hitherto unexplored parts of Eastern Antaloor where you'll find many brand-new locations packed full of atmosphere - from dusty deserts to awe-inspiring temples.

    Alexandra Constandache, the Executive Producer of TWII commented, “We intentionally opted for a completely independent game with radical new technology. This was the only way to ensure that we harness the enormous potential and experience gained from the making of the first “Two Worlds” project - and make full use of the further technical development of internal Reality Pump tools that has been on-going since the first “Two Worlds” was developed. This new release window gives us enough time to systematically implement both our own requirements and the feedback of the “Two World” fans, enabling us to create a breathtaking RPG experience.”

     

    Thursday - June 25, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Update

    by Dhruin, 13:22

    Well, sort of.  Subscribers of the Two Worlds newsletter received the message below today.  It doesn't say much other than promising updates to come but it's the only news in a while:

    Dear “Antaloor Post” Readers,
    You've probably been wondering about the AP for a while - and waiting for more news from us about the “Two Worlds” universe. Well, your patience will soon be rewarded!
    And don't worry... neither the game nor the “Antaloor Post” is being put on ice! But we've been really busy with the game in the last few weeks - there's been so much for us to do with “Two Worlds” that we just haven't had the time to turn our hands to anything else!
    However, you'll be pleased to know that preparations for the next issue are already underway - and we'll soon be giving you all the inside info on how the game's progressing!

    Until then - be cool, be happy and live your dreams, folks!

    Monday - March 23, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Newsletter #64 @ RPGVault

    by Magerette, 19:08

    RPGVault posts their second Antaloor Post newsletter for Reality Pump's sequel to Two Worlds, The Tempation. This one is an interview with the game's composer.

    Monday - March 09, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Small Talk @ Official Site

    by Dhruin, 20:45

    Reality Pump's Mirek Dymek has provided a short update at the Two Worlds site, titled Small Talk.  Here's the whole post:

    Sometimes small talk with a game developer can bring some interesting new info to light! We were able to get Mirek, Head of Reality Pump, to actually sit down with us again for a few minutes - and here's the gist of what he told us. The first keyword he used that made our ears perk up was "Cave City" - and we wanted to know more! He wouldn't let us in on too much... but he DID hint that an entire city will be located in a huge cave near the coast!

    The cave has a sea entrance which can be reached by swimming out from the coast... and a landbound entrance, which is a secret passage alongside an underground river. It doesn't matter which route you choose, your hero's still gonna get his hair wet! And this takes us directly to the next item from Mirek's Infobox.

    The programmers are busy working on special Shader models for hair. Besides the individual reflections of particular hairstyles, the realistic physical movement of pigtails, beards, etc. is high on the list of detail perfection. This has already happened with weapons and armor, so now the team can get down to creating various different looks. According to Mirek, five special chainmail sets of armor have been finished - they'll be reserved for rewards during special missions.

    Monday - March 02, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Newsletter @ RPGVault

    by Magerette, 16:50

    RPGVault posts a download link and visual for Reality Pump's and TopWare Interactive's new game newsletter for Two Worlds:The Temptation,The Antaloor Post. Here's the description:

    March 02, 2009 - Two Worlds: The Temptation is developer Reality Pump's upcoming sequel to RPG released in 2007. Set shortly thereafter, it will build on key events from its predecessor while retaining its distinctive open style and adding new eastern regions to the land of Antaloor. We can also expect a substantial quest system designed with a tighter structure that will facilitate staying on the critical path while still providing optional content aplenty for players to undertake and enjoy. Thanks to North American distributor TopWare Interactive we're pleased to offer an exclusive opportunity to read the latest issue of the game's official newsletter.

     

    Monday - February 23, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - New Races

    by Dhruin, 20:10

    Another little update at the Two Worlds: The Temptation site, with this one saying the final changes to their character editor means they can populate the world with final NPCs:

    Good news from the House of Reality Pump! The team has almost finished the Character Editor and can now start populating Antaloor with the final NPCs! And one thing is clear from the info we're getting - it's gonna be a multicultural world! On the one hand there's the race of humans. Then there are humans who are part Elf and even part Orc - and these half-breed beings are especially talented in all things magical and in combat. And last but not least, there are the true High Elves - and they're sub-divided into 'normal' Elves and Dark Elves.

    The individual attributes of these beings will play a major role in "The Temptation" - especially in the Multiplayer game. The player can select a character from 6 races - and this gives him special start-up attributes which he'll then have to develop during the course of the game. These character attributes also play a major role in Single Player Mode - and they affect the AI of the NPCs too. Dark Elves often possess a lot of knowledge about Dark Magic - they're also very intelligent, but they can be hellishly cruel. The Elves are exactly the opposite - they're very level-headed and have great strength and dexterity - and that makes them perfect for long-distance weapons like the bow and arrow. They can also blend into their surrounding very cleverly... you might not see an Elf until he's inches away…

    Wednesday - February 18, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Player Workshops

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    The Two Worlds site announces Player Workshops in The Temptation, which will craft items depending on the staff you hire:

    Show me a RPG player who's never been annoyed at having to pay high prices for a weapon or other item at an expensive merchant's place - I'll bet you can't! And even if you're a member of the local Guild, your money soon disappears if you're putting together a strong suit of armor! So how about players setting up their own little production sites, huh? Like the idea? OK, in that case, I can highly recommend the new gameplay feature in "The Temptation" - currently being implemented by Reality Pump!

    The player can buy a small workshop where he can then hire, fire and of course pay employees of his own! As a reward for his efforts, he can sell or use a new product every day. Just what you produce depends either on the type of workshop you have or on the skills of the people you hire. The hero doesn't have to sit around at his office table counting figures the whole day, of course - he has a workshop manager for that; BUT he should keep an eye on this guy - because he's not always the brightest bean in the sack... and the other employees are of course normal people - pay them poorly, they won't produce much for you, and your reputation will suffer... but if you pay them a bonus, effectiveness will rise and the company will become more attractive for prospective buyers.

    Monday - February 09, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Mini Q&A #2

    by Dhruin, 21:16

    The second part of the mini-Q&A at the Two Worlds: Temptation site is now up.  Here is the full thing:

    Are you still working on graphic innovations or have you moved on to gameplay, quests, etc?

    Even if our current stage of development is currently focused on game content like quests, magic systems and such, some of the team is always working on the graphics framework. We just finished the implementation of "Atmospheric Scattering" for example. This makes things like fog and tendrils of smoke look much more realistic.

    Have you already integrated the physics system?

    Yep, although it's not quite complete... but we're almost there - the hero can try to keep his balance on bridges and walkways spanning dizzy heights - and he can lift barrels and other objects and throw them at opponents. The game world itself also benefits from the physics system - flotsam, jetsam and even rafts can be found floating on rivers, which are influenced by realistic wave movements - and the hero can naturally interact with all of this!

    What's happening with Yarmalin?

    Ahh, the city of Dwarves - yeah, we'll have to ask the fans to be patient on that one, even though they're naturally curious about it, since it appeared in the first version... but our story from the "Temptation " takes us more into the Land of the Elves, rather than to Yarmalin. In this game, Yarmalin will not play any role. BUT - we haven't forgotten the Dwarves and their capital city - they, and it, live on as part of the Antaloor saga!

    Monday - February 02, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Mini Q&A

    by Dhruin, 21:12

    The Two Worlds: The Temptation site has a two question mini-Q&A with Mirek.  Since it's so short, here's the entire thing:

    Q. Can you tell us anything up front about the system requirements?
    A. Like every game at this stage of development, it's very difficult to make any kind of generally accurate statement about this... however, we do know of course that when "The Temptation" is released, a state-of-the-art PC will deliver the best results. We'll also make sure that players with older PC's will be able to make settings which will provide them with all the game enjoyment possible. In addition to DirectX 9 we also support DirectX 10.

    Q. How will the new close combat tactics and attacks look?
    A. Each class of hero will have 4 basic attacks available: Turning strike, Leaping strike, Counterstrike and Hacking attack. Active Parrying and Evasion are also available. And in addition to all this, each hero class can learn 4 special attacks - but we're still working on the details there. The effectiveness of the various attacks depends on the combat situation. The Counterstrike, for example, breaks through your opponent's parrying movements, but has a minimum effective range. Timing and well-thought out tactics are all-important there...

    Monday - January 26, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Spell System #2

    by Dhruin, 20:43

    The Two Worlds site has kept their promise to reveal more about the revised magic system in The Temptation:

     

    In the last week, we gave you an overview of the new magic system - now we're going to give you all the details on how it works!

    The magical attributes of your newly created spell are determined by the individual values of the spell cards you use - and these spell cards are in turn sub-divided into two basic groups: The "Base Cards" define the type of spell, like spatial spells or magic missiles, while "Modification Cards" define the class of the element (e.g. ice or fire) or attributes like speed and damage. Whether you use more or less Mana and whether you need a correspondingly longer time to summon spells depends on the combination of your set of cards. The player level and the total of 35 learnable magical skills must also be taken into account - if the magic is too complex for your own skills, the spell could misfire and maybe even injure you. The game's well thought-out system prevents any combination of spells that are too powerful - without putting too many limitations on your experiments! And for the player who likes to take it easy, there are spells available to buy from merchants! RPG fans… get ready to rumble!

    Wednesday - January 21, 2009

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Revised Spell System

    by Dhruin, 22:16

    There's a short blurb about the revised spell system in Two Worlds: Temptation at the official site, with the promise of more details next week:

    It's a magical start to the New Year as far as Reality Pump is concerned! The team has completely revised the spell system, once again proving the point that the innovations in "Two Worlds - The Temptation" aren't just limited to improved optics - radical changes in gameplay are being made which will make this game even more fascinating!

    The basic structure of the spell system is formed by the well-known schools of magic. The player can choose three of the five schools available. Each one of these schools is represented by individual spell cards, which are in turn sub-divided into six different amulets - and they can be combined into unique spell card sets. So the magic spell system has now become very special, because there are no longer any pre-manufactured spells - you, the player, can now make an almost unlimited number of your OWN spells!

    Now those among you who have the experimenting bug can combine spell cards from different magic schools within one set of cards - meaning a whole new world of your own personal magic! I'll give you all the details on this next week!

    Friday - December 19, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Screens @ VoodooExtreme

    by Dhruin, 22:10

    It's been a while since we had a Two Worlds: Temptation post...VoodooExtreme has 15 new screens lifted from the official site.

    Sunday - August 24, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Video @ VoodooExtreme

    by Dhruin, 14:05

    This video at VoodooExtreme is labeled a Two Worlds: The Temptation gameplay trailer but that's a little optimistic.  Head over for a run through some unpopulated locations.

    Friday - August 22, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - GC Preview @ IGN

    by Dhruin, 00:22

    IGN has a preview of Two Worlds: The Temptation from the Leipzig Games Convention, offering a broad overview of the product:

    Once on your quest, you'll find a 10-12 hour main quest that can stretch up to around 50 if you choose to do all of the side quests. Once you complete the game, you'll be able to go back and replay old sections to round out those side quests if you like, something that was missing from the first title. The story this time is one of searching for the truth regarding the events of the first game. Your sister is still involved, but a new enemy emerges to face off against you.

    Wednesday - June 25, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Blog Update @ 1UP

    by Magerette, 15:18

    Mirek Dymek of Reality Pump has once again updated his blog  at  1UP on the Two World's sequel, The Temptation, this time dealing with some of the latest AI tests, and two necromancy spells:

     NECROMANCY

    Summon Ghoul:

    You can conjure up a Ghoul to fight at your side by using the special spell card. It will support you for a time during battle by attacking all your opponents in the vicinity. These summoning spells are especially handy if you've got plenty of Mana in reserve and can therefore awake several characters or creatures at one time.

    Effect: Level 15 Creature for 3 minutes

    Necro Power:

    The Necro Power spell weakens your opponent - and strengthens your own game character at the same time. Magic rays are the key here - they suck health points from the enemy and give them to your character... a very effective way of dealing comfortably with super-strong individual opponents! Effect: 210 poison damage points, conversion of a random number of these points into HP Aura of Death: All creatures affected by this aura become significantly weaker. This powerful spell turns a horde of raging strong guys into a bunch of weaklings, so that you can get the upper hand even in the most futile situations!...

     

    Source: GameBanshee

    Thursday - June 12, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Blog Update @ 1Up

    by Dhruin, 01:10

    Reality Pump's Mirek Dymek has posted a new blog update on Temptations, using a breathless Q&A format:

    Q: The Screenshots for "The Temptation" are really impressive. Are you satisfied with the current stage of development?

    A: Absolutely! It was our intention right from the start of the development to make the world of Antaloor more beautiful and realistic while giving it a fantastic atmosphere. Thanks to the new engine, we've succeeded in creating an even more impressive game world in "The Temptation". We've been improving the detail level of objects so much so that you wouldn't believe how they look!

    Saturday - May 24, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Blog Update @ 1Up

    by Dhruin, 01:01

    The Two Worlds blog at 1Up has a new entry with Mirek Dymek writing about some one of the encounters areas in Temptations (seems slightly spoilerish to me) and the usual small collection of tidbits:

    Did you know that Ghoul Brain Stew à la Drak'ar can increase your hero's Willpower - permanently? The Drak'ar Desert, the most inhospitable region in Antaloor, lies in the country's remote Eastern region, near the high mountain range. But players who like to explore will find all sorts of items and creatures there... like for example, hordes of Ghouls - you?ll find them (or they'll find you) in the ruined Temple. If you manage to kill two of them, put their brains into your alchemy pot - this will result in a potion that increases the Willpower of your hero permanently by 1! So a quick run though the Drak'ar Desert can be extremely rewarding - there are even valuable gemstones hidden in the sand everywhere as well!

    Monday - May 12, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Q & A @ HEXUS

    by Magerette, 15:53

    Gaming site HEXUS has an interview posted with Topware Interactive's Managing Director, James Seaman, covering some of the features and improvements in their sequel  Two Worlds: The Temptation: 

    HEXUS: Are there any new redeeming features we can look forward to and get excited about in a nerdy RPG-loving way?
    James: A ton. The entire game engine has been overhauled, so players will see a noticeable improvement in graphics – especially on the Xbox 360. We’ve also improved combat to allow for active blocking, and made attacking less about button mashing and more about skill. Riding horses and mounted combat will be vastly better. Quest will be much more intricate. The voice-overs are being handled by professional actors. I could go on and on.

    Source: Blues News

    Friday - May 09, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Blog Update @ 1Up

    by Dhruin, 07:39

    The Two Worlds blog at 1Up was recently updated with half a dozen or so random factoids about the gameplay in Temptations, such as this...

    What's That You Say?

    Did you know that the prices you pay for merchandise can vary a lot, depending on the merchant you talk to? We all know that it takes a lot of time and research to find the best prices at the supermarket and on the internet - Antaloor is no exception! The game engine's pricing system has been designed to make sure that some merchants will try to swindle as much money as possible from the player. This is why you should buy items in Guild stores at the start. The Guild stores are where the differences between buying and selling prices are still relatively honest. But remember - as soon as you achieve a good reputation with the Thieves' Guild (status 5 and upwards), you should purchase your goods from them.

    Source: GameBanshee

    Wednesday - April 30, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Interview @ RPG Vault

    by Dhruin, 12:27

    James Seaman from US distie Southpeak has been interviewed by RPG Vault's Jonric about Two Worlds: Temptation.  Here's a bit on combat changes:

    Jonric: What are your goals for the combat element, and what notable changes if any have you decided to implement?
     
    James Seaman: We wanted to keep the action game element of the original Two Worlds in The Temptation, so that's what we're doing... but with major improvements. Players will still attack and cast spells by pressing buttons they've mapped out, but we're adding active blocking with shields, plus the ability not only to disarm enemies but to steal their weapons. We're making the AI better at tracking which opponent you're attacking. Mounted combat is getting the same changes, and it will be being much easier to strike foes.

    Sunday - April 27, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Interview @ CRPG.RU

    by Magerette, 23:29

    CRPG.RU  posts an English language interview with Miroslaw Dymek, CEO and Technical Director of Reality Pump, about their upcoming stand alone sequel to Two Worlds, which is sensibly not called "Two Worlds 2,"  but Two Worlds:The Temptation:

    CRPG.RU: Are we going to see any changes made to the combat system? Specifically to the riding-mount combat element?

    Miroslaw Dymek: "The Temptation"'s combat system is very varied - it profits from our really powerful game engine. There are two different combat styles for each weapon. Either a Combo, combining 4 quick blows in succession, or a Power Hit, which is a little slower but causes much more damage. The different combat techniques can be expanded with skills. Apart from that, it's now possible to carry a lance that will wreak havoc on your enemies on the ground when you're on your horse...

    CRPG.RU: Can we expect new skills to be implemented and improvements to the role-playing system to be made?

    Miroslaw Dymek: All of the hero's possible attributes aren't available at the start of "The Temptation" - he'll gain them bit by bit. In this learning chain, only one attribute after another can be gained - not two or more at once. And independent levels will ensure that some skills will only become available later on in the game. Naturally we'll have Trainers standing by to impart their knowledge to the player. Some of the skills are: Combo-Hit, Power-Hit, Parrying, Running, Carrying Power (Inventory Size), Regeneration, Mana-Regeneration, Elektro-Absorber, Blacksmith's Art, Weapons Maker, Armor Maker, Jump (horse), Bowmaker and the armor skills of Iron Bones, skin and muscles...

    CRPG.RU: The "sailing" feature is something we find very exciting. Can you tell us about it? Rumor has it that we'll be able to operate a boat (or a ship?) in real time while sailing over the nearby seas.

    Miroslaw Dymek: Yes, in "Two Worlds" - The Temptation" the player has yet another form of transport available. The new region of Tarea has a huge bay with lots of islands. And you'll be able to reach these in a sailboat! When you've learned the relevant skill, you can get into the boat and steer it to your desired destination. The direction of travel is set using the tiller at the stern, just like a real sailboat - but you'll have to watch the wind - a red flag at the tip of your mast will tell you which way it's blowing. Depending on that wind direction, you might have to hoist your sail to move over the water faster. Special series of quests, like a smuggling adventure, for example, have been specially designed for the boat feature - and you'll have to put to sea sooner or later in the Main Quest as well!

    Source: GameBanshee

    Tuesday - April 22, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Q & A @ OXM.co.uk

    by Magerette, 18:29

    UK site OXM has posted an interview  with the devs from Reality Pump exploring the reason for some of the low reviews their action rpg Two Worlds has received, and how they intend to address the issues in the sequel, Two Worlds:The Temptation":

     Why do you think Two Worlds had such a mixed reception from reviewers?
    I can't say for sure, but I suspect that it was unfairly compared to Oblivion. It's understandable since Elder Scrolls was so good it basically set the standard. We were the next open world role-playing game to be released after it, so I think everyone expected it to be Oblivion part 2, when the reality is Two Worlds has more differences than similarities to Oblivion....

    One improvement listed in the announcement was "improved voiceovers" - what will change with the voiceovers?
    We did all the scripting and voiceover recording ourselves for the original Two Worlds, which I'm proud we accomplished but the end results show that it's not exactly our forte. So we're hiring professionals for The Temptation. The game's script is being written by someone that's worked on plenty of game dialogue in the past, and is getting many more passes and edits so it will read much better. 

    Source: GameBanshee

    Saturday - April 05, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Interview @ GameInformer

    by Dhruin, 13:35

    GameInformer chats to TopWare's James Seaman about the Two Worlds' sequel, Temptation.  There's no new information but they talk about the reaction to 2W and changes such as player-controlled blocking; here's a snip:

    Game Informer: In the announcement for the Temptation, Melanie Mroz said that Reality Pump is taking player comments to heart. There’s no way around the fact that players were pretty brutal (and vocal) about Two Worlds—how did that response affect the team, and what kinds of things did those negative reactions inspire you to address in the sequel?

    James Seaman: We’ll be the first to admit that our biggest problem with the original Two Worlds is that we were overly ambitious. We created a huge world with highly varied environments, allowed for a ton of character and equipment customization, and we had online play. It was definitely no small feat to simply complete the game!

    In hindsight, we should have narrowed our goals at least a little to create a more cohesive experience for players, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with The Temptation. We very specifically outlined what the game could and couldn’t realistically have before we got to work on the game. Our goal this time around is quality over quantity. That’s not to say The Temptation won’t be a huge game – it will be – but we’re not going to decide to add features months before release. We have a very clear vision this time, and we’re heading for it.

    Sure, the reactions from the press and the gaming public stung, but if anything it provided us with great feedback on what worked and what didn’t. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to create a sequel to a game that is very near to our hearts, and we’re going to do our best to correct what people didn’t like, and keep the aspects of the game that got a positive reception.

    Monday - March 24, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - German Preview @ GameStar

    by Dhruin, 10:59

    Alrik writes in with a German preview of Two Worlds: Temptation at GameStar.de.  According to my Google-fu (and Alrik's email), the article reveals sailing boats to travel to various islands (and apparently you'll actually have to sail them) and the ability to dive to reach underwater locations.

    Thursday - March 20, 2008

    Two Worlds: The Temptation - Now Scheduled for Fall Release

    by Magerette, 17:57

    SouthPeak and Zuzzex have announced a rescheduled release for this fall of Two Worlds: The Tempation, which is now referred to as a sequel rather than an add-on to Reality Pump's RPG, Two Worlds. BluesNews posts this short press release:

    SouthPeak Games and ZUXXEZ Entertainment today announced that it will be releasing a sequel to its popular open world role-playing game, Two Worlds. Entitled "Two Worlds: The Temptation", the game is slated to be available on Xbox 360® and Windows PC this fall.


    Taking place shortly after the events portrayed in the first Two Worlds, The Temptation takes place in Eastern Antaloor, in the regions surrounding Oswaroh and the Drak'ar Desert. Featuring as much content as the original, Two Worlds: The Temptation will feature more intricate missions, improved voice-overs and animations, retooled horseback riding, completely revamped combat, and a new game engine that delivers visuals that have to be seen to be believed.


    "Our entire development team is now putting their all into making Two Worlds: The Temptation a game that is far and away better than the original," said Miroslaw Dymek, Chief Developer with Reality Pump explained. "We've taken to heart all the comments made by gamers about Two Worlds and we're going to give them what they want with the sequel."

    The official site posts the same release, along with some screenshots, which you can view here.

    Information about

    Two Worlds II

    Developer: Reality Pump

    SP/MP: Single + MP
    Setting: Fantasy
    Genre: Action-RPG
    Combat: Real-time
    Play-time: 40-60 hours
    Voice-acting: Full

    Regions & platforms
    Europe
    · Homepage
    · Platform: PC
    · Released: 2011-01-25
    · Publisher: TopWare Interactive

    North America
    · Platform: PS3
    · Released: 2011-01-25
    · Publisher: Southpeak Interactive

    Europe
    · Platform: PS3
    · Released: 2011-01-25
    · Publisher: TopWare Interactive

    North America
    · Platform: Xbox 360
    · Released: 2011-01-25
    · Publisher: Southpeak Interactive

    Europe
    · Platform: Xbox 360
    · Released: 2010-11-21
    · Publisher: TopWare Interactive

    North America
    · Platform: Xbox 360
    · Released: 2011-01-25
    · Publisher: Southpeak Interactive