This time I’ll be covering the month of August, 2007 - the first truly impressive month in a long time. Where June and July were filled with mostly mediocre games, August has brought an influx of great games - and it looks like this will only be the beginning. We’ve got some great times ahead of ourselves, but for now - let’s look at what we already have, shall we?

BioShock

After ranking in between a 9 and a 10 in every review, I doubt this game still needs any introduction. This spiritual successor to System Shock 2 looks to be an early candidate for game of the year, with it’s excellent storytelling and gameplay. Thus far I’ve only played the demo, which was great but way too short, but after finishing it I immediately proceeded to order the game, which should be arriving soon.

BioShock is the kind of game you want if you’re into singleplayer FPS games that manage to tell a good story, and keep you hooked. There is no multiplayer or fast-paced adrenaline pumping action (well, maybe some of that too), but it makes up for it in an immersive and at times scary setting. Not for the fainthearted, but definitely a must have if you’re looking for one of the best singleplayer shooter experiences, ever.

You can download the demo here. (1.85 GB)

Guild Wars: Eye of the North

The one game this month that I’ve been looking forward to the most, GW:EN. It’s the first expansion pack in the successful Guild Wars franchise and adds a wealth of (PvE) content solely for level 20 characters. Introducing a wide range of new gameplay elements ranging from permanent mini-games and dungeons to new races and the hall of monuments, there is no reason not to pick this one up if you’re a Guild Wars fan.

Having participated in the sneak peek weekend and played the game extensively since release, I can sum it up real quick. It’s basically the best Guild Wars PvE experience ever, combined with a compelling and engaging story and a wealth of new awesome features and settings you really can’t miss out on as a Guild Wars fan. That said, you can rush through it’s campaign as fast as Factions and it doesn’t add anything for PvP players. Regardless still a definite must buy for any non-PvP Guild Wars player, and even a good reason to finally purchase the original game paired with this expansion, for some non-players.

There is currently no way to try this game, but then you need to have one of the previous campaigns to be able to play it anyway. If you’re still uncertain and would like an in-depth look at the game, before committing to a purchase, then wait for my review.

Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms

Another expansion pack and another game that’s been received well by the gaming press. There is no doubt about it: if you’re a Medieval II fan, then you will want this game. Not only does it include thirteen new factions, but it installs four separate singleplayer campaigns. Of course it also includes the tiny improvements any expansion pack should have, such as the inclusion of several new hero units.

In case you don’t know what Medieval II is… think Civilization combined with Age of Empires and you’ve got a pretty good idea. Basically in one portion of the game you’re managing an empire in turn based fashion, whereas in the other you’re fighting real time battles with masses of visually detailed units.

Does this sound like your cup of tea? Try the Medieval 2: Total War Gold demo here. (639 MB)

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