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Writing music for an RPG must be such a tricky thing. Especially when you’re working with a project as potentially massive as Obsidian Kickstarter darling Pillars of Eternity, you’ve got to breathe life into lilting melodies that rise and crash at the perfect moments, but drift and meander gently throughout. I mean, these songs are going to be on loop for upwards of 50-60 hours. If one is too loud or too fast or too insistent on taking center stage in an area where the player’s just doing their thing, it can easily break the whole illusion. Fortunately, Obsidian’s got plenty of experience with this conundrum, and it’s debuted a region’s entire song as a proof-of-concept.

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If history has taught me anything, it’s that Vikings were a complex, multifaceted people splintered into an incredible number of micro-cultures spread far and wide across Europe thanks to extremely versatile wooden longboats. If videogames have taught me anything, it’s that Vikings loved WAAAAAAAAAAAR. War of the Vikings, then, represents the culmination of all my scholarly studies, what with its “historically inspired” Viking Age setting and also maybe an ever-so-slight thumb-and-pinky pinch of WAAAAAAAAAAAAR. It’s already taken its share of licks on Steam Early Access, and now it’s “done,” whatever that actually means anymore.

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NOTE: Joystiq Streams is airing at 12PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel so as to coordinate with guests in different time zones. Viking Facts:

1) Vikings did not wear sweet horned helmets into battle. Sorry to burst your Viking bubble.

2) Vikings did not play football in Minnesota. Seriously, how would seafaring warriors even get to Minnesota?

3) These truths do not diminish the solid gold righteousness of Vikings. Hence why we're playing War of the Vikings on Joystiq Streams. Gordon Van Dyke, War of the Vikings' producer from Paradox Interactive, will join Richard Mitchell and Anthony John Agnello for a tour of the sequel to War of the Roses. If you thirst for large multiplayer melees where Vikings and Saxons bludgeon each other with handheld weapons, prepare to get quenched.

All the action happens at 12PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Be there! [Images: Paradox Interactive]

Warlock II is everything I wanted from a sequel to Masters of the Arcane, which, as I’ve implied before, felt like the decent gig before a killer afterparty. Taking place across the fragments of a broken world, it’s 4X strategy in a compact form, as dense as a spoonful of iridium and seemingly built from the ground-up to avoid the cycle of ‘End Turn’ clicking that is a hallmark of the genre. I’ve spent a few days with a near-complete build and have many thoughts to share.

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Obsidian Entertainment announced a partnership with Paradox Interactive to launch Pillars of Eternity. Paradox will handle the marketing and distribution of the PC game, which is slated to launch by this winter.

Formerly known as Project Eternity, the game earned $3.9 million on Kickstarter in October 2012. The game was originally expected to land this spring before suffering delays. Obsidian launched South Park: The Stick of Truth earlier this month, following Paradox's announcement of Hearts of Iron 4 and Norse mythology-inspired RPG Runemaster in January. [Image: Obsidian Entertainment]

This is a shame. In a joint statement with developers DB Logic, publisher Paradox have announced that East vs. West: A Hearts of Iron Game has been cancelled. EvW was a grand strategy game set during the cold war, in which you made decisions about the fate of the world under the constant threat of a doomsday clock counting down to nuclear oblivion. The idea was that you could play out alternate histories like delaying the foundation of Israel, or maintaining the Berlin wall, but your every aggressive action might move you closer to mutually assured destruction.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. … [visit site to read more]

War of the Vikings will launch in full for PC on April 15, following a stint on Steam Early Access and other online distributors. Publisher Paradox Interactive and developer Fatshark plan to announce new features and release plans during a Twitch livestream today, March 5, at 2PM ET.

Executive Producer Gordon Van Dyke will host the stream and play the latest version of the game.

War of the Vikings is a close-quarter combat game set in Britannia during the Viking Age (but you probably already guessed that part). It's built with the same tech as Fatshark's previous close-quarters game, War of the Roses.

We're getting in on the viking action with a livestream featuring the developers on April 8, right on the Joystiq Twitch channel. [Image: Paradox]

Magicka: Wizard Wars may well be my favourite competitive multiplayer game since the original Unreal Tournament. I was startled when I realised that might be the caese, but the rattle of fingers across keys, weaving deadly magicks, accompanies an enormous chunk of my free time. It’s a game that requires quick reflexes and the ability to switch between various forms of attack and defence without a second’s hesitation. I often find turn-based games a bit too fast-paced for my sleep-deprived mind to handle so I shouldn’t stand a chance in a team-based Wizard War, but the rhythms this game are in tune with the beat of my blood. The new Duel Mode, which is a one-on-one arena face-off, sounds more intimidating than team-based shenanigans, but with a built-in spectator mode it’s as much a learning experience as a series of brutal bouts.

I’ve only played Duel mode on a LAN setup at the Paradox Convention so I’ll reserve extensive judgement as to how well it works with the unwashed wizardly masses until I’ve had a chance to play online following today’s release. It’s a far more sophisticated addition than the Duel name might suggest though, integrating a mini-tournament system. Four players take part, with two spectating from a secure balcony at any one time, incapable of using magic or weaponry.

This allows them to learn their opponents’ habits. Wizard Wars is a game that tickles muscle memory and, particularly when stress and panic set in, people tend to resort to familiar elemental combinations. Watch them as they work and, like poker players, they’ll reveal their tells.

The first player to a set points limit wins the entire tournament, which can lead wizards to hold back their most powerful charged spells for use against a specific enemy. I was one kill away from victory at one point and my opponents each saved a ‘Summon Death’ spell throughout their rounds against one another, unleashing the Reaper as soon as I entered the arena. Bastards. It was a sign of respect in a way, sure, but they’re still bastards.

Warlock II is shaping up to be one of the most efficient sequels of all time. After a brief play and a prolonged chat with the producer, I’m confident that the developers have at least tried to address most of the complaints aimed at the original game and the shattered world structure adds a layer of management and strategic planning that I hadn’t expected. It’s also a fine game for people interested in exploring weird realms and the trailer below shows some of the different world types on offer. There’s also a refreshing alternative to the usual earnest fantasy voiceover. This video is narrated by A D Ventureman, Adventureman.

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My internet connection during the Paradox Convention was about as spotty as Superted’s best chum, forcing me to return with a satchel full of hand-written notes. There’s still plenty to write about, not least my dangerous new Wizard Wars obsession, but buried at the bottom of my inky papers are six pages of scribbles about Hearts of Iron IV. As the latest representative of the one Paradox grand strategy series that I’ve consistently failed to penetrate, HOI IV is an exciting prospect for several reasons. EU IV and CK II are the friendliest incarnations of their respective series to date, and while HOI IV isn’t due until 2015, early signs are promising. At the heart of the Hearts is the most attractive map Paradox have ever produced and a new battle plan system that allows players to evade micromanagement if they so choose.

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Warlock: Master of the Arcane was a solid game that promised a great sequel. The interface and map had similarities to Civ V, some of which were slightly more than skin-deep, but the game had ideas of its own, bolstered by a sense of the ridiculous that was bizarre and humorous but avoided the lure of wackiness. The Exiled expands upon its precursor’s strongest elements and brings the turn-based exploration and conquest to a fascinating multiverse. I played for a little over an hour and didn’t want to walk away.

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I’d never seen a shield quite so fancy. It belongs to Fraser Brown, a Scotsman in the guise of a Viking, and he’s extremely proud of the design. He should be. It’s a beautiful thing and a brave one too. Brightly marking him out on the battlefield, the shield makes him a target, like an officer wearing a medal as big as a walrus. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lady Gaga wearing the shield as a kneepad the next time she nips to the shops for a packet of evaporated milk. War of the Vikings is a game about shiny shields. And beards. Lots of beards.

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If you needed further proof that Crusader Kings II is one of the best-supported, most expansive games of all time, check out this new expansion. Which, you know, only increases the size of the map by 50%, adds 400 new provinces and the entire Indian subcontinent. And it's doing all this two years after the game was first released.Read more...

Having recently tackled the Americas with the Conquest of Paradise expansion, the next addition to grand strategy epic Europa Universalis 4 focuses on something truly important: cold, hard cash.

Officially titled "Europa Universalis 4: Wealth of Nations," the expansion is focused on trade, though it would be more accurate to say that Wealth of Nations explores the drama and international backstabbing that surrounded trade during the age of discovery. Players will be able to covertly influence the economy to destroy their enemies, or bankroll pirates to swipe trade goods from the high seas. Or if crushing rivals one at a time seems too slow, you could form the East India Trade Company and subjugate the known world under a vast, morally questionable economic monopoly.

Europa Universalis 4: Wealth of Nations currently lacks a solid release date, though Paradox Interactive hopes to release the expansion during the second quarter of 2014.

Straight from the halls of the ongoing Paradox Convention in Miami comes word of two new games from development studio Paradox Interactive: a new entry in the fan-favorite Hearts of Iron series and a roleplaying game dubbed "Runemaster."

Hearts of Iron 4 is a grand strategy game focused on World War II. Like Paradox's other grand strategy offerings, Hearts of Iron 4 is said to offer players "the most authentic real-time simulation of World War II to date." Little is known of the game beyond that quote, though based on prior Hearts of Iron games we expect an exacting attention to detail, reams of historical data and the freedom to control nearly any faction involved in the second World War.

Runemaster, by contrast, is a departure for Paradox Interactive. Instead of the strategy games it usually produces, Paradox has instead set its sights on a roleplaying game based on Norse mythology. According to the developer's short description, Runemaster will feature "[p]rocedural maps and quests" which should keep the experience fresh longer than pre-scripted areas and missions.

"We're always playing RPGs in our spare time and discovering new things we love about them as a game genre; it was only natural that sooner or later we'd have to design our own," stated studio manager Johan Andersson. "Runemaster is the result, and we know our fans will love it."

Both Hearts of Iron 4 and Runemaster are in relatively early stages of development. Neither has a release date as of yet, but more information can be found on the barebones websites Paradox recently launched for each game.

Paradox Development Studios, known for their grand strategy games on PC, is trying their hand at an RPG. A Norse mythology-themed fantasy RPG, specifically, titled Runemaster. There's a short teaser for you above. At the same time, Paradox also announced the fourth entry in their Hearts of Iron strategy game series.Read more...

As several commenters pointed out, all of the screenshots that accompanied my Conquest of Paradise interview showed either Europe or usual Americas. The ones that you can see on any map. A few images of the randomly generated New Worlds had been released in developer diaries on the EU IV forums but I was expecting a video before release and, my spyglass confirms that we’re about to make a grand discovery. Land ho! See footage of the random continents and archipelagos awaiting your colonists below.

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In case you just can't get enough or rewriting history, Paradox has opened up pre-orders for the Europa Universalis 4 expansion, "Conquest of Paradise." The expansion takes Europa Universalis 4 to the New World (i.e. the Americas), where players can guide the development of the Native American nation or Colonial Nation. You could always do your best to relive American history as we know it, or you could find out what would have happened if Spain really went whole hog.

Conquest of Paradise will arrive on the shores of PC, Mac and Linux on January 14. It's available for pre-order now on Steam for $13.49, 10 percent off the normal price.

What are you doing this weekend, readers? That’s just a general question you should feel free to answer in the comments, btw. I like hearing about your plans. If you feel the need to acquire something to do, then you might want to think about dropping into War Of The Vikings. Fatshark’s beard-and-beating sim is still a Steam Early Access title, but they’ve decided to allow people pile-in this weekend: it’ll be all yours to try from Dec 5th to December 8th.(more…)

It's OK, Crusader Kings II isn't for everyone. I get that. But I'd like to think we can all at least find common ground and enjoy the game's patch notes, which continue to be the very best.Read more...

One of the best PC games ever made is Sid Meier's Colonization. A big part of that is the way it simulates the great unknown: as you venture westwards, unless you're playing on the boring "real" map, you're truly venturing into the great unknown. Read more...

For something that's such a big part of many people's daily lives, religion doesn't play a terribly big role in video games. It does in Crusader Kings II, however, and that role is about to get a lot more interesting.Read more...

Magicka and Europa Universalis series publisher Paradox Interactive announced today that Ino-Co's turn-based strategy game Warlock 2: The Exiled will launch for PC platforms next year.

Expanding on last year's Majesty series spinoff Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Warlock 2 equips players with over 150 new spells and several zoos' worth of summonable creatures, ranging from giant rats to "werewolves with hats on them." Sold.

Warlock 2 will feature a single-player campaign and a variety of multiplayer modes when it premieres in the spring of 2014.

Paradox have produced a rather amusing trailer to announce the upcoming Warlock 2: The Exiled. A sequel to Master of the Arcane is certainly worth paying attention to. The original was a tightly packaged fantasy-civ, with alternate planes of reality to conquer and gentlemanly werewolves. The sequel looks like more of the same – much more – and the slightly unhinged streak is still on display, making the world far more interesting than the usual goblins versus elves malarkey. Prepare for ‘wolves the size of cities’ and ‘cities shaped like wolves’. That sort of thing.

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Fatshark is hastily putting a final lick of paint onto the longboats, tightening the braids on their beards, and making sure all the fish has plenty of salt for the people who they hope will buy into Early Access of War of the Vikings on Steam. It’s their follow-up to the generally well received War of the Roses, and as the title suggests, the battles here aren’t over who gets the last Tangy Orange Creme, but instead about vikings with axes disagreeing with other vikings. I wonder how they’ll come to terms over their differences?(more…)

Paradox Interactive has announced that War of the Vikings, the follow-up to multiplayer medieval combat game War of the Roses, will join Steam Early Access. An Alpha version of the game is available right now on Steam, and those who've picked up the Kingmaker edition of War of the Roses can try out the sequel free until October 4.

War of the Vikings is based on the Viking Age, a period around 800 AD when the Vikings scoured Europe looking for conquest and trade. The game, which doesn't stray very far from the foundation established by War of the Roses, will launch fully on Steam early next year.

Have you ever wanted to dive out of a window to avoid an explosion, while throwing a sword at a ninja? I tried it once but landed badly and ended up with a nasty crick in my neck. It’s the kind of antic that might look amazing when performed by a sinewy star of the silver screen, but my body just isn’t made for that kind of showboating. Even my beard and the confetti in my hair weren’t cushion enough to break the fall. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy playing an action movie archetype in Arrowhead’s multiplayer murder ‘em up, The Showdown Effect. My own feeble frame remains safe, even as my avatar slices, dices and explodes. If you’ve steered clear but have an interest, now is the time to try. Free this weekend and currently discounted to £1.99.

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Magicka and Europa Universalis 4 publisher Paradox Interactive headlines the latest Humble Weekly Sale, offering up a handful of the company's standout PC releases in a pay-what-you-want package.

Featured games include War of the Roses: Kingmaker, Dungeonland, Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Leviathan: Warships, The Showdown Effect, and Europa Universalis 3 Complete, all of which are redeemable at Steam. Beat the average purchase price (currently just under $6) and you'll also get copies of Magicka and Crusader Kings II.

If you'd prefer to go all-in on your love for all things Paradox, you might consider The Big Kahuna bundle, a $125 compilation that includes 48 Paradox-published games and 20 soundtracks.

Of all video game genres, strategy has historically been one of the least accessible. The most popular strategy games manage a delicate balance between complex, nuanced mechanics and keeping new players interested long enough to learn about everything the game has to offer. Europa Universalis 4, unlike most of its competitors, eschews hand-holding and focuses instead on letting its audience play with a ruthlessly accurate recreation of four centuries of European history.

The real beauty of EU4 comes from the variety of options for play. There are a few basic rules. The Earth is divided into a few hundred "provinces," each holding resources and continually generating more cash and people for you to use for military, exploration, diplomatic influence, religious domination, etc. The complexity is a sort of emergent property of those restrictions, and their applications create a myriad of varied scenarios. It is entirely within your power, for example, to take the reins of Louis XIV, start a war with everyone, ride into battle with your foolishly out-of-touch leader as a general, get him killed in battle, convert your France into a more democratic society and avoid the French Revolution - or you could just take over the world. The possibilities aren't endless, but when you can play as a fledgling Ottoman Empire and conquer Britain by 1500, it can certainly seem like it.

At the height of its powers in the early 18th century, the British Empire spanned all corners of the globe, from Brazil to Alaska, Austria to Manchuria, and...wait, what?Read more...