SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe, Ltd. today announced Total War: Rome 2 – Emperor Edition, the definitive edition of the best-selling game in the Total War series from Creative Assembly. Emperor Edition collects together all free content to date, which includes wide-ranging revisions, additions to game features and adds a brand new Campaign Pack expansion, ‘Imperator Augustus’.

Most importantly, existing Rome 2 players will receive all of the above content via automatic update on the day of launch, upgrading them to Emperor Edition at no cost.

The new ‘Imperator Augustus’ Campaign Pack adds hundreds of hours of sandbox gameplay across a new campaign map reflecting the geopolitical boundaries of the Second Triumvirate War. Players will determine the outcome of a vast civil war, which saw Octavian, Marc Antony and Lepidus vying to become the very first Emperor of Rome.

Alongside all feature updates from launch (including Twitch.tv integration, touch controls, new factions, new units and now the Mac version), Emperor Edition also features an improved politics system, overhauled building chains, rebalanced battles, and improved visuals in both campaign and battle.

For more information about Emperor Edition and the’ Imperator Augustus’ Campaign Pack, please tune in to the latest episode of community show Rally Point which aired today.

Intel’s launch of the new X99 Express Chipset has kicked off a number of new motherboards from various manufacturers. A few of these new motherboards have been made available for review. We have pulled together a number of these reviews and provided the links to them below.

• LEGIT REVIEWS - ASUS X99-Deluxe
• GURU3D - MSI X99S Gaming 9 AC
• TECHPOWERUP! - MSI X99S Gaming 7
• GURU3D - ASUS X99 Rampage 5 Extreme
• GURU3D - Gigabyte X99 SOC Force
• TWEAKTOWN - ASRock X99X Killer Fatal1ty

Intel officially announced its new enthusiast platform, the Haswell-E processor and the X99 chipset. This new flagship processor series includes the Core i7-5960X, Intel’s first eight-core desktop processor. An update to a motherboard with the X99 chipset is required due to Haswell-E’s new integrated memory controller which introduces DDR4 support to the desktop platform. We’ve gathered a number of reviews from around the internet and posted the links below for your convenience.

• OVERCLOCKERS CLUB
• PC PERSPECTIVE
• HOTHARDWARE
• HARDOCP
• TECH REPORT
• HARDWARE CANUCKS
• HARDWARE HEAVEN
• BJORN3D
• TOM’S HARDWARE

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

• Intel Officially Debuts Haswell-E and the X99 Chipset
• EVGA Debuts Its X99 Motherboard Lineup
• GIGABYTE Launches Its X99 Series Motherboards
• MSI Launches 5 New Mighty X99 Motherboards
• MSI Releases New X99S GAMING 9 AC Motherboard
• ASUS Announces X99 Series Motherboards
• ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces Rampage V Extreme
• X99 Domination: Rampage V Extreme Overclocking World Records!
• ASRock’s Upgraded Super Alloy X99 Series Motherboards Unveiled!
• Corsair and ASUS Create World’s Fastest Production DDR4 Memory Kit
• Kingston HyperX Demos DDR4 Memory at PAX Prime
• Alienware, Digital Storm, Maingear, Origin PC, Velocity Micro Do Haswell-E, X99
• NVIDIA Cuts GeForce GTX TITAN-Z Price by 37 Percent, But for OEMs Only
• NVIDIA to Skip GeForce 800 Series, GeForce GTX 980 and GTX 970 Mid-September
• Panram Technology Launches the NINJA-V Series DDR4 Memory
• VTX3D Introduces the R9 285 X-Edition Graphics Card
• Iiyama Outs ProLite E2483HS 24-inch Flicker-free LED Backlit Monitor
• Inter-Tech Announces Badger JY-230 Mid-Tower Case
• ASUS Unveils ROG GM50 Gaming Mousepad
• Sapphire Officially Launches its Radeon R9 285 Lineup
• PowerColor Officially Launches Radeon R9 285 TurboDuo OC
• EVGA TORQ X10 Gaming Mouse Now Available in Europe
• TP-Link Outs Archer C20i AC750 Wireless Dual-Band Router
• Sharkoon Announces VS4 Series Case – VIDEO
• EK Introduces New Flagship CPU Water Block
• CYBERPOWERPC Updates Desktop Line with Intel X99 Chipset and Core i7 EE CPU

The Battles of Mons and Nery, 1914

By John Dudek @ The Wargamer

Many, if not most, historians agree that the most professional, well trained and effective army to enter the fighting on the European continent during that summer of 1914 was the British Army. Although comparatively small when compared to the opposing million man armies fielded by both Germany and France, it numbered but 80,000 men in two corps. However the British Army Expeditionary Force was comprised primarily of long service veterans and territorials who’d served a minimum of seven years for both king and country in wars ranging in size from the small colonial wars of empire to the Boer War in South Africa 14 years before. They were a hard bitten, professional lot of “Old Sweats” who saw the army as not only their occupation, but as an integral part of their very core of being and not merely as a temporary term of enlistment and national service. They knew the savage killing art of soldiering and every aspect of their terrible trade from muzzle to butt-plate. They could put a life saving tourniquet on a wounded arm using their teeth to tighten the knot, and still roar defiance at an oncoming enemy by firing 30 aimed shots at them in a “mad-minute” from their Lee-Enfield rifles. “These long service veterans had made the British Army their home and they would no more not be a part of it than for a fish to exist out of water.” The aforementioned .303 calibre Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle MK.III was perhaps the best designed bolt action rifle ever used on the battlefield and it continued to serve the British Army well into the 1950′s. Its smooth pull bolt action meant that a rifleman skilled in its use could quickly chamber and fire numerous rounds without ever losing the enemy’s sight picture, giving every British infantryman a devastatingly effective high rate of fire. It was said that Germany’s ruler Kaiser Wilhelm upon hearing of Britain’s declaration of war against them on 4 August 1914, derisively dismissed the six divisions and five cavalry brigades of the British Expeditionary Force soldiers now arriving in France as members of “This Contemptible Army”. Whether he ever spoke these words or not, the average German soldier would soon discover the British Army’s true worth and learn much from the bitter experience after meeting them in battle.

Read on…

Source: CVG

Activision will release the last Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC pack on PC, PS4 and PS3 on September 4.

The Nemesis add-on features four new multiplayer maps, including a reimagined version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s Shipment, plus a fresh mission for the Extinction co-op mode.

Released in early August on Xbox One and Xbox 360, the DLC is available as part of the game’s season pass, or standalone for £11.59/$14.99.

Nemesis is the fourth and final Call of Duty: Ghosts map pack. Onslaught launched in January, Devastation arrived in April, and Invasion released in June.

Nemesis contents:

• Goldrush is set in an abandoned gold mine in the Southwest United States, where an intricate network of cavernous tunnels and perilous shafts create the ideal setting for medium to long range combat; while two mine carts race along the abandoned tracks offering players a fast way to traverse the map. Players who complete the unique field order on Goldrush will unleash a howling pack of wolves that will descend upon their enemies.
• Subzero drops players into a frigid Canadian submarine base that has been hastily evacuated, with control room, submarine pen and research facilities all left eerily empty. Built around the traditional three-lane design, this medium-sized map harbors a mysterious terror that will decimate your enemies upon completion of the map’s unique field order.
• In Dynasty, players are transported to a lakeside Chinese village surrounded by picturesque mountains, vivid gardens, and spectacular architecture – a serene environment that is anything but Zen-like. Multiple pathways crisscross the village in this medium map with a variety of elevation and numerous back alleys that create flanking routes. The unique field order on “Dynasty” allows players to call in an air strike of vertical takeoff fighter jets, while one lingers behind to give you unmatched air superiority.
• Nemesis cranks the frenetic multiplayer action to unprecedented levels with the fourth multiplayer map, “Showtime,” a sadistic reimagining of the smallest map in Call of Duty history, the fan favorite map from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Shipment. In the futuristic arena of Showtime, blind corners and narrow pathways provide momentary reprieve from the outright mayhem within the central square comprised of several shipping containers. Tight confines call for shotguns and SMGs. Survive long enough to be rewarded with one of three killstreaks: lethal automated gun turrets at key locations on the map, an air drop with multiple care packages or a deadly gas attack that forces the action back into the center of the arena.
• Extinction Episode 4 Exodus: Following the CIF Unit’s harrowing escape from the alien underworld and the successful recovery of Dr. Cross and the cortex, the team has flown in to fight off the Cryptid army’s siege of the last bastion of human resistance. Your mission is to get key personnel to safety by restoring power to the shuttle and launching the shuttle to a low earth orbit space station. Exodus gives players unprecedented control of their escape route – choose your path, gather new intel, craft new weapons – and introduces the deadliest of enemies with a range of lethal powers, including mind control and psionic attacks – the Ancestors. As the battle for our survival draws to a close, the fate of mankind is in your hands.

Source: Blue’s News

Deep Silver announces the release of Metro Redux, offering remastered editions of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, 4A Games’ first-person shooters based on the works of Dmitry Glukhovsky. This involves remastered editions of each game, available separately, as a bundle, and as discounted upgrades for owners of one or both of the originals. Here’s a Metro Redux launch trailer, and here’s word on the release:

Not only is Metro Redux full of content, but the games have been reworked from the ground up and rebuilt inclusive of new animations, voice overs, gunplay and enemy AI. For the first time ever, both games are playable in two completely different playstyles — Spartan, catering to traditional shooter fans and Survival, a more visceral experience with scarcity of resources. In addition, the legendary Ranger Mode returns to both games, providing the most immersive and challenging experience as the HUD is stripped away and hardcore rules apply.

“This war, like the next war, is a war to end war.” (David Lloyd George – UK Prime Minister)

One hundred years ago today, Russian and German forces were standing facing each other in East Prussia. This early confrontation on the Eastern Front – known as the Battle of Tannenberg – resulted in the almost complete destruction of the Russian Second Army and the suicide of their main commander, Samsonov. On the German side the battle made Paul von Hindenburg famous for the rest of the war, and proved that moving troops quickly by train could bring a decisive advantage. Technology was an asset that could make all the difference in the years to come…

In To End All Wars – their new Grand Strategy game dedicated to WW1 – Ageod (www.ageod.com) aim to reproduce in detail this conflict that involved all of the main powers of this period. The AGE engine has been especially enhanced in order to cover the specifics of this war. New technologies, trenches, war plans, aerial and armored units, and an original diplomatic system have been implemented to simulate the Great War with a high level of realism.

Today we are proud to announce that the game is finally released! Players can now embrace a new military career by leading the destiny of one the major WW1 alliances that fearlessly fought, not only for Europe, but also for Africa and Asia. The game allows a high degree of freedom in terms of decisions, so battles, diplomatic relations, political events and war production will depend on player’s choices.

In order to celebrate the release we are offering a $5 discount to the early adopters during the week of the launch! Note that To End All Wars will be released on Steam as well on August 29th and that this version will also benefit from the launch discount. We are also going to offer a free Steam key to anyone who has a copy the game, wherever they bought it from, once the game is available on this digital platform!

Get more information on To End All Wars from its product page and its official Introduction Video.

By Stuart Davidson @ Hardware Heaven

When choosing a mouse, everyone has different needs. That might be wired, or wireless… left handed, right handed or both… laser or optical… basic buttons, a million buttons… and so much more. Then of course there is finish, rubber, plastic, metal?.. And then there are specific designs. Today we take a look at Roccats new revision of the Kone Pure mouse. The Military Edition with Camo Charge finish and just to be thorough we are throwing in Roccats Camo Charge gaming surface too.

Read The Review Here

By Marco Chiappetta @ HotHardware

AMD is calling the new family of drives, the Radeon R7 Series SSD, similar to its popular mid-range line of graphics cards. The new Radeon R7 Series SSDs feature OCZ and Toshiba technology, but with a proprietary firmware geared towards write performance and high endurance. We’ll give you the full scoop on the pages ahead, but first let’s take a look at the Radeon R7 Series’ specifications. If you’re familiar with some of OCZ’s higher-end drives (namely the Vector 150), some of these specs will probably ring a bell…

Read The Review Here