To celebrate the release of the new Moonrise map pack plus update for Shattered Horizon Steam have a weekend promotion which enables anyone to download the full game and play it for free with no restrictions.
Follow THIS link for the download page. It’s available for pre load in preparation for the free weekend , which starts February 18th 4:00 PM PST until February 21st at 1:00 PM PST.
The game was released about 3 months ago to wide acclaim, though there were misgivings due to the games lack of substantial content. The original game only gave you four playable levels, but the developer promised that there would be long term support for the game as well as free expansion packs. Well they have kept their word and released the first of these promised packs and have effectively doubled the number of maps available in game. The game was released as a budget title costing a mere £14.99 (approx $22), which is only a few dollars over the cost of a non discounted arcade game. However this game is far from an arcade game with brilliant graphics and limited to online play only. Furthermore the game does not support XP or previous incarnations of Windows and will only play on Vista or Win 7 systems. Also you need at least a DX10 ready graphics card to take advantage of the improved graphics. That said the game is a beautiful and original piece of game art.
I was initially reticent about buying such a title, being firmly grounded in my single player world, but the draw of a space orientated game, plus a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, which was fuelled by my love of the Gemini and Apollo space programs won me over and I purchased the game while it was on a special offer over the Christmas period (paying less than £4 I think – and which was also another reason for going ahead with my purchase, lol). Anyway, aftr plying a few rounds I'd have happily paid the full price. Well worth it then and now even more so. Hopefuuly there will be even more free content released in the future, and, I'm sure expansions will follow.
N.B.
Shattered Horizon requires DirectX 10, a DirectX 10 compatible video card, and Windows Vista or Windows 7. There is no support for Windows XP or DirectX 9.
Shattered Horizon:
THE GAME:
Shattered Horizon is the first innovative game from Futuremark Games Studio that immerses you in the cold reality of combat in space like no other game before.
This multiplayer first-person shooter is played entirely in zero gravity. A catastrophic explosion on the Moon has filled near-Earth space with billions of tons of rocky debris. You and your friends will join intense 32 player battles to control hollowed-out asteroids, huge fragments of Moon rock and the ruined remains of the International Space Station.
With simple and intuitive controls, you have complete freedom of movement in the distinctive zero gravity environments. Not only can you use your rocket pack to fly anywhere but you can also land on any surface to attack your enemies from unexpected angles.
Shattered Horizon challenges you to take your FPS skills to the next level adapting what you have learned on the battlefield to create new tactics in a fully three dimensional battle space. With your rifle at the ready you can handle anything the enemy can throw at you. But if you let go of your gun, chances are you’re already dead.
Multiplayer first-person shooter set in near-Earth space 40 years from now
Experience intense zero gravity combat and complete freedom of movement
Use your rocket pack to fly freely through space and then land on any surface
Engage enemies in furious firefights, or ambush them from unexpected angles
Use tactical grenades to disable electronics, block line of sight or push enemies out from cover
Join your friends in action-packed 32 player battles fighting across eight space-based levels from hollowed-out asteroids to the ruined remains of the International Space Station
Familiar and intuitive FPS controls let you take full advantage of the zero gravity environments
Astonishing graphics and advanced lighting effects immerse you in the cold reality of combat in space
Evocative soundtrack by Markus “Captain” Kaarlonen from Poets of the Fall
Online leaderboards and extensive personal stats tracking
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd-2dZMDAGw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejETKGq43Ec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFhrAqYzIfc
System Requirements:
Minimum:
OS: Windows Vista/7 (Does not support Windows XP)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 / AMD Athlon64 X2 5600+
Memory: 2GB
Graphics: 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT / ATI Radeon HD 3870
DirectX®: 10 (Does not support DirectX 9)
Hard Drive: 1.5 GB
Sound: Windows Vista compatible sound card
Recommended:
OS: Windows Vista/7 (Does not support Windows XP)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 / AMD Phenom II X4 940
Memory: 2GB
Graphics: 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 / ATI Radeon HD 4870
DirectX®: 10 (Does not support DirectX 9)
Hard Drive: 1.5GB
Sound: Windows Vista compatible sound card
The following are brief descriptions of the four new free levels that have been added in the new update:
DEADEYE:
The M-75 COMSAT microwave communication dish kept transmitting throughout the massive destruction on the Moon, its systems failing only after backup battery power was depleted. The logs contain classified information of MMC operations that must not fall in ISA's hands.
TEN STAR:
Built in 2041, the Ten Star Hotel was a symbol of the wealth amassed by the oligarchs of the Moon mining business. A layer of golden radiation shielding covers what used to be the tower's upper structure. The opportunistic crew of an ISA scouting mission decide to collect some souvenirs - only to run into MMC scavengers already looting the ruins.
SEARCHLIGHT:
MINOTAUR, an MMC orbital recovery vehicle survived the Moon catastrophe unscathed. Too valuable to risk in combat, it performs salvage and recovery missions behind the front lines. The ISA sets up operation Theseus to lure the ship into an obstructed space and knock it out.
SLINGSHOT:
Mass driver transportation was the key to commercial logistics between the Moon and Earth. As the conflict in space escalates, these massive electromagnetic guns are now a threat looming in the orbit. If the ISA can secure all the intact mass drivers near the Moon, the balance of power will shift dramatically.
Reviews:
"Stunning vision and bullet-proof delivery." - Total PC Gaming Magazine
http://pc-mmo.nowgamer.com/reviews/pc-mmo/8781/shattered-horizon
"An original game like this is a rarity." – FiringSquad
http://www.firingsquad.com/games/shattered_horizon_review/
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