Crecente got a chance to play Warmonger, Operation: Downtown Destruction back in June at NetDevil's anniversary party, and they pretty much had to pry him away from the computer. PC gamers will soon get a chance to see if they experience similar ass-stickiness as NetDevil announces plans to release the game via digital download on October 16th for the low, low price of completely free. I've yet to see any mention of PC requirements, but from what Brian wrote back in June the Ageia PhysX card will not be one of them, with an option to turn off the effects for PC's without. This is good, because my Ageia card from BFG arrived dead, and I've yet to take them up on that lifetime replacement warranty. I'm not good with shipping things, apparently. In honor of the impeding release, NetDevil has produced a veritable art gallery of destruction. Enjoy!

WARMONGER, OPERATION: DOWNTOWN DESTRUCTION GEARS UP FOR PC DEVASTATION ON OCTOBER 16, 2007

AGEIA and NetDevil Push Limits of PhysX Technology with Revolutionary First-Person Shooter

LOUISVILLE, CO - September 18, 2007 - NetDevil, an independent game company and leading developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today announced it is launching its revolutionary new title called Warmonger, Operation: Downtown Destruction, an apocalyptic, first-person shooter (FPS) powered by the AGEIA(TM) PhysX(TM) processor. Unlike other FPS titles, Warmonger features a unique, piece-by-piece destruction system and is designed to deliver stunning fluid and cloth-based effects unlike anything seen before. Warmonger will be available on October 16, 2007 to PC gamers via digital download and from leading edge hardware makers selling PhysX-based cards and gaming PCs. New assets, screens, and information may be found at: www.warmongergame.com.

Utilizing the AGEIA PhysX processor, Warmonger allows for dynamic game play to emerge from the results of combat. Destruction is enabled procedurally, rather than with standard pre-canned animations that are found in most games today. In Warmonger, destruction can also be used as a tactical tool or a weapon. Safe cover is no longer a forgone conclusion. For example, a sniper can blow up the stairs behind him to block access, but a rocket blast to the floor beneath him can also hasten his own untimely end. Explosives, rockets, indirect fire, and vehicle combat can literally blow away walls, obliterate ceilings and open up new pathways to totally change the flow of the game.

High performance FPS action is also delivered in rich and stunning detail through the PhysX-enhanced Unreal Engine 3 from Epic Games. This powerful game engine has allowed the NetDevil team to enable Warmonger's environments and special effects with a depth and feel that reflect the cutting edge of gaming visuals and physics.

"First person shooter environments have remained largely static for years. AGEIA PhysX has changed all that, and changed it profoundly," said Scott Brown, president of NetDevil. "New rigid body technology and procedural destruction of game environments set the stage for dynamic content creation that will literally transform the way people think and play."

"We're pleased to see what a forward thinking game developer can accomplish with our card. By incorporating PhysX, NetDevil brought to life some of the most compelling game experiences ever seen in a game," said Manju Hegde, CEO of AGEIA. "Warmonger's real-world, real-time properties offer gamers a whole new dimension in gameplay they can enjoy over and over again. They will have a blast discovering new terrains, sniper positions, and other game elements they've never had a chance to try out before."

Key features:
- Players have a choice of five different weapons, including a grenade firing assault rifle, an RPG launcher, a shielded and mountable mini-gun and more.
- There are six different maps including Sink or Swim, an underground staging area, The Approach, an old western "showdown", Knee Deep, an abandoned shopping center, Black Adit, an abandoned subway station, Car Collector, a wrecked parking garage, and Needle's Eye, an old industrial sector.

"Warmonger offers a unique environment for fans of FPS games, where no place is safe, and seeking good cover is a challenge rather than a given," said Chris Sherland, lead producer on Warmonger. "Test sessions leave a player with a strong emotional reaction to this... it's downright scary to play!"

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