I haven’t been keeping track of Dead Space really, but I read Jim’s review of the game in the next issue of PC Gamer and, I must say I was intrigued. I thought it would be worthwhile seeing how much it was on various websites. My first port of call was amazon.co.uk and I was shocked to see a rating of only 1 1/2 stars. I was obviously puzzled as this is meant to be a pretty good game.

Some investigation revealed that there were ten reviews giving the game one star and they all put forward the same complaints that I have numerous times.

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The copy protection DRM information for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 has been made public on the Red Alert 3 forums by Executive Producer Chris Corry. It is…interesting, there are some things which I like the sound of, yet some things which I am still disappointed are being put upon us. The rundown of the DRM policies for Red Alert 3 now and a bit of analysis to follow.

- We will authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.

- We will never re-authenticate an installation online after the first launch. In other words, no reaching out to a central server post-install to see if you’re “allowed” to play.

- You will be able to install and play on up to five computers. If you uninstall the game while connected to the Internet, the entitlement will be preserved and that install can be transferred to a different computer.

- This system means you don’t have to play with the disc in your computer. Personally, I think this is a huge improvement over our previous copy protection requirements, which have always required a disk to play.

- Life happens. I know it’s unlikely, but for those unlucky few who install the game and have their machines nuked (virus, OS reinstall, major hardware upgrade, etc.) five times without being able to do a clean uninstall first, EA Customer Service will be on hand to supply any additional authorizations that are warranted. This will be done on a case-by-case basis by contacting customer support.

-You can, of course, play offline without impediment or penalty.

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Some famous faces, some famous voices and some ludicrous Russian accents. Red Alert 3, that is what it is all about.

So I have made my choice regarding the Red Alert 3 Beta Competition, ideally the winner would have received a brand new key from EA by now, but if not then I will sort it out myself. The winner was Stan Philipsen for this regarding Red Alert 2:

Who doesn’t like a game when you see the enemy’s conscripts leave the forest…. burning!

Hope everyone else gets in the Beta somehow.

According to an extremely over the top e-mail I have just received from EA, the Red Alert 3 public beta will soon be going live. As EA have mentioned before regarding this beta the sooner you registered your key the better.

Considering it is already the 26th of July does this may mean that the public beta will be going live sometime next week, however nothing is for definite in the world of EA and Command and Conquer.

Read on for the full e-mail transcript

So after my interview back in February with Frank Klepacki this new video comes out and shows that he is in fact returning to work on the Red Alert 3 soundtrack! Expect Hell March III goodness then come October.

MMA fighter Gina Carano is going to play Natasha Volkov in the upcoming time-twisting Red Alert 3. Just check out the video below to get some more info on Gina and her role in Red Alert 3.

What thoughts go through my mind after watching that?

- Great to have Hell March playing, a sign of Frank Klepacki to be involved in the game?
- Classic sounds from the GIs and other troops, reminds me of Red Alert 2…always good!
- Damn they really could do with having used a new engine for this. Looks good, but not great.

Pretty much it for my initial thoughts! October though…interesting!

In an April 1st shock move EALA have revealed that the new logo for the Soviets in Red Alert 3…involved a flower!

Showcasing the new attitude of the Soviet Premier and his legion of comrades, we are unveiling our brand new Soviet Faction Logo for Red Alert 3, the “flower and the sickle”. While this is certainly a departure from the legendary hammer seen in the Soviet logo for Red Alert 1 and 2, we felt it was critical to showcase the growth of the Soviets power in the upcoming Red Alert 3 through the “flower”: a powerful symbol which represents the blossoming of a new seed, a rebirth of the Soviets if you will.

Oh how I wish this were true and not just an April Fools!

Find more wallpaper sizes here.

Official comment from C&C Community Manager – shhh, hehe

IGN have interviewed Chris Corry, the big boss man behind the development of Red Alert 3. This really in-depth interview with Chris talking a bit about the back story, FMVs and a lot about Naval warfare and co-operative play.

IGN: Tell us about the setting and the story, and is it directly related or connected to the events of the last game, or is it a completely different timeline?

Chris Corry: I touched on that time travel theme. The events that kick off Red Alert 3 really come back to that. Our story opens with the Allies and the Soviets going at it again, but this time the Allies have beaten the Soviets back and have the upper hand. The Soviet leadership is cowering behind the walls of the Kremlin; their defeat is imminent and all but certain. At that point, sort of crazed with desperation, the leadership descends into the bowels of the Kremlin into their secret labs where they have this skunk works project going on. They fire up this prototype of this device which is a time machine that’s never been used before. And their intention is to go back in time and erase Albert Einstein from the timeline. Of course, Albert Einstein in the previous games has been instrumental in the technological advances that made the Allies so successful…

There are also a bunch of sexy new screens and the wealth of information is immense. Check it all here.

Final note – why can’t I get an interview like this! Damn being told to wait until April :(