This Strategy First Downloads Page has a new version 1.06 patch for the North American edition of Europa Universalis II. The update offers fixes for: "features and game balance issues, general bugs, multiplayer and stability, scenario and event. Please consult the Readme.txt file for all the details." Thanks Worthplaying, where they have the 16 MB patch mirrored, as well as the patch for the UK version of the game, which can be found, along with the other language versions on this Paradox Entertainment Downloads Page.

Following up on recent reports that a Hitman movie is possibly in the works (story), ScreenDaily (thanks Worthplaying) has another story up about future cinematic possibilities of IO Interactive's assassination series, which includes a tidbit about the next installment in the game series as well: ""IO Interactive is currently developing Hitman, 3 set for a spring 2004 release, but it is too soon to say when the film might be ready and if its release will coincide with the new game."

Funcom Reveals Shadowlands Details is a press release with information on the upcoming expansion pack for Anarchy Online, Funcom's MMORPG. Pointing the way to a website update on the topic, the release offers feature highlights including several new playfields, new monsters, new professions, the floating city of Jobe, new weapons, armor, items, quests, and more.

A new version 2186 of the Unreal Tournament 2003 dedicated server is now available on the Unreal Tournament 2003 Website as well as the version 2186 patch for Linux UT2003. The dedicated server is mirrored on 3D Gamers and FilePlanet (registration required), and as always, a Unreal Tournament 2003 Server CD Key will be required to run a server. Also, the patch to update the retail Linux version of UT2003 to 2186 is mirrored on 3D Gamers and FilePlanet (registration required).

This FTP Directory now offers an updated beta of the Linux version of Serious Sam: The First Encounter. The beta is time-limited to only work for 30 days, and further details on all this can be found on Seriously.

A new IGI 2: Covert Strike trailer has been released, showing off some of the gameplay from the upcoming stealthy shooter sequel. The video can be found on the Codemasters Website. Likewise, a Freelancer trailer is now available, showing off Digital Anvil's upcoming space simulator, the file is mirrored on 3D Gamers, FilePlanet, Fragland.net, and Worthplaying. Also, the Vietcong website (thanks BlueSteel) now features a new "vehicles" movie from the upcoming Vietnam war shooter. Computer and Video Games now offers downloads of an exclusive Highland Warriors movie. Continuing our visit to the gaming multiplex (hope you got a bucket of popcorn) A new One Must Fall: Battlegrounds video is now available (mirrored on 3D Gamers) showing off some of the Warlord's moves in the upcoming fighting game. Finally, RaymanZone.com (thanks Tiscali Games) has the official trailer for Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc.

• Enclave on Worthplaying.
• Enigma : Rising Tide on Worthplaying.
• Face of Mankind on RPG Vault.
• Harbinger on RPG Vault.
• IGI 2: Covert Strike on Loadedinc.
• IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles on Worthplaying.
• Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis on Worthplaying.
• Rhem on Worthplaying.
• Praetorians - Local Shots.
• Soldner - Local Shots.
• SpellForce on the Official Website. Thanks Tiscali Games.
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on Worthplaying.

QuakeNet, the world's largest IRC network, will be hosting the first in an ongoing series developer chats on today at 8:00 PM GMT (3:00 PM EST) chatting about Time of Defiance with Nicely Crafted Entertainment, developers of this upcoming MMORPG. The chat will be held on the QuakeNet IRC network in the channel #timeofdefiance. Attendees will be Toby Simpson, Ben Simpson, and Mark Ashton. More information about the chat can be found on www.quakenet.org. Also, RPG Codex will be hosting a developer chat with Troika discussing Temple of Elemental Evil next Tuesday, February 11, at 8:00 PM EST in #rpgcodex on irc.gamesnet.net.

The Will Rock Preview on GameSpot offers impressions of Saber Interactive's upcoming first-person shooter. They discuss how the game is a traditional shooter in that it eschews story in favor of action, weapons, enemies, level design, multiplayer support, and more. Included is a huge batch of screenshots.

The Bikini Karate Babes Website (thanks Tiscali Games) now offers downloads of a demo version of Bikini Karate Babes, the upcoming decline of Western civilization combat game. Downloading this presumably adult-oriented game will require registering for their forums.

There's a Galactic Civilizations Preview on PC.IGN.Com with a look at Stardock's upcoming remake of their OS/2 4X space game. They describe the game's setting, the turn-based gameplay, the process of getting started, exploration, AI, combat, ethics, and more.

• A new beta 5 of GetRight 5.0 is now available. Thanks File Flash.
• Microsoft: Open source could harm us. Thanks Mike Martinez.

Computer and Video Games is reporting that Midway West, the California arm of the console game development studio, has closed its doors. According to the report: "Midway West made 90 percent of its workforce redundant, our sources disclosed, effectively closing the doors on the developer, which was working on both Crank the Weasel and Gladiator: The Crimson Reign for next-gen systems." The status of those two titles is uncertain at this time. Also, the unsurprising word on GameSpot is that Metroid Prime 2 is in development.

• Arx Fatalis on Gamehelper.
• Battlefield 1942: the Road to Rome on GameSpy.com.
• Enclave Demo on FiringSquad.
• Highland Warriors on Strategy Informer and LoadedInc.
• Hegemonia: Legions of Iron on Strategy Informer.
• Impossible Creatures on gamingNEXT.
• Neocron on Ferrago.co.uk.
• Robin Hood: the Legend of Sherwood on Khabal Gaming.
• Star Trek: Starfleet Command III on The Laser.
• Unreal II: the Awakening on Telefragged.

• Akasa PAX.mate Acoustic Absorption Mat on 8Balls Hardware.
• Asus V9180 Video Card on got apex.
• The Claw Controller on Gamers Pulse.

• The Adrenaline Vault is reporting that Deer Hunter developer Sunstorm Interactive has shut down. A subsequent story on HomeLan Fed has further details on this move, which results in 16 employees being laid off...
• The Blizzard Entertainment Technical Support Site now has the recent version 1.05 patch for Warcraft III for various language editions of the Macintosh version...
• FilmForce has a report up on the possibilities of a movie based on the Hitman games. Thanks Devster...
• The Interplay Website now features a poll asking preferences between entries in the Descent series and the Freespace series, which it could be speculated is an effort to gauge interest in which space series should be continued further. Thanks rake...
• An update to Rick Johnson's .plan has word that Raven is "in the process of switching DNS entries for the SoF2 Master Server. You may experience a disruption for a few days until the DNS changes propagate. Here's a link to an explanation."...

After a stretch where the older version was not updated as work progressed on the update, the Lavasoft Website now carries a new version 6 of Ad Aware (thanks MajorGeeks). The new version of what's become an indispensable internet utility (which finds and eliminates spyware and scumware) could not come at a better time for me, as I have recently been afflicted by a bout of self-spawning pop-ups... I can only hope the 40-some suspicious items it found on my computer included the source of this bother so it can be eliminated. Yeesh.

Links of the Day:	Dream Portal. Thanks Sharon. No, I'm not coming with you.
Stories of the Day:	Online slot machine players join forces to save a life. Thanks WarPig[doh]. Feds pull suspicious .gov site.
Wild Science:	NASA Nukes to Power Spacecraft. The 38-Ton Think Tank.
Weird Science:	Cell Phones Dial 'S' for Shock. Utah bowled over by meteor plan
Media of the Day:	The Animatrix. Thanks Mike Brennan.

Thanks Mike Martinez!