Aspyr announces that ParaWorld is shipping, and SEK's alternate-prehistoric RTS game is due in North American stores this week. A demo of the game is available (story), and here's word:

Austin, TX, September 27, 2006 – Aspyr Media, Inc., today announced that the North American version of the highly anticipated RTS game ParaWorld has shipped and is hitting store shelves this week. Set in a parallel, prehistoric world, ParaWorld is an RTS game that features a rich single-player campaign with a compelling storyline, as well as well-balanced, deep multiplayer gameplay.

ParaWorld isn’t just another RTS game. It takes the real-time strategy genre and evolves it with its groundbreaking unit management systems – the Army Controller and Army Builder. But even better than the game’s awe-inspiring graphics and intuitive controls are the title's three unique warring factions and their ferocious arsenal of massive, weapon-wielding dinosaurs and other armed prehistoric beasts. Players go into battle armed with devastating weapons as they command powerful fighting dinosaurs and control up to 50 units through 16 dangerous prehistoric scenarios located in five climatic zones.

Some of the game’s unique features that shouldn’t be missed are:

    • Revolutionary Controls – The Army Controller is a non-obtrusive onscreen interface that allows players to view all of their units at a glance and have general awareness of each unit’s health, danger, activity and level-up capabilities. Using the Army Controller, players can select several units consecutively in just seconds, even if they are spread across the map, by simply marking the unit icons in the Army Controller.

    • Factions and Heroes - Gamers get to know and play three different tribes -- the Norsemen, Dustriders and Dragon Clan. Each tribe is based on a different ancient culture and each sports its own unique play style, units, architecture, skills, and controllable beasts. Players are able to combine one of nine heroes, each with the ability to add new units or buildings or bonus effects into the gameplay to allow for a variety of gameplay options.

    • Army Builder - In multiplayer mode, players can adapt the game to their preferences through the Army Builder, which lets them purchase units and resources ahead of a game to create a deck. Depending on a players preferred strategy (short matches or long epic battles) or expectations of their opponents, the player can build and save (and even exchange) these decks.

Visit www.aspyr.com/product/info/17 for more information.