Washed It!

Bioshock 2’s system requirements have been published today, and guess what? Our little friend SecuROM is hidden away, cackling to itself in a way only the most evil beings know how. Alright, there’s no limit on installations this time, but honestly I won’t be happy until SecuROM goes away for good.

By the way, you can pre-order Bioshock 2 on Steam here. It’s 10% off, and comes with a free version of Bioshock (which you can gift to a friend if you already have).

Hit the jump for the (pretty reasonable) System requirements.

Minimum:

* Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better
* Memory: 2GB
* Graphics: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better
* Hard Drive: 11GB
* Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card or onboard sound
* OS: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
* DirectX: DirectX 9.0c

Recommended:

* Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz
* Memory: 3GB
* Graphics: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better

Other Requirements:

* Initial installation requires one-time internet connection.
* Ability to save game, earn achievements, receive title updates and online play requires log-in to Games for Windows LIVE.
* Software installations required including Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Games for Windows LIVE client, Games for Windows LIVE Client Patch, Sony DADC SecuROM, Microsoft DirectX.

2K Games has officially released the minimum and recommended PC system requirements for BioShock 2 via Steam, which unfortunately includes the infamous SecuROM DRM activation process.

The listing has revealed that there is a “5 machine activation limit” on each copy of the game. Here are the full list of system requirements:

Minimum:

• OS: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
• Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better
• Memory: 2GB
• Graphics: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better
• DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
• Hard Drive: 11GB
• Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card or onboard sound

Recommended:

• Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz
• Memory: 3GB
• Graphics: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better

Other Requirements & DRM:

• Initial installation requires one-time internet connection; Ability to save game, earn achievements, receive title updates and online play requires log-in to Games for Windows LIVE; software installations required including Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Games for Windows LIVE client, Games for Windows LIVE Client Patch, Sony DADC SecuROM, Microsoft DirectX.

(Via Steam)

Bioshock 2 DRM: SecuROM, activation limits, and bears

Bioshock 2 will come both as a boxed retail product and a for-pay digital download if that's more to your taste. Looking at the game's page on Steam reveals something disappointing for those of us against invasive DRM: the game will utilize SecuROM and comes with a five-machine activation limit.

2K Games dealt with this decision head-on via its official forum. “BioShock 2 is using a standard Games for Windows Live activation system, much like other games you have played in the past,” a 2K Community Manager writes. “That doesn't mean you always have to be online to play or save the game—you can create an offline profile for the Single Player portion of the game (you just won't earn achievements and you can't play Multiplayer, of course.)” Of course.

“We are using SecuROM only as a disc check method for the retail copy of BioShock 2. That is it's only use.”

Well, there is also that pesky five-machine limit, which many of our readers find intolerable. Will this lead to lower sales? Who knows. It's important to know what you're buying for your money, however. A quick note: Shacknews lists the activation limit at 15 machines, but as of this writing the listing claims five. We've included a shot of the screen so you can see for yourself. It's very possible that could change before launch.

Call Of Duty: World At War is the fifth title in the Call Of Duty franchise and is set to debut in November. The game is being developed by Treyarch but utilizes an updated version of the same proprietary engine used by Infinity Ward for coming up with the hugely successful Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Comparisons

The question on everyone’s mind seems to be, “Will it be better than COD4?” No one can really tell until the game hits the streets but, based on early reviews, it’s potentially on the same level. What seems certain though is that it’s going to be better than the much-maligned and excessively-rushed COD3, also developed by Treyarch.

While COD4 brought the series well into modern times, World At War will bring it back to its World War II roots. Since it will use the same engine as the former title, it should be safe to expect immersive graphics and rich environments. Hopefully, the gameplay will prove just as intense. The updated COD4 engine has been fitted with a new physics system, which should render flying bodies and similar effects more life-like and authentic.

Gameplay

World At War, like the rest of the games in the series, will be a first-person military-based shooter. Like its predecessors, it will have a single player and a multiplayer mode.

World At War’s single player campaign adopts the same narrative format successfully implemented in COD4. Like in the award-winning title, the player gets to jump between different characters and roles with a squad of AI-controlled soldiers supporting him.

New effects have been implemented to mimic real-life situations even closer. During fires, for instance, smoke will affect the gameplay drastically, leaving your team unable to see clearly and short of breath. In order to survive past the smoke, you will need to crouch and crawl your way to safety.

The same carefully-designed weapons in COD2 should appear in the game, hopefully with some brand new additions. A number of lethal fire-based weapons will be available (including flame throwers), along with flammable environments, making way for additional combat possibilities with plenty of explosions. According to recent interviews with the developers, the flame thrower is particularly important during the course of the game. Bullets can now be used to cut holes into thin walls, allowing enough of a gap to climb through and potentially surprise your enemies.

Possibly one of the most interesting additions to the whole game will be the advent of the Japanese Imperial Army. They are, essentially, a new enemy in the game and come fitted with a fresh slew of combat tactics and strategy. While they initially fitted the Japanese soldiers with regular Call Of Duty AI, it made for an awkward enemy, forcing Treyarch to perform in-depth research and development to bring genuine Japanese guerrila-style warfare tactics into the game. Soldiers who lived by the Bushido code, after all, should behave differently than their Western counterparts. Banzai charge and kamikaze attacks, anyone?

Since it’s not yet out, no hacks are currently available for World At War. It’s assumed, though, that much of the same functions will be fitted to its cheats as what were made available in COD4. The Aimbots (both vector and hitbox) were especially useful. Same with the various hacks to display enemy positions (Full 3D Map, Minimap Hack), those that allowed you to snipe opponents from afar or behind walls (Increased View Distance, Autowall) and those that gave you access to weapons beyond your class level. So yes, one can be sure that Call of Duty 5 hacks are due very soon.

Multiplayer

As of this writing, six multiplayer modes (including Team Deathmatch and Capture The Flag) have been announced with the likelihood of many more, considering that COD4 had 13 variants.

The biggest news so far is an exciting new mode, multiplayer coop, which allows up to four players to simultaneously play World At War for one objective. It can be played on a single console via split screen or online. The coop is definitely a fascinating addition, extending the series’ playability over the long haul.

An additional cooperative mode featuring Nazi zombies can be unlocked once the single player campaign is finished. In the special game, up to four players will be set in conflict against undead Nazi soldiers. Players can earn points by facilitating kills and successful hits which can then be used to purchase additional weapons and accessories.

With the possibility of multiple players on cooperative modes, objectives will be more open-ended with numerous ways to complete missions. Multiple, simultaneous tasks are also present on different levels which can end up branching the flow of action to more than the typical linear path. While that is the official word, most fans simply assume it will be a minor change, leaving the game to its linear and sequential roots.

The perks system is retained for the online multiplayer mode, allowing individual characters to be fitted with unique abilities and skillsets.

Story

World At War features two campaigns in story mode. The first one depicts the United States Marine Corps’ battle with the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific while the second one follows the Soviet Red Army’s advance on Berlin. As such, it will be set in the Pacific theater and Eastern fronts of the second World War.

Big Shoes To Fill

With COD4’s critical and commercial success, World At War finds itself with big shoes to fill. The developers are stepping up – going so far as to hire popular actors like Kiefer Sutherland (24 fame) and Gary Oldman to voice the characters. Hopefully, it won’t disappoint the same way Treyarch’s ill-fated COD3 did. By all indications during initial reviews and first-looks, though, World At War doesn’t look like it will.