Everything from airline bosses to racers - the new PC games

By Peter Muench Nov 6, 2011, 2:06 GMT

Berlin - There are a lot of familiar games coming out for the PC in November. But are they exciting upgrades or boring old retreads?

Players will need to decide as they sort through new versions of Need for Speed, Assassin's Creed, Stronghold and Airline Tycoon. What's clear is that players will have a whole host of new roles to try out with the games, whether they want to be the lord of a castle, an investigator, a racer or an assassin.

Airline Tycoon 2 lets players see if they can develop a company from a budget airline into a global operation. From Calypso, the game requires some business skills for putting together the airline, but also technical skills, for planning new kinds of airplanes.

The developers have stayed true to the games' comic book style, although the graphics have gone 3D. Gameplay operates under the same principle as the 1998 original, although the airplane editor has new functions. A demo is already available for testing online. With no age restrictions, the game is available for about 37 euros (52 dollars).

The third edition of Stronghold, from THQ, is less colourful, opting for a more rustic look. This castle creation simulator requires players to build a fort and set up barricades, boiling oil and all kinds of projectiles to protect it from attackers. At the same time, you have to keep your subjects happy.

A new graphics engine is a significant upgrade for Stronghold 3, making characters, buildings and effects that much more detailed.

Thus, the change from day to night and weather patterns don't just look pretty, but play a role in the course of the game. Builders work much more slowly in driving rain. The game combines classic military campaigns with economic goals, a castle editor and the mandatory multi-player mode. The game, designed for players aged 12 and up, is on sale for 46 euros.

NCIS from Ubisoft is based on the TV show of the same name. Players take on the role of the show's characters, developing different skills and investigating cases of espionage, murder and terrorism. Four episodes are set in places like Atlantic City and Dubai. Along with a PC version (30 euros), there are Nintendo DS (40 euros), XBox 360 and Playstation (50 euros each) and Wii (30 euros) versions. It is designed for players aged 12 and up.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations, also from Ubisoft, if the fourth installment of this action-adventure series. Starting on December 1, players can slip into the role of assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze. This time he is on the search for a powerful artifact of the Templar order, which takes him to Constantinople. There he runs across the trail of Altair, the hero of the series' first game.

Ezio shimmies, jumps and fights his way across roofs and through the alleys of the city. In a new development, he now has a grappling hook, which allows him to slide along a rope and to deal with his opponents. Compared to previous versions, the gaming world is supposed to be more colourful and full of details. There are also changes in gameplay. The hero can try his hand at bomb building, for example.

There's also a tower defence mode, in which the player is in a tower and has to defend himself with traps, bombs and swords against invaders. Along with the 49-euro PC version of the game (for players aged 16 and up), there if a 59-euro version for the Playstation 3 and XBox 360.

Need for Speed: The Run, from Electronic Arts, is due for a November 17 release. This new installment of the successful series packs the racing into a detailed background story. Playing Jack, the hero, players participate in an illegal road race from San Francisco to New York. Not only are there competing racers, but also natural catastrophes such as rockslides, not to mention the police. There are even times when the hero has to travel by foot so he can steal a police car.

The main focus is on wild chases and spectacular crashes. The stable of cars includes the Lamborghini Aventador, the Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. A new graphics engine is supposed to deliver impressive light, shadow and motion effects.

The PC version of the game costs 42 euros, while the Playstation 3 and XBox 360 versions will go for 58 euros. The game is designed for players aged 12 and up.