While the month of July saw very few PC releases we here at 2404 were able to publish just as many reviews and articles if not more than usual. It was suggested that we do a recap of the month in case you missed anything, so here it goes:

Reviews
First on the review table was Battlefield 2 which we had featured the majority of the month. The reason it was featured for so long was that there weren’t many other major releases. “If you have a clan or a group of friends that want to go fighting together, it is a great way to spend a couple of hours. If you freelance it on your own, you may find it frustrating at times, but still a fun diversion.” [2404]jf3t gave the game an overall score of 8.7/10:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=115

Then it was a Cold Fear review that I did. I thought the game could have been great but a few things really held it back. “I would have loved to give this game an overall score of a high eight (and it could have been) but I have no choice but to dock it because of the things that really hold it back.” I gave the game a 7/10:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=116

The Bard’s Tale is next in our review roundup. Hengst wrote a very detailed review that will hopefully give RPG fans something to chew on. “…for the price and the laughs the game is definitely recommended.” An overall score of 8.3/10 was given to the game:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=117

New staff member Pajari decided to review Empire Earth II. He was frustrated with the RTS sequel by Mad Doc. “A few years ago, Empire Earth II might have made the cut for fresh and innovative gameplay. Sadly, today it's simply a retread--and a poorly executed, tedious one at that.” With an overall score of 4.9/10 you can read the entire review below:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=118

Hengst was also able to complete a Fantastic Four review which he found somewhat enjoyable but found it impossible to play without a gamepad. “What I was faced with, was easily one the most fun arcade-type experiences I have ever had on the PC.” An overall score of 7.8/10 was given to the game:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=119

Last up is an Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern review that was just posted on the 30^th. I thought the game would satisfy adventure fans and younger gamers for the price. However, the game was a bit short and more things could have been added to make it better. “I enjoyed the game for the most part and I consider myself to be a fan of the adventure genre.” I gave the game an overall score of 8.5/10 and you can find that review at:
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=120

Articles
“It’s rated M for a reason” was my take on the San Andreas controversy before the game’s rating was pulled by the ESRB. I basically thought it was dumb that the difference in the age requirements to buy an M game and an AO game is only one year (17 for M and 18 for AO). I also think it is dumb that large political figures and the news media were latching onto the bandwagon to punish Rockstar. Since the rating pull it is likely that I will do a follow up article in August.
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=articles&rop=showcontent&id=9

Twonha wrote “Doomed: Has id lost its crown?” on id Software’s struggle to stay at the top of the FPS game genre. “Will id Software take the feedback on DOOM 3 to heart? Will Quake IV and Quake Wars turn out quality titles, even in a crowded genre? I can't tell you just yet.”
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=articles&rop=showcontent&id=8

“The Obituary: Volume One” takes a look at Troika Game’s demise. Troika was one of Hengst’s favorite game developers and he is disappointed with an unquestionable trend of dying game developers. “I bought every game that these folks made and have completed them as well. I only wish that they had been able to stay in business. Troika games, you will be missed.”
http://www.2404.org/modules.php?name=articles&rop=showcontent&id=7

Next month you can look forward to an interview with Left Behind Games CEO Troy Lyndon, a Dungeon Lords Review, Ragnarok Online articles, and an Advent Rising review (if it is ever released) just to name a few. You can also look forward to a new and more powerful 2404 because we are working on re-working the entire thing. New features will include game info pages, a large gallery of game screenshots, hopefully a more detailed user profile area in the forums, and a better overall layout. I cannot give a solid date that all of the changes will be completed but we are shooting for late summer – early fall.

All of the 2404 staff members volunteer their time to give back to the PC gaming community. We would like to continue this venture as an independent company and hope to one day compete with the giants in the gaming press. We will not take bribes from publishers to inflate review scores, we will continue to try and keep the advertisements at a minimum, and we will always listen to the community. In our efforts we hope that you will enjoy your stay here and help to spread word of our site. The more people we have collaborating at 2404 the better the chance we have to really bring some competition to the market. Please stop by the forums to give us your opinions of the site to let us know how we are doing and how we can improve. We are here to serve you.