Act of War: Direct Action storms factory

Atari today announced that Act of War: Direct Action has gone gold and is on schedule to make its March 15 release date. The PC game is the first from French game studio Eugen Systems.

Set in the near future, Act of War is a harrowing tale of a highly organized terrorist attack across the globe. Penned by New York Times best-selling author Dale Brown and featuring more than an hour of live-action footage, the game stresses realism in a chilling reality-based scenario.

As a US intelligence officer, gamers will battle an evil separatist group known only as the "Consortium." This group is a collective of corporations intent on monopolizing the world's energy supply, and it hires mercenaries to execute terrorist attacks on the US to create diversions. The protagonist sees through the deception and leads an elite group around the globe, tracking down those responsible for the heinous acts.

The campaign mode follows Brown's story (and soon-to-be novel) and heroes, Task Force Talon. In the quick-action skirmish mode and the multiplayer mode, gamers can play as Task Force Talon, the US military, or the Consortium. By gathering resources and building edifices, armies can be built and dispensed to annihilate the enemy.

Act of War: Direct Action is rated T for Teen and will retail for $49.99. As a preorder bonus, select retailers are offering a skirmish map of Washington, D.C. For more information on the game, head over to GameSpot's previous coverage, which includes a Q&A with author Dale Brown. Those who can't wait until March 15 can download the demo at GameSpot DLX.