The Best of Big Download: March 15 - 21

As you might've expected, we had a few surprises come our way just before PAX East touches down (for its first year!) in Boston next weekend. Let's hope you already snagged tickets, 'cause the event is now officially sold out -- you wouldn't wanna miss the first ever live Joystiq Podcast, now would you? And not too far after (less than 90 days) we'll be heading westward for E3 -- can you believe it? But hey, for now, you've got time. Why not review the last week on Big Download with us:

Exclusive Features

• Reviews: We give our final verdict for two RTS games: Command and Conquer 4 and Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II Chaos Rising.
• Boot Disk: Our retro games feature this week concerns the WWII flight simulator IL-2 Sturmovik.
• All You Need To Know: We give you the 411 on the upcoming action-driving game Split/Second.
• Freeware Friday: Our look at free PC games checks out the flash game Redder.

Downloads

• The Settlers 7 demo: Check out the sample of the upcoming strategy-sim game from Blue Byte.
• Risen 1.1 patch: Now you can update this recent fantasy RPG from Piranha Bytes.
• Need for Speed World Announcement Trailer: It's the first trailer for EA's upcoming MMO driving game.
• The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Teaser Trailer: This teaser is for the upcoming fantasy-RPG game from Snowblind Studios.

News

• Stardock to launch Impulse: Reactor for game developers
• Metal Savior announced
• Lichdom announced: Will use CryEngine 3
  
• Pitchblack Games revealed; will use HeroEngine
  
• Tactical Intervention update: Mayn Interactive to publish game
  
• New League of Legends champion, Shen, revealed
• Turtle Rock Studios resurfaces
• No PC demo plans for Splinter Cell Conviction
  
• Stardock CEO to "take kind of a sabbatical" to become a mod maker
• Genesis A.D. revealed as title for next ijji.com first person shooter
• Lord of the Rings: War in the North announced
  
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories delayed for the PC until April 13
• Team Fortress 2 now allows contributions from third parties
  
• Splinter Cell Conviction's PC release gets a two week delay until April 27
  
• Left For Dead 2 The Passing news - Major Spoiler Alert!