NORMANDY INVASION STORMS THE PC: MONTE CRISTO GAMES ANNOUNCES D-DAY

Real-time tactical game chosen as official game for 60th anniversary commemorations of the Normandy landings

PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 23, 2004) — Nearly 60 years after the Normandy Invasion, Monte Cristo Games announced today D-Day, a 3D real-time tactical game for the PC that places players into the role of World War II Allied forces in the final drive to liberate Europe. D-Day has been approved by the “Normandie Mémoire” committee as the official game for the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Normandy landings that takes place on June 6th, 2004.

“This licence gives us a first hand insight into these decisive WW2 battles”, says Jérôme Gastaldi, managing director of Monte Cristo Games. “Normandie Mémoire has identified the key battles of the Normandy campaign thus influencing the editorial choices of the game. They’ve also communicated valuable background information about this campaign: vehicles and soldiers are designed using real-life units’ characteristics, extensive descriptions of each vehicle’s history are included in the game... Normandie Mémoire has also helped us in establishing contacts with veterans, whose testimonies will plunge players back into this turning-point of history.”

Offering a wealth of single-player and multiplayer modes, D-Day challenge players to prepare troops for battle, create combat strategies, and execute one of the largest military invasions in wartime history. Players must successfully plan and execute the turning points in the liberation of Europe: the first hours of the beach landing at Omaha Beach, the paratrooper attack on Sainte Mère Eglise, the taking of the Cherbourg harbor, operation Cobra, the battle of the Falaise pocket, and the liberation of Normandy in August 1944. During the campaigns, players can call in the help of resistant forces to recon the landing areas, take advantage of the Allies' air power (bomber, glider, paratroopers), and stop the German forces' counter attacks. D-Day features over 60 historically accurate units, including rifleman, paratroopers, artillery, tanks, transports, and air support.

The title marks another step in Monte Cristo’s successful collaboration with developer Digital Reality, creators of Desert Rats vs. Afrika Korps, whose cutting edge 3D technology provides the game with advanced damage and destruction models, a realistic physics animation system, real-time shadows, stunning realistic landscapes and much more. Like its predecessor, D-Day combines real-time strategy and turn-based gameplay elements. For instance, to best establish your strategy, you can pause the game at any time and plan your operations, give out your orders, un-pause the game and see your orders carried out.

The multiplayer mode uses GameSpy's online Matchmaking network, allowing up to 8 players to play simultaneously on 12 different maps using 3 different modes. An editor allows players to create their own multiplayer maps.

About Monte Cristo Games

Monte Cristo, founded eight years ago, has become a respected player in the sector of management and strategy games. Desert Rats, Emergency Fire Response, Platoon, The Partners, Airline Tycoon, Wall Street Trader, Start-Up, Economic War and Casino Tycoon have contributed to Monte Cristo's expertise. Monte Cristo is now focusing its production and design resources towards life simulation, builders and tactical management with the intention of reaching a larger international audience.

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