Paradox Interactive has sent out word that a new DLC pack for War of the Roses. The DLC features renowned British voice actor Brian Blessed who lends his one of a kind voice to make the action even more dramatic.

The add-on is available on Steam for $4.99 and will replace the default announcer with Brian Blessed’s narration for all multiplayer matches. Here’s a sneak peak of it:

In addition to that, the publisher has also made available a demo for the game which you can download on Steam. Players should take note that any items or experience points obtained in the game will not carry over to the main game if they do decide to purchase it.  War of the Roses is team based third person action game set in 15th century England where the houses of Lancaster and York vie for the throne in the famous “War of the Roses”. Gamers can build their characters with their  very own fighting style and select from over 30 play-style changing perks to make each character stand out from the rest.

Paradox Interactive has announced that the 2012 strategy title War of the Roses will be getting a Kingmaker Edition near the end of Q1 this year.

This edition will include “all weapons, armor, and perks” that have been released for the game since it first launched in the market. It will also introduce two new game modes called Assault and Assault Castle, in which the players “will face new attack and defense scenarios that aim to truly test their skill as a team.”

Paradox is also going to release a free trial version of the game on February 6. It will give you access to online battles, where you can go head to head against both, players who’re playing the trial and the players who’ve bought the game and are playing it.

A new “Outside the Law” update is also being released for the game, which will add a forest map to the strategy title.

But more importantly is the inclusion of a new battle mode: Pitched Battle. The rules are a little riskier here, since death is, well, permanent. Each knight has only one life per round and if you fall, you’ll have to wait till the next match. So reviving friends and executing enemies is more crucial than ever.

The mode will start as an open beta and all War of the Roses players are welcome to join. Watch out for the update tomorrow.

It’s hard to describe why- at some level, there is probably something primeval that is satisfied when you charge at enemies in close quarters combat, wielding gigantic swords, and using your shields and armor to deflect their incoming blows. There is probably something ultra satisfying about how the game handles ranged combat, with crossbows and bows being supremely powerful, but incredibly difficult to master.

It’s also perhaps the fact that for all of its esoteric eccentricities, War of the Roses is, ultimately, structured like a modern shooter. You pick a map, you pick a class, complete with its own loadouts and perks, and then you have at it in a frenzy of chaos. Where it differs from modern shooters is, obviously, in its absence of guns, which means crowded close quarters combat is as much a thing now as long ranged camping.

Melee combat in War of the Roses can take a lot of time to get used to. It plays unlike anything else, and feels unnecessarily complicated at first. The left mouse button is used to attack, the right mouse button used to block. Holding down the left mouse button will charge your moves up, and moving your mouse in a certain direction determines the direction of your blow or parry. You therefore have to adjust the angle of your blow (or blocking) in order to ensure maximum effectiveness against the enemy’s armor, and you also have to account for his shield or his parry, and then adjust for that as well so that you are not completely deflected.

If that sounds complicated, that’s because it is. It takes hours and hours before you get used to it (pro tip: don’t play War of the Roses on a laptop, not unless you have a USB two buttoned mouse), but you will find that once you do, it feels natural and intuitive. Like Kid Icarus: Uprising, another game this year with a difficult control scheme, the controls soon begin to feel like the only right way to do things, especially given the context of the game.

Combat isn’t limited to close quarters combat though: long range ‘sniping’ using bows and crossbows. Immensely satisfying, but equally tough to use, ranged weapons are incredibly powerful to use, but they add a new wrinkle of complexity. You need to account for your target’s movement before you shoot, and you can’t hold a nocked arrow (or crossbow that is fully charged) forever, since it will automatically release the shot in a few seconds (just like the real thing; hurray for realism). If you do manage to land a shot, congratulations, it is devastating. It’s just landing a shot in the first place that can be hard.

Even when you do land a blow, or a shot, your quarry isn’t dead. They’re just in an incredibly vulnerable, immobile state, and you need to finish the job by walking up to them and deliver an ‘execution’ in a supremely cool looking animation. In the interim it takes for you to get there, a teammate might have revived them, or you might be the victim of an unfortunate long distance attack yourself, seconds away from your former target, forced to watch, helpless, as he is revived, and then delivers a killing blow to you. Yes, nothing is ever guaranteed in War of the Roses.

The combat itself is visceral, addictive, aided by the fact that it all feels so authentic. The most powerful blade with a mighty swing powering it will only leave a small dent on the breastplate of someone’s heavy armor, but a small dagger can pierce through light armor if well placed. Adjusting your blows for weak points in your enemy’s armor can take time, but it yields great rewards. Long distance players have to account for probable literal chinks in the armor in addition to their target’s movements as they ready their shots- it’s all complicated, but it’s all fun.

And it remains fun, in spite of the generally unfinished quality this game seems to have. The combat is fun; it doesn’t matter if the graphics aren’t impressive, or if the game is plagued by glitches, from minor visual bugs to unfortunate respawns in midair (although these seem to have been fixed); creating your custom classes and characters, several of them, and then tweaking them for combat can be addictive, and you can be at it for hours at end. You might find it the most frustrating game ever created, but War of the Roses is fun and incredibly addictive, and to any PC player with a spine, highly recommended.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

War of the Roses came out on the PC recently and it’s quite a fine game. We recently asked Paradox Interactive some questions about the game and whether it would be released on the PS3 and Xbox or not.

They said that they’re focusing on the PC platform but “anything is possible”. It would be nice to see the game on the consoles, but considering its complex and resource hungry nature, such a thing seems impossible.

However, they released Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West on the PS3 which was well received among fans and critics.

When asked about the PS3 and how it was to develop for consoles, they said that their focus is currently entirely on PC games and digital distribution, and that allows them to be a lot more flexible than the consoles–which is what they prefer the most.

Our full interview will be posted soon so stay tuned to GamingBolt.

These new weapons and equipment include a gothic mace, rondel dagger, halberd, new arming sword, an Italian side sword. horn-spanned crossbow, Hospitaller pollaxe, the Milanese Knights Hospitaller-crafted Heavy Armor, four new visors and a new helmet.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Two new maps – based on the battles of Wakefield and Towton – will introduce new weather mechanics that will adversely affect both allies and enemies. How about an abominable snow-man, Fatshark? How about that?

Paradox is also promising two new battle modes, one being Pitched Battle and another as of yet unknown mode. Betas will begin for the new modes soon, and interested players can check out the forums for more details. As of now, look for the new content pack this November as winter approaches.

The final call has gone out for brave knights to gain early access to War of the Roses, the upcoming medieval squad combat title from Paradox Interactive and Fatshark. Players are being called to arms in a new trailer, released today, which encourages bold knights to choose their weapons wisely, and to come prepared with the skill to wield them. This trailer shall serve as a final reminder to those knights who wish to test their mettle on the fields of battle: bring any weapon you wish, but it will not save you unless you have mastered it.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

About the game:

War of the Roses will pull players into a team-based multiplayer melee combat experience, putting their band of knights right in the thick of chaotic battles against opposing hordes armed with swords, battleaxes, longbows and other iconic medieval classics. Featuring top-notch graphics portraying the fighting from an up-close-and-personal third-person perspective, War of the Roses features both online multiplayer and a deep single-player campaign. Players will get the chance to lead their knight through a progression system, gaining upgrades and unlocking new content on their path from filthy peasant to unstoppable armored killing machine.

War of the Roses 4 is due for the PC. It is published by Paradox Interactive.

Namely, this gave Senior Producer Gordon Van Dyke and Lead Designer Mårten Stormdal a chance to pretend to be kings and jostle all over the land, ruling the locals with an iron fest. Check out the final video above to see how this tales of knights and kings comes to an end.

The action title is also hosting a contest to see who can create the most fear-inspiring look. Blood, amongst other obscenities, is discouraged though but never underestimate the internet’s power to terrify. Check out the contest here.