As was promised, independent developer S2 Games has officially launched its multiplayer-focused FPS-RTS hybrid Savage 2: A Tortured Soul (PC).

Both the full $29.99 game and a demo version are available for download from the game's official site, which currently lists the Beast faction as winning 59% of all battles against human clans.

"By circumventing traditional publishing methods and avoiding the profit sucking retail stores we're able to pass these savings directly to you," said S2 of the game's price point. "Spread the word, help the development community by supporting companies that want to make unique and innovative games."

To learn more about Savage 2, check out Nick Breckon's hands-on impressions from the beta as well as the trailer below.

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S2 Games' FPS-RTS hybrid Savage 2: A Tortured Soul (PC) will be released on Wednesday, January 16, the developer announced on the game's official site.

The company promises that the game will be available for both purchase and download on that day, with a demo planned for release on that date as well.

For more on Savage 2 and its interplay of RTS and deathmatch mutltiplayer modes, scope out Nick Breckon's hands-on preview.

There's a Savage 2: A Tortured Soul preview, offering two pages of hands-on impressions. New media is available as well.

FiringSquad has a Savage 2 Q&A up this afternoon, asking S2's Marc DeForest how development on this RTS/FPS hybrid game sequel is going. Here's a bit "The game is coming together quite nicely. The human versus human (including the Hellbourne) portion of the game is completely finished. That is good news because it means all of the game mechanics are completed as well. All the beast assets are in the game and being hooked up".

RPG Vault has another Savage 2: A Tortured Soul peek, this time offering info on the game's replay systems and voice chat.

Savage 2: A Tortured Soul Peek #5 on RPG Vault offers information on the game's Automated Clan System, with four interface screenshots included. Update: Peek #6 is now up as well, taking a look at the Kharma system.

New at RPG Vault today is this Savage 2 Q&A. Lead Designer and S2 Games co-founder Marc DeForest is asked about what we can expect from the RTS/FPS hybrid game sequel. New screenshots are included with the article.

A new Savage 2: A Tortured Soul movie can be found at FileShack, offering more than four minutes of pre-beta gameplay footage from the FPS/RTS game sequel.

Kotaku has a GDC based Savage 2: A Tortured Soul preview, offering impressions of the limited developer build on display at the event.

IGN has a Savage 2: A Tortured Soul preview up, offering impressions of the developer build S2 Games was showing at GDC.

New at FiringSquad today are these brief Savage 2 impressions, as S2 Games is showing a pre-beta build of the RTS/FPS hybrid game sequel at GDC ("The GDC presentation was using a dev level and we really didn't get to see true gameplay")

The S2 Games forums has a post announcing the winner of the Savage 2 map contest. "Trozz" won for his concept submission "Dark Wood", which will be converted into an actual map for the game.

New at Strategy Informer is this Savage 2 Q&A, asking Marc DeForest about the RTS / FPS hybrid game sequel that's due out later this year. A brief preview of the game can be found at 1UP.

The Savage 2: A Tortured Soul website has been updated, offering information on a mapping contest for the game. Seeing how the game isn't out yet, people are asked to submit concepts. This page has specific instructions. If your map is picked to be included, you will win a Nintendo Wii. Thanks FiringSquad.

S2 Games sends along a new Savage 2: A Tortured Soul movie, offering more than three minutes of gameplay footage. According to S2, the clip "is loaded from beginning to end with never-before-seen action, including clips featuring the awesome, massive Behemoth from the Beast Horde, the destructive power of the Steambuchet, the melee battle interface, as well as perspectives from both the Commander and Soldier gameplay viewpoint". Savage 2 will be released later this year.

According to this story on FiringSquad, we won't be seeing Savage 2: A Tortured Soul this year. Instead, S2 Games is now hoping to get the RTS/FPS hybrid game sequel ready for a March 2007 release.

Over at FileShack you can now find a new Savage 2: A Tortured Soul movie, showing the Beast buildings found in the game.

S2 Games has released six new Savage 2: A Tortured Soul screenshots, though they are all pretty similar.

According to this forum post on the S2 Games forums, the start of beta testing of Savage 2: A Tortured Soul has been delayed. This because they don't quite yet have a build that they're happy with. A progress update will be given in about two weeks, but the company doesn't expect the delay to be too long.

RPG Vault has a new Savage 2 Q&A, asking lead designer Marc DeForest about the action/strategy hybrid game sequel. Topics include online distribution, game modes, the game world, playable sides, combat, and sound & music.