Activision and Pandemic Studios announced today that the highly anticipated 3D real-time strategy game Dark Reign 2 has gone gold. The game has been through an extensive closed beta test, and though you can download a new public test version by clicking on the link to the right, the full version of Dark Reign 2 is indeed complete and will be on store shelves the week of July 3.

　　Dark Reign 2 is the sequel to the original Dark Reign, a real-time strategy game whose rendered sprites and futuristic units bore what many considered to be too close a resemblance to the units in Command & Conquer. Fortunately, the sequel looks nothing like the original: Dark Reign 2 has a fully 3D graphics engine that not only allows for zooming, panning, and rotating the camera around fully-3D units and terrain but also for spectacular special effects.

　　Gamers can now preorder Dark Reign 2 at computer-game outlets across the country. Retailers Babbages and Electronics Boutique are offering a free Dark Reign 2 mouse pad and an exclusive Dark Reign 2 scenario (downloadable from the companies' web sites once the game is released) with each preorder.

　　We will soon have a full review of Dark Reign 2. In the meantime, check out the new in-game movie in our Dark Reign 2 downloads section to the right.