July 2003 Check out this exclusive conversation with Strategy First Senior Producer George Chastain on the ins and outs of the upcoming real-time tactical game, Nexagon: Deathmatch. For more hot coverage check out the Nexagon web site: www.nexagondeathmatch.com or download the newly released trailer. 1) How did the idea for Nexagon Deathmatch first come about? The dev team loved playing games like Xcom and Soldier’s at War. They loved the tactical squad based elements of these games and wanted to do something similar but they wanted to somehow intensify the action. Out of this vision came Nexagon. 2) What is your personal favorite part or feature of the game? The pause button is my favorite feature. I like tactics. I like to think things through, and this option gives that ability. Of course, even the pause button has a time limit, so even the most turtle like thinkers are forced into action. 3) What kind of people do you feel Nexagon appeals to the most? Smart people – no, I really mean that. This is a thinking person’s game. 4) What are some of the stand-out features of the game? The sound is really good, but the most stand out element is the uniqueness of the game. Nothing out there is like it, and it takes awhile to realize that you just can’t play this game like you would any other RTS game. It is a TACTICAL game. But there is also a lot of action. I can’t wait to get good enough to play multiplay. 5) Do you have any tips or tricks for people who are going to be diving into the game soon? USE THE PAUSE BUTTON and do NOT BAND SELECT. Also, don’t expect each race to play the same. You have to play them differently in order to succeed. Special Bonus on Pre-Orders! Nexagon has been in development, in-house, for the past two years. On May 14, the game went gold. It is slated to hit retail stores this July. If you pre-order the game at Gamestop, you will receive an exclusive bonus that includes the exclusive ‘Free Agent’ feature that allows you to add a unit to your squad from any army type.