Big Download reports TopWare have secured extremely limited quantities of the Royal Edition, which will be sold exclusively through GameStop.

The Royal Edition goes for $79.99 and features a massive swag-bag: an art book, statuette, playing cards, a mouse pad, a poster-sized map, and a DVD with music and trailers.

Five DLC items and a trial of upcoming game Battle vs Chess are also included in less physically manifest form. Both PC and Mac versions are packaged in.

The Two Worlds II core edition was released via digital distribution in the US on February 28. It’s not clear what caused the delay to the Royal Edition, although it my be related to a “wrecked” shipment bound for the UK which scuttled local launch plans. Console versions also suffered distribution issues.

No complaining though – some of us might never see it.

A list of alleged dodgy practices include buying up European site advertising in return for guaranteed favourable reviews; IP masking to allow for artificially inflated page views on Two Worlds II coverage; pressuring sites to remove unfavourable reviews based on preview copy while favourable ones remained up; and accusing a negative reviewer of pirating a copy of the game.

Destructoid cited anonymous sources and leaked email, as well as non-specific comments from an ex-TopWare staffer.

“There is absolutely no correlation between review scores and ad buys,” TopWare managing director James Seaman said in response.

“We do not even have the budget for ad buys that people would even take that seriously. On top of that Topware does not handle PR in Europe. Zuxxez Entertainment, our parent company, does.

“Topware does not engage in any manipulation of media sites or customer sites, but we are happy that people like our game.”

Answering specific allegations, Seaman said the company had requested reviews based on German-language versions of the game be held until international release, and that accusations of pirated copy resulted from a miscommunication.

It’s not as boring as it sounds, really; Two Worlds II is a complex game and whacking a scary UI on it would be insta-death. The latest developer diary from TopWare takes us through the surprisingly friendly menu system and then blows some stuff up with magic. Can’t argue with that.

The diary is hosted by creative director Scott Cromie, who lovingly outlines a radial menu and the three-part magic system, which premits players to mix-and-match spell type, delivery method, and the “really interesting” modifiers. Cor.

That Video Game Blog had the trailer, embedded below for your convenience.

The North American ratings body ESRB has completed their assessment of Two Worlds II, describing the RPG as including NPCs who protest their dismemberment, indirect references to prostitution, and a pair of “seductively” exposed buttocks.

The full blurb is below.

This is a fantasy role-playing game in which players assume the role of a warrior who must complete quests throughout the land of Antaloor. Players use swords, maces, arrows, and magical spells to defeat human soldiers and fantasy creatures (e.g., orcs, demons, mummies). Injured enemies grunt or scream in pain and emit large splashes of blood that stain the ground; some attacks result in bone-crunching sound effects.

One quest allows players to access journal entries that reference explicit sexual fantasies of submission and bondage. In one cutscene, a female character’s buttocks are exposed as she seductively approaches a male character. Language such as “f**k” and “sh*t” can be heard in the dialogue.

Thanks, D’toid!

Two Worlds II has been delayed again, this time into January 2011.

According to Joystiq, Southpeak plans used the extra time to do some “heavyweight quality assurance” so the game’s “absolutely flawless” at launch.

Reality Pump and Southpeak originally had the game slated for September, before moving it into October but now, you’ll just have to wait until next year, intrepid adventurers.

A new release date is expected to be announced for Australia, New Zealand and the UK “in the near future”.

Two Worlds II was slated to launch the same day as Halo: Reach in the US. It wasn’t.

Apparently, it has been delayed until October 5.

The new date was provided to Joystiq by a Southpeak representative, who unfortunately failed to provide a European release date to the site.

After checking the usual online retailers, we found Play UK has it listed for October 29.

We’ll mail Southpeak to find out whether this is accurate or not.

Reality Pump’s second Two Worlds RPG’s looking pretty sassy in its first trailer, as you can see below.

The whole modern-oldern thing’s properly going on in the follow-up, as you can see by the juxtaposition between white t-shirts and metal armour tit shots. Deep.

It’s all set in Antaloor, and looks to include many, many hours of script and hitting things. Such is the need of the RPG fan.

Check it. It’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 on September 14. Thanks, Evil Avatar.

Topware and Reality Pump announced today that Two Worlds II will be released this winter for Mac, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

The game takes place two years after the events of the first entry in the series, and puts you once again in the land of Antaloor.

Apparently, the developers have used a new engine which helped improve AI, balancing, and combat.

Full press release through the break, with screens over on Eurogamer Germany.

Karlsruhe, 3rd July 2009 – in the coming winter, the role-playing world of Antaloor will once again open its portals to PC, Mac and Next-Gen consoles. Following the fantastic worldwide sales success of the game’s famous predecessor, TopWare Interactive will once again open a radically new chapter in the fantasy world of Reality Pump.

“Two Worlds II” presents a totally new gamer experience, one in which 2 years of intensive development has enabled quantum leaps in all spheres: completely overhauled AI and balancing standards, experienced authors, the active combat system and the brand-new engine all combine to provide an unforgettable experience where excitement, sheer enjoyment and graphics rule. “Two Worlds II” simply sets new technical benchmarks in the RPG genre, thanks not least to its seemingly unlimited number of dynamic light sources, micro-detail Parallax Mapping, 24 Bit HDR Post Processing, Space Ambient Occlusion and Human Eye Accommodation.

The story of “Two Worlds II” is staged a couple of years after Part 1 – and it will lead you into hitherto unexplored parts of Eastern Antaloor where you’ll find many brand-new locations packed full of atmosphere – from dusty deserts to awe-inspiring temples.

Alexandra Constandache, the Executive Producer of TWII commented, “We intentionally opted for a completely independent game with radical new technology. This was the only way to ensure that we harness the enormous potential and experience gained from the making of the first “Two Worlds” project – and make full use of the further technical development of internal Reality Pump tools that has been on-going since the first “Two Worlds” was developed. This new release window gives us enough time to systematically implement both our own requirements and the feedback of the “Two World” fans, enabling us to create a breathtaking RPG experience.”

AND – we’ll shortly be bringing out the next version of your hotly-awaited ““Two Worlds” magazine, the “Antaloor Post” – and in it we’ll tell you all about the latest developments direct from the developers at Reality Pump! If you want to be on the inside track when it comes to having inside info about Antaloor, go to www.twoworlds2.com and register for the newsletter – you won’t regret it!

“Our entire development team is now putting their all into making Two Worlds: The Temptation a game that is far and away better than the original,” said Miroslaw Dymek, boss of developer Reality Pump. “We’ve taken to heart all the comments made by gamers about Two Worlds and we’re going to give them what they want with the sequel.”

Press release after the link.

“TWO WORLDS: THE TEMPTATION” COMING TO XBOX 360™ and WINDOWS PC

Sequel to SouthPeak Games’ Role-Playing Hit “Two Worlds” Arrives In Stores This Fall

GRAPEVINE, TX – MARCH 20, 2008 – SouthPeak Games today announced that it will be releasing a sequel to its popular open world role-playing game, Two Worlds. Entitled “Two Worlds: The Temptation”, the game is slated to be available on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and Windows PC this fall.

Taking place shortly after the events portrayed in the first Two Worlds, The Temptation takes place in Eastern Antaloor, in the regions surrounding Oswaroh and the Drak’ar Desert. Featuring as much content as the original, Two Worlds: The Temptation will feature more intricate missions, improved voice-overs and animations, retooled horseback riding, completely revamped combat, and a new game engine that delivers visuals that have to be seen to be believed.

“Our entire development team is now putting their all into making Two Worlds: The Temptation a game that is far and away better than the original,” said Miroslaw Dymek, Chief Developer with Reality Pump explained. “We’ve taken to heart all the comments made by gamers about Two Worlds and we’re going to give them what they want with the sequel.”

“I’m sure fans of RPGs will be pleased with the vast amounts of new content and massive improvements to the core gameplay in Two Worlds: The Temptation,” said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. “It’s an ambitious, yet refined title that will surprise a lot of people.”