The revival of adventure games on the DS is great news for gamers, but it can make things tough for developers like Austrian outfit Sproing, whose Undercover: Dual Motives will be competing with prestigious genre stablemates such as Ace Attorney, Hotel Dusk, and Professor Layton and the Curious Village. With the likes of Gyakuten Kenji, Jake Hunter, and more Layton on the horizon, the competition isn't about to get any easier.

In other words, we DS-owning adventure fans are a spoilt bunch, which means it takes something special to impress us. And, as hard as it tries, Undercover: Dual Motives isn't it.

After a lengthy silence stretching back to last July, Sproing's Undercover: Dual Motives has finally reemerged with a dozen or so new screenshots.

If you had forgotten about this Eidos-published adventure -- and we can't blame you if you did -- then we should probably remind you that it's an adventure title set in England in 1943, and stars a pair of busybodies (researcher-turned-spy Dr. John Russell and his secretary Audrey) as they investigate a German nuclear threat. And yes, you read that right: it's a World War II game that doesn't involve one-man-army types mowing down screeching Nazis. That fact alone is enough to keep us interested.

There's also a twist on the usual adventure game formula, as players have to switch between the doctor and Audrey to solve puzzles (each character gets their own screen), some of which require both characters to lend a hand (a bit like Resident Evil 0, we daresay).

It's been available in German-speaking regions since last year, and we're still waiting on news of an English-language localization, but the fact that Eidos is suddenly distributing new screens gives us hope -- even if some are still in German.

Update: After chatting to the good folks at Eidos, we've learned that this will be getting a 2008 release. The "end of April/beginning of May" seems most likely, but that's not official just yet.

Gallery: Undercover: Dual Motives

[Via press release]

Aside from its support for online multiplayer matches, one of the features that really make Panzer Tactics stand out to us when comparing it to other turn-based strategy titles (e.g. Advance Wars) is its employment of Commandos and Officers. Commandos essentially act as stealth operatives, sneaking into enemy territory and acting as an unseen nuisance to your opponent, whereas Officers improve the attributes of the troop they're assigned to and increase morale for surrounding allies.

The above three-and-a-half minute video, Panzer Tactics' third episode in its "Producer in a Box" video series, further explains the capabilities of these Commando and Officer units. Move your army to the hex cell after the post break to watch the two previous "Producer in a Box" movies. You can also study the fifteen new screenshots we've added to our Panzer Tactics image gallery.

We'd forgotten all about Undercover: Dual Motives, the prequel to PC game Undercover: Operation Wintersun, because we haven't seen anything on it in so long. But how could we forget these gorgeous visuals? Sure, they'll probably be as static and stationary as the mounted moose head on Uncle Jim Bob's wall, but that doesn't make the game any less attractive. DS-X2 has a passel of new (and old) screens for your perusal if you need to re-whet the old appetite. And why would you need to? Because it seems the game, which was originally slated for March, will hit shelves next month.

And you know we're all about adventure games. There's just something about all that pointing and clicking that makes us happy down to the very tips of our toes.

UK site Pocket Gamer recently sat down for a pair of interviews with Sproing's Johanna Schober to discuss the upcoming DS strategy game Panzer Tactics, and the first subject on the table was Advance Wars. With Panzer Tactics, it seems Sproing set out to make a more "grown up" version of the beloved DS strategy title -- one with more depth and challenge, as well as a real historical setting, so that strategy fans would have something with a little more meat to balance against the fun of Advance Wars.

They also spent a little time discussing the online aspect of Panzer Tactics, which is easily one of the most exciting aspects of the forthcoming title. According to Schober, "The game allows you to narrow your search to certain map sizes or the amount of currency available. And before the game starts, you'll always see who you're playing with, so you can decide whether you want to enter that game or not." Further, there is a system in place to track those folks who so conveniently "disconnect" when they're not having the best game ever. That's sure to be a breath of fresh air in online DS gaming!

With Panzer Tactics set to roll onto the DS this winter Nintendo site Cubed3 decided they needed the early details on the down and dirty. They sat down with CDV's Mario Kroll to get all the details on the historical strategy title, and Kroll had nothing but praise for Nintendo's handheld.

Most of the interview is given over to the push for historical accuracy. They originally wanted to include more than 350 units, but considering that some of the finer details are impossible to discern on the DS screen, and with system limitations, they cut the initial number down to about 150 unique units for the final game. They also discussed in depth how the development team worked to offer multiple solutions for dealing with those who cut and run rather than just taking a loss, and how the online component will function. For strategy fans, this is shaping up to be a must-have title.

Austrian developer Sproing's PC game, Undercover: Operation Wintersun, has just been released in Europe and now the company's announced a prequel for the Nintendo handheld. The new title, Undercover: Dual Motives, adds a second character in keeping with the "dual" theme. Secretary Audrey joins researcher-turned-spy Dr. John Russell in the investigative action title. The current game follows Dr. Russell as he investigates a German nuclear threat in 1943, and all we currently know is that the DS game will follow the good doctor in his early years.

Like many upcoming DS games that feature dual heroes, you can switch back and forth easily between Audrey and Dr. Russell, and each will bring something unique to the mystery. "This opens up a lot of new possibilities for puzzle design in adventure games, which will make Undercover: Dual Motives a very special gaming experience not only for genre fans," said Sproing's creative director Harald Riegler. Sounds like they're trying to blend the best features of the interactive touchscreen with the fun of an action game. Toss in an interesting story and you've got a recipe for something that could be great. Undercover: Dual Motives is scheduled for release in March of 2007, starting in Germany.

Because it's not a war unless zee Germans are involved, CDV's WWII strategy game Panzer Tactics needs to get some love around here. With the success of Advance Wars on the DS, this is sure to find a niche, particularly because of the multiplayer features.

Tank battle! Four new screens up at GameSpot to add to their already sizeable collection.