The upcoming Issue #8: To Protect and Serve will introduce a new challenge for Paragon’s heroes in the form of Safeguard missions, where you must stop gangs of villains from robbing banks, vandalising the city and a variety of other neferious schemes.

Fresh from keeping the vicious Lord Recluse in check at our recent Halloween party, Cryptic Studios Designer EJ Nelson - better known to many as the valiant Ravenstorm - gives us an overview of these exciting new challenges and some tips for completing them in our latest Issue #8 Feature Update.

You can also download a higher resolution version of the trailer above from the Movies page in our Media section.

Thanks to the camera-pointing and video-editing skills of NCsoft’s very own AutobahnParker, we’re pleased to present a summary of the recent Brighton Player Meet in moving picture form. You can view or download it now from the Movies page in our Media section.

If you couldn’t make it along on the day, this is your chance to see some of the best bits from the meet and laugh at me being rubbish at Guitar Hero. If you did make it along, you can reminisce, try to spot yourself on film, and, erm, laugh at me being rubbish at Guitar Hero. Again.

We’re pleased to announce that the Veteran Rewards program, which will be introduced alongside Issue #8: To Protect and Serve, has entered testing on the Training Room. Depending on how long you have been subscribed to City of Heroes and Villains, you’ll gain exciting new options such as wings, trenchcoats and samurai armor, and access to old favourites like free character respecs and Prestige Sprint powers!

For full details, see the announcement on the official message boards.

One of the major new additions coming in Issue #8: To Protect and Serve are Safeguard missions, which will pit the heroes of Paragon City against rampaging villains bent on destruction, chaos and larceny. You can find out more about this exciting new challenge and get your first look at some exclusive new screenshots and a video of Safeguard missions in action over at Eurogamer right now!

Click here to read the full article - follow the links there to access the exclusive screenshots and video.

This Friday evening will see a very special set from our very own Amboss on Evolution Radio. Amboss will spend two hours spinning tunes from his personal collection, chatting on the Evolution Radio Global Chat channel and answering your questions about him, his job, and of course, City of Heroes and Villains.

You can find out more on the Evolution Radio Forums, or just tune in on Friday 10 November at 8pm GMT.

The splendid chaps over at Eurogamer have decided to celebrate the recent release of the Good vs. Evil Combined Edition of City of Heroes and City of Villains by flinging 10 copies of the game at those who can display a keen awareness of the fine line between nasty and nice.

To enter the competition and be in with a chance to win a copy for yourself, just use the power of the internet to visit Eurogamer’s competition page…

On Halloween, City of Villains celebrated the first anniversary of its release. In recognition of the stalwart efforts of Paragon’s protectors in fighting the menace posed by Arachnos and the Rogue Isles, all heroes that log into the game from today until the end of November will be awarded the Pursuer badge for their continuing efforts to bring these criminals to justice.

Remember that this badge is awarded on a per-character basis - if you have more than one heroic alter-ego, you’ll need to log in with each of them before the end of November to receive their badges.