On Shelves This Week: February 4 to February 10, 2008
It’s going to be a pretty interesting gaming week this time around, with big titles cropping up. From Devil May Cry 4 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) to Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles for the Nintendo DS (finally!), as well as titles of specific interests such as Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore and My Horse and Me, gamers of all kinds will certainly be in for a treat. Check out the full article for the complete list of games to be released this week.
It’s going to be a nice week for gaming, with a gamut of highly-anticipated games coming up. Aside from Capcom‘s much-awaited Devil May Cry 4 and Propaganda Games’ Turok, the mysterious Assassin’s Creed for the DS also comes out, shedding light on what kind of game it is. Stardock and Ironclad Games‘ Sins of a Solar Empire finally comes out of its beta phase and will launch into gamer space this week. But do not tarry, and better check out the newest addition to gaming library:
Devil May Cry 4. The latest addition to one of Capcom’s most popular franchise will finally launch in a few days’ time. However, instead of the sword-and-gun toting Dante, young Devil Bringer wielder Nero will take the spotlight this time around. Nero’s right arm, the Devil Bringer, certainly gives a new dynamic in the game, allowing him to grab enemies from afar and smash them into the ground, among others.
Sins of a Solar Empire. Stardock and Ironclad Games’ RTS and 4X hybrid will let arm-chair strategists get a chance to conquer space by colonizing numerous planets, building up resources, and expanding territories. The game will let players take the role of either the TEC faction or the uber-powered Vasari alien race, offering varied strategies in taking over opposing forces.
- PC – February 5
- US$ 39.99 (regular version), US$ 49.99 (collector’s edition)
- ESRB Rating Teen
- Stardock and Ironclad Games
Turok. The latest entry to the long-running series of Jurassic Park-themed FPS has the protagonist, Joesph Turok, plow through an abandoned planet rife with…yes, you guessed it, dinosaurs. While the game isn’t set on Earth, the latest Turok installment will still feature the lushly-rendered flora and vicious reptiles that the franchise is famous for.
Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles. The Nintendo DS version of Altair’s adventures certainly had many a gamer guessing about its nature, since Ubisoft took special care in not revealing details about the DS title long after it was announced until recently. As it turns out, the handheld Assassin’s Creed title will not involve adorable killing raccoons, but is a rather linear side-scrolling action game. It does look good, however, so it’s worth checking out.
- Nintendo DS – February 6
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB Teen
- Ubisoft and Gameloft
Culdcept SAGA. Namco Bandai‘s virtual board and collectible card game will have players roll dice to defeat enemies instead of bring them down using traditional magic and sword fights. The story this time around concerns a young boy, a Cepter gifted with the ability to wield magical cards, fighting for his lands freedom. A mixture of a young protagonist, cards, and monsters, this title will sure to appeal to fans of popular trading card games.
- Xbox 360 – February 6
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Namco Bandai and OmiyaSoft
Downstream Panic! Aquatic creature lovers will no doubt like the quirky cuteness of Atari‘s fishy puzzle game. Taking the role of a sea creature preservationist, it’s the gamer’s dedicated task to save fishes and guide them back to their watery home. The cutesy graphics are reminiscent of other colorful puzzle games, such as LocoRoco and Katamari.
- PSP – February 6
- US$ 29.95
- ESRB Everyone 10+
- Atari and Eko Software
Spiderwick Chronicles. The video game adaptation of the popular children’s book series will have gamers step into the shoes of Jared Grace, a young boy who stumbles upon his great-great uncle’s book. All’s well and good, until Jared finds an ogre hot on his heels, intent to steal the book from him.
- Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo DS – February 5
- US$ 49.99 (Xbox 360), US$ 19.99 (PC), US$ 29.99 (Nintendo DS)
- ESRB Everyone 10+
- Stormfront Studios
Spaceforce: Captains. A turn-based strategy game, Spaceforce: Captains is all about taking control over the galaxy by the means of creating a space station and a kick-ass space fleet.
- PC – February 5
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB Rating Pending
- Dreamcatcher Interactive
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore. If you love American Idol or just plain love singing, then you may want to check out Konami’s latest addition to the Karaoke Revolution series. Just belt out your favorite tune, and SING.
- PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii – February 6
- US$ 69.99 (Xbox 360), US$ 49.99 (PS3), US$ 59.99 (Wii)
- ESRB Everyone
- Konami
Zoo Tycoon 2 DS. Tend to your own virtual handheld zoo in Zoo Tycoon DS‘s sequel. Already beefed up with an extensive collection of creatures both big and small hailing from far continents, the DS port of the PC title also incorporates a multiplayer feature where gamers can swap zoo data.
- Nintendo DS – February 5
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB Everyone
- THQ Interactive
My Horse and Me. Dreaming of winning equestrian competitions but feel that you don’t have the chance of make it come true? At least you’ll have Atari’s My Horse and Me, which allows equestrian fans to enter international competitions and care for their steeds as well.
- Wii, PC, Nintendo DS – February 6
- US$ 29.99 (Wii and DS), US$ 19.99 (PC)
- ESRB Everyone
- Atari and W!Games
Buy: [ Sins of a Solar Empire (PC) ]
Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (360), (PS3), (PC) ]
Buy: [ Turok (PS3), (Xbox 360) ]
Buy: [ Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles (DS) ]
Buy: [ Culdcept Saga (Xbox 360) ]
Buy: [ Downstream Panic! (PSP) ]
Buy: [ Spiderwick Chronicles (Xbox 360), (PC), (DS) ]
Buy: [ Spaceforce Captains (PC) ]
Buy: [ Zoo Tycoon 2 (DS) ]
Buy: [ Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore (PS3), (Xbox 360), (Wii) ]