On Shelves This Week: June 1 to June 7, 2008

After a quiet gaming release week, we’re going to have a jolly good time decapitating enemies and chopping off limbs in the release of Team Ninja‘s Ninja Gaiden 2. Some of you golfers might want to take a swing at the handheld Hot Shots 2 for the PSP, while adventure fans will also have a jolly great time smashing enemies up in The Incredible Hulk (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP) or make their own platform hero in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP, PC). Check out the entire list in the full article.

We’ve had a decidedly subdued batch of releases last week, but expect things to pick up quite a bit this time around. Team Ninja‘s latest entry to the Ninja Gaiden series, Ninja Gaiden 2 (an Xbox 360 exclusive), will finally slice and dice its way into online and brick-and-mortar retailers.

Ryu Hayabusa‘s fans aren’t the only ones getting love this time; racing fans will find their dose of happy with the multi-platform release of Codemaster’s GRID, and action-adventure fans who prefer to add their own touch to their escapades will no doubt want to check out Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. Let’s start off the list with a bang with…

Ninja Gaiden 2. The much-awaited ultra-violent sequel to Ryu Hayabusa’s next-gen bloody rampage, Ninja Gaiden 2 will no doubt cater to fans of this classic hack-and-slash series gone high-res. This time, players can take advantage of the new combat system to decapitate enemies and even slice off their limbs. The combat system update doesn’t only improve Ryu’s tactics, but also lets enemies resort to suicide tactics if ever they realize that they’ll end up as fodder for Ryu’s sword. Definitely not a game to be missed.

• Xbox 360 – June 3, 2008
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB Mature
• Team Ninja

Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2. Everybody’s favorite golf game is back with more characters, new courses and yes, a new eight-player ad hoc game mode. If you like your golfing games bite-sized, or if you’re a fan of the series, it won’t certainly hurt to give this game a go.

• PSP – June 3, 2008
• US$ 29.99
• ESRB Everyone
• Sony Computer Entertainment

Fatal Inertia EX. Koei’s long-overdue PlayStation 3 release of Fatal Inertia comes in the form of Fatal Inertia EX, a downloadable Fatal Inertia sans the Unreal Engine problem. Good things come to those to wait, of course, and in this case PS3 owners will be rewarded with a training venue with new tracks, an additional Master difficulty level, as well as improved gameplay, physics, and weapons.

• Sony PS3 – June 3, 2008
• US$ 29.99
• Koei

Kung Fu Panda. It’s another round of game and movie tie-ins, and this time the gaming spotlight is on DreamWorks’ lovable Po the Kung Fu Panda. If you ever wondered what’s it like to be a lumbering kung-fu fighting panda, or if you just fancy the movie, then this game will prove to be a decent purchase.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC – June 3, 2008
• US$ 49.99 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii), US$ 29.99 (DS), US$ 19.99 (PC)
• ESRB Kids to Adults
• Activision, Luxoflux

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. The sweepingly multiplatform release of Indiana Jone’s latest Lego adventure swings our way, and players can now jury-rig their own hero using Lego-fied body parts of sixty playable characters within the game. True to the Indiana Jones spirit, this game will have players shimmying across ledges, swim, and do other adventuring stuff.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC – June 3, 2008
• US$ 49.99 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii), US$ 39.99 (PS2, PSP), US$ 29.99 (PC, DS)
• ESRB Everyone 10+
• LucasArts and Traveller’s Tales

Race Driver: GRID Codemaster’s exceptional tarmac racing simulator revs up into US shores with the game developer’s own Ego engine. With a 12-player online mode and a sweet list of playable cars within the game (such as Mazda RX-7 FD3S and Porsche 911), GRID will be a good purchase especially if you liked Colin McRae DIRT. If you’re not too sure, you can always check out the game’s demo.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, PC – June 3, 2008
• US$ 59.99 (Xbox 360, PS3), US$ 39.99 (PC)
• ESRB Everyone
• Codemasters

Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy. Sierra Entertainment’s take on Jason Bourne’s adventures as a government agent gone rogue will offer a more down-and-dirty kind of action compared to other spies. Aside from the usual spy duties, players will also perform sweetly brutal hand-to-hand combat. Not sure what to expect? Check out this trailer to see why Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy isn’t your usual brand of spy gaming.

• Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 – June 5, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB Teen
• Sierra Interactive

Summon Night: Twin Age. The Nintendo DS gets another delicious Atlus-branded RPG in the form of Summon Night: Twin Age that offers frantic battles and in-depth combat system where players can dole out their righteous anger with swipes of the DS stylus.

• Nintendo DS – June 3, 2008
• US$ 29.99
• ESRB Everyone 10+
• Atlus and Flight-Plan

The Incredible Hulk. The Hulk is back for more Hulk-smashing action in this new multi-format release for current consoles and handhelds. As the jolly green raging giant, gamers will encounter foes such as The Enclave, the Hulkbusters, the Abomination, and other antagonists thirsty for Hulk-blood in this free-roaming game.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PS2 – June 5, 2008
• US$ 59.99 (Xbox 360, PS), US$ 49.99 (Wii), US$ 29.99 (DS, PS2)
• ESRB Rating Pending
• Sega, Edge of Reality and Amaze Entertainment

Buy: [Ninja Gaiden 2 (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Race Driver: GRID (Xbox 360), (PS3), (PC)]
Buy: [Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy (Xbox 360), (PS3)]
Buy: [The Incredible Hulk (Xbox 360), (PS3), (Wii), (DS)]
Buy: [Summon Night: Twin Age (DS)]
Buy: [Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Xbox 360), (PS3), (Wii)]
Buy: [Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (DS), (PSP), (PC)]
Buy: [Kung Fu Panda (Xbox 360), (PS3), (Wii), (DS), (PC)]
Buy: [Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 (PSP)]