On Shelves This Week: November 19 to November 25, 2007
Now that the Italian plumber is out to go planet-hopping, more gigantic titles of intergalactic scale are coming make you feel like a star. BioWare‘s much anticipated roleplaying game Mass Effect exclusively for the Microsoft Xbox 360 is finally about to land on shelves, and Naughty Dog’s PS3-exclusive Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune won’t fall behind. Meanwhile the crowds are waiting for you and your buddies to kick that gig off in MTV Games’ Rock Band on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Want more? Find this week’s games at the full article!
* Article originally posted Nov 19, 12:08AM
Now that the Italian plumber is out to go planet-hopping, more gigantic titles of intergalactic scale are coming to make you feel like a star. BioWare‘s much anticipated role-playing game Mass Effect exclusively for the Microsoft Xbox 360 is finally about to land on shelves, and Epic Games’ explosive Unreal Tournament 3 for PC won’t fall behind.
Not up for leaping into the future? No need to worry, because plenty of action is waiting in the PS3-exclusive Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and rail-shooter Time Crisis 4 for the Sony PlayStation 3 – these can keep your feet on the ground. Meanwhile, the crowds are waiting for you and your buddies to kick that gig off in MTV Games’ Rock Band on Xbox 360 and PS3.
Nintendo is getting equally hot stuff, now that Namco Bandai has turned its big fighting game series into an action adventure in Soulcalibur Legends for the Nintendo Wii. On the other hand, Square Enix is giving Nintendo DS owners an epic adventure with Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.
AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Bethesda Softworks of The Elder Scrolls fame is offering the Wii a bowling game that supports up to four players and makes full use of the Wii Remote. Various minigames, game modes, and characters to choose from promise hours of pin busting fun.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Mud Duck Productions and Bethesda Softworks
Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth. Fans of the animated series can now play as Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph or Jet to defeat the evil Fire Nation based on Avatar: The Last Airbender’s second season.
- Microsoft Xbox 360 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- THQ
Baby Luv. Find out what it’s like to take care of a baby in its first year of life in this PC title from GameMill Publishing. Pick a cute baby, customize her appearance, then feed, teach, and play with her while going through minigames and collecting items along the way.
- PC – November 19, 2007
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- GameMill Publishing
Black College Football Experience. Using the Unreal Engine 3, experience black college football with realistic graphics and brutally accurate mechanics. Not only do you get to lead your team to victory, but also play a part in the Battle of the Bands during halftime.
- PC – November 23, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- Nerjyzed Entertainment
CSI: Dark Motives. If you’re a fan of the popular TV series, there’s no excuse not to grab CSI: Dark Motives for the Nintendo DS. Solve cases by collecting evidence and using high-tech gadgets with the help of the Nintendo handheld’s innovative features.
- Nintendo DS – November 19, 2007
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Telltale Games and Ubisoft
Clue / Mouse Trap / Perfection / Aggravation. Four classic board games come together in one package for the Nintendo DS. Uncover mysteries in Clue, catch mice in Mouse Trap, fit shapes into matching spaces in Perfection, and race to bring your marbles home in Aggravation. All that are coupled with wi-fi multiplayer support.
- Nintendo DS – November 20, 2007
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Gravity I and Destination Software Inc. (DSI)
College Hoops 2K8. 2K Sports’ latest entry to the long-running NCAA franchise features 69 historic teams, 21 all-time dream teams, the 6th man advantage, a strong soundtrack, and other quirks that leave the competition behind.
- Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Visual Concepts and 2K Sports
Eschalon: Book I. Basilisk Games takes PC role-playing back to its roots with turn-based action in a deep and immersive world. Players will come across hundreds of items and dozens of creatures in the quest to recover their identities.
- PC – November 19, 2007
- Basilisk Games
Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess. The next expansion of Final Fantasy XI is finally going live to expand the already vast world of Vana’diel. New jobs, characters, locations, quests, monsters, and more should be enough to warrant this a must-buy for FFXI citizens.
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. Vaan’s adventures, this time as a sky pirate, continues in the bite-sized real-time strategy game for the Nintendo DS. Over 50 familiar creatures and many characters are at your disposal to go treasure hunting and rule the skies.
- Nintendo DS – November 20, 2007
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Square Enix
Geometry Wars: Galaxies. The addictive and intense space shooter comes to the Nintendo Wii with new levels, controls, weapons and enemies. Multiplayer co-op and versus modes are there to make sure you can have fun with a pal.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Bizarre Creations, Kuju Entertainment, and Sierra
Ghost Squad. Sega is taking the arcade hit to the Nintendo Wii with revamped controls thanks to the console’s motion sensing capabilities. Aside from Link’s Crossbow Training which will also see release this week, Ghost Squad should be perfect to test that Wii Zapper out.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Sega AM2 and Sega
Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash. Squeezing its way to the Nintendo handheld is Godzilla in an action-packed 2D action adventure. Together with other legendary monsters, your goal is to save the world, but causing your own mayhem is advised.
- Nintendo DS – November 20, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Santa Cruz Games and Atari
History Channel: Battle for the Pacific. Relive World War II all over again in the historic first-person shooter by Activision. Pick up authentic weaponry, then fight from Henderson Field in Guadalcanal through the Philippines to Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Online, you can play either as an American or a Japanese soldier in team-based missions.
- PC – November 20, 2007
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Activision
Incursion. Experience realistic combat and feel the bullets when they hit in the first-person shooter bundled with the 3rd Space FPS Vest by TN Games. You’ll feel everything “from crushing explosions to fear-inducing finger taps on the gamers’ shoulders” with the vest according to TN Games, and playing Incursion is the best way to see if it’s true.
- PC – November 21, 2007
- TN Games
John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland. Become a farmer and transform virgin soil into a lively farm. Earn enough money to purchase John Deere equipment, land, or livestock, then see profits skyrocket. Great use of dual screens help manage the farm that runs in real-time.
- Nintendo DS – November 20, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Black Lantern Studios and Destineer
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. The demented duo is coming to the PC this week after its appearance on consoles. Team up with a friend and play as two twisted men with dark pasts in a squad-based 3rd person shooter.
- PC – November 20, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- IO Interactive and Eidos Interactive
Link’s Crossbow Training. For those planning to grab the Wii Zapper, this is the game bundled in to polish those shooting skills. Start off by taking down stationary enemies with Link’s crossbow, then be the master you want to be by beating 27 stages with increasing difficulty.
- Nintendo Wii – November 19, 2007
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Nintendo
Mario Party DS. Mario is still in this week’s lineup to bring the popular family-friendly board game to the Nintendo DS. Single player campaign is already loaded with five vibrant themes and unlockable minigames, but you can also hook up with three other players for some healthy competitive fun.
- Nintendo DS – November 19, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Nintendo
Mass Effect. What’s shaping up to be another Game of the Year contender will finally arrive to prove if BioWare’s RPG of galactic scale is worth the wait. As Commander Shepard, your goal is to lead an elite squad in an attempt to preserve galactic peace.
- Microsoft Xbox 360 – November 20, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- BioWare and Microsoft
Medal of Honor: Airborne. After a brief delay, PS3 owners can soon go airborne and join the ranks of World War II soldiers in the latest instalment of the long-running series. It’s always a life or death situation, so choose wisely where you drop on the battlefield and picks your own fights.
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Electronic Arts
Monster Jam. Live the dream of driving monster trucks like the Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction, Monster Mutt, and more in Activision’s Monster Jam. There are 9 different stadiums, 12 outdoor circuits, and 20 famous monster trucks – it’s up to you whether you have the guts or not to become the champion.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Activision
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus. The latest expansion to Sega’s online RPG puts your character in the center of events, and brings many new customization options to make him or her look the part. Aside from more opportunities to look grand, Ambition of the Illuminus offers new lobbies, weapons, fighting abilities, levels, and more.
Rock Band. Now is your time to shine, because the creators of Guitar Hero have come up with something that takes rhythm games to the next level. Set up a band complete with lead and base guitars, drums, and vocals to perform the ultimate gig in the comforts of your living room.
- Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 – November 20, 2007
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Harmonix and MTV Games
Showtime Championship Boxing. DSI Games promises this one to be a knockout thanks to the Nintendo Wii’s controls that makes boxing more realistic than ever. Choose from 14 boxers then fight from the ground up to become the ultimate champion. Of course, you can always display your skills to friends online through Wii Hotseat.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Nikitova and Destination Software Inc. (DSI)
Soldier of Fortune: Payback. As the mercenary Thomas Mason, you’ll encounter intense firefights in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe to defeat extremists trying to throw the world into chaos. Fret not, for over 30 weapons make up your deadly arsenal.
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 21, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Cauldron and Activision
Soulcalibur Legends. Soulcalibur breaks away from its roots to give fans a taste of action adventure on the Nintendo Wii. Siegfried and other Soulcalibur characters will now fight hand-in-hand to save an empire from destruction. Players will be using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to execute attacks in a refreshing way new to the series.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Namco Bandai
Star Trek: Conquest. Turn-based strategy and real-time action combine in the latest Star Trek game that allows players to play as the Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Dominion, or Breen forces as they embark on a mission to control the galaxy. Managing empires is turn-based, while combat unfolds in real-time fashion.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- 4JStudios and Bethesda Softworks
The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles. Those waiting for Oblivion‘s expansion on the Sony PlayStation 3 are about to reach the light at the end of the dungeon, because The Shivering Isles is right around the corner. New places to explore, monsters to fight, and equipment to collect are going to be available soon on the PS3.
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 20, 2007
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Bethesda Softworks
Time Crisis 4. Light gun lovers are sure to get their fix with the release of Time Crisis 4 along with the launch of GunCon 3. Calling the latest in the Time Crisis series for the PS3 an arcade port is a big understatement, what with all the extras including Full Mission Mode. Lock and load!
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 79.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Namco Bandai
TimeShift. Make fools out of your enemies by slowing, stopping, or even reversing the flow of time in this first-person shooter. You play as a badass guy wearing a futuristic suit, and can stop bullets on the spot. Need we say more?
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Saber Interactive and Sierra
Trauma Center: New Blood. Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get bloody as surgeon Dr. Markus Vaughn, while his female partner Valerie Blaylock joins your side. The colorful characters of Trauma Center will be brought to life with fully voiced dialogue, and two-player co-op has also been added.
- Nintendo Wii – November 20, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Atlus
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Uncovering a 400-tear old clue in the coffin of his ancestor Sir Francis Drake, Nathan Drake sets out on an epic adventure to find the legendary treasures of El Dorado. Along the way, he finds lost islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean populated by mercenaries and mysteries of every sort. Outpowered, Nathan must find ways to elude and strike the bad guys in order to survive and complete his quest.
- Sony PlayStation 3 – November 19, 2007
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- SCEA
Undertow. Engage in high-speed underwater combat where up to 16 players battle it out. Three races with four upgradeable units each are available, and planned expansions are set to increase that number. In case you’re not satisfied with how multiplayer sounds, the single player campaign lasts 15 levels and follows an engaging story not often found in XBLA titles.
- Microsoft Xbox 360 – November 21, 2007
- US$ 10.00 (XBLA)
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Chair Entertainment
Unreal Tournament 3. Epic Games’ insanely fast first-person shooter is coming to the PC firsthand. Fragging human opponents can never be more satisfying when you unload a flak cannon shot to the face, and the game does a great job of utilising the Unreal Engine 3 to make that look extremely good.
- PC – November 19, 2007
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Epic Games and Midway Games
* Article originally posted Nov 19, 12:08AM
Buy: [AMF Bowling Pinbusters!]
Buy: [Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth]
Buy: [CSI: Dark Motives]
Buy: [Clue / Mouse Trap / Perfection / Aggravation]
Buy: [College Hoops 2K8 (Xbox 360, PS3)]
Buy: [Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess (Xbox 360, PC)]
Buy: [Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings]
Buy: [Geometry Wars: Galaxies]
Buy: [Ghost Squad]
Buy: [Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash]
Buy: [History Channel: Battle for the Pacific]
Buy: [John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland]
Buy: [Kane & Lynch: Dead Men]
Buy: [Link’s Crossbow Training]
Buy: [Mario Party DS]
Buy: [Mass Effect]
Buy: [Medal of Honor: Airborne]
Buy: [Monster Jam]
Buy: [Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus]
Buy: [Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3)]
Buy: [Showtime Championship Boxing]
Buy: [Soldier of Fortune: Payback]
Buy: [Soulcalibur Legends]
Buy: [Star Trek: Conquest]
Buy: [The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles]
Buy: [Time Crisis 4]
Buy: [TimeShift]
Buy: [Trauma Center: New Blood]
Buy: [Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune]
Buy: [Unreal Tournament 3]