After the slew of mostly PC games last week, this time around we're going to have the same boatload of PC releases with a smattering of Nintendo Wii and DS games, and the occasional XBLA shoot-em-up in between. The gaming line-up is diverse, however. This week we're going to have the old-school vertical shooter Ikaruga, the dungeon crawler Baroque, and the retail stand-alone release of The Orange Box titles. Check out the entire list in the full article

Last week yielded quite a healthy release of titles from varied platforms, spearheaded by the launch of one of the most anticipated handheld games, Square Enix's Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. This time around PC games take up the spotlight as several publishers churn out  titles of varied genres sure to satisfy most gaming palates, as well as a smattering of handheld gems on the side. Check out this week's games in the full article.

If you thought this year's good releases ended with last week's batch, think again. This week we've got another handful of titles that are sure to make your holidays even happier. Sega, THQ, Atari and other publishers are putting out some premium-grade stuff like NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, MX vs ATV Untamed, and more. See the complete list in the detailed version.

* Originally posted Dec 16, 2007 at 09:18PM

 

If you've been penny-pinching to save up for upcoming games, here's a little primer on US retail releases this week, starting July 2.

Eye catchers of the week (for the grown-ups) would be Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PS3 and Vampire Rain for the 360. We've been covering both games for quite some time now, and the anticipation is fit to burst through Rachel's black leather suit.

Moms and dads may also want to get Platinum Sudoku or Vegas Casino for those quiet times when the kids are busy with Marvel TCG and Taito Legends 2. (More about these and other games in our Full Article).

What a way to start the month of July! New month, new week... new games!

Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The demo for this ninja action adventure title was one of the few demos that actually lived up to its hype. For those who are old enough to crave challenges and gameplay more suitable for mature audiences, this PS3 exclusive is a must-buy.

• PlayStation 3 - July 3, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Tecmo and Team Ninja

Vampire Rain. Take on the role of John Lloyd, the government's vampire hunter, as he purges Los Angeles of the vampire threat. We're hoping that this horror action adventure game will cast new light on the vampire game genre with its stealthy "high-tech Buffy meets Sam Fisher" gameplay.

• Xbox 360 - July 3, 2007
• US$ 59.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Microsoft Game Studios and Artoon

See the other game releases by clicking on the Full Article link below!

Talk about a blast from the past. Still remember Atomic Game' and Microsoft's Close Combat series, a.k.a. "Zerg-rushing = suicide"? In case you don't (young whippersnapper), it's a Real-Time Tactics (RTT) game you play from the squad-to-company level, where the units are historically researched and intricately modeled with morale, psychology, and endurance so you can't play it stupidly, i.e., rushing an infantry horde at a machine gun nest.

Well, Destineer purchased Atomic Games - and hence the series - and has partnered with Matrix Games to produce a remake of sorts, updated to current generation specs. Hey, it's been six years since the last one. Close Combat: Cross of Iron must be based on the third Close Combat game, as both are based on the same campaigns in World War II: the Russian campaigns between the Nazis and the Soviet Union. Screens from WorthPlaying abound.

More screens of Close Combat at the full article. The commissar also says that traitors and cowards will be shot.