A brief look at what retailers have in store for us this week.
t's the first full week of November, and publishers seem determined not to disappoint as we move ever closer to the Holiday season. What follows is by no means an exhaustive list. Still, there's hopefully something to satisfy every gamer's tastes and platform. As usual, feel free to holler if I've failed to mention the game you've been waiting months for.
The biggest release coming down the console pipe this week is undoubtedly Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The fine folks over at Infinity Ward have finally gotten the courage to drop their series' World War Two setting in favor of a more modern conflict. Though I have my doubts about this game's storyline (what with the power-crazed Russian general and all), the gameplay looks top notch and the graphics are jaw-dropping. Having been denied a spot in the beta test of a few months back, I'm chopping at the bit to try this one out.
Rumor has it Nintendo has ramped down the difficulty for the first release of its cult strategy series on the Wii. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn features similar play and graphics to the GameCube games which came before it, but ads Wiimote controls. We'll have to wait and see whether the game's revised difficulty will alienate long-time fans.
Remember four years ago when you still watched Adult Swim? Well, apparently the gang over at Cartoon Network is still as prolific as ever. This week sees the release of Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am on the PlayStation 2. Apparently, it combines golf, cart racing, fighting and general mayhem in a chaotic romp that's only fitting considering the source material. Hopefully the game is a bit fresher than last year's movie, but I'm not holding my breath.
Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War is released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this week. In traditional Koei fashion, the game looks to combine Kessen-style strategy with Dynasty Warriors' straight-up action. If the combination leans a bit more towards the Kessen side of things, you can count me in. Koei went the extra mile to make this game seem like something different – historic Asian campaigns give way to medieval European conflict this time around.
Having missed the release of Hellgate:London on PC last week, I felt I should throw all you Windows gamers a bone. Gears of War releases this week sporting quite a bit of new content. A level editor and an entirely new single-player episode are sure to make Xbox 360 players jealous.
The "board games on TV" movement of a few years back sees a resurgence this week with the release of Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action for the Xbox 360. The game includes 4 dumbed-down controllers for "buzzing in" your answers. So long as this version sports more clips than the original boarded edition, we may have a new casual gaming hit on our hands.
If none of the titles above suit your fancy, there's always Horse Life – the newest (and hopefully only) horse simulator on the Nintendo DS. For more discussion of the latest games and gaming news, keep stopping by www.gameandplayer.net and our community's forums. Happy shopping!
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