It’s a pretty good week for lovers of the music rhythm genre, as not only is Guitar Hero 5 begging for you to spend even more money on plastic instruments but The Beatles finally get their own game in The Beatles: Rock Band. Yes, it may just be Rock Band stuffed with 45 of The Beatles best songs but, come on now, it’s The Beatles!

Colin McRae: DiRT 2 is there for all you Rally lovers, and Championship Manager 2010 comes along just as we’re getting over our addiction from the last one. Section 8 is the odd one of the bunch, but it does look pretty damn good if the videos are anything to go by.

Guitar Hero 5 (PS2, PS3, Wii, X360) 11/9 (PS2 is 8/9)

Kurt Cobain wouldn’t exactly be thrilled at being included in a game with mass market appeal, but Activision knows how to push a few buttons. Cobain or not, Guitar Hero 5 is still going to sell by the bucketload and the updated graphics, 85 songs (with more for download) and the Guitar Hero Studio (which allows anyone to import their songs, providing they own the copyright) will do a lot to bolster that appeal.

The Beatles: Rock Band (PS3, X360) 9/9 (X360) 11/9 (PS3)

The Beatles, on the other hand, were no strangers to milking their success. I suppose being the biggest band in the world gives you a bit of an excuse though. As stated above there will be 45 The Beatles songs, with more available for download, and various dreamscapes that will make you believe there was more in that can of coke than you were lead to believe. Don’t worry though, you can calm yourself down with your free copy of Guitar Hero: World Tour.

Colin McRae: DiRT 2 (DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360) 11/9

Colin McRae may be gone, but Codemasters makes sure his name lives on in the videogame world. Thankfully the game is a good homage to the legend, with a new engine and whole roster of events and tracks to keep you occupied. Just make sure you don’t get stuck in the mud!

Section 8 (PC, X360) 11/9

At first glance you may think it’s just another futuristic shooter, with that word that describes a ring of light around someone’s head coming to mind. Then you see the unique ‘burn-in’ feature that allows you to drop onto the battlefield from 15,000 feet above the surface. This is supposed to eliminate fixed spawn points, but it remains to be seen if the game on the ground will be able to successfully follow an awesome start to each level.

Other releases:

• Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers (Wii) *Out now*
• Taisen!! Ka to Chan no Kororonpe! (DS) 9/9
• Windy x Windam (DS) 10/9
• Mean Girls (DS) 11/9
• SingStar Motown (PS2, PS3) 11/9
• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360) 11/9
• Diva Girls: Princess on Ice 2 (DS) 11/9
• Mary King’s Riding School 2 (Wii) 11/9
• Love is… in Bloom (Wii) 11/9
• My Beauty Salon (DS) 11/9
• My World My Way (DS) 11/9
• Championship Manager 2010 (PC) 11/9
• Mini Ninjas (DS, PC, PS3, Wii, X360) 11/9
• Time of Shadows (PC)  11/9

(All images sourced from Gamespot)

The triumphant return of ‘Latest UK Releases’ (it has been on a holiday to a nice sunny beach and, as a result, is now sporting one hell of a tan) is admittedly a rather boring one. I’ve highlighted only two games that I think are worth it this week (ok, Metroid Prime Trilogy is also pretty good but the games aren’t new so it only gets the bulletpoint treatment), complete with the usual short commentary from your’s truly.

Champions Online (PC) 4/9

Champions Online may not be coming to the Xbox 360 anytime soon but at least PC gamers can enjoy its lovely cel-shaded (or ‘comic shading’ as the developers refer to it) visuals. One of the more intriguing ideas the game employs is the ability to create your very own nemesis once you reach level 25. Defeating your nemesis’s minions will give you clues to the whereabouts of him or her, leading to a showdown. The level cap is 40, which may not seem like a lot but I’m sure it will be expanded upon in the years to come (providing the game lasts that long of course).

Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) 4/9

Similar to a fighting game the one big difference is that it includes characters from nearly every single main Final Fantasy game in the franchise. Ever wanted to see Cloud and Squall fight it out? Well, here’s your chance. I don’t think Final Fantasy fans need any more prompting than that.

Other releases:

• Silas (PC) *Out now*
• Pool Hall Pro (Wii) 31/8
• Fate/Unlimited Codes (PSP) 3/9
• Il-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (DS, PS3, X360) 4/9
• Guilty Gear 2: Overture (X360) 4/9
• Zorro: Quest for Justice (DS) 4/9
• I Did It Mum! Dolls House (DS) 4/9
• Warriors Orochi 2 (PSP) 4/9
• Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii) 4/9
• SuperCar Challenge (PS3) 4/9
• The Humans (DS) 4/9
• SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (PSP) 4/9

(Images source)

Although it’s probably not going to be much of a surprise to the majority of Starcraft fans – although it will be a big disappointment – the sequel to one of the most popular RTS games of all time has been delayed until the first half of 2010. Of course, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty was never actually given a release date in the first place but people were still hoping that we would see it sometime this year, mainly through comments made by staff working for Activision Blizzard.

Apparently the delay is due to the relaunch of Activision Blizzard’s Battle.net service, which handles all the online gaming across their range of games. It will also play a large part in the online aspects of Starcraft II, especially as LAN support has been pulled from the game. One of the development team had this to say;

“Over the past couple of weeks, it has become clear that it will take longer than expected to prepare the new Battle.net for the launch of the game. The upgraded Battle.net is an integral part of the StarCraft II experience and will be an essential part of all of our games moving forward. This extra development time will be critical to help us realize our vision for the service.” - Source

Activision Blizzard had previously stated that Starcraft II will need a four to six month beta period, which obviously made a 2009 launch seem very tight to begin with. We still have no idea when a beta will actually take place, so in the meantime you will have to be satisfied with the Battle Reports that the developers have posted on the game’s official site.

The delay will also affect Activision Blizzard’s revenue expectations for this year, lowering their estimate from $4.3 billion to $4.05 billion. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as Diablo II is also expected to be released in 2010.

Related Posts:

•  The Starcraft Board Game

Rockstar announced today that the second downloadable episode for Grand Theft Auto IV - “The Ballad of Gay Tony” - will release worldwide on the Xbox 360 on 29th October.

The downloadable content will sell for 1600 Microsoft points, which is around £13. If you don’t want to download it, or you haven’t played the previous episode “The Lost and Damned“, Rockstar is releasing both episodes on a disc packaged as Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City.

As I mentioned previously the DLC will concentrate on the “glitzy high-end night life” of Liberty City. That doesn’t mean you’ll be the dancing the night away as you will be doing all the dirty work for Tony “Gay Tony” Prince.

I STILL haven’t played “The Lost and Damned“, but let me tell you a short story surrounding that. I recently bought 2100 Microsoft Points so I could buy Fallout 3’s “Broken Steel“. After buying that I went to look at how much I had left so I could possibly buy “The Lost and Damned“, since I already had some from a previous purchase. I had 1550 points, and the content was 1600, which was highly annoying. It seems that Microsoft structures the point system in a way in which you have to buy another big chunk just so you can get 50 extra points.

I wish they would just use real money like PSN, but of course that would mean that Microsoft couldn’t easily overcharge us.

(Image source: Kotaku)

Related posts:

• GTA: IV’s Next DLC - The Ballad of Gay Tony

As it gets hotter I’ve found myself actually playing more games than usual, simply because I prefer sitting half naked in front of a fan than having to face the searing heat outside. I should have actually been on holiday in Turkey this week (I had to cancel it), so I guess I should be grateful that we’re getting some of Turkey’s good weather back home.

Anyway, if you want to get away from the sun here’s some new games that you could be playing instead of getting burnt to a crisp.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (PC, PS3, X360) 3/7

The prequel to 2007’s Call of Juarez follows the story of the McCall brothers as they shoot their way through a civil-war era US and Mexico. The gameplay will be slightly different depending on which brother you select. For example, one brother uses a lasso while the other brother likes to use dynamite. Co-op play will allow you to compliment your chosen characters abilities with those of a friend. Check out the trailer here.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (PS3, Wii, X360) 3/7

I find it hard to write something positive about a golf game, as I personally find it one of the most uninteresting sports on the planet. However, if you are interested a new “Tournament Challenge” mode allows players to replicate famous shots and moments from the PGA Tour’s history, while the Wii version supports MotionPlus; allowing for more authentic and accurate golf swings.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (DS, Mac, Mobile, PC, PSP, PS2, PS3, Wii, X360) 3/7

The game tie-in with the book and film of the same name comes to pretty much every current platform, as well as one of the old ones. It’s pretty much similar to the previous games, with some multiplayer thrown in so you can go up against other crazy Potter fans. Apparently EA didn’t bother to include some of the locations from the previous books, so don’t expect it to be completely canon.

Moon (DS) 3/7

Moon is a first-person shooter that uses the same engine as Renegade Kid’s previous DS game, Dementium: The Ward. It takes place….um, take a wild guess? While the game features plenty of the narrow corridors it’s predecessor had in abundance the developer stresses that an updated version of the engine allows for more open environments and larger groups of enemies (source). All in all it doesn’t look like a bad attempt for a handheld that doesn’t have all that many FPS games.

Other releases:

• Divinity 2 - Ego Draconis (PC, X360) *Out now*
• Music: Music for Everyone (DS) *Out now*
• Pro Cycling Manager/Tour de France 2009 (PC) *Out now*
• Ride to Hell (X360) *Out now*
• Modern Warrior: Special Tactics (PC) *Out now*
• 2025: Battle for Fatherland (PC) *Out now*
• Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS) *Out now*
• Crime Scene (DS) *Out now*
• Worms 2: Armageddon (X360) *Out now*
• Diabolik: The Original Sin (PSP) 3/7
• Space Camp (DS, Wii) 3/7
• King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 3 (PS3) 3/7
• Drama Queens (DS) 3/7
• Classic Word Games (DS) 3/7
• Summer Sports Party (Wii) 3/7
• My Friends (DS) 3/7
• Ready Steady Cook (DS) 3/7
• Fallout 3 Game Add-On Pack: The Pitt and Operation Anchorage (PC, X360) 3/7
• Street Fighter IV (PC) 3/7
• Virtua Tennis 2009 (PC) 3/7
• Rygar: The Battle of Argus (Wii) 3/7

(Images source: Gamespot)

I apologise for missing this last week as it just slipped my mind. However, let’s not concentrate on the past and take a look at what’s coming out this week.

It’s not actually a bad week, with something coming out for everyone. Boxing fans have Fight Night Round 4, while RPG fans can pick between Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Tales of Vesperia. There are a truck load of other releases, so take a look below to see if anyone takes your fancy.

Fight Night Round 4 (PS3, X360) 26/6

Fight Night Round 4 makes punching Ricky Hatton in the face even more realistic than last time. There’s a huge roster of fighters, new fighting styles and the introduction of the legacy mode; which is basically a re-titled version of the career mode which allows you to create your own boxer or choose from legends such as Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis.

Overlord II (PC, PS3, X360) 26/6

The first Overlord was pretty well received, even if the sales weren’t great. However, it was marred by technical problems - such as long load times and low frame rates - that Overlord II hopes to avoid. The plot is penned by Rhianna Pratchett (Terry’s daughter), who recently did the plot for Mirror’s Edge, and follows the events of the first game. As for gameplay the game apparently “massively increases the scope of the original concept” (source), which means improved minion intelligence and destructiveness and the ability to carry out tasks such as riding mounts and sailing warships. Sounds like fun to me!

Anno 1404 (PC) 26/6

The RTS and city building series continues, or rather goes back in time to 1404. This installment features a new interface, gigantic islands and worlds, a modifiable sandbox and a host of other features. Oh, and there’s the (English gentlemen mode commence!) absolutely splendid graphics you can see above.

Spore Galatic Adventures (PC) 26/6

Spore’s first proper expansion pack (the first, Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, simply contained some new body parts) adds some much needed meat to the game in the form of custom missions. The player can customise planets, add flora and fauna, new vehicles, buildings and other objects while also defining various goals for the mission; such as having to defeat a particular enemy or collect a certain object. It should add some much needed variety to a game that got stale pretty damn quick.

Other releases:

• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PC, PSP, PS2, PS3, Wii) 26/6
• Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP) 26/6
• Tales of Vesperia (X360) 26/6
• Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires (PS3, X360) 26/6
• Lego Battles (DS) 26/6
• Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil (Wii) 26/6
• Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) 26/6
• Superstars V8 Racing (PC, PS3, X360) 26/6
• Street Fighter IV (PC) 26/6
• Overlord Minions (DS) 26/6
• Fuel (PC) 26/6
• Music (DS) *Out now*
• CustomPlay Golf (PC) 26/6
• Ico Soccer DS (DS) 26/6
• Pool Hall Pro (Wii) 26/6
• Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (DS, PC, PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) 26/6
• Diabolik: The Original Sin (DS, PC, Wii) 26/6
• Story Hour: Fairy Tales (Wii) 26/6
• Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits (DS) 26/6
• Skyscraper (Wii) 26/6
• Deus Ex Complete (PC) 26/6
• Valhalla Nights 2 (PSP) 26/6
• Another Code R: A Journey into Lost Memories (Wii) 26/6
• Bigfoot: Collision Course (DS, PC) 26/6
• My Friends (DS) 26/6
• Fritz Chess (DS, PS3, Wii) 26/6
• Story Hour: Adventures (Wii) 26/6
• SimEarth (Wii) 26/6
• Conflict Collection (PC) 26/6
• Party Pigs: FarmYard Games (Wii) 26/6
• Pro Cycling Manager 2009 (PSP) 26/6
• The Big Deal (DS) 26/6
• Rock Band 2 (Wii) 26/6
• Overlord: Dark Legend (Wii) 26/6
• DC Universe Online (PC) 26/6
• Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? (PSP) 26/6

(Images Source: Gamespot)

There is only one big release this week, and that’s Rail Simulator 2: Railworks Platform! Tipped to be one of the most exciting games of the decade Rail….ok, who am I kidding? Prototype is the only ‘hyped’ big release this week; with pirates, Harrison Ford and John McEnroe also competing for your money.

Prototype (PC, PS3, X360) 12/6

Amnesia has been used as a plot device in thousands of TV programmes, films, games and books but has I doubt it has ever been used as a way to explain why Alex Mercer has suddenly got devastating super powers and is out to kill hordes of people. This not only includes the ability to run up the sides of buildings or crush a tank, but also the ability to summon spikes up through the ground that impale anyone unlucky enough to be standing in their way. Check out these vidoes for more grisly awesomeness.

Grand Slam Tennis (Wii) 12/6

Grand Slam Tennis is one of the first Wii games to work with the new Wii MotionPlus, which means that it will be coming bundled with the device for a limited time. It always disappointed me that when playing Wii Sports you could get the same result by only flicking your wrist rather than using the Wii Remote like a tennis player would a racquet. Thankfully MotionPlus has fixed this, meaning that our arms will now hurt more than ever when watching John McEnroe and his superb hair go crazy at Wimbledon.

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (DS, PSP, PS2, Wii) 12/6

It has been a while since we had an Indiana Jones game, and coming so long after the latest film you have to wonder if anyone really wants a new Indy game. LucasArts is taking a punt at it anyway, taking Indy around the world to kick that Chinese guy’s ass (above) and possibly solve a puzzle or two. While it doesn’t sound all that appealing to me the inclusion of the classic PC game Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis (Wii version only) does make it somewhat more appealing. You have to wonder why LucasArts didn’t just release Fate of Atlantis on WiiWare though.

Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball (Wii) 12/6

Ah, the age old question. Who would win in a fight: pirates or ninjas? Thankfully you can now solve this question; although you will have to do it with balls instead of swords and nunchucks. The game was already released on Xbox Live Arcade last year, and back then reviews cited a lack of content and, erm, fun. Maybe Gamecock has improved it for a Wii release, but don’t hold your breath.

Other releases:

• Dragonica Online (PC) 10/6
• Guitar Hero: Metallica (PS2) 12/6
• Chronicles of Mystery: The Scorpio Ritual (PC) 12/6
• Rail Simulator 2: Railworks Platform (PC) 12/6
• Barnyard Blast (PSP) 12/6

(Images source: Gamespot)

In all the excitement of E3 I forgot to tell you about this weeks releases until now. It’s always a risk releasing games in June - especially during E3 as everyone is talking about future releases - as this time of year is usually a notorious dry season for games. Thankfully things are a bit different this year, with some top quality releases for you to enjoy when you’re not out tanning yourself (hopefully we’ll get the weather for it this year).

All the releases below should be available in shops from today.

Red Faction: Guerrilla (PS3, X360)

This game arrived in the post from Amazon today, and I have to say that I’m quite enjoying it so far. You may not be able to blow through rock anymore, but to be honest was that ever useful anyway? Instead any structure you come across can be totally destroyed, its various supports and reinforcements flying everywhere at the touch of a missile. Look for a full review soon.

The Sims 3 (PC)

EA has tired of releasing The Sims 2 expansion packs and is moving on to a fully fledged sequel. To be fair I’m glad of the direction EA has decided to go in, with the game now playing as an entire town and not just loosely connected individual lots. One thing that always annoyed me about The Sims 2 was being frozen in time. For example, if you played one house for a few hours and your child grew up to eventually become an adult his friends would stay as children, which obviously isn’t realistic. The Sims 3 makes everyone age together, plus you can jump between houses and other lots at will with no loading times.

Fuel (PS3, X360)

Fuel is not only the biggest racing game of all time, but also the biggest console game of all time. The open-word environment of Fuel boasts 5,560 square miles of free to roam terrain, which is a hell of a lot of playing space. The post-apocalyptic setting of Fuel also means that you have to contend with some nasty weather while you’re racing, with tornadoes and sandstorms only part of the mix.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope (X360)

I never managed to get through Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, because that game literally took until the end of time, but maybe I’ll give Star Ocean: The Last Hope a try. Star Ocean: The Last Hope features a heavier emphasis on sci-fi, which is good because I felt that Till the End of Time just threw me into the world of swords and monsters when I was expecting more space travel. I still don’t understand why the hero’s in JRPG’s have to be kids though.

Other releases:

• Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (PS3, X360)
• Restaurant Empire II (PC)
• Trash Panic (PS3)
• Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships (PC)
• Wolfenstein 3D (X360)
• New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii)
• Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2009 (Wii)
• Simon the Sorcerer 5  (PC)
• Personal Trainer: Walking (DS)
• Medal of Honor: 10th Anniversary Edition (PC)
• Left Brain Right Brain 2 (DS)
• Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica (PS2)
• History Great Empires Rome (DS)
• Coraline (PS3)
• Rock Band Track Pack Volume 3 (PS2, PS3)
• Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock (PS3, Wii)
• Real Madrid: The Game (PS2, PSP)
• GTI Racing (PC)
• Vertigo (PC)

(Last weeks releases)

This week see’s the release of the electrifying inFamous (forgive me for that pun). There is also Terminator Salvation, if you can stomach it, the fun and long lasting Bloom Blox Party and a whole bunch of other releases.

inFamous (PS3) 29/5

From what I’ve seen of inFamous it’s one game that I would consider buying a Playstation 3 for. Sadly my lack of funds means that this isn’t possible right now, so instead I have to dream about sending out bolts of deadly electricity, sliding along power lines, and leaping around the stricken Empire City. For you lucky ones who own a PS3 to play it on (one of the few good exclusive games that the PS3 has got this year) the reviews are saying it’s a lot of fun so go and pick it up.

Terminator Salvation (PC, PS3, X360) 29/5

Ah, another film tie-in. It’s not often that you get one that’s actually good, and sadly Terminator Salvation isn’t one of the few good ones. For one it’s an incredibly short game, weighing in at just a few hours it’s not really worth the full asking price. Secondly there’s no Christian Bale, and thirdly it’s based on a pretty lacklustre film to begin with.

I wouldn’t bother.
Boom Blox Bash Party (Wii) 29/5

The sequel to Steven Spielberg’s Bloom Blox is packed with 400 levels, which is tremendous value. These levels come in a variety of new environments, such as underwater and outer space, populated by new characters and new shapes of blocks. The multiplayer modes are also far more extensive, with co-op and competitive areas. It sounds like a great game for kids and adults alike.

Other releases:

• Virtua Tennis 2009 (PS3, X360) 29/5
• Guitar Hero: Metallica (PS2, PS3, X360, Wii) 29/5
• Officers (PC) 29/5
• SBK-09 Superbike World Championship (PC, PSP, PS3, X360) 29/5
• Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge (PC) 29/5
• Medal of Honor: 10th Anniversary Edition (PC) 29/5
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (DS) 29/5
• Wonder World Amusement Park (DS) 29/5
• Aqua Panic (Wii) 29/5
• PDC World Championship Darts 2009 (DS, Wii) 29/5
• Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica (PS2)  29/5
• Left Brain Right Brain 2 (DS) 29/5
• Brain Exercise With Dr. Kawashima (PC) 29/5
• CustomPlay Golf (PC) 29/5
• Catan: Die Erste Insel (DS) 28/5

It’s not a bad week for games, which is fortunate as we’re coming up to the Summer - a notoriously dry season for games. Personally I’m tempted by Klonoa, but take a look at the list yourself to see what takes your fancy (if anything).

Damnation (PS3, PC, X360) 22/5

Originally an Unreal Tournament 2004 mod (which I played, and thought it was quite good) Damnation has now evolved into a full retail release. The game is set in an alternate 20th century where the American Civil War is still raging and everything is rendered in steampunk; and you’ll make use of acrobatic talents and a unique ‘spirit vision’ to get through the game. Unfortunately if Eurogamer’s review is anything to go by an interesting premise doesn’t always make a good game.

Punch-Out!! (Wii) 22/5

Readers who owned a NES may remember the original Punch-Out!!, a colourful cartoony boxing game that, at least according to Wikipedia, has ‘consistently been ranked amongst the best games released for the NES platform’. If you’re feeling nostalgic then Nintendo has you covered as 11 boxers from the NES release make their return. Let’s just hope that you don’t let Glass Joe take you down.

Bionic Commando (PS3, X360) 22/5

Yet another re-visit to a franchise that was around on the NES (although it originally came out in arcades) Bionic Commando is a direct sequel to the second game (the first NES release). You swing around the environment, while using your bionic arm to carry out attacks - such as launching boulders and cars at enemies. Check out the demo on Xbox Live if you want to see it for yourself.

Klonoa (Wii) 22/5

It’s all about the old games this week, isn’t it? Klonoa was one of my favourite platformer games for the PSOne, and it’s a shame that it wasn’t that popular when it first came out. Thankfully this Wii update will hopefully make people aware of how great a game this is, and with updated visuals they’re in for a treat!

Other releases:

• UFC 2009 Undisputed (PS3, X360) 22/5
• Pokémon Platinum (DS) 22/5
• EA Sports Active (Wii) 22/5
• Demigod (PC) 22/5
• Aqua Panic (Wii) 22/5
• Big Family Games (Wii) 21/5
• Dawn of Discovery (DS, Wii) 22/5
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Wii) 22/5
• Rock Revolution (X360) 22/5
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure (DS) 22/5
• Mind Body & Soul: Nutrition Matters (DS) 22/5
• Diva Girls: Making the Music (DS) 22/5
• Octomania (Wii) 22/5
• Restaurant Empire 2 (PC) 22/5