[Xbox] On Shelves This Week: March 24 to March 30, 2008

 

If last week's video game releases kept you on that comfortable couch during the holidays for hours on end, handheld owners are going to get their share of fun that they can keep in their pockets. All gamers have a lot to be happy about this week with explosive titles across all platforms, but both the Sony PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS platforms undoubtedly take the cake.

For Final Fantasy fans, the final stretch of March marks the much awaited release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII in North America. On the other hand, popular game creator Tomonobu Itagaki is bringing his own Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword to the west following its March 20 Japanese release. Next-gen consoles will get visceral yet again as cross-platform Dark Sector is about to hit retail, along with the equally brutal Viking: Battle for Asgard.

Aggression - Reign Over Europe. Embark in a new journey to 1900s Europe in this real-time strategy game that allows you to play as Germany, France, Russia or England. In an attempt to be historically accurate without depriving players the freedom of rewriting history, it's possible to encounter a Nazi-governed England or a democratic Germany in a world where Albert Einstein can be used as a spy.

• PC - March 25, 2008
• Playlogic and Lesta Studio

Australia Zoo Quest. Contrary to what its title may imply, Australia Zoo Quest is not an adventure set in the home of Australian animals. Akin to surprise hit Puzzle Quest, it incorporates exploration elements in a puzzle game. When the day is done, you'll be familiar with Aussie wildlife, and perhaps be able pick up the accent.

• PC - March 25, 2008
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Dreamcatcher Interactive

Belief & Betrayal. Classic PC point-and-click is slated to hit home in form of journalist Jonathan Danter's tale. A ten year old murder could very well be the beginning of the world's end, and it's up to you and three playable characters to travel all over Europe and solve puzzles to make sure there's tomorrow.

• PC - March 25, 2008
• ESRB M (Mature)
• DTP Entertainment and Artematica

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. The most badass RTS villain's return is highlighted by 13 new missions and an extensive look at the Tiberium War which spans across 20 years. Six sub-factions such as the Brotherhood of Nod and Scrin will be introduced, consequently dropping a plethora of new units, structures, and powers to all forces.

• PC - March 24, 2008
• US 29.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Electronic Arts and EA Los Angeles

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Here's a surefire hit that took Japan by storm at launch as a proper prequel to what many believe to be as the greatest RPG of all time. If you've got a PSP and love for the revered franchise, there's no reason to have second thoughts about buying this on day one.

• Sony PlayStation Portable - March 25, 2008
• US 39.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Square Enix

Dark Sector. Instead of simply giving us a gun and things to shoot at, D3 decided to arm the protagonist of a third-person action game with an all-purpose glaive which can take out enemies from afar or decapitate in melee range. With that said, Dark Sector holds much promise, and you have a few days to check it out before getting the chance to purchase a copy.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 - March 25, 2008
• ESRB M (Mature)
• D3 Publisher and Digital Extremes

Emergency Mayhem. You were right on the money when you thought drivers of firetrucks, ambulances, and police cars sometimes think they own the road. Or at least, that would apply in Crisis City where accidents happen left and right. So you as a public servant will have to drive no holds barred to save the city's citizens in the fastest ways possible.

• Nintendo Wii - March 25, 2008
• US 49.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Codemasters

Harvest Moon DS Cute. The latest installment in the long-running light-hearted farm simulation series brings new livestock to the barn, and puts fans in the shoes of their favorite heroines from previous games. As a female-oriented title, you'll be searching for a husband in Harvest Moon DS Cute instead of finding a lady companion.

• Nintendo DS - March 25, 2008
• US 29.99
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Natsume and Marvelous Entertainment

MiniCopter: Adventure Flight. RC helicopter enthusiasts should look no further, since it's difficult to top MiniCopter's over 40 missions and countless customization options. All you need to know is that you can fly over a child s bedroom, hospital, hotel room, and other fun locations in several game modes littered with challenges and hidden goodies.

• Nintendo Wii - March 25, 2008
• US 29.99
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Aksys Games and Sonic Powered

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. It's Ryu Hayabusa on the DS with Stylus controls we've never seen before and combat that put other action games on the Nintendo handheld to shame. What else can be said now that it's been out in Japan since March 20? Unless brain training is your thing, this should be on top of that priority list.

• Nintendo DS - March 25, 2008
• US 34.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Tecmo and Team Ninja

Obscure: The Aftermath. In the spirit of its predecessor, Obscure is in for another spin of scares inspired by teen horror movies. Six unique characters offer a fresh experience each playthrough, made more engaging since another player can join in at any time. The faint-hearted need not apply, because Fallcreek University is not a happy place.

• Nintendo Wii, PC - March 25, 2008
• US 29.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Ignition Entertainment and Hydravision

Opoona. It's mind-boggling how Koei decided to go cute and and create a "lifestyle RPG" for the waggling Wii, which has character development and exploration elements not present in the company's breadwinning Dynasty Warriors franchise. Then again, we can't complain when it's hand-crafted by former Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy developers. Now, only time will tell if Energy Bonbon-filled title's charm is enough to win our hearts.

• Nintendo Wii - March 25, 2008
• US 49.99
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Koei and ArtePiazza

Summer Sports: Paradise Island. Jump into the summer fever early with Destineer's upcoming summer-themed Wii minigame collection, where you can indulge yourself in basketball, croquet, lawn darts, badminton, volleyball, horse shoes, and mini-golf.

• Nintendo Wii - March 27, 2008
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Destineer

Sword of the Stars: Collector's Edition. You can explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate to your heart's content in the futuristic Sword of the Stars universe by grabbing the collector's edition packed with the original game and its expansion Born of Blood that will soon be available. Bonus stuff like The Deacon's Tale novella and art are also included.

• PC - March 25, 2008
• ESRB E (Everyone)
• Lighthouse Interactive and Kerberos

Tales of Pirates. After a year of being in beta stage, IGG has finally announced recently that Tales of Pirates is officially sailing. In a few days, citizens of the MMORPG's realms can expect an influx of newcomers in search for bounty hidden in the Deep Blue.

• PC - March 24, 2008
• Free-to-play
• IGG and Moliyo

Universe at War: Earth Assault. A fresh breed of alien races are about to wreak havoc on the Xbox 360, but for us gamers, what matters the most is that another console RTS is finally coming. Sega's epic invasion story faced lukewarm reception on PC, and we'll see soon if it fares better on a different platform.

• Microsoft Xbox 360 - March 25, 2008
• US 59.99
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Sega and Petroglyph

Viking: Battle for Asgard. Sega went bloody and hack-and-slash heavy in its next title with Creative Assembly, the creator of the renowned Total War series, to deliver a mythical adventure starring Skarin who'll battle hundreds of enemies using intense physical combat moves and devastating powers.

• Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 - March 25, 2008
• US 59.99
• ESRB M (Mature)
• Sega and Creative Assembly

Warriors Orochi. The unprecedented tandem of legendary Chinese and Japanese heroes and villains from Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors to defeat the Serpent King Orochi can't be stopped, as Warriors Orochi is heading to the PSP and PC. Both upcoming incarnations boast of the same features players enjoyed on consoles.

• Sony q, PC - March 25, 2008
• US 39.99 (PSP)
• ESRB T (Teen)
• Koei and Omega Force

Buy: [Australia Zoo Quest (PC)]
Buy: [Belief & Betrayal (PC)]
Buy: [Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (PC)]
Buy: [Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)]
Buy: [Dark Sector (Xbox 360), (PS3)]
Buy: [Emergency Mayhem (Wii)]
Buy: [Harvest Moon DS Cute (DS)]
Buy: [MiniCopter: Adventure Flight (Wii)]
Buy: [Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS)]
Buy: [Obscure: The Aftermath (Wii), (PC)]
Buy: [Opoona (Wii)]
Buy: [Summer Sports: Paradise Island (Wii)]
Buy: [Sword of the Stars: Collector's Edition (PC)]
Buy: [Universe at War: Earth Assault (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Viking: Battle for Asgard (Xbox 360), (PS3)]

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