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Release This: Final Fantasy XII: Vice City Stories
by Danny Cowan
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October 30, 2006
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Gamasutra's regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in an exclusively compiled list.
It's a huge week for new releases in the United States and Europe, with future chart-toppers like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Need for Speed Carbon, and Neverwinter Nights 2 being among the biggest titles to debut in the coming days. The United States will additionally receive the greatly anticipated RPG Final Fantasy XII this week, while Japanese gamers can soon expect to see titles like Hoshi no Kirby Sanjyo! and LEGO Star Wars II.
The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending November 4, 2006.
Games Released in the United States:
Game Boy Advance:
- Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
- The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Scurge: Hive
- Tom and Jerry Tales
GameCube:
- Need for Speed Carbon
Nintendo DS:
- Chicken Little: Ace in Action
- Children of Mana
- Konductra
- Nacho Libre
- Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City
- Pokemon Ranger
- Scurge: Hive
- The Sims 2: Pets
- That's So Raven: Psychic on the Scene
- Tom and Jerry Tales
PlayStation 2:
- ATV Offroad Fury 4
- Drive to Survive
- Final Fantasy XII
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Strawberry Shortcake: Adventures in the Land of Dreams
- Victorious Boxers 2: Fighting Spirit
PlayStation Portable:
- BattleZone
- Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil
- Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
- Every Extend Extra
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
- Killzone: Liberation
- Lumines II
- Mind Quiz
- Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City
- Power Stone Collection
- Reel Fishing: Life & Nature
- Rush | Xbox:
- Drive to Survive
- Lawnmower Racing Mania 2007
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Ultimate Pro Pinball
Xbox 360:
- F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon
- FIFA 07
- Need for Speed Carbon
- World Championship Poker: All In
PC:
- 1701 A.D.
- Captain Blood
- D.I.R.T.: Origin of the Species
- Jewel Quest Solitaire
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Neverwinter Nights 2
- Panzer Command
- Scrabble 2007
- The Secret Files: Tunguska
- Snoopy vs. The Red Baron
- UFO Extraterrestrials
- Ultima Online 9th Anniversary Collection |
This week will see the debut of a number of big-name titles in the United States. On the console front, highly anticipated sequels like Final Fantasy XII and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories are expected to move significant units in the coming weeks, while Neverwinter Nights 2 promises to keep PC gamers enthralled for months.
Of particular note is the strength of this week's PSP lineup. While Sony's portable console has been somewhat lacking in terms of exclusive, non-ported content recently, titles like Vice City Stories, Lumines II, Every Extend Extra, and Killzone: Liberation should go a long way in providing the PSP the software variety it needs for the upcoming holiday season.
Games Released in Europe:
Game Boy Advance:
- The Bible Game
- Bratz: Babyz
- Bratz: Forever Diamondz
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City
- Scurge: Hive
GameCube:
- Bratz: Forever Diamondz
- Need for Speed Carbon
Nintendo DS:
- Crazy Frog Racer
- Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City
- Scurge: Hive
PlayStation 2:
- Bratz: Forever Diamondz
- Disgaea 2
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
- EyeToy: Kinetic Combat
- EyeToy Play: Sports
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- NBA 2K7
- Need for Speed Carbon
- NHL 2K7 | PlayStation Portable:
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
- GUN: Showdown
- Killzone: Liberation
- Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City
- Space Invaders Evolution
Xbox 360:
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- NBA 2K7
- Need for Speed Carbon
- NHL 2K7
PC:
- Anno 1701
- Blitzkreig 2: Fall of the Reich
- Bratz: Babyz
- Desperate Housewives
- East Coast Express 2
- FIFA Manager 07
- Kitty LUV
- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- Need for Speed Carbon
- Neverwinter Nights 2
- Pony LUV
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade |
Much of Europe's release list for this week should seem familiar, as the majority of titles within have already been released in the United States in previous weeks and months. Many of the week's biggest games will see almost simultaneous release in both regions, however, ensuring that gamers in the U.S. and the UK will enjoy titles like Vice City Stories and Need for Speed Carbon in the same week.
A scant few exclusive titles will also make their way to Europe this week. Neither of the EyeToy-compatible titles debuting at the end of the week in Europe currently have U.S. release dates, nor does the PSP shooter Space Invaders Evolution. The DS port of Crazy Frog Racer and Bratz Babyz will also remain European exclusives for the time being, unfortunately.
Games Released in Japan:
Nintendo DS:
- Emoto Honami no Shiawase Kitchen
- Hoshi no Kirby Sanjyo!
- LEGO Star Wars II
- Love Hamster
- Winning Eleven DS
PlayStation 2:
- Gallop Racer: Inbreed
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- Slotter Up Core 9 | PlayStation Portable:
- Chotto Shot
Xbox 360:
- The Outfit |
Japan will finally get a shot at the U.S. and UK best-seller LEGO Star Wars II this week, though only the PS2 and DS versions are currently scheduled to see Japanese release. Japan's offerings this week also include a portable entry in Konami's popular Winning Eleven soccer series, along with the platformer Hoshi no Kirby Sanjyo!, which will be released in the United States in December as Kirby Squeak Squad.
Among the week's more interesting titles is Chotto Shot, a photo and video manipulation tool that comes bundled with a PSP-compatible camera. It remains to be seen whether this camera will be used in future PSP games, though Chotto Shot suggests that the peripheral is better suited as an inexpensive digital camera alternative, rather than an EyeToy-like gameplay input device.
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