Particularly in the spotlight this year, six blockbuster games are expected to wow fans and rack up record sales:

• Beyond Good & Evil: Based on an original idea by Michel Ancel and developed by Ubi Soft's in-house studios, this title blends an ambitious, fluid new gaming experience with an epic storyline. Its Jade engine ensures that players benefit from the most advanced technologies available in the industry today.
• Far Cry: This cunningly detailed action shooter - which boasts a meticulously designed, next-generation Far Cry engine - pushes the boundaries of virtual combat to shocking new levels.
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time:

Pop Idol, set to be the mass-market game of the year for PlayStation 2 and PC, will be exclusively presented from a themed stage on the booth. Codemasters will challenge show-goers to see how well they can perform as a virtual Pop Idol singer as they control the in-game voice of a contestant through the music-based rhythm-action gameplay.

Every in-game performance is judged by a computer-generated Simon Cowell, and there may be some very familiar Idols faces at Codemasters' E3 booth too...

Codemasters will also unveil the next level for its power-brand games including Colin McRae Rally, Operation Flashpoint and LMA Manager.

Premiering

American Conquest

Blitzkrieg

Cossacks: Back To War

Coassacks II: Napoleonic Wars

Genre : FPS
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Crytek Studios
Release Date: Q1 2007

Crytek, the makers of Far Cry, are back with another $2,000 first-person-shooter for the PC: Crysis. It promises intense action, amazing physics, and the kinds of graphics that'll make you shell out for a new video card.

The idea behind Crysis, according to Crytek's CEO Cevat Yerti, is to show "the most credible - not realistic, but credible - alien invasion ever." You'll shoot plenty of humans in this game, but you'll also take on some of the largest opponents I've ever seen in an

"The video game industry has enjoyed tremendous success this past year due to the release of more 'AAA' titles, the introduction of the GBA SP and the price drop of consoles," says Darren Richardson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mad Catz, Inc. "These events have further fueled an increase in consumer demand for accessories of all the video game systems. Mad Catz is well positioned to increase its share of the market and is excited to showcase high quality, cutting-edge peripherals at this year's E3 event."

Some of the innovative products the Company will reveal at E3 include:

RetroCON(TM) (PlayStation(R)2)

Classically designed

Fatal Inertia is the dynamic opening salvo from Koei's brand new Canada studio. With a distinctly Western flair, this game represents the first step into an all-new genre for Koei. Fatal Inertia presents the stunning contrast of vibrant, futuristic vehicles battling and racing in a variety of beautiful, natural environments. There are a wide range of physics-based weapons, and you'll discover new ways to use them every time you play. Harnessing the power of the PlayStation 3, this game offers a physics engine that is core to the gameplay, and that offers complete interaction between vehicles, weapons, and

Genre: Action
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic Games
Release Date: TBA

After our single-player demo with CliffyB, it's time to go hands-on with Gears of War. Deep behind closed doors at Microsoft's E3 booth, we walked into a large room that had two groups of eight Xbox 360s decked out with the limited-edition GoW faceplate and networked together for some four-on-four team-based deathmatch action. We first got an overview of the game controls and some basic tactics from the Epic Games team, and then we were off on our own for some intense multiplayer action.

The default button

"We are very excited about our 2003 release schedule and look forward to having these titles on display for the world to see during this year's E3 show," said Rod Cousens, Global President and Chief Operating Officer for Acclaim. "As the global audience for interactive entertainment continues to expand, we have focused our resources on creating a lineup that will appeal to the masses and hardcore gamers alike."

Acclaim's E3 product lineup includes:

ALIAS

Based on ABC Television's hit drama series, "Alias" is a third-person action adventure video game that allows players to step into the role of the series' lead character, Sydney

Red Faction 2 (PlayStation 2)

Alter Echo (PlayStation 2 XBOX)

MX Superfly (PS2

Genre: Racing Combat
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Pseudo Interactive
Release Date: Fall 2006

Fuller Auto

If you're a fan of the first Full Auto, the Xbox 360 combat racer that arrived earlier this year to mixed, but positive-leaning reviews, you have reason to look forward to this fall – if you're also saving up for a PlayStation 3. The sequel, Full Auto 2: Battlelines, as of the last day of E3 2006, is set to be a PS3 exclusive. After some developer face-time and about 15 minutes of hands-on multiplayer combat at E3, I can say that Battlelines will

Leading Australian games developer Ratbag is planning a sequel to its highly successful Powerslide – the futuristic racing game that propelled the company into the international spotlight five years ago.

Visitors at the E3 games expo in Los Angeles will be given a sneak preview of Powerslide Slipstream, which takes video game motor racing to a new level of intensity and excitement.

In a significant development, Ratbag is self-funding the new game after acquiring publishing rights from Infogrames.

Ratbag Chief Executive Officer, Greg Siegele, says the company has further enhanced its proprietary Difference Engine® technology to provide the new game with even greater

The game is set in Soleanna, the beautiful city of water. In his first adventure set in the human world, Sonic meets a beautiful princess named Elise, whom he quickly befriends, but Princess Elise is abducted by none other than the calculating Dr. Eggman who is working under dark and sinister motives,to destroy this special kingdom of hers. In order to restore safety and serenity, Sonic must maneuver his way through a series of adventures and challenges where he will encounter and interact with a bevy of allies and enemies, and ultimately go head to head against the menacing doctor

Microsoft Corp. debuted its lineup of ambitious new games for the Xbox® video game system at a pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) media briefing today, wowing a packed house at the Grand Olympic Auditorium with titles that redefine innovation and plug an ever-expanding audience of gamers into the Digital Entertainment Lifestyle.

Sensationally rendered thrillers such as "Halo 2," one of the most ambitious video games ever; the first three Xbox games from Rare Ltd., "Conker: Live and Uncut," "Kameo: Elements of Power" and "Grabbed by the Ghoulies"; and the highly anticipated sequel "Project Gotham Racing® 2" showcased the depth, breadth and quality

Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Release Date: TBA

Nintendo has been pimping Red Steel unusually hard for it to be a third-party title, especially a third-party FPS with a Western developer. It's because Red Steel embodies Nintendo's promise that the Wii's games are going to cater to every possible type of gamer, including the aggressive, predominantly male demographic of FPS fans that felt distinctly ignored by the GameCube. Red Steel is not just an FPS, either, but almost a tech demo that shows third-party developers just what kind of an experience they can create

Get the Italian Job Trailer off worthplaying (6mb)

The Italian Job is about mastermind thief Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg), who pulls off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Italy, only to be double-crossed by one of his crew, Steve (Edward Norton). Seeking revenge, Charlie recruits Stella (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nerves-of-steel safe cracker. Together with his former gang, Charlie and Stella follow the backstabber to California where they plan to re-steal the gold by manipulating traffic signals and creating havoc on the streets of Los Angeles.

A contemporary remake of Paramount's 1969 classic by the

The highlights for The Adventure Company will be Cypher: The Sequel to Traitors Gate and Mysterious Journey II: Chameleon. Several other titles, namely Crystal Key II: The Far Realm, Jack the Ripper, and Forever Worlds will also receive a lot of attention at E3.

E3 2003 Product Lineup

Cypher: The Sequel to Traitors Gate (PC only)
Developed by: 258 Productions AB
Release Date: Fall, 2003

CYPHER: The Sequel to Traitors Gate is an adventure game that combines brain-teasing challenges and broad exploration. The game features rich and beautifully rendered environments with a strong and believable main character, Raven. This heroic figure has a

Get the Italian Job Trailer off Worthplaying (6mb)

The President of the United States of America has been assassinated.

You wake up on a desolate strip of New England beach. The near-fatal impact of a bullet has left your head pounding, and your memory erased. What's more, the number "XIII" has been mysteriously tattooed on your chest, while your pocket holds a key to a New York City bank box. Head swimming in amnesia, you struggle to your feet only to encounter more assailants intent on finishing the job. To your shock, you handle the hitmen with the killing skills of

Genre: Puzzle/Rhythm
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Inis
Release Date: Q4 2006

With companies like Konami and Harmonix making rhythm/music games popular in the 'States, we've begun to see lots more than the latest Dance Dance crazes coming our way. We've had taiko drums, regular drums, virtual karaoke bars, guitars, and now ... well, now we've got touch-tapping.

It's really fun touch-tapping, though.

Elite Beat Agents is the localized pedigree of a Japanese DS game by the name of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, in which male cheerleaders are summoned everywhere they can be to solve the problems of the world through dance.