Genre: Tactical FPS
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: March 7, 2006

Chad "Wudi" Crawford: I'll admit that I wasn't a fan of the original Ghost Recon: it seems that within three minutes of starting a map, my team would be all but dead. However, as I played new iterations in the series, it really started to grow on me, to the point where Advanced Warfighter has me foaming at the mouth. Maybe it's the breathtaking graphics, the redesigned HUD with the Cross-Com that lets you see what your soldiers see, or the robust multiplayer with competitive and cooperative

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six makes its next-generation hardware debut in the most dramatic installment of the renowned first-person shooter franchise to date. Rainbow operatives take to the chaotic streets of Las Vegas as an escalating terrorist siege in "Sin City" threatens to take world terrorism to new, uncontrollable heights. The future of global security hangs in the balance as you battle to defend classic Vegas locations and environments like Fremont Street, the Strip and casinos. Experience Las Vegas like never before ­ through revollutionary next generation technology as you work against
the clock to protect one of the world's most

Genre: FPS
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: March 20, 2006

Geson Hatchett: The pack-in cartridge with the Nintendo DS contains a demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters, a glimpse at the future of first-person shooters. On those merits, many people have been waiting for this, myself included. In addition, Metroid's proven itself to be a viable franchise even in 3D, and merely the promise of another installment is reason enough by itself to salivate.

Joe Keiser: Metroid Prime: Hunters seems to be stuck in the nightmare tunnel of a release date that is to be forever pushed back, but all

Chromehounds brings squad-based multiplayer mech combat exclusively to the Xbox 360 for the first time ever. The war of the future has begun with three superpower nations fighting for world domination. Commanding giant metal war machines called “Hounds”, players must manage their tower of heavy artillery through giant war zones while engaging in cooperative squad-based tactics, and fighting intense battles against other real-time players via Xbox Live. Strategic planning, quick reflexes and team-based communication are the key to winning the Chromehounds battle.

Players will have the ability to customize their massive mechanized Hounds with a huge array of available

Get ready for some first-person horror action on your PSP! You are Daniel Garner – Trapped in a dark and unwelcoming world awaiting your purification, you must fight your way through over 75 species of Hell's wildest incarnations as you attempt to stop the imminent unholy war. Painkiller PSP is a high-quality first-person shooter that brings all of the intense Painkiller action to your favorite handheld. Adding new monsters, weapons, levels and multiplayer modes Painkiller PSP is sure to appeal to Painkiller fans and those new to the franchise.

In “Painkiller: Hell Wars,” gamers play the role of Daniel Garner, who after an unfortunate car accident is trapped between Heaven and Hell. To escape purgatory and find his salvation, he must fight mobs of hellish monsters to stop an imminent Unholy War.

Genre: RPG
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Release Date: Q2 2006

Mark "RumDragon" Bolin: When I picked up the original Neverwinter Nights, I was just looking for more of my Baldur's Gate fix. What it ended up offered me was amazing, and for the sequel, I am most excited about building my own gaming world. The graphics are nothing short of amazing, and the world looks as if it will suck me in for a good long time. One of the greatest assets Obsidian has here are the legions of fans who will ravenously throw themselves at the modding

Get the Ascension to the Throne trailer off WP (35mb)

Ascension to the Throne is a turn-based strategy game with RPG elements. In a world of fantasy the hero will have to pass many tests on his way to victory. Enemies seek to stop players from regaining power and taking revenge. Gain new friends to aid you in reclaiming the throne. Become the King you were born to be – wise, brave and courageous.

Players will act as the last offspring of the ancient family Illiar, which has ruled Eden for ages. But times have changed and traitorous enemies attacked the

Genre: RPG
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Release Date: February 7, 2006

Alicia Ashby: Tales has been the major Japanese RPG series to fare the worst when it comes to entering the American market, but the great success of Tales of Symphonia for the GameCube seems to be changing that. Tales of Legendia hopes to continue the hot streak, offering an amazingly fun fighting-game like active battle system that still lets you manage a party full of characters. The 3D graphics are sharp, incorporating elements from Soul Calibur III's prodigious graphics engine, and it contains about 25 minutes of new

Bards sing tales of heroes from ages past, but never have the Forgotten Realms so desperately needed a champion. Years have passed since the war between Luskan and Neverwinter, almost enough time for the wounds of war to heal. But the brief peace the Realms have known may be at an end. Tension growing between the mighty city-states means the Sword Coast again teeters on the edge of open war. Unnoticed, a greater danger stalks the City of Skilled Hands. Unbeknownst to the denizens of the North, deep in the Mere of Dead Men, dark forces from across

Grandia III is the newest title in Game Arts' role-playing series, using an all-new engine, N3, allowing for larger and more detailed environments.

With the ability for thousands of gamers to play simultaneously, Test Drive Unlimited is M.O.O.R.: Massively Open Online Racing. This is a truly unprecedented experience for racing gamers and is the ultimate automotive experience for car and bike enthusiasts alike. Once in the game, players can visit the most sophisticated car and motorcycle dealers to purchase new vehicles or simply take them for a spin. Gamers can then participate in 8 player races or take vehicles for a drive on over 1000 miles of diverse Hawaiian roads and pass by thousands of other real players. Further, players can

Genre: FPS
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Criterion Studios
Release Date: February 28, 2006

Joe Keiser: Burnout 3 was a revelation in racing games when it came out in 2004, so when a shooting game from the creators of Burnout claims to be "Burnout for shooters," it'd be pretty foolish not to pay attention. Criterion, the game's creators, really knows their stuff – they're the daddy of Renderware, the most popular set of game creation tools in the industry, and they are virtuosos in its use. As a result, Black should be fast, fluid, and exhilarating. But perhaps most excitingly,

Based on DreamWorks upcoming animated film, Over the Hedge the game takes players on an all-new adventure beyond the movie as they assume the roles of RJ, Verne, Hammy and Stella and turn a suburban neighborhood loaded with dangerous obstacles and traps into their personal playground. Numerous puzzles and mini-games keep fans busy as they switch between two of the four main characters or engage in two player cooperative play with friends.

HOT PXL is a myriad of mini-games (think Nintendo’s Wario Ware) aimed at a more mature, cultured crowd. The rapid fire game play requires players to draw on their reflexes and 2D gaming prowess to get through hundreds of inspired scenarios ? whether it’s blasting through an old-school Zaxxon-inspired game, busting tricks on a skateboard or a BMX, stage-diving at a pixellated concert or simply trying to cross the street. By playing through the main Story Mode, players unlock alternate versions of the mini games which add infinite replayability in the Theater Mode and within the game’s Smart

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

Mark "RumDragon" Bolin: Gears of War is probably what will convince me to finally buy an Xbox 360. The concentration on teamwork by the developers is impressive, and hopefully, it will play out well. From the trailers I've seen, the world looks immersive, and the A.I. seems rather brutal. The ability to use cover just about anywhere also looks quite interesting. I can't wait to get my hands on this stellar-looking shooter; I need only to find one of my friends with a lot of free time to sit

The story of the game starts millions of years in the past, yet it describes the cultures and races far beyond our own in all technical aspects. The exploration of space, the adventures on faraway planets, merciless wars between rival galactic empires – everything is in there. But the plot itself can offer more than that…

What if the Human race is not alone in the galaxy? What if there were 10 planets revolving around the Sun originally, and one of them was destroyed by an Alien race in a quest for technology, which surpassed any wildest imagination? What if mighty

Genre: RPG
Publisher: Square-Enix
Developer: Square-Enix
Release Date: TBA

Alicia Ashby: o/` It's Tron! It's Tron! It's Trooooooon! o/`

Kingdom Hearts is the poster child for games that are much better than they have any right to be, and the sequel looks like it'll be everything the first game was and then some. The interface is streamlined, special cooperative moves with all of the guest characters have been implemented, and new context-sensitive moves let Sora perform amazing stunts during boss fights and special battles. Best of all is the new roster of series and guest characters: Jack Sparrow, Auron from

Faithful to the Warhammer license, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos puts the focus squarely on the battlefield with a real-time combat system that gives the player unprecedented customization and control of his army.

An epic battle rages following a brutal Chaos invasion, where four fully playable armies (Empire, Chaos, Skaven, and High Elves) as well as additional controllable races (Orcs, Dwarfs, Vampires, and Goblins) clash on a massive battlefield.

Features:

• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos is about WAR, focusing on the armies and battles while de-emphasizing