Gears of War

Genre: Action
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic Games
Release Date: Q1 2006

Going into E3 2005, the game I was most excited about seeing was by far the very impressive Unreal Engine 3-based Gears of War for the Xbox 360, and it sure didn't disappoint.

The story behind Gears of War paints a pretty bleak picture for humanity, thanks to some really nasty creatures that will send chills up and down your spine the first time you see them, and many times after that as well. The setting is the planet Sera, which is very much like Earth, just slightly more

Genre: Action/RPG
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Release Date: Fall 2005

If nothing else, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness answers one question I’ve had for a while about the Castlevania series. Simply put, it’s this: when you leave and come back into a room in a Castlevania game, where does the fresh wave of monsters come from? Is there a hidden wing of Dracula’s castle that’s entirely dedicated to the care, feeding, construction, and breeding of new monsters to replace the ones you’ve been hacking to bits?

Apparently, there is, and it’s staffed by people like Hector. As a Devil Forgemaster, Hector

The game is set in some African country. A coup d’etat and the country gets a dictator as its governor. And it slowly but steadily plunges into chaos. White farmers have been drawn from their land and now groups and fight with looter bands for the control over certain territories. The U.N.O. is involved and tries to give humanitarian help. As for the ex-rulers of the country they try to sit back. What makes the new game differ is that it’s up to the player to decide whose part to support. There are several starting points in

Genre: Console
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Sony & IBM
Release Date: Spring 2006

I can hear the system fanboys out there sharpening their knives after reading that teaser, but trust me, fannishness doesn't motivate this assessment of the situation. I don't really believe in system loyalty, since ultimately a console is just a computer and only as good as the software that gets made for it. I loved Nintendo's booth this year, but unless the Revolution actually shoots holograms out of your TV and, I don't know, can fit on the head of a pin as promised, then we're about to look

Genre: MMORPG
Publisher: TBA
Developer: Perpetual Entertainment
Release Date: TBA

When Stieg Hedlund, lead designer of Diablo 2 and a designer that worked on Starcraft, makes a new game, you had better sit up and take interest. And that (making a new game, not sitting up) is exactly what he's doing at Perpetual with the upcoming MMORPG Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising. Set in a classical world of myth and legend (roughly 300ish B.C. in ancient Rome), players will become elite Roman heroes literally descended from the gods themselves during the rise of the Roman Republic.

Genre: MMORPG
Publisher: Funcom
Developer: Funcom
Release Date: Q2 2006

Last week, I sat down with Gante Godager, game developer at Funcom, to take a look at a pre-alpha version of the upcoming action/adventure/strategy/MMORPG title, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. While there were understandable issues with such an early build of the game, much of what is in place is impressive, and if the game can deliver on the promises on what is planned for future development, Funcom may have a hit on their hands.

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Officers is a 3D real time strategy game with RPG elements that lets the player act as an officer commanding tank, infantry and sappers. Apart from these, the player will be able to take advantage of the AI controlled long-range artillery and air forces. Each country represented in the game has its realistic military structure, weapons and equipment. Starting as a platoon leader, the player gradually gets promoted up to the rank of the division commander. Promotion implies lager forces under direct control, matching objectives and greater scope – up to 1.500 troops engaged in a battle simultaneously. The storyline