After being lauded by Time Magazine yesterday, MCV's annual independent retailer survey reveals that UK stores pick Halo 3 as the best single moment in 2007, while Microsoft was voted the best in terms of overall quality and attitude throughout the year. To complete the hat trick, 49% of the UK retailers think Xbox 360 will win the next-gen battle.

Swords will be honed and weapons optimized in Namco Bandai's Soulcalibur IV. Delivering new gameplay modes, characters and enhanced features with unprecedented 3D modeling and animation, Soulcalibur IV will be the definitive fighting game experience.

Sony has rolled out its weekly PlayStation Store update with tons of new material. Just like on XBL, EA has released the Burnout Paradise demo, and the latest Rock Band Punk song pack ($5.49 or $1.99/song). After its debut last week, High Velocity Bowling gets 2 new bowling characters ($0.99/each), and Need for Speed ProStreet gets several cars ($2.49/$4.99) otherwise unlockable as you progress through the career mode. As usual there is also a slew of game and movie trailers.

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, the third entry in the series, has you reprise the heroic role of Sergeant Matt Baker, a soldier of the 101st Airborne Division, during Operation Market Garden in the late stages of World War II. It's been delayed until mid/late 2008, but here are some new screens to make up for it ...

Soldier of Fortune Payback continues with the organization know as The Shop where you take on the role of a hired mercenary, blasting their way through high intensity combat situations in the world's most dangerous hot spots. Activision has teamed up with the GGL for the Ultimate Mercenary Tournament, with $15,000 in cash and prizes and an all-expense paid trip to New York City.

Rhem3: The Secret Library is an adventure game, continuing the story from its two predecessors. Your task is to once again help the brothers Kales and Zetais to discover a new part of their fascinating world. After you have found a letter from Zetais with instructions you start the journey to Rhem once again...

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:

• NeoGeo Battle Coliseum (PS2)
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  We will update this throughout the day when new announcements become available. Read more for details ...

Parents and teachers might have to rethink their long-held belief that the more a child reads, the better. Ironically, in the just-released Book of Games Volume 2, the authors cite research indicating that video games actually can be better than books, both for your mind and body.

Bionic Commando features Nathan Spencer (voiced by Faith No More's Mike Patton), a government operative who represents the ultimate fusion of man and machine. After distinguishing himself in a fierce conflict against the Imperials, Spencer is betrayed and falsely imprisoned by the very people he unquestioningly served.

The latest issue of Japanese magazine V-Jump reveals that Namco Bandai is working on a next-gen title in the Dragon Ball Z franchise. The new title will be similar to the DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi series, published by Atari in Europe/North America, will have online multiplayer, cut-scenes driven, and support 16/9. More details to follow shortly ...