Imagine a time where everything you believe and think you know becomes blurred and uncertain, a time where your darkest secrets, emotions and desires can be painstakingly extracted from your very soul and brought to light. Imagine a troubled age where speaking a few lighthearted words can turn into a death sentence and where religion mixes with politics to bend a changing society. These confusing times are recorded by history as ‘The Renaissance’.

Atari today announced Atari Anthology, a round up of 85 vintage Atari games being released for the first time for the PS2 and Xbox. Capturing the nostalgia and sheer fun of the original video game revolution, Atari Anthology is scheduled to hit retail shelves in November for $19.99, making it irresistible for holiday shoppers.

Star Wars Battlefront is an action/shooter game that gives fans and gamers the opportunity to re-live and participate in all of the classic Star Wars battles like never before. Players can select one of a number of different soldier types, jump into any vehicle, man any turret on the battlefront and conquer the galaxy planet-by-planet online with their friends or offline in a variety of single player modes.

Get On Da Mic allows players to live the fantasy resulting from their rap superstardom, embracing the famous excesses of the hip hop lifestyle. Gamers must wow the crowds with their ‘dope’ rapping style as they go from the street, play “da clubs,” record at the studio, shoot the video, and ultimately perform for thousands of fans in order to acquire the fantastic material wealth that comes with unimaginable success. Check out the freshly launched official website or read more for new screens...

Oddworld Stranger's Wrath combines first and third-person gameplay with familiar Oddworld elements and an all-new engine to deliver a unique gameplay experience. Set to award-winning visuals, players will be moved by the complex and inspiring story as the Stranger comes to grips with his true nature in the hunt for the ultimate bounty.

Vivendi Universal Games announced today that Crash Twinsanity, the next installment in the best-selling video game franchise, has gone gold. The irrepressible Crash Bandicoot is set to hit retail shelves this month in his funniest adventure yet! Developed by Traveller's Tales, the new action platformer will be available for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

Electronic Arts and Def Jam today announced the explosive in-game soundtrack that will fuel Def Jam FIGHT For NY, the blazing-hot sequel to Def Jam Vendetta, set to drop this October. Delivering a hard-hitting mix of 28 hot new tracks and old-school hits from Def Jam and other prominent hip hop labels, the soundtrack magnifies the game's gritty, intense gameplay and dramatic storyline.

Konami today announced that Silent Hill 4: The Room for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC has shipped to retail stores nationwide. By enhancing the award-winning features that have defined the series - intense and bone chilling gameplay, superior graphics and a haunting musical score by the series' producer, Akira Yamaoka - Silent Hill 4: The Room will strike terror into the hearts of gamers with the most frightening experience in the history of the franchise.

Konami of Europe has confirmed what every Xbox owner has been waiting to hear: its much vaunted Pro Evolution Soccer 4 will be compatible with the Xbox Live service, allowing users to play against rival fans in real-time online matches.

Def Jam Fight For NY challenges players to step into the shoes of a ruthless street fighter battling for control of the hip-hop underground. The game features an all-new fighting engine including weapons, interactive environments, 40 characters and five unique fighting styles.

Scarface is now coming for the first time to game consoles & PC worldwide. In a complex world filled with excess and greed, players can take the role of Tony Montana, one of the most ruthless gangsters ever depicted on film. Developed by Radical Games and published by Vivendi, this third person action shooter is expected to ship Autumn 2005.

Flat-Out is an adrenaline-inducing racing game with an exciting story line, spectacular crashes and a not-too-serious attitude in the best movie-like fashion. One of the 'Flat-Out' features is the "stunt" event where you race your car, and catapult the driver at a specific moment using him as a dart, bowling ball and other projectiles.

Last year Sammy Studios released Guilty Gear X2 for the PS2, adding six new characters to the most unique cast ever conceived for a total 20 playable fighters, and delivers new modes like Story, Mission, Medal of Millionaires and Gallery to build on the series story of war between humans and the bio-weapon Gears. Now 'Guilty Gear XX #Reload' is coming to the Xbox, adding a number of tweaks and one new character. Read more for screens ...

Cold War follows the story of Matt Carter a freelance journalist who finds himself in the midst of an international conspiracy that aims to control the U.S.S.R. Using only recovered weapons and improvised gadgets, he must now evade or overcome elite Soviet forces and defeat the conspiracy before he is sent to a Siberian prison camp or killed.

Use destructive weapons and innate mental powers to take on the most feared enemy in the galaxy - Mankind! Play as Crypto, an alien warrior sent to Earth to clear the way for the Furon invasion force. Your mission is to infiltrate humanity, control them, harvest their brain stems and ultimately destroy them. You choose the method - infiltration or disintigration!

Karaoke Revolution features a number of exciting single and multi-player modes that support up to eight other aspiring pop stars. Showtime Mode lets players climb from the clubs to the ultimate arena, while Arcade Mode and Karaoke Mode let you sing and compete alone or with friends. In addition, downloadable song packs, several customizable characters and multiple venues make it even more fun to step up to the mic!

Elevate your game on both ends of the court with NBA LIVE 2005. With EA SPORTS Freestyle Control, create awe-inspiring dribble moves, highlight-reel dunks, and tenacious defensive plays that express your individual playing style. All new 10-man Freestyle adds individual player movements and spacing, creating a realistic feel like never before. Enhanced player graphics that vividly reproduce each NBA player reach new heights, while multiple game modes including EA SPORTS Dynasty Mode put you in the middle of the action.

'Vietcong: Purple Haze' is a cinematic narrative-based First Person Shooter (FPS) set during the Vietnam Conflict. Players of VIETCONG experience the war from the perspective of a soldier assigned to join a squad of U.S. Special Forces running reconnaissance missions deep into the jungles of Northern Vietnam.

ShellShock: Nam '67 depicts the true horrors of the Vietnam War for the first time in a video game. ShellShock: Nam '67 focuses on one man's experience of the most controversial war of modern times. You take on the role of a rookie soldier on his first tour of duty as he experiences the fear, chaos and atrocities of the Vietnam War.

'Outlaw Golf 2' will be even more raunchy with all new courses, new characters (and old favorites), golf cart stunt driving, enhanced AI and controls, and an all new way to beat up your caddie to regain your composure. Check out the details on three more game modes, Pick Up Sticks, My One and Only, and Time Attack, so you'll know what to expect when the game releases this October.

In Ghost Master, you play an afterlife civil servant sent to Gravenville by the Haunter Committee. Your mission: manage resources to scare and manipulate people, then to discover the secrets behind Gravenville. Your control over ghostly beings will allow other ghosts to be laid to rest – therefore making the transition from the material to the ethereal plane. But helping out these wretched souls takes a bit of effort and plasm - that's where the fun-packed scaring comes in!

Head over to our dedicated EGN section to check out the following new screens from Hip Interactive's 2004 EGN lineup:

• CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect (PS2/Xbox/PC)
• Garfield (PS2/PC)
• Pariah (Xbox/PC)
• Stolen (PS2/Xbox/PC)
• The Mummy (PS2/Xbox/PC)

Bethesda Softworks today announced that its highly anticipated survival horror game, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, will be released in Q1 2005, thus pushing it back several months. Call of Cthulhu is a mix of horror, puzzle solving, exploration, and combat as you face the seemingly impossible task of battling an advanced race of evil aliens.

Atari and Firaxis have announced a beta test for the upcoming Sid Meier's Pirates! PC game. Open only to subscribers of AVAST, the official Pirates! newsletter, the beta test allows fans to join the crew to become one of the first to discover the legend and legacy of the classic Sid Meier adventure. Fans can go to the official Pirates! website, www.atari.com/pirates, to sign-up for AVAST.

Activision is targeting virtual sportsmen with the newest release, "Cabela's Deer Hunt 2005 Season," for the Xbox, PS2 and PC, available in stores now.