Author: Tom Magrino | 
Bethesda's postapocalyptic RPG gets final add-on for Xbox 360, PC; new levels for last year's Call of Duty, Freddie Mercury croons in SingStar Queen, handheld receives purple paint job.
August is typically welcomed with open arms by gamers, as it signifies the beginning of the game industry's end-of-the-year rush. Of course, considering the stupendous number of blockbuster releases fleeing from the holiday quarter, what is often a deluge may this year end up being not much more than a spring shower.
Oh great, just what Earth needs, another calamity.
Still, the month begins on a high note, as Bethesda Softworks will release the fifth and final expansion to its highly acclaimed postapocalyptic action role-playing game Fallout 3. Available for $10/MSP 800, Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta will initially release for the Xbox 360 and PC. It sees the game's protagonist kidnapped by an alien force, and players will be tasked with commandeering the invaders' vessel to stave off civilization's utter obliteration...again. (A PlayStation 3 edition is expected to be available later this year.)
Beyond Fallout 3, the third map pack for Activision's top-selling World War II shooter arrives on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on August 6. Like the first two multiplayer add-ons, Map Pack 3 will offer three new competitive arenas, as well as one zombie-themed match. Activision did not reveal pricing information, though the previous two packs are available for $10 (MSP 800).
In the upcoming map Revolution, soldiers fight in Russia's cold city streets and factories amid treacherous sniper fire. The map Battery features a fortified island encircled by antiship mines and cannons. The urban-themed Breach puts players in the dismal byways of Berlin, near the historic Brandenburg Gate. Der Riese (Zombie Factory) will feature a Nazi research facility, a machine that can upgrade weapons, and 10 new achievements or trophies.
Besides the two major add-ons, gamers have a range of lower-profile selections for the week spanning a number of genres. Karaoke all-stars can pick up Sony's SingStar: Queen for the PS3 and PlayStation 2, while EA will be releasing its film tie-in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, and DS. Paradox Interactive will be covering strategy gamers with Hearts of Iron III for the PC.
With Sony poised to release the substantively redesigned PSP Go! on October 1, the publisher still has at least one more hardware SKU for its current handheld configuration. Targeting the tween demographic, Sony has on tap this week the Hannah Montana PSP bundle, which includes a lilac-colored PSP. The bundle also includes Disney's Hannah Montana PSP game--which will also be available as stand-alone product--a UMD disc containing a variety of episodes from the Hannah Montana TV show, a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, and stickers. Tom Magrino
August is typically welcomed with open arms by gamers, as it signifies the beginning of the game industry's end-of-the-year rush. Of course, considering the stupendous number of blockbuster releases fleeing from the holiday quarter, what is often a deluge may this year end up being not much more than a spring shower.
Oh great, just what Earth needs, another calamity.
Still, the month begins on a high note, as Bethesda Softworks will release the fifth and final expansion to its highly acclaimed postapocalyptic action role-playing game Fallout 3. Available for $10/MSP 800, Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta will initially release for the Xbox 360 and PC. It sees the game's protagonist kidnapped by an alien force, and players will be tasked with commandeering the invaders' vessel to stave off civilization's utter obliteration...again. (A PlayStation 3 edition is expected to be available later this year.)
Beyond Fallout 3, the third map pack for Activision's top-selling World War II shooter arrives on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on August 6. Like the first two multiplayer add-ons, Map Pack 3 will offer three new competitive arenas, as well as one zombie-themed match. Activision did not reveal pricing information, though the previous two packs are available for $10 (MSP 800).
In the upcoming map Revolution, soldiers fight in Russia's cold city streets and factories amid treacherous sniper fire. The map Battery features a fortified island encircled by antiship mines and cannons. The urban-themed Breach puts players in the dismal byways of Berlin, near the historic Brandenburg Gate. Der Riese (Zombie Factory) will feature a Nazi research facility, a machine that can upgrade weapons, and 10 new achievements or trophies.
Besides the two major add-ons, gamers have a range of lower-profile selections for the week spanning a number of genres. Karaoke all-stars can pick up Sony's SingStar: Queen for the PS3 and PlayStation 2, while EA will be releasing its film tie-in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, and DS. Paradox Interactive will be covering strategy gamers with Hearts of Iron III for the PC.
With Sony poised to release the substantively redesigned PSP Go! on October 1, the publisher still has at least one more hardware SKU for its current handheld configuration. Targeting the tween demographic, Sony has on tap this week the Hannah Montana PSP bundle, which includes a lilac-colored PSP. The bundle also includes Disney's Hannah Montana PSP game--which will also be available as stand-alone product--a UMD disc containing a variety of episodes from the Hannah Montana TV show, a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, and stickers. Tom Magrino