The Roundup: July 20

A quick peek at games to be released very, very soon


THE BIG ONE: SOUL CALIBUR 4
By: Namco Bandai
Platform: PS3/Xbox 360
Genre: Fighting
Price: $59.99, $79.99 for Limited Edition
Release: July 29

One of the most anticipated games of the year, Soul Calibur 4 is the latest installment of Namco Bandai's weapon-based fighting game. One particular source of excitement for this iteration of Soul Calibur are the guest characters from Star Wars: Playstation 3 gets Sith powerhouse Darth Vader while Xbox 360 gets its matching green Jedi warrior Master Yoda. Both versions will also have Darth Vader's apprentice as a playable character. The Limited Edition comes with a metal case, art book, tournament bracket card and XL T-shirt. Click on the clip below to view it in action.




Now on to the other previews for this week. First up is Spectral Force 3, just one of several RPGs to be coming out this week...



SPECTRAL FORCE 3
By: Atlus
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Strategy RPG
Price: $59.99
Release: July 29

Get hooked in the Great Neverland War (Get it? Hooked? Neverland? Um, never mind) in the first Japanese-style strategy RPG for the 360. The game features more than 50 hours of gameplay spanning more than 150 missions. You can also recruit as many as 40 characters into your mercenary group, though I doubt any one of them is named Peter Pan.



MLB POWER PROS 2008
By: Konami/Take 2 Interactive
Platform: Wii
Genre: Sports
Price: $39.99
Release: July 28

Big-headed baseball returns to the Wii in the latest localization of the popular Japanese Power Pro series. The game sports real Major League teams and players, albeit in shrunken, cutesy form.



IZUNA 2: THE UNEMPLOYED NINJA RETURNS
By: Atlus
Platform: DS
Genre: RPG
Price: $29.99
Release: July 22

Izuna is back and jobless yet again in this wacky role-playing series for Nintendo's handheld. This game should fit the bill for folks pining for old Super Nintendo-style RPGs.



FINAL FANTASY IV
By: Square Enix
Platform: DS
Genre: RPG
Price: $39.99
Release: July 21

Now this brings back memories. Final Fantasy IV (or II when it first came out in the U.S.) is a complete remake of the Super NES classic for the DS. Just like Final Fantasy III before it, Squeenix went the extra mile and re-did the whole game with new 3D graphics and cut-scenes as opposed to just a straight port (they better for that price). That sound you hear are Final Fantasy fans squealing for joy.