What's New?

Ah, it's good to see publishers getting back into the swing of things and offering us a Friday with enough gaming juice to fill a pint glass, isn't it? Topping the list of games you're most likely to buy this week are Resident Evil on the Cube and Tekken 4 on the PS2, we'd imagine, but that's not all by any stretch of the imagination. And beware, we've heard... things... about Tekken 4. Things which don't bode well. Fortunately we've heard nothing but good things about SCi's Conflict: Desert Storm, which is a nice change for a company which has endured a few flops lately. Desert Storm hits PC, PS2 and Xbox today, and we hope to give you some idea of its worth in the coming week. Also on PC, the long-awaited release of Divine Divinity, a complicated RPG if ever there was one, and the release of Disciples II: Dark Prophecy, the subject of this week's competition - fancy winning a copy of the game and saving yourself the headache of agonising over it in your local games joint? step right this way... PS2-owning fans of the fringe will be pleased to see that Eidos' Way of the Samurai has finally made it out on the Fresh Games label. We were eminently taken with this when we procured an American import a while ago, describing it as the perfect vision of episodic gameplay with a few niggles. That still stands, and we hope to bring you a full review shortly. However, it would be fair to say that you can't go too far wrong - if you fancy a story which lasts about three hours but which you can play in an enormous number of ways, then it's time to wipe the blood of your katana and bury it in some rogues. Xbox owners, meanwhile, should consider carefully the purchase of young Buffy. She's an upstart with a dodgy accent, certainly, but rumour has it her combat mechanics and engaging storyline open her up to a whole new audience, even one outside of the show's traditional grasp. We'll have a review of this just as soon as EA sends us a copy. [Glances around.] Finally, GameCube and GameBoy Advance both profit this week. The Cube gets the aforementioned Resident Evil, and a clutch of games which probably aren't worth your money (not even Capcom could save Disney's Magical Mirror from the fate you were probably expecting), but the GBA manages two-out-of-three must-have releases! Beat'em'up fans should rush out and immediately purchase Guilty Gear X, a superb adaptation of a very ornate, very rewardng fighter from Japan, and... well, just about anybody with a pulse should pick up a copy of the long-awaited and oft-delayed Speedball 2 Brutal Deluxe. For many, it's reason enough to buy a GBA. New Releases - CubeDisney's Magical Mirror Pro Tennis WTA Tour Resident Evil Street Hoops Worms Blast GBAGuilty Gear X Sabrina the Teenage Witch - Potion Commotion Speedball 2 Brutal DeluxePC Autocracy Batman: Vengeance Conflict: Desert Storm Cycling Manager 2 Disciples II: Dark Prophecy Divine Divinity Matchbox: Cross Town Heroes Rugrats: All Growed Up - Older & Bolder PSX None. PS2Conflict: Desert Storm Street Hoops Tekken 4Way of the SamuraiXbox Commandos 2 Conflict: Desert Storm Loons Street HoopsTetris WorldsRelated Feature - UK Release Date List