Coming Attractions: Shooters Pt.2

Time Crisis 4

The next instalment in the Time Crisis series will be a PS3-exclusive and the first compatible with G-con 3 - "The most advanced G-con ever, redesigned specifically to enhance next-gen gameplay." In other words, they've stuck an analogue stick on.

TC4 will feature a brand new FPS mode where you can roam free as that lion in that film what was on at Christmas, and play with grenade launchers and mounted machine guns. Arcade, Mission and Crisis modes are back too.

Kristan got to try out the game at last year's Tokyo Game Show. "Finally, we'll be getting a version of Time Crisis that's absolutely arcade perfect," he wrote, citing "a much greater visual appeal and a thrill-a-minute approach to the gun-toting gameplay" as evidence. No word on a release date yet.

Crisis point: In a previous life, a Eurogamer staff member was tasked with writing the manual for Time Crisis II. The character profile for Keith Martin originally gave his place of birth as "Lewisham, UK". Sadly, Namco questioned the source of the information before the presses began to roll.

House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

Another lightgun classic comes back once again, but this time it's the Wii's turn. Bundled on one disc come the 1998 arcade sequel, later ported to Dreamcast and PC, plus HOD3 - first released in 2002 before appearing on PC and Xbox a year later.

There are six modes to choose from including Arcade, Time Attack and two-player Co-op. The game will be playable with the plain old remote and nunchuk, but if you really feel like pointing a gun it'll also work with the Wii Zapper.

House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return is due out this spring.

He's got Bolls: "I think I made a perfect House of the Dead movie, because it really shows how the game is. It's a lot of fun, it's over-the-top action - it's not 28 Days Later, because the reality is that House of the Dead is about how it's a lot of fun to shoot zombies." - Uwe Boll, offers Eurogamer some wise words back in 2006.

Ghost Squad

Like HOTD, Ghost Squad first debuted in the arcades - and like HOTD, it's now coming to Wii. The Ghost Squad is a UN special forces unit tasked with kicking terrorism's nuts back up using a variety of exciting weapons.

In the Wii game there will be 25 of these including of high-powered rifles, sub-machine and shotguns. You may also find yourself involved in hand-to-hand combat occasionally. Gadgets on offer include night and thermal vision goggles, plus a good old torch.

Ghost Squad isn't designed with the Wii Zapper in mind - in fact you don't even need a Nunchuk to play, just a remote. The four gameplay modes include the full arcade game and a multiplayer option for up to four players. Expect a full review as the game's 25th January release draws nearer.

Ghost busting: I saw Winston Zeddemore at an airport once.

That concludes our round-up of 2008's most promising shooters. We'll bring you our take on the year's best racing games next, and there's action adventure sports RPG strategy etc. still to come - so if you don't like guns and war, cheer up.