Game Announcements - Xmas to 17th Jan

It's a bit weird to be excited when a game is announced. You know nothing about it. Could be awful. But it works because you get to infuse the final outcome with unrealistic hopes in your head.

One new hopeful we like the sound of is Demigod. Gas Powered Games of Supreme Commander and Dungeon Siege is making it. Some sort of cross between a role-playing and real-time strategy game where you can level up your hero character and lead troops. Think Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients. Only on PC so far.

This past little period also saw confirmation of a Resistance: Fall of Man sequel. It boasts 60-player online battles and an entire eight-player co-operative campaign. Otherwise it's new enemies, fighting in America, and better graphics.

Other new ones are Deca Sports on Wii from Hudson (no prizes for guessing its inspiration), SEGA's official Olympics game, Sam & Max finally making its way to Wii (although the developer claims it hasn't confirmed it, even though its publisher does), more Pokémon for DS, and Dragon Ball Z now for PS3 and 360.

Less exciting (but then who are we to judge?) are Live Arcade remakes of Lode Runner and Bionic Commando (also on PSN). But not Target: Terror from Konami, which is hilarity in pictures, or the bizarre Real Madrid football game.

Ubisoft came to its senses recently too, adding PS3 and 360 versions of FarCry 2 to the roster, followed by Activision planning a Guitar Hero II Xbox 360 solus release so you with the new guitar can play it without spending a fortune.

On the less related side of news-town was Japan outing SimCity 2 for DS, Codemasters Online Gaming promising to unveil a new MMORPG at an upcoming fan event, and LucasArts adventure-legend Ron Gilbert getting a publisher for his DeathSpank game.

And. Rise of Nations developer Big Huge Games got bought by THQ, which was pleased to be gobbling up its ambitious RPG made by Oblivion creator Ken Rolston. But the real reason was a secret IP said to be more ambitious and fantastic and brilliant than that. Oh, and Factor 5 of Rogue Squadron fame said it was already making a title for Wii.

Elsewhere elsewhere, boring snore Microsoft showed it was releasing lots of titles on Games for Windows, we're getting more Cake Mania and Macs are getting new titles that are not just World of Warcraft.

Not to forget some juicy rumours, my favourite being rumblings that a Jade Empire sequel is in the works oh please be true oh do too and come true. Rare has refused to confirm that it's working on a game called Fast & Furriest for Xbox Live Arcade, too, but the evidence sounds quite strong.

And that's your lot. Did we miss any?