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On Shelves This Week: October 29 to November 3, 2007
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If last week's boatload of game releases knocked your socks off, this week's batch won't give you a chance to put them back on. We're approaching the big holiday rush as we enter November, and the quantity of game launches is continually picking up.
 This week's sizable On Shelves cast features a diverse class of wallet-busters. Heading them is the anticipated debut of NC Soft's MMORPG Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa.
Other heavy hitters such as Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, NIS America's Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Sierra Entertainment's TimeShift are also in the house. There's plenty more in store, so dig right in and try not to go crazy deciding which ones to buy first!
Barbie as The Island Princess. Join Mattel's favorite daughter and her friends in an island getaway where the line of dolls and toys come to life in video game form. Young girls will have the time of their life exploring the locales and interacting with gameplay elements all seasoned with Barbie attitude.
- Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC- October 30
- US$ 39.99 (Wii), US$ 29.99 (DS, PC)
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Activision
Battalion Wars 2. Feel that craving for strategy gaming on your Nintendo Wii? Well buck up, soldier because a war is coming your way! Take control of land, sea and air units with the Wiimote and Nunchuk to outfight and outfox your enemy into submission.
Ben 10: Protector of Earth. Cartoon Network's stellar boy hero Ben Tennyson lands on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii to protect the world from intergalactic threats. Using the awesome powers embedded on his wrist, he'll stop at nothing to uphold freedom and justice.
- Nintendo DS- October 30
- US$ 29.99 (DS), US$ 39.99 (Wii)
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- D3 Publisher of America, 1st Playable
Cars Mater-National. Enter the world of Radiator Springs and make friends with all the game's interesting characters. Everyone is up and primed for the Cars Mater-National Race Festival to beat Lightning McQueen and take home the title of fastest in the land. It's high-octane, light-hearted fun at its best.
Culpa Innata. The year is 2047 and the world's wealthiest states have united to form the World Union. This modern Utopia is reserved only for the rich, intelligent and healthy to bask in. Underneath this perfect world, however, is an undeniable truth waiting to rise and rear its ugly head.
- PC- November 2
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Strategy First
Dementium: The Ward. Imagine waking up alone in a creepy hospital frozen in time with seemingly no means of escape. That's the premise of Gamecock's latest offering for the Nintendo DS. In this FPS/Survival horror scare-fare, you'll need to use skill and wits to survive the horrors that prowl the haunted halls.
- Nintendo DS- October 31
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Renegade Kid and Gamecock Media Group
Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness. Revisit the story of Laharl and his wacky gang as they fight to unite the Netherworld under his mighty overlord grasp. Take the deep gameplay and quirky mechanics anywhere you go for some intense RPG-strategy fun.
- Sony PlayStation Portable- October 30
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- NIS America
Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey. Join your favorite Disney Princesses in an adventure where interaction and exploration is the key. Familiar locales and characters await for educational and light-hearted gameplay.
- Nintendo Wii- October 30
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Disney Interactive Entertainment
Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas. If you're getting tired of being the good guy? You can learn first-hand what it's like to be a grade-A grouch when this game lets you assume the role of the Grinch, stealing gifts and making life miserable for the Christmas-loving citizens of Whoville.
- Nintendo DS- November 1
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Cokem International Ltd.
Ed, Edd & Eddy: Scam of the Century. After years of naughty pranks, Ed, Edd and Eddy finally got scammed themselves as Eddy discovers that his bag has a hole and is totally empty after school. All of his valuables are gone, including his favorite "who to scam and when" manual. This means war, and the mischievous trio are ready to deliver some sweet revenge.
- Nintendo DS- November 2
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- D3 Publisher of America
Fashion Designer. Live your dream of being a top shelf Manhattan designer who commandeers all the aspects of the fashion industry from clothing lines to photo shoots. Decision making and creativity will be paramount in succeeding in the art of glamor.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Ubisoft
FlatOut: Head On. Gearheads better get ready to start their engines because this rough-riding speedster for the PC is on the way. Beat your opponents either with speed or tactics in a derby that will put your will to win to the ultimate test.
- PC- November 1
- UWS$ 19.99
- Warner Home Entertainment
Garfield Gets Real. Based on his upcoming computer-generated movie, Garfield must be guided back to his 2D world from the real one so he can reunite with John, Odie and the rest of the gang. Prepare for some laughs and a lot of puzzles along the way.
- Nintendo DS- November 1
- US$ 19.99
- Destiny Interactive
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The long-awaited showdown between you and the brightest icons of rock history has finally arrived, and you better bring your A-game because Slash, Bret Michaels, John Frusciante are all looking to shred you to bits. Re-live classic tracks with your meanest riffs and bring the house down on the biggest venues.
- Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii- October 28
- US$ 99.99 (Xbox 360, PS3), US$ 89.99 (Wii)
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Activision
Hellgate: London. The year is 2036 and man has fallen victim to a demon siege. The forces of darkness have overrun the sprawling metropolis of London, and only the Templar has the knowledge to stop the invasion. Combine artifacts with powerful weapons of the future in an RPG-FPS hybrid which offers depth and action all in one package.
- PC- October 31
- US$ 49.999
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Electronic Arts
High School Musical: Sing It!. Get ready to belt out the tunes and sing your way to stardom! Sing along with your favorite "High School Musical" characters while watching the nice, motion-captured cinematography from the movie for the ultimate pop culture experience.
- Nintendo Wii- October 30
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Disney Interactive
Hooked! Real Motion Fishing. Ready for the thrill of catching your first biggie but you don't have the means and time to do it yet? Don't worry because you can now do it in the comfort of your home with a Nintendo Wii game console. Use the Wiimote and Nunchuk controllers to realistically simulate the thrills and spills of sport fishing.
- Nintendo Wii- October 30
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Aksys Games
Manhunt 2. With revisions made, Rockstar Games finally releases their latest offering. An experiment at a secret facility has gone terribly wrong and you're the product of that demented effort. The Pickman Project's forces are now after you to cover up the truth and bury your secrets. Using a mix of stealth and brutality, you'll have to take back what science has robbed you of.
- Sony PlayStation Portable- October 29, Nintendo Wii- October 31
- US$ 29.99 (PSP), US$ 39.99 (Wii)
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Rockstar Games
NBA Live 08. EA Canada's latest offering brings you the thrills of professional hoops right in your own PC. Complete with new animations, features and updated rosters along with innovative gameplay mechanics, this one looks like a true contender.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- EA Sports
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. If you're expecting a port of other Naruto games on the Xbox 360 with this release, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. This one's been built from the ground up by Ubisoft and it tells Naruto's story from its beginnings using various gameplay modes. Fighting, platforming and action are all incorporated to create a next-gen ninja extravaganza.
- Microsoft Xbox 360- October 30
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Ubisoft
O.M.G. 26 - Our Mini Games. Enter a haunted mansion where spooks of every sort lurk about with only one mission: Scare and distract you out of your wits so you can't solve the various puzzles in it. Fun and thrills Halloween-style can now be taken anywhere you go with the Nintendo DS.
- Nintendo DS- October 30
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Tommo
Panzer Tactics DS. Enter the World War II fray in as an old-school field commander and battle it out turn-based style across hex-based maps. Full touch screen support is included along with head to head wi-fi play.
- Nintendo DS- October 30
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Conspiracy Entertainment
Ratatouille Food Frenzy. Go ga-ga with Kitchen goodies in THQ's rat release for the Nintendo DS. Take advantage of the touch controls in this frantic food-fest which oozes the movie tie-ins cuteness.
- Nintendo DS- October 30
- US$29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- THQ
Sega Rally Revo. Experience rough-neck, bumper to bumper racing with advanced proprietary visuals and deformable terrain in Sega's latest racing offering. Strategic driving is a must, and knowing when to speed up and slow down means the difference between first and last place.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 39.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Sega of America
Stranglehold. John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat collaborate for an explosive action game inspired by the movie Hard Boiled. Fight in the gritty underworld of Hong Kong and Chicago to prove once more that crime doesn't pay.
- Sony PlayStation 3- October 29
- US$ 69.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Midway
SunAge. Getting a little tired of the usual 3D RTS look? This one brings back the classic 2d sprites look with a lot of technical depth. Three races - The Federation, The Real-Zun and the Sentinel - are available for play in a war to determine the fate of an entire realm.
- PC- November 2
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB RP (Rating Pending)
- Lighthouse Entertainment
Super Collapse 3. Use both of the Nintendo DS screens with the handheld's stylus to control collapsing cubes across a plethora of head-scratching levels. Take the puzzles anywhere and enjoy them in quick bursts or hour-long sessions on end.
- Nintendo DS- October 30
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Mumbo Jumbo
Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa. NC Soft unleashes its latest high-profile massively-multiplayer online (MMO) RPG this week. Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa features a wide array of races and career paths to choose from, martial arts-inspired combat moves, customizable weapons, and a horde of diverse monsters to slaughter. Solo or team-based player versus player combat is available to accommodate those who want to fight as lone wolves or stick with the brood. Prepare to be lost for a long, long time in the world of Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 69.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- NC Soft
The Command & Conquer Saga. Journey back into the yesteryears of one of the most loved strategy franchises of all time. From the first Command & Conquer which tells the story of how the world's Tiberium conflicts began to the latest installment Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, each member of the line is represented for strategy buffs to enjoy with nostalgic glee.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Electronic Arts
The Lost Crown. Join young ghost hunters Nigel and Lucy as they explore the eerie coastlines of England in search of clues that will unravel an ancient mystery. Fog blankets the terrain where stories of pirates, smugglers and ghosts are all too common.
- PC- November 1
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB RP (Rating Pending)
- Got Game Entertainment
The Office. Wondering why you'd want to play a game that's about a place you don't want to be in for more than eight hours a day? The answer is simple, this game is based on "The Office," a popular sitcom where the characters have smart mouths and clever pranks for every occasion. In the PC iteration, you'll use all your wits to finish jobs and get laughs out of all the mischief that goes on in this workplace.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 29.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Mumbo Jumbo
The Simpsons Game. America's favorite animated family is back with all-new powers that they can use to save the world from chaos. The writing and voice acting teams from the Emmy Award-winning series have crafted a hilarious adventure replete with spoofs of the biggest games in the industry today.
The Witcher. In Atari's mature-rated action offering, you'll play the role of the Witcher: a warrior trained in deadly arts since childhood to protect people from horrific beasts that prowl the night. You'll be fighting werewolves, the undead and other monsters on an effort to maintain peace in a land threatened by supernatural evils.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Atari
TimeShift. While most games today are concerned with being fully 3D, Sierra Entertainment may be bringing us the first four-dimensional shooting game ever. Length, width, and height are now complemented with time manipulation abilities which will make this shooter a cerebral ordeal. Combine time tactics with heavy weapons and you'll get a powder keg of a central concept.
- Microsoft Xbox 360, PC- October 30
- US$ 59.99 (Xbox 360), US$ 49.99 (PC)
- ESRB M (Mature)
- Sierra Entertainment
Virtua Fighter 5. The fighting game genre is alive and well with Sega's Virtua Fighter 5. Enjoy the precision-style fighting that the series is known for and master the deadly arts of a wide array of unique characters. Two new members join the cast and online play has been added for a whole new brawlgame.
- Microsoft Xbox 360- October 30
- US$ 59.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Sega of America
Viva Pinata: Party Animals. Welcome to the world of crazy pets where their destinies are for you to shape. Customize your characters in every way you desire and have them slug it out in various battles and races. If you didn't think your Microsoft Xbox 360 is for the light of heart, think again.
- Microsoft Xbox 360- October 30
- US$ 49.99
- ESRB E (Everyone)
- Microsoft Game Studios
World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets. Challenge 30 of the world's greatest poker players in heads-up tournaments which will test your strategy and bluffing abilities. Extensive tutorials are in store for those who are new to the popular card game so they can dive right in and play like pros.
- PC- October 30
- US$ 19.99
- ESRB T (Teen)
- Activision
Buy: [Barbie as The Island Princess (PC)]
Buy: [Battalion Wars 2]
Buy: [Ben 10: Protector of Earth]
Buy: [Cars Mater-National (DS, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)]
Buy: [Culpa Innata]
Buy: [Dementium: The Ward]
Buy: [Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness]
Buy: [Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey (Wii, PC)]
Buy: [Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas]
Buy: [Imagine: Fashion Designer]
Buy: [Garfield Gets Real (DS, Wii)]
Buy: [Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC)]
Buy: [Hellgate: London]
Buy: [High School Musical: Sing It!]
Buy: [Hooked! Real Motion Fishing]
Buy: [Manhunt 2 (Wii, PSP)]
Buy: [NBA Live 08 (PC)]
Buy: [Naruto: Rise of a Ninja]
Buy: [O.M.G. 26 - Our Mini Games]
Buy: [Panzer Tactics DS]
Buy: [Ratatouille Food Frenzy]
Buy: [Sega Rally Revo (PC)]
Buy: [Stranglehold (PS3)]
Buy: [SunAge]
Buy: [Super Collapse 3 (DS)]
Buy: [Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa]
Buy: [The Command & Conquer Saga]
Buy: [The Lost Crown]
Buy: [The Simpsons Game (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP)]
Buy: [The Witcher]
Buy: [Virtua Fighter 5]
Buy: [Viva Pinata: Party Animals]
Buy: [World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets]
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This week's sizable On Shelves cast features a diverse class of wallet-busters. Heading them is the anticipated debut of NC Soft's MMORPG Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa.
Comments [refresh]
I always found it interesting that QJ has an entire section devoted to Tabula Rasa.
Does anyone care about this game...like...anyone at all?
I've never known a single person who's ever even heard of it, much less played it.
well i don't need a 3rd job - wow was enough.
check this out:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2326-Zero-Punctuation-Tabula-Rasa
I have this game preordered along with WWE smackdown vs raw and I also have COD4 preordered.