New Releases

Watch out for slime and avoid crossing the streams in this surprise continuation of Sony Pictures' Ghostbusters franchise. Written by stars Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd, who scripted both blockbuster films, Ghostbusters: The Video Game features a storyline set two years after the events depicted in Ghostbusters 2. Hailed by New York City residents as heroes, the Ghostbusters are hoping to turn their thriving business into a franchise, much to the chagrin of ex-EPA agent Walter Peck. After the Ghostbusters hire a new crewmember, the city is overwhelmed with a surge of paranormal activity. There's something even stranger in the neighborhood, and you're getting the call.

Since the game is all about hunting down and capturing ghosts, the perspective is set behind your character's shoulder to offer a clear view of the rooms and spectral anomalies ahead. The third-person viewpoint also displays one of the most important tools you'll have in confronting the ghosts: the Proton Pack. You must monitor the Proton Pack's power consumption to avoid overheating the device, and the backpack's flashing display also indicates health and weapon charge. Your character will be in constant radio communication with other members of the Ghostbusters team, including Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddmore, each voiced by the movie's original actors. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Infinity Ward's critically acclaimed Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare comes to the Wii thanks to the efforts of Treyarch, known for its slightly less polished, if still highly competent, contributions to Activision's hugely popular franchise. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare -- Reflex eschews the traditional WWII setting that had been the hallmark of the series, instead taking on the more nebulous world of modern warfare. Nazi storm troopers and kamikaze pilots have been replaced by a patchwork group of terrorists and insurgents, and traditional WWII weapons have been jettisoned in favor of more than 70 modern armaments. Though the story is a departure from the previous games, Modern Warfare -- Reflex still features intense mission-based first-person shooter gameplay that should be familiar to fans.

The plot centers on two megalomaniacal madmen who are fomenting unrest around the world in an attempt to cement their own power. Imran Zakhaev is a one-armed Russia nationalist who longs to return his country to a Soviet Union style of government by seizing a stockpile of nuclear weapons. Zakhaev has support from several divisions of the Russian army, but, knowing that the United States would quickly come to the aid of the Russian government, he funds a coup in the Middle East to divert attention. Led by Zakhaev ally Khaled Al-Asad, the Middle Eastern coup results in intense fighting which eventually leads to the launch of a Russian nuclear missile toward American soil. Players fight through this chaos as both Sergeant John MacTavish, a British SAS operative doing battle in Russia, and Sergeant Paul Jackson, a U.S. Marine fighting in the Middle East.

Modern Warfare -- Reflex aims to capture the challenges of modern war by pitting the superior technology of the U.S Marines and British SAS against the cunning guerilla tactics of a terrorist group. In addition to close quarters combat, players will be called upon to perform fast-rope helicopter drops, provide air support from an AH-1 Super Cobra helicopter, call in precision air strikes, and man the turret of an AC-130 Spectre Gunship to engage enemy fighters from the sky. Gamers also join a two man sniper team on a flashback mission in which players head to the Chernobyl Zone of Alienation on a mission to assassinate a younger Zakhaev.

The Wii version of the game lets two players join forces to take on the main campaign, but it otherwise features the same expansive set of online multiplayer modes as its console cousins. Players will be able to choose from Assault, Special Ops, Light Machine Gunner, Demolitions, and Sniper classes, or create up to five special classes with customizable weapons and perks. Gamers can then take their fighters through a dozen different multiplayer modes like Free-for-All, Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, Headquarters, Domination, and Sabotage. Players who frequently battle online will be able to accrue experience points, unlock special weapons and gear, and eventually unlock Prestige Mode in which gamers can trade in their rank for special insignias. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Based on the Monkees-style TV series starring the teen singing sensations The Jonas Brothers, Jonas finds gamers helping the fictional Lucas brothers balance a normal life with the demands of being pop stars. Players guide the trio through familiar locations from the series, interacting with their friends Stella and Macy, and collecting and unleash "guitar action chords" that let Nick, Joe, and Kevin escape sticky situations. Gamers join the brothers as they perform their songs in six different live concerts, and there are a variety of different stylish outfits to unlock and customize. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Created by the development team behind such critically acclaimed role-playing games as Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins is an original fantasy RPG featuring real-time combat and content spanning an estimated 80 hours in length. Your custom-created hero is one of the few remaining members of the elite Grey Wardens, an ancient order that has sworn to protect the land and its citizens. The news is dire: a corrupted dragon is leading a powerful army of darkspawn to conquer the surrounding territories. In your quest to slay the dragon and cleanse the tainted lands, you'll battle numerous creatures, make critical decisions, and explore dozens of locales.

Shape your hero's personality by initially choosing one of six origin stories, which influences your character's background and starting area. Recruit others to fight alongside you, engage in branching conversations, and deal with such issues as murder, jealousy, love, politics, and even genocide. While the third-person combat occurs in real time, you can pause the action at any point to issue commands and plan your strategy. You can also switch between all four party members to take advantage of special skills and talents, as the computer carries out actions for heroes not directly under your control. A minimum of two years worth of downloadable content is planned to expand Dragon Age's universe with new quests, campaigns, and characters. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Players can help young adventurer Dora as she enters the world of pet ownership in Dora the Explorer: Dora Puppy. There are ten different puppy-related activities to try, including: feeding, bathing, and grooming in "Caretaking"; trying out games of fetch, hide and seek, and tug of war in "Puppy Play"; teaching the pup to sit, roll over, and speak in "Training"; and outfitting the critter with clothing, collars, and headwear in "Dress-up." As gamers play they can earn puppy tokens to purchase new clothing and accessories, new toys for Perrito, and pages for the colorful picture book. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

A collection of festive mini-games inspired by Disney's feature film reimagining of the Charles Dickens classic, Disney's A Christmas Carol lets players experience the saga of Ebenezer Scrooge firsthand. Gamers can use their stylus and DS microphone to guide the crotchety old man through his epiphany-filled evening, witnessing many of the story's major events unfold in animated scenes. There are 14 different mini-games to try, including snowball fights, piano lessons, caroling, and cooking a holiday meal in Tiny Tim's kitchen. As many as four players can challenge one another in single-cart multiplayer mini-games, and Disney's A Christmas Carol also includes original Dickens novel as well as an interactive Advent calendar. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

C.O.P.: The Recruit puts players in the shoes of Dan Miles, a former underground street racing champion who decides to put his lust for danger to good use by joining the Criminal Overturn Program. Working under Detective Brad Winter, Miles scours the streets of New York City investigating a series of terrorist attacks. But when Winter is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, players must take Miles back into his former life as he goes undercover to exonerate his mentor, unravel a citywide conspiracy, and prevent a catastrophic terrorist attack. C.O.P.: The Recruit offers gamers more than 60 missions set throughout six square miles of bustling Manhattan streets. The stylus-driven 3D action includes back-alley races, shootouts with criminals, and terrorist surveillance, and players can make use of modern technology to coordinate SWAT team assaults, call for ambulance support, and access the city's surveillance cameras to locate suspects. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Star Wars: Battlefront -- Elite Squadron is a third-person shooter that allows players to take part in famous battles from throughout the Star Wars story. As in previous Battlefront games on consoles and home computers, players take the role of a soldier from the sci-fi fantasy series and engage in frontline combat with infantry weapons, light artillery, and vehicles. In Elite Squadron, players can customize their character by choosing weapons, armor, gender, and combat attributes, and by earning and using their choice of hundreds of unlockable weapons, items, and bonuses. In addition to the custom character they develop, in some modes, gamers can also play as central characters from the Star Wars saga, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kit Fisto, Count Dooku, and Boba Fett, as well as some main characters originally featured in earlier Star Wars games. Players may commandeer equipment and vehicles in the heat of combat, including AT-RTs and troop transports, as well as TIE and X-Wing fighters. Following the Battlefront design, the main campaign is composed of decisive battles from the six Star Wars feature films, including the firefights on Endor, Yavin 4, and the icy planet Hoth. Nintendo DS and DSi gamers can also connect wirelessly, for multiplayer matches with up to 4 human-controlled soldiers. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Jurassic: The Hunted is a fast-paced first-person shooter that sends players back through time, to pit them against the monstrous creatures that ruled the title era. Survival itself is the greatest measure of success, as the player is challenged to outgun and outsmart aggressive oversized enemies such as raptors, Triceratops, and Tyrannosaurus. Various game modes have players scavenging the prehistoric environment for useful weapons and equipment, defending makeshift fortifications under siege, and in all-out boss battles and arena fights against giant, ferocious opponents. A bullet-time styled "adrenaline burst" feature allows players to slow the action down during key sequences, for a one-time chance to take careful aim at a dinosaur enemy's most vulnerable points. The budget-friendly game puts players in the role of expert survivalist Craig Dylan, who has been hired to help protect a team of researchers investigating a temporal distortion on a heretofore-unknown island. When Dylan is mysteriously pulled backward through time to the era of the dinosaurs, he has only his wits and his weapon skills to keep him from becoming some terrible lizard's lunch. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Jurassic: The Hunted is a fast-paced first-person shooter that sends players back through time, to pit them against the monstrous creatures that ruled the title era. Survival itself is the greatest measure of success, as the player is challenged to outgun and outsmart aggressive oversized enemies such as raptors, Triceratops, and Tyrannosaurus. Various game modes have players scavenging the prehistoric environment for useful weapons and equipment, defending makeshift fortifications under siege, and in all-out boss battles and arena fights against giant, ferocious opponents. A bullet-time styled "adrenaline burst" feature allows players to slow the action down during key sequences, for a one-time chance to take careful aim at a dinosaur enemy's most vulnerable points. The budget-friendly game puts players in the role of expert survivalist Craig Dylan, who has been hired to help protect a team of researchers investigating a temporal distortion on a heretofore-unknown island. When Dylan is mysteriously pulled backward through time to the era of the dinosaurs, he has only his wits and his weapon skills to keep him from becoming some terrible lizard's lunch. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The human extension of Ubisoft's Petz line continues with Imagine: Babyz Fashion, a title in which gamers try to turn their cooing toddlers into celebrities. The happiness of each baby is paramount, so players must still ensure that each child is well fed, entertained, and soothed when upset. But once the kids are content, gamers can dress them up in the hottest outfits and accessories and enter them in fashion contests, earning prizes for the most fashion-forward designs. ~ All Game Guide

The movie series may be over, but the saga lives on with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The storyline takes place between films Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, with the Galactic Empire nearing the peak of its far-reaching power. You are none other than Darth Vader's secret apprentice, engaging in covert missions to defeat those with designs on dismantling the Imperial regime. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions feature custom designed technologies that let players interact with the environment in diverse ways. Mastery of the Force allows the protagonist to lift writhing bodies into the air, letting them dangle powerlessly, before pushing them at high speeds into the background. Objects of varying sizes and strengths can also be manipulated, acting as mere toys for the evil Jedi to use in his nefarious deeds. Lightning crackles from fingertips, lightsabers twirl in the air, and entire spaceships move with the mind. It's all part of being a Jedi.

The protagonist will travel to various worlds in his relentless search for the few remaining Jedi who escaped Order 66. Featured locales include a TIE Fighter construction facility, the Wookiee home of Kashyyyk, a junkyard-like realm known as Raxus Prime, and a fungus-infested planet called Felucia. Each features groups of enemies that must be eliminated in stylish fashion, with Force power combos earning players experience points to customize their character. The action is viewed from a third-person perspective with the apprentice holding his red lightsaber pointed upward behind his back. Accompanying the lead character at various points is a prototype "holodroid" called Proxy as well as a blond Imperial pilot named Juno Eclipse. The Sith Lord's apprentice faces several deadly foes throughout his mission, including Maris Brood, a Zabrak warrior bent on revenge, and the primary target: grizzled General Rahm Kota, who learned the ways of the Force under the tutelage of Mace Windu and Yoda.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed -- Ultimate Sith Edition includes three new levels detailing an alternate storyline in which the apprentice kill Darth Vader and takes his place during several key moments from the films. Players visit Coruscant for another mission, head to Tatooine to square off against Obi-Wan Kenobi, and face Luke Skywalker himself in a final confrontation on Hoth. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide