New PAL Releases Roundup

With apologies to people who encountered me at last week's Eurogamer Expo, the beard is officially gone. We don't need beards where we're going. We're going to Ferelden. We may be some time. (And actually, we probably will need beards.)

BioWare's enormous Dragon Age: Origins is out this week on PC and Xbox 360 (the PS3 version is coming a little later in November), and was the slightly grumpy recipient of 8/10 on Eurogamer earlier this week. We're all still horribly excited about it regardless.

It's not the only game we're horribly excited about that didn't get top marks, mind you. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time may be nothing especially new, but we can live with that. Elsewhere in review land this week, however, we probably can't live with Need for Speed: Nitro or Ghostbusters Wii.

A Boy and His Blob, however, we can not only live with, but form intimate physical bonds with thanks to the inclusion of a hug button. More games should have hug buttons, then they might all get 8/10. Modern Warfare 2 probably has a hug button. Presumably they'll spoil that in an advert too.

Elsewhere in not-quite-reviewed-but-out-tomorrow land, there's Rabbids Go Home, which Ubisoft's been telling me is a "proper game" and should be reviewed soon, and Jambo Safari. Ellie is currently completing the special research on that one.

Band Hero and Star Wars The Force Unleashed: Sith Edition are also out tomorrow, but sadly Activision hasn't sent us code yet so it's a bit difficult to comment. We'll let you know when we know.

This week in shops:

• A Boy and His Blob (Wii)
• Band Hero (PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
• Dragon Age: Origins (PC, Xbox 360)
• Ghostbusters (DS, PC, Wii, Xbox 360)
• Hasbro Family Game Night (DS, Xbox 360)
• Hasbro Family Game Night Volume 2 (Wii)
• Jambo Safari (DS, Wii)
• Madagascar: Kartz (DS, Wii, Xbox 360)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (PSP)
• Need for Speed: Nitro (DS, Wii)
• Rabbids Go Home (DS, Wii)
• Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (PS3)
• PES 2010: Pro Evolution Soccer (PS2, PSP)
• SingStar: Take That (PS2, PS3)
• Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (DS, PSP)
• Star Wars The Force Unleashed: Sith Edition (PS3, Xbox 360)
• Tropico 3 (PC)
• U-Sing (Wii)
• Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion (DS)

This week online:

• Fighting Street (Wii Virtual Console - Turbografx)
• Manic Monkey Mayhem (WiiWare)
• UNO (DSiWare, WiiWare)
• Wallace & Gromit Episodes 2-4 (Xbox Live Arcade)