New PAL Releases Roundup

Another week, another enormous pile of games, glittering with potential this Friday. Some of them really are out this Friday, too, which is an improvement on last week's is-it-isn't-it White Knight Chronicles debacle, for which the New PAL Releases Roundup entity apologises. We are certain it's out this week. Probably.

It's been reviewed on the site and got 7/10. That much we can definitely confirm.

With the greatest of respect to Level-5's long-overdue PS3-exclusive RPG though, there's only one PS3 exclusive most people are looking out for this week, and that's Blue Toad Murder Files: The Mystery of the Concealing Flame.

Okay, it's not that (but do give that a look - it's free if you bought episode one). It's Quantic Dream's heavily hyped, super-ambitious Heavy Rain.

It's going to be divisive. We - me, in actual fact - have pinned our colours to the 9/10 mast, but others will struggle to fall for its charms and it's foolish to pretend otherwise.

What we think will be true for everyone, however, is that once they get to the end and ponder the outcome and everything they have experienced, they will feel that it was worth experiencing. (God, I sound like David Cage. Especially now he's admitted he would kill people.)

It's a rare game where you may finish it and not like it, but still be happy you bought and played it. There.

No such division for Clash of Heroes on DS, hopefully, making another long-overdue European debut following its release last year.

It's beginning to sound strange in this crazy new world of simultaneous worldwide releases (progress, woo), but the excellent Silent Hill: Shattered Memories has also been out in the US for a while. It's out here this week, and is the best thing we've seen on the Wii in some time.

(Well, that would have been true if we hadn't been off to play Super Mario Galaxy 2 today. Er, but it's definitely the best thing we've seen released on the Wii in some time!)

It's not alone in the "promising" camp on the shelves either. Napoleon: Total War is also available this week, giving Creative Assembly a chance to build on the successes of Empire and atone for some of its minor quirks.

You'll be able to read a review of that later tonight, and of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, while we're also beavering away on write-ups for Echoshift on PSP, FIFA 10: Ultimate Team and Way of the Samurai 3. Happy days! Lots of things to play. Enjoy them.

This week in shops:

• Anno 1404: Venice (PC)
• Dante's Inferno (PSP)
• Echoshift (PSP)
• Puzzle Chronicles (DS, PSP)
• Heavy Rain (PS3)
• Lips: Party Classics (Xbox 360)
• Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (DS)
• Napoleon: Total War (PC)
• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PS2, PSP, Wii)
• SafarWii (Wii)
• Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
• Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)
• Superstars V8 Racing: The Next Challenge (PC, PS3)
• Way of the Samurai 3 (PS3, Xbox 360)
• White Knight Chronicles: International Edition (PS3)

This week online:

• Age of Zombies (PSP/PS3 minis)
• Blue Toad Murder Files: Episode 3 - The Mystery of the Concealing Flame (PSN)
• Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (PSN, Xbox Live)
• Castlevania ReBirth (WiiWare)
• Dracula: Undead Awakening (WiiWare)
• FIFA 10: Ultimate Team (PSN, Xbox Live)
• Fret Nice (PSN, Xbox Live Arcade)
• Greed Corps (PSN, Xbox Live Arcade)
• Lazy Raiders (Xbox Live Arcade)
• Reel Fishing Challenge (WiiWare)
• Valkyria Chronicles: Challenge of the Edy Detachment (PSN)