Shelf Life: Week of Aug. 13, 2007

[PS3 News]

You like FOOTBALL?! You'd best, cause this is the week of Madden with not too terribly much else showing up. Nonetheless, we're here as always for Shelf Life, 1UP's weekly feature where we let you know what games to expect this week and have you take a look at what we've said about them (so far). Watch for the following games in stores the week of August 13th, 2007.

Tuesday, Aug. 14th

• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3150194 (PSP) -- Cancel those weekly tabletop sessions, but keep the Cheetos out. Atari has got your new handheld obsession. D&D Tactics should give hour upon hour of monster slaying and treasure stealing. Roll a five or higher to read http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3159206&sec=PREVIEWS.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3159929 (PS2) -- Punch! Kick! It's all in the mind! Or, more accurately, it's all in this special collection of four games from the classic Fatal Fury series of fighters. If you're feeling the taste of blood coming on and want to know about your history, this pack should do you well with its kick-ass $20 price tag.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3153676 (DS) -- Not only is this the latest in the long-running Mana series of games from Square-Enix, it may also be the first really good one in quite some time. Read up on the new RTS battle system in http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3158532&sec=PREVIEWS
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3157761 (DS) -- Was supposed to come out http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3161752. Don't like it. Not one bit. Next.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3152881 (DS) -- Atlus's first of two big RPG releases this week, this DS title is more about the traditional tactical gameplay than Persona 3 or competitor Heroes of Mana. Tap over to http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3160710&sec=PREVIEWS to see if it can live up to Atlus's pedigree of games in the same style such as http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2006315.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3158565 (DS, GC, PS2, PS3, PC, PSP, Wii, X360, XBox) -- Fact is, if you're not buying Madden, you're in the minority. The best-selling franchise in the universe finally turns 100% next-gen (even though last-gen versions are still readily available). Not only that, but we really liked it! Check out http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3161871&sec=REVIEWS, but keep in mind that the PS3 version is an annoying 30 frames per second less, knocking half a point off of http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3161872&sec=REVIEWS for it.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3161207 (PS2) -- The idea of a city-building sim is usually thought of as something more popular among North American developers. Metropolismania, though, was made by Japanese developer Natsume and is unabashedly Eastern in its character and Tokyo-inspired city design.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3159563 (DS) -- Majesco's Operation: Vietnam brings squad-based action gameplay to Nintendo's little hand-held. Can the system handle this genre? Our gut says "not likely," but Reggie did call up to say that he loves the smell of napalm in the morning.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3152515 (PS2) -- Finally headed to store shelves after a http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3161494 a few weeks ago, Persona 3 is going to make RPG players very happy. See what all the 1UP reviewers had to say in our early review on http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3161735.
  
• http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3145647 (DS) -- Another Harvest Moon game it what seems to be an endless string of handheld releases in the series (see: http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3159503, http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3161210, etc.), Rune Factory's major innovation to the series is the addition of hack-and-slash, dungeon-diving. You mean I can grow radishes and slash at rats? Sign me up!

And that's what's hitting the shelves this week! REMEMBER: Game release dates are notoriously slippy. Even though we prepare this list at the latest possible second and check several sources, it's always possible a game might slip out of its intended date. [Shelf Life is written every week via release lists compiled by http://www.1up.com and http://www.neogaf.com.]

Thanks to http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/1up/ALLPS3/content/~3/143748730/newsStory for sharing the news with us!

[NicholasTWITCH]

sweet.. now when can we get some new PS3 titles!

[d3daiM]

Yup, sure the PS3 has an extensive lineup, however, nothing is available yet.

[GamerV]

mostly a ds week, madden is the only real game ppl might be looking forward to.