Devil May Cry 4 
The long-anticipated sequel to this thirdperson fighting game is finally here. Similar to westerns and John Woo flicks, the game has over-the-top multi-combos, exaggerated fighting gameplay and long glances with locks of hair getting in the way. The player controls Nero, a new character fighting the usual demonic enemies in close combat using firearms, swords and a variety of weaponry in a horror setting. Don’t worry, the gamer gets to control Dante, the series’s main character, for the second half of the game. Not that you could tell; both look uncannily similar, with only hairstyle and clothing to separate them. What DMC4 does do is bring back a bit of intelligence back into computer ‘fighting’, so it’s not just button-mashing. That said, the spirit of the series has been lost somewhat; the original was never about fast, flashy moves and style. It was slower and deliberate, and made for intimate fights with bosses à la Castlevania. Not that its newfound slickness will hurt sales. The game may be reduced to just hack and slash, but the young ones will be thrilled and the older fans will tut, but play it anyway for nostalgia’s sake. 
Available on PS3, Xbox and PC.

Frontlines – Fuel of War 
Not another first-person shooter, we hear you cry! As if we haven’t had enough of FPSs with Bioshock, Halo 3, Call of Duty 4 and Crysis on top of the current heap. This game takes place in the not-too-distant future, where World War III has broken out and oil resources are rapidly drying out. Like Battlefield before it, the game revolves around capturing control points to gain access to resources and weapons. You also have access to tanks, APCs, hummers, and helicopters to control; gadgets like racing buggies that jet into a base and detonate without being seen; and orcas that can fly through the window of a six-storey building and take out a squad of unwitting baddies. It makes for a welcome change to the usual run-and-shoot stuff that FPSs are usually all about. All in all, the game captures the intensity of a wartime battlefield, with weaponry that will have adrenalin pumping through your veins. 
Available on PS3, Xbox and PC. 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl 
If you have ever played Super Smash Bros., you’ll know what to expect. It’s fun, and the multi-player facility is a blast, ideal for house parties. A player goes up against three others, using any 12 of Nintendo’s characters to battle it out as one player attempts to knock the other off game platforms. The characters announced already are the usual suspects – Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Fox McCloud, Pikachu, Diddy Kong, Pit, Meta Knight, Ike (from the Fire Emblem series), Peach, Yoshi, Sonic and Bowser. And the latest evolution will feature characters from Nintendo’s third-party game developers, like Snake from Metal Gear Solid or Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. The gameplay is top-notch as usual, and even better in multi-player mode, with sharp visuals and bits of flash. The character models look good, too, with nicely designed stages, and motion/dynamic elements that include plenty of hazards. Also, the game moves at a smooth pace, regardless of how many visuals are on the screen, which should keep things vibrant and wild. Admittedly, this latest incarnation isn’t much of a quantum leap from the prototype, but with the new ability to control Sonic, Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be selling like hot cakes. 
Nintendo Wii, $59.90.