Another busy week for gaming, the beginning of the holiday DVD flood starts to trickle down this week and a quiet week on the comics front rounds things out. I will have a pick of the week in every category.
Games
Gears of War (360)
This game honestly will make or break the Xbox 360 going into the holiday. With Halo 3 a good distance away, this is the highest profile game coming out for the system. There has been enough hype surrounding it to attempt reaching the fanaticism of the Halo franchise. I think Microsoft has done a good job of promoting the game on television as I've seen shorter versions of the "Mad World" spot that was unveiled on Marketplace recently. This is the game that should make all the 360 owners feel better about the system because this is truly the emergence of the 2nd generation of Xbox 360 games where the term "hi-def" may finally make a case for itself. This game is easily my choice for Game of the Week this week, but there are other games coming this week.
Guitar Hero II (PS2)
Many will pick this game as their game of the week and if it was coming out any other week than the GoW release it would probably be mine as well. I have yet to touch the original GH (blasphemy, I know!), but I may give this one a try. I expect this game to be a big seller this week and the addition of 2-player play brings it up another notch.
Tony Hawk Project 8 (Every system known to man, but PC)
The plus side of this release is that the 360 version has been built from the ground up and not ported from the current generation like American Wasteland and Gun were. It is also the only next-generation version that will have online play. I played the demo a bit and I think it is cool they have the slowdown to pull off cool tricks with the analog sticks, but outside of that how much more can this game give us that prior Tony Hawk games haven't?
Call of Duty 3 (Every system...but PC?)
Call me skeptical on this one simply because Infinity Ward isn't developing it and the fact that there isn't even going to be a PC version. I know the 360 version of the second game was cool and all, but why spit in the face of the system that made this franchise popular in the first place? I will await reviews before I even touch this game. Yes, it looks a lot like the other games, but I just don't have as much faith in Treyarch as I do in Infinity Ward.
Viva Pinata (360)
I called this game as being a sleeper when it comes out and I still believe that. The fact is that many kids will be interested in this game and I'm a bit surprised that Microsoft hasn't started promoting this game. Then again, maybe they have because I rarely watch Saturday morning cartoons anymore. I think this game will be reviewed well and I hope it becomes a hit with children out there simply because Microsoft needs some penetration into that market.
Movies/DVDs
Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversay Edition (DVD)
Oh yeah, baby! Sony has gone back and remastered the whole movie in this release. I was pissed that I hadn't picked up the other DVD iteration of this movie, but now that Sony has given it some good treatment I won't be without this movie anymore. I was 9 years old when this movie came out in theaters and I still have fond (and not so fond...you know what I'm talking about) memories of it. I love this movie even today, but I'm not picking it for the release of the week.
Cars (DVD)
This is my DVD of the Week this week. It is not as good as Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, but it is still a high quality movie. Pixar can do no wrong, although I am afraid about their next movie Ratatouille (though it is directed by Brad Bird, maker of The Incredibles. This is a great family movie in my opinion and an easy pickup to add to your collection.
Stranger Than Fiction (Theater)
This is my film to see this week. From the previews this movie looks fantastic and early word is that it is very good. Will Ferrel plays an IRS worker who starts hearing the voice of Emma Thompson. She is basically writing Ferrel's life in her new book, but doesn't realize she is actually writing the life of a real person. The whole idea sounds original and I think this could be Ferrel's breakout dramatic role.
A Good Year (Theater)
Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott come back together for the first time since Gladiator in this movie that I still don't know much about. It seems like a coming of age story and that is all well and good, but I think Crowe has dabbled in these types of roles a bit too much. It's time for him to try something new.
Comics
Annihilation #4
This is my Comic Pick of the Week. I'm liking this series a lot more than 52 and Civil War. The former has really slowed down while the latter has slowed down its release schedule and is starting to feel a bit strained in the amount of time we have to wait. So far this series has been a very interesting read and I can't wait to see what happens next. Too bad Marvel didn't hype this series as much as Civil War because this is the better written series.
Batman #658
The final episode of "Batman and Demon"...I mean, "Batman and Son". I have no clue where Morrison is going with this final chapter, but I hope that little bastard turns out to be something other than Bruce's son or meets some untimely accident.
Green Lantern #14
Part 1 of "Hal Jordan Wanted". I have a hard time believing this series is going to see two comics this month, but stranger things have happened. So far I've really liked the GL comic book, I just wish it came out more regularly than it has.