Games on

The video-game world is a bit topsy-turvy this year. The Wii has been the proverbial sledgehammer in terms of hardware, but software has been another story entirely.

Besides the expected releases (Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear, Madden, etc.) the year so far has seen few, if any, "game changers."

Part of the reason is that until now, this "next generation" of consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the Wii) was just that. The "next" turned to "now" in 2008. Their time has come.

Let's take a look at some of the titles hitting shelves this fall that should keep wallets empty, produce a wealth of smiles, and might even make us step outside the norms of how we play.

- Rob Watson, "Bare Knuckles" columnist

Spore

Maxis, Electronic Arts
PC and DS (Sept. 7), Nintendo Wii (Nov. 11)

Leave it to legendary game developer Will Wright (The Sims) to turn the industry on its head once again with a simple idea. With Spore, you can follow the life of a user-created being from a single-cell organism to the advancement of its own civilization.

The anticipation of what could be a defining moment in gaming has already spawned a new word - "sporn." You see, EA has released part of the organism- creator already as a promo for the game.

Did I mention that you will be battling for genetic survival against other players and their creations? It's about as close to a battle among the gods as you can get.

Epic, Microsoft
Xbox 360 (Nov. 7)

In 2006, Epic created the only game that was able to give the Halo franchise a run in terms of shooter-based fun. The great story line, eye-popping graphics, the ease of controlling complex maneuvers, and the carnage from the chainsaw bayonet made gamers (blood)thirsty for more.

Gamers still will play as renegade-savior Marcus Fenix, but this time Marcus will have more ways to savage his enemies (new melee cinematics hurt just to look at them); better artificial intelligence; and a plethora of vehicles.

The story line will be familiar to GoW vets, as the vile Horde is back.

Rock Band 2

Harmonix, Electronic Arts
PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii (Sept. 14)

It has been less than a year since MTV's Harmonix decided to go big when it comes to music video games. Not content to release a game with just one faux instrument like the Guitar Hero series, it provided two guitars, drums, and a mike to gamers for the total virtual music experience. (Guitar Hero World Tour, due out in October, has seen the light of offering multiple instruments.)

In a couple of weeks, gamers will be taking the stage once more with a retuned product that promises to fix some of the gripes about the first game.

Of course, the biggest news includes the addition of the Guns 'n Roses track "Shackler's Revenge."

Fallout 3

Bethesda Soft Works (developer and publisher)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (Oct. 28)

Pardon the pun, but ever since this game was announced the fallout has been massive.

This cyberpunk series, which started as a turn-based role-playing game on the PC back in '97, has kept its post-nuclear-war setting. Gamers guide a character, which starts as a child, through the desolate wasteland to uncover a sort of "chosen one" narrative.

While the setting is dark and brooding, the visuals bring to light the power of the new gaming machines, as the art design for an obliterated Washington, D.C., reminds us of a Bioshock-Gears of War mash-up. It's real purdy.

Endwar

Ubi Soft (developer and publisher)
Nintendo DS, PS3, Xbox 360 (Nov. 4)

This game has been creating a lot of buzz, not because of another Tom Clancy-derived story of countries continually finding ways to bash each other, but for the potentially groundbreaking control scheme.

This RTS (real time strategy) game finds the massive armies of Europe, Russia and the United States being controlled by a gamer's voice.

Throw in a persistent online battlefield, with many real players in the same theater, and this game has scary potential.

Animal Crossing: City Folk

Nintendo of America (developer and publisher)
Wii (Nov. 16)

OK, things have been a little dark and violent so far. It seems only right that the last word should be about family, and nobody does that better these days than Nintendo. Animal Crossing: City Folk is a fairly pedestrian affair, but suitable for everyone in the house.

The toony setting finds gamers enjoying a Sims-like outing (Wii owners can use the Mii personas in the game). You can set up your virtual space, go fishing, collect bugs, set off fireworks, even weed your garden.

What's different about this game, however, is the addition of the WiiSpeak microphone. This allows gamers to carry on conversations of all sorts while engaging in numerous activities about town together.