Funfani.com - Spreading Fun All Over!

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Microsoft's "Halo 3" has been dominating video game headlines since the past few months. With the sales said to be touching $170 million on the opening day itself, the game marked an historic debut that outdid the final Harry Potter novel and the film "Spiderman 3."

In fact, some analysts expect "Halo 3" sales to give Microsoft an edge in the video game console battle with Sony's playstation 3 and Nintendo's Wii.

However, if you thought that Halo 3 was the only hot game released this season, you got it wrong. The first half of 2007 saw some major titles hitting the shelves, which though may not have created the noise matching Halo 3, but they surely beckon the avid video gamers. Here are some titles from major publishers that have been released.

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One of the quirkiest games this year, "Eternal Sonata" is a Japanese-style role-playing game set in the fantastical fevered dreams of a dying Chopin, who fights to save a young girl from evil.

In his final hours, he experiences a fantastical dream where he encounters a young girl facing a terrible destiny and the boy who will fight to save her. On the border between dreams and reality, Chopin discovers the light that shines in all of us in this enduring tale of good and evil, love and betrayal.

What's Hot: Interesting combat system combines turn-based and real-time elements. Enjoy amazing, high-definition, and high quality textures that truly deliver an awesome next-generation experience.

Listen as world-renowned pianist Stanislav Bunin performs Chopin's original compositions, which is a key element in the environment and story of Eternal Sonata.

What's Not: May be too easy for role-playing die-hards.

Platform: XBox 360

Publisher: Namco Bandai

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Players take the form of a woman wielding a god's blade to save her people from destruction. Heavenly Sword is a tale of revenge that sees Nariko, a fiery red-haired heroine, embark on a quest to avenge an invading King and his army.

The story builds around the ancient Heavenly Sword, which once belonged to a powerful deity. It can never be wielded by a mortal without it slowly but inevitably draining his life-force.

When the invading King destroys the warrior clan that guards the Heavenly Sword, the clan leader’s daughter, Nariko, takes up the sword in a desperate fight for survival.

What's Hot: Critics are raving about the game's lush graphics, epic feel and stylish martial arts moves that let players' stake out waves of enemies.

What's Not: Recent previews have said the game needs to run more smoothly, and there are some who see it as a rip-off of Sony's hit "God of War" series.

Platform: Sony PS3

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

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Experience the thrill of white-knuckle aerial combat with hundreds of enemy fighters, bone-crunching armored assaults and high-intensity infantry combat in a massive, all-out war fought on both ground and in sky.

During battle, players can take command of the most advanced war machine in the fleet, WarHawk, capable of aerobatic dogfights at high speeds and hovering over ground troops providing tactical support.

Players continue the battle on foot with an arsenal of weaponry including rifles, flame throwers, grenades and more. Players can also gain access to an array of ground vehicles including jeeps mounted with weapons, tanks and specialty transports.

What's Hot: PS3 fans finally get an exclusive title worth bragging about. Download the game over the PlayStation Network and save $20 in the process.

What's Not: Online-only play may limit appeal.

Platform: Sony PS3

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

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Lair casts players as a dragon-riding warrior saving their kingdom from invasion. In a world ravaged by endless conflicts and natural disasters, a call for peace turns into a bloodbath of betrayal and deceit.

Playing as a warrior riding a voracious dragon trained for deadly aerial and ground combat, and capable of scorching, clawing and smashing thousands of enemies, gamers must defeat countless armies to save a civilization.

Together, the gamer and the beast will attempt to change the destiny of a world on the brink of extinction.

What's Hot: Players can scorch their enemies from the air with fire breath or crush them like bugs under your claws. Reviewers are raving that the gorgeous visuals give the game a cinematic feeling.

What's Not: Apart from the admittedly cool dragons, one may wonder if "Lair" has enough depth to hold players' interest? Doubts are also been raised whether using Sony's motion-sensing controller to steer the dragons will turn out to be as effective as traditional thumbstick controls.

Platform: Sony PS3

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

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Step into the boots of Boyd Travers, Private First Class of the 82nd Airborne Division and engage in battles across Europe. From rocky beginnings in Sicily to war-winning triumphs in Germany, each mission begins behind enemy lines, with an intense and fully interactive airdrop.

Players are required to pick their landing site at the start of a battle instead of starting at a fixed point like in most shooting games. And this ability to determine their own starting point dramatically changes the way each mission plays out.

Players can view the entire operation from the air, and then control their parachute to choose their landing spot. On the ground, gather their senses and assess the terrain. A wide variety of authentic, customisable weapons are available at players' disposal, each with distinct characteristics.

What's Hot: Authentic visuals and sound will appeal to fans of historic military games. Fight on the ground or on rooftops, balconies, towers, ruins, and natural formations in a variety of environments authentic to the European theater of war.

What's Not: Yet another entrant in the crowded World War II genre.

Platform: XBox 360, PS3 and PC

Publisher: Electronic Arts

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Utilising the powers of the Nintendo Wii system, Retro Studios once again takes us beyond bounty Hunter Samus Aran. The Galactic Federation's Base Sector Zero is under attack by Space Pirates. Samus must boot up the generator to restore the defence systems. But at the end of path, something awful is waiting for her.

The war initiated by Samus' mortal enemy, Dark Samus and the space pirates rages across planets as they attempt to destroy each with Phazon seeds. Players use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to explore alien landscapes, hunt for weapons and information, and destroy the seeds.

Saving the planets from destruction isn't enough. Eventually, players must bring down Dark Samus. Besides using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to pull off amazing feats like aiming and blasting in midair or at a full run, players also have an array of weapons at their disposal.

What's Hot: "Metroid" fans are raving about the top-notch art design and say the game sets the standard for using the Wii's motion controls in shooter games.

What's Not: Breaks little new ground, no multiplayer, some may face a steep learning curve with the new controls.

Platform: Nintendo Wii

Publisher: Nintendo

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My Sims is the latest attempt to put the “Sims” franchise on a console. EA hopes the widespread appeal of the "Sims" brand will be a natural fit for the Wii, which is winning over mainstream and casual gamers.

MySims moves the player to a delightful but disorganised town where they can re-shape everything and make it their own.

Players begin by creating their own toy-like Sim that reflects their personal style and attitudes. From pig-tails and baseball caps to dreadlocks, the options are endless and the style is unlike any Sims game to date.

By unlocking cool new clothing, hairstyles and accessories, players explore the game's flaexibility. At first, the town is rundown, but the player can make it much more dynamic.

Using a selection of building blocks, unique patterns and engaging creativity tools, players can design furniture and appliances, architect new homes and businesses, and re-define the entire MySims landscape.

What's Hot: Create your own Sim, then build and decorate a home and help neighbours fix up their abodes. There are seemingly endless ways to customise your Sim, and there is a lot to explore in the colourful world.

What's Not: The new game scraps the social dynamic aspects of the PC-based versions of “The Sims.” Also, cutesy visual style may not appeal to everyone.

Platform: Wii

Publisher: Electronic Arts

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Skate delivers the real feel of skating in a fully reactive skateboarding city, utilising the power of the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles.

The game features professional skaters like Danny Way and PJ Ladd. The player controls a custom-designed character to use as their skateboarding in the open-world fictional town of San Vanelona. Skating challenges are marked on a mini-map, along with stores and subway stations that allow the player to traverse the city.

Several "spot own" locations throughout the city allow players to claim these "spots" after making a certain score, thus "owning" the spot from other skaters.

Completing challenges will give players access to new clothing and equipment items, characters, and additional challenges to compete in.

What's Hot: Stellar graphics make rich urban areas a treat to explore. Players can build fame as a mainstream star or infamy as a renegade street skater.

What's Not: Control scheme makes it tough to master some tricks and challenges. Also, as some reviewers have noted: online multiplayer games can be laggy and crowded.

Platform: XBox 360 and PS3

Publisher: Electronic Arts

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The second installment of a driving series with a twist -- plunge into the adrenaline-fueled role of a Hollywood stunt driver in Stuntman: Ignition, and master the breathtaking, death-defying vehicle-based stunts.

The game features six fictional movies: Aftershock, Whoopin and a Hollerin II, Strike Force Omega, Overdrive, Never Kill Me Again and Night Avenger.

Each movie has six scenes, with players required to complete objectives set out by the director in every scene. The way a player completes, tasks go a little differently from the first set.

As players climb stages, they will be required to link or "string" stunts together to increase their stunt multiplier. To achieve a high score, a player must string the director's stunts with other maneuvers.

What's Hot: Jump over lava flows, blow into burning buildings and speed into flowing traffic. Good replay value as players' shoot for higher scores by cutting things close and stringing together extra moves.

What's Not: At times, it may be hard to know for players that what is expected for a given course, leading to some frustrating trial-and-error. Also, jerky motion during some action-packed sequences.

Platform: XBox 360 and PS3

Publisher: THQ

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World in Conflict presents Cold War scenario where the Berlin Wall never fell. Created by Cold War authority and best-selling author Larry Bond, the story begins in 1989 as the Soviets, fearing certain collapse, boldly advance into Europe. NATO responds in force only to be met on Second Front -- a full-fledged invasion of the American homeland.

Players take on the role of field commander, leading the era's most powerful military machines in the campaign to retake America's cities and suburbs.

The RTS game play features completely destructible 3D battlefields, aggressive team-based multiplayer action and a focus on fast, hard-hitting battles.

What's Hot: Stunning visuals, especially for those with machines with powerful new graphics chips. Developer Sierra touts the game's "complete destructibility" and the ability to use nuclear weapons. Slick interface makes game accessible to novices, and it also ditches resource collecting, one of the more tedious aspects of the genre.

Platform: PC

Publisher: Vivendi Games