AU Shippin' Out August 27-30: Guild Wars 2, Tales of Graces f

The massively multiplayer online role-playing game genre shows few signs of running out of steam, which is lucky for this week's major release: Guild Wars 2. This online fantasy-themed PC game is the sequel to the episodic Guild Wars from developer ArenaNet.

Guild Wars 2 puts players into a persistent fantasy world that is driven by a range of dynamic events. ArenaNet global brand manager Chris Lye has spoken about subscription-based models in the past, citing that it may not be an optimal idea for today's massively multiplayer online games. The game will cost money to buy, but will not require a monthly paid subscription to continue playing.

Fun fact: there were no Tales of Graces A-E.

For those who prefer their fantasy RPGs in the offline world, Tales of Graces f may be more suitable. The latest entry in Namco Bandai’s long-running Tales series, the game is a PlayStation 3 port of the Wii Tales of Graces and was released in North America earlier this year to positive reception.

The story takes place on Efinea, a planet dominated by three kingdoms that are competing for the right to rule. After losing a close friend, Asbel, the eldest son of a feudal lord, enlists in a knight's academy in his kingdom's capital to learn to better protect those he loves. Asbel's father subsequently dies, and Asbel then takes his place.

Have more of a preference for sports games? Madden NFL 13 hits local stores this week and has been cited as "the best version of the long-running franchise yet" in our GameSpot review. The game's new Infinity engine, which allows procedurally generated animations to affect the outcome of plays, is chief among the in-game updates, as well as the inclusion of Kinect voice support before and during plays.

For the other games that are out this week, see the full list below:

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Guild Wars 2 Trailer - Get Ready!