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GameSpot Video Games, PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Shippin' Out May 19-23: Wii Fit, Age of Conan, Haze

Headliners join Penny Arcade Adventures on XBLA, SingStar on PS3, and Lost Planet redux on 360, PC.
By Tom Magrino, GameSpot
Posted May 19, 2008 3:40 pm PT

Retailers and Nintendo may be at odds on when Wii Fit will actually land on store shelves, but one thing is certain: The $90 fitness simulator will be a hot commodity this week. Already a best-seller in Japan, the game offers more than 40 exercises that span muscle strengthening, aerobics, balance, and yoga. Though reviewers have questioned its actual health impact (GameSpot will be conducting its own informal study in the coming weeks, to be posted on the Wii Fit blog), Nintendo has touted the fact that the game tracks users' body mass index and other health indicators to provide a reliable target fitness age.

For the middle of May, the week has a number of other tidbits that may pique the interest of the gaming class. Funcom will release its long-awaited Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures for the PC. (An Xbox 360 version is slated to arrive later this year.) Funcom's oft-delayed M-for-Mature-rated massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set in Robert E. Howard's brutal universe, in which players can take on one of 12 roles in Conan's kingdom. According to Funcom, the game's collector's edition has completely sold out and will not be reissued.

Speaking of oft-delayed games, Ubisoft and Free Radical's Haze will descend on retailers this week. Originally slated to arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in early 2007, the first-person shooter underwent a series of delays and platform changes, eventually settling on a May 20 release exclusively on the PlayStation 3. The M-rated game offers players a dystopian future world ruled by all-powerful megacorporations.

Also exclusively on the PlayStation 3 this week is the Sony Europe-developed SingStar. The first edition of SCEE's karaoke franchise to arrive on the publisher's current-generation console, SingStar offers a variety of licensed tracks and music videos for at-home sing-alongs, and Sony promises that more music will be available for download through the PlayStation Network and SingStore.

On the Xbox 360 and PC, Capcom will be revisiting its bug-swatting third-person shooter from early 2007 with Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition. A redux of the original, Colonies Edition offers new single and multiplayer modes, and the game's online component has received a robust suite of new weapons, maps, and playable characters.

On the downloadable front, Hothead Games' Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One lands on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday for 1,600 Microsoft points. The adventure game series based on Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins' popular gaming-industry webcomic will also be available for PC, Linux, and Mac through the budding entrepreneurs' online storefront, Greenhouse Interactive.

With Nintendo's WiiWare channel making its first rotation in the US last week, the publisher returns with a pair of new games: Hudson's vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up Star Soldier R (800 Wii points, $8) and Konami's puzzle-action game Critter Round-Up (1,000 Wii points, $10). The stalwart Virtual Console also receives one addition from days gone by, Namco's Sky Kid (500 Wii points, $5), originally released on the NES in 1985.

This week's new releases are listed below (list taken from retailer information--actual dates may vary).

MAY 19, 2008
Critter Round-Up (WiiWare)
Sky Kid (Wii VC)
Star Soldier R (WiiWare)
Theatre of War (PC)
UEFA EURO 2008 (X360, PS3, PS2, PSP)

MAY 20, 2008
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (PC)
Dracula: Origin (PC)
Haze (PS3)
SingStar (PS3)
The Immortals of Terra: A Perry Rhodan Adventure (PC)

MAY 21, 2008
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness (X360, PC)
Wii Fit (Wii)

MAY 22, 2008
Sony had not revealed its weekly update as of press time.

MAY 23, 2008
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition (X360, PC)

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79 Comments

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tony2077ca

The Immortals of Terra: A Perry Rhodan Adventure anyone know what this is

Posted May 24, 2008 11:26 pm PT
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trdrstv

@BoogieManZero
Man I feel bad for Free Radical. I am an exclusive 360 owner but I didn't even want Haze to fail.... Hopefully they don't take it too hard, learn from their mistakes and put out another amazing TimeSplitters game in the near future.

Dude, I would Kill for a TimeSplitters 3 on the Wii (yes the Wii, play Metroid Prime 3 and you'll understand)... I hope to hell they go and do that next....

Posted May 22, 2008 2:13 pm PT
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peetowser

Under 50k really?
Wow that really is hard for Nintendo, I guess releasing a fitness game just as summer is starting isn't so smart huh? *sound of a forehead being slapped echoing in the distance*

Trying to invoke initial launch shortages can control the damage sometimes, but geez, that's ordinary to say the least.

Penny Arcade looks like fun, Haze i didn't care much for the demo, felt like Ubisoft did it and messed with a successful team. But after TimeSplitters I'll give 'em a chance and try it SP and online for the developpers, the story was kinda cool at least with the beserking teammates when they get shot in the Nectar tank LOL.

Posted May 22, 2008 4:53 am PT
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Kenji_Masamune

wii fit opening week in the US - under 50k sold.

Posted May 21, 2008 10:40 pm PT
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DRXgamer93

Wii SUCKSSSKSKSKSKS 'nuff said its graphics are horrible and the games have quite possibly no though into them. i mean really how long does it take to think of a wii fit or some other sucky thing like that

Posted May 21, 2008 5:56 pm PT
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pinkyfoo

Nintendo sucks and so does wii fit.

Posted May 21, 2008 2:09 pm PT
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patriotsrule47

I keep getting hyped up for ps3 games but they keep dissapointing. Now I'm even starting to think MGS4 and Killzone 2 will dissapoint too. Right now I'm having alot more fun with my xbox. Yes I own both systems

Posted May 21, 2008 1:32 pm PT
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dragonsama

Penny - Arcade is finally out. this is the game of the week right here.

and Haze looks to be a very good game. I won't call it the "halo killer" but is will be a very fun FPS.

Posted May 21, 2008 6:43 am PT
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Ranteal

Sooooo tired of people talking about Halo. Those days are long gone people!!! This is the now, a time to walk with grape-skinned frogs and sing to the sun. Ra will see that soon, yogurt hills have no business in heaven!!!! Be gone foul music, lest my logo burn a hat box!!!

Posted May 21, 2008 12:39 am PT
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Ranteal

Im so getting "Johnny Hammer vs The Flower-Eating Garden Babies" when it comes out. Those stupid babys aint gonna ruin my garden!!!

Posted May 21, 2008 12:35 am PT
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jop360

HAHAHHAHAA ....o wow. For people/Sony fan boys that tried to say this was going to knock down halo...Pfffft. I bought it and was looking forward to a great game...only to get disappointed. It was ok..."Could" have been a lot better....no to go trade it in.

Posted May 20, 2008 8:10 pm PT
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MetalMan300

@ShadoweaverCode

Haze = 6.0., not 7.5-8.5.

Cant wait for lost planet.

Posted May 20, 2008 6:21 pm PT
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Anti-Nerd_Gamer

Sry dude, but ur wrong too, its the 21st... cough...cough

Posted May 20, 2008 5:55 pm PT
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footfoe2

Actually Haze comes out on the 22 in america. Man haze looks awesome i want it now!

Posted May 20, 2008 4:21 pm PT
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delcidanddarth

Hahaha. GS is conducting it's own, "informal" study on the benefits of Wii fit? Is this happening between soda breaks while writing reviews? Why don't you guys leave scientific health studies to health professionals? I'm sure some sports science student will do the exact same thing, but with a better experimental setup and sound statistics vs. a watered-down "This editor felt lighter after a week on the balance board. This editor didn't."

Posted May 20, 2008 2:29 pm PT
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TheVinster

Looking forward to Age of Conan if the review is good. Also started checking out Penny Arcade, just bought a point card for that (which will be 1,600 MS points ($20)). Tried to pre-order Wii Fit too late and couldn't, but the reviews have been average at best so far.

Posted May 20, 2008 1:56 pm PT
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EnderSR388

We get that Penny Arcade crap instead of Bionic Commando Rearmed this week!? Great.

Posted May 20, 2008 1:06 pm PT
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ClassicPlayer

Haze I'm not too sure about, but UEFA EURO 2008 I'll give a go at in a couple of weeks, and my friends will be suprised about Lost Planet Colonies. Seems like a decent week all in all.

Posted May 20, 2008 12:58 pm PT
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hotdork70minus1

Halo wasn't bad at all, the problem is that there was too much expected of it. The HAZE demo say's it all anyway, IGN's review seemed right on as far as I could tell from the demo.

Posted May 20, 2008 12:51 pm PT
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Rebelyell7 Posted May 20, 2008 11:35 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)
ShadoweaverCode

pause422 - I wouldn't count Gamespot's review as being credible after the Jeff Gerstmann incident. Plus you see all the Haze advertisements on the site right? Yep, just like the Gerstmann incident, I bet GS gives it a 7.5-8.5 because they were paid to do so.

Posted May 20, 2008 11:33 am PT
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dewd4

Hehe haze as much as i like the ps3 i couldnt belive the fanboys were hyping it up like the second coming. Always seemed mediocre tbh

Posted May 20, 2008 11:24 am PT
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pause422

Jeff Hayes being a moron adds to the problem even more,but for the most part you can't take reviews so seriously until you get your hands on the game,or you see like 5-10 sites out with horrid reviews of it first. IGN anyway really doesn't hold up that well,they have so many reviewers that shouldn't be doing it because they're just complete morons,hell when you go to their site half the time you wouldn't know its supposed to be a gaming site,headlines are always about movies or tv series getting canceled,or differnt women they find attractive. Best advice is wait until 1up comes out with a review,then compare..and maybe gamespot,and definately Giantbomb if they end up getting their hands on it(although I doubt it because Ryan can't think of haze without seeing Korn and it scares him.)

Posted May 20, 2008 11:11 am PT
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reckeweg

Wow that IGN review was harsh. I'll tell you this though, what I saw of the game it looked pretty good to me. I think IGN unfairly rated this game. I don't even own a PS3 but from what I saw Haze looked like a solid shooter.

Posted May 20, 2008 10:59 am PT
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dmish82

I'm sorry but I can't read these reviewer scores anymore and take them with any sort of merit. I'm sure Haze is nothing to write home about but a 4.5 from IGN?! The game isn't broken, it just wasn't anything special so why give it such a low score? Yet, GTA IV gets a 10/10 and is noted that it isn't perfect. Amazing what money can buy.

Posted May 20, 2008 10:52 am PT
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BoogieManZero

Man I feel bad for Free Radical. I am an exclusive 360 owner but I didn't even want Haze to fail. Free Radical is one of my favorite developers and when numbers like that come out I could only imagine what they are going through. Hopefully they don't take it too hard, learn from their mistakes and put out another amazing TimeSplitters game in the near future.

Posted May 20, 2008 10:51 am PT
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onething77

Haze is not out yet in Canada, but I can't wait to get my hands on it, despite the harsh reviews. It's a game I've been waiting for since it was announced.

Posted May 20, 2008 9:55 am PT
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swyg

LOL I just realized a paradox in my writing saying it's best to play the game first, then it's best to read and compare each review to other reviews. I meant the latter more than anything, but of course both go hand in hand. in determining if you should get the game. The beauty of renting.

Posted May 20, 2008 9:36 am PT
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swyg

9.9, my mistake

Posted May 20, 2008 9:33 am PT
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swyg

@ShadoweaverCode

IGN also gave a 10/10 to Jade Empire of all games. There have been really good games that have gotten bad reviews just out of spite, and vice-versa. But the best thing to do is to play the game first. It's really hard to trust review scores these days, but the best thing to do is to read them first and not just look at the review score. Read them with an open mind and then compare them to other reviews while of course reading them.

Posted May 20, 2008 9:31 am PT
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ShadoweaverCode

swyg - Of course OoT deserves a 40/40, every game review site out there has a near perfect review of the game, but that doesn't mean that 10 years later they are all going to be great at doing reviews. You picked about the easiest review in the history of mankind to base a site's credibility on. C'mon man, you gotta dig deeper if you want to know the truth~!

Posted May 20, 2008 9:01 am PT
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CodyTG

I just got Haze, and I am very disappointed, don't get me wrong, it isn't a horrible game, it just didn't live up to my expectations. The only fun I had was co-op.

::Crosses fingers for MGS4, and Killzone 2::

Posted May 20, 2008 8:53 am PT
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_em_

I hope Penny Arcade turns out well, I've really been looking forward to it. Wii Fit interests me too, and it'll be nice to see if it actually has any health benefits, even if its just a little (Something is better than nothing).

Posted May 20, 2008 8:53 am PT
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Nineball2112

Well, only three reviews so far on Metacritic for Haze... but, yeah... it don't look so good.

Gamer's Hell - 65
The Onion (AV Club) - 58
IGN - 45

That's too bad. I was hoping it would be a better game. I wanted to play it. I still might play it, but it'll be a rental and not a purchase.

The FPS genre has been so played out that any new game has got to bring something new and fresh to it or it's gonna receive lukewarm or poor reviews...

Posted May 20, 2008 8:25 am PT
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mjc0961

I love how they forgot to mention that the Penny Arcade game costs a whopping $20. Twenty bucks for a lousy XBLA arcade. What a joke. At least the Wii's crappy downloadable games are reasonably priced.

Posted May 20, 2008 8:12 am PT
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hotdork70minus1

Wow ! That Famitsu review doesn't even make sense but hey, thats what the Japanese like, things that make no sense. IGN is pretty much spot on in reviews, i'll trust that.

Posted May 20, 2008 8:09 am PT
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swyg

A 34/40 that is

Posted May 20, 2008 8:06 am PT
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swyg

@ShadoweaverCode

So you don't believe OoT deserves a 40/40? Ok. They're a Japanese site that gave the same score to TOB.

Posted May 20, 2008 8:05 am PT
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ShadoweaverCode

swyg - I'll be sure to never believe any of their reviews again, thanks for the info.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:59 am PT
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swyg

Famitsu gave haze a 34/40

Posted May 20, 2008 7:51 am PT
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ShadoweaverCode

Everyone knew Haze was going to suck except the Sony fanboys, they hyped it up like it was going to be this huge killer app.

But I might have to pick up Lost Planet: Colonies, the first one was pretty good.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:36 am PT
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hotdork70minus1

Ninja Gaiden II can't come soon enough !

Posted May 20, 2008 7:31 am PT
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xElite_GameRx

Not a single worthwhile game to buy or rent this week. An entire list of crap everyday except today (May 20) which has Conan for PC. The rest of the games I wouldn't even bother with.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:25 am PT
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hotdork70minus1

HAZE just received a 4.5 out of 10 on IGN. I guess we have to wait for the next big PS3 hype machine.....again.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:25 am PT
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klugenbeel

I do feel bad for some of you, that Ubisoft actually tricked you into pre-ordering Haze: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/875/875229p1.html

Sorry, 4.5/10 is no rival of any of the great FPS on the 360. What a waste of an exclusive title. Its like Sony paid them for the exclusive and didn't care how bad or good it came out afterwards. As long as MS didn't have it, I think thats all Sony cared about...sad, they wasted a lot of money and are going to have a lot of pissed off people who will quickly learn, they just threw 60 bucks down the toilet and should have just kept playing CoD4 on their PS3, about the only good FPS that system has.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:18 am PT
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jcloverboy

Grabbing Singstar and Haze for sure. Definitely downloading Penny Arcade Adventures.

May get Wii Fit - we'll see.

Posted May 20, 2008 7:08 am PT
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halosniper23524

haha wii fit go do some push ups and play some age of conan baby

Posted May 20, 2008 6:08 am PT
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brianpoetzel

Ouch! Haze was supposed to be a killer app. I wonder if other reviewers will be as harsh.

Posted May 20, 2008 5:32 am PT
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