Shippin' Out April 12-18: Demigod, PS2 Guitar Hero: Metallica

After a jam-packed first quarter and early April, 2009's hectic game-release schedule is downshifting a bit. This week's calendar is light on big names, but will offer a few choice titles for the discerning gamer.

The biggest debut of the week is Demigod, the newest project from developer Gas Powered Games (Supreme Commander, Dungeon Siege) and indie publisher Stardock (Sins of a Solar Empire). Available both in stores and from Stardock's famously DRM-free online store, the game blends fantasy role-playing and real-time strategy elements. Set in a far-future fantasy world, players take to the battlefield as epic deities leading legions of underlings as they vie for a seat in a pantheon of supreme beings.

The rest of the week's PC releases include NCsoft's City of Heroes: Architect Edition, which bundles the two superhero massively multiplayer games City of Heroes and City of Villains with a new toolkit that lets players make their own missions. The first-person horror game Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason and creepy adventure Still Life 2 are also on tap.

For the handheld crowd, the week ahead offers several interesting options. The DS will get two role-playing games from Japanese publisher Atlus: Dokapon Journey and The Dark Spire. According to retailer listings, lesser-known distributor Graffiti Entertainment will release three games during the week. For the DS, it is launching the first-person shooter C.O.R.E. and the role-playing game Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled. For the PSP, the company is shipping the air combat sim Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II.

As for consoles, the week will see no new PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 games at retail. Nintendo's 50-million-unit-moving Wii has one confirmed release: Majesco's family-friendly adventure Escape the Museum. Owners of the now-$99.99 PlayStation 2 will get a much more high-profile offering in the form of Guitar Hero: Metallica, released last month on the Wii, 360, and PS3 to decent reception.

For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Release page. Downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and the Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week.

NEW RELEASES: APRIL 12-18

APRIL 14, 2009
Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II / PSP / Simulation / Graffiti Entertainment
Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled / DS / Role-Playing / Graffiti Entertainment
C.O.R.E. / DS / Action / Graffiti Entertainment
City of Heroes: Architect Edition / PC / Role-Playing / NCsoft
DCS: Black Shark / PC / Simulation / Take-Two Interactive
Demigod / PC / Role-Playing / Stardock
Dokapon Journey / DS / Role-Playing / Atlus Co.
Escape The Museum / Wii / Action / Majesco Games
Guitar Hero: Metallica / PS2 / Rhythm / Activision
M&Ms Adventure / PS2 / Adventure / Zoo Digital Publishing
The Dark Spire / DS / Role-Playing / Atlus Co.

APRIL 15, 2009
Still Life 2 / PC / Adventure / Encore Software, Inc.
Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason / PC / Action / 1C