Shippin' Out August 29-September 4: Metroid: Other M, Valkyria Chronicles II

The fall's major release, Halo: Reach, is now just two weeks away, but gamers looking for something new this week have a number of options. New releases this week include Nintendo's deep-space bounty hunter game, a PSP tactical role-playing game, a zombie prequel adventure, and a four-player brawler for Sony fans.

Samus embarks on another quest this week.

Leading the pack this week is Team Ninja's Metroid: Other M. Coming exclusively to the Nintendo Wii, the game casts players as bounty hunter Samus Aran in a narrative set between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. First unveiled at the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the game is set on the hostile Bottle Ship, where players will face numerous formidable beasts.

Also coming to retail this week is Valkyria Chronicles II for the PSP. From developer Sega, the sequel is set two years after the original and thrusts players into a civil war in the game's homeland of Gallia. The portable tactical role-playing game casts players as a member of the Gallian Revolution Army, fighting a fierce battle against a tyrannical faction. Valkyria Chronicles II was released in Japan in January and will be available in North America on UMD and as a digital download through the PlayStation Store.

Switching to the downloadable game front, two years after The Behemoth released Castle Crashers onto Xbox Live, the developer is finally bringing it to the PlayStation Network this week. The title, a carbon copy of its competing console cousin, hits Tuesday priced at $15.

Because killing zombies in jeans is just so restricting!

As for foaming-at-the-mouth zombies, Capcom releases Dead Rising 2: Case Zero exclusively on Xbox Live this week. Case Zero is a $5 downloadable prequel to the events of Dead Rising 2, which is due out at the end of September. Effectively a paid demo for Dead Rising 2, the game focuses on protagonist Chuck and daughter Katey and gives players a first look at and feel for the large-scale zombie battles that will come with the full game. Additionally, players can reach up to level 5 in Case Zero and are able to import experience and cash to the full game.

For the point-and-click adventurer, the fifth episode in the latest Sam & Max series hits this week. Telltale Games' Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Episode 5: The City That Dares Not Sleep comes to the PC, Mac, and PS3 this Tuesday. The game continues the frenzied adventures of the unlikely dog and rabbit crime-solving duo.

For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Releases page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change.

MONDAY, AUGUST 30
Cosmos X2--DS--Saturnine Games
Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island--PC--Valusoft
TNT Racers--X360, PS3--DTP Entertainment

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31
Ace Combat: Joint Assault--PSP--Namco Bandai Games America
Camp Rock: The Final Jam--DS--Disney Interactive
Castle Crashers--PS3--The Behemoth
Cthulhu Saves The World--X360--Microsoft Games Studios
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero--X360--Capcom
Gunblade NY and LA Machineguns Arcade Hits Pack--Wii--Sega
Little Bears--DS--Zoo Interactive
Metroid: Other M--Wii--Nintendo
Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Episode 5: The City That Dares Not Sleep--PC, PS3, Mac--Telltale Games
Valkyria Chronicles II--PSP--Sega

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Ferrari: The Race Experience--Wii, PS3--System 3
Mumbo Jumbo 6 Pack 2nd Edition--PC--Mumbo Jumbo
Prison Tycoon: Alcatraz--PC--Valusoft