The Last Word: June 7-11

The 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo will come replete with hot new information when it descends upon Los Angeles next week. But if anyone thought big-name publishers would hold off on their big-time reveals during the week before have been proven quite wrong. To wit, THQ's Red Faction: Armageddon, Square Enix's Dungeon Siege 3, Sony's MotorStorm Apocalypse, and Warner Bros.' Mortal Kombat were among the game reveals this week.

There were also myriad release dates that peppered the news wires throughout the week. Publishers also offered advanced looks at their upcoming wares, ranging from NHL 11 to Rock Band 3 to The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. Reviews also abounded, as GameSpot issued ratings for the likes of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Rock Band: Green Day, ModNation Racers, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11.

The Last Word June 7-11

FEATURES
E3 isn't the only big thing happening at the moment. The world's finest soccer players are currently battling it out on the pitch in 2010 FIFA World Cup. Fans should be sure to check out GameSpot's 2010 World Cup feature, where they'll find bios on all the teams as well as videos of upcoming matches that have been simulated using EA Sports' 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Whose favorite team is going to win?

For something a little more gory than soccer, GameSpot put up a full breakdown of the announcement trailer for the new Mortal Kombat, where gamers can glance at some of the characters featured in the title and some awesomely brutal fatalities. And finally, it's that time of year--the kids are out of school and Dad's looking for something cool this Father's Day. Take a gander at the Dads and Grads feature for some helpful tips on what to pick out.

GameSpot's World Cup
Mortal Kombat - The Breakdown
Dads and Grads Gift Guide

NEW RELEASES
Shippin' Out June 6-12: Green Day: Rock Band, Metal Gear Solid PSP
Flametail cleans up space junk on DSiWare
Joe Danger lands safely on PSN
Accio demo! Lego: Harry Potter trial hits XBL

NEWS
Beyond the aforementioned game announcements, publishers also came heavy with release dates during the week before E3. Of the more notable, Take-Two attached a September 21 release date to its hexagonally enhanced Civilization V, Ninja Theory's Enslaved: Odyssey to the West will be liberated in October, and 2K Marin's XCOM picked up a 2011 launch window.

Of course, the dark side of release dates also saw some play, as Valve's Portal 2 got pushed to next year while Max Payne 3 will remain underground for an indeterminate amount of time. Among the miscellaneous and sundry, Sony launched its 3D bid with a batch of downloadable titles, Red Dead Redemption hit 5 million units sold in less than a month, the DSi XL picked up a midnight blue hue, and Dreamcast titles are looking at a rebirth through Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.

THQ triggering Red Faction: Armageddon
Obsidian unearthing Dungeon Siege 3
iPhone 4 introduces gyroscope gaming
E3 to draw 41,000+
Elemental: War of Magic raging August 24
Marvelous gives up on original titles
Dragon Age anime-ting in 2011
Yakuza 4 mobbing North America, Europe, spring 2011
Downloadable Games for Windows to arrive day-and-date
Red Dead Redemption sells 5M, GTAIV hits 17M
Power Gig signs Eric Clapton, padless drum controller
DSi XL feeling midnight blue July 11
DJ Hero 2 spinning Dr. Dre, Metallica, Lady Gaga
Mortal Kombat Rebirth teaser touts star power
MAG expanding June 22
MTV Games, Gibson resolve patent tussle
Neversoft staffing up for 'action shooter'
Violent games mostly 'harmless' - Study
Enslaved being freed in October
Hulu Xbox 360-bound - Report
Telltale adapting Back to the Future, Jurassic Park
Sony launches 3D PS3 games tomorrow
XCOM to land in 2011, Mafia II tops 2K E3 lineup
Square Enix preps new portable Kingdom Hearts, Parasite Eve
Portal 2 closed until 2011
FIFA 11 kicking off this autumn
Atlus preps Trine 2, PSP Knights in the Nightmare
Mass Effect 2 Overlord DLC landing June 15
NBA Jam drives the lane in October
Quick Hit scores NFL license
MotorStorm Apocalypse revs up PS3 next year
Dreamcast to be reborn on XBL, PSN
Mortal Kombat set for 360, PS3 in 2011
'Real' keyboard, guitars debut in Rock Band 3
Space Invaders, Necromachina lead Square Enix digital lineup
Bad Company 2 Onslaught begins June 22
Rock Band 3 peripherals priced, bundled
Fraction of gamers aware of Move, Natal - Nielsen
Living Statue, Obstacle Course revealed for Project Natal - Report
Civilization V rises in September

PREVIEWS
With just days to go before E3 2010 kicks off, the previews crew got hold of a few of the games that will be featured next week in Los Angeles. Highlights include NHL 11 and its all-new physics system; two wrestling games from THQ, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2011 and the brand-new WWE All Stars; Ninja Theory's upcoming action game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West; and The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. Add to that some FIFA 11 and previews of the new Harry Potter game, DJ Hero 2, Rock Band 3, Homefront, and de Blob: The Underground, and it was practically E3 one week earlier around these parts.

NHL 11 First Hands-On
Hands-On With THQ's E3 WWE Games
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West First hands-On
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North First Impressions
FIFA 11
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Hands-On Impressions
DJ Hero 2 First Look
Rock Band 3 Hands-On
Homefront Updated Impressions
de Blob: The Underground First Look

REVIEWS
Ordinarily, the week prior to E3 might be described as the calm before the storm, but that hasn't been the case this year--at least not for the reviews team. The Sims 3: Ambitions got the week off to a great start, and the quality just kept on coming as reviews for Plain Sight, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, and the PSP version of ModNation Racers hit. Ending the week with a bang, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker arrived on the PSP, earned itself an Editors' Choice award, and, in all likelihood, will be the editors' choice while traveling down to LA.

Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer (PC) Reviews Blog
Armored Core: Last Raven Portable (PSP) Review
Green Day: Rock Band (PS3, X360) Review
Hexyz Force (PSP) Review
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP) Review
ModNation Racers (PSP) Review
Plain Sight (PC) Review
The Sims 3: Ambitions (PC) Review
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (PS3, X360) Review
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (Wii) Review

VIDEO
E3 2010 is coming up next week! The GameSpot Live team was getting prepared all week to broadcast the best E3 coverage on the planet! A couple of new episodes of Today On the Spot, featuring games like WWE All Stars, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2011, and FIFA Soccer 11, hit the site. New trailers also emerged for the new Mortal Kombat, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Rock Band 3, and more. GameSpot also got a chance to talk with Dan Teasdale about Rock Band 3 and with Sal DiVita about WWE All Stars.

Today On the Spot - WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2011
Mortal Kombat Announcement Trailer
LOTR: War in the North - Overland Trailer
Rock Band 3 - E3 2010 Song Trailer
Rock Band 3 Interview: Dan Teasdale
WWE All Stars Interview: Sal DiVita