Try some cool games for a hot August
— -- Not all of the hottest video games are reserved for the holiday season.
Though the summer is typically a slower time for new releases, the remaining days of August will see the debut of a few major titles — including something for football lovers, Nintendo Wii gamers and fans of first-person shooters.
Whether it's to blow off steam after a long day at work, a night in with friends or to waste away a rainy Sunday afternoon, the following are three promising titles worth considering.
Madden NFL 10 (EA Sports; for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and 3, and Nintendo Wii; rated Everyone; $39.99 to $59.99)
While the features will vary depending on what platform it's played on, the next-generation versions (Xbox 360, PS3) of EA Sports' latest pro pigskin game features tighter and more responsive controls, incredible fluid animation (including up to nine-man gang tackles), photorealistic players and broadcast-quality commentary. Truly, passersby will do a double-take because Madden NFL 10 looks like a televised football game.
Sure, you can boot up this disc, available Aug. 14, and play a quick solo match or with a friend beside you, but all-new Internet modes include an online co-op option (tackle the CPU together on the same team), as well as a deep franchise mode supporting up to 32 friends with real NFL scheduling and live drafts — all manageable from your console, on a PC or via a downloadable iPhone app.
Wolfenstein (Activision; for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC; rated Mature; $49.99 to $59.99)
Guten Tag! The classic 3-D shooter that ate away countless productivity hours in the early '90s, and then was resurrected on the iPhone earlier this year, is not only back but darker than ever before.
Due out Aug. 18, Activision's Wolfenstein shines a light on the Nazis' dark obsession with the occult, as you resurrect your role as B.J. Blazkowicz, a decorated member of the Office of Secret Actions (OSA).
Using brains and brawn, you need to stop the Germans from harnessing power from a parallel dimension to create a weapon of unprecedented mass destruction.
