Presented in glorious alphabetical order, New Media: Retail Roundup is your indispensible checklist of the home console and handheld titles arriving in stores this week. What will you be playing?

MICROSOFT XBOX 360 AFL Live * Operation Flashpoint: Red River * Portal 2

NINTENDO Wii AFL Live * Conduit 2 3DS Puzzle Bobble Universe DS LEGO Ninjago

SONY PLAYSTATION 3 AFL Live * Operation Flashpoint: Red River * Portal 2 * SOCOM Special Forces PSP Mega Minis: Volume 1 * Mega Minis: Volume 2 * Mega Minis: Volume 3

VARIOUS PC The Next Big Thing * Operation Flashpoint: Red River * Portal 2 * Trainz Simulator 12

New Media: Downloadable Digest is your handy reminder of the new downloadable titles released during the past week.

MICROSOFT XBLA Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes * Yar’s Revenge

NINTENDO WiiWARE Where’s Wally? Fantastic Journey 2 DSiWARE Nothing

SONY PSN Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes * Rush’N Attack: Ex-Patriot PSP MINIS Nothing

VALVE STEAM Anomaly: Warzone Earth * Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game * Dino D-Day * Sanctum

Recent instalments of New Media: 10.04.11 l 03.04.11 l 27.03.11 l 20.03.11 l 13.03.11

NanoBITES captures those small but important morsels of gaming information that otherwise might slip between the cracks.

ITEM! Capcom has announced plans to release a remixed version of Dead Rising 2 featuring original series protagonist Frank West in place of sequel star Chuck Green. Due on 360, PS3 and PC in spring 2011, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record will also boast some new missions and environments.

ITEM! The next batch of Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC has emerged from cover. According to Activision, the Escalation pack will contain five new maps (including a zombie themed map). Look for it on Xbox Live in the first week of May and on other platforms later in the year.

ITEM! The latest Harvest Moon title is being brought to the west by Natsume. Set for release on 3DS and DS, Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns will see the villages of Konohana and Bluebell clash over which is the ultimate foodies’ destination.

ITEM! Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is coming to 360, PS3 and PC. The new version, which will be available either as a standalone disc or as DLC for Super Street Fighter IV, rebalances the existing roster and also offers up four new combatants. Capcom is aiming for a winter 2011 release.

ITEM! If you’ve spent the last five years pining for a sequel to Nintendo mini-game collection Wii Play, your prayers are about to be answered. Like its predecessor, Wii Play: Motion will be bundled with a Wii Remote when it arrives in mid 2011.

Recent instalments of nanoBITES: 07.04.11 l 31.03.11 l 24.03.11 l 17.03.11 l 10.03.11

Six years into the current generation of consoles, Capcom is still prepared to launch ambitious new properties. The latest project from the publisher is third person fantasy action game Dragon’s Dogma. While it features a virtually incoherent voiceover and a laughably anachronistic guitar solo, the announcement does trailer does suggest that you’re in for a visual treat.

Though Dragon’s Dogma will feature an open world, Capcom won’t be simplifying the gameplay, instead aiming for the kind of stylish and sophisticated combat you’d expect from a pure action title. This is probably unsurprising, given that producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and director Hideaki Itsuno also worked on the fourth instalment of Devil May Cry.

Little has been revealed about the storyline or setting, but we do know that a key aspect of your quest will be recruiting and training NPC characters to fight along you.

Dragon’s Dogma is scheduled to arrive on 360 and PS3 in early 2012.

Torchlight puts you in the shoes of one of three classes. The Destroyer is a melee focused adventurer akin to a barbarian, while the Vanquisher is ranger of sorts, preferring to lay traps or engage her enemies from a distance. Finally, the Alchemist wields magic to destroy his foes or summon minions to fight on his behalf. You also get to select one of three pets (a wolf, a lynx or a bipedal lizard called a Chakawary). While adventuring, your pet fights alongside you. It can be taught spells and fitted with accessories and can even run into town to sell your excess gear while you continue exploring. Read the rest of this entry »