This Week’s New Releases: July 22 - July 28

Scribbled on July 23rd, 2007 by Devin Grimes
Filed in New Release(s), Platforms

Get ready to rock!!…Again. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s sounds more like a glorified expansion pack to me, but for those looking for a set list change for their virtual shredding, this PS2-exclusive (for now?) title should tide you over until Rock Band and GH3 hit store shelves.

Not all is exactly peachy in this new version, though. With some of the premier 80s bands included in the track list (Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Dead Kennedys) and some that will make you say “huh?” (Flock of Seagulls) the soundtrack seems to be pretty hit or miss, without any of the heavy hitting titles we’ve come to expect from the series (You can listen to a few songs here). Unlike previous versions of the franchise, Rocks the 80s doesn’t come bundled with a guitar peripheral, and uses many recycled elements (load screens, characters, venues) from the previous two games.

Also hitting shelves this week: NASCAR 08 soars through the next-gen checkered flag with the series’ first appearance on the Xbox 360 and PS3, Final Fantasy II joins the rest of the FF remakes on the PSP, and the heavily anticipated Beyond the Sword expansion pack for Civilization IV comes out.

Click “Read More…” for the rest of this week’s releases!

Nintendo Wii: