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Fall's big games
By Josh Zelman
(CNN) -- Electronic Gaming Monthly has released its list of the top games for the fall season. I spoke to Dan "Shoe" Hsu, editor in chief of the magazine, who told me why these five will be making a mark with gamers this autumn. 'Mario Kart: Double Dash!!' -- GameCube Shoe called this a "light-hearted and easy-to-play" racing game with a fun twist. Instead of one driver behind the wheel, gamers have two -- meaning they're able to switch back and forth between characters with different abilities while racing though fantasy worlds. Because this is a "party game," Shoe said, the only drawback occurs when playing solo. Single play is fine, but grabbing a few friends and mashing the buttons together is much better. Look for it in November. 'Lord of the Rings: Return of the King' -- GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2
Also coming your way in November is this action-battle game. The storyline? Shoe told me you basically "jam on the buttons and kill people in the way." The plot sounds simple, but developing the game was pretty complex. Shoe said the folks behind the movie worked with the game's developers, giving them access to the Hollywood stars and sets. He called that "kind of unusual," saying "few games do this." As a result, Shoe said, "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" features "a pretty accurate representation of what you are going to see on the big screen." 'Castlevania: Lament of Innocence' -- Playstation 2 Here's the plot, according to Shoe -- take deep breath. "You explore a grand, majestic castle from old vampire days and take on monsters, and at the end find your girlfriend, who was kidnapped by Dracula," he said. Describing the plot is a long endeavor, but describing the graphics and music isn't. Shoe called both "beautiful." Check them out for yourself at the end of October.
'Ninja Gaiden' -- Xbox The storyline is pretty simple, Shoe said. You're a ninja, and you have to beat people up. He found nothing to dislike about the game, saying the graphics are fantastic and that though the game might sound violent, the violence is not over the top. Look for it at your local game retailer in November. 'SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs' -- PlayStation 2 Shoe recommended this game for someone looking to play an action-oriented shooter. He said the game's appeal lies in the fact that it's grounded in reality. You "act like a real soldier," he told me. You and your teammates perform various missions -- trying to free an embassy, for example. While doing so, you're able to execute verbal commands, which the game recognizes. Tell your boys to attack and they will; tell 'em to fire and they will. But be careful. Just like in life, if they get too trigger-happy they'll shoot themselves in the foot by running out of ammo. "SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs" arrives in November.
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