Virtual Festivals, Space Operas and Never Mind the Xbox…

Who’d think of putting on a music festival in November? Aside from having to hammer tent pegs into the frozen ground there’s also a very real danger of catching pneumonia before the first act. No such problems at Xtival ’07, a three-day virtual holiday of free Xbox LIVE Gold gaming that can be enjoyed from the comfort and warmth of your living room.

Featuring a raft of ‘happenings’ including a Halo art contest (as well as a more traditional in-game shooting one), developer jam sessions and the chance to bump into Xtival ‘07 Mystery Guests, who will be busy combing Xbox Live looking for deserving gamers to award free Microsoft Points to, there’s literally only one place to be from 23^rd-25^th November. Be sure to check Xbox.com soon for more information and the full line-up of events.

If all this weren’t enough it’s another bonanza week for Xbox 360 – check the listing below for proof. One of the brightest stars is surely Bioware’s massively-anticipated space opera, Mass Effect, which not only sets new standards for immersive role-playing gameplay but redefines the word ‘epic’ entirely with a storyline that has players traveling the furthest reaches of the galaxy trying to uncover a sinister threat that jeopardises life, the universe and everything. Put simply Mass Effect will rock your world – and way beyond…

A little more Earth-bound but no less exciting is the stunning airborne blaster Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, which has just taken the Japanese software charts by storm – and that’s no mean feat, believe us. Finally Kane & Lynch: Dead Men charts the misadventures of a battle-damaged mercenary and his sociopathic sidekick, and delivers multiplayer Xbox LIVE gameplay with a distinctly explosive (thus more fun) twist. We’re totally going to need a holiday after that lot!

Out This Week

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation

Avatar: The Burning Earth

Beowulf

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Blacksite: Area 51

Hot Wheels: Beat That!

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men

Mass Effect

Bee Movie

Need for Speed ProStreet

World Series of Poker 2008