Awesome Games

We’re cautiously optimistic about Stardock’s Elemental: War of Magic, a grand empire-building strategy game in the vein of Civilization; it’s due out in 2010, with a public beta in June 2009.

Deceptively simple, Bomba is definitely not for the jittery handed: this game maps movements precisely to your mouse, meaning even minor flicks of the wrist can end in instant death.

This trailer for the upcoming Quantum of Solace game shows its COD4 lineage with many familiar moves: cover, dash and switch make a comeback, as well as our fave: blind fire.

It was bound to happen: PSN member RRR30000 has recreated the first level of Gradius in LBP; it’s fully playable and includes an amazingly detailed (and dangerous) boss at the end.

Even those who don’t skate will find Touchgrind to be worth some “air”-time; it’s a simple iPhone app that uses your fingers to ride the board. The game will be available late November.

This launch trailer for Tom Clancy’s End War beautifully blends cinematics and gameplay; it even shows tomorrow’s US presidential elections in a way that sends chills down our spine.

Okay, so we cheated to get the video above, but it doesn’t make Storm the House 3 any less fun: defend against endless waves of enemies using everything from missiles to space lasers.

Chicago-based web dev and journalist Adrian Holovaty is also a skilled guitarist; check out this awesome gypsy jazz video with him playing the Super Mario Bros. 2 theme. Thanks, Jerry!

Usurping bullets entirely, Grey Matter instead relies on you ramming a black dot into enemies; chaining three kills in a row nets a “Trinity Attack,” which wipes out all onscreen enemies.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest is coming early January and this trailer has us itching to kick Balrog butt. Impressive: they’ve squeezed in nearly every major LOTR character into this video.

If you’re a steampunk fan, Gatheryn is your MMO: think Jules Verne mixed with the casual atmosphere of Second Life, which means lots of wrought iron and no PVPing when it launches in 2009.

It’s the zombie apocalypse, and we’ll be damned if we don’t get a few bites in: this stylish, fast-paced Left 4 Dead TV spot is a checklist of the co-op brawler’s braintastic features.

Here’s one last Gears of War 2 trailer to tide you over until 11/7; it’s a fast-paced blend of cinematics and gameplay. In short, light on the exposition but heavy on the explosions.

Nile Online is an Egyptian empire builder by Tilted Mills; you’re in charge of a city which grows continuously, so it’s fun to check in every few hours to see how your empire is doing.

Don’t be fooled by the diminutive size of the photo above; this Brotherhood of Steel statue for Fallout 3 stands nearly 8 feet tall. Curiously, you’ll need to bid on it through Sam’s Club.

Tabletop gamers, rejoice: Monsterpocalypse is a fully-fleshed out gaming system with plenty of giant mecha and kaiju; they even have nuke reactors and highrises to demolish.

The Nunchuck as a Lightsaber is as natural as bees on honey, but this Lightsaber Duels ad is packed with so much nerd repartee that you’ll either LOL or throw your Wii Remote at the TV.

Original Prince of Persia fans are in for a treat: this recently uncovered video from 1985 shows creator Jordan Mechner’s little brother serving as an animation reference for the game.

Amidst all the Fallout 3 and Resistance 2 news, we didn’t forget Killzone 2: it’s got a sweet new trailer out that focuses on our favorite fascist red-eyed baddies, the Helghast.

With each trailer, Empire: Total War grows more epic; this one covers the campaign mode and stretches from the French to the American Revolutions; the game comes out 2/09.

Zombie Baseball combines two American pastimes: baseball and beheading the undead. Rapunzel lofts pitches from above while you slug it out below, with bonus points for decapitation.

We really dig these Space Invaders Cufflinks; they’re simple and straightforward, made with sterling silver and feature a mirror-polish base. The invaders themselves are menacing in matte.

Gene Simmons is our hero–guitar hero, that is. This Axe Guitar (Wii, PS3/PS2) works with both GH and RB and takes badassery to a whole new level; its got both a strum and whammy bar.