Another week, another batch of games, another relatively disappointing offering of next-gen releases, another seven days of relying on trusty ‘old faithful’ titles cycled through our systems while we watch and wait for the incoming blockbusters that linger on the gaming horizon.

Indeed, while the likes of Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Assassin’s Creed remain just out of reach (all with mid-to-late summer release dates), and Halo 3 mocks the frustration of all by sitting on September 25/26 knowing full well it will lead all that went before it - not to mention a certain Italian plumber in Super Mario Galaxy, and an armour-clad female warrior in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption that are both due to appear on Nintendo’s Wii over the coming months - it’s currently not a good time for releases on either side of the Atlantic.

And that's a notion enforced by the likes of Brooktown High: Senior Year and Legend of the Dragon for the PSP; Marvel Trading Card Game and The New York Times Crosswords for the Nintendo DS; and Halo 2 for the PC (how long?).

What we CAN look forward to this week includes Dawn of Mana and Odin Sphere for the PlayStation 2 (still going strong), Death, Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom and Valhalla Knights for the Nintendo DS and PSP respectively. In next-gen terms, there’s still scant little beyond the draw of WarTech: Senko no Ronde, Monster Madness, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (along with every other platform) for the Xbox 360, while the PlayStation 3 has ZILCH and the Wii has Mario Strikers: Charged Football. Not exactly mouth-watering prospects, eh?

North American new releases:

Monday May 21

UFO: Extraterrestrials (PC)

Tuesday May 22

Brooktown High: Senior Year (PSP)

Dawn of Mana (PlayStation 2)

Death, Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom (Nintendo DS)

Halo 2 (PC)

Legend of the Dragon (PSP)

Major League Baseball 2K7 (Game Boy Advance)

Marvel Trading Card Game (Nintendo DS)

Naruto: Ninja Council 3 (Nintendo DS)

The New York Times Crosswords (Nintendo DS)

Odin Sphere (PlayStation 2)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, DS, PSP, PC)

WarTech: Senko no Ronde (Xbox 360)

Wednesday May 23

Diner Dash (Nintendo DS, PSP)

European new releases:

Tuesday May 22

Odin Sphere (PlayStation 2)

Friday May 25

Crush (PSP)

Custom Robo Arena (Nintendo DS)

Halo 2 Vista (PC)

Mario Strikers: Charged Football (Nintendo Wii)

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP)

Monster Madness (Xbox 360, PC)

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (PlayStation 2)

SpongeBob & Friends: Battle for Volcano Island (PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, DS, PSP, PC)
Valhalla Knights (PSP)