Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The penultimate chapter in the Harry Potter series finds our teenage hero dealing with not only romantic entanglements and other coming-of-age problems but also the build-up to a climactic confrontation with Voldemort. As you explore a version of Hogwarts based on the blueprints used for the movies, become adept at wizard dueling, learn how to mix potions, and lead Gryffindor to the Quidditch Cup. After the story concludes, Endless Day mode lets you discover all of Hogwarts’ secrets. [Jul 1]

SPORE Galactic Adventures: Boldly Go

Add new twists to SPORE’s endless space stage with Galactic Adventures, which lets you design your own adventures and try out ones created by other players. For the first time, spaceship captains can beam down to planets, with or without crews, and undertake missions that earn them higher ranks as well as new weapons and accessories. Use a pre-existing creature as a captain or design a new one. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. [Jun 25]

The Path: A Fairy Tale For Adults

“What if ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ was not simply a cautionary tale, but a metaphor for life instead?” asks Michaël Samyn, co-creator of The Path. He and Auriea Harvey set out to explore that question, as well as others, in a game that you can’t win or lose. You must guide six sisters, one by one, to grandma’s house. There is only one rule — don’t leave the path — and you must break it. We’ll let you discover what happens next. [Jun 17]

Take Us Out to the Ballgame: OOTP X

Get ready for another season of home runs, strikeouts, and calls of “Hey, batta, batta” with the latest version of Out of the Park Baseball. Improvements in OOTP X include enhanced artificial intelligence, more robust play-by-play, a redesigned pitching system, widgets that can be moved around the in-game screen, a revamped injury system, and more. All of the 2009 Major League Baseball and minor league rosters are included, so you can get started right away. As Annie Savoy said in “Bull Durham,” by way of paraphrasing Walt Whitman: “I see great things in baseball.” [Jun 10]

The Sims 3: Imagine the Possibilities

The latest version of the wildly popular people simulator offers a host of new features, including: a seamless world uninterrupted by loading screens; more robust options in Create-a-Sim; the ability to apply any color, pattern, or material to any object; overhauled personality indicators; and more. The Sims 3 also includes more options for creating, saving, and sharing Sims, objects, and gameplay video. [Jun 2]

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