Release This: Afro Samurai, DJ Max Fever Headline U.S. Lineup

Gamasutra's regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in an exclusively compiled list. This week brings the U.S. console debut of Afro Samurai, along with portable offerings like The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity and DJ Max Fever. SimAnimals is set to premiere in Europe, meanwhile, as Japan gets Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time and Tales of The World: Radiant Mythology 2. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending January 31st, 2009. Games Released in the United States:

Afro Samurai heads this week's console lineup on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, arriving alongside 2K's baseball team management sim MLB Front Office Manager. Wii owners can expect to see a remake of 2002's Rygar: The Legendary Adventure, meanwhile, as the PlayStation 2 gets a rare localized sequel in Koei's long-running Nobunaga's Ambition series. This week's portable lineup features the Nintendo DS platformer The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity, the animated film-based Coraline, and the U.S. debut of Pentavision's popular DJ Max music simulation series. Games Released in Europe:

EA's SimAnimals serves as the multiplatform highlight in another slow European release week. PSP owners can expect to see a previously delayed port of CID The Dummy, while PC gamers receive CSI: NY and Saints Row 2. Games Released in Japan:

Square Enix's multiplayer RPG Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is set to make its debut in Japan this week. Of note is that Echoes of Time is the first game in the Wii's software library to support cross-platform multiplayer sessions -- owners of the Nintendo DS version of the game are able to join a Wii game in progress, either through local play or through an online Wi-Fi connection. Other Japanese titles set to premiere in the coming week include From Software's action title Ninja Blade, Tales series sequel Tales of The World: Radiant Mythology 2, and Namco Bandai's manga-based Soul Eater: Battle Resonance.