Release This: Soulcalibur IV, Rhythm Tengoku Gold Debut Worldwide

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. Soulcalibur IV premieres worldwide on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this week, landing alongside MLB Power Pros 2008 in the United States and an early PS3 release for Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway in Europe. Japan is scheduled to see a Fatal Frame sequel in Zero: Gesshoku no Kamen, while portables in the region receive DS music game Rhythm Tengoku Gold and action/RPG Phantasy Star Portable. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending August 2nd, 2008. Games Released in the United States:

Namco Bandai's one-on-one fighter sequel Soulcalibur IV debuts on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in all regions this week. The title arrives as North America's most anticipated title among a sparse console lineup, with other highlights including Konami's arcade-style baseball sim MLB Power Pros 2008 and the Atlus-published strategy RPG Spectral Force 3 on the Xbox 360. The PC platform is set to offer a bigger selection than any console or portable this week, though many scheduled releases have been delayed multiple times previously, and are likely to see further release setbacks before finally hitting store shelves. Games Released in Europe:

Gearbox's Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway sees an early PS3 release in Europe this week via a limited edition available exclusively at UK retailer GAME. A region-wide release is not expected to arrive until September, with versions for other regions scheduled to ship shortly thereafter. SBK-08 Superbike World Championship serves as another UK-exclusive highlight in this week's multiplatform lineup, while PlayStation 2 owners get a localized version of Growlanser: Heritage of War. Games Released in Japan:

Soulcalibur IV and Zero: Gesshoku no Kamen (to be released in the U.S. as Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse) headline as this week's most-preordered console titles at Amazon.co.jp. Nintendo's Rhythm Tengoku Gold and Sega's Phantasy Star Portable lead presales on portables, while SNK Playmore's Dokidoki Majo Shinpan! 2 DUO has also shown a steady increase in preorder popularity in the weeks leading up to its release.