So I just set up an Xbox Live account for Japan to see what I could see. I downloaded the demo for Zegapain XOR and several trailers. Here’s some feedback:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yUWengqiA&search=zegapain%20xor]Zegapain XOR[/url] – A beautiful but generic mech game with poor control. I’ll give this one a pass. (7/27)
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQCdWl1kZdA&search=bullet%20witch]Bullet Witch[/url] – Similar to stuff you can see in the US trailer, with some added scenes. The lighting and action on this look incredible, if the models are a little mediocre. (7/27, may miss the launch date)
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlu4H3XtzLY&search=project%20slyph]Project Sylph[/url] – This was mostly cutscenes, but the gameplay looks like an arcade dogfighter. Gone is the 2d shmup Sylpheed of yesteryear. The cutscenes themselves have some incredible space battles. Haven’t seen anything like them since Star Blazers. (Not sure when this hits)
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rlEnTQZCkk&search=ziria]Ziria[/url] – A whole lot of generic anime cutscenes surrounding a generic looking RPG set in fuedal Japan. The highlight of this was the crazy horde of horses and reindeer. I don’t know what that was about, and sadly I can find no video of that part of it. (Out now)
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5HQDO23fBg&search=wrestle%20kingdom%20xbox]Wrestle Kingdom[/url] – A very decent looking wrestling game featuring Japanese Wrestlers. Don’t wait for a domestic release, if you are into this sort of thing. (Out now)

Sorry I couldn’t get the real trailers for the last two, but chances are that if those appeal to you, you know about them. I’ll just leave out the Japanese league baseball game trailer I downloaded by accident…

The Halo graphic novel is out in hardback. Amazon’s not selling it yet, but EB has it online and in the brick & mortar stores.

You’ve probably seen this all over by now. Best of luck, Sony.

[url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/19/ps3-begins-production-in-taiwan/]PS3 begins production in Taiwan[/url] (Joystiq)

Clive Barker is working on a new squad-based horro game. The premise sounds interesting, a few special forces guys with arcane training running through a cursed evil city to stop ultimate evil.

I, for one, loved Undying. It’s really my favorite single player FPS experience. Let’s hope this sells better, though.

[url=http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=13258]Barker Hears Call, Creates ‘Jericho’ Game[/url] (GameDaily BIZ)