A male-driven game industry? Oh yes, quite literally

Were it human and you had to assign it a gender, there'd be a strong case for determining the game industry as a man (and a typical one at that, our female readers may say). Especially so when it comes to game releases.

How else would you explain long periods of inactivity, followed by brief, sporadic moments of furious commotion? For many, that will sum up their father's, partner's or husband's (or for those impressively subjective, their own) approach to, erm, well, DIY, say.

Still, it's about time the release schedules got back on track, because there is much to fix – the start to the year has been remarkably lethargic. By comparison to the rest of January, three releases this week will seem cause for great celebration.

And hold on to your figurative tools because, praise the god of screwdrivers, just look at next Friday's proposed number of new arrivals! That's the kind of home improvement we tend to favour (even if you happen to do most of your playing on the bus or tube).

Granted, there's absolutely no expectation they'll all be winners. Or, indeed, that they'll all make it to the shops (there's considerable question marks over Guru Guru, The Hustle: Detroit Streets, Labyrinth, Monster Bomber and Monster Puzzle, for instance). In retail, as in life, there are no guarantees.

One thing that is certain, however, is that by next Friday we're into February, which is sufficiently distant from Christmas and close enough to Easter to kick start release schedules, developing into the traditional flurry of activity before the next big school holiday.

Beyond that, don't expect much in the way of work for a little while. A man's got have his rest, after all.

Out Friday January 26th
Actionloop (DS) (Or see our review.)
Rocky Balboa (PSP)
Star Fox: Command (DS) (Or see our review.)