Coming Attractions: Action Adventure

The Wheelman

Good old Vin Diesel, with his silly made-up name, scratchy head and face like two scary marbles stuck in a rubber potato. He "is" The Wheelman in the new film of the same name, and the videogame to go with it.

It's mainly about vehicle combat. You can carjack any car in the game and use it to do over your enemies. Something called "Steerable Targeting" lets you lock-on to targets by using your driving skills to get your vehicle in the correct position. No idea.

Pulling off moves will style will earn you "Focus" so you can do exciting stunts and drive and shoot in real-time while the rest of the world runs at a slower pace. Again, no idea. There's also some hand-to-hand combat to be done, and team-based missions which will be playable online.

The Wheelman is due out on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in the first half of this year.

Did you know: Before he became a famous movie star and stopped looking like Screech out of Saved by the Bell, Vin Diesel appeared in a video about how to breakdance. It's amazing.

Grand Theft Auto IV

The series might be getting on a bit, the latest instalment might have missed Christmas, but there's no denying the huge appetite for all things GTA. Just look at the way the Internet goes bananas every time Rockstar drips out some more brown screenshots or a video about making the packshot. You can see them all for yourself over on the gamepage, by the way.

Grand Theft Auto IV follows the adventures of Niko Bellic, an Eastern European immigrant who has come to Liberty City to get a fresh start and pursue his dream of becoming a professional Beppe di Marco lookalike. "I killed people, smuggled people, sold people," he says in the trailer. "Perhaps things here will be different."

If you'd like a full run-down of all the things we know about GTA IV so far, Tom can help you out. The game will be out on PS3 and Xbox 360 some time around April.

Grand Theft Also: According to Webster's dictionary, "Bellic" means "Of or pertaining to war; warlike; martial." It's like bloody Countdown round here these days. I am the new Richard Stilgoe.

Prototype

This new IP from Vivendi-Sierra-Blactivision or whatever they're called these days is coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this summer. It's in development at Radical Entertainment, the studio behind The Simpsons Hit and Run and Scarface.

Prototype is billed as "a completely new kind of open world game". It follows the adventures of Alex Mercer, a man with a mysterious past and some impressive shapeshifting abilities. He can also perform parkour-style leaps and wall runs, and goes bounding around New York City like Spider-Man without the silly string.

We got to see the game at Leipzig last year and were impressed - even though it was only 20 percent complete back then. "It's rare to see a game looking this good at such an early stage," wrote some bint.

He's in fashion: First Sam Fisher, now Alex Mercer... Looks like the hoodie will be THE look for moody action adventure heroes in summer Y2K8. You've started a new trend, Altair! You big twat.

LEGO Batman and Indiana Jones

Following the success of its Star Wars titles, TT Games is now giving the man with the fedora and the man with the pointy balaclava the LEGO treatment.

LEGO Batman is being developed in co-operation with DC Comics. It'll feature a new storyline that's nothing to do with the comics or films. You can play as Batman, Robin and a few villains, including The Joker and The Penguin. As with the Star Wars games, you'll be able to build vehicles using LEGO bricks and enjoy two-player co-op action.

LEGO Indiana Jones will follow the plot of the first three films (LucasArts is developing a separate game based on the forthcoming one, Indiana Jones and the Legend of Stannah). "The boulder scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark in LEGO is hilarious!", says TT Games boss Tom Stone.

LEGO Batman will appear on Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii, while platforms for LEGO Indiana Jones have yet to be confirmed. Both games are out this year.

Dinner dinner dinner dinner: LEGO Batman will feature an exact recreation of Wayne Manor, including the outdoor toilet. Apparently it's built like a brick sh**house.

Saints Row 2

Kristan rather liked the first Saints Row, even if it is "probably the most morally bankrupt game we've ever come across". The sequel promises more customisation options and a redesigned Stilwater to explore, courtesy of a beefed-up game engine.

New vehicles will include boats, helicopters, planes and motorbikes. There will be some additional sandbox nonsense, and online multiplayer modes including co-op.

Saints Row 2 is due out on Xbox 360 and PS3 some time this year. Probably not the same time as GTA IV, we'd wager.

All Saints: Saints Row is developed by Volition, which has its headquarters in a place called Champagne. We've been there and a more appropriate name would be Carpark.