Had breakfast with some folks at Capcom and D3 Publisher, this morning at Manhattan's Hudson Hotel. I ate a sesame seed bagel and tried not to spill my orange juice on anything valuable, while they talked video games. Pretty good deal, if you ask me. Here are a few of the highlights coming out from the two companies, over the next couple of months.

Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, TBD)--The series' primary protagonist, the not-so-subtly-named Dante, takes a back seat to Nero, a platinum blond demon hunter in a trench coat, sporting a demonically-possessed arm, ala Evil Dead, without all of the self-mutilation. As always, extra points are awarded, the more stylish your demon killing is. Not surprisingly, DMC4 is a great looking game, especially when played through a bigscreen HD set. The game demoer took on a boss that he admited he'd only defeated once, which, incidentally occurred in front of a large crowd of onlookers in San Diego. This time, he doesn't get so lucky.

Mega Man ZX Advent (DS, Oct 2007)--From where I'm sitting, pretty much just another Mega Man game, which isn't really such a bad thing. Oh, and you can use the touch screen to quickly switch between the weapons accrued from baddies throughout the game. Does the name make anyone else think of Catholic school? No? Weird.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations (DS, Sep 2007)--No demo yet, though Capcom mentioned that they're trying to take the focus off of the Phoenix Wright name, with the series' increased focus on other characters--strange, given the prominence in the title. Wright must have good lawyers...

Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition (Wii, Jun 2007)--One of two Resident Evil titles being released on the Wii. The demo disc of the other, The Umbrella Chronicles (a Wii exclusive), wouldn't play on the system. RE4 is pretty much a straight port of the PS2 game, with a few exclusive features that take advantage of the Wiimote. Using the Wiimote instead of a controller also makes headshots a cinch. The demoer left behind a trail of dead farmers in his wake.

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii, Fall 2007)--This kid-friendly game, was, funny enough, the one that gave our demo the most trouble. He insisted that the programmers are working on making the title a bit more simple, as he struggled to open an umbrella, while falling from a plane. Sadly, he didn't make it in time. Notable for being the first game to feature a sidekick named Wiki (a flying monkey that turns into a bell, for what its worth), Z&W is a puzzle game, which goes out of its way to take advantage of the Wiimote, sacrificing game play in the process. Essentially, your character kind of stands around solving puzzles, occasionally battling ghost pirates and their ilk. The graphics are worth mentioning, too--the thing looks like an interactive Anime film. Neat.

D3 Productions

The Adventures of Darwin (PS2, Jun 19, 2007)--Remember those old bible-centric video games? Well, here's a title all of the evolution proponents in the house. Of course, Darwin teaches kids about as much about evolution as Rampage did dinosaurs, but all things considered, this real-time strategy game looks like a fun one. The title character is not, not Charles Darwin, the demoer made a point of telling us, multiple times, but rather an homage to the scientist. Fair enough. The game is very Pikmin-like. Run around the countryside, command your troops, build a civilization, and, hopefully, evolve.

Ben 10: Protector of Earth (DS, PS2, PSP, Wii, Fall 2007)--The first adaptation of the popular Cartoon Network series revolving around a 10-year-old who morphs into various heroes, in order to battle the forces of evil. Not a bad looking game, really. Travel around the country with various, well-rendered monuments as a back drop. Looks like a lot of fun for kids, and adults alike, you know, when know one's looking. Game play reminds me of those old Double Dragon-style games. Walk around, punching people. Cool beans. The DS game is a side-scroller, and undoubtedly more touchy-feely.

Dead Head Fred (PSP, Aug 21, 2007)--Less jam bandy than the title would have you believe. This game is more like Earthworm Jim meets Resident Evil. Less overtly goofy than the former and more cartoonishly violent than the latter. A pretty high-quality game for a PSP-only release. Start the game by having you head removed, and spend the rest trying on replacements, while searching for the one to which you were once so attached. Of course, every subsequent head earned during the game gives you a special power. Just like in real life. Looks like a lot of fun, even if it's not quite as funny as it seems to think. This game was the reason that I had a foam brain shoved into my press pack.