With Tomb Raider: Underworld set to be among the quartet of titles to be shown by Eidos during next month's E3, the publisher has launched the game's official website, simultaneously slapping a November release date on Lara Croft's latest trip underground for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, PS2 and PC.

In addition to offering a narrowed release window, Eidos also shed a few details on the busty heroine's "exploration-based" escapade, revealing in a statement that the game will see Ms. Croft seeking "the secrets of the Norse underworld and a forgotten power." This immediatly makes us think that she'll be hunting down Thor's hammer, because really, who needs guns when you're packing Mjolnir?

GameTrailers has posted a new trailer from the upcoming Silicon Knights hack and slash, Too Human. There is no gameplay feature. However, what it lacks in gameplay, it makes for it with Thor. As the Norse god of thunder, Thor has something of a temper, which is fairly evident in the video. Watch as Baldur and Thor search for the doorway to the serpent's lair. We hate to spoil it for anyone, but let's just say that if you're the god Thor and you carry a giant hammer, you can make doors.

Superhero games are nothing new, but like comic movies, the games seem to be of a higher quality lately. With that in mind, SEGA has announced a deal with Marvel to bring games featuring their beloved characters to PC, next-gen consoles and handhelds. But what can I say that SEGA PR can't say better? Here's what SEGA US president Simon Jeffery said:

"As SEGA continues to create more games that are built from the ground up to appeal to Western audiences it makes perfect sense to work with a powerhouse company like Marvel that has established and beloved characters like The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, and Thor. These are icons that people are already familiar with and love, so our goal is to give gamers the ability to play out their fantasies by actually becoming these Super Heroes."

I think I'm personally looking forward to a Thor game the most, if for only because he hasn't hit the gaming space quite as often as the other heroes. How about you? Which of these Marvel characters would you most like to play with on your PSP?

[Via IGN]

Sega, I love ya and I hate ya. Nights on the Wii? Come on, the SIXAXIS would work too -- look at flOw. Also, why no traditional Phantasy Star? Why are you pooing all over the Sonic franchise? At least you're not cutting any corners on the Virtua Fighter 5 front. SEGA, you seem to cater to the fighting enthusiast. Dreamcast was a great arcade fighter system -- their arcade stick (whatever its name was) was arguably the best ever. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is still in my white box.

Marvel understands this and continues its relationship with Sega by giving them three more superhero names to utilize: The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America. Sega already has an Iron Man game in the works, probably to follow the upcoming film's adventure with Tony Stark. Iron Man is Tony Stark, right? Or is my memory rapidly melting away into reality? We can expect most of these games to coincide with their respective films, but maybe we'll get treated to one with a unique story. Who knows? ...The Shadow knows. Awful.

A limited number of the Avengers assemble! It may lack the punch of the standard battle cry, but it seems to be the one on Sega's lips as they add The Hulk, Thor and Captain America to their character roster. What unites these three characters? Are there a handful of designers at Sega with a bold vision to bring these favorites to life on consoles ... or could it be that all three are the subject of forthcoming blockbuster films? Well, Reuters says that Sega's already got a team on The Hulk in anticipation of the June 2008 film starring Edward Norton, if that helps narrow it down.

Sega is already creating an Iron Man game internally for consoles in conjunction with the Robert Downy Jr. flick due out next year and Reuters reports that the game is being made "using next-generation technology," so it should be an instant classic. We're anxious to see what Sega does with the heroes, but allow us to make one small suggestion: Wiimote + Thor's hammer = funtastic. That's all we're saying.

Well, if you just happen to be in Europe and are nursing an irrational hatred of Sega (hey, who knows?), then this is not the week for you. Just forget about the Virtual Console and go cycling through the countryside. If, on the other hand, you happen to be a big Sega fan, then rejoice! This one's for you, cause it's all about the Mega Drive.

Out today on the VC:

Sonic Spinball -- 800 Wii points
The Story of Thor -- 800 Wii points
Vectorman -- 800 Wii points

Will you be dropping large blocks of Wii points on any of these, or will you take a pass?

The ongoing debate over which superhero universe reigns supreme may never be settled, but Marvel Comics is looking like the clear winner in the gaming space with Activision's release of Marvel Ultimate Alliance. There's no Incredible Hulk (he's in Vivendi's game), but just about everyone else from the House of Ideas makes an appearance, which amounts to at least 20 playable characters on each platform. Where Ultimate Alliance really shines over Justice League Heroes is in the stronger focus on teamwork, not to mention a more impressive cast of villains. <Your team name here>, assemble!

• Game Informer (93/100) likes the new transparent rejuvenation system: "In this game, you no longer need to stock potions. When an enemy is slain, there's a chance that the fallen will gift you with a cluster of healing orbs that automatically zoom to your character. This change not only removes the clunky system of healing, it makes you feel more like a hero. Your focus is always on the battlefield, not a meter."
  
  
• GamePro (90/100) appreciates the challenging enemy AI: "The major boss battles are head and shoulders above anything you've seen in the past. The roster of villains changes with such frequency that you never get a chance to get sick of them. Stronger ones boast talents like healing and immunity to certain attacks, while others carry shields that force your active crew of four to work as a team."
  
  
• TeamXbox (88/100) was dazzled by the production quality: "The opening cinematic by Blur Studios is perhaps the finest I have witnessed in a videogame...but it's worth mentioning that the in-game footage cut scenes by Raven are no slouches either. Raven's in-game work is really nice too. Characters all have that comic book look, but have been updated to have their own edge. The backgrounds are just as sweet, flexing a bunch of post-production effects and lots of animations."

After previewing Call of Duty 3 and seeing the trailer for Flags of our Fathers for the umpteenth time, we wanted a diversion from the battlefields. Returning to Activision in search of something that would allow us to shed our daily mundane identities and to become heroes that weren't dressed in fatigues, we encountered our friend the receptionist again, still holding a grudge from our earlier victory. She led us into a dark room that had the villainous look of a secret lair. We had entered the realm of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.

The green glow of Xbox 360 rings of light around the room looked like laser-activated booby traps, but we managed to evade them and press on. After a short briefing we were off to hand pick our four fellow heroes. You pick from tons of playable characters, although some of them are unlocked as you explore areas and find more heroes. Putting The Thing, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and the Human Torch on our team got us a Fantastic Four bonus (it was a no-brainer, we admit it), but we couldn't figure out any of the other combinations. We spied Deadpool and Spider-Woman on the Wii version -- which are probably the two unique characters that only the next-gen systems will be serving up. There is an extremely Nick Fury-esque shoulder holster on one of the silhouetted locked characters, and our fingers are itching to play the cigar-chomping, insult-hurling leader of the Howling Commandos.

UGO recently interviewed Activision producer Matthew Paul to get some background details on Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Paul discussed the creative process he and Marvel games writer C. B. Cebulski used to craft the Alliance plot, and also talked about how the reworked X-Men Legends technology allows for a greater range of combat moves. Look for alternate costumes and unique gameplay with the Wii controller when Alliance ships in October.