After much speculation it has finally been confirmed that the original House of the Dead will not be hidden away in the sequel. But don't let that put you off - House of the Dead 2 on the Dreamcast looks set to be a wonderfully realised port from the arcade.

Electronic Arts are planning to bring Knockout Kings to the N64. Last year's PlayStation hit will be undergoing a serious overhaul before making it to Nintendo's console, with revamped graphics and a number of gameplay tweaks. EA are also currently working on Knockout Kings 2000 for the PlayStation, although it is unknown whether the N64 title will share the moniker.

Maxis have announced the addition of the CityCam to their Sim City site. If you've got the Java plug-in for your browser, you'll be able to view user-made cities and even zoom in and out. As if that's not exciting enough, you can always check out the city-creation contest. The current competition requires that you use the New York or Manhattan map and create a beautiful sprawling metropolis. The best city will be featured on the CityCam and the lucky designer will get to choose a free game from Electronic Arts' extensive catalogue.

The latest bizarre game from Japan gives the role-playing genre a new slant. In Blade Maker you'll be the proud owner of a weapons shop, whose aim is to equip various adventurers. If one of your customers becomes famous, the reputation of your shop will increase, thus attracting more visitors. Blade Maker will be released for the PlayStation in July... in Japan.

Liverpool-based Bizarre Creations have released a few new details on their forthcoming Dreamcast racer. Officially entitled Metropolis Street Racer, the game will feature an arcade mode as well as... erm... they won't say. In fact, apart from giving us the official name, all they've said is that it will be released in Japan, Europe and the US. They have also released a few screenshots that look a bit too good to be true.

Sony Computer Entertainment America have announced a new PlayStation RPG. Star Ocean: The Second Story, developed by Enix, will be released Stateside in June and looks set to take the genre by storm. "Star Ocean: The Second Story promises to be another Enix masterpiece, with a level of detail that will impress even the most experienced RPG fan while offering a great experience for the more casual gamer," said Ami Blaire, SCEA's director of product marketing.