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Activision today revealed it’s E3 lineup (including Guitar Hero 5 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2), and here’s some quick thoughts on the big names being touted by one of the industry’s leading publishers.

The Electronic Entertainment Expo kicks off in a few days and Activision is coming prepared. Just look at this line up.

Blur: Blur for Xbox 360 and PS3 will be the latest in the now cliche buzz-word-titled racing games (Pure, Dirt, Fuel, Grid) and looks to bring arcade action with power-ups and speed boosts as 20 of 60 licensed cars take to the track in an untold number of real-world locations. It’s becoming a cliche, sure, but racing games lately have been undergoing a renaissance of sorts and hopefully Blur can live up to that standard.

DJ Hero: This multiplatform game includes a turn-table controller and lets you scratch to music like some kind of Guitar Hero re-mix. It’s gimmicky, but it should appeal to a niche audience.

Guitar Hero 5: For now, Activision is hyping the song list for this inevitable sequel to its newest cash cow franchise. The company is promising a varied set list of master tracks from groups like Kings of Leon, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Santana, Vampire Weekend, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and 25 others. We know what to expect. Another expensive expansion pack to the original Guitar Hero formula.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2: The original Ultimate Alliance was a fan favorite, and the sequel lets players pick a side in the Marvel Civil War to team up with characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Deadpool, Venom, Green Goblin and Captain America. The first one elevated itself beyond a generic beat-em-up and hopefully this sequel will continue to build on that foundation.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2: For Xbox 360 and PS3, Infinity Ward is going with what works with its November 10 release of Modern Warfare 2. If you haven’t OD’d on modern warfare, this game promises to bring even more single and multiplayer nirvana.

Prototype: A rare, original property for Xbox 360 and PS3, Prototype lets you trample New York in a parkour-style popular in games like Assassin’s Creed and Mirror’s Edge as Alex Mercer, a shape-shifter suffering from amnesia. It’s an ambitious project that’s generated a lot of early buzz, but it’s still too early to tell if it can live up to the hype.

Singularity: Activision’s other gamble, this shooter has you traveling back and forth through modern and 1950s Russia, unraveling an appropriately warped sci-fi conspiracy story. Puzzle elements should help add some innovation to the shooting segments as explosive events in the past can change the lay of the land in the present. Xbox 360 and PS3 fans should keep an eye on this one.

Tony Hawk: Ride: Just when you thought it was ok to sit back down on the couch, Activision is coming up with the next game to get gamers up and active. E3 goers will try the skateboard controller to see if this hands-free gaming experience can rejuvenate the tired Tony Hawk franchise. This one is headed for Xbox 360, PS3 and of course, Wii.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: This multiplatform effort will sell on its license alone, but hopefully it doesn’t become another quick movie cash-in. Players will battle as either Autobots or Decepticons, using all their unique abilities to blast through each level.

Wolfenstein: This old-school shooter is getting a dark, sci-fi makeover courtesy of today’s technology and the developers imagination when it comes to the Nazi’s dark obsession with the occult. It’s going to be a wild trip with ghostly bad guys, and the gameplay should bring the intense, gritty shooting action that one would expect from Wolfenstein. It’s a big project to tackle, but this Xbox 360 and PS3 title is in good hands. Hopefully it’ll come out shooting when it hits stores August 4.

So to say Activision is ready to rake in some cash would be an understatement. Its E3 lineup is a who’s-who of video game properties and quite a few of them seem poised to deliver on big expectations.

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