Hamburg  - Most Germans likely have summer plans that revolve around the upcoming European Football Championships. But PC game companies have ensured there's some entertainment available for those who do not want to watch 22 men running after a ball.

There's Mass Effect a highly praised role-playing game. Other offers include Dracula: Origin, Pro Cycling Manager - Tour de France 2008, and for strategists, "Sins of a Solar Empire." Additionally Spore Creature Creator will offer some early insights into the evolution simulation Spore.

Mass Effects is set in a sci-fi universe with a handsome hero, vicious opponents and showy weapons. It sounds like the standard ingredients of any first-person shooter game, the kind where you shoot first and ask questions later.

Nevertheless, Mass Effects proves to be more than the sum of its parts and doesn't descend into a simple orgy of violence. That's because the game was created by the people from the Bioware Studios, which is known for its high-end fare like Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic.

Bioware returns to its roots with Mass Effects. It's a classic role playing game, but one that is noticeably affected by the player's behaviour and decisions. Those decisions affect the eventual parametres of the game. That means players need to consider whether they want to greet strangers kindly or with weapons drawn.

Electronic Arts (EA) brought the PC version of the game to stores in June retailing for about 50 euros (78 dollars).

Like so many other war games, a distant galaxy serves as the setting for Sins of a Solar Empire, a more warlike game. Released at the start of the year in the United States, it's already been a major success there.

Sins is essentially a strategy game. Players take command of one of three races, with the goal of spreading and defending an empire. That means managing space fleets, but also tracking the impact of diplomacy, the economy and cultural affairs on the game and the players' chances of success.

According to publisher Kalypso Media, the game will be available from June 26, retailing for about 40 euros.

Not everyone makes a non-gory game based on a horror story, but that's what the makers or Dracula: Origin have accomplished. The game tells the history of the Count Dracula.

It's a classic point and click adventure, with a focus on solving puzzles and unfolding a story, instead of fighting battles. Players take on the role of Professor Van Helsing, whose goal is to thwart Dracula's dark plans. The game takes players to London, Egypt and the vampire's dark lair. Koch Media will bring the game to stores in June and it cost about 40 euros.

In the real world, sports fans tired of football can switch to the Tour de France this summer. Similarly, computer gamers have the option of turning to Tour de France 2008, which will let them experience managing the bicycle race.

Players take on the role of a manager trying to lead a team to victory, negotiating contracts and supervising training. At the end, there is also the race. Koch Media will release the game on June 20 for about 40 euros.

Spore, the newest game from Sims creator Will Wright, is one of the most eagerly awaited games of 2008.

Unlike the Sims, which focuses on running the life of a computer person, Spore will focus on taking one-cell life forms from a primordial soup and developing them into an advanced culture that will eventually be capable of colonizing distant galaxies. It will include elements of jump-and-run games, but also those of design and strategy titles.

The bad news for the impatient is that Spore is not scheduled for release until the autumn. But there is good news. EA plans to release Spore Creature Creator in June, as a preview. As the title suggests, it will only focus on the part of the game that lets players create new forms of life.

That means fans will be able to have their creatures ready to go when the main game is released. No price has been set for Spore Creature Creator, but customers should be able to have its price factored in when they buy the complete product in the autumn. (dpa)