For over 30 years, Namco has remained one of the most recognisable names in videogaming, launching such iconic titles as Galaga and Pac-Man in the early 80s, and captivating console markets with games like Rolling Thunder 2 and Ridge Racer in the 90s.

Fast-forward to the present, and Namco’s aiming, in the company’s own words, to “be the top five publisher” over the next few years. To this end, Namco invited us to take a look at its next wave of releases, all primed and due out within the next six months.

And here’s a selection of our favourites...

Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Building on the success of the original Test Drive Unlimited released in 2006, this ambitious sequel effectively takes the open world driving and social aspects of the first game and amplifies its scope two-fold.

Now effectively a driving MMO, Test Drive Unlimited 2 takes place over two islands (Hawaii and Ibiza), with a total playing area amounting to more than 3000 kilometres. Players will be able to team up with their friends, forming clubs of up to eight players (Unlimited 2’s equivalent of guilds, essentially), and expanding on the lifestyle elements of the first game, and the game will feature an extensive avatar mode, where players can customise their characters, buy new cars, and furnish their posh apartments.

The build we saw wasn't without its glitches, but if developer Eden Games can smooth these out in time for the autumn, Test Drive Unlimited 2 could provide the perfect mix of thrills and glamour.

Release: 24 September

The Witcher 2: Assassin Of Kings (PC)

A commercial success on its release in 2007, fantasy RPG The Witcher received huge critical acclaim. Its sequel, Assassin Of Kings, looks every bit as good, and while it’s impossible to judge how good it’ll play from footage alone, the game’s visual quality is undeniable.

Developer CD Projekt RED has completely rebuilt the first Witcher's game engine from the ground up, resulting in smoother, more lifelike character animations and an entirely new combat system.

Interaction with non-player characters has also been reworked, and monster hunting protagonist Geralt's path through the game will vary enormously depending on how players talk to Assassin Of Kings' inhabitants.

The only PC-exclusive title in a presentation dominated by consoles, The Witcher 2 is shaping up to be an excellent action RPG.

Release: 2011

Splatterhouse (360/PS3)

One of the titles I was positively itching to see, Splatterhouse is a reboot of the gory franchise that originally began in 80s arcades. Where its predecessor was essentially a side-scrolling beat-em-up with visuals inspired by horror staples such as Friday The 13th and The Evil Dead, this 21st century remake throws the property into the third dimension, borrowing heavily from games such as God Of War and Devil May Cry in the process.

With visuals even more blood-soaked than its predecessors' (which were among the first games to be given a ‘parental guidance’ certificate, Namco reminds us), Splatterhouse is quite possibly one of the most relentlessly gory games we’ve seen so far this year.

Release: Autumn

Majin And The Forsaken Kingdom (360/PS3)

Just as Splatterhouse borrows freely from the baroque third-person brawlers that have come before it, Majin And The Forsaken Kingdom owes a considerable debt to Fumito Ueda’s Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus, with a verdant, dream-like aesthetic and a giant monster/child relationship that recalls the poignant, melancholy partnerships of Ueda’s classic games.

Again, like Ico and Colossus, Majin is a third-person platform adventure in which a youthful protagonist must solve environmental puzzles with the cooperation of a huge, elemental sidekick.

Despite its obvious creative swipes, Majin’s pedigree - it’s directed by Yoshiki Okamoto, of Resident Evil fame, no less - could make it more than worthwhile, and the trailer we saw suggests a colourful and varied mixture of puzzle solving and combat.

Release: Winter

Pac-Man Party (Wii)

It’s the yellow pill popper’s 30th birthday this year, and to celebrate, Namco has developed a collection of 45 party games with a candy-coloured Pac-Man theme. Exclusively for the Nintendo Wii, Pac-Man Party offers typical family-friendly fare, with mini-games including tennis, golf, kart racing and, oddly, pizza throwing.

We’re not entirely convinced by the 21st century makeover Namco has given Pac-Man and his spectral enemies (“He’s wearing trainers and everything!” a Namco representative excitedly told us in the game’s presentation), but the games themselves could offer a few hours’ diverting entertainment this autumn.

Release: Autumn

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West (360/PS3)

Evidently, the biggest budget title in Namco’s Autumn/Winter collection, Enslaved is Ninja Theory’s follow up to 2006's PS3 exclusive, Heavenly Sword, and the game Namco are giving the biggest marketing push.

Even after seeing a few minutes of demo footage, it’s not hard to share Namco’s enthusiasm. A cover-based fighter (think Uncharted 2, but with fewer guns) with tactical elements and lush, open environments to traverse, it’s the most pretty looking and potentially interesting game we’ve seen in the publisher's presentation.

Actor and performer Andy Serkis provides his considerable talents as the game's director, and lends his distinctive features and mannerisms to Monkey, Enslaved's muscular hero, while 28 Days Later and The Beach writer Alex Garland wrote the script.

We'll be bringing you a more in-depth preview of Enslaved later in the week, along with our initial impressions from our hands-on time, but of all the games in Namco's Autumn/Winter release schedule, Enslaved is, for us, arguably, the one to watch.

Release: 8 October

We’ll be covering Test Drive Unlimited 2, Splatterhouse and Enslaved: Odyssey To The West in more detail later this week.