There are a lot of great games that were released over the last year, but we've put together what we feel are the "Must Have" titles that gamers will drool over this holiday season (in no particular order). Many of the titles are available on multiple platforms, and a few are specific to the Xbox 360.
Fable III
Fable III sets the stage for an unparalleled action and adventure experience, in which you will be called upon to rise from revolutionary to ruler of Albion. The choices and sacrifices you make while fanning the flames of revolution, and then as you rule as King or Queen, will lead to an ever evolving world of consequences that will be felt across your entire land.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Platforms: Xbox 360
Buy Fable III
Halo: Reach
In “Halo: Reach,” players experience the fateful moments that forged the “Halo” legend. It’s the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers, and their final stand on planet Reach, humanity’s last line of defense between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. This darker story is echoed by grittier visuals amid a backdrop of massive, awe-inspiring environments. Characters, enemies and environments are rendered in amazing detail by an all-new engine designed to deliver epic-scale encounters against the cunning and ruthless Covenant.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Platforms: Xbox 360
Buy Halo Reach
Alan Wake
Alan Wake is a bestselling horror novelist who moved to the small town of Bright Falls, Washington after suffering from insomnia and depression. Wake is able to sleep again, but after he meets a mysterious woman, he begins to have terrible nightmares. As he puts these nightmares on paper for a new book, he soon notices that all the things that happen in his book are coming true right before his eyes.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Platforms: Xbox 360
Buy Alan Wake
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Prepare for the follow-up to the biggest entertainment launch in history: on 9th November Call of Duty: Black Ops will introduce fans to the elite world of Black Ops. Activision Publishing, Inc. and award-winning developer Treyarch will take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter in the groundbreaking and record-setting, No. 1 first-person action series of all-time.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii
Buy Call of Duty: Black Ops
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Live and breathe as Ezio, a legendary Master Assassin, in his enduring struggle against the powerful Templar Order. He must journey into Italy’s greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Buy Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit players will experience the thrill of the chase and the rush of the escape as they play through full careers as both a cop and a racer – solo or connected. The blistering speeds, brutal busts and heart-stopping getaways are all connected via Need for Speed Autolog. This network not only connects friends for epic head-to head pursuits and races, but also enables players to compare performances and stats, thereby setting the stage for the ultimate in friendly competition.
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, PS3
Buy Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Red Dead Redemption
Developed by Rockstar San Diego, as a follow up to the 2004 hit game, Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption is a Western epic, set at the turn of the 20th century when the lawless and chaotic badlands began to give way to the expanding reach of government and the spread of the Industrial Age. The story of former outlaw, John Marston, Red Dead Redemption takes players on a great adventure across the American frontier.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Buy Red Dead Redemption
Madden NFL 11
Madden NFL 11 is the 22nd version of EA Sports' classic video game football franchise. Featuring cover athlete Drew Brees, Super Bowl XLIV MVP and quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, Madden NFL 11 incorporates a blend of simpler, quicker and deeper new features with time-tested classic features expected from a game in the Madden franchise. Features included in the Xbox 360 version include Franchise mode, All-new GameFlow playcall system, dual stick control, extensive online functionality and more.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
Buy Madden NFL 11
NBA Jam
EA sports is bringing NBA Jam to a 2010 audience with everything that fans remember about the original (revolutionary visuals, over-the top gameplay and numerous unlocks and cheat codes) PLUS online capability. The winner of 8 "Best Sports Game of E3" award, including the Game Critics Award, NBA Jam is a high-octane video game that is fun for everyone!
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
Buy NBA Jam
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2
With Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the epic story continues as players once again assume the role of the devastatingly powerful Starkiller - Darth Vader’s secret apprentice set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Buy Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2