 "Takashi Okazaki's brutal anti-hero hacks and slashes for Justice on HD consoles. Afro Samurai is a man driven by revenge, stopping at nothing in his quest to slay the one who murdered his father and then claim the Number One headband as his own, with all the glory and power it bestows. Players take the role of Afro to battle through scenes of swordplay and special effects, in a flowing, third-person action style. The look of the game resembles a finely drawn cartoon, with detailed, outlined characters against backdrops that give the appearance of a watercolor and ink painting. The game is based directly on the animé adventures of the vengeful swordsman. It features the voice of Samuel L. Jackson as Afro and an original, hip-hop soundtrack composed by The RZA. |
 "Finland's Remedy Entertainment delivers this "psychological thriller" action-adventure, which follows a popular horror novelist through his darkest nightmares. Mourning a vanished lover and beset by insomnia, Alan Wake has lost his best source of creative inspiration: his dreams. He retreats to the little Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, where the horrors he once saw in his sleep seem to become real. Mission by mission, the player guides the character to explore these eerie stories as they come alive in the isolated coastal village. Alan Wake shares more with its predecessors than a vague pun in the title character's name. As in the studio's Max Payne, the hero's nightmares yield grotesque monsters to battle and surreal mysteries to unravel, mostly from an action-oriented, third-person perspective. The mission structure in Alan Wake is less linear, however, with the town of Bright Falls serving as a hub for numerous plot-related undertakings. And instead of a handgun, Alan Wake's trustiest weapon may be his flashlight, as darkness seems to be the source of all his nightmarish troubles. The Limited Collector's Edition of Alan Wake ships in special packaging with an audio disc containing the game's score and soundtrack, a disc containing an Alan Wake theme and avatar for use with Xbox Live, a token for a free download of the first Alan Wake add-on content package. The package also contains a 144-page book featuring additional backstory material, presented as a compilation of FBI dossiers, along with a short story credited to the protagonist. |
 "Set in the science fiction realms of the film franchise crossover, Aliens vs. Predator is a high-definition action-adventure composed of tense, violent, kill-or-be-killed scenarios. Following the design concept of earlier AvP shooters, the game pits three different factions against one another. Players take the roles of deadly xenomorph aliens, stealthy predators, and heavily armed space marines, to do battle with enemies from the other two factions. Evolved to protect the brood, the alien xenomorphs are unmatched in melee combat, and excel at surprise attacks with their overpowering strength. Born of a species of hunters, the predator is a master of well-timed assaults and agile attacks. Physically weak but at a technological advantage, the human marines use heavy firepower to take down enemies from a distance. In many of the game's levels, warriors from all three factions must fight against one another in the same battles, at the same time. Players will have to fight hard to survive, but it pays to fight smart, as well. In some situations, characters can manipulate the environment, or accomplish other puzzle-solving feats, in order to put their enemies at a disadvantage. Single players take the roles of each species in turn, as they progress through the game's three campaigns. Multiplayer configurations are also available to Internet-connected gamers, offering the chance to play against other human-controlled warriors, in deathmatch and team-based competitions. Sega's Aliens vs. Predator was developed by Rebellion, whose previous work with the series includes Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem for PSP, the 1999 home computer game Aliens Versus Predator, and 1994's well received Alien vs. Predator for Atari Jaguar. In creating the game's three-pronged storyline, designers took special inspiration from the original films and from the Dark Horse comics series. |
 "Game over, man? It's only just begun. Aliens: Colonial Marines is a squad-based shooter, set in the science fiction universe inspired by James Cameron's 1986 film. In the spirit of the 20th Century Fox movie series, the game plays out through the claustrophobic corridors of futuristic, labyrinthine, extra-terrestrial industrial constructs. Tense, creepy pacing is punctuated with vicious ambushes and explosive firefights. To succeed in their deadly mission, each marine must know his role, and the squad must work together to survive. The assignment is a covert, preemptive strike, part of a desperate plan to foil a pending full-on invasion of Earth. Players wield weapons seen in the Aliens films, including pulse rifles and flamethrowers, and also new equipment created for the game. A full single-player campaign is available, as well as an online, four-player co-op adventure mode. The game's story was authored by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, partners who have previously written for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Battlestar Galactica sci-fi TV series. Aliens: Colonial Marines was developed by Brothers in Arms creator, Gearbox Software. |
 "The series credited with spawning the survival-horror genre makes its Xbox 360 debut with Alone in the Dark. Famed protagonist Edward Carnby finds himself in a modern-day New York City after being hurtled through time for reasons unknown. Carnby's memories are a blur, but he will need to quickly regain his faculties to deal with an ominous threat. A supernatural force has gripped the city, and Central Park is now infested with hideous monsters of ancient origin. Carnby will need every ounce of courage and skill to stay alive in an unfamiliar world. While the genre is known for its deliberate pace and restrictive movement, this re-imagined Alone in the Dark offers more action-oriented encounters. Players can rappel down elevator shafts, shimmy across ledges, drive vehicles, and more. The storyline is divided into chapters, with each section culminating in a cliffhanger designed to keep players glued to the screen. The interface also takes a departure from previous survival-horror titles, removing health and ammunition bars and incorporating a real-time inventory system that involves selecting and storing objects in Carnby's well-pocketed jacket. As players explore a police precinct, zoo, castle, and other areas found in and around Central Park, they will battle enemies and solve puzzles. Multiple solutions are available for each predicament, and items can be combined in different ways to create helpful tools or even weapons. The action takes place primarily from a third-person viewpoint, automatically shifting to first-person sequences when behind the wheel, peering into Carnby's item-laden jacket, and for other events. Author Lorenzo Carcaterra, who penned the best-selling book Sleepers, helped collaborate on the game's scare-filled script. |
 "Two former U.S. Army Rangers, Elliot Salem and Tyson Rios, have turned to the lucrative yet deadly business of mercenary work in EA's Army of Two. As hired guns for a private military corporation, players must utilize teamwork and tactics to survive while behind enemy lines. In addition to traditional co-op moves such as providing cover fire or lifting up a partner to reach higher ground, players will throw guns or ammo clips to their partner, administer first aid, and even link body armor together for defensive maneuvers. The cooperative element is further enhanced with the shared "aggro meter," allowing more aggressive players to attract the enemy's focus or "hate" while the other is free to perform support maneuvers. Dozens of weapons can be customized, enhanced, and shared, from attachments such as laser scopes and silencers to detailing like chrome and gold plating. Army of Two features multiple international locales, including China, Somalia, and even Miami. Vehicles such as jeeps, tanks, and hovercrafts are also available throughout each mission, with one mercenary driving and the other shooting. Solo players can issue voice commands directly to their AI-controlled teammate via headset. Teammates can be ordered to advance, hold position, regroup, and more, with both aggressive and defensive stances available as well. Online support is included for both cooperative play and for multiplayer-specific games. The latter supports four players (two teams of two) in competitive matches that involve eliminating terrorists, rescuing hostages, or destroying specific items. The goal is to complete the objective before the rival team, earning cash along the way to spend on both weapon and armor upgrades. |
 "Two-player teamwork overcomes a flood of violent opposition in Army of Two: The 40th Day, a sequel to developer EA Montreal's 2008 high-def debut. The mercenary heroes of the original game, former Army Rangers Elliot Salem and Tyson Rios, return for paramilitary adventure in Shanghai, China, where a rival group of private military contractors has caused a massive disaster that threatens to destroy the entire city. While there are plenty of enemies out to take the duo down, surviving the disasters in the city may be the heroes' greatest challenge. As in the original Army of Two, cooperative tactics are central to the play of the game, and players must work together in order to make their way past obstacles and stand up to heavy assaults by outnumbering forces. A refined control scheme aims to make common actions easier, allowing players to change weapons or engage in hand-to-hand combat with a single button. The game's built-in co-op playbook allows teammates to execute predetermined maneuvers, such as simultaneous opening shots or a false surrender ruse, at almost any time and place in a mission. An MMO-like aggro system allows players to manage the attention of computer-controlled enemies, allowing one character to take the role of "tank," while the other takes the role of a healer or damage-dealer. A better-armored character may anger an opponent to draw its fire, for example, while the other character moves around to cause massive damage with an attack from the flank or behind. In addition to the main story campaign, which can be played with a human partner or a computer-controlled teammate, Army of Two: The 40th Day offers a range of competitive and cooperative online multiplayer options, including team deathmatches, spawn-point control battles, and an "Extraction" survival mode for up to four. |
 "The paradoxical life of a man dedicated to death comes to the Xbox 360 in the form of Assassin's Creed. This is no Hitman clone however, as Assassin's Creed plants gamers in the midst of the Third Crusade as a member of the sect responsible for the creation of the word "assassin." Gamers take control of Altaïr, a young Assassin who begins his quest shortly after the Christian capture of the city Acre. With avian traits (Altaïr is Arabic for "eagle") and a ritualistically severed finger replaced by a talon-like dagger, he is out to expedite the Assassin's goal of bringing an end to the Crusades with as little bloodshed as possible. But it's up to gamers to decide just how much blood he spills. Featuring the sort of open-ended storytelling, gameplay, and side-missions as the Grand Theft Auto games, Assassin's Creed is designed to immerse gamers in the medieval world of religious conquest. Set between July and September of 1191, the game features three full cities to explore in Acre, Damascus, and Jerusalem, as well as Masyaf, the smaller base of Assassin operations, and a sprawling wilderness area which connects the four cities. Each city has a distinct atmosphere, and nearly every part of the world is interactive. This lets gamers use Altaïr's acrobatics and strength to bound around rooftops, scale walls, and interact with anything that juts out more than two inches from its surroundings. The game also makes use of a unique control system where buttons correspond to appendages rather than particular actions. Developed by a Ubisoft Montreal team that features many of the people responsible for creating the fluid character graphics of the Prince of Persia games, Assassin's Creed is designed to feature the most realistic and lifelike characters ever seen in a video game. Altaïr's movement is governed by over 4,000 character animations, and NPCs (non-playable characters) are all designed to have their own needs and concerns, which will lead some characters to aid him, while others may fight him or run away. Similarly, if Altaïr dispatches a few soldiers quickly, other soldiers are more likely to flee for their lives or run for help than eagerly attack and meet the same fate as their fallen brethren. |
 "Single-handedly take out well-guarded targets through a combination of stealth and acrobatic maneuvers in this anticipated sequel to 2007's Assassin's Creed. Featuring a new protagonist in a different era, you'll control a young nobleman named Ezio Auditore da Firenze in 15th century Italy, at the height of the Renaissance. After a tragic event befalls his family, Ezio trains to become a master assassin, looking to exact his revenge on those responsible. Ezio will explore three sprawling cities, countryside, and various small villages while completing objectives during the day or at night. Assassin's Creed II offers three times the mission types found in its predecessor, with more things to see and do within each setting. Money is now an important part of the game, allowing Ezio to purchase weapons, clothing, armor, repairs, and decorative items for his Italian villa. Ezio can pickpocket people, search for hidden chests, and complete side missions to fill his coffers. Other key changes include Ezio's ability to swim and even soar through the sky thanks to friend Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine. The open-ended world also allows for more free-running, climbing, and leaping from great heights. Among the new weapons at Ezio's disposal are pikes, maces, war hammers, scimitars, axes, and twin wrist-mounted blades that can be used to kill two people at once. Updated combat techniques include the ability to grab, kick, head-butt, drown, disarm, or pounce on enemies. |
 "Ubisoft's epic struggle between Assassins and Templars heads to a new location and a new era as gamers take control of Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor Kenway, a half-Mohawk and half-English rebel who battles for the liberation of his people in the years before, during, and after the American Revolution. Assassin's Creed III finds players bounding through the trees of a sprawling frontier wilderness, battling enemies throughout the fledgling cities of Boston and New York and the fields of Lexington and Concord, and engaging in naval combat along the roiling Eastern Seaboard. Created for Assassin's Creed III, Ubisoft's new Anvil Next game engine was designed to offer more fluid action, allowing for seamless transitions as Connor switches weapons, battles groups of foes, clambers over forest snags, and performs stealth kills. Gamers can make use of a variety of new weapons, including more advanced firearms, rope darts, and classic bows, but Connor is a dual-wield specialist whose signature blade is his new tomahawk. New assassination and fighting techniques abound, but new features like mobile hay carts and the ability to run through buildings ensure that stealth and evasion are still key components of the series. The mission structure in Assassin's Creed III remains relatively similar to previous titles in the series, with targeted assassinations, side missions to help the downtrodden, and platforming sessions inside iconic buildings, but one big change is the addition of naval warfare. As the commander of a ship, Connor can engage in a variety of sea-based missions that include navigating minefields, boarding enemy vessels, and large-scale ship-on-ship assaults. All of the action can be dramatically altered by a new system of dynamic weather, with thick fog and giant waves providing cover but also making assaults more difficult. Connor's travels throughout the colonies will put him in contact with iconic figures of the American Revolution, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere, but as always, the entirety of his 30-year experience as an Assassin is witnessed through the DNA memory of Desmond Miles, who players will also take control of for the portions of the game set in 2012. Multiplayer action returns to the series with a variety of modes, including Domination mode, in which Xbox 360 gamers vie for control of certain points on the map, and the Wolf Pack mode, where teams work together to assassinate NPC targets. |
 "Ezio Auditore da Firenze's relentless pursuit of the Templar Order continues in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the first game in the series to feature a multiplayer component. To deal a crippling blow to his opposition, Ezio takes the fight to Rome, where corruption and tyranny reign. He'll need help to succeed in his mission, however, relying on a brotherhood of assassins to assist him in reclaiming the city. You'll recruit and train a cadre of killers, sending them off to perform specific missions elsewhere in the city, or having them join you in completing your own tasks. As you complete jobs, you'll receive money that can be used to reconstruct the capital city, earning the trust and loyalty of the people, which will unlock additional factions and missions. Poison darts, hidden guns, parachutes, and the advanced flying machine are once again at your disposal, along with historical figures Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Caterina Sforza. In addition to the single-player campaign, which spans an estimated 15 hours in length, Brotherhood lets you compete online with an assortment of character classes. Each class, from the priest and prowler to the engineer and executioner, possesses a distinct weapon and special ability, such as speed boosts or smoke bombs, to gain an edge. The goal in the game's "wanted" mode is to systemically eliminate the competition by using a combination of stealth, special abilities, and acrobatic maneuvers. In the game's "alliance" mode, you'll engage in faction versus faction battles. |
 "The third and final chapter in Ezio Auditore's journey from a Florentine noble to a grand master assassin focuses on a quest to locate five ancient seals that are keys to the clandestine brotherhood's future. Ezio must seek out clues in 16th century Masyaf, Cappadocia, and Constantinople, treading the same ground his predecessor Altaïr covered hundreds of years before. As an older, wiser Ezio, you must master new techniques and technology to ensure your survival against overwhelming odds. Once again players will use a combination of climbing, stealth, and acrobatics to seek out and eliminate key targets of the Templar order. Ezio is now equipped with a hookblade that can be used for sliding across ropes, scaling buildings, or attacking enemies. Ezio can also craft a variety of bombs and make use of a heightened "eagle sense," allowing him to see targets even while enshrouded in smoke. Ezio is not alone in his journey; he'll encounter multiple allies and fellow assassins who will provide assistance when needed. The original game's protagonist, Altaïr, will also be playable in flashback sequences, bridging the stories of the two assassins for the first time in the series. Assassin's Creed: Revelations also builds upon the multiplayer component introduced in 2010's Brotherhood, offering new game modes, maps, and characters. No matter which mode you choose, you'll earn experience points to gradually increase in rank, unlocking new gadgets and techniques to use while battling rivals from around the world. |
 "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts challenges players to design and drive vehicles that allow the bear and backpacked bird heroes to complete tasks and accomplish goals. Winning a race, reaching a remote location, jumping a certain distance of off a ramp -- each 3D platform-puzzle challenge is specific, but players can set out to meet it in any way they choose. The only limitations are imagination and parts. Players can supply their own imagination, but new parts are found hidden throughout the game world, especially the game's Showdown Town hub area, which is explored in more traditional, on-foot 3D platform gameplay. The third Banjo-Kazooie game, first on an Xbox console, Nuts & Bolts' build-it-yourself focus is a departure from the play style of the N64 hits, but many fan-familiar characters and conventions make appearances. As the story goes, A powerful entity known as Lord of Games has grown sick of the bickering between Banjo and Gruntilda, and has devised a contest to decide the rightful owner of Spiral Mountain. Each of this contest's challenges takes place in a different level, and new levels are unlocked with collectible "jiggie" puzzle pieces -- won or uncovered throughout the adventure. Multiplayer options, both cooperative and competitive, are supported over Xbox Live, and connected players can share their favorite vehicle blueprints. |
 "Batman: Arkham Asylum is an original adventure with fast action and large-scale combat sequences, played from a close third-person perspective in a dark, survival horror-styled setting. The game begins as Batman delivers the Joker to Arkham Asylum, Gotham City's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. The villain springs a trap and takes over the institution, with an army of thugs and a host of dangerous inmates to back him up. The twisted plot plays out in a freely explored re-creation of the asylum and surrounding island. In addition to prowling the corridors of Arkham, Batman can explore the outdoor areas, using his equipment to reach high spots and glide safely back down. Specially suited for the game's one-against-many melee style, the three-button combat control scheme is intended for free-flowing moves and strings of combo attacks on multiple opponents. Batman also has a belt full of useful gadgets to help even the odds, with x-ray scanners and chemical tracers that let him see through walls and follow invisible tracks. Stealthy prowling gives advantages of positioning and surprise, rewarding the hero's caution and patience with one-hit takedowns. Experience earned through combat, exploration, and experimentation allow Batman to create better equipment, more finely tuned to the given tasks. In addition to the Joker and his brilliant aide in evil, Harley Quinn, Batman faces other super-powered asylum patients, including Bane, Killer Croc, Zsasz. As usual, brains as well as brawn are required to unravel Joker's insanely inspired scheme. The story for Batman: Arkham Asylum was written by Paul Dini, writer and producer for Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond. Cartoon series regulars Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin perform voice acting. The game was developed by Rocksteady Studios, creator of Eidos' 2006 first-person shooter Urban Chaos: Riot Response. 2010 |
 "Developer Rocksteady Studios returns players to its dark vision of Gotham, where the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane has been replaced with a walled-off expanse of city streets and abandoned buildings, ruled only by deadly mad anarchy. From a familiar third-person perspective, players resume the single-player role of Batman, for missions of infiltration, assault, recovery, and rescue. Gruesomely outnumbered, the hero's survival still relies largely on stealthy ninja tactics, although open environments occasionally call for cape-aided hang-gliding or grappling-hook acrobatics. Although the territory of the new Arkham City is nearly five times larger than the old asylum grounds, Batman's path is sometimes limited by outbursts of gang warfare, usually best avoided. The game also regularly presents puzzles for the Dark Knight to solve, in the gadget-enhanced "Detective Mode." The combat system has been refined, allowing Batman to counter attacks from multiple opponents at once, and to access his gadgets in the middle of a fight. Set only a year after the events of Arkham Asylum, the game's story begins with Quincy Sharp, the former warden who is now mayor of Gotham City. His plan -- to shut down the asylum, move the inmates to a walled in section of city slums, and hire private security to guard the new borders -- has created a zone of pure lawlessness in the heart of Gotham. It is a city within a city, where inmates are free to roam the streets, stealing and killing as they wish, so long as they do not attempt to escape. Control of this urban wasteland is now contested by two rival gangs: one led by the Joker, with the help of Harley Quinn, and the other by Two Face, who has called for the public execution of Catwoman -- much to the delight of the other bloodthirsty residents. Side-stories involve more of Arkham's most famously devious and demented recidivists, including Mr. Freeze, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, and the Riddler. Kevin Conroy again voices Batman, with Mark Hamill as the Joker. |
 "Bad Company takes the open-level play of the online, multiplayer-oriented Battlefield games and makes it more personal -- and more profitable. In a relatively extensive single-player campaign, gamers take the role of a renegade soldier in the near-future, who joins three of his brothers-in-arms to go AWOL in search of personal fame and fortune. A variety of land, air, and sea craft become available during their adventures, along with an arsenal of powerful weaponry. As seems to be common among modern mercenary video game heroes out for profit, the soldiers of Bad Company have an appetite for destruction. The game features destructible environments, which become part of the gameplay. Buildings, barriers, and the earth itself can be disrupted with the right firepower and players are encouraged to use their ability to alter the battlefield in order to complete mission objectives. In addition to the single-player modes, Battlefield: Bad Company features online play with support for 24 players. Along with established Battlefield multiplayer game types, Bad Company offers a "Gold Rush" mode, in which teams take turns at offensive and defensive roles in destructible, re-shapeable battlefields. The game is the first to run on EA DICE's "Frostbite" game engine, designed for destructible 3D action in high-definition. Controversially, EA's initial release of Bad Company is available in two packages: a regular edition and a "Gold Edition." Ten additional weapons for the game are available as downloadable content, after the main game is purchased. Five of the weapons are available for free and the other five can be purchased for a fee by regular edition owners. The "Gold Edition" of the game includes the otherwise pay-to-play downloadable weapons. |
 "Players reenlist for more mercenary combat through massively destructible environments in Battlefield: Bad Company 2. A direct sequel to the original, the game has players resuming their place among the AWOL squad that found its fortune at the end of the first Bad Company. Picking up the plotline soon after the end of the first game, the story follows the group through the rocky Russian border and beyond, with missions set in dense jungles and barren deserts as well as snow-covered mountains. Buildings and other objects of all sizes can be damaged or destroyed completely, with the right firepower at the right time and place. Players can proceed through each mission as they see fit, be it through stealthy ambushes, keen tactical strikes, or heavily armed frontal assaults that leave nothing but smoldering rubble in their wake. As in the first game, players customize their characters by choosing an equipment kit before the start of each mission. In Bad Company 2, four basic kits are available: Assault, Engineer, Recon, and Medic. Each gives the character special abilities and limitations, encouraging squad-mates to support one another and work together as a team. As in earlier Battlefield games, players may commandeer vehicles they find in their missions, including motorcycles, patrol boats, tanks, and Blackhawk helicopters. Characters earn experience for killing enemies and accomplishing mission objectives. Experience points can be spent to upgrade the character. Player characters can also collect dog tags from the enemies they take down. In addition to the single-player campaign, the game supports a variety of online multiplayer options, including an assault-style "Rush" mode in which teams take turns defending and attacking crates of valuable cargo. |
 "Bayonetta is an unabashedly gory, violent, and racy action-adventure that stars a shape-shifting witch in the title role. The playfully wicked Bayonetta faces overwhelming mobs of angelic and demonic enemies, and meets them all in flowing, fast-paced combat involving both firearms and magically empowered melee weapons. As in combat action games such as Devil May Cry or God of War, high-energy battles play out with timing and combos, rewarding practiced players with elegant ballets of bullets and beat-downs, leaving a bloody trail of fallen foes as Bayonetta proceeds through each scene. Moving from air to the ground and back, players guide the witch hero through jumps, floats, and juggles against nearby foes, while blasting away at more distant enemies with her four pistols -- one on each hand, and one in the heel of each boot. When in her normal, human shape, her lanky yet fully feminine form is clad in what appears to be a skintight black jumpsuit, wearing her hair pulled back and a smart pair of Lisa Loeb-style eyeglasses. Coursing with supernatural ability (especially through that long, black hair...) she can take other forms when needed, such as an agile, black cat creature or an imposing, powerful hulk. Bayonetta is the first high-def console production from developer Platinum Studios, which is composed of former members of the celebrated Clover Studios, and creators of earlier landmark console games including Okami and Devil May Cry. |
 "Designed by Yakuza-creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, Binary Domain is a futuristic squad-based shooter that pits humans against robots in 2080 Tokyo. You will control members of an international peace-keeping squad designed to protect human life against the aggressive machines, which were originally designed to help and serve humanity. Viewed from a third-person perspective, the game has you battling armies of robots -- some humanoid in appearance, some towering in size -- with an assortment of high-powered weapons. In between shooting sequences are vehicle stages that will have you moving at high speeds to your next deadly encounter. |
 "In BioShock, you take the role of an isolated crash survivor who discovers a city under the sea. This city, also known as Rapture, was once a utopia for scientists, artists, and industrialists. However, by the time your character takes his first steps into Rapture, the civilization has ceased to exist, and the place is nearly desolate. The signs of life your avatar finds are nothing like he's seen before. Creatures known as little sisters roam the streets of Rapture with enormous bodyguards called big daddies. Mutated humans drag their warped bodies around the city and attack you on sight. The goal of the game is to find your way out of Rapture while uncovering the mysteries behind its existence. As you explore the open environment, you must defeat big daddies and little sisters to obtain a material known as Adam. The Adam can enhance your in-game attributes and unlock over 60 genetic skills that come in handy for all sorts of predicaments. The city of Rapture is almost completely interactive, and you may collect objects for later use. There are also six modifiable weapons to use including two types of guns. |
 "Return to the underwater city of Rapture in this anticipated sequel to 2007's critically acclaimed first-person shooter. Set approximately ten years after the events in the original, BioShock 2 casts you in the surprising role of a "Big Daddy," the prototype for the lumbering giants encountered in the first game. Your nemesis is, fittingly enough, a leader of the "Big Sisters," who plans on returning Rapture to its former glory. The Big Sisters are forming a new army of minions by snatching unsuspecting girls from the surface. Your goal is to put an end to the sinister scheme. Unlike the Big Daddies from BioShock 2's predecessor, you are more agile and have the ability to use plasmids to augment your deadly drill and rivet gun. Thanks to the Big Daddy's distinctive diving suit, you can also explore the briny depths outside of Rapture, but you won't necessarily be alone. Radio communication from Dr. Tennenbaum will keep you apprised of key developments, while Little Sisters can either be harvested for their powers or "adopted." The latter option has them tagging along to warn you of impending dangers or alert you to potential sources for more plasmids. BioShock 2 also features a multiplayer component developed by Digital Extremes. Multiplayer games take place prior to Rapture's fall, offering a new take on a familiar setting. Experience points earned during multiplayer combat can be used to unlock new weapons, plasmids, and gene tonics to customize characters. |
 "An immense city in the sky is the setting for BioShock Infinite, developer Irrational Games' follow-up to 2008's atmospheric first-person shooter. Ex-Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt is sent on a mission to rescue a young woman named Elizabeth in the year 1911. She is caught in the middle of a violent conflict between two factions, the Founders and Vox Populi, as the floating city of Columbia begins to crumble and collapse under the stress of war. Players will guide DeWitt in his attempt to free Elizabeth and escape the city before it is destroyed. Along the way you'll engage soldiers in combat on land and in the air, traveling from location to location on a roller coaster-like network of rails called Sky-Lines. Elizabeth serves as a powerful ally, augmenting DeWitt's abilities as they work together to survive. Dozens of weapons and powers will become accessible as you advance through the game, allowing for new ways to engage the hostile factions that are desperately trying to stop you. |
 "Borderlands is a far-out first-person shooting and driving game with a penchant for team-based tactics. The game is designed to be played cooperatively with up to four players, though it can be played solo as well. Set on a science fiction frontier planet where anarchy rules, the action-adventure casts the player as a mercenary character of one of four basic types: A well-rounded soldier skilled with weapons and vehicles, a hulking berserker specialized in heavy weapons and up-close melee combat, a stealthy siren with the power to disable enemies and vanish from view, and a sniping-specialist hunter with a pet hawk that helps in battle. The characters have complementing strengths and weaknesses, so in campaign missions as well as in pick-up battles, there are advantages for different character types that work together as a balanced team. In the main campaign, players fight through rewarding missions in the wilds of the desolate planet, engaging in high-speed vehicular battles and small-squad combat through sophisticated settings in which solid recon and tactical planning win the day. Characters gain experience and level up, with customizable ability improvements as in a traditional role-playing game. With interchangeable parts, thousands and thousands of different possible weapons are available in Borderlands, and a character's proficiency and accuracy chances rise with repeated use of a certain weapon type. Resources such as ammunition and cash are shared among the squad, but the weapons and armor pieces that drop from fallen enemies may be up for grabs. In some multiplayer modes, characters on the same team can duel one another for the right to claim gear from a slain monster. Designed for play on Internet-connected consoles and computers, the game features multiplayer combat with the four basic character archetypes in quick, online pick-up games. The high-def art style portrays eccentrically geared, slightly exaggerated human forms, in a land of rich, gritty textures, with a hint of an outline drawn around people and objects, for the appearance of a graphic novel come to life. Borderlands was developed by Gearbox Software, the studio behind the Brothers in Arms World War II games, acclaimed for their realistic portrayal of squad combat and historical accuracy of weapons and vehicles in fine detail. |
 "Gearbox sends gamers back to the Borderlands for a shooter-adventure sequel of high-velocity combat and custom character development. The first-person action plays out in dystopian outpost environments on the original game's planet of Pandora, five years later, as a greedy industrialist called Handsome Jack seeks to weed out the local populace through a series of gladiator matches. Players choose from four new character types, each with three branches of specialized development in the game's RPG-like experience system. Experience comes with kills and quest completions. Expanding on the original game, Borderlands 2's gun system can create millions of different computer-generated weapons, as well as shields and equipment enhancements. Non-player characters are more expressive, and quest outcomes have more influence on the game world. In addition to the dusty, desert settings of the first adventure, the sequel visits a number of new Pandora environments, including the merciless frozen tundra where the revenge-driven plotline begins. Online, over a local network, or in split screen, the game's co-op mode allows a second player to freely join and drop out of a game in session. |
 "The Borderlands 2: Add-On Content Pack bundles together all of the previously released DLC for Gearbox Software's return to the wild frontier of the planet Pandora. Players can try out two add-on campaigns (Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, and Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage), head to the Creature Slaughter Dome battle arena, and gain access to the Gearbox Gun Pack, the Skyrocket Grenade, and the fifth character, Gaige the Mechromancer. |
 "Brink is a futuristic first-person shooter that pits a refugee resistance movement against a defensive security force for control over a floating city high above Earth. Each side offers a distinct campaign, with a role-playing-like character progression system that allows you to build your onscreen persona across multiple game modes. Unlike typical shooters, objectives and missions in Brink vary depending on a number of variables, including your location, the current battle situation, and your role. As you create a character, you'll be able to choose from a variety of customization options, such as body type, which affects how fast your character moves and how much damage he or she can absorb. Experience points are awarded based on the amount of damage you inflict, allowing you to level up and earn credits to further personalize your character. Leveling up also grants characters new skills to choose from, with the option to equip up to three skills in combat. Completing various challenges will also unlock new outfits and weapons. Weapons can be customized with red dot sights, silencers, grenade launchers, upgraded magazines, and so forth to provide an edge on the battlefield. Brink also incorporates a streamlined movement system, dubbed "SMART," which maps context-sensitive actions to a single button press. You can mantel over objects, leap across walls, and more simply by tapping one button, with speed boosts given to those who press the button within a specific time frame. In addition to the single-player game, Brink offers co-op play and multiplayer support across a variety of game types. |
 "Brutal Legend is an unholy action-adventure, through a surreal world brought to life from heavy metal album cover art. From a trailing third-person perspective, players take the role of Eddie Riggs, a rock & roll roadie extraordinaire, who has been mystically transported through time and space to the Age of Rock. There, among the expanses of impossible Gothic architecture and sky-high mountains of bones, metal-hating demonic overlords seek to enslave the remaining pockets of humanity that resist them. Fulfilling an ancient prophecy, Eddie wields three great weapons in his war against this demonic oppression: A huge, double-bladed battle axe called "The Separator" allows him to perform powered-up combo attacks. His Flying V guitar, named "Clementine," gives Eddie the ability to shoot electricity or shake the earth with special power chords. To get from place to place -- and plow down enemies along the way -- Eddie rides a customizable hot rod called "The Deuce." He built the car himself, by deciphering hieroglyphics left behind by the Gods of Rock, who created the world eons ago. The game is played in a large world that is mostly open but full of danger. The story progresses as Eddie completes missions, defeating boss enemies, driving through tricky areas, and solving 3D platform puzzles in set locations. Combat involves powered-up combos, making use of both the axe and the guitar in melee and short-distance attacks. A target-lock feature allows players to move and switch weapons while keeping an enemy in focus. Although most creatures he meets in the Age of Rock try to destroy him on sight, Eddie does make a few human friends in his quest, including Ophelia, who helps introduce him to the strange world, and Lars and Lita, who immediately recognize his rock & roll greatness. He can team up with each ally to perform a different special attack. Eddie can also use the power of rock to control near-mindless minions, which group together in factions aligned to different subgenres of heavy metal music. A competitive online "Battle of the Bands" multiplayer mode involves summoning minions for small-squad, real-time strategy skirmishes. Musician and actor Jack Black provides the voice for Eddie Riggs, and the character's facial features (though not so much his physique) are based in part on Black's, as well. Other musicians, including Lita Ford, Rob Halford, Lemmy Kilmister, and Ozzy Osbourne, also voice characters in the game. The soundtrack includes more than 100 songs from at least 75 different bands, including Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, KMFDM, Ministry. Megadeth, Mötley Crüe, The Scorpions, and Quiet Riot, intended to represent fan favorites and mainstream hits from essentially every subgenre of metal music. The game was developed by Double Fine Productions, led by Tim Schafer. Schafer helped create golden age LucasArts adventure games, such as The Secret of Monkey Island and Full Throttle, before founding Double Fine in 2000 and producing the widely acclaimed Psychonauts in 2005. |
 "Bulletstorm is a futuristic first-person shooter with larger-than-life weaponry and arcade-paced combat. Encouraging risky maneuvers and highly chaotic battles, the game's "Skillshot" feature rewards exceptionally precise, destructive, and creative hits with experience points, which are used to purchase character upgrades and unlock powerful weapons. The single-player storyline develops through high-adventure missions set in a dangerous, abandoned paradise. "Echo" mode tracks players' performances in sequences from the single-player campaign. Multiplayer combat is available in "Anarchy" mode. The game's story involves an exclusive confederation of the wealthy and influential, fiercely protected by a troop of elite mercenaries known as Dead Echo. When two of the squad's most distinguished members exhibit unease regarding the ethical implications of their mission, they're betrayed by their commanders and exiled to a forsaken resort planet on the edge of the galaxy, pitting them against the grave dangers of alien space and, ultimately, their former comrades. Bulletstorm was co-developed by 3D shooter veterans at People Can Fly (Painkiller) and Epic Games (Gears of War, Unreal). |
 "This text refers to the PlayStation 3 version of this title.Described as a complete reinvention of the series by Alex Ward from Criterion Games, Burnout 5 boasts next-generation technology that specializes in creating explosive crashes, and multi-car pile-ups. Gamers cruise into Paradise City after getting a driving license that records all aggressive, reckless, and destructive driving a player will do during their time with the game. There are no rules and gamers may drive as they wish. However, having too much fun can trigger a rivalry with the cities current top burners. The environment itself is a seamless, non-loading landscape full of alleys, highways, city streets, pedestrians, and other drivers. |
 "This Infinity Ward follow-up to 2003's critically acclaimed Call of Duty pushes farther across the European Theatre of World War II, with missions spanning the desert fighting in North Africa to the tank assaults on the Russian front. Unlike the Big Red One version of Call of Duty 2, produced for the elder generation of consoles, the Xbox 360 edition of the WWII-themed shooter sequel is based on the PC version of the game. This version boasts graphical enhancements and significant improvements to artificial intelligence. Computer-controlled teammates act and react individually, and the game's contextual "battle chatter" system lets players know exactly what's on their minds. Enemy squads are likely to have learned a few new tricks as well. The game's single-player campaign is designed to allow individual players to progress through the missions in the order they prefer. As with many other Xbox 360 launch titles, Xbox Live-supported multiplayer modes are also prominently featured. |
 "Developer Infinity Ward returns with its third full installment in the Call of Duty series (Treyarch having developed Call of Duty 3) with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Eschewing the traditional WWII setting that has been the hallmark of the series, Call of Duty 4 takes on the more nebulous world of modern warfare. Nazi storm troopers and kamikaze pilots have been replaced by a patchwork group of terrorists and insurgents, and traditional WWII weapons have been jettisoned in favor of more than 70 modern armaments. Though the story is a departure from the previous games, Call of Duty 4 still features intense mission-based first-person shooter gameplay that should be familiar to fans. The plot centers on two megalomaniacal madmen who are fomenting unrest around the world in an attempt to cement their own power. Imran Zakhaev is a one-armed Russia nationalist who longs to return his country to a Soviet Union style of government by seizing a stockpile of nuclear weapons. Zakhaev has support from several divisions of the Russian army, but, knowing that the United States would quickly come to the aid of the Russian government, he funds a coup in the Middle East to divert attention. Led by Zakhaev ally Khaled Al-Asad, the Middle Eastern coup results in intense fighting which eventually leads to the launch of a Russian nuclear missile toward American soil. Players fight through this chaos as both Sergeant John MacTavish, a British SAS operative doing battle in Russia, and Sergeant Paul Jackson, a U.S. Marine fighting in the Middle East. Call of Duty 4 aims to capture the challenges of modern war by pitting the superior technology of the U.S Marines and British SAS against the cunning guerilla tactics of a terrorist group. In addition to close quarters combat, players will be called upon to perform fast-rope helicopter drops, provide air support from an AH-1 Super Cobra helicopter, call in precision air strikes, and man the turret of an AC-130 Spectre Gunship to engage enemy fighters from the sky. Gamers also join a two man sniper team on a flashback mission in which players head to the Chernobyl Zone of Alienation on a mission to assassinate a younger Zakhaev. Modern Warfare features an expansive set of online multiplayer modes. Players will be able to choose from Assault, Special Ops, Light Machine Gunner, Demolitions, and Sniper classes, or create up to five special classes with customizable weapons and perks. Gamers can then take their fighters through a dozen different multiplayer modes like Free-for-All, Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, Headquarters, Domination, and Sabotage. Players who frequently battle online will be able to accrue experience points, unlock special weapons and gear, and eventually unlock Prestige Mode in which gamers can trade in their rank for special insignias. |
 "Activision's juggernaut first-person shooter returns for its annual assault on the bad guys with a focus on clandestine operations and deniable missions in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Developed by franchise veteran Treyarch, Black Ops marks a departure for the series, in that the action unfolds in neither WWII nor the nebulous "Modern" arena, but in the vast expanse of the Cold War. Players take control of several soldiers from the Studies and Observations Group (SOG), a multi-service special operations unit that, despite its seemingly innocuous name, carried out devastating precision assaults on enemy targets, captured opposition leaders, rescued downed pilots, and even conducted psychological operations. The 13-mission single-player campaign consists mainly of flashbacks culled from the memory of SOG member Alex Mason, and the action will take gamers around the globe for battles with the Viet Cong, the North Vietnamese Army, Russian soldiers, and Cuban Tropas. Gamers will be able to wield more than 40 different assault rifles, machine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and pistols; and missions find players attempting to destroy the Soviet chemical weapon Nova-6, swimming weaponless through a Vietnamese river, torturing a prisoner for information, and piloting an SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance airplane as well as a Mi-24 Hind helicopter. Multiplayer action remains a key component of the Call of Duty series, and Black Ops offers fans of the franchise more than a dozen game modes, eight character classes, and six multiplayer maps on which to battle. Gamers once again head online to fight against their friends in order to gain experience and reach level 50, where the "Prestige" mode is unlocked. Armchair soldiers who manage to string together multiple kills are rewarded with new killstreak bonuses, including napalm strikes, guidable helicopters, and explosive RC cars. Rather than award particular weapons and gear after milestone achievements, Call of Duty: Black Ops has instituted a new "COD Points" system to serve as a sort of in-game currency, allowing gamers to purchase the items they want whenever they please. COD Points can also be used to purchase new objective-based contracts that offer large points rewards, while the new "Wager Matches" let gamers gamble their hard-earned COD Points in four competitive game modes, with the top three finishers splitting the entire pot. Other multiplayer features include the "Create-A-Class" character customization mode, a new "Theatre" mode in which players can edit and upload videos, and the new "Combat Training" mode in which green gamers can hone their skills against AI bots before taking on human competition. And for those longing for cooperative multiplayer action, Black Ops marks the return of World at War's infamous zombie-laden co-op mode, once again allowing four gamers to team up and dispatch hordes of unrelenting undead. |
 "In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, developer Infinity Ward aims to ratchet up the intense first-person gunplay, graphical verisimilitude, and deep multiplayer experience that won the original title wide acclaim from critics and consumers alike, while at the same time adding to the overall package with the new, fast-paced "SpecOps" mode. The single-player campaign picks up where Call of Duty 4 ended, with gamers once again descending into the shadowy world of terrorists, arms dealers, and nationless armies. Players take on the role of Sergeant Gary "Roach" Anderson, an elite member of the multinational Task Force 141 and subordinate of one of Call of Duty 4's protagonists, John "Soup" MacTavish. Task Force 141 is on the trail of Vladimir Makarov, a maniacal disciple of Imran Zakhaev, who has used the death of his mentor as a means of expanding his own base of power. Missions find gamers working off sketchy intelligence as they battle whiteout conditions in the jagged mountains of Russia and Kazakstan, shuffle though expansive desert and cave environments in Afghanistan, and weave between City of God-like Brazilian slums, where misfires result in dead civilians and a failed mission. As was the case in Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2 supplies players with the most technologically advanced weapons, vehicles, and accoutrements available, including SCAR-H rifles, snowmobiles, and heartbeat sensors. The new "SpecialOps" mode brings gamers more than 20 fast-paced missions inspired by the frenzied mid-fuselage gunfight at the end of Call of Duty 4. Players find themselves racing snowmobiles, battling a huge number of enemies at once, or simply attempting to get in and out of a building without dying, and missions can be played solo, in local split-screen co-op, or online with a friend. Those looking for more online action can also take on the "Free-for-All," "Demolition," "Domination," "Search & Destroy," "Capture the Flag," and "Team Deathmatch" multiplayer modes. The much-lauded RPG-like system of doling out experience points and unlockable rewards returns in Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer modes, but Infinity Ward has also included a number of new wrinkles to spice up the action. Maps are designed to be both more expansive and more vertical; weapons feature a variety of new attachments; new "Pro Perks" let players gain more stopping power, greater speed, or automatic health boosts; and gamers who manage to string together a number of kills gain access to the new "killstreaks" system, which lets them call for seven different kinds of heavy-duty support, including supply drops, helicopter gun attacks, and unmanned aerial vehicle strikes. |
 "Activision Blizzard's top-selling first-person shooter franchise marches on with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Players must deal with the fallout from the devastating attacks on U.S. and British soil in a storyline that picks up where 2009's Modern Warfare 2 left off. The single-player campaign has you battling Russian ultranationalists, led by Vladimir Markov, as members of the U.S. Delta Force and British SAS. You'll battle across war-torn areas of New York City, London, Paris, Mogadishu, Dubai, and other regions as you prepare to end the global threat once and for all. As with previous entries in the Call of Duty series, Modern Warfare 3's campaign features a heavily scripted, cinematic experience with Hollywood-style special effects. One new mission, for example, has you involved in underwater travel with a sonar-equipped submersible watercraft. You'll then fight inside an enemy-controlled submarine before guiding an inflatable raft across turbulent waters while a naval battle rages nearby. Other sequences have you firing mounted guns, driving vehicles, and more while explosions light up the landscape. Returning to the game is the cooperative Spec Ops mode that features a series of standalone missions on different maps. New to Spec Ops is a survival option that has you and either a friend or a computer partner battling waves of enemy forces. Shooting down enemies earns you cash, which can be used to purchase new perks, items, weapons, and other upgrades. You'll also be able to earn bonuses by working together as a team and maintaining kill streaks. The heart of the game is once again the 18-player online component, which introduces all-new maps and a variety of enhancements to the format introduced in Modern Warfare 2. Popular features such as kill-streak awards, experience points, weapons-based achievements, and perks return, allowing you to customize your character as you progress. An optional subscription service entitled "Call of Duty Elite" will allow players to track detailed statistics such as win-loss records, kill-death ratios, time played, most successful maps, favorite weapons, and much more. |
 "Author, painter, and filmmaker Clive Barker lends his writing talent to Jericho, a supernatural shooter that has players leading a diverse strike force against an ancient evil. The seven-person squad, known as the Jericho Team, is armed with more than conventional weapons. Each male and female soldier is an expert in the arcane arts, from clairvoyance and alchemy to exorcism and blood magic, allowing the team to solve puzzles and to more easily defeat a ghastly assortment of hell-spawned creatures hoping to make Earth their new playground. Players control Captain Ross, who has the unique ability to leap into each squad member's mind and body. This talent allows Ross to use each character's paranormal proficiencies in creative ways, such as manipulating the direction of bullets or even spontaneously setting creatures on fire. Each soldier is also skilled in specific weapon types, ranging from rail guns to sniper rifles to swords. Levels will send the squad through the following five eras in its ongoing battle to stop the primordial armies: modern day, World War II, the Crusades, Ancient Rome, and Sumerian times. |
 "A mysterious and technologically advanced third party joins the fray in the third installment of EA Los Angeles' alternate history real-time strategy series. With the Allies closing in, the Soviets make one last-gasp effort to turn the tide of the war, and use an experimental time-travel device to kill Albert Einstein before he can create the technology that gives the Allies such an advantage. After a successful mission, the Soviets return to discover a weakened Allied army, but also an entirely new and extremely powerful foe in the Empire of the Rising Sun. Each of the three factions in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 get distinct campaigns full of fast-paced action and quirky humor, and naval warfare is given new weight thanks to oceans full of resources and a large number of units with amphibious capabilities. Conquering the seas is particularly important given that the new Empire of the Rising Sun, in addition to its strengths in robotics and martial arts, happens to specialize in naval warfare. Gamers looking for teamwork can choose from nine unique AI commanders, or they can head online with friends to experience the entire storyline through an extended series of co-operative missions designed to emphasize strategy and coordinated attacks. Xbox 360 users get an updated control scheme, first seen in Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, that is designed to make RTS gaming more accessible to console gamers. |
 "Part Grand Theft Auto, part City of Heroes, Crackdown is a freeform action game set in a futuristic, crime-ridden metropolis known as Pacific City. As one of eight operatives from a law enforcement branch known as the "Agency," players seek to stop three dominant gangs and their leaders by undertaking a series of missions, side quests, and mini-games. Players control a genetically enhanced agent as they fight back against those who threaten to overtake the city and terrorize its citizens. Viewed from a third-person perspective, Crackdown offers a sprawling environment filled with vehicles, pedestrians, towering structures, high-tech weapons, and non-linear objectives. As each agent traverses the city on foot, in a vehicle, or by other means of transport, he will receive updates from the Agency's headquarters, allowing him to quickly respond to developing situations displayed on an on-screen map. Since each agent is designed by science to evolve, players will be able to increase their character's skills in driving, firearms use, and explosives, as well as his attributes in areas such as strength and agility. Skills are primarily developed by performing the actions associated with them, and over time, players will be able to initiate superhuman feats such as lifting and throwing cars, leaping across rooftops, and more. Crackdown also supports two-player cooperative action via system link and Xbox Live. |
 "Xbox 360-exclusive super-cop action continues in Crackdown 2, a sequel to Microsoft's sandbox-style combat-adventure. The game plays out in a near-future urban environment that may be freely traveled and explored. Again, players take the roles of genetically enhanced law enforcement officers, who are part of a squad empowered with the authority of judge, jury, and executioner. These heroes are charged with bringing order to a Pacific City that is overrun with violent, super-powered, mutant criminals, referred to as Freaks. Behind this immediate threat, heroes must also prevent the overthrow of their peacekeeping Agency by the terrorist organization known as the Cell. Equipped with high-tech firearms, melee weapons, and armor, the player's supernaturally enabled agents can gain additional powers as they accomplish goals and gain experience, such as great strength and toughness, enhanced accuracy with guns or vehicles, and even the ability to leap from tall buildings, soaring through the air in extended, rocket-empowered bursts of flight. As in the original game, the adventure is largely player-directed, through a destructible, open-world metropolis full of colorful characters and side-missions, with the threat of deadly danger around nearly every corner. While the first Crackdown was created by Realtime Worlds, Crackdown 2 is the debut release from the Scottish spin-off studio Ruffian Games, founded by Billy Thomson, Gaz Liddon, and other former Realtime developers who worked on the original. |
 "In the role of a soldier, alone in a devastated urban jungle, players use the super-human abilities provided by a technologically advanced suit to save the world from alien invaders, as they battle through the first-person shooter sequel, Crysis 2. As in the first game, the hero's most important weapon is a high-tech suit that integrates with his body to provide increased defense, enhanced stealth, and various offensive capabilities. The sequel's enemy aliens employ improved situational intelligence and group tactics, calling on players to approach each situation strategically and make the most of the array of powers provided by the suit. Written by science fiction author Richard Morgan, the story takes place in an embattled New York City. The metropolis crumbles under a full-on invasion, as aliens return in force to annihilate humankind. Conventional weapons and warfare fail against the onslaught, leaving Earth's salvation to the wearer of the revolutionary Nanosuit 2. Using the integrated stealth, strength, and special abilities provided by the futuristic armor -- along with a selection of highly destructive weapons -- players embark on dangerous missions to strike at crucial vulnerabilities and sabotage the alien assault. The game's multiplayer options include "Crash Site," a team-based mode in which players compete for control of resources that appear regularly on the battlefield, and "Team Instant Action," for pick-up-and-play, squad-based deathmatches. Crysis 2 was developed by Crytek, and runs on the German studio's signature "CryEngine" programming platform, designed to produce exceptional graphics on contemporary consoles and home computers. The game can also be played in stereoscopic 3D with compatible equipment. |
 "Loosely based on The Divine Comedy's first act, Dante's Inferno is a third-person action game starring Dante Alighieri: an Italian mercenary who journeys to hell itself to retrieve the love of his life, Beatrice. As he ventures into hell's nine circles, from limbo to treachery, Dante will engage demons and other ghastly creatures looking to end his heroic quest in gruesome fashion. To survive, Dante wields a massive scythe made of bone, Death's scythe, which has the ability to harvest souls from the damned. Dante can also channel holy powers from a cross bequeathed to him by Beatrice, and even tame some of the dark creatures he encounters during his dangerous descent. Dante will soon discover that he must atone for his past sins while preparing for his ultimate confrontation with fallen angel Lucifer. |
 "Darksiders is a gruesome, violent, fast-paced combat adventure inspired by the New Testament's Book of Revelation. Players take the role of War, the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. War must battle both demons and angels, as he fights alone to reverse a premature Day of Reckoning that he himself is accused of accidentally bringing to be. In the style of games such as Devil May Cry and God of War, Darksiders' combat is supernaturally infused, taking place across great expanses of land as well as high in the air, with fast-flowing combos, impossibly huge medieval weapons, and destructive blasts of magical energy from mystical firearms. After being tricked into breaking the eternal laws, and causing the end of the world to come far too early, the horseman War finds himself at odds with both the forces of heaven and hell. The game follows his story as he fights across the destroyed civilizations and wildernesses of Earth, hunted by vengeful angels and gleeful demons alike, as he searches for the one who fooled him into fulfilling his purpose too soon, and unsettling the order of existence. The game's graphic-novel inspired art style was directed by Marvel Comics illustrator Joe "Mad" Madureira. Characters are performed by veteran voice actors, including Liam O'Brien as War and Mark Hamill as The Watcher, who often appears in cut-scenes to reveal lore and move the story forward. |
 "A tropical island resort becomes a place of nightmares after a mysterious epidemic turns the majority of inhabitants into bloodthirsty zombies. As one of four playable characters, your goal is to complete missions necessary for your survival, which means battling throngs of the undead with a variety of customizable weapons and finding a way off the fictitious island of Banoi. Dead Island features an open-world environment in a campaign that supports up to four players for drop-in, drop-out cooperative action. The two male and two female characters have different strengths and weaknesses, which can be offset to a degree by leveling up. Experience points earned in combat can be used to improve a character's attributes and fighting skills. When firearms and ammo are in limited supply, you'll be able to engage enemies in hand-to-hand combat with axes, machetes, knives, clubs, and similar edged or bludgeoning weapons that will degrade over time. Explore the island's urban areas, forests, mountain highlands, caves, beaches, and other locales from a first-person perspective, or utilize an over-the-shoulder view for melee combat. The "Game of the Year Edition" for Xbox 360 includes new blueprints and weapons, the original Dead Island, and its two main DLC releases: the multiplayer "Bloodbath Arena" and the single-player "Ryder White" campaign. |
 "Tecmo's flagship fighting series continues with the console-exclusive release of Dead or Alive 4. Once again, players can select from a number of characters skilled in various combat styles, from Ryu Hayabusa's custom Ninjutsu techniques learned from his years as a ninja, to teenager Hitomi's mastery of karate. No matter which character is selected, he or she can perform a number of quick-strike attacks, guards, holds, combos, and throws to keep foes off balance. The environments in Dead or Alive 4 play as important a role in the fighting as the characters themselves, with players able to use scenery objects, such as trees, to pin opponents, or in some cases, smash through barriers to continue battling in completely new areas. |
 "No stranger to walking corpses, Capcom unearths another zombie-themed franchise with Dead Rising on Xbox 360. Players take command of a forceful photographer named Frank West, who believes he is on the verge of a breakthrough story at a remote suburban town called Willamette. Yet this is no ordinary visit. West soon learns that the unfriendly locals aren't just wary of the media -- they're hungry for flesh. Players must somehow find a way past hordes of zombies lining the aisles of the one place thought by West to be safe: a shopping mall. He was obviously wrong, but it's up to players to keep him from being dead wrong. Unlike the carefully scripted games in the Resident Evil series, Dead Rising features a more open-ended, action-oriented design where players can freely explore the various mall stores to use whatever tools, weapons, or items they find, from frying pans and umbrellas to lawn mowers and bowling balls. Time keeps ticking away as players search for potential survivors as well as a way out, with the zombies growing stronger as the sun goes down and certain events only occurring at specific intervals. West will be able to replenish lost health by finding vending machines or the food court, and he can also snap pictures of the chaos and mayhem to unlock different bonuses. |
 "No stranger to walking corpses, Capcom unearths another zombie-themed franchise with Dead Rising on Xbox 360. Players take command of a forceful photographer named Frank West, who believes he is on the verge of a breakthrough story at a remote suburban town called Willamette. Yet this is no ordinary visit. West soon learns that the unfriendly locals aren't just wary of the media -- they're hungry for flesh. Players must somehow find a way past hordes of zombies lining the aisles of the one place thought by West to be safe: a shopping mall. He was obviously wrong, but it's up to players to keep him from being dead wrong. Unlike the carefully scripted games in the Resident Evil series, Dead Rising features a more open-ended, action-oriented design where players can freely explore the various mall stores to use whatever tools, weapons, or items they find, from frying pans and umbrellas to lawn mowers and bowling balls. Time keeps ticking away as players search for potential survivors as well as a way out, with the zombies growing stronger as the sun goes down and certain events only occurring at specific intervals. West will be able to replenish lost health by finding vending machines or the food court, and he can also snap pictures of the chaos and mayhem to unlock different bonuses. |
 "The cross-platform sequel to Capcom's 2006 Xbox 360 hit delivers more fast-paced, third-person action in a survival-horror setting. Similar to the original game, Dead Rising 2 is all about one man against a swarming horde of hungry zombies, and how that one man survives by creatively using everyday objects to perform acts of great and gratuitous violence against these slow-but-relentless pursuers. The hero of Dead Rising 2 is a former pro motocross rider named Chuck Greene, who finds himself in the fictional entertainment capital of Fortune City when the zombie outbreak hits there. The open "sandbox" adventure does not play out in a shopping mall, as the first Dead Rising, but the Las Vegas-like setting of the city provides ample walkways and plenty of open, consumer-oriented spaces, which quickly fill with hungry walking dead. The sequel is designed to accommodate as many as five or six thousand zombies on screen at once -- more than seven times the top number in the original game. As Chuck racks up the zombie smack-downs, he earns "Prestige Points," which eventually allow him to become more powerful. New improvised weapons become available as Chuck gains prestige and levels up, including combination weapons. Duct-taping two chainsaws to the ends of a kayak paddle yields an effective tool for slicing through a sea of zombies, for example, and taping a hand grenade to a football allows the athletically inclined hero to throw a real bomb, both figuratively and literally. Several other possible combinations become available to players as Chuck hacks and slashes his way through the macabre adventure. |
 "Players return to Sin City sidewalks seeking the scoop on a zombie outbreak, and find themselves neck-deep in fast-paced survival-horror action. Off the Record is a spin-off in the Dead Rising series that plays through the events of the sequel from the perspective of the original game's hero, Frank West. In good Dead Rising style, the one-against-hundreds tension of a horror adventure is set off by the fast-paced carnage of an arcade action game, seasoned with unflinching violence and a gruesome sense of humor, and set in an open, sandbox-style world. Although the Fortune City surroundings and zombie monsters -- as well as the photojournalist hero -- will be familiar to series veterans, the game's story follows a new path through the events of the second undead outbreak, with original cut scenes, missions, puzzles, enemy types, and creatively re-appropriated zombie-killing gear. As in the first Dead Rising, Frank can snap candid photos of his zombie victims, in their most horrid and amusing moments, to earn Prestige Points and unlock special abilities. Technical improvements make for shorter load times and smoother play than in previous Dead Rising games. |
 "Dead Space 2 is a sci-fi survival-horror sequel, following the continuing travails of the unfortunate Isaac Clarke. In the lonely role of a sole survivor on a deep-space station, players use commandeered firearms and makeshift traps to overcome a relentless onslaught of gruesome mutant space zombies. The game is set on a large, heavily populated space station called the Sprawl, where the hero was taken to recover from the terrors he experienced in the first adventure. The soul-wrenching malady that devastated the base he was sent to explore in the first game seems somehow to have followed Isaac to his haven in the second adventure, however, and the Sprawl is soon infested with Necromoprhs -- hideously mutated creatures, single-mindedly devoted to death and destruction. Knowing firsthand the merciless evil he faces, Isaac is more aggressive in his second adventure, focusing not only on his own survival, but also on destroying as many Necromorph monsters as he can along the way. Once again, the deep-space, zero-gravity environments create unusual third-person action challenges, and also provide opportunities for clever cause-and-effect sequences, such as blasting through an airlock so that deadly enemies are pulled helplessly into the vacuum of space. As he progresses through the adventure, Isaac can gain custom upgrades to his attributes and special abilities, and he can also make use of a powered-up javelin, to impale monsters and pin them to the wall. Defeated enemies whose corpses are left behind have a tendency to revive, and attack with renewed fervor unless they are completely dismembered, adding to the graphic ghastliness. As in the first game -- and most great survival horror adventures -- the fear and tension in Dead Space 2 are intensified by dynamic audio, creepy video effects, and other atmospheric techniques. The sequel was developed by Visceral Games, formerly known as EA Redwood Shores, the studio that created the original Dead Space. |
 "The fourth installment of Capcom's gothic action series is the first to feature a new protagonist: Nero, who enters battle with a double-barreled revolver called the "Blue Rose" and an ornate sword known as the "Red Queen." He is also a card-carrying member of the Order of the Sword, an organization systematically dismantled by former series protagonist, Dante. Nero's power is not limited to his distinctive weapons, however. Nero's right arm, a.k.a. "the devil bringer," is imbued with an ethereal glow and is a source of supernatural strength. The demonic appendage lets him perform feats of agility not possible by mere mortals, such as grabbing enemies from afar, slamming them into the ground, spinning them overhead, or initiating various other context-sensitive moves. Players can once again freely switch between melee and projectile attacks to string together elaborate combos, with bonus points awarded for style. By varying his attacks and minimizing the damage received in each level, Nero will earn "Proud Souls" to spend on sword combos, bullets, and improved attributes. Fans of earlier versions can still collect health-enhancing orbs from defeated enemies and initiate "devil trigger" transformations for temporary boosts in speed and power. Throughout his demon-slaying journey, Nero must solve environment-based puzzles and confront towering boss creatures, with each conquest allowing him the opportunity to upgrade his powerful arm. Dante is also playable at certain points in Devil May Cry 4, which according to producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, features more content than the first three titles combined. |
 "Codemasters re-christens its Colin McRae Rally series with "DiRT," an off-road circuit racer that incorporates a wide assortment of events and more than 40 licensed vehicles in 12 car classes. A custom graphics engine dubbed "Neon" was specifically created to take advantage of each format's advanced features, allowing for more realistic physics that account for such variables as wind, terrain, damage, and weather. Up to ten drivers will slide and skid their way through real-world courses in a mix of rally, hill climb, rally raid, rally cross, and crossover events. Fender-crumpling crashes and dramatic jumps can be revisited with the built-in replay system, which for the first time in the long-running franchise, gives players complete control over how they view the captured footage. Players can embark on a career, enter a single race, or compete against up to 11 real-world opponents via Xbox Live. |
 "Codemasters' acclaimed off-road racing series continues with Dirt 2, which offers enhanced visuals, controls, and play mechanics over its power-sliding predecessor. A revamped single-player mode finds you starting out in the humble confines of an RV, where you'll begin your racing career. It's there where you'll meet driver Travis Pastrana, who gives you the keys to the late Colin McRae's blue Subaru and sends you on your way. You'll then compete in various locales around the world, from Los Angeles to Malaysia, interacting with such real-life drivers as Ken Block, Dave Mirra, and Tanner Faust while entering over 100 events designed to put your driving skills to the test. Earn upgrades to McRae's Subaru or acquire new cars along the way. Each event is geared toward a specific style of off-road racing, from Rallycross and Trailblazer to Landrush and Raid. Up to eight players can also compete online in any of the available game modes. |
 "Dirt Showdown takes Codemasters' rally racing series on an arcade-style detour as players drive cars, trucks, vans, and even hearses through full-contact races, high-flying stunt events, and explosive demolition derbies. Frenzied crowds and pyrotechnics add to the atmosphere as gamers take on more than 50 events and four championships set in a variety of locations around the world, including Tokyo, London, Michigan, Colorado, and Miami. Multiplayer fans can join a friend for local split-screen competitions, head online for eight-player races, issue challenges, and upload videos. Players can use nitrous boosts, navigate choke points, and soar off ramps in the various race events, while the freestyle "Hoonigan" events let gamers drift around huge, obstacle-filled courses. Demolition events take a variety of forms, including the King-of-the Hill-like "Knock Out" mode, in which drivers attempt to knock one another off a raised platform, and the contact-heavy "Nevada 8," where racers repeatedly cross paths. |
 "One of the most fondly remembered first-person shooters of all time gets fully revamped with new HD visuals, improved lighting, support for 3D screens, and a new seven-level mission in Doom 3: BFG Edition. Named for its signature weapon, the BFG Edition also includes the original version of Doom 3, its add-on Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil, and its two predecessors, Doom and Doom II. |
 "In the realm where puerile plotlines and locker-room humor meet hardcore shooter action, Duke is king, and after a decade-long hiatus, the king returns in Duke Nukem Forever. With development completed by Gearbox Software for a 2011 release, the game incorporates many contemporary first-person shooter features, but the destructible surroundings, larger-than-life enemies, and high-adventure pacing are in classic Duke Nukem form. In a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas setting of crumbling roadways and toppled buildings, mission levels are stocked with grizzly pig-cop enemies, monstrous alien bosses, and plenty of hot babes in various states of undress and need of rescue. As he frags and gibs his way through each gory sequence, Duke rattles off an arsenal of deadpan one-liners to rival Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Campbell in their action-flick heydays (as well as some that were probably lifted from their movies in the first place). Available weapon set-ups include two-fisted pistols and the traditional shotgun, as well as more fantastical devices, such as the shrink ray that lets Duke squish enemies beneath his boot heels. Players can also get behind the wheel of vehicles they encounter in the game, and some sequences have Duke manning powerful stationary weapons. Along the way, story-driven character interactions allow players to express some of their innermost machismo urges. After saving the world (in 3D) the first time (on MS-DOS, PlayStation, N64, and other mid-'90s gaming platforms), Duke Nukem disappeared -- or so the story goes. When the angry alien invaders returned, and tore into civilization with a vengeance, the great hero was nowhere to be found. When they started stealing away the planet's hottest babes, however, it was enough to bring Duke out of retirement and into the fray, with an "all out of bubblegum" sense of urgency. |
 "Players can blast the bad guys, score the hot chicks, and kick down the fourth wall of gaming in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, a shooter that satirizes video game mythology and industry clichés. Matt Hazard, voiced by Arrested Development's Will Arnett, is a Duke Nukem-esque hero whose years of unemployment have him looking to reclaim his throne as the king of over-the-top action games. In reality, Eat Lead is Hazard's debut game, but developer Vicious Cycle and publisher D3 have concocted an elaborate backstory for the character, placing him in a dozen fictional games such as 1983's seminal side-scrolling shooter "The Adventures of Matt in Hazard Land," the GoldenEye 007 parody "You Only Live 1,317 Times," and "Haz-Matt Carts," Hazard's inevitable slip into kart-racing purgatory. Unfortunately for Hazard, fictitious developer "Marathon Software" spread his character too thin, and by the time of 2002's Viva Piñata-esque children's game "Choking Hazard: Candy Gramm," he was a washed-up has-been. But Eat Lead offers redemption, as gamers help Hazard on a quest for blood and relevance in the first actual game among his 13 fictional adventures. Though primarily a third-person 3D shooter, the game's story and style are subject to dramatic graphical, sound, and gameplay changes because the comeback is not exactly what Hazard envisioned. It seems that Wallace Wellesley, a Marathon executive voiced by Neil Patrick Harris, created Eat Lead as an elaborate ruse designed to make Hazard's life even more miserable. Continuous hacking of the game causes a number of inexplicable situations, such as Hazard fending off gun-toting cowboys in a futuristic space station, and only gamers can help the gruff protagonist make sense of the chaos and resurrect his career. |
 "Space marines team up for squad-based shooter battle in this multiplayer-minded follow-up to id's well-received Quake 4. Designed and developed in the spirit of 2003's Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, Quake Wars allows teams of players to take the roles of Global Defense Force soldiers and alien Strogg warriors to compete against one another in mission-oriented scenarios. Class-specific abilities encourage teamwork among squad mates, giving each player in the group an important role based on the soldier-type chosen. To welcome newer players to the field, aspects of play such as mission-objective listings and vehicle piloting have been simplified, while features such as character upgrades and global stat-tracking offer dedicated players opportunities to benefit from strong performances and hard-won victories. |
 "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is the action-oriented adventure of two fugitives, Monkey and Trip, who must work together to survive, in spite of significant antagonism between them. The game features flowing combat against an array of mechanically enhanced enemies, as well as 3D environmental platform puzzles, some meant to be solved by two characters in tandem. The game's story is set a century and a half in the future, in the aftermath of a global war that destroyed most of modern civilization across the planet Earth. Although based in futuristic science fiction, the game plays out in natural, forest settings, where advanced technology is viewed as magic by most surviving humans. Monkey's physical strength and great agility allow him to move through aging structures and tall treetops with ease, for advantages in reconnaissance and attacks from above. Trip does not fight, but she has an electromagnetic pulse generator that can temporarily stun their mechanical would-be captors, and she can distract enemies while Monkey positions himself for a surprise attack. Players begin in the role of Monkey, a physically powerful man who has spent his recent years alone and on the run, from deadly robots left over from the war and still programmed to capture human beings for eradication. Eventually, however, Monkey is caught and interred on an airship, full of other human captives. Working together with Trip, a technologically adept woman he meets on the ship, Monkey escapes, but is knocked unconscious soon after. When he reawakens, he finds that he has been fitted with a modified captive control device, placed on his head. The device ties Monkey to Trip, such that if she dies, so will he. It also allows Trip to threaten Monkey's life if he does not follow her commands. The two embark on a shared journey to deliver Trip to the safety of her homeland, upon which she has promised to set Monkey free. The game's story is loosely inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, sharing the adventuresome plot elements of a small party that must rise above adversarial tendencies to work together in travels through unknown territories, as well as the name of the main character, Monkey. |
 "Project Origin is more action oriented than the original F.E.A.R. Tight interior spaces bring back the tension of the first game, while large outdoor levels and mech suit combat aim directly for fast-paced, heart-pounding battle. However, as in the original F.E.A.R., a central feature in Project Origin is the ability to use the main character's enhanced reflexes to effectively slow time, for a "bullet-time"-like effect in combat and other action events. Another game feature is interactive environments that allow players to move and alter obstacles in order to clear a path or create cover, adding to the tactical possibilities for both sides in the fight. Throughout single-player adventure, scripted sequences, and dynamic combat put forth a stream of violent, fast-paced first-person shooter action, punctuated with a mix of sniping, exploration, puzzle solving, and story development. Project Origin players follow the mission of Delta Force Sergeant Michael Becket and his crew, as they move to secure Genevieve Aristide, president of the technology company Armacham. Aristide's counter-advised continuation of the Origin Project, which seeks to tap into the vast psychic powers of the girl Alma Wade, must be stopped. Alma's body may be destroyed, but aspects of her tortured soul live on -- in the twisted aberrations that prowl the cloning laboratories, and throughout the doom and destruction that will lay an entire cityscape to waste. The game begins 30 minutes before the end of the original F.E.A.R., allowing players to view the first game's final events from Becket's perspective and then continue on in the aftermath. As may be expected, the Project Origin sequel boasts larger maps, more weapons, and smarter enemies than featured in the original F.E.A.R. game, and developer Monolith promises a continuation of the storyline with the integrity of the original -- ignoring parallel plotlines and side events in TimeGate's Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate expansion packs. In addition to the solo campaign, as many as 16 virtually enhanced players can try to put the F.E.A.R. into one another online, in a selection of deathmatch, capture-the-flag, conquest, and other team-style multiplayer competitions |
 "The supernatural shooting series known as F.E.A.R., short for First Encounter Assault Recon, makes its third entry on consoles with a single-player campaign and two-player cooperative action. In both modes, you will control the genetically enhanced soldier from the original game, Point Man, who has the power to alter time. Also available in the co-op mode is Point Man's scheming brother, Paxton Fettel, who uses the power of telekinesis to resume "life" as an undead spirit. The story once again centers around Point Man and Paxton's mother, Alma Wade, whose psychic powers have created an alternate dimension filled with ghastly creatures and other horrors. To combat the paranormal, players can enter slow-motion combat, utilize 360-degree cover, and more. F.E.A.R. 3 also features a mechanic called the "generative scare system," which introduces random events designed to keep players on edge. Developer Day 1 Studios consulted with famed director John Carpenter for the in-game cinematics and horror writer Steve Niles to assist with the script. |
 "F.E.A.R. -- or "First Encounter Assault and Recon" -- is a first-person shooter set in a secretive complex full of government intrigue. Players take the role of a member of an elite squad of soldiers that's called in when conventional troops have failed. One such situation occurs when a crazed battlefield commander named Paxton Fettel escapes from a military instillation with a unit of troops. The first strike Special Forces team sent to quell the invasion was decimated minutes after arriving on the scene. Now it is up the F.E.A.R. squad to isolate the invaders and eliminate them, before anyone else gets hurt (or any multibillion-dollar government equipment is lost). The game's realistic, near-future setting and storyline feature elements of horror, supernatural vision, and even philosophical insight. The lead character is not given a name, in order to encourage the player to more fully assume the role, but well-developed teammate characters are designed to bring a personal context to the adventure. Enemy artificial intelligence is designed to produce believable human characters, as well, who work together as a deadly efficient, reactive team. In addition to the single-player game, popular multiplayer modes -- such as Deathmatch, Elimination, and Capture the Flag -- are available. |
 "Return to the vibrant world of Albion in this follow-up to 2004's Fable. Acclaimed developer Peter Molyneux has crafted an action role-playing game filled with moral choices, allowing you to create an altruistic or evil character based on your decisions. You begin the game as a boy or girl and will eventually mature into an adventurous adult. Explore the lush countryside, fight bandits, slay foul creatures, venture into mysterious dungeons, marry, or raise a family. Your fortune amassed during your travels can be spent on houses, castles, taverns, clothing, equipment, tattoos, and more. Your actions will literally change and shape the world, and the townsfolk will react accordingly. The setting takes place 500 years after the original game, enabling you to use guns in combat as well as swords, bows, and spells. Fast-paced combos can be strung together by alternating between magical, ranged, and melee attacks. Fable II also features a canine companion that will perform tricks, dig up treasure, and protect you in combat. Cooperative play is supported via Xbox Live, allowing a friend to seamlessly join your world at any time. Xbox Live subscribers can also build their fortunes outside of the main game by playing Xbox Live Arcade's Fable II Pub Games. Money and prizes earned while playing the three games of chance can be transferred to your character. Acquire too much debt, however, and "collectors" might come looking for you. |
 "Fable III is an action-oriented role-playing game of classic swords and sorcery, designed around a deep and encompassing system of character development. Player decisions constantly influence the advancement of the character's magic and combat abilities, as well as the development of personality traits and social qualities. In addition to earning gold and experience, and gaining upgrades to combat abilities, a Fable character also develops personally and morally. The most often used weapons become larger and more powerful in Fable III, and they change in appearance to match the way they are wielded, just as the character's physical appearance gradually changes, to reflect a lifetime progression of good and evil acts. Choosing a gender and starting appearance, the player takes the role of a young adventurer destined to overthrow a tyrant king. Following the earlier games in the series, the adventure is set on the continent of Albion, and begins several decades after the events of Fable II. The first part of Fable III follows the young hero through a succession of quests that lead to an ultimate confrontation with the cruel King Logan. For the second part of the game, the hero becomes ruler of Albion, whose civic decisions influence the attributes and appearances of city streets and countryside throughout the realm. Be it through compassion, justice, or fear, the player's rule of Albion is eventually challenged by threats from a rival nation, and the sovereign must decide whether to prepare for war or seek a more peaceful resolution. As well as creating the Fable series, developer Lionhead Studios has noteworthy experience applying the concepts of "good" and "evil" decisions to city-management sims, with Black & White and its sequel. Also reminiscent of earlier Lionhead games, the contextual user interface in Fable III strives to present an uncluttered view of the game world, free of menu bars and other statistical distractions. Actor John Cleese gives voice to Jasper, an in-game butler and regular companion who offers advice and assists the player's hero with game-management tasks. Other celebrated British actors performing voice work for the game include Ben Kingsley and Jonathan Ross, with Zoë Wanamaker reprising her role of Theresa. |
 "Fallout 3: Collector's Edition includes the game and an assortment of bonuses designed for hardcore fans of the post-apocalyptic role-playing series. Featured within the distinctive packaging are a Vault Boy bobblehead figurine, a hardcover book of the game's concept art, a making-of DVD, and a metal Vault-Tec lunchbox. Learn more about the creative team responsible for the game's development and flip through nearly 100 pages of original artwork in this special release. |
 "Gamers return to the post-apocalyptic frontier for more hardscrabble living and darkly comic violence in Fallout: New Vegas. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment (known primarily for its competent stewardship of BioWare's Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic franchises), Fallout: New Vegas draws inspiration from all of its forebears, offering a Western setting and factions reminiscent of Fallout and Fallout 2, while retaining the gameplay mechanics and graphics of Fallout 3. And while ostensibly a sequel to Bethesda's epic action RPG that found gamers exploring the wastelands on a hunt for their altruistic father, Fallout: New Vegas chooses to spin a classic tale of revenge befitting the "sinful" nature of the town that is its locus. Players begin their New Vegas saga as a simple courier who is inexplicably shot in the head and unceremoniously left to die in a shallow Mojave grave. Thanks to the intervention of strange robot and a friendly doctor, gamers survive this apparent death sentence with nothing more than amnesia and an intense desire for exploration and retribution. This new outlook on life forces players into a dangerous open world, where giant radioactive creatures roam the countryside, and raiders, slavers, supermutants, and ghouls vie for control of territory and resources. Combat and conversation remain the primary means of advancing the storyline, with mercenary missions and random battles providing for character advancement, and the V.A.T.S. targeting system and branching dialogue of Fallout 3 returning unmolested. Obsidian has added a number of its own flourishes, led by a new reputation system that builds on the franchise's established Karma mechanic, continually updating gamers' standing among the wasteland's various settlers and warring factions. Companions also take a larger role, as players can now form a party, pass off weapons and items to friendly characters, and instruct their squad mates whether to be passive or aggressive in combat situations. Gamers also have more battle options thanks to new weapons, modifications, and special attacks; and the Nevada Wastes landscape is just as treacherous as the similarly sized Capital Wasteland thanks to militant factions and ferocious new beasts. Fallout: New Vegas also includes a "Hardcore" mode that operates outside of standard difficulty levels, and is designed to ratchet up the realism by giving ammunition weight, requiring players to remain hydrated, and making wounds heal gradually rather than instantly. The "Collector's Edition" plays on the game's location by including "Lucky 7" poker chips that represent seven different casinos, a re-creation of the game's rare "Lucky 38" platinum poker chip, a full deck of playing cards that depict characters and factions from Fallout: New Vegas, a hardcover graphic novel written by the game's creative director Chris Avellone, and a "making of" documentary DVD. |
 "In the role of a mercenary, Far Cry 2 players find themselves in Africa. They are to bring down an arms dealer known only as "the Jackal," who has been thriving on tribal warfare. Suitably equipped but mostly alone, players are left to themselves to decide exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. Instead of a linear storyline or scripted quests, the game presents a framework of places and people who are designed to act according to their own natures, and react according to the way the player deals with them. The game's heroes are a group of loosely associated "buddies." Players can choose to play as any one of the characters in this group, and the others will be placed in the game as friendly NPCs. Friends and enemies alike, all NPCs in the game are designed to act and react naturally in their current circumstances. Enemy guards tend to their duties and make decisions dynamically. Allies decide to become allies on their own terms. |
 "Retaining the open-world characteristics of Far Cry 2 while returning to an island setting similar to that of the original Far Cry, Ubisoft's shooter Far Cry 3 puts players in control of Jason Brody, a tourist who finds himself stranded on a lawless island where warlords and indigenous rebels have spent years mired in bloody conflict. Gamers can explore the jungles, swamps, mountains, and beaches of the island in a variety of ways, including speeding over land in jeeps, trucks, and ATVs, soaring through the air in hang gliders, and gliding across the water in speedboats. As Brody attempts to reconnect with his girlfriend he will interact with a cast of unusual characters, come across more than 20 different species of wild and sometimes dangerous animals, and discover ancient ruins, shipwrecks, and caves. He can also earn money during his adventure by playing poker, racing, and winning shooting and knife-throwing contests. Players gain experience as they fight their way across the island, developing better stealth skills and combat techniques, and collecting plants and animal parts to craft new and improved items. A separate co-op mode spins an entirely different story, as four crew members of a seedy cruise ship set out on a six-chapter campaign to track down the captain who stole their valuables and sold them out to pirates. Other multiplayer features include classic modes in which gamers team up to capture land or kill the most enemies, while the Firestorm mode finds two teams competing to turn opposing bases into raging infernos. Creative players can also design and share custom multiplayer maps using the included map editor. |
 "The top-selling series based on the world's most popular sport, EA Sports' FIFA Soccer returns to the virtual pitch with a smoother, more customizable game for 2010. The drive behind this year's renovations and refinements is twofold: make the game a more authentic representation of real world pro soccer, and give gamers more freedom to play it their own way. Animations and on-field moves have been enhanced, and goalie AI in particular has been honed, for keepers that react more quickly to loose balls and don't hesitate to challenge a rush. The control scheme now allows for complete 360-degree dribbling, allowing skilled players to freely adjust their stance and facing while moving the ball down the field. Another highlight of the "10" edition of the game is the "Custom Set Piece" mode, which allows gamers to design and practice their own plays for special situations, such as free kicks and corners, and then execute their maneuvers in the heat of a live game. In addition to the hundreds of featured real-life pro players, gamers can create a custom "Virtual Pro," and work him through practice and club league play to international stardom. Gamers with a compatible camera accessory can personalize the custom player with the "Photo Game Face" feature, and set the look of their pro's face from a captured image. For gamers who like to take charge of the whole team, FIFA 10 features a Manager Mode designed to offer realistic control over club decisions, accounting for dozens of details from salaries to team spirit. A new online club mode lets connected gamers create and join teams with other FIFA players, and to challenge other teams online in league play. |
 "The FlatOut demolition racing series makes its next-gen debut with Ultimate Carnage on Xbox 360. Building on the first two PlayStation 2 titles, the game takes advantage of the Xbox 360's processing power by increasing the number of onscreen cars, expanding the amount of smashable objects, and upping each vehicle's polygon count. Players can once again embark on a career mode that involves advancing through three distinct classes and engaging in multiple events, from destruction derbies to time trials. Up to 12 cars are available on each course at any given time, each offering 40 points of damage for realistic crumples, dents, sideswipes, and head-on collisions. FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage features six themed environments, including deserts, city streets, forests, fields, and canals. A total of 40 tracks offer multiple routes and 8,000 destructible elements, from telephone poles to billboards and nearly everything in between. FlatOut's body-tossing mini-games return for more masochistic mayhem, which involves catapulting drivers through windshields and into specific targets. Up to eight players can compete over Xbox Live in all of the single-player modes as well as multiplayer exclusive events, such as "Head On" challenges and "Deathmatch Derbies," where the last vehicle left smoking and sputtering wins. Stats and point totals for each event are tracked as an incentive for drivers to top previous high scores. |
 "Microsoft's answer to Gran Turismo switches gears from Xbox to Xbox 360 with the release Forza Motorsport 2. The added horsepower of the Xbox 360 allows for high-definition visuals, advanced special effects, and a frame rate that clocks in at 60 frames per second. More than 60 tracks are available to race on, including such authentic venues as Silverstone Circuit, Mazda Raceway Laguna, and Sebring International Raceway. Gearheads can acquire more than 300 licensed vehicles from 50 top manufacturers, with each car's performance influenced by damage or wear, weather, and road conditions. An assortment of tuning parts and customization options exist, as players decide on suspension kits, engines, body kits, brakes, paint schemes, and more before adjusting their vehicle's tire pressure, gear ratios, and various other settings from within a garage. Prized wheels can be snapped for fun or posterity in the "Forza Photo Mode," and Xbox Live support is once again included for players to test drive their custom cars while earning special credits to unlock bonus features. Races between rival cars can also be viewed on "Forza Motorsport TV," which lets players learn driving strategies and techniques from the top racers on Xbox Live. |
 "Microsoft's premiere driving simulation series revs up with its second high-definition release for Xbox 360, Forza Motorsport 3. The third in the series enhances or improves upon nearly all the key features of earlier games, while adding new driver-assisting functions to make play more accessible to a wider audience. Central to Forza 3 are detailed, virtual re-creations of more than 400 models of automobile, from 50 different manufacturers. Races may be run on more than 100 tracks, including old favorites and some new to the series, based on actual locations around the world. Graphically, the cars are built from over ten times the number of polygons used to create the cars in Forza 2. The game's physics model refines the systems used in the previous game, and developers worked with other driving-game experts as well as with representatives of several auto manufacturers, in their efforts to build-in authentic cause-and-effect elements in minute detail. For more casual drivers, Forza 3 offers features such as auto-braking and computer-assisted tuning, allowing for a freer driving experience without the constant danger of a crash around each tight corner, or concerns about inefficient settings for the current road conditions. When accidents do happen, the game's new "rewind" feature allows the player to stop, roll back time, and try again. Meanwhile, the hardest-core of driving aficionados can eschew the computer assistance for realistically demanding experience, just as gearhead gamers are free to do their own custom tuning, with the ability to make essentially any adjustment to their virtual auto that could be made to its real-life counterpart, for realistic performance tweaks. Xbox Live-connected Forza 3 players can race against others online in a selection of events, and show off their favorite tunings and custom paint jobs. |
 "In Forza Motorsport 4, the premier Xbox driving sim returns to race around 360 tracks with enhanced graphics, a more diverse selection of cars, and support for Kinect natural-motion controls. As in previous Forza games, detailed physics models re-create the power and handling characteristics of different cars in different conditions, to provide hardcore enthusiasts with a realistic driving experience. With various optional driver-assist features, casual players can compete as well. Motion tracking allows players to look left or right in the game by turning their heads. Kinect players can also choose to steer with hand motions. Forza 4 incorporates a new lighting system and adds camera angle options. Meticulously re-created automobiles from more than 80 manufacturers are available, although many of the most coveted cars must be unlocked for play. The game's World Tour mode allows players to drive to the top of an international auto racing career. Other modes and racing styles are available, including autocross and drift. Xbox Live Gold players can race online against rivals, even when they are not on at the same time. Car Clubs and custom-car sharing also return. Previous players can import credits and gifted cars from their Forza 3 save files. Forza Motorsport 4 was developed by Microsoft's Turn 10 Studio, creators of previous games in the series. |
 "Fracture is a futuristic first-person shooter whose "hook" is being able to freely transform the landscape with your weapons. In the year 2161, the continental United States is divided after a seismic event topples the country's central region. The government is no longer in power, so organizations on both sides vie for control with the backing of sympathetic nations abroad. The main protagonist is Jet Brody, a soldier fighting on behalf of the Atlantic Alliance. He will confront genetically enhanced troops from the Republic of Pacifica in a series of battles that will take him across what's left of the U.S. Rather than simply blast enemy troops throughout each environment, you must also solve puzzles using your high-tech weapons. Barriers blocked with rubble can still be traversed simply by shooting at the ground and creating a subterranean tunnel. High destinations can be reached by shooting at a patch of land to create hills of varying size. In addition to removing and building areas of the landscape, you can also create temporal disturbances such as a mini black hole, which will suck everything near it into its gaping maw. Grenades, missiles, torpedoes, and other high-powered weapons can all be used to manipulate your surroundings in surprising ways. |
 "Fuel is an off-road racing game of grand scale and open-ended attitude. The racing takes place on and off 100,000 miles of track, in a 5,000 square mile area that comprises deserts, forests, and a hodge-podge of natural landmarks of the western U.S., including Mt. Rainier, Crater Lake, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and the Grand Canyon. Players are free to explore the area as they wish, in one of the game's many two- or four-wheeled off-road vehicles. Different vehicles have different strengths and weakness in different types of terrain. Fuel is set in an alternate reality, in which whole regions of the world have been ravaged by climate change. Speed junkies now race through the abandoned wastelands, with scarce and valuable fuel as the ultimate prize. The game's single-player circuit poses particular rally course challenges, and gives players a chance to unlock new possibilities. Players are also free to create their own courses, by dropping waypoints across the map. Fuel features a day-and-night cycle and strategy-influencing weather effects, such as thunder and lightning, sandstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards. |
 "Anointed by the games media as Microsoft's first "killer app" for its Xbox 360, Epic Games' Gears of War is a futuristic third-person shooter emphasizing tactical action over run-and-gun battles. Players are thrust in a climactic clash between what's left of humankind and a swarming underground race called the Locust Horde. The main protagonist is Marcus Fenix, a once disgraced soldier looking to redeem himself by leading a ragtag squad against the monstrous threat. Since the alien army vastly outnumbers the team, players must use the post-apocalyptic world to their advantage, such as seeking cover behind dumpsters, pillars, cars, rubble, and other objects. The developer has adapted its award-winning Unreal technology to create interactive environments with a physics-based damage system. Players, for instance, can shoot down structures to forge new routes or opportunities to trap the enemy. Up to three squad mates will accompany Fenix in each mission, with basic commands such as "advance," "hold," or "freelance" available to guide them. A behind-the-shoulder view similar to the one employed in Capcom's Resident Evil 4 is the default perspective in Gears of War. Weapons include an assortment of grenades, pistols, assault rifles, and other long-range blasters, many of which offer a means to engage enemies in melee combat. The Locust Horde is not averse to lunging, rushing, or gnawing at soldiers, so players have the opportunity to perform grisly finishing moves by quickly tapping specific button sequences during close encounters. Cooperative support for two players is offered throughout the campaign, and up to eight can battle each other in team-oriented modes via Xbox Live. |
 "Sequel to the Xbox 360's first truly Epic hit, Gears of War 2 continues the brutally gruesome futuristic, apocalyptic wartime adventures of Marcus Fenix. Set six months after the end of the original Gears of War, the single-player campaign follows Fenix and his COG Delta Squad as they lead the way in humanity's desperate counter-offensive against the Locust, a last-ditch effort to destroy the subterranean scourge where it lives. Players embark on squad-based first-person shooter missions in a desperate assault against an enemy that has no mercy, nor should be given any. New abilities and weapons help in the fight. Portable shields make it safer to advance through open spaces, and when a proper shield is not handy, a fallen enemy can be used for portable cover. Weapons such as the "Mulcher" machine gun and the "Scorcher" flamethrower leave their mark on the destructible environments, as well as on Locust enemies. Expanded support for co-op play allows two to play through the main campaign together, with support for easy drop-in and -out play, and the option for each teammate to use a different difficulty setting, allowing a veteran COG commando to play alongside a newcomer to the series, and both to still enjoy the right level of challenge. The game also offers a new "Horde" co-op mode, in which up to four players together struggle to fight off wave after wave of increasingly difficult Locust attacks -- battling for high scores, and perhaps even to reach the rumored, final 50th wave. In all, the sequel features eight modes of online multiplayer play, including the two-man team "Wingman" mode, a meaty twist on capture-the-flag, called "Submission," in which the "flag" is a computer-controlled character, and "Guardian," a variation of the original game's "Assassin," in which each team receives unlimited respawns until its designated Guardian is killed. |
 "The final chapter in Epic's Gears of War trilogy wraps up the story of the Delta Squad in its last-ditch effort to save what's left of humanity on war-ravaged Sera. New playable characters join protagonist Marcus Fenix and crew, along with a ghastly group of new enemies to battle. Additional weapons to master include the deadly sawed-off shotgun and digger launcher, which fires an explosive projectile that burrows its way into the ground toward your target. Gears of War 3 also includes both cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes via Xbox Live. Online matches let you gain experience and earn rewards for participating in various game types and performing all-new actions such as weapon-specific executions. Matches now take place on dedicated servers, and various gameplay tweaks have been added, such as the ability to "tag" enemies in your sights for teammates to track. New map types vary in size and atmosphere, ranging from a grocery store and freeway overpass to a courtyard and sports arena. Play modes include Team Deathmatch, Capture the Leader, King of the Hill, and more. |
 "The most anticipated game of 2008 expands the open-world action introduced in the groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto III to a new level of detail. The next-gen debut of the unapologetically violent series stars new protagonist Niko Bellic, a criminal looking for a fresh start and perhaps a shot at redemption. Niko is lured to the bustling Liberty City from Europe by his reckless cousin Roman, who sells him on a life of luxury with quick cash, fast cars, and faster women. Roman has considerably overstated his wealth, however. The cousin is indebted to the type of people who don't take "no" for an answer, and he desperately needs Niko's help. So begins Grand Theft Auto IV, which returns players to a revamped Liberty City teeming with pedestrians, vehicles, and criminal activity. The game's tongue-in-cheek version of the Big Apple features replicas of four boroughs as well as a portion of New Jersey. While the environment is smaller than the area found in 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the setting is more densely packed, offering a greater amount of things to see and do. A new physics model forms the backbone of the advanced 3D engine, allowing players to interact with objects and characters in more lifelike ways. The storyline is designed to offer more meaningful choices as well, with Niko able to access key contacts and messages at any time with his camera-equipped cell phone. The world is once again viewed from a third-person perspective with players able to freely walk, run, swim, or drive with little to no restrictions. Combat continues to incorporate hand-to-hand moves and gunplay, albeit with a new aiming system designed for more precise control. A reticule can be manually positioned for pinpoint accuracy, or it can be set to automatically lock onto the next available target. Niko can also duck behind objects for cover, trading shots with enemies who do the same. New ways to interact with the world include GPS-equipped vehicles, functional police car databases, working window scaffolding, and much more. During the day or at night, players can listen to a variety of licensed songs from dashboard radios in cars, trucks, boats, helicopters, and other vehicles. |
 "Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City is a compilation that bundles together the two downloadable expansions to Grand Theft Auto IV on a single game disc. The package includes the two-wheel gangland adventures of Johnny Klebitz in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, and the more glitzy nightclub escapades of Luis Lopez in Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony. |
 "Another installment in Codemasters' long-running racing series, Grid expands on the traditional grand-touring formula established by its predecessors TOCA and Race Driver. Grid takes players to Japan for import tuner drifting, to the U.S. for muscle car street racing, and into Europe, where drivers get a chance to race around some of the world's most famous circuits in high-performance beasts like the Ferrari F430, the Lamborghini Murcielago, the Aston Martin DBR9, and the Porsche 911 GT3-RSR. Racing enthusiasts will need to be more than just fast, because Grid features the same Ego physics engine employed by the rally game Dirt , meaning every bump and ding is reflected in a car's appearance and performance. High-impact racing is likely to yield engine fires, tire blowouts, and extreme crashes that send cars hurtling through the air. Players can collide with other vehicles as well as trackside objects, and each spectacular crash is captured in Burnout-esque slow-motion replays. Gamers can race across three continents alone, or head online for multiplayer events. |
 "Guitar Hero 5 continues Activision's music rhythm series with an expanded lineup of 85 songs from 83 artists. While the basic format is identical to 2008's Guitar Hero: World Tour, with each song supporting a singer, drummer, lead guitar, and bass, a number of changes have been added to enhance its pick-up-and-play appeal. The "Party Play" option lets would-be musicians create a set list and drop in or out at any time while it plays, without having to restart a song. Friends and onlookers can also join in at any point, simply by pressing a button on one of the peripherals, and none of the songs can be failed. You'll also be able to use any combination of instruments, allowing you to play a song as four drummers, four lead singers, and so forth. In a first for the series, the game's entire song lineup is immediately available to drum, hum, or strum from the start. Career Mode now includes bonus challenges for each song, such as scoring a specific number of points while in Star Power. Each challenge offers three levels of progression, which will unlock bonuses such as characters, outfits, venues, and instruments. Two to eight players can participate in battle modes designed to test one's prowess with a particular instrument, and the song-creating Guitar Hero Studio is back with improved audio quality and a more streamlined interface. Guitar Hero 5's diverse selection of artists include Tom Petty, Sonic Youth, Duran Duran, Iron Maiden, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, the White Stripes, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Peter Frampton, Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, Wolfmother, and Elton John. Among the songs featured are "All Along the Watchtower," "Runnin' Down a Dream," "No One to Depend On," "Ring of Fire," "Sympathy for the Devil," "All the Pretty Faces," "A-Punk," and "the Rock Show." All downloaded songs and instruments from Guitar Hero: World Tour will be also be playable in Guitar Hero 5. |
 "Just as Guitar Hero: Aerosmith was something of a glorified expansion of Guitar Hero III, Guitar Hero: Metallica serves as an extension of Activision's band-focused hit Guitar Hero: World Tour, offering gamers a feel for life in and around one of heavy metal's most popular and influential bands. The game features a total of 49 songs, including 28 original Metallica tracks, such as "Seek and Destroy," "Fade to Black," "Master of Puppets," and "One," and 21 band-selected songs from such acts as Bob Seger, Judas Priest, Queen, and Thin Lizzy. In general, the game's difficulty level was designed to be on par with that of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, however, the hard-hitting nature of some of Metallica's tracks led to the creation of an extremely difficult "Expert+" mode that can incorporate a second drum pedal. Though band members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo participated in motion-capture sessions to help create lifelike in-game avatars, the story actually finds players in the shoes of a band serving as Metallica's opening act. This narrative mechanic sends gamers to such real-world music venues as the Stone nightclub in San Francisco, the Forum in Los Angeles, the Hammersmith Odeon in London, and the Tushino Airfield in Russia. As always, players must earn high scores and unlock new songs by rhythmically matching onscreen prompts that correspond with musical notes. The music creation aspect of World Tour returns in Guitar Hero: Metallica, with new musical tones based on Hetfield's guitar and a new "Drum Over" mode that lets gamers play improvised drum tracks over any song, while the multiplayer "Battle Mode" comes equipped with new Metallica-themed power-ups such as "Fade to Black," "Ride the Lightning," and "Trapped Under Ice." |
 "The first name in music instrument gaming returns with a Rock Band-esque focus on full band simulation, the ability for players to create their own music, and more than 80 new tracks in Guitar Hero: World Tour. For the first time in the series, wannabe rock stars can simulate singing and drumming in addition to the familiar strumming of guitar-shaped controllers, and with the addition of a bass guitar, up to four players can form a band and jam together. As with all titles in the Guitar Hero series, gamers must "play" their instruments by rhythmically matching onscreen prompts in order to earn high scores and unlock new songs. The singing mechanic resembles Karaoke Revolution and SingStar in that it requires vocalists to match the pitch and notes of each song, whereas drummers must be timely when depressing the kick drum and striking the proper combination of drum and cymbal pads. A revamped single-player Career mode lets gamers advance their musician through a series of gigs by playing a specific number of songs, with the option to change difficulty level or instrument at any time. The Band Career mode works in a similar fashion, offering up to four players the opportunity to advance through a full career, with the Battle of the Bands mode letting two groups duke it out online. Boss Battles also return in a form more akin to previous Face-Off modes, and they no longer feature the attack power-ups used in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Gamers can use the new "Create-a-Rocker" feature to customize the posture, age, hair, makeup, and tattoos of their unique characters, and real-life rock legends such as Ozzy Osbourne, Jim Hendrix, and Ted Nugent are also playable. The song list spans several decades and is made up of a diverse selection of master recordings by artists such as: 311, the Allman Brothers Band, the Beastie Boys, Billy Idol, Blondie, Coldplay, the Cult, the Doors, the Eagles, the Foo Fighters, Jane's Addiction, Jimi Hendrix, Korn, Linkin Park, Los Lobos, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Modest Mouse, Motorhead, Nirvana, No Doubt, NOFX, Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne, Pat Benetar, R.E.M, the Sex Pistols, Steely Dan, Sting, the Stone Roses, Sublime, Tool, Van Halen, and Willie Nelson. In addition, players can create their own songs in the Advanced Studio mode by playing tracks for each instrument in either real or slowed time. Songs can be either 1,200 notes long or three minutes in length, but vocal recording is unavailable due to storage issues. Players can then upload their songs to an online service where other gamers can rate and download each original creation. |
 "After two chartbusting efforts on Xbox, the enigmatic, genetically enhanced Spartan soldier known as Master Chief makes his highly anticipated Xbox 360 debut in Halo 3. The sci-fi shooter picks up where Halo 2 abruptly left off: The Covenant is continuing its plans to activate the Halo super-weapon and obliterate the galaxy; Earth is in utter disarray with only a few remnants of its armies intact; and the Flood grows stronger and more aggressive with each passing day. Your mission, as Master Chief, is to repel the Flood's advances, save Earth, and stop the Covenant -- no matter what the cost. Halo 3 offers a solo campaign, cooperative play, and multiplayer action via Xbox Live, system link, or split-screen display. The cinematic storyline introduces new characters, weapons, and mission objectives, with the enemy AI offering distinct fighting styles, tactics, and even personalities, all while trying to rip your armored space suit into pieces. Familiar weapons such as the Needler have been upgraded and are joined with all-new armaments, including massive support weapons (such as a missile pod or turret) that switch the default perspective to a third-person view, chargeable lasers, and a gun that shoots out metal spikes. Players can also protect themselves with bubble shields, reach high places with portable gravity lifts, disrupt motion tracking with radar jammers, and more. Vehicles are also a big part of the action, with redesigned favorites and new class types entering the fray, such as the speedy but fragile Mongoose. The matchmaking service introduced in Halo 2 will once again bring similarly skilled Xbox Live players together, albeit with more customization options and a new streamlined interface. Players can still enter multiple lobbies, veto certain maps or game types, and so forth, but now they can instantly form parties with people they've just met for future matches, watch videos of completed games to learn techniques of the top Halo players, view detailed stats and rankings updated in real time, and squelch certain voices from being broadcast to their headsets. |
 "Microsoft and Bungie's blockbuster sci-fi shooter series continues with this standalone expansion to Halo 3. Battle through an all-new campaign as an ODST, short for Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, in a story line that serves as a prequel to the events chronicled in Halo 3. Your mission is to locate the remaining members of your squad somewhere within the Covenant-besieged city of New Mombasa. A new multiplayer mode entitled "Firefight" is introduced, where up to four players must work together to repel increasingly challenging waves of enemies. A second disc is home to a total of 24 multiplayer maps, three of which are new, with the remainder comprised of the "legendary," "heroic," and "mythic" Halo 3 map packs that were previously available as downloadable content via Xbox Live. Initial runs of Halo 3: ODST also include a key to the multiplayer beta of the franchise's next anticipated entry, Halo: Reach. |
 "Microsoft's iconic space marine Master Chief returns to begin a new trilogy as gamers head to the Forerunner planet Requiem and battle a force more powerful than anything humanity has ever faced in Halo 4. Set four years after the Covenant War, the Campaign mode finds up to four players working together to help Master Chief battle a variety of foes, uncover ancient secrets, and deal with Cortana's instability. Halo 4 also includes the new Spartan Ops co-op multiplayer mode, in which up to four gamers can join forces for weekly objective-based missions and cutscenes. Competitive multiplayer remains a key part of the Halo experience, with players creating their own Spartan-IV warrior and then accruing experience by taking part in various game modes. The War Games mode fits into the overall narrative, serving as a large training simulator in which Spartan warriors fight one another in a variety of multiplayer game types, including Slayer, Regicide, and Infinity Slayer. Players can now completely customize their loadouts with a primary weapon, secondary weapon, grenade, and a variety of armor upgrades like jet-pack boosting, camouflage, and a new kind of X-ray vision. Gamers can equip new abilities by earning Spartan Points, and all the experience they accrue allows them to progress from level one to level fifty. When players hit level 50 they unlock Specializations, which, over the course of ten more levels, give them the ability to further customize their characters into eight specific classes like Pioneer, Rogue, and Operator. There are ten basic multiplayer maps, but an updated version of the Forge mode returns to once again let creative gamers edit and share their own map designs. |
 "Released to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of Microsoft's seminal gaming franchise, Halo: Combat Evolved -- Anniversary offers remastered sound and visuals, seven of the most popular multiplayer maps in franchise history, full achievement support, and online co-op via Xbox Live. Halo is a futuristic first-person shooter that casts you in the role of a genetically enhanced super-soldier known only by his rank, Master Chief. Notable features include rechargeable energy shields, allowing soldiers to quickly recover from enemy damage, and the ability to drive or pilot four types of vehicles. Master Chief will also be able to use ten types of weapons on the battlefield, from assault rifles and rocket launchers to plasma grenades and shotguns. In the most obvious sense, the "Halo" is a space station built in the shape of an enormous rotating wheel. As the wheel spins, it creates centrifugal force that mimics gravity on its inner rim. An entire world exists inside this wheel, with huge, developed structures and vast, open landscapes. But something else exists in the Halo as well, something mysterious and powerful. All that is really known is that a force of alien invaders is desperate to find it and they are leaving death and destruction in the wake of their search. This mystery of Halo must be solved and the aliens must be vanquished before they find what they are looking for and destroy us all. Some of the basic themes and plot points in Halo may be familiar to gamers who have played Marathon, Bungie's successful first-person shooter which was released in 1992 for the Macintosh platform. Among other elements, Marathon is known for intelligent level design and a deep, intriguing story. Though Halo should not be considered a sequel to Marathon, the two share common plot elements and have related back-stories. Initial development of Halo was done simultaneously for the Macintosh, the PC, and the Xbox. |
 "Acclaimed developer Bungie's final Halo game for Microsoft serves as a prequel to the sci-fi storyline that began in 2001. An all-new campaign supporting cooperative action for up to four players is included, and in a departure from previous titles, Master Chief is no longer the main protagonist. You are a new recruit to the Noble Team, a six-person squad of Spartan super soldiers, whose members specialize in key roles and wear customized gear. Planet Reach, the main base for UNSC military operations and home to 700 million civilians, is under attack from the alien collective known as the Covenant. Your mission is to assist the human resistance and prevent the Covenant from destroying Reach, Earth's last line of defense. The shooting takes place from a first-person perspective, powered by a new graphics engine designed to incorporate large-scale battles in more open environments than in previous entries. Enemy AI has also changed from earlier games, relying more on dynamic actions instead of scripted routines. Each soldier's armor now offers distinctive abilities, depending on the equipped enhancements. A jetpack allows you to fly, active camouflage makes you invisible to enemies, sprint lets you dash at high speeds, and armor lock makes you temporarily invulnerable at the expense of movement. These abilities also play an important role in Halo: Reach's multiplayer modes, which support up to 16 combatants online. Reach's multiplayer component includes such past favorites as Team Slayer and King of the Hill along with new options. In Headhunter, players collect flaming skulls from defeated opponents and attempt to deposit the skulls in designated areas for points. If you are killed before you reach the target area, your collected skulls will fall to the ground for others to retrieve. Stockpile is a variant on capture the flag, while Generator Defense pits three Spartans versus three Covenant Elites in a battle to defend or destroy generators. Invasion features a series of three team-oriented skirmishes designed in a similar fashion to Battlefield: Bad Company's rush mode. In addition, players can create custom scenarios with the Forge option, take in-game screenshots, earn credits to cosmetically enhance their soldier, and record video to study combat techniques or to share with the Halo community. |
 "Gamers can experience upgraded high-definition versions of three titles starring IO Interactive's bald assassin Agent 47 in Hitman HD Trilogy. Players can use stealth skills and perform hits through more than 40 missions spread across Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money. |
 "IO Interactive's bald assassin returns for his first new adventure in more than six years as gamers help Agent 47 avoid the police, eliminate those who betrayed him, and uncover a deep conspiracy in Hitman: Absolution. The developer's new Glacier 2 AI system was designed to mimic the wide range in intelligence, behavior, and response seen in real humans, while the trial-and-error gameplay of previous entries in the series has been replaced by a new AI attention meter that lets gamers know exactly how close other characters are to spotting Agent 47, so they can back off when needed. As always, the build up to the kill is as much of the gameplay experience as actually performing the assassination, and the freedom to choose how to perform a hit is a direct result of how much players plan, observe, and listen, and how creative they feel. Hitman: Absolution rewards gamers for performing classic moves by allowing them to use the new Instinct mode, in which they see the world through Agent 47's eyes and can map out enemy patrol routes, spot weapons, and locate shortcuts or ways to escape. Players can also accomplish their tasks by donning a variety of disguises or impersonating victims, but doing so may elicit unpredictable reactions from other characters. |
 "Featuring a story overseen by John Milius, Homefront features a similar premise to the screenwriter's Red Dawn. Instead of U.S. occupation by Russia, however, America is taken over by a well-organized, well-funded North Korea in the year 2027. The single-player campaign has you controlling a member of the resistance movement and engaging in guerilla warfare across shopping malls, schools, and similar settings from a first-person perspective. Commandeer vehicles and futuristic drones to complete objectives, interacting with an assortment of colorful characters along the way, many of whom will fight alongside you. On-foot and vehicular combat are also supported in online multiplayer battles, which are designed to offer fast-paced action in the spirit of the Call of Duty series. Developer Kaos Studios' previous game was 2008's Frontlines: Fuel of War. |
 "John Woo Presents Stranglehold stars martial arts star Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila, a detective on Hong Kong's police force in search of his kidnapped daughter. The game features a single-player story mode in which players take the role of Tequila and fight their way through cities such as Hong Kong and Chicago to locate the missing child who is held captive by mafia members and gangsters. Players will have the opportunity to earn style points by performing such moves as running up banisters while shooting, and when enough points are acquired, gamers can execute moves that include the "Tequila Bomb" or enter "Tequila Time." "Tequila Time" is a sequence during a gunfight when enemies are slowed down while players maintain their speed, making it easier to hit targets. Up to eight players can get involved in multiplayer action through the Internet, and the environments within the game are fully destructible and interactive. |
 "Swedish developer Avalanche Studios' first in-house development project is a 3D action-adventure starring a U.S. operative named Rico Rodriguez. Just Cause has Rodriguez attempting to overthrow a fictitious South American island's regime by instigating a revolution. Players will accomplish this by working with citizens, political factions, rebels, and even drug cartels in a series of explosive operations. In the tradition of games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Just Cause features a free form world with an estimated 250,000 acres of territory to traverse by plane, car, boat, or in some cases, parachute. Since the island of San Esperito is filled with cities, towns, resorts, jungles, and mountains, players can acquire more than 100 vehicles throughout their tumultuous stay. The main storyline includes over 20 missions with objectives that can be accomplished by any number of means. Hundreds of side and bonus missions are also available for fun or profit, with stunt challenges like parasailing, vehicle leaping, or skydiving part of the itinerary for tropical thrill-seekers. |
 "Agent extraordinaire Rico Rodriguez returns for more death-defying missions against ruthless cartels and corrupt governments in this sequel to 2006's open world, third-person shooter. Instead of the Cuba-inspired island of San Esperito, Rodriguez will battle heavily armed foes in well guarded compounds scattered throughout the South East Asian islands of Panau. As in the original Just Cause, how you cross the terrain or complete mission objectives is up to you. Hitch a ride in a 4x4 to travel up a snow-capped mountain, pilot a helicopter or plane, or slip behind the wheel of a dune buggy to travel over desert regions. One distinctive feature from the first game is back with improved play mechanics. Rodriguez can fire a grappling hook anytime and anywhere he wants, allowing him to latch onto a surface to propel him forward or to bring items (and even enemies) closer. This technique can be combined with the protagonist's parachute to glide through the air and perform elaborate combos. Rodriguez will need to rely on new stunts, vehicles, and weapons to become a one-man army in a world spanning 1,000 square kilometers in size. Just Cause 2 is Swedish developer Avalanche Studios' second game on the Xbox 360 platform. |
 "Mercenary outlaws Kane and Lynch blaze a path of violence and bloodshed through the Shanghai criminal underground in Dog Days, a sequel from IO Interactive, creator of the original game. Missions involve exploration and light platform-puzzle navigation through various large urban environments, with a focus on gunfights with firearms of nearly all sizes and types. The game's graphical style mimics reality broadcasting and amateur documentary, with shaky camera cut-scenes and backstory told through YouTube-esque video clips. The play style is similar to that of the first game; in the main campaign, single players control one character while the computer controls the other. In cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, players control both characters. As the original game, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, followed the gruesome misadventures of the former death-row inmates primarily from the perspective of Kane, the second game unfolds from the perspective of Lynch. His unbalanced psychopathic tendencies lead to more improvised missions and spontaneous action sequences, compared to the more careful planning informed by Kane's military background. When the game begins, Kane is traveling to meet Lynch in the world's largest city, where he has been hiding in plain sight among Shanghai's 15 million people. Separating after the events of the first game, the two criminals rejoin to embark on a risky gambit with an unimaginable payoff. |
 "Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is the story of two death-row inmates who end up in a partnership together after they are kidnapped by The Seven. The Seven is a highly organized terrorist group that recruit Kane and Lynch for a variety of missions around the globe. Not much is known about the duo before their time on the row, however, when the characters are close to death, image sequences that mimic their life flashing by clue gamers into where each man began, and how they ended up working for The Seven. Single players must work their way through each objective as Kane with Lynch following behind for back up. In cooperative, multiplayer action, both the avatars are used and each man has his own goals to accomplish in each level. |
 "Kinect Adventures! takes courageous Kinect owners on a trip across the raging rapids, underneath the sea, through outer space, and to other atmospheric locales. There are a total of 20 adventures to complete, from navigating your way past obstacle courses to testing your reflexes in "rallyball" to paddling your way down a river. Each event incorporates full body movement -- from jumping and kicking to ducking and dodging -- as you attempt to complete each lighthearted adventure alone or with a friend. The Kinect peripheral can also be used to capture photos of some of your sillier actions as well as record live videos that can be shared via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or e-mail. Three difficulty settings and special timed challenges are also included to extend the title's replay value. Kinect Adventures! is the first pack-in title for the Kinect accessory. |
 "Passive panda Po relinquishes his slovenly ways to fulfill an ancient prophecy and defeat a sinister snow leopard in this adaptation of DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda. The video game version is a 3D platform game that has Po navigating 13 hazard-filled, multi-tiered levels. Animal enemies are defeated using an array of paw-to-paw moves, from spinning kicks to body slams to bowling over foes by tucking into a ball. Po's agility will also be put to the test, whether it's swinging from tree limbs or leaping across lily pads. Players can even control Po's menagerie of friends, who specialize in distinct kung-fu styles and offer character-specific talents. Monkey, Tigress, Viper, Crane, and Mantis are all playable throughout the adventure. In addition to the single-player game, Kung Fu Panda includes cooperative play and a variety of competitive mini-games. |
 "L.A. Noire casts you in the role of a rookie officer working his way through the ranks of 1947's Los Angeles Police Department while dealing with corruption, politics, and scandal. Protagonist Cole Phelps will start his career working as a beat cop, patrolling the streets on foot, before eventually finding his way to the department's traffic, homicide, vice, and arson divisions. Instead of missions, you'll have to solve cases. To crack each case, you'll need to visit the crime scenes, gather evidence, talk to witnesses, follow persons of interest, interrogate suspects, and when the need arises, engage in shootouts or brawls with the criminal element. Inspired by the hardboiled style of movies like Naked City, Chinatown, and L.A. Confidential, L.A. Noire features authentic clothing, cars, and items from the turbulent time period and more than 100 interior and exterior locales to visit. The developer's MotionScan technology, designed specifically for the game, captures subtle movement and gestures from the faces of professional actors. This technology plays a key role during the questioning process, where you'll need to study the suspects' faces and behavior along with their statements to sort out the lies from the truth. In total, more than 50 hours of dialogue were recorded for the game. |
 "Living up to the multi-faceted meaning of the title, Left 4 Dead features four playable human characters, who have been left behind to survive in a city with a rapidly growing population of people-eating undead. The characters are identical in the way they play, although outwardly they appear largely dissimilar and unlikely to get along well at first. They'll need to trust one another and work together, as it takes teamwork to survive in streets overrun with rampaging zombies. Computer-controlled companions are available for solo players, but online multiplayer co-op games are a main thrust of play. In a standard game, players begin each level in a safe room area, where they can stock up on supplies and agree on a general strategy before moving out into the zombie-flooded city streets. No place is safe for too long in this game, however, and once the zombies start coming, they keep coming, no matter where the players run or hide -- until the heroes make it to the next safe room, to end the level. The exact progression through each level is not known from the start. A built-in artificial intelligence "Director" analyses the players' positions and creates new challenges on the fly, making each game a little different and adding creepy factor of the unknown. Friendly fire is painfully possible, so players need to be careful where they aim and shoot. Sometimes, in close quarters, a quick melee attack is a safer way to temporarily stave off encroaching undead or knock a hungry zombie off a companion. Each player can carry only one health pack, which can be used for self-repair or to heal a teammate. Left 4 Dead was developed by Valve Software, built on the studio's Source game engine. In addition to the four-person survival-horror shooter, other available modes of play allow multiplayer competition for up to eight, with one team of four playing as the human survivors and the other four players taking the roles of infected boss zombies. Each boss zombie has a different special power, such as a prehensile tongue or an explosive belly full of corrosive swamp gas, encouraging them to combine their strengths and work as a team, just like the unfortunate human beings they are hunting. |
 "Four weary humans work together in an apocalyptic world overrun by grotesque zombies, collectively known as the "infected," in this sequel to 2008's third-person shooter, Left 4 Dead. In addition to the new protagonists and five new campaigns, the game offers more enemy types to battle and adds a slew of weapons to improve your chance of survival. Joining the hunters, tanks, smokers, and boomers from the first game are jockeys, chargers, and spitters. Jockeys are short creatures that leap on the backs of characters and steer them toward dangers. Chargers are hulking brutes that run quickly toward characters and use their powerful arms to slam victims to the ground. Spitters spew out projectile acid that can also form deadly pools on the ground. Each campaign area, ranging from a Coney Island-style amusement park to a Louisiana bayou, also contains distinct enemies to face. The "Dark Carnival" campaign, for example, features zombies wearing clown makeup, while "Swamp Fever" features creatures known as mudmen. New weapons and tools include a katana, baseball bat, grenade launcher, hand axe, Desert Eagle, military sniper rifle, chainsaw, MK17 assault rifle, and a defibrillator to revive fallen foes. In addition to the co-op campaigns and both the survival and versus modes from the original, Left 4 Dead 2 introduces a new multiplayer mode entitled "scavenge." As a survivor, your goal is to locate and collect 16 gas cans on each map before time expires, all while user-controlled members of the infected try to thwart your progress. |
 "The Dynamic Duo hits the bricks in LEGO Batman: The Videogame. In the game's main campaign, players take control of Batman and Robin for familiar bust-and-build action and puzzle-solving adventure through more than a dozen levels of Gotham City -- re-created completely from Lego brand toy building blocks, of course. There are plenty of thugs, goons, and even supervillians ready for a brawl along the way, and Bat-gadgets, vehicles, and a special-purpose "tech suits" allow the Caped Crusaders to make their way through various precarious situations. Once the good guys have won the day, another full campaign has players taking the roles of the bad guys, including favorites such as the Joker, Catwoman, Mister Freeze, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, the Riddler, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and others. Different characters have different abilities, and it sometimes takes teamwork to overcome an obstacle and progress to the next area. As in the earlier Lego games, collection quests and other side activities may allow players to create even quirkier mixes and matches. LEGO Batman is the first co-production of Warner Bros. Interactive and its 2007 acquisition, TT Games, which includes developer Traveller's Tales. The game features the humor, action, and family-friendly presentation found in the developer's popular LEGO Star Wars games, while incorporating characters and content from nearly 70 years of Batman comics, cartoons, television shows, movies, and music available under the publisher's license. |
 "Young wizard Harry Potter and friends get the LEGO treatment in this continuation of TT Games' best-selling video game series. Based on the popular building toy line, Harry Potter: Years 1-4 features scenes, characters, and locales from the first four films, offering cooperative-based action viewed from a third-person perspective. The whimsical sense of humor from previous titles in the series, which include takes on Batman, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones, is once again a key part of the experience. Control Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and other notables while attending classes, earning house points, soaring on broomsticks, conjuring magic, and more. Explore Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest, Hogsmeade, and of course, Hogwarts castle, to solve puzzles, confront challenges, unlock secrets, and battle foes. |
 "The LEGO version of literary and film sensation Harry Potter comes to a conclusion with Years 5-7, introducing new locales, characters, and challenges to players as they battle the forces of evil. In contrast with the first LEGO Harry Potter, Years 5-7 features more exploration, puzzle-solving sequences, and magic. In addition to Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade, players will visit such venues as Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic, and Godric's Hollow as they prepare for the final confrontation with Lord Voldemort. Of course, the LEGO series is known for its humorous spin on familiar events, and players can expect the same whimsical approach to the cinematics and encounters as in previous entries. |
 "Players return to a virtual playroom re-creation of the iconic movie series in LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. As in LEGO Indy's Original Adventures, gamers play through famous scenes from the films, with 3D characters and settings created completely from colorful LEGO building blocks. The 2009 sequel game features scenes from all four feature films, including the most recent Indiana Jones movie, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Some characters have new moves since the first game, and new vehicles are available to re-create well-known movie scenes on boats, motorcycles, and mine carts. In a feature new to the LEGO movie game series, players can also create their own levels, using an almost unlimited supply of blocks. Custom levels can be built completely from scratch, or created by altering and adding to the pre-designed levels included in the game. As in the Indiana Jones original and other LEGO movie games (LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Harry Potter, LEGO Batman), players can collect objects hidden throughout the game world to unlock playable characters. More than 60 hidden artifacts in The Adventure Continues can be collected and used to unlock Crystal Skull characters, such as Marion Ravenwood and Mutt Williams, as well as supporting characters and villains from throughout the film series, such as Short Round and Indy's father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. |
 ""Building" on the success of LEGO Star Wars, LucasArts allows another of its signature properties to receive the interactive toy treatment. Famed archaeologist Indiana Jones takes his whip-cracking, pistol-packing persona into the lighthearted realm of LEGO in this homage to the rogue explorer's first three movies. Players begin their adventures in the world of academia, Barnett College, where Dr. Jones teaches archaeology. The institution serves as a jumping point for each of the three films, where players will revisit memorable scenes on their way to recovering the Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara Stones, and the Holy Grail. The game offers 18 levels divided equally among three chapters. Indy can use his whip to swing across chasms, fight enemies, or break apart objects to reveal coins. As in LEGO Star Wars, a second player can join in at any time for cooperative action online or off. Each character has specific roles and even phobias, such as Satipo's ability to dig up treasure or Indy's fear of snakes. Thus, players will frequently need to switch between characters to solve puzzles or complete tasks. Over 60 playable characters include Sallah, Mola Ram, Marion Ravenwood, Short Round, Marcus Brody, and Toht. To appeal to the family friendly spirit of the toy series, Nazi references and symbols were removed in favor of a generic "cult" dressed in trench coats. |
 "Clone troopers and droids engage in comical battles in this continuation of the best-selling LEGO Star Wars series. Choose from an assortment of characters featured in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (as well as classic heroes such as Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca) while engaging in brick-on-brick combat and using character-specific abilities to solve puzzles. More than 20 missions are included along with 40 bonus levels set throughout the Clone Wars timeline. The action once again takes place from a third-person viewpoint set behind the LEGO characters, but you'll now be able to control multiple teams in different locales by swapping between groups with a button press. In addition to on-foot missions, you'll journey through the stars in spaceships or steer ground vehicles such the clone turbo tank. Simultaneous and split-screen multiplayer support is also included with drop-in and drop-out play. |
 "The surreal yet successful melding of the plastic LEGO universe and the fantastic Star Wars universe continues in LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Combining the stories of Episode I through III from the original LEGO Star Wars with the classic tales from LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, The Complete Saga lets gamers of all ages enjoy light-hearted action taken directly from all six Star Wars blockbusters. More than just a bundling of the two previous games, The Complete Saga features new story mode levels like Episode II's high-speed chase of bounty hunter Zam Wessell, new characters like Aayla Secura and Watto, and an updated character creator. There are more than 160 existing characters from which to choose, or players can get creative and make original heroes like Qui-Gon Solo or evil annoyances like Jar Jar the Hut. Enhanced Force powers let gamers literally knock the blocks off of enemies in 36 different story mode levels, and players can use the special attributes of each character to reach secret areas in free play mode. New challenge modes reward diligent gamers with special LEGO stud bonuses, and a two-player online co-op mode means far away friends can get together and kick some brick. |
 "An original sci-fi shooter from the developers of Dead Rising, Lost Planet takes place in an arctic wasteland populated by aliens and a ragtag group of pirates. The world, E.D.N. III, is home to the Akrid, an insect-like race that is threatened by an encroaching human colony. As a snow pirate named Wayne, your goal is to harvest the Akrid for the thermal energy necessary for mankind's survival. The harsh weather and hostile creatures require a bit more than the average snowsuit, so players can strap themselves into armor-plated, bipedal machines called Vital Suits. These suits can be outfitted with a variety of high-powered armaments, from plasma rifles and machine guns to rocket launchers and grenades. Lost Planet features a third-person viewpoint and emphasizes frenetic action across 11 distinct stages. Targeting is automatic and missions are structured in a linear fashion, each culminating in a boss fight against a deadly mix of organic and mechanical creatures. Cinematic cut-scenes delve into Wayne's mysterious past, while destructible environments lead to new Vital Suits being discovered for alternate attack and transportation forms. Xbox Live support for up to 16 combatants is also included in a variety of game modes. In addition to the kill-or-be-killed elimination and team elimination formats, players can race to control five outposts or work together to take out an armed fugitive. Lost Planet is available in both a standard and limited edition. The latter includes a metal case, a book of concept art, and additional multimedia content. |
 "Heroes from two disparate publishers come together for three-on-three brawls in this continuation of the Marvel vs. Capcom tag-team fighting series. Projectile attacks, slams, jump kicks, punches, and over-the-top "hyper" combos are all possible with your choice of 32 characters. Representing Marvel are Iron Man, Deadpool, Storm, Magneto, Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, She-Hulk, Doctor Doom, Wolverine, Super-Skrull, X-23, Phoenix, M.O.D.O.K., and Dormammu. Characters lifted from Capcom's vaults include Mike Haggar, Viewtiful Joe, Dante, Ryu, Morrigan, Chris Redfield, Felicia, Chun-Li, Trish, Amaterasu, Tron Bonne, Wesker, Nathan Spencer, Zero, Crimson Viper, and Arthur. A simple mode lets those new to the series perform combos with a single button press, while other difficulty settings require more intricate controls but rewards players with more attacks to choose from. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 also includes online support in a number of tournament-style play modes. |
 "The heroism of one brave human being could have a massive effect on the entire galaxy, in this original sci-fi RPG from Bioware. Players take the customizable role of a celebrated starship captain, who is exploring the fringes of known space when the story begins. Mass Effect is set soon after human beings have discovered the secrets to interstellar travel, and the people of Earth were both surprised and challenged to find that the universe is full of intelligent races that are far more advanced than they. However, it may very well be those human ties to a more primal nature that ultimately save all the space-faring species from destruction. Built on a third-generation version of the Unreal game engine, Mass Effect features real-time combat, in which players take limited command of a three-soldier squad. Decisions made by the hero, both in the heat of battle and in sophisticated role-playing sequences, will affect many details and may even influence the final outcome of the plot. Mass Effect is intended as the first of a trilogy of Xbox 360 games from BioWare. Between the launches of each full game in the series, the developer intends to release additional levels, side-stories, and other Mass Effect material through the Xbox Live service. |
 "The series that introduced "bullet-time" gunplay for dramatic and artful slow-motion shooting sequences returns after a seven-year hiatus with Max Payne 3. The gritty and vengeful protagonist, whose family was viciously murdered by drug addicts, has left his role as a New York City detective to start a clean slate in another country: Sao Paulo, Brazil. Yet Payne cannot escape the violence that has tragically shaped his character. Twelve years after the events from the second game, Payne finds himself victim of a double cross. An older, wearier Payne must once again rely on his primal instincts to find a way out of his quandary. The action takes place from a third-person perspective as Payne utilizes an assortment of weapons to mete out his distinctive brand of justice. For the first time in the series, Max Payne 3 includes a multiplayer component that has players earning experience, acquiring skills, and completing objectives in a sequence of events. Players will choose a faction and then battle the opposing team, using bullet-time and slow-motion dodges to gain a tactical edge on the competition. Objectives range from collecting duffel bags of money to disarming bombs to conquering territory. |
 "Taking cues from the Call of Duty franchise it helped spawn, EA resurrects its floundering first-person shooter series by moving it from WWII into 21st-century Afghanistan in Medal of Honor. Taking place in 2001, when the U.S. military began combat operations against the Taliban, Medal of Honor puts particular emphasis on special operations soldiers from throughout the armed forces, known as Tier 1 Operators. Single-player missions are primarily focused on Tier 1 soldiers as they stealthily target Al-Qaeda strongholds, but gamers will also engage in frenzied firefights as an Army Ranger, and serve as the gunner on an Apache helicopter. Developer Danger Close Games stressed reverence for soldiers and authenticity in Medal of Honor, working closely with military veterans, featuring 24 real-world weapons, and ensuring that all of the action showcases the stark juxtaposition between Afghanistan's natural mountainous beauty and the hollowed-out Soviet tanks and crumbling buildings that indicate the decades of perpetual combat that have plagued the country. The multiplayer component of Medal of Honor is handled by EA DICE, the studio behind the well-regarded Battlefield: Bad Company series, and the action once again draws some inspiration from Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare games, with combatants persistently progressing to higher ranks, unlocking new weapons, and earning special bonuses for kill streaks. Players can choose from the Rifleman, Sniper, and Special Ops character classes and then battle across eight different maps as a member of either the "Coalition" forces or the Opposing Force "Insurgents," with all four game modes supporting up to 24 combatants. The "Team Assault" mode functions as a traditional team deathmatch, with both sides attempting to amass a certain number of points, while "Sector Control" mode finds gamers attempting to dominate smaller sections of each map in order to earn points. The "Objective Raid" mode gives players five minutes to capture or defend two objectives on the map, and the "Combat Mission" mode is a slower, story-driven campaign in which Coalition forces are tasked with capturing five consecutive objectives, while the Insurgents must prevent them from progressing. Medal of Honor also features a "Hardcore" mode, in which the mini-map and weapon crosshairs are removed, health does not regenerate, ammo cannot be acquired from fallen enemies, and players can be injured by friendly fire. |
 "Konami's 2011 holiday-season presentation of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection contains graphically enhanced remakes of three previously released games: the PS2's Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and the PSP's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The games run at 60 frames-per-second in 720p, and interfaces have been fine-tuned for Xbox 360 controllers, with features such as vibration feedback and right-stick formatting. Multiplayer modes from Peace Walker are available online through Xbox Live, along with co-op play. The masterpiece series of luminary designer Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid games are known for adventuresome stealth action in modern, military situations, for tightly woven narratives that project universal, philosophical themes, and for their enigmatic protagonist, the loner special operative Solid Snake. In Sons of Liberty, he infiltrates an ocean-bound tanker, hijacked by rogue soldiers. Snake Eater challenges the hero to survive terrorist threats a hostile wilderness. In Peace Walker, players command operatives in third-person action and real-time tactics missions. |
 "Metro 2033 is a first-person adventure of fast-paced shooter combat, with a strong narrative. Based on the same-titled sci-fi novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky, the game is set in the subway systems beneath Moscow, in the aftermath of World War III. Toxic atmosphere and mutant monstrosities have forced the world's few known human survivors underground, where each subway station has come to serve as a sort of sovereign city-state. Players take the role of Artyom, who was born before the apocalypse but has lived his entire life underground. The play of the game leads the hero to gain knowledge and gather equipment as he progresses through the story. He finds increasingly powerful guns and other special-use weapons in his travels, but ammunition is so valuable a commodity that it has come to serve as currency in the underground, dystopian realm. Eventually, with the use of a gas mask, Artyom may venture above ground to search for additional equipment, yet the greatest dangers may lie below, where the territorial and ideological rivalries of human nature continue to drive people into deadly competition, even in the wake of the destruction of the world by human warfare. His unique insight on a terrible truth forces Artyom from the relative safety of the underground station that has been the only home he has known, to deliver a fateful warning to the other survivors who are rumored to live throughout the vast, subterranean rail network. As he follows his mission to a far-distant subway station, Artyom encounters constant challenges to his combat skills and equipment, as well as to his fundamental belief in the inherent good of the human species and his convictions for its survival. |
 "The first-ever high-def first-person platform game, Mirror's Edge is an edgy, action-driven adventure starring Faith, a skyscraper daredevil whose specialty is flips, twists, and tumbles through a 3D obstacle course of rooftops, ledges, and wires. To say that Faith takes parkour to new heights would be an understatement. It's her job to be fast and elusive, and acrobatic escapes through the highest of futuristic high-rises are all in a day's work for her. Then again, sometimes it is better to take an opponent by surprise -- disarm him, or worse, with a quick kick or flurry of punches, before making an easy escape. The game is designed to pose Faith with multiple solutions to her puzzles and predicaments, and multiple paths to a quick demise as well. A key dynamic in this stream-of-motion play style is the "flow," which gives the player visual indications of possible routes, from rooftop to rooftop and beyond. Players devise on-the-spot strategies, to evade or attack enemies and to reach for goals that can change, literally, with every leap of Faith. Faith works as a Runner -- a sort of secret, rogue courier. The city is controlled by an all-knowing government that truly wants to know all, and so the ability for one person to get a private package through to another person without the authorities taking a peek inside is highly valuable. It is also highly dangerous, involving death-defying routes to run, and the constant threat of being discovered and chased down. When her sister is framed for an assassination, however, the city becomes a lot more dangerous for Faith. No longer is she running for the job -- she is running for her life. |
 "The definitively violent Mortal Kombat fighting game series is re-invented on high-definition consoles in its ninth full production, a plainly titled release that both moves the supernatural combat action forward and returns it to its roots. Rendered in full 3D, the hand-to-hand battles play out strictly on a 2D plane, as in the original Mortal Kombat games for 16-bit consoles, emphasizing keenly timed blocks, counter-moves, and ranged attacks. More so than in any recent Mortal Kombat game, the fighting action is designed for true hardcore players, with each character presenting a deep system of special attacks to master and relative weaknesses to overcome. Each character can also execute a full-fledged fatality move, in classic MK form. Leaving aside the inter-dimensional diversions of the most recent Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the game's unusually involving single-player story begins after the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, but then returns to the events of the first three games to revisit the series' original lore. Gaining a trans-temporal awareness, the enigmatic thunder-god Raiden is central to the plot, but gamers take the roles of several different combatants as they progress through the campaign. In all, over two-dozen characters are playable in this edition of Mortal Kombat, each uniquely modeled and individually animated. Multiplayer fighting is thoroughly supported, in both same-console and online options, with a selection of competitive and cooperative modes. |
 "THQ's best-selling racing series continues with MX vs. ATV Alive. Licensed vehicles under three MX and two ATV engine types are available for racing on ten courses. A new play mechanic called "bar-to-bar racing" is introduced in this version, which refers to the frequency of contact between riders for more intense competition. Other notable changes include improved terrain deformation, with riders altering the terrain in real time after every lap, as well as a revamped control scheme designed to bridge the gap between hardcore and rookie racers. AMA Supercross Champion James Stewart appears in multiple videos to show racing techniques and tips for correcting collisions, sticking landings, and more. In addition to Stewart, playable riders include Nick Wey, Alex Martin, Ian Trettel, and Tarah Geiger. New courses, vehicles, gear, and play modes can be purchased separately as part of the game's downloadable content service. |
 "A key feature introduced in the Reflex edition of Rainbow Studios' off-road series is independent control of the rider from the ride. The game's trick system allows players to make their character perform free form switches, extensions, and more, while the vehicle continues along its own trajectory. Under the new system, players can also control their riders to shift weight and momentum and pull their bike or four-wheeler back from the brink of a big spill, staying on track and out of the ditch. The control system is designed for intuitive movements, with high-flying hilltop stunts and balanced acceleration through corners and in valleys. The game's terrain effects allow the track to change during the race, as riders knock the dirt around, or even dig out a new path through the malleable earth. The vehicles themselves are deformable as well, with real-time damage in competitive events. Races are set in a variety of international locations, including tracks in the U.S. and Europe. The revamped game engine emphasizes the traction and handling on different surfaces such as mud, packed dirt, and snow. A variety of vehicles is available, including event-specific MX motorcycles, ATV four-wheelers, super-buggies, and specialized off-road racing trucks. The high-def graphics have been updated, for granular detail several times greater than in the polygonal rendering of previous MX vs. ATV games. Multiplayer modes are available for online-connected gamers, with new "Snake" and "Tag" modes, as well as the standard off-road racing set-ups. |
 "Gamers speed up nearly vertical mountains, vault over chasms, and plummet hundreds of feet to the racetrack below through 14 extreme off-road courses in Nail'd. The arcade-style action finds players climbing aboard a variety or quads and dirtbikes and then careening through fantastical landscapes at breakneck speeds. The Nail'd physics engine allows for full control of in-air vehicles, letting gamers shorten or lengthen their jumps and change their descent angles to shave precious seconds off of their lap times. Players can customize their vehicles with a variety of parts, components, and design schemes, and then head online to compete in 12-racer multiplayer action and global tournaments. |
 "The NBA 2K series makes its second appearance on Xbox with further refinements to the visuals, sound, and controls. The right analog "shot stick" introduced in NBA 2K6 returns for this installment, with players able to directly control specific shot types as well as steals, blocks, and more without having to press a button. The same flexibility is offered in the passing game, where players can choose to perform bounce passes or lobs. A more dynamic presentation with television-style camera angles is also an area of focus. Yet the biggest change involves instilling a sense of personality into the league's biggest stars, embodied by new signature-style animations and player-specific moves. The VIP system that monitors a user's playing tendencies and performance returns, as does Xbox Live support for each of the main game modes. A revamped streetball game and tweaks to the franchise mode, dubbed the "Association," round out the list of improvements to the heralded hardwood simulation. |
 "The long-running Need for Speed series races into new territory with this cross-platform, cross-generational release. Most Wanted is built upon many of the fan favorite features and modes from previous games in the series, including a forgiving yet credible physics engine, vehicles of real-life makes and models, and state-of-the-art graphics. As the previous Need for Speed: Underground, much of the game is styled around the illicit street racing scene, and as in earlier games such as Need for Speed III and Hot Pursuit 2, many of the Most Wanted's challenges involve not only getting from one place to another in the fastest time, but avoiding ambitious law enforcement officers (in souped-up vehicles of their own) all along the way. |
 "The Need for Speed series makes a significant departure from previous entries with "The Run," which has players on a high-speed race across the country. Your goal is to make it from San Francisco to New York City as quickly as possible while trying to outmaneuver those pursuing you -- from law enforcement to the mob -- and outwitting your competition. Each destination is broken down into a series of time-sensitive stages that has you completing specific objectives before you can advance. You'll need to swerve to avoid spotlights and bullet fire from a pursuing helicopter, for example, or make it out of a city before time expires. For the first time in the series, you'll engage in on-foot sequences as well as driving missions. Your car will periodically crash during the course of your travels, at which point you'll have to continue on foot. Rather than directly control your character, you'll instead rely on scripted quick-time events to dodge bullets, leap across rooftops, engage in hand-to-hand combat, and more. Successfully tap the right button at the precise time to continue the action. |
 "The 2008 release in Electronic Arts' high-mileage road-racing series, Need for Speed: Undercover is built on a revamped game engine with a dual focus: realistic sports car physics and accessible, empowering controls. Hundreds of components and systems are individually modeled on each automobile, for realistic acceleration, suspension, weight displacement, and handling, in any car and under any circumstance. The game features dozens of automobiles from the world's leading manufacturers, as well as real-life aftermarket parts, paint, vinyl, and other customizations. The "Heroic Driving Engine" introduced in Need for Speed: Undercover aims to harness the game's realistic physics by condensing difficult, dangerous driving maneuvers into simple, button-press controls. Players perform 180s, 360s, burnouts, and instant reversals with the tap of a few buttons, and a fixed camera angle makes it easier to follow the action through spins and quick turns. It does not take stunt driver skills to drive like a stunt driver in Need for Speed. It still requires a stunt driver's spirit, however, with imaginative routes and daring maneuvers well rewarded, and a complete wipeout always one wrong turn away. Undercover's single-player campaign is driven by a story that sends the player's character deep into an underground crime syndicate, using his driving skills to gain trust by performing jobs and wining street races around Tri-City Bay, the game's fictional, open-world setting. Much of the driving action takes place across wide, southern U.S. highways. The roads can fill up with randomly generated traffic and multiple, computer-controlled cop cars that work together to chase down crooks. Other game modes allow players to take the role of the fleeing suspect or the pursuing police in one-off levels and challenges. As many as eight players can go Undercover together online. |
 "The third installment of Take Two's NHL 2K series on Xbox 360 features completely remodeled player graphics, updated faces, and even new player-specific equipment -- all part of the developer's effort to showcase "next-gen" visuals. While the presentation is the most obvious change in NHL 2K8, a number of other enhancements are included. The goaltending AI of previous games has been scrapped in favor of a new system that incorporates more dynamic, situation-specific behaviors instead of predictable, pre-defined routines. The animations have changed accordingly, as goalies now guard the post, perform dramatic butterfly saves, leave the crease to challenge puck handlers, and more. Other significant features include a revamped control scheme built around the right analog stick, a different face-off system, and a franchise mode with added layers of depth. Waivers, two-way contracts, salary caps, holdouts, free agents, a player progression system, and an improved off-season are just a few of the details would-be GMs must deal with. All other game modes from previous titles are available in NHL 2K8, from the option to create custom athletes to competing online via Xbox Live. Online players have a special incentive to show off their hockey skills: by entering the official Dodge-sponsored NHL 2K8 tournament, players can win a new car. |
 "Strong, silent Ryu Hayabusa sharpens his sword for another acrobatic adventure through deadly environments in this exclusive sequel on Xbox 360. The action once again takes place from a third-person perspective set behind the nimble ninja, with highly cinematic showdowns taking place amidst exotic locales. Acclaimed designer Tomonobu Itagaki has altered the original title's fast-paced combat system to incorporate new weapons, attacks, and special finishing moves called "obliteration techniques." In an attempt to appease those who thought the original game was too challenging, the developers have included an automatic health regeneration system and a choice of four difficulty levels, ranging from "acolyte" to "master ninja." The all-new story mode follows Ryu in his trek from Tokyo to New York to a demon-populated netherworld. While the game is still strictly a single-player experience, Xbox Live subscribers will be able to record, modify, and post film clips of their most manic maneuvers for the online world to enjoy. |
 "Taking a more realistic approach to military combat than many of its contemporaries, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is set on the fictitious Russian island of Skira, a target of acquisition by the Chinese PLA. Your mission, as a soldier in the U.S. Marine Corps, is to forcefully address the situation before full-scale war erupts between the two countries. How you achieve your objectives is up to you, with the game allowing you the freedom to decide on the best course of action in a wide-open world. Employ real-life military strategies, issuing commands to flank, assault, and suppress, while guiding your squad into buildings, adjusting formations, and reacting to an enemy that will alter its tactics in real time. You can also commandeer tanks, jeeps, attack helicopters, and many other vehicles to complete mission goals. Up to eight players can battle each other online in various team-oriented multiplayer modes. |
 "Joanna Dark, that Rare heroine who raised the bar for console shooters with her near-perfect 2000 debut on Nintendo 64, returns to her past with new purpose (and on a new platform), in this 2005 launch title for the Xbox 360. As the title implies, this game is a prequel to the N64 game, set before the original's twisted story of corporate conspiracy. Gamers are challenged to guide Joanna through training as a rookie operative, and help her earn the "perfect" test scores that inspired her ominous nickname. The earlier setting should not imply that all has been said and done, however; while the game's storyline may answer old questions about Joanna and her background, it also poses plenty of new questions of its own. In addition to its story-driven single-player mode, as Xbox aficionados and fans of the series might expect, Perfect Dark Zero features a variety of cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, including split-screen shooting for up to four, and online action through the Xbox Live subscription service, capable of hosting more than 50 human players in a single map. |
 "Publisher Valve's sleeper hit of 2007 returns with a new single-player story mode, two-player cooperative action, and new physics-based challenges to overcome. As in the original game, Portal 2 involves figuring out a way through a series of rooms within Aperture Science Labs, a futuristic facility that exists within the Half-Life universe. You'll fire a portal gun to create openings and exits within each area, allowing you to traverse the environment and manipulate objects in unusual ways. The GLaDOS computer once again serves as your droll guide through the game, as you navigate the hazard-filled test chambers and encounter new characters along the way. The cooperative mode is notable for featuring a distinct campaign, separate playable characters, completely different test chambers, and reworked puzzles that rely on teamwork. |
 "In Prey, players take the role of a disgruntled indigenous native named Tommy, searching the ship for a way out while blasting slimy space monsters and other vile creatures. Based on Cherokee mythology, the game centers on Tommy, his spiritual powers gained from an unknown birthright, and the nifty things he can do with them such as the "Spirit Walk" and "Death Walk." Portal technology used in the game allow enemies to appear out of nowhere, while Tommy's spiritual awakening will have him walking on walls and leaving his body by doing the "Spirit Walk." The living ship will attack Tommy any chance it gets, but a friendly guide in the form of a hawk can help guide him through the ship and decipher the alien language when needed. The Xbox 360 version of the game takes full advantage of Xbox Live, and up to eight players may defy gravity, blast aliens, and "Death Walk" together. |
 "In Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, Konami's critically acclaimed soccer series maintains its focus on a smooth, realistic simulation of the sport. Exclusive to the series this year is a Union of European Football Associations Champions mode of play, featuring a top-tier selection of real-life players, teams, and stadiums that participate in UEFA league play. Over 20 National teams and 40 Club teams are available for play under this license, in venues such as Stockholm Arena, Camp Nou, and Wembley Stadium. PES 2009 boasts a number of presentational improvements over the previous year's game, using a new engine for sharper graphics and smoother animations, at higher resolutions and from additional camera angles. Computer-controlled teammates and opponents are designed to constantly strive for the best position on the field, through an enhanced "Teamvision" system. As in earlier Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution games, teams and players may be edited, and a USB camera can be used to import custom player face and team logo graphics. |
 "Konami's best-selling soccer series returns with updated features designed around consumer feedback. The analog controls now allow for full 360° movement, the AI for both referees and goalkeepers has been adjusted, and there are more feints and special moves available on the pitch. Over 300 moves have been added in total, with new animations for dribbling, turning, and kicking. Other refinements include more expressive player faces, dynamic lighting, enhanced stadium details, and new crowd chants and cheers. The franchise-style Master League mode adds depth with new fiscal responsibilities, corporate sponsorships, and youth team coaching. Online play is once again supported with a two-on-two option as well as an assortment of new competitions to enter. |
 "Konami's "Winning" soccer series makes its 2012 return to the pitch, with play enhancements that give gamers more direct control of the ball and improvements to the artificial intelligence that controls teammates and opponents. "Off the Ball Control" allows gamers to move a cursor to quickly highlight and select any team player at any time. The game's "Pass Support" is adjustable through five settings, providing computer-assisted passes or allowing complete player control of a kick's direction and velocity. New interactions and animations and highlight the bumps and jostles as opposing players race down the field, battling for the ball. Teammates anticipate passes, accounting for movement down the field, and referees are designed to be more sensitive to the flow of the game. Following earlier games in the series, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 includes the teams, tournaments, and athletes of the Union of European Football Associations, and features the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions. |
 "Project Gotham Racing makes its second appearance on Xbox 360 with several key additions, from a dynamically changing weather system to the option of racing motorcycles alongside the iconic sports cars. The predecessor's five cities have been updated with new visual effects and enhancements, including red-and-white "rumble strips" to more easily identify approaching turns, and drivers can now tear up the streets in four international locales: Macau, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, and Quebec. A tenth venue, the fictitious Michelin Test Track, is patterned after traditional NASCAR courses for special invitational events in the single-player career mode. The kudos system of earning points for flashy moves returns, but now players will receive star ratings for combos and computer AI drivers will more aggressively compete for kudos. The career mode is more fleshed out and personalized compared to previous versions, with loyal fans following your driver to each event, wearing clothing with your logo or waving your home country's flag, and with a television-style atmosphere complete with camera crews and running commentary. The licensed vehicle list has expanded to 120 models, including such classics as a Corvette Sting Ray, a Maserati 250F, a Toyota Supra Turbo, and a DeLorean DMC-12. In addition to the career mode (which spans 200 races and includes new garages for storing vehicles), users can participate in 70 arcade-style events or compete in eight-player online races via Xbox Live. New event types include "survivor" and "superstar," with the latter testing a player's skill in completing tricks within time limits. A new "Team Play" online mode has four friends creating a racing team and working together to take out other top-ranked teams. The Gotham TV option introduced in PGR 3 also returns with an "on demand" feature that not only lets users share photos and streaming video, but also search for specific footage or players by keyword. |
 "Prototype is an open-ended action-adventure game that puts players in the role of a smart young scientist named Alex Mercer -- in a sense, the title role. Alex has been infected with a virus that gives him amazing powers of genetic manipulation, allowing him to alter his physical form. By adjusting his biomass at will, he can leap and safely fall from great heights. He can detect smoke-screened enemies or other infected beings with enhanced vision. He can transform his arms into cutting blades or heavy sledgehammers. He also can take the shape, and even the memories, of opponents he defeats and "consumes." Alex once worked for an innovative and influential genetics research firm, but his memories have been taken from him. He is now alone, in an evacuated New York City. To survive, he must hunt. What Alex hunts is left largely to the player. Is the true enemy Blackwatch, the Army's special force dedicated to eliminating the virus in every form, including Alex? Or is the ultimate threat the virus itself, which threatens to consume all life on the planet, including humankind? The adventure uses non-linear mission structures and an expansive, open sandbox setting to push players to their own answers. Alex gets around by leap and bounds, and he can make parkour-style runs up the sides of buildings. In combat, his ability to shift his physical structure puts deadly melee weapons and bulletproof shields at his immediate disposal. Often, even greater damage is done through subterfuge, as the ability to assume another's persona allows for deep and deadly infiltration. |
 "Pure is an off-road racing title featuring ATVs and fast-paced, arcade-style action. The object isn't merely to cross the finish line before your 15 opponents, but to perform a variety of flashy stunts while hurtling down mountains, leaping off cliffs, and motoring across rugged terrain. A three-tier trick system (basic, advanced, and pro) is initiated simply by tapping one of the controller's face buttons, with the analog stick used to modify or tweak each acrobatic feat. As with titles in the SSX series, performing tricks in Pure fills a boost meter that lets you travel at high speeds in short bursts or in one extended stretch. Multiple characters are available to race in a choice of real-world locales, including Ocotillo Wells, Lake Garda, Sandy Mountain, and Timber Falls. Up to 16 players can compete online in an assortment of competitive challenges. |
 "The forces of Earth take the offensive in Quake IV, in an effort to eliminate the Strogg menace at its source, once and for all. The fourth edition of id's popular first-person shooter returns to its roots, to offer single-players an extensive adventure in the role of a soldier named Matthew Kane. Ultimately, Kane may be called upon to sacrifice a bit of his humanness, for the sake of humanity's ultimate victory. While boasting substantial graphical and audio improvements as well, significant refinements to the A.I., the single-player portion of Quake IV holds true to the originals, and the story picks up where Quake II left off. The Xbox Live multiplayer modes of Quake IV should feel much more reminiscent of Quake III, with their large weapon selection, diverse battle arenas, and intense, kill-or-be-killed gunplay. |
 "Rage is a first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world. You'll battle an assortment of mutants, creatures, and gang members with a mix of conventional and unconventional weapons, from pistols and shotguns to crossbows with electric arrows and an edged boomerang called the "wingstick." Also featured in the game are armored dune buggies and ATVs, allowing players to more easily traverse the deadly environments, engage in car combat, and enter optional races to earn money and increase their fame. The world in Rage features two main cities, large expanses of hostile terrain, and several adjacent outposts. In addition to the single-player campaign, which spans an estimated 15 hours in length, Rage features two multiplayer game types. In "Rage Combat Rally," you'll use the game's vehicles to shoot down rivals, cross checkpoints, and more. "Legends of the Wasteland" is a two-player co-op mode featuring eight scenarios set in different areas from the solo campaign. The Rage: Anarchy Edition offers access to an exclusive double-barreled shotgun, the "Fists of Rage," the "Rat Rod Buggy," and the "Crimson Elite" armor. |
 "Red Dead Redemption is an open-world adventure game, set in the Wild West at the beginning of the 20th century. A well-defined main character and a strong narrative provide the structure for mission-based progression through the adventure, but the sandbox-style game world allows players to explore and interact as they wish, moving from town to town through the harsh wilderness on horseback, by stagecoach, or on a train. Throughout their travels, players can hunt and skin wild animals, gamble, capture bounties, engage in duels, search for treasure, and help those in need. The game is built on the same Rockstar software engine that runs Grand Theft Auto IV, and the user-directed action-adventure playing style is similar to that of GTA4 as well, although the setting is very different. More of a successor than a direct sequel to 2004's Red Dead Revolver, Redemption puts players in control of a former outlaw looking to make good. John Marston is on a mission to bring an old ally to justice, and perhaps to bring a little law and order to the outposts and boomtowns he passes through along the way. Marston once rode with a gang of outlaws who robbed trains, held folks for ransom, and killed nearly anyone who got in their way, to take whatever they wanted. Now, as part of a bargain to protect his own family back home, he must use his violent skill set to apprehend or gun down a former partner called Bill Williamson -- a bandit at least as ruthless and deadly as Marston ever was. |
 "Red Faction: Guerrilla is a shooter that eschews its series predecessors' confined paths and first-person view in favor of a third-person perspective set in a vast open-world landscape. One thing the series hasn't changed, however, is its revolutionary tone. The original Red Faction found gamers rebelling against a corrupt Martian mining corporation, Red Faction II saw players back on Earth taking down a totalitarian regime, and Red Faction: Guerrilla finds gamers rising up again, this time against an Earth Defense Force (EDF) that has grown corrupt in its occupation of Mars. Players assume the role of Alec Mason, a young man who, much like Red Faction's protagonist Parker, came to Mars to work as a miner, but soon found himself in the middle of a proletariat insurrection. As Mason, gamers can freely explore six zones of an expansive Martian landscape, ambushing EDF convoys, joining fellow revolutionaries, attacking military outposts, and exploring mines, industrial compounds, and thriving cities. Players can use an array of different weapons, from futuristic military fare like nano-rifles to improvised armaments like arc welders, and a variety of machines, such as armored personnel carriers, tanks, and mining excavators, can be hijacked and used against the enemy. The "Geo-Mod 2.0" engine expands on the series' acclaimed emphasis on destructible environments, allowing gamers to systematically destroy any man-made object, from bridges, to huts, to towering skyscrapers. Red Faction: Guerrilla also puts its destructive engine on display in several different multiplayer game modes, including "M.A.Y.H.E.M.," "Fall Guy," and "Rampage." |
 "Arising from the same unholy concoction as its immediate predecessor in the series, Resident Evil 5 looks like a third-person shooter, plays like a first-person shooter, and feels like a survival-horror game. As in the acclaimed Resident Evil 4, an up-close, over-the-shoulder perspective allows players to see the heroes in action. Accessible aiming controls and fluid graphics make for quick, intuitive weapon use. Creepy settings, un-human enemies, and keen pacing create experiences of tense exploration, startling surprise, and overwhelmingly outnumbered desperation. The first in the Resident Evil series designed for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the game presents its horrors in high-definition, built on a custom-enhanced version of Capcom's MT Framework game engine. The story takes place in Africa, in the fictional desert country of Kijuju. The game is set about a ten years after the events of the original Resident Evil, and features the original game's character Chris Redfield in the lead role. He is accompanied by a skilled mercenary named Sheva Alomar. The two make a good team, and many of the most challenging situations in the game are best overcome with teamwork. When one of the two characters has been subdued or wounded, the other can "help" or "heal" with the press of a button. Other circumstances call for particular solutions, such as one player drawing enemies out of cover while the other picks them off with rifle shots from a safer location. Both characters are agents of a international group known as the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (or BSAA), on a mission to investigate the origins of the nefarious Tyrant virus, variants of which have been responsible for turning ordinary people and animals into mindless, zombie-like killing machines throughout the Resident Evil series. The game's levels are a mix of spooky, scripted runs and open-ended battles that develop dynamically. Although facing surprise attacks and overwhelming odds, a run-and-gun approach won't last; it takes situational tactics and good ammo management to make it through each stage. Online multiplayer co-op is available throughout the game, in which one player controls Chris and the other controls Sheva. |
 "Capcom's long-running series about zombies, bioterrorism, and political machinations continues with four distinct campaigns, overhauled controls, and four-player co-op in Resident Evil 6. One campaign begins with Leon S. Kennedy and his partner Helena Harper attending an anti-bioterrorism speech by the President of the United States, only to be forced to kill him when he becomes an infected mutant. A second campaign features Chris Redfield and Piers Nivans as they head to China to battle the spread of a powerful new strain known as "C-virus." The third campaign takes place in Eastern Europe and stars Jake Muller, son of series antagonist Albert Wesker, and Raccoon City survivor-turned government agent Sherry Birkin, as they flee from a biomechanical abomination know as an Uranak. The fourth campaign can only be unlocked once gamers finish the first three, and it stars longtime series antihero Ada Wong. All three main campaigns offer co-op support, and some sections of the game combine two groups for four-player action; while the new "Agent Hunt" multiplayer mode lets Xbox 360 gamers become monsters and infiltrate the campaigns of fellow players. |
 "Rise of Nightmares is a Kinect-enabled horror-adventure, intended for the most strong-stomached of grown-up gamers. From a gratuitously gory first-person perspective, players proceed through the zombie-infested mansion of a homicidal mad scientist. In the role of a hapless American tourist, desperate to save his kidnapped wife, players must resort to physical combat to stave off undead assaults, swinging their arms and legs in view of the Kinect sensors in order to pummel away the encroaching onscreen ghouls. Wielding brass knuckles, hatchets, and chainsaws, players can master the game's different fighting styles to achieve gruesomely damaging special moves and combo attacks. As the hero battles desperately through one gothic corridor to the next, dismembered limbs, spilled guts, and splatters of crimson slop across the floors, walls, and ceilings. When not busy fighting off swarms of mindless attackers, players are free to move around and explore the house. Stealth sequences also play a role in completing the adventure, as does macabre puzzle-solving. Presenting itself as the first Kinect game for adult players only, Sega's Rise of Nightmares was created by some of the same developer's behind the House of the Dead series. |
 "Rocksmith is a play-along musical instrument sim that works with a real guitar. Using the included USB-to-1/4 inch jack, players can plug in and jam out with dozens of original rock recordings, from the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" and David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" to the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" and "Icky Thump" by the White Stripes. As in the genre's leading series, Guitar Hero and Rock Band, players can follow sequences of color-coded graphic indicators, which scroll along with the song and represent the notes to be played. In Rocksmith, however, these indicators represent actual musical notes, and a successful performance involves pressing the correct strings on a real fret board. Players perform single-note accompaniments, which become more complex, as they learn the finger positions of additional notes and attempt to master new songs. An automatic difficulty-scaling feature queues up more or fewer notes, according to the player's success throughout a performance. Various mini-games are designed to help players hone different skills. The software also features a tuner and several built-in pedal effects. Rocksmith can be played with any guitar that has a pick-up. |
 "Normally known for gritty, mature-themed action-adventures, the development team at Rockstar San Diego serves up this unlikely sports game, intended to translate the furious and intense action of table tennis to the Xbox 360. Designed to mimic the exciting experience of international table tennis competition, the game allows players to choose from 11 distinct characters, which vary both in appearance and abilities. These up-and-coming athletes must train, to master various shots and techniques. When they are ready for competition, they will compete across 19 venues while sporting authentic equipment and apparel from some of the top names in table tennis, including Killerspin, Adidas, Joola, and Butterfly. |
 "If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Saint's Row kowtows to 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. As in Rockstar's underworld oeuvre, Saint's Row features a free-roaming city rife with crime and served by an increasingly frustrated police force. As a member of the 3rd Street Saints, players must conquer Southern Cross block by block to earn the respect of their gangland peers. Numerous vehicles are available to "borrow," pedestrians can be slugged or robbed at gunpoint, and an assortment of missions exist to advance the game's cinematic storyline. Players must also be wary of the law, with criminal actions often resulting in high-speed chases that can lead to crumpled fenders, large dents, broken glass, and explosive wrecks. Yet crime does pay in the world of Saint's Row, as the lead protagonist can attract women by wearing stylish new clothes, jewelry, and other accoutrements worthy of a crew leader. Xbox Live support for competitive action is included to settle the score with friends and foes alike, with special challenges and rewards offered to those who can prove their mettle. |
 "Dual-sport athlete Shaun White moves from the snow to the streets in this skateboarding title from Ubisoft. Your goal is to transform a dreary city into a "skating utopia" by performing a variety of tricks in unusual places. Shaun White himself will offer tips and advice as you skate in abandoned plazas, empty fountains, and lonely alleys. As you create skate lines across the city, you'll transform the environment, opening up new areas and literally changing the nearby structures. The more creative your runs, the more points you'll receive to unlock gear and other skating challenges. Characters from Shaun White Snowboarding will assist in your quest, introducing events like collection runs, races, and story-driven missions. Both online and split-screen multiplayer support are included, allowing you and friends to work together in cooperative tasks or compete against one another in adversarial matches. |
 "Gamers hit the slopes with the Renaissance man of the extreme sports world for some open-mountain exploration in Shaun White Snowboarding. Players have free reign to skirt the edge of an avalanche in extreme peak conditions, carve new routes through untracked backcountry powder, and join other riders for competitive events in terrain parks spread throughout mountains in Alaska, Utah, Europe, and Japan. Each mountain is peppered with downhill enthusiasts, including fellow online gamers, and players can join races at any time, hike to secret locations, film their friends pulling off tricks, or ambush other snowboarders in giant snowball fights. Shaun White Snowboarding is built using the same game engine as Assassin's Creed, and the graphics are designed to offer players stunning vistas that express the large amount of playable area each mountain offers. Gamers can use environmental obstacles to execute tricks and catch massive air as they explore craggy mountaintops and dense, tree-lined paths, and players have thousands of different character customization options thanks to unique ride-styles and hundreds of different gear and board offerings. The game soundtrack lets riders carve up the slopes while listening to 40 licensed songs from artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Run-DMC, and Modest Mouse. |
 "Sessions of Skate take place in a fictitious world called San Vanelona and are designed to offer gamers a realistic skateboarding experience. Players pick from a roster of characters that include Danny Way and PJ Ladd, and then explore the city while using the triggers and analog sticks to perform a wide variety of tricks and jumps. The goal is to become a famous skater, unlock hidden skating areas, and anger the security guards in the "no skate" zones. Gamers must draw from their real-life skills as a way to improve their avatar instead of upgrading a character through missions to increase their abilities. Rather than placing ramps around the environment, EA invites gamers to explore the ledges, dropins, funboxes, and rails around the urban landscape. Because the game is intended to challenge players, a full replay mode allows gamers to view that sweet backside bigspin they finally landed. While reviewing their moves players can adjust the speed and camera angles and then save them for others to download. |
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Sniper Elite V2
Game Type: Shooter |
