Fall 2011 Xbox 360 Game Guide

Jul 22, 2011

With many of us still trying to get one or two more prestiges out of Black Ops, game developers from Japan, Poland, Sweden, America, Canada, and the United Kingdom are putting long hours into making this fall one worth waiting for.  You almost certainly have heard of Modern Warfare 3 which is staying true to Activision’s yearly commitment to drain every last cent from all of us and Battlefield 3 whose promotional material was saturating the market just as that new-game-smell was wearing off Black Ops.  But if you’re like many of us with a mortgage, wife, kids, etc. and can’t stay plugged into the gaming world as much as you would like, then you could let some great games slip by you unnoticed this fall.  Following is when and what to keep your sights on.

Sept. 6th: Dead Island

Dead Island surprised the gaming world with an amazing announcement trailer and is shaping up to be a great zombie killing time.  It will have 4 player drop-in co-op and the “average Joe” will be looking at a 25 hour completion time. What separates it from the rest of the zombie killing herd is its strong RPG and melee combat elements while taking place in an open world environment.  There will be guns aplenty, but they will always be considered a premium with your trusty baseball bat or claw hammer as your primary weapon.  There will be several survivor sanctuaries along the way, each with multiple quests and chances to customize your gear such as putting nails through a baseball bat.  As the game goes on, expect to see changes in the character you’re playing too. They may start as cowards, but by game’s end they will be a stone-cold zombie murdering machine.  Not much else has been released about it as of yet with much of the RPG system still left to the imagination, but think of it as a mix between Borderlands and the Dead Rising series.

Sept. 20th: Gears of War 3

The conclusion of the Gears of War trilogy and the real kick-off to the 2011 gaming season, this series of games has gathered a cult following over the years which promises only to grow with the third installment.  The campaign will answer all the questions we have been asking for years while featuring 4 player co-op and the biggest boss battles yet.  But that is only a third of the total package.  The originator of Horde Mode returns with Horde Mode 2.0. It will feature everything that made its predecessor a success and then some.  There is a new currency system just like Black Ops Zombies which players can use on weapons, ammo, and new defensive measures like spike barriers, turrets, mechs, decoys, and sentries which are all upgradable.  There is also the addition of 2 new waves: bonus waves, which give you bonus currency for completing specific objectives and boss waves, which throw things like Brumaks and Berserkers at you.  The last piece of the puzzle is Gears of War’s great multiplayer which many hardcore fans already got a taste of during the limited time beta.  Everything fans know and love is still there with more polish and a focus on easier accessibility with longer staying power, hopefully bringing the game up to Halo and CoD levels of competition.

Oct. 1st: Rage

Rage is the newest FPS from Id Software, and although I remain skeptical as to exactly how good the final product will be because of Brink, Medal of Honor, and Homefront, it does show some promise.  Set is a post-apocalyptic wasteland; the game won’t feature an arsenal of weapons for the player to use at their disposal – only four.  As GameTrailers.com put it, they are “…guns with character.”  Each gun will have different mods you can equip on the fly for each situation.  The examples so far are a pistol that can become a sniper pistol and an SMG that can be set to shoot bolas that strangle foes.  A variety of enemies and vehicle combat will hopefully pace the game nicely.  Overall, if you need an FPS fix and just can’t wait for the blockbusters this fall, keep an eye on this one.

Oct. 11th: Dark Souls

The sequel to the 2009 PS3 exclusive Demon’s Souls is coming to the 360, and infuriating nostalgia comes with it.  The first game in the series made its name by not only having rock solid game play as a third person action/adventure game but also having a difficulty curve that has been called downright sadistic.  This game will bring you back to the 8 bit glory days when you sat down for 3 hours at a time to get to that fateful boss battle only to time your jump just a bit too early and have to do it all over again for another chance at glory (and secretly love every minute of it.)  The high difficulty works for the series rather than against it, forcing you to adapt and learn to overcome your foes, try different tactics, and it makes victory all the more sweeter when that horrifically titanic-sized boss finally falls.

Oct. 18th: Batman: Arkham City

A third person action/adventure game and sequel to the sleeper hit of 2009 Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City looks to follow up its success as the first game that really understands the Batman that hardcore fans know.  There is Batman the detective, the scientist, and the martial arts guru; while always maintaining that dark and gloomy atmosphere that has become the icon’s signature.  The series lets you become the creature in night – the boogie man that the bad guys check their closet for every night and with good reason.  The original let you stalk your prey like an assassin and slowly make them disappear one by one with iconic tools like Batman’s grappling hook, batarangs, and cape.  The sequel will feature the enemies that made Batman a hit: Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, and the main (and surprisingly obscure) villain, Hugo Strange, who knows Batman’s secret identity.  Players will also get a chance to play as Catwoman for a short time. While it doesn’t create a huge draw for the game, it won’t hurt to see Arkham City from another point of view.  Also, unlike the first game which kept the player on a linear path, this game has an open world.  It will be like playing GTA… as Batman.  Who hasn’t wanted that since they were 5?

Oct. 25th: Battlefield 3

It is no secret that EA and Dice are looking to overtake Activision’s domination of the FPS market share with Battlefield 3.  Battlefield will bring 12 player teams against one another with their signature game modes and emphasis on realism.  As tanks go toe-to-toe in the streets, squads of infantry will vie over control of each building all the while communicating and working together with air support.  I have already written an in-depth guide for those who are curious here, and although the 360 will be getting a dumbed-down version when compared to the PC, something tells me I won’t even care October 25th.

Nov. 8th: Modern Warfare 3

A game series that needs no introduction, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 hits shelves midnight November 8th and is looking to be one of the best bangs for your buck this fall.  The first of four gameplay modes is single player, and from what we have seen so far, it’s nothing special – only the necessary afterthought to the true draw of the game: its multiplayer.  Little has been released about it so far, as I am sure they are waiting for Call of Duty XP 2011 to give up the goods.  What we do know is that it will have full Call of Duty Elite support, a completely redone killstreak system, options for having two gun sights mounted simultaneously, no last stand perk, no commando perk, and the return of quick scoping.  The third mode is akin to Treyarch’s Zombies in which 2 players setup defensive positions against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. Unlike Zombies, these enemies shoot back and will include regular grunts, dogs, suicide bombers, and dog suicide bombers.  Lastly, Spec Ops mode returns with all new co-op challenges to tackle.  That is all we know as of now, but look for a flood of information this September.

Nov. 11th: Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

The fifth game to this long lived and loved franchise hits shelves 5 years after its predecessor became the game of the year for 2006. You assume the role of the savior of humanity, the one human feared by the dragons whose inexplicable return has caused chaos and confusion on a massive scale.  With revamped game play focusing on dual-wielding mechanics, a third person view that’s usable this time around, and over 230 perks to choose from each time you gain a level a la the Fallout series, this sequel will be the crème de la crème of the action RPG genre.  But there’s more; Skyrim has done away with confusing and mundane menus that alienated newcomers and has instead instituted a much more dynamic and natural approach. Every time you take an action like casting a spell or swinging a sword, your character gains experience in that area.  So if you find yourself liking two handed swords and bows, your character will get better the more you use them; it’s that simple.  Instead of you having to play your character like they were designed, your character is designed to mold itself to how you play!  Combine that with everything people already love about the series like multiple guilds to join and 150 random dungeons strewn about the land to dive into, and you have a time vampire that can’t come soon enough.

Nov. 15th: Assassin’s Creed Revelations

Ubisoft is bringing us another Assassin’s Creed game this fall, and this is the game that is bringing all the others together.  The three previous installments all featured different protagonists, and this is the game in which all the different stories converge.  We will get answers to questions raised by previous games as reality and the simulation of the Animus begin to merge.  The completely original multiplayer also returns with new team options adding a higher replay value than Brotherhood whose multiplayer, while innovative, could become stale.  If you liked the previous games in the series, consider this a can’t-miss, especially if you’re a fan of the multiplayer, as there is nothing else like it.

Although not coming out this year, these early 2012 titles are worth including:

 Winter: Minecraft

Ask anyone has ever played this overnight Indie sensation what they think of it, and you would be hard pressed to find any negativity.  Now those without a powerful enough PC will be able to play it on 360 with full (but not necessary) Kinect support.  The premise is that you wake up in a deserted land and must simply survive the night when monsters roam the landscape.  You do this by changing the very world around you however the hell you damn well please.  As you gather an increasing variety of resources you can craft tools and other instruments that help you further manipulate and sculpt your world until it becomes what your heart desires.  Soon, instead of a simple wall or house to protect you at night you might be working on an epic medieval castle or grand estate or a temple to Mega Man or just mining straight to bedrock in search of riches.  It is already the ultimate sandbox game, having sold well over a million versions of the game while its development is still in beta, and, according to Google, it is twice as popular as Call of Duty on the web.  Don’t believe me?  Head over to YouTube and see what some people have accomplished.

1st Quarter 2012: Mass Effect 3

Shepard is back to conclude BioWare’s fantastic Mass effect trilogy with the sequel to the 2009 game of the year.  This third person shooter separates itself from the rest of the pack with a morality system that makes your choices truly impact the world around you.  In the second game, choices from the first came back to help or haunt you, and BioWare has promised it will improve upon it even more.  Considering your choices in Mass Effect 2 can *spoiler* end up killing or saving every crew member you have by game’s end, including you, I shudder to think of what they will come up with next.  There will also be moments of pure gaming heaven as promises from 2007 will finally come to fruition, like the unmasking of Tali Vas Normandy and the *spoiler* final epic invasion of the Reaper Swarm.  If you have never played the first two, do yourself a favor and play them before the third.  You will not be disappointed.

1st Quarter 2012: Bioshock Infinite

The third installment of this series (notice a pattern yet?) takes us out of the underwater city of Rapture and into a city in the sky comprised of floating buildings, rail lines, and Zeppelins.  From what we have been shown, the environment will rapidly change around you as entire city blocks break off from floating islands of society as a coup d’etat rages.  Even with all these changes from the first two installments, the game sticks to its roots with a completely original art style that’s impossible to confuse with anything else and a unique atmosphere which gamers have never encountered before.  A mixture of powers and gunplay also returns with an added NPC who tags along for at least part of the game and uses her own powers to compliment your own, summoning cover from enemies or hazards that can take out enemy troops wholesale.