Halo 4 Microsoft/343 Industries (Xbox 360) // With 343 Industries launching a new trilogy of sci-fi shooters starring Master Chief, the bar has been set extremely high by Bungie Studios. But this game delivers across the board with an intense campaign story that picks up five years after the events of Halo 3, introducing a new evil and new enemies to contend with. The heart of Halo has always been its multiplayer, which explains why 343 has done the most work in this department with a completely virtual experience that connects competitive and cooperative gameplay. The massive UNSC Infinity starship serves as the hub for Halo Infinity Multiplayer, which is divided into Spartan Ops cooperative episodic missions and War Games multiplayer combat. Gamers can build and customize a Spartan-IV supersoldier and progress through all multiplayer games, building up their character along the way based on their play styles. With an array of new enemies and settings across all three gameplay types, Halo 4 manages to keep what Bungie did so well intact, while pushing things forward to keep pace with the competitive shooter category. — John Gaudiosi Verdict: 92% halo.com
Halo 4
Microsoft/343 Industries
(Xbox 360)
// With 343 Industries launching a new trilogy of sci-fi shooters starring Master Chief, the bar has been set extremely high by Bungie Studios. But this game delivers across the board with an intense campaign story that picks up five years after the events of Halo 3, introducing a new evil and new enemies to contend with. The heart of Halo has always been its multiplayer, which explains why 343 has done the most work in this department with a completely virtual experience that connects competitive and cooperative gameplay. The massive UNSC Infinity starship serves as the hub for Halo Infinity Multiplayer, which is divided into Spartan Ops cooperative episodic missions and War Games multiplayer combat. Gamers can build and customize a Spartan-IV supersoldier and progress through all multiplayer games, building up their character along the way based on their play styles. With an array of new enemies and settings across all three gameplay types, Halo 4 manages to keep what Bungie did so well intact, while pushing things forward to keep pace with the competitive shooter category. — John Gaudiosi
Verdict: 92%
halo.com
Resident Evil 6
Capcom
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
// There’s a good trend going on with top-tier games as developers offer more bang for the buck. Resident Evil 6 delivers three separate co-op experiences featuring six playable characters, plus multiplayer action. The globe-trotting adventure spans North America, Eastern Europe and China. Players can go through the intertwining stories in any order, playing as Leon S. Kennedy and Helena Harper, Chris Redfield and Piers Nivans, or Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin. This massive game returns the franchise to its horror roots with more claustrophobic exploration and more lethal and agile zombies (who can now run, jump and brandish weapons). A new control scheme allows players to move and shoot on-the-fly — you can even take out the undead while lying prone on your back. Zombies come in hordes at times, upping the action quotient. This sequel also serves up monstrosities that come in all shapes and sizes through Chrysalide cocoon concoctions and the J’avo, which can mutate as you shoot appendages. Capcom has misfired in the past when it farmed out the franchise with side projects, but the core games have always delivered and pushed things forward. Even with the high expectations and the bar level raised after Resident Evil 5, RE6 delivers on all levels. — J.G.
Verdict: 91%
capcom.com
Players move and shoot on-the-fly — you can even take out the undead while lying prone on your back.
Dishonored
Bethesda Softworks/Arkane Studios
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
// There are a lot of first-person shooters out there, but Arkane Studios’ Dishonored stands apart from the crowd. While the whaling city of Dunwall is explored from a first-person perspective, this game has been designed for players to traverse the entire experience without ever firing a weapon — which is noteworthy, given that the player assumes the role of a supernatural assassin. In the tradition of Thief, Deus Ex and BioShock, Dishonored sets out to immerse players in a world never before seen. In this case, there’s a cyberpunk feel that turns 19th century Europe inside out. There are also deep political and social undertones, but the focus of gameplay is straight out of a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery complete with twists, turns and red herrings. The ability to wield an array of weapons (for those who want to fight) blends nicely with the ability to possess other characters, opening up interesting solutions to mission-based puzzles. The world conjured by this studio stands out from the crowd, as does the campaign and story. — J.G.
Verdict: 87%
bethsoft.com
Assassin’s Creed III
Ubisoft
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
// After exploring the Middle Ages and taking a very deep look at Renaissance Italy, Ubisoft has moved on to modern history with Assassin’s Creed III. Although the game’s story spans over 30 years in the life of Native American/English protagonist Connor and focuses on the timeless battle between the Assassins and Templars, a good portion of the gameplay involves the American Revolution. In addition, more than 80 percent of the speaking characters in the game are historical figures, including George Washington, Paul Revere and Charles Lee. The game introduces a new combat system that allows for a more fluid run-and-gun experience as players explore the cities of New York and Boston, as well as the huge open frontier setting. Tomahawks and bow-and-arrows come into play in the revised multiplayer experience, which has been designed to take advantage of the new 18th century backdrops that gamers will be fighting in. — J.G.
Verdict: 91%
assassinscreed.ubi.com
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Activision/Treyarch
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
// These days, Activision could practically send out a blank disc called Call of Duty and still sell millions of copies of it. But by utilizing multiple studios and juxtapositioning two diverging game franchises, the publisher has been able to sell over one billion dollars of games every year now for a record run. Treyarch is essentially delivering three games in one box with Black Ops II. The game’s campaign is set in 2025, which ushers in drones, robots and other future warfare. But back missions take place in the ’80s, offering a nice blend of combat. There’s also the huge multiplayer offering, which has been designed to push things forward for eSports as well as more casual gamers thanks to match customization. And then there’s the completely expanded zombies mode, which is a separate gameplay experience running on the multiplayer engine that pits a group of players in an open world overrun by the undead and other creatures. This sequel stands on its own amidst a crowded fall lineup as one of the most robust games of the holiday season. — J.G.
Verdict: 90%
activision.com