Ten Games That Will Shake Things Up This Holiday Season

We look into the future to see which video games are going to make our wishlist this holiday season. We have a lot to look forward to...

Next month, several game companies will be bringing their latest games to E3 hoping to sway millions of gamers with their high-end graphics, online features and fundamentally sound gameplay. 

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With such a big gaming year in front of us, we wanted to choose ten that will be the real difference makers. We’ve done some analysis on what we feel will be the biggest sellers of the season based on the power of franchises and, of course, the reputation of the companies behind them.  Let’s see if your favorites made the list, too.

#1) Assassin’s Creed III

Out to make a killing at the end of October, the latest Assassins Creed takes place in a much different time than previous games, during the American Revolution, where an Apache-raised killer hopes to turn the tide in favor of his cohorts, using his suave killing skills.  The game features tons of beautiful ambience, as well as plenty of moments that will test you at your assassin’s best.  Tomahawk to the face, anyone?

#2) Halo 4

You already saw our preview for the upcoming sequel which ships for the Xbox 360 on November 6, but are you really ready for the return of Master Chief?  We’re willing to bet you are.  Featuring an all-new development engine, a single player storyline that will once again get you involved with the Covenant, and engaging new multiplayer features, Halo 4 promises to be one of the most epic yet.

#3) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Announced last week after much speculation, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 introduces a fresh new futuristic perspective to the series, one where you’ll have to fight against terrorists who shanghai US military weapons for their own use.  Expect trailblazing graphics, addictive multiplayer, and plenty of firepower (on the ground and in the air) to do major damage with.

#4) Resident Evil 6

Due for release on October 2, the latest Resident Evil promises to be much bigger and better than whatever the heck Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City was when it came out a couple of months back.  Featuring an all new storyline that involves both Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy, the game promises plenty of spills and chills which will push the boundaries beyond what RE 5 produced a couple of years back.

#5) Tomb Raider

This reboot to the long-running Lara Croft saga has been a long time coming, but Crystal Dynamics is making the wait time worth it.  Tom Raider will reintroduce the heroine at a much younger age when she’s just learning where her survival skills trying lie as she fights enemies and scrapes her way out of dangerous situations.  This game looked very good at E3 last year and we have a feeling it’ll look even better this time around.  Welcome back, Lara!

#6) Mario Wii U

We have no idea what the proposed Mario Wii U game will be yet – a compilation of the Mario Galaxy games, a new adventure, a collection of classic favorites – but whatever it is, it’ll mark the first time in a while that a system has launched with the iconic plumber.  We’ll get our first look at the new project next month when Nintendo holds its E3 press conference and, who knows, it may jump to the top of our list!

#7) The Last Guardian

Even though it’s been rumored that the project has been in trouble for some time, Team Ico is still plugging away on this long-awaited adventure which is finally set to make its debut sometime this year.  You guide a young boy and a huge endearing creature on a breathtaking adventure, one that’s truly fitting for the developers behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.  Just come out already!

#8) PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale

Announced a couple of weeks ago at a recent press event, Battle Royale, essentially Sony’s take on the long-running Smash Bros. series, looks phenomenal.  Featuring a number of familiar faces from Sony franchises, the game should be a huge hit with multiplayer brawlers and newcomers just looking for some goofy fun with friends.  We’ll know more about this great game at E3, just in time for its holiday 2012 release.

#9) Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

With the success of the original game, we knew that it was just a matter of time before Warren Spector and his team returned to their magical world for Epic Mickey 2.  What we didn’t expect, however, was the announcement of it coming to multiple platforms, including Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.  The game will also introduce a new co-op factor that introduces a playable Oswald the Rabbit, the obscure drawing from the original.  Bring a friend and enjoy the magic for yourself this holiday.

#10) Borderlands 2

Claptrap is back!  The Wub Wub is back!  The bazilliondier guns are back!  In September, 2K Games and Gearbox bring their highly anticipated sequel to the masses with more co-op options, more deadly enemies, and more action than you could possibly shake a stick at – though why you would shake a stick instead of an assault rifle is completely beyond us.  This sequel looks to be very promising and with the early start it should sell quite well for the company – even if they are somewhat missing Bioshock from this year’s line-up…

What games are you looking forward to for the holiday season?  We might’ve forgotten some of your favorites, so let us know in the comments below!


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.