Every month we will introduce you to the top 5 games that cause our editors to salivate at the thought of playing them. It should be mentioned that a game doesn't end up on this list easily: each of them went through a rigorous selection process that involves lots of bruised skin and the occasional black eye. Not to be missed!
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins is the latest RPG from Bioware. Set in an all-new dark and gritty fantasy world, it features six "origin" stories with multiple endings. It takes the pause-and-play tactical combat of RPG classics Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, and the deep and compelling storytelling and moral choices that have helped define Bioware as a game developer. Oh, and if that isn't reason enough to want to run out and buy the game right now, the voice actors include the Lord of Darkness himself, Tim Curry.
Bioware is promising dozens and dozens of hours of gameplay and at least two years of support in the form of downloadable content available from day one. Dragon Age: Origins not only looks like it might raise the bar for RPGs, it might also change the way games and social media interact with each other. The developer has launched the Bioware Social Network, a new site for players to get together and share screenshots, stories, tips, mods, and more. They are not just building a game; they are building a community. » Check out our Game Hub for more information Assassin's Creed II
The original Assassin's Creed was a technical marvel, demonstrating amazing animations, satisfying platforming, and an interesting story. It was also extremely repetitive.
Assassin's Creed II continues the series with a new hero in a new setting, following Ezio Auditore da Firenze as he seeks revenge during the Italian Renaissance. This new installment emphasizes diversity in combat, objectives, and customization. The game features over 30 weapons, with the abilities to disarm opponents and assassinate from literally anywhere. Mission types range from assassinations to explorations to chase sequences to basic bribery. Ubisoft's sequel even features a robust economic system, useful for purchasing weapons, upgrades, and cosmetic customizations. The new setting, new story, and general diversity definitely have us anticipating the release of Assassin's Creed II. » Check out our Game Hub for more information Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Sergeant "Soap" MacTavish eliminated Imran Zakhaev, and with him, the Russian Ultranationalists. Or so we thought. The shadow of Zakhaev, Vladimir Makarov, is construing Zakhaev's death as an act of martyrdom. He has brought the Ultranationalist organization back to prominence. And without Zakhaev to keep him in check, there's no telling what Makarov will unleash.
It is up to the newly promoted Captain MacTavish, Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, and the rest of Task Force 141 to stop this growing threat. They will have to travel to Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Rio de Janeiro, and a war-torn Washington, D.C. to partake in those heavily polished and adrenaline-pumping moments that the Call of Duty series has perfected. Outside of the single-player campaign, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 builds upon the "Most Played Online Video Game" in history. The sequel retains the same experience-based unlockable reward system that made the original so popular, while adding additional features like in-game host migration and new unlockable kill streak rewards. How can we not be excited?! » Check out our Game Hub for more information James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game took us completely by surprise when we first laid eyes on it at GamesCom in Germany last August. Avatar can draw from an incredibly rich background story and universe that is being created for the big screen by none other than, you guessed, James Cameron.
For the game however, things went a step further than your run of the mill movie tie in. During its development, the creators of the game continuously came up with new ideas that would enrich the already vibrant world. Not wanting to stray too far from the movie that the game is based on, they regularly presented their ideas to the film makers. Some of the ideas were further fleshed out with the help of the film makers, creating a believable addition to Avatar's universe. With two such dedicated teams working this intimately together, it is hard to imagine either film or game to be anything but great. In fact, we are now looking forward to both so much that we are not sure what to do first: play the game or watch the movie and time is running out to decide. » Check out our Game Hub for more information New Super Mario Bros. Wii
There are few names that are more synonymous with video games than Nintendo. For years for most gaming was referred to as playing the Nintendo. It did not matter if you were playing a Sega Genesis or the TurboGrafx-16; playing games was playing Nintendo. With the success of the Wii everyone is getting into playing Nintendo.
If there is one franchise that people could associate with the company it would most likely be the one starring the plump little plumber in red overalls, Mario. A return to the Mushroom Kingdom is always an exciting time for gamers but New Super Mario Bros. Wii may be the most accessible Mario game in years. The game is a return to the classic side-scrolling style of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras except now everyone in the family can get in on the action at the same time with 4 player competitive / cooperative play. New Super Mario Bros. Wii promises to offer all the fun of the classic Super Mario Bros. With the added fun of chaotic local multiplayer. If you are not looking forward to this title you may very well not have a pulse. » Check out our Game Hub for more information |