With so many games coming out during the holiday season, it’s tough to decide which ones to get into. And at $60 a pop, it’s pretty depressing to get stuck with a game that’s subpar. So we’re here to help and offer our list of the 10 best games this season.
NBA 2K11 All it takes is one name: Michael Jordan. Not only did the folks at 2K Sports get the greatest basketball player of all time to be a playable character, but the developers have made the greatest basketball game of all time. Rated E for all gaming systems.
Fable III It’s a story of a hero who leads a revolution against the tyranny of a power-hungry ruler and then sees how difficult it is to rule a kingdom. There’s action. There’s mystery. There’s love — and a bunch of other things that’ll have you playing nonstop. Rated M for Xbox 360 and PC.
Rock Band 3 The Rock Band series moves forward with its new iteration by including a keyboard controller on which you can apparently learn the basics of playing piano. Plus 83 new songs and the ability to add the songs from Rock Band, Rock Band 2, Lego Rock Band, Green Day: Rock Band and a bunch of downloadable content that adds up to more than 2,000 songs. Rated T for all systems.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of Duty: Black Ops is the most popular game of the season and for good reason. There’s lots of fast-paced action, amazing graphics and animation, a superb Cold War/Vietnam story and an online mode that’ll have you addicted for days. It’s worth every penny. Rated M for all systems.
DJ Hero 2 Last year everybody wondered if DJ Hero was worth getting, and this year, people are wondering the same thing. Yes, it is. It’s a fun spin (pun intended) on the rhythm music game genre with great original mixes that you won’t find anywhere else. Rated T for all systems.
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood AC: Brotherhood is a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed II and once again heads back to ancient Italy, where you play as an assassin trying to liberate Rome. You recruit and train assassins and send them around the city to fulfill missions or have them help you with yours. Rated M for PS3, Xbox 360.
Halo: Reach In what is the final Halo game for Bungie (Microsoft will continue the franchise without the developer), Halo: Reach is a prequel to the Halo series. If you’ve played any of the previous Halo games you know what happens to Planet Reach, which isn’t a happy ending, but this game sure makes it fun to get to that point. Rated M for Xbox 360.
Mafia II If you’re longing for a good mafia story or you’ve played out your Grand Theft Auto games, give Mafia II a try. Play as a broke WWI veteran as he makes his way up the local crime family before calling the shots himself. Rated M for PS3 and Xbox 360.
Fallout: New Vegas It’s not a direct sequel to Fallout 3, but plays a lot like it. New Vegas takes you to a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas where factions are fighting over control of Hoover dam. Your character, in the meantime, is trying to find out who tried to kill you and why. Rated M for PS3 and Xbox 360.
Disney Epic Mickey Mickey Mouse has always had a happy-go-lucky demeanor throughout his existence. But in Epic Mickey, we get to see a different side of the mouse as he tries to save The Wasteland from destruction, even though it’s his fault that the place is in its predicament. Rated E for Wii.
