26 October 2011 (Games Profile)

Words: Tom Condon

Coming up to Christmas in 2011, we are going to see the release of 5 big games and in this guide I'm going to help you decide which ones you should buy. The third title in the Battlefield series will kick off the big releases over the next month, it will be released this Friday the 29th of October, and with an all new campaign and intense multiplayer, this game is set to be big. The next big game to be released will be the 3rd instalment in the Modern Warfare series, with a great story and award winning multiplayer, this game is a must buy for people who played previous games in the series, and for those who enjoy first person shooters. On the 11th of November we will see the release of the 5th game in the award winning Elder Scroll series. Skyrim is set to be better in every way than the previous Elder Scroll game which was the best RPG (role playing game) I have ever played. The 4th and 5th big games to be released are both available on the 15th of October; we will see Assassins Creed Revelations and Saints Row: The Third.

Battlefield 3
Available For: Xbox 360, Pc, Playstation 3
Release Date: 29th of October 2011
The Battlefield 3 campaign will see players as a member of the Elite U.S Marines and will feature extensive missions ranging from New York to Paris. Players will experience intense combat simulations, frequent fire fights and continuous destruction of their surroundings. Battlefields game engine allows for the destruction of players' surroundings, making for a very realistic warfare experience. Although Battlefield has a story mode, the main focus of the game is the multiplayer aspect, featuring the same popular multiplayer game types as the previous Battlefield. This game features upgraded weapons, graphics, vehicles and much larger maps, making for an intense multiplayer experience where players will have to work as a team to capture objectives to win the game. Battlefield 3 isn't just about the usual "Kill Death Ratio", the player gets to choose a role, be it an assault class featuring assault rifles and the player, also gets equipped with a medic bag and defibrillators to revive and help wounded players; the Recon class: players use a sniper and provide fire support from a distance while also spotting enemies to make it easier for their team mates; the Support class which players use a light machine gun and have ammo packs to give to other players; and finally the Engineer players typically use a sub machine gun and are equipped with tools to fix team mates vehicles. The more you use these classes, you've the chance to obtain better guns and attachments, giving players an incentive to keep playing and makes for a great multiplayer experience.

Modern Warfare 3
Available For: Playstation 3, Pc, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo Ds.
Release Date: 8th of November 2011
This is the new game in the Call of Duty Modern Warfare series. Modern Warfare 3 leaves players where Modern Warfare 2 left off. The United States is under attack from Russian forces, Makarov is on the loose and Soap and Captain Price are wounded and on the run. The game will see you playing as a U.S Delta force member, a Russian agent, an SAS operative along with Price and Soap. Will the U.S be able to prevent a Russian invasion? Will Soap and Price finally kill Makarov?! We will just have to find out when the game is released. The big thing with Modern Warfare 3 will be the multiplayer; the previous games in the series provided great award-winning multiplayer experience and Modern Warfare 3 is set to live up to its predecessors and be even better. With an all new way to reward players, Modern Warfare 3 introduces "point streak" which awards players for "assists", meeting objectives and gaining kills, making the multiplayer easier for newcomers ("noobs") to the series. There are over 40 weapons in the game and with all new gun customization this game is sure to end your social life, as you attempt to get to the best level and upgrade your guns to dominate the leader boards.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Available For: PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Release Date: 11th November 2011
Skyrim is the 5th instalment in possibly the best RPG series ever made; Skyrim is set 200 years after the events that happened in Oblivion, the previous scroll game. The non-linear game play of Skyrim allows players to move freely around the world on foot or by horse, players can also "fast travel". Skyrim consists of a main storyline and an expansive series of side missions known as quests. These quests will keep you occupied for days; some involve helping the economy of cities by mining or farming, while others involve joining secret brotherhoods, such as the dark brotherhood - a secret band of assassins. Character development is a major factor in Skyrim and you can upgrade your combat skills by using different weapons in fights, upgrade your magika by casting spells, and so much more - you can even become a vampire. All of these things come with advantages, however, and will affect the outcome of the game; will people see you as a hero? Or a dark assassin that robs people's houses, and then kills them? The choices are endless in this expansive open world game. This game is sure to keep you occupied over the Christmas holidays. If you're not sure about it, give it a go, it will not disappoint.

Assassins Creed Revelations
Available For: PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Release Date: 15th November 2011
Assassin's Creed Revelation is the 4th game in the popular series. The game follows the series standard open world game play. The game will feature all three of the series' major characters, Ezio, Altair and Desmond Miles. The game is set in Istanbul in 1511 ad. At the beginning of the game Ezio travels to the old assassins' stronghold, and he discovers artefacts sealed there by Altair. Ezio will meet a variety of historical characters throughout the game. The game will also continue Desmond's story in the modern day. Multiplayer is also making a return to Revelations and will feature new game modes, locations and a new matchmaking system. The game will also introduce the ability customise character appearance and weapons. This is a must-buy for people who previously played Assassin's creed games, or if you like strategic open world games with a good story behind it.

Saints Row: The Third
Available For: PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Release Date: 15th November 2011
The third game in the Saints Row series is set a couple of years after the end of Saints Row 2. The Saints are celebrities, they have their own energy drink, clothing line and fan base... We will see the Saints lose all their territory (I won't say how) and of course the Saints are going to have to get it all back, which is quite similar to the previous games. The new Saints Row is going to get as crazy and wacky as you can imagine, with a game complete with a giant purple dildo bat, rocket launchers and a bazillion ways to kick people in the balls, making for some enjoyable game play. Saints Row: The Third will feature a much more beefed up version of the customisation system we saw in the previous game; you can pretty much make your character look exactly as you like, being able to customize hair, body, face, voice, walk and so much more. The game will also feature an expansive range of vehicles and vehicle customisation; this includes hovering motorbikes and jet planes. Saints Row: The Third also features a huge amount of great weapons. The game is going to be great fun with crazy side missions and a decent story. It will be a great experience for people who like just messing about with a game and don't have to deal with the competitive multiplayer aspect of other titles, although it does have multiplayer. This is definitely on my wish list.