Carl J. Bachus | Collegio Writer

FIFA 13

(available now on all platforms)
This new installment of the soccer franchise will support the PlayStation Move and Xbox Kinect platforms. It will feature the Saudi Professional League and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Stadium for the first time in the franchise’s history, as well as the leagues included in “FIFA ’12.” Players can also manage an international team as well as a club in Career Mode. The soundtrack features Two Door Cinema Club, Lil Wayne, Santigold and Band of Horses.

Resident Evil 6

(Oct. 2 on XBOX 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows)

A bloodthirsty zombie in Capcom’s “Resident Evil 6.”

It’s a little hard to believe that the entire world isn’t undead by now, but players will get the chance to protect the remainder of the world from biologically engineered undead in Capcom’s “Resident Evil 6.” Players will traverse three intersecting campaigns with series staples Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield, or new character Jake Muller, son of original villain Albert Wesker, and stop the Umbrella Corporation’s creatures from destroying the world. The emphasis will again be on cooperative multiplayer and real-time weapons changes, with a new form of zombie with strategic military-like skills.

Dishonored

(Oct. 9 on XBOX 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows)
In the industrial city of Dunwall, the player takes control of Corvo Atano, who is granted powers by a magical external force called the Outsider, to exact his revenge on the government after being framed for the death of the Empress he had sworn to protect. The star-studded voice cast includes Lena Heady (“300”), Chloe Grace-Moretz (“Kick-Ass”) and Michael Madsen (“Reservoir Dogs,” “Kill Bill”). The gameplay focuses on creative weapons usage and stealth tactics, not unlike the popular “Assassin’s Creed” series.

Assassin’s Creed III

(Oct. 30 on all platforms)
“Assassin’s Creed III” marks the fifth major title in Ubisoft’s historical action-adventure series and will feature Desmond Miles’ new ancestral protagonist: the half-English, half-Native American Connor Kenway. Through Miles, the player will once again enter the Animus to become Kenway, as the Assassin-Templar war bleeds into the American Revolution. As Kenway, the player will encounter a number of historical figures, including George Washington and Paul Revere. Aside from the historical storyline, players will spend more time with Desmond than ever before, spending a large portion of the game attempting to prevent the Apocalypse.

Okami HD

(Oct. 30 on PlayStation Network)
In this high-definition remastering of IGN’s 2006 Game of the Year, players take control of the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu and use the Celestial Brush to remove an ancient demon’s curse from the land. Okami gained critical acclaim for its striking cell-shaded visuals and the functionality of the Celestial Brush feature. The newly remastered game features improved visuals and supports the PlayStation Move controller for the Brush portions of the game. “Okami HD” is available for direct download from the PlayStation Network.

Halo 4

(Nov. 2 on XBOX 360)
Master Chief returns to the “Halo” franchise for the first time since “Halo 3” in 2007. This time, he begins a new trilogy in “Halo 4.” The game maintains the familiar first-person shooter gameplay, but includes a more mysterious, story-driven experience than past iterations. After drifting in space for five years, Master Chief will traverse the Forerunner planet Requiem fighting the Prometheans while dealing with the deterioration of Cortana, Chief’s artificial intelligence companion. The multiplayer looks to combine elements of “Halo 3” and “Reach” into a fresh experience and 343 will be releasing “Spartan Ops,” a weekly episodic online campaign.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

(Nov. 13 on XBOX 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows)
In this ninth installment in the “Call of Duty” franchise, the single player campaign features two storylines, one set between the 1970s and 1980s and one set in the year 2025. “Black Ops II” is the sequel to the highly-successful 2010 “Black Ops” title and the first “CoD” to feature speculative futuristic warfare as well as branching storylines driven completely by the player’s choices. These “Kill Streak Missions” will feature permanent death and will have major ramifications of the rest of the storyline.