7th September 2009 - The run-up to Christmas is the one time of year where game developers will really give you a run for your money. Each year between September all the way through to January, there are many great blockbuster titles released, all of which you will surely want to get your hands on. But with so many being released, its hard to choose which ones you will actually buy. Well, this year, All Age Gaming will help you out by giving you the top 5 games being released this summer that you just have to have. Enjoy!
5. Forza Motorsport 3
To kick off our list of 360 games you just have to have this summer is Forza Motorsport 3. Forza boasts one of the most realistic driving engines ever developed and only gets better for every release. You can take helm in over 400 detailed cars on over 100 real-world tracks from all over the world. Forza 3 also gives players the most advance tuning and customization ever experienced in a racing game.
Essentially, Forza 3 is Microsofts answer to Gran Turismo 5. Both are hyper-realistic driving sims and both will please any racing fan out there. You could be asking yourself why you have to get this over other racing games being released on the 360, like Need For Speed Shift, or DiRT 2. The simple answer is that no other driving game will give you the depth of Forza, and no other driving game will deliver such a great community, already established strongly in Forza 2. See you on the race track.
4. Assassins Creed 2
The first action game on our list is Assassins Creed 2. This is the sequel to one of the best and most successful games of this generation, and one we've been anticipating for a long time. Players will take the role Ezio, an Assassin in the renaissance. Ezio will have to explore the sprawling cities of Europe to assassinate his high-profile targets. Its up to you to make sure he completes his task any means necessary. This will give players many options on how to kill and how to go about making your get away. AC 2 promises to improve on all aspects of the first game, making a much more complete experience.
This is a game that should be on everyone’s top 5 list, as games that provide anywhere near as much depth as this will can be replayed over and over. AC 2 will provide many hours of gameplay and players will get sucked into its deep storyline for hours without the intention of stopping, not to mention the countless hours of fun you will have running and jumping and even flying around the European cities. Its games that provide such freedom and choice that we need to see more of in the future. 
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
If you have ever played the original Modern Warfare’s multiplayer and cinematic single-player, you will know why this is on here. It gives players yet another dive into the deeply emotional drama that is; Modern War. This time around, you will be given even more modern technology and up-to-date weapons and more realistic control over them to help you take down the opposition. There isn't much to say about the games story or gameplay, as it’s more than familiar with anyone who played the original. But in the highly unlikely event that you haven't played the original, know this; it is great!
The games one player mode will be similar to that of the original, providing players with a quick once or twice over, then leaving them dry of the cinematic experience and leaving them wanting more action. This is where the series famous multiplayer comes in. And looking to give players even more add-ons and and perks to help customize their soldier, Modern Warfare looks to dominate the LIVE boards as the most played shooting game, just as its predecessor was. Its the multiplayer mode that is really making this look like a must have, so make sure you've dusted off the old Gold Membership for this one.
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum
It’s a very rare sight to see a Batman game on top anything but 'flop' list, but there is good reason Batman: Arkham Asylum is on here. Arkham Asylum sees players take the role of, duh, Batman as the Joker takes over the notorious Arkham Island and frees the Asylums psychopathic inmates. And with hundreds of lunatics abound and all of Batman’s previous foes let loose, carnage is ensured. This isn't your run of the mill Batman game, and takes away from the kiddy outlook on the caped crusader to give you the real side of the man behind the mask, and his overwhelmingly evil enemies. It mixes stealth and action, and adds in an amazing story and dialogue to keep you interested. If the list was top 5 for the best story mode and single-player games, Arkham Asylum would have no doubt been the leader.
Batman: Arkham Asylum isn't only a must have game for the year, but its a must have game all together. It will surely go down as one of the greatest video games ever developed. It gives players a massive island to explore and defend any way they see fit, and sucks you into its storyline and adventure mode. To add to the games value is its fun and exhilarating challenge maps. These more than make up for the lack of multiplayer and give players leaderboards for friend comparisons. It goes hand in hand with Assassins Creed 2 as a free-roaming action stealth game, but is graded ahead of the class due to the extreme overdue nature of a great Batman game, and its more original combat elements, e.g., using Batman’s many gadgets to set traps and subdue his insane enemies. 
1. Halo 3: ODST
This one is a bit of a no-brainer, after all, it’s a Halo game. Halo 3: ODST takes players away from the familiar Master Chief and gives them an alternative look to tackle the Covenant attack on planet Earth. You take the role of an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, and must search the city of New Mombasa for your lost squad mates. ODST promises to give a slightly different gameplay style to that of your normal Halo 3, making your character not as super-humanly strong as the Chief, and making players think about how to fight a bit more, rather than just running in and blasting everything to bits. It will also give players the new gamemode 'Fire Fight', which sees a squad of ODST's pit against increasingly strong waves of Covenant troops and vehicles, which will surely make for some very great and unique battles and strategies. Also available on ODST is the Halo 3 multiplayer in its entirety, with ever a few more maps thrown in.
The reason ODST should be your must have shooting game for the year is that the games multiplayer mode alone could be worth ten times its retail price. There is an unprecedented amount of depth and available strategy in Halo 3 multiplayer, and it is forever available due to the hundreds of thousands of players online at any one time. But its not just the multiplayer mode that will make this game worth buying. Its the newest story in the Halo universe. The series of games that single handedly made the Xbox successful. There is a reason Halo is popular, and its not just because Master Chief is cool, its because each and every Halo FPS takes the genre to new heights and this looks to be no exception.
Runners up:
With any list, there’s always runners up. Here’s just a few titles that didn't quite make it onto the final list;
- Borderlands
- Brutal Legend
- Need For Speed Shift
- Guitar Hero 5
- Alpha Protocol
Article Written by John Elliott