Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Release Date: Nov 3 (PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC)
Developer/Publisher: Sledgehammer Games/Activision
The pitch: The usual twitch-shooting fare Call of Duty aficionados know and love, thrown several decades into the future, where soldiers wear highly advanced “exo-suits” (not unlike the one Matt Damon wore in the film Elysium). Oh, and Kevin Spacey stars (via motion capture).
Why you should get it: The hugely popular multiplayer mode has arguably set the standard for all modern first-person shooters. But the latest edition’s futuristic exo-suits should make the campaign equally exciting, thanks to extra abilities such as invisibility, a grappling hook and a jetpack, to name a few.
Grand Theft Auto 5: Re-mastered
Release Date: Nov 18 (PS4, Xbox One)
Developer/Publisher: Rockstar North/Rockstar Games
The pitch: Set in the coastal city of Los Santos (basically Los Angeles), GTA 5 follows the everyday shenanigans of three criminals. Originally released in 2013 for PS3/XBOX 360, this re-mastered edition for new-gen consoles still features the typical open-world madness that comes with all GTA games, supported by plenty of offensive comedy and satire both in the cut-scenes and the game.
Why you should get it: Robbing a minimart with an aircraft carrier never gets old.
The Crew
Release Date: Dec 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Developer/Publisher: Ivory Tower/Ubisoft
The pitch: Part racing game, part role-playing game, this car-PG (get it?) is a massive, multiplayer online game where your crew goes on a road trip across the US. And by massive, we mean the map covers all of the United States—and takes three hours to cross.
Why you should get it: The Crew puts you in a persistent open-world, letting you jump in and out of races whenever you want. The game also sports an upgrading system that turns your cars into characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, which can in turn be customized to fit an individual player’s gaming style.
WWE 2K15
Release Date: Nov 18 (PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Developer/Publisher: Yuke’s Media Creation/Take-Two Interactive
The Pitch: The latest entry in the annualized WWE 2K franchise comes with all the glossy graphics you’d expect from a new-gen game. In fact, the faces of the wrestlers are among the best in videogames. The PS4 and XBOX ONE versions also sport a robust wrestler creator, allowing you to customize the looks and move sets of your own unique fighter before pitting him or her against WWE legends such as Hulk Hogan.
Why you should get it: It feels more like a simulator than an arcade game. It’s outrageously good for parties, too.
Pro-Evolution Soccer 2015
Release Date: Nov 11 (PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Developer/Publisher: Winning Eleven Productions/Konami
The Pitch: Formerly known as Winning-Eleven, PES 2015 is the latest entry in the popular soccer game franchise. This newest addition does away with the many criticisms brought forward by fans of the series, and returns to the responsive controls and tight maneuvers that turned the series into a videogame powerhouse.
Why you should get it: Just watching the trailer, with shiny new graphics befitting the power of the new consoles, gave us goose bumps.
Assassin’s Creed: Unity
Release Date: Nov 11 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Developer/Publisher: Ubisoft Studios
Pitch: Set in Paris during the French revolution, Assassin’s Creed: Unity puts you in the shoes of Arno Victor Dorian, a young man caught between the Assassins and the Templars, two secret organizations vying to manipulate the revolution. The game is all about moving quickly, stealthily and slitting a lot of throats.
Why you should get it: Not only do players parkour their way through the streets and rooftops of Paris—impressively recreated on a 1:1 scale—but they can do so with a group of up to three other friends. Then there’s the ability to display over 5,000 characters on screen simultaneously: crowds that have their own agenda, such as rioting or storming a prison.
