Nine Xbox 360 Games you NEED to have this Christmas (2008)

#9 - Far Cry 2

#8 - Guitar Hero World Tour

#7 - Rock Band 2





#6 - Fable II





#5 - Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe





#4 - Call of Duty: World at War





#3 - Fallout 3





#2 - Left 4 Dead





#1 - Gears of War 2

Christmas season is upon us, and like most years, 2008 is jam packed with some amazing video game titles to keep any kid (or grown man) happy for months! The top games this season almost all feature some form of multiplayer mode, however it isn't the only thing that makes any of these games fantastic.I've hand selected nine of the best games that are to be released this year and have provided detailed information as well as screenshots to help you make the most informed decision on either what games to get yourself or what games to get your loved ones.Release Date: Oct 21, 2008Genre: ActionDeveloper: Ubisoft MontrealESRB Rating: MatureI am kind of confused why the developers of Far Cry 2 decided to call this game Far Cry 2 since the game has absolutely nothing to do with the original Far Cry. Once you get beyond the fact they only called it Far Cry to leverage the name brand, the game itself is actually quite amazing. Following the open world philosophy Far Cry 2 allows you to go virtually anywhere, which is generally pretty cool, although it can be frustrating too. While the multiplayer mode is somewhat standard, the thing that makes it stand out beyond other games is that it comes with a really easy to use map editor. This means you can create maps, share them with your friends and have endless different battlefields. While, I'd probably buy one of the other shooters on this list before Far Cry 2, it is a great addition to a game collection if the gamer in your family already has the other titles.Release Date: Oct 26, 2008Genre: SimulationDeveloper: NeversoftESRB Rating: TeenWhile Guitar Hero World Tour didn't get the most amazing reviews, it is definitely a must have for any gamer who loves music games. Guitar Hero finally picks itself up out of the dust where Rock Band left it and adds in drums and singing. Unfortunately, they weren't nice enough to make the Rock Band drums compatible with Guitar Hero, so you are going to have to buy the Guitar Hero World Tour drums as well if you want to play drums.Release Date: Sept 14,2008Genre: SimulationDeveloper: Harmonix Music SystemsESRB Rating: TeenRock Band 2 more or less nailed the formula on the second release. They gave gamers a ton of new music and added the ability to port your songs over from the original Rock Band. If you hate having wires everywhere from the Original Rock Band instruments, the full Rock Band 2 set comes with wireless instruments to further reduce the clutter in your house. The song selection on this game is great tunes ranging from Modest Mouse to System of a Down.Release Date: Oct 21, 2008Genre: RPGDeveloper: Lionhead StudiosESRB Rating: MatureFable II is a HUGE step up from the first Fable. Fable II has expanded and improved on almost every aspect. You can buy any property in the game, which you can then turn around and rent out to make some extra cash. You can wed, have babies, and do just about anything. You even get a dog, who is actually your guide through the game, and a very useful guide at that. The combat system is simple, one button for sword, one for gun and one for magic, but allows for good diversifying with different combos. The only real negative in the game is the multiplayer. You can bring friends into your game to serve as your henchmen, but you friend's character comes over lacking all his armor and his distinct look, instead taking on a default model. All in all Fable II offers much more in the positive than in the negative and is definitely worth your time.Release Date: Nov 16, 2008Genre: FightingDeveloper: MidwayESRB Rating: TeenMost people never would have expected this game to ever exist, but fortunately for us it does! Choose from a range of classic Mortal Kombat characters or pick one of the many DC Comics super heroes and beat the living hell out of each other. The only issue I find in this game, is that once you become good with the controls it becomes really easy to side step a long range attack; aside from that, the game is awesome.Release Date: Nov 11, 2008Genre: ActionDeveloper: TreyarchESRB Rating: MatureCall of Duty 4 sold so well, its a no brainer that this game is going to fly off the shelves. The multiplayer mode alone makes this game worth buying. Fight battalions of 12 year olds on Xbox Live to see who is the ultimate Call of Duty warrior. While the last Call of Duty took place in a more modern time frame, Call of Duty 5 returns to its roots and brings us back to World War II. If multiplayer isn't your cup of tea, the single player mission is so intense you might actually have nightmares that you are actually in World War 2. If you loved the previous Call Of Duty games, you definitely owe it to yourself to slide this bad boy in your own stocking!Release Date: Oct 28, 2008Genre: RPGDeveloper: Bethesda SoftworksESRB Rating: MatureThere are so many things that make Fallout 3 an amazing game. Fallout 3 is a shooter RPG that takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. There are very few things in this game that one could be disappointed with. Players can either take the very linear route and beat the game quite quickly, or they can take their time and hammer through what seems like endless side missions that make the game have a ridiculous lasting appeal. If you want a great adventure this Christmas, pick yourself up a copy of Fallout 3.Release Date: Nov 17, 2008Genre: ActionDeveloper: Turtle RockESRB Rating: MatureFirst of all, why do more games not feature zombies? Left 4 Dead is really pushing the envelop in terms of game play. Instead of having players try to conquer missions, the idea of Left 4 Dead is strictly to survive. You can either team up with 3 other players and take on the Zombie world, or you can play as Zombies, and run around trying to kill the survivors. While the single player mode in this game is quite short, the multiplayer mode, both co-op and death match extend the replay value through the roof. I will definitely be purchasing Left 4 Dead without a second thought.Release Date: Nov 7, 2008Genre: ActionDeveloper: EpicESRB Rating: MaturePossibly the most highly anticipated game of the year; Gears of War 2 is hands down the #1 must have video game of the holiday season 2008. Starting where the first Gears of War left off, Gears of War 2 takes all the elements of the first and does nothing but improve upon them. Everything from the storyline to the graphics to the multiplayer game is absolutely unreal and will not only drive insane sales for this game, but the fact that it is exclusive to the Xbox 360 will drive the console's sales through the roof this Holiday season.