Few independent studios sport the multiplayer pedigree of Turtle Rock Studios. After years of working on Valve's Counter-Strike series, the California-based developer created Left 4 Dead, a post-apocalyptic shooter that redefined cooperative gaming and landed the number-one spot on Game Informer's Top 30 Co-op Games of All Time list. Now the studio is combining its competitive and cooperative design expertise for a new, next-gen only IP: Evolve. Backed by publisher 2K Games, which paid a whopping $10.8 million for the IP in last year's THQ auction, Turtle Rock is taking full advantage of gamers' powerful new systems.

The sci-fi multiplayer-focused shooter pits a four-player crew of alien hunters against a separate player-controlled monster that grows larger and more powerful over the course of matches (for more on the core gameplay, check out our video feature: What Is Evolve?). Each hunter features its own unique items and abilities, and while the monster may be outnumbered, its size and an assortment of devastating attacks make it a more than formidable foe. Like Turtle Rock's previous titles, Evolve is being built with variety and replayabilty in mind; the result is a novel mix of cooperative and competitive multiplayer elements that's unlike anything we've played before. Our exclusive hands-on time with the game's four-versus-one hunt mode left us with plenty to be excited about, and you can get all the details in this month's issue.

Our 12-page look at Evolve reveals the first hunters, monster (a hulking creature named Goliath), and unique equipment players will get their hands on when the game releases on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 this fall. We also have a wealth of exclusive screens and hands-on impressions you won't want to miss. Check out the cover image below for your first hint at what's to come.

In addition to our first look at Evolve, the February issue features Game Informer's annual Top 50 Games of the Year awards (impatient gamers can check out the list of award winners before getting the full scoop in the issue). From the biggest triple-A action titles to the smallest indie experiences, the Top 50 celebrates the best games that 2013 had to offer. We also survey the changing landscape of MMOs in this month's Massive, reflect on our favorite 25 Wii games of all time, and take an inside look at the fall of the LucasArts empire. In this month's previews, we catch up with Ubisoft to see what's going on with The Division, share the latest details about Keiji Inafune's Mighty No. 9, take Diablo III's Reaper of Souls expansion for a test drive, and check out Hello Games' promising new sci-fi exploration game, No Man's Sky.

To top it all off, we have hands-on impressions of Sega and Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation. Find out how we fared against the series' infamous xenomorph in this promising new survival horror title that may finally deliver the tense cat-and-mouse experience Alien fans have been waiting for.

Print subscribers can watch for their issues to arrive in the coming days. If you subscribe digitally, your February issue will be available later today on PC/Mac, iPad, Android, and Google Play. You can also get the latest issue through third-party apps on Nook, Kindle, and Zinio starting tomorrow. To switch your print subscription to digital, click here, or to create a new subscription to the digital edition, click here.

In addition to our cover story on Evolve, readers can expect a whole month of bonus online coverage here at gameinformer.com, including an inside look at Turtle Rock Studios, video interviews with studio heads Chris Ashton and Phil Robb, and tons more details about the characters and creation of the game. Make sure you don't miss any of this month's features by visiting and bookmarking our Evolve coverage hub – check it out by clicking on the banner below.

For a sneak peek at what to expect in our month of exclusive features, check out our Evolve coverage trailer below or on YouTube.

You can also follow our Evolve updates and other stories by following Game Informer on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook.

Enjoy the issue!