With the holiday rush approaching, it can be difficult to keep track of all the popular video games launching each week – much less those on the horizon. Whether you're a casual gamer or just doing a little early Christmas shopping, we've collected a list of games we're most interested in this holiday season and the first quarter of next year. Without further ado, sorted by release date, the games:

Borderlands - October 20 (PS3, 360), October 26 (PC) - Borderlands is Gearbox Software's upcoming science fiction first person shooter/RPG, in which players explore the hostile planet of Pandora in search of alien technology and other secrets.

Dragon Age: Origins - November 3 (PC, 360), November 17 (PS3) - Described as a 'spiritual successor' to the Baldur's Gate series, Dragon Age: Origins is an action RPG that claims to deliver a dark heroic fantasy story that will be told on an epic scale with mature themes.


Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 - November 10 (PC, PS3, 360) - Modern Warfare 2 is Infinity Ward's sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and makes the eighth major installment in the Call of Duty franchise. Built from the ground up on an improved engine, it promises a revamped first person shooter gaming experience.

Left 4 Dead 2 - November 17 (PC, 360) - Slated to debut only a year after the original Left 4 Dead, L4D2 will bring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, items, campaigns, maps, and an overhauled AI director. Valve is currently offering an exclusive in-game weapon, demo access, and a 10% discount for those who pre-order.

DiRT 2 - December 2009 (PC) - While the game launched early last month on consoles, the PC version of DiRT 2 isn't expected to hit shelves until some point during December. This rally racing title is the first to make use of DirectX 11 – which was the cause for its PC delay.


Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed 2 - November 17 (360, PS3), Q1 2010 (PC) - Players will look through the eyes of a young nobleman-turned-assassin named Ezio Auditore di Firenze, as he seeks revenge on those who have betrayed him. The game takes place during the Italian Renaissance – some 295 years after the initial Assassin's Creed.

BioShock 2 February 9, 2010 (PC, 360, PS3) - Assuming the role of the first ever Big Daddy ten years after the events of the first title, players are pitted against new enemies in the form of other Big Daddies and Big Sisters, and engage a multiplayer component which is presented as a prequel to BioShock.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction - February 23 (PC, 360) - Sam Fisher is back again in the fifth installment of the Splinter Cell franchise – except this time, he's broke apart from the Third Echelon in a hunt to find those responsible for the death of his daughter.


Bioware's Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 - Q1 2010 (PC, 360) - Mass Effect 2 is BioWare's second episode in the Mass Effect trilogy, and it takes place two years after the conclusion of the first installment. It boasts an upgraded combat and weapons system, smarter AI, and much more.

Max Payne 3 - March 1 (PC, 360, PS3) - An aged and cynical Max Payne continues his struggle with life as the story leaves the streets of New York and picks up 12 years later in Brazil, where Payne works in a private security sector for a wealthy local family.

Obviously we couldn't choose every title releasing in the coming months, so what games are you looking forward to the most? Comment about them here.

Did you know?

Out with the new, in with the old (yes, I understand the irony considering the purpose of the article above). This week we published an interview with the guys behind the Good Old Games project.
We are also giving away 15 titles from their games catalog which includes classics like Duke 3D, the original Fallout, MDK, Beyond Good and Evil, and more.

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