Dont pass me by
E3 2014 was packed with so many new-gen games our wallets are already shivering with fear. Seriously, just take a look at all the upcoming PS4 and Xbox One games--theres plenty there.
But maybe you havent bought either of the new consoles yet. Maybe youre happy with the massive library the Xbox 360 and PS3 already have, and aren't ready to pass your aging systems along to your younger family members. Heads up--that library is about to get a whole lot bigger. Fear not, seventh-gen die-hards: Here are the biggest games coming to those consoles before the end of 2014, starting with
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 14 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Cant get enough Borderlands? Good news: Coming exclusively to the previous generation is Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, a gunporn lootfest that bridges the gap between the first two Borderlands games--a perfect fit for those not ready to move on.
The Pre-Sequel brings a new cast and setting to the Borderlands universe. This time, youre in control of Athena the Gladiator, Wilhelm the Cyborg, Nisha the Lawbringer, and the lovable Claptrap. Shield throwing, cyber enhancements, and many other upgrades await this team as they raid Pandoras moon under the orders of Handsome Jack. Yes, Pandora's most lovable skin-mask-wearing villain is your boss. Fancy that.
Tales of Xillia 2 (PS3)
Release date: August 19 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
The beloved Tales series, known for its intriguing cut scenes and stylish combat, will see the release of another entry exclusive to the PS3 before the end of summer. The real-time battle action returns to ensure every fight is epic, and the massive world promises more fields, dungeons, and everything in between to explore. Expect plenty of funny and endearing skits from your party as you fight to find the Land of Canaan, too.
Tales of Xillia 2 picks up one year after the original, and follows series newcomer Ludger Will Kresnik as he invades and destroys alternate timelines. Developer Bandai Namco promises that your choices will impact the world, so those alternate timelines are just the beginning of the possibilities this sequel has to offer.
Far Cry 4 (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: November 18 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
After the dealing with the psychotic Vaas in Far Cry 3, it's hard not to be excited for Far Cry 4. Set in a region of the Himalayas ruled by the out-of-his-mind Pagan Min, it promises a new location to explore, new weapons for taking out enemies, and some pretty awesome new vehicles--gyrocopter, anyone?
Oh, and how about the fact that YOU CAN RIDE AN ELEPHANT INTO BATTLE!? These beasties are capable of ramming and destroying vehicles, and generally making you feel like a gun-toting Hannibal (no not, the cannibal--the historic general). Plus, when you're all done with your elephant joyride, you can skin the thing for crafting materials (messed up, yes, but I've always wanted a nice pair of elephant pants).
Skylanders: Trap Team (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 5 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Skylanders is an isanely popular franchise for Activision, so it makes sense that Skylanders: Trap Team is releasing on everything under the sun, including the Xbox 360 and PS3. Its hook: kidnapping escaped prisoners and forcing them to do your bidding. Is this what we're teaching kids these days? Sheesh.
A new Portal of Power let's you "trap" enemy characters, storing them for later use. As you obtain shards of Traptanium in the game, you can then control them as teammates in the fight for good. Yes, that's right: Skylanders' already huge character roster of toys is about to expand. Trap Team works with all previous Skylanders figures as well, so you can use all your old stuff for the new adventure.
Destiny (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: September 9 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
From the makers of Halo comes a game that looks a bit like Halo, actually. Destiny is a shared world shooter (read: a shooter MMO), where you take on side missions with or without online buddies, then turn against those buddies in PvP zones. Fun fact: you get your own spaceship, which is awesome. Another fact: you can use that ship to explore planets, moon bases, space stations, and more, all while blasting away hordes of alien things.
Best of all, it's not exclusive to the Xbox One or PS4--the world of Destiny may be huge, but developer Bungie is still offering it to Xbox 360 and PS3 owners this fall. Youll be able to choose from the Titan, Hunter, or Warlock classes, score tons of loot, and become one of the many saviors of the universe. Your Destiny awaits (sorry, had to do it).
Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox 360)
Release date: September 30 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Microsofts premiere racer has another entry coming soon, and its coming to both old and new platforms. The open-world racing returns, but this time, its not just about crossing the finish line first. In Forza Horizon 2, it's all about finishing with style.
You drift around corners, weave through traffic, and generally invoke The Fast and the Furious in everything you do. These stunts may not take you to first place, but they do win you experience points. As you rank up, you unlock new skills that help you traverse the open world in more exciting ways. A new horizon, indeed.
Alien: Isolation (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 7 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
In space, no one can hear you scream... but in your living room, everyone will hear you yelp while playing Alien: Isolation. This looks to be a truly horrifying take on Ridley Scotts outer space scarefest, and its coming to consoles across both generations.
Alien: Isolation pits you against not only the classic Xenomorph, but humans and androids as well. Surviving these encounters requires the use of stealth, diplomacy, or--if it comes down to it--firearms. Though don't expect a bullet to do much against the alien. Prepare to sneak around the ship, cause and craft distractions, and stay hidden.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 7 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
JRPG fans got their turn with Tales of Xillia 2--now its time for some sweet, sweet Bioware love. Dragon Age: Inquisition continues the series brand of sword-clashing, spell-casting, medieval action RPG action.
This time around, you lead the titular Inquisition through Ferelden and Orlais, building up forces and forts as you go. The world of Thedas is full of quests for both you and your troops--you can even send them off on missions independently. Its an intriguing mix of the tactical and real-time action of the previous games, now set in an open world. Oh, plus you can stab a Dragon's legs until it collapses, then finish it off for a pile of loot. Yeah, sounds good to us.
Battlefield Hardline (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 21 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Heres the pitch: Battlefield: Hardline takes the wartime encounters youre used to and replaces them with cops-vs-robbers clashes. You play either as the lawbreakers, stealing money and destroying anything in your way--or as the law enforcers, stopping the crooks at any cost.
Levolution returns, allowing both sides to warp the battlefield to their advantage, bringing down buildings and cranes (even though that sounds a tad extreme for your typical heist). New gear like ziplines and tasers means new tactics--you can zip around, dropping down on criminals to stun then arrest them, or use said ziplines to make the ultimate escape. The battle begins across generations (and laws) this October.
Annual sports game
It should come as no surprise that your obligatory football, basketball, soccer, and hockey titles will be available for your previous-gen systems at some point this year. Expect the newest entries to include a few roster changes, barely noticeable graphic and gameplay improvements, and more lifelike animations. Of course, the back of the box will say all that in a cooler way.
Madden NFL 15 releases for Xbox 360 and PS3 on August 26--you can pre-order it on Amazon here. NHL 15 hits Xbox 360 and PS3 on September 9. FIFA 15 is coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 on September 23. Lastly, NBA 2K 15 arrives on Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 7. Go team(s)!
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: November 4 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Look, you know the drill: flying bullets, screaming soldiers, explosive killstreaks. It's time for a new Call of Duty. BUT! Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is taking the series in a new direction--one that involves Kevin Spacey. Actually, Mr. Spaceys just serving as a central character, but his futuristic military-for-hire is bringing all new ideas to the CoD front.
New tech augments classic weapons and tools. Grenades hover and wait for enemies, exploding when they walk too close; your character (and the enemies you'll inevitably gun down) wear badass exoskeletons, providing some cool new ways to get around, such as quick dashes and occasional wall-climbing. The thing even has active camouflage. If you've been feeling that CoD fatigue, Advanced Warfare might just reinvigorate your shooter appetite.
Fantasia: Music Evolved (Xbox 360)
Release date: October 21 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
The latest music-and-rhythm game from Harmonix is only for Xbox owners, but that means you can jam out on either the 360 or One. Fantasia: Music Evolved allows you to remix or conduct music of all kinds using Kinect. You and your sidekick Scout set out to transform the world through the power of music and magic.
The game's varied tracklist includes tunes from Drake, Depeche Mode, and even Tchaikovsky (among others), which makes sense considering Fantasia is a film of eclectic styles. Making music across the stages triggers urban skyscrapers, dancing meat, floating elephants, neon lights--you name it. The magic of music is in your hands, and the results are very strange and oddly endearing.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 7 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Tolkien's legendary world of Middle-earth is timeless--as such, its latest game adaptation will be available across both consoles generations. But Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor isnt really about that heavy Lord of the Rings canon. It's a prequel to the trilogy we know and love, and it's all about battling the crap out of orcs and slaying the evil Lord Sauron.
The combat here is akin to that of Batman: Arkham Asylum--action-driven and counter-heavy. The thing is, your fights and victories arent the only ones that matter. Fail to slay a certain enemy or fall to him in battle, and he can show up later, promoted through the enemy ranks thanks to his victory over you. Shadow of Mordor actually tracks your encounters and how well you fare in combat to create your very own nemeses. Pretty cool, eh?
The Evil Within (Xbox 360, PS3)
Release date: October 21 [Pre-order it on Amazon]
Shinji Mikami, the father of survival horror and Resident Evil, is returning to the scary genre this October with The Evil Within. His latest title looks to creep us out as hero Sebastian journeys into a mad world populated by box-headed psychopaths and gore monsters. Sounds like a treat!
The Evil Within promises everything you could want in a horror title: a dark atmosphere, a lack of safe zones, seemingly unkillable monsters, and traps--oh, the traps. Wading through a trash compactor filled with blood is a tad bit unsettling. I'm getting uneasy just thinking about it.
LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS3)
Release date: November
Did you think the cuddly adventures of Sackboy were over? Did you think they would only continue on the PS4? Well, good news all around: LittleBigPlanet 3 is coming to both the PS3 and PS4--with new friends for our burlap buddy.
This time around, Sackboy is joined by his pals. Toggle is a big guy (or a small guy, since he can toggle his size), and he can carry objects and throw his weight around; Swoop can fly, which opens up a whole new level of mobility; and Oddsock can wall jump. These cuties and their powers mean new directions for LittleBigPlanet 3s built-in and player-created levels. I'm excited to see where the community takes these new ideas.
But wait--theres more!
Plenty of gamers are still sticking with their Xbox 360s and PS3s, and developers know this--theyre sticking with them, too. With whats on this list, theres no shortage of games for previous gen-ers to play. What are you excited for? Let us know in the comments below.
So many games are coming out this year, and many more were revealed at E3 2014. Check out our best games of E3 2014 for our favorites, or check out 100 games you mightve missed at this years E3 for even more upcoming releases.
