Xbox 360 Games for the Fall

The rain is here, it's getting colder, and the increasing intensity of the weather will soon give many people more reasons to stay inside their homes and entertain themselves by watching movies or playing video games. With the Christmas shopping season around a month away, the rush of games releasing in time to sell big for Christmas has started.

If you only have enough money for one game this season, figuring out which game to get can be difficult. The Green Hill Zone is here to help! In this column you will find a handy layout of game suggestions from the horde of releases coming out in the next two months, based on your game references. The focus will be exclusively on Xbox 360 games, although there are cool games being released for the Wii and PS3, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii or Uncharted 2 for the PS3.

The Shooter Fan

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Nov. 10, also on PS3)

Everyone in the gaming world knows about the first Modern Warfare. It was filled, front to back, with intense gunfights, awesome graphics, and memorable moments. The multiplayer mode is still played consistently, two years after its release. Infinity Ward, the developer of Modern Warfare, is back with the sequel, and it looks even better.

Everything in the sequel is being amped up from the original (if that was even possible), and there is already talk of Modern Warfare 2 getting Game of the Year status before it's even released. There will be many "sick" students and employees on November 10. If you like shooter games at all, look no further. You've found your perfect match this season.

Halo 3: ODST (currently available)

ODST is a full-priced expansion to Halo 3, and many will purchase it because of that. It is a new and interesting take on the Halo world, but it is still Halo. If you're sick of the Halo franchise, this isn't going to help much. If you love Halo, this will satisfy your needs. If you're on the fence between this and Modern Warfare 2, go with MW2. It is a more complete and new package, as half of ODST is Halo 3's multiplayer, but simply put on a new disc. It's still worth playing, but think of it as a companion to MW2 rather than a replacement.

The Sports Fan

Madden NFL 10 (currently available, also on PS3, Wii)

If you're a fan of football, this is the only game in town. Fortunately, it's a good game. The gameplay and presentation in Madden has only gotten better, and if football is your thing, the new Madden is worth picking up. However, if football is your thing, you probably already have this monster title anyway.

NBA 2K10 (currently available, also on PS3, Wii)

While NBA Live stepped up its game this year, NBA 2K is still the game to beat. With fluid on court motion and the new My Player mode to complement the deep feature set already present, NBA 2K10 is the winner for those who like their basketball done right. If you do pick up NBA 2K10, do the Sacramento area a favor and give the Kings a few wins. Please.

The Family Game

Band Hero (Nov. 3, also on PS3, Wii)

Band Hero is a lot like Guitar Hero except that the focus is on families and reaching out to the crowd that doesn't care for two-minute guitar solos and double-kick pedals. A look at the just-released track listing confirms this focus. Taylor Swift. Maroon 5. The Turtles. No Doubt. Jackson 5. These are not shredding tracks, but Top 40 hits, something the whole family could get into. If you have a Xbox 360, you probably already have those plastic instruments hanging around. If you've got a family to entertain, toss in Band Hero and watch the good times roll.

The Adventure Gamer

Assassin's Creed 2 (Nov. 17, also on PS3)

Assassin's Creed 2 looks to improve on the original by tightening up the actual assassinations, the best part of the original. AC2 also takes place in a new location and time; Renaissance era Venice, which should breathe some new life into the game. It's not out yet, and the original was either loved or hated, so it's hard to tell if the game will live up to expectations, but if you're at all interested, at least give this one a rental when it releases later in November.

Honorable Mention

Borderlands was just released to generally good reviews, however it seems to cater towards the hardcore gamer. It's a shooter, but the main gameplay mechanic is based on loot, like Diablo. If that sentence did not make sense to you, you should probably stay away. If that sounds like heaven, by all means pick up this unique title.

Another option for gamers who aren't impressed by this season's releases would be to simply wait. Many high profile games were delayed and will be releasing this spring, including Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption, Bioshock 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, and more. Saving money is always good, and each one of those games looks to be high quality. Plus, it will give you good gaming during those typically dry spring months.

If you can't wait, however, check out any of the picks mentioned above, and when your outdoors plans are ruined by rain, you'll have a new game inside your home, just waiting to be played.