For all fans of first-person shooters, this is the month for you! This month, first-person shooter fans are treated to Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. However, that isn’t all gamers get this month: a ton of new games are coming out for the Wii U such as New Super Mario Bros. U and ZombiU, not to mention the stealth-based game Hitman: Absolution and crossover video games such as PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. This month has a bit of everything for a variety of gamers.

Action

(11/6) Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

(11/13) Call of Duty: Black Ops II (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(11/18) Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Wii, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(11/18) New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)

(11/20) Hitman: Absolution (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

(11/18) ZombiU (Wii U)

(11/20) Rise of the Guardians (Wii, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, 3DS)

“Halo 4″ is the first game in a new trilogy of Halo games set four years after the events of Halo 3. The player plays through the entire campaign mode alone or cooperatively either locally or on Xbox Live. In the multiplayer, players customize their own Spartan-IV character and expand their career through games such as War Games, Spartan Ops, Forge, and Theater.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops II” is the ninth game in the Call of Duty series and the sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops. It is the first in the series using future warfare technology and branching storylines driven by the player’s choice. In multiplayer, there is a “Create-A-Class” feature which allows the player to customize their character.

“Hitman: Absolution” is the fifth game in the series and has been promised to be easier, to make it more accessible to new players, but still retain hardcore aspects. There is an online option. One interesting new feature is “instinct mode,” which allows the player to predict enemy patrol routes.

“Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” is the sequel to the original “Epic Mickey,” and is featured on multiple consoles. This time the game has a two player compatibility mode which can be played by the computer or an actual person. An interesting feature added to this game is the musical numbers littered throughout the entire game.

“New Super Mario Bros. U” is the fourth game in the New Super Mario Bros. series, solely featured on the new Wii U. There are two new modes: Challenge Mode and Boost Rush. The Challenge Mode creates challenges such as clearing a level as fast as possible or getting as many 1-UPs in a row without touching the ground. In Burst Mode, the player goes through a scrolling screen level which gets faster as he or she collect coins.

“ZombiU” is one of the Wii U launch titles in which the player is the survivor of a zombie apocalypse in London. “ZombiU” utilizes the new features of the console such as the use of the Wii U GamePad for inventory and unlocking doors. The player only has one life, and when the player dies they become a new character. Players are even able to meet up with their old character as a zombie.

“Rise of the Guardians” is a game based on the animated Dreamworks movie of the same name. The player plays as five characters (Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, the Easter Bunny, and Jack Frost). It is a drop-in/drop-out cooperative play with up to four people and has a leveling up system.

RPG

(11/11) Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

(11/6) Harvest Moon: A New Beginning (3DS)

“Paper Mario: Sticker Star” is the fourth game in the “Paper Mario” series and the first to be available on a portable system. However, this game introduces the concept of stickers, found throughout the game and then used as items or power-ups. Another interesting new feature is the ability to go into “paperization” which allows the player to place stickers in the world and activate certain events.

“Harvest Moon: A New Beginning” is another game added to the Harvest Moon series with an emphasis on customization including the player’s character and form. The player can go on honeymoons and vacations with their family to different places. The players can also create their own furniture and buildings rather than just buying them.

Fighting

(11/1) WWE ‘13 (Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

(11/20) PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Playstation 3, PlayStation Vita)

“WWE ’13″ is the fifteenth game in the WWE series and uses the Predator Technology 2.0 game engine, which allows for over 300 new moves. A weight detection system lets the game tell which wrestlers would realistically be able to lift others. This game also has the biggest roster of any of the WWE games.

“PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale” is a crossover fighting game in the same vein of Super Smash Bros. where up to four characters battle each other. It features characters from Sony games like “God of War,” “Sly Cooper,” and “Ratchet and Clank,” but also features characters from third-party franchises like Bioshock. The arenas are themed around different PlayStation games.

Racing

(11/6) LittleBigPlanet Karting (PlayStation 3)

(11/20) Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

“LittleBigPlanet Karting” is a racing game based on the LittleBigPlanet series which includes a variety of themed racetracks. The player creates their own Sackboy, karts, and racetracks as well as their own game rules and weapons. The player can even tweak the AI a little if they are having trouble.

“Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed” is the sequel to Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing and has characters from Sonic games as well some other Sega games. A new feature in this game is the ability to transform into sea or air-based vehicles during a race, but it is only performed by going through transformation gates. The game also features a new adventure mode, where players can unlock characters.

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Those who have been following Halo 4 will know that it marks a serious departure for the series. Previous entries in the franchise were developed by the game company Bungie and for the most part concerned themselves with the same events (i.e. the war against the Covenant).

Halo 4, on the other hand, marks the beginning of a new trilogy and is being developed by 343 Industries, a company created specifically to create Halo games ever since Bungie  became and independent company. Although 343 Industries is responsible for last years Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a remake of the first game, which makes Halo 4 the first time the company has created a game from scratch.

Some have complained about the graphics, but the game seems to be bringing Halo back to its roots. Several have noted that the game will be less of a straight-forward first person shooter and instead incorporate more elements of mystery, exploration, and discovery. Basically, the game will be more like the critically acclaimed original game and less like Halo 3 ODST.

The plot kicks up four years after Halo 3. Master Chief and his AI, Cortana, crash land on a Forerunner planet after being lost in space. The Forerunners were a species of enlightened aliens responsible for creating structures such as the Halo the series is now known for. The campaign is set on an artificial planet known as Requiem. Although the Covenant is now peaceful, a rogue group has splintered off, known as the Storm.

This time around, the story is being planned as a trilogy from the onset, which hopefully means the story will be split up between the three games, with no more annoying cliff hangers like in Halo 2. Halo 5 is planned to be a darker game than 4, and 6 will wrap things up.

Little information is out about multiplayer, but here is what has been shown so far: Two new modes will be included, Regicide and Infinity Slayer. Regicide consists of a free for all where one person is marked as the “King.” Killing other players will still net people points, but slaying the king will give out the most. The more players the king kills, the more points the player who commits the regicide receives. Infinity Slayer is a lot like normal Slayer, except weapons spawn over the course of the game, not just at the beginning of the match.

Also new is “personal ordnance.” This feature rewards individual players (as opposed to teams) for kills, assists, team support and completing objectives. Personal ordnance will play a part in all multiplayer modes, but has the biggest effect in Infinity Slayer.

In addition, players who still only have a 4GB HDD are out of luck. Installing multiplayer requires 8GB. This is not needed for single player mode.

Despite being announced at 2011’s E3, details on Halo 4 are still scarce. Stay tuned for more Halo 4 news from Toonari Post leading up to its worldwide release on November 6.

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San Diego, U.S.A. — At the San Diego Comic-Con International, the world’s largest pop culture convention, 343 Industries and Microsoft unveiled the official trailer for ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,’ the landmark live-action digital series based on the best-selling Xbox franchise. The series will be initially distributed worldwide by Machinima, debuting on its new channel, Machinima Prime, as well as on Halo Waypoint, on Oct. 5, 2012.

‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ will unfold through a series of five episodes, setting the stage for the worldwide launch of ‘Halo 4′ on Nov. 6. The official ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ trailer is now available on Machinima Prime and on Halo Waypoint. Machinima will also be releasing exclusive content, backstory and character pieces leading up to the launch of this highly anticipated series.

‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ tells an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice on a scale never before seen in the Halo universe, taking fans back to the beginning of the human and Covenant war and leading into the events of ‘Halo 4.’ Set against the backdrop of a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) military academy, a group of highborn cadets are training to be the next generation of soldiers in the UNSC’s ongoing war with insurrectionists in the outer colonial planets.

Among these cadets, Thomas Laskystruggles with his doubts about this war, and with the burden of expectations he may not be able to carry. As Lasky comes to terms with his potential as a military leader, the terrifying alien alliance known as the Covenant arrives and turns his world upside down. Inspired by the Master Chief, he must decide what it means to be a hero. ‘Halo’ fans who experience Lasky’s thrilling origin story in ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be rewarded with special insights into the story of ‘Halo 4′ and the “Halo Infinity Multiplayer” experience.

Directed by Stewart Hendler (‘H+,’ ‘Sorority Row’) and written by Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing(“Smallville,” “Spartacus”), ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ features a diverse cast of established and up-and-coming Hollywood talent, including Tom Green (‘Dance Academy’) as Thomas Lasky, Anna Popplewell (‘The Chronicles of Narnia’) as Chyler Silva, Daniel Cudmore (‘X2,’ ‘X-Men: The Last Stand,’ ‘The Twilight Saga’) as the Master Chief, Ayelet Zurer (‘Angels & Demons,’ ‘Munich’) as Mehaffey, Mike Dopud (‘Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol’) as General Black, Enisha Brewster (‘Footloose’) as April Orenski, Masam Holden (“Grey’s Anatomy,” ‘Elizabethtown’) as Michael ‘Sully’ Sullivan, Osric Chau (’2012′) as JJ Chen, Iain Belcher (“Supernatural”) as Vickers, and Kat De Lieva as Dimah.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is backed by a top-tier production team led by executive producers Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, former Warner Bros. and Playtone executives, respectively. Continuing its involvement with the ‘Halo’ franchise, Legacy Effects (‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘The Avengers,’ ‘Avatar’) is creating specialized costumes and armor, and visual effects are being designed by an award-winning team led by John Sullivan (‘The Pacific’). Production services are provided by Herzog & Co.

An extended, 90-minute Special Edition featuring additional footage and bonus content will be availableNov. 6 in the “Halo 4″ Limited Edition and on on-demand video services.

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Austin, U.S.A. — RTX, the two-day event where gaming meets the Internet in Austin, TX, is pleased to announce the first wave of confirmed games, exhibitors and special guests. Halo 4 will make its world hands-on gameplay premiere for consumers at RTX, giving gamers the first opportunity anywhere to play one of the most highly anticipated games of the year.

RTX is the brainchild of the great minds at Rooster Teeth, the team behind the longest running web series of all time, Red vs. Blue. Rooster Teeth created RTX to bring game companies, gamers and online video lovers together for one great weekend in Austin, TX.  RTX is all about playing new games and creating new online content. This year RTX will be open to the public for the first time and will give attendees the opportunity to play games, interact with one another and sit in on panels about creating online content led by industry experts including the Rooster Teeth team. Please see below for details on the first wave of confirmed games, exhibitors and special guests at RTX.

HALO 4 First Public Hands-on Opportunity

Halo 4 marks the return of the Master Chief and the beginning of a new saga in the blockbuster franchise that has shaped entertainment history, and is slated to hit stores November 6. RTX is proud to announce that fans will have their first opportunity to play Halo 4 this year when the gameplay demo debuts to the public at the expo.

Developed by 343 Industries exclusively for Xbox 360, Halo 4 takes the award-winning series in a bold new direction, delivering its most epic and explorative campaign yet, together with a groundbreaking multiplayer offering rooted in “Halo” fiction called “Halo Infinity Multiplayer.” Attendees will get the chance to play against each other at RTX and the winners may even get a chance to play against a team of Rooster Teeth employees on the main stage in the exhibit hall.

Please see below for a list of additional exhibitors confirmed to attend RTX this year.

Keynote Speaker Freddie Wong

RTX is pleased to announce that the RTX 2012 keynote address will be given by YouTube sensation Freddie Wong, aka freddiew. Freddiew has one of the most popular channels on YouTube, with more than 3.2 million YouTube subscribers. Freddiew blends visual effects with a gaming sensibility to create videos that are unlike any other, making him a perfect fit to act as the keynote speaker at RTX.

Please see below for additional confirmed guests at RTX.

Confirmed Exhibitors:

• Button Mash Productions
• Edge of Reality
• Game Over Videogames
• Game Republik
• Glennz Tees
• Handelabra
• IGDA Austin
• Minicore Studios
• Motus Digital
• Penny Arcade
• Robot Entertainment
• Sanshee
• Saturn Rising Productions
• Twisted Pixel

Confirmed Special Guests:

• Rocco, Derrick, Shawn, Garrett, and Eric from Mega64
• Hannah Hart from My Drunk Kitchen
• Grace Helbig from Daily Grace
• Milana and Stevie from Live Prude Girls
• Adam Montoya, aka SeaNanners
• Stephen Toulouse, aka Stepto
• Ryan Wyatt from Fwiz Gaming Live
• Jesse Cowell from Jeskid TV
• Justine Ezarik, aka iJustine
• Kent Nichols from blip.tv
• Jason Saldana, the voice of “Tucker” on Red vs. Blue
• Jenn Brown, the voice of “Agent Carolina” on Red vs. Blue
• John Erler, the voice of “Agent North” on Red vs. Blue
• John Reed, the voice of the “Director” on Red vs. Blue
• Samantha Ireland, the voice of “Agent C.T.” on Red vs. Blue
• Shannon McCormick, the voice of “Agent Washington” on Red vs. Blue
• Yomary Cruz, the voice of “Sheila the Tank” on Red vs. Blue

Weekend Passes for RTX are available for purchase online until Friday, June 22 for $45 plus tax and fees. Once online ticket sales are closed Weekend Passes will be available for purchase at the door for$60. Children ages 6 and under get free admittance with a paying adult.

For the latest developments visit the RTX Facebook & Twitter and be sure to check out the RTX websitefor updates each Monday.

About Rooster Teeth

• Creators of one of the most popular and longest running web series of all-time, Red vs. Blue, now entering its tenth season.
• Over 1 million DVDs sold.
• Over 1 billion total video views.
• 8th most viewed YouTube channel in the world (non-music) in 2011.
• 1.7 million YouTube subscribers.
• 5 million monthly unique visitors to RoosterTeeth.com.
• 1.4 million registered community members.
• Most downloaded gaming podcast on iTunes.
• 3 million monthly podcast downloads.
• Created the first machinima broadcast on commercial television.
• Winners of multiple awards, including the 2011 Best Animated Series from the IAWTV.
• Featured by hundreds of major publications and networks including MTV, G4, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone Magazine, Wired Magazine, and many more.

Image Courtesy of  Halo 4

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