GAMER There was a moment when it seemed this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (better known as E3) would be the most exciting since way back in 2006, the year Wii and PlayStation 3 premiered. This January, rumors swirled around Sony and Microsoft, that they were developing next generation consoles, and perhaps looking to premiere them alongside Nintendo's big Wii U reveal.Read more »

Max Payne 3

(Rockstar Games/Take-Two Interactive)

Xbox 360, PS3, PC Read more »

GAMER There are only so many times we can celebrate the world's top-selling entertainment industry before it starts to feel self-congratulatory. The Game Developer's Conference, held at San Francisco's Moscone Center, marks the beginning of a year packed with conferences and expos that run well into September, each aimed at announcing new games and boasting new technologies. In kicking off the year's lineup, the GDC hopes to lead by example, putting the industry's stars and its someday-somebodies first.Read more »

GAMER News of the Vita's death in Japan has been greatly exaggerated. Sony's new handheld console arrived on Japanese shores last November, with meager sales compared to 2005's PSP and even fewer than the much-ballyhooed Nintendo 3DS launch last spring. Analysts were quick to point to the 3DS's disappointing launch as the beginning of the end for dedicated handheld systems, and Sony's comparatively low sales had many pundits patting themselves on the back.Read more »

YEAR IN GAMER One of the most exciting release windows in recent memory, this year's fall gaming onslaught is officially behind us. And while most gamers are quick to rank the marquee experiences — battling dragons (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim), thwarting diabolical clowns (Batman: Arkham City), and riding giant birds in a green tunic (The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword), it's only when you approach the bottom half of a critic's top 10 that the real debate begins.Read more »

YEAR IN GAMER In 2010, year-end awards were dominated by one game: Red Dead Redemption. Published by Rockstar Games, the title was a sweeping, epic Western in the best American tradition. Using a proprietary game engine, Rockstar stitched together a giant swath of imaginary frontier, a teeming open world that seems to leap straight from the imagination of John Ford or Sergio Leone.Read more »

ASSASSIN'S CREED: REVELATIONS

(Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft) Xbox 360, PS3, PC

GAMER Historical fiction tale and science fiction soap opera about a man who relives his ancestors' memories through a special machine, Assassin's Creed is a satisfying fusion of the stealth and platforming techniques pioneered by publisher Ubisoft with its Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell franchises. And each year fans cringe at the prospect that the ambitious saga is spreading its potential thin with an annual release model.Read more »

Battlefield 3

(DICE, Electronic Arts)

Xbox 360, PS3, PCRead more »

GAMER Take a look at your favorite games from the past few years and you'll find most were released not only on one system, but on two or three. The days of platform exclusivity are waning, and all these multi-platform releases mean console exclusives like Resistance 3 are increasingly important to manufacturers interested in maintaining their position in the industry.Read more »

GAMER Though video game sequels abound every season, fall 2011 plays host to an unusual profusion. Three is indisputably the magic number, though five and a pair of un-numbered twos make a strong case. Decide for yourself which game deserves your dollars by delving into the details below.Read more »