This Month in Gaming - September 2011

For the rest of the year, we're going to see quite a few AAA game releases every month. September kicks off the influx in spectacular fashion with an anticipated 3DS remake, a zombie game that had one of the most popular trailers ever, and potentially the biggest Xbox 360 release of the year.

• Dead Island [PS3, X360, PC] - September 6th

Maybe you remember this spectacular trailer that came out in February? It's clocked over 5 million views and has had a lot of people interested in the game it represents ever since.

Dead Island is a first-person horror action-adventure open-world title where survival on an island overrun with zombies is the name of the game. It has a strong emphasis on melee combat, setting it apart from most first-person action games.

We can expect an experience system with a skill tree, offering up some RPG elements to go along with its sandbox-style world. And in the tradition of Valve blockbuster Left 4 Dead, Dead Island will also feature 4-player cooperative gameplay.

The Italian Playstation Magazine has offered up the only pre-release review of Dead Island thus far, awarding it a positive 8.5 score. If the setting of this game is up your alley, this could be one you should plan on buying.

• Resistance 3 [PS3] - September 6th

Resistance: Fall of Man was a Playstation 3 launch title released back in 2006 and was quickly recieved as the first must-play game on the console. It was followed up with Resistance 2 in 2008 which was received equally well and also included a vastly expanded multiplayer component which introduced huge 60-player online matches. But the second title played a bit differently from the series' progenitor, and not all fans considered the changes to be positive ones.

The third title in the franchise, Resistance 3, sees it's release early this month. From early reports, it seems that this game has more in common with the original Resistance: Fall of Man than its sequel, much to the agreement of many fans of the franchise. There is to be no auto-regenerating health and the multiplayer is returning to simpler 16-player matches, albeit now with a customizable progression system.

The visual quality from early game footage seems to be top-notch and will be likely be among the best-looking shooters available. You'll get to find out for yourself on the first tuesday of the month. For now, check out this trailer.

• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine [PS3, X360, PC] - September 6th

If you're not familiar with Warhammer 40,000, it's a tabletop miniature wargame that saw its first edition launch back in 1987. It owns an extremely loyal following and has seen multiple editions over the years, the most recent being the fifth edition released in 2008.

The Warhammer 40,000 universe has led to spinoffs, novels, and several video games, some of which were excellent titles (such as the RTS series Dawn of War). But the newest title waving its banner is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, a third-person shooter/brawler based in the familiar universe.

The single player story mode looks to be pretty action packed, and gets a nice introduction in the latest trailer. But the online multiplayer mode is where things get pretty interesting. There are extensive customization options, so there seems to be a lot of ways to make your character truly unique to most any other character you'll ever play against. This is a pretty big deal to fans of the tabletop game, because you will be able to customize your in-game character in the same way that you may have customized your tabletop army.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine also sees it's release in the coming week.

• Star Fox 64 3D [3DS] - September 9th

Many of today's adult gaming generation have very fond memories of the Nintendo 64 console. And along with them are likely nostalgic memories of Star Fox 64, one of the most popular games on the system. If you're a Nintendo 3DS owner, you might be very interested in Star Fox 64 3D, a 3D remake of the original title.

The familiar game from 1997 is intact here, but there are a few twists. Aside from the obvious implementation of the 3D visual effect that the 3DS software allows, there's an option to use the system's internal gyroscope to control the flight of your ship.

There's also a multiplayer "Battle" mode which allows up to 4 players to compete against each other while only one of those players is required to have the game. Unfortunately, there is no online multiplayer.

If you're a fan of classic games and you have a Nintendo 3DS, Star Fox 64 3D will likely be one of the highest-quality games available for the portable console when it releases. Check out the E3 trailer and look for it on shelves on the 9th.

• Gears of War 3 [X360] - September 20th

Like the aforementioned Resistance series, Gears of War came out for the Xbox 360 in 2006 and its sequel followed in 2008. The final game in the current story arc, Gears of War 3, sees its release this month, and it is arguably the biggest Xbox 360-exclusive release this year.

We're likely to expect much of the same from this title: outstanding visuals and sound, a compelling backdrop story, and addictive multiplayer. But if the improvements between the first and second titles are any indication, each of those familiar mechanics are likely touched up and even more refined.

The biggest new feature of Gears of War 3 is its 4-player cooperative multiplayer mode. There's also a new competitive mode called Beast mode where players can take control of the enemy Locust creatures and hunt the protagonist COG soldiers.

If you've played either one of the existing Gears of War games, you know that Gears of War 3 will be a must-buy for any Xbox 360 owner. If you haven't, get on board now, because you're missing one of the best franchises in the modern gaming generation. Watch the trailer and get excited.

These are some of the biggest titles coming out in September of 2011. But even with so many great games coming out this month, try to keep your wallet under control. You'll need it for the coming months as the crowd only gets thicker.