10 Top PS3 Game Releases in Fall 2009

Let's face it. 2009 has been a very slow year for gamers, with delay after delay, and companies scoping out their rivals' releases to see if their games are truly ready for the end of the year. But all that has changed this season because the Playstation 3 has propelled itself in sales and has many great installments and exclusives to be released. Here are the 10 top PS3 game releases for Fall 2009 and the Christmas season, in no particular order.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Release Date: October 13^th, 2009 (PS3 only)

If you haven't heard of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves or its predecessor, you are not a gamer - it's as simple as that. This game has already received rave reviews and continues Nathan Drake's professional treasure hunting as he seeks to discover the truth behind the lost fleet of Marco Polo and the Himalayan valley of Shambhala.

The game is more like putting you in the shoes of an ordinary guy (but not really) in a Hollywood adventure movie. There is now stealth, competitive and co-op multiplayer (max of three players for co-op), and graphics that will make your jaw drop. You will be undertaking daring tasks, like escaping from a helicopter while on a collapsing building, or fighting for your life on top of a moving train.

The multiplayer mode is a new addition to the series. The competitive mode allows up to ten players to fight against each other in modes such as Deathmatch (Heroes vs Villains), Plunder (similar to Capture the Flag), Elimination (5 vs 5), and Chain Reaction. It would take a page to summarize how much is in this game. Uncharted 2 is a serious contender for Game of the Year.

Demon's Souls - Release Date: October 6^th, 2009 (PS3 only)

Demon's Souls is a PS3-exclusive RPG game that will chew you and spit you out. You will die and it will happen many times. This is a hardcore game that forces you to use all your wits and strategies to get past each level. The difficulty is there for a reason, because other players (who have gotten past levels) can leave hints, revive you, or they can make things harder for you.

Unlike most RPGs these days, Demon's Souls makes you feel like you accomplished something great when you beat a level. The game is open-ended so you can set your own pace. You can replay your death scenes to see what went wrong or to re-experience the true magnitude of your beat-down. Players can look at this game and identify it as an old-school challenging RPG experience, but it is not limited to the hardcore. If you plan to get this game, expect to die and die often. But expect each victory to feel better than the pain of all your deaths combined.

Assassin's Creed 2 - Release Date: November 17^th, 2009 (also on PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS)

Assassin's Creed 2 is set in 15^th century Italy during the Renaissance, showcasing many historical figures like its predecessor. Ezio, the main character, can use Leonardo Da Vinci's ingenious contraptions to wreak havoc in the open non-linear world. One example is the flying machine, which adds a huge layer of immensity to the game.

Expect more engaging gameplay than the original. Players can use new techniques to dispatch guards and instill chaos as a means to distract a crowd. One hilarious method is throwing coins at the feet of a crowd and watching them stumble around, giving you time to slip past unseen or get past a guard. Enemies can be taken out before you are detected (especially now that no cover is safe; guards can search anywhere). A great way to do this is to place their bodies in a haystack. If at the wrong place at the wrong time, you can even get away with placing bodies in sitting positions on a park bench. There are several new features to the game apart from the enhanced graphics, such as Ezio's ability to kill two enemies at once with twin blades.

Borderlands - Release Date: October 26^th, 2009 (also on Xbox 360 and PC)

Borderlands is set in the world of Pandora, in a high scale sci-fi universe where horrible creatures lie in wait in hibernation and come out as the planet's orbit brings the season to spring. The game itself is a cross between a first person shooter and an RPG, where loot mechanics play out.

One peculiar gameplay aspect is the endless amount of combinations of weapons you can loot and customize (as in millions). There is randomized content and monsters similar to Diablo, which ensures you don't feel like you're killing the same exact species too often. Borderlands allows up to four players on co-op mode and a two player versus (PvP) mode. There is also vehicular combat.

Players will choose from four playable characters (Sniper, Soldier, Siren, Brawler), each with different skill trees (which makes this game feel like an FPS-MMO), and specialized abilities. The Siren, for example, can use her powers to increase the group's rate of fire.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 - Release Date: November 10^th, 2009 (also on Xbox 360 and PC)

Modern Warfare 2 is significantly beefed up, with everything players loved from the original and a host of new features that makes it more than just a sequel. The game will have a two player co-op mode (called "Special Ops") and the online multiplayer mode will retain its experience point system and unlockable rewards.

Everything about this game is intense, from the Hollywood-esque music (composed by Hans Zimmers) to the breath-taking visuals. Gameplay is perfectly integrated into the shooting aspect of the game, with things like snowmobiles (on which you can still shoot at enemies while on a high speed chase), dual wielding pistols, grappling in high snow mountain terrain, and the list goes on. Players are highly anticipating taking on the campaign as the new protagonist, Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, as well as seeing what surprises the story will have.

FIFA Soccer 10 - Release Date: October 20^th, 2009 (US) (also on PS2, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, Wii, PC)

Gamers are used to sports games being a rehash of last year's but for FIFA Soccer 10, this is not the case. FIFA '09 was a tough performance to follow but this game will make you realize the fundamentals that were truly missing. FIFA Soccer 10 has received core enhancements to gameplay.

There is now a 360 degree control (yes, 360) and greater control in dribbling, allowing you to pass and shoot to your exact specified position. The increased amount of maneuverability, improvements to Manager Mode, goalkeeper AI, and many other of the 50 new improvements has made the game possibly the best soccer game in the world to date, appealing to the masses and the hardcore (who will enjoy the advanced positioning, defending options, etc).

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time - Release Date: October 27^th, 2009 (PS3 only)

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time is an inspired PS3-exclusive platformer that will answer many questions that fans have regarding Ratchet and Clank's destinies in the future. The humor of the franchise will persist and the game will have a new space-based gameplay, new villains, new weapons and abilities, and an engaging cinematic story.

Players can take the roles of Ratchet and Clank, changing the gameplay experience completely for each character. Ratchet has new Hoverboots that can launch him at high speeds to high altitudes and players can use Clank's manipulation of time travel. With that said, expect an absorbing storyline that consolidates the franchise as a whole for these characters.

Tekken 6 - Release Date: October 27^th, 2009 (also on Xbox 360 and PSP)

Tekken 6 is a highly anticipated fighting-game that will truly combine the series in action-packed and deep gameplay, as it is the first game to be released on the PS3's System 357 arcade board. Stages are larger and allow for more interactivity, such as breaking through walls to reach new areas to fight.

Characters have a rage system which makes them more powerful as their vitality gets low and improved combo systems you can utilize with the "bound" system when you slam opponents into the ground hard enough for them to bounce up, allowing you to beat them up more. Tekken 6 will also have a "Scenario Campaign" in which up to two players can play cooperatively to pick up items and weapons and combat groups of enemies (which will then revert the screen mode to the traditional Tekken style).

Tekken 6 will have 42 playable fighters, the most characters ever so far in the franchise. And if that doesn't sound good enough, the game will also have an online versus multiplayer mode, so you can see if you can take on the best fighters in the world.

Dragon Age: Origins - Release Date: November 17^th, 2009 (also on Xbox 360 and PC)

Bioware's highly anticipated traditional fantasy RPG, Dragon Age: Origins, is hitting stores in time for the holiday season. This game will allow you to "make your own morality," making every one of your choices have a consequence. Although it is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, this game puts you in a much grittier and mature world.

You will use tactical party-based combat to overcome challenges with a character you create (including his background story and destiny), and your own perspectives are reflected in the decisions you make in voiced conversations with NPCs. You get three base classes to choose from - Warrior, Mage, and Rogue, and six races.

Your origin defines how characters react to you and where you find yourself in this bloody and engaging fantasy. Dragon Age: Origins is destined to become a long-lasting franchise.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma - Release Date: October 1^st, 2009 (PS3 only)

Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma is the redefined version of Ninja Gaiden II made specifically for the Playstation 3. It still consists of the high-octane violent action that made the series definitive. There will be two additional playable characters (Ayane and Momiji), a new online co-op mode, and Trophy support.

One peculiar aspect of this game is that it will be less (yes, less) violent than the Xbox 360 version. However, it will be more challenging, which is a great reason to play. PS3 users should know that you can 'jiggle breasts' with the SixAxis controller, which is probably something the developers found funny putting in, perhaps to appease disgruntled PS3 gamers who noticed the downplayed gore.

As a game it is a more complete version of the Ninja Gaiden sequel, consisting of new moves, weapons, and actions. For players looking for a real challenging action game on the PS3, Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma is the one to get.