I think the only thing that can really compete with the Summer Movie Season is probably the fall and holiday gaming season. With Madden being the big release last month, the sports games start dwindling out and the RPG’s and FPS’s finally start coming back out. This month we have all sorts of cool games involving Super Heroes, Army Men, and best of all Jedi. So Let’s get to it!

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1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed



System: All Platforms

Release Date: Sep. 16th

This will be THE game to get in September. If you can only afford one game to buy or rent, please PLEASE make sure it is this one. If you haven’t downloaded the demo online yet you should make sure you check it out so you can truly understand the awesomeness of this game. We first got a look at this game back at Comic-Con two months ago, and now here we are approaching its release date. The game follows Vader’s apprentice as he tracks down and kills all the remaining Jedi. I can honestly tell you that it will be one of the BEST star wars games ever made, and it is by and far worthy of buying over renting.

But it or Rent it?: Without a doubt this game will be a buyer. It is still to be seen on how long the game play will actually be, but the replay ability of this game says that if you rent it, you will end up renting it multiple times.

2. Spore



System: PC

Release Date: Sep 7th
This is the newest game from creator Will Wright, and it has only been in development for like 8 years. The game will be like most Sims games, but in this you create a single cell organism and must survive evolution as you grow into a whole new breed of creature that lives in a complete society of other crazy creatures. The early buzz on this game says that it should be incredible for fans of this genre, but if you aren’t a Sims fan then you’d be better off with other games coming out this month.
 
Buy it or Rent it?: Hopefully it will be a game that will provide more than a week’s entertainment. I would say that it is probably a buyer since you wouldn’t have enough time to really do much with your creation if you just rent it, so again if you’re a fan of the genre then you shouldn’t be sorry.

3. TNA Impact!



System: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2

Release Date: Sep 8.

TNA Impact will probably be a pretty generic wrestling game, but honestly that is cool with me. I don’t ever really get tired of jumping off of turnbuckles, smacking people with chairs, and doing crazy awesome specials. The only thing that should be different between this game and Raw vs. Smackdown should be the playable characters, like Sting, oh man Sting.

Buy it or Rent it?: While I don’t get tired of giving out beat downs, I do have better things to do, and games are coming out that are much more fun than this one, so for me I am chalking this up to a renter.

4. NHL 2K9
 


System: PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii

Release Date: Sep 8th

It is the fall, and therefore it is time for all the sports games to start coming out with their slightly updated versions from last year. This month however the big one is NHL 2K9, while the sport hasn’t really been the same since the strike two years ago the games haven’t been affected as they are always a good time for any hockey fan. The 2K games are always far superior from the EA brand and I still miss NFL 2K, so if you are going to go for a Hockey game then this will be the one to get.

Buy it or Rent it:? Hockey fans, and Canadians alike will all agree that this is one to buy. However if you are more of a football guy then you are probably still too busy playing Madden to notice.

5. Rock Band 2


System: Xbox 360
Release Date: Sep 14th
I was very skeptical about Rock Band 2 at first because of all the damn songs I’ve downloaded, and now they would be completely worthless, but obviously the people at Harmonix are two steps ahead of me. The game will have some new graphics and a few new features and songs, but the coolest thing ever is that all those songs you spent money on as well as your rock band one songs will all transfer over to Rock Band 2, making it feel more like an expansion pack then a sequel. With Guitar Hero 4 around the corner and some major changes happening on their front, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
 
Buy it or Rent it?: If you own Rock Band 1, then buy it, if you don’t own Rock Band 1 then go buy Rock Band 1 then buy Rock Band 2. No use in renting it.

6. Lego Batman



System: All Platforms

Release Date: Sep 23rd

The Lego Games have all been a hit so far, but they have also all been up beat classics. While Batman doesn’t really fit into the same category as Indiana Jones or Star Wars, especially since George Lucas didn’t create Batman, Warner Bros. Interactive still seems to have made an incredibly fun game. Lego Batman will be a game that all ages will enjoy, and maybe bring a younger crowd into the world of the Dark Knight.

Buy it or Rent it?: I would honestly say this one will be a renter, much like the other Lego games you will probably be able to fly through the levels and the game will lose its luster. When you rent it however make sure it’s when a chick is coming over since they can’t get enough of these games.

7. Warriors Orochi 2



System: Xbox 360, PS2, PS3

Release Date: Sep 23rd

It is a sequel to a game that can easily be considered a huge cult classic and follows the epic Dynasty and Samurai Warrior titles who have plenty of fans out there. Honestly this game should be cool, but there are so many of these titles at this point I can’t really keep track of what’s going on story wise, so I play them just for the thrill of smashing buttons and killing millions of enemies.

Buy it or Rent it?: Rent it. There might not be enough changes to really warrant buying this game, but hopefully there will be enough changes to warrant having fun after renting it.

8. Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune

System: Wii, DS

Release Date: Sep 30th

The Army Men games have been cool since they were first released on the Original Nintendo. So when I heard it was going to be on the Wii, I couldn’t wait. The game is set for September 30th, yet very little is known about this game. Hopefully that won’t matter and this game will be just like all the others and will prove to be fun as hell. Again with little known, I’m not sure how much the motion sensor will come in on the Wii, but even a little will still be awesome.

Buy it or Rent it:? With little released and only four weeks till it’s out I am still just a bit skeptical. As of right now though I guess I would have to say play it safe and rent it, but as more news comes out that could easily change.

9. Spider-Man Web of Shadows



System: All Platforms

Release Date: Sep 30th

The release date of this seems really soon, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the game gets pushed back right before the release date. However, when it is released it will be worth the wait. It will follow an attack on New York by the symbiotic race—meaning that instead of fighting venom, there will be lots and lots of venom type villains for you to throw down on. There will be lots of cool cameos, and the trailer even shows a look at Wolverine with a symbiot on him and man is it badass. It should have the same engine as the movie games and free roaming will be a must. But that is where the similarities stop as this will bring a whole new use of the black suit that no game has ever explored, making its release date an exciting one.

Buy it or Rent it?: If there isn’t a push back and this game actually does come out this month then it will be the one game to compete with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and any gamer will be very happy to buy this game.