There have been a lot of really great games to hit the shelves lately. Whether you play your games on PC, Xbox, or Playstation you are sure to find a bunch of great titles to fill your gaming needs. We’ve decided to cover just a few of the games coming soon in this Fall Gaming Review. Some are annual power houses, a long awaited returning favorite, and even some new blood.
EA Sports – Madden, FIFA, NHL, NBA Live
First up is the annual EA Sports release of their flagship titles. The release of Madden is coming first on 8/25, shortly followed by the others. You are sure to see some improved features, updated graphics, and likely the best authenticity in the business. If you are looking for originality however you are looking in the wrong place. EA has found the magic potion of producing essentially the same game for the last 10 years and still making a killing every year. The replay value is what you can bank on when you play one of these new titles. There will be plenty of people slaving over these games for hours, no months, just to live out their dreams of bringing home a championship. Available on Xbox, Playstation, and PC.
Gears of War Ultimate Edition
Gears has been remastered for the Xbox one! The landmark original Gears of War has been completely rebuilt from the ground up in full 1080P. Every aspect of the game including lighting, environments, characters, and cinematic scenes have been recreated. Includes all original 19 maps and six competitive modes including Team Death Match, King of the Hill and a new 2v2 mode. Microsoft has taken a cue from 343 Industries approach by including all 4 Gears of Wars into one, similar to Halo Master Chief Edition. Lets just hope it won’t be plagued with issues in the few days of the launch. Available 8/25 on Xbox only.
LEGO Dimensions
Arguably one of the most anticipated games of the fall season. LEGO Dimensions is a truly unique video game, for kids and adults (big kids). For the first time ever, characters from all over the LEGO universe are joining forces to battle in worlds outside their own. Here’s How It Works: 1. Build your mini figure heroes 2. Fire up the game
3. Assemble bricks into a LEGO gateway and play. It’s that easy! Team up with accidental allies, journey to amazing worlds, and strive to defeat the evil. You can expect your favorite characters and some new never before seen in the LEGO universe, Marty McFly (Back to the Future), The Doctor (Doctor Who), Homer Simpson, and Legolas (Lord of the Rings) just to name a few. Check HERE for the complete list of expansions due at launch. Available 9/27 on Xbox, Playstation, and Wii U.
BONUS GAME
Rockband 4
The triumphant return of the beloved Rockband is almost upon us. It’s been 5 years since gamers have been able to put down their controllers and lay down some sick rifs to their favorite tunes. The ultimate party game has returned with a brand new list of bands that are sure to keep you jamming. The Fender inspired guitar bundle is $129 and the full bundle including guitar, drums, and microphone are gonna set you back $249. Well worth the investment if it will be anything like its predecessors. Available 10/6 on Xbox and Playstation.
The third incarnation of Roku’s flagship streamer is the most comprehensive to date, sporting more than 2,000 channels, an intuitive cross-platform search utility, and an excellent user interface. The puck-sized device is attractive and subtle, and equipped with nonskid rubber and enough weight to prevent it from getting shuffled around in your entertainment center. The remote is simple, but allows snappy navigation of Roku’s extremely intuitive channel-based interface, and best of all, features a built-in headphone jack for wireless listening when turning up the TV volume is a no-go. Wi-Fi is built in, but an Ethernet port is available if a faster connection is needed. A microSD slot for additional app and game storage is a feature unique to the Roku. The Roku 3 retails for $100 and can be purchased at Amazon, Walmart, and major electronic retailers. 
The Apple TV is getting a little grey — But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Apple has announced a new model (coming soon) that boasts the best user experience, including the Siri remote. The current Apple TV still remains one of the best offerings on our list— especially if you’re already heavily-invested in any of Apples other devices or services. While most essential services are supported, it is Apple Airplay and apps like iOS Remote that makes the Apple TV’s user experience unique. You can easily beam any content you’ve previously purchased or rented through the iTunes Store to your TV straight from the cloud, freeing your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad up to do other things. Sharing personal photos and videos from iOS devices is easiest with the Apple TV. It may be a little old, but the Apple TV is still going strong. The Apple TV retails for $70 (future model est. $149) and can be purchased at Amazon, Apple Store, Walmart, and Major electronic retailers. 
Amazon’s first go at a streaming set-top box instantly became a hit among members of the company’s Prime service, which delivers tons of free streaming movies and TV shows and a handy voice-search feature to get at them more easily. But the super-slim and speedy box will appeal to anyone with subscriptions to other services like Netflix and Hulu. Amazon also made the device compatible with a dedicated video game controller (sold separately at $40), which is designed to work with a wide array of mobile games such as Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto III. As the devices on this list go, the Fire TV is the most versatile and well-supported, it even plays 4k video content. To get the most out of this device it is best to have a Prime membership. The Amazon Fire TV retails for $100 and can be purchased at Amazon and Walmart. 
After canning its first attempt at a streaming media player, Google returned to the set-top box field in the fall of 2014 with the Asus-made Nexus Player. It offers similar capabilities to Amazon’s Fire TV, allowing for voice-activated searching and personalized recommendations, along with integrated gaming if you decide to opt for an optional gaming controller. The Android-powered and Google-backed device has been slowly but surely adding apps, and Chromecast-style “casting” ability makes it easy for friends and family to share content from their smartphones and tablets. The only downside is no Ethernet port, which seems like an odd omission for a set-top box. Still, for the Google (Andriod) lover this is a no brainer. The Google Nexus retails for $170 and can be purchased at Amazon, Asus, Walmart, and Major electronic retailers. 
Did you know that game consoles do a lot more than just play games these days. Video game consoles rank as the most popular devices for streaming content to your TV. The systems have quickly become a jack-of-all-trades media centers, conveniently giving you access to scores of programming from the likes of HBO Go, NFL Network, Netflix, and Hulu. Several other devices on our list provide gaming, but as you might expect, the next-gen consoles blow all mobile games out of the water in terms of graphics resolution and playability. The downside? These are much more expensive option with the Xbox One retailing for $349, PS4 for $399, and the WiiU for $299. Consoles can be purchased at Amazon, Walmart, and Major electronic retailers.
