The Top Xbox 360 Games For Christmas 2012: The Most Anticipated Xbox Games

Christmas has traditionally been the biggest time of year for video game companies. Publishers will release their major titles during late October, through November, into mid-December, all to meet that Christmas rush. Here are some of the most popular and anticipated titles that gamers are going to be asking for in Christmas 2012.

Be sure to check out this buyer's guide for Xbox 360's if you're new to the system!

if there's any franchise that defines the Xbox, it's Halo. After years of side-stories, 343 Studios is bringing back Master Chief and releasing a direct sequel to one of the all-time great Xbox games. After years lost in space, Master Chief and a rapidly deteriorating Cortana face a new extraterrestrial threat while mankind is busy establishing a new peace time regime.

The game world is bigger than ever. A new focus on exploring the varied locales adds some extra depth to the classic first person shooting combat. Of course, there's still plenty of shooting. Gamers can also play a special multi-player story mode (Spartan Ops) that will provide a different perspective on the story.

Halo 4 has a November 6th release date and is expected to be one of the hottest Christmas games for the Xbox 360.

Assasin's Creed comes to America, just in time for the holiday season! ACIII is the first title in the series to leave the shores of Europe and come to the New World. The never ending battle against the Templar's continues as player's control a Native American assassin as he flies through trees and over buildings, silently killing targets against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War.

Shipping at the end of October, Assasin's Creed 3 is one of the most highly anticipated Xbox 360 games for 2012. Player's will be able to explore 18th century Boston and New York in addition to the wild's of the early American colonies. This highly ambitious title will also feature sea battles and appearances by a number of major player's from the history books, all busy shaping the destiny of the nation that would one day be the United States.

Assasin's Creed III is available in both regular and a special limited edition.

A quirky first person action RPG, Borderlands managed to find a big audience with a premise just a little more high concept than the typical space-marine-versus-the-world title. Borderlands 2 builds on the formula that made the original such a hit and after months of teases and previews, has built into one of the big hits of the Christmas season.

Designed to accommodate multiplayer into the main story, Borderlands 2 sets players loose on a slightly twisted sci-fi planet that's more badlands than utopia. Join your friends online to complete the main-quest or just to take pot shots at each other. Featuring four new playable characters with a fifth upcoming as DLC, Borderlands 2 is great for the RPG aficionado who's looking for some online fun without having to invest themselves in a time consuming MMO.

It just isn't Christmas without the latest Call of Duty release. Black Ops 2 takes warfare into the future as it moves the Black Ops story from the Cold War into the near future of 2025. Featuring an emphasis on soldiers on the ground fighting against unmanned mechanical drones, BOPS2 is easily one of the most anticipated Xbox 360 games of 2012.

As always, this Call of Duty will feature top notch online multiplayer to satisfying the hardcore FPS enthusiasts. In addition to the patented COD leveling and advancement system, players can once again enjoy the original Black Ops "Zombie Mode", updated for the modern era.

Be sure to check out some of the super-special limited editions for special in-game bonuses like extra maps and special guns. Plus, you know, cool "feelies: like challenge coins, a soundtrack, special art books, and models.

Who can't get excited for another Resident Evil game? Celebrate the season with exploding zombie heads with this hotly anticipated title. Starring fan favorite chracters Leon, Chris, and Ada this world spanning survival horror title gets political. The president is under siege and the world is at the mercy of bio-terrorists using zombies and other mutant creatures to achieve their nefarious goals.

Featuring the same action gameplay that made Resident Evil 4 and 5 such big hits, this latest iteration has been designed to produce the "the most impressive Resident Evil ever." This top 360 Christmas title is going to get any gamer pumped about the chance to stick it to some shambling hordes of undead.

Be sure to check out the Resident Evil 6: Archives special edition. It comes with remastered version of RE4, 5, and Code Veronica.

Leave a comment to let us know what your personal picks are for Xbox 360's Christmas 2012 season. And be sure to check up this roundup of Christmas titles for the PlayStation 3 after you're done!