Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of 2012

#10 Mass Effect 3

If the Mass Effect games excel at one thing, it’s scale. Every time you fill the boots of Commander Shepard, you’ve got an entire universe to explore, a mystery to unravel, and millions of people to save (after, of course, you scan this planet for Iridium). With the upcoming third installment, BioWare is looking to make the definitive Mass Effect experience, combining the second game’s refined combat with many of the deep role-playing elements that fans loved in the first title. And of course, you’ll be getting a dynamic, branching story that’s affected by the decisions you’ve made in prior games.

For the first time in franchise history, Mass Effect 3 will also be offering multiplayer support. In a Horde-inspired co-op mode, you'll be able to create your own character and team up with your friends to save the galaxy from the impending Reaper threat. The time you spend in co-op will even help the outcome of the single-player story, though it's entirely optional if you'd prefer to go it alone.

To top it all off, Mass Effect 3 comes with some of the cleverest Kinect support we’ve ever seen: By issuing voice commands, you’ll be able to give orders to your sqaudmates in battle and navigate through the game’s hundreds of dialogue trees. Sure, it might be a bit on the gimmicky side, but if we get to actually yell at that muckraking reporter before Shepard inevitably punches her a third time, it’ll all be worth it.