The Top 7... Most incredibly exciting games still coming out this holiday season

Updated with the Community Choice award!

Weve heard the rumblings. The cries. The complaints. 2012 doesnt look like it has that much going on; everything is in 2013, people have murmured, and while its true that 2013 looks absolutely crazy, we dont think its wise to write off 2012--not yet, at least.

There are still plenty of awesome, quality games coming out this year, giving you plenty of stuff to spend money on. From the Wii Us launch lineup to new entries in the Call of Duty and Medal of Honor franchise, theres a wide range of gaming goodness due out in the coming months, and we are super excited.

What is it: A new take on the Most Wanted series by Criterion, the Burnout Paradise and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit developer, with all of the police-filled racing mayhem the franchise is known for. Also, an excuse to drive around and smash into stuff. It's that, too.

Why we're excited: After Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, we absolutely fell in love with Criterions ability to merge our loves for NFS and Burnout. And if Hot Pursuit was essentially Need for Speed: Takedown (which it was), then Need for Speed: Most Wanted is Need for Speed: Paradise, and thats pretty freaking fantastic. We absolutely cant wait to take on our friends in actual races and with the updated Autolog, which will likely expand on Paradises challenges to give us even more incentive to smash police cars into walls in Fairhaven City.

What is it: Ubisofts zombie-filled launch title for the Wii U. In an interesting twist, the game sports a mechanic that has survivors dying after only one bite from a zombie, really playing up the survival part of this survival horror shooter.

Why we're excited: Though some think it might be this systems Red Steel, were holding out hope that ZombiU will live up to its potential and prove how strong the Wii Us GamePad can be. In our demos, weve seen the second screen used in incredibly inventive ways, forcing us to draw our attention away from the main screen in order to ramp up the fear factor of unlocking doors or fighting enemies. Hopefully this turns out to be more frightening and less annoying, since we could totally see this mechanic revamping the genre.

What is it: A first-person adventure that lets you take control of a supernaturally powered assassin that can teleport, summon face-devouring rats, and stealthily stab guards in the neck as he seeks revenge in a stylized, Victorian world.

Why were excited: The virtual world is your oyster in Dishonored . Each level has a goal (or assassination target), and its entirely up to you on how to accomplish your mission. Want to go in all stealthy-like and trick your target into walking into a deathtrap? Dishonored lets you do just that, by giving you the ability to combine powers like summoning rat swarms and possession to sneak past the guards and initiate the kill. Alternatively, you can let your blood lust free and play Dishonored like an FPS. Instead of sneaking around you can slaughter your enemies in sword duels and unleash the full force of your powers by blasting them across rooms and out windows with a Jedi-like force push. You can even stop time to dodge bullets. Its like a mix of Hitman, Mirrors Edge, and Skyrim, and were totally psyched to get our hands on it.

What is it: Halo 4 picks up right after the last games finale, with Master Chief finding himself adrift in space aboard a wrecked UNSC frigate, accompanied only by his devoted (if increasingly addled) AI, Cortana. On the horizon sits the Forerunner planet Requiem, and its the mysteries of this ancient civilization that will drive Halo 4.

Why we're excited: Something the others didnt have, Cortana says during the opening notes of Halo 3, is luck. Its luck that makes Master Chief such a compelling character, and its that character that has us excited for Halo 4. John-117 has been disappointingly absent from the Halo franchise since 2007, after Bungie dedicated its two final Halo entries to other, moodier stories. Were also obviously psyched for more multiplayer, as Halos has always been some of the best in the genre. Other elements, like promised weekly DLC for the first few months after the games release, have us ready to suit up and roll out this November.

What is it: The next entry in the Assassins Creed series, which brings the history-jumping franchise to Colonial America circa 1770, right as the Revolutionary War is about to kick off. Its also likely the end of the current trilogy, with the events in modern day finally culminating in something besides a hub world.

Why we're excited: The Assassins Creed series has been one of our favorites for a long while now, and seeing it move towards a modern-day setting has us extremely excited. We were a little worried, at first, that the new locations in Assassins Creed III wouldnt adapt all that well to the gameplay wed come to expect from the franchise--but after playing it recently, our minds were put at ease when we began to wrap our head around the new mechanics, which prioritize aggressive combat ahead of standing around and waiting for people to fight you. Oh, and running around Boston throwing redcoats off of roofs was pretty fun too, we guess.

What is it: This non-canon sequel (see: you dont have to have played the others) flies from Far Cry 2s Africa setting to a tropical island full of maniacal psychopaths led by Vaas, a psychopath that makes the other psychopaths look significantly less psychopathic.

Why we're excited: FC2 might be one of the most underappreciated games of this hardware generation, but it wasnt without its issues. One such problem was the lack of a true antagonist--early on, the Jackal is revealed to be more of a conflicted protagonist than a true foe, something Far Cry 3 fixes by introducing an enemy thats as crazy as they come. Were also super excited to return to the jungle, as it makes the guerrilla gameplay even more alluring, and should be more visually interesting than the bland, somewhat bleak deserts of Africa.

What is it: Aliens have arrived, and they most definitely do not come in peace. As a member of an elite militaristic force, youll be the first response to this extraterrestrial threat, engaging the enemy in turn-based squad combat. Expect cover-based encounters punctuated by cinematic alien executions.

Why we're excited: XCOM: Enemy Unknown somehow manages the impossible: Turning a punishingly difficult, cult-classic PC strategy game into a riveting turn-based blast-em-up thats fun for gamers of all walks. Accessible and addictive in that just one more match kind of way, EUs shootouts start out tense and ramp up into chaotic, bloody firefights. No matter how far ahead you plot out your troops movements, its inevitable that those clever, grey-domed Sectoids will force you to devise a frantic Plan B. And then Plan C.

All the signs of gaming greatness are there, with vibrant graphics that make every exploding alien really pop, and a bevy of customization options to make your squad of E.T.-eliminating soldiers feel truly distinct. Given Firaxis Games pedigree (Civilization V, anyone?), its all but assured that XCOM will be invading our free time long after its imminent release.

This week everyone seemed split, mentioning different games that should be on the list, and at first it didn't appear that there'd be one, clear winner. After looking through the comments, tweets, and Facebook posts, though, we did notice one game rise above the rest: Hitman: Absolution.

9 reasons we're hyped for the Hitman: Absolution

There are plenty of other amazing gaming coming in hot as the holiday season approaches, and we want you to tell us what game we missed. Let us know in the comments below and well update the article later this week with your favorite game, so you can feel that your voice was honestly, truly heard.

And if you're looking for more great games to hold you over, check out the 100 best games of all time and a look at the best games of the first half of 2012.