Sony prepared some literal big guns for the launch of the PlayStation 4 with “Killzone: Shadow Fall,” the sixth game in PlayStation’s go-to sci-fi shooter franchise.

Crystal Dynamics has held the reins of the “Tomb Raider” franchise since 2006, when publisher Eidos decided that Core Design had run the series into the ground.

Nintendo has twisted the classic “Super Mario Bros.” concept in many different directions, continually reinventing the idea of running toward a flagpole and jumping on scowling mushrooms.

Ever wondered what would happen if you put “Dr. Mario,” “Ikaruga” and an EDM rave all into a blender? Well wonder no more because “Intake,” developed by Cipher Prime Studios, is exactly what you’ll get — a high-octane action shoot-’em-up game wherein quick reflexes and precision mouse movement are key to stringing along combos and stopping an overdose.

After the long-delayed disaster that was “Aliens: Colonial Marines,” fans of the iconic sci-fi franchise should understandably be hesitant about any future games set within the “Aliens” fiction.

When “Mutant Mudds” made its initial debut on the 3DS a while back, it showed Renegade Kid’s savvy for developing a classic “12-bit” (not quite NES, not quite SNES) platformer with 3D effects that took advantage of the system’s capabilities.

For a franchise experiencing exactly zero competition at the moment (“NBA Live” returns from hiatus when the new consoles roll out), you can’t fault 2K Sports from reveling in the moment as king of the pro-hoops mountain.

Over the past few years, Microsoft has managed to establish its “Forza Motorsport” racing series on the same level as Sony’s premiere “Gran Turismo” series. Sure, it works a little bit differently, and “Forza Horizon” was an interesting off-shoot that didn’t fit the “serious” driving mantra, but with each game, Turn 10 Studios has gotten better and better.

Gritty. Raw. Violent. Chaotic. These are just a few words to describe medieval combat, and now developer Fatshark looks to bring the gory face-to-face fighting of the Middle Ages to life on PC with its latest title ‘War of the Vikings’.

“Dead Rising 3” isn’t a game that’s going to be remembered for its story. Instead, it thrives on chaos, and it’s these moments that really elevate it to another level.