Ev_{erything you always} wanted to know about the onslaught of new games but were too socially well adjusted to ask.

Trying to sort out all the video games and related doodads being released between now and Christmas is a bit like sending Jane Goodall to visit the Planet of the Apes. But seeing so many titles roll out in such a short period of time provides a unique opportunity to play pop-cultural anthropologist, to see the current trends in interactive entertainment on a macro scale. Here, we break down the offerings into five handy phyla, ready for dissection and examination. And, of course, consumption.