Blockbuster reviews highlight PTOM’s November issue as we get the world-exclusive first crack at Resident Evil 6 for our cover feature. Executive editor Mikel Reparaz dives in deep to determine whether the newest installment in the survival horror series still delivers the scares with its move towards more action. One thing is for sure — RE6 and its multiple storyline format doesn’t skimp on play value with more than 30 hours of zombie-battling goodness.

We’ve also got the PS3-exclusive review of Borderlands 2. The first Borderlands game was pleasant surprise when it hit in 2010, but it fell a bit short when it came to gameplay polish and presentation. 2K Games and developer Gearbox Software pulled out all the stops for the sequel and review editor Scott Butterworth’s reaction can be summed up in one word: wow. Clear your schedules as this legitimate Game of the Year contender looks to consume an obscene amount of your gaming time.

Another 2K game that’s been running a bit under the radar is XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Developer Firaxis’ reboot of the classic ’90s PC strategy game feels surprisingly fresh and involving. The strategy genre may not register at the top of most gamer’s must-play lists, but our preview feature details why XCOM is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

Elsewhere in the issue, there’s Sony’s next wave of PS3 and PS Vita games including Puppeteer, Until Dawn, Tearaway, and Killzone: Mercenary. Big hands-on previews include Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, GRID 2, and PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, while we’ve got more final review verdicts on games like Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and Madden NFL 13.

It’s all in the November issue of PTOM hitting physical and digital newsstands on Tuesday, September 25th. (Or to subscribe, click here.)