Once again, we find ourselves with a slew of fall sequels and reboots ready to greet our waiting wallets. But fear not, he who thirsts for originality! Here are five (hopefully) great games that don’t have a number behind them. They may even be better than some of the industry's most tried-and-true favorites.

Rage (id Software) -- October 4 -- PC, PS3, 360

Someday, Bethesda is going to get tired of publishing post-apocalyptic games.

October 4 is not that day.

And who can blame them? The genre lends itself to tons of different what-if scenarios and possibilities. From flesh-eating zombies to all-out nuclear war, the dystopian future has a tons of different horrors in store for us. Developer id Software is taking the trope and mixing in a dab of Motorstorm: Apocalypse and Fallout 3 to bring us what looks like a pretty fun time.

Rage takes place in 2039, one year into the aftermath of a cataclysmic asteroid impact. Before its arrival, a worldwide movement gathered scientists and other important people onto ARKs. As a survivor on one of these ARKs (which happens to have malfunctioned, killing everyone inside but you), you come to find the world is now separated into small, fiercely guarded communities. More importantly, crazy, Mad Max-style buggy races are now a favorite pastime.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North (Snowblind Studios) -- November 1 -- PC, PS3, 360

Developer Snowblind is responsible for some of the best action-role-playing games around (Champions of Norrath and Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance), which means that Lord of the Rings might prove to be the game that Square-Enix desperately wanted Dungeon Siege 3 to be.

With co-op, online play, tons of loot, and the ability to pull from a world as deep and engaging as Tolkien’s, we may end up with a wonderful and unique look into Middle Earth that appeals to more than just hobbits and elves.   

Though the story is not directly connected to the journey of the One Ring, it's important to remember that the struggle against evil touched every corner of Middle-Earth. In War in the North, you’ll see a distinctive take on parts of the conflict only mentioned in the series.

(Also, I realize that this War in the North is based on an existing intellectual property, but it's not part of an ongoing Lord of the Rings video-game series.)

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (Ignition Entertainment) -- July 26 -- PS3, 360

I’m adding this one because of how crazy it is.

Ignition Entertainment, having nabbed a number of former Clover and Capcom employees, seems to really enjoy making games a lot of people will probably never touch. They’re the company responsible for Muramasa: The Demon Blade on the Wii and Deadly Premonition on the 360 and PS3 (as well as a number of different budget titles and spin-offs for the Game Boy Advance and the DS).

El Shaddai adds to their cult status. Xbox Magazine succinctly remarked that it shows ”what it would look like if Lady Gaga made a game.” You play as Enoch, a priest tasked by God to find seven fallen angels and bring them back to heaven. Throughout the game, you’ll wield a number of weapons (three primary implements, which routinely become corrupted and have to be purified, and several others stolen from enemies) in your quest to round up the gaggle of heavenly wanderers. Expect to battle and platform your way through both 3D environments and 2D segments as carry out your search.

Dead Island (Deep Silver) -- September 6 -- PC, PS3, 360

Dead Island is what would happen if Dead Rising and Left 4 Dead had a baby.

The most notable thing about this game is its zombies. They range from your typical brain eater to specialty zombies with distinct attacks. In addition, the undead are supposedly going to be incredibly realistic, even as you hack and slash them to bits. Dead Island focuses heavily on character development and melee combat, with a number of different unique customizations and weapons available.

Developer Techland is attempting to milk the last bits of the zombie trend before it dies out -- which probably won’t ever happen, but one can hope. The game has you relaxing on the island of Banoi for a luxurious vacation right as a mysterious incident begins corrupting the island’s inhabitants. As one of four survivors, you'll have access unique skills and abilities that will assist you in surviving the nightmarish onslaught. With three other friends, you’ll all be able to band together and take on the unfortunate souls of the Banoi resort.

Rocksmith (Ubisoft) -- October 11 -- PC, PS3, 360

Rocksmith is what I’ve always wanted from a guitar game since the genre was in its nascent stages.

Not satisfied with just allowing you to look like you can play a guitar, Rocksmith is taking the next step and allowing you to plug in any guitar (a real ax with an output jack, mind you). Don't expect any air-guitar here; you’ll be playing actual chords and music as you strum and fret your way to glory.

What really excites me about this is that it’s actually got difficulty settings as well as tutorials that help you how to play the guitar. Whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer, it seems this game is specifically tailored to help you learn the instrument. Will it actually be awesome? Probably not. But I can dream can’t I?