A few days ago I posted a game console buying guide for those trying to decide on a new machine, but “Which games should I buy?” you ask? Well here you go I’ll lay out a few of the best hottest games for each system and a few that are on multiple platforms. All of these titles can be found at Amazon
, Play-Asia, EB Games, or any of the other sites under the “Shop Gaming” category on the left sidebar.
Xbox 360
Mass Effect - An epic RPG from BioWare, the company that brought us Knights of the Old Republic, Baldur’s Gate and Jade Empire. Customizable storylines and combat system, high replay value and even an alien girl-on-girl love scene make this one a must-have for and serious gamer.
Halo 3 - Do I really need to talk about this one? Go buy Halo 3 right now. One of the best FPS titles ever released. Period.
BioShock - Dark, demented and thoroughly creepy. A great FPS that puts you in a derelict underwater city inhabited by weird dudes in old-timey diving suits and evil ghoul children. Oh yeah and this one won Spike TV’s VGA Game of the year so, ’nuff said.
PlayStation 3
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune - In this third-person action/adventure/platforming/shooting title from Naughty Dog studios you get a real feel for the power of the PS3 and what it’s Cell processor can do. Dazzling graphics and sound, tight controls and an immersive storyline centering on the fabled treasure of El Dorado. Possibly the first must have on the PS3.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - The great third-person shooter/platformer with familiar characters and storylines makes the leap into the next generation. New weapons, vastly improved graphics and an updated story make for a great next installment in the revered series. The use of the sixaxis motion sensitivity and sweet score make this a worthy entry on this list.
Nintendo Wii
Super Mario Galaxy - The portly plumber is back in his greatest adventure yet. Easily the best Mario title to date, this game has sharp visuals, stellar sound and very tight controls. You guide Mario on a quest to retrieve stars from the ever-present Bowser and his kin. The best part of the game is the creative use of physics and gravity (or the lack thereof) to affect gameplay. Good stuff here, a must-have for any Wii owner.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles - A departure from the traditional survival-horror the series is best known for, RE:UC is a throwback to to light-gun shooters of generations past. That doesn’t make it a bad game however, it takes you through your favorite scenes from RE1, RE3 and REzero, and let’s you experience familiar characters from a new point of view. Nice visuals and lots of content make definitely make this one worth your dough.
Multi-Platform
Some of the best games are on multiple systems, here are the cream of the crop.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Available on all three new systems. The next hit rhythm game from Activision has a sweet new controller, upgraded graphics and killer track list including songs from Guns n’ Roses, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Slayer to name but a few. You know you want this. We all want this. Just hope the store has some left. Available for the 360, Playstation 2, Wii, and Playstation 3.
The Orange Box - Available on 360, PS3 and PC. Best value of the season! This is a compilation of several games from Valve Software, it includes Half-Life 2, HL2 Episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress 2 and a crazy physics-based FPS called Portal. For those of you that have already played HL2, please don’t do yourself a disservice by skipping this one. Portal and Team Fortress 2 more than make it worthwhile. And for those uninitiated in the ways of HL2, then this is the perfect one for you, the seminal FPS is here in all it gory glory, along with the two episodic expansions. Good times. Available for the 360, PC, and Playstation 2.
Rock Band Special Edition - Available on 360, PS3 and PS2. It might seem like a shameless rip of Guitar Hero but since the folks at Harmonix created GH, maybe they know what they’re doing. At first glance it seems very similar to GH in that you use a guitar controller to hit notes as they scroll toward you. End similarity. RB not only uses a guitar but also a drum kit and microphone to allow up to 4 people to play simultaneously (with an extra guitar for the bass track). It’s an outstanding game with some new gameplay elements and a hot track list. Everyone should get this, but you may have to wait ’till you save up a bit of money since this one goes for a steep $169. But hey you get three instruments. Save. Buy. Rock. Available for Playstation 3 and 360.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Available on 360, PS3 and PC. Pure FPS joy. Take all the goodness of previous CoD games and crank it up to 11! Stunning graphics, sound and controls make this THE FPS serious gamers are playing this season. It won Spike TV’s VGA for best First Person Shooter. What else do you need to know? Stop reading this and buy this game immediately. You’ll thank me when you finally manage to pry yourself away from the controller. Available for the 360, Playstation 3, PC, and Nintendo DS.
That’s all for now. Remember most of these games are for next generation systems, so check which system your gamer has if you’re shopping for gifts. Good luck out there and remember: new games = happy gamers!
Happy Holidays!
The Gamer Hero
P.S.: Not all of us can afford that new system or hot new title to purchase for our loved ones. That’s okay. Last-Generation systems (especially GameCube) are going for greatly reduced prices nowadays and all have huge game libraries to choose from. Get the lowdown here.
You can also buy them used games in great condition via SecondSpin - they have almost every game you can think of, pre-played and cheap.
Also, if your gamer has the system but not the games, you should consider a gift subscription from GameFly, a great online game rental service with low monthly fees and no late charges. I use it, so should you.
GH
