AG Holiday Game Giving Guide
Here at AtomicGamer, we like seeing people spend their money wisely, and give gifts that people actually enjoy. So here's our holiday guide for giving out the best video games money can buy. We'll start with multiplatform games, then go to PC, then PS3, then Xbox 360 and finally the Wii.
Multiplatform
These games are great on just about any platform you can get them on, so buy with confidence.
Enslaved (360, PS3) - this sleeper action/adventure from the creators of Heavenly Sword launched in the shadow of much more high-profile games. With a solid story and amazing voice acting and motion capture, you'll find the adventures of the very lifelike characters Trip and Monkey to be some of the most believable performances you've seen in a video game yet. The action can get stale here and there, but the plot usually picks up right when the action starts to let you down.
Rock Band 3 (360, PS3, Wii, DS) - the best music game in the business just got better. For maximum fun, you'll need some new hardware to take advantage of the new features, so make sure to wrap up RB3 with something like the new keyboard controller, a three-cymbal kit to enable pro drums, or an extra microphone (or two) to allow vocal harmonies. Ignore the voices of doom and gloom about developer Harmonix or the future of music games; RB3 has tons of upcoming song downloads, and it's a blast to play - right now - in a group of up to seven people all at once.
Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, PC) - this is a fantastic and exciting first person shooter on any platform, and it's probably best on PC, where dedicated servers and mod support will allow for years' worth of fun to come. There were some issues on the PC version that have mostly gotten smoothed over by now, and the console experiences have been great from day one. Both the single player campaign and the multiplayer are worth spending time on, even for people that only play online. And zombie mode is a blast when played cooperatively!
Fallout: New Vegas (360, PS3, PC) - Obsidian's side-quel to Fallout 3 covers an entirely new area out in the Mojave Desert and includes lots of new features, deeper quests, and tons of new gear, traits, perks, and other role-play choices to make. Few can agree on whether it's actually better than Bethesda's 2008 Game of the Year, but few can deny that it's a worthy successor at the very least.
Mass Effect 2 (360, PC, PS3 in January 2011) - Hey, it's possible some people missed this gem from almost a year ago. The second installment in BioWare's epic sci-fi trilogy messed with people's sensibilities over what an RPG is or can be, but its sizzling action, fantastic story, interesting character choices, and powerful conclusion make it an instant classic. This game just barely edges out some other amazing choices to become AtomicGamer's favorite game of 2010. If you know someone who loved the first Mass Effect but never picked up the second, you know what to do.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (360, PS3, PC) - This arcade racing title from the creators of Burnout still has the heart of a good classic NFS game, and the intense online racing where cops are also out to knock you out make for some heart-pounding moments. This is a white-knuckle racer with plenty of licensed cars, huge crashes, and deployable items to take out your enemies with, and while it lacks the realism that Gran Turismo has, it makes up for it with some of the most exciting racing seen in years.
PC
Civilization V - Firaxis' turn-based strategy game removed some of the beloved depth from number four, but added it back in in different areas through new features and some important, key rule changes. One single gaming session in Civ V can last you longer than a whole other game lasts from beginning to end, and many people have already put hundreds of hours into the depth of creating a new civilization, warring or peacefully building it up to greatness, then finishing off the experience with a bang - or a shuttle launch to Alpha Centauri. (Speaking of that name, Firaxis - remake!)
Baldur's Gate 2 Complete (GOG.com) - this Bioware classic from a decade ago is a bit ugly nowadays, but it can be made a little more palatable with some third party mods. The recently-released GOG.com version includes both the original game and the expansion and promises no DRM, no CDs to mess with, and full mod support. BG2 is arguably the best Dungeons & Dragons game ever made, with a large, sprawling story, a wonderfully evil villain to hate, and massive tactical depth from controlling six fully-fleshed-out characters at once. Don't let any self-respecting RPG fan miss it. Oh, and if you really want to impress your giftee, also give them the Planescape: Torment pack from GOG.com.
Poker Night at the Inventory (Steam) - this $5 title on Steam brings together a few fun characters to play against you at the poker table. Max from Sam & Max, Strongbad, the Heavy from Team Fortress 2, and Tycho from the Penny Arcade games talk trash, converse with each other, and every once in a while can play a mean hand of poker. It's strictly single player and poker experts might not find the challenge to be consistent enough, but it's definitely worth a few bucks to enjoy the banter.
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition - Another "in case you missed it" game, but now in a complete package with all the DLC and add-ons. Dragon Age was a bit of a disappointment on consoles, but the extra tactical interface and crisper textures that are only available on PC make it the best version of the game by far. Toss on a host of memorable characters, lots of RPG and tactical options, and a large game world to explore and conquer, and I think you'll find that as a gift, Dragon Age will help any PC gamer disappear for a month.
PS3
Sony's exclusives this year are almost all stellar games, and the major multiplatform titles that hit PS3 are impressive, too - along with Blu-Ray playback, free online play for all games, and now Netflix streaming support with no disc, it's become easier than ever to recommend what is now the most versatile game console on the planet.
PlayStation Move - All three consoles have motion controls now, but PS Move has probably the most focused one of them all. The precision of the Move's controller is unrivaled, and the games out now and on the way are a blast. Admittedly, games like The Fight: Lights Out aren't worth even a rental, but the included Sports Champions is great - and Tiger Woods is the most realistic golf video game experience made yet. PS Move's game library is still just a tad shaky, but there's still a ton of potential and lots of fun to be had for about $100 to start.
Gran Turismo 5 - The ultimate driving game was just released, and if you've got a PS3 owner who loves meticulous, precise and realistic racing, you gotta get them this one. Consider bundling it up with some kind of steering wheel if they don't have one. Technically, yes, GT5 can be played with a controller, just as you could conceivably type on a keyboard while wearing boxing gloves - it's just not a great idea, is all.
God of War III - From its hugely epic opening sequence, back to humble roots, and then on to its completely over-the-top finale, God of War III is a spectacle simply to see and hear. The action is largely unchanged from past titles and the emotional, more intimate beginnings of Kratos' story have since been lost, but this ultimate revenge tale, full of gore and anger, are still easily worth the price of admission. And with some of the biggest bosses ever seen in any game ever, you'll want to make sure to grab some popcorn and watch your giftee's eyes light up at the sight of some of the game's biggest encounters.
Demon's Souls - I'm only throwing this one on here because so many people have missed over the years. This unforgiving but entirely fair and very rewarding action/RPG from developer From Software pulls in a European and medieval setting, but it's a brutal world where one mistake can cause death, and death only makes it worse for the player. Only get this one for a masochistic, hardcore gamer, the type of person who beats the extremely difficult platformers like Super Meat Boy and the like. It's extremely satisfying to win in this game, though, so it's certainly worth tracking down a copy to give to the right type of gamer.
Xbox 360
Unfortunately, several of this year's 360 exclusives wound up being a disappointment - Crackdown 2, Fable 3, and Alan Wake are all deeply flawed in some way . But the 360 has the best online play of any console, and there are still a couple of great 360-only choices for 2010.
Kinect - Microsoft's motion control promises no controllers in your hand at all, as it uses what seems like magic to see you move around. The included Kinect Adventures game is fun as hell, but when you're ready to step it up, go for Kinect Sports and Dance Central for some of the most wildly fun experiences in motion control this year. Kinect has a solid library of games for people of all ages, and while the starting price is a tad steep at $150, at least you know you won't need to be buying additional controllers for extra players like you do with the PS Move and Wii. Make sure your giftee can create some space in their living rooms, though, as the Kinect needs a ton of room to move around.
Halo: Reach - Bungie's final Halo game has arguably the best campaign of them all, along with unparalleled online play with an almost unlimited array of options between Firefight and Forge modes. This is an online shooter that people can sink their teeth into, and it's all brought together with a great online system on Xbox Live. Or, just play it in split-screen cooperative mode for a riotously fun time.
Wii
Nintendo didn't release any crazy new hardware this year, but you'll still find plenty to play through and enjoy on the Wii.
Just Dance 2 - Say what you will about games that have you flailing around, but Just Dance 2 brings in the best top 40 pop songs to dance to, and you'd be surprised just how well it works with a simple Wii Remote. It's the music that really brings it together, though, so the whole family will enjoy this game. Maybe only the teenage daughter will be playing it after Christmas Day, but that's still plenty of value at this point.
Donkey Kong Country Returns - The hippest ape on the planet is back with a fun romp in full 3D. If you've enjoyed Nintendo's other recent efforts to bring back classic franchises, then there's no reason why you shouldn't be picking this one up. It's a little silly and there are conflicting opinions on whether it brings back the magic, but we hear that every time and most people seem to absolutely love their efforts. Grab this one if you know a Wii owner that enjoyed these classic platformers back in the SNES days.
Epic Mickey - This creation from legendary game designer Warren Spector gets a little wordy at times and maybe holds your hand a bit too much, but the love shown for the world of Disney in this game is unparalleled. It's a love letter to Walt Disney and it covers decades and decades of classic cartoons and characters, mixing them all together into a puzzle-action-adventure that is simultaneously authentic, accurate, and yet also new.
Metroid: Other M - few can agree on whether Metroid is at home in any given perspective - side scroller, third person, first person - but this game simply combines all three into one and hopes you'll love whatever your favorite style was. Other M keeps things fresh with a wide variety of challenges and control schemes, all powered by the Wii Remote. It's a wonderful, entertaining game that finally gives Samus a character and voice, and fully brings her into the 21st century.
