While Fallout 3 tops my personal picks, the Wii has had a rough year for role-playing. It's also worth nothing that Mass Effect was released on the Xbox 360 in 2007, but it wasn't released for the PC until this year. If they haven't picked up a copy of the game for either system they're in for a cinematic treat. Chrono Trigger stands out ahead of the pack as well, a classic reconstructed from the old SNES role-playing adventure. If he hasn't played Chrono Trigger before, and he enjoys role-playing games, he requires this game.
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Presenting the Presents: A late 2008 Video Games Guide for the Unassuming Consumer
If you're having a spot of difficulty finding something to get for that gamer in your life this year, don't fret; there are a dozen or so holiday guides out there willing to help you get started (see IGN, 1Up, or Gamespy). This one in particular isn't so much a 'guide' as an eyeglass through which to view a few of the games that have come along this year which I feel merit some attention. There's a lot out there to choose from this year; so much, in fact, that might even be able to get away with taking a blind stab at an offering, though I wouldn't recommend it. Here's a short list of titles to keep an eye out for, and the platforms they've been released for. Do note that not every platform has a big contender for every category, and you should never purchase a video game just for the sake of purchasing a video game. It doesn't have to be in the all time hall of fame to warrant a purchase, but be sure to do your research whenever you're trying to decide on a title.
First thing is first, determine what they want. If you'd prefer not to ask them directly, take a look into their video game collection. Do they have a lot of shooting titles like Halo and Resistance? Do they play strategy games on their PC like Supreme Commander and Civilizations? Determine what systems they own. If it isn't a Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, DS, or PSP, I can't help you. Go ahead and note down what they already own, and, if at all possible, determine which of those games they actually like. Just because they own Quantum of Solace doesn't mean they enjoy it.
(Note that these links will take you to actual reviews for the game from Gamespy, not a metacritic page. I feel it is more important to be informed than to simply be correct, and it's important to understand the contents of the games you wish to purchase for those other than yourself. Come to think of it, you should probably understand what you're purchasing for yourself too.)
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If you're looking for an Action title for the player who enjoys a firefight (See Halo, Resistance, Call of Duty 4) for that special somebody I'd advise you to take a look into the following:
From zombies to Nazis these games will all have you unloading ammunition into your enemies, but take special note that *Left 4 Dead is designed as a four player cooperative experience. If your target gamer doesn't have online capabilities (Steam for PC or Xbox Live for Xbox) skip it. Resistance 2 and Call of Duty are both war games, and Dead Space is a survival horror action title which may be too scary for younger viewers. Watch those box ratings and stay informed.
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What about the gamer who prefers to spend his days wandering around in every world but his own? For gamers who enjoy a Role-Playing experience (See Final Fantasy, Gothic, Ultima, or Chrono Trigger) this year has offered up some serious contenders:
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How about an Action Adventure game? A running, jumping, sometimes hacking and slashing kind of action game (See Psychonauts, Prince of Persia, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed):
There aren't too many killer Action Adventure games that I can draw to mind this year, but the ones that are out there are incredibly solid. LittleBigPlanet is by far the most innovative title of the year, allowing its user base to create and produce their own content to publish up into Sony's catalog, and to pull content created by other users into their own experience. Unfortunately it should also be noted that while this content is frequently reviewed by Sony administrators, questionable content can at times slip through the cracks, so some light parental guidance may be in order for children with online access through their PS3s. It's also worth nothing that*Mega Man 9 is throwback to the Nintendo Entertainment System more than a modern Action game, and I have experienced great difficulty in trying to locate a copy up to this point.
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Do your loved ones love strategy games? Bright over brute, as they say; commanding armies while juggling the natural resources (See Warcraft, Command & Conquer, Rise of Nations, Civilization):
Spore is a unique and fascinating title, supporting user created creatures, 5 uniquely designed phases of gameplay, and expecting expansion packs to be released fairly regularly for some time now into the future. Not a game I would recommend for the players out there who might identify themselves as the 'hardcore' but an entertaining diversion for casual gamers who enjoy the creativity the game affords. Civilization is designed for the hardcore turn-based strategy game crowd while Sins of a Solar Empire floats somewhere in the middle and enjoys a lower price tag either its more ambitious brothers.
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And lastly we come to the miscellaneous and 'difficult to define' classification of video games; the open-ended, rhythm-based, brawling, racing games of which there are too few to merit their own category in listing. Titles that may apply to everyone or to no one in particular, casual and hardcore. Games such as:
There are plenty of games out there on the market right now, and if you know what somebody wants, shoot for it. No matter how well it reviews or what you've heard about it some people are always going to hate it and some are going to love it. Never shop uninformed, and never pick up a video game just because of its box art. Familiarize yourself with each game's rating, which can be located on the cover of each box, and familiarize yourself with the gamer as well. $50 to $60 is a lot of money to be planting into somebody's hands come Christmas time and you want to be sure they'll get the most out of your investment. Also, if you aren't sure what to get, don't feel pressured to get a gamer a video game. He might appreciate the fact that you were willing to drop $60 on a brand new copy of Barnie Bedrock's Rubble Racing for his Playstation 3, but he'll feel fairly irked off when he realizes Gamestop will only offer him $30 of store credit for his trade-in.
If you absolutely have to get something game related but you have no idea what to decide, consider a subscription to Gamefly. Gamefly is like Netflix for console kids, allowing you to recieve up to two games at a time through the mail, play them until you're finished with them, then send them back in to get two more. There is presently no equivalent service for PC games, so if your resident computer tech comes up on your giftlist, try a best buy giftcard, or maybe an audio book to listen to while he frags his friends.
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