Christmas wishlist

Posted by Kevin in Apple, Articles, Featured, Microsoft, Nintendo, Portable, Sony, Windows | 10 comments

So, you’re buying a console/PC this year and want to get some games for it? Well, look no further. Here’s a list of games that are worthy of your attention! 10 for each device. All killer, no filler. If you’ve got suggestions outside of this list, hit up the comments and let us know what you love and think others should be playing!

First up, PC:

Plants versus Zombies: By far my favourite PopCap game is hugely addictive and highly strange too. Use plants in a tower-defense style garden environment to stop hordes of Zombies from getting into your house to eat your brains.

Half Life 2: The greatest physics-based puzzle-shooter ever devised. The perfect sequel to a brilliant game, who’s legacy is tainted by the fact that Valve went about releasing “episodic content” afterwards in a completely failed experiment.

Team Fortress 2: A typical team-based multiplayer FPS featuring classes as varied as rocket-jumping soldiers to maniac genderless (ish) pyros. Genius, fun and brilliant.

World of Goo: A great physics based puzzle game where the aim of the game is to push little blobs of goo around obstacles on a map.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: A huge, epic but short campaign buffered out by a nice and meaty online component. Looks great and will keep your heart racing from start to end.

Spore: I would put the Sims but the fact that there are too many iterations, addons and packs to keep up with means this is the best option. Not as good as we were promised before release, but the best example of the work of Maxis to date. Wraps up all of the ideas in every Sims game before it.

Flight Simulator X: A brilliant game that was far ahead of its time, but now computer power has caught up to the game software.

Crysis: An amazing display of graphical prowess. Not the best story or even gameplay, but works so well that it cannot be passed up as long as your system can run it!

STALKER: Chernobyl-based horror shooter game. A great piece of technology that blends classic FPS style gameplay with RTS elements.

Battlefield 2: The best example of huge team-based online multiplayer action. Squad mechanics, classes and vehicular-warfare are perfected in this title.

First console caters to Playstation 3 owners:

Resistence 2: An action game to beat all other action games. Not doing anything particularly inventive with the FPS genre but with a host of crazy looking alien enemies and a whole rake of interesting guns with which to kill them this game is worth a splash. It also features a full bodied online mode with co-op and deathmatch options available.

Rathet & Clank – A crack in time: One of the best puzzle type games in 2009, Sony’s venerable kid-friendly platformer returned with awesome graphics, a killer story and the same great characters and environments. Not that great in terms of online features but that’s usually how it goes with such titles.

God of War Collection: Playing Kratos and beating the holy bejaysus out of crazy mythological beasties is a must-do event for any PS2 owner. And if you missed the action, the collective games are out now on PS3, bumped up to look pretty on your HD TV.

Street Fighter IV: Everyone loves a good beat-em-up. Everyone loves Street Fighter (including us, obviously!). Now throw in a new game, some new features, online modes and the ability to buy a plethora of peripherals to help aide your ass-kicking and you’ve got yourself one of the best beat-em-up experiences of all time. It’s like revisiting SFII all over again!

LittleBigPlanet: By far one of the best games released on the PS3, introducing the Play Create Share notion, is out now as a special edition with new maps and “stuff”. A huge online community publishing new levels makes this an infinitely good experience. The gift that keeps on giving – for both kids and adults alike!

Killzone 2: If you’re a fan of FPS games and action titles this is the perfect experience. By far the most beautiful game ever put onto a console with a solid sci-fi war story thrown into amazing environments with some good, solid characters. Huge online community to keep the war going with unlocks and perks as you progress.

Uncharted 2 – Among Thieves: Not owning this is a crime. Another standard-setting game in the graphics department, with a gripping story, brilliant cast and script. Online modes are an interesting addition, making full use of the games ability to hide anywhere and use anything to climb up on.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Some will find this game too difficult. Not because the gameplay is hard, but moreso because it’s more like a huge movie that has interactive bits in between segments. A great looking game that plays well but does confuse the average gamer with its cobbled-together sci-fi war commentary story.

Warhawk: One of the first games to take advantage of the SIXAXIS control scheme as well as the revamped online features from Sony, this game is still huge fun and still has a great active community. Worth playing for anyone who looks Battlefield-style games.

Calling all cars: A brilliant little game by the creator of the God of War series where you play cops & robbers, both online and offline. A cartoonish art style lends itself brilliantly to the HD world. One of the early stars of PSN.

Now, the Xbox 360 games:

Gears of War 2: A stunning looking over-the-shoulder shooting game that re-invented Epic Games as a studio that could tell a story. Pure mindless action from start to finish with a decent online component too.

Halo 3: One of the best FPS games released. Not the prettiest, and doesn’t do anything refreshing for the genre or even the series, but it’s the perfect iteration of a by-the-numbers FPS title. Online is great and hugely entertaining, but only if you don’t take it too seriously.

Forza Motorsport 3: Introduced this year as a way of taking Turn 10′s racer into the next generation properly, utilising all of the power available from Microsoft’s console to create a better way to challenge Gran Turismo.

Bioshock: By far one of the best stories and gaming experiences ever released. A great mix of RPG styling mixed with FPS gameplay thrown into an amazingly unique and crazy world. Play it now before you’re left behind when Bioshock 2 comes next year.

Crackdown: GTA style gameplay in a sandbox world using cell-shaded artwork to create a unique game in its own right. Worth having a go but falls down ultimately because of the comparison to the GTA series.

Batman – Arkham Asylum: A game that changed the way comic book games are made. A one of a kind, genius game that works so well it’s shocking that it never happened before. Buy this game, now.

Star Ocean – The Last Hope: I’m not a fan of these types of games but this one comes highly recommended for any 360 owner.

Shadow Complex: Super metroid thrown into a “big boy” games engine with a compelling sci-fi storyline, played entirely in side-scrolling mode. Highly entertaining game that works well and hopes it gets repeated again.

Castle Crashers: A hilarious, fun game that runs through medieval times in a bright, colourful style by the chaps from Newgrounds.

Worms 2: Classic game recreated for your HD TV. Not much else anyone can say about the genius that is Worms!

Now it’s time for the Wii!

New Super Mario Brothers Wii: New style genius gameplay returns for another round on the Wii, carrying the Mario flag with it and keeping that level of quality at a considerably high standard. New levels and worlds are great with some new moves by Mario and co, including multiplayer.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl: The classic Nintendo fighter is back, beating the crap out of characters like Zelda and Solid Snake has never been so much fun.

Silent Hill – Shattered Memories: Not the best game in the world but a great example of a survival horror on the Wii. Worth checking out.

Mario Kart Wii: Classic racer returns for more, includes a hugely active online community. Comes with an actually well made plastic peripheral wheel to stick your Wiimote in.

Zelda – Twilight Princess: More classic gameplay with the return of Zelda to the Wii.

Mad World: The artistic title that gives the Wii a chance to reach out to adults with a great blend of violent gameplay, featuring three colours – black, white & red.

Wii Sports Resort: A fun bundle of games akin to the Wii Sports disk that comes with your Wii, all set on the beach. Some summer-type games to play while sitting in watching the snow fall outside.

Wii Fit: Hugely popular with the ladies out there, Wii Fit sold gang busters on release, and for a long time after. Coming with a balance board to help you get fit through a series of tasks.

No More Heroes: Another mad world style game that draws a more adult audience into the Wii. Absolute genius.

Resident Evil 4: Replay one of the best survival horror titles ever with a whole new slant using the Wiimote.

Now we’ll look at the portable machines in less detail.

First up, the DS.

Zelda – Spirit Tracks: Any Zelda title is going to be worth a go, and this one is no exception.

New Super Mario Bros: Genius title from Nintendo, really taking advantage of the little consoles power to pack a decent graphical punch.

Mario Kart: Hours of fun on a small device with the classic gameplay of Mario!

Scribblenauts: One of the best games on the DS by a country mile where you solve puzzles by spawning a seemingly-infinite number of items into the game world.

GTA Chinatown Wars: Isometric GTA gameplay that really pushes the DS’ power. Not exactly suited to the mobile platform, but works well none the less.

Now, the PSP.

Killzone Liberation: The sequel to the first game on the PS2, this isometric shooter allows you to manage your squad mates as you take on the helghast in one of the most challenging portable games I’ve ever played.

Wipeout Pulse: Wipeout returns to the PSP with a bang, bringing the futuristic racing spaceship game… thing to your bus, car or plane.

GTA Vice City Stories: Not as good as Vice City on the PS2, but it’s always good to revisit the 80s-inspired world!

LocoRoco 2: One of the more original titles that came to the PSP, control little bubble ball creations by tilting the world to solve platforming puzzles

Lumines: The first is decidedly better then the second because it doesn’t feature stupid backgrounds and the annoying music of the Black Eyed Peas on repeat. This is a musical themed version of tetris. Great game!

Finally, the iPhone.

Real Racing: A stunning racing title on the machine that will shock you with the graphics. Tilting the phone to steer is a little annoying, but worth a few quid!

Fieldrunners: The best iteration of a tower defense game possible on a phone.

Doodle Jump: A simple game where a strange creature jumps onto platforms by tilting the controller. Avoid obstacles and beat a hire score. Highly addictive.

Must.Eat.Birds: A great looking game where you slingshot your critter to eat the birds dropping from the sky to eat your cake.

FlightControl: Plane-landing game where you have to make sure planes don’t crash into each other as you guide them into their various landing strips.