On Tuesday Rob gave us a great run-down of games for Sony’s PS3 console, just in time for Christmas. As he’s not an Xbox gamer I have taken up responsibility for giving you a guide to what’s good on Microsoft’s gaming goliath. So here’s 10 of the best of what’s around this festive season.
Assassin’s Creed II - Set in Renaissance Italy the follow-up to 2007s excellent Assassin’s Creed takes you on an adventure with Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young nobleman-turned-assassin. This game has incredible depth, there’s mission, side-missions, and puzzles galore. You can skip these if you wish but the game reqrds completion of all the little side-stories in such a way that you’ll seek them out and actually enjoy the challenge of completing them all. In place the AI is a bit ropey, making decisions that real people just wouldn’t and allowing your character to do phenomenally stupid things. It’s a testament to the quality of the story then that these flaws never really distracts from the immersive gameplay. The game is also out on the PS3.
Borderlands - This game is an odd-fish it’s part role-playing game, part shooter, developers Gearbox even call it a “role-playing shooter”. At the start of the game, you can choose one of four characters, each with a unique special skill and with proficiencies with certain weapons, thus deciding in which manner you will play the game. The lengthens the prospective gameplay in that you can go back when you’ve finished and start again as some-one else. The visuals are a strange mix too, part cartoon, cyberpunk and wild west, but Gearbox make it all work somehow. Gameplay is pretty straight forward, but the minimal depth of character in the leads make for a relatively flat story. The 4 player coop mode is great fun and offers a chance to impress your mates with your gaming prowess. It’s a bit mad, it’s very strange but ultimately it’s very enjoyable. Also available on PC and PS3.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - The best-selling game of all time, 2009s most anticipated release and generator of more newspaper headlines than a Jordan-Lady Gaga love triangle. Chances are that if you’re a gamer you already have this game, but if you don’t then it’s well worth checking out. The plot sees you as a special forces agent, tasked with going undercover and infiltrating a ring of international terrorists. The game takes you on a breath-taking trip around the world to places such as Afghanistan, Rio de Janeiro, Siberia, and Washington D.C, with each location having a unique character, look and feel. The graphics are amongst the finest available on the market, while the gameplay is intuitive and rewards repeat play with added features. There’s a two-player coop mode where you and a friend can team up to complete all new missions. Online is where this game truly takes off, offering a host of ready made really life opponents against whom you can test your mettle. This is as close to actual combat as you’re ever likely to come and it can all be waged from the comfort of your living room. The game is also available on PC and PS3.
Dragon Age: Origins – This is the new fantasy based non AD&D role-playing game from Bioware, kings of the modern RPG, and creators of such steadfast classics as Neverwinter Nights, Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Mass Effect. The game focuses on 9 possible origin stories each one of which impacts how you play the game, how your character develops and how you interact with other characters in the game. Graphically the game looks amazing, although some cut scenes show the length of time the game spent in development and can look dated compared to some current releases. Tactically the feel of the game is very astute and it is quite simple to pick up and play. The story-line is a classic good versus evil plot, with a twist, you can decide which moral direction you wish to take your character in. Overall it’s a game suited to anyone who has ever enjoyed a RPG like Final Fantasy or any of the ones above. The game is also available on PC and PS3.
FIFA 2010/Pro Evolution Football 2010 - I’m lumping these two together as it’s highly unlikely that you will buy both. These two games are the pinnacle of footballing excellence on the Xbox and there is absolutely no wrong choice with picking one over the other. It’s entirely a matter of what style of gameplay suits you. FIFA has all the official licences and sublime graphics, so all your favourite stars are present and easily recognisable. PES has great graphics too but no licences means that the time and effort were put into gameplay. PES feels more real but is that little bit harder. FIFA on the other hand plays superbly and is relatively easy to pick up. PES is more balanced with FIFA slightly slower, but FIFA is more forgiving of mistakes than PES. FIFA has more gameplay than PES and even offers a purchasable live season mode, which will update your game throughout the season with injuries and transfers as they happen. I’ve been a long-term PES fan and this is the first time I’ve even considered converting to FIFA in years. Both are also available on PC, PS3 and Wii.
Forza Motorsport 3 - Until Polyphonic Digital and Sony get the finger out and finally unveil Gran Turismo 5 this is the mac-daddy of racing games. Choose from over 400 cars ranging from the humble Mini to Iron Man’s own Audi R8. The gameplay is spot on with a gradual learning curve as you move from slower family hatchbacks to the faster sportscars. Individual events mean you are free to pick and choose your mode of transportation as you like to suit each event. The cars are all given classes so you’ll never be completely outmatched, unless you want to be. Visually the attention to detail is stunning, the cars are perfectly rendered and the back-drops are so beautiful that it some instances you’ll want to stop to admire the view. The game offers the chance, when you feel brave enough, to challenge the world in your customised set of wheels. As usual for Xbox, the online component is superb. Virtual auctions for new cars mean you can pick up some real bargains whilst elsewhere the gaming community offer paint jobs and designs for your shiny new autos. I even managed to kit out a Clio to resemble Darth Vadar (yes I am *that* nerdy). If you like racing games and own an Xbox 360 then get this in your drawer. Xbox 360 exclusive.
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - Combining the two follow up expansion packs of Grand Theft Auto IV, previously available as downloadable content from Xbox Live, in one stand-alone package Episodes continues the story of Liberty City. The first, The Lost and Damned features a new central character, Johnny Klebitz, who is a member of Liberty City’s biker gang The Lost, a gang which is featured in several GTA IV missions. The second, The Ballad of Gay Tony, features the new character of Luis Lopez, an assistant to nightclub owner Tony Prince, aka “Gay Tony” and small time criminal. Both games add new plot-lines, mini-missions, weapons and vehicles to an already brilliant game and as an addition to GTA IV they are remarkable. As stand-alone games the pair fare well, but you’re missing certain plot points from the original. The stories are compelling, the action is top-notch and the graphics are right up there. Xbox 360 exclusive.
Left 4 Dead 2 - There’s something to be said for a game where the principal goal is killing zombies, it’s a great stress reliever. The sequel to the “monster” hit of 2008 continues in the cooperative first-person shooter mode. The game features an all new brand of infected enemies which require some downright brilliant strategies to defeat them. There are numerous new weapons and the solo campaign has plenty of life in it. Online the game offers a great multiplayer experience too, although some teething problems with the servers blighted this at the beginning. Graphically the game sets the eerie tone well and there are even a couple of levels where the time of day or the weather can impact gameplay. Like the original L4D2 offers a superb Versus mode, where you can team up with other humans or even the zombies. Some levels can be quite difficult and the enemy AI is certainly amongst the tougher out there but the satisfaction you get from beating the game, and dispatching countless zombies to hell, is well worth fighting for. Also available on PC.
1 v 100 - This is the massive multi-player on-line game of the BBC TV show of the same name. For those unfamiliar with the concept it pits one person against 100 others whom they have to beat in order to get prizes. In the Xbox version The One has the opportunity to win up to 10,000 Microsoft points, credited to their Xbox Live account, while the remaining members of The Mob divide up the winnings and each win an Xbox Live Arcade game if they are able to eliminate The One. This game is actually free to Xbox Live Gold members, as it contain adverts. It’s all a bit of fun and it’s a great way to test your general knowledge and win prizes. The graphics are simple and the gameplay is straight-forward, but it’s one of those addictive games that you swear you’ll never play and then just can’t do without. Download only from Xbox Live.
Jolly good old bean! Great show
I have to say, of the lot of them, 1vs100 provides a hell of a lot more entertainment than everything else on the list…it makes me feel so cheap to admit that, but it’s true.
Borderlands is my favourite. This game went from “meh” to “interesting” the moment the developers initiated the art style change. From that point on, the more I discovered about this game, the more I was intrigued. The little things really impressed and excited me: the use of humor (Nine-toes has three boys), the damage numbers that emit from your gunshots, the multitude of weapons, the quests and side-quests, the driving, and the post-apocolyptic setting.
I just finished the game, and although I am slightly disappointed in the end boss and the end (or lack thereof) of loot, I couldn’t put this game down for days. I just played and played, ignoring my poor family and trying to get just a few more quests done. The next thing I knew, it was a week later, and I’m watching the credits roll.
Loving Call of Duty!