Many great games will be released before the end of the year, but which one suits your needs the most?
Holiday season 2011 is geared up to be something special for gamers. There are plenty of titles coming to the Playstation throughout the remainder of the year, but which games offer the most bang for your buck? And which ones will cater to your gamer needs the most? That’s where I come in. In this article I will break down the biggest upcoming titles and recommend games for each genre. So let’s get started.
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Why it’s on the list:
Assassin’s Creed Revelations is the concluding installment in Ezio Auditore’s story, and is the game which ties all three assassin’s tales together, which is partially why I am so excited for its release. Some people argue that the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been made “annualised” to rake in the cash, rather then give players a whole new, worthwhile experience once a year. Revelations couldn’t prove these people any more wrong. Taking place in various different areas throughout Constantinople, players will get a chance to take control of the three different assassins throughout the game. Ezio is the main character who is attempting to follow Altair path, with Desmond in turn trying to follow both journeys. The story can be a bit confusing but don’t get caught up in it, Ubisoft has promised that Revelations will wrap up everything and when Ubisoft makes a promise they certainly delivers on it.
One of the many things that makes Assassin’s Creed: Revelations drastically better to any previous game in the series is the story, and how it enhances the overall experience. Desmond is unconsious, trapped in the Animus. There’s only one way out, one way to regain consciousness: he must find a memory which links the three assassins together. The way that Ubisoft implemented this twist particularly excited me, and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out. Something which hasn’t change much is the gameplay, but did it need to change? A few new features have been added, such as bomb-making, which looks innovative to say the least. Another addition is the hookblade, not only able to providing the player with gut-wrenching kills, but is also used as aid to climbing, altering how situations can be approached. Multiplayer makes a return, but I still feel it is the most dispensable part of the game. While there are a few changes from Brotherhood, it’s still a component of the game I know I won’t play in depth.
Assassin’s Creed Revelations is looking to be better than anything that has come before it, and for fans of the series it’s an unmissable experience. If the story does manage to tie everything together and live up to expectations, then Ubisoft has done a remarkable job, but only time will tell.
Battlefield 3
Why it’s on the list:
Battlefield looks to be a turning point of sorts for DICE, going into direct competetion with Call of Duty this Christmas. Finally someone is putting forth a serious challenge to Activision’s flagship title, but is this a good decision on behalf of DICE? Will they be able to make a product good enough to dethrone Call of Duty? It’s not up to me to answer that question, but I will tell you why I think Battlefield 3 might be able to triumph over Modern Warfare 3. First of all the single player campaign, an aspect of gaming that Call of Duty hasn’t ever really been known for. DICE has a huge chance to go one up here and after hearing the plot details, my money’s on Battlefield to provide a better single player experience. It will see players take the role of several military characters, but we only know of two so far. Staff Sergeant Henry ‘Black’ Blackburn, who’s leading a five-man team in an attempt to locate a US squad who were invesigating a possible chemical weapons site, in the control of militia, quite hostile militia. Quite a few gun fights later an earthquake strikes in Iran, setting the city a blaze.This is where Corporal Jonathan “Jono” Miller comes into action. Operating as a tank driver, he must enter the burning city of Iran and complete his task there. From the details DICE has released so far, I feel this is better than anything Infinity Ward has ever come up with in terms of story, and it provides the player with a compelling yet surreal experience.
Then there’s multiplayer, the hardest platform to compete with Call of Duty on. Having thoroughly enjoyed the beta, I think that Battlefield 3 will have a lot to offer to the player in terms of online gameplay. You will be placed in the shoes, or should I say boots, of one of four classes: Assault, Support, Engineer or Recon. Each of them has something different to offer and this adds to the entire multiplayer mode, as you have four different paths to choose from. Personally I think that Battlefield 3′s multiplayer has the ability to put it up to Modern Warfare 3, and it’s hard to predict which will offer a more captivating experience.
DICE took a gamble going up against Modern Warfare 3, one which could backfire but also has a chance of succeding. Battlefield 3 is a game with so much potentail, a game which really deserves to be taken into account when choosing what to get for Christmas.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Why it’s on the list:
The Elder Scrolls V. Anyone who has played Oblivion doesn’t need to read this article, Skyrim will be an instant purchase for them. But for those of you who have never experienced an Elder Scolls game, let me fill you in. You may have noticed I used the word experience rather than played, but that’s what Skyrim is, an experience. It possesses a special quality, one that I have only ever seen in The Elder Scrolls series. Skrim mixes open world gameplay, quest giving and character development of the highest quality to make it one of the media’s most anticipated game of 2011. It’s a spiritual successor to Oblivion, begining 200 years after. I really regret puting a limit on the amount of words I write for each game in this feature, as I know there isn’t nearly enough space for me to say everything about Skyrim. So for now, I won’t go too deep into the story but I assure you that it cetainly delivers on expectations, which are always high when it comes to The Elder Scrolls.
One of Skyrim’s main selling points is it’s sheer richness in choice. Which race will you choose to play as? What skills will you use, and which ones will you expand upon? How will you approach a battle, with the knowledge that you can kill your opponent with myriad different means. This is what I find most captivating about Skyrim, and is the reason I know I will be playing this game several times in an attempt to experience everything, albeit most likely a failed attempt. From everything I’ve seen so far I’m very excited about the visuals of Skyrim. It looks stunning and manages to improve further on those of Oblivion, which I didn’t think was possible in a game of such size but once again Bethesda has managed it.
Oh and one more thing. Dragons.
The fact that you are rarely safe from the winged beasts amazes me, in only the best way. The unparallel feeling of slaying a dragon is one that I want to experience, again and again. I do hope I have given you a preview deserving of Skyrim’s excellence, I really do, as I feel it is an experience that no gamer should miss. Skyrim offers an immersive world, one which provides an ever present threat of getting lost in. When I say threat I only mean it in the most positive way, it’s more of a threat of experiencing an entirely new adventure than anything else.
For those of you who have been reading my three part feature, you would have noticed that I had kept to a set layout, until now. I had to make an exception for Skyrim, just to show the scale of the game. I cannot say enough about it, just know one thing. It will keep you entertained for a very, very long time.
Best Overall Shooter
Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
I feel this game offer the best package out of the titles listed. What really pulls it through is Spec Ops, a mode which no other shooter can come close to competing with.
Best Action/Adventure Game
Winner: Batman Arkham City
This choice was the toughest I had to make, but in the end I went with Batman. As much as Uncharted has to offer, I think that Batman’s single player campaign is one with triumphs over any other’s, hands down.
Best Overall Game
Winner: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
When choosing what game to give the most prestigious award to, I couldn’t choose anything over Skyrim. I compared and contrasted every game, seeing what each had to offer and which would give you the best value. Their was only one answer to each of these questions. Skyrim offers the most content out of anything coming out this Christmas, let alone this year. This is the one game that you need to get this Christmas, and it’s deserving of every tiny bit of praise it receives.
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