As we near the end of another great year, 2011 brought us many joys and many tears. 2012 is right around the corner but let us not forget about the amazing games that have come and gone as 2011 was an amazing year of games for the Playstation 3. With Christmas coming up, and the plethora of amazing games with publishers circling us like vultures for our holiday monies, we know you want your loved ones to get the best gaming experience possible (and you the best bang for your buck).
So here are thirteen games to help you find just the right gift for the gamer in your life no matter the age, taste, or style. Enjoy JustPushStart’s Playstation 3 Holiday Gift Guide!
Uncharted 3
For: The Treasure Hunter, The Indiana Jones Fan, The Thrill Seeker
Price: $59.99
With as many reviews giving Uncharted 3 a perfect score, this game is a no brainer for any household that has a PS3. Uncharted 3 is the follow up to Naughty Dog’s 2009 smash hit Uncharted 2.
In Uncharted 3, players will follow the footsteps of Nathan Drake once again as he continues what Sir Francis Drake had started in search of the mythical city known as the Atlantis of the Sand, that is supposedly hidden somewhere in the sands of the Arabia.
No collection is complete without this game and thanks to the greater concentration on multiplayer this time around, after completing the astounding campaign gamers will still be able to go back and enjoy weeks of content via the new multiplayer.
Infamous 2
For: The Superhero Fan, The Open World Adventurer
Price: $49.99
Infamous 2 continues the story of Cole McGrath, a college drop-out turned delivery boy turned super hero (or villain depending on how you played the game) through a confusing and convoluted plot that ultimately leaves Cole on a journey to increase his powers in preparation to take on and destroy “The Beast”, another super powered entity that will eventually destroy the world.
Without a doubt, one of the best games to hit the PS3 platform this year, Infamous 2 offers players a variety of content and has a high replay value. The amazing story offers up as many twists as the first title did and washes it down with smooth gameplay and beautiful graphics for your eyes to stare at.
User generated content offers a vast array of tools to the player for creating the perfect mission and further adds to the replay value of the game. This is definitely a title that Playastation owners should have in their collection.
Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
For: The Casual Gamer, Kids, The Collector
Price: $69.99
Although Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure may seem like an expensive game to get for a kid, parents should note that this game is a gift that keeps on giving. The game comes with three toys that can be used to “teleport” new characters into the game; it also has over 30 additional toys (only $7.99 each) which adds an insane amount of additional content that keeps the game fresh over extended periods of time.
With high quality voice acting, easy introduction to RPG elements, and unique peripherals, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure is an excellent addition to any household collection with either casual gamers, youth gamers, or simply that gamer whose inner child has not yet been jaded by the industry.
THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
For: Dungeons and Dragon Nerds, Value Gamers, Hardcore Gamers, Dragon Slayers
Price: $59.99
Skyrim, having recently just been released, is probably a game you’ve already heard about. Aside from another recent game on this list, one breaking more sales records than it knows how to count, Skyrim is one of the big releases this year.
There’s a reason. Skyrim is an absolutely massive game. And as big as it is immersive, this is the single-player RPG of the year. Starting out from fairly humble beginnings, on the way to be sentenced to death to taking your rightful place as the last dragonborn, this is a game that could last you hundreds of hours while remaining fresh and beautiful the entire time.
From hardcore roleplayers to even the new blood who may have expressed more than a little interest in the Lord of the Rings mythos, this is a fantastic game to understand exactly what role-playing is all about.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
For: First person shooter fans, Modern Warfare fanboys
Price: $59.99
This thing has been selling like wish granting twinkies and has crushed all competitors under its massive weight. It is the modern shooter.
And like Elder Scrolls: Skyrim above, there’s actually a reason behind its popularity, unlike the inexplicable popularity of terrible children singers on the internet.
With a surprisingly solid single-player campaign and a massive multiplayer system set to hook you for months at a time, unlike some on this list, this is a game meant to be taken little at a time, between work and dinner, when you get home to relax and blast some guys online.
It manages, however, to please on all counts by also having a fairly compelling single-player mode.
But according to sales statistics, you probably already bought it.
BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY
For: The Comic Book Geek, The Sandbox Fan, People Who Miss The Hitman Franchise
Price: $59.99
Arkham Asylum was a reviewer darling when it came out, masterfully combining stealthy takedowns, impish shadow-lingering and brutal beat’em up action. Set down mostly linear environments, Arkham City opened up significantly in the quarantined Arkham City, as beautiful to look at as it is dangerous and exceedingly dark.
With tight gameplay, atmospheric settings and a city you could linger and lurk in for hours at a time, brutal, visceral combat and a stealth focus that too few games these days seem to embrace, Arkham City brings out a lot of good things that the modern industry seems to have forgotten to be incredibly fun. The Arkham series of Batman games is seemingly doing to the franchise in video games what The Dark Knight did to Batman in the theaters.
It’s a fantastic time sink for those looking to explore the sights of a city gone off the deep end and a return to form for the iconic superhero, a great buy for those willing to put their gaming time some place dark for a while.
Portal 2
For: Nerds, Puzzle Solvers
Price: $39.99
Portal was considered one of the greatest games of its generation, used as a teaching tool for game developers and is a short but outlandishly compelling trip through dark comedy, tight structure and great characters, or rather, great character.
Portal 2 is the sequel. Being a sequel to what many consider one of the greatest games of the generation and not being a complete disappointment is a big thing, undeniably. With a longer campaign, more characters and an extremely well realized co-op multiplayer feature, this is more than most sequels can manage to squeeze out.
This is a must buy for anyone looking for more than just time, value or graphics out of their gaming experience, also, special mention should be afforded for the game’s ending, easily one of the best and most satisfying endings in video game history, leaving no loose ends and creating a symphony of satisfaction.
MotorStorm Apocalypse
For: The Driver, Adrenaline Junkies, The Post-Apocalyptic Fan
Price: $59.99
MotorStorm Apocalypse takes place in an apocalyptic urban city that is mainly abandoned. These races are hosted around a city and a constant bombardment of natural disasters occur throughout each of the games intense, fast paced tracks that take you from the islands into a city.
The real-time dynamic events flow smoothly into the gameplay and while slightly over the top, they are great fun to witness. If you’re looking for a crazy, heart-pumping, racing experience look no further. This game will keep your loved one at the edge of their seat as they tear through falling buildings, and perform insane stunts.
Online Multiplayer is virtually lag free, and if needed gamers can play split-screen both online and offline. With over 40 unique tracks, this game both looks and sounds amazing but ultimately the most important part is, its fun to play and will keep your loved one playing for quite some time.
Killzone 3
For: The First Person Shooter Enthusiast,
Price: $39.99
The epic battle between the ISA and Helghast lives on with a newly appointed leader in the Helghan government. The conclusion of Killzone 2 left a lot of gamers curious as to what will happen to the government of the Helghast now that Visari is dead.
Spanning over seventy minutes of cutscenes, your loved one will be amazed at the quality this game has to offer. Voiced by Hollywood’s finest talents, Killzone 3 gives the feeling of watching an action movie thanks to the talents such as actor Ray Winston contributes to the game.
The action that your loved one will experience while playing this game is beyond epic and will leave them craving for more. While the multiplayer portion of the game does not offer any new things except for new maps, the single player mode is where the game truly shines thanks to the phenomenal storyline and non-stop heart pounding action from the beginning to the end.
Resistance 3
For: The First Person Shooter Enthusiast, The Gaming Purist, The Gun Nut
Price: $59.99
Resistance 3 is the third and final Resistance game being developed by Insomniac Games. Whether or not there will be a fourth Resistance game remains to be seen. The story of Resistance 3 takes place in 1957, where only ten percent of the world’s population is left alive and Joseph Capelli is one of them. He now has a family to protect since he married Susan Capelli and has a young son.
When Joseph meets Dr. Malikov again, Malikov advises him that a mysterious spire has erected in New York City creating a wormhole. This is causing the Earth’s temperatures to plummet to potentially enter another ice-age. Joseph reluctantly decides to leave his family to save the world from freezing. Will he survive to see his family again? This is a question that your loved one will be asking themselves throughout the entire course of the game.
With the numerous FPS games released each year, it’s hard for some of them to stand out in the overcrowded market. Thankfully, Insomniac Games has managed to make Resistance 3 a fun and innovative experience. The addition of unique weapons, cool looking enemies and split-screen multiplayer is a major plus for me. The feature to reintroduce the health bar system is also a refreshing experience that sets Resistance 3 apart from many other games. The multiplayer mode is also heaps of fun to play and will add hours of more entertainment beyond the single player mode.
Dark Souls
For: Hardcore Gamers, No One Else
Price: $59.99
Dark Souls is a game where you die many many times. Sequel to the brutally difficult Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls ramps up the difficulty to frankly sadistic levels and turns the hopelessness dial up to 11.
None of these are complaints however. Believe it or not, Dark Souls uses brutal difficulty and nihilistic hopelessness to its advantage. Creating a dark tapestry of dread and loneliness in a world that could help or turn against you at any moment is an absolutely unforgettable experience. Any and all help you receive is temporary and you’re a fateful death or sword in the gut away from complete loneliness at any moment.
And as difficult as it is, this combat oriented dungeon crawler never feels unfair. A perfectly balanced game which will make you prove yourself to see its ending. Casual gamers beware, but for your masochistic son or cocky gamer roommate, this game will provide an extremely poignant experience.
L.A. Noire
For: Cinemaphiles, Mystery Fanatics, Clue Players, ADULTS ONLY
Price: $39.99
L.A. Noire is a reviewer darling and a game people play whenever they want to feel smart for a little while between shooting segments.
But beyond a brain aid, L.A. Noire is quite the work. An immersive sandbox game with intuitive, yet still mind bending murder mystery solving, Noire is a radical departure from Rockstar’s other games such as Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. With an old school detective vibe that will have you unironically jotting down notes and speaking in a tough, hard-boiled 1940′s accent, this is a game that sticks with you.
Well written, well told, long enough to make a big enough bang for your purchase and surprisingly colorful for a genre usually depicted in monochrome, for anyone who’s ever read a Marlowe mystery novel or just likes the look of fedoras and trenchcoats, this game is a post-depression era smorgasbord.
Sonic Generations
For: Sega Fanboys, Old School Gamers, Kids Not Too Jaded To Play Something Without Gore Or Guns
Price: $49.99
Sonic may not have made it into top ten lists or buyers guides in the last five years, and it’s a shame. Sonic’s had a bad couple of years, releasing terrible game after terrible game at a frankly embarrassing rate (Note: It took a team of six frightening men to stop the writer from using the pun “at Sonic Speed”). Sonic Team seemed to finally get their act together in time for Christmas, because Sonic Generations is a short but overwhelmingly giddy new iteration to the Sonic franchise.
Switching from old-school two dimensional gameplay to modernized three dimensional gameplay to keep the game constantly fresh, the game acts as a playthrough of Sonic’s 20 year history, garnished with bright colors, great visuals, smooth gameplay and Sonic’s greatest soundtrack to date, it’s only setback being its disappointing length. But if you or any of your recipients have ever had any sort of affection for Sonic The Hedgehog, this game simply can’t be passed up.
