Gamecore's 2007 Holiday Gift Guide
Holiday shopping should not be difficult. Yet every year we get asked by friends and readers, what titles are worth picking up. This often gives birth to ungoing debates about what titles are truely "top" rated. Usualy through aggressive negotiations we come to some agreeable terms and thus, are able to create for you our Holiday Gift Guide.
This year is a bit different.
No aggressive negotiations needed or bribing the editors or even conning our developers to gain their favor in putting up our content. This year we were fairly unanimous in our choices. So without further adue or any delay, Gamecore presents our top picks for this holiday season.
"Bioshock" Platform: Xbox 360
We'll kick this thing off with this title. A game that has already won Best Game of The Year Award at the 2007 British Academy Video Games Awards (BAFTA), 2K Game's Bioshock is a must have. This first-person shooter is not for the weak of heart. It takes you through a complex joy ride through an underwater "Atlantis type city" where ethics and morality seeming collide in a 1940's gothic like universe.
In this game you can turn everything into a weapon, biologically mod your body with plasmids, hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques. Bioshock has everything a growing gamer needs to keep them on their toes, literaly.
"Assassins Creed" Platform: PS3/Xbox
We've always loved theif class characters in games and Assassins Creed takes that love to the next level. Stealth adventure gameplay for the 360 has never looked so good. Scale buildings, eavesdrop, pickpockets, and spy on the Knights Templar during the Middle Ages. Interact and blend in with the crowd of citizens in cites allowing you to hide in plain sight. This is one game that should not be missed.
Aside from being a bit short, Assassin's Creed allows players to bully emmersed this next generation play interaction, level design and story involvement.
"Super Mario Galaxy" Platform: Nintendo Wii
Hands down this is the best game to come out for the Nintendo Wii this year. This beautiful game was built specifically for the Wii Nunchuk and Remote and it shows. Jumping back and forth from planet to planet [hence the Galaxy part of the title] while solving puzzles and the like, makes Super Mario Galaxy an exceptionaly fun game to play. Early buzz indicates that this is the greatest Mario game ever.
"Heavenly Sword" Platform: Playstation 3
If you like God of War you're gonna love Heavenly Sword. If Kratos were to be a female, he would be Nariko. She's the fiery red-haired heroine who embarks on a quest for vengeance against an invading King and his army. And she does it while wielding a massive sword with untold potential.
She wields it with expert care and makes quick work of all her enemies. I'd hate to be on her hit list. Braught to you by Ninja Theory, Heavenly Sword is a beautful game with tons of hack and slash action, great cinematics and very interesting fighting system that would make any ninja proud.
"Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" Platform: PS3/Xbox 360/PC
Regardless of what platform you get this title on, it's a winner. The single player campaign is a well-paced, non-stop action experience. Unlike previous Call of Duty games, this latest installment is set in a modern era rather than WWII. The cinematic experience is purely top notch. Graphics are fantastic on this title, and the controls are really easy. Call of Duty 4, in our humble opinion, is one of very few true next generation games available so far.
"Jeanne D'Arc" Platform: PSP
A turn based tactical role playing game for the PSP, Level 5's Jeanne D'Arc is great for that long subway or bus ride home. It packs over 40+ hours of gameplay in a neat little story about a woman trying to save her country and eventually the world. What would've made this game even greater is there was some sort of ad-hoc or infrastructure mode where you could pit your best group against your adversaries. Not withstanding that, "Jeanne D'Arc" for Playstation Portable is a must have this holiday season.
"Halo 3" Platform: Xbox 360
For first person shooter fans, this game has it all. Great story, challenging enemy AI, an unparallel multi-player mode, and the Legendary Edition even comes with a nifty Spartan helmet! Take into account that come December 11th three new multiplayer maps are available for download and that adds up to one must have game for your Xbox 360. The "Halo 3" hype machine notwithstanding, is the game worth the $60?
The answer is a resounding yes.
"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass" Platform: Nintendo DS
Nintendo knows how to make their flagship products shine! Anyone who every wanted to take the Zelda experience with them on the go needs to look no further than this game. While a little on the easy side for most people, you will not hate it any less due to everything that it does so well on the DS.
"Guitar Hero III" Platform: PlayStation 2
This outstanding series just keeps getting better and better. While the content for the PS2 has been slowing down a little, don't let that stop you from rocking out the only way you know how! Bonus points for being able to use the updated wireless guitar with your older "Guitar Hero" and "Guitar Hero II" games!
"Hellgate: London" Platform: PC
Flagship Studios',"Hellgate: London", is a pretty ambitious game. It's a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) with first person shooter (fps) elements sprinkled about. The game takes place in jolly ol' London about 37 years in the future and the city has been invaded by demons. Tying in some historic content with the Freemasons, the Knight's Templar, the Crusades, etc., "Hellgate: London" evolves beyond the standard hack and slash, and is instead cultivated in historical content that helps reinforce the story line.
Those are Gamecore's top 10 picks for this holiday season.