Holiday Buyer's Guide 2008: PlayStation 3 is slightly more expensive than the other systems, so you can't afford to buy bad games. You also can't afford to miss these excellent games on our list.
LittleBigPlanet (PS3 Exclusive)
LittleBigPlanet is a create-your-own side-scroller game in which user-created levels dominate. It’s like Super Mario Bros. 2.0. As a Sackboy doll, you move around 2D playgrounds filled with obstacles, puzzles and, really, anything your mind can imagine. Then, you make your own levels and download and rate other people’s creations. There are some interesting ideas out there like a Super Mario Bros. 1-1 level recreation and a stage that enables you to play the opening of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” as you travel to the finish. If you have a PS3 and access to the Internet, then there’s little reason to pass up this community-driven game. Just be sure to buy a headset to make the experience even better.
Resistance 2 (PS3 Exclusive)
Resistance: Fall of Man was the best game for PS3 at launch and for months after that. Two years later, we get the follow-up, this time set in America instead of Europe. As long as you enjoyed battling the Chimeran as Nathan Hale in the first game, you’re going to be entertained with the ten to twelve hours it takes you to finish this FPS sequel. Then, there’s both the competitive and cooperative multiplayer that extends Resistance 2’s replay value well past the first game.
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation (PS3 Exclusive)
The first SOCOM was a multiplayer favorite on PS2 and the first online game for that system. But, since the PS2’s online interface wasn’t as very sophisticated in 2002, gamers have been itching to get their trigger fingers on a next-gen SOCOM using PS3’s integrated online setup. Confrontation didn’t release without controversy, as it was highly buggy when it went on sale in October. Since then, however, this PS3 game has been patched and its online multiplayer is what you’d expect. So, if you rented it or returned it and don’t own a copy because of the bugs, you may want to reconsider and add it to your wish list again.
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3 Exclusive)
Sega’s under-the-radar Japanese-style RPG delivers thanks to its anime take on a World War II game. Coupled with an engrossing storyline and a fantastic soundtrack, if you’re into role-playing games and have a PS3, it’ll take up a lot of your time this holiday season. However, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better JRPG on this system or any other this year.
Fallout 3
Bethesda Softworks doesn’t release a new game every month or even every year. Instead, the company takes its time to craft near-perfect games; case in point, 2006’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Taking the same gameplay engine, Bethesda Softworks created an even cooler post-apocalyptic theme for its 2008 title, Fallout 3. The targeting system with its pinpoint accuracy is unique and the environment of a nuked Washington D.C. is eerie to explore. The creatures that inhabit the area bleed a lot, so this one’s only for mature gamers, but it may be the best gift you get during the holidays.
Guitar Hero World Tour
Rock Band’s drums and microphone addition really spiced up the Guitar Hero formula last year, and this year, it’s Guitar Hero that’s one-upping Rock Band. World Tour adds a raked drum set (meaning the triangle cymbals hang above the three drum pads), which makes playing the virtual drums feel more like playing a real electronic set. The drums are also wireless and have softer pads to reduce noise. While the microphone is wired, the option to have static lyrics on the screen instead of constantly scrolling words makes singing ten times easier (note: we didn’t say this would make you sound ten times better). The wireless guitar has an interesting touch-sensitive slider bar for playing specific semi-transparent notes, making the only places in which Rock Band 2 outperforms World Tour is in the combined song list and career mode.
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 doesn’t change up the hardware too much, so if you already have Rock Band 1 instruments, you may want to just buy the $60 game disc. The only hardware investment worth making if you have an extra $300 is the super-sweet electronic ION premium drum set. But for most shoppers, money is tight and rebuying drums and guitars (even with slight enhancements like the ability to add cymbals later) isn’t an option this holiday season. So, what makes Rock Band 2 worth $60? The addictive career mode, the daily challenges and the combined playlist. For $5, you can import your Rock Band 1 songs and downloaded tracks for the ultimate music-game playlist. While Guitar Hero has the newer hardware, Rock Band 2 has the more complete soundtrack.
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty is the revered World War II series (except for Call of Duty 4, which took place during modern times). So, owning World at War this holiday season is a no brainer. While people loved the terror-themed CoD4 and are hesitant to step back into yet another WWII game, this version takes on the much ignored Pacific and Eastern fronts (“much ignored” compared to all of the games that have you relive D-Day, at least). Plus, it’ll go nicely with The Pacific, upcoming HBO TV mini-series set to debut next year as a follow-up to Band of Brothers.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV may have released in April, but anyone who doesn’t have it should put it at the top of their holiday wish list. This much-hyped sandbox action game delivered (and even surpassed some people’s expectations) in its next-generation console debut. For the first time, online multiplayer keeps players occupied after finishing the extensive single-player campaign. It’s just too bad that only the Xbox 360 version will receive downloadable content starting February 17, 2009. Hopefully PS3 gets some DLC treatment in the future or you have access to an Xbox 360, in which case you should buy that version instead.
LEGO Batman: The Video Game
If you just finished this summer’s LEGO Indiana Jones game, your love for LEGOs is going to be fulfilled through the holiday season with LEGO Batman, which released this fall. Fighting crime as a block-styled Batman and Robin (among other unlockable characters) makes for an eye-catching adventure compared to the desert sands of Indiana Jones. Additionally, Danny Elfman’s classic Batman soundtrack makes this LEGO game complete and better than any Dark Knight game that could’ve released alongside the film.
Madden NFL 09
When you go to the store intending to pick up the latest Madden game, expect to do a double take when you see coverboy Brett Favre in his Green Bay Packers uniform. It’s not an old version; the cover art was simply finalized before his unretirement and subsequent trade to the New York Jets. There’s an alternate downloadable cover featuring Brett in his new uniform, making this 20th anniversary edition of Madden extra unique. Maybe this is EA’s way of fooling the infamous Madden curse (Non-believers who doubted it at the end of last season should take note of Vince Young’s current status).
Quantum of Solace
Quantum of Solace the game follows the film in both story and quality, so if you’ve seen the movie and loved it, there’s little reason to pass up this James Bond action title. The game is like all James Bond films in that it doesn’t really advance its medium and do anything drastically different. It just happens to have a popular, likeable main character and a solid $60 million budget. So, as long as you aren’t expecting a ground-breaking FPS and think you are James Bond, Quantum of Solace is a sure-fire hit.
Xbox 360 | XBLA
PS3 | PSN
Wii | VC
DS
PSP
iPhone
PS2
PC
Retro
