Top titles for under the tree
LIVING with a gamer can be a pain at the best of times, but Christmas can prove one of the worst.
What are they hoping to find wrapped up under the tree on the big day? Which is the game they have their fingers crossed Santa will bring them?
If you’re looking to surprise them this year, then allow me to give you some suggestions.
CALL OF DUTY WWII PS4, Xbox One, PC
IT WAS one of November’s big releases, and saw the franchise make a welcome return to its roots.
Leaving behind the frozen depths of space, this year’s release sees the action taking place in France during the Second World War.
The story for the single player campaign has won lots of praise, with iconic battles and locations recreated with harrowing realism.
The series is renowned for its multiplayer campaigns, and WWII is no different, with a frenetic, brutal gameplay.
There’s even a Headquarter, where players can socialise and relive highlights of their battle.
Bargain buy: £48 (PS4) from tesco.com. Add a season pass (PS4) for £37.99 from electronicfirst.com
Bundle deal: PS4 1TB Call of Duty: WWII Camo console, £259 from tesco.com
FIFA 18 PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
ANOTHER year, another FIFA – and EA is stepping ever closer to creating the perfect game.
Powered by the Frostbite engine, FIFA looks delicious with new crowd scenes, presentation graphics and sounds delivering EA’s most immersive iteration to date.
Dribbling feels tighter, there’s a greater variety of sprinting animations for players of differing builds, and for those seeking something a bit different, The
Journey story mode makes a welcome return.
Bargain buy: £49.99 (Xbox One and PS4) from game.co.uk
Bundle deal: PS4 FIFA 18 1TB with FIFA 18 Ultimate Team Icons and Rare Player Pack – £257.96 from amazon.co.uk
TEKKEN 7 PS4, Xbox One, PC
AFTER nearly a decade in the wilderness, Bandai Namco recalled its fighters for one final Iron Fist tournament. And it’s not just a tournament title at stake here – there’s deep-seated family issues to be worked through too. Despite appearances, Tekken has never really been your run of the mill fighter. In between bouts there is a running storyline – the unfolding saga of the Mishima clan – who, it has to be said, kind of deserve each other.
Including palette swaps, there’s 38 players to choose from – including familiar faces like Bryan Fury, Nina Williams, Jack, and Boris Johnson lookielikie Bob. The level of customisation, when it comes to the characters is impressive, and the gameplay, has also been overhauled. This game gives you a warm cuddle of nostalgia, looking sparkly new and yet comfortingly familiar. Bargain buy: £46.99 (PS4) from game.co.uk Bundle deal: Tekken 7 and Real Arcade Pro Tekken 7 Edition controller (right) for Xbox One £169.98 from game.co.uk
CUPHEAD Xbox One, PC
THIS game is both a joy and curse, so perfect for those of you have a love/hate relationship with gaming.
Cuphead’s developers painstakingly created graphics in the style of the surreal 1930s Max Fleischer-ish cartoons, using animation methods from the time.
Even the original jazz score was recorded using processes from the time period.
Aside from its quirky good looks, Cuphead also offers some of the toughest run and gun action I’ve played in a very long time.
Every fight is a boss battle, offering unique ways to die, something which will enthral and annoy in equal measure. Bargain buy: £15.99 (Xbox One download) from www.cdkeys.com Splurge: Cuphead: Don’t Deal With the Devil Vinyl 12” album £111.99 from store.hmv.com
HORIZON ZERO DAWN PS4
IT TOOK six years for Killzone developer Guerrilla Games to complete work on Horizon Zero Dawn, and it really shows.
Set after a great technological apocalypse, the planet is ruled by machines – the surviving humans scrimping to survive.
The premise sounds familiar, but you’ll find no limbering Terminators here. The machines are animalistic, roaming the rich plains majestically.
This game is stunningly beautiful, gameplay is tight and offers a unique and unforgettable adventure.
Bargain Buy: Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition (includes Frozen Wilds expansion) £35.99 from 365games.co.uk