A FESTIVE GAME PLAN
THE first doors on the Advent calendar have been opened, and the chocolates hidden behind have been devoured. And as Santa prepares his pre-flight checks, we take a look at the handful of games that get a festive release. There’s some pre-Christmas horror courtesy of Dead by Daylight, a bumper pack of Assassin’s Creed action, and an indie gem in the form of Arise: A Simple Story.
DEAD BY DAYLIGHT: NIGHTMARE EDITION
(PEGI 18) XBOX ONE, PS4. Out now THIS multiplayer-only is an ‘asymmetric’ death match where one side does the dying while the other does the hunting.
Those choosing to play as a survivor have a choice of 20 characters, some standard horror movie fare – the reluctant leader, the old soldier, the celebrity – others, horror movie legends such as Halloween’s Laurie Strode or Evil Dead’s Ash Williams.
The gamer who gets to play the hunter also has an envious selection of 18 terrifying killers, from The Trapper and The Hillbilly to The Nightmare (basically Freddy Krueger) and The Cannibal (Leatherface).
What plays out is a genuinely terrifying encounter, with the odds feeling very much stacked in favour of the killer who is massively overpowered compared to the survivors.
The Nightmare Edition features the original Dead by Daylight game plus three fan-favourite chapters and a cosmetic pack.
ARISE: A SIMPLE STORY (PEGI 7)
XBOX ONE, PS4. Out now
THE trailer for this had my eyes streaming like I’d been chopping onions.
This gorgeous-looking, storydriven, action-adventure game picks up after the death of an elderly man. Waking up in limbo, the story is told through his memories as he looks back at his life, each new level representing a joyful or sorrowful moment from his past.
Time, and the ability to manipulate it, is a vital tool here to solve the puzzles placed before you.
The minimalist art style and heartbreakingly beautiful soundtrack promise to make A Simple Journey one of those games you don’t forget easily.
ASSASSIN’S CREED: THE REBEL COLLECTION
(PEGI 18) Switch. Release: December 6
A BUMPER pack containing
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, this is great value – if you’ve not played either game before.
Black Flag sees you take on the role of Edward Kenway, a Welsh privateer-turned-pirate sailing the Caribbean seas onboard the Jackdaw. Rogue sees you play as Shay Patrick Cormac, who slowly transforms from an adventurous assassin to a grim and committed Templar hunting down his former brothers.
This two-pack includes all the DLC alongside the main games.
OFF ROAD RACING
(PEGI 3) XBOX ONE, PS4, Switch. Release: December 6 PERFECT for some mindless, all-terrain action.
Off Road Racing lets you bomb along in a quad bike, buggy or motocross race and enjoy the change of scenery as you explore immersive off-road tracks.
The tracks are bendy, full of surprises and perfect for performing silly stunts – and as if that wasn’t enough, you also get some stunningly beautiful views.
There’s five single-player game modes, including hot lap and race-against-the-clock. And, if you get bored playing alone, then there are four multiplayer modes that allow you to pit your skills against other drivers.
GANG BEASTS
(PEGI 7) XBOX ONE, PS4 Release: December 6
GANG Beasts is a colourful, daft multiplayer party game with surly gelatinous characters, brutal slapstick fight sequences and absurd hazardous environments.
Set in the mean streets of Beef City, players can grab, push, pull, punch and throw their friends from wrestling rings, speeding trucks and suspended platforms into a plethora of unspecified hazardous machinery, flaming incinerator pits and enormous industrial fans.
You can customise your character and pit it against local and online enemies in melee game mode, or fight with friends against the gangs of Beef City in the gang game mode.