The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If you are even remotely interested in RPG’s look no further. For $60 you will truly get the value and depth that you deserve for your hard earned cash. I have played the best of the best for RPG’s and even when I complete everything I could possibly do in these titles, I still max out at about 60 hours. Skyrim offers over 300 hours worth of content, and the gameplay ranges from crafting, alchemy, dungeon crawling, fighting dragons, doing quests, or even following the storyline, the choice is yours.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Probably the most anticipated PS3 exclusive title this year, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception arrives just in time for the holidays. Follow Nathan Drake around the world in search of the ancient legendary lost city, the Iram of the Pillars. With tons of action, exploring, cinematic production values and a much improved multiplayer mode, this is the ‘must have’ PS3 title this holiday. If it is any indication of the amount of time that I have spent with the first two titles in the series, then Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will be no different and I see this title being on the top of my list this holiday season.
Batman: Arkham City
Following up to the hit Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady Studios does itself one better this year and ups the ante with the mega hit Batman: Arkham City. Take control of the Dark Knight as he infiltrates Arkham City and battles his way through many of the classic Batman villains that we know and love. Batman: Arkham City is an absolutely huge game with primary missions and secondary missions that would take hours to complete if you decided to tackle them all. With improved graphics, a much improved Freeflow combat system and a excellent story scripted by veteran comic book author Paul Dini, Batman: Arkham City will have fans of Batman old and new donning the cape, cowl and gadgets to take down the dirty villains and keep the city of Arkham safe.
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures
If you are looking for a game for your children, or you just need a new game for Kinect, Disneyland Adventures is fantastic for all ages. The entire time I played, I couldn’t stop feeling nostalgic over so many elements. From the almost perfect replica of the park that you can explore freely to the classic Disney songs being played, I couldn’t get enough of it. I do warn you though, your kids may bother you to take them to Disneyland after they experience the virtual version, it is that good.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty has been top dog in the FPS genre, and MW3 continues this great franchise. This is a great gift for fans of the series as it wraps up the story from the fir two Modern Warfare titles, plus it offers new additions to the addicting online multi-player play of the series.
Gears of War 3
The story of Marcus Fenix and crew continues in Gears of War 3. By far the best story experience of the series, this is a must for all Gears fans. Not only is the campaign incredibly well done and immerse but Gears 3 offers up the best online multiplayer action of the franchise as well. It very easy to lose yourself for hours in online horde mode.
DiRT 3 or F1 2011
If you have a racing fan on your gift list, Codemasters has been tearing up the racing genre. They had two amazing racing releases this year DiRT 3 and F1 2011. Both are very different in racing styles, but they both look visually amazing and the action on the tracks are fast paced and action packed.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters
EA Sports took a big step this year with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters. The biggest addition to the game is the inclusion of The Masters in the game. Not only can you compete in this prized tournament but there are some great Masters inspired challenges based off past real life occurrences in The Masters. Any golf fan will just love this game.
Crysis 2
Another great FPS title is Crysis 2. A visually stunning futuristic shooter from EA. But this isn’t just a great looking game, the story and adventure that awaits you is pretty solid. Plus this is a little more then just a run and gun FPS title, having a specialized nanotech suit you’ll have some pretty cool abilities that you will need to learn and master in order to survive.
Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, NBA 2k12, NCAA Football 12, L.A. Noire, Portal 2, Fight Night Champion, Forza 4, iRacing
Star Wars the Old Republic
This holiday one of the biggest MMO titles finally makes it’s way to store shelves. Star Wars the Old Republic is the Star Wars MMO we have all been waiting for. Being developed by Bioware, the creators of the amazing Mass Effect franchise and previous consoles Star Wars RPG Knights of the Old Republic. Star Wars fans will find themselves exploring a galaxy far far away as they fight as either a member Republic or Imperial forces. From the time we’ve spent with SWTOR the game is amazing. From it’s great visuals to it’s incredible depth and original storylines. The best part of SWTOR is that Bioware has created unique storylines for each and every class in the game, so unlike other MMO games on the market where you play the same story over and over with different characters, in SWTOR you get a new experience every time you play! SWTOR is going to be a tough title to find on store shelves this holiday so much sure to pre-order it now.
Steel Series puts out a lot of different hardware for gamers, from gaming mice to gaming headsets. They offer quality peripherals for both consoles and PC gamers. For those that are big fans of World of Warcraft and Diablo III Steel series offers great gaming mice themed to both games. The World of Warcraft Legendary Gaming mouse sports 11 buttons, giving WoW players the edge in game. For fans of the upcoming Diablo III a really badass USB headset which pumps out some great sound and has a built in microphone which will be great for playing with friends.
For console gamers you’ll want to check out some of the Steel Series headset. If you need to grab a gift for an Xbox 360 gamer you should have a look at the Spectrum 7XB headset. The 7XB is wireless so no need to be tethered to your TV, plus it double as an Xbox Live communicator with its nice retractable microphone.
Astro Gaming A40’s
If you are looking to buy the next best gaming headset, look no further. Astro Gaming offers the best gaming headset. I personally own a pair of Astro A40’s and I would have to say this was a great buy. Now they offer a wireless MixAmp for those that rather go wireless. The sound on these bad boys is incredible. You can here the enemies foot steps as they get closer to you on Modern Warfare. The only thing is that this headset is pretty big in size and on the prize tag also. The A40’s will set you back $249.99 for the wired version of the headset and for the wireless version its $279.99.
Star Wars on Blu-Ray
After years of waiting the Star Wars franchise is finally in high-def on Blu-Ray. You have 3 sets to choose from the full Saga with all 6 films or you can buy the original Trilogy or newer films as standalone 3 movie sets. Either way the films are amazing on Blu-Ray and the full Saga set is jammed packed with tons of special features.
Netflix
Give the gift of Netflix streaming/DVD rentals. Netflix might be suffering from some growing pains as of late, but it’s still the easiest and best way to get your entertainment fix. Plus all consoles support Netflix streaming, and now you can save a few bucks and just go with the streaming option.
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