Holiday Gift Guide – PS3
As I noted in my Xbox 360 Guide, these pics are exclusive to the Playstation 3. You won’t find them anywhere else except on Sony’s top platform. Now, with the Playstation 3 being in my opinion one of the best Blu-Ray players on the market, you may want to look at movies as an option as well. Just about every new release these days hits both DVD & Blu-Ray on day one. All the summer blockbusters are out now I believe like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Trek, & Terminator Salvation. Anyway, as I said, keep that as an option. Now, on to my pics…
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: 10/13/2009
If you don’t get any other game for the Playstation 3, you need to grab this one. Uncharted 2 is running a close tie with Modern Warfare 2 for my choice for game of the year. Yes, it’s that good. While the multiplayer isn’t quite as strong as Modern Warfare 2, the single player experience was much better. The folks at Naughty Dog took what made the Tomb Raider franchise great back in the 1990’s & mashed it up with a bit of Indiana Jones to create a fun, engrossing story that will keep you playing it even in the wee hours of the night. With online multiplayer & trophy support plus an in game store to purchase unlockables (with money earned in-game), there is a lot of meat on this bone. Also, there’s a free update for this game that will add a new multiplayer mode & a new map. And did I mention how pretty it is?
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: 10/27/2009
A Crack in Time is the latest chapter in what is one of my favorite franchises of all time. I’ve been a fan since the very first Ratchet game. Fortunately for fans like me, it’s one of the few franchises that has made the transition from the previous console generation. Beyond the wacky weapons (the Groovatron is a riot), & fluid over-the-shoulder shooter action, I think it’s the smart writing that has continued to keep the life blood flowing in the 7 year old series. This chapter picks up where we left off at the end of the download-only Quest for Booty, following Ratchet as he searches for the missing Clank, who’s been abducted by the mysterious Zoni. The game looks to wrap up the Future storyline that began with Tools of Destruction a couple of years ago. For me, the Ratchet & Clank is like the God of War series, i.e. something every Playstation 3 user should have.
Developer: SCE Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
MSRP: $39.99
Release Date: 11/17/2009
Speaking of God of War, the 3rd (& final?) chapter won’t be released until March 2010. To help tide players over until then, Sony took the first two games, gave them a nice high def spit shine, added trophy support & packaged them together for a tidy $40. Arguably the best franchise of the last 2 generations, God of War took an entertaining mythological tale & wove it together with gameplay that was both smooth & visceral at the same time. Context sensitive finishing moves gave players the opportunity to rip Medusa’s head off & gouge out the eyes of the Cyclops. Plus, they did the whole sex scene thing long before Mass Effect came around. This collection is a great gift for fans of the franchise & for anyone who missed out on them the first time around. Plus, it will be the perfect precursor for what may be Sony’s biggest launch of 2010.
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: 05/26/2009
Sucker Punch has impressed me with just about everything they touch. For those not aware, these are the guys who made the Sly Cooper games on the Playstation 2. Even though Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter seemed to hog the limelight, Sly Cooper managed to quietly hang with the best of them & offer just as solid of an experience. So what does Sucker Punch do when this generation hits? They begin work on a completely new property. The best way to sum up inFAMOUS is it’s like an interactive comic book with a morality gameplay mechanic. Basically, the protagonist gains (electricity-based) super powers because of an explosion that also throws the city into chaos. The player needs to use said powers to restore order, be it through good or evil means. With an open sandbox world (like the GTA series) & visuals that look straight out of a comic book (not unlike the Sly Cooper games), it’s sure to appeal to the inner superhero (or super villain) in any gamer on your list. As a bonus, you should be able to find it for $40 or less!
Developer: Guerilla Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: 02/27/2009
What was most likely the most anticipated Playstation 3 game of 2009, Killzone 2 actually lived up to the expectation (at least as far as the critics were concerned). Those expectations were high too, as video footage was used for the console’s launch back in 2006 (it was first seen at E3 2005), so the desire for this title has been simmering for a long time. Making an appearance on both the Playstation 2 & the Playstation Portable, the Killzone franchise is often looked at as Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Halo series. Featuring some of the best visuals on the system, a fairly short (but average for an FPS) campaign & a class-based multiplayer experience, Killzone 2 is a fine addition to any game library. There are a couple of multiplayer map packs available through the Playstation Network (for an additional cost of course) that will add up to 6 new maps & even more trophies to earn.
Other honorable mentions:
- Demon’s Souls
– $59.99
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[...] as I post my Playstation 3 Holiday Gift Guide with inFAMOUS as one of my recommended titles, Sony sweetens the pot a bit by dropping the MSRP. [...]