So you want to get a gift for a loved one, and you know they're a big fan of video games. But where do you start? There were hundreds of games released on consoles in 2015 alone (some good, some great, many bad), and each appeals to a different type of person. Does your son love action games? Does your niece love role-playing adventures? Would your aunt love a new Star Wars game?
Don't worry, I've got you covered. Having played the majority of this year's biggest games, these are, in my opinion, some of your best bets. Most of the games below were released in the last few months, so there's less chance your giftee has purchased it for themselves already.
Not sure I've vaguely described the person you're shopping for? Hit me up on Twitter and maybe I can help.
For the party animal
Guitar Hero Live -- You might have thought that the era of rhythm games and plastic instruments was behind us, but the new Guitar Hero is good. Really good. Some credit for that goes to the new guitar controller, which uses a new six-button layout (three on top, three on bottom) that more accurately simulates the act of playing a real guitar. The real hero, though, is Guitar Hero TV, a new game mode that allows you to play hundreds of songs by streaming them over the Internet. In a world dominated by services like Spotify, this makes a lot of sense.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.
Jackbox Party Pack -- Have a lot of people over but not a lot of game controllers? Not a problem. The Jackbox Party Pack turns everybody's smart phone into a controller for a variety of hilarious trivia and party games, including a new version of You Don't Know Jack and the lie-heavy Fibbage. Most games can be enjoyed by 2-8 players (as well as an audience that doesn't earn points), except for Lie Swatter, which can be played by a staggering 100 people at once.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac.
Rock Band 4 -- If you want to get the whole band back together, you don't want Guitar Hero. You want Rock Band. At its core it's more of the same. This new Rock Band even uses your old plastic instruments (most of the time) and a huge number of your old downloadable songs. It also includes a bunch of new tracks from the likes of The Killers, Foo Fighters, St. Vincent and Imagine Dragons.
Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
For role players
Fallout 4 -- The post-apocalyptic Boston that serves as the setting for Fallout 4 isn't the most pleasant place to visit, but you're given an extraordinary amount of freedom to do as you'd like in it. It's a great place to spend hours completing quests, modifying weapons, building settlements and (hopefully) finding out what the heck happened to your family after nuclear bombs destroyed our world. Read the full review here.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Xenoblade Chronicles X -- This sci-fi world of anime-inspired robots and laser swords is massive; bigger than anything else on the Wii U. It's not a simple game, boasting many of gameplay systems governing characters, abilities and equipment, but it can easily keep hardcore gamers busy for a hundred hours or more.
Available on Wii U.
The Witcher 3 -- You could compare the world of The Witcher to Game of Thrones. It's a dark fantasy setting full of violence, sex and politics, where the heroes of the story tend to operate in areas of grey rather than black or white. Heads will be chopped off, clothes will be removed and the choices you make could have dire consequences. It's absolutely an epic story -- and not one that's family friendly. Read more about the game here.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
For thrill seekers
Rise of the Tomb Raider -- Following in the footsteps of the 2013 reboot of the classic franchise, Rise of the Tomb Raider's Lara Croft is like a younger, cooler, more athletic Indiana Jones. She's equipped to translate some ancient Greek, scale a mountain in a blizzard, hunt a bear, unlock historical secrets and take on groups of well-armed mercenaries, all in the same day. It contains all the high-octane moments of a blockbuster action movie combined with the more quiet moments of a survival story and the thoughtful moments of a good puzzle game, and it's one of the best video game adventures of the year. Read more here.
Available on Xbox One. Coming to PC and PS4 in 2016.
Just Cause 3 -- Perfect for the gamer who just loves to blow stuff up. Sure, Just Cause 3 has a story (it involves liberating cities and overthrowing a dictator on a Mediterranean island), but it's at its best when you let yourself loose in its open world and just have fun causing chaos. A wingsuit, grappling hook and parachute make getting around the island both fast and fun while over-the-top world physics help things blow up really nicely.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate -- Syndicate is a return to form for the Assassin's Creed series, providing a much more enjoyable open world experience than last year's disappointing Assassin's Creed Unity. Set in Victorian-era London, this new game has you meeting up with historical figures like Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Dickens during the latest conflict between the Assassins and the Templars as both secret groups fight for control of the world. Also, you get to use a grappling hook to climb Big Ben. What else do you need?
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
For story lovers
Minecraft: Story Mode -- The story-driven episodic adventures from Telltale Games tend to be fantastic, but they're usually based on stuff intended for adults (Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, etc.). Minecraft: Story Mode takes the award-winning choose-your-own-adventure game formula and tells a story that's much more family friendly (not to mention much more charming).
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
King's Quest -- Christopher Lloyd narrates (in a very Princess Bride-like fashion) this humorous fantasy story about his quest to become king when he was a young man. It's a re-imagining of a classic adventure game series being told in five episodes. Episode one, "A Knight to Remember," is out now while episode two, "Rubble Without a Cause" will be released December 15. Buying a season pass will allow you to download every episode as it debuts.
Available digitally on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Life is Strange -- This is the story of Max, a photography student who discovers that she has the ability to rewind time. And not a moment too soon, because while looking into the mysterious disappearance of a fellow student she finds more than she bargained for. The time-bending mechanic adds an interesting twist to this episodic adventure game, and every choice you make could lead to dire consequences.
Available digitally on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
For all ages
Super Mario Maker -- Super Mario Maker, at its core, is so simple an idea that it's both amazing Nintendo hasn't done it before and astonishing that they executed it so well. As its name implies, it's not so much a game as it is a tool with which you can make your own Super Mario Bros. levels. It's simple enough that anyone can pick it up yet powerful enough that it can create masterpieces. The best part? You can share levels online, meaning there's a treasure trove of user-created Mario levels at your fingertips at all times. Read the full review here.
Available on Wii U.
Yo-Kai Watch -- At a glance, Yo-Kai Watch might remind you of another Japanese sensation that took the world by storm: Pokemon. The creatures this time around, though, are ghosts (but, you know ... goofy, light-hearted ghosts, not scary ones). The family-friendly game has a similarly addictive monster-catching focus, and when paired with a new cartoon that debuted recently it's quite possible that Yo-Kai Watch will be a big hit with kids this holiday season.
Available on 3DS.
Lego Dimensions -- Lego has decided to follow in the footsteps of Skylanders and Disney Infinity by releasing their own video game that interacts with physical toys, and the result is fantastic. While getting into Lego Dimensions can be pricey (because when are Legos ever as cheap as you want them to be?), it operates as a portal to a delightful variety of Lego-fied video game worlds. From The Wizard of Oz to Doctor Who to The Simpsons to Back to the Future, there's a lot of nostalgia packed into this pile of bricks.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
For Star Wars fanatics
Star Wars Battlefront -- Forget "Cops and Robbers." "Rebels and Stormtroopers" is much more fun. Star Wars Battlefront looks and sounds amazing, nailing the feel of the Star Wars universe as you fight over control points while Tie Fighters and X-Wings fly overhead (unless you're flying one yourself). It's a pretty simple first-person shooter, there isn't a ton of depth and don't even bother buying it if you don't like multiplayer games (there is almost nothing to do alone), but if you just want to hop online and shoot blasters at strangers on Hoth, Battlefront is your game.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Disney Infinity 3.0 -- It's not perfect, but this is the best Disney Infinity has ever been. This year the focus is on Star Wars, and playing as your favorite Jedi (or smuggler. Or princess. Or Wookie. Or...) feels great. The playset included with the game's Starter Set, "Twilight of the Republic," is an original adventure set in the Clone Wars era. An optional playset retells the events of the original movie trilogy, while an upcoming set is based entirely on the new movie, The Force Awakens. Read the full review here.
Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
