With finals out of the way and cooler air moving in, gamers finally have a good excuse to stay inside, plant themselves in front of the television and play to their heart’s content. And luckily they have a lot to look forward to this holiday season. From new takes on old classics to games unlike any before them, players will have the perfect distraction for when annoying relatives invade their homes.
Mario Galaxy
The Mario series, which has enjoyed eternal popularity, returns to reclaim its place as the best platformer across all systems. The story is pretty standard, but has a new twist. Mario moves from galaxy to galaxy, similar to the way he moved from world to world in Super Mario 3, collecting stars to rescue Princess Peach. These galaxies stem from six themed areas: Terrace, Fountain, Kitchen, Bedroom, Engine Room and Garden. Each planet has its own level of gravity that affects Mario’s ability to jump and perform acrobatic moves. The differing gravity keeps the game from ever becoming monotonous, unlike the gameplay in Super Mario Sunshine (enough water already!). In a few spots, this game utilizes the Wii Remote’s motion-sensor technology, but it doesn’t feel poorly executed or forced like so many other titles for the Wii. Every Wii owner will be happy buying this game, and non-owners may want to put the Wii on their wish list this holiday season just to play it.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Easily the best first-person shooter on the Wii, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption shows how excellent a game can be when it is specifically designed for the Wii. Corruption was set to launch almost a year ago, but it was well worth the wait. Unlike the previous installments on the Gamecube System, Corruption’s world-level design is quite different. Instead of using tunnels and elevators to reach different parts of a world, Samus flies her ship to different locations in the galaxy. To some hard-core fans this new feature might be a gripe, but to others it’s a simplified way to traverse the Metroid universe. The art direction even rivals some games on other platforms. The Wii Remote allows for arcade-like shooting, a welcome change of pace for causal gamers who are intimidated by the steep learning curve of dual analog sticks on other systems. Corruption is ideal for die-hard fans and newcomers alike.
Halo 3
With the addition of new vehicles, weapons, equipment, an epic story and a video recording feature, Halo 3 helps the Halo franchise remain the pride of the Xbox 360. Campaign mode returns with the best artificial intelligence seen so far. The Master Chief fights alongside the Arbiter (who have identical abilities) through nine levels to complete the Halo storyline. The campaign feels really short, but rest assured that Xbox live provides hours of fun. New equipment items that range from deployable cover to power drains that disrupt enemy vehicles and shields make the biggest impact on multiplayer. Players can now pick up stationary turrets placed throughout the map and fire them while moving. If you enjoy first-person-shooters or are anxious to see what all the fuss is about, buy this game and join Xbox Live.
Mass Effect
Interactive dialogue, deep characters, heart-pumping combat and a gripping storyline makes Mass Effect the best single-player roll playing game on the market. Players start out by constructing Commander Shepherd’s military history, background and training. Soon they are dropped into a universe that is fantastic yet believable, with the combat system that made the third person shooter Gears of War so popular. Hours will fly by as players navigate planets, interrogate rebels and shoot their way through hostile encounters. This game is proof that Bioware has built on their previous successes, such as Jade Empire and Knights of the Old Republic.
Mass Effect is sure to keep you occupied through the long Christmas break.
Heavenly Sword
Heavily resembling popular hack-and-slash titles such as God of War and Ninja Gaiden, Heavenly Sword takes the genre a step further in both graphics and gameplay. The player can transform the sword fbetween range speed and power to fit the combat situation.
The experience feels like a short, interactive, epic movie with a compelling story. Andy Serkis, best known for his voice-acting role as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is the voice of King Bohan, a power-crazed man desperate to get his hands on the Heavenly Sword. Serkis also was the dramatic director. If you own a PS3, do not miss out on this one, but with only 6-8 hours of gameplay you might just want to rent it.
