Gaming

Shopping for Games? Here’s a guide to this year’s holiday season!

Tis’ the season for travel delays, concerningly warm weather, and of course, deciding presents. Like most previous years, video games and consoles will likely be at the top of many teen wishlists, but with so much variety in the market, it may be hard to decide what to ask for first. Here are a few recommendations from my own experiences.

Tis’ the System to be Jolly?

Before we decide what games you should get, you have to find out what consoles they run on. Since the early days of the NES and Sega Genesis, video game consoles have been an expensive, but extremely popular Christmas gift. Last year was the less than impressive release of next gen consoles with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Sony and Microsoft have underperformed in sales this year thanks to a supply side shortage, a lasting ripple effect from the 2020 international lockdown.

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a new console this year, you’ll likely be spending upwards of $500 to $900 dollars, even from retail dealers such as Gamestop and Walmart. Despite how expensive that may sound, it's surprisingly cheap when compared to a PC equivalent which would run you closer to $2,500. With 4K resolution, 120 FPS gaming, and new rendering features such as ray-tracing and “super-fast load times,” these new consoles sound like an ideal gift for the holidays, especially for those who don’t have a console from the previous generation.

There is another catch: the systems still are still in a prolonged game drought. This year was meant to be a big year for Triple A studios and games, but almost all these games have been massive flops. Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Far Cry all underperformed as franchises, and Halo Infinite, a next generation exclusive for the Xbox, is now available on PC’s, which are poised to dominate the market for the next few years.

PC Gaming has always been a better, but more expensive, outlet for gaming. It has by far the greatest library of games, the most versatility and options, and is often the best possible experience for gaming. While consoles have typically been a good choice for easier access and lower cost, they have recently been harder to obtain. For Xbox gamers, one of the greatest incentives Microsoft provides is the Xbox Game Pass, a small monthly subscription that provides hundreds of top of the line games from a multitude of studios. This incredible deal, however, is no longer an Xbox exclusive, and has been expanded to PC, making it a non-incentive unless you are a Playstation user.

Even so, PC’s have another advantage over consoles-online game platforms. The open-source nature of computers means that games are easier to access and can’t be monopolized in prices. Games will become cheaper over time and the consistency of online sales ensures that you will get the best value for your money on PC. Another bonus to PC gaming is the recent explosion in VR gaming. While the Oculus 2 and other headset-only hardware have made VR gaming cheap and affordable for the average consumer, PC connected hardware like the Valve Index or HTC Vive give the consumer much more freedom and variety. If you're interested in playing VR in the future, then you should certainly save up for a strong PC to get a truly otherworldly experience.

The current gen console with the most to offer in terms of exclusives is still the Nintendo Switch, boasting a large library of exclusives. While not the most advanced or newest console on the market, it’s easier to obtain, cheaper to get at around $300, and portable for those who have a busier lifestyle.

Unless you just want an upgrade to your PS4 or Xbox One, then I wouldn’t recommend you purchase a next gen system, at least not this Christmas. If you're planning on getting a new system, you better plan to go big or go home. If you wish to have a new system and already have a PC or last gen system, then I would recommend you buy a Switch, but if you're looking for something new to play as many games as possible, and are willing to pay extra, then a new PC may be your best bet.

Deck the Halls, with Exclusives

Now that you’ve decided on what platform you wish to buy, it’s time to find what games you should get. If you bought an Xbox Series X/S, then for sure the first game on your wishlist should be Halo Infinite. Not only is it a high quality game, but if you just wish to play multiplayer, then it’s the low price of free. Through the game pass you’ll also be able to play plenty of new games such as Deathloop, Psychonauts 2, and Forza Horizon which feature the strengths of the new console. You will also have the ability to play last gen games with next gen features for Games such as Doom Eternal, Red Dead Redemption 2, Devil May Cry 5, and many more. Once again it's important to know that practically every Xbox exclusive is available on PC.

For Playstation 5 players, You will have access to exclusives such as Ratchet and Clank, Demon Souls, and Spider-man Miles Morales. Playstation also has a subscription based system which hasn’t caught up to the immense variety of games from the game pass, but still offers a good variety of games & exclusives.

The Switch doesn’t have much new to offer this year but has some enticing offers for new owners of the console, from classics such as Breath of the Wild & Mario Odyssey, to a total overload of indie games such as Hades, Cuphead, and Deltarune. From the looks of it however, Nintendo is far from done with their console - with a new Breath of the Wild and the recent release of the OLED version, much is still in store for this miniature wonder.

A Silent Night, A Bad Year for Gaming.

Last year was extremely promising for future video games, which coupled with the pandemic hurting game development, made this year disappointing. Far Cry 6 on the surface appeared fun, but was an uninspired and bland game which offered no challenge and gave its most successful aspect, the villain, a backrow seat to the game. Call of Duty: Vanguard decided to try nothing new and simply copied the Modern Warfare formula from 2019 despite it being in a historical setting, leading to an immersion breaking campaign with no real substance. Finally, Battlefield was once again broken, but this time it wasn’t just the netcode. The game is shallow and unlikeable, the most innovative part of the game, the tornadoes, quickly lose their initial appeal under the lack of actual gameplay, which for the most part has been replaced by a cash grab battle pass formula.

It appears that every game coming out nowadays prioritizes paid skins, emotes, and stretching out boring and tedious gameplay over actual fun. The sad truth is that this formula is profitable and continues to be;it's the same reason the mobile game market has been so successful.

The Final Verdict

If I was to recommend a game on one thing from this year, it would be modesty. Often a good game doesn’t require a ridiculous fee or paid DLC, the creators just simply put love and quality into their titles.

Deltarune, Hollow Knight, Hades, and Celeste. These are all titles that are under $30 and yet they are some of the best and well crafted games of the past decade.

The truth is you don’t have to pay a premium for quality entertainment, and that applies for both games and consoles. Before you look to replace what you have, enjoy what you currently have.

By: Brendan Rice