Kade McConville
The countdown to Christmas has begun, rKade takes a look at the best games this festive period!Whether you like it or not, temperatures are reaching freezing point, The X Factor Final is nearly upon and people now have a reason to drink their one and only glass of eggnog. That’s right – it’s now December and Santa is coming!
These winter months bring a load of game releases in order to make the most money in the run up to the festive period. So to try and filter the crap from the great, rKade has come up with a list of the Top 10 Games to Buy this Christmas! This list focuses on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games, just a heads-up. This list is in no particular order – seriously, there is something for everyone here. I think it’s much better to have a collection of the best games available this Xmas, than argue which one is the best – I will leave that up to you! More of a help list than a review list… # 10 // UNCHARTED 4What’s it about?Several years after his last adventure, retired fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, is forced back into the world of thieves. With the stakes much more personal, Drake embarks on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a historical conspiracy behind a fabled pirate treasure. His greatest adventure will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he’s willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.Think a male Lara Croft, with more humour and Over-the-top action, and you get the idea. rKade verdict!The Uncharted series has been a global success. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is arguably my favourite game of all time, but Uncharted 4 got pretty close to that level of amazing.
Seriously, this game looks gorgeous; arguably the best-looking game the PlayStation 4 has seen so far. Bundle that with top-level storytelling, voice acting that should be the bar every game aspires to and this game is so close to perfect that you need to play this game. It’s a journey you will not forget!Available from the rKade Store
# 9 // STEEPWhat’s it about?Navigate the open world freely and create your own path as you decide how to explore your massive mountain playground. Choose between four unique ways to traverse the mountain: ski, wingsuit, snowboard, or paraglide. Rip through snowy terrains and skies, discover hidden spots, or just take in all the beauty the highlands of the Alps and Alaska have to offer.Seamlessly meet other players and choose to follow them or play together. Group with your friends to pull off the craziest stunts imaginable; you can even mix sports to create wild tricks. Plus, take on a load of challenges and share your rides across social media! Steep is packed full of features and fun.rKade verdict!Ah, remember the days when Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and SSS Tricky were the really fun games to play? Whatever happened to those!? I know we had Skate and other attempts at these extreme sports games, but none have really quite hit the peak set by THPS and SSX. Could Steep be the answer to our prayers?Having played two versions of the Steep beta, I am confident in saying this game will appeal to a lot of people! Ubisoft have managed to create a visually stunning representation of the Alps and Alaska, and also thrown us the choice to ski, wingsuit, snowboard or even paraglide around the game. You know you love choice. Also, with the ability to meet up with other players, I can see this game being a good social experience with a few mates.
This may not be a shooter, or even your typical mainstream sports game. But in a time where there are plenty of these available, it’s nice to have a chance to be able to play a game like Steep. Get ready to hit the slopes, without paying all that money skiing holidays cost!Available from the rKade Store
# 8 // FIFA 17What’s it about?Complete innovation in the way players think and move, physically interact with opponents, and execute in attack puts you in complete control of every moment on the pitch. Experience Life in the Premier League – For the first time ever in FIFA, live your story on and off the pitch as the Premier League’s next rising star, Alex Hunter. Play on any club in the Premier league, for authentic managers and alongside some of the best players on the planet. Experience brand new worlds in FIFA 17, all while navigating your way through the emotional highs and lows of The Journey.No introduction necessary for FIFA 17, really. EA’s year-on-year football simulator that battles in out with PES – which has been closing the gap in recent times. rKade verdict!I have played every single copy of FIFA, ever. Firstly, I’m not a PES hater at all, I believe having to football games keeps both teams working harder to produce a better game and ultimately benefits us gamers. PES 2017 is actually quite a good game this year, but FIFA 17 still pips it for me.The gameplay additions to FIFA 17 have been great. Most notably, now being able to hold a ball up top with a target man with your back to goal really is one of those features where you think, “why has it taken so long for this to be added?” Finally big man Ibra up top can work wonders and bring midfielders into play.
The change to the frostbite engine means the game looks better than ever, after a few years of not progressing that much since the current-generation consoles launched. Then there’s the highly anticipated ‘The Journey’, where you play as youngster Alex Hunter in FIFA’s first real story mode. It may last just one season, but it’s a game mode we never had last year and a great experience – for a first attempt at a new game mode, it certainly doesn’t show any major issues. No doubt, this will be improved even more for FIFA 18!
If you are like 99% of the world’s population (maybe not totally accurate, but close!) and love football, it’s a must have game this Christmas. Available from the rKade Store
# 7 // BATTLEFIELD 1What’s it about?Experience the dawn of all-out war only in Battlefield 1. Fight your way through epic battles ranging from tight urban combat in a besieged French city to the heavily defended mountain forts in the Italian Alps, or frantic combats in the deserts of Arabia. Discover a world at war through an adventure-filled campaign, or join in epic multiplayer battles with up to 64 players, and adapt your tactics to the earth-shattering destruction and dynamic weather. Fight as infantry, lead horse charges or take control of amazing vehicles on land, air and sea, from tanks and biplanes to the gigantic Behemoths – some of the largest vehicles in Battlefield history.If you’re a long-time Battlefield fan, loved the new Star Wars: Battlefront or just love first-person shooters – Battlefield 1 is definitely your kinda game!rKade verdict!Having grown tired the futuristic settings that most shooters use, Battlefield 1 reminds us of why we loved the WWI and WWII era shooters that we were flooded with back in the early 2000’s.From the first play, I fell in love with Battlefield 1. The graphics are the best I have seen on any shooter to this day. Made by DICE, it’s no surprise that the audio for this game is incredible too. The huge scale battles that take place in Battlefield 1 are unlike any other game. There’s just something magically chaotic about the Battlefield world, and this time around with old bolt-action rifles, brutal melee kills and horses you can take into battle – it’s just even more gruesomely poetic.
Easily one of the best shooters available right now – if not, the best!Available from the rKade Store
# 6 // Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special EditionWhat’s it about?Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail. The Special Edition includes the critically acclaimed game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more. Skyrim Special Edition also brings the full power of PC mods to consoles. New quests, environments, characters, dialogue, armor, weapons and moreThis game originally game out on previous generation consoles and won a ton of awards. This time around it has had the remastered treatment, bringing the visuals up to scratch using the Fallout 4 engine and improving the frustrating loading time from the original. rKade verdict!Now, I’m going to be totally honest with you here, I have not played this Skyrim! Call me a ‘see you next Tuesday’, it’s deserved. How could I possibly include a game I haven’t played? I agree, but Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition just isn’t my kinda of game to play. I am not into fantasy games, but there’s no denying the popularity of this game right now and people do love this game. I’m including it in the list because this list is to help show you the best games out right now, and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is definitely one of those games. Like with most remastered editions, if you loved this game the first time around, then it’s worth playing again for the improvements to the game. If you didn’t catch it first time, then there’s all the more reason to grab a copy now!If, like me, the whole fantasy genre isn’t too much your cup of tea, check out Fallout 4 instead. Made by the same studio, it’s more sci-fi than fantasy and more my preference! Fallout 4 is an incredible journey and only cam out in November 2015, but can be bought for a great price at the rKade Store – so I have included that too. Cheeky. Available from the rKade Store
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That’s it for Part IJust like the movies, we’re doing this list in two parts. Check back on Tuesday 6th December – where we will reveal the 5 remaining games on our Top 10 Games for Christmas 2016.Don’t forget to join the discussion below! Check out the rKade Store for even more games and consoles this Christmas! story byKade McConville
