By Bryan Smith on December 21, 2014 at 8:17pm
The 2014 holiday season is here, and the games are quite a plenty. Having trouble with selecting a particular game for a friend, family member, loved one, or yourself? Well, Player Theory is here to help with selecting games.
I will be selecting through certain PlayStation games, ranging through the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. Some games may also be on other consoles, but this holiday guide will be for those who wish to shop on PlayStation consoles.
PlayStation 3
“Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix”
The “Kingdom Hearts” series is a tried and true hack-and-slash RPG for the Disney and Final Fantasy fans. This game is a collection/remaster of the two games “Kingdom Hearts 2” and “Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep” (along with “Kingdom Hearts Re:coded” that happens to just be a movie), which have been improved from their original states and they are still the great “Kingdom Hearts” experiences we’ve come to know and love. Additionally, these are the Final Mixes that only Japan got, so this package is perfect for those who want to see what additional content Final Mix offers.
“Drakengard 3”
This little title may have swept under a lot of people’s noses. This is another Square Enix hack-and-slash game… except you take control of a dragon to fight. “Drakengard 3” serves as the prequel to the original “Drakengard” as the protagonist Zero sets out to destroy the five Intoners who use a flower that has evil powers. “Drakengard 3” is a nice, little title for those who want a fantasy game with action topped with a dragon doing your fighting.
“Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster”
In a similar vein to “Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix,” “Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster” offers the first two “Final Fantasy X” games using the International versions- the versions North America hasn’t seen until now. These two RPGs are still the great games from the PlayStation 2 generation with additional content gamers outside of Japan and Europe can finally see and play.
“Tales of Xillia 2”
Another RPG for the RPG fans. This one follows the events of the first “Tales of Xillia” game. The game follows most “Tales” gameplay where battles take place in real-time and you control one character out of four to fight. The mechanics are solid and the story will keep players going until the end.
“BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma” (Also on Vita) & “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle”
I decided to lump these two together as they are extremely fast, over-the-top fighting games with anime influences. The “BlazBlue” series has always had tight mechanics to keep fights tense and fast-paced, while “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” is a stunning adaptation of the manga/anime’s zaniness and a great fighter with interesting game modes and fighter stances.
PlayStation 4
“Infamous Second Son”
As a follow-up to “Infamous 2” and the series as a whole, “Infamous: Second Son” does what all good sequels should and vastly improve on the original. Playing as the new character Delsin Rowe feels extremely great, as once you get to the main setting of Seattle, you aren’t limited to slowly going anywhere. As action-adventures go, this is an excellent choice.
“Alien Isolation”
Yes, we finally have a great “Alien” game that is scary, much like the original movie. The Xenomorph Amanda Ripley, Ellen Ripley’s daughter, faces is some of the most intelligent A.I. you will ever see for something that is designed to hunt you down. With only a handful of instruments to keep the Xenomorph at bay, the feeling of being tense hasn’t felt this great before in a while.
“Strider (2014)”
This version of “Strider” is a reboot/re-imagining/remake of the original title from the Sega Genesis era. “Strider (2014)” is how remaking an original game should be. Everything feels like the original, but it also feels fast and everything flows so smoothly. While light on story, “Strider (2014)’ is a pure game with fast and fun gameplay.
“Transistor”
From the makers of “Bastion,” “Transistor” plays similarly to “Bastion” in which it has an isometric point-of-view. You play as Red as she fights a robot-force group with a sword called Transistor. The action is thrilling and the gameplay mechanics are interesting with the Turn() ability, freezing time to plan out attacks.
PlayStation Vita
“Freedom Wars”
Another action RPG, “Freedom Wars” offers unique third-person shooting with a wide variety of weapons and the ability to use a grappling whip to fly across the level (kind of like “Attack on Titan”). You are forced to fight giant monsters and robots as you, the player, are a criminal for simply living due to the extreme overpopulation. With an interesting premise and fun gameplay, this is a fun game to have on the go with the Vita.
“Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc” & “Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair”
Originally Japan only for a while, the “Danganronpa” series has now come outside to different regions. Don’t be fooled by the oddly split-sided bear- this these games are survival horror visual novels where players have to figure out who is committing murders throughout Hope Peak’s Academy while getting away with it at the same time. The concept is bizarrely interesting and surreal, much like the visuals.
There are still a lot of games to choose from for the three platforms. With our selection, we hope that we could help out with the holiday shopping. Happy holidays from Player Theory and happy gaming!
