Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of a pre-holiday gaming storm. While the worst of it seems to be nearly over, what we’re left with is a pile of games all released within weeks of each other. Looking to get in on the increased consumer spending that happens this time of year, back-to-back military shooter games coupled with epic role-playing games and other highly anticipated releases have all come out at practically the same time.
Games such as “Battlefield 3,” “Modern Warfare 3,” “Dark Souls,” “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,” “Uncharted 3” and many, many more have all come out in the last two months alone. It boggles the mind to think of the money one would have to shell out on just these five games. Then, forget the monetary cost: I couldn’t imagine possibly playing all of them in the space of time allotted!
The two games I’ve been looking forward to the most are “Skyrim” and “Saints Row: The Third.” Each game launched within days of each other — “Skyrim” on Nov. 11 and “Saints Row: The Third” on Nov. 15. Each one is an “open world” style of game, with “Skyrim” focusing on sword and sorcery fantasy elements as you battle fierce dragons and towering giants while “Saints Row” focuses on giving the player a “modern urban crime” environment where the player is encouraged to have fun and do anything they want. Each game has the potential to soak up dozens of hours as you fulfill quest requirements in order to finish them. With these two games alone, I could easily satisfy my gaming cravings for the rest of the year.
Of course, the games I’ve mentioned might not be your cup of tea. Don’t like multiplayer online battles in modern military settings? Perhaps you’d rather race exotic cars in the latest installment of the “Forza” series with “Forza Motorsports 4?” For you Nintendo fans, on the other hand, “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” looks like a sequel worthy of the greatest classics in the series, pulling in “perfect” scores from many notable publications.
Whatever your gaming preference or platform of choice, one thing is certain: You have enough options to choose an experience that most suits you. For example, some may want to play “Modern Warfare 3” for the single-player campaign while “Battlefield 3” seems to appeal to those looking for a purely multiplayer experience. Your mileage may vary, however. For some, the opposite may be true. Either way, they both offer a fantastic, top-notch quality experience and are extremely popular at the moment.
I feel that it may be too early to start talking “Game of the Year,” what with so many games yet to be released, but then, we’ve already seen so many terrific games this year. “Deus Ex: Human Revolution,” for one, came out in August. Prior to that, “L.A. Noire” garnered plenty of critical acclaim back in May. And, lest we forget, this is also the same year that saw the marvelous “Portal 2.” Choosing the best of 2011 seems impossible.
The money and the commitment required to play even a fraction of these titles is astronomical. There are just way too many games out there, especially when you consider how little time you have to play them before the next major title comes out. However, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a great problem to have. How could I possibly complain about having too much of a good thing? At the very least, it won’t be boring.
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