The his and hers guide to great gaming gifts this Christmas
The SFL Gaming Gift Guide 2010

Hear that? No, it’s not Santa’s sleigh bells; it’s your hard earned cash in your pocket burning a hole as you race around buying festive prezzies! You’ve treated yourself to the best of all things sci-fi this year but what to buy your loved ones this crimbo? Games of course – lots and lots of games! Here’s our guide to the games that should be under the tree this year (consider it an early prezzie from us to you)…

FOR HIM

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (developed by Ubisoft)

Forget wise men, shepherds and a guardian angel, this year it’s popes, templars and an Italian psychopath. Ezio is back and this time he’s sorting out the woes of Rome with the help of whores, thieves and mercenaries – not quite the nativity, but to me it sounds like the perfect Christmas story. Actually there is a version of the “Passion” play within the game but lets keep things simple here. If you’ve been a good boy, then this will keep you out of mischief for many, many hours. It’s got an extensive single player story (with a great ending), oodles of side missions, a brand new hunt and be hunted multiplayer feature which is a super addition to the series and feels so right like we should have always had a multiplayer mode. Very strong narrative design, acres of nooks and crannies to explore with rewards of treasure and for the completionist in you, some very tricky flags to collect.
All in all, this is the game of the year so is definitely Ian’s top recommend plus to make things even better Ubisoft have announced there’s going to be another AC title next year. Guess what’s on our want list for 2011?

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (developed by Electronic Arts Inc)

If parkour style, free running killing isn’t your bag and you prefer some high octane four wheel adventures, then pimp your ride to Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, the 16th in from the series from EA. It’s fast and customisable and it’s stripping the format back to its roots. A nice added feature is that this time you can be the cop chasing those damn roadie outlaws and bringing them to some sort of skewed justice by ramming them off the road, causing some serious damage to their vehicles. If you prefer the dark side you can try and escape from the police and their tasty roadblocks, tyre slashers and other means and still win the race. This game is great for dipping in and out of, completing a couple of races at a time or heading in for a heavy session for 6 or 7 hours of pure automobile love. With over 100 miles of open road, it’s 4 times the size of Burnout Paradise – Seacrest County has never looked so appealing. There’s also a brand new “Facebook for the game” system called Autolog where you can race single and multiplayer online, share gamer photos and see who’s got the fastest time. The cars handle well if you treat them with care whilst the number of options from time trial, drag race, smash ups to normal races gives enough variety to keep it interesting. A racing game is never going to break the mould, but what Hot Pursuit does is it keeps you entertained, provides a little bit of escapism and helps all us rude boys to live the Christmas dream. If you can’t afford a Subaru Impreza, McLaren F1 or you’ve been banned from driving, this is the next best thing.

FOR HER

Fable 3 (developed by Lionhead Studios)

One of the best games of the year, the latest in the Fable series is epically brilliant and deserves to be wrapped up in pretty paper with a huge bow. Back in Albion, the age of much loved Heroes has come and gone and warming the throne is an evil king who also happens to be your brother. From the very start you are faced with difficult decisions, which in classic Fable style will influence not only how the game pans out but also your appearance. You can play as either a male or female lead character who this time round have been given beautiful voices to match their beautiful bodies which is only fair considering the rest of the cast is made up of the crème de la crème of British vocal talent (Zoe Wanamaker, Ben Kingsley, Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross... okay so he’s a bit of a weak link in comparison but we forgive as Simon Pegg makes up for it). With John Cleese as your butler and your faithful dog by your side, you have to awaken your inner hero and liberate the downtrodden citizens of the fabulously sprawling Albion – even better you get to use some really big weapons that also adapt in appearance and ability depending on your nature. As well as a great fighting system (with more special moves than ever before) you can also buy and decorate houses and shops, customise your look (tidy or messy hair? gothic or noble make up? dainty shoes or big bovver boots?) and interact with the locals using expressions (the dirty dancing interaction results in some comical responses). You can also hold hands with people or go a teensy step further and play (un)happy families having husbands, wives and babies left right and centre – where do these heroes find the time? The main quest is engrossing whilst the side quests will keep you busy for hours on end but it’s the writing that is the jewel in the crown, it’s consistently funny, sharp and lends a wonderful authenticity to proceedings. Fable 3 is a fabulously British game that will keep the recipient happy for hours and is Tracey’s top recommend.

EA Sports Active 2 (developed by Electronic Arts Inc.)

Okay so maybe this game isn’t one that would spring first to mind on a gift guide and might not seem the most enthralling gift but it will make the giant box of chocolates and mince pie mountain seem so much more edible and more importantly guilt free! Featuring more than 50 new exercises that improve muscular strength, endurance and flexibility this title is accessible to anyone and everyone. Using the Total Body Tracking wireless control system (a real time heart rate monitor that you strap round your arm and motion sensor straps for your other arm and leg – not required if playing with Kinect for the Xbox 360), this game is great for those who never do any exercise and probably should or those who are used to a regular work out but would prefer to do it in the privacy of their own home. Warm ups and cool downs are standard fodder whether you are building your own training routine or following the brand new 9 week fitness programme but there are boredom defying exercise games like football and mountain biking plus you also get to customise your avatar with different hairstyles and funky workout gear. As the Total Body Tracking system focuses on real time results, if you fail to keep up with the on screen trainer, they’ll wait for you to catch up and makes you feel more like you are in control. They might also offer little words of encouragement when the going gets tough. As there’s also a workout calendar and a nutrition guide, this gift will allow the receiver the freedom to really let loose on the Christmas party buffet, safe in the knowledge that EA will have them looking their usual trim best, ready in time for the next Sci-Fi London festival! It’s a little pricey but is way cheaper than a year’s gym membership - Perfect.

FOR EVERYONE

Ian’s Choice
Michael Jackson The Experience on Wii (developed by Ubisoft)

This is the perfect game for 3.10pm (because everyone watches her speech) on Christmas day when it’s time to bust out the newest game from MJJ. Some of you may feel a little sullied, because people are obviously profiting from the death of the main man, playing this game – but if you can put your conscience to one side, this game is an absolute dance riot and one which celebrates Mr white glove himself. I can just imagine little Tracey on Christmas afternoon dancing her socks off and there’ll be plenty of Royle Family moments with the family around snoozing/munching or watching her or singing along because the lyrics are included on the screen. It’s being released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in the New Year and it’ll have super Kinectivity as well as karaoke options as well if you’ve got either of those consoles. Over 25 tracks with varying degrees of difficulty from easy to inhuman (Thriller), you mirror the badly animated MJ or backing dancers with the wiimote in your hand and it does a pretty good job in terms of sensitivity and picking up your mistakes (Tracey) or golden moves (Ian).
The only down side is the “dance school” option which only unlocks the warm up after you’ve played a while (surely defeating the object of a warm up). The 3 anonymous dance instructors could have been plucked from the Merthyr Tydfil Dance Academy for wannabe dancers for all their skills and charisma. We don’t want pulled muscles here; it’s a small but serious point in a game which utilises the body in motion. Great music, party fun, lots of “Bad” dancing coming to a living room near you very soon.

Tracey’s Choice
Wii Party (developed by Nintendo)

Taking some of the more interesting ideas from the Mario Party and Wii Sports series then adding some very cool Wiimote controls has resulted in a game that the whole family will quickly get addicted to. You can design your Mii to look just like you (or if you’re Ian some hideous freak of nature that rampages all over the screen) that automatically wears some snazzy outfit to fit the occasion (ski suits, circus leotards etc) which adds a nice element to the party aspect and helps you feel even more smug when you win, not that you will win every game as there is such a diverse variety there’s bound to be one you’re not good at (probably the ones that require luck alone). From simple games like balancing huge stacks of presents in a windy high street or taking photos of a puppy in a park to frantic showdowns like hurling space-junk at your nearest and dearest whilst dressed as a superhero, there are around 80 games to choose from though some work better in a more competitive environment like “Spin the Wheel” or “Board Game Island”. This game will make for a proper family Christmas as you spend Christmas Day sulking at your mum because she doesn’t know that you prefer aliens to vampires in the “Friend Connection” question game or tricking your sister into thinking you are hiding a Wiimote up your sleeping grandad’s trouser leg in the innovative party version of “hide and seek”. You can even offer to help with dinner preparations as there’s a game that requires you to be the fastest at chopping veg! WiiParty is brilliant fun for players of all ages and abilities and will have the whole family laughing and enjoying themselves well into the New Year.

FOR YOU

Doctor Who: Shadows of the Vashta Nerada (developed by Sumo Digital)

It just wouldn’t be Christmas Day without a Doctor Who Special and this year fans are in for an extra treat as the BBC will release the fourth and final episode in the free to download adventure game series, immediately after the telly broadcast. Starting where episode 3 left off, The Doctor and Amy find themselves in Poseidon, a sea-bed colony somewhere just off the south coast which could prove fatal as trying to keep in the light whilst running through water to get away from the shadowy “piranhas of the air” Vashta Nerada monsters is going to be tricky. With a real-world conspiracy thrown in for good measure, writer Phil Ford and Executive Producers Steven Moffat and Charles Cecil have really pushed the boat out to create a thrilling finale that will delight fans this Christmas.

All these titles are available from our good friends at Play