The gamer on your gift list probably already has a videogame console or computer, obviously - or one will be appearing under a tree shortly - so all that's left is a game or two to play on it. As a shopper, however, you cannot judge them by their covers as all of their box art seems to scream excitement and fun and super-realistic or fantastically far-out gameplay. Here's five of the hottest games going at the moment, each rightfully acclaimed, designed for multiple systems and specifically for the hardcore gamer.


Call of Duty: Black Ops (PC - $50; Playstation3, Xbox 360 - $60)

The latest installment of the long-toothed Call of Duty franchise, the series' warmongering mojo remains mostly unchanged in Call of Duty: Black Ops. However, it does visit Vietnam and the Cold War era for the first time, delivering an expectedly intense single player campaign all gummed up in the moral ambiguity of plausibly-deniable operatives acting as if they're above the law. Black Ops multiplayer mode - where the longevity lies - adds a currency system to the mix, rewarding a man well gunned with cash so you can buy that scope for your beloved M60 outright rather than earning it after 76 hours of getting shot in the head. Rated Mature (17+)



Fallout: New Vegas (PC - $50; PlayStation3, Xbox 360 - $60)

When it comes to bang-for-you-buck, little compares to Fallout New Vegas this year. Where most AAA-titles are content to offer a dozen hours of single-player gameplay, this one offers scores if not a hundred hours at the same price. As with last year's smash hit, Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas is a wide-open role-playing adventure set in a post-apocalyptic Nevada wasteland of mind boggling proportions. Basically, you and everyone you meet spends their days scavenging for food and weapons parts while fending off marauders - or joining them. Rated Mature (17+)


Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (PlayStation3, Xbox 360 - $60)

Another sequel of a sequel as great game franchises are wont to do, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood brings hand-to-hand combat to the forefront with a newly formed band of assassins (as opposed to just one dude in a hoody taking on all comers) trying to wrest Rome from the tyranny of the Papacy. Still with the applied sciences of stealth, skullduggery, back-stabbing and Parkour acrobatics, Brotherhood is delightfully nuanced in its, uh, execution - to the point that you'll actually want to play it to perfection, not just mash through it like a typical hack 'n' slash. Rated Mature (17+)

Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare (PlayStation3, Xbox 360 - $30)

Released last spring, Red Dead Redemption remains one of the most relevant titles vying for your holiday shopping dollar simply because they keep adding new content to the established go-anywhere, do-anything "sandbox" game - and the only game that lets you forego any given "mission" in favor of parking it in a saloon and playing poker all day. It was already huge in terms of scale and sophistication, this "Grand Theft Western" just keeps getting better as the latest outing, the Undead Nightmare Collection, adds zombies to the mix plus 3 other add-on "packs" and the original game, all for $30. Cheap like borscht, fun like spaghetti. Rated Mature (17+)


Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PC - $50; PlayStation3, Wii, Xbox 360 - $60)
Though EA's Need for Speed racing franchise has been around for a whopping 16 years, it's only been relevant for half of that time - the first half, followed by a string of derivative variations on a derivative theme, often tossing in a bit of gratuitous smash-bang in lieu of improvement. The new Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit changes all that and brings the intensity of super caring racing and cop car chasing to the level of its former glory, tricked out in new generation razzle dazzle to die for. Rated Everyone (10+)

Complete Evergeek Gift Guide listings at www.evergeek.com/GiftGuide

 
 

It's true: Quality kids games are hard to find. Sure, there's lots out there, but few that are both good and genuinely kid-friendly. Fortunately, GamersGate online games portal has an entire section dedicated to quality family fare. Go ahead, check it out!