Xmas Gift Guide: 5 Video Games for the Holidays

With Christmas nearly here, shopping for the gamer in your life couldn’t be easier in 2011 given the onslaught of sizzling hot video games on the market, including recent Spike VGA winners Batman Arkham City and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

For the undecided video game shoppers out there, TheDeadbolt has compiled a top five list of video games guaranteed to be hit on Christmas Day. So, before you head to your favorite electronics megastore, check out our picks for the Top 5 Video Games for the Holidays below:

Dark Souls

Although The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim got most of the RPG attention this year, Dark Souls was the other alternative that many gamers feel is a better role playing game. The allure of Dark Souls is that the game is unforgiving and rewards those that play at 100 percent full capacity. So, for all of you gamers who dig long drawn out battles and super glory, Dark Souls is the game to check out. The coolest part about Dark Souls is the feeling you get as you advance in the game, knowing it was your gameplay and not design that allowed you to claim victory.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

The best cinematic gaming experience of 2011 was the highly anticipated Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, which developer Naughty Dog put a lot of time into to out-kick its Uncharted predecessors. Everything about Uncharted 3 has improved, from graphics and gameplay to writing, voice acting, and the interactions between characters. Although the 10-hour campaign may be too brief for some hardcore gamers, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is the best looking video game we’ve experienced in 2011.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

RPGs continue to be a staple of the video game culture due to detail and elaborate gameplay. That’s exactly why The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the talk of many messageboards and the top buzz among social networks. For serious hardcore gamers on your Christmas wish list who want months to explore a game within a detailed, in-depth world, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the game. With over 100 hours of gameplay and an expansive world full of magic and treasure, Skyrim will be inhabited by a new horde come Christmas morning. As a side note, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim won Best Game of the Year at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Three major shooter-type war games are currently hot on the market, Battlefield 3, Gears of War 3, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. For us, the best of the trio is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Although many gamers are torn between Battlefield 3 and Gears of War 3, Call of Duty fans voiced their opinion by spending $400 million on the game on the first day of release. To be fair, we still like Gears of War 3 and Battlefield 3, but Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gave us a bigger kick.

Batman: Arkham City

The 2011 follow up to Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City is better in every way. Batman: Arkham City is a great adventure ride that features all of your favorite Batman heroes and villains, with lengthy gameplay and several side quests and games within the Arkham City universe. Another sign that Batman: Arkham City is a winner for us is the fact that it recently picked up three 2011 Spike Video Game Awards.

Although this isn’t a complete list of every video game available in 2011, you can’t go wrong with any of these five under the Christmas tree.