Boom. We’re all broke. Well, after this month we will be, even with an incredible November and the biggest games of the year just weeks away. It’s best that we decide on a few things going into this gamesplosion: What’s your budget? What are your “must-haves”? Are you looking for variety? And, how many “sick days” do I still have left to use?
It’s over, friends. At least you have our monthly buyer’s guide to help you decide.
The marquee games this month are Battlefield 3, Arkham City, and Forza Motorsport 4.
Instant Analysis
Between this month and next, there will be too many games to buy. Unless you have a Tardis — which you probably don’t — you won’t be able to finish more than 4 or 5 big games this month before the next airdrop begins on the 1st of November. Let’s go back to the questions that we posed above.
First, what’s your budget? In reality, you’ll also need to know if you want an Collector’s or Limited Editions… why we always tell you to avoid because they’ll be available a month later at bargain prices. I live by the $100/week rule: $60 for a new game, and $40 for a new(ish) game on sale. As new games drop each week, the previous week’s games start to hit sales across the web. Keep your eyes peeled.
This leads right into the question of what your “must-haves” are. It’s best to pick 2-3 games that you absolutely want and work backwards from there. Forza and Battlefield? Great. But what can I play in between? Pick one or two of these to play while you wait for your prime suspects. In fact, these could easily be the $40 part of your weekly hundred.
Variety is the spice of life, and you want to roll that into your purchases this month. Just sticking to FPS or action games will leave you missing other awesome titles. Mix it up and stick to one game per genre.
Using these notes will maximize the time you spend playing games (and save you some cash) without using up any vacation days.
Here are our recommendations.
Console Games
Rage – It’s from id, it looks gorgeous, and it’s not too long. The reviews have been mixed, but one thing’s for certain: avoid the PC version for now, due to all of the bugs. We recommend that you wait for it to go on sale before you jump in.
Batman: Arkham City – The sequel to one of our favorite games of the last 5 years is finally here, and it looks to be incredible. One of the most anticipated games this year, and deservedly so.
NBA 2K12 – The game was fantastic last year, and it looks to be an improvement this time around. Heck, there may not even be a real basketball season this year, so this might be your only chance to see Kobe and Lebron duke it out. Oh, and effin’ Larry Bird is in it, bitches!
Dark Souls – Is this the epic RPG of the month? Probably. It WILL suck down weeks and weeks, so keep that in mind. Demon Souls was a great game, so we have faith that this continues the series well.
Forza Motorsport 4 – The world’s best racing series gets better. More options, cars, tracks, and clubs to join. There’s even some Kinect functionality thrown in, though you’l probably avoid it. Also: hot, new, sexy cars! YES!
Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster - Tim Schaffer makes a Sesame Street game? Even though it’s chock full of minigames, at least I’ll be able to play with the kiddo.
Battlefield 3 - Yup, the big one this month. It’s got guns in first person, fields of battle, and warfare that is modern. Multiplayer? Check. This is the one that everybody will be playing at the end of the month, so feel free to fall in line.
Just Dance 3 – Yeah yeah, we know. “Only Dance Central games are good.” Well guess what, you’re wrong. Just Dance is actually a fun series, even though it’s a bit more limited than Dance Central. Just Dance 3 is also now available across all three home consoles, and at a cheap price, so if you don’t have access to a Kinect then this may be a good Wii/PS3 dance option.
Dance Central 2 - If you DO have a Kinect, well, you might just as well pick up DC2. It’s probably still the only great game for the device.
Spider-Man: The Edge of Time – It’s Spider-Man. It has 2099. It has a more integrated story than its predecessor. It’s supposed to be better in every way… It’s a great rental, or if anything a bargain binner, which is what we say of most Marvel video games these days.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record – It’s a new version of Dead Rising 2, now with 100% more Frank West, some tweaks to the gameplay and city, and a cheaper price. If you haven’t played DR2, then pick this up.
Red Dead Redemption: Game of the Year edition – This contains everything that RDR brought, from DVD to DLC, but at that $50 tag it’s best to wait until the inevitable price drop or sale comes later this year.
Skylander’s Spyro’s Adventure Starter Pack - It plays like a traditional platformer, but the toys may become super-collectible.
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One - It’s a family-based co-op Ratchet game, so it’s not a serious game. It’s a great rental if you have kids, or if you want to earn some easy trophies.
Rocksmith - Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re past that whole music rhythm genre thing. Rocksmith wants to do more than just tap along to colored bubbles; it’s actually a sophisticated learning tool that lets you actually plug in an actually actual guitar. Pretty cool, and a one-up to Rock Band 3′s pro mode.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land - The little pink puff goes multiplayer in what can only be described best as GIANT SWORDS. And, due to the lack of great games on the Wii, it’s worth it to check it out.
House of the Dead OVERKILL Extended Cut - House of the Dead OVERKILL was a fun Wii on-rails shooter. What happens when you fix some of the control issues, improve the visuals, and add new modes? More f-bombs! It’s already on sale and it isn’t even released yet, so it may be a fun filler game.
Back to the Future- The Game - All of the Back to the Future adventure games on one disc? Yes, please!
Portable Games
Aliens: Infestation (DS) – It’s a game in the Aliens universe designed to play like Contra. There is nothing else to say, except buy it.
Professor Layton and the Last Spector (DS) – You can’t do wrong with a Professor Layton game, and this latest one adds in a full, giant RPG bonus as well.
Pokemon Rumble Blast (3DS) – The first Pokemon game for the 3DS isn’t a “real” Pokemon game, but it’s enough to satisfy fans of the series for a while. If it’s on sale, and you’re starving for 3D, pick it up.
Downloads
Odin Sphere (PSN) – Oh. God. Yes. Seriously, just buy it.
Chrono Trigger (PSN) – Unless you haven’t bought it a hundred times before, you can pick it up here and play it on your PSP or PS3. Otehrwise, get the (actually better) DS version.
Hardware
Tritton Detonator Headset (Xbox 360) – A good headset is hard to find, but it’s always necessary to really enjoy a game’s audio. This new Tritton might be just what hits the spot.
So, what are YOU buying?
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