Greetings and salutations one and all, and welcome to the video games edition of the Geeks of Doom Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2017!
A place for those seeking gift ideas for the gamers in their life, some of the best game releases of 2017, a few useful accessories, and (if you really want to spoil someone) the latest consoles and bundles available today can all be found listed below complete with links.
Just a quick note before we get started: the games listed below only include links to physical copies of the game. Many games these days, especially indie titles, are offered only digitally. If you don’t see something listed among the games, there will also be links to gift cards included below which would be great for anyone who wants to pick up some digital indie or PC titles.
CONSOLES
Xbox One — Microsoft released their highly touted “world’s most powerful console,” the Xbox One X, recently. This is one that will be at the top of the list for many gamers, especially Xbox fans. Also available is a limited Project Scorpio Edition. If that’s a little too pricey for you, there’s the Xbox One S. And if you’d like to get a game with the console, there’s bundles including the Xbox One S Call of Duty: WWII Bundle, the Xbox One S Assassin’s Creed Origins Bundle, the Xbox One S Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels Bundle, or the Xbox One S Minecraft Complete Adventure Bundle.
PlayStation 4 — Sony’s current top o’ the line console is the PlayStation 4 Pro system. This console is also available in a Star Wars: Battlefront II Limited Edition Bundle and a Destiny 2 Limited Edition Bundle. Cheaper options include the PlayStation 4 Slim, also available in a Star Wars: Battlefront II Bundle which is probably the better option as it costs the same amount.
Nintendo Switch — For the Nintendo fans who haven’t gotten their hands on a Switch console yet, there’s a few options there. You can get the Nintendo Switch – Gray Joy-Con console or the Nintendo Switch – Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con console. There’s also a Nintendo Switch – Super Mario Odyssey Edition bundle.
GAMES
Little Nightmares — Easily one of my favorite games of the year, here we have an indie title about a young girl making her way through a horrific place called The Maw. This one’s all about the atmosphere, delivering a creepy and unforgettable experience. Most indie games are hard to include in these gift guides because they’re only released digitally, but thankfully this one also got a special Six Edition (which like most collectible editions is much pricier now than it was when first released) physical release. A Complete Edition including all DLC has since been released on Xbox One and PS4. If interest, also be sure to watch a trailer, some gameplay, and read our review for the game.
Horizon Zero Dawn — A unique open-world action-RPG set far in the future when robots have overrun the world and humans have regressed to primitive ways. Available exclusively on PS4. Check out some trailers and gameplay videos if interested.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — The latest in Nintendo’s hit racing game series gets a re-release on Nintendo Switch. It’s available in a standard edition and a bundle which includes steering wheels.
Ghost Recon Wildlands — A third-person tactical shooter which allows plays to join up with friends and complete missions in a massive open-world. Available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Check out some trailers and gameplay here as well.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds — A battle royale shooter in which a bunch of players enter and battle it out until only one player is left standing. This is quite the interesting title. It’s easily one of the most popular games of 2017, but technically it has not been released yet. How popular is it? The game was nominated for Game of the Year at next month’s The Game Awards. Did I mention it hasn’t been released yet? The reason for this is because it’s been available to play early, as many games choose to do these days, for a while now. Even crazier is that the game is getting a physical release on Xbox One on December 12th. That’s right, you can give someone a game this holiday season that’s not even out yet. Strange times we live in.
Sniper Elite 4 — Who doesn’t love getting to be a sniper? Available for Xbox One and PS4.
Mass Effect: Andromeda — Ahhh, Mass Effect. Things didn’t go quite as well as hoped for this fourth game in the series, leaving many fans pretty depressed. It’s not necessarily a bad game, it just didn’t come close to meeting fan expectations. But because of that, it’s surprisingly cheap for such a big release less than a year old. You can get the Standard Edition on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for under $20, or the Deluxe Edition on Xbox One and PS4 for under $30. Find trailers and gameplay videos for Andromeda right here if interested.
Tekken 7 — The latest in the hugely popular fighting game series. Available for Xbox One and PS4.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind — It’s been a few years since an Elder Scrolls game was released. But the series is perfectly healthy while we anxiously await word on The Elder Scrolls VI…whenever that might be. First there’s the immortal Skyrim, which first came out six years ago now but has had multiple new versions released over the years. This year, the game came to Nintendo Switch—the very first time folks who game exclusively on Nintendo have the chance to play a game in this series. I’m filled with happy just thinking about people going into that massive fantasy world for the first time. The other is The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, an expansion to the excellent MMO available for Xbox One, PC, and PS4. And don’t worry about needing to buy The Elder Scrolls Online base game in order for this to work, it’s supposed to come complete with the full game. Pretty good deal. Just don’t buy it used, as many of the negative reviewers discovered the hard way. You can read our review of the base Elder Scrolls Online game, and find much more for both The Elder Scrolls Online and Skyrim including trailers and more.
Super Mario Odyssey — A brand new Super Mario adventure, which offers fans the chance to explore massive 3D worlds in a sandbox-style game. Available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Watch a trailer for the game if interested.
Destiny 2 — The sequel to Bungie’s online multiplayer first-person shooter space adventure. Available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole — Another one of my personal favorites of the year, The Fractured But Whole is a sequel to South Park: The Stick of Truth. This is a must-own and a must-play, just like the first game, for anyone who’s a fan of South Park. It once again feels like you’re hanging out inside the hit animated TV show. Available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC in a Standard Edition, a SteelBook Gold Edition, and a Remote Control Coon Mobile Edition. Read our review of the game, and watch trailers and gameplay videos if interested.
Hitman The Complete First Season — While we await whatever the next game in the Hitman franchise will be, the first season of the episodic latest entry in the series was given a physical release this year. You can grab a copy on PS4 or Xbox One to give someone this holiday season. And, if they so choose, they can then upgrade their game to the Game of the Year Edition, which is only available digitally at the moment. Find much more on the game including trailers.
Persona 5 — I can’t say I know much about this game. What I do know is that it’s a Japanese RPG, and it’s crazy popular. You can pick up a copy for PlayStation 4.
The Evil Within 2 — This isn’t a game for everyone, as I found out while reviewing it, but it is one fans of horror games and especially survival horror will be excited to get their hands on if they don’t already own it. Available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Find trailers and gameplay videos here.
For Honor — A great option for people who love online multiplayer but prefer swords and shields over guns. The game features multiple game modes, including one in which you and three other players rush into battle with an army to clash steel with another army and four other player-controlled warriors. Available for Xbox One and PS4 in a Standard Edition, as well as a Deluxe Edition and a Gold Edition. Click right here for trailers and gameplay videos.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — A strong contender for Game of the Year, the game is the latest and biggest entry in the beloved Zelda series. Available on Nintendo Switch, and even a console we don’t hear much about anymore, the Nintendo Wii U. Watch a trailer and gameplay for the latest Zelda game if interested.
Prey — A first-person shooter from Arkane Studios, the makers of the Dishonored games, Prey mixes elements of science fiction and horror as the player finds themselves in a massive space station named Talos I, where an alien species being researched on the station has broken free and is now wreaking havoc. The game is available on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. You can read our review if you wish, and also check out trailers and gameplay videos.
Injustice 2 — Another fighting game, this one featuring DC Comics superheroes and villains including the entire Justice League—Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg—Joker and Harley Quinn, Green Arrow and Green Lantern, Supergirl, Darkseid, Robin, Swamp Thing, and many more. Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A pair of trailers can be found here.
Wolfenstein II: The New Order — The follow-up to MachineGames’ hit reboot of the classic Nazi-shootin’ game franchise. A wild, over-the-top, action-packed ride any fan of first-person shooters will have hours of fun with. Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in both a Standard Edition and a Collector’s Edition. Read our review of the game, and check out some trailers and gameplay action as well.
Uncharted: Lost Legacy — Though technically an expansion of the Uncharted series, which followed Nathan Drake for four games, Lost Legacy is a standalone story following the character Chloe Frazier that’s said to take around 8-10 hours to play. Something fans of the series will no doubt be excited to play if they haven’t gotten their hands on it yet. Available exclusively on PlayStation 4. Watch a trailer for the game.
Friday the 13th: The Game — For any fans of the Friday the 13th horror movie series, this game groups together up to eight players. Most of these players will be assigned to control various camp counselors. One of these players will get to be Jason Voorhees himself. The objective is simple: if a counselor, survive; if Jason, kill everything that moves. Available on Xbox One and PS4. You can click right here to find more on the game including trailers and gameplay.
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition — A full-package release of Bethesda Game Studios’ Fallout 4, which includes all of the DLC that was released for the game post-launch. You’ll notice lots of negative reviews on Amazon for this, and that’s not because it’s a bad game—it’s a great game with lots of DLC content. The bad reviews are because all of the DLC included isn’t on a physical disc, you get download codes. This is normal these days, and helps prevent people from letting everyone they know borrow said disc to download the DLC for free, but might be something to avoid if you’re buying for someone who doesn’t currently have internet access. That said, the main game is well worth every coin, and can take hundreds of hours to complete for some (like me!), so it’s still a great gift option, and they’ll have the DLC codes for whenever they have access to internet. Available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in both a regular Game of the Year Edition, and a Pip-Boy GOTY Edition. Click right here for my review of the main game, and right here for much more on Fallout 4.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War — The sequel to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War is another fantasy adventure set in the same world as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Available for Xbox One and PS4 in a Standard Edition and a Gold Edition. Watch trailers and gameplay videos if interested.
Call of Duty: WWII — The hit first-person shooter series returns to its World War II roots. Game includes a single-player campaign, as well as multiplayer modes including zombies mode. Available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Read our review of the game, and watch trailers and gameplay as well.
Assassin’s Creed Origins — The latest in Ubisoft’s long-running Assassin’s Creed series takes players to ancient Egypt, where they’ll experience the origins of the feud between the Assassins and the Templars. Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in either a Standard Edition, a Deluxe Edition, or a SteelBook Gold Edition. Find a trailer and gameplay here.
Star Wars: Battlefront II — Lots and lots of Star Wars shooting, for anyone you know who’s super into Star Wars shooting (pew pew). Available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in a Standard Edition, and available on Xbox One and PS4 in an Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition. Watch some trailers and gameplay videos from the game.
SPORTS & RACING
Madden 18 — Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
NHL 2018 — Available on PS4 and Xbox One.
Forza Motorsport 7 — Available on Xbox One in both a Standard Edition and an Ultimate Edition.
FIFA 18 — Available on pretty much all platforms, including Nintendo Switch and even PS3 and Xbox 360 for anyone who still plays on the older consoles, in a Standard Edition and a Ronaldo Edition.
NBA 2K18 — Available on PlayStation 4 in both a Standard Edition and an Early Tip-Off Edition (which doesn’t include the link to the PS4 version for some reason).
Need for Speed Payback — Available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in a Standard Edition, and on PS4 and Xbox One in a Deluxe Edition.
Steep Winter Games — Available on Xbox One and PS4.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 — Available for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360 in a Standard Edition, and PS4 in a Legendary Edition. The Xbox One version of the Legendary Edition doesn’t appear to be in stock right now, but may be in the future.
NASCAR Heat 2 — Available on Xbox One and PS4.
VIRTUAL REALITY
PS4 VR — Virtual reality is still going, and Sony’s PlayStation VR is probably the most accessible. It’s available in a basic Headset + Camera Bundle, a Skyrim Bundle which should be an amazing experience, a Gran Turismo Sport Bundle, and a Worlds Bundle. There’s also accessories such as the PlayStation Move Motion Controllers, the PS4 VR Charge & Display Stand, and the PlayStation 4 Camera.
You can find lots of games to go with the headset right here, and the console to make it work in the consoles section at the top.
HTC Vive — Available in the HTC Vive Virtual Reality System. Accessories include the Hyper Blaster With VIVE Tracker, the Deluxe Audio Strap, and a 3-in-1 Cable.
Oculus Rift — Available is the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset and the Oculus Rift + Touch Virtual Reality System. Accessories include the Oculus Touch separately, the Oculus Sensor, and the Oculus Rift Earphones.
You can also check out many more virtual reality products right here if interested.
GIFT CARDS & SUBSCRIPTION CARDS
Xbox:
PlayStation:
Steam:
There’s always the option of picking up some of last year’s games as stocking stuffers or for much cheaper than they were, too!
Remember, if all else fails, there’s also the Amazon.com Gift Card, you can have emailed to the recipient (arrives immediately) or you can print out the gift card at home and give it to the intended that way. If you order in enough time, you can get the physical gift card sent to you.
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