‘Tis the season for sequels as most of the hot games this holiday season pick up where some of the coolest games of all time have left a yearning in your gaming heart. No need to fret though, Guildhall GameCorner has the must have list:
Metroid Prime 2 Echoes
Gamecube — single player story mode, multiplayer deathmatch
Metroid Prime was one of the most amazing games ever. Winner of the Game Developers Conference 2002 Game of the Year, it may be the game that ultimately saves Nintendo. Well Nintendo saw what it did for sales and commissioned the original game studio to make another one. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes picks up immediately after the events of the first game. Samus Aran is on her way to save some stranded troopers when her ship damaged, forcing her to land on a planet with a split personality. The world has been torn apart into Light and Dark and Samus must navigate between the two-worlds-in-one in order to wipe out the alien menace.
Halo 2
Xbox — single player campaign, 16 player deathmatch
Already being hailed as the best Xbox game of all time, Halo 2 is, at the very least, the most highly anticipated game for Xbox lovers. Halo 2 builds and expands on the basic storyline from 2001’s Halo. More locations, more dialog, more, more, more… Halo 2 is bigger, badder, and just plain cooler than the original. As important as the single-player campaign may be, we all know that the up to 16 players using Xbox live is the real reason to get this game. Halo 2 is taking console multiplayer deathmatch to new levels.
World of Warcraft
PC — MMORPG
As the title implies, World of Warcraft allows you to play as one of the races found in Blizzard’s popular Warcraft series. You can choose between humans, night elves, orcs, tauren, or dwarves and then fun really begins, exploring the world of Azeroth with thousands of rabid fans online. Like most RPGs choices are before you, class, profession, what to no next…World of Warcraft is similar to other games in the genre, but it stands out because of the depth, detail and obvious care the developers put into making the game. They have obviously paid attention to problems on other MMOs and worked hard to avoid the same pitfalls. If you are a fan of Warcraft you will love World of Warcraft.
Everquest 2
PC — MMORPG
Another highly anticipated MMO recently released, Everquest 2 is the sequel to the venerable Everquest (often referred to as Evercrack). Be equally prepared to abandon your job, classes, all pretensions of a social life, breathing, eating, and hygiene for this latest installment. Improved graphics, thousands of new items, hundreds of new spells and skills, Everquest 2 allows you to own homes or apartments, ships, join guilds, get a job, make money. In short, trade in your real life for a virtual one. If you, or someone you know was addicted to the first Everquest, do him or her a favor and get them Everquest 2, they will be much happier in Norrath than on Earth.
City of Villains
PC — MMORPG
The first expansion to Cryptic Studio’s City of Heroes, City of Villains lets you do what you mother never wanted you to do, become a spandex-wearing, maniacally-laughing, comic book super villain, complete with evil powers and arch nemeses. Though currently in Beta, City of Villains promises to add some interesting aspects to Paragon City, home of the heroes.
Half-life 2
PC — first person shooter
Again Gordon Freeman must save the planet from invading aliens. Since the original Half-Life was groundbreaking for introducing quality storytelling in an already tired FPS genre, you expect nothing less than truly amazing, jaw-dropping, immersive storytelling in the sequel. By all accounts, you will not be disappointed. A real must have for any FPS devotees; Half-Life 2 is a testament to the power of interactive storytelling.
Nintendo DS
(New game system)
Okay, not a game, but a must have nonetheless. Nintendo has changed mobile gaming again with the introduction of the DS. DS stands for “Dual Screen” only one of several innovate features to be found on the system. The DS is the functional equivalent to the Nintendo 64, in fact many popular N64 games are being ported to the new system. The system also plays Gameboy Advance games, so your investment in GBA games will not go to waste. The DS also has built-in wireless gaming via Wifi (802.11b) and a preloaded chat program for locating and chatting with nearby DS owners.
Sid Meier’s Pirates!
PC — single player action/adventure
The beloved Commodore 64 game is remade for a new generation. Sid Meier’s Pirates! was 1987’s cult classic. You work your way up the pirate food chain, pillaging, romancing, and sailing the Caribbean until you become a pirate legend. The 2004 version upgrades the gameplay and the graphics while keeping the heart of Pirates! intact. A classic remake of a classic game and it should be on everyone’s list.
Star Wars Knight of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Xbox and PC — single player RPG
Set five years after the wildly popular original, The Sith Lords again asks you to take the mantle of amnesic hero, this time hunted by the Sith in their attempt to destroy all Jedi. Much is the same as the original, proving the old adage, “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Sith Lords sticks to a winning formula, improving on the original in graphics and minor tweaks to interface. Star Wars fan in the family? Get this game and get geek love and devotion aimed at you.
ESPN College Hoops 2K5
PS2 and Xbox — sports
This is intense college b-ball action. Recruiting, budget management, customizable player training all come together to create a pretty cool game. Amazing court rendering, crowd backgrounds, and mascots prowling the baseline really put you in the middle of the action.
It’s the greed-satisfying time of the year again. and no self-respecting game addict will be caught with a controller in his or her hands with these games nearby.
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