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Giving video games? These are winners

From musicmaking to warmaking, there are plenty of games that offer good value and fun.

By JOSH KORR
Published November 28, 2005

As the latest cycle of video game systems starts to wind down, those looking for gifts can take heart. Just about anything you pick up at this point will be fun, great looking and a decent value. But if you want the best of the year so far, try one of these:

Guitar Hero (PlayStation 2, rated T, $69.99 with guitar): If you're interested in any of the following, you must stop everything (including reading this game guide) and go buy Guitar Hero right now: a) video games; b) playing guitar; c) pretending you can play guitar; d) Brian May's Killer Queen solo; e) rocking out.

A rhythm game like Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero trades the dance pad for a plastic mockup of a Gibson SG, complete with whammy bar. While each song plays, you press five colored buttons on the neck and strum as the corresponding colored circle comes down the screen. Whether you prefer David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust), Queens of the Stone Age (No One Knows) or Megadeath (Symphony of Destruction), there's plenty of rawk for everyone.

God of War (PS2, rated M, $49.99) and Resident Evil 4 (GameCube and PlayStation 2, rated M, $39.99): God of War's unparalleled production values and sweet fighting system turn a typical beat-'em-up into a classic, while Resident Evil 4 changes its perspective and pushes the consoles to the limit. No other action games come close to these two.

Psychonauts (PS2/Xbox, rated T, $49.99): Psychonauts is a rarity: a unique experience with characters and writing that aren't 100 percent cliche. You play as Raz, a boy who crashes the Psychonauts children's camp for aspiring psychic soldiers. The game play mixes a bunch of adventure conventions together, but the characters, voice acting and graphics are totally original. And don't let the rating scare you: PG movies and prime-time sitcoms are far more lurid than this quirky game.

Nintendogs (Nintendo DS, rated E, $29.99): There isn't a whole lot to do with Nintendogs. But if kids can get attached to the lifeless gray pixels of Tamagotchis, they'll go nuts over the cute puppies in this pet simulator. Like Guitar Hero, this is truly a game for everyone.

We Love Katamari (PS2, rated E, $29.99): This sequel to last year's bizarrely endearing Katamari Damacy is one of those great Japanese-inspired games that doesn't make a lick of sense. You roll a sticky ball called a katamari over all manner of objects, picking them up until the katamari reaches a certain size (it's for the King of All Cosmos, naturally). Trust me, Katamari is more addictive than it sounds.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (PSP, rated M, $49.99): At this point, the Grand Theft Auto graphics really need sprucing up, and the missions are done to death. Luckily, this isn't another console Grand Theft Auto: It's a PS2-worthy game for a handheld system. Technology is amazing.

World Soccer Winning Eleven 8 International (PS2/Xbox, rated E, $39.99): With EA Sports having a dismal year and ever-more-complicated fantasy modes making sports titles more like role-playing games, this great soccer game from Konami stands out. There's a franchise mode if you want it, but otherwise lots of realistic, nonstop action.

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, rated T, $39.99): One of the most majestic games ever made, but also one of the most infuriating. Shadow of the Colossus consists entirely of 16 immense bosses (and the paths to get to them), animal-spirit-stone hybrids that put every other game's bosses to shame. But you pay a price: The camera and controls are horrendous, so expect to get frustrated. Really, really frustrated.

[Last modified November 25, 2005, 09:41:03]