2008 Woodie Awards
Video Game Holiday Shopping Guide
Recommendations on which games make the best Christmas gifts
Alex Quevedo
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Torch Online Exclusives
Well, the holiday shopping season is well underway, and whether you are buying for yourself or for others, there's no better time to be a gamer. Despite the slow month of December, there have been plenty of games for all systems that gamers can rejoice over. "Halo 3," "Guitar Hero III," "Mass Effect"…the list goes on. So, The Torch is here to help! Here, we give you our tops picks for this holiday season.
Multiplatform
Rock Band: Come on, you know there's a little drummer boy inside of you (or the American Idol-type who would rather sing Black Sabbath than some pop garbage). Now you can go out on a world tour without ever having to leave your room. With a wide array of songs, there's plenty for all types of rockers. Developer Harmonix is also giving this plenty of lasting value: there are weekly downloads for the game, all with reasonable price tags attached. Although, it comes at a steep price: $170 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 bundles, $160 for the PS2. All things considered, it's not too bad of a price with the three instruments you get. One of the other downsides is that the World Band Tour doesn't have online capabilities. Bummer. Still, even if you're playing normal online modes and your drummer bails on you, it won't be too hard to find a replacement.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: The third installment of what really kicked off music games. There isn't too much that's changed from "Guitar Hero II," but one of the more prominent additions is the boss battle. Face off against Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Slash (Guns 'N Roses), and a third not-so-great-of-a-secret opponent, unleashing guitar attacks to take down the legends. They aren't too interesting, but it's still a nice addition. Bret Michaels fans will be pleased that he's included in the game too, but chances are he just needed the cash. You'll also be able to battle with online play, except PlayStation 2 owners. Sorry guys. "Guitar Hero III" is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, PC, and Nintendo Wii.
Multiplatform
Rock Band: Come on, you know there's a little drummer boy inside of you (or the American Idol-type who would rather sing Black Sabbath than some pop garbage). Now you can go out on a world tour without ever having to leave your room. With a wide array of songs, there's plenty for all types of rockers. Developer Harmonix is also giving this plenty of lasting value: there are weekly downloads for the game, all with reasonable price tags attached. Although, it comes at a steep price: $170 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 bundles, $160 for the PS2. All things considered, it's not too bad of a price with the three instruments you get. One of the other downsides is that the World Band Tour doesn't have online capabilities. Bummer. Still, even if you're playing normal online modes and your drummer bails on you, it won't be too hard to find a replacement.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: The third installment of what really kicked off music games. There isn't too much that's changed from "Guitar Hero II," but one of the more prominent additions is the boss battle. Face off against Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Slash (Guns 'N Roses), and a third not-so-great-of-a-secret opponent, unleashing guitar attacks to take down the legends. They aren't too interesting, but it's still a nice addition. Bret Michaels fans will be pleased that he's included in the game too, but chances are he just needed the cash. You'll also be able to battle with online play, except PlayStation 2 owners. Sorry guys. "Guitar Hero III" is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, PC, and Nintendo Wii.
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