Holiday Buying Guide 2005 Continued..

Multiplatform

Of course, there are plenty of worthwhile games that shipped to multiple platforms, and we wouldn't want to forget about them! Here are some of the ones that you might find worth buying.

Psychonauts
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Publisher: Majesco Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, PC
As the creator of such classic adventures as Full Throttle and Grim Fandango as well as being involved in the creation of The Secret of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, and Day of the Tentacle, Tim Schafer is definitely one of the more interesting designers out there. His reputation for games with well-developed characters, insane visuals, and memorable dialogue was upheld when the long-delayed Psychonauts shipped this year for PS2, Xbox and PC. Putting players in the role of young psychic Raz, the game is a character-driven platformer in which the player actually enters the minds of other characters in order to get to the bottom of a conspiracy-laden plot. This allows for some of the craziest looking levels you'll ever see, with constantly changing visual design that stays fresh throughout the game, as well as frequently sinister undertones as the player uncovers what makes the game's characters tick. Then there's solid platforming gameplay and a fantastic original score to boot. Psychonauts is a game I would implore just about any gamer to try out. Don't let the colors and exaggerated proportions fool you, this is not a game intended for kids.
Psychonauts was originally an Xbox exclusive, and as such it was tailored for that platform. If you play it on PC, try and do so with a decent game pad.

Need for Speed Most Wanted
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Xbox 360, DS, PSP, GBA, PC
In the eyes of many racing fans, Need for Speed Most Wanted is something of a return to form for a series that, like so many others in recent years, got a bit too caught up in being eXtreme rather than necessarily focusing on all the things that made the series great. For one thing, as the title suggests, the cops make their return in Most Wanted. While playing through the single player story mode, they'll take umbrage at your reckless disregard for posted speed limits and give chase. As you try to evade them, they'll keep piling on more squad cars and obstacles, and that's where much of the excitement of the game lies.
Visually, you'll get the most out of Most Wanted with either the Xbox 360 or a high-end PC. Beyond that, you've got your standard graphical heirarchy of Xbox > GameCube > PS2. Reviews seem to suggest steering clear of the three portable versions if possible.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, PC
Ah, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the game that launched a million lawsuits...and pieces of attempted litigation...and federal investigations. Yeah, it's probably safe to assume you're familiar with this game. This year, the biggest GTA title yet made its way to both Xbox and PC. And this game is indeed big. By the time I'd had my fill of nonlinear automotive action, I think I had only gotten halfway through the story. It was fun while it lasted, though. There is simply a mind-boggling amount to do in this game, and it's polished to the same degree as any of the other GTA3-based entries in the series. Just, for the sake of the industry's reputation, don't buy this for your five-year-old, okay?

Call of Duty 2
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC
Despite the seemingly endless sea of World War II shooters that's been threatening to drown the industry in recent years, Infinity Ward's Call of Duty stood out as a particularly arresting and powerful experience thanks to its well-crafted scripted events and tense atmosphere. Call of Duty 2 doesn't stray too far from that, so while it probably won't surprise you all that much, it will provide a solid and immersive World War II experience. The game looks gorgeous, and follows up the first game's award-winning sound design with more more excellent presentation in that area.
Either version of this game should suit you well, though of course you'll be missing out on mouse and keyboard controls with the Xbox 360 version.

The Warriors
Developer: Rockstar Toronto
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platforms: PS2, Xbox
Rather surprisingly, Rockstar Toronto's game adaptation of cult 1979 film The Warriors actually turned out quite well. Set in the gang-ridden streets of New York circa the late 70s, you are a member of the Warriors, and you get to partake in 10-20 hours of beating people up, smashing and stealing stuff, and learning more about the people and events featured in the original film. The icing on the cake is that it has co-op mode, a stupidly rare commodity in today's gaming environment, making this game the perfect gift for somebody with whom you like to game.

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PC
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was one of my favorite titles of 2003, excelling in almost every way. The followup, Warrior Within, stripped the series of much of the charm that defined Sands of Time, turning off a lot of fans of the first game--including original Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner himself, who was not pleased with the more extreme aggressive edge of Warrior Within. With The Two Thrones, many reviewers have noted that the series has stepped back a bit, returning to some of the elements of the first in this sub-series. It has certainly been better received than its predecessor. I haven't played it yet, and in all honesty I don't really think I'm going to, but if you've enjoyed both of the previous games in the series, or you were a fan of SoT willing to give it another shot, you might consider Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones.

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