Gaming has become excitingly mainstream, and whether you’re a fan of AAA titles like Battlefield and Halo, an indie gamer, or just a fan of the culture and music, it’s a good time to care about video games. Here are some fun gift ideas for the gamer in your life.
Bioshock: The Collection
This new collection is the ultimate Bioshock experience. Out on PS4, Xbox One, and Windows, it includes Bioshock Infinite alongside remastered versions of the first two Bioshock games. It also includes all of the DLC for the games, including Minerva’s Den and Burial at Sea. The only thing missing is Bioshock 2’s multiplayer, which isn’t a huge loss. The collection will run you $60.
Video Games Live: Level 5
Tommy Tallarico has been touring with a formidable orchestra for quite some time now, and their latest album is a tour de force that includes music from Ico, Grim Fandango, and Okami, alongside Metroid and Super Mario World. This massively crowdfunded album feels just as fresh as when Video Games Live first started.
HTC Vive or Oculus Rift
The decision between HTC Vive and Oculus Rift is a personal one, for sure. But Vive’s immersion and controls have made it a slight frontrunner for those with the space and money. (Vive costs $799 vs. Oculus Rift’s $599.)
This one’s gonna be a tough choice, but whichever you pick, it looks like the reality of VR is finally stepping up the dream we’ve always had for it.
Pokemon GO Plus
Despite what you might think, there are still plenty of people playing Pokémon GO–enough that demand for Pokémon GO Plus has been a little overwhelming in some places. This $35 accessory basically amounts to a Bluetooth-enabled bracelet that lets you catch Pokémon and check in at Pokéstops with the click of a button, without having to look at your smart phone constantly.
Batman: The Telltale Series
Telltale’s Batman isn't a far cry from the Arkham franchise, but it’s different enough that the two can co-exist comfortably. The Telltale game is about Batman-as-detective and about the dichotomy of Bruce Wayne and Batman. They took some big liberties with the mythos to keep the story fresh, and the result is a wild but worthwhile ride for any Batman fan. Two episodes have been released of a planned total of five. $25 gets you the two that are out now, and the next three as they’re released.
The Last Guardian
Team Ico’s followup to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus has been in production since 2007. This long-awaited story about the bond between a boy and a…griffon-ish thing finally has a release date set for this December. The game involves solving puzzles and eluding captors as the boy, while coaxing the creature, Trico, in the same way you might train a pet. Team Ico’s games are renowned for their emotional resonance, and we expect nothing less of The Last Guardian.
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV has been massively hyped. It makes sense–you don’t get to the 15th installment of a franchise without doing a few things right. This time around the new game is coming out with its world already established—the year so far has seen the release of a five-episode anime and a CG feature film that set up and flesh out the game (and given fans plenty of time to get excited). Most reviews so far have been largely positive, so it looks like the game was definitely worth the hype.
Materia Collective
The unstoppable music label Materia Collective is now hundreds strong, and this has been a prodigious year, with tribute albums to Final Fantasy VIII, Ori and the Blind Forest, Sonic, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Undertale, and more. (Full disclosure: A certain dashing Internet writer is also an arranger for Materia Collective.)
Dishonored 2
Bethesda’s followup to its breakout stealth-action hit lets you play as Corvo Attano, the assassin who worked to clear his name in the first game, or as the Empress Emily Kaldwin, whom you rescued in the first game and whose throne is usurped in the sequel. You can sneak your way through without ever taking a life, or rampage across the world on a murderous rampage as the chaos you wreak threatens to rip apart reality itself. If it’s half as beloved as its predecessor, then either way is gonna be a lot of fun.