(Editors Note- Good afternoon to all you lovely gamers here at the Gamerhub! In preparation for the holiday period, we asked Davey to recommend some games. Consider this a list full of short reviews and some spicy opinions, but here we go!)
Hello folks, my lovely editor gave us all an introduction, I see! Some Admin needs to be put in place here. Firstly, I’m not saying that you should get all of these games, just some of them. If you want to get all these games, be our guest. Particularly with one entry, tell the creators that we sent you. However, with the pandemic going on, we are aware that some of these will be expensive. On with the list!
Honourable Mention: Flea
The reason this game hasn’t made the list is that whilst it’s on Steam, it’s not on Xbox. That being said, Flea (Lowtek Games) is one of the most fun gaming experiences I’ve had in a while. A nostalgic blast-from-the-past designed to run on the Sega Dreamcast and the SNES, you can buy this game on Steam, and honestly, it’s superb! In an era when big development studios and publishers rule the roost, it’s worth buying this little indie game. Genuinely hilarious, difficult, frustrating and yet completely brilliant, please go and buy this game from them. You can find the link to their game here, and it won’t break the bank either!
Jurassic World Evolution
Take the concept of Jurassic World, throw in some background plot details from the source material and mix with Planet Coaster and what do you get? This beautifully made park simulator that works not only as a warning in tune with Michael Crichton’s original books, but the film franchise as a whole, featuring the voices of Jeff Goldblum and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Why should I get this game?
Ever watched the Jurassic World/Park franchise and foolishly thought you could do better? Well, in this game you get to put your money where your mouth is. God creates dinosaurs, God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Man, Man creates video games, and your wallet is lighter after 48 hours of standard play. From dealing with problem customers to dealing with problem dinosaurs going on a rampage, this game has everything to keep you entertained.
It’s rewarding enough with the sandbox mode to keep the die-hard fanboys at bay from too much criticism. It’s also difficult enough to make the most meek person swear and turn the air blue. As I said in previous articles, when we can go back to normality, you’ll see me try and fail to play this game on our YouTube channel. Buy for the nostalgia, but stick around for the difficulty, and the haunting feeling that Michael Crichton was right all along.
Forza Horizon 4
As we’re a hub that used to focus on Xbox stuff primarily, there’s no way I couldn’t not put this game on the list. It’s a genuinely brilliant addition to the Forza Horizon franchise, with an addictive nature. The brilliance of the game design is that you can spend hours at a time racing around Edinburgh in the game and not get bored. The range of cars is the best in the franchise (don’t @ me), the landscapes are glorious and the soundtrack is exquisite.
Why should I get this game?
Well, if like me, you’ve been unable to get your hands on either of the new Xbox consoles yet, and won’t until 2021, then I have some good news. Thanks to Xbox’s UK twitter account, we now know that all the Xbox exclusive games get updated for free on the new console. So, if you’re getting the Xbox Series X like me, have no fear- you’ll still be able to tear down Princess Street in “Auld Reekie” but now in gloriously high-quality definition. Being Scottish by choice, there’s something quite magical about tearing down the Royal Mile in a Bugatti Veyron. Whether you’re Scottish or not though, give this game a go.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Okay, I know you’re going to complain that I’ve talked about this game to you before, but hear me out. In the current for which we live, nostalgia seems to be the order of the day, and this is possibly one of the best results. This game took 3 years to make, and was one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry as it got made. It’s a roaring blast-from-the-past, with a lot to like. The soundtrack has a mixture of the old soundtrack with new jams to skate to, and there’s more than the old skaters involved.
Why should I get this game?
You should really get this game for three reasons. Firstly, the game is amazingly good at bringing back muscle memory. If you played this game the first time around, then most of the tricks you remember still require the button combinations you used before. Don’t let the upgraded graphics and new console put you off that. Secondly, the game has more than earned its right to exist and be used. The critical response to this game has shown that the gaming community lapped this game up and gave it glowing reviews, and we did too.
Thirdly, this game normally has a gigantic price tag (£40 in the UK, and the special edition is £50), so normally, this game would be earmarked for the enthusiasts and for occasions. However, the Black Friday deals on the Microsoft Store for Xbox have reduced the special edition price tag down to £29.99, which means this won’t break the bank.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
The latest game from Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed franchise is superb, and I could rant forever about why this game is good, but our very own Ultan Kenny’s done a spoiler-free review. So, I’m just going to recommend that you buy it, and move on. Just get a copy of this game for the festive period, because if we’re locked down for the first part of 2021, this game will likely take up most of your time if you own it.
Football Manager 2021
Football Manager 2021 is really strong return to form for the franchise, will an increased focus on game mechanics and gaming experience. The graphics are absolutely beautiful, the matchday screen has cut out the unnecessary guff and the game is ridiculously immersive. I will have a review of this coming up in the next few days, but consider this entry a sneak preview. Reckon you can do a better job of managing Celtic FC than Neil Lennon? Think you can take Liverpool FC to world domination and beat Jurgen Klopp at his own game? This game is for you.
This is a new game, Davey. Why should I get this and not the previous game?
Thank you, sub-heading put there to explain my point and increase our readership. There are four reasons why, and so I’ll start by saying that this game really does give you value for money. There’s more functions in this game than you can shake your dollars at, like Fry from Futurama. It’s jam-packed with features that most games in the franchise only have some of. I’ve noted that this game is basically a “greatest hits” version of the game, designed to give us all that football fix whilst we can’t go and watch our teams in person. So, what have they added that I adore? The particular highlight for me is the addition of Expected Goals (or xG) figures, allowing you to be far more decisive both on and off the pitch. This feature really shone out during my 48 hours of play, as it allowed me to take my lowly Doncaster Rovers from League One to the UEFA champions. Okay, I kid thee on. In reality, I got them to the Barclay’s Premier League.
2020 has been a really crap year for most of us, I admit. I hope this list helps you decide what to get for Black Friday 2020. Have you enjoyed this? Let me know here, and I’ll see you soon.
Til then, I’ve been Davey from the Gamerhub.
