2003 Videogame Holiday Gift Guide

Tim Grube writes "Gaming Horizon is currently hosting a feature that informs gamers on what to buy this holiday season. The 2003 Holiday Gift Guide presents twenty-five titles per console including the Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo GameCube, PC, and HandHelds."

Comments

A little more info please...

[PurdueGraphicsMan]

Any Final Fantasy fans out there? I'm a big fan of the entire FF series (my fav is still 7) and I'm trying to figure out what FF X-2 is going to be like. Any insider bits?

Also, same thing for Tony Hawk: Underground. Does anyone know if anything has changed other than the small bits mentioned in the blurb?

I've done a little research into Silent Hill 3 and I have to say that it looks like it's going to be a great game. It actually looks like it might have some of the best game-mode graphics I've seen on the PS2 yet.

Re:A little more info please...

[wembley]

I've been playing FF X-2 for around 2 weeks (got it day after release).

Very fun. All of Spira is open from the get-go, and you have missions all over the place.

Animation and graphics are top-shelf.

You only get the three playable characters, but it's kind of cool figuring out which dresspheres (jobs) you want them to specialize in. For instance, I've been training:
Yuna - Gunner, White Mage, Black Mage, Songstress
Rikku - Thief, White Mage, GunMage, Warrior
Paine - Warrior, Samurai, Black Mage

I have never played an FF where I used "Phoenix Down" so often! Monsters are generally pretty tough, and the girls get KO'ed a lot.

The Songstress class is silly. The character actually insists on going "La La La" when you cast a 'sing' spell.

There have been some fun minigames so far. And there's the slight disturbing, pseudo-lesbian "massage" game in LeBlanc's HQ...

Re:A little more info please...

[windside]

I've been a fan of the FF series for quite some time. FFX2 is a huge improvement on FFX, mainly because it devotes far more attention to the gameplay and far less attention to some blonde airhead pretty boy who plays a lot of underwater soccer. If you're a fan of the more thought-driven "Tactics" series, you'll probably get a kick out of the fact that the concept of Jobs have yet again been intoduced into the mainstream of FF games. I think the last time this happened was in FF5, which was released in English as part of the FF Anthology. SO, think of FFX2 as Tactics with better graphics and a better story. Kind of.

This the season ...

[Anonymous Coward]

I work for one for the larger electronics distributor in Georgia, and we greatly depend on the profits generated during the holiday season.

One thing we have noticed, is that a lot of young professionals seem to own and purchase video games on a regular basis. These are probably the same children who in the 80s were purchasing Atari's 1300, Intellivision, Coleco, and Amtrads.

We find that there is a great shift to more mature titles such as Final Fantasy 13, Gotham Racing 4, and Super Smash brothers.

I'll probably return next January to post our sales statistics in this forum, since it may be of interest to some folks around here.

mmmm

[gunfinger]

hosting a feature that informs gamers on what to buy this holiday season
rent before you buy, so much sod out there these days. never ceases how much time and money and eyesight (on behalf of programmers) goes towards creating utter sh*te.

on my list is simpson's hit & run, keeping it simple.

Older Games

[GospelHead821]

I often ask for older games, on my Christmas list. At least, I seldom ask for games that are brand-spanking new. Jak 2 and the transportation expansion for Sim City 4 are fairly new, but established. Diablo 2 is old news. Not only are the products usually a little bit less expensive, but I have had plenty of time to read reviews and check out the game in advance.

Re:Shitty List

[illuminata]

I'll make an XBox list.

Beyond Good and Evil
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO
Colin McRae Rally 3
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix
Deathrow
Deus Ex: Invisible War
ESPN College Hoops
ESPN NBA Basketball
ESPN NFL Football
ESPN NHL Hockey
FIFA Soccer 2004
Freedom Fighters
Gladius
Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
Madden NFL 2004
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
Midnight Club
Midtown Madness 3
Morrowind Game of the Year Edition
NASCAR Thunder 2004
NBA Street Vol 2
NCAA Football 2004
NCAA March Madness 2004
Need for Speed Underground
NHL 2004
NHL Hitz Pro
Otogi: Myth of Demon
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Phantasy Star Online
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Project Gotham Racing 2
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Soul Calibur II
SSX 3
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3
Tony Hawk's Underground
Top Spin
XIII

There you have it, 45 count. All of which were released this year. Their article had to borrow from last year's games. Also, I just scrolled down the GameTab list of XBox games, which doesn't include each and every game. Mind you, I wouldn't necessarily play every game (like DDR) that I listed, but, there is something for everybody and each game is good within their genre.

Re:Shitty List

[Jagasian]

I wouldn't suggest all of those games. Instead, let me cherry pick the true greats:

1. Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
2. Deus Ex: Invisible War
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
4. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time