With the holiday season just around the corner, timing is perfect for release days of some of the biggest titles of the year for major video game companies, both foreign and domestic. Perhaps the hardest decision gamers have to make (especially if they are operating on a limited budget) is which games to devote the most free time, or class time, to play. This article will cover just five games: “Battlefield 3,” “Modern Warfare 3,” “Assassin’s Creed: Revelations,” “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” and “Rayman Origins.” With so many options it can be easy to get bogged down which is why a comprehensive review can be useful.
The last quarter of 2011 has seen two serious competitors go head to head. “Modern Warfare 3” and “Battlefield 3” are the top first person shooters  on the market and both meet two different playing styles. Both are visceral, gritty FPSs with gorgeous visuals and unique stories for single-player campaign. The online multiplayer option is where the differences arise. “BF3” has a bigger player experience with up to 64 players for PC owners and 24 players on console versions like Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, according to bf3blog.com. Details are scarce, but “MW3” has rumored hosting 32-player matches, but this may be for only one game type as opposed to its 18-player cap in the past. “BF3” is also slightly more team and objective based than “MW3” in that the game modes require better communication on the massive maps required to contain so many players. Vehicles are also present in “BF3” like tanks, jets and helicopters.
However, if the lone-wolf path is the preferred method of gaming, “MW3” may be the better choice. Jumping in and out of a game with a friend and the game times are a lot shorter to accommodate that “one last match” before students start studying. Along with the cooperative campaign and multiplayer, “MW3” will also have a bevy of cooperative mini missions called Spec Ops that pair two players together to tackle objectives in a certain time limit or defeat a certain number of enemies in the area. I asked Mississippi State University students Will Sartin and Alex Abramson why they played their games of choice.
“‘Battlefield’ requires a team-coordinated effort and has a more mature audience. They are two very different types of shooters as “MW3″ is arcade based with little teamwork and kills mean everything. In battlefield they help, sure, but … you can still do great by contributing to your team,” Sartin said.
Abramson said, “From what I’ve seen, “Modern Warfare” is a faster-paced game. It is more explosive, and I think the visuals have a sharper, more photo realistic look.”
Regardless of the pros and cons, both games bring much variety to the table but which will be on the wishlist of gamers this season?
These two games might be the biggest of the fall, but they will grapple with some serious challengers. “Assassin’s Creed: Revelations,” “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” and “Rayman Origins” are all vying for spots under the tree this year. First and foremost, all three of these games are of the adventure genre. They are all heavily story driven with no multiplayer component. If getting immersed in a deep narrative is how you like to play, these four games are all excellent choices.
“Assassin’s Creed: Revelations” is a continuation of the story of Ezio Auditore de Firenze, a 15th-century Renaissance-era assassin and his quest to find the pieces of Eden, or tools passed down from the gods, to aid in world domination. It is a basic save-the-world plot, but fans have been captivated since the first game in the series due to its mysterious plot, attention to detail and riveting assassin gameplay. New areas and more complex combat have been revealed for the game and the “members” of the Brotherhood of Assassins could not be more excited.
“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” is for the inner hero in everyone. This role-playing game is set in the massive world of Skyrim and every locale is as grandiose as the last; from snow-topped towering mountain peaks to industrious valley towns, every last detail has been painstakingly crafted for maximum fixation to the fantasy world. This game has so much content it could be played for hours without even touching the main quest. The main quest is as mythical and fantastical as one would expect (think Dungeons and Dragons meets Grand Theft Auto.)
Last but certainly not least is “Rayman Origins.” This is a lighthearted cooperative play game for four players. It is a reboot for the “Rayman” series and has garnered much praise for its original hand-drawn animations. For a brightly-colored, comical platformer, gamers may be hard pressed to find another family-friendly game for the holiday season.
Visuals or gameplay?  Campaign or multiplayer?  Playing solo or with friends?  There are many question gamers must confront before spending their hard-earned cash. Whatever the decision, any of these games are sure to wreck a few GPAs around finals week and will keep even the most bored person busy during the winter holidays.