Top 10 games for Christmas

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It's nearly game day! (Or 'Christmas', whatever) If you need present ideas or even a list for yourself, here's a handy list to help you out. You could get Grand Theft Auto V or Call of Duty: Ghosts but who wants to be mainstream? You don't want to be one of those people who buys exactly what they're told to, right? Now here's what you should get:

1. Arkham Origins (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC)

   Yes Origins is basically the same as the last two games but come on, it's Batman, and Batman is awesome: he's a nerd lord. There are some additions to his gadgets, which is insane because it's set six years before the first one. He must have just left them in his car or forgot to put them back on after a shower for the old games. If you're a comic book/superhero/uber Batman fan then this game will appeal, it's almost all backstory and all the references will make you feel super smart and in the loop. Not to mention the combat which is amazing.

2. Beyond: Two Souls (PS3)

   By the makers of Heavy Rain, Beyond is awesome, creepy and weird - it's perfect. You can choose to be nice or mean particularly when controlling the entity named Aiden. The game stars Ellen Page (it is really her this time) and Willem Defoe so you know the voice acting is right. I tested this one at Eurogamer and it was pretty fun, the quick time events, especially in the training room make you want to slap a developer, but generally it's great.

3. Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC & Wii U)

   It's time to get sneaky-stabbing again but this time, we're going on holiday to the Caribbean. Assassin's Creed IV is very ‘piratey’, it has to be said. The special edition - 'The Buccaneer Edition' – contains the usual useless stuff that's worth the extra fortune. There's sailing and boat-battles, which look like a lot of fun and for once the Wii U may be useful here as there's an extra screen for the map. In summary: it's a third person role-playing game where you play an assassin who jumps into hay-stacks to avoid detection (no I don't get it either but you get knives up your sleeves and there is nothing cooler than that).

4. Battlefield 4 (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC)

   So Battlefield is just like Call of Dut: it's a first person shooter, you play as a soldier and it's a modern war game. Comparing it to Battlefield 3, it’s the same game with the same enemies, better graphics and new weapons. Battlefield 4 is no 'game changer', it's nothing original but it is awesome to play online, one of the more tolerable first person shooters for sure.

5. Pokemon X and Y (Nintendo 3DS)

   Yes, in a world with exciting adventure games and shooters, Pokemon is still going crazy. 'Dynamic fighting' and 3D graphics have been applied, which means it's less Pokemon and more Final Fantasy. Capturing a Pokemon never gets old, which is why World of Warcraft included pet battles in their last expansion (Mists of Pandaria). Character creation has moved on a little: you can decide gender, ethnicity, and hair, and later on you can collect outfits and accessories. It's good to know they're not using the exact same formula for every new release.

6. Gran Turismo 6 (PS3)

   This is the best Gran Turismo game ever, why? Because it's the newest, that's it! Without playing it you can assume there are nice shiny cars that you race to earn points or money to upgrade your car, or buy a new one to drive faster and win more races. It's fine to like buying the same game over and over again for the shiniest newest version. If that's your bag then this is the game for you.

7. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

   Super Mario's back and its gimmicks everywhere but it's okay because it's Mario and everyone loves Mario. For some reason Mario is dressed as a cat (well, okay then!) and Princess Peach is a playable character again! It's surprising she managed to get captured so many times considering how capable they've shown her to be in this new game, maybe she just liked Bowser. Almost anyone can enjoy making it one of the only sociable games on the list for Christmas.

8. Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4)

   Killzone is PS4’s premier shooter; and for a first person shooter it looks quite interesting. The storyline has been thought through: it isn't entirely about guns although it’s a shame the only pacifist character had to die. The environment in which you play looks amazing; it's sci-fi and futuristic; everything is very square and shiny; and the flying vehicles are strange and colourful. I recommend watching the opening scene gameplay trailer – partly because it's an awesome sight but also because of the NPC (non-playable character) that glitches into a wall just before the end of the trailer.

9. Path of Exile (PC)

   Path of exile is PC only, but it looks like a lot of fun, it also looks a lot like Diablo but that's okay, most games within a genre will share many similarities. The range of weapons in this game look particularly cool and easy to use and it's about that level of challenging but not rage-worthy. It's a 3rd person role-playing strategy game that's almost top-down, but at more of a jaunty angle (like Diablo).

10. X-Com: Enemy Within (PS3, Xbox 360, iOS, OS X, PC)

    Enemy Within is only an Xcom expansion and not a full game but it's pretty darn cool so it deserves a shout-out. It's a top-down strategy game that yes, isn’t for everyone but it's one of the newest and very highly rated.