Some major players are duking it out in the gaming world right now, and you can rent them all from us, with each of the main formats catered for. It’s time to get your game face on…
1. L.A. Noire (PS3, Xbox360) – Cole Phelps is an up and coming member of the LAPD. And corruption is rife in post-war Hollywood, with plenty of opportunities for a hungry cop to rise through the ranks. Astounding visuals and a story to rival the movie industry, L.A. Noire puts players in their own film-noir, challenging them to solve crimes and catch the perps. All while wearing a fedora. Highly recommended.
2. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (DS, PSP, PS3, Xbox360, Wii) – Avast! Ye scurvy sons o’ dogs, there be Lego pirates aboard. Or something like that, anyway. Jack Sparrow and friends are the latest characters to be turned into little play pieces, and this features all the destruction, platforming and puzzling fun you’d expect from the Lego franchise.
3. DiRT 3 (PS3, Xbox360) – Rallying returns, and this time in even more detail. Whether you want to race over snow, roads, dirt, or through the rain, DiRT 3 has it all.
4. Brink (PS3, Xbox360) – The Ark is a man-made floating city. Originally built as a self-sufficient habitat, it has become the refuge for thousands fleeing the rising water levels. With civil war looming, you have the power to decide the fate of the Ark – and with it, the fate of humanity itself.
5. Portal 2 (PS3, Xbox360) – Mind-boggling puzzles abound in Portal, as your gun opens gravitational holes in the walls, floor or ceiling, and you use these to reach seemingly impossible places.
6. Plants vs. Zombies (DS) – The now infamous zombies-eating-plants game has finally come to a console, so if you missed this little gem and you have a DS why not try holding back the horde – using only sunflowers, pea shooters and other leafy allies.
7. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie (DS) – This is the sixth instalment in the series (remade from the original SNES version), which – as always – involves battling across vast areas, exploring new towns and wandering through dungeons. Just another day in the Dragon Quest world.
8. Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS) – The world-renowned fighting game Dead or Alive returns in 3D for the new 3DS console. You can move into the foreground or background to mount side attacks, and use the touch screen to execute combos.
9. Mortal Kombat (PS3, Xbox360) – Another returnee, another fighting game – in this case, Mortal Kombat: upping the ante on high definition gore and fatalities. Definitely not for the squeamish.
10. Virtua Tennis 4 (PS3, Xbox360, Wii) – If you’re tired of just watching the tennis (but don’t want to actually leave the house), you can’t go far wrong trying out Virtua Tennis 4. Added compatibility with PlayStation Move, and the Kinect, means you don’t even need to hold the controller anymore, just swing your arm and body as you would in real tennis. It may be wise to move small children and pets out the way before trying this…
Alexa Muir, Merchandising Manager