I’ve always enjoyed the idea or the concept of a ‘Christmas game’; something that you’ve saved or reserved for the holidays that you can really immerse yourself or get lost in given the extra time you might well have away from a job, school, or university.
It’s often a great time to get into something huge or meaty from the year that’s about to pass, potentially dive into a PS5 game, Xbox Series X game, PC game, or Switch game that you may have had to pass on at the time of release, or go way back into your backlog to finally get to something. Or elements of all three. Plus with the array of handheld gaming consoles, remote play options, and cloud streaming experiences now open to us in 2024, you might find you have more games on more platforms to play over the holidays – and do so wherever you are.
I’ve fond memories of having such games reserved for the holidays and getting stuck right into some big ol’ beasts: in 2013 I remember playing the heck out of Mass Effect 3; in 2014 it was finally embracing PS4 with Dragon Age: Inquisition, in 2020 it was dozens of hours with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and in 2021 it was Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales – though while I started the latter in December to feel festive earlier, I’d actually finished it (and got the Platinum trophy) before the holidays started such was its punchy length.
Anyway, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ve got a game for this coming holidays, and such is my enthusiasm, I’ve badgered my colleagues once again into having a think about what they’re going to be playing this holiday too and giving us a window into why they’ve chosen them. So here’s what we’re playing this Christmas as we unwind and enjoy some downtime.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
I’m not going to lie to you. There’s exactly one console game that will completely dominate my holiday schedule and, as much as I would love it to be some darling indie or one of the hundreds of titles from my hugely swollen backlog (that sounds like something I should probably get looked at by a doctor), it’s realistically none other than Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Can you really blame me though? It’s a fantastic FPS game that I’ve been pouring hundreds of hours into since I reviewed it at launch. The multiplayer is simply a blast, with such a fast pace that it’s hard not to become immediately hooked. The maps were a bit underwhelming back then, sure, but the arrival of season one has really turned things around with a few top environments and made the overall package that much better.
The mid-season update has just landed too, bringing even more to the table including a hilarious holiday variant of the classic Nuketown that is absolutely drowning in fairy lights and baubles – very festive! With about five or so pages of the battle pass left to clear, this is going to be a daily commitment.
On the rare occasions when I won’t be at home and within arm’s reach of Call of Duty’s comforting warm embrace, I’m planning to take advantage of my iPhone 15 Plus’s gaming potential. Armed with the stellar Razer Kishi Ultra mobile controller, it’s an absolute powerhouse. Zenless Zone Zero will still be my go-to here, especially now that I have Seth on my team, but I’m very keen to also give the adorable-looking Infinity Nikki a try.
Dashiell Wood, Hardware Writer
Baldur’s Gate 3
I’ve owned Baldur’s Gate 3 since its early access phase, but I managed to hold off really diving into it until its full release last year. Unfortunately, it’s been the can I keep kicking down the road, and every month is the same story: “Yes, this is the time I finally take my Tiefling Warlock beyond Act 1.” Several campaign restarts later and so many Tavs left by the wayside have only made Baldur’s Gate 3 a more daunting experience to go back to, and I’ve only got myself to blame for that.
Things will be different this winter break, though, as I’m finally committing to getting through Baldur’s Gate 3’s mammoth campaign. Right now, on the cusp of entering Moonrise Towers, I’m further than I’ve ever been. Okay, sure, that’s barely even a third of the way through this monster of a game, but can I be blamed when 2024 has been such a good year for quality game releases?
And while it might make more sense to properly dive in once its final major patch drops – the one that’s adding 12 new subclasses and a photo mode early next year – I simply can’t put this game off any longer. Plus, all that new content could spur me on to making even more progress should the game fall off the backlog cliff yet again.
That’s a real danger here, too, as Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t be the only game to keep me occupied this Christmas. I’ll be carrying on my journey up the ranks in Tekken 8, too. Having recently hit Garyu in red rank territory, I’m about halfway along the path to Tekken Godhood. Will I get there? Probably not – I’m not Rangchu – but I’ll be more than satisfied if I can take my Asuka up to at least the Mighty Ruler rank.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
I’ve already started this one and am about 10 hours in but such is the depth and breadth of a Dragon Age adventure, I’m positive this will be my holiday game. The sheer size of it, and my desire to explore every area, hoover up each side quest, and soak up all the brilliant places and locations – and lore – will keep me busy for a good while over the holidays. I’m committed to seeing as much of it as I can – and maybe even going for the Platinum trophy too. Plus, even if I do finish my first playthrough – an Elven rogue, thanks for asking – I’ll have the option of starting right over with a new character to experience Dragon Age: The Veilguard from a whole new and different perspective.
There’ll be a spot of sentimentality here too as I fondly remember getting stuck into Dragon Age: Inquisition as a holiday game right at the end of December 2014 when I finally traded in my PS3 for a PS4 – the snowy landscape of Emprise du Lion in that game felt very fitting and had a very strong sense of place only further heightened by playing at Christmas time and having just got to a wintry location in Veilguard the same feels have begun to return.
Should the unthinkable happen and I do finish Veilguard, then I’ve got a backup plan or two – even though I’ll be limited to remote play options on PS5 (via PlayStation Portal) and Xbox Series X. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is waiting for me on PS5 and would be an easy hit to while away the holiday hours in, while I do fancy the idea of going back to Star Wars Outlaws for a bit of trophy hunting to work toward the platinum. I could also tap into Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl on Series X which I started recently and could remotely play while being away too.
Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor