The last few months have been a big one for video games at Biff Bam Pop, as we’ve increased our coverage of PlayStation 4 titles and games. The reason is simply that many of us have a PS4 , and we’re able to give the system and its games some serious love. And there are a ton of games out there that are worth some loving, especially from our pals at Warner Brothers Interactive, who have had a pretty incredible year when it comes to quality gaming.
In our house LEGO Dimensions has become a seriously big deal. Though I was initially skeptical about the franchise crossovers in the game (with characters from DC, Back To The Future, The Lego Movie and Doctor Who just to name a few all part of the game), the game is actually hugely fun and engaging, both for me and my daughter, who is psyched to increase her own character count (she’s looking for Unikitty and Emmett to play with). With LEGO Dimensions, you’ve got a base that allows for multiple LEGO characters to enter the game and play through the main story, or bonus chapters/games, which you purchase separately. The highlight for me, and probably a lot of pop culture freaks as well, is the Back To The Future playset featuring the voices of both Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. LEGO Dimensions is LEGO’s answer to Skylanders and Disney Infinity, and it’s a welcome one. Just be ready to get addicted.
Not only does Batman appear in LEGO Dimensions, he also stars in Arkham Knight, the final installment in the Arkham franchise, and the first to make it on to next generation consoles. The game was a huge hit upon its release earlier this year, and it only takes about five minutes of cinematic a for you to see why. Imagine playing through a computer animated long-form Batman tale. Actually, you don’t have to imagine it, as that’s exactly what Arkham Knight offers gamers. The graphics are stunning and the gameplay is familiar to anyone who has played previous Batman games in the series. The season pass offers alternate missions for a variety of characters, along with new skins to deck your characters out in. For Dark Knight fans, and everyone waiting for Batman v Superman, Arkham Knight is pretty much a no-brainer this holiday season.
Speaking of hits, one of the biggest of the years was Mad Max: Fury Road, which not only was a critical and commercial success this summer, but has also been taking home Film of the Year kudos from a variety of critics around the world. While WB’s Mad Max video game doesn’t fully tie-in with the film (there’s no Furiosa, sadly), it does recreate the desert and desolate world of Max beautifully. You can soup up cars, take on apocalyptic things and bad guys as you look to survive in a world that’s moved on. The voice work is stellar, by the way, with Brenn Foster taking the lead as a Max, with more lines than Tom Hardy actually said in Fury Road.
So, for the kids and the family, LEGO Dimensions is a must have. Then, when the little ones hit the sack, Arkham Knight and Mad Max lets you step into the shoes of two of the most iconic big screen badasses of all time. All of these games will look good under the tree this holiday seasons.
Filed under: Andy Burns, Andy Burns/Andy B, General, Holiday Gift Guide 2015 Tagged: Andy Burns, Arkham Knight, holiday gift guide 2015, LEGO Dimensions, Mad Max, Warner Brothers Interactive
