Thanksgiving has come and gone and you know what that means? Christmas is right around the corner, now if that gives you a slight sense of dread. Don’t worry because we have you covered when it comes to shopping for the gamer in your life. While the pandemic did delay many titles this year, 2021 was still a great year for games. So, here are my top 3 picks for games on each console.

Playstation 4 & 5

Deathloop – September 15

A contender for game of the year, Deathloop offers one of this year’s unique experiences. Imagine being an assassin stuck in a time loop a la Groundhogs Day. However, the only way to break the loop is to take out several bad guys all on the same day. Oh, by the way, you’ll also have another assassin trying to kill you and generally trying to make your life all around miserable. Well, that’s Deathloop in a nutshell, it is one of the best reasons why to own a PS5.

Resident Evil Village – May 7

This one is for the horror fans out there, the eighth installment in the Resident Evil franchise made a big splash with its debut this year. While Lady Dimitrescu may have captivated fans’ hearts with her trailer appearance. It was the Van Hellsingesque story elements combined with the series’s new direction that makes Resident Evil Village a must-buy for this holiday season.

Hitman 3 – September 21

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be James Bond, the Hitman franchise gives you the gaming’s Bond best experience. Funny enough IO Interactive is tapped to create the next Bond game. What makes Hitman such an enjoyable series is that it’s not your typical first-person or third-person action game, it’s actually a puzzle game, albeit a murder puzzle game but a puzzle game nonetheless. Hitman 3 also lets you import any purchased content from Hitman and Hitman 2, giving you hours of gaming bliss.

Xbox Series X/S

Halo Infinite – December 8

I couldn’t talk about Xbox without first mentioning the juggernaut that is Halo Infinite. Master Chief is back for the sixth installment in the main Halo storyline. While the actual game isn’t out till December 8th, multiplayer was dropped early and to rave reviews, I might add. The biggest gun in Xbox’s armory looks to make its mark on the first-person shooter genre once again.

Forza Horizon 5 – November 9

For the racing fan in your life, Forza Horizon 5 offers a stunning open-world environment with tons of replayability. The game features more than 500 vehicles and is arguably one of the best-looking games out on the market now. Driving your dream car around a track or on the open road has never been more fun than in this latest installment in the Forza franchise.

Far Cry 6 – October 7 

The Far Cry franchise has always offered one of the most interesting takes on the first-person shooter genre. Filled with outrageous plots and insane villains and pet bears and crocodiles, the franchise has become a fan favorite with gamers. And speaking of villains, the big bad for this entry is played by none other than Giancarlo Esposito. Esposito gives a chilling performance as the dictator Anton Castillo, easily jumping him to the top of the Far Cry villains.

Nintendo Switch

Mario Party Superstars – October 28

The most family-friendly game on the list is Mario Party Superstars. Whether playing solo or in a group, Superstars offers a great mix of past and present minigames. This is easily one of the best entries in the Mario Party series in years. Solid gameplay and a strong Nintendo soundtrack make this game a must-buy for families and kids, plus the game also features online play.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl – November 19

For the Pokémon fan in your life, now is the perfect time to pick up either Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl. The remakes offer the same great gameplay as the originals with a few tweaks for improvement and prettier graphics. The games come in around 40 hours letting you revisit the Sinnoh region or for the first time for hours on end.

Metroid Dread – October 8

Samus is back in the conclusion of the main Metroid arc in Metroid Dread. Fans of Nintendo’s cult classic series have been eagerly awaiting another installment in the franchise. Although it’s been a long long wait, it was definitely been worth it because Metroid Dread is one of the best in the series. Another entry on the list that is easily a contender for game of the year.