FOR THE PC 

NEW ARRIVALS

FIFA 15

For the football fan, it doesn’t matter which FIFA you are playing as long as it’s FIFA. And the latest one is no different. The new engine brings with it gameplay improvements, realistic stadium atmosphere, improved AI (articial intelligence, silly) for spectators and other non-player characters.

Evolve

An action-packed four-versus-one multiplayer game, where the player can choose to be either one of the four monster-hunters or the monster itself. The feeling of hunting and being hunted is thrilling. The gameplay, the variety of characters and their abilities, and the environment make this a truly Evolve-d experience.

Assassin’s Creed Unity 

Unity lets players explore Paris during the French Revolution following Arno Dorian as he tries to expose the true powers behind the Revolution. What’s new is the upgrade of weaponry, the option to customise character abilities, weapon and armour and the co-operative multiplayer gameplay.

Far Cry 4

This first-person shooter, action-adventure game follows Kyrati-American Ajay Khale who goes back to Kyrat, a state in the Himalayas. A sequel to Far Cry 3, the game has caught on for its new gameplay features like the grappling hook, the variety of side quests and the other characters. But the biggest difference has been the change from single-player mode to co-operative mode where a player can join another to assist with missions.

Alien: Isolation

Set 15 years after the events of Alien and 42 years before Aliens, Isolation is a first-person, survival horror, stealth game that will give players heart-pounding hours. Vents, doors, keycards, codes, suits, space and an alien who you cannot kill... and who now can adapt his hunting behaviour each time it encounters you. The environment, AI and stealth mechanics make it a hit.

Dying Light

This zombie apocalypse-themed survival horror game revolves around an undercover operative sent to infiltrate a quarantine zone in a city called Harran. It combines parkour and zombies seamlessly to deliver a thrilling experience that will have players jumping from rooftop to rooftop while being chased by terrifying zombies. The combat, graphics, co-operative multiplayer gameplay and dynamic day-and-night cycle are a delight for gamers.

ALL-TIME FAVES

Need For Speed: Most wanted

NFS: Most Wanted was a game that everyone who was ever interested in video games has played, and given a chance would play again. The sprints, the circuits, the drags and the cop chases — one wow ride that still makes us want to press that NOS (Nitrous Oxide Systems) button.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 

The single-player third-person game is set in the fictional state of San Andreas. Gang wars, customisation of cars, side-missions and mini-games.... There is a lot of violence and sex, and yes, Hot Coffee would never be the same again!

Delta Force: Black Hawk Down 

Be it shuffling the guns to attacking enemies or targeting their heads from a distance, or completing missions, this game has always hit bullseye. The player takes part in the Unified Task Force peacekeeping operation in the Somali cvil war.

Counter-Strike 1.6 

Best multiplayer game of all time? Definitely. The public servers still remain occupied, even after a major chunk of players moved to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This game, where players become either the counter terrorists or the terrorists, defines ‘evergreen’.

Max Payne 

There are very few people who have a computer and haven’t played this third-person shooter . With an amazing storyline and a very believable character — the NYPD detective who tries to avenge the murder of his family —  this game was popular with gamers and non-gamers alike.

Batman: Arkham City 

Fantastic narrative, interesting characters and brilliant world designs made the second instalment in the Batman Arkham series a critical success. The combat skills and stealth tactics of Batman, and the gadgets... made it memorable.

Road Rash

Probably the first computer game for an entire generation, this one offered pure, illegal street racing pleasure. The best thing about the game? The brawls you got into with the other contestants.

FOR THE PLAYSTATION

NEW ARRIVALS

DRIVECLUB

Slammed on release for poor AI and problems in online match-making, the updates have improved the modest, conventional road-racing game to the point of making it a must-mention among recent releases.

The Last of Us

This award-winning third-person game follows Joel and his ward Ellie, where Joel has to escort Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States that has been destroyed by the outbreak of a virus. Although a survival horror game, the player is bound to get caught up in the emotional ebb and flow of the gameplay. 

Grand Theft Auto V

While PC users have to wait till April to try their hands on it, the latest from the most famous open-world franchise for the PlayStation has again topped the charts. GTA V is a single-player game set in the fictional city of Los Santos and focuses on three criminals who try to commit heists while under pressure from the law. Already a critical success.

DESTINY

This first-person shooter, in a mythic sci-fi setting, incorporates both role-playing and massive multiplayer online game elements. It incorporates on-the-fly match-making, which helps create a dynamic experience for gamers. Praised for its competitive multiplayer mode and graphics, it has been criticised for its weak storyline.

ALL-TIME FAVES

Batman: Arkham Asylum

The first-of-its-kind with advanced graphics and use of strategy and intuition in a superhero game, Arkham Asylum pitted Batman against Joker and his other foes incarcerated in Arkham Asylum where Joker traps Batman. It quickly became a must-play for gamers.

Resident Evil 

The first PlayStation game for many, this was probably the closest a game could come to giving the audience the thrill of survival horror. It expanded its genres in the sequels but the first in the series remains a personal favourite for the majority.

God of War III

Kratos finally achieves his goal and brings Olympus to its knees. His final journey of triumph and sacrifice became the best-selling game in the series and provided the perfect climax.

WWE: Smackdown! Vs RAW 

Who doesn’t love watching WWE? And getting to be one of your favourite wrestlers and beating your opponents is
super fun.

GAMES THAT DIDN’T WORK

PC

Watch Dogs

In this game you are both the hunter and the prey. Plus, you get to try your hand at hacking, in the craftiest and smoothest way possible. Sadly, it didn’t live up to the hype and its story missions weren’t as impactful as expected. 

Max Payne 3

We see Max Payne nine years after the events of Max Payne 2. While it received critical acclaim because of its top-of-the-line graphics and realistic character build-ups, story and action, it didn’t stay with the fans because of its sharp departure from the style and tone of the original game.

MOBILE

2048

Too nerdy, didn’t appeal to the majority.

Quiz Up

It might have been a craze for a while but it died  soon enough. Why? People had to learn redundant facts about useless topics.

Boxman

We strategised, and we failed. Not once, but multiple times. Did anyone actually win in the end?

PS

Avatar: The Game 

The game served as the prequel to the film and had everyone excited given the success of the James Cameron classic but the linear gameplay, poor camerawork and story made it unpopular with gamers.

Iron Man 2: The Game

People have seen better superhero games. Even Marvel has produced better ones. Sloppy.

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Rewinding to the days of PS 1, this is a game where martial arts and superpower met to battle each other. Selecting the fighter and defeating the rest of the existing ones was one tough job back then.

FOR THE MOBILE

NEW ARRIVALS

FIFA 15 

The gaming experience isn’t as satisfactory as that of the PC game, but it is still the go-to game for football nuts. Especially when they are in transit.

Frontline Commando 2

This game is available both online and offline where you get to make your own squad of four members and work on missions. It sure is fun to team up with people online and play the game as a team. 

Crossy Road 

Based on the “why did the chicken cross the road” joke, this game sees players trying to make their mascots — chicken to koala to bunny — cross roads, rivers, grass and train tracks... without dying.

Asphalt 8: Airborne

The latest racing game comes with high-end graphics. The thumbs-up for this game is that there are ways other than winning to earn points. The jump-focused gameplay and multiplayer mode have also clicked.q 

Shadow Fight 2 

Epic combat sequences and lethal weapons — this martial arts game is about both moves and timing. It is the game for many young people during commute.

ALL-TIME FAVES

Candy Crush Saga 

This match-three puzzle is not only one of the most played online mobile games, it is also one of the most popular games on Facebook. Who hasn’t got tired of the endless Candy Crush requests? But you can’t stop crushing those candies, or at least trying to crush them.

Temple run

Once you start running, well, you just can’t stop. Unless of course you either fall into the gaps and die or get eaten by the apes. The sudden increase in speed and the challenges are what make the game addictive.

Subway Surfer

Temple Run’s successor is equally addictive and can keep you running on train tracks, jumping on the roof of trains and avoiding the policeman and his dog for hours on end.

Clash of Clans

This online multiplayer strategy game helps players build a community, train troops and attack other players to earn gold and elixir. Once you start building your empire, there is no looking back.

Snake 

Okay, so most Nokia phones don’t have the game anymore, but if parents or grandparents have one of those old handsets, play this one. Did anyone ever finish the game? Was there even an end?

Fruit Ninja 

‘Slice fruits, don’t slice bombs’ is the mantra for this game in which you slice fruits in half with a sword and grab the special power-ups and use the special bananas to maximum effect. Also, one must not forget the multi-slice pomegranate. No matter how silly it looks it gets you hooked. 

What are your favourite PC, PS and mobile games? Tell t2@abp.in