Ahh, the festive holiday season are about to start soon. Just got the decorating walls sort out, the bright and colourful of lights and bobbles are hanging on the trees, the snowman is nicely build-up outside of the house with hat and scarf on, the roast dinner is fully prepared on the dining table, the reindeers is still flying with the Santa's sleigh while the old father Christmas himself start giving out a wonderful gifts to everyone with wrapped presents...wait! did I just say Christmas? well yes everyone, we will be celebrating a happiest winter holiday that keeps us busy with the Christmas stuff going on this year.
Watching favourite Christmas classic films, sing a long with a Christmas songs, and of course playing video games with friends and families in the same room is what makes it everything so fun.
I also went for my gaming hunt journey to collect many gaming related stuffs adding to my room for collection including modern games, retro games, gaming accessories, and you name it.
I had listed my 5 things that I wanted to consider getting one for Christmas day or is it just the item that I wanted to add it on my most wanted list, but it's all down to my luck if I ever had a chance to get one soon depending on my budget.
1 - Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 (PS5)
Going back in my early-2010s days of gaming, the time when I had a PS3 console which is the 7th-gen system along with the X360, which are best known for being a pinnacle of HD gaming providing a groundbreaking visual level of realism and being able to create a new game engine are fully designed to run on system's hardware technology that are certainly looked impressive at the time.
I remember back then when I've used my brother-in-law's PSN account on my PS3 system to use a PS Plus subscription which is a online services that offers you a monthly free games that are free to download and play it on your system, so that's when I've first discovered the Warhammer 40k: Space Marine which is a ultra-violence 3rd-person shooter where you take control of super soldiers goes on war fighting their lives to protect their home planet from the invasion of evil alien empire.
My initial impression on the first game is somewhat positive in terms of combat system which is a combination of 3rd-person shooter and Action Hack N Slash type of style just really fits it together well for the franchise and I'm pretty sure the single-player campaign action is also fun to play by blasting, slashing, and ripping the hordes of enemies throughout the stages just never got old is why the first game is quite decent.
In around year 2021 when the sequel just finally got announced with the cinematic trailer at The Game Awards 2021, I was really hyped to see the Space Marine made the return with the second title for the PC and 9th-gen console, so the game just got released in Autumn 2024 and it gained much better reception than the 2011's first title at the launch release praising for the single-play solo or 3-player online co-op campaign and competitive online battle is the reason why the people had enjoyed the game which is why I wanted to add this on my wishlist, so that I can able to consider myself checking out the second title to see how much this game has to offer for the shooter fans.
2 - Astro Bot (PS5)
I'm a 3D platformer fanatic myself starting from the likes of the classics 3D platforming adventures such as Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Sonic Adventure, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, and Rayman 2 which is the reason why I loved spending my time on playing video games everyday.
Heading back to my mid-2010s of gaming where I had PS4 console, I remember the time when Sony had reveal their gaming accessories called Playstation VR which is a virtual reality devices where you had to wear the VR headset on your head to display the realistic looking environment, so I think it's really sounds like an innovative piece of technology for the modern gaming platform but I decided to skip the VR gaming because of how really expensive the VR headset to purchase which is why I decided to avoid spending on stuff that had a same price cost as the PS4 console is not worth for my budget.
When I first heard the announcement of the Astro Bot: Rescue Mission for the PS4, I'm kinda feel buggered when they created the game that requires the VR headset to play the game which is a shame for me because I heard the game had many positive reception at the release which is sounds really good to hear, but there's no way in hell I would able to play this on my PS4 if I didn't had a PSVR headset.
Luckily in around summer 2024 when I got busy playing the PS5 console, I just discovered the game that I totally forgot about it was pre-installed on the system, so there is Astro's Playroom which is a 2020's 3D platforming game which acts as free tech demo which demonstrates the DualSense controller's ability designed for platforming gameplay.
I am really happy to say that unlike the first game, the second title do not require the VR headset to play which I am glad that I had a chance to play my very first Astro bot game for my PS5 console.
I find Astro's Playroom is quite enjoyable to play thanks to creative stage design, innovative gameplay system, and has tons of wacky platforming adventures makes the game quite entertaining to play for those who grew up playing with the 3d platforming genres.
What makes it even sounds awesome is that they had finally revealed the third title called Astro Bot which boasts over 90 levels to play, brand new abilities, and of course more collectables and discoveries to explore around, so the game got released in Autumn 2024 and had gained universally acclaimed by the gaming medias and fans calling it the best 3D platforming game ever made for PS5 libraries as well as it had sold 1.5 million copies worldwide, and it also had won the Game of the Year 2024 from The Game Awards show which really proves the success of the Playstation's wacky and fun 3D platforming game became one of the signature title for the PS5 owners really needs to go buy it.
This is one kind of the game that I really begging myself to buy one which is why I've added this on my wishlist.
3 - Stellar Blade (PS5)
Around in 3 years ago, I remember the time when I'm watching the Sony's Playstation Showcase 2021 video on the YouTube to discover the teaser trailer of upcoming games coming soon to PS5 console, there's one of the teaser trailer that caught my attention which titled as Project EVE which stars the gorgeous female protagonist named Eve going on action fighting against the creature at the beginning of the footage which I really liked how they made the fight sequence goes on slow-mo and she did sort of a acrobatic movement in stylish ways, while showing off the large scale of environments, has rich-detailed presentation, and of course the combat gameplay design on the middle of the trailer footage is looking quite spectacular which really reminded me of similar game that I've played it quite long time ago such as Nier: Automata.
In around year 2022, the South Korean game developer Shift Up had confirmed that the game is been renamed it as Stellar Blade which I really liked the name of it because it just feels that it really suits the name of the product title.
The game just got released in Spring 2024 and had gained mostly positive reception for its visuals, sounds, and combat.
It also sold about 1 million copy which made the game likely to be a fan favourite Action-Adventure title.
This is kind of the game that I really wanted to check it out which I also add this to my wishlist because as I previously enjoyed the other action-adventure games like Nier: Automata in terms of open-world exploration, story presentation, and combat gameplay, Stellar Blade is one of the game that I'd love to play this on my PS5 console.
4 - Black Myth: Wukong (PS5)
It's really interesting to see any of video games titles that were created by Chinese developers, so I had previously enjoyed the metroidvania indie game like F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch are basically an impressive 2D side-scrolling adventure that does a job well done for it's stand-out visual quality, well-built exploration and solid overall combat just made the game a worth to play.
There are some of the free-to-play online games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail which I haven't played those because I don't really play online-only games as much, as opposed to single-player solo which I rather much preferred to play it on offline mode, but I also heard these games are very popular among with the players and communities which is why these games had becoming quite successful at worldwide release.
There are one of the game that got me interested which I've discovered the video trailer of Game Science's Action-RPGs title called Black Myth: Wukong, which I am really amazed with the visual presentation design of Chinese folklore settings looks stunningly beautiful which I have never seen anything spectacular that the game development teams had to pull off the richest game's design you'll ever see, and I also heard the game's reception at the launch release is mostly positive among with fans and critics, and had become a fastest-selling game which surpassed over 20 million units which makes it the first AAA game from the Chinese video game industry made the huge success at worldwide.
After hearing many positive things about this game, the reason why I find this game appealing is because not only just the visuals and presentation are incredibly fascinating, the way they designed the gameplay is kinda has the soulslike elements with kung-fu style combat which is why I finding the actual trailer looked really cool with the badass monkey protagonist goes out fighting against the monstrous foes is the reason I've added this on my wishlist.
5 - Marvel Vs Capcom: Fighting Collection (PS4)
Ahh, I had a wonderful nostalgia when I remember playing good old Capcom's fighting classics back then, so stuff like Super Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter 3rd Strike, Power Stone 1+2, Plasma Sword, Darkstalkers, Capcom vs SNK, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, and of course the top-class crossover series such as Marvel vs Capcom which is a 3 on 3 fighting games featuring the rosters crossing over from Marvel comics and Capcom franchise.
I grew up playing the MvsC 1+2 on Dreamcast and Ultimate MvsC 3 on PS3, so these are the games that had everyone talks about how awesome Marvel vs Capcom series really is back then.
You had a multiple cast of fighting rosters from Marvel comics like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Rogue, Psylocke, Incredible Hulk, Captain America, and all others comic book heroes, where as the Capcom's own rosters had Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy, Morrigan, Strider Hiryu, Mega-Man, Jill Valentine, and you name it, is the reason why the series had become quite popular among with fighting game community and participating with the event of fighting games tournaments.
I am really glad to see some of these classic fighting games makes the return for modern platforming releases including X-Men: Children of the Atom, X-Men vs Street Fighter, and of course Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter are the only three titles that never got any of re-releases which took three decades to get it released on 8th-gen console, where as others like Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs Capcom 1 + 2 did previously released on 7th-gen console which sadly it got removed off from digital store shelves due to Capcom's licensing contracts with Marvel Comics had expired in 2013-14 which is a shame for those who had PS3 and X360 really wanted to play these games for their nostalgia were out of luck for not purchasing these titles in time before the date of expiry, so thankfully all these 6 games that I've mentioned are included on the compilation titled Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection just got a physical copy release for PS4 and Switch last month which I am glad to hear that Capcom had supported the physical media for the game collectors to add their collection, so I also added this to my wishlist.
Honorable Mentions:
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5)
Silent Hill 2 (PS5)
Persona 3 Reload (PS5)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (PS5)
Castlevania (PS2)
Resident Evil Survivors 2 (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes (Gamecube)
Pac-Man World 2+Pac Man Vs. (Gamecube)
The Story of Thor (Genesis/MD)
Soleil (Genesis/MD)
Zombie Revenge (Dreamcast)
Maken X (Dreamcast)
Illusion of Time (SNES)
Wolfchild (SNES)
Contra 4 (DS)
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This is Zeeshan Mirza's Blog and I'll see you next time, happy blogging and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
