I consulted the Gaming team at TechRadar, and this is what we'll be playing during the Christmas holidays.
It's time to get fully involved.
The concept of a "Christmas game" has always resonated with me; it refers to those titles we save to enjoy during the holidays, taking advantage of the free time we have away from work or studies. This period is ideal for diving into great games that we may not have had the opportunity to explore upon their release, or to finally tackle the titles we've been putting off from our list.
The advancement of technology has given us more options than ever. In 2024, with the variety of portable consoles and the ability to play remotely via the cloud, we might have an even greater selection of games available to enjoy anywhere. Personally, I have fond memories of saving games for the holidays. I remember really enjoying Mass Effect 3 in 2013, and in 2014 I finally delved into the world of Dragon Age: Inquisition on PS4. In 2020, I spent hours in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and in 2021, I enjoyed Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, although I completed it before the official start of the festivities.
For this upcoming holiday season, I have a very special game in mind and I’ve encouraged my colleagues to reflect on their own choices for this time of year. Here are some of the games they plan to enjoy this Christmas.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Total honesty: there’s one game that will completely dominate my holiday schedule, and while I wish it were an indie game or one of the many titles on my extensive to-play list, the reality is it’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. This first-person shooter has captured my attention since its launch. The multiplayer experience is thrilling and quickly pulls you in. With the arrival of the first season, the improvements on the maps have made the gameplay even more engaging.
Recently, a mid-season update was released, which includes a fun festive variant of Nuketown, adorned with lights and Christmas decorations. With plenty of content to discover, I plan to dedicate some of my days to completing challenges in the battle pass. Furthermore, on the few occasions I’m not at home, I’ll take advantage of my iPhone 15 Plus’s potential to play, especially with the Razer Kishi Ultra mobile controller, playing titles like Zenless Zone Zero.
Baldur's Gate 3
Since I acquired Baldur's Gate 3 during its early access phase, I’ve been delaying my full immersion until its complete release last year. After several campaign restarts, I’ve decided that this will be the season to progress through its massive story. At the moment, I find myself near Moonrise Towers, and although I’ve only explored a small portion of the game, the quality of this year’s releases has kept me away from it. Even though it might be wise to wait for the next update, I’ve decided I can’t let this game slip through my fingers again.
However, it won’t be the only game keeping me busy this Christmas, as I’ll also be honing my skills in Tekken 8.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
As for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I’ve already started playing it and I’m about 10 hours into the adventure. The depth and richness of this title promise to keep me occupied during the holidays. I am committed to exploring every nook and cranny and completing all the side quests. I would like to earn the platinum trophy in my first playthrough, in which I’ll play as an elf rogue. Also, if I manage to finish my first run of the game, I can start a new game with a different character for a completely fresh experience.
If by chance I finish Veilguard, I have some backup plans, such as picking up Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered on PS5 or returning to Star Wars Outlaws in search of trophies, and also exploring Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl on Series X.
