Welcome to You Should Play, a series where we highlight all of the video games that you should be playing this week, from big-budget releases through to little-known indie games.
It’s the first week of December and as many in the Western world are counting down the days until Christmas, a slew of new video games are making their way to store shelves to round out what has been a pretty great year for new releases.
While December can be an awkward time of year for games to release, hardly giving them an ample amount of time to be featured in media outlets’ inevitable slew of “Game of the Year” articles, there are still some titles that are worth your attention as we continue into the holiday season.
With that being said, check out what You Should Play this week:
Xenoblade Chronicles X
You may be feeling fatigued as a result of the abundance of huge open-world games you’ve explored this year, and while you’re well within your right to feel a little worn out after having exposed every nook and cranny of The Witcher 3 and Fallout 4, if you’re a Wii U owner then Xenoblade Chronicles X has a good chance of being the best game you’ll play on the console all year.
A sequel to the 2012 Wii classic Xenoblade Chronicles, which has since been regarded as one of the greatest RPGs of all time, Xenoblade Chronicles X features an unprecedented level of scale for a Wii U game, offering one of the most robust and engrossing experiences the console has seen to date. Monolith Soft have pushed the system further than it’s been pushed before, and it’s as immediately daunting as you’d expect from a large-scale JRPG.
Such an ambitious game does have its problems, however, with there being a significant lack of guidance when it comes to its key gameplay elements, which when coupled with a combat system that leaves some of its mechanics up to chance can swiftly lead to frustration.
But despite this, the high level of exploration and the vast amount of things to do within its beautiful, diverse setting make this a game worth experiencing, and a must-play for JRPG fans.
Why You Should Play It
- A massive, diverse open-world.
- Pushes the Wii U to its limits.
- Sequel to one of the most respected RPGs ever.
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare was an unexpected hit on PC, offering players a break from competitive online multiplayer games in favor of pitting them against one another in battles of swords ‘n’ shields, in which the limbs of their enemies could be chopped off with wild abandon and its surprisingly complex melee combat was complemented with a dark, bloody sense of humor.
Thankfully the game is now finally making its way onto consoles, with it set to launch this week on both the PS4 and the Xbox One. Downloadable on PSN and Xbox Live, the port will feature 24-person online multiplayer, over 25 maps, dedicated server support and a brand new horde mode for teams of up to six players, making it a pretty robust version of the game for those who haven’t had a chance to try it out yet.
If you’re a PS4/Xbox One owner who’s into online multiplayer games, then Chivalry: Medieval Warfare offers a unique experience that can provide a great deal of entertainment when played with friends.
Why You Should Play It
- Lots of fun with friends.
- Precise, satisfying melee combat.
- Unlike any other multiplayer game currently on PS4 or Xbox One.
Just Cause 3
Just Cause 2 has become a cult favorite in the years since its release, thanks to it offering an open-world environment that was specifically built around making the player feel as though they were a star of their own off-the-wall action film. While many open-world games in a post-GTA IV world adopted a gritter, more po-faced and narrative-driven ethos, Just Cause 2 stood out among the crowd with its fun virtual playground, and succeeded because of it.
Just Cause 3 follows in its predecessor’s footsteps in this regard whilst upping the ante considerably, and while its story and missions continue to take a backseat in favor of traversing through its environment and causing wanton devastation and destruction, for those who were fans of the chaotic gameplay featured in its first two installments, developers Avalanche have done their best to appease you by introducing more mayhem into the third chapter in the series.
It’s never been the most polished of triple-A gaming franchises, but Just Cause 3 features enough gliding, grapple-hooking and explosions to satisfy those who fell in love with Just Cause 2 will settle right back in.
Why You Should Play It
- Explosions.
- Allows you to essentially be the star of your own ridiculous action film.
- More explosions.
