Christmas Gift Guide 2019: Video Games

The Call of Duty franchise is a modern cultural phenomenon of gung-ho FPS action, and Modern Warfare continues this great tradition. It also marks an important step within the gaming industry, as its online multiplayer function supports cross-platform play.Amazon.co.uk

The grandaddy of all strategy games finally makes its way to consoles in a pure, non-dumbed-down form this year. Available with both the Rise & Fall and Gathering Storm expansions, this is the definitive console strategy experience. Go forth and conquer the world!Amazon.co.uk

Jump into The Outer Worlds and embark on an eccentric sci-fi space bound romp. The buzzword here is freedom: do what you want, however you want, with whatever you wantAmazon.co.uk

Nintendo's gently spooky franchise makes its debut on the Switch. Mario's out of the picture for this one, with players donning Luigi's green cap and a spectre-sucking hoover to battle ghosts in a creaky old hotel.Amazon.co.uk

Games this ambitious don't come around very often. This epic Western adventure gives you control of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang, allowing you to embark on various missions as part of a wider cinematic narrative, all located within an expansive open-world map.Amazon.co.uk

This instalment of Nintendo's greatest brawler series lets you go toe-to-toe with over 70 video game stars from across genres and generations. A button-smashing fanfare best enjoyed with friends, present or online.Amazon.co.uk

Widely hailed as a current-generation classic, The Witcher 3 drops you into the middle of an epic medieval fantasy world as a monster bounty hunter – with hundreds of quests to complete. It's perfect timing to delve back into Rivia, with Netflix's live-action Witcher series due to stream this December.Now available on Nintendo Switch. Amazon.co.uk

Return to the ever-chaotic Pandora in the most recent installation of the Borderlands series. With a new roster of Vault Hunters, including a Beastmaster and a bear-riding gunner, you'll be tasked with battling down the Children of the Vault in a bid to save the planet.Amazon.co.uk

Boasting unique fighting mechanics, tough bosses and beautifully twisted visuals, The Surge 2 is one for Dark Souls fans, looking for another punishingly difficult yet ultimately rewarding experience.Amazon.co.uk

The iconic first-person shooter series returns with a spin-off instalment that takes you into an alternate '80s, battling Nazis on the streets of Nue-Paris in solo or cooperative modes. Raw, visceral fun.Amazon.co.uk

This remastering of the PlayStation One classic takes advantage of the timeless karting formula and combines it with an array of 26 well-loved Crash characters. There are also a few game modes to choose from, including arcade quick races, grand prix circuits, and multiple battles and races.Amazon.co.uk

This game takes a dark period of history, the French Inquisition and English invasion of France, and crafts a tale of horror, humility and tension – with immersive storytelling and atmospheric art style.Amazon.co.uk

MK11 continues the brawler series' tradition of gore-laden fights and fatalities. The controls have been updated in this instalment to diversify fight flow and technicality.Amazon.co.uk

A pandemic has swept through Washington D.C. Fight your way through the city in an attempt to regain control and order from marauders and mercenaries, all in the name of Homeland Security. You'll work to refine your talents, earn new weapons and smash your way to the heart of the capital.Amazon.co.uk

Apex Legends is a hugely popular and accomplished take on the now ubiquitous battle royale game style. It offers up many unique gameplay features, including hero choice and unique team-communication methods.Amazon.co.uk

The narratively labyrinthine Japanese RPG series that somehow incorporates the Disney mythology (don't ask us to explain the plot, there aren't enough hours in the day) returned this year with a long-awaited third entry. Adventure and battle your way through a number of new Disney worlds, including Monstropolis, Olympus and the 100 Acre Wood.Amazon.co.uk

More than just a remaster of the classic PS1 game, Resident Evil 2 is a ground-up rebuild of a terrifying classic, bringing its quintessential horror qualities to a new generation.Amazon.co.uk

Don't let the friendly graphics fool you - this tense survival-slash-horror game sees you sneak around an increasingly bizarre home-cum-labyrinth in an attempt to find the secrets sitting in Mr Wilson's basement.Amazon.co.uk

Race your way through British streets in some of the world's most impressive cars in the arcade open-world racer, Forza Horizon 4. With an ever-changing world environment and endless challenges, this racer offers up many, many hours of gameplay.Amazon.co.uk

Since its release in 2017, GT Sport has received a myriad of free updates injecting new features, cars and maps, now making it one of the most well-rounded and expansive racing games out there.Amazon.co.uk

The Legend of Zelda's adventuring finds itself combined with rhythm-action in Cadence of Hyrule. Dance-fight your way through dungeons and over desert plains to a selection of relentless chiptune beats.Amazon.co.uk

Trails Rising takes the stunt racing genre to new heights, literally and figuratively. The courses are challenging, inventive and addictive, with crashes that inject some slapstick ragdoll humour.Amazon.co.uk

Metro Exodus is a serious take on the post-apocalyptic genre. Players take control of Artyom to explore the bleak-yet-beautiful wilderness in search of hope, survivors and more ammo.Amazon.co.uk

As Fire Emblem moves from 3DS to Switch, Three Houses takes full advantage of its new platform, with new tactics, units and battalions taking to the field, rejuvenating and invigorating the battle system. The narrative itself is also boosted, with greater character and plot development.Amazon.co.uk

Sekiro fuses a stealth and action-adventure narrative with a Dark Souls twist of challenge. Players take control of the "one-armed wolf", a disgraced samurai in late-1500s Japan, as he seeks to reclaim his honour, no matter how brutal the path may be.Amazon.co.uk

Following on from the last Gears of War game, Gears 5 returns the player to the meatgrinder battle against the Swarm. The narrative is deeper than ever, backed up by alternate game modes including Hoard and Escape.Amazon.co.uk

Astral Chain fuses post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk themes to create a complex world of supernatural crime and violence. The narrative is compelling and the combat speedy, which is to be expected given that it was overseen by the creators of Devil May Cry.Amazon.co.uk

Super Mario Maker 2 uniquely mixes side-scrolling platform action with creativity. Endless hours of entertainment are provided, as you build and play your own levels. Or, take the challenge online and lets users from around the world experience your maps, as you also download and play user-created maps.Amazon.co.uk

Battle humans and mutants as you make your way through an apocalyptic landscape as Walker, the last Nanotrite enhanced ranger, on a quest to take down the military government, known as the Authority. The array of weaponry and vehicles lends this game a diverse FPS experience.Amazon.co.uk

Odyssey is the Switch's answer to Mario 64. Set in a series of open environments filled with platforming challenges and a host of secrets, your skills and cunning are tested, with dozens of abilities offering endless ways to beat each level.Amazon.co.uk

Breath of the Wild introduces a true open world into the Zelda franchise. Take control of Link and explore the vast and enchanting plains of Hyrule, fighting, gathering ingredients, uncovering secrets and solving puzzles. This game easily lasts beyond 100 hours of play.Amazon.co.uk