PlayStation - Holiday Gift Guide
PlayStation has been going strong now for almost 30 years and with that comes a lot of brand recognition and support. The PlayStation 5 is almost 3 years old and it is about to get slimmer and with PlayStation VR2, there is a lot to enjoy for existing owners or for those still to join along.
As far as games go, most of what hit Xbox this year, also came to PlayStation but those with the white tall box have a few exclusive games, some by Sony themselves and some by others, so let’s get into it.
PlayStation 5 Console
Price: $799.95 rrp
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | Big W
The PlayStation 5, like the Xbox Series, comes in two flavours with a disc drive and without. Once the slim comes in that won’t be an issue persay, for now though you need to think on which model you want. We are suggesting the one with the disc drive, as you can enjoy a lot of PlayStation 4 games on disc that way. PlayStation Plus is also an option if you want to get games each month. The Digital only console is the one in the black box and will be cheaper, but the white box is the one with the drive and that is what we suggest.
PlayStation VR2
Price: $879.95 rrp
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | Big W
It is really strange to see that the PlayStation VR2 costs more than the console, but here we are. PlayStation VR2 is not just the next entry, but its a complete overhaul of almost every aspect makes it a next generation VR headset. This is not something to buy someone on a whim as you need space to enjoy it fully and games are still extra, though there are some games like Gran Turismo 7 down below, that do offer VR modes in addition to their regular mode. The library of games here is also quite small, not tiny but compared to the first generation PlayStation VR still a while of matching.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Price: $124.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
When Spider-Man swung onto the PlayStation 4, it created a new template for what a Super-Hero game could be, taking the mantle from the Batman Arkham series. One standalone expansion later, the sequel has arrive and doubles down on everything, with two Spider-men to play as, a gallery of villains that stretches on, plus a city as vast as you can get. We adored our time with the game, and anyone who is a fan of the wall crawler will likely feel the same.
final Fantasy XVI
Price: $114.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
The Final Fantasy series started out as a last ditch attempt to make a game people wanted, thus the name Final, and now we are almost 40 years later and the series is going from strength to strength. For those who only play the mainline entries, ie the ones with the numbers in their names, then 16 is going to be a great addition to that line up. A more western style tale, but with plenty of summons and other Final Fantasy elements, makes this one of the most approachable of the series, it is why we gave it a perfect score.
Star Wars JEdi: Survivor
Price: $109.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
Star Wars games used to be either cheap cash in titles or stories to fill gaps and the quality of them was all over the place, so enter Respawn Entertainment. Their first Star Wars game was long in the tooth at times, but set a great foundation for the sequel. Jedi Survivor did have issues at launch, but a good stream of support has brought the game into line with what people expect of it and with incredible combat, multiple planets to visit and more Star Wars fun than ever, you won’t have a bad feeling about this one.
God of War Ragnarok
Price: $124.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
While the game released last year, it was the last game for the PlayStation 4, so its inclusion here makes sense, the fact that the game is near flawless from start to finish and you will understand why we love it so. The game is a sequel to the 2018 series reboot, so if the person you are buying this for does not have that game, be sure to include it as well. The game features the series iconic combat, vast spaces to explore and characters you will want to connect with, making it one epic tale from start to finish.
Gran Turismo 7
Price: $124.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
When Gran Turismo 7 launched back in March of 2022, we loved it, and since then the developers have poured even more attention into the game, as well as even more cars. Since launch more than 50 cars have been added, 7 tracks with 14 different layouts and fixes galore, not to mention the VR mode. So if the game was a love letter to cars at launch, its now the bible of car games and it seems as if the folks have no reason to slow down any time soon.
The Last of Us Part 1
Price: $124.95 rrp
Review: Link
Available: EB Games | JB HiFi | The Gamesmen | Amazon | PlayStation Store
With The Last of Us dominating TV screens at the start of the year, it makes sense to include the game that started it all on this list. Not only is the remake one incredibly one done job, its story is still one of the best on the interactive landscape. The only reason not to get this game is that you already own it elsewhere, while the PlayStation 3 original is classic and the PlayStation 4 version is solid, this is the definitive version of the game.
Gift Cards
Price: $10, $15, $20, $30, $50, $80, $100, $135
Available: Multiple retailers
Gift cars are a great way to give someone a game, but still letting them choose it. The value of the cards is quite varied, so you don’t need to buy the big one if you don’t want to. As the PlayStation Store has sales all the time, even a $50 card could net someone two or even three games and of course there are countless DLC options to extend games that people already own.
So there you go, the items and games we suggest for anyone who is keen on PlayStation.
