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    The 2016 Post-Holiday Video Game Buying Guide

    Nothing says the holidays like consumerism, and the major chains will not let you forget this. Due to this fact, be ready to spend all that sweet Christmas cash on one of the best shopping weeks of the year. Here are a few of my favorite deals to cap off 2016:

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    Final Fantasy XV

    Let’s start off with one of 2016’s most anticipated titles, Final Fantasy XV. Players take the role of a young Prince Noctis, as he travels on a last hurrah road trip with his three closest friends before being wed to a neighboring kingdom’s princess. However not all goes as planned, with Noctis and his group of friends soon dealing with the repercussions of a major event the night before his wedding.

    Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time into this title, but from what I have played, Final Fantasy XV is a beautiful game that may be able to convert me to the Action RPG formula. FFXV will be on sale for at least $20 off for the next week, so pick it up while it’s cheaper.

    Best Buy: 39.99 (31.99 with Gamers Club Unlocked Membership)

    Target: 39.99

    Watch Dogs 2

    I have a confession to make. I adored the first game in the Watch_Dogs series (no I will not let you forget about the underscore Ubisoft). Although it didn’t live up to the hype for most people, the hacking-based gameplay was everything I hoped for and more from the Chicago-based open world game. (Seriously, if you’ve never played the first Watch_Dogs, you can get it for under $10 and the opening scene is worth that alone.) But we’re not here to talk about old games, we’re here to talk about the San Francisco spin of Watch Dogs 2.

    Watch Dogs 2 takes the gameplay from the original — with a few minor tweaks such as improved driving controls — and adds a whole bunch of character into the mix. While the game doesn’t have a very cohesive plot, I’ve slowly fallen for the campiness that is a story of a small group of Hackers versus the world. There’s a 3D printer that magically creates weapons, a LED-clad masked hacker who has an affinity for explosives and robots, and more memes than you can shake a stick at. You can pick up Watch Dogs 2 for $20 off this week, so just do it. (And also play Watch_Dogs because that game is great!)

    Best Buy: 39.99/31.99 GCU

    Target: 39.99

    Dead Rising 4

    What better way to spend Christmas money than on a game about fighting zombies for the holidays? Dead Rising 4 brings players back into the shoes of Frank West, the main character from Dead Rising 1 and  Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. Dead Rising 4 has ditched its traditional time-based objectives — which has been a staple of the series — to focus on gameplay and exploration. This change is welcoming, as it allows players to take their time and enjoy the world while destroying the hordes of zombies. You can find Dead Rising 4 for anywhere from $20 to $30 off.

    Amazon (As of Writing): $29.99

    Gamestop: $29.99

    Best Buy: $39.99/$31.99 GCU

    Walmart $39.99

    WINTER STEAM SALE!

    As always, the Steam Winter Sale has arrived and there are some awesome deals to spend your new cash on. While there are always plenty of deals, here are some of my personal favorites:

    Owlboy: $19.99

    One of the better platformers to come out in 2016, the seven-year development cycle behind Owlboy is a great example of how good things take time.

    Cities Skyline: $7.49

    Did you grow up loving SimCity? How have you not downloaded this game already?

    GameDev Tycoon: $6.99

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wNIFpUQsR4

    Get the real GameDev experience, and make your games in your parents’ garage in this simulation game.

    What other games are you planning to buy to get you through the cold winter months? Leave a comment for us below!

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    Cody Starcher
    Cody Starcherhttp://www.multivariousgames.com
    Cody Starcher is the Producer and Partner at Multivarious Games, an indie game studio based here in Columbus. His achievements include helping to organizing the annual GDEX, a Video Game expo that focuses on spotlighting smaller game developers across the country and writing the article that you are probably reading! When he’s not working on video games, or writing about them, Cody is normally playing a game and pouting that Back to the Future Part II wrongly predicted 2015. Play some games with me! My username for everything Vidya Games is "CodyWuzHere".
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