Holiday Buyers Guide for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC

Just giving you a list of my recommendations on the best games of 2010 and what games you should buy for you're loved ones or yourself if you haven't already. This list will only include Xbox 360, PS3, and PC titles

Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360): A fantastic sequel and an RPG with both a great story and combat. While people who haven't played the first Mass Effect may feel lost with the plot, the information given is substantial enough that you can find yourself lost in this beautiful space opera.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, and PC): As long as you don't buy it used, this game comes in with a VIP code that gives you access to additional maps, while the first three map packs were clearly pulled from the game to punish those who bought the game used, DICE has offered continual support to one of my favorite shooters of 2010. People who have played Call of Duty might find this game overwhelming because of the giant battlefields, all of the vehicles, and the lack of "twitch combat", but anyone that pursues it and gets into it won't be disappointed

Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360 & PS3): Fantastic story, many things to do within the wild west universe, solid shooting, deep and interesting characters, and a decent multiplayer component alongside. This is one of the best open world games of all time, even though it doesn't take place in a bustling city like Grand Theft Auto. Plus there is the downloadable Undead Nightmare expansion that costs only $10 and provides hours of gameplay plus a new multiplayer mode.

Starcraft 2 (PC): the successor to one of the greatest RTS (real time strategy) game of all time (at least according to popular opinion). This game is the only one real good real time strategy game to come out this year. This game features a very fun and varied campaign, highly competitive, balanced, and fun multiplayer, and support for a variety of custom games in special game types online that are brought to you buy Starcraft's modding community.

God of War (PS3): This is a very short, but sweet single player epic. Badass, for the lack of a better world, describes this game. There is so much violence and destruction, but the game and the universe it encompasses is so beautiful.

Halo Reach (X360): There is no Master Chief this time around, but this game is still amazing regardless of his presence. The game follows the story of a team of six Spartan super soldiers known as Noble Six as they try to save their planet from inevitable destruction. While the single player is fun and features 4 player co-op, the real staying power of this game comes from the multiplayer. There is a co-operative mode called Firefight where you are supposed to stand you're ground against oncoming waves of the alien covenant. Besides co-operative multiplayer, there is a deep competitive multiplayer component that features normal maps and modified maps that use Bungie's Forge 2.0 tool. For those that have played the previous Halo's one notable new addition to the game is a little something called armor abilities, where Spartan's can use special abilities or equipment such as a jet pack, , a hologram, invisibility, and much more.

Civilization 5 (PC): While Starcraft 2 remains king of real time strategy this year, Civilization 5 and its predecessor have remained the king of turn based strategy, and it doesn't really change here. For those who haven't played the previous "Civ" games, you're objective is to lead a civilization and guide it to victory and prosperity by running and managing you're civilizations actions. It's actually not that complex of a game, and the new addition city-states add an interesting new factor.

Call of Duty Black Ops (Xbox 360, PS3, and PC): Another installment of one of the most popular series of shooters, this game had the biggest entertainment launch in history, and that is majorly because the game has such a fantastic online component and very fun competitive multipalyer along with the fun single player that plays out like a Michael Bay movie. Anyone that likes shooters should get this game, and I assure you that those who disliked Modern Warfare 2 will be happy with the changes and improvements made in this game.

This is, in my view my favorite games of 2010. However other games I would like to bring to you're attention are Assassin's Creed 2 Brotherhood and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, Super Street Fighter 4, Heavy Rain, and MAG. The ones listed above however, are my absolute favorite titles I have played this year.