Xbox 360 Christmas Gifts for an 11+ Year Old
Deadfall Adventures
Take one part Indiana Jones, one part classic Tomb Raider games, and mix it together with a switch to a first person (from the eyes) perspective, and you'll be pretty close to Deadfall Adventures. Far from being just another run and gun game, Deadfall Adventures offers a brilliant mix of a shooter and an adventure game, as you'll spend every bit as much time exploring the dusty ruins of the game's pyramids as you will engaged in a firefight with the Nazis. With plenty of puzzles to solve, treasure to collect, and elaborate, Indiana Jones style traps to disarm within the temples themselves, Deadfall is a welcome change of pace from games where shooting is the be all and end all of the game. With the ability to set the difficulty level of the puzzles and the combat independently, letting those who'd rather test their brain over their trigger finger adjust the game to suit, this could be a great introduction to first person games for those who haven't really played much in the way of shooters before. It is worth bearing in mind though, that the game does have some gory moments - enemies give out small clouds of blood when shot, and you'll often come across the remains of unlucky enemies who've attempted to explore the ruins before you, their bloodied bodies pinned to the wall with spears. One for those in their mid-teens upwards, perhaps - but it's still less violent than other, similar shooters, like Halo and Call of Duty.
Buy this if they like: Older Tomb Raider games, Indiana Jones, puzzles
Check back soon for our full review.
Buy Deadfall Adventures from Amazon
Contrast
The beautiful, vaudevillian-styled puzzle/platformer Contrast tells the moving story of Didi, the hopelessly lonely daughter of a cabaret singer, and her imaginary friend Dawn, as they explore a surreal 1920s world in an attempt to bring Didi's broken family back together. With a heavy story that looks at some pretty tricky topics through the innocent eyes of a child, Contrast is as inventive as it is touching. While the game takes place in a 3D world, the twist here is that the slender dancer Dawn can turn herself into a shadow at the press of a button, where she can make use of silhouettes of other objects to reach new heights. With carousel horses forming moving platforms, rotating bicycle pedals working like a makeshift lift, and the wonky shadow of a lamp post creating a ramp up to the roof of an adjacent building, manipulating light and darkness are the name of the game in here game, as you'll often need to mend, reposition and alter the lights that litter the world before you can carry on your journey, in your attempt to bring Didi's parents back together. One of the more inventive games this year, as an £11.99 downloadable game, a £15 Xbox Live Gift Card is probably the best way to go for gifting this one, too.
Buy this if they like: 3D Mario platformers, puzzles, good stories
Check back soon for our full review.
Buy Xbox Live £15 Gift Card from Amazon
Alan Wake
Caught in a battle between dark and light, the incredible (and sadly overlooked) Alan Wake casts you in the role of the titular writer, as he journeys to a remote village in an attempt to overcome his writer's block. A car crash, a black out, and a kidnapped wife later, you're thrust into the midst of a twisting, paranormal story, as Alan starts to discover pages from a manuscript that appears to have been written by him, yet he can remember nothing about - and even stranger still, the events on the pages appear to be becoming true. Your main enemy in the game are "the Taken" - villagers, or even inanimate objects that have been possessed by the darkness - and your main weapon against them is light. Shine your torch on them, and you'll burn away their shield of darkness, leaving them vulnerable to your a few shots from your pistol. With an intriguing story, inventive gameplay, and a great soundtrack, this is one many may have missed out on the first time round, making this a great budget buy. Although there are a few instances of blood, it's actually surprisingly uncommon, and is certainly much less drastic than in many other shooters, making this a game that's great for those in their early teens.
Buy this if they like: Mystery, light horror, twisting storylines, Nordic walking
For more, read our full review, or for more on the game's suitability, check out our Parent's Guide
