The Count | My Holiday Wishlist '08

5. Left 4 Dead

I’ve played Left 4 Dead. I loved Left 4 Dead. I want to play more Left 4 Dead.

I have some friends. They have Left 4 Dead. We like to kill zombies. We can do this together.

4. Time to play Fallout 3

Like Sinan said in his Silly Season editorial, it would be a crime to give a game as special as Fallout 3 anything less than my undivided attention. I’ve had this thing installed on my PC for about a month, and have yet to play past my in-game childhood. I have so many other games to play and obligations to satisfy, so I just keep pushing this beautiful blend of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises back to an imaginary time when I will be free to roam the post-apocalyptic world, uninterrupted. Maybe I should have wished for a time machine...

3. Metal Gear Solid 4 on 360

I love Metal Gear Solid. The truth of that statement alone would have been enough for me to grab a PS3 earlier this year, but rumors of an eventual Xbox 360 port kept me from dropping those Benjamins. Now, after all of the critical acclaim, my love and desire burns even stronger. I MUST play MGS4 soon, and a 360 port would be a big help in realizing that dream.

2. LittleBigPlanet & a PS3 to play it on

Yes, I know this sort of negates my last wish, but I’m not putting all of my eggs in one basket. LittleBigPlanet earned my vote for Best of E3, but alas, I haven’t played the game since then. Somehow, buying a new console for just a couple of exclusive titles seems ill-advised in today’s economic landscape, so I wait. Regardless, LittlBigPlanet is the game that I have drooled over the most this year, and I am dying to experience what it has to offer. From the excellent platforming gameplay to the robust community features (so long as Sony doesn’t absolutely cripple that part), this game has WIN written all over it.

1. Prince of Persia

I am a huge fan of the Sands of Time trilogy, but somehow the newest game flew under my radar for quite a while. Maybe it was just that I knew the game was coming, had it on my "get these games" list, and needed to pay no more attention than that; it was a done deal. Now, though, as we draw ever closer to the game’s release, I become more and more excited by the day. What I have seen of the game thus far conjures up fantstical images of a game where Sands of Time meets Shadow of the Colossus meets the Assassin’s Creed engine meets incredible artwork...and more. Why wouldn’t this be my #1?