Let the games begin!

As a gift, a video game really should keep on giving. When you give someone a game that appeals to his or her tastes, skills and interests, you also provide hours of stimulation and entertainment. Here are some of my favourite games for 2011. Prices range from Dh92 to Dh220.

L.A. NOIRE
Set in post-World War II Los Angeles, L.A. Noire is a police-procedural mystery based on the infamous Black Dahlia killings. Published by Rockstar Games, the creator of Grand Theft Auto, L.A. Noire is more mature and measured than the bombastic GTA series. But it also appeals to a narrower audience — one that prefers hunting for clues and unravelling a historical story rather than pulling hit jobs for modern-day gangsters. For PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows. Rated M for Mature.

DEAD ISLAND
Who knew zombies could look so pretty? Well, actually the zombies are disgusting, but the tropical resort they are taking over in Dead Island is so gorgeous that shooting, stabbing and chopping them up seems like a day at the beach (which it is). Dead Island has been the sleeper hit of the fall for good reason. It definitely provides accessible, enjoyable undead-slaying for a broad audience. For PS3, 360 and Windows. Rated M for Mature.

UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE'S DECEPTION
Anyone who has ever wanted to feel like an action-adventure hero should play this game. Other games provide Hollywood-quality action sequences in non-interactive scenes; Uncharted 3 lets you play through them as you control the swashbuckling Nathan Drake. It is also like a film in that it is entirely linear, but that's hardly a problem. For PS3. Rated T for Teen.

THE WITCHER 2: ASSASSINS OF KINGS
If Dead Island is the sleeper hit of the fall, The Witcher 2 has been the sleeper hit of the year, at least among fans of computer role-playing games. Like Dead Island, The Witcher 2 hails from Poland, but while Dead Island is set as far from the Continent as possible, The Witcher 2 evokes a dark, Gothic fantasy setting pulled straight from Central Europe in the Middle Ages. Political intrigue, genocide and the fate of kingdoms are all on order. For Windows. Rated M for Mature.

PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE LAST SPECTER
The Professor Layton series of puzzle games has long been my favourite franchise on the portable Nintendo DS, and the latest instalment does not disappoint. Professor Layton games delightfully blend creative brain-teasers with affecting storytelling. The only potential problem is that you do have to enjoy thinking to progress. That's a nice change from most of the infantile drivel on the DS. For DS. Rated E 10 Plus.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD
One of the all-time greats, Zelda in its new version finally takes advantage of Nintendo Wii's motion-sensitive controls. So as you play Link, the youthful green-clad hero, you can swing the controller to swing his sword. More important, the world and story of the game are superb. For Wii. Rated E 10 Plus.

PORTAL 2
Another great brain game here, this time for every major system except Nintendo's. (This is also the only game on this list available for the Mac.) Portal 2 is about using basic concepts of physics, such as conservation of momentum, to escape a futuristic underground research compound. The design is ingenious — it has to be, to make physics enjoyable for a mass audience. For PS3, 360, Windows and Mac. Rated E 10 Plus.

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
Superficially, Skyrim is similar to The Witcher 2: a single-player medieval fantasy role-playing game. But while The Witcher 2 is more tightly focused on scripted storytelling, Skyrim follows the path of previous Elder Scrolls games by throwing you into a vast world where you can determine your destiny. Perhaps no single-player game provides such a range of options for designing a character and conducting epic adventures. (Oh yeah, you get to kill a lot of dragons.) For PS3, 360 and Windows. Rated M for Mature.

STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC
Old Republic is scheduled for release on December 20, but based on my experience in beta testing I can recommend it for both Star Wars fans and online gamers. (Thankfully, those categories do overlap more than a bit.) Created by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts, Old Republic will provide the stiffest competition yet faced by the leviathan of online role-playing games, World of Warcraft. More than enough room exists in the market for both. For Windows. Rated T for Teen.

— New York TimesNews Service