When it’s all said and done, 2013 will have made a serious case to go down as one of the greatest years in videogame history. It was a year of innovation and firsts highlighted by GTA V achieving a record setting billion dollars in sales after only three days.

Everything is coming to a head this holiday season with next generation consoles starting to roll off the shelves. Whether you’re diving head first into the next gen or sticking with your current system our guide has you covered. We break down Holiday Must-Haves for each system.

XBOX ONE

Xbox One’s launch lineup featured more high-powered exclusives than rival PS4’s including the much hyped third person adventure Ryse: Son of Rome. Unfortunately the Roman times hack and slasher falls much below expectations and is not really worth a purchase. The one launch title that truly deserves the “Must-Have” tag is the latest edition of Microsoft’s staple racing series:

Forza Motorsport 5
Xbox one
Released: November 22, 2013

Why you need it:

This game has what I like to call “the living room effect”. When someone walks into your living room and sees Forza 5’s beautifully rendered car models gloriously cruising on your HD TV they will know they are witnessing a next generation system at work. The lighting, sound, and beautiful landscapes combine to create the most realistic and stunning racing experience to date.

Other Highlights:
- Insightful and hilarious commentary from all three hosts of the wildly popular Top Gear UK
- Over 200 cars and a robust customization engine
- Haptic trigger feedback integration allows you to “feel” the car on the road
- AI based on real player behaviours

PS4

Combing the PS4 exclusives list for a title worth recommending is no easy task. At this early point in the console’s life there really aren’t any must have games exclusive to the system. Launch titles like Knack and Killzone are ok games but lack any WOW factor.

That’s not to say there aren’t any games worth getting though. Multi-Console releases like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 and my personal favorite FIFA 14, should tide over PS4 owners until the big releases start landing in early 2014.

Next Page: Wii U