For the fantasy fanatic… Final Fantasy XII (read ourreview)
Any game with Final Fantasy in the title is usually a sure bet overall, and Final Fantasy XII is no exception. Focusing on a young princess searching for a way to save her little kingdom from a war between two neighboring superpowers, it keeps up the high production values and epic scale the series is renowned for. At the same time, however, it changes the gameplay in ways that wrest control from the player, putting them into a more advisory, strategic role during the game's many battles.
It's still plenty of fun, but the changes haven't gone over well with certain fans of the series, so be warned: if the gamer on your list is the type who starts heated debates on the Internet about the "purity" of a series' gameplay, you might catch them giving you the stink-eye once the wrapping paper's off.
Second choice:Tales of the Abyss
