GamesPlanet Advent Weekend #1 Sale Guide (Part 1)

Winter is coming, so we're starting to dish out presents to everyone with some stocking filler prices as part of our Advent Weekend promotions. Each weekend from now until Christmas we'll be bringing you a set of deals fit for the festive period as incredible prices! You'd be crackers to miss out ;)

This weekend we're hitting the streets of New York, hunting down Dragons, taking on the Mafia and becoming the Batman. Take a look at our guide for the sales and come back tomorrow for the second part with even more suggestions!

Tom Clancy's The Division

A pandemic has taken over New York City and you play as a Sleeper Agent, who is called into action to try and restore order to the streets of this once great beacon of hope. As you'd expect in an open world game this features plenty of free roam activities for you to engage in, either as Solo or with friends. The story sees you travel all over New York as you level up and build up your home base which allows you access to all kinds of upgrades. Think of The Division much like a Diablo title with the goal being focused on skills, each one can customized to your playstyle and as you progress you'll get even more to pick from. Weapons and Gear can be found all through the City as you explore with each one being important to your survival, maybe you'll come across a sniper with some bonus stats which sets enemies on fire or perhaps you'll find a backpack that can hold more items.

While the game does have it's flaws it can still be very enjoyable to play this as is a stunning take on New York and if you're a fan of Tom Clancy game's then you'll feel at home here. It's a challenging Co-op shooter with plenty of rewarding moments and a visually impressive City that you'll be sure to want to explore.

Take back your city today, Tom Clancy's The Division is up to 56% off this weekend!

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The game hardly needs an introduction, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is quite simply one of the biggest RPG's of recent years. Set in a fantasy world with Dragons, Giants, Elves, Dwarves and more, you pick your hero from a set of races and then you set out to stop an evil Dragon that's been corrupting things. There is so much to do in this game, if you explore every inch of the world it might take you a long time, but in doing so you'll get a sense of wonder as you travel from place to place. You also get the ability to use powerful "shouts", these shouts may allow you to push enemies, defend yourself with dragon armour, slow time, use fire and so much more. Leveling up you have a choice on where to place points, perhaps you'd like to have more mana or a higher lockpicking skill. The story is a gripping tale, from the very first time you encounter a dragon to the last battle with your nemesis, it's a great game that should be experienced by all.

Pick it up here for 67% off or grab the Legendary Edition for 75% off. We've also got the other games in the franchise and DLC's for up to 75% off!

Batman: Arkham City

After Asylum it seemed all but inevitable a sequel would follow and sure enough in 2011 that came true. At the start of the game you're basically thrown into a city full of prisoners and the usual suspects are causing trouble again. Joker, Penguin, Two Face, Mr Freeze, Hugo Strange and others all bring a sense of chaos that only you the Batman can stop. The game was also the first one to let you play as Catwoman during certain moments, most of the gameplay is similar to Batman but has a unique style - at times you might find she's very hard to play as. You also can play as Robin/Nightwing in challenge modes but combat is more comparable to Batman.

The story takes place shortly after the events of Asylum and you're dealing with the aftermath of that, without spoiling anything let's just say there is plenty of twists in the game and some very unexpected things happen which you wouldn't expect. Freedom in Asylum was very limited because you had a small space and you were confined, this time around they gave you a whole city to spread your wings and glide around - in a way it's almost like you can fly because gliding is great and couple that with your grapel letting you keep gliding and diving into another glide to keep speed and height it's just a wonder. Plenty of side quests too, if you love collectables then you'll love collecting Riddler Trophies (or hate them!). This is probably my favourite Arkham game (though it's a coin toss between it and Arkham Knight) - everything is just so well made it's like a fine wine that all Super Hero games should aspire to become.

You can get Batman: Arkham City GOTY for 75% off today!

We also have the entire Batman Arkham Franchise on sale, which is up to 75% off on all titles!

Batman: Arkham Knight

This is my game of the year for 2015, which might be an odd choice and not even something I give a reason for really. It's the swansong from Rocksteady Studios in their Batman: Arkham trilogy and boy did they go out with a bang. I've always been a fan of Batman and played various games over the years (including some really bad ones), it was such a delight when Arkham Asylum released back in 2009 as it did something very few games did and made good use of a license. Arkham Knight is the ultimate Batman experience, you have the best free-flow combat system in any game as a staple for the series but refined enough to make it feel more fluid, you can drive around the streets with the Batmobile - (which at times can be a little tedious and annoying but the fact it's in the game still feels like it makes the whole package that much sweeter) and then you have a wonderful cast of villains - each one with their own personality and charm.

The game is a visual treat with some great moments highlighting just how pretty it is, at times it's hard to believe it's the same engine they have been using since the first game. Everything looks and sounds like it should, Kevin Conroy reprises his role as Batman along with many of the cast returning (including Mark Hamill as the Joker) to bring the world to life. Gameplay is much like the other games in the series, you have main missions, side missions, challenges and Riddler Trophies to collect - this time they have also added racing tracks to make use of the Batmobile. At times you might find yourself using the Batmobile as a tool to help you out during combat or to help solve a tricky environment puzzle. Another great addition is the team-up moves which let you pal up with Catwoman, Robin or Nightwing during certain moments to add more spice to the free-flow combat (I wish there was more of this outside of challenge maps).

I was a little disappointed they didn't do more with the story since it felt a bit lackluster at times and wasn't as dramatic as Arkham City, they also didn't do much in the boss battles (they do have some though). Minor gripes aside though when it comes together as a complete package it's a great Batman title and even with the various PC problems the game has had the game still managed to deliver a stunning game that is hard to ignore, not everyone will enjoy it or put it high on a list but it's the game I most enjoyed in 2015.

I hope one day Rocksteady Studios does another game based in the DC Comics universe, perhaps a Justice League game?

You can get Batman: Arkham Knight Standard Edition for 56% off today OR save 63% off the Premium Edition instead!

We also have the entire Batman Arkham Franchise on sale, which is up to 75% off on all titles!

Mafia II

Imagine a Grand Theft Auto game set in the 1940's and you'll get a get this gritty tale of mob wars set in the Big Apple. You play as Vito Scaletta who is a former soldier that has returned to New York to seek out a better life for his family, sadly for him he's having to turn crime to support them as life is tough with massive debts being something they can't afford. Much like a GTA game you'll be doing plenty of side missions in the open world including finding Collectibles such as really old Playboy Magazines (with nudes - this is not a game for kids!) or picking up Wanted posters for criminals.

If you've ever watched The Godfather then you'll feel like this is the closest game you'll get to GTA and since Mafia III is months away it's a nice way to jump into the series for the very first time - even if you've never played the original! It also has a pretty nice soundtrack with very classic oldies such as Dean Martin's Let it Snow or The The Chordette's Mr. Sandman.

Get Mafia II this weekend for 75% off or purchase the Digital Deluxe for 80% off. We also have Mafia III on sale this weekend should you wish to try our the newest entry to the series.

Fallout 4

The latest entry in the popular Fallout franchise, Fallout 4 takes place in the year 2287 (10 years after the events of Fallout 3) and is set in a post-apocalyptic world of Boston, Massachusetts as well as other parts of New England known as "The Commonwealth. As your story begins you'll find yourself thrust in the world where nuclear war is coming and you need to get your family to safety in one of the handy Vaults (which just so happens to be a stone's throw from your house). Once there you're put into cryogenic hibernation and things don't quite go to plan when you wake up, it's up to you to find your way outside and begin your adventure.

As with most Fallout games there is a massive open world for you to explore, vast cities and plenty of places to go. You can switch between a First Person or Third Person perspective anytime you want and you'll be able to team up with trusty companions such as everyone's favourite little doggy friend "Dogmeat". New this time is the ability to customize weapons, allowing you to beef up the simple guns you get into menacing weapons of doom.

Another new aspect of Fallout 4 is the S.P.E.C.I.A.L system which lets you pick skills in a tree allowing for you to tailor things your way, for example you could focus on a Stealth tree and make things easier on you if you need to lockpick a lock or you could focus on building up your Strength so you can carry more with you! The game features 275 perk and doesn't have a level cap so if you want to get everything in the game it might take you a while but it's possible to do (or you could use mods). There has been some pretty good DLC released already with Far Harbor being an impressive landmass (and the biggest one Bethesda has ever produced). Soon the last piece of DLC will arrive in Nuka-World, which will see you in a vast amusement park now a lawless city of Raiders with plenty of areas to explore such as Safari Adventure, Dry Rock Gulch, Kiddie Kingdom, and the Galactic Zone.

Get Fallout 4 for 68% off or grab any of the franchise for up to 68% off this weekend!

That's the recap for Day 1 of our first Advent Weekend, tomorrow we'll have another guide focusing on some other deals in the sale including GTA V, DOOM, Splinter Cell Blacklist and more! Remember this is a small taster of deals and you should check out the full list on our Advent Weekend Promo Page.