The PC Gamer 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

I’m Too Young To Die ($40)

A shockingly complete, sprawling collection of outlining the rise of a hobby-defining game style, I’m Too Young To Die is a collection of the incredible innovation that gave rise to the modern First-Person Shooter over the decade of 1992 to 2002. As either a vital reference for the dedicated lover of FPS or an object for casual perusal, it’s a worthy addition to Bitmap Books’ collection of historical gaming encyclopedias and references.

CFM Desk Mats ($23-30)

CFM has a cool set of desk mats encompassing games like Runescape and Animal Crossing, but their real standout projects are the super-detailed spaceship schematic and control panels from Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and more. Oh, and LED RGB Goku. And the Stardew Valley Night Market. Ok, a lot of them are standouts.

Junimo Plush Set ($24)

These incredibly adorable Junimo plushes are perfect for the stardew enthusiast both casual and hardcore. Keep them in a larger pile of stuffed joys, have them bless your efforts from a display shelf, or scatter them throughout the house to complete the sense that you, too, live in a blessed and magical valley protected by trustworthy spirits.

Atsuko’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Gear ($24-50)

Anime merch crew Atsuko has absolutely crushed it with shirts and sweatpants themed around Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, which was pretty dang good. Figure out your giftee’s favorite character (it’s Rebecca) and get them a shirt aimed right at their heart, or get them a nicely colored and laid-out shirt with the whole crew. It’s a nice collection to see in a marketplace that doesn’t always get the aesthetic of the show or game right when translating it to wearables. 

Undertale reusable bag ($15)  

This folding, reusable bag is perfect for shopping, whether you’re doing that shopping above the ground in the human world or beneath the earth in the world to which monsters have been exiled. It’s a panoply of everyone’s favorite Undertale characters, is made to have a different look on both sides, and it folds into a small form-factor to fit in your pocket—very nice if you’re not sure that any shopping is going to get done but want the option. (A common problem at conventions, in one author’s humble opinion.)

Ace Attorney pin set ($19)

Something timeless has come about from Ace Attorney’s many interjections, and now that the series is—as of the last few years—quite officially a PC Game, it is imperative that you be prepared at any time to have an Objection, Take that, or Hold it ready to go. What easier way to do so than to have a pin on your person which will be guaranteed to add flair to any debate or proceedings, regardless of their legal status? None that I know of. You can also lodge your Objection in pillow form. 

Virtual Cities ($16)

A wonderfully rendered journey across the worlds made for video games, Virtual Cities is a book that crosses between urban planning, visual design, and worldbuilding to talk about places that don’t exist. Places like Whiterun, City 17, Kamurocho, New Vegas, Orgrimmar, Novigrad, Dunwall, and Sigil. It’s a laundry list of places and a journey over decades of gaming, even if you haven’t played every one of the games involved. Lots of gamers will love this thing simply because it takes the time to really enjoy the design of so many virtual spaces—and might well inspire them to explore those places themselves.

PC Game Pass ($20-30)

Two or three months prepaid membership to PC Game Pass gives your giftee access to a huge array of games that they might not actually want to own, just try for a while. We’re talking a broad array of games from the entire Halo franchise to Bethesda Softworks’ stuff—including EA Play, for the Battlefield and Star Wars games. There’s also an increasing array of indies on here, many of which are releasing on Game Pass same day during the holiday season and in the early-year release window.

Gametee’s Art Prints ($15)

UK-based retailer gametee makes some incredibly stylish stuff, and their art prints are no exception. Where many prints are huge and expensive, Gametee’s archival-stock prints are remarkably affordable, have a “buy two, get three” program, and benefit from flat-rate international shipping. The styles range from brooding art and beautiful compositions to pin-ups and faux book covers. 

Tunic Tees & Hoodies ($30-60)

One of this year’s sleeper hits, Tunic’s broad array of weird symbols and funky gameplay is a love letter to the mystery of discovering how a new game works. The various sacred geometries of Tunic are now on shirts, richly colored in the game’s palette, as well as pullovers and hoodies. Tunic’s neat merch comes from Compress Merch’s Finjji line, which also has stuff from games like Chicory and Overland. 

Deep Rock Galactic Coaster Set ($12)  

What better gift for the dedicated player of a game about drinking with your friends and getting into trouble than an accessory to be sure that cleaning up after the trouble is easier? Let your favorite player of one of the best cooperative shooters out there feel that they are sitting at the Abyss Bar with this set of leather coasters, each imprinted with a signature phrase. Do it for Karl!

Magnetic Nut and Bolt Tray ($8)

This is a gift idea for any major nerds out there. We swear by these tiny magnetic trays for when we’re swapping out components, and we think most PC builders would benefit from having one.

Logitech G203 ($20)

If any PC gamer in your life is still rocking an out-of-date office mouse, generic mouse, or (shudder) a mouse with a trackball, the G203 is a cheap and effective upgrade for more accurate aiming and gaming.

Disrupting the Game: From the Bronx to the Top of Nintendo ($20)

We know he’s not a PC person, but former Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aimé left a lasting mark on how the personality of the games business is conducted. While it does indulge in a bit of classic American Dream storytelling, his book is a fascinating look inside a personality that shaped the last few decades of games development and games business.

OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush ($8)
A perennial feature of this guide, OXO’s specialized electronics cleaning brush is the single handiest tool I’ve ever owned for cleaning the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of your mouse, keyboard, and controller. They are grimy and disgusting and you know it, so please unplug them and then clean them. Please. 

Samurai Pillow Plush ($10) 

Cyberpunk lovers will revel in this particular pillow, the cyber-devil logo of Johnny Silverhand’s band Samurai sitting front and center atop whatever surface of comfort they’ve chosen. It’s a good shape and size for an on and off lower back pillow in your gaming chair, to boot. An excellent way to rest until holographic Keanu Reeves appears in your thoughts and informs you to “Wake the f*** up, Samurai. We have a city to burn.”

Witcher Trinity Sigils pins ($6-9)  

This set of three pins has the symbols of the leading Witcher characters as shown in the Netflix series. You’ve got the Wolf, for Geralt; the Star, for Yennefer; and the Sparrow, for Ciri. For about $12 you can get the individual symbols on necklaces, if you know that’s something your giftee would like—and know their favorite character. 

Annoying Dog Pouch ($15)

Undertale fans will rejoice at the appearance of this, the Annoying Dog, in their very own lives. He is not truly annoying—don’t get us wrong—but rather an annoyance to many other characters throughout Undertale and a fan favorite, often taken as a stand-in for Undertale’s author. Plus, what’s more annoying than a little change, cash, and cards pouch that you will inevitably misplace and search for? Nothing. At least the giftee can smile when they find it.

Critical Success & Failure d20 Cushions ($24)

This delightful pillow, also available in a purple failure, is a rather classy way to celebrate the rolling of a natural 20—which all right-thinking gamers know is a critical success. It’s made with a soft faux-suede material and decorated with classic motifs of florals and insects. It’d be right at home in some non-gaming grandma’s sitting room until you notice the d20. It’s also available in a Critical Failure version, where those bees are replaced by death’s-head moths. Quite a nice touch. 

Valorant Comic Book Posters ($22)  

These comic cover posters of Valorant agents are such a great idea for a character-focused shooter like this. Spanning a set of styles from ’90s muscles-and-pouches to modern high-gloss looks, Valorant’s myriad characters are on full display. It’s a great look for the series that dares to step outside conventional merch depictions straight from the company.

A PC Gamer Subscription ($20)

Hey, that’s us! You can get someone a year of PC Gamer, delivered to their door, for $20 in the US. Our website’s cool and all, but did you know that we publish lots of original stories in print, with beautiful page layouts and exclusive cover stories and special features about all things PC gaming? It’s true! We think it makes a pretty dang good gift. You can get it digitally, too. 

DesignByHumans Tees ($26)

DesignByHumans’ approach to merch always delivers, drawing on diverse designers delivering a range of cool angles on a property. I think their Cuphead tees are some of the best they do, but you can get their take on more than a few games, like Fortnite, Minecraft, Magic: The Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons, among many others. You can also get some of their stuff on Amazon. (And, look, I know this is the $25 and under category but inflation’s getting to us all.)

Gametee’s Arcane Library ($10-25)

This is a wonderful range of books in nice, clothbound and jacketed versions that cover a huge array of enjoyable nerdy and nerd-adjacent subjects. It’s inevitable that something here will spark your target’s interest, whether it’s a collection of weird tales, a book of myths, some tabletop advice, or one of the modern releases of the classic Fighting Fantasy books. You can get some of these books elsewhere, but Fangamer’s collection is excellently curated.

Stray Button/Badge Set ($8) 

One of this year’s expected hits that hit harder than expected, Stray’s adorable catagonist resonated with a lot of people. If you know one, and that person also likes the fine art of buttons, badges, and pins, then this is just the collection of doodads for you. It’s a set of seven nice buttons that precisely mimic those found in the game, as well as a seventh black-and-white robot police badge. “You could put it on your backpack and cosplay as the cat,” suggests publisher Annapurna Interactive, which makes a kind of sense.

Fangamer Desk Mats ($19-30)

Fangamer has rolled out a series of really delightful desk mats over the last year, including designs for games like Hades, pictured above, and favorites like Outer Wilds and Deltarune. They’ve even got a broadly game-neutral mat covered in doodles that correlate to speedrun strategies used in GDQ events, and part of that purchase goes to GDQ itself. 

Elden Ring Official Strategy Guides ($30, or $72) 

If someone you love’s favorite game of 2022 was Elden Ring, or if you’re getting them Elden Ring for the holidays, this is absolutely the best accompaniment you can get them. Future Press’ limited-run strategy guides are authorized by the game creators and more often than not quickly become collector’s items sought after by those who missed the print run. It’s because they’re not just useful guides, but are well-designed tributes to the games themselves. The Elden Ring guide will undoubtedly have a much larger run than prior, but this gift guide writer would be shocked if they started reprinting now. The first volume (“The Lands Between”) is available immediately, while the second, “Shards of the Shattering”, can be pre-ordered for delivery in April 2023. 

Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro ($67)

Our favorite gaming mouse goes wireless. If you know a gamer with a  tired and wired gaming mouse in need of an upgrade, this is sure to be just that.

HyperX Cloud Alpha ($70)

This headset was our absolute favorite wired headset for a long while. Though it’s now been replaced by the Razer BlackShark V2, that headset will cost you a lot more right now. That means the HyperX is back in fashion.

Xbox Design lab controller ($70-150+)

From a nicely-done monochrome controller in their favorite color for about $70 to an extensively-customized controller with swappable sticks and carrying case for $200 or more, Xbox’s design lab controllers are a custom-made dream for those who can’t live without a good gamepad. Unless you know just what color combos the person in question might love, this is a great gift for that classic “empty box” scenario where there’s a picture or short description inside and you design the controller together later on.

Hades Three-Headed Good Boy Hoodie ($60)

Any fan of Hades is going to love this, because a fan of Hades is a fan of Cerberus. Who has three heads and is a very good dog?

World of Horror t-shirt ($32)

It’s a niche game, okay, but if your list of giftees includes a World of Horror fan and you get them this they will absolutely flip out.

Ifixit Mako Driver Kit ($40)

One of the best tool kits money can buy for a PC builder. If you know someone who lugs around a bag of loose, ill-fitting screwdrivers, this would make a great gift to make their life easier. The lid doubles as a magnetized bits tray.

The Secret History of Mac Gaming ($37) 

What kinds of secrets, you ask? The kind that the people who run a website called “PC Gamer” don’t want you to know. Wake up, sheeple, and realize that Mac Gaming has been here all along. Jokes aside, Bitmap Books make what are indisputably the best array of beautiful, well-designed books about historical gaming. They’re not just informative, they’re made with a designer’s eye towards being downright pretty. 

SHINRA Soldier Hoodie ($47)  

Since Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade released this year, I can finally put this absolutely awesome zip-up hoodie on here. Now your favorite gamer can pretend that they, too, are—let me check my notes here—oh, uh, definitely the bad guys. Oh well!

Stray Hoodie ($75)

Annapurna’s official line of Stray merch includes this quite fashionably baggy, loose-fit heavyweight hoodie with a nice black tie-dye finish. It features the game logo, which is fine, but has some classy cyber-kitty faces up the arm. Love those.

A Profound Waste of Time, Volume 2 ($45)

Look, if you’re going to buy a magazine about games that’s not ours, or a second magazine about games, might we suggest A Profound Waste of Time? The second volume of this bespoke gaming mag dives deep into the art and lifestyle of creating games. It’s more a heavy-stock periodical publication than a more traditional magazine, like ours, but we’ll allow it. 

XPOWER Airrow A-2S ($50)  

What if I told you that instead of buying cans of compressed air over and over, you could buy a tiny blower for only about five times the price and never run out of air? Well, now you can. This latest model from XPOWER is also specifically for your electronics, which is nice, ain’t it?

Elden Ring Torrent Crewneck ($49)

A delightfully Elden Ring-slanted spoof on the classic Tommy Hilfiger polo logo, this crewneck features everyone’s favorite horse that also has horns. Hornse? I don’t know, either way it’s Torrent. Torrent had faith in you, even when Melina didn’t. Torrent is a solid bro. This one also falls under the excellent category of gaming merch that doesn’t quite look it until you take a closer peek. 

Stray x Travel Cat Harness & Leash ($40)

You can dress your cat up like the cat from Stray, except rather than a cosplay replica it’s a functional, reliable device made by a real pet accessory company. I don’t know what more your cat-loving gamer of choice might want. (Except… see below.)

Geralt in the Tub ($67) 

Perfect for Witcher fans. I’ll stop putting this thing on the list the year an editor physically restrains me from doing so.

Cook & Becker Fine Art Prints ($100+)

Some of the finest limited-run art prints you can get for videogames, Cook & Becker continue to provide beautifully printed, even framed, versions of iconic game concept art. This year sees them add games like Elden Ring to their vast selection. Art is very often the kind of gift that’s appreciated because the recipient would love to have it, but wouldn’t buy it for themselves. 

Ducky One 3 ($130)

There are a lot of gaming keyboards we love for various reasons, but the Ducky is the best for delivering the basics that any PC gamer can appreciate. Similarly, it also comes in a range of excellent designs. Most of this gift guide, for example, was typed from a delightful Ducky One 3 with the Matcha colorway—albeit with Cherry MX Brown switches, for precise typing.

Thrustmaster T248 ($400)

The avid racing enthusiast need look no further than this Thrustmaster wheel. It’s our favorite in this price range and includes all the parts needed to start burning rubber in-game. If your PC gamer has taken a liking to racing games or gotten into iRacing, this is very much what they want. (Talent not included.)

Destiny x Palladium The Witch Queen Pampa Boots ($170)

These slick hybrids between boot and high-top sneakers wear excellently for city living and country strolls. Many consider this year’s campaign to have been one of Destiny’s best, and these are a great way to celebrate not just that, but the whole game, embellished with Hive and Guardian symbols alike. There are styles including khaki, and a harder-wearing Pallashock boot, on the Palladium website. 

Grim Fandango Remastered Collector’s Edition ($100)

Fans of adventure games will probably be over the moon when they get a look at what’s going on with this limited edition of Grim Fandango. It’s one of the most beloved classic adventures for a reason—and still holds up today, even without a remaster. But the mural print? The classic Grim Fandango poster? The tiny pinata USB drive? These are beautiful things indeed.

Stray x Travel Cat Backpack ($140)  

Made in the neon and charcoal colorway of the game itself, the limited-run Stray x Travelcat backpack is a superb way for city dwellers to get their animal to and fro, or for country-dwellers to take their kitty out and about. Pair with the leash and harness above for superlative cat adventures. 

World of Warcraft Expedition Jacket ($130)

World of Warcraft fans have had a few years of ups and downs, but coming up on two decades of adventures, their game of choice has taken them all kinds of places. This jacket, mimicking the classic patch jacket vibe, has embroidered patches that span the entire history of WoW, from the classic Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor to Outland—and even includes the latest expansion, Dragonflight, with a stylish Dragon Isles patch over the right breast. 

Hades Underworld Triptych ($179)

Three prints, each depicting the beloved final bosses of Hades’ three areas. These were painted by Hades’ environmental artist, Joanne Tran, and art director Jen Zee, and highlight Zagreus’ journey from the depths of Tartarus to the heights of Elysium—something your Hades fan has experienced many, many times.

A very small Dragon’s Lair arcade cabinet ($170)

It’s a replica of the classic cabinet for Dragon’s Lair, except it’s 1/6 scale. This replica by New Wave Toys is absurdly detailed, down to the “2nd Generation LaserDisc Player in 1/6th scale and included a miniature LaserDisc complete with paper sleeve!” It’s extremely silly to me and also absolutely perfect for anyone who loves arcade games.

A complete Destiny Grimoire collection ($125)

No Destiny-enjoyer’s collection can be considered complete without the series of five Grimoires that comprise the game’s extensive background and lore. It’s all presented in Destiny’s inimitable science-fantasy style, littered with meaningful sigils and heraldry. Four are out now, with another forthcoming early next year. You can also order them directly from Bungie, but their site says they’re having shipping slowdowns at the moment. 

Warhammer Fantasy: Vlad & Isabella Von Carstein’s Rings ($210)

Buying for a couple? Part of a couple? Do you both enjoy Warhammer Fantasy, perhaps Total War: Warhammer 3? What better gift than that of these, symbols of immortal love worn by vampire power couple and indisputably-in-love duo, Vlad and Isabella von Carstein. They’re sterling silver complete with huge, coffin-shaped synthetic garnet. Truly there is no love more beautiful than that which transcends death.

Frostmourne Premium Replica ($1,500)

Frostmourne hungers… for the contents of your bank account.

Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team ($85)

The delightful small-scale skirmishing of Kill Team is perhaps the best, most affordable alternative to the full-on wargames that Games Workshop usually publishes. These battles in a box are more approachable and faster-playing, plus you get to paint a wider variety of miniatures. Those already waist-deep in the miniatures wargaming hobby’s Games Workshop subsetting might appreciate the more detailed Kill Team: Into the Dark ($165) instead. (Tip either way: Buy these from Amazon or your local store, where they’ll be marked down, rather than for full price from Games Workshop.) 

Dragonlance – Shadow of the Dragon Queen Deluxe Edition ($155)

This year’s real premium Dungeons & Dragons experience is definitively this bundle, which has players taking on the forces of the evil queen of dragonkind in a prequel scenario to the classic Dragonlance books—none of which you need to have read to love this set. It’s not just the D&D adventure, but a cooperative 3-5 player board game where you use your characters from the campaign to fight out epic battles with the dragon armies. It’s available directly from Wizards of the Coast, or as a bundle on Amazon that includes the core D&D rulebooks in a slipcase if your players are just getting started, or alongside another dragon-themed D&D book if they’ve got the core rules already. 

Spelljammer: Adventures in Space ($47) 

The alternative, for those who like their D&D a little sillier, are the spacefaring adventures of Spelljammer. Because D&D wasn’t nerdy enough, why not splash some Star Trek or Star Wars in there too? Why not, indeed.

Field Notes Character Notebook ($19)

Great for the ongoing D&D enthusiast already embroiled as a player in a campaign, these little books track every detail you might ever want about your character, leaving space for a gameplay log and notes, to boot.

Into the Odd or Death in Space ($40)

Either of these two fun, slickly designed and graphically laid-out RPGs published this year by Swedish studio Free League is a superb gift for tabletop roleplayers. Into the Odd is a remastered classic with a shadow that stretches across all of indie roleplaying and hasn’t aged a day in terms of fun or delightfulness, full of strange whimsical machines, fantasy creatures, and black-powder guns. Death in Space is a more modern game that focuses on a space frontier system that’s been all but abandoned following a disastrous war. You can get these directly from the publisher or from third parties, like Amazon: Into the Odd Remastered and Death in Space.

Flesh & Blood trading card game ($50+)

A TCG gaining popularity in local gaming stores is Flesh & Blood, a card game created by Magic: The Gathering veteran James White who believes so strongly in the fun of in-person play he created a game that reflects it. 

Flesh & Blood has a couple of mechanical similarities to Magic—it’s a two-player fight where you’re trying to turn your opponent’s life total to zero, and elemental powers are . But in many ways, it’s a departure from and a response to Magic. Thematically, Flesh & Blood is a gritty, more personal representation of hand-to-hand combat. You aren’t summoning hordes of creatures like a wizard-general; you play as individual heroes, wielding armor and weapons that are equipped in slots on the board. Combat plays out like a martial arts scene, with attacks, blocks, and counters comprising a linear chain of events on the table. 

Three years into its lifespan, Flesh & Blood is an affordable and deep alternative to Magic, and its 31 heroes almost feel like unique League of Legends characters in their mechanics and design. The third set, Dynasty, released on November 11, the same day of Flesh & Blood’s first world championship tournament. 

Lord of the Rings Card Game revised core set  ($50) 

Fantasy Flight Games’ cooperative card game might just be what you’re looking for if you prefer to work alongside others rather than play the head-to-head combat of most card games. It’s a living card game too, which means you don’t have to worry about collecting lots of random card packs.

Ark Nova ($68) 

It’s an economic strategy board game in which you compete to build the best futuristic zoo/nature preserve. I’m not sure how to sell this any harder.

Nemesis Lockdown ($145)

A delightfully paranoid semi-cooperative board game that strands you and some friends on a mars installation… or are they friends? Rife with miniatures, rules, and densely thick with paranoid suspicion, it’s probably the premier big-box miniatures game you can play this year. Completionists might want to start with the original, 2018’s Nemesis, though both games are standalone. 

Magic: The Gathering – The Brothers’ War ($42 for a Commander Deck)

The latest set from Wizards centers on Urza and Mishra, powerful figures in the game’s multiverse who, at this point, have had 30 years of lore piling up to this big confrontation. It’s a good theme for a game about dueling wizards, and the return of “melding” as a mechanic empowers players to set up big, game-ending flourishes.

Also check out: Dominaria United, Secret Lair: Warhammer 40,000 

Jan Van Haasteren Puzzles ($20-40)

Absolutely spoiled with details and devious to solve, Jan Van Haasteren scenes are delightfully comic settings that have all manner of chaos going on for you to unveil, slowly, piece by piece, as you puzzle them out. The makers call these thousand-piece monsters “Puzzles for Adults” and you’ll quickly figure out why (they’re quite hard, that’s why).

Do A Powerbomb ($4 per issue, 7 issues)

A famed wrestler dies in the ring. Her daughter picks up the mantle… only to be approached by a necromancer who says he can revive her if she wins an interdimensional tag-team tournament. Daniel Warren Johnson’s book is a love letter to wrestling, but you don’t have to give a damn about it to love it—the writer-artist’s work bleeds an infectious passion for the sport and its showmanship. Out in paperback in 2023. 

Department of Truth vol. 1 ($10)

An incredible premise: What if every conspiracy theory became true, manifesting itself in reality the more that people believed it? Follow the government agency tasked with managing this uncomfortable situation in a story that’s part Men in Black, part psychotic tour through America’s collective decades of paranoia and fear. Get in now before DoT inevitably becomes an HBO series. 

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow ($18)

It’s the story of True Grit, made intergalactic, told by the hottest writer in comics, Tom King.

Hulk: Grand Design ($9)

The latest in Marvel’s Grand Design anthologies, this two-book series is a hyperdigest of Hulk’s entire 60-year run, the perfect entry point for anyone interested in the history of the medium.

Batman: One Bad Day series ($9 each)

It’s still actively being published and won’t be collected until 2023, but this series of 68-page one-shots focusing on the biggest villains in Batman’s rogues’ gallery is worth grabbing from your local comic shop. Each one comes from a different artist-writer duo, putting Batman in a disadvantageous scenario that he has to figure out. 

Batman: Hush 20th Anniversary Edition ($38)

A memorable modern classic perfect for any Gotham Knights fan, Jim Lee’s art teams up with Jeph Loeb in a story about a ruthless stalker who proves surprisingly effective at undermining the caped crusader.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns ($4 each, currently in print)

The: Comic: The Game: The Comic! It’s not a direct adaptation of 2K Games’ upcoming strategy game, but this timely new volume of Midnight Suns is a good excuse to get to know these lesser-known Marvel weirdos alongside high-profile heroes like Wolverine.

Cemetery Beach ($18)

One of our favorite books from the last few years, this is an action-packed gem from Warren Ellis. It’s been compared favorably to Mad Max: Fury Road: a fleeing prisoner is on the run through a dystopian hellscape, chased over every page by marauding maniacs who want to blow him up.

Clementine – Book One ($15)

The young protagonist of the 2012 Telltale Games adventure game is a little bit older, but still finding her way through a broken world, this time alongside a cast of wayward teens (not my ideal apocalypse companions, personally). Intended for young adult readers, the book is a serious-but-softer departure from the gory melodrama of The Walking Dead.

Ghostwire: Tokyo from Laced Records ($35-80)

Joystick Jazz: The Blueshift Big Band plays Iconic Videogame Hits from iam8bit ($32)

A frankly incredible-sounding, and looking, album of a jazz band taking on some of games’ most famous music.

Stray Soundtrack from iam8bit  ($42)

Caterwauling.

Rogue Legacy soundtrack from Fangamer ($29)

Hotline Miami 1 & 2: The Complete Collection Deluxe Boxset from Laced Records ($165)

Eight LPs combining the entire genre-defining soundtracks of Hotline Miami 1 and 2.

BREACH (Rainbow Six European League Music) from Laced Records ($28)

This is a set of rad remixes of Rainbow Six: Siege’s music alongside original music created by The Toxic Avenger for R6: Siege’s European league. It slaps.