I did promise back in March to be better at announcing hiatuses for Silver Bit, but I honestly didn't plan this at all. After the craziness that was E3 2015, I didn't have much drive to write Best Games of E3 article because of the lack of playable demos on the show floor this year. On top of E3 fatigue, I tried to write an article on collector's editions, but it didn't pan out.
Although a lot of July didn't work out as planned, I am hoping to update Silver Bit on a regular basis in August. Fingers crossed.
Game of the Month
Two games took up most of my time this past month. The first is Radiant Historia, a turned-based RPG that has you bouncing between two parallel timelines in order to save the world from desertification. I bought the game two years ago and spent a few hours with it before putting it down until recently. I always enjoyed the gameplay and premise of Radiant Historia, but it's story and timeline-weaving quests are what will keep you gripping your DS or 3DS for hours on end. In all seriousness, I play Radiant Historia a good hour or two at a time. Sadly, I hit a grind wall around chapter four that has caused me to put the game down for the time being.
The second game and July's Game of the Month is Tearaway for the PlayStation Vita. While I planned on waiting until Tearaway Unfolded for PS4 to dive into Media Molecule's critical darling, my curiosity got the best of me especially considering I found the game for 10 dollars new. As cool as it would be to experience the beautiful paper craft visuals on a big HDTV, I am so happy that I experienced Tearaway on its system of origin.
Out of all the games on the Vita, Tearaway is the system's killer app. Unlike other titles, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss or Killzone: Mercenary, where the use of motion and touch controls feels tacked on, Tearaway uses every feature built into the Vita in an intuitive way. Seeing your fingers pop out of the back touch screen to dispatch enemies or watching your face play a role as the ever-present sun are just magical. My descriptions don't do Tearaway justice; it is a game that you have to experience for yourself in order to understand how special it is.
Video of the Month
On July 12th, 2015, the video game industry lost a visionary in Satoru Iwata. Since the tragic news broke, many lovely tributes for Iwata-san have been made. All these tributes are amazing, but I can't showcase them all here. I choose to highlight Screwattack's tribute video because it does a wonderful job at blending Iwata's greatest quotes and the video clips that highlight his quirky personality.
Thank you, Satoru Iwata. You will be deeply missed.
Showing posts with label Journey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Journey. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Monday, December 23, 2013
The Seventh Generation: Essential Games
What makes a game essential? Is it the cutting-edge graphics, the gigantic scope, the innovative gameplay or the masterful mechanics? An essential game may include one or more of these aspects, but having these aspects does not automatically make a game essential. In this writer's honest opinion, an essential game is not the highest rated or most popular game out on the market. An essential game is one that NEEDS to be experienced by everyone who plays video games.
There were a ton of great games from this past generation. To boil all those great games down to a list of nine essential games is an incredibly hard and daunting process. This writer took a lot of time and care in putting together a list that encompassed the experiences that defined the seventh console generation from the largest blockbusters to the smallest experiments. There may be some omissions such as BioShock, Grand Theft Auto IV or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but this writer has not played enough of these games to even form an opinion on them much less name them an essential game of this past generation. Without further ado, let us dive into the final entry of The Seventh Generation, the essential games of the last console generation.
Portal
Originally bundled with Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 in The Orange Box, it looked like Portal would be overshadowed by Valve's heavyweights. Fortunately, Portal was never overshadowed. The game's expertly crafted humour, perfectly developed villain and incredibly unique puzzle mechanics made Portal an instant classic. Portal has the player take control of a test subject at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. Equipped with only the Portal Gun, the player is tasked with completing a gauntlet of test chambers which grow more difficult and dangerous as the player advances. Throughout these chambers, the player is constantly berated by a computer AI known as GLaDOS. While GLaDOS is the antagonist of Portal, she spouts the funniest and most memorable lines of the game. Even though Portal can be beaten within a few hours, you grow to love the characters, the enemies, the dialogue, the Portal Gun, the level design and the puzzles. If it was not for this little game stuck on The Orange Box, gamers would have never learned to think with portals.
Rock Band
At one point or another, everybody has wanted to be a rock star. The dream of singing your heart out, shredding the strings on a guitar or smacking a set of drums in front of a sea of thousands is one that many imagine, but few actually live. Many games have tried to emulate the thrill of being a rock star, but only a handful have succeeded in fulfilling this childhood dream. Rock Band is among the pinnacle of these games. Using the plastic instruments that come packaged with the game, one can emulate being in a band with friends and family or play the guitar, drums or sing solo. With the focus on local multiplayer, Rock Band quickly became the most popular party game of this generation because of its excellent accessibility. While sequels and future rhythm games made improvements on the original, nothing will ever beat the euphoric thrill of getting three to four people together to play in Rock Band. Rock Band brought the rhythm genre to its greatest peak and no other rhythm game has been able to recreate the magic this game created.
Mass Effect
The Mass Effect trilogy as a whole encompasses the three greatest games of this past generation. Perfectly blending the combat of a third-person action game with the complex systems of a RPG and single-handedly revolutionizing the art of storytelling in this medium as one's decisions followed them throughout each game in the series, the Mass Effect trilogy is an astonishing feat of artistry. As great as all three Mass Effect games are, this writer can only choose one for this list--the original Mass Effect. The sole reason this writer bought a Xbox 360, the original Mass Effect is unlike any game before it. You are given the freedom to create whatever Shepard you desire. Male or female, good or evil, tactically savvy or guns blazing, the player's Shepard is not just their avatar, it is an extension of themselves. From the heart-racing thrill of threatening a journalist on the Citadel to the heart-wrenching indecision of choosing the fate of a crew mate, an entire fleet of soldiers or a small group of Council delegates, Mass Effect is never afraid in giving players decisions no matter their difficulty. If there is one RPG that you play from this past generation, make it BioWare's sci-fi masterpiece Mass Effect.
Super Mario Galaxy
Just like Super Mario 64 defined the 3D platformer during the fifth console generation, Super Mario Galaxy defined the future of this genre. No longer restricted by flat surfaces, Mario traversed a number of spherical planetoids on his way to retrieve all the missing stars. Playing around with gravity in interesting ways, Galaxy provided new ways to maneuver around a three dimensional space. The motion capabilities of the Wii remote are expertly used to ease jumping, interact with objects in the environment and control Mario on different rides such as a ball or a manta ray. Super Mario Galaxy is the premier platforming game of this generation and it should not be skipped over by any gamer.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
This writer considers Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception to be the best entry in Naught Dog's venerable series. Although if it was not for the excellence of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, there would be no third entry in the Uncharted series. That is the reason Among Thieves makes this list over Drake's Deception. Uncharted 2 launched Nathan Drake and Naughty Dog into superstardom. It is an exhilarating roller coaster ride from beginning to end with some unbelievable set pieces like battling mercenaries in a collapsing building or traversing a moving train as a helicopter guns Drake down. Aside from the Hollywood blockbuster-like moments, Uncharted 2 has a solid base of third-person shooting, visceral hand-to-hand combat and parkour-like platforming. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves single-handedly created a juggernaut franchise for Sony this past generation and going forward into the future.
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City is the ultimate superhero and ultimate Batman game. Arkham City is a fully realized world where the player is given the skills and abilities to explore every nook and cranny, fight waves of convicts, tackle story missions or collect hundreds of creatively hidden collectables. One can easily lose tons of hours just playing around in Arkham City's open world. Any gamer no matter if they are hardcore fans of the Dark Knight or know nothing about the Caped Crusader will enjoy the amazing experience Arkham City offers. It puts you in the shoes of a superhero like no other game has ever done before and few could possibly do after. Batman: Arkham City is the best licensed game of this generation and arguably of all-time.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Unlike Twilight Princess, which launched with the Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is built from the ground up for the Nintendo's motion-based console. In short, Skyward Sword stands as the pinnacle of the Wii’s library, an example why high definition graphics do not make games better and why motion controls are not just a gimmick. Skyward Sword offers one-to-one swordplay like no game has ever achieved before or since, an excellent array of items with intuitive motion controls from old favourites like the bombs to new choices such as the beetle, mind-bending puzzles, beautifully constructed dungeons and a wonderfully orchestrated soundtrack (a first for the Zelda series). Arguably the greatest game of this generation, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword stands as the embodiment of the pure fun and emotion brought forth by Nintendo's mission with the Wii.
Journey
Journey is one of the most unique experiences of this past generation. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly barren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can easily be finished in one sitting, which makes the game easy to replay again and again. This writer cannot stress how amazing of an experience this game is. Journey is a game that cannot be captured in words or through video. Journey is a game that must be experienced to understand its greatness.
The Walking Dead
Unlike any experience in this medium, The Walking Dead transcends the title of being a mere licensed game. Fans of this property or not, The Walking Dead is an emotional tale that anyone will easily be drawn into. The Walking Dead will make you laugh, cry, scared, disgusted, shocked, surprised, intrigued and every emotion in between. When everything is said and done, you will be amazed at how much you care about each and every character you meet and interact with in this game and contemplate on what could have been if you made different decisions. The Walking Dead is hands down the benchmark for modern adventure games and should be experienced by all gamers mature enough to play it.
There were a ton of great games from this past generation. To boil all those great games down to a list of nine essential games is an incredibly hard and daunting process. This writer took a lot of time and care in putting together a list that encompassed the experiences that defined the seventh console generation from the largest blockbusters to the smallest experiments. There may be some omissions such as BioShock, Grand Theft Auto IV or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but this writer has not played enough of these games to even form an opinion on them much less name them an essential game of this past generation. Without further ado, let us dive into the final entry of The Seventh Generation, the essential games of the last console generation.
Originally bundled with Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 in The Orange Box, it looked like Portal would be overshadowed by Valve's heavyweights. Fortunately, Portal was never overshadowed. The game's expertly crafted humour, perfectly developed villain and incredibly unique puzzle mechanics made Portal an instant classic. Portal has the player take control of a test subject at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. Equipped with only the Portal Gun, the player is tasked with completing a gauntlet of test chambers which grow more difficult and dangerous as the player advances. Throughout these chambers, the player is constantly berated by a computer AI known as GLaDOS. While GLaDOS is the antagonist of Portal, she spouts the funniest and most memorable lines of the game. Even though Portal can be beaten within a few hours, you grow to love the characters, the enemies, the dialogue, the Portal Gun, the level design and the puzzles. If it was not for this little game stuck on The Orange Box, gamers would have never learned to think with portals.
At one point or another, everybody has wanted to be a rock star. The dream of singing your heart out, shredding the strings on a guitar or smacking a set of drums in front of a sea of thousands is one that many imagine, but few actually live. Many games have tried to emulate the thrill of being a rock star, but only a handful have succeeded in fulfilling this childhood dream. Rock Band is among the pinnacle of these games. Using the plastic instruments that come packaged with the game, one can emulate being in a band with friends and family or play the guitar, drums or sing solo. With the focus on local multiplayer, Rock Band quickly became the most popular party game of this generation because of its excellent accessibility. While sequels and future rhythm games made improvements on the original, nothing will ever beat the euphoric thrill of getting three to four people together to play in Rock Band. Rock Band brought the rhythm genre to its greatest peak and no other rhythm game has been able to recreate the magic this game created.
The Mass Effect trilogy as a whole encompasses the three greatest games of this past generation. Perfectly blending the combat of a third-person action game with the complex systems of a RPG and single-handedly revolutionizing the art of storytelling in this medium as one's decisions followed them throughout each game in the series, the Mass Effect trilogy is an astonishing feat of artistry. As great as all three Mass Effect games are, this writer can only choose one for this list--the original Mass Effect. The sole reason this writer bought a Xbox 360, the original Mass Effect is unlike any game before it. You are given the freedom to create whatever Shepard you desire. Male or female, good or evil, tactically savvy or guns blazing, the player's Shepard is not just their avatar, it is an extension of themselves. From the heart-racing thrill of threatening a journalist on the Citadel to the heart-wrenching indecision of choosing the fate of a crew mate, an entire fleet of soldiers or a small group of Council delegates, Mass Effect is never afraid in giving players decisions no matter their difficulty. If there is one RPG that you play from this past generation, make it BioWare's sci-fi masterpiece Mass Effect.
Just like Super Mario 64 defined the 3D platformer during the fifth console generation, Super Mario Galaxy defined the future of this genre. No longer restricted by flat surfaces, Mario traversed a number of spherical planetoids on his way to retrieve all the missing stars. Playing around with gravity in interesting ways, Galaxy provided new ways to maneuver around a three dimensional space. The motion capabilities of the Wii remote are expertly used to ease jumping, interact with objects in the environment and control Mario on different rides such as a ball or a manta ray. Super Mario Galaxy is the premier platforming game of this generation and it should not be skipped over by any gamer.
This writer considers Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception to be the best entry in Naught Dog's venerable series. Although if it was not for the excellence of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, there would be no third entry in the Uncharted series. That is the reason Among Thieves makes this list over Drake's Deception. Uncharted 2 launched Nathan Drake and Naughty Dog into superstardom. It is an exhilarating roller coaster ride from beginning to end with some unbelievable set pieces like battling mercenaries in a collapsing building or traversing a moving train as a helicopter guns Drake down. Aside from the Hollywood blockbuster-like moments, Uncharted 2 has a solid base of third-person shooting, visceral hand-to-hand combat and parkour-like platforming. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves single-handedly created a juggernaut franchise for Sony this past generation and going forward into the future.
Batman: Arkham City is the ultimate superhero and ultimate Batman game. Arkham City is a fully realized world where the player is given the skills and abilities to explore every nook and cranny, fight waves of convicts, tackle story missions or collect hundreds of creatively hidden collectables. One can easily lose tons of hours just playing around in Arkham City's open world. Any gamer no matter if they are hardcore fans of the Dark Knight or know nothing about the Caped Crusader will enjoy the amazing experience Arkham City offers. It puts you in the shoes of a superhero like no other game has ever done before and few could possibly do after. Batman: Arkham City is the best licensed game of this generation and arguably of all-time.
Unlike Twilight Princess, which launched with the Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is built from the ground up for the Nintendo's motion-based console. In short, Skyward Sword stands as the pinnacle of the Wii’s library, an example why high definition graphics do not make games better and why motion controls are not just a gimmick. Skyward Sword offers one-to-one swordplay like no game has ever achieved before or since, an excellent array of items with intuitive motion controls from old favourites like the bombs to new choices such as the beetle, mind-bending puzzles, beautifully constructed dungeons and a wonderfully orchestrated soundtrack (a first for the Zelda series). Arguably the greatest game of this generation, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword stands as the embodiment of the pure fun and emotion brought forth by Nintendo's mission with the Wii.
Journey is one of the most unique experiences of this past generation. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly barren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can easily be finished in one sitting, which makes the game easy to replay again and again. This writer cannot stress how amazing of an experience this game is. Journey is a game that cannot be captured in words or through video. Journey is a game that must be experienced to understand its greatness.
Unlike any experience in this medium, The Walking Dead transcends the title of being a mere licensed game. Fans of this property or not, The Walking Dead is an emotional tale that anyone will easily be drawn into. The Walking Dead will make you laugh, cry, scared, disgusted, shocked, surprised, intrigued and every emotion in between. When everything is said and done, you will be amazed at how much you care about each and every character you meet and interact with in this game and contemplate on what could have been if you made different decisions. The Walking Dead is hands down the benchmark for modern adventure games and should be experienced by all gamers mature enough to play it.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
The Seventh Generation: PlayStation 3
Out of the gate, the PS3 was struck with a seemingly never ending string of problems. The over 600 dollar price tag was far too steep for most people even the most enthusiastic gamers. Programming for the PS3 was much harder than the other systems of this generation due to the PS3's Cell Processor. Sony executives were making outrageous claims about the PS3's "monster" sales. Game developers and publishers from Valve to Activision were voicing their disdain against the system. The one glimmer of hope in the early days of the PS3 was Blu-Ray's win over HD-DVD as the definitive format for high definition home entertainment. Despite Sony's PR nightmare with the early years of the PS3, things eventually turned around for the system. Even with the better standing of the PS3 in later years, there were still a good number of mistakes made by Sony. One big problem with Sony in general is the company's lack of commitment to an initiative or product if it does not have immediate success. During the life of the PS3, Sony relentlessly tried to shove two different initiatives down the throats of gamers only to completely abandon them less than a year after announcing them. These two initiatives were the PlayStation Move and 3D compatibility. The PlayStation Move was Sony's answer to Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Kinect. Much like the Kinect, the Move tried to bring in a casual audience to the PS3 only to alienate the system's primary audience of hardcore gamers. Sony tried their hand at 3D compatibility with the PS3 when stereoscopic 3D was all the craze back in 2009. Sony put 3D compatible logos on all their major games and even released an extremely overpriced 3D monitor to get people to adopt stereoscopic 3D into their lives. Both initiatives were just gimmicks that Sony used to extend to life of the PS3, but neither caught on and Sony ceased to promote them.
While Sony has made a good number of mistakes with the PS3, they have made some good decisions as well. People made fun of using Blu-Ray discs as the default format for all PS3 games upon first release, but it is the biggest strength of this system. While Microsoft faced numerous problems with their dual-layered DVDs for the Xbox 360, Sony's Blu-Ray discs are nearly indestructible. One would have to make a considerable physical effort to damage a Blu-Ray discs. Also the PS3 never felt the need to chew up games like the Xbox 360. Apart from the great success of the Blu-Ray format, Sony's first-party efforts during this generation were among their strongest. From established franchises like Ratchet & Clank and God of War to newfound properties such as Uncharted and Infamous to experimental titles such as Journey and the PixelJunk series, Sony's first-party had an incredible amount of variety compared to that of Microsoft and even Nintendo this generation. This vast library of first-party titles was complimented by the great number of third-party exclusives especially in the later years of the PS3 such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Valkyria Chronicles and 3D Dot Game Heroes.
One cannot talk about the PS3 without discussing the biggest event in the console's life-- the PlayStation Network Outage. This outage happened during the spring of 2011 when hackers attacked PSN causing Sony to shutdown all online functions for about a month. This outage served as the biggest scare for gamers to this date as hackers got ahold of millions of peoples' personal and even credit card information. The outage is considered one of Sony's greatest debacles, but personally this writer believes it is a significant turning point for the Sony PlayStation brand. This outage was a wake-up call for Sony. They nearly hit rock bottom in the eyes of the gaming community due to the outage. Many people to this day do not fully trust saving their credit card information to any online store including the PlayStation Store. This outage showed Sony the horrors of not protecting their customers and has brought forth a brand new direction for the PlayStation brand as a whole. While Sony has not entirely turned the company's consistent problems around after the outage, they have made greater efforts to push games like the slew of Sony exclusive indie games and initiatives such as PlayStation Plus which actually please and benefit gamers rather than bring in the most cash. Personally, this writer does not believe Sony would be in such a great position with all the good will surrounding the PS4 if it was not for the lessons learned during the PSN outage.
While things started out the worst possible way for the PlayStation 3, things eventually turned around for Sony's third outing in console gaming. Hard lessons learned from the PS3 has definitely changed the PlayStation brand for the better as seen with the overwhelming success of the PS4's launch. Although the PS3 may never be considered in the same league as its predecessors, it is arguable the best console of this past generation.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Kickstart This!: Summer of Kickstarter
The inspiration behind Kickstart This! came about due to all the Kickstarter projects that yours truly has been following and supporting as of late. I have supported a few projects over the past year or so, but not at the frequency that I am doing now. It has gotten to a point where this writer is scared to find another project to whisk away more money. What a better way to kick off Kickstart This!, pun fully intended, then with the three Kickstarter projects that sucked up this writer's money this past Summer.
The first Kickstarter project highlighted today is actually not a video game. Before you raise your virtual pitchforks, this project does involve video games in some form. Particularly, it involves video game music. This Kickstarter is to fund Video Games Live's third album. For those who have not heard of Video Games Live, it is a multimedia symphonic/rock video game concert run by prolific video game composer Tommy Tallarico. Video Games Live's first two albums focused on the most popular and recognizable video game music from the likes of Mario, Halo and Warcraft. For the third album, known as Level 3, Video Games Live is focusing on the more underrated video game tracks from games like Monkey Island, Street Fighter, Journey and Beyond Good and Evil. Due to how niche the audience for this album is, Video Games Live is looking for passionate gamers like you and I to help fund this project. Video Games Live is looking to raise 250 thousand dollars to fund Level 3. Currently 205 thousand dollars have been pledged to the project with only three days left. If you are a lover of video game music, the Video Games Live Kickstarter is definitely one to support. Every bit counts.
It has been well documented on how horribly Capcom has dropped the ball with their flagship franchise, Mega Man. Once the Blue Bomber's creator Keiji Inafue left Capcom to create his own independent studio Comcept, Capcom seemed to abandon their mascot. Many have been clamouring for any sort of news about a new Mega Man game, but to no avail. Capitalizing on the demand, Keiji Inafue announced a brand new project from Comcept called Mighty No. 9. Mighty No. 9 is the spiritual successor to Mega Man. It is a side-scrolling action game where you run, jump, shoot and transform much like Capcom's Blue Bomber. It might seem a lot like Mega Man, but with one huge twist. Beck, the main character, can transform at will. These transformations are not only earned from defeating the bosses in the game; they can be gained from collecting energy dropped from common enemies. The Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter has been a runaway success. The game was funded within two days and is now currently working towards its 2.2 million dollar stretch goal, which will see Mighty No. 9 ported to PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U. With 21 days left to go, Comcept will definitely have enough money to fund Mighty No. 9 and then some. Guess the demand for a Mega Man game is bigger than ever imagined, eh Capcom?
Last but not least, the latest Kickstarter project to make me part with my money to support. WayForward has been on a roll with their latest offerings (Mighty Switch Force series on 3DS and Wii U and DuckTales: Remastered for consoles). So it came as a surprise when they announced that they will be funding a new game project through Kickstarter. Some thought it could be a whole new intellectual property or a console installment in one of WayForward's signature franchises. The latter came true as Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was revealed to be said Kickstarter project this past Wednesday. Shantae is WayForward's first original franchise. It stars a female half-genie by the name of Shantae who is in charge of protecting a fishing port called Scuttle Town. Half-Genie hero is Shantae's first venture on consoles as she has been at home on handheld and mobile systems for the past decade. Before any funding was needed, WayForward confirmed Half-Genie Hero will be coming to PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U and PC. Meeting the funding goal of 400 thousand dollars will allow WayForward to create a HD Shantae game with an introduction and conclusion stage along with three chapters in between. Stretch goals are in place to include extra modes, different costumes and even bonus chapters if WayForward's goal is met. At the moment, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is half way to its goal with just under a month to go.
Hopefully you all enjoyed this first edition of Kickstart This! If you are interested in any of the projects shared in this article, please pledge some of your money to the project of your choice. Kickstarter is becoming such a powerful tool in the video game industry especially for the gamers who are getting sick and tired of the current state of Triple A video game development. These three projects are only a small sampling of everything that is on Kickstarter. There a tons of projects out there to support. If these projects did not speak to you, there is definitely a project out there.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Year in Review 2012: The Games
There is no other iOS game that I have found released this year that is better than Run Roo Run. Charming graphics, simplistic yet intuitive controls, satisfying gameplay and a plethora of levels that test both your mind and reflexes, Run Roo Run is the complete package for only one or two dollars depending whether you get it for the iPhone or iPad respectively. 5th Cell's first game for iOS is a game that no iDevice owner should miss.
Journey is easily one of the most unique experiences I had playing a game this year. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly baren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can easily be finished in one sitting, which makes the game easy to sit down and play again. I cannot stress enough how great of an experience Journey is. If there is one game on this list that I highly recommend every gamer go out of their way to play, it is Journey.
Nintendo may have took 20 years to release a new Kid Icarus game, but Uprising makes the time fans waited well worth it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a labour of love from Masahiro Sakurai and Project Sora that brings Pit to the 21st century in style. While the controls can get in the way from time to time, the fast-paced action, witty fourth wall breaking banter, exciting story and fun multi-player experience sure make up for it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is easily the best 3DS game of 2012 and one 3DS owners should not miss.
One of the last great games for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a grand RPG adventure from Nintendo and Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles has an incredibly gripping story, fun real-time combat and an enormous world to explore with a huge amount of side quests to keep you occupied. I have played over 30 hours of Xenoblade and I barely scratched the surface of all the content in this Wii RPG. For a system that has been starving for RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles stands tall as the pinnacle of RPGs on the Wii and for Japanese RPGs in this console generation.
The Last Story was the Wii's last story, pun intended. From the mind of the most recognizable name in Japanese RPGs, Hironobu Sakaguichi, The Last Story looks to take the Japanese RPG in new and innovative directions. The Last Story's biggest strength is its innovative real-time battle system that has you controlling the protagonist Zael while commanding the rest of your party to set up big combos of magic and physical attacks. Along with Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story is another great RPG for a system that sure has needs it.
Originally coming out for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in August, I did not get to try this excellent amalgamation of genres until I bought my Wii U in November. The combat of great action games like God of War and Devil May Cry, the loot system from classic dungeon crawlers like Diablo, the massive over world of an action adventure game like The Legend of Zelda, the parkour-like platforming of a Prince of Persia and the classic leveling and skill system of a classic RPG can all be found in Darksiders II, but Vigil Games takes all these elements and makes it their own. Vigil's effort has created a game that you can easily get lost in for hours at a time. While a few glitches may pop up from time-to-time, Darksiders II is an incredible game that no gamer should pass on.
Not many licensed games are worth playing; fewer are praised both by critics and fans. High Moon Studios' Transformers: Fall of Cybertron falls under those select few, no pun intended. Taking the great framework set by War for Cybertron, Fall of Cybertron takes players through an incredibly focused and diverse campaign that explores the Transformers' final days on their dying homeworld. Fall of Cybertron does justice to the Transformers like no other piece of media (TV show, comic or movie) has done for the franchise in the last number of years. Also it has one of the finest final levels I personally played all year.
Another year, another side-scrolling Mario. Many gamers, myself included, can remember a time when it was rare to see Gaming's Number One Plumber star in a brand new side-scrolling game. While Mario platformers are some of the finest games around, it is a little hard to get excited when it seems like one comes out every year. Seriously, we got two Mario platformers in 2012 alone. While I was not really excited for New Super Mario Bros. U, I still picked it up for my Wii U at launch. After putting the game in my brand new system, I learned once again to never doubt Nintendo. New Super Mario Bros. U is easily the best game in the New Super Mario Bros. subseries and can stand among Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 as one of the best Mario platformers of all-time. The levels are expertly designed, the difficulty ramps up at the perfect pace (making use of all those lives you accumulate in earlier levels), there are a great number of secrets to find and plenty of modes like Challenges and multi-player that will keep you coming back for more Mario. The one game that all Wii U owners should pick up when they buy their brand new console and one of my personal favourite games of 2012.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Launch Station: PlayStation Game Collections
Yes, it is Madden day, but I do not enjoy doing sports game previews. There is not much to talk to about other than the incremental improvements that I honestly do not care about. If you are a football fan, you have probably already bought Madden NFL 13 and have been playing it for the past 24 hours. You do not need my preview. Instead of highlighting the umpteenth edition of Madden NFL, I am going to highlight the four, yes four, game collections that Sony released this Tuesday for the PS3. These games are going for 30 to 40 dollars and include 3 full games at the least. If you missed any of these games the first time around, these are the collections that you should definitely pick up no ifs, ands or buts.
This collection brings us all the way back to the PS2 days. The days where Sony had three mascot platformers all competing for your attention in Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank. While Jak and Sly have gotten their times to shine in the HD Collection high, Sony fans have waited quite a long time to see Insomniac's beloved characters join the party. The Ratchet and Clank Collection runs 30 dollars and includes the first three Ratchet and Clank games (Ratchet and Clank, Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal), a 10th Anniversary Ratchet and Clank Avatar item and early access to the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo. Along with the obvious HD upgrade to the graphics, there is trophy support for each game and online multi-player exclusively for Up Your Arsenal.
After Sucker Punch made a name for itself with Sly Cooper, this team moved onto the more mature darker superhero game in the Infamous series. For being a new IP when it released in 2009, Infamous did very well. Enough to get a sequel in 2011 and a special Halloween-themed DLC. For those who missed out on this series when it first released, they should look no further than the Infamous Collection. The Infamous Collection includes both Infamous 1 and 2, the Festival of Blood DLC and all other extra DLC missions, costumes and weapons all for 40 dollars.
Easily the most bang for your buck, God of War Saga includes the entirety of the God of War series leading up to the release of God of War: Ascension next year. There are five games packed onto one disc for only 40 dollars. You get God of War 1, 2, 3, Chains of Olympus and Ghosts of Sparta. Five high quality incredibly cinematic hack-and-slash action game classics that has spanned the PS2, PSP and PS3. On top of that the God of War Saga includes exclusive bonus content and a one month trial of PlayStation Plus, which is also included in the Infamous Collection.
thatgamecompany has made a name for themselves by releasing incredibly unique and artistically splendid downloadable games exclusively for the PS3. Their latest effort Journey made waves in the video game industry when it released earlier this March, which easily made it one of the highest selling PSN game of all-time. Capturing the hearts of many including yours truly, Journey is one of the video games you have to, and I emphasize have to, experience this year. There is no way to not to experience now considering Sony and thatgamecompany just released the Journey Collector's Edition for the amazingly affordable price of 30 dollars. The Journey Collector's Edition does not just include Journey. You get Flow and Flower, thatgamecompany's previous games, three game prototypes created during thatgamecompany's Game Jam and art galleries, commentaries and soundtracks for Journey, Flower and Flow. That is not all as this package also includes exclusive PSN avatars and a one month trial for PlayStation Plus.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Favourite Games of 2012 So Far
During the summer months, there are not a lot of big games that come out. While there is a steady stream of great downloadable games that come out in the summer, not many big retail games come out in the summer as they stick to the overcrowded winter and spring seasons. With this evident drought of games, there are some weeks when yours truly has to think of different things to write about when no actual games release said week. This week I decided to look back on the my favourite games of 2012 so far. The games will be listed in order of their release not how much I like them and I am only including games that I have either beaten or have played a considerable amount of. I hope that everybody enjoys this list and maybe finds a game in this list that they may have overlooked.
Run Roo Run
There is no other iOS game that I have found released this year that is better than Run Roo Run. Charming graphics, simplistic yet intuitive controls, satisfying gameplay and a plethora of levels that test both your mind and reflexes, Run Roo Run is the complete package for only one or two dollars depending whether you get it for the iPhone or iPad respectively. 5th Cell's first game for iOS is a game that no iDevice owner should miss.
Mass Effect 3
If you have been following this blog for a while now, you would know I full how much I love the Mass Effect series and in turn Mass Effect 3. While some jaded people got hung up over all the supposed controversy with the ending and the Day One DLC, I found Mass Effect 3 to be an incredible game experience that serves as a worthy finale to this grand video game trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is a game not to be missed this year as it is quite possibly the best game of 2012 and the best RPG from this side of the world.
Journey
Journey is easily one of the most unique experiences I had playing a game this year. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly baren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can be finished in one sitting. If you missed out on downloading this gem for the PSN, you can pick up the Journey Collector's Edition that comes out at the end of August.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Nintendo may have took 20 years to release a new Kid Icarus game, but Uprising makes the time fans waited well worth it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a labour of love from Masahiro Sakurai and Project Sora that brings Pit to the 21st century in style. While the controls can get in the way from time to time, the fast-paced action, witty fourth wall breaking banter, exciting story and fun multi-player experience sure make up for it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is easily the best 3DS game of 2012 so far that 3DS should not miss.
Xenoblade Chronicles
One of the last great games for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a grand RPG adventure from Nintendo and Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles has an incredibly gripping story, fun real-time combat and an enormous world to explore with a huge amount of side quests to keep you occupied. I have played at least 25 to 30 hours and I barely scratched the surface of all the content in this Wii RPG. For a system that has been starving for RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles stands tall as the pinnacle of RPGs on the Wii and for Japanese RPGs in this console generation.
There is no other iOS game that I have found released this year that is better than Run Roo Run. Charming graphics, simplistic yet intuitive controls, satisfying gameplay and a plethora of levels that test both your mind and reflexes, Run Roo Run is the complete package for only one or two dollars depending whether you get it for the iPhone or iPad respectively. 5th Cell's first game for iOS is a game that no iDevice owner should miss.
If you have been following this blog for a while now, you would know I full how much I love the Mass Effect series and in turn Mass Effect 3. While some jaded people got hung up over all the supposed controversy with the ending and the Day One DLC, I found Mass Effect 3 to be an incredible game experience that serves as a worthy finale to this grand video game trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is a game not to be missed this year as it is quite possibly the best game of 2012 and the best RPG from this side of the world.
Journey is easily one of the most unique experiences I had playing a game this year. There are no tutorials, no real instructions. You are just dropped into a seemingly baren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance. The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging. Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can be finished in one sitting. If you missed out on downloading this gem for the PSN, you can pick up the Journey Collector's Edition that comes out at the end of August.
Nintendo may have took 20 years to release a new Kid Icarus game, but Uprising makes the time fans waited well worth it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is a labour of love from Masahiro Sakurai and Project Sora that brings Pit to the 21st century in style. While the controls can get in the way from time to time, the fast-paced action, witty fourth wall breaking banter, exciting story and fun multi-player experience sure make up for it. Kid Icarus: Uprising is easily the best 3DS game of 2012 so far that 3DS should not miss.
One of the last great games for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a grand RPG adventure from Nintendo and Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles has an incredibly gripping story, fun real-time combat and an enormous world to explore with a huge amount of side quests to keep you occupied. I have played at least 25 to 30 hours and I barely scratched the surface of all the content in this Wii RPG. For a system that has been starving for RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles stands tall as the pinnacle of RPGs on the Wii and for Japanese RPGs in this console generation.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
On the Download: March 11-17
When the console games release schedule seems to calm down, the downloadable games seem to pick up. We got some big releases on each of the Big Three's downloadable services. On another note, a week after Mass Effect 3 released on consoles and PC, EA decided to release their Mass Effect 3 companion app, Datapad. While this app should have been released a week ago, I am just happy it has come out. Datapad has a little Galaxy at War mini-game that will help boost your Galactic Readiness Rating, but other than that it is not much of a game. Datapad is more of a resource for hardcore Mass Effect fans to interact with their favourite game while on the go and for free, it does not hurt to download. Enough of my Mass Effect tangent, let us get down to the biggest downloadable games of the week.
Not one, not two, but three new Virtual Console games landed on the Nintendo eShop today. Why the release of three new Virtual Console games you might be asking? It is to celebrate the first batch of Game Gear games to release on the eShop. The three games are Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (5 dollars), Shinobi (4 dollars) and Dragon Crystal (3 dollars). Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble follows Sonic and Tails as they race against Dr. Robotnik, Knuckles and Nack the Weasel to collect all five Chaos Emeralds. Platform through six zones, five bonus stages and a 3D stage. Joe Musahi goes portable in the Game Gear Shinobi game. Fight through tough side-scrolling levels of Neo City as you look to save your kidnapped students from the forces of evil. Finally Dragon Crystal is a classic turn-based dungeon crawler. You are given 30 randomly generated dungeons to conquer on your quest to find the Magic Goblet. For those who never experienced the Game Gear or remember it fondly, at a few dollars each these games should be a great download.
The final game in Microsoft's XBLA House Party, Ubisoft's I Am Alive has been the most anticipated. First shown off way back in 2008, I Am Alive has been on many gamer's radars as it is a unique take on the survival horror genre. Instead of fighting evil supernatural beings like zombies, you are just fighting to survive the hostile post-apocalyptic environment and other survivors. I Am Alive takes place one year after a cataclysmic event that wipes out most of human civilization and leaves the world barely habitable vaguely known as the Event. You play as a man named Adam. Adam has just returned to his hometown of Haventon in order to reunite with his wife, Julie, and daughter, Mary. I Am Alive is all about surviving. You will have to fend off hostile survivors with anything from an empty hand gun to a machete or intimidating them to the point they just leave you alone. I Am Alive also has a big emphasis on climbing and exploration. You will have to scale wrecked structures and navigate hostile environments. While completing these tasks, you will have to watch your stamina because if you run out of stamina, you die. I Am Alive sounds like a fairly interesting downloadable game. For those interested in picking it up, I Am Alive will run you 1200 Microsoft Points or 15 dollars when it releases on PSN later this spring.
From the creative minds of thatgamecompany, the studio behind great PSN downloads Flow and Flower, comes Journey. Exclusive to PSN, PlayStation Plus users have been able to pick this game up for a week now. In Journey, you play as nameless robed figure. You are dropped in a vast desert. You see a mountain off in the distance and decide to walk in that direction. That is all the exposition that Journey has. You are dropped in the world and let loose to explore in whatever way you see fit with no map or instructions to tell you where to go. If you are online while playing Journey, you can encounter another player. While you cannot speak to each other directly, you can use wordless shouts to communicate if you want. You are not forced to play with this person, you can go your separate ways or stay together and help each out. It is all your choice. A lot of good things have been said about Journey and it looks to be another innovative and artistic adventure from thatgamecompany that gamers should pick up. If you have 15 dollars to spare, this is a journey that you should not miss.
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