So it's definitely a new year for gaming, and with it comes a new wave of releases, treasures, hidden gems, and yes even troubles and controversy which are already occurring. As Gravity Rush 2 reviews are coming out, it's clear we're already seeing a bit of it all. Personally, I think what I'm looking at is essentially 2016 part 2. What I mean by that, is not necessarily that it'll be the same type of year, just we're getting a lot of great promises that were left from such a year, or games that still held a lot of discussion will be revealed. Games like Gravity Rush 2 & Yooka-Laylee I saw in and out the headlines a lot, and they'll be coming up. People were hyped on Horizon, but we all kind of knew that would be put off to 2017. Then games like Overwatch will continue on, as they increase support, and *gasp* actually put in the effort to add a server browser like a reasonable online game should! I'm even keeping my fingers crossed for continuous Doom Snapmap and bot updates. So... I'm kind of expecting just that continuous feeling of 2016, with maybe just slightly less of an impact, and more of a quieter fun time. I mean nobody is actually going to be treating Gravity Rush 2 and Yooka-Laylee like Overwatch as we go on, but yet those are the kind of games that could easily keep a quiet few hundred gamers wearing the biggest smiles they'll have all year (myself included if YL turns out to be the next big dream come true for collect-a-thon 3D platforming).
On the darker side of things, we've got Crytek in deep trouble aside from some real weird news on the Turkish government giving them some serious cash, Scalebound is scrapped, and as of today I heard a real stupid decision of Sony to play musical chairs with their European devs, and Guerrilla Cambridge lost and got shut down (okay it was really a "review process", but you can't tell the difference in how stupid and random this move was). With their closing also comes the likely demise of PSVR. Sony is following up its tradition of shutting away support for their extra devices, and closing the one team that makes good use of them. This by far is the sadest news for me in starting off the year, as I was looking at that team with great optimism. Perhaps one day they'll make a new Midevil? Perhaps they'll work with Guerrilla to create amazing new things for Killzone? Perhaps they become a 2nd Killzone division, and continues the awesome Mercenary sub-series? Perhaps they'll make a new RIGS that doesn't require forced VR nonsense? Nope, they'll die before they do anything beyond getting stuck with the lowest selling possibilities of Vita to VR exclusives back-to-back. Thanks Sony.
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| Uh... ever closer to "NO!" |
The biggest news may actually be coming tomorrow, with the Nintendo Switch event. Who knows what that holds, aside from the many rumors. I'm curious about it, but I'll personally wait. I think I've charged in enough with Nintendo, only to find myself thinking it hasn't gone to the best use, and realizing I can never find good values with their games as I mentioned in an article or so back. I say hold back, let the die-hards go first, and see what comes about with their tech and 3rd party support, and then if you're still somewhat interested in you may find nice bundles or better deals that entice you. I'm also not too sure about a system launching early in the year. I think it's great timing to just go "BAM! Here's the info, and it's coming out 3 months from now! How awesome is that!?", however I fear the real sales will go in on holidays, but yet the stigma that it didn't hit jackpot at launch will sit around, and then we'll be left in the Vita stage of no games or gamers because of... well, each other. Then on top of that, the holiday sales will be competing with the Scorpio, and to be totally honest... right now that sounds like a better idea to me than the Switch (of course, I'm not an xbox guy right now, so they're both new consoles to me).
Anyway, ending this on a positive note, there's a lot to be happy with and look forward to in the year. No one game that is going to make massive news right here and now, but we're looking at some real good possibilities. I'm hoping for a year in which the quiet awesome single player games succeed, and keep me coming back. Things like Horizon, Yooka-Laylee, and Gravity Rush 2. Oh and then there's the console ports of that W40K game, and Shadow Warrior 2. I'm already getting hyped, looking at GR2 and feeling down that it's actually going to be out on the 20th, as if it's just bad I can't have it right now. Sure people will complain and moan about quiet games, thinking "there's no games this year! I want to see the news instead of play them, boo-hoo!" type of nonsense, but I'm used to ignoring those idiots every summer. So here's to hoping for a wonderful 2017.
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