New year, new hype (top 10 2016 wishlist)

2016 looks like a beast of a year

So 2016 is definitely here by now. Instead of typing out some new years resolutions that I barely have related to gaming (just get a new laptop. That's kind of it) I have more to say on trying to organize the ridiculous amount of games coming out. Besides, that'll help me sort out laptop savings versus game savings. However there's too much for just the 10's, so lets also branch off a few for a "wait" list instead of simply a wishlist. As usual though this is not a list to be taken too seriously. As the year goes on, things change, and stuff happens, and expectations are also a bit of a bad thing to look to as they can tear us from the reality. This list isn't concrete, things could fall flat, or just not look that interesting as they come close. Meanwhile other things might seem even better over time. However as I see the year now, this is what has my attention.

10) Dying Light: Enhanced edition

I've been meaning to get this game, but its price has stayed higher than I'd want it to be. Scavenging around, flying through the air doing some minor FPS platforming, and the fact that I actually liked Dead Island made me look up to this game fairly positively. However I just didn't really care to get in on it so soon, and with such a generic open world format. Now when I was about to cave in on a $35 ranged deal I found for it, there's suddenly this new storm of info on a total revision. Its not just that it combines the DLC, which I don't feel a huge need for, but rather its the fact that it'll have advanced AI enhancements and completely revamped and improved gameplay right on the disc. No 10GB+ downloads as I'm sure other have to do every time they put the game on their HDD. As bad as that sounds, I'll pay a $40-60 price range for that convenience rather than simply for the combined DLC. Also I'd just like to support a dev that actually does this super edition enhancement stuff for free, as a content update after about a year since the game's launch is rare. That's some good support, while most companies try to make you pay for a brand new game.

9) Starfox Zero

Ugh, this one is a weird one. I can't figure out whether or not I truly want it enough to put down the money. I don't like rail shooters, and similar reflex based arcadey junk, but at the same time Starfox is just one of those games that does its story right in that awkward way that truly grips you. The quality of what it does is high, the story is there but shallow to the point of curiosity, the community surrounding the games and story are awesome (there's an animated series I've been patiently awaiting through last year), and its... well, its starfox. There's just something special about it, but not something special enough to totally erase the stuff I don't like about it. Meanwhile Nintendo's typical bullshit means this game wont dare move to compete for your money, and 2nd hand market wont help out with that either, so it'll be around $60 for the next 8 years or so. To its more positive credit though, the gameplay looks a bit more open, supposedly has been partially developed by Platinum (who are awesome), and.... well, its starfox? Yeah I dunno, this game is one of the shakier ones on the list, but ever since it was announced I couldn't help but think of it on my "to-buy" list moving forward. Its the kind of game I might be happy to pull out and play for an unsual burst of arcadey on-rails shooting fun. If Nintendo really wants to be awesome, they'll help me out deciding with a demo (and hopefully one that you can actually put on your Wii U instead of playing awkwardly at the store).

8) Yooka-laylee

...and I barely know squat about this one. I don't think I need to either. As it edges closer to release I'll give it a better glance, but as of now I know its 1) Made by former people of Rare's team that stands by B&K as one of their golden creations. 2) is a 3D platformer riding hard on the "B&K was awesome, so lets do another" idea. 3) You're reading the blog of somebody who grew up on, treasures, and begs for these kind of games. So... basically the concern comes down to how true to form it is (no jump-less Tinker BS), and if it can truly survive and be good enough based on crowd funding efforts. Outside of that, I can see very little going wrong. This should be a game to look forward to without necessarily sticking my nose too far into information fetching. Wait for it to come out, listen to fans, and if they say its on par with the 3D platformers of old I think I'll have no choice but to give this game so well earned support and welcome an entry into one of my favorite genres that AAA just forgot about.

7)Moon Hunters

I still remember the first time I saw the trailer of this. "Moon hunters coming to PS4 and Vita? What's that? A... myth based RPG?" ...and watched the trailer. The music struck a cord, the visuals were beautiful , the promises of a digital dream concept realized, and the entire thing together just shot an unusually strong sense of energy through me that had me physically feeling a sense of excitement. This was all lining up perfectly at first sight and I wanted to throw money at the screen and have it materialize on my vita right at that second. So why 7 out of 10 on the list? Well... since that time, there's been room for doubt. The team has been wishy washy with some of their original plans, scrapped a couple features (though also added some others to be fair), and haven't sounded the most reassuring on the Vita port (EDIT: But its still confirmed to be in the plans, by around summer. I haven't given up all hope for them to do this). On top of that, the prototype game they said to try which was an influence for their direction was kind of bad to the point of having me analyze the trailer and actually develop worries like how the combat accuracy actually looked horrible at the time (isometric fighting with only 4 straight directional input, it feels awful compared to 360 rotational dexterity). Despite the concerns though, we're still talking about a game that lets you play a mythical hero, develop that hero, fight legendary monsters, save the moon goddess, and is built for small sessions of replayability with stories that add on top of each other. The game has some amazing potential and still seems to be made just for me with a true RPG focus on mythology, folk tales, and adventure.

6) Stories: The path of destinies

...and then came Moon Hunters V2. Okay well the games are quite different, but they both have one very awesome thing in common: It feels like they're checking off my wish list and making a game I'd want to see. A swashbuckling fox rogue up against an empire, a love interest from the enemy side, sacred treasures and curses, a world set in the skies with air ships, and a narrator who tells your fairy-tale type adventures in the many ways you can take it. Oh please, please, please turn out as good as you sound. All 3 of these last places are all indie games that could easily become some of the best games I could ever play if they just do their job as ideal as they sound... which is admittedly unlikely. I'm fairly reasonable and don't expect pure 100% expectation matching, and with the details being as they are its hard to get an accurate feeling for any of these games. However what I do know has my excitement, imagination, and intrigue all fired up and I think I can place these games around the upper parts of this list as a side of cautious optimism... with a lot of great hope tucked away. By the sound of it, this particular game is also releasing early into the year, possibly even next month. So hopefully we'll be seeing if the first of three indie games is a worthy purchase very soon.

5) Rise of the Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider 2013 was pretty awesome if you weren't stupid enough to think it was like an Uncharted game. I never get the comparisons beyond their shallow view of archeology hero 3rd person shooter game. That shallow premise aside, that's all they have in common. I loved how Tomb Raider played out like a 3rd person shooter with a heavier emphasis on exploration and soft puzzle solving. It had an extra element of gravity and character adventure to it that really tapped into something fairly intuitive and fun in me once I got in the right mindset for it. The sequel to the reboot sounds like its doing everything right to be way more than what the already great 2013 entry was set to be. Thanks to the stupid deal with Xbox though the game is doing poorly, and is out of my access. However when it does get here it'll probably be improved, come with the unique sounding DLC, and will of course still be a great adventure game if critics are to be believed. I really look forward to this. It sounds like a safe bet for a great shooter and adventure.

4) Horizon: Zero Dawn

Now for an unsafe bet, but one I still feel really damn good about. When this game first showed its face at E3, I was amazed and loved every single thing about it. The premise, the character, the gameplay, the environment, the fact that the trailer fooled me into thinking it would be CGI trailer crap but instead turned out to be one of the most impressive and re-watchable footages of gameplay in the whole show. It was so good I had to run and get someone else to show it to regardless of their lack of PS4 just to ask them if they thought it was just as ridiculously good. It was so good that I can't possibly see or let Sony live down the idiotic idea to get these concepts focus group tested. Oh, and uh, this is an open world adventure RPG game developed by the same guys that make my favorite FPS franchise, so that's also kind of a big deal. In the end that E3 trailer was enough to bottle up my hype, and with Guerrilla's reputation I'm almost certain to buy this game. I expect flaws in this new IP and new genre for Guerrilla, I expect some harsh critics that dare to give it a dreaded 7 (yeah, number scores still suck), and I expect to not care as I take a chance on this amazingly ambitious game and tear its scrap apart gawking at every positive detail that may lie under it. I really think they have something special, and contrary to Killzone hype I may just stay in the dark and let this nice little thing be a surprise. I don't think I can see myself backing down from this one, its just got so much ambition and my own personal trust in it. I'm hoping it ends up well

3) Doom (4)

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM to the rest of FPS, because Doom is coming out and looks amazing! Well, okay, I've got to be honest and say there are some concerns. Something about the trailer just didn't... gel right about the asthetics. I think it was the health pick-ups spilling out of bodies like popcorn and sucking into your system like tiny little digital cubes. That weird disconnect aside, this game seems spectacular. Timesplitter style map making, amazing multiplayer, old-school FPS gameplay, and a promising action packed campaign. This should be a safe bet for content packed FPS this year, and is a game I am certainly hyped for.

2) Dishonored 2

Oh Bethesda, few could land two spots in a row this close to each other on excitement, but you could pull it off. You've got great open world games yourself, and in the mean time also hold in some of the best single player linear developers in the industry. Well played, you still have my attention and my urge to throw money at you in return for your hopefully consistent high quality entertainment. Oh and as for specifically discussing Dishonored 2? Why would I do that when you can go look at it yourself. Go on... look it up, read the interviews, watch the CG trailer that manages to still impress, and then go play Dishonored 1 again. That's all it takes. Dishonored is such a great game, and does so much right. If you asked me what game represents what angle I come from and appreciate in known gaming, I would instantly point you to it.

Treasure, sneaking, open linear level design that is full of surprises and deep replay value, fascinating eccentric characters that just ooze style, dark mystic tones mixed with the right amount of silly cheesiness, spying on people and snooping through letters, environmental story telling, that "just one more try, I got this!" hook in trial and error, so many gadgets to play with, a revenge story that has dynamic endings with different character reactions, subtle side-objectives that influence the world, FPS platforming, physics manipulation, and melee combat. Pretty much everything interactive and tone based that I've ever loved in gaming is found right here, in this amazing stealth action game set in a naval steampunk English world where you play as an assassin out for revenge. Now imagine a sequel that is doing all of that AND more. By more I mean a brand new character to choose, more complex leveling system, and entire new set of powers as chosen by the character, and of course its on more advanced technology (duh). Oh, and the fact that one of those two characters is a matured Emily, the little girl you rescued and presumably raised from last game, blew my mind and sets a perfect premise for a sequel and gives you a potentially amazing character to build off of. There's still so many details left untouched, gameplay yet to be seen, and yet if they announced a CE of this tomorrow it would be painful for me to resist it. I am thrilled for this game, and I can't imagine it not delivering.

1) Ratchet & Clank

You knew this was coming if you pay attention to this humble little blog. You knew this would be here, you knew I would make a big deal of it, and you know this doesn't even have to try hard to be my GOTY. It just has to show up, does what it does best, and be great. Its Ratchet and Clank, one of my favorite franchises ever, one of the only 3D platformers left on the market (even if its not a pure one), and its last two true adventure releases (crack in time/Nexus) were nothing short of spectacular. This game is a remake of its low point start in the series, ties the story in better with furture games, introduces early Dr.Nefarious (AKA: Best video game villain ever), and has a movie to go alongside it. Oh and its built for the PS4 and looks almost exactly like you're playing a Pixar film based on what I've seen. Oh, and its coming out with a movie that actually looks good and has been partially written by the game's writer. Oh and its only $40. Oh and its.... going to suck hours of my life away as I play through it again, and again, and again, occasionally stopping to play with extras, revisiting my favorite cut-scenes, and digging around that last planet for just that extra bolt so I can unlock that cool looking alien skin on my hard mode NG+ playthrough. That is of course, if it all turns out to be good, but I really have little doubt. Maybe I could be concerned with it being the remake of the weakest link, and thus it may not have say... arena battles? But that's still not enough to dampen my optimism for this game.

At this point I'm fully on board with hyping this game. There isn't a month that passes by without me remembering to check the news, scan the internet for new stuff related to it, and just retrack through some fond old memories, wallpapers, and fan commentary on thinking back to just how grateful I am for the better parts of this franchise. This franchise is like the definition of fun incarnated into an image of a cartoony looking cat with an oversized space laser gun, and that's what you get to spend 10-15 hours playing as (and that's just one round of it, you've got to play it again on NG+ to truly beat it). To say I'm excited for this and disappointed with the rest of the net for downplaying it (even PlayStation focused sites outright forgetting it) is an understatement. Most people just see this game as existing, if they even know that much about it. To me though, this is that special game that truly clicks with me and ignites a sheer joy that comes from a long lasting franchise that goes way back, and fills me with that "this is why I game!" levels of excitement. This game just needs to show up, be itself with all the formulaic valuables a fan could want, and introduce a couple minor tweaks and new story bits. Do that, and it could easily be one of the best smiles you can get from a disc that I have all year. In the mean time... well, I still play Crack in Time annually and find myself still feeling like its one of the best games and 3D platformers ever made. Up Your Arsenal and Deadlocked are very close beside it. Looking at this game, its the next actual full length Ratchet & Clank adventure since early 2009, and we more than deserve this to be a good one that releases this year after that kind of wait and after putting up with some bullshit spin-offs that just didn't work. This is by far, my most anticipated game of this year and something I have a locked $40 saved up for. I'm also planning, similar to wolfenstein, a few well themed articles leading up to its release.

Just... look at it!

Now what about those other games that couldn't make the list, but still have me anxiously waiting the 2016 results for? What other incredible games are coming out this year that have my attention, despite being well out of likely budget range for their immediate release? Well...

Wait-list...

• Uncharted 4 - Yeah I know, PS fanboys would love to hang me for putting R&C on the #1 spot and not having this on the entire top 10 list (or worse, TR, which idiots think is a poor clone of Uncharted). However fact is, I'm just not that uber hyped. Maybe that will change, but as I see it I can really wait here and rent it instead.
• Rime- If this comes out this year, I'll probably have to kick something else off of this list. Rime just looks like my idea of an Ico game done right (I'll uh... explain that again soon). However I don't think I've heard from this game for a while, to the point where I forgot about it while already starting on my top 10 list. Maybe... it really isn't top 10 material? I dunno, I want to see some more from it, but I've got hopes and a wish to grab this game when it comes out, but I've got a decent amount of caution as well warning me that perhaps... it is just another Ico type of game done like an ico-ish game.
• Tekken 7 - Love Tekken as far as fighters go, but its still a stupidly simple and restricted game where its basically about two guys punching each other until health is out. I cannot possibly see how this genre gets by on $60 launches, but whatever. I'll wait it down.
• Zelda Wii U - Yeah I'm excited to see what this supposedly hyped up "open world-ish sorta" Zelda is all about. Show me something cool, free up the mundane formula, and you may have me on board with this.
• Warriors stuff - Look there's just going to be a lot of warrior stuff as usual, and now that I actually care this stuff is on my watch list. However I have plenty to enjoy right now, plenty coming up this year, so there's really no rush for even one of these.
• Warhammer Vermintide - Awesome rat creatures swarming over gothic medieval towns, great melee combat, and bots... sounds like my kind of game, and the PS4 version releases soon. However the multiplayer focus has me questioning its buy-ability out of the gate in such a big year.
• Far Cry Primal - Heck yeah! Love far cry, love weird themes like this, and love melee combat. Well.... good melee combat, which may not exactly be present here. This... this looks, um.... yeah, I might wait and see I'm kind of scratching my head on this one.
• No Man's Sky - Nice premise, but it seems like it could easily be shallow and forgettable. I'm just not on the hype train for this, but I've got a close eye because I really do want a good relaxing yet adventurous space game, and it may deliver on that. ...that is, assuming its supposed to happen this year.
• Dreams - What the-!? How the... what is this thing!? It sounds amazing, but I just have a natural skepticism that it'll work so easily. I hope it turns out great though, and if it does then it'll instantly get me attention. Until then, its just loosely on my radar.
• Dark Souls 3 - Love the souls series, but I have yet to finish a single one, and Dark Souls 3 just... hasn't done anything to get me beyond a blissfully ignorant shrug. I believe it could be awesome if not spectacular, but right now all I feel is that I don't need it and there's way too many other interesting things coming out. I think I see myself waiting on a GOTY edition for this one.
• Mirror's Edge: Faith- A very weird and hard to explain choice, but this game does look... curious. I'd like to hope it recaptures or even perfects what made the old one good by its cult fanbase's standards, while also doing something interesting with its new approach. I think it could be a good game, but... as much as I hate to say it (and I know it'll upset the fanbase that knows EA has ridiculous standards and are ready to can the franchise), but I just can't see myself paying $60 for it. I'd love to rent it, wait for it at $40 or less, and it may just be something shockingly good. Lets hope for that. Meanwhile I have a friend who has it under a microscope analyzing it for everything it does right and wrong from the original. Since he's a super fan, I hope he's happy with it as well, but he's definitely got different expectations than me.
• The Last Guardian- Look, I really don't think this one is for me. Linear design, push puzzle = do thing, and then "Feel stuff" moments. There's better things out there that do this for far less the price. I'm really not a fan of Team Ico's stuff. I can see the appeal, kind of, but I can't say I'd put down big money for any of it. Despite all that though I always watch onto their stuff with curiosity, and in the long run I don't think I'll rule this title out for the right sale.
• Firewatch - Son of a- I was nearly done with this article when I remembered just how amazing this game appeared to be. There's just way too much to keep up with honestly. So this game puts you in the weird yet intriguing situation of being a forest ranger. The premise then takes off to do just about everything it can to wrap you up in drama, suspense, and mystery. Along the way there's a lot of dynamic chatter and some silly looking physics fun, so it looks like a great experience-based sort of game to enjoy. May certainly look into it. 

So yeah, with this many upcoming releases, 2016 looks to be a ridiculous year full of interesting stuff. Lets hope most of the desired experiences deliver. Just be cautious even when optimistic. Anything can fail, including even my super-hyped R&C release that should be easy to get right. Be careful, look into mechanics and not pure emotions to spot the bad ones, but also be ready to have some fun. Whatever you're hyped up for, I hope it ends up doing well.

Look to the stars, wish upon them, but don't try and fly into the sun.

Now Playing: EDF 2025

I'm actually playing quite a variety, but at this point I really need to get another one of these articles out and this is probably the best talk-ative game fit for one that I'm currently playing. Somewhere along the path of working on Dragon's Quest Heroes, occasionally nibbling at some fun replays on Transformers Devastation, working on Yoshi's woolly world when I can, laughing at the silly and dumb but kind of fun for it Cabela's African Adventures, AND also enjoying Hardware Rival's launch I've also worked up the desire to go back and played an old game I've barely touched: Earth Defense Force 2025 for the PS3. That's what's been truly on my mind these past two days, and its a good deterrent from running out and paying $50 for its newer counter-part that I don't actually need but have been hearing so many good things about.

EDF started for me with Insect Armageddon, which is funny because people hate that one and I still have a hard time seeing why. IA was the first to truly advertise itself for me at the right time, show up in the press, and impress me with trailers promising tons of raw destruction, jetpacks, and giant monster alien bugs. Sounded perfect. I picked it up one day by chance when I was able to get whatever and only thought this looked good out of the new releases, and was told how lucky I was to get just the last copy at my local gamestop. Never been told that (except later last year where Witcher 3 had the same effect), so I felt like it must have been a really good game to have sold out despite its limited marketing. I'd love to talk all romanticized on how it truly was a lucky sign and things were meant to be fantastic, but it didn't mean much in the end. I was initially kind of disappointed. Instead of being this masterpiece of cheese and destruction that felt like a good old crazy shooter, it was just kind of... barren. It sacrificed EVERYTHING for that mentioned premise of big bugs, destruction, and unlimited ammo. All the other systems in place were just so shallow. Gunplay was spray and... well spray. Just hold the fire button down, and occasionally reload or switch weapons. Classes really just weren't appealing (which included the very limited jetpack class, essentially tossing that fun out the window), destruction felt kind of flat along with the guns themselves, and the bugs didn't do a whole lot except for a few that were just plain annoying. Still I played it and kind of went dull to the sense of what value it did offer. I embraced the excitement in boss fights, loved the hilarious intel chatter, and kept pushing on the next level daring the game to show me a city that would truly fall apart by an amazing show of collateral damage between me and the bugs.

Word got around that a better EDF was coming soon. The "real" creators were getting in on it, PC fans were begging for a port to replace the "crappy IA version made by bad western devs" and whatnot. So I thought to myself, wow I have no clue what went wrong with IA, but if these guys invented and know the concept better than I really have to get in on this game and see how its really done. To this day I still don't see hardly any differences, and in fact IA still has some superior features. I ultimately understand two key things at best: IA's objective based gameplay was a step back, and their game was very short by comparison. That much makes good sense at least. However it seemed fairly the same in general so I just waited for a fair price for this one. By the time I finally got it, I just... really didn't do much with it. I fought up to about level 6, experimented a tad bit, but felt like the spiders annoyed me way too much and I'd rather take a quick break... which turned into leaving the game cold for months. Now with word on how 4-1 looks, runs, and plays I would actually really like to try it out. However its just a re-imagined and better 2025, so... *boots up the game*

I'm really now in a better mindset for this kind of game right now. You enjoy the mindless rampage, laugh at some goofy dialogue, and treat difficult replays of past levels like a chance for ARPG style loot drops. Its a fun, even if highly repetitive, mix and the game so far has been paced just right to introduce some crazy scenes in at the right moments. I just now made it to the 12th level where space ship drones fill up the entire map to a near crashing point and just wreck everything, and its crazy. They zip around so fast, and fall so hard that its like watching alien bumper cars play out over your head... only to end by bringing the building beside you to rubble. Moments like that are just awesome. With the framerate going into practically 10fps range, and the bad PS2-esque graphics, I know the PS3 can do better (and no the count and destruction isn't THAT good) and I wish the game had been better optimized, but its playable enough to be fun. I will definitely be happy when the 4.1 version is more easily accessible and runs smooth on better tech, but until then I've got a lot of work to do on this one. Going to try out some of the other classes soon as well, I think I have the hang of this enough so that I know what to do with them. I think I finally found the right mentality to get back into this game, and so hopefully with Yoshi and DQ balanced in mind, I'll be enjoying some good 'ol bug smashing for a for some time. Can't wait to see the part where dragons come into this.

EDF! EDF! EDF!

Under the christmas tree (2015)

Well I've been trying and doing different articles, but with things being as busy as they have been lately, they're mostly turning up late and unfinished. I still plan to work at some of them, but things it might be a while. Furthermore I'd also like to announce the GOTY piece might be late, but with good reason, and some potential merit to that lateness. I'm considering to extend things a bit to go with awards beyond a top 5 list (or rather in addition, top 5 count is still present and will likely always stay, as will honorable mentions). However the other reason is that... well, to be honest, I haven't actually completed the game that is supposed to be #1. Sounds dumb to put it there you may be thinking, but its just such a big game that I haven't had the patience to endure it all in one consistent run-through, or even the multiple ones I've given it. Nothing to do with the quality of it. However while I'm okay with putting powerful yet incomplete games on the list (see Darksouls 2), I don't think its acceptable to publish the list without beating the supposed definitive GOTY choice. So until then, here's an article I really WILL complete real quick. As with last year, its a quick impressions run of everything I got on Christmas day.

If I were to be honest, I didn't actually get a lot in terms of direct game presents this year, but I'm also kind of okay with that. Sure I would have loved Fallout 4, GTAV, or Mario Maker, but at the end of the day I'm very happy with what I got and already have a lot to work on with what I already have. Before this day I was still in the early phases of Xenoblade X, recently got Black ops 3, and that is still after trying to balance time between the warrior games. Oh and I've got a run to do on Dishonored definitive version, and I still need to finish the mysterious GOTY game. So yeah, not really a fuss to make, but its just not as much to say on as last year. Which again, might be good so I can get the article out of the way.

Dragon's Quest Heroes

AKA, the most ridiculous full-name for a game ever. Seriously just look it up, I'm not even bothering with it here. However that aside, the game is fantastic. I've gotten into the warrior games in a big way around the late fall, but even before then felt somewhat strangely hyped to this game. Never even played Dragons Quest stuff before either. It just... looked so good. In reality, it is indeed very good. Its actually the smallest warriors game I've played in terms of scope, characters, and levels, yet it manages to do enough right to totally make that a worthy (or maybe even beneficial) sacrifice. The combat system is so well made with magic attacks specially crafted into it, each character feels unique enough and fun with their own skill set to work on, and replayability comes in the form of endless mode reworkings of previous maps which somehow manages to be way more awesome than it sounds. Ultimately I love this game. However the last boss battle I faced was cheap, and the XP system doesn't make a lot of sense to the effort I put in. Still a great game, and one I'll definitely be working on. The campaign is also way more focused and engaging, so it'll actually probably be the first warriors game I can see myself "completing" as weird as that may sound. On that note its also probably the core game I'll be working on out of this list.

Yoshi's Woolly World

Was one of the first games to go on my wish list, both because of fear that the amiibo bundle would fly off into a black hole, and because its a freakin' Yoshi game and those make for some of the best 2D platformers in my eyes. This one so far seems to match that just fine. Its charming, relaxed, fun, imaginative, and its just... so joyful. It charm isn't so much as trying to play it as much as it is to feel like your on a ride through the most whimsical level craftsmanship you'll see all year. Though I do hear world 9 gets stupidly hard compared to the rest, but I suppose that may be expected. We'll see. Definitely a good game, and the Amiibo looks great displayed below the TV alongside a couple pop figures and the plush fox I have sitting alongside it. Oh and speaking of which, I got a starfox amiibo I got to open early on Christmas eve, and its the only amiibo I have that doesn't translate to an unnatural looking yarn Yoshi in the game. He just sort of dons a tan-ish orange color and the uniform for the most part.

Transformers Devastation

Okay I'd be lying if I acted like I have a fresh take on this one. Beat it multiple times through a rental, but while I feel all messed up from sinus problems right now I really don't feel like its worth the trip again when my own head can't keep up with the fast paced action. I loaded it up just to make sure it installed and remembered my data, played a challenge, loved it but sucked at it, listened to some music from the model gallery, and turned it back off. Still looks good, feels good, and has a ridiculously good soundtrack, but aside from that just go see the article I made on it to hear me preach about my old thoughts. This game should still be just as fun as when I rented it.

King's Quest: Chapter 2

Okay so as you could probably guess, I'm kind of cheating here and I didn't find a digital download episodic game under the Christmas tree this year. However I did get a $20 PSN card, got an extra $5 chipped in, and bought the season pass while it was on the Christmas flash sale. Not something I'd regularly do, but the first episode was such a spectacular game, and the 2nd reviewed in... okay enough status that I decided I would take the risk on what could easily be the best adventure series ever to me. However I was warned this would be darker, and... well, sadly it is. I really loved the first for hitting the perfect heart-warming fairy tale tone. It left me overwhelmingly happy, but still knew how to throw a heavy sad punch along its tale. However I also get this shift. Its not just some fancy tale being told, its a life story of a king, and so this king doesn't live a full life of luxury all the time. What they did to weave a heavy and hard tale where he's forced to take on tough responsibilities was a neat little thing to do with such a story. Its just that... well, I made it a bit darker than I wanted it to be. I messed up bad, and I think I got one of my favorite characters axed off. However I will try to work on solving some more puzzling matters and make it out of the dark goblin caves. I will see this adventure through unless it does something to really piss me off. So far I can tolerate this tone shift, and maybe I'll have to take its lessons harder with somebody dying under these pressured times, but I really do hope they don't stay on this track. I really do hope that at some point things back up a little bit to that princess bride vibe, even if things are expected to get tough in life. Chapter 1 is likely to stay on top at this point, but we've got 3-4 more chapters left, and I'm still not calling the 2nd a bad game at all from what I've played so far.

...and that concludes this small list here. Looking forward, I can see a lot of good games on the horizon, but there's also some games worth going back for (like again, Fallout 4, GTAV, etc). I may also end up saving some money towards a new laptop, which I really need (and it would make this a lot easier as well). Anyways I hope everyone got got what they wanted, spent time with family, and had a merry Christmas!

Battlefront 3 is still in a galaxy far, far away...

Well now its out, and for whatever reason I kind of made it almost like my duty to discuss the game's falls and triumphs from the perspective of both a fan of the original two, and... well that just creates a great situation to poke at its many holes and show you just how far some aspects of gaming have fallen (but of course, others have risen). This isn't just about a sequel being made by a new team; this is Star Wars on the whole getting a near reboot in modern day after it has been about maybe a decade since the last games and movies were a big deal. In that time so many different things have changed around our games, and unfortunately... I believe Battlefront EA (its actually in the title) has taken on some of the worst. The true successor to the games we originally got, is still in a galaxy far, far away.

For starters its worth it to point to something surrounding the game rather than the game itself: The licensing deal. Back when Battlefront was started, it was done also by EA at the marketing, and Pandemic as the development team (same guys that did Mercenaries and Saboteur) with what I can only assume was some assistance under LucasArts gaming department. They were simply focused on Battlefront when it came to star wars games, nothing really different at first sight. However when someone else was called up to task, well Free Radical took it up and was working on Battlefront 3 before some problems arose. Fast-forward to current day where EA has an exclusive deal with Disney (who now owns Star Wars) and you've got a nice little analogy for the way things drastically changed across 7-8th gen, and its odd almost nobody else seems to talk about it: Owning companies and games. In the PS2 era and prior, most teams could walk around and find a publisher for their games. There were plenty of kind opportunities out there where developers would check your ideas out, and fund your game based on if they liked it or could make a couple changes. That was it. Now I'm sure we're all aware these developers aren't walking anywhere. Dice makes stuff under EA, Free Radical (or what's left) is owned by Deep Silver, Arkane under Bethesda (a pairing that actually fits great), and its hard to say just what exactly Ubisoft owns between their oversized studios umbrella that pumps out their games. That's not to say pre-8th gen was perfect in this regard, there are plenty of troubled stories with Naughty Dog and Insomniac's days with Universal, and Activision was bullying their teams since the original Call of Duty by telling them they had to keep it in WW2 or else no console devkits would be given. Still its gotten much worse since then, with the only free team outside of indies I can think of being Insomniac, and they only found a publishing deal that let them keep their own IP through Microsoft which obviously limited their console reach.

Just stop and think about it all for a second. Think about all these annual releases, reoccurring series, and developers that have been cut down or re-used outside of what they were known for. Its all in part due to the fact that they, and their very games, are owned not by the artists but by the same people whose main job is to set up deals like this and market the game. No wonder indies are such a big deal now. Well in addition to all of that, lets close this in circle formation by reminding you that EA pretty much owns Star Wars on the gaming field for the foreseeable future, because that's very true to the nature of current publishers right now.

While on topic of publishers, this feels appropriate

So now that's out of the way, lets talk about the game itself since that's also kind of important. The main point of concern is... well, actually lets talk about the originals first. They weren't all too amazing by its own mechanics in today's market as we've had multiple multiplayer titles now with big battlefield. The only real difference that makes it special in mechanics is that it had better stock mechanics with a real health system, and a reason to carry support people or visit munition depots. No casual hide and restore crap, or reflex based gunfights. Though there was no sprinting in the original, which sucks for that side of things. Aside from that it was nothing special save for the star wars theme. However that's just the thing: It was massive star wars fan service. Massive scale battles across 16+ levels battling over flags or territory in a wide array of vehicles, a strategy mode allowing you to build up and take over the universe with any of the major army factions while paying off favors and abilities, and of course the fact that you could play as a famous big name hero like Han Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda, etc. All the while you could do this offline or online, split-screen as well, and across both timelines and many planets (even ones that didn't make much sense, like a rebel vs empire war on Kamino clone facility). Then of course the sequel refined most of the process better expanded mode functions, customization, better award system, and the most popular addition of space battles where you could blow apart capital ships or board them and blast them from the inside. These were all within $50 PS2 games straight on the disc. Now how has the game improved after over a decade? 8 maps (not planets, maps), prequel content and wars totally omitted, online only with a couple arcadey co-op modes you could play on your own, and oh yeah classes and normal vehicular use is completely scrapped. So a massive step backwards in every way at surface-value. To be fair now, there's way more multiplayer modes, but they're already hurting with low player count which wouldn't be a problem if they had bots to fall back on (but they don't). If that doesn't grab you, then you'll just hate it when I also tell you they're asking you to pay extra for the deluxe edition and have been pushing for their season pass at a hefty $50 range with promise that they'll split the community more with map packs. Oh but relax, you're also paying for early two week access to DLC so you can be more lonely in them while everyone else has to wait on an intentional delay.

This is why I never intended to buy the game on launch. Even with both of my copies of Battlefront on the PS2 being unable to work, I simply don't see the value here. I'd be better off getting a brand new computer and purchasing Battlefront 2 off of steam/GOG, or Ebay shopping for the PS2 originals. They have way more content in the box, are cheaper, and are far more accessible, and I'd even say have a more consistent fun factor to the gameplay. The sad thing to is that I don't exactly hate the new battlefront. The beta was pretty fun despite plenty to complain about. I kind of side with the portion of players and critics out there that talk about how fun it is as a casual shooter. Its great to just hop on there, melt some people with laser blasters, call down wild power-ups, and see what the end results are. I'll even say that some of the changes are great. I've never had as much fun in an AT-AT as I did when I had a range of cool-down super powers including an orbital strike. Its also the most well realized star wars presentation ever... period. I don't even think the movies are this good as pulling you into the world, because this one actually lets you walk on areas that were photographically digitized into the games, and then unleashed in a big sci-fi battle with amazing sound design pulled right from the SW universe. The graphics, sound design, and "feeling" of being there is just absolutely perfect for a star wars game. ...and then we get back to just what this is doing so wrong as a modern game, with its 8 maps and online only ability shoved down your throat. I've really got to wonder in a time like this if it truly is a case of graphics and big budget fancy stuff taking priority over gameplay. If it wasn't that, something else is seriously wrong here. Was it held back for DLC? Were their maps too big to make more of? Is their AI programming really that terrible that they can't be bothered to code bots? Were they drunk when they paved the groundwork for a matchmaking only online point? No really, I want answers or some kind of excuse, because at every corner outside of presentation it feels like this was set up to be a sub-par backpedal from a game made back in freakin' 2004 and the sequel that followed in '05. Heck even some of the PSP games have done things like space battles and fun bots to fight against!

Its not just nitpicks or purist complaints either (heck if it were, Battlefront 2 would be thrown under a bus as well for messing some stuff up), its the fact that I literally cannot play 90% of this game during a lot of Comcast's awful low speed connection where as everything I came to love the series for before came from an offline experience I played on my own time. This is lazy design that assumes everyone just wants to play online, and is totally fine with all of your short comings, and fixed modes. As a matter of fact offline play is such a big deal to me, my entire perspective of Rainbow 6 siege has changed from "ignore it" to "Definitely curious, renting it" based on the mixed reception of solo play, and hints of AI bot design. So I'm literally trying and potentially buying an online focused game because I hear it may have a solid offline mode with AI, and nothing else has contributed to me changing my previous thoughts before. But this is the era where Destiny, and Assassins Creed Unity are big sellers, and reviewers don't actually analyze the games they review before passing a 7+/10 score to. Its nothing new that something like Battlefront is made and money begging before its even released, and somehow gets away with poor quality. I predicted it all ahead of time, and that's why I'm not supportive of EA owning all the Star Wars gaming space, and why I was never truly excited about a new Battlefront made by Dice. It just wasn't going to come even close to doing what I like in the series, and competitive wise it doesn't sound like a good buy in itself either. I think in the long run, this really is about graphics taking a bigger priority, but not just in a simple way of one over the other. This is 2015 where such high end graphics cost a massive budget, and then they're rushing it to the market to cash in their game multiple times before they have to risk another big budget dip. The PS2 game did the best they could do before they shipped it with a moderate team on a plain budget, in a time where you actually had to make a good game (or do something spectacular for marketing) that people talked about to get it to sell. Now there's just too many other factors, chokes, and expenses racking up for quality content to take the biggest priority. They can just patch or sell it to you later, and sweep anything else under the rug. Or they'll "make up for it" with an online only sequel that adds maybe space battles to quite people down, and heavily ride on that criticism being fixed.

But at least it looks nice

However I don't want to be all doom and gloom here, because there's actually some hilarious twist here where I'll tell you of a terrific new FPS that releases with more content than even the original Battlefronts had. I mean I'm not the biggest fan of this series at all, and would usually bash on it for several reasons. However if you want what Battlefront offers on the up side (a fun little casual romp around sci-fi battlefields), and would be okay with offering up graphics for content, then I have just the remedy to tell you about: Call of Duty Black Ops 3. Yes, COD. If there is one thing COD gets undeniably right every damn time its lets something out into the world, its just how crazy accessible, and content stuffed it is. Okay so its not always perfect, Black ops 3 has some stupid stuff locked behind online mode like the emblem maker, but in general they even managed to outdo themselves on quality content. They have the normal horde mode, multiplayer, and campaign parts, but they also have a brand new hidden campaign which completely changes things, a return of arcade game dead ops (which I absolutely love), a bot mode full of custom options, full blown local co-op support in everything, a theater mode, and heck you can even spend hours just fooling with the painter. Oh, and there's also a $50 seasons pass promising you more content, so suck it EA, they've got that to and don't need a famous movie license to sell it.

Okay so I'm not trying to intentionally market to you about COD's game, I'm sure you get that enough from Mountain Dew bottles by this point, but what I'm saying is there still is an example of... well, doing the opposite of Battlefront EA. It is still possible to find quality AND quantity in gaming. There still are people out there making sure you not only have a lot of content in addition to passable graphics, but also go out of the way to surprise you with it and give you more than what you thought you paid for. This is why nobody except maybe GTAV has beaten COD. Despite all the copy-cats, gimmicks, and dumbing down that has been done to match COD, they always skimp on the content or formula in some way that prevents it from going big. However this is one of the big secrets to COD, its that content and accessibility. Its the empowerment they give to each and every player in reward for their $60 purchase. Meanwhile you may have to fight with servers just to even get into the game in Battlefront. Its not easy saying COD wins. I should be thrilled about an FPS that doesn't use ADS, has some of the best laser rifle aesthetics in the history of gaming, and re-introduces intentionally overpowered elements that make you panic or powerful. It should make me cheer for an anti-COD mentality and say "This was when shooters were better"! Instead its a reminder of how far south some parts of the industry go.

Some games are focused on fine tuning, improving, and content creating, and others have just let it all go down the drain as they shove you into a multiplayer cycle and expect you to pay $60-$100 and beyond for less. It actually works to, and sales so far are positive. On one side of things I do hope people still have fun, as that's what matters most at the end of the day. At the same time though, I can't help but look on in disbelief that this was actually sold as Battlefront. This just isn't the real sequel. It doesn't use the same core mechanics, doesn't have the same features, doesn't have the right kind of balance, and they didn't even put in an effort to make it feel like a successor as there's barely anything it does better outside of technical perspective. Heck, it even shows in the marketing art. We're talking about this and this being epic war scenes turning into this emptiness, or this guy's helmet with a reflection of slight action. Its a good sign of what you're in for, because one let you experience consistent and interesting battles from the star wars universe in many ways, and the other bottle necks you into another online shooter with a pretty picture. Its a shame it had to be this way. Its another case where content was removed and dumbed down, in a series that could have truly meant something by returning to the big console scene after a decade. Oh well. Hopefully this wraps up my Battlefield coverage. I'm sorry if I've spent too much time nagging about it, or talking about how sad it is, but it really is a great study piece in the dark side of modern gaming and how something can go from one of the best games of my youth, to the ideal game to make a stand against. Well... no, I'm not really sorry. I mean look at what we're talking about here! Would it have really killed them to add some damn bots or get more creative than 4 planets at launch?



At least we still have this in our history

Path of the warrior

I can't remember the last time I had such a sudden burst of enthusiasm, interest, and a will to hunt down a series like this. Maybe its in part because I've got some small system of income to my own now, but its also got a lot to do with just the games showing up again and again in the right time and places. No more beating around the bush though, this whole article is about how freakin' awesome the Warriors franchise is. Actually is it even fair to call it a franchise? It kind of goes beyond that. Its like if Shadows of Mordor, batman, and mad max were all attached to the same team and relative formula as Asssassins Creed, and each new release earned the association of it being a "Creed game". That's kind of what the warrior franchise is. There's various spin-offs involving other franchises like one-piece and Zelda, Samuri warriors, Dynasty Warriors, and then a cross over for the publisher themselves by the way of Warriors Orochi. On top of that each series or game seems to have its own Capcom-esque hyper ultra semi-sequel revised edition going on for it. Crazy stuff. Needless to say its intimidating to find a good place to step in and hope for a quality experience and without being cheated of content. However I ended up indulging on it through three games, just to make sure I hit my mark: Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires, and Samuri Warriors 4 (not to be confused with 4-2). So far I'm holding Orochi on the backburner as SW4 and DW8E suck up my time and make me wonder how 9am became so dark all of a sudden with the clock saying 6. These games are way better than you'd think they have any right to be.

Basically they all work off the base idea that you go around some unusual jagged map with spots of territory, dealing mostly melee + magic based attacks, mowing down literally a thousand or more brain-dead army minions while cutting down the occasional high ranked official. The basic shared combat trait is that you mash in the square buttons for light hits, triangle for strong, and you make chains with them that eventually transition into energy that helps you pull off specials. That's it as far as shared traits go, and it usually stays relatively that simple for the most part, but each series has its own liberties and interesting tweaks. For example SW4 has two characters you can switch between and command around, as well as a Hyper attack system that begins with strong attacks and has a unique sweeping motion. There's also an inventory system and each character gets better over time by traditional RPG methods of experience points. DW8E allows two weapons (which come from a long list, whereas SW4 just gives each character their own thing), has more double the special types per character, and also some weird elemental system I don't quite grasp yet. Ultimately though its not just about the combat. What hooked me initially as I played a demo for it long ago was the novelty of commanding an army on a massive field, and claiming territories. That natural conquest tug-of-war is a feeling I always love in war themed games, and this just felt like nothing but that at first. Of course the combat seemed really lame at first, and the AI way too stupid to make this fun, but over time (especially thanks to Hyrule warrior's kiosk demo) I came to really appreciate the combat and seek out the depth under its shallow surface. Combined with the strategy, meta game of leveling up, and the personalization of a few features and this game series has me fully hooked.

In a couple of cases I found myself feeling kind of like a kid again with these games, and I wasn't fully sure what it was at first. I'm a nostalgic person, but use that term somewhat differently as a way of celebrating good things of the past rather than being clouded by it or intentionally trying to force a kid-like view out of it. So this feeling is actually quite rare. At first I found myself just thinking "I bet I would love this way more if I were 8" because of how awesome the novelty was, and some replay features. I then changed that to actually feeling as if I were 8, upon seeing the ridiculous piles of customization on Empires. That was it! I had found a surprisingly good gem of a series with a brand new list of things to learn, some solid strategy elements to it, and so much customization (especially empires) that if I wanted to I could get sucked into this game for days just playing out my own stories. All of that exactly like how I saw the worms 3D trilogy back in my childhood days; those games were fun strategy games with some edge to beating them, and a lot of creative ways to goof off after that work. There wasn't a lot of legit powerful strategy to them, and mechanically you could probably get whatever you wanted out of it in two weeks. Meanwhile due to my creative mind they would eat up over a month of my time, making armies, stories, and special rule sets catered to my role-playing mind. This game is like a modern day form of that, coming in with heavier surface mechanics of distributing live attacks in various and evolving combos, while being able to adjust and adapt to an evolving battlefield. It feels more relevant to me now than it might have in the past (besides, no way little me would grasp Empire mode), and delivers things under a style I kind of appreciate more at the moment than I would have before... but the draw is a whole line of creativity and an entirely unfamiliar formula to learn that throws me right back into an old mentality I've missed.

So now I'm just really hooked on this. I don't know how long it'll last, but so far I've got a lot to still do, and I'm still playing it with barely any incentive to leave the TV never-the-less give up on any game. This thing made me put down and forget about just getting Dishonored Definitive Edition as well, and I've honestly got no intentions on returning until I'm satisfied with this new little discovery... and that includes the still wrapped Orochi game. I still also kind of want to say something on battlefront, or maybe the recent dead or alive situation, but I just don't want to because I'd rather be playing these awesome games. ...and so with that being said, its time to get back to it. Time to continue the path of the warriors.

Now Playing (special): Thanksgiving with Singularity

Thanksgiving day is something that probably is owed a bit more than it gets. Its basically a holiday all about being grateful and loving your family that is beaten between two holidays, out-merchandised, has their celebrations overlapping its own despite that one's past and one is a month+ ahead, and then on top of all that its being squeezed out by stupid black Friday schedules that aren't even on Friday anymore. Thankfully (no pun intended) its one of the easiest holidays to do a blog special on, and I've got the perfect thing in mind from the "thankful" part, its not exactly family related. Lets talk about Singularity.

Yes, that one.

So what's a game about time warping, zombie shooting, evil Russians, and a magical hand zapper that turns people into skeletal dust got to do with Turkey day? Well basically, its got about 70% of everything I love in a shooter, mostly on the campy B movie side of things. Actually that just might be the best way to describe it, because it really does pan out a lot like a nice looking B movie with about as equal reception as one. Its got almost zero attention in general, but sometimes a corner on the internet whispers out "That game was amazing!" before a few other people ask that guy "was that supposed to be Raven's Bioshock game or something?". I never really understood that comparison for the record, but oh well lets move on. The game puts you in the role of an American soldier sent to investigate an old secret abandoned Russian island where dark experiments took place. Weird readings are going on in the area, and its up to you and a small team to figure it out. Suddenly you find yourself warping into ghostly realities before a full time rift sucks you into the island's past. From there you rescue a man who was about to burn up in a flaming building. Really that wasn't ever supposed to happen, and that little incident ruins the entire operation and gets the island to its present ghostly condition, but your change alters so very much... for you rescued the leader. You find yourself thrown back into present (or, er... 2010) and things are... wrong. Subtle changes at first, but then you find yourself overwhelmed by monsters, only to then be pulled aside by the Russian army and get told one horrifying truth: Russia won the cold war because of this man you saved, and from then on he took the thrown as world dictator.

So by the 3 hour mark the game has basically turned into a B movie plot full of time travel, evil Russians, and evil zombie mutant monsters caused by those Russians and their evil sci-fi energy experiments, and you're the American hero who's got to stop it all with the help of a female british agent, and a convenient good guy Russian scientist. Again, B movie describes this all so very well. However its not a movie, so what's the gameplay like. Well its basically like a weird combination between Half-life 2's format, and... well something else. Its got the health packs, monsters, pick-ups to explore for, and evil science plots, but then there's the bioshock/farcry-like med pack holders, a two weapon limit, weapon lockers with upgrades, and then the TDM device which contextually alters the environment. So... its pretty solid. More shockingly, its a really solid FPS for its time period. Not necessarily a perfect "throw-back" title, but it really holds up well on a few older traits I love in shooters from the early 2000's. The narrative and world exploration is especially nailed down for that kind of game. Its just great that its also so littered full of lore pick-ups, and yet so many horrific scenery that its not horrific at all but rather just "oh, hey another room full of impaled soliders hanging on the walls." Its just good campy crazy sci-fi FPS fun.

Lets do the time warp again!

Are there flaws? Well yeah. The worst is nearly one of the very basics: two weapon limit. the game has some unusual weapons mixed in with decent military style weapons, and then you can upgrade them all, but ultimately you're told "two weapons only, pal!". This feels very limiting in a game like this, and just doesn't fit very well. However what's even worse is the layout of the game itself, in that there's no way to properly replay the game. You start a new game, and from then on you're following that path as linear as can be until the ending checkpoint. From then on, all of that work cannot be re-visited, and you've just got to start a new game. On top of all that, you can't change the difficulty without starting the game on the one you want (and now I'm playing a regretted choice of Easy, and I'm nearly invincible so far). If I were to also nitpick, the bulk of this game's monsters are visually dull as they're basically just zombies with warts and glowy bits instead of decay. The variety is still nice with phasing enemies, ones that throw items, and just generic ones that charge but can have their limbs shot off.  Plus if you were trying to find an amazing critically acclaimed story, you're in the wrong game. Its a bit silly, and the plot is very obviously tailored to convenient writing + player interaction, with things like a conveniently working little model with perfect audio recording (and oddly in English) telling you what each part of the island does. Its a silly set-up in the end, and if you want to enjoy it, you've got to be like me and embrace this sort of crazy sci-fi energy monster stuff with face-melting time blasters going on your wrist that came out of an alternative time line from the 50's.

Giving thanks...

So I still didn't exactly justify how this possibly ties in with Thanksgiving day. Its a weird game to pick at first glance not only because of its just not a seasonal game, but also because its just not a very well regarded game. Its got some harsh flaws to that keep it away from being replayed and getting the attention, BulletStorm, Mtro, Killzone, or Resistance might be getting. So why this game? Well in kind of a way, that's the whole point. Thanksgiving is all about overcoming the faults of something to see something amazing, and to be thankful that it has enhanced your life in some way... as well as just appreciating the simple things, like having the ability to eat food and live.

Singularity is a game that doesn't get a lot of attention. Some who know it, know its cool, but its as if so few do, and even those that do know of it feel like their time is spent discussing better things. Singularity also flopped on the market, not selling many copies, and helping to cement Raven Software's company behind assisting COD. Oh and speaking of it, lets not forget Activision published this... yup, my personal least favorite publisher put out this amazing game full of FPS tropes I adore. The best part though, is that this isn't the end of their story. Recently announced, Raven is allowed to make a sequel. How often does that kind of 180 turn around happen from a stingy and mean publisher? Ultimately I'm grateful for this game. I'm able to overcome my hate for this publisher to say they made a great game outside their normal triad of big hits, I'm grateful its managed to get a sequel that'll happen sometime, I'm thankful for all of its campy FPS tropes and how well its handled all of it, and I'm grateful for the good gameplay of it all. Playing this game just makes me feel great about a genre that honestly isn't quite what it used to be, but still makes me think of that time, and how good it is. All the fun monsters to shoot at, the fun and conveniently placed notes to snoop through, the crazy science contraptions, the silly supervillains, and of course gaming as a whole for just being there and being this great. So thank you Activision, Raven, Sony (played on the PS3) for allowing such a fun game exist... even if it may be an obscured one.

Thank you spooky virtual world

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Microtransactions done... right?

I'm late to this party with the example I want to speak on, but its fairly relevant in my own findings so... Trials Fusion has microtransactions. It looks eerily close to what I see in some F2P games as well, with colorful and silly cosmetics chiming in on top of gimmicky golden acorn currency, which you buy from the store. Yeah, I know the typical response to this kind of thing...

However I actually can't say I mind... much. I mean don't get me wrong, there's still something unnerving about seeing a great game suddenly showing up with one of the most despicable and growing practices of the current gaming scene. Plus on top of that, its kind of weird to see gimmicky currency (the normal grind currency was normal $ to) allotted to costumes rather than the costumes themselves being sold at $1-4 a piece on the store. Kind of overcomplicated guys. That aside though, I can't find much of a problem, and even the currency gimmick could be considered a good thing when you see that it counts for tourney wins which means you can technically grab the best costume you see without paying a dime.

Look, Trials came out spring of last year (2014), has been under big support since with updates adding more content to the game like female riders and enhanced online features, and on top of that there's been a steady string of normal DLC as well. In the end you basically have a really well supported and enjoyable small downloadable title (with physical release supported as well, thanks Ubi), and the team has proven time and time again that they're all about having fun with creative and interesting designs and a sense of humor to their game. If a year or so later they decided to add in a bulk of costumes, and charge you for them with mobile game type currency, then that's just as normal as any other DLC for all that I care. They didn't owe me these costumes, they didn't build a game around it, and they didn't really take away anything there. Heck if anything I'd rather complain that they replaced the menu with the Awesome edition stuff, when I haven't even bought that expansion, and prefer the old sci-fi tone that fits with the actual game I own more so than the Awesome edition that looks like internet meme vomit.

Still riding off into the sunset just fine

Now that being said, I do worry that there's potential for this to go wrong in the future. I worry that this will be done ahead of the next game, and for both reasons of lacking interest and principle I still wont support its implementation here just to be on the safe side. Lets hope that doesn't happen though, and hope that we can continue to look at Trials Fusion as a good example of microtransactions.

Reminder: 7th Gen had HD, and was pretty great

Yup, not a lot more you can do here

There's a few arguments going around that consistently annoy me whenever it comes to talking consoles, technical ability, and similar things. One of them I'm late to discussing, but not at all deterred to stay silent on. Black Ops 3 brought it out quite a bit. Its probably the last COD game we'll see on PS3 and 360, stripped down lots of things to the point of removing its entire campaign, doing 30fps for what may be a first for COD, and has graphics that disappoint. In an article they discussed why the campaign just couldn't be done, and that Activision made the right move to cut out a whole mode than to simplify it down. It wasn't within their allowed memory to allow Co-op to function where you could see other player's weapons, and attachments... because suddenly being able to see a tiny muzzle on your friend's gun in an entirely optional style of play is more important than the entire single player drive of the campaign. Um... also, its not like 7th generation COD games have ever used player models with customized guns before. I mean what, you think they actually had a multiplayer mode full of customized weapons and player character models? No way man, the PS3 is too busy trying to process Nathan Drake's blocky robotically animated PS1 face for that kind of stuff, and it might fry if it dares to try and run Battlefield's tiny 4 player arena matches. Okay enough of the sarcasm, lets tackle this for real...

I'm tired of ungrateful gamers trashing the systems that gave us years worth of entertainment, and contained the foundation to many advances (although some bad, like misused DLC) we enjoy today. Then there are some people who just get upset over the very existence of them or new games for them, as if it somehow hurts them that the market gets a choice to have a 7th or 8th gen version of the same game. I know its the human mind to rate off of comparisons, but at some point its got to stop and you got to call out the BS and stop whining over something that was really fine in all of our lives. I'll fairly admit the systems are outdated (though technically, so are our current consoles if you're really looking for the best of the best), we stretched them out across a long cycle, and that we are moving forward in a great way with the newer systems. I also understand the idea that our older systems don't need the support anymore, and anybody buying a game like Black Ops 3 for the PS3/xbox 360 doesn't exactly have the best priorities in mind. However my frustration comes in from the people that insist that those old gen buyers "deserve" shoddy ports for some reason. It comes in mind when they pretend the systems were complete garbage, or are so outdated that they couldn't accomplish anything of value to us anymore. It stems from the imagination bankrupt developers who insisted they couldn't do anything inventive without new hardware, despite bottlenecking themselves harder than they've ever been in terms of variety. It comes from the gullible people who actually believe the developers in articles like the above. My frustration on this topic is inspired by those who forgot this came out just a year before our new hardware and how they sung to the high heavens that it was the best thing since sliced bread. That happened on the PS3, just as Killzone 2 and 3, Uncharted, the mass effect trilogy, Assassins Creed, the Metro and Crysis franchises that high end PC users benchmark their stuff with, LittleBigPlanet 1-3, and a little thing called Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain. Oh but sure the tech is old and we can do better now, so kill it with fire and everyone who sticks with it, right? It just comes off as silly.



The funny thing to, is that you really don't hear this elsewhere right? Why isn't anybody on PlayStation 2's case anymore, bitching and moaning that its got so little CPU power that character models could only exist in like 8 varieties in the same area? Well because not only would they look a bit silly, but because they'd be torn apart by the fact that people got over that phase and have moved on to actually appreciating it for what it is: an era of games. Its the same reason why you can market the heck out of retro style visuals, and why something like Shovel Knight is amazing to people. Likewise why is it that the Last Guardian carries so much hype? Its because of games that were accomplished before. Its because of the fun, the memories, the values that were brought in by that area. Its due to nostalgia formed out of love and fun of a different era. Meanwhile at the transitional state, and among the first few years of a newer cycle, its somehow normal to see hatred over it instead. You see people shooting down others who haven't upgraded yet, hypocrisy as they mock those who point out poor quality in ports while doing so for PC gets the red flag and forum rage (rightfully so, but it should work the same both ways. PS3 users shouldn't have to pay $50 for Black ops 3 like it is), and somehow their words are taken at face value when developers dismiss these systems by insisting that we're finally able to do something like Co-op shooters for the first time (unless your Halo 5, in which case for the first time its goodbye to that feature). This is the same AAA industry that has used advances in systems to somehow screw up Tetris on the PS4, and tried to sell us on fish AI that isn't even up to standards with Mario 64 (enjoy this little video), and the idea that they'd to be trusted when talking about tech powers at this point is just insane.

Accomplished thanks to PS2, and HD-ified thanks to PS3 (A.K.A outdated consoles)

Then there's the header image and the subject it inspires, where we're not even at a point of taking major leaps. All that "we're being held back" crap coming out of PC elitists theoretical dream charts ended up at nothing, as our near decade of waiting paid off with mostly some resolution bumps and lighting adjustments. Sadly the team talking about how the future was in Atom tech instead of polygonal, has also not been heard from in a while. That's not because we didn't go with the impractically expensive $2000 bleeding edge stuff, its because that everywhere you look there isn't a ton of improvement beyond talk that maybe some day 4K will be standard (do you guys even have a TV for that?). Technology simply isn't advancing as fast anymore, period. Consoles didn't magically cause that, or else we'd never have the jumps to begin with, its just that tech is really strong and at a big peak now. So the difference in generational improvements is more slim than ever (we're well beyond seeing CPU improvements that reduce clones like the old PS2 days), and there really just isn't that much to improve anyways. All this bringing me to restate that this hatred over 7th gen just looks so silly. We're not even improving over 7th gen in all respects, there are still developers out there using their "vision" as an excuse to carve back a piece of gameplay that was just recently there. Again, Halo 5 isn't getting its traditional split-screen gameplay, and Tetris was hurried out in a mess, meanwhile the indie scene still needs to pick up where companies like Konami have failed to deliver on good games, and developers all over the place are still using old engines that are barely even working anymore after the recent advances and are in need of a total overhaul (see AC and Fallout 4 for the best examples). You also probably thought PC ports would improve now that consoles have easier hardware, but nope, check Black Ops 3's team that was greenlit to cheat 7th gen players, they didn't do PC users much better. Meanwhile Arkham knight was so broken they had to pull it, and Unity still doesn't work right for some users LOOOOOONG after several GBs worth of patching. Feeling better about hating the PS3 and 360 yet?

On the other hand Shovel Knight is being held high as one of the best games to come out in recent years, in its pseudo-8-bit style visuals. I think people are missing a massive point here, and that's part of why its frustrating to hear these developers talk and rip-off people like this, or hear gamers cannibalize each other over the matter of console leaps. The entire argument forgets the fun that's actually in these games. You know, the games that are made to put in the boxes we're fighting about? The games that make those $300+ investments worth something? Yeah, those are what counts. They happen with or without advanced tech, and if they can run on old tech, I don't see any reason why that one should be treated like dirt for any particular reason. Likewise, I don't see why those gamers are treated poorly. Well I'm not waiting for the period where PS3 becomes Nostalgic to appreciate what it did for us. I don't need to wait on that period to go back and enjoy it, to call some of its great games classics, or to even continue to buy games for it (I still have a few I'd like to catch up on). Sure most of those games run at 30FPS, 720P, and had worse textures, shadows, lighting, and character models, but that didn't stop me or you from playing it years ago. Neither did sub-HD pixel graphics stop millions from loving Super Mario Bros. You can and should embrace the improvements of course, but you can do so without spitting on the foundation that got you there. Actually that's exactly what a game like Shovel Knight does, using new features like trophies and new technology to technically skirt around NES limitations, while still simulating the NES style of games in a respectful manner... and people just love it. So why taking that into consideration before getting upset over the next 7th gen port? There's just no reason to get mad over that stuff. The last PS2 game actually happened last year, and you know it actually didn't cause the end of gaming as we know it.

The best 8th gen NES game to come out

Watching Overwatch, and its pricing

Overwatch has gathered a quick and swift controversy over its announced model. Everyone left and right assumed this would be a Free to play MOBA/FPS hybrid to compete in both departments, rivaling DOTA2 and TF2 at once. Then pre-order info leaked on a console version, and suddenly questions stirred, and then the announcement: $40 per bare entry, $60 for a deluxe or console starter entry. Quite short of free isn't it? Blizzard has recently issued out a statement on their decision, saying they're rather not compromise the gameplay quality by doing something like selling you the character, when switching characters is a big part of the game experience. Well, here are my thoughts...

Water without a container...

So first off, I want to debunk their logic because... its just in my nature. Sorry. No hard feelings against their logic on the whole, but it just doesn't completely float, and it bugs me to leave something like that unaddressed. This is also a good area to discuss other issues around the subject. Blizzard is competing against things such as Dota2, TF2, and that one game Gearbox is making (battleborn?) at the front. There's obviously more than that in the field, but when 2 out of 3 of the most biggest compared games run exactly under a F2P business model that doesn't compromise or charge for gameplay aspects, its a mockery to sit there and pretend like Blizzard would have to charge you for characters by doing F2P. Furthermore, they've got pre-planned cosmetic DLC for characters, which is exactly the kind of thing that Dota 2 (which also has WAAAAAAY more characters, all free) and TF2 run off of. At this angle, Blizzard are having their cake and eating it.



What are they up to?

That being said, I think this is more of Blizzard's problem than ours. Of course, it becomes our via community, but we know the risks when we put down money for an online game. That's exactly why most don't, and what I'm prodding at. Blizzard may just lose out on some consumers. I doubt it'll hurt a big amount, I mean they still pull off WOW subs and have a massive name, as well as having extra back-up in the form of Activision who somehow tricked the world into helping Destiny print money. In the end I think these guys can still sell us on a big pay to enter MOBA/FPS. I just still think they may need to work a little harder to convince people to enter at first. They have some really good competition that's free, and then will be head-butting up against Battleborn for buyers as well.


What I am worried about though is the obvious follow-up rumors that come with this report. Some people are naturally skeptical on DLC, and when Blizzard keeps dangling on that 21 character count, you have to wonder if there's a special reason. Like, oh say, DLC characters at $3-$10 a person. That'll not only invalidate their entire logic here, but it'll be because its also balance up-setting. To have a team which suddenly has more players with DLC character #3, is an obvious disadvantage for the other team. Even if that character were to be entirely balanced, they'll have new abilities, new options, and new tactics that have to be at least somewhat unique to that character. You've just created a haves and have-not uncomfortable situation among your community, have opened room for imbalances, and have gone in the F2P direction (League/Strife style) with an upfront fee like a full retail game. For the potential for this to happen on its own, I say stay back from this game for a bit and see what happens beyond the first two months. Especially if you're looking at it on consoles.

Don't spill the salt yet

Don't draw that yet!

I do not want to be confused with the many running around whining and making up their own issues already. I've strictly said that the character concern is a rumor, and I'm also addressing the competition because of Blizzard's response. I am not sitting here and telling you this game is all wrong, or that Blizzard is the evil overlord of money draining. Most of the deal here is still well within range of fair capitalism: You want this well crafted, loved, and enjoyable unique game? You pay for it. That's a very simple and normal proposal, and even if it may not be the best competitive option at first glance, it just might still pay off more for the company or even us as the players if Blizzard takes this move.

The only issues I have so far is the fact that 1) DLC has already been pre-planned and bundled. Its a mundane thing at this point, but I'm still of the old fashion idea that you do NOT cut content from the game to sell it off. They're doing this already half a year away from launch. 2) Consoles are forced to buy that deluxe edition. Kind of contradicts the last point to whine that they included the DLC in the base game, but it really is a bit unfair to force it on one market, while also giving the other market the better deluxe edition (tie-ins to their other games) for the exact same price. However if they can stay away from the rumored character DLC (or worse, map packs), this game is probably good enough in my book. Even cosmetic DLC is fine if its actually made and charged after the game. I'd be fine paying for some premium character decoration if they've spent extra time working on it, its just I'm bitter about paying for the ones they could have easily slipped in the main game for no extra charge.

At the end of the day though I see a lot of frustration running off of this game that I don't quite understand. I can see the fine point that some don't want to pay for an online only game, and can relate a bit myself. Still for those who would want that experience, its not an inhumane task to go against your predictions and ask for some money for their product. They didn't owe you this for free, and they didn't have to go on a cosmetic DLC model just to follow Valve's tail. This isn't exactly another The Order 1886 situation either where their so off that they're just wrecking the game by ignoring competitive pricing. There really does look to be a lot of worthwhile content for the price you pay, and the game wants to be unique enough that maybe you really can't find a competitor good enough. Maybe you should take a risk on its asking price instead of settling for your free Dota 2 game, which is still your same basic MOBA from an overhead view, with mundane characters, and that same old map again and again. Overwatch looks amazing to me personally, and I really hope they do make it worth the asking price. I think they can pull it off.

Keep an eye on this one