My First Impression of Killzone: Mercenary

Killzone: Mercenary is a First-Person Shooter for the Playstation Vita that just came out yesterday in the U.S. There is a campaign mode with 9 unique missions that you must complete to finish the game. There is also the multiplayer which allows up to 8-players to face each other or work in teams. The modes in the game are Mercenary Warfare mode, Guerrilla Warfare, and Warzone--you can tell how much effort they put into naming these different online modes. The first one is a free-for-all style mode. You basically are tasked with killing everyone. The second mode is team a death match mode. The last one is an objective based game with 5 phases. Both single and multiplayer share a common element, the weapon shop. Here, you can purchase new guns, armors, grenades, and special items. With these purchased items, you can customize your loadouts. You gain more loadouts by gaining new levels during your playthrough. This game shares the same basic elements of most FPS games.

My first impression of this game has been positive. If there was one thing that truly stuck out at me, it's the detail and overall graphics in this game. No lie, they are really good. This game demonstrates the capabilities of the Playstation Vita amazingly. There's not one game that I can think of that looks this good right now--I do think it looks better than Rayman and the Ateleir games. Once you see the game yourself, you will understand why I say this is what sticks out in the game. Not the great gameplay, but the graphics.

The selection of weapons is pretty grand for a portable game too. I wasn't expecting so many customizable weapons, armor, grenades, or vault items. It's too bad that you only get a few loadouts, because the amount of customization begs for more. The guns in this game are really fun to use. Right now, I am experimenting the preorder weapon, and man, do I love raining hell on opponents with it. Also, The sniper--which uses the back controller to zoom in and out--is tough to use. The machine guns are as expected and so is everything else.

So far, the multiplayer has been running amazing. It might be due to the limited amount of players allowed in a game, but it's noticeable the difference in quality. I have not once seen slow down in the game. The connection is running well for me too. I haven't been booted from a game yet! And lastly, getting into a game doesn't take a year. It's a few seconds and you are in.

This game is easy to control. One thing I worried about in this game was the controls and how they would respond. I am not disappointed. Once I adjusted my x-axis, I had no problems playing the game. Killzone also makes use of the touchscreen and the back controller pad. I typically select my secondary weapon and grenades with the screen. The back controller pad is used for zooming with the rifles as far as I know. really, the controls in this game are fantastic and easy to use. 

Basically, I have a favorable first impression of this game. If you have a Playstation Vita, I would recommend picking this game up as soon as you can.

Tales of Xillia: My Thoughts

Well I finally beat Tales of Xillia for the Playstation 3. It took me over 40 hours and some mindless grinding, but I did it. The worst part is, I missed some quest and did not defeat the weapon monsters during my adventure. I definitely will have to do that on my second playthrough in the future. I also need to finish collecting all the skits and defeating all the monsters too. There really was and still is a lot to do in this game.

I really enjoyed the combat in this game. I can't say the battle system is as complex as former Tales of games, but it was still a lot of fun. I have always enjoyed the real-time fighting in these games, and this installment did not disappoint me at all. You still have the ability to run around and pummel your enemies with the added benefit of linking with other characters to add new strategies like linked artes. That's one thing I did really enjoy, the linked artes. Basically, when you link up with another character and fill up a bar in the overlimit meter, you can both perform a single arte together. It's pretty cool and effective, especially when you exploit an enemies weakness with it. If I had one qualm with the overall battles, it was the enemies weaknesses. The majority of them seemed to be weak to wind. If I wanted a quick victory, all I really had to do was link Jude and Millia and use linked wind artes. Besides that one thing, I thought the battles were fun...even if most of them weren't challenging like past Tales of games.

I am going to make this short on the graphics. I know it's one big flaw this games has, but I did not find them to be terrible. It's apparent the game has aged--it came out in 2011 in Japan--, but the harping on something that's not so bad is stupid. I honestly thought the overall graphics were fine. It didn't hurt the gameplay one bit and that's what really matters. For a game that came out two years, they still work fine. Not the best pictures, but again, doesn't hurt the overall game.


For the most part, I enjoyed the story despite feeling like it was dumbed down like Graces f. It was your typical save the world with the added twist of it not being against evil. That's right, for once, it was not fighting against evil but against beliefs. I felt like the morale of the story is that one person's justice isn't the same as another, but that does not mean you should stop fighting for what you believe is the lesser of evils. The end kind of ticked me off though. I felt like it was rushed. That really killed the game for me. Still, a good stereotypical rpg story.

The music in Tales of game is always stellar and this was no different. I enjoyed all of it. The voice acting for the English translation wasn't terrible either. I actually enjoyed it. I thought Rowen's voice was perfect for him. I think people expect too much out of voice acting or are too stiff on excepting that English voice acting can be done just as fantastic as the Japanese audio.


I think the overall score for this game would be an 8/10. It wasn't my favorite Tales of game, but it still was fun and I still enjoyed it. There were a lot of things that needed to be worked on, but it was still worth the money and a good game to pick up and play.


Score: 8/10

Monday Update

So my lack of post this summer has been terrible, but I have had a lot going on so I apologize. It's not easy to balance blogging, actually playing video games, working, looking for good jobs, and having a summer of death. I will try to make more of an effort though, I promise.

Anyway, the games I have been playing are Tales of Xillia and Dragon's Crown. I would be lying if I said both games were not amazing. They may not be 10/10, but they are worth the money and a lot of fun to play. If you asked me which of the two I preferred, I would have to say Tales just because it offers more in terms of everything.

September looks to be a stellar month for Playstation. The new releases consist of Killzone: Mercenary, Valhalla Knights 3, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMIX, and so on. Yeah, that's an incredible amount of games to come out in a month. I am sure a lot more indie games will be coming out on multiple systems too.

There's more going on in the gaming world, but I don't have enough research to really say anything on it.

Anyway, till later.

Political Correctness and Video Games

Video games have been around for a decent amount of time as a form of entertainment. They have their share of success, failures and of course, controversies. Yet, as of late, I feel like those simple controversies are starting to permeate into other outlets for people to plug in and complain. What do I mean by all of this? Well for starters, all I hear about is a segment of the gaming population "discussing" women and video games. Most arguments have come down to cliche personalities and objectification. I can understand that feminist and some other female gamers would not be okay with that, it makes sense. Who wants to be objectified in any entertainment medium like movies, internet videos, or rap videos? What I don't understand is how a game gets such a low review because of it, like Dragon's Crown. I can see taking a few points off for the obvious over objectification and how overboard it can be, but if that game is great, why devalue the whole game because of what the developers saw as the perfect art for it?

This whole political correctness is becoming ridiculous in the video game world. I know that right now, this entertainment juggernaut is at the top of its game and that millions of children and adults are partaking in this, but come on. It's getting annoying. When I read a review or search for new games, I don't want to hear this bullshit. I want to hear about the actual game and if it will be worth my time. I want to know if I am going to be engaged with the protagonist or if I am going to be regretting my purchase. I don't want to hear someone make a page rant because a character's breast are hanging out. You can sum that up in a paragraph, so do it. Stop trying to push your agenda. This brings me to my next point on this stuff.

Video games should not be used as grounds for political battles amongst special interest groups. They should be the medium that brings us together and instead, these people are tearing us apart. The biggest arguments as far as I can recall have always been about brand loyalty and intense violence. Now, feminist are coming along since female gamers are becoming more vocal about their hobby--which I think is fantastic and about time--and now are using it to empower themselves. Shut up. Just, shut up. It's one thing to not be pleased with the art, it's another thing to use it to ruin the whole experience for everyone. You people are ruining my hobby as a whole. Get over yourselves. If anything, your pissing people off by your constant moaning. You see a few characters and assume that majority are like that.

Actually, if you are anything of a video gamer, you know many characters are not objectified. The problem is, you only play a select few titles and bam, assume it works for all of them. I could name a hell of a list of female characters that are not sexualized in video games, but no one would care.

I am done for today. Try and enjoy gaming for once, and stop looking for reasons to empower you politically. 

P.S. If anyone should be complaining, it's minorities. I rarely see them as the main protagonist, and sometimes I don't see them in a game at all.

P.S.S. I am not actually a fan of over sexual looking characters in games, but I also understand how the body is a work of art and should not be shamed by these asshats.

Tales of Xillia: I Finally got my Copy

Hey fellow gamers, it's been awhile but I am back. I thought I would tell you how ecstatic I am to finally have the opportunity to play Tales Of Xillia for the PS3. This game was one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2013 and I finally got my hands on it. As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of the Tales of series. They are colorful, quirky, and overall fantastical games. Even better is the battle system and it's constant evolution through the series. I expect nothing different from this game.

Anyway, I will write a review for this game when I complete it. I will try to update this blog and let you know my progress. 

Update

This month has been incredibly inconsistent with my post and I apologize. It's been a very busy July and I have not had access to the internet this whole time. That being said, I do my best to get a few more post in this week.

Tales of Xillia with be hitting the U.S. shelves in two weeks and I could not be more excited. I have been waiting to play this game since I first read about it two years ago. Speaking of the Tales series, it seems that we are seeing more and more being localized and the popularity growing. This is outstanding if you asked me. This means we will possibly see more and more games being localized for all platforms. Really, the Tales games have a great chance of becoming the Final Fantasy's of the West since Square-Enix has essentially fallen from grace with their recent games and public plunders.

There are still a few games I need to play that recently came out. It's tough when games cost so much and you make little money. Anyway, I will try to post more before the end of the month!

Persona 5: What I Want

According to every website on the internet, Atlus has registered the domain, Persona5.com. That's awesome. I have been waiting for another installment in this game series. It really isn't surprising that a new one is coming considering how popular these games are, even in a niche market. With this news in mind, there are a few things I do hope for this new game.

1. A New Setting
Let's be honest, most of us are not in high school and probably close to or already graduated college that play these games. Heck, the average gamer is apparently in their 30's at this point. It's time for Atlus to up the ante and give us something we all can relate to better, like college or adulthood. I understand the appeal with JRPG's and high school, but many of us are long past that. I can't really relate to a coming of age story when I already came to age. I am 24, how can I relate to a 16 year old? I can't and I am sure many of us--unless you have Peter Pan syndrome-- can't either. So Atlus, how about giving us a new setting instead of kids in high school. I don't mind the overall scenario of Japanese urban life in these games, just the high school setting.

P.S. Am I the only one that feels like these characters always look more in their late teens, early 20's in these games?

2. New Persona Summons
This one is fairly obvious. Nothing makes a consumer want to buy a new installment like new content. That being said, I want new to be able to summon new persona's. I have always been a fan of using Jack Frost in these games, but come on, I need a new favorite. I think everyone is expecting new summons in this game. I don't even know why I bothered writing anything for this section.

3. A New and Old Story
Who doesn't like a new story in a new installment of a game? Want to know what I like better than even that? A new story that ties the old games together. If you have never played a Persona game, I can understand why this topic may not make sense. Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 4: Arena stories all connect to each other. It all has to do with shadows and midnight. I can't really go into why they connect without spoiling everything. If any of these games were 10 years old, I would because you should have played them by now. Anyway, I want to see these stories connected in Persona 5. I want more answers and I want more closure. BLAH.

4. Have it for both Handheld and Console
Want to know what I really like to do? I like to be able to take a game I am playing and play it anywhere. With the way technology is today, this is possible and is already being done. If Atlus was smart, they would make this game cross-play. This would allow all of us to pick up from where we left off on whatever system. It helps when I am not always home to play on my consoles. If they could make Persona 4: Golden that awesome, they could do it with Persona 5. The end.

With all that in mind, I am really excited for this game and cannot wait to play it.

A Quick Recap from Absence

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I have posted a blog post. I have been busy with interviews, a holiday, and a death in my family but I am back! It has been a crazy six days in the realm of video games. Today, I am going to break down some of the stuff going on!

Nintendo
My twitter feed was blowing up yesterday with Nintendo and EVO. If you unsure yourself with what happened, here is a quick summary from me. Nintendo apparently blocked streaming access of Super Smash Brothers Melee matches during the EVO. Well that changed quickly and Nintendo will now allow streaming of the tournament. From what I gather, one of the biggest outcry from fans was due to the fact they raised money for breast cancer to allow Melee to be played. I think that's a good enough reason to be mad at Nintendo.

Muramasa Rebirth
If I have gathered any news on this Playstation Vita game, it's that people are liking it. This game came out a few weeks ago and has been doing pretty well. Honestly, the lowest score I have seen so far has been a 3.5/5. So that tells me that this upgrade might be worth the purchase. However, good luck finding a physical copy of the game.


Microsoft 
In a bold, but sane move, Microsoft has changed their mind on DRM and the constant need to always be online. That's right, used games will now be playable. Honestly, this should have been okay from the start. If companies want to sell games, they need to make them good enough to keep playing. They could also make them affordable for consumers who are not exactly loaded. I mean geez, some of the best games didn't cost a fraction as some of these new AAA games.


Tales of Xillia 2
The best news that I have to give to everyone is that ToX2 will be localized. I am incredibly ecstatic about these turn of events. 

That's all for today guys. I will start blogging again since everything has resumed to normal.

Rune Factory 4

Have you ever enjoyed simulator games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, but wish you could play it like a dungeon crawler too? Look no further and pick up a copy of Rune Factory 4 when it comes to North America in August for the Nintendo 3DS. Rune Factory is a Harvest Moon spin-off with all of your favorite role-playing elements like battling monsters and collecting new weapons. I can't say I have ever played one, but it does look interesting enough to warrant a pick up. I mean, who doesn't want to play a game with the added bonus of 3-D? 

As I watched the trailer below, I couldn't help but think this game plays like a Legend of Zelda game when you dungeon crawl. I am not complaining though, I do enjoy that type of gameplay. Rune Factory 4 allows you to use different types of weapons such as a sword or spear. I think that's pretty cool. I have always been a man of pole-arms in games--and when I did martial arts--and I think they are always a welcomed addition to any game.

There is one reservation that I have with this game. I am never comfortable with the dating aspect of games, especially when the characters look too lolita for it. If you are unsure what that means, look at these characters. They don't look more than 14 years old. That's weird. Well, that's weird because I am a 24 year old man and not a coming of age teen. At least with Fire Emblem, you knew most them were adults and I could at least relate to that, sort of. I digress from the overall game though. It looks like it will be a fun game to play for a few hours here and there. I know, minus my reservation from what I mentioned, I will give this game a try.

Quick Review: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

This past weekend began phase 3 of  beta testing for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. If you are wondering if a Realm Reborn is an expansion of the original FFXIV, it's not. It's an upgraded version of the original game. Apparently, the original FFXIV was terrible. Square decided to fix this by bringing a new team in and recreating this online MMORPG. They worked tirelessly to give us faith again in this company and their ability to make a good game. Anyway, that's enough for the history lesson.

When I first started this game, I was created with an epic cinematic experience. This entailed an amazing opening movie and an explanation of this new world. It was pretty cool to watch. The story really sets up for an epic fantasy, or at least a fantasy world for me to explore. After all that, I was brought to the character creation menu.

I have to say, not a lot of customization. If you do not count the color palates and the races, there isn't much in terms of aesthetic options. I do understand that it's a beta version, so I am not worried that there will be a lack of customizations for you persona. I do like the variety of races, sub-races. and classes you can choose. I obviously choose the manliest of the bunch with Highlander because anything with a beard says, "yes." I should have went with the Axe, but I choose lancer instead.

The game world is stunning. It was amazing how much detail went into this world. I felt like I was actually walking through an fantasy town located near the woods. Every color that needed to be bright, was bright and every leaf that needed to appear, appeared. The amount of detail in this world was pretty intense. You can tell that these developers really spent the time creating an awesome world. I honestly cannot wait to go adventure more next weekend so I can see more of the world they created. There are few games with this beautiful of a world.

Now for what some of you might be wondering. The game played out like any other MMORPG. Where Final Fantasy can innovate, it also reuses and tried and tested method of battle, the point and click. If you never played an mmorpg, it's all about grinding and looting. I can tell you right now, there will be a lot of it in this game. 

All in all, I enjoyed the game. There is still improvement needed like how other people move on your screen and more customization of your avatar, but I enjoyed the game overall. Until Tomorrow.

Five Game Characters that Kick Ass

I came across an article today listing the ten best game characters and I must say, I don't agree with every choice the author made. I agreed with his selections of Mario, Sonic, and a few others, but some of them were garbage. I decided to make my own list. A numbered list of characters that actually had an influence in the gaming world and kicked ass. Well, only five characters today.

5. Master Chief 
If there was ever a war in the future against awesome looking aliens, I would expect Master Chief to be up front and tea-bagging those newbs. John--which is his real name--is one of the most badass main characters that has ever graced the gaming world. He was a man that did not say much and just got the job done. Aliens invading your world? No problem. Master Chief would take a pistol and pop those grunts back from a mile away. Really, his character is iconic in the gaming world. Not only does he embody stereotypical badassary, but he has a AAA game to back him up. Everyone knows Master Chief. You know he is kind of a big deal when he has his own special Spartan uniform.  
                 

4. Cloud
If I was a chode, I would have just put Cloud's sword. That weapon is widely known in the gaming world because it's a huge freakin' sword. Look at it for a minute and tell me that's not excessive. Well, besides being known for his sword, Cloud is the main protagonist in Final Fantasy 7. He was the embodiment of the franchise for the Playstation. There may have been better games in the franchise on the first Playstation, but Cloud is the one character that everyone knows. He almost always lands in the top 5 in polls for popular characters and rightfully so. Cloud is one kick ass character that knows how to get the job done when it matters. It also helps that he appears in more than one game like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics. If you are popular enough to be in more than one game, you are pretty kick ass.

3. Mega Man
I would be a terrible person if I did not put Mega Man on this list. The blue bomber is known for his multiple platform titles and his various spin-off series like Mega Man X and Legends. He's a dude that goes around beating baddies and taking their powers through multiple stage levels. If you have never played a Mega Man game, you are really missing out. He and his spin-off clones are some of the coolest characters to have ever graced the Nintendo and future consoles. Look at him. He's just awesome. It really is a welcome surprise that he will finally be in Super Smash Brothers. I know who I will be using all the time!

2. Samus
Samus is one of the best female protagonist to date. She does rolls, shots lasers like Mega Man, and runs around in a pretty awesome armor suit. It's not often we see female characters as cool as her, but damn can she kick alien ass. It was pretty shocking when gamers found out she was a female upon completion of the original Metroid game. Really, without getting into real specifics, she is the female Mega Man, which makes her just that more awesome.

1. Link
Link. What can I say about this former lefty? Well, for one, he is definitely one of the most popular videogame characters to date. He's probably more famous than anyone on this list and future list I make. With that said, our silent protagonist is always the hero of something who fights Ganondolf or some other evil being to save something. He always carries the triforce of courage with him in his games. Even more amazing, not all the Links are the same. Actually, most are different heroes in their own time, fighting for their own reasons, and usually saving a maiden at the end of the day. Even in this day and age, Link is still as relevant to the gaming world as anyone new or old. It doesn't matter that the series is over 20 years old, what matters is that Link still goes on ridiculous adventures. He still gets it done at the end of the day and that's what matters.

The Wii U : What it Needs to Survive

Let's be honest, the Wii U is not doing well in the markets in its first year. That's disappointing considering it's part of a historied company that has pushed the bounds of our imagination. Nintendo is like the Disney of Japan, they bring the magical and the fantastical to life with modern technology. The future for Nintendo is bleak with the competition it is up against in the coming year with the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. If Nintendo wants to survive this generation, they will have to change a few things. 

The Price

The Wii U is expensive like most new things on the market. It's not unheard of for a console to be around $299.99 or more. Actually, systems have been priced close to that as far back as I can remember. The problem is, it's not working for Nintendo. The only way Nintendo can justify the price is by producing systems with more than 8gb and 32gb hard drives. I am well aware that you can buy external hard drives, but that just adds to the total bill. Sony and Microsoft are offering 500gb internal hard drives for their systems for $99.99 - $199.99 with the possibility of better overall technology than the Wii U*. That's a better deal than what Nintendo is offering. If Nintendo wants to survive, they need to readjust the price of their console.

New Games

I know this is an obvious one to put, but Nintendo is lacking games on its console. Virtual Console games are not going to cut it as "new" games. Many gamers--including myself--own past generation consoles and games that still work. Why would we want to buy those games again? That's a waste of money and a waste of time. What Nintendo needs to do is start cranking out their more famous titles as they have been doing as of late. We need more Mario and more Zelda. I don't care if "critics" say they are stale, they still sell and I still enjoy them.

Nintendo could also benefit buy bringing a new flagship title to the Wii U. They need more than Zelda and Mario to carry them over to this generation. Many kids that enjoyed platforming with Mario or going on an adventure with Link in the late 1980's-1990's are adults now. They aren't spending as much time playing these games and might not be playing anymore. It's time to appeal to a younger, newer generation of gamers with a new mascot. I would argue any genre is fine, as long as the younger crowd can identify. 

Oh, and start making Fire Emblem games for the Wii U since Awakening did so well. Actually tactical role-playing games and other types of role-playing games could make use of that Pad that comes with the system. Nintendo could use more RPG's as well! Are there really any out there on the Wii U? I feel that Nintendo concentrates this genre on their 3DS and it's hurting them. They need to start making more games in this genre ASAP.  

Identity

Now that I mention games and appealing to a younger generation as well, what is the Wii U's identity? The console with the enormous tablet? The console that has an abundant of Mario and old people games? That console that I use as a bookshelf? Honestly, I have no idea what the Wii U's identity is today. When I see other consoles, I see that it conveys a message to me. The Playstation 4 says, "Hey, I am going to be a portable PC that will have a great library." When I see the Xbox One, I see a system that will appeal to entertainment, the movie/game experience at the comfort of your home. The Wii U needs an identity that will make people want to buy it. I have no desire besides it being a Nintendo console with a giant tablet. 

Conclusion 

Nintendo can change a few things to survive this generation. I only named a few things, but even these three changes could save the console. Nintendo needs to stop being stubborn and take a hit for a little bit in the wallet. It will work in their future and ours later on in the Wii U's life.

*I say possibility of better technology since the systems are not out yet. I also say this since I take into account more than the actual hardware.

New Age Video Games: My Rant

Lately, I find myself playing a lot of older video games and action role-playing games. This ranges from games like Shinning Force I  to Phantasy Star Online to Persona 3. These are games that I have beaten multiple times over the last two decades and yet, I am still playing and finishing them with much enthusiasm. I don't really find myself finishing many new games. I honestly think the last game I beat that's new was Fire Emblem: Awakening. That's a problem when most major games will cost you $59.99 for a new copy of what might sit and collect dust on your shelf. 

I know why newer games don't hold my interests and I bet this rings true to many gamers. Video games are becoming interactive movies. When I turn on a game and start playing, I don't ask to sit through 30-minutes of cutscenes and asked to press buttons the whole time. That's no fun to me. I want to move my character(s) around the map, battling foes, and winning the hearts of virtual princesses. I don't want to sit there while some stereotypical angry white guy is beating up some baddies for me while I press a button on screen. What am I, 3 years old and learning shapes? It's insulting as a video game enthusiasts to be treated as a child in a digital world.

A great example of this is the beginning of Uncharted 3. When you first start the game, you are lead into a bar scene that goes on for an eternity. Once the actual game play starts, I am moving around and coordinating button presses against the gang. The game even tells me what buttons to press and mash. That's not fun at all. Well, depending on the game, it can be a little fun, but if I wanted to play Dance Dance Revolution, I would of laid down a mat and started jumping up and down like an idiot.

There really is a difference between compelling story telling in a movie and in a video game. Take an example from one of my favorite games, Final Fantasy IX. Not only is there a great story with great scenes, there was an actual game to play. You had to spend time building up your characters equipment, magic, and levels. I didn't just press a bunch of buttons for 40 hours to feel like I sat through an expensive movie. I was part of that game and story. If I wanted to see a scene, it wasn't just given to me, I had to find it or progress through the story to see it. Now, I have to progress through movie scenes to find the actual game. That's the difference. When a game company made a compelling story, the game play was still valued more. What these newer game developers are doing is forgetting that one value. They are valuing the cinematic over the game play. That sucks.

I understand that these games aim for sales to make money. I know these games need to appeal to a large demographic to make sales meet. Why does it have to be at the expense of actual game play? There is a reason why Retro/Indie games are becoming popular now. These developers keep the game part of video games in their products. They are not looking for a blockbuster interactive movie, but know they will make their money delivering an awesome product for me to play.

What happened to the gaming industry? Has it become such a huge machine that it forgot why it exists in the first place? Hopefully, with this new generation of gaming, we can get back to playing actual games.

Why I am Going with the PS4 First

With the advent of a new generation of consoles coming out, it's time to start throwing our lot with one company in the future. It is not a hidden fact that many of us can't afford to own all three consoles and so we are forced to make a choice. Considering the dominant side genres in my taste range are rpg's and adventure games, I will be casting my dice with Sony first. PlayStation has always been the system to go to if you wanted to play the best of these genres. I can't see this generation being any different in that regard. The Xbox has never really offered exclusives in those genres that would make it worth purchasing in the future. PlayStation is also cheaper than Xbox. That's a big deal when money is tight. I don't know about anyone else, but that is an extra game in my pocket. The Wii U is better priced, but it's not nearly as powerful. I think the biggest deterrent to the new Xbox right now for me the 24 hour check in. People, if you did not know, that takes up bandwidth. You might be paying almost an extra $100.00 a year for that. Yeah, I am poor, so no thank you. It also makes sense for me since I own a PS Vita.  Now that Sony is asking the developers to make the games cross play compatible, I will finally get the full use of the Vita that was promised to us by Sony.

So yeah, I am going PS4 first.

Uncharted 3: My Rant

It's rare that I ever get really aggravated at a video game. There are moments where I might be frustrated by a single to a few scenes or may be some Dance Revolution button scheme, but I was blown away today by controls. That being said, Uncharted 3 has to have some of the worst controls I have ever had the misfortune of using. How can anyone play this game and say it's great when the controls are terrible? I will say that the story of the game is captivating, but the experience was ruined by loose controls. First of all, moving is a clumsy obstacle. Moving left or right is uncomfortable and riddled with pauses. Jumping is terrible and that makes jumping onto walls aggravating. I can't even go on. Thank god the story and the cinematic experience of the game were amazing or I would have told everyone to avoid the game.

DLC a Possibility for Zelda?

Nintendo Life's exclusive interview with Eiji Aonuma definitely raised some eyebrows. A brief synopsis of the article is that the team is considering future DLC content for their Zelda installments. I could not believe what I had just read. DLC is a possibility for future Zelda games? Does this also mean that other franchises like Mario have the possibility of having DLC? This is just a bad idea for Nintendo right now, especially since they are competing with Sony and Microsoft right now with their not so-doing-so-great-in-sales system.

I guess in this day and age, it makes sense for companies trying to profit off their games. Who doesn't like making extra money? I know I do. Many games it works well for like the Elder Scrolls. The DLC adds much to an already expansive game, almost making them their own game. What could you possibly add to games like Zelda? A new dungeon with an item you probably don't need anyway? Do you add color palates to Link's tasteful attire? Honestly, what do you add that would make it worth the money?

Nintendo would be moving in the wrong direction if they added this to one of their most beloved franchises. I can't fathom what value DLC would bring to this game besides stupid stuff like extra weapons and unnecessary dungeons. I would actually be bothered if they did something like this. What would stop them from making DLC characters for Super Smash Brothers or future Mario Bros.? It wouldn't and it would hurt the company. Right now, Nintendo isn't doing so well and going in the direction of an unpopular service can only hurt them. What they should be concentrating on is differentiating themselves from Sony and Microsoft by making their add-on content free. Instead of taking advantage of a system that's flawed, Nintendo needs to say, "No". If DLC does come into fruition, I hope it's done with taste and with the consumers in mind. It can only them if they do that.

So to summarize, I am bothered with the idea of DLC for Zelda and most Nintendo games. Just give us the whole game!

Time and Eternity: The Creepiest Game Trailer Ever

I don't think I have ever felt so uncomfortable listening to a narrator then watching this game trailer for Time and Eternity which is set to be released in North America in July for the PS3.  Honestly, take five minutes of your time and listen to him. It's a turn off to this game and that upsets me. The trailer explains the premise of a game while finding a way to make you feel like a pervert for wanting to play this unique take on the RPG genre.

 

I hope you watched this video. Doesn't it make you lose hope in humanity? No wonder why RPG's that aren't Skyrim get such a bad reputation in the West. You have game trailers like that--not to say this game would appeal to most gamers--and it takes away from what can be a potentially awesome experience.

Anyway, this game is set to come out July 7th according to GameStop.com. It seems like a game that might be worth while to play.