Time for a little in the 2011 stuff to think about the future! I usually like to make some guesses about what I'm going to think about the year to come, so I guess I should start before any big games actually come out this year. First off, I've made a list of the games I think I might enjoy the most by the end of the year. We all know how that turned out last time, but why not give it another shot?
1. Mass Effect 3
2. Bioshock Infinite
3. Far Cry 3
4. Tomb Raider
5. Metal Gear Rising
6. The Witcher 2
7. Borderlands 2
......and those are the ones I have the most faith in.
Mass Effect 3 and Bioshock Infinite are way above everything in else my mind right now.
Far Cry 3 and Tomb Raider both look pretty great. I loved Far Cry 2 and this one looks like it's doing some interesting things, hopefully they'll work out for it.
Tomb Raider just looks like something we just don't get enough of. I really hope it's as good as it looks like it could be.
I'm a huge fan of Platinum Games (Bayonetta, Vanquish, and to a lesser extent, Madworld) and Metal Gear is one of the best franchises ever created by human beings. I'm not sure how much of Metal Gear will actually be in the game, but I'm looking forward to it more because of how insane Platinum gets with action games. They know what they're doing.
Yes, I realize the Witcher 2 came out last year, but I'm waiting for the 360 version, so HA!
I really liked Borderlands, but I think there were a lot of things that could have been done differently to make it a better game. Hopefully they learned some things, and this one will be even better than the first.
Now I'm just going to throw out some names and talk about them as I see fit. These are games that either I'm not entirely sure about yet, or that I've heard a lot about but just haven't payed a ton of attention to them myself.
Ninja Gaiden 3
Prey 2
Diablo 3
Paper Mario 3DS
Luigi's Mansion 2
Metro Last Light
The Last of Us
The Last Guardian
Darksiders 2
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Overstrike
Syndicate
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Dishonored
The Witness
This year has a lot more unknowns for me than a lot of the years before. I'm really excited to be surprised by a lot of these, and possibly disappointed by plenty as well. 2011 was a fantastic year for games, and I really hope 2012 can come close.
We. Will. See.
-Zach
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
GotY 2011 - Part 4 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution
This is another one that totally took me by surprise. I didn't even realize this game was coming out until it did, and even then I was skeptical that it was something for me. I hadn't played either of the original games in the series, but this is a prequel so I figured it wouldn't matter so much. Even after I started, it didn't hook me right away. I didn't really understand what kind of game it was or what I was expecting to get out of it.
Until about the second hour.
When this game hits you and everything comes together like it did for me, it hits hard. After you realize how many options you have, and that you can deal with situations in so many different ways, its a great feeling. I played through the game entirely stealthily, never killing anyone. The same thought echoed through my head the entire time I played it, "This is what I wish Splinter Cell had evolved into." Splinter Cell Conviction was a big disappointment for me because of the heavy emphasis on action over stealth, but Deus Ex let's you play the game exactly like that if you want to.
The conversation system is the game is equally as wonderful, similar to Mass Effect's dialogue wheel, you have a few options to say to everyone you meet, depending on what kind of person you want your character to be. Each of the side quests that you take part in have an interesting little story tied to them, and it just makes the world feel more alive. Add that to the hours and hours of tiny details throughout the game and this is one of the most realistic worlds I've ever seen in a game. You have the freedom to read emails between friends on computers, go into apartment complexes and see how the people there live their lives, and just do so many things that other games wouldn't dream of having in them.
The story is a mix of conspiracies, corporate struggles, betrayals, and more that I love to see in a game. My biggest complaint with the game is that the ending falls flat and doesn't deliver a great conclusion to the otherwise excellent story that was told up to that point. That barely detracts from the overall experience though, because I loved the 50+ hours so much that I played before it.
This is a game that gets so much right, I'd have a hard time not recommending it to anyone.
Also, you can literally punch through walls. Punch. Through. Walls.
-Zach
Until about the second hour.
When this game hits you and everything comes together like it did for me, it hits hard. After you realize how many options you have, and that you can deal with situations in so many different ways, its a great feeling. I played through the game entirely stealthily, never killing anyone. The same thought echoed through my head the entire time I played it, "This is what I wish Splinter Cell had evolved into." Splinter Cell Conviction was a big disappointment for me because of the heavy emphasis on action over stealth, but Deus Ex let's you play the game exactly like that if you want to.
The conversation system is the game is equally as wonderful, similar to Mass Effect's dialogue wheel, you have a few options to say to everyone you meet, depending on what kind of person you want your character to be. Each of the side quests that you take part in have an interesting little story tied to them, and it just makes the world feel more alive. Add that to the hours and hours of tiny details throughout the game and this is one of the most realistic worlds I've ever seen in a game. You have the freedom to read emails between friends on computers, go into apartment complexes and see how the people there live their lives, and just do so many things that other games wouldn't dream of having in them.
The story is a mix of conspiracies, corporate struggles, betrayals, and more that I love to see in a game. My biggest complaint with the game is that the ending falls flat and doesn't deliver a great conclusion to the otherwise excellent story that was told up to that point. That barely detracts from the overall experience though, because I loved the 50+ hours so much that I played before it.
This is a game that gets so much right, I'd have a hard time not recommending it to anyone.
Also, you can literally punch through walls. Punch. Through. Walls.
-Zach
GotY 2011 - Part 3 - Ghost Trick
Another of the 10 best games of 2011 is on a portable system? You're damn right it is.
Ghost Trick is one of the best experiences I had with a game all year long. Like a great book, I couldn't put it down. I plopped over 10 hours into this game in less than a week and it was sooooooooooo good. Probably half of that time was spent reading text, so if that isn't you're kind of game, it may be time to jump ship right now. But for the rest of us...
If you have any affinity to the Phoenix Wright games, you'll know how Ghost Trick creator, Shu Takami, operates. He makes crazy situations for his wonderfully written characters to get into, and always knows what he's doing with his plots. Sure they get pretty silly most of the time, but that's what makes them so fun!
The main idea of Ghost Trick is that, in the opening seconds of the game, you died. You have no idea who you are and no memory of your life. In trying to find these answers, what plays out is one of the best mystery stories told in any game I've played. Ghost Trick is primarily a puzzle game where you solve puzzles to prevent the deaths of others and every puzzle is wrapped around an important event in the story.
I could ramble on about how much I loved this game all day, so please just try it for yourself. You'll get to meet a hyperactive dog named Missile who is one of the best supporting characters of the year, and a investigator who DANCES to and from crime scenes.
He's the greatest dancer of 2011. TRUST ME.
-Zach
Ghost Trick is one of the best experiences I had with a game all year long. Like a great book, I couldn't put it down. I plopped over 10 hours into this game in less than a week and it was sooooooooooo good. Probably half of that time was spent reading text, so if that isn't you're kind of game, it may be time to jump ship right now. But for the rest of us...
If you have any affinity to the Phoenix Wright games, you'll know how Ghost Trick creator, Shu Takami, operates. He makes crazy situations for his wonderfully written characters to get into, and always knows what he's doing with his plots. Sure they get pretty silly most of the time, but that's what makes them so fun!
The main idea of Ghost Trick is that, in the opening seconds of the game, you died. You have no idea who you are and no memory of your life. In trying to find these answers, what plays out is one of the best mystery stories told in any game I've played. Ghost Trick is primarily a puzzle game where you solve puzzles to prevent the deaths of others and every puzzle is wrapped around an important event in the story.
I could ramble on about how much I loved this game all day, so please just try it for yourself. You'll get to meet a hyperactive dog named Missile who is one of the best supporting characters of the year, and a investigator who DANCES to and from crime scenes.
He's the greatest dancer of 2011. TRUST ME.
-Zach
GotY 2011 - Part 2 - Super Mario 3D Land
I love platformers. The variety in them is pretty crazy when you look at all the different things that can be done from within on genre. Some of my favorite games from 2010 year were platformers, Super Meat Boy, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and of course, Super Mario Galaxy 2. Mario is one of the biggest reasons why I, and lots of other people, have such a fascination with platformers. They did it first, and they're still doing it right today.
This year we have Super Mario 3D Land, another exceptional game by the Galaxy team. The game is perfect for a portable system. The levels are about 2 minutes each so you can pop in for a quick game, but there are so many levels you won't blow through them too quickly. I loved the variety in the level design, its always fun to go to the next level just to see what new ideas this brilliant developer is going to show you next. I've never been a fan of swimming levels in Mario games, and thankfully they keep them to a bare minimum here, probably less than 5 throughout the entire game. Pretty much every level is a pure delightful platforming challenge. And just when you think you're done with it, they throw another 8 hours or so of content on you.
The 3DS is being overlooked by more than a few people, but this is why you need to purchase the system. If you have any love for one of the best series in video games' history, don't overlook this game. It stands up to some of the best games in the franchise.
-Zach
This year we have Super Mario 3D Land, another exceptional game by the Galaxy team. The game is perfect for a portable system. The levels are about 2 minutes each so you can pop in for a quick game, but there are so many levels you won't blow through them too quickly. I loved the variety in the level design, its always fun to go to the next level just to see what new ideas this brilliant developer is going to show you next. I've never been a fan of swimming levels in Mario games, and thankfully they keep them to a bare minimum here, probably less than 5 throughout the entire game. Pretty much every level is a pure delightful platforming challenge. And just when you think you're done with it, they throw another 8 hours or so of content on you.
The 3DS is being overlooked by more than a few people, but this is why you need to purchase the system. If you have any love for one of the best series in video games' history, don't overlook this game. It stands up to some of the best games in the franchise.
-Zach
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
GotY 2011 - Part 1 - Resistance 3
I'll admit, at the beginning of the year I had no intention of playing Resistance 3. I had heard negative things about the first and second game in the series, so I didn't plan on giving this one a second thought.
After picking it up a few months after its release, I was treated to the best first person shooter campaign in years.
This is one of the few games that motivated me enough to finish it in two sittings. I played nearly to the end of the game in my first, then finished the last couple of missions the next morning. Then I immediately started playing it again.
The game never ceases to impress, and the quality of level design and flat-out brilliance behind the whole thing is reminiscent of Half-Life. By which I mean it is really fucking excellent. There is so much variety in enemy design, weapons and abilities you pick up throughout, and the locations you visit, that you really feel the love and care the developers put in to crafting this wonderful experience.
I LOOOOOOVEEEEEEEEEEEE this game. A lot. Really. Please go play it. Now.
-Zach
After picking it up a few months after its release, I was treated to the best first person shooter campaign in years.
This is one of the few games that motivated me enough to finish it in two sittings. I played nearly to the end of the game in my first, then finished the last couple of missions the next morning. Then I immediately started playing it again.
The game never ceases to impress, and the quality of level design and flat-out brilliance behind the whole thing is reminiscent of Half-Life. By which I mean it is really fucking excellent. There is so much variety in enemy design, weapons and abilities you pick up throughout, and the locations you visit, that you really feel the love and care the developers put in to crafting this wonderful experience.
I LOOOOOOVEEEEEEEEEEEE this game. A lot. Really. Please go play it. Now.
-Zach
Monday, January 2, 2012
I am not stalling.
Okay okay okay, maybe a little bit. But I just remembered I did something at the beginning of the year that will be really interesting to look back on right now. Before I played anything this year, I made a 2011 predictions list about what my Game of the Year list would look like by year's end. We can compare this to my actual list when I finish it. Yaaaaaay.
GAAAHHHH. I'm back. I've had this page open for about 20 or 30 minutes now. I just searched through 14 notebooks to find this. 14. I counted them. I looked through most of them twice. So that's almost like I went through 28 notebooks just to find this for you.
JUST FOR YOU.
I'll just leave this here now.
Game of the Year 2011 Predictions:
1. Mass Effect 3
2. Skyrim
3. Dragon Age 2
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Portal 2
6. Uncharted 3
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. L.A. Noire
9. Dead Space 2
10. Gears of War 3
It's incredible how much the list has changed since then. About half of these games didn't even make my top 10 by the end of the year, and games that I hadn't thought twice about were far better than the majority of the titles on this old list. (Mass Effect 3 was delayed to 2012, as I had expected coming into the year, but I thought on the off chance it did come out it would be the best game of the year. Now it'll just have to be the best game of 2012. Maybe. Watch out for Bioshock Infinite, buddy.)
-Zach
GAAAHHHH. I'm back. I've had this page open for about 20 or 30 minutes now. I just searched through 14 notebooks to find this. 14. I counted them. I looked through most of them twice. So that's almost like I went through 28 notebooks just to find this for you.
JUST FOR YOU.
I'll just leave this here now.
Game of the Year 2011 Predictions:
1. Mass Effect 3
2. Skyrim
3. Dragon Age 2
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Portal 2
6. Uncharted 3
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. L.A. Noire
9. Dead Space 2
10. Gears of War 3
It's incredible how much the list has changed since then. About half of these games didn't even make my top 10 by the end of the year, and games that I hadn't thought twice about were far better than the majority of the titles on this old list. (Mass Effect 3 was delayed to 2012, as I had expected coming into the year, but I thought on the off chance it did come out it would be the best game of the year. Now it'll just have to be the best game of 2012. Maybe. Watch out for Bioshock Infinite, buddy.)
-Zach
Game of the Year 2011 - The Facts
My goal at the beginning of making this list was to make a comprehensive #10, #9...#1, you understand. But one person making a list of 10 favorite games and saying without a doubt "This game is 1 rank below this but 2 above this" is nearly impossible. Trying to justify why one game places one space higher or lower than another is a matter of preference, and even that changes minute to minute. So I've decided to not assign arbitrary numbers to rank each game.
To clarify, the order of appearance does not reflect my enjoyment of each one. It'll read more as a "These are the 10 games that you shouldn't miss this year, and here is why."
Also, contrary to popular belief, I actually haven't played every single video game released this year. If I leave something wonderful off, I may not have played it! Sorry :s
Alright, how about we get to some games?
-Zach
To clarify, the order of appearance does not reflect my enjoyment of each one. It'll read more as a "These are the 10 games that you shouldn't miss this year, and here is why."
Also, contrary to popular belief, I actually haven't played every single video game released this year. If I leave something wonderful off, I may not have played it! Sorry :s
Alright, how about we get to some games?
-Zach
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