E3 2014: My Games of the Show

June 13, 2014 by Mike

After a week full of announcements, surprises, disappointments, and more new games than you can shake a stick at, E3 has come to a close. Although I enjoy watching E3 from the comfort of home, there is a part of me that definitely misses not being able to physically be there and play the games in person. Despite the traffic, sore feet, headaches, and halitosis, you just can’t replace that in-person experience.

Anyway, now that the show is over and I’ve had a few days to think about the games that were on display, I wanted to share my personal list of titles I’m most excited about. Basically, if I had the power to, I’d play all of these right now.

Here we go, in relative order of my excitement level from lowest to highest. Special thanks to NeoGAF for providing a handy list of the games at E3 that I used for reference, several of which I completely missed earlier in the week.

One thing’s for sure: October of this year and what looks like all of 2015 are going to be crowded with lots of high-quality games. I hope your wallets are ready!

Hohokum (PS4/PS3/Vita, August 2014)
Supporting Cross-Play, this is a very unique-looking title that underscores the robust lineup that the PlayStation brand is known for. It has a look that is not unlike that of LocoRoco, and represents the style of new thinking common to many games of this decade. It looks like a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to see those colors pop on the Vita.

Pushmo World (Wii U, June 2014)
Even though they can frustrate me, I love the puzzle games Pushmo and Crashmo on the 3DS. I gave Crashmo an A- back in January, and I was hoping the series wouldn’t end there. I’m really happy that it’s making its way to the Wii U next week! I honestly don’t know if Intelligent Systems is capable of making a bad game, although the jury’s still out on their recently announced Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Just about everything they do is fun, polished, and imaginative.

Gunman Clive 2 (3DS, Q3 2014)
Nintendo released a ton of eShop trailers for their systems this year, but Gunman Clive 2 was the one that stood out for me. The original was a fun little action/platformer, but it was really short. It has a great style, good controls, and was the kind of game that definitely needed a sequel. And here it is, looking terrific. It should be a lot of fun.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
This is a series that I haven’t given much attention to over the years, but I was really impressed by what I saw at E3 this year. The cinematic trailer is nice, but the in-game footage is what’s truly gorgeous, and really said “next-generation” to me. All throughout the week, I was continually surprised by just how good most games look this generation in terms of raw detail, performance, and individual style.

Grand Theft Auto V (PS4/Xbox One/PC, Fall 2014)
I gave the original Grand Theft Auto V an A+ in March, and cited it as one of my favorite games on the PS3. I’ll likely have to double-dip on the PC, where it will finally be able to shine as bright as it was meant to. Not sure if I’ll have it in me to replay it from the start, but it sounds like you’ll be able to transfer your save data somehow. Hopefully that’s true for PC as well!

Evolve (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
Online multiplayer games aren’t my thing, and that probably isn’t going to change anytime soon, but I have to mention this since so many of my former friends and coworkers are busting their rumps to get this game done. This was one of the last projects at THQ before the company went belly-up, so a lot of us have a lasting connection with it. It’s been receiving extremely high praise from press and players alike, so I have no doubt it will be a huge hit for Turtle Rock Studios and 2K Games.

Mirror’s Edge 2 (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2016)
It’s tough to get too excited over a game slated for 2016, but I can’t deny that I’m really drawn to the game’s style. It’s one of the most unique out there. I’m so glad that DICE is able to work on games like this again after a very successful — but ultimately uninteresting to me — run with the Battlefield series.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Wii U/3DS, Q3 2014)
I played Shantae: Risky’s Revenge back in September of 2012, and I absolutely loved it. Pirate’s Curse, co-developed by WayForward and Inti Creates, looks insanely beautiful, and will definitely be a must-buy for me when it comes out later this year. Now to decide whether to get the Wii U or 3DS version. Those graphics might demand that I play it in HD.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (3DS, Q3 2014)
I’ve never played any of the Etrian Odyssey games, but I used to be a big fan of first-person dungeon crawlers on the old Apple //e. Mixing that style with cute, super-deformed Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters? Yeah, I won’t be able to resist that. Not one bit.

Bayonetta 2 + Bayonetta 1 (Wii U, October 2014)
Originally announced as a Wii U exclusive back in 2012, fans of Platinum Games are eagerly awaiting this one. I have admittedly not played the original, but this looks so crazy over-the-top that I’m now pretty excited about its arrival! It also has some Nintendo franchise tie-ins, including The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, which looks silly and awesome at the same time.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS, August 2014)
When I first heard that they were going to cross these two series together, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Although they share some similarities, their styles are vastly different. I also wasn’t really sure if we’d ever get this game, but now that we are, and I’ve seen the trailer, I’m super-excited about it! Both of these games have made me pretty mad in the past with their occasionally obscure puzzle designs, but this is looking really good. The animated cutscenes have a particularly premium feel to them that I can appreciate.

Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox One/360, September 2014)
Although I have yet to play the first one, I really liked what I saw of this at Microsoft’s press conference. I don’t have an Xbox One yet, so I might get the 360 version. However, knowing there’s a superior version out there might be a hard pill to swallow. With the cheaper $400 Xbox One sans Kinect now out there, Microsoft’s making that decision a little easier for those of us still on the fence.

Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One, October 2014)
After a string of pretty serious games over the past year, like The Last of Us and Tomb Raider, games like Sunset Overdrive really stand out. I haven’t been much of an Insomniac follower over the years — the last game of theirs I ever completed was the original Spyro the Dragon! — but this looks like it could bring me back. I love the animation, and there’s a distinct Jet Grind Radio vibe going on as well, which is never a bad thing.

Driveclub (PS4, October 2014)
I really didn’t pay much attention to this leading up to E3, and prematurely wrote it off as just another racing game. However, after seeing some coverage, what I really like about it is that it is less Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, and more Project Gotham Racing. This is potentially very exciting news since fans of the PGR series have been left hanging since 2007. It looks and sounds great — including some phenomenal weather effects — so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the final product is like!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4/Xbox One/PC, February 2015)
This is yet another series (in a long line of them, can’t you tell?) that I have never played, but after getting a taste of it with this trailer and some of the other coverage this week, it now has my full attention. This just looks ridiculously good, and there’s no doubt I’m going to have to fire up my copy of The Witcher 2 on Steam sometime soon to see what it’s all about!

Costume Quest 2 (Everything under the sun, October 2014)
A fond memory of mine was working on the first Costume Quest at THQ. The team had the best time working with Double Fine, and it remains one of the smoothest and delightful projects we saw in QA. The first game was fun and charming, but rather simple and short. The sequel looks to really raise the bar and deliver a game that improves upon it in every way. Like Grim Fandango, it’s great to see Double Fine flourish and create games that their fans really want.

Volume (PS4/Vita/PC, 2014)
Mike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone is one of my favorite Vita games. His next game looks like it has some interesting ideas, and I’m sure by the time it releases later this year, it will be of the same high quality as TWA. The very strange — but refreshingly cool — live-action trailer adds to its mystery and a seemingly dark, comedic nature.

Night in the Woods (PS4/PC, 2015)
Successfully funded on Kickstarter back in November 2013, this just looks lovely. It has a clean style, and looks to touch on some very serious life and existence issues. Music sounds great and you can tell the team is dedicated to making this an unforgettable and unique adventure. This one totally flew under the radar for me, but I think it’s one of the more interesting games I’ve seen this week.

Abzu (PS4, No Release Date)
From the same Art Director and Composer as 2012’s Journey — one of the most sublime PS3 games I played last generation — this looks to be another winner. Gorgeous visuals with a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere. Unless something goes terribly wrong during its development, I’ll be there on day one for this!

No Man’s Sky (PS4, No Release Date)
Dinosaurs, technology, Robotech-like space battles, and procedurally generated worlds to explore. It all sounds — and especially looks — brilliant, but I worry a little bit about the actual gameplay. Games like these have historically left me feeling empty because they lack focus, but I’m going to keep the faith with this one. I hope it ends up being a game from this generation that we’ll be talking about years from now.

Fantasy Life (3DS, October 2014)
Out of nowhere came the news of Level 5’s RPG being localized for the US. It wasn’t the Dragon Quest VII remake announcement I was hoping for, but this looks like a lot of fun! The musical score in particular — composed by Final Fantasy legend Nobuo Uematsu — sounds beautiful, with sweeping, grand melodies and nice instrumentation. I can’t wait for this one!

Grim Fandango (PS4/Vita, No Release Date)
If you are a fan of the classic PC adventure game, this was probably at or near the top of your list of favorite announcements this week. Just hearing them say “Grim Fandango” and seeing the logo up on screen was enough to give me chills. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to remaster, but seeing as it’s been 16 years since the original, I suppose we can wait a little longer. No PC version as of yet, but it has to be coming out at some point, right? If so, I’ll have to get that version out of respect for the original.

Valiant Hearts (Everything except Wii U, June 2014)
Utilizing the UbiArt Framework engine, this adventure game looks so unique, and it’s nice to see a shifting focus from WWII overload to other conflicts. There are so many other stories to tell — such as these — so I’m really looking forward to this game’s release later this month.

Cuphead (Xbox One/PC, Q4 2014)
I had totally forgotten about this game until one of my friends mentioned it on Google+. I don’t like the name — it needs a subtitle or something — but the game itself looks absolutely amazing. With a convincing 1930’s animation style and slick design, it really stands out in an ever-growing sea of side-scrolling games. This is “retro” taken to a whole different level. More games like this, please!

Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One, Late 2015)
2013’s Tomb Raider totally exceeded my expectations when I played it earlier this year. After beating it, I immediately wanted to play a sequel. Although only shown in cutscene form, it looked intense, and I have full confidence that Crystal Dynamics will deliver a game that outdoes the original in every way possible. It’s one of my most anticipated games this generation, so here’s to the long wait.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4, 2015)
Although the trailer was short and didn’t show any gameplay, Uncharted 4 is obviously at or near the top of many Most Wanted lists, including mine. The PS3 trilogy is among my all-time favorites, and although Uncharted 3 was the weakest one, I trust that Naughty Dog will bring it back to its former glory on PS4. The footage shown, running realtime in-game at 1080p and 60fps, made jaws hit the floor. Subtle, almost imperceptible details shine through with each subsequent viewing. If the final game does indeed look as good as this, prepare for PS4 shortages once again.

Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2015)
Easily one of my most anticipated games right now. Not much more needs to be said about this one, and I’ll probably avoid most media on it from here on out. I know it’ll be good, and I’ll definitely be there on release day, no matter what!

Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One/360/PC, Q4 2014)
This was probably my favorite game of the show that was shown with actual gameplay. It’s stunningly beautiful with an aesthetic similar to the UbiArt Framework games, appears to have very smooth gameplay, all wrapped up in a mysteriously magical atmosphere. Seeing a game like this makes me so happy that 2D design and artwork has not just persevered, but thrived. I have very, very high hopes for this one. Maybe too high.

The Legend of Zelda (Wii U, 2015)
And finally, the Nintendo bomb felt around the world on Tuesday morning. I’ve already expressed my “slight” excitement over this one, but it’s worth it. This was easily the game at E3 that blew my mind the most. Sure, it looks like it was mainly just an in-engine cutscene, but that wide shot of Hyrule has already captured my imagination, looking so vibrant and full of life. As I heard someone say, “I want to live there!” Couldn’t agree more. Minus the monsters, perhaps. The art style is just perfect. It will be a long, excruciatingly painful wait for this one, but I’m sure it will be 100% worth it.

And with that, it’s now time to recover from the show and get back to actually playing games again. Have a great weekend everyone!

E3 2014: Press Conference Round-Up

June 11, 2014 by Mike

E3 is now going full-steam in its second day, and as usual, the hardware manufacturers and big publishers prefaced the show on Monday and early Tuesday with their own presentations. Showcasing their latest titles, release dates, and new announcements, they’re what gamers most look forward to… and dread.

As I brought up earlier this week, this is a particularly important E3 for both Microsoft and Nintendo. With Sony leading this generation, its competitors need to pull out all the stops and show that they offer games and value that are unique to their platforms. Let’s see how they did:

For Microsoft — and this had to be true for Sony and Nintendo as well — 2014 is all about the games. However, what I saw were a good number of multi-platform titles that have some exclusive platform content. For some context, I include PC in the platform definition, so when I see something that’s on a console and PC, it’s no longer an exclusive.

I’ve never been a fan of the same title being on different systems with each having different content. It immediately makes me feel ripped-off, like I’m not getting the complete package. That being said, however, at least the Xbox One has those multi-platform games, unlike the Wii U.

Forza Motorsport 5 made an appearance, as one of Microsoft’s big announcements was the fact that you could download the Nurburgring DLC for free. As someone who doesn’t yet own an Xbox One, I found this odd in that I was more surprised that the track wasn’t already in the game! It’s in Forza Motorsport 4 and the Gran Turismo titles, so why not, right?

Forza 5 had a bit of a rocky start with gamers due to content and potential paywall issues, but it’s one of the few games I’m interested in on the console since the series is one of my favorites (I gave Forza 4 an A back in January). It didn’t seem like the audience knew how to react to this news. Free is great, but it does raise immediate questions about what $60 should be getting you in the first place.

Forza Horizon 2 looked fantastic, though. I have the original Xbox 360 version, and it’s high in my queue, so I’m looking forward to finally playing it soon. The driving game genre is one that has gotten a bit stale for me, but knowing that Horizon was among my friends’ favorite driving games this generation does bode well.

Moon Studios’ Ori and the Blind Forest is another Xbox One exclusive, and it’s just amazing! This is precisely the kind of game I want to see more of on their console, so Microsoft, I beg you: more games like this, please.

Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive was impressive as well, and I like the whole tongue-in-cheek, self-aware approach. I don’t care for the enemy designs, but maybe they’ll grow on me over time.

Playdead’s Inside, from the makers of the most excellent game Limbo, left me scratching my head, but I trust that they’ll deliver in the end.

Platinum Games had a video for the Xbox One exclusive Scalebound, but it was hard to tell what it was about, or to gauge its gameplay. The overall design didn’t have a distinctly unique look like most other Platinum titles, either. They did solid work on the Xbox 360, though, so I’m hopeful about its future.

I was initially really bummed out by Microsoft’s presentation, but as things progressed on and I thought back on it, I realized an important fact: there’s a lot there that will please traditional Xbox fans: Halo, Crackdown, Dead Rising, Fable, Destiny, etc. To be fair, that’s pretty much been Nintendo’s approach for generations: please the franchise fans.

I missed EA’s press conference, but I checked out highlights afterwards. It looks like there were some big announcements: a new Mass Effect, another Dragon Age, a conceptual demo for fan-favorite Mirror’s Edge 2, the new Battlefield, the usual sports iterations, and a cool teaser for Star Wars: Battlefront.

The only game out of that list that interests me is Mirror’s Edge 2. For some reason, most EA franchises simply aren’t my cup of tea, even though I’m well aware that many of them are highly regarded.

I thought Ubisoft‘s conference was pretty good. Aisha Tyler did a great job emceeing as usual; it’s strikingly effective when you have someone doing their thing who is comfortable in front of large crowds. Apart from some of the casual titles that didn’t interest me in the slightest — like Just Dance and Shape Up — they had some cool games on display.

One that really stood out for me was the UbiArt Framework game Valiant Hearts: The Great War. I’d forgotten about this one, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it comes out in two weeks on June 25th! I do hope it’s good. There’s something about the art style that felt a bit low-grade Adobe Flash to me at times, especially compared to the other gorgeous UbiArt games like Rayman Legends and Child of Light.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity looked terrific, although the combat was really slow and weird. The lighting and world detail, however, are just stunning. It was a beautiful game to look at, and like other entries in the series, will surely be a huge hit for Ubisoft.

The racing game The Crew also looked interesting, with its seamless coast-to-coast theme. The trailer for it was also nice, with its time-lapse compression of a 2-hour journey across the US, set to a nice, mellow soundtrack. I’ll take that any day over the stuttery dubstep tripe found in most E3 trailers.

Far Cry 4‘s intro looked totally deranged! With voiceover work from Troy Baker — well-known for his roles as the Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins and Delsin in Infamous: Second Son — it made quite an impression, and got me interested in the series in general, which I have never played.

Tom Clancy’s The Division also had some neat ideas going on, but the multiplayer demo they showed seemed overly scripted and not very realistic. The trailer shown at Sony’s press conference later that day helped flesh things out, and got me more excited about the game than I was here.

I missed and was eating dinner throughout most of Sony‘s presentation, but got online just in time to catch Batman: Arkham Knight. That game, man. It’s the kind of event that people call out sick for on release day. It just looks amazing. PS4 owners will get exclusive Scarecrow missions, which I know will be super-cool, but again, it just rubs me the wrong way that exclusive content is even a thing. But, I digress.

Anyway, one of the better things from their presentation was the twin-stick title Entwined, which is available now for PS4. It hearkens back to the creative freedom of Thatgamecompany’s early PS3 game Flower, and I like that this generation has showcased smaller indie titles just as much as the blockbusters. I think every system needs a healthy serving of both, and for every Edge of Tomorrow, there needs to be a Short Term 12.

Similarly, No Man’s Sky is looking phenomenal, and I can’t wait to play it.

The thing I was looking forward to the most was a bit of a disappointment for me: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Last year, we saw a map. This year, we saw Nate standing up and walking into a forest. It was stunning and detailed, of course, but I didn’t think it was enough.

I was really hoping for at least a glimpse of some gameplay and new features, but no such luck. It had a more serious tone — like that of Uncharted 3 — so I hope the energy and humor of the first two games are not lost here. I really don’t want this to be “The Last of Uncharted.”

LittleBigPlanet 3 looked like… LittleBigPlanet. It’s very pretty and vibrant, and there were some nice new features and characters with different abilities, but those controls. One of the players on stage was having the hardest time doing simple wall-jumps, so tight control seems to remain as elusive as it’s ever been.

A little side-rant here, but was it just me, or was there practically nothing shown for the Vita? No love, I swear. Nothing on The Last Guardian either. Originally announced for a 2011 PS3 release, its delays have earned it the dubious distinction of becoming the Duke Nukem Forever of this generation, right up there with Half-Life 3.

There’s a lot for Sony fans to be happy about, though, including Infamous: First Light, Metal Gear Solid V, The Order: 1886, Driveclub, Ratchet & Clank, Grim Fandango, and Bloodborne. Overall, I think Sony had the strongest lineup. They’re not necessarily all the kinds of games I myself enjoy playing, but it’s hard to deny that this is certainly the most robust and plentiful lineup of any of the current consoles.

This really was Nintendo’s E3 to lose. It’s not like the industry had high hopes to begin with, but you can’t let Nintendo fans down, especially those who have been raked over the coals for the past year and a half with the Wii U. My expectations were high, so how do I think they did?

Well, it was about what I expected, which is both good and bad. Good in that it was much better than last year’s flop of a press conference, but bad in that it just wasn’t enough.

There was a lot of talk about Super Smash Bros. 4, but it was The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U that surprised everyone. Even if you were expecting it, the way it looked was astonishing. When Eiji Aonuma snapped his fingers and revealed the new Hyrule overworld, my jaw hit the floor.

It was also nice to hear him talk about ideas introduced in A Link Between Worlds on the 3DS carrying over to the console version. It shows that they acknowledge and understand that Zelda has run its course in terms of structure, and that it needs to change in ways that will keep it interesting and relevant.

Reggie showed off Nintendo’s “Amiibo” 3DS/Wii U NFC figures, similar to those seen in the Skylanders and Disney Infinity franchises. They look nice, and I’m sure they’ll make tons of money, but this seems like a bad place for Nintendo to be putting their efforts, especially with all the trouble the Wii U’s experienced. I’m not the target market, though, so what do I know?

Yoshi’s Wooly World looks great. I haven’t cared for any of the Yoshi games since the Super Nintendo classic Yoshi’s Island, so I hope it’s a worthy follow-up. From what they showed, it has some inventive and creative ideas.

It wasn’t Super Mario Galaxy 3 like I had hoped, and it wasn’t even New Super Mario Bros. U 2. Instead, one of their Mario games was Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. It looks fun, and I liked those levels in Super Mario 3D World, but it can’t help but feel like a stopgap until a real Mario title appears.

The other one — Mario Maker — lets you create your own Super Mario Bros. stages in the classic or New style. I’m not really into “creator” games like I was back in the day, but I think it will be lots of fun playing the creations that come out of the Miiverse.

One title that has generated some decent buzz is Splatoon, a 4 vs. 4 multiplayer arena game. It has some terrific design that feels unique in a world still dominated by Call of Duty and other violent shooters. In that sense, Splatoon‘s a breath of fresh air. The only thing I don’t like about it is the character designs. They’re painfully generic by Nintendo standards, so I hope they work those out a little more prior to release. Anyone else sensing an Amiibo tie-in opportunity?

On the 3DS, Fantasy Life, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, and others have been making the rounds. As I mentioned earlier this week, things seem surprisingly light on the 3DS front after a couple very prolific years, so that platform’s future worries me a bit.

Overall, nothing besides The Legend of Zelda blew me away, and even as the great Shigeru Miyamoto teased Star Fox at the end of the presentation, I was left wanting more. Their lineup is solid, but with very little coming out in 2014, the patience of Wii U owners — including myself — will be tested once again.

But hey, props to them for even mentioning the amazing Mother 3.

E3 2014: The Legend of Zelda (Wii U)

June 10, 2014 by Mike

I have a lot to say about E3, but for now, here are some official 1920×1080 screenshots of the new Legend of Zelda for Wii U, just revealed about an hour and a half ago. It blew me and most of the gaming world away, and along with Batman: Arkham Knight, is now my most anticipated game of 2015.

Here’s the HD trailer as well, courtesy of GamesHQMedia on YouTube:

E3 2014: Let the games begin

June 9, 2014 by Mike

The greatest (videogame) show on earth starts tomorrow, and as usual, the internet rumor mill has been doing some major overtime. I’ve seen some interesting ones, but I take ’em all with a big grain of salt until the press conferences conclude and the show floor opens. We can’t help it, though. It’s like waiting for a package from your favorite online retailer: sometimes the anticipation of it outweighs its actual arrival.

This is oftentimes true with E3 as well. Much like last year’s Nintendo press conference, I went in hoping for greatness, and instead felt like they kicked me square in the nuts. Microsoft left me equally tepid. Sony’s was by the numbers, but they delivered the goods. Sure, they too have had some missteps along the way, but honestly, who hasn’t?

2014 is the kind of year I love, though, because these are all about the games. Companies don’t have to spend time hyping up their new systems, and instead can focus on what really matters: content. Mario Kart 8 is proving that the Wii U might still have some fight left.

Microsoft‘s recent decision to drop the Kinect from the Xbox One was a bold move. It’s a move that early adopters are probably angry about, but for people like me, who were never sold on its technology on the 360 to begin with — and balked at its steep $500 price tag — I think this is great.

I hope this change for the Xbox One lets developers focus on traditional game experiences instead of gimmicks. As cool as games like Child of Eden and the Dance Central series were on the 360 with Kinect, making it an integral part of a console just never made that much sense to me, especially in the multiplatform-heavy world of today. However, with that being said, it will be interesting to see how Microsoft addresses this new future while not turning their backs on early supporters.

The 360 is currently my least-used system, while my PS3, Wii U, PC, Vita, and 3DS get about equal attention. I have yet to see a reason to get an Xbox One, but I hope E3 helps sway me. Exclusives are where Microsoft has traditionally hurt in the past, so hopefully there will be signs that things will be changing in the year ahead.

Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive looks like it could be one of those signs; something that’s pretty unique in a sea of serious shooters.

Update: Ori and the Blind Forest also looks like it could be great!

I expect Sony‘s offerings to be solid. Like the Xbox One, there just aren’t enough games on it to warrant a purchase from me yet, but that won’t be true for long. I’m sure they’ll spend a lot of time talking up their numbers and whatnot, but I also expect a strong showing on the software side.

I’m most interested in seeing the next chapter of the Uncharted series for the PS4. I wasn’t overly thrilled with Uncharted 3, but its predecessors are among my favorite PS3 games.

Oddly enough, I’m pretty much over The Last Guardian. I adore both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, but I’ve simply stopped caring about the perpetually delayed follow-up from Sony. I’ll care again someday, but not today.

I also hope that there is some decent Vita content. For all the attention the Wii U gets as a dying platform, Sony’s handheld isn’t exactly setting the world on fire either.

Not much more for me to say regarding Sony. They’ve been an old reliable on the console front since the inception of E3.

Nintendo, however, like Microsoft, has to knock one out of the park this week. 3DS content for 2014 is light, and despite Mario Kart 8‘s terrific performance, they have to back it up with more high-quality games. They’ve really been pushing Super Smash Bros. 4, but to be honest, I’ve never been much of an Smash Bros. fan, so I’m not all that excited about that one.

I’m definitely looking forward to their Wii U offerings. I’m hopeful that we’ll see a new Zelda, Metroid, and possibly another Mario. The greedy side of me hopes it’s Super Mario Galaxy 3.

Dragon Quest VII is probably the one 3DS game I’m most excited about. No, it’s not going to spark skyrocketing sales or anything, but it’s the one game in the series I believe deserves a second chance. I loved it when I played it for the first time a few years ago, but it’s really rough around the edges. The 3DS remake, which has been out in Japan since February of 2013, is long overdue for a release here.

I don’t expect much in the third-party realm for the Wii U, but I’m hoping for a good turnout on the 3DS.

This update is intentionally light. I don’t want to speculate too much about the show and then have to eat crow afterwards. My show wrap-up will follow either at the end of this week or early next.

Enjoy E3 2014 everyone!

What I’m playing right now: Swords, Courts, and Karts

May 30, 2014 by Mike

My father-in-law’s now recuperating in the comfort of his own home and bed, which is great, but my wife came down with a pretty bad case of food poisoning last night. Long story short, we were up until dawn, and didn’t get to sleep until about 6 this morning. As they say, when it rains, it pours. Yin and yang, or something like that.

Anyway, after such a stressful week, I’m looking forward to some quality game time this weekend. Here’s what I’ll be playing:

A couple weeks ago, I started Fire Emblem: Awakening on the 3DS, even though I’m not a big fan of strategy games. I just finished The Exalt and the King (Chapter 5), so I have a long, long way to go, but I’m enjoying it so far. I’m playing it on Casual, even though I’m sure this irks Fire Emblem purists to no end. The game is still pretty tough, however, and vital units can get wiped out in a single turn if you’re not careful.

The amount of content in Awakening is impressive. In addition to the main quest, there are a number of sidequests to complete as well, so this game will be keeping me busy for quite some time. I’m extremely impressed by the game’s production value. The animated cutscenes by Madhouse are gorgeous, and put a lot of regular console games to shame. The soundtrack is equally impressive, providing great drama and tension to story and battle scenes alike.

About the only thing I don’t care for is the sporadic voice-over. It’s distracting, and tarnishes the shine of what is an otherwise superlative game. I’m also feeling slightly overwhelmed by the already high number of units I have at my disposal, but I’d rather have more to deal with than too little.

I played and finished the first Phoenix Wright game back in 2012. While I really liked it initially, it became tediously long and definitely wore out its welcome by the time it was over. This could be due to the DS version’s extra content, but whatever the case, I was relieved when it ended, only giving it a C+.

Now that a couple years have passed, I felt ready to jump back into the series. It’s very familiar so far, and I’m liking that. The mildly remixed music is nostalgic, and it’s great to see old friends and colleagues return. I’m enjoying the story so far, and the new cast has been quite eccentric. I wouldn’t expect anything less after the crew from first game.

I’ve only completed the first case, and that trial had a good flow with testimony and cross-examination that made sense. Some of them were so vaguely indeterminate to me in the first game that I had to resort to using a guide on more than one occasion. I’m hopeful that I won’t have to do the same here. So far, though, I’m digging this.

Finally, my copy of Mario Kart 8 should be arriving at some point today, and I’m very excited to start playing it! I’m not really the target Mario Kart player, though, since I like to play solo most of the time. I suppose that’s why most games in the series haven’t really done much for me. I’d rather have a goal/adventure-based format like Diddy Kong Racing instead of straight classes and groups of tracks. Seriously, why haven’t they made more games like that Rare classic?

In any case, I’m hopeful that MK8 rekindles my love for the series. I was addicted to Super Mario Kart on the SNES, and I haven’t liked any of the subsequent entries nearly as much. Maybe this will be the one that breaks that cycle. By all accounts and reviews, it looks like an undeniable gem of a racer. As a Wii U owner, that’s very, very good news.

Have a great weekend, and thanks for your continued support and readership here at GHG.

Backlog Blitz: The games of March 2014

May 29, 2014 by Mike

It’s been a rough week. Even though every fiber of my being wants to just rest and resume business as usual on Monday, I think it’s important to keep things going here at GHG. Taking a break can make it that much harder to get back into it, and I know me: I’ve tried and quit a lot of things, so I can’t let that happen again.

Anyway, March was a good month. With only 5 purchases and a decent completion tally of 7 games, I pushed my total upwards a bit. The format, like January and February, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-5, $67.50 spent):

Pokemon X (3DS, $20.00)
Tough to resist a good 50% off sale, and so even though I have never really played or finished a single Pokemon title, starting with the latest one is probably an OK place to begin. My friends told me to get X instead of Y, so get X I did.
The Humble Mobile Bundle 4 (Android, $3.00)
Although I’m getting to the point where I have most of the games offered by current Humble Bundles, I’ll still pick them up. This bundle included BADLAND Premium, Breach & Clear, Catan, Color Sheep, Gunslugs, OLO, Riptide GP2, Vector, and Zombie Gunship.
The Humble Weekly Sale: PopCap (PC, $6.00)
I bought the vast majority of these in a PopCap bundle for my wife years ago, but decided to add some of them to my library as well. Pretty good selection: Peggle Deluxe, Bejeweled 3, Bookworm Deluxe, Escape Rosecliff Island, Feeding Frenzy 2 Deluxe, Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition, Peggle Nights, and Zuma’s Revenge.
PlayStation Plus (12-month, PS3/Vita/PS4, $35.00)
It took me a long time to finally sign up, but a 30% off sale made me pull the trigger. This is only my second month with the service, but the free games alone across all three of Sony’s platforms makes this one of the best deals in gaming. It’s no wonder Microsoft had to bring out Games With Gold, to which Sony has already countered by increasing the number of PS4 games per month to 2 instead of 1 starting in June. How long this kind of great value can be sustained in anyone’s guess, so you’ll never see me complain about it.
Thomas Was Alone: Benjamin’s Flight DLC (Vita, $3.50)
As part of PlayStation Plus, I finished Thomas Was Alone (see below), and immediately had to purchase its follow-up DLC.

Games finished (+7, $44.50 value):

SpellTower (Android, $1.00, 2 hrs.)
This one’s a nice cross between Tetris and Bookworm. It’s a fun diversion that I still find myself playing while out and about, waiting for a table at a restaurant, or any instance where I need to kill a few minutes. While word games aren’t my favorite, it’s still very well-made with a number of different modes, multiplayer, intuitive touch control, style, and challenge. Overall: B
Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, Free, 40 hrs.)
This is the first Grand Theft Auto game I’ve ever finished, and it’s easily one of the best games I’ve ever played. I was at first overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff you can do, but Rockstar has designed it in such a way that you almost always feel naturally led to the next activity. A wealth of variety, entertainment, and quality is in no short supply here, and each subsequent mission continued to blow me away. I have a feeling I’m going to be completely ruined on most other open-world titles from this point forward. Great characters, expertly designed missions, hilarious lowbrow gags, and the underlying technology driving everything in this game is impressive. It’s crazy to think that this is running on hardware that’s nearly 8 years old. Overall: A+
Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC, $7.50, 30 hrs.)
I had previously tried to play this two times, but for different reasons that weren’t related to the game itself, I stopped playing. After enjoying the open world of GTA5 so much, I wanted to go back and play this one before tackling the bigger Arkham City. I loved everything about it, especially the hand-to-hand combat, which is just so fluid and intuitive. I’m no Batman expert, but outside of the comics, this series is the best treatment of the license I’ve ever experienced. The in-game dialogue scenes are comically amateurish, which is too bad since the rest of the game is so good, but they don’t detract from what is an otherwise perfectly crafted action game with tons of collectibles and things to do. Rocksteady’s treatment of The Joker and Scarecrow are particularly memorable, too. Overall: A+
Broken Age: Act 1 (PC, $25.00, 5 hrs.)
I hopped aboard the Broken Age train really late because for some reason, my Kickstarter backing didn’t take initially. No matter, though — this is a charming adventure game that leaves the player with one heck of a cliffhanger ending. It’s almost unfair. I remember reading about how backers thought it was too short and easy, but since I’m not the biggest adventure game purist and I can’t stand obscure puzzles, I found it to be just right. Most of the puzzles are pretty simple, but they’re also intuitive, and they’re not all easy: there were a couple that almost pushed me to look at a FAQ. Yes, it’s a short game, but not if you take your time and enjoy everything the designers put into it. It’s at its best when you’re left to just experiment with item combos and usage to see what the characters will say. They all have great dialogue that must have been a lot of fun to write. The soundtrack is terrific, the art and animation are well-crafted, and it’s just a cool throwback to the type PC adventure games so many of us played in the ’90s. Overall: A-
Batman: Arkham City (PC, $7.50, 60 hrs.)
I loved Arkham Asylum, and Arkham City delivered on the promise of a bigger world to explore, more gadgets, and lots of things to do. It had a nice Legend of Zelda vibe to its world structure and game flow. Its depiction of the Penguin, Ra’s al Ghul, and Mr. Freeze were fantastic, and although the story takes a Batman-like nosedive into predictable cliches at the end, I enjoyed the game itself just as much as its predecessor. Side missions were fun, and some of the Riddler trophies were downright diabolical. I loved that they were turned into puzzles themselves, taking some good timing and ingenuity to collect. Traversal in Gotham City was painless, and I really liked all the refinements made since Asylum, particularly to the combat. Keeping Riddler informants alive adds a nice layer of strategy to the mob fights, and it’s addicting grabbing all the subsequent collectibles. Although the size and length of the game inherently makes the story feel less refined and focused as Asylum‘s, I still thought this was as good a game as the first. Overall: A+
Thomas Was Alone (Vita, Free, 6 hrs.)
What a surprise. Included for free as part of March’s PlayStation Plus offerings, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I thought it was just going to be your typical minimalist platformer with some indie quirkiness thrown in for good measure, but what I got was one of the most charming and memorable games I’ve played in a long time. While it’s not the most challenging platformer — this isn’t Super Meat Boy — it’s still fun and provides a lot of rewarding gameplay. I found myself compelled to complete it primarily for its wonderful story and characters. It’s pretty short, even after going through it twice to listen to the Developer Commentary, but it’s worth every minute. I think that anyone who has even a passing interest in game design should play this twice. Overall: A
Thomas Was Alone: Benjamin’s Flight DLC (Vita, $3.50, 1 hr.)
The follow-up DLC for Thomas Was Alone adds some new characters, play control, and good narrative, but it is extremely short, and unfortunately (for now), doesn’t include Developer Commentary, which was one of my favorite features of the original game. It gave such valuable insight into Mike Bithell’s approach to both game and character design that it almost feels like the DLC is missing a limb. Still worth the cost of entry, despite its lack of length and features. Overall: B

So that was March in a nutshell. It was thankfully a very light month in terms of how much I spent, and I was rewarded with some of the best games I’ve ever played. It will certainly be a tough month to beat!

GHG’s 1-month anniversary

May 14, 2014 by Mike

As with any new goal, hitting the 1-month mark is a good feeling. It makes getting to future milestones — 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, even 5 years — that much more achievable. When I set out to create this blog, I made a promise to myself that I would write for it every day, unless something absolutely prevented me from doing so. Even if nobody saw it, even if a post could be read out loud in one breath, at least I would know that I did what I set out to do.

Although I mentioned the other day that I was not a fan of statistics in college, I do like numbers and the stories they can tell. Via Word Stats, seeing the “14,139” total words written over the past month is cool. Several more months of this, and I’ll have enough words for a book or a few screenplays. Sometimes I think I should be putting my time into that sort of writing, but the way I see it, keeping at this blog could evolve into something bigger. Who knows? Whatever the future may hold, games are at the core of who I am and what I’ve done throughout most of my career, so it’s exciting to be putting my energy into something I love again.

The top 5 keywords for GHG are: game(s), like, time, overall, and great. It comes as no surprise that I use the words “game” and “games” too much in my posts, and I do struggle with that! It seems redundant since this is a gaming blog, but it tends to get typed a lot, so I’ll have to keep a closer eye there. Same goes for the others. I read everything out loud before publishing to help with clarity, flow, and readability, and some days are more successful than others. Coffee and sleep do make a big difference. Looking back on some of my posts makes me cringe, but I see those as valuable lessons on what to avoid for future updates.

In closing, thanks for visiting and reading GHG, as well as for the support you’ve shown on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. You can find and follow me on any of those by clicking on the icons in the upper-right corner of the site.

Here’s to month 2!

Review: Tearaway (PS Vita)

May 9, 2014 by Mike

Let’s cut to the chase here: Media Molecule’s Tearaway is one of the best reasons to own a Vita. If you’ve been on the fence about whether you should buy Sony’s latest handheld or not, games like this one should make that decision much easier.

From the moment I loaded it up, I knew this was going to be something special. Its art style is one of the most charming, convincing, and consistently good ones I’ve ever seen. The world of Tearaway is made up entirely of cut out pieces of paper that are animated in a stop-motion style, where every fold, roll, crunch, and flex act exactly like paper does in real life. It’s beautiful, and apart from Media Molecule’s own LittleBigPlanet series, is one of the most unique-looking games on Sony’s consoles and handhelds.

Tearaway‘s use of color is exemplary, and is just a wonder to look at. Its small touches are key, like how loose pieces of paper are subtly pressed down when you walk over them, or the almost imperceptible, long wisps and particles that blow through the air.

Each element breathes life into this world, all accompanied by a restrained but effective soundtrack. It has the same effect as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, which so masterfully conveyed a spirit of adventure and the cool ocean air throughout the player’s travels.

Another area where the game excels is in its creative use of the Vita’s various hardware functions: front touch screen, rear touch pad, cameras, microphone, tilt control, and traditional controls all get a good workout. It takes some getting used to, particularly when you have to use some of them together to get through certain areas, but it makes you realize how the Vita can be used in very interesting ways. Before playing Tearaway, I never understood why Sony included the rear touch pad, but after playing this, it now makes sense, showcasing new and fun ways to include touch interaction without having to take your hands off the controls.

Customization — a Media Molecule hallmark — is an integral part of Tearaway‘s gameplay, although it’s not as robust as the world-building systems found in LittleBigPlanet. You can create your own cut-out decorations for your character and certain others throughout your adventure, or use pre-made ones that are unlocked via in-game currency, and it all works pretty well for the most part.

I found the creation tools themselves to be a bit too vague and cumbersome, but they get the job done, and the game doesn’t penalize you if you happen to create something darn-near unrecognizable. You’ll also have a number of opportunities to take pictures of yourself, the environments, and a whole slew of other subjects during your quest. You get to do so using a virtual camera inside the game, as well as with the Vita’s front and rear-facing cameras.

The in-game camera is impressively robust, with a wide range of lenses and filter effects. Taking pictures isn’t just something you can do for fun, but is used to unlock one of the game’s major collectibles: papercraft models.

After unlocking them in the game, you can go to Tearaway.me to print them out and build them. This is a really nice touch, and adds to the title’s already very creative approach. I have yet to put together any myself, but it looks like fun, and with 60 models available with varying degrees of difficulty, these will give even the most dedicated papercraft maker a good challenge!

Speaking of collectibles, Tearaway has quite a few, and they’re all interconnected. Present boxes are one, and they’re either cleverly hidden throughout each level or require certain conditions to open. They contain paper confetti — another collectible — the pieces of which are spread throughout each level, or awarded after defeating enemies. Enemies themselves count as collectibles in that you have to successfully dispatch them all in each area in order to achieve 100%. It’s a good system, and most players will go through each level two or more times to uncover everything.

Are there any problems? Unfortunately, one of the first things you’ll notice are the unusually long load times throughout. If you’re a completionist, there are several Trophies that will require you to start levels over at least a few times, and every time you do, you have to sit through the same long loading screen. They’re interactive, but are still an annoyance and not much of a consolation.

Those same Trophies also underscore one of Tearaway‘s biggest flaws: it’s not as good a platformer as it thinks it is. Whereas games like Super Mario 3D World have impeccable controls and camera angles, Tearaway suffers from slightly undercooked controls and a camera that is a hindrance more often than it should be. I fell to my death quite often simply because I was unable to judge where I was in the middle of a jump.

These negatives don’t matter all that much during regular gameplay, since checkpoints are plentiful and you have unlimited lives, but the aforementioned Trophies require you to get through extremely long levels without dying once, and that’s when it makes you feel like your various demises are the game’s fault, not your own, and that’s a no-no in Game Design 101.

On the other hand, I had fun getting the other Trophies, and relatively speaking, this game provides an easy Platinum for Trophy hunters out there.

In closing, while not without its flaws, Tearaway is a special game. It serves as a vital piece of evidence supporting the case for traditional handhelds, and why they shouldn’t become extinct. In this game’s case, it could unarguably only be done on the Vita. Highly recommended.

Graphics: A
Audio: A-
Gameplay & Controls: B
Presentation: A
Value: A-
Overall: A

Backlog Blitz: The games of February 2014

May 8, 2014 by Mike

I’m not going to lie — February was rough. Not just for gaming, but my wife and I were in the midst of selling our house and packing up all of our things. Stress was running high, and historically, I like to buy things when I’m stressed. The higher the stress, the bigger the purchase, so I suppose the fact that I kept all of my gaming purchases to just games is impressive. I have yet to indulge in any current-generation consoles or PC upgrades, which is a small miracle for anyone who knows me.

Anyway, February’s purchases and completed games are below. Format, like last time, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-9, $198.50 spent):

Device 6 (iOS, $4.00)
Quality, premium mobile games are unfortunately becoming a rarity these days as most developers find it more sustainable to go the more casual and/or free-to-play route. So, when I hear about a game like this, that is neither of those, I take notice.
Bravely Default (3DS, $40.00)
After enjoying the demo so much in January, buying this was a no-brainer. I had originally purchased the limited edition from Amazon.com, but they sent it to me in a padded mailer, and it got destroyed in transit. They sold out, of course, so I had to replace it with the standard version.
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS, $34.00)
I’d heard lots of great things about this game, and being a fan of the GameCube original, I finally pulled the trigger.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS, $35.00)
I’ve never played any games in this series, and am curious to see what it’s all about. I’m worried that it will turn into a major time-sink!
Danganrompa: Trigger Happy Havoc (PS Vita, $40.00)
Described as a mix between Persona, Phoenix Wright, and rhythm/music games, that was a combination that sounded too interesting to pass up.
The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC (PS3, $15.00)
I declared The Last of Us to be the best PS3 game in my last Backlog Blitz update, so picking up the single-player DLC was essential, and as you’ll see below, that was the right thing to do.
The Humble Indie Bundle 11 (PC, $4.50)
Another great bundle that includes Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, The Swapper, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Guacamelee! Gold Edition, Antichamber, Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine, FEZ, Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians, and Starseed Pilgrim. I have most of these already, but that’s OK. It’s a good cause.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U, $23.00)
I’m a big fan of the Super Nintendo series, and absolutely loved Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii. I was sold on this after seeing the first trailer and learning that David Wise was returning to score the soundtrack.
The Room 2 (Android, $3.00)
The original The Room was terrific (see below), and I have to see where the story goes next!

Games finished (+9, $222.00 value):

Device 6 (iOS, $4.00, 5 hrs.)
This is an interesting game that is mostly text-based, but makes effective use of sparse imagery and atmospheric sound. Its presentation and the way it has the player interact with it is very original, and the overall production value is nice. I found some of the puzzles to be too weird and obscure, though, and it was over quickly. Still worth checking out. Overall: B
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (PS3, $60.00, 10 hrs.)
I’d originally beaten this back in 2008, but after finishing The Last of Us in January, I decided to replay this series again. I finished it on Hard, got all 61 Treasures, and came away still impressed with the game’s variety of locales, high energy, and trademark chemistry between the characters. It still looks good for its age, but the animation and texture work are dated, especially compared to Uncharted 2. Overall: A-
10000000 (Android, $1.00, 5 hrs.)
What a surprise! This game’s mixture of classic match-3-or-more gameplay with an addictive RPG-like upgrade system make this a must-play. The old-school 8-bit style graphics are fun, and the game’s pacing is spot-on. It can sometimes be a bit confusing to focus on the tile board and the obstacles/enemies you’re facing up top, but you get used to it after a while. It was also over before I knew it, but for a buck, I can’t complain too much. Overall: A-
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3, $60.00, 15 hrs.)
Next up in my Uncharted playthrough was this one, and it was just as impressive as it was the first time I played it. It’s crazy how much Naughty Dog leveled up between the first game and this one. Like the original, I finished it on Hard this time and got all 101 Treasures, which took some time. This is definitely the best in the series, with amazing set pieces, technology, and vertigo-inducing exploration. Overall: A+
The Room (Android, $1.00, 2 hrs.)
Like 10000000, this was a pleasant surprise, and it’s a game I’d consider a “show off” piece for phones and tablets. It has terrific puzzle design that feels tactile and rewarding, all wrapped up in some beautiful 3D graphics and a slightly unsettling soundtrack. Be sure to wear headphones! It’s very short, but those few hours are highly satisfying. Overall: A-
Around the World in 80 Days (Android, Free, 10 hrs.)
This is another match-3-or-more game with various goals and item drops. It’s nicely done with pleasant art and smooth gameplay, and I got pretty far into it, but unfortunately, I ran into a repeatable crash that’s making it impossible for me to get past the China stages. Too bad, because it’s a good game otherwise. It was a Free App of the Day on Amazon.com last year, so it may just be an update issue. Overall: B-
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3, $60.00, 15 hrs.)
I was pretty tough on this game back in 2011, because it just didn’t feel right. I thought the spirit of the series changed, as characters became more serious, the art style was different, and it just didn’t hit the highs of Uncharted 2. Hearing later that most of the team had been moved off to work on The Last of Us explained things a bit, but that’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re talking about one of Sony’s key PS3 franchises. It’s still a good game, just not a great one. And why they decided to try making Elena sexier is beyond me. Overall: B
The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC (PS3, $15.00, 3 hrs.)
Amazing. This is how you do single-player story-based DLC. It’s a stunning and very personal chapter that fleshes out a key relationship from the main game’s narrative. It’s short, but a must-play for any fan of The Last of Us. Finished on Survivor with all Trophies. Overall: A
Tomb Raider (PC, $20.00, 25 hrs.)
I went into this not expecting much, but I walked away completely impressed. Although the game suffers from a lackluster story, some amateurish voice acting, and a comically over-the-top villain, the rest of it is top-notch. The game’s open-world nature makes it a joy to explore, upgrades keep coming at you until the very end, and Lara Croft herself is a vulnerable, three-dimensional personality that you come to care for. Graphics and environments were impressive, and the gunplay was buttery smooth. In many ways, I like this more than most of the Uncharted series. Overall: A

Even though February was tough, I managed to play and finish just as many games as I bought, so I was pretty happy about that. There were some real standouts, and Tomb Raider in particular set me on a course to tackle some other high-profile open-world games, which I would dive into headfirst in March.

Backlog Blitz: The games of January 2014

April 29, 2014 by Mike

Earlier this month, I shared the Backlog Blitz process that I’ve been using to track what games I’m buying and playing. While it gave a very basic overview of what it is and why I do it, I thought it’d be more interesting to dive into what actually makes up those numbers, my brief thoughts on each game, and some other statistics. I plan on doing this for each month of the year, so I should hopefully be caught up by the time mid or late May comes around.

Anyway, here we go with January. Format is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-1):

The Humble Indie Bundle X (PC, $6)
I love Humble Bundles for their value and high quality. There are lots of indie bundle sites out there, but none of them come close to the ones offered here. This one included BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, HOARD, Joe Danger 2: The Movie, Papa & Yo, Rues, Strike Suit Zero, Surgeon Simulator 2013, To the Moon, and Toki Tori 2+.

Games finished (+13):

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U, $60, 30 hrs.)
This game was just pure joy to play through. I’d say it’s the equal to the Super Mario Galaxy games on the Wii. It’s wonderfully varied, stars/stamps are fun to collect, and it runs smoothly at 60fps in 720p. It’s also full of inspired level design and perfectly responsive controls. It’s definitely my favorite game on the system, and is as good as platforming gets. Overall: A+
Drill Dozer (GBA, $30, 20 hrs.)
A 2006 side-scrolling platformer by Game Freak, makers of all things Pokemon. After playing the fun but uneven HarmoKnight last year (also from Game Freak), I decided to play this, and I’m glad I did! It’s extremely deep, and the treasure hunting in it was very addictive. Flying and swimming controls tarnish it a bit, but otherwise, it’s easy to recommend this. Overall: A-
You Must Escape (Android, Free, 1 hr.)
This is a pretty standard “escape the room” puzzle game. It contains a good number of rooms to solve, and most of the puzzles are intuitive. Some are a bit obscure, and the game itself isn’t anything special, but it’s still OK and worth checking out for free, especially if you enjoy the genre. Overall: C-
The Last of Us (PS3, $60, 55 hrs.)
My favorite PS3 game to date. It truly grabbed me and didn’t let go. It’s one of the rare times I’ve ever felt compelled to go through a game for every trophy, and although I skipped the multiplayer ones, I successfully collected the rest. It’s the most powerful gaming experience in recent memory, with solid gameplay that, while not extremely deep or revolutionary, supports the narrative perfectly. The world Naughty Dog has crafted here is just amazing to look at and explore, the soundtrack is haunting, and the acting is superbly top-shelf. Not to be missed. Overall: A+
Forza Motorsport 4 (360, $37, 20 hrs.)
This is my current favorite racing game series. It provides a good balance between arcade and simulation style racing, gives rewards to the player often, is graphically polished, and has powerful audio. The Top Gear contributions are fun, and the car selection is very good. Photo mode isn’t as good as Gran Turismo‘s, and I hate that it requires you to have Xbox Live Gold just to upload and save your own pictures. Still, it’s an excellent game with an abundance of content. Overall: A
Crashmo (3DS, $9, 10 hrs.)
The follow-up to Intelligent Systems’ Pushmo, this takes the familiar formula of that game and changes things up significantly by allowing you to now slide blocks sideways. It doesn’t sound major, but even early puzzles were giving me trouble due to preconditioning! Things really clicked later, and while I haven’t finished them all (I’m about 67% through it), I’m considering this one done. I’ll surely go back to it for months — if not years — into the future. Overall: A-
The Beatles Rock Band (360, $60, 5 hrs.)
My wife and I played this quite a bit back in 2009 (her on vocals and me on drums), but I decided to play Story Mode to see what it was like. I was pleasantly surprised by its quality, with great bits of Beatles history and trivia tucked away inside an excellently produced campaign. Very nice for a music game, and you can tell that the team that worked on this truly cared about the subject matter and source material. Overall: A
Quell Memento (Android, Free, 5 hrs.)
I made it about 70% into it, but I lost my progress as a result of my phone having to be replaced, so I stopped. It’s a well-produced puzzle game with good graphics and smooth, familiar gameplay. Hidden items and puzzles add an exploratory element to it. Perhaps after the sting of losing all my progress fades, I’ll give it another go. Overall: B
Ridiculous Fishing (Android, $1, 5 hrs.)
This is a fun game that puts tablet and phone tilt controls to great use. It’s pretty simple (and as the title suggests, ridiculous) in concept as you not just fish, but fling said fish up into the air to be shot out of the sky! I didn’t expect much from it, but it’s surprisingly deep with lots of upgrades, responsive controls, a funny story, and beautifully stylized graphics. Overall: B+
Pet Rescue Saga (Android, Free, 2 hrs.)
These types of puzzle games are usually OK, but this one doesn’t do anything particularly interesting, and lacks the smooth feel of Bejeweled Blitz or King’s own Candy Crush Saga. The animal designs are also not very good, and thus, I lost interest before too long. Overall: C-
Bravely Default Demo (3DS, Free, 20 hrs.)
It’s been called a better Final Fantasy than Final Fantasy, and after playing through this, I have to agree. It has a great combat system, lots of jobs to master, adjustable encounter and difficulty settings, a nice aesthetic, and an excellent soundtrack. It rewards players who put more into it with extremely powerful skill combinations that make the game almost too easy. It’s so fun though, so I figure most players will end up doing that. Overall: A
Candy Crush Saga (Android, Free, 15 hrs.)
King put some time into making this nice to look at, and its popularity isn’t a mistake. I stopped after 50 stages, since I’m not a fan of games that make you wait up to a full 24 hours before you can keep playing. You can pay to get through these, but I would rather these companies simply offer premium versions that do away with these annoying roadblocks. Overall: C+
NES Remix (Wii U, $15, 5 hrs.)
This has some good ideas, and there are challenges here that really do make you approach these old Nintendo titles differently, but the game selection itself is what hurts it. The developer Indieszero has put together a nice title that is smooth and polished, but there are better games out there to revisit. I had to support this, though, since they also made the excellent Retro Game Challenge for the Nintendo DS. Seek that out if you don’t have it yet. Overall: B-

In summary, January was a productive month, with some truly standout games on a wide range of systems. I barely spent anything, which is always a good thing when you’re trying to stay focused on games you already own. February ended up being a rougher month on the wallet, but it definitely didn’t skimp on overall quality.

To be continued!

Gray-Haired Gamer

Gaming in my forties

Tag Archives: 2014