Review: Bayonetta (Xbox 360, 2010)

November 5, 2014 by Mike

I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I don’t have the strongest history with the works of Hideki Kamiya, the director and creator of Bayonetta. Whether it’s Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, or Okami, these are all games that I have bought and played over the years, but oddly enough, I’ve never finished a single one of them.

That all changed recently when Bayonetta 2’s impending release on the Wii U inspired me to fire up the original on the Xbox 360. It’s a game that is adored by fans, and its sequel became one of the most talked about and controversial exclusives on Nintendo’s newest console. Bayonetta is often described as the perfect action game, so I had to see for myself what it was all about.

Now that I’ve played through it, I understand why it has such passionate fans. I can also see why it not being on Sony and Microsoft consoles this time around has angered so many players.

At its core, Bayonetta is a case study in deep, accessible gameplay. It’s a game that can be enjoyed both by those who just want to experience its story and spectacle, but perhaps more importantly, by those who want to take the time and effort to master its intricate combat system.

And what a combat system it is! Different combos can be performed effortlessly through a seemingly endless string of punch, kick, and firing combinations, and buttons can be long-pressed to maximize combo output. A feature called Witch Time can be activated while dodging enemy attacks at the last second to slow things down and give the player an opportunity to further build up their combos and score, and without taking any damage.

Combos can also be interrupted and continued through the game’s innovative Dodge Offset system, which can dramatically increase a player’s performance once its timing and use have been mastered. The game doesn’t do a good job explaining this, and while I’m not there yet in terms of fully grasping its depth, it’s one of the more addictive aspects of Bayonetta’s advanced gameplay techniques.

The game takes place over the course of 18 Chapters, including the Prologue and Epilogue. Each one is broken down into a group of Verses; some Chapters only have a few Verses, while others can have many. Not all of them are along the critical path, however, and the player must explore each Chapter to find them. It took me approximately 15 hours to complete, and I missed a lot of those Verses.

Much time will be spent in the game’s numerous cutscenes, which are long-winded and could have greatly benefited from a more aggressive story editor. Speaking of Bayonetta’s story, I found most of it to be nonsensical, but I suppose it did a serviceable job of giving the cast motives to keep moving forward.

The characters themselves are excellent, however, possessing strong personalities and energetic voice work. The only character I did not care for was the Chapter 16 boss, who simply will not shut up. For those who have played Bayonetta 2, they actually poke fun at this in the game’s opening Chapter. I guess even Platinum thought they went overboard!

Visually, Bayonetta looks good, with a game engine that does its best to run at 60 frames-per-second. It slows down quite a bit throughout, but not enough to be a detriment to gameplay. Cutscenes run at half the framerate — possibly for cinematic purposes — but it can be distracting seeing the performance change so frequently. Don’t ignore those cutscenes, though. You have to stay on your toes, since quick time events often occur during what are otherwise non-interactive cinematics.

The game also exhibits an excessive amount of screen tearing, which is an unfortunate blow to its visual presentation. It should be noted that this does not occur in the 2014 Wii U port of Bayonetta.

Animation is superb, however, and although some of the character models show their age, they convey realistic emotion through their facial expressions, movement, and dialogue. Bayonetta herself is fluidly animated, with beautiful and sexy attacks that flow together seamlessly. Her hair-based Wicked Weaves and Climax finishers are particularly noteworthy, as they are huge, screen-filling creations that bring to mind the memorable Summons from the Final Fantasy series.

The color palette of the game tends to be dark, with lots of grays, browns, reds, and greens. It suits the story and mood of the game, but I thought they were much more drab than they needed to be. Environments exhibit a good variety throughout — with some truly memorable ones — although you will find yourself running down boring, barren hallways more often than you’d like, as well as solving rudimentary, slow, and sometimes vague puzzles. These all feel like holdovers from the PlayStation 2 era, and can slow the game down to a crawl.

On the audio side, Bayonetta is an absolute stunner. The soundtrack is an energetic mixture of vocal pop, smooth jazz, and grandiose choral and classical arrangements. They give the game its texture and atmosphere, are all of extremely high quality, and elevate the game’s action to the next level.

Not only that, but with Platinum’s partnership with Sega — and Kamiya’s love of old Sega games — Bayonetta is graced with arranged music from classic games such as Space Harrier, After Burner, and Out Run.

Sound effects are not only well done, but are essential to performing well in combat. Enemies have subtle visual and audio cues that will telegraph an incoming attack. With so much action and chaos going on around you, sometimes you will have to let your ears do the seeing for you.

Minigames and platforming are also a part of Bayonetta’s gameplay, but they can slow the game down, be completely frustrating, or are so long as to overstay their welcome. It’s unfortunate that Platinum drew the driving/flying stages out the way they did. These would have been better served as a medley of the different game styles combined into a single chapter. As it is, they end up feeling out of place due to their vastly different gameplay, and overindulgent due to their excessive length. Platforming is often vague, with Bayonetta falling to her injury or death frequently. Thankfully, it doesn’t occur too many times throughout.

Boss encounters, on the other hand, are intimidating and exciting. Most of them have an intuitive feel that makes fighting them very fun and satisfying. Couple this with Bayonetta’s finishing moves and these become some of the game’s most enjoyably visceral sequences.

In terms of replay value, Bayonetta brings it. Not only are there a wealth of items and secret battles to buy and discover, but there are also challenging hidden stages that will test your skills and mastery of the game’s techniques.

Its ranking system will also have perfectionists coming back over and over again to attain all of the game’s Pure Platinum awards, which essentially requires the player to get through each Chapter with a high combo score, low time, and zero damage. Not an easy feat, and definitely not for the faint of heart at the game’s highest difficulty of Non-Stop Infinite Climax, where Witch Time is disabled and enemies are stronger. Accessories can help out tremendously, but button mashers will not get far beyond Normal mode. Bayonetta requires dedication, concentration, and mastery to extract everything that it has to offer.

In closing, Bayonetta is one of the best pure action games I’ve played in a long time. Its combat system is highly satisfying and possesses splendid depth. Although there are frustrating aspects, including gimmicky minigames, instant-death quick time events, performance issues, and a glut of unnecessary cutscenes, the foundation is rock-solid, and is a game that action fans should not miss.

Graphics & Presentation: B
Nice animation, effects, and mostly 60fps action. Performance often takes a hit, and screen tearing is prevalent. Worlds are constructed well, but colors are dark and bland. Cutscenes can be painfully long, but some of them are exhilarating and extremely stylish.
Music & Sound Effects: A+
One of the best action game soundtracks I’ve ever heard. A wonderful mix of vocal pop, jazz, and classical, you’ll be singing “Fly Me To The Moon” long after you finish the game. Great sound effects that actually matter during gameplay.
Gameplay & Controls: B+
A combat system that puts most to shame; it’s fast, fluid, deep, and intuitive. Upgrades, new moves, techniques, and accessories add to the game’s wonderful variety and complexity. Significant filler muddles Bayonetta‘s focus, though, with the non-fighting levels, shooting galleries, puzzles, and half-baked platforming.
Value: A
Pure Platinum chasers will have their hands full for weeks, if not months, with a system that rewards perseverance and dedication. Lots of hidden items, battles, and challenges to discover will keep completionists coming back for more.

Overall: B+

Review: Sony DualShock 4 Wireless Controller (PC)

September 9, 2014 by Mike

This generation has been a strange one for me. I’m typically the kind of person who will buy new consoles at or near launch, regardless of what titles are available. Case in point? I paid an ungodly amount of money for an import PlayStation 2 in early 2000, and the only game I bought it for? Konami’s Gradius III & IV. Don’t ask. It’s not my proudest moment.

The only current-generation console I own is a Nintendo Wii U, and even with that, I waited almost a year before taking the plunge. With nothing really pulling me towards either an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 at the moment, and with most of my time being spent playing games on PC, I thought now would be the perfect time to compare how each of the current-generation console controllers perform on my rig.

I reviewed the Xbox One Wireless Controller last month, and I came away very impressed with it. It’s easily the best controller Microsoft has ever produced, with thoughtful, even inspired design. It has some areas where it could be improved, but overall, it’s become my go-to PC controller.

Although the Xbox One controller is the preferred way to go on the gaming forums I visit, as a reviewer, I felt the need to give the other manufacturers a fair shake, including Nintendo’s Wii U Pro Controller, which I’ll be reviewing soon. So with that, I picked up a DualShock 4 on Amazon last week and put it through its paces.

To begin with, the packaging on the DualShock 4 is pretty good. It’s not as premium as Microsoft’s, but it’s not a cheap blister pack either.

The front features a molded, clear plastic insert so that you can see the actual controller.

Turning the box over, the back highlights some of the DualShock 4’s updated and new features, including the touchpad, Share button, integrated light bar, built-in speaker, and standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

It also notes that a USB cable is not included with the controller. The Xbox One controller came the same way: sans USB cable. They’re so cheap that I wish manufacturers would just include one to save customers the extra hassle of buying one.

The packaging itself it easy to open. Included inside along with the controller is a small instruction manual. Since pairing is done differently on the PS4, note that for PC you put the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode by holding down Share (The Button Formerly Known as Select) and the PS button at the same time until the light bar flashes rapidly.

Other things you’ll want to have if you’re using this on a PC:

As I alluded to earlier, you’ll need a micro USB cable — like this one — for charging and playing with a wired connection, which is how I prefer to play.

Alternately, if you want to play wirelessly, you will need a compatible Bluetooth receiver. I tried a Kinivo BTD-300 Bluetooth 3.0 USB adapter with Windows 7 SP1, and I had no problems pairing.

You’ll also need the DS4Windows software, which you can learn more about and download HERE.

If you don’t use this software or something similar to it, the DualShock 4 will still function as a HID-compatible device, but you will not be able to utilize any of the controller’s additional benefits — including a number of XInput features — so it is recommended that you do so unless you have a game or application that has legacy compatibility problems.

This software also allows you to customize the controller, record macros, create per-application profiles, and use the touchpad for mouse input. It’s a terrific program that once again shows what talented, independent developers can create.

Once everything is installed, the DualShock 4 will be automatically mapped and function exactly like an Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller. Pretty nifty!

Focusing on the controller itself, it’s worth noting that this is the first significant shape change for the DualShock line since the original PlayStation. While the layout and overall design is familiar, just about everything has been updated, and mostly for the better.

The grips are thicker, rounder, and extend further than they did on the DualShock 3, giving the controller a much more comfortable and sturdy feel. The shoulder buttons now sit more flush with the controller housing instead of being set on top of the old “Black Mesas”, as I like to call them.

The most significant update is the touchpad, which didn’t make much sense to me until I actually used it. It functions just like a notebook touchpad, it can be left- or right-clicked, and supports multi-touch for smooth page scrolling.

This makes using it on a PC a fantastic experience, where many games and applications tend to work better if you have a mouse handy. It’s nice to be able to navigate menus and other Windows-specific tasks without having to put the controller down.

Underneath the analog sticks are two ports: an extension port and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. I don’t believe audio output it supported on PC at this time, but I’m very happy to see Sony not using a proprietary connector for this or the USB charging port.

The PS button remains in approximately the same place as it was on the DualShock 3, and above it is now a built-in speaker, similar to what is found on the Nintendo Wii Remote. Like the headphone jack, however, it doesn’t look like this feature is supported on PC yet.

The infamous light bar also illuminates by default when using it on a PC to communicate charging level and power, but thankfully you can disable this function via DS4Windows’ profile settings, as well as fully customize its colors.

Personally, I leave it off except when I’m using it wirelessly. This way there’s no second-guessing whether it’s on or off.

The analog sticks have been redesigned, sitting a little lower than they did before, with a smoother feel and slightly higher resistance. The classic convex tops of past DualShocks have been replaced with a thinner, more recessed design, but to me, they feel cheaper in quality and less comfortable to use than the Xbox One’s superb design, and to a certain degree, even the DualShock 3.

However, the redesigned d-pad is absolutely a winner. As much as I have loved every PlayStation console over the past two decades, I’ve never been a fan of their d-pads. They’re small, somewhat mushy, and the split design can wreak havoc on your thumb.

While the split design is still present here, it is now flared and slightly larger, possessing better curvature too. It is a joy to use, both with its crisper feel and better tactile feedback. Whether you go with this, an Xbox One controller, or the Wii U Pro Controller, d-pad fans won’t be disappointed.

The Square, Triangle, X, and O face buttons have also undergone some minor changes. They’re similarly sized as before, but are arranged in a slightly tighter cluster. It’s only noticeable when you stack a DualShock 3 directly on top.

The buttons themselves are now flatter, and I’m not entirely sure if it’s just because the controller is brand-new, but they feel snappier and quicker than the DualShock 3’s.

The Share and Options buttons, though, which used to be Select and Start on past consoles, are a disappointment. Their location is good, but they sit flush with the controller housing, and don’t really have much of a feel to them.

They share a similar design with those found on the original Vita, but they don’t click nicely like they do on Sony’s handheld. As a result, I found myself pressing the Options button overly hard to pause games. A slightly raised or convex design would do wonders in making these buttons feel more confident during play.

The L1/L2/R1/R2 triggers are also an improvement over the DualShock 3. I’m not sure what Sony was thinking when they made the PS3 analog triggers convex, but it spawned an entire accessories market for plastic trigger covers to fix them. Heck, I even bought a couple sets!

The L1/R1 buttons feel great, and I much prefer them over the Xbox One bumpers, which are loud and clicky. Most significantly, the L2/R2 triggers are now concave like they always should have been, but they don’t feel as nice as the Xbox One triggers, which are larger, quieter, and ultra-smooth to operate.

The vibration motors in the DualShock 4 are virtually silent, which is an area where it excels over the Xbox One’s, which are surprisingly loud if you’re playing in a quiet environment.

Compared to the Xbox One controller, the DualShock 4 looks more taut, but their footprints are very similar. Both controllers feel great, and either way you go, you really can’t lose in the ergonomics and comfort departments.

It will come down to personal preference for most people. I’ve always loved the asymmetrical design of the Xbox analog sticks, but I prefer the d-pad placement on the DualShock.

The housing material feels more premium on Sony’s controller, but the analog sticks and triggers are superior on Microsoft’s.

Face buttons are equally responsive on both, but the View/Menu (aka Select/Start) buttons on the XBO controller trump the Share/Options buttons on the PS4’s.

The DualShock 4 wins when it comes to its feature set on PC, though, thanks to the DS4Windows software, which gives it convenient mouse support via its touchpad, simple Bluetooth syncing (the Xbox One’s wireless communication is proprietary, and is neither Wi-Fi or Bluetooth), and the extent to which it can be customized.

The Xbox One controller, on the other hand, is superior to the 360 controller in just about every way, so if you’re used to that setup on PC, it could be a more attractive option.

In closing, the DualShock 4 is a massive improvement over the DualShock 3, and apart from a few minor quibbles, this should be at or near the top of the list when the time comes to invest in a great controller for PC gaming. Highly recommended.

Overall: A-

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: 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!

Gray-Haired Gamer

Gaming in my forties

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