Franchise fanboys

Seriously, the fans that are never pleased need to SHUT THE FUCK UP. I will get to my impressions on E3 later but this is some shit that is bothering me.

First of all: Sonic. We have been asking for a new 2D Sonic game for 16 years and now that its happening people are already BITCHING. What the fuck is wrong with you? Sure the new design of Sonic sucks and the homing attack may make it too easy but seriously?

Would you rather no Sonic 4 at all? Because its sounding like it. 2010 can be the triumphant return of the blue hedgehog that has seen terrible game after terrible game since 2001 (Gameboy iterations excluded). Sonic Unleashed's daytime levels were the best 3D Sonic gameplay we have had since Sonic Adventure 2, the game sucked because of the Warehog crap, Sonic Colors looks like it could finally be where the 3D iterations should have been years ago while Sonic 4 is building on what made Sonic great in the first place.

Zelda: now my issue with Zelda graphics in Wind Waker was Link's football head, and now we have a blend of the last few Zelda game art styles and people are bitching again. People bitched that WW was too cartoony and Twilight Princess was too dark, find a half-way point and people are again bitching. Look assholes: Cell shaded graphics, artsy stuff like this is done for a reason: it ages longer. Twilight Princess will look like ass in 5 years while Skyward Sword and Wind Waker hide the technical limitations of a console. You wanted a TP style that looks on par with what were used to? Your going to need a new console!

You alleged core Zelda fans also get my contempt because in Ocarina of Time 3DS they will fix the water temple. Funny how history revisionists love to go about this: it wasn't that it was tough it was broken, it was a limitation of a pause menu inventory system that made things incredibly annoying.

Remember nobody is forcing you to buy or play these games. I can just imagine that if Shenmue 3 gets announced people will bitch because its not on the Dreamcast. At the end of the day I will snicker and laugh because your chest pounding will be for naught as you will be buying and playing these games when they come out.

Mid year drought

Now Q110 was more busy than Q409 but what does the mid year have for us? Usually there is a gaming drought but not so much. April has already started off well with Splinter Cell Conviction which I am almost through and highly recommended. This was the reboot that franchise needed.

Also this month we will see Super Street Fighter IV, updated roster... not really seeing why it should be a new purchase but oh well, fans will eat it up but I doubt Capcom can get away with as many revisions Street Fighter II had, at least III only had 3 (New Generation, 2nd Impact and 3rd Strike).

3D Dot Game Heroes comes out in May, from what it looks like it seems to be Lego Zelda, but done so well, something that seems well worth getting into.

After such a massive software drought, I am supprised that of all systems the Wii is getting alot of love this mid year, starting with the Australian release of No More Hereos 2, a sequel to my 2nd favorite Wii game (first being Zelda) along with Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M.

Super Mario Galaxy won so many game of the year awards in 2007 that I am surprised Nintendo isn't saving it for Q4, Metroid is generating excitement given its hybrid for first person and 2D sidescrolling classic gameplay combined with Team Ninja's trademark styleish combat.

The game I am looking forward to more than anything else this year is also getting mid year release as Sonic 4 will finally see its release (it only took 16 years!). When I saw the trailer for this I felt like a kid again. The 2D Sonic games will always have a place in my heart, they were a big part of my childhood.

Prince of Persia is also getting a new entry in May. The last one was a good game but fell way short of expectations considering how brilliant the Sands of Time trilogy was. Well this one takes place just after the Sands of Time and will hopefully return the Prince to what made him one of key franchises of the last generation.

So at the end of it I can rest assured there is no real drought this year but it begs the question: Impart from Fallout New Vegas and F.E.A.R. 3 and the predicable next (most likely crappy) Treyarch Call of Duty game. What does Q4 have? Is it going to be dry like last years?

I guess time will tell.

Q1 over

And I didnt write a damn thing but who gives a shit. I have been busy in real life but also heavy in gaming. Besides, I only write for the hell of it.

Not only have I been playing some new shit but catching up on old shit like finally going through the Fallout 3 DLC.

Q1 2010 has got to be the biggest quarter since Q4 2007 with instant classics

Mass Effect 2 & Bioshock 2 do not need any introduction, they are sequels to the 2 biggest games of 07. Bioshock 2 is its predecessors equal while Mass Effect 2 is a major improvement over the first making this a true title for the ages.

Bayonetta: Despite it doesn't push things forward like Devil May Cry did, but still the most fun action game on the market (yes better than God of War III).

God of War III: Not as good as Bayonetta, but still a true God of War which is a good thing.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2... yes it IS better than Modern Warfare 2

Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knox: Borderlands DLC... no no, expansion would be a word that does it justice. Need I say more? Borderlands was the best game of 07 as far as I am concerned.

Aliens vs Predator: Single player is pretty average but multiplayer is more balanced as you would think. Lots of fun.

Red Steel 2: What the first game should have been!

End of year thoughts: Next year

OK I have been thinking about next year and it looks very impressive, alot bigger than 08 & 09 and possibly bigger than 07. All the big name titles out in 07 are all getting sequels with the exception of Half Life Episode 3 is still MIA.

As I have been doing top 10's as of late, Im going to just name the top 10 games of 2010 plus some honorable mentions. Like last year alot of these games will have the number 2

10. God of War III
9. Dead Space 2
8. Splinter Cell: Conviction
7. Darksiders: Wrath of War
6. Mario Galaxy 2
5. Bayonetta
4. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
3. Mass Effect 2
2. Metroid: Other M
1. Bioshock 2

Also worth mentioning titles coming out in 2010 are: Split/Second, Army of Two: The 40th Day, the western release of Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIV, Halo Reach, Dante's Inferno, Super Street Fighter IV, Alan Wake & MAG.

Also do not forget Sony's motion wand and Project Natal will be out next year as well, how much this affect the industry? Who knows.

One game I am really hoping that will show itself again is I Am Alive which was being done by Ubisoft, they showed a teaser and disappeared into thin air. Wikipedia says March 2010 wiki has proven to be an unreliable source for release dates, especially with this game.

End of year thoughts: Where were the 360 exclusives?

Now that its the end of the year, I just wanted to do some reflections on some of the disappointments of the year and despite there were alot of good quality titles out there. It was far from perfect.

Now on to Microsoft.

Seriously, I had to scrape the barrel for a top 5 360 exclusive list. Sony had plenty and the Wii had a good number too.

Left4Dead 2 despite console exclusive was also available for PC, Halo 3 ODST and Forza were average while Shadow Complex and Splosion Man despite very fun: were small downladable titles.

I mean seriously, Sony had plenty of fantastic exclusives this year to the point it felt like Sony played catch up. With the PS3 price point lowered Sony is in a position to change the race and Microsoft need to be ready. It was the console that had all the multiplatform stuff but nothing to set it apart this year.

Next year it should pick up: you have Mass Effect 2, Alan Wake and Splinter Cell being the 3 big system exclusives going up against MAG, God of War 3 and whatever else Sony has their sleve.

Its amazing that this year the roles really were reversed between the 2 consoles, its rare you see Microsoft have nothing of interest that is their own.

Top 10 lists for 2009

OK I have really been ignoring this blog, totally forgot about it. Guess a way to cap off the year for most are GOTY's but I will just do top 5 for the consoles (exclusive & multiplatform), best of each category and a top 10 list for overall games.

No explanations nessecary just what I considered what was most fun to play this year.

Wii
1. New Super Mario Bros Wii
2. MadWorld
3. Rabbids Go Home
4. Wii Sports Resort
5. The Conduit

X360
1. Left4Dead 2
2. Halo ODST
3. Forza 3
4. Splosion Man
5. Shadow Complex

PS3
1. Uncharted 2
2. Infamous
3. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
4. Katamari Forever
5. Killzone 2

Multiplatform
1. Borderlands
2. Assassins Creed II
3. Resident Evil 5
4. King of Fighters XII
5. Modern Warfare 2

Best DS game: Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Best PSP game: LittleBigPlanet
Best downloadable game: Splosion Man
Best PC game: Borderlands

Best FPS: Borderlands
Best RPG: Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Best fighting game: King of Fighters XII
Best puzzle game: Katamari Forever
Best sports game: Wii Sports Resort
Best action adventure: Uncharted 2
Best music game: They all sucked this year

Best exclusives: Playstation 3

Most disapointing game: Tony Hawk Ride
Most disapointing event: Titles being pushed to 2010

Biggest asshole to the industry: Michael Atkinson
Biggest asshole in the industry: Tie: John Riccitello & Bobby Kotick

Best original IP: Borderlands
Best sequel: Uncharted 2

Best graphics: Uncharted 2
Best sound: Modern Warfare 2
Best voice acting: Assassins Creed II
Best story: Assassins Creed II
Best humor: House of the Dead: Overkill
Best use of gore: MadWorld
Best humor: Rabbids Go Home
Best competative multiplayer: King of Fighters XII
Best co-op: Borderlands

Top 10 games for 2009

10. Madworld
9. Resident Evil 5
8. New Super Mario Bros Wii
7. Modern Warfare 2
6. Infamous
5. King of Fighters XII
4. Assassins Creed II
3. Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
2. Uncharted 2: Among Theives
1. Borderlands

Wii and the 3rd parties

OK its hard to find some good games on the Wii outside the 1st party line ups like Zelda, Metroid and Mario (all of which have new games in development... duh) but people always complain their Wii systems are collecting dust.

Its true that finding hardcore games on the Wii is about as easy as finding casual games on the 360 or finding a casual gamer willing to shell out for a PS3 despite they are rare, it does happen. I have quite an extensive collection on all 3 platforms and I just want to go through some for the chaps that feel sorry for their Wii's for some of the best worth buying. Sure Im only listing for, but there worth dusting off the little white console.

* House of the Dead: Overkill
Sure its a rail shooter but its one of the funniest game you will get to play. The mechanics are pretty solid and fun but that is all co-incidental. Unless you are all for outdoing high scores I see little in buying the title but its definitely worth a rent.

* MadWorld
Platinum Games' black and white gorefest is alot more in depth than trailers do justice, there are multiple combo systems, variety of weapons and different areas of the levels to brutalise your opponents. The game rewards points for variety and is all about the high combo scores. The bosses are terrific abiet some can be a pain but thats what bosses are there for. The origional music score is in line with the games theme and like some of the best Wii games, doesn't take itself to seriously and great for a laugh.

* No More Heroes
My personal favourite 3rd party Wii game, and personally I think only Zelda beats this game on the platform totally. The open world is more of a hub than a sandbox but the missions are incredibly fun, it doesn't over use the Wiimote and genuinely funny. I think Onechambra showed that too much wrist flinching games games more of a bore that gives you sore wrists so its finds a nice balance.

* The Conduit
Personally I didn't find the single player mission that great, had blind spots and graphics are not as good as people say. The thing that got me hooked on this game was online multiplayer using the Zapper. I know it sounds odd but it works, and works very well.

* de Blob
Not a hardcore game but it works, once you get a hold of the physics and controls its almost as fun as Katamari, painting the buildings different colours bouncing around the towns is genuinely fun. What also makes this more engaging is the music reacts to your actions, definitely a nice perk.


Good ports: I'm just going to name but not talk about these ports because most people have played these games already. Everyone knows about the crappy ports like Call of Duty 3, FarCry Vengeance and so on, but the following work:

* Resident Evil 4
* Bully: Scholarship Edition
* Dead Rising: Chop till you Drop
* Godfather: Blackhand Edition
* Okami
* Sean White Snowboarding (better than the 360/PS3 version)