Source: Youtube Channel ninluigi
I didn't have much time today, so it's a filler.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
NewNews - Wizardry Online on Steam
Official Site: https://www.wizardrythegame.com/index.vm
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/221360/
Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaTrailer
The brutal, unforgiving MMORPG that is Wizardry Online is now officially released. This means deleting the Beta client version that anyone might have and downloading the new client. If that sounds troublesome, then open up your Steam client from there as Steam now supports Wizardry Online. The Wizardry series has been around since the cRPG days where players had to memorize spells, make their own maps of the dungeon, and had the possibility of losing their entire party due to a trap. Wizardry Online brings those many devious aspects into a modern Action-MMORPG with open PvP and Perma-death. With Wizardry Online on Steam, a special pack can be bought (Adventure Kit), downloading the client is a lot easier, and the access of Steam's overlay will allow players to talk to their friends while in-game.
I participated in the beta and have mixed feelings about the game. The graphics are definitely outdated by many years. The music feel very much like a JRPG (yes, it's a Japanese developed online game). The overall look of the game has influences from Final Fantasy XI and Demon's Souls. The game is certainly different from other MMORPGs, that's for sure. Now that it's on Steam, I am definitely willing to give it another go and play around further into the game.
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/221360/
Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaTrailer
The brutal, unforgiving MMORPG that is Wizardry Online is now officially released. This means deleting the Beta client version that anyone might have and downloading the new client. If that sounds troublesome, then open up your Steam client from there as Steam now supports Wizardry Online. The Wizardry series has been around since the cRPG days where players had to memorize spells, make their own maps of the dungeon, and had the possibility of losing their entire party due to a trap. Wizardry Online brings those many devious aspects into a modern Action-MMORPG with open PvP and Perma-death. With Wizardry Online on Steam, a special pack can be bought (Adventure Kit), downloading the client is a lot easier, and the access of Steam's overlay will allow players to talk to their friends while in-game.
I participated in the beta and have mixed feelings about the game. The graphics are definitely outdated by many years. The music feel very much like a JRPG (yes, it's a Japanese developed online game). The overall look of the game has influences from Final Fantasy XI and Demon's Souls. The game is certainly different from other MMORPGs, that's for sure. Now that it's on Steam, I am definitely willing to give it another go and play around further into the game.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
GameLight Review - R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War
Official Site: http://www.raw-thegame.com/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/209730/
Source: Youtube Channel focusinteractive
Developer: Wizarbox
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: Oct 11, 2012 (PC release date)
Genre: Action-RPG
Pros:
+ Straight-Forward and to the point Hack 'n Slash, Action-RPG fun
+ Keyboard/Mouse compatibility, but mainly designed for gamepads
+ Local Cooperative gameplay like old-school Gauntlet games
+ Tons of action and lots of enemies to kill on screen
+ Challenging, but allows player to switch difficulty levels at any time
+ Relatively cheap price for an entertaining experience
Cons:
- No Online multiplayer
- Key bindings cannot be changed on controllers and keyboard alike
- Very limited customization to class skills
- Controls don't feel very tight, especially for charged attacks
- Other than the prologue level, all 3 classes share the same playthrough
Recommended: Yes, for those looking for a cheap priced Action-RPG that they can enjoy playing through without spending too much time on it
R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War was one of the games I mentioned 2 days before the release of Diablo 3 and one that I had interest in trying out. It was going to be difficult to judge this game having played Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 throughout the year (in 2012), but I somehow managed to really enjoy the game. The game's design was meant for controllers as it released on consoles as well and so the player can only have 4 skills set at a time between 2 bars which allowed the player to utilize 8 skills. For those playing on Keyboard and mouse, which is what I used, it felt odd having only two keys on the left hand as skills while 2 other keys were reserved for potions. The layout of the keys were also stretched into an uncomfortable position and so I used a speedpad to customize the keys to my own liking as the game didn't allow changes to keybindings. The gameplay is very straight-forward: Kill enemies, light puzzles, move forward. What many may not know about the game is that it's not open-world in the sense of the Diablo series or Torchlight. Rather, the story progresses level by level in a stage selection map and so the game is pretty linear with side quests scattered around each individual level. One of the complaints early on for many players is that there isn't a map, and honestly there isn't much need for one because of how small each level is. The game provides a compass to point to where the player needs to go next should they ever get lost. All in all, the game has a lot of flaws that can be picked out but still ended up to be pretty fun. I would probably play through the game 2 more times with the other classes, but I have too many other games lined up to do so.
Aesthetics
Art Style: Medieval Fantasy / Diablo-esque
+ Special ability effects are flashy and nice looking
+ The environment of each level is really detailed and beautiful
+ Designs of enemies and bosses distinguish what attacks they do
+ Music is okay, but sound-effects was a big part of the experience
+ The graphics combined with the sound effects makes combat satisfying
- Enemies, items, and objects often blend into the ground and environment
- Attack animations, especially charging attacks, are erratic and clunky
Aesthetics: 8/10
Buttons
Controller: Keyboard/Mouse; Gamepad/Console Controller
+ Very few keys to memorize
+ Layout is pretty easy to understand and skill sets are easy to switch between
+ Basic point-n-click controls for keyboard and mouse
+ Charge execution is universal to all skills, so it's easy to perform
- Skill set mapping and inventory equipment are both archaic to use
- Key bindings can't be changed and default layout is odd for keyboard
- Some skills and point-n-click walking don't always work as intended
Buttons: 6/10
Concept & Content
Core Concept: Kill enemies, get stronger, move forward
+ Each class has a unique set of skills with a different play style
+ The story is laughable, but has an interesting conclusion to it
+ Even with small maps, levels have side quests and light puzzles in them
+ Combat is fast-paced and forces players to utilize their skills to survive
+ The difficulty can be changed at any given time if it's too easy or too hard
+ Charge attacks is what sets this game apart from other Action-RPGs
- The amount of skill customization is very limited
- Can't stop in a level, the game saves after a level is completed
- Quests that require running back and forth in the same level is annoying
- No end-game content, levels can be replayed
Concept and Content: 7/10
Duration
+ The game is relatively short, no nonsense grinding or dragged out story
+ Combat is fast-paced with pockets of enemies in each area
+ R.A.W. is meant to be played 2-3 times depending if you play multiplayer
- A level can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 minutes to finish without save
- No end-game content and enemies/items don't scale, low replay value
Duration: 6/10
Fun
+ The rogue class struck me as the class I'd have the most fun with
+ Killing droves of enemies was relaxing, satisfying, and a lot of fun
+ It was pretty exciting whenever I found a strong item or an elemental tome
+ Despite not being able to save, I liked the levels split into separate stages
- The limited amount of skills and skill slots were disappointing
- There wasn't much incentive to playing the game after completion
Fun: 7/10
Overall
The game has a lot of the core aspects that makes a top-down, point-n-click, Action-RPG fun: A variety of environments, satisfying combat, different classes with unique skills, cooperative-multiplayer, and tons of loot. The problem was that each of those aspects are lacking in quality or content: enemies and bosses don't change too much, skills are limited, no online capabilities, and the best loot didn't show up until near the end when the game is over. The game is far from perfect, but the game was still mindlessly fun for a sale price of $7.49 from its usual $14.99. If one desires an Action-RPG with more depth and content, I would recommend games like Diablo 3, Torchlight 2, or Path of Exile. But if one desires an Action-RPG that requires little time to playthrough with local co-op, then I'd say give R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War a chance. Overall: 6.8/10
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/209730/
Source: Youtube Channel focusinteractive
Developer: Wizarbox
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: Oct 11, 2012 (PC release date)
Genre: Action-RPG
Pros:
+ Straight-Forward and to the point Hack 'n Slash, Action-RPG fun
+ Keyboard/Mouse compatibility, but mainly designed for gamepads
+ Local Cooperative gameplay like old-school Gauntlet games
+ Tons of action and lots of enemies to kill on screen
+ Challenging, but allows player to switch difficulty levels at any time
+ Relatively cheap price for an entertaining experience
Cons:
- No Online multiplayer
- Key bindings cannot be changed on controllers and keyboard alike
- Very limited customization to class skills
- Controls don't feel very tight, especially for charged attacks
- Other than the prologue level, all 3 classes share the same playthrough
Recommended: Yes, for those looking for a cheap priced Action-RPG that they can enjoy playing through without spending too much time on it
R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War was one of the games I mentioned 2 days before the release of Diablo 3 and one that I had interest in trying out. It was going to be difficult to judge this game having played Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 throughout the year (in 2012), but I somehow managed to really enjoy the game. The game's design was meant for controllers as it released on consoles as well and so the player can only have 4 skills set at a time between 2 bars which allowed the player to utilize 8 skills. For those playing on Keyboard and mouse, which is what I used, it felt odd having only two keys on the left hand as skills while 2 other keys were reserved for potions. The layout of the keys were also stretched into an uncomfortable position and so I used a speedpad to customize the keys to my own liking as the game didn't allow changes to keybindings. The gameplay is very straight-forward: Kill enemies, light puzzles, move forward. What many may not know about the game is that it's not open-world in the sense of the Diablo series or Torchlight. Rather, the story progresses level by level in a stage selection map and so the game is pretty linear with side quests scattered around each individual level. One of the complaints early on for many players is that there isn't a map, and honestly there isn't much need for one because of how small each level is. The game provides a compass to point to where the player needs to go next should they ever get lost. All in all, the game has a lot of flaws that can be picked out but still ended up to be pretty fun. I would probably play through the game 2 more times with the other classes, but I have too many other games lined up to do so.
Aesthetics
Art Style: Medieval Fantasy / Diablo-esque
+ Special ability effects are flashy and nice looking
+ The environment of each level is really detailed and beautiful
+ Designs of enemies and bosses distinguish what attacks they do
+ Music is okay, but sound-effects was a big part of the experience
+ The graphics combined with the sound effects makes combat satisfying
- Enemies, items, and objects often blend into the ground and environment
- Attack animations, especially charging attacks, are erratic and clunky
Aesthetics: 8/10
Buttons
Controller: Keyboard/Mouse; Gamepad/Console Controller
+ Very few keys to memorize
+ Layout is pretty easy to understand and skill sets are easy to switch between
+ Basic point-n-click controls for keyboard and mouse
+ Charge execution is universal to all skills, so it's easy to perform
- Skill set mapping and inventory equipment are both archaic to use
- Key bindings can't be changed and default layout is odd for keyboard
- Some skills and point-n-click walking don't always work as intended
Buttons: 6/10
Concept & Content
Core Concept: Kill enemies, get stronger, move forward
+ Each class has a unique set of skills with a different play style
+ The story is laughable, but has an interesting conclusion to it
+ Even with small maps, levels have side quests and light puzzles in them
+ Combat is fast-paced and forces players to utilize their skills to survive
+ The difficulty can be changed at any given time if it's too easy or too hard
+ Charge attacks is what sets this game apart from other Action-RPGs
- The amount of skill customization is very limited
- Can't stop in a level, the game saves after a level is completed
- Quests that require running back and forth in the same level is annoying
- No end-game content, levels can be replayed
Concept and Content: 7/10
Duration
+ The game is relatively short, no nonsense grinding or dragged out story
+ Combat is fast-paced with pockets of enemies in each area
+ R.A.W. is meant to be played 2-3 times depending if you play multiplayer
- A level can be anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 minutes to finish without save
- No end-game content and enemies/items don't scale, low replay value
Duration: 6/10
Fun
+ The rogue class struck me as the class I'd have the most fun with
+ Killing droves of enemies was relaxing, satisfying, and a lot of fun
+ It was pretty exciting whenever I found a strong item or an elemental tome
+ Despite not being able to save, I liked the levels split into separate stages
- The limited amount of skills and skill slots were disappointing
- There wasn't much incentive to playing the game after completion
Fun: 7/10
Overall
The game has a lot of the core aspects that makes a top-down, point-n-click, Action-RPG fun: A variety of environments, satisfying combat, different classes with unique skills, cooperative-multiplayer, and tons of loot. The problem was that each of those aspects are lacking in quality or content: enemies and bosses don't change too much, skills are limited, no online capabilities, and the best loot didn't show up until near the end when the game is over. The game is far from perfect, but the game was still mindlessly fun for a sale price of $7.49 from its usual $14.99. If one desires an Action-RPG with more depth and content, I would recommend games like Diablo 3, Torchlight 2, or Path of Exile. But if one desires an Action-RPG that requires little time to playthrough with local co-op, then I'd say give R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War a chance. Overall: 6.8/10
Monday, January 28, 2013
GameLight Review - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/207210/
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Developer: Robomodo
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: Sep 18, 2012 (PC release date)
Genre: Sports
Pros:
+ Nice upgrade to graphics to a classic game
+ A respectable tribute to the original game with level designs unchanged
+ Incredible sense of nostalgia with some classic songs from the originals
+ A decent amount of content considering its price
Cons:
- Missing custom skater/level design which made the series really great
- Keybinds can't be remapped and controls on gamepad is awful
- Lots of bugs and hit-box detection problems in all levels
- Wishing there were certain levels and songs added to the game from the original
Recommended: For the $5 I paid, it was a good nostalgia trip. I'd recommend it to THPS fans of the original.
It's been 13 years since its first release into the world. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD takes certain levels from the first and second original games as well as a few songs that were featured in them and put them together in a reboot using the Unreal Development Kit making it look modern and aesthetically pleasing. The game has not changed. The player still takes the role of famous skaters and perform inhuman chains of tricks for the highest score while grabbing cash and letters to spell SKATE. It has the core concept of the original games including all the special gaps, same level designs with updated graphics, familiar objectives, some classic songs and some new ones that fit in perfectly, and all the crazy tricks. The game has a lot of flaws that weren't present in the originals though. From the in-game menu, a player can't look at their tricks list, they can't skip a track (which is okay for me since I like all the songs), all cheat codes must be activated by going into options from the main menu, and keybinds can't be changed. I love Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, so I was excited to hear the HD remake was going to release on PC. It's a great nostalgia trip and reminded me of how fun the series was, but there are definitely a lot of problems in design choices and missing content that long time fans would be disappointed to see lacking in this remake.
Aesthetics
Art Style: Somewhat realistic with arcade-like features
+ Graphic make over with high-res textures
+ Simple and easy navigation of user-interface
+ Recreated models with both original characters and new ones
+ The use of UDK makes for nicer physics
+ Music from the originals is what really made the nostalgia trip experience
+ The new songs not from any of the original games fit in perfectly
+ Animations of all tricks are smoother while still maintaining that arcade feel
- The audio control for music is quiet, even at the highest settings
- Faces for the characters in-game are kind of weird
- Some collisions don't react accordingly to their direction
Aesthetics: 9/10
Buttons
Controller: Keyboard; Gamepad
+ Familiar control mapping for gamepad
+ Tricks are still the same, so veteran players will be familiar with them
- Keys can't be remapped, keyboard controls are atrocious
- Up is stop and down is go on the analog stick and can't be changed
- Playing with the digital pad made it really hard to make tight turns
Buttons: 4/10
Concept & Content
Core Concept: Perform tricks, fulfill objectives, and get the highest score
+ Level designs are untouched and unchanged, just better graphics
+ Provides about 5 different modes to play
+ Quick retry button is the best thing ever
+ Familiar skaters and new ones with upgradeable stats
+ Cheat codes are earned and can be activated from the options menu
+ The game feels very familiar, but the improvements are noticeable
- No splitscreen or online multiplayer for PC version (Console version has online)
- No tricks command list in-game, can't switch cheat codes, and can't skip songs
- Missing custom skater/level, a major part of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series
- Revert DLC should have been in the main game to begin with
Concept and Content: 7/10
Duration
+ A decent amount of time for one play through for $5
+ Two minutes each run can accumulate quite a bit of time spent playing
+ Each character has different skill sets and stat differences for replay value
+ Different modes provide different ways of playing the same level
+ Lots of unlockables for the completionist type players
- A lot of the extra modes are boring for PC
- Multiplayer modes would have been nice such as Horse or graffiti
- Despite the differences in skaters, the play through is essentially the same
Duration: 7/10
Fun
+ Nostalgia took over with the levels, music, graphics, and gameplay
+ I still got it, so much fun chaining tricks together
+ I really liked the modernization of the graphics
+ The music is what really made the experience whole and entertaining
- The controls were just awful and really affected my experience with the game
- I would've liked custom skater at the very least
Fun: 7/10
Overall
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD does try to bring the best of the originals into the remake, but it also takes out a lot of what made the series great. It also create new problems that weren't there before such as not being able to remap key bindings and having all the options such as music, cheat codes, and tricks list outside of the in-game menu. Still, the game is still pretty entertaining for anyone new to the series. THPS is one of the most influential sports game to bring extreme sports into videogames and made them popular. The game is recommended for fans of the series as the game is geared towards pleasing our nostalgia to the game as long as expectations aren't too high. As a whole, the game isn't that solid, but it's still pretty fun. Overall: 6.8/10
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Developer: Robomodo
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: Sep 18, 2012 (PC release date)
Genre: Sports
Pros:
+ Nice upgrade to graphics to a classic game
+ A respectable tribute to the original game with level designs unchanged
+ Incredible sense of nostalgia with some classic songs from the originals
+ A decent amount of content considering its price
Cons:
- Missing custom skater/level design which made the series really great
- Keybinds can't be remapped and controls on gamepad is awful
- Lots of bugs and hit-box detection problems in all levels
- Wishing there were certain levels and songs added to the game from the original
Recommended: For the $5 I paid, it was a good nostalgia trip. I'd recommend it to THPS fans of the original.
It's been 13 years since its first release into the world. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD takes certain levels from the first and second original games as well as a few songs that were featured in them and put them together in a reboot using the Unreal Development Kit making it look modern and aesthetically pleasing. The game has not changed. The player still takes the role of famous skaters and perform inhuman chains of tricks for the highest score while grabbing cash and letters to spell SKATE. It has the core concept of the original games including all the special gaps, same level designs with updated graphics, familiar objectives, some classic songs and some new ones that fit in perfectly, and all the crazy tricks. The game has a lot of flaws that weren't present in the originals though. From the in-game menu, a player can't look at their tricks list, they can't skip a track (which is okay for me since I like all the songs), all cheat codes must be activated by going into options from the main menu, and keybinds can't be changed. I love Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, so I was excited to hear the HD remake was going to release on PC. It's a great nostalgia trip and reminded me of how fun the series was, but there are definitely a lot of problems in design choices and missing content that long time fans would be disappointed to see lacking in this remake.
Aesthetics
Art Style: Somewhat realistic with arcade-like features
+ Graphic make over with high-res textures
+ Simple and easy navigation of user-interface
+ Recreated models with both original characters and new ones
+ The use of UDK makes for nicer physics
+ Music from the originals is what really made the nostalgia trip experience
+ The new songs not from any of the original games fit in perfectly
+ Animations of all tricks are smoother while still maintaining that arcade feel
- The audio control for music is quiet, even at the highest settings
- Faces for the characters in-game are kind of weird
- Some collisions don't react accordingly to their direction
Aesthetics: 9/10
Buttons
Controller: Keyboard; Gamepad
+ Familiar control mapping for gamepad
+ Tricks are still the same, so veteran players will be familiar with them
- Keys can't be remapped, keyboard controls are atrocious
- Up is stop and down is go on the analog stick and can't be changed
- Playing with the digital pad made it really hard to make tight turns
Buttons: 4/10
Concept & Content
Core Concept: Perform tricks, fulfill objectives, and get the highest score
+ Level designs are untouched and unchanged, just better graphics
+ Provides about 5 different modes to play
+ Quick retry button is the best thing ever
+ Familiar skaters and new ones with upgradeable stats
+ Cheat codes are earned and can be activated from the options menu
+ The game feels very familiar, but the improvements are noticeable
- No splitscreen or online multiplayer for PC version (Console version has online)
- No tricks command list in-game, can't switch cheat codes, and can't skip songs
- Missing custom skater/level, a major part of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series
- Revert DLC should have been in the main game to begin with
Concept and Content: 7/10
Duration
+ A decent amount of time for one play through for $5
+ Two minutes each run can accumulate quite a bit of time spent playing
+ Each character has different skill sets and stat differences for replay value
+ Different modes provide different ways of playing the same level
+ Lots of unlockables for the completionist type players
- A lot of the extra modes are boring for PC
- Multiplayer modes would have been nice such as Horse or graffiti
- Despite the differences in skaters, the play through is essentially the same
Duration: 7/10
Fun
+ Nostalgia took over with the levels, music, graphics, and gameplay
+ I still got it, so much fun chaining tricks together
+ I really liked the modernization of the graphics
+ The music is what really made the experience whole and entertaining
- The controls were just awful and really affected my experience with the game
- I would've liked custom skater at the very least
Fun: 7/10
Overall
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD does try to bring the best of the originals into the remake, but it also takes out a lot of what made the series great. It also create new problems that weren't there before such as not being able to remap key bindings and having all the options such as music, cheat codes, and tricks list outside of the in-game menu. Still, the game is still pretty entertaining for anyone new to the series. THPS is one of the most influential sports game to bring extreme sports into videogames and made them popular. The game is recommended for fans of the series as the game is geared towards pleasing our nostalgia to the game as long as expectations aren't too high. As a whole, the game isn't that solid, but it's still pretty fun. Overall: 6.8/10
Friday, January 25, 2013
GameLight - Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen
Official Site: http://www.dragonsdogma.com/
Source: Youtube Channel machinima
I haven't beaten Dragon's Dogma yet, but I liked what I had played thus far. So when I heard about Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen, I was kind of excited but also skeptical at the same time. Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen isn't a sequel or a new game set apart from the original. It is the complete package of the game; it's a "Game of the Year" Edition if you will. It's the original game with extended content, yet it isn't an expansion or new game. You can call it "Super Dragon's Dogma" if you want. In any case, this is Capcom we're talking about and shouldn't be too surprised. This is essentially the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. With that said, I have to question exactly how much more was added to the game before I decide to be excited and go out to buy a copy.
Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen is a single-player with online-driven mechanics, open world, Action-RPG, where players can make partners known as "pawns" and share them with the rest of the world for others to recruit into their party to fight. A player can change their class at will to provide a variety of ways to play, grab onto large enemies to attack vital spots, and fulfill quests in any order they wish. The original game is quite challenging and has a lot to do. There has been a substantial amount of DLCs for the game, but I didn't look up any of them. So this extended version of the game might have all the DLCs and more. Not knowing how much is actually added to the game, I can't be certain whether purchasing it will be worth it or not. For those who don't even have the original, I suggest trying out the demo and see if it's of any interest as the game was incredibly fun to some and just down right horrible for others.
Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen releases in North America and Europe on April 23, 2013 and April 26, 2013 respectively on PS3 and Xbox 360.
Source: Youtube Channel machinima
I haven't beaten Dragon's Dogma yet, but I liked what I had played thus far. So when I heard about Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen, I was kind of excited but also skeptical at the same time. Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen isn't a sequel or a new game set apart from the original. It is the complete package of the game; it's a "Game of the Year" Edition if you will. It's the original game with extended content, yet it isn't an expansion or new game. You can call it "Super Dragon's Dogma" if you want. In any case, this is Capcom we're talking about and shouldn't be too surprised. This is essentially the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. With that said, I have to question exactly how much more was added to the game before I decide to be excited and go out to buy a copy.
Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen is a single-player with online-driven mechanics, open world, Action-RPG, where players can make partners known as "pawns" and share them with the rest of the world for others to recruit into their party to fight. A player can change their class at will to provide a variety of ways to play, grab onto large enemies to attack vital spots, and fulfill quests in any order they wish. The original game is quite challenging and has a lot to do. There has been a substantial amount of DLCs for the game, but I didn't look up any of them. So this extended version of the game might have all the DLCs and more. Not knowing how much is actually added to the game, I can't be certain whether purchasing it will be worth it or not. For those who don't even have the original, I suggest trying out the demo and see if it's of any interest as the game was incredibly fun to some and just down right horrible for others.
Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen releases in North America and Europe on April 23, 2013 and April 26, 2013 respectively on PS3 and Xbox 360.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
NewNews - New Xeno Game
Source: Youtube Channel Games
This year just keeps looking better and better! I keep seeing posts about a Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem collaboration, a Wind Waker remake, and other such announcements my friends posted up on facebook so I decided to look up some videos to check them out. What really caught my attention was a game marked as "X" at the end of the trailer which looks a lot like Xenoblade Chronicles. It looks so beautiful on such a grand scale. If Nintendo keeps up with the amount of support that they have now, they'll have no problem in the new generation of consoles. At the moment, there isn't much information about the new Xeno game, but I'm already convinced into getting it just by looking at this one minute trailer.
This year just keeps looking better and better! I keep seeing posts about a Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem collaboration, a Wind Waker remake, and other such announcements my friends posted up on facebook so I decided to look up some videos to check them out. What really caught my attention was a game marked as "X" at the end of the trailer which looks a lot like Xenoblade Chronicles. It looks so beautiful on such a grand scale. If Nintendo keeps up with the amount of support that they have now, they'll have no problem in the new generation of consoles. At the moment, there isn't much information about the new Xeno game, but I'm already convinced into getting it just by looking at this one minute trailer.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
GameLight - Strike Suit Zero
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/209540/
Source: Youtube Channel BornReadyVideos
I've been hearing about a space flying shooter called Strike Suit Zero for a while and from the footages it reminds me of Zone of the Enders. As nice looking as the game may be, the game is surprisingly an indie game that was made possible by the community contributing to the kickstarter. Supposedly released on January 24th, 2013, the game is out now on Steam and GreenManGaming today a day earlier. Aside from space fighting as a jet, you can transform into a gundam-like mobile suit which I suspect has more flexibility in movement and different attacks. If you buy it now on Steam between now and January 30th, you can get it for 20% off at $15.99 from its base price of $19.99.
Source: Youtube Channel BornReadyVideos
I've been hearing about a space flying shooter called Strike Suit Zero for a while and from the footages it reminds me of Zone of the Enders. As nice looking as the game may be, the game is surprisingly an indie game that was made possible by the community contributing to the kickstarter. Supposedly released on January 24th, 2013, the game is out now on Steam and GreenManGaming today a day earlier. Aside from space fighting as a jet, you can transform into a gundam-like mobile suit which I suspect has more flexibility in movement and different attacks. If you buy it now on Steam between now and January 30th, you can get it for 20% off at $15.99 from its base price of $19.99.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
NewNews - Project x Zone coming to North America
Official Japanese Site: http://pxz.channel.or.jp/
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
After months of hearing "Japan exclusive" and "no plans of Western release" we finally get an announcement from Namco Bandai yesterday that they are, in fact, bringing Project x Zone to North America. This made me so happy and excited I wanted to burst into tears but held it in so I could finish reading the rest of the details. The estimated release date at the moment is summer of this year 2013. I hope that means the first day of summer in June so we don't have to wait too long. Seriously, there weren't that many games to really look forward to this year. But then games like Pandora's Tower and now Project x Zone gets the okay to bring over to America suddenly changes my perspective on the games coming out this year! For those unfamiliar with the game, Project x Zone is a Strategy-RPG with grid based movements like a Tactics game and 2D-combo based Action combat featuring over 200 characters across 29 different games from Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Sega. This is one game I'm willing to pay full price on the first day to get. This seems like a better year for Japanese developed games with titles like Phantasy Star Online 2, Bayonetta 2, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Dark Souls 2, Final Fantasy XIII - Lightning Returns, Pandora's Tower and this game coming out this year.
Source:
-Crunchroll - "Project X Zone" and More Announced for North America
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
After months of hearing "Japan exclusive" and "no plans of Western release" we finally get an announcement from Namco Bandai yesterday that they are, in fact, bringing Project x Zone to North America. This made me so happy and excited I wanted to burst into tears but held it in so I could finish reading the rest of the details. The estimated release date at the moment is summer of this year 2013. I hope that means the first day of summer in June so we don't have to wait too long. Seriously, there weren't that many games to really look forward to this year. But then games like Pandora's Tower and now Project x Zone gets the okay to bring over to America suddenly changes my perspective on the games coming out this year! For those unfamiliar with the game, Project x Zone is a Strategy-RPG with grid based movements like a Tactics game and 2D-combo based Action combat featuring over 200 characters across 29 different games from Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Sega. This is one game I'm willing to pay full price on the first day to get. This seems like a better year for Japanese developed games with titles like Phantasy Star Online 2, Bayonetta 2, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Dark Souls 2, Final Fantasy XIII - Lightning Returns, Pandora's Tower and this game coming out this year.
Source:
-Crunchroll - "Project X Zone" and More Announced for North America
Friday, January 18, 2013
GameLight - Final Fantasy All The Bravest
Official Site: Final Fantasy All The Bravest on iOS
Source: Youtube Channel squareenix
I saw this little game 2 days ago on Joystiq and thought "wow, what a quirky little game that looks fast-paced and instantaneously satisfying!" Final Fantasy All The Bravest is an iOS downloadable game for iPod/iPhones and iPad where the player controls up to 40 characters on screen by swiping and poking to fight off enemies. The game looks ridiculous, but also entertaining at the same time. For $3.99, this game looked great! Then today, I found out there was a catch. The game is centered around micro-transactions. You want a new map? $3.99. You want another character? $.99 but you can't choose who you get, it's entirely random. Your party members have fallen and you can choose to wait 3 minutes to 2 hours or you can pay to have them revived. A game shouldn't revolve around paying just to progress through a game. It's like paying a whole line of tolls on a highway just to get to the beach. The player is paying so much just to be able to have a few minutes of fun before having to pay more. It reminds me of the comic Penny Arcade drew back in 2005 (which btw the guys over there hated this game too). I'd love to try out Final Fantasy All The Bravest, but it's certainly not something I'd put money into. Does Square-Enix really care that little about their fans now? If you're willing to take the risk and give the game a shot, click on the top link and pick it up for $3.99. I'd recommend playing on an iPad rather than a iPod touch/iPhone seeing how much area space is needed.
Source:
-Joystiq: Final Fantasy All The Bravest hits iOS tomorrow
-Kotaku: The Slow, Excruciating Death Of Final Fantasy
Source: Youtube Channel squareenix
I saw this little game 2 days ago on Joystiq and thought "wow, what a quirky little game that looks fast-paced and instantaneously satisfying!" Final Fantasy All The Bravest is an iOS downloadable game for iPod/iPhones and iPad where the player controls up to 40 characters on screen by swiping and poking to fight off enemies. The game looks ridiculous, but also entertaining at the same time. For $3.99, this game looked great! Then today, I found out there was a catch. The game is centered around micro-transactions. You want a new map? $3.99. You want another character? $.99 but you can't choose who you get, it's entirely random. Your party members have fallen and you can choose to wait 3 minutes to 2 hours or you can pay to have them revived. A game shouldn't revolve around paying just to progress through a game. It's like paying a whole line of tolls on a highway just to get to the beach. The player is paying so much just to be able to have a few minutes of fun before having to pay more. It reminds me of the comic Penny Arcade drew back in 2005 (which btw the guys over there hated this game too). I'd love to try out Final Fantasy All The Bravest, but it's certainly not something I'd put money into. Does Square-Enix really care that little about their fans now? If you're willing to take the risk and give the game a shot, click on the top link and pick it up for $3.99. I'd recommend playing on an iPad rather than a iPod touch/iPhone seeing how much area space is needed.
Source:
-Joystiq: Final Fantasy All The Bravest hits iOS tomorrow
-Kotaku: The Slow, Excruciating Death Of Final Fantasy
Thursday, January 17, 2013
GameLight - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed PC
Team Fortress 2 Post: http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=9761
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/212480/
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
I always try to find a way to hang onto Sonic the Hedgehog despite negative feedback from the community on how it's the end of days for the blue speed demon and of course having to endure 1/3 of Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. I remember seeing Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing on sale for $4.99 on steam and felt compelled to buy it, but ended up not since I'm still working through my crazy backlog. So when I heard the sequel was coming out, I was thinking of getting that instead. The game has already released on most systems other than the 3DS and PC. Just revealed today are 3 new characters exclusive to the Steam PC version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed: The guy from Football Manager, one of the shogunates from Total War: Shogun, and the Heavy, Pyro, and Spy from Team Fortress 2 who I believe appear as one unit but changes depending on the vehicle. I also saw Joe Musashi from the Shinobi series in the trailer. I'm not much of a racing game fan, but I do enjoy the more crazier and unrealistic racing games if I do play one. I also have a lot of fond memories of Sega games and their characters so this game is a huge treat to Sega fans. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is currently available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS Vita, and will be available for PC on January 31st and Nintendo 3DS on February 13th. As a pre-order special on Steam, the game is 10% off for $26.99 until it is released and will return to its original price of $29.99.
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/212480/
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
I always try to find a way to hang onto Sonic the Hedgehog despite negative feedback from the community on how it's the end of days for the blue speed demon and of course having to endure 1/3 of Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. I remember seeing Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing on sale for $4.99 on steam and felt compelled to buy it, but ended up not since I'm still working through my crazy backlog. So when I heard the sequel was coming out, I was thinking of getting that instead. The game has already released on most systems other than the 3DS and PC. Just revealed today are 3 new characters exclusive to the Steam PC version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed: The guy from Football Manager, one of the shogunates from Total War: Shogun, and the Heavy, Pyro, and Spy from Team Fortress 2 who I believe appear as one unit but changes depending on the vehicle. I also saw Joe Musashi from the Shinobi series in the trailer. I'm not much of a racing game fan, but I do enjoy the more crazier and unrealistic racing games if I do play one. I also have a lot of fond memories of Sega games and their characters so this game is a huge treat to Sega fans. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is currently available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS Vita, and will be available for PC on January 31st and Nintendo 3DS on February 13th. As a pre-order special on Steam, the game is 10% off for $26.99 until it is released and will return to its original price of $29.99.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
NewNews - North America gets Pandora's Tower
Official Site: http://www.xseedgames.com/
Source: Youtube Channel GameNewsOfficial
It was great news to hear Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story getting a release in North America, but many were still wondering if the last of the 3 petitioned games would see the light of day in the Western Market. Let us thank the dedicated members of XSeed games for once again bringing another great title to North America. In this dark and gritty Action-RPG, the protagonist must bring back the flesh of slain beasts to rid the curse of the girl "Elena" who is slowly turning into a beast herself. An exact release date hasn't been announced, but the game is set to launch in spring of this year 2013. This will possibly be the last real Wii game worth buying as all attention and work has been turned to the Nintendo Wii U, so keep an eye out for this game.
Source:
-Joystiq: XSEED erecting Pandora's Tower for Wii in NA this spring
Source: Youtube Channel GameNewsOfficial
It was great news to hear Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story getting a release in North America, but many were still wondering if the last of the 3 petitioned games would see the light of day in the Western Market. Let us thank the dedicated members of XSeed games for once again bringing another great title to North America. In this dark and gritty Action-RPG, the protagonist must bring back the flesh of slain beasts to rid the curse of the girl "Elena" who is slowly turning into a beast herself. An exact release date hasn't been announced, but the game is set to launch in spring of this year 2013. This will possibly be the last real Wii game worth buying as all attention and work has been turned to the Nintendo Wii U, so keep an eye out for this game.
Source:
-Joystiq: XSEED erecting Pandora's Tower for Wii in NA this spring
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
GameLight - 10,000,000
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/227580/
Just released today on steam is an odd game with an odder name. 10,000,000 is a puzzle game with Action/RPG elements similar to games like Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords and Legend of Fae where the player matches icons on the board to cause action in the character to fight, find loot, collect materials so that he can build stronger items and find freedom at 10,000,000 points. It looks straightforward enough and I enjoy these sort of puzzle games. 10,000,000 is being sold for $3.99 now until January 22nd and will return to a retail price of $4.99 thereafter. Seeing how it might be a short but entertaining game for $3.99, I'm compelled to get it right now.
Monday, January 14, 2013
VGCulture - Anticipated Games of 2013
I didn't really pay attention to the upcoming year of 2013 in terms of games and thought "there aren't any games I'm really looking forward to this year compared to last year other than Phantasy Star Online 2." I then started searching up some games planning to come out this year or rumored to release this year and realized how many great games we're in for in 2013:
Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)
Source: Youtube Channel HassanAlHajry
Bayonetta was an exciting, over-the-top, whacked out Action game experience for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Everyone was excited about a sequel until it was revealed that it was going to be a Nintendo Wii U exclusive. This caused an outrage in the gaming community. From what I understand, no other publisher were willing to pick up the sequel despite its positive reception from critics and players because it didn't make as much money. So Nintendo took the opportunity to take the game onto their platform as to bring back their hardcore audience. I was confused finding out about it, but I'm not upset. I'll eventually get a Nintendo Wii U maybe mid-2013 or late-2013 and will pick this game up if it's out.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel gamespot
I'm really worried about this iteration of the Castlevania series. From what I've seen, it's going to be like the original Castlevania games like Rondo of Blood rather than like Symphony of the Night with the Metroidvania style gameplay. Don't get me wrong, I loved the originals; however, the difference in gameplay time is 1 hour in the original style while the free-roam style lasts from 7-13 hours with replay values of up to 30 hours. I don't want to spend $40 on a game where I might spend about 3 hours and be done with. Still, it's a Castlevania game and I'm really excited to see how it turns out. Also, my 3DS is very lonely and would like more games on it.
Dark Souls 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Source: Youtube Channel NamcoBandaiGamesEU
I knew Dark Souls did well and people loved it (I haven't had time to sit down and beat it yet), but a direct sequel really surprised me and was possible the only announcement in last year's 10th annual Videogame Awards that I cared about. FROM Software has shown us a true open-world Action-RPG compared to their first game Demon's Souls where everything was linked to the Nexus as well as other nifty game mechanics such as leaping, hallowing, and combining different abilities to make a unique class that fits the player's style of play. There are no release dates yet, but many are suspecting to see the game out in Fall or Winter of this year.
Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate (Wii U, 3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel officialnintendomag
Looks like we're going to finally get Monster Hunter 3 in the West. A lot of people are prepared to fight giant bosses, loot and craft crazy weapons, and party up with people around the world. I'm probably going to get it for the 3DS since I won't be getting a Wii U just yet.
Neverwinter (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel NeverwinterGame
I've tried the original Neverwinter Nights games and I didn't like them. I apologize to all those who loved the game, but it was slow pace, combat mechanics were incredibly clunky and archaic, and I didn't have fun with it. So when I heard about Neverwinter, I was extremely skeptical about another one in the series. Little did I know that it is a completely different game. Sure, it still follows the lore and settings of the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, but the game mechanics and combat is totally different from its predecessor. I'm hoping for the best for Neverwinter and can't wait to try it out.
Other anticipated games of 2013:
-Age of Wushu
-Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
-Anarchy Reigns
-Arma III
-Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel
-Battlefield 4
-Beyond: Two Souls
-BioShock Infinite
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
-Company of Heroes 2
-Crysis 3
-Day Z (Standalone)
-Dead Island: Riptide
-Deadpool
-Dead Space 3
-Defiance
-Destiny
-DmC: Devil May Cry
-Dragon Age III: Inquisition
-DUST 514
-Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires
-Final Fantasy XIII - Lightning Returns
-Fire Emblem: Awakening
-Firefall
-Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2
-Fuse
-Gears of War: Judgment
-God of War: Ascension
-Grand Theft Auto V
-Grid 2
-Hotline Miami 2
-Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory
-Injustice: Gods Among Us
-Last Guardian
-Lost Planet 3
-Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
-Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
-Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
-Metro: Last Light
-Might & Magic Heroes VI - Shades of Darkness
-Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
-Omerta: City of Gangsters
-Path of Exile
-Phantasy Star Online 2
-Pikmin 3
-Plants vs. Zombies 2
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
-Pokemon X & Y
-Rainbow 6: Patriots
-Rayman Legends
-Remember Me
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers
-ShootMania Storm
-SimCity (2013)
-Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
-Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Soul Sacrifice
-Splinter Cell: Blacklist
-Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm
-Star Wars 1313
-Tales of Xillia
-The Elder Scrolls Online
-The Last of Us
-The Wonderful 101
-Tomb Raider
-Wildstar
-XCOM
-Yakuza 5
-Zeno Clash II
The list for 2013 is only half the size of 2012, but it should be a pretty good year nonetheless.
Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)
Source: Youtube Channel HassanAlHajry
Bayonetta was an exciting, over-the-top, whacked out Action game experience for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Everyone was excited about a sequel until it was revealed that it was going to be a Nintendo Wii U exclusive. This caused an outrage in the gaming community. From what I understand, no other publisher were willing to pick up the sequel despite its positive reception from critics and players because it didn't make as much money. So Nintendo took the opportunity to take the game onto their platform as to bring back their hardcore audience. I was confused finding out about it, but I'm not upset. I'll eventually get a Nintendo Wii U maybe mid-2013 or late-2013 and will pick this game up if it's out.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel gamespot
I'm really worried about this iteration of the Castlevania series. From what I've seen, it's going to be like the original Castlevania games like Rondo of Blood rather than like Symphony of the Night with the Metroidvania style gameplay. Don't get me wrong, I loved the originals; however, the difference in gameplay time is 1 hour in the original style while the free-roam style lasts from 7-13 hours with replay values of up to 30 hours. I don't want to spend $40 on a game where I might spend about 3 hours and be done with. Still, it's a Castlevania game and I'm really excited to see how it turns out. Also, my 3DS is very lonely and would like more games on it.
Dark Souls 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Source: Youtube Channel NamcoBandaiGamesEU
I knew Dark Souls did well and people loved it (I haven't had time to sit down and beat it yet), but a direct sequel really surprised me and was possible the only announcement in last year's 10th annual Videogame Awards that I cared about. FROM Software has shown us a true open-world Action-RPG compared to their first game Demon's Souls where everything was linked to the Nexus as well as other nifty game mechanics such as leaping, hallowing, and combining different abilities to make a unique class that fits the player's style of play. There are no release dates yet, but many are suspecting to see the game out in Fall or Winter of this year.
Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate (Wii U, 3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel officialnintendomag
Looks like we're going to finally get Monster Hunter 3 in the West. A lot of people are prepared to fight giant bosses, loot and craft crazy weapons, and party up with people around the world. I'm probably going to get it for the 3DS since I won't be getting a Wii U just yet.
Neverwinter (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel NeverwinterGame
I've tried the original Neverwinter Nights games and I didn't like them. I apologize to all those who loved the game, but it was slow pace, combat mechanics were incredibly clunky and archaic, and I didn't have fun with it. So when I heard about Neverwinter, I was extremely skeptical about another one in the series. Little did I know that it is a completely different game. Sure, it still follows the lore and settings of the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, but the game mechanics and combat is totally different from its predecessor. I'm hoping for the best for Neverwinter and can't wait to try it out.
Other anticipated games of 2013:
-Age of Wushu
-Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
-Anarchy Reigns
-Arma III
-Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel
-Battlefield 4
-Beyond: Two Souls
-BioShock Infinite
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
-Company of Heroes 2
-Crysis 3
-Day Z (Standalone)
-Dead Island: Riptide
-Deadpool
-Dead Space 3
-Defiance
-Destiny
-DmC: Devil May Cry
-Dragon Age III: Inquisition
-DUST 514
-Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires
-Final Fantasy XIII - Lightning Returns
-Fire Emblem: Awakening
-Firefall
-Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2
-Fuse
-Gears of War: Judgment
-God of War: Ascension
-Grand Theft Auto V
-Grid 2
-Hotline Miami 2
-Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory
-Injustice: Gods Among Us
-Last Guardian
-Lost Planet 3
-Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
-Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
-Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
-Metro: Last Light
-Might & Magic Heroes VI - Shades of Darkness
-Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
-Omerta: City of Gangsters
-Path of Exile
-Phantasy Star Online 2
-Pikmin 3
-Plants vs. Zombies 2
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
-Pokemon X & Y
-Rainbow 6: Patriots
-Rayman Legends
-Remember Me
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers
-ShootMania Storm
-SimCity (2013)
-Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
-Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Soul Sacrifice
-Splinter Cell: Blacklist
-Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm
-Star Wars 1313
-Tales of Xillia
-The Elder Scrolls Online
-The Last of Us
-The Wonderful 101
-Tomb Raider
-Wildstar
-XCOM
-Yakuza 5
-Zeno Clash II
The list for 2013 is only half the size of 2012, but it should be a pretty good year nonetheless.
Friday, January 11, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Top 10 Picks of 2012
2012 was definitely a fun year with lots of fun games. Here are my top 10 picks of 2012 that I'd probably recommend:
10) New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
Finally deciding to buy a Nintendo 3DS with the release of the XL version, I picked up New Super Mario Bros. 2 as my first game for the system and completed it practically in one day. To complete all the available levels took me a few more days. Considering how little time I spent on the game, $40 was quite a hefty price for the game. The game was incredibly easy, even when compared to New Super Mario Bros. 1; however, Nintendo was able to create a Mario game that was still fresh and new. New Super Mario Bros. 2 reminded me: "Don't be greedy". The game was easy, but there were many instances where I find myself falling into bottomless pits or running into an enemy because I got greedy. The formula is essentially the same, but with an emphasis on collecting coins. It's an enjoyable game and one that anyone can get into.
9) Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I wanted more games for my 3DS and there weren't much available. Seeing a discounted price and good reviews for Resident Evil Revelations, I decided to grab a copy and try it out. I was so impressed by it. Beautiful graphics, great controls, a return of a more suspenseful and eerie atmosphere, and a whole lot of fun to play. It has a nice balance between horror-survival and Action that makes it stand out from other games of the genre. Resident Evil Revelation is possibly the best looking game on the Nintendo 3DS right now.
8) Torchlight 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel runicgames
My friend and I were going to get Torchlight 2 to fill in the time before Diablo 3. After D3 was released and still no TL2, our interest in the game faded away. When it finally released, I expressed my interest in still playing the game as I did enjoy the first one for the most part (it got boring near the end for me). I waited for a sale and got the game for $10 at 50% off and my friend bought it on a whim after hearing about it so much. We were both pleasantly surprised with the game. The world is more open rather than running from floor to floor, loot was much better, the new classes were all unique and exciting to play, and it was much faster paced than the first game. The game is different enough from Diablo 3 that I'd recommend playing for a different experience.
7) Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
My major concern with buying the game was "are there people playing the game?" It is the biggest problem with multiplayer games where the community is weak and the game dies out in popularity before it can even take off. When I first bought the game, there were very few people playing unfortunately. Thankfully, after a few sales on steam in the last 2 months of 2012, a reasonable amount of players were on. The game has a certain charm to it that makes it easier for more people to get into which made it easier for me to convince some of my friends to get the game. It's probably not going to be played competitively in the e-sports scene, but it's balanced and entertaining enough for a casual audience to enjoy.
6) Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
A lot of fighting games came out in 2012, and I'm really happy to see that as fighting games have gotten sort of weak a few years ago. But one particular fighting game stood out in 2012. Developed by the minds behind BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena takes the characters and setting of popular Playstation 2 RPG "Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4" and works out a plausible story where friends and new faces are pitted against each other in crazy and stylish battles of man and their shadows. The game is very easy to grasp which helped me convince my non-fighting game playing friends to join me and still have fun playing it.
5) Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Valve
I don't even remember how long I've waited for the release of CS:GO, but I was elated to see a release date and was excited to see what has changed. Unlike the change from CS 1.6 to CS Source, actual environments are added to the levels, guns look and sound better, the overall feel of the game mechanics are smooth, and the community behind Counter-Strike is still very strong. The change to the buying window to a circle is very strange and is most likely designed for both consoles in mind and Valve's new Big Screen mode where everything can be controlled through a gamepad. True, Counter-Strike has yet to see an actual sequel, but I really like each iteration that has come out of the game thus far and am excited to see how much more CS:GO will evolve.
4) DotA 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel dota2
Who would've thought that popular Warcraft 3 custom campaign "Defense of the Ancients" would be picked up by Valve to make a standalone game rather than Blizzard themselves only to realize that Blizzard really was working on one. The dispute and controversy between Blizzard and Valve was saddening, but they seemed to have reach a resolution to carry out both games without getting in each other's way. DotA 2 has not been officially released, but players and myself have applied for a beta key and have been granted with one. It is a bit strange having changes from what most were used to from the original mod, but the ones that took notice to problems to the Warcraft 3 engine really made the experience of DotA 2 a lot better. Hotkeys are put into one row now rather than being all over the keyboard. Players who queue up must accept joining a game so that leavers, those AFK or not ready are not put into a game with everyone else who ARE ready to play. Items are put into a single shop rather than separated into 10 shops. Players who get disconnected can reconnect. The User-interface is clean but still provides everything the player needs to know. Many problems that were evident in the original mod were addressed in the stand-alone and has made DotA that much better. The learning curve is still extremely steep and very difficult for new players, but the recommended items and skill based-match up help players ease into the game a little better. After being absent from DotA 1 for nearly 3 years, it was great being able to play it again in a much more organized fashion in 2012 with DotA 2.
3) Dragon's Dogma (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos
I cannot believe I did not spend more time on this game. Dragon's Dogma was one of my most anticipated games of 2012 and for good reason. The boss battles are epic, the world is massive, class choices are versatile, gameplay is challenging, and despite being a single-player game it's quite involving. The game does have its rough edges and nuance of elements from other RPGs that bothers many players such as the ally NPCs being very chatty, a messy inventory because of crafting materials, and of course ally AIs doing really dumb things. It's also pretty frustrating fighting a boss for nearly 20-30 minutes with only a few hits off left only to get killed in one hit (happens quite often). Still, I have barely scratched the surface of Dragon's Dogma and cannot wait to return to the game.
2) Guild Wars 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Gamehelper
I have mentioned before that I had no interest in Guild Wars 2 when it was first announced; however, my stance on the game changed as I started to see the new classes (Engineer), saw new game mechanics (dodging), and was urged by a friend to get it alongside him to player cooperatively. He was so excited about the game while I was just somewhat interested. When it finally came out, I was sucked in with the amount of customization the classes had, the steady progress through the story, and accessible PvP/WvW modes. Guild Wars 2 had turned out a lot more than I would have ever imagined and I think I even like it more than the first one. I'm only half way to level maxing one of my characters but still enjoy what the game has to offer. This is possibly the most enjoyable MMORPG I have played up to date and hope that it has lasting interest for years to come.
1) Diablo 3 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel gameplay9000
Diablo 3 got a lot of attention in 2012. It had a huge backing in hype, big controversy in design choices such as the real money auction house and having to always be online to play even single-player, outcry from fans about problems with launch, imbalances in items and classes, and promises made by Blizzard to have PvP which still hasn't happened yet. Yes, Diablo 3 had a lot of negative feedback from the community despite the waves of praise from the critics. I, myself, did not like how the story evolved, the latter part of the game's boss battles, and frequent disconnections from the game's servers or even the lag when playing solo. Despite its flaws, I spent over 200+ hours on Diablo 3 and continue to enjoy what the game has to offer as the developers over at Blizzard Studios has rebalanced the classes, consistently fix problems, added a whole new layer to the game with paragon levels and uber bosses, and still plans on adding new content without having players pay more as DLCs. The ability to switch out any skill builds is exactly what I wanted without having to worry about putting attribute points in the wrong stats. The first two main bosses were incredible and are these best in the series. The slightly slower game-play than Diablo 2 is counter-acted by a much more strategic and hectic battle in Diablo 3. Yes, I had disappointments with the game, but I still had a ton of fun with it nonetheless.
Honorable Mention:
Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp) (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
Had this game come out in the West in 2012, THIS would be my number one choice of 2012. I had the privilege of playing PSO2 on the Japanese servers thanks to knowing people from and who go to Japan and my slight ability to read certain words in Japanese. I couldn't place this game as a choice for 2012 as I did not spend nearly enough time with the game and is not officially out in the Western market. Through my 12-15 hours of playing Phantasy Star Online 2, I really enjoyed my experience with the game in many aspects. The story is integrated throughout the world as cut-scenes and dialogues, graphics and environments are current and beautiful while still capturing the charm and nostalgia of the original PSO, class changes offer versatility through a single character, and combat mechanics are stylish and intuitive compared to it predecessors. Randomly generated maps and abrupt events within a quest keep the game fresh and multiplayer is made very easy with the lobby/party style match making. The game is so much fun and I cannot wait for its actual release in the West which has already been announced for a Spring launch in 2013.
10) New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
Finally deciding to buy a Nintendo 3DS with the release of the XL version, I picked up New Super Mario Bros. 2 as my first game for the system and completed it practically in one day. To complete all the available levels took me a few more days. Considering how little time I spent on the game, $40 was quite a hefty price for the game. The game was incredibly easy, even when compared to New Super Mario Bros. 1; however, Nintendo was able to create a Mario game that was still fresh and new. New Super Mario Bros. 2 reminded me: "Don't be greedy". The game was easy, but there were many instances where I find myself falling into bottomless pits or running into an enemy because I got greedy. The formula is essentially the same, but with an emphasis on collecting coins. It's an enjoyable game and one that anyone can get into.
9) Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I wanted more games for my 3DS and there weren't much available. Seeing a discounted price and good reviews for Resident Evil Revelations, I decided to grab a copy and try it out. I was so impressed by it. Beautiful graphics, great controls, a return of a more suspenseful and eerie atmosphere, and a whole lot of fun to play. It has a nice balance between horror-survival and Action that makes it stand out from other games of the genre. Resident Evil Revelation is possibly the best looking game on the Nintendo 3DS right now.
8) Torchlight 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel runicgames
My friend and I were going to get Torchlight 2 to fill in the time before Diablo 3. After D3 was released and still no TL2, our interest in the game faded away. When it finally released, I expressed my interest in still playing the game as I did enjoy the first one for the most part (it got boring near the end for me). I waited for a sale and got the game for $10 at 50% off and my friend bought it on a whim after hearing about it so much. We were both pleasantly surprised with the game. The world is more open rather than running from floor to floor, loot was much better, the new classes were all unique and exciting to play, and it was much faster paced than the first game. The game is different enough from Diablo 3 that I'd recommend playing for a different experience.
7) Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
My major concern with buying the game was "are there people playing the game?" It is the biggest problem with multiplayer games where the community is weak and the game dies out in popularity before it can even take off. When I first bought the game, there were very few people playing unfortunately. Thankfully, after a few sales on steam in the last 2 months of 2012, a reasonable amount of players were on. The game has a certain charm to it that makes it easier for more people to get into which made it easier for me to convince some of my friends to get the game. It's probably not going to be played competitively in the e-sports scene, but it's balanced and entertaining enough for a casual audience to enjoy.
6) Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
A lot of fighting games came out in 2012, and I'm really happy to see that as fighting games have gotten sort of weak a few years ago. But one particular fighting game stood out in 2012. Developed by the minds behind BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena takes the characters and setting of popular Playstation 2 RPG "Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4" and works out a plausible story where friends and new faces are pitted against each other in crazy and stylish battles of man and their shadows. The game is very easy to grasp which helped me convince my non-fighting game playing friends to join me and still have fun playing it.
5) Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Valve
I don't even remember how long I've waited for the release of CS:GO, but I was elated to see a release date and was excited to see what has changed. Unlike the change from CS 1.6 to CS Source, actual environments are added to the levels, guns look and sound better, the overall feel of the game mechanics are smooth, and the community behind Counter-Strike is still very strong. The change to the buying window to a circle is very strange and is most likely designed for both consoles in mind and Valve's new Big Screen mode where everything can be controlled through a gamepad. True, Counter-Strike has yet to see an actual sequel, but I really like each iteration that has come out of the game thus far and am excited to see how much more CS:GO will evolve.
4) DotA 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel dota2
Who would've thought that popular Warcraft 3 custom campaign "Defense of the Ancients" would be picked up by Valve to make a standalone game rather than Blizzard themselves only to realize that Blizzard really was working on one. The dispute and controversy between Blizzard and Valve was saddening, but they seemed to have reach a resolution to carry out both games without getting in each other's way. DotA 2 has not been officially released, but players and myself have applied for a beta key and have been granted with one. It is a bit strange having changes from what most were used to from the original mod, but the ones that took notice to problems to the Warcraft 3 engine really made the experience of DotA 2 a lot better. Hotkeys are put into one row now rather than being all over the keyboard. Players who queue up must accept joining a game so that leavers, those AFK or not ready are not put into a game with everyone else who ARE ready to play. Items are put into a single shop rather than separated into 10 shops. Players who get disconnected can reconnect. The User-interface is clean but still provides everything the player needs to know. Many problems that were evident in the original mod were addressed in the stand-alone and has made DotA that much better. The learning curve is still extremely steep and very difficult for new players, but the recommended items and skill based-match up help players ease into the game a little better. After being absent from DotA 1 for nearly 3 years, it was great being able to play it again in a much more organized fashion in 2012 with DotA 2.
3) Dragon's Dogma (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos
I cannot believe I did not spend more time on this game. Dragon's Dogma was one of my most anticipated games of 2012 and for good reason. The boss battles are epic, the world is massive, class choices are versatile, gameplay is challenging, and despite being a single-player game it's quite involving. The game does have its rough edges and nuance of elements from other RPGs that bothers many players such as the ally NPCs being very chatty, a messy inventory because of crafting materials, and of course ally AIs doing really dumb things. It's also pretty frustrating fighting a boss for nearly 20-30 minutes with only a few hits off left only to get killed in one hit (happens quite often). Still, I have barely scratched the surface of Dragon's Dogma and cannot wait to return to the game.
2) Guild Wars 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Gamehelper
I have mentioned before that I had no interest in Guild Wars 2 when it was first announced; however, my stance on the game changed as I started to see the new classes (Engineer), saw new game mechanics (dodging), and was urged by a friend to get it alongside him to player cooperatively. He was so excited about the game while I was just somewhat interested. When it finally came out, I was sucked in with the amount of customization the classes had, the steady progress through the story, and accessible PvP/WvW modes. Guild Wars 2 had turned out a lot more than I would have ever imagined and I think I even like it more than the first one. I'm only half way to level maxing one of my characters but still enjoy what the game has to offer. This is possibly the most enjoyable MMORPG I have played up to date and hope that it has lasting interest for years to come.
1) Diablo 3 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel gameplay9000
Diablo 3 got a lot of attention in 2012. It had a huge backing in hype, big controversy in design choices such as the real money auction house and having to always be online to play even single-player, outcry from fans about problems with launch, imbalances in items and classes, and promises made by Blizzard to have PvP which still hasn't happened yet. Yes, Diablo 3 had a lot of negative feedback from the community despite the waves of praise from the critics. I, myself, did not like how the story evolved, the latter part of the game's boss battles, and frequent disconnections from the game's servers or even the lag when playing solo. Despite its flaws, I spent over 200+ hours on Diablo 3 and continue to enjoy what the game has to offer as the developers over at Blizzard Studios has rebalanced the classes, consistently fix problems, added a whole new layer to the game with paragon levels and uber bosses, and still plans on adding new content without having players pay more as DLCs. The ability to switch out any skill builds is exactly what I wanted without having to worry about putting attribute points in the wrong stats. The first two main bosses were incredible and are these best in the series. The slightly slower game-play than Diablo 2 is counter-acted by a much more strategic and hectic battle in Diablo 3. Yes, I had disappointments with the game, but I still had a ton of fun with it nonetheless.
Honorable Mention:
Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp) (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
Had this game come out in the West in 2012, THIS would be my number one choice of 2012. I had the privilege of playing PSO2 on the Japanese servers thanks to knowing people from and who go to Japan and my slight ability to read certain words in Japanese. I couldn't place this game as a choice for 2012 as I did not spend nearly enough time with the game and is not officially out in the Western market. Through my 12-15 hours of playing Phantasy Star Online 2, I really enjoyed my experience with the game in many aspects. The story is integrated throughout the world as cut-scenes and dialogues, graphics and environments are current and beautiful while still capturing the charm and nostalgia of the original PSO, class changes offer versatility through a single character, and combat mechanics are stylish and intuitive compared to it predecessors. Randomly generated maps and abrupt events within a quest keep the game fresh and multiplayer is made very easy with the lobby/party style match making. The game is so much fun and I cannot wait for its actual release in the West which has already been announced for a Spring launch in 2013.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Games that Looked Bad
Featured Games:
Clan of Champions (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - PC: 43/100
Source: Youtube Channel LordTronix
The combat looks shallow, the graphics/settings are generic, the game was poorly received by critics, yet I'm still interested in playing this quirky little game. Clan of Champions is a localized version of the Japanese game "Gladiators Vs.". I first saw the game on Steam and looked it up. Developed by ACQUIRE Corp. and published NIS America, the game seemed to have somewhat of a chance of at least getting noticed. Unfortunately, it was only reviewed by 5 critics according to MetaCritic and all of them scored it lower than 60/100. It's understandable though. The game launched at, and still is at, $40 base price with DLCs available. The game doesn't seem to have very much depth to it. It's simply a straight up, instanced-based, Action game moving from one mission to another with some customization. Still, if this game ever sees a price of under $10, I'm going to give it a chance.
Ravaged (PC) - PC: 65/100
Source: Youtube Channel 2DawnGames
I'm sick of buying so many FPS games that's exclusively multiplayer if not multiplayer focused and finding out that no one plays it anymore. So when I saw Ravaged for the first time, a red flag went up right away telling me to stay away from it. It launched at a price of $20/$30 (I can't really remember) and quickly dropped to $10 only to received sale after sale the month afterwards. Just today, it has another sale as a free Weekend deal where players can try the game out the next 2 days before deciding to buy it for $3.39. This is telling me that the community is very weak for this game. It's not because it's a bad game, but because there are so many FPS games that are played or free which makes for an incredibly competitive market. So it seems the problem with this game that makes it look so bad is not having enough players. From the trailer, it looks like the maps are huge. When you only have a few players in the game, there are less confrontations making for a rather slow experience rather than a fast-paced one. I'm downloading it now to try it out for the free weekend, but I doubt I'll buy it as the community will diminish fairly quickly.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - (52/52/48)
Source: Youtube Channel Pornoak Leo
Despite being a "Resident Evil" game, it looks like the game is a straight-up shooter. Developed by the guys who worked on SOCOM, this collaboration between Japan's studios and a Western Studio turned out to be a failed effort as critics and players alike expressed their disappointment with the game. The game was apparently riddled with glitches and bugs, horrible controls, idiotic AI scripts for both ally NPCs and enemeis, a short single-player experience, and a multiplayer with tons of problems. Not to mention the game requires Games for Windows Live to play, yuck. The game looks a lot like the optional modes for Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil Revelations where it's like an Arcade shooter. Despite all the negative feedback this game has received, I'm still willing to try it out as long as I'm able to get it for under $10.
Other Games:
-007 Legends
-Battleship
-Deep Black: Reloaded
-Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-Fable: The Journey
-Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
-Fray
-Game of Thrones
-Gettysburg: Armored Warfare
-Gotham City Impostors
-Hybrid
-Inversion
-NeverDead
-Of Orcs and Men
-Orion: Dino Beatdown
-Painkiller: Recurring Evil
-Risen 2: Dark Waters
-SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
-The Expendables 2 Videogame
-Tryst
-Viking: Battle for Asgard
-Way of the Samurai 4
-Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Clan of Champions (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - PC: 43/100
Source: Youtube Channel LordTronix
The combat looks shallow, the graphics/settings are generic, the game was poorly received by critics, yet I'm still interested in playing this quirky little game. Clan of Champions is a localized version of the Japanese game "Gladiators Vs.". I first saw the game on Steam and looked it up. Developed by ACQUIRE Corp. and published NIS America, the game seemed to have somewhat of a chance of at least getting noticed. Unfortunately, it was only reviewed by 5 critics according to MetaCritic and all of them scored it lower than 60/100. It's understandable though. The game launched at, and still is at, $40 base price with DLCs available. The game doesn't seem to have very much depth to it. It's simply a straight up, instanced-based, Action game moving from one mission to another with some customization. Still, if this game ever sees a price of under $10, I'm going to give it a chance.
Ravaged (PC) - PC: 65/100
Source: Youtube Channel 2DawnGames
I'm sick of buying so many FPS games that's exclusively multiplayer if not multiplayer focused and finding out that no one plays it anymore. So when I saw Ravaged for the first time, a red flag went up right away telling me to stay away from it. It launched at a price of $20/$30 (I can't really remember) and quickly dropped to $10 only to received sale after sale the month afterwards. Just today, it has another sale as a free Weekend deal where players can try the game out the next 2 days before deciding to buy it for $3.39. This is telling me that the community is very weak for this game. It's not because it's a bad game, but because there are so many FPS games that are played or free which makes for an incredibly competitive market. So it seems the problem with this game that makes it look so bad is not having enough players. From the trailer, it looks like the maps are huge. When you only have a few players in the game, there are less confrontations making for a rather slow experience rather than a fast-paced one. I'm downloading it now to try it out for the free weekend, but I doubt I'll buy it as the community will diminish fairly quickly.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - (52/52/48)
Source: Youtube Channel Pornoak Leo
Despite being a "Resident Evil" game, it looks like the game is a straight-up shooter. Developed by the guys who worked on SOCOM, this collaboration between Japan's studios and a Western Studio turned out to be a failed effort as critics and players alike expressed their disappointment with the game. The game was apparently riddled with glitches and bugs, horrible controls, idiotic AI scripts for both ally NPCs and enemeis, a short single-player experience, and a multiplayer with tons of problems. Not to mention the game requires Games for Windows Live to play, yuck. The game looks a lot like the optional modes for Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil Revelations where it's like an Arcade shooter. Despite all the negative feedback this game has received, I'm still willing to try it out as long as I'm able to get it for under $10.
Other Games:
-007 Legends
-Battleship
-Deep Black: Reloaded
-Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-Fable: The Journey
-Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
-Fray
-Game of Thrones
-Gettysburg: Armored Warfare
-Gotham City Impostors
-Hybrid
-Inversion
-NeverDead
-Of Orcs and Men
-Orion: Dino Beatdown
-Painkiller: Recurring Evil
-Risen 2: Dark Waters
-SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
-The Expendables 2 Videogame
-Tryst
-Viking: Battle for Asgard
-Way of the Samurai 4
-Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Games that Looked Good
There were a lot of great looking games that caught my attention and/or received good feedback from critics and players alike in 2012. The list is simply staggering, and I'm probably missing a few games in the list as well. I will be highlighting some of the games I would've liked to have gotten and/or made time for in 2012:
Some games I would've liked to have gotten/made time for:
Code of Princess (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have nearly as many games as it predecessors did which makes it a bit more difficulty to enjoy the system when there's nothing to play. Code of Princess was a game that caught my interest as it reminded me of a great beat-em-up with RPG elements called "Guardian Heroes". The game is said to have two members who worked on Guardian Heroes which might be the reason why some of the direction in game mechanics and art style is similar. The game features many playable characters, tons of quests, online play, different stat builds, and some competitive modes. It looks like a game with high replay value which I was looking for as I have completed the majority of my 3DS games. I should've bought it when it was still $30 at Amazon...
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I bought FFXIII-2 knowing I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon as I have yet to even begin FFXIII itself. I've heard the many complaints on FFXIII and similar ones in FFXIII-2, but there are those who still really enjoyed them. I know some who 100% completed FFXIII-2 it. I'm hoping this will be the year I finally sit down and get through those Final Fantasy games.
Mugen Souls (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
Mugen Souls looks complete ridiculous and insane which is probably what seems so interesting about it. The Art style is very similar to the Disgaea series but is by a different developer (possible that it's the same artist). The game seems to have a certain charm about it and the plethora of customization is very appealing. I'm hoping it gets a lower price tag before I get it though. I also need to finish up more PS3 games before I even think about picking this game up.
The Last Story / Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
These two games are considered the last of the Wii games worth buying and ones that I was hoping to have brought over stateside really badly. Still, I didn't buy it "yet" as I have tons of Wii games uncompleted and is rarely touched. I had so many reasons for being so hesitant in buying these two games. I have spent a lot on other games, I still had many uncompleted games, these two games are RPGs and is sure to take a lot of time, and there doesn't seem to be any decline in price for either games. I still have a grand desire to get and play these two games and have heard incredible experiences players had with the games. I would have probably put these two games as top games of 2012 had I played it.
Ys Origin / Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel XSEEDgames
I didn't hold back to buy both Ys games when I heard they were being brought over to stateside on Steam. I have waited 6 years to be able to finally play Ys: Origins and yet I never made time to play through either one yet. 2012 was seriously packed with an incredible library of great games that kept me really busy. Ys: The Oath in Felghana had a release on PSP before, but I didn't care much for it until it was released on PC. It's a remake of Ys 3: Wanderers of Ys and so I decided to find and play the SNES version in preparation to playing it. Ys 3 was one of the games I really wanted as a child but never got and it was probably a good thing I didn't either as the game had many flawed design choices and was incredibly difficulty. But being able to complete it now, I am now probably able to appreciate the remake a lot more. These two are high on my list of "to play" once I complete a few more games.
Other great games that came out in 2012:
-Akai Katana
-Alan Wake (PC)
-Alan Wake's American Nightmare
-Asassin's Creed 3
-Asura's Wrath
-Armored Core V
-Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland
-Avernum: Escape From the Pit
-Blades of Time
-Bullet Run
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Closure
-Darksiders 2
-Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
-DayZ
-Deadlight
-Dead or Alive 5
-Devil May Cry HD
-DiRT Showdown
-Dishonored
-Dust: An Elysian Tail
-Dyad
-Endless Space
-Far Cry 3
-Fez
-Forza Horizon
-Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
-Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time
-Guardians of Middle-Earth
-Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
-Gungnir
-Halo 4
-Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
-Hero Academy (PC)
-Hitman: Absolution
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
-I Am Alive
-Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
-Jak and Daxter Collection
-JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver.
-Kid Icarus: Uprising
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
-Krater
-Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise
-LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
-LEGO The Lord of the Rings
-Lollipop Chainsaw
-Lone Survivor
-Mark of the Ninja
-Mass Effect 3
-Max Payne 3
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
-Medal of Honor: Warfighter
-Miasmata
-NBA 2K13
-NFL Blitz
-New Super Mario Bros. U
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Nintendo Land
-Need for Speed: Most Wanted
-Okami HD
-One Piece: Pirate Warriors
-Orcs Must Die! 2
-Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
-Paper Mario: Sticker Star
-Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
-Persona 4 Golden
-Pokémon Black and White 2
-Pokémon Conquest
-Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
-Prototype 2
-Quantum Conundrum
-Ragnarok Odyssey
-Ragnarok Tactics
-Rayman Origins
-Realms of Ancient War
-Record of Agarest War 2
-Resident Evil 6
-Retro City Rampage
-Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure
-Rock of Ages
-Scribblenauts Unlimited
-Serious Sam 3: BFE
-Shank 2
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
-Silent Hill: Downpour
-Silent Hill HD Collection
-Skullgirls
-Sleeping Dogs
-Sniper Elite V2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
-Sorcery
-SoulCalibur V
-Sound Shapes
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Spelunky
-Starhawk
-Stealth Bastard Deluxe
-Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
-Super Monday Night Combat
-Syndicate
-Tales of Graces f
-The Unfinished Swan
-The Walking Dead Video Game
-Tokyo Jungle
-Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
-Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
-Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Tropico 4: Modern Times
-Twisted Metal
-UFC Undisputed 3
-Unchained Blades
-War of the Roses
-Warriors Orochi 3 / Hyper (Wii U)
-World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
-WWE '13
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Yakuza: Dead Souls
-ZombiU
-Zone of the Enders HD Collection
Some games I would've liked to have gotten/made time for:
Code of Princess (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have nearly as many games as it predecessors did which makes it a bit more difficulty to enjoy the system when there's nothing to play. Code of Princess was a game that caught my interest as it reminded me of a great beat-em-up with RPG elements called "Guardian Heroes". The game is said to have two members who worked on Guardian Heroes which might be the reason why some of the direction in game mechanics and art style is similar. The game features many playable characters, tons of quests, online play, different stat builds, and some competitive modes. It looks like a game with high replay value which I was looking for as I have completed the majority of my 3DS games. I should've bought it when it was still $30 at Amazon...
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I bought FFXIII-2 knowing I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon as I have yet to even begin FFXIII itself. I've heard the many complaints on FFXIII and similar ones in FFXIII-2, but there are those who still really enjoyed them. I know some who 100% completed FFXIII-2 it. I'm hoping this will be the year I finally sit down and get through those Final Fantasy games.
Mugen Souls (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
Mugen Souls looks complete ridiculous and insane which is probably what seems so interesting about it. The Art style is very similar to the Disgaea series but is by a different developer (possible that it's the same artist). The game seems to have a certain charm about it and the plethora of customization is very appealing. I'm hoping it gets a lower price tag before I get it though. I also need to finish up more PS3 games before I even think about picking this game up.
The Last Story / Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
These two games are considered the last of the Wii games worth buying and ones that I was hoping to have brought over stateside really badly. Still, I didn't buy it "yet" as I have tons of Wii games uncompleted and is rarely touched. I had so many reasons for being so hesitant in buying these two games. I have spent a lot on other games, I still had many uncompleted games, these two games are RPGs and is sure to take a lot of time, and there doesn't seem to be any decline in price for either games. I still have a grand desire to get and play these two games and have heard incredible experiences players had with the games. I would have probably put these two games as top games of 2012 had I played it.
Ys Origin / Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel XSEEDgames
I didn't hold back to buy both Ys games when I heard they were being brought over to stateside on Steam. I have waited 6 years to be able to finally play Ys: Origins and yet I never made time to play through either one yet. 2012 was seriously packed with an incredible library of great games that kept me really busy. Ys: The Oath in Felghana had a release on PSP before, but I didn't care much for it until it was released on PC. It's a remake of Ys 3: Wanderers of Ys and so I decided to find and play the SNES version in preparation to playing it. Ys 3 was one of the games I really wanted as a child but never got and it was probably a good thing I didn't either as the game had many flawed design choices and was incredibly difficulty. But being able to complete it now, I am now probably able to appreciate the remake a lot more. These two are high on my list of "to play" once I complete a few more games.
Other great games that came out in 2012:
-Akai Katana
-Alan Wake (PC)
-Alan Wake's American Nightmare
-Asassin's Creed 3
-Asura's Wrath
-Armored Core V
-Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland
-Avernum: Escape From the Pit
-Blades of Time
-Bullet Run
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Closure
-Darksiders 2
-Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
-DayZ
-Deadlight
-Dead or Alive 5
-Devil May Cry HD
-DiRT Showdown
-Dishonored
-Dust: An Elysian Tail
-Dyad
-Endless Space
-Far Cry 3
-Fez
-Forza Horizon
-Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
-Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time
-Guardians of Middle-Earth
-Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
-Gungnir
-Halo 4
-Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
-Hero Academy (PC)
-Hitman: Absolution
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
-I Am Alive
-Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
-Jak and Daxter Collection
-JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver.
-Kid Icarus: Uprising
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
-Krater
-Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise
-LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
-LEGO The Lord of the Rings
-Lollipop Chainsaw
-Lone Survivor
-Mark of the Ninja
-Mass Effect 3
-Max Payne 3
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
-Medal of Honor: Warfighter
-Miasmata
-NBA 2K13
-NFL Blitz
-New Super Mario Bros. U
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Nintendo Land
-Need for Speed: Most Wanted
-Okami HD
-One Piece: Pirate Warriors
-Orcs Must Die! 2
-Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
-Paper Mario: Sticker Star
-Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
-Persona 4 Golden
-Pokémon Black and White 2
-Pokémon Conquest
-Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
-Prototype 2
-Quantum Conundrum
-Ragnarok Odyssey
-Ragnarok Tactics
-Rayman Origins
-Realms of Ancient War
-Record of Agarest War 2
-Resident Evil 6
-Retro City Rampage
-Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure
-Rock of Ages
-Scribblenauts Unlimited
-Serious Sam 3: BFE
-Shank 2
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
-Silent Hill: Downpour
-Silent Hill HD Collection
-Skullgirls
-Sleeping Dogs
-Sniper Elite V2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
-Sorcery
-SoulCalibur V
-Sound Shapes
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Spelunky
-Starhawk
-Stealth Bastard Deluxe
-Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
-Super Monday Night Combat
-Syndicate
-Tales of Graces f
-The Unfinished Swan
-The Walking Dead Video Game
-Tokyo Jungle
-Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
-Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
-Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Tropico 4: Modern Times
-Twisted Metal
-UFC Undisputed 3
-Unchained Blades
-War of the Roses
-Warriors Orochi 3 / Hyper (Wii U)
-World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
-WWE '13
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Yakuza: Dead Souls
-ZombiU
-Zone of the Enders HD Collection
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Played and Disliked
The list of games I played and didn't enjoy as much is the shortest one, so I think I'll be able to talk a little about each one.
Binary Domain (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
To be fair, I did enjoy the game from time to time throughout the playthrough; however, the amount of flaws made it more frustrating than enjoyable. The premise of the story isn't entirely new, but it was provocative and intriguing. The writing was humorous and made dialogues between the characters more interesting rather than just moving the plot along. The graphics were incredibly beautiful, especially a lot of the city scape settings. With so much going for it, what made it considered so bad? The biggest gimmick in the game was the ability to give voice commands to your allies. You can tell them to rush forward, give cover fire, praise them, or yell at them. Unfortunately, the voice command system was always going haywire and giving absurd directions or insulting your team mates when you want to praise them which affected the relationship level system between the main character and his allies. I ended up turning off the voice commands which limited me to 2-4 choices of responses using key presses whenever presented with a question. Then there's the relationship level system mentioned earlier. Commending an ally or performing extraordinary feats will raise your relationship level with allies while friendly fire and undesirable responses to questions will anger them and lower your relationship level. The higher the relationship level, the more likely an ally will listen to a command while lower levels will often get them to ignore you. The problem is that friendly fire happens quite often as allies tend to run in front of gunfire almost constantly despite being purposely in front of them. Sometimes they'll ask a question in mid-combat and immediately get angry as an enemy interrupts them. The relationship level also affects the ending the player gets, so it makes it that more difficult to raise their levels to the max. Movement can be clunky, and firefights mostly consist of covering and firing. Boss fights are quite large and exciting, but they're also buggy, tedious, and annoying at times. This game probably should be in the first list as it was pretty fun shooting tons of robots and blowing things up, but it's also a game I couldn't recommend a friend and not a game I'd want to revisit anytime soon. I guess I felt that this game could've been so much more but isn't.
Home (PC)
I did not enjoy this game. It's an Adventure game presented as a retro-style, 8-bit thriller as the player tries to figure out what had happen in the brief past as the main character retraces his steps back to this own home. The story was shallow, the pacing was incredibly slow, and every possible ending was intentionally ambiguous to try to reach for something deeper in meaning which didn't matter. I do have to commend the game's ability to create a somewhat eerie atmosphere, but that's about it. Thankfully, it was only $1 and nothing more.
Journey (PS3)
Journey is by no means a bad game. The concept is unique, the graphics and environment is beautiful, and the experience was interesting; however, I just didn't enjoy it as a game. Most of the game was just holding up and walking. I fell asleep a few times from the short 1.5 hours of completion of the game. The most riveting part of the game was probably the very end. I won't say anymore as the whole playthrough is an experience and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Also, it quite pricey to have a $15 tag on it for just 1.5 hours of gameplay. I would probably recommend anyone to play through it once at a friend's house who has the game just for the experience as $15 just isn't worth it. Journey is more like an Art piece than a game.
Nexuiz (PC)
It's not that I didn't enjoy the game, it's that I didn't get a chance to. Nexuiz is an arena-style shooter akin to First-Person Shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament. It's fast-paced, has tons of character abilities, a nice line up of weapons, and beautifully crafted levels. But the problem is, no one plays it. I bought the game, was excited to try it out, went online and saw 2 people in one server and 1 guy in his own server. Despite numerous sales, promotions, and even the addition of Steamworks compatibility, the population of Nexuiz is extremely low to none. Thankfully, there's still a practice mode where I can mess around in the game against bots. It's a fun game, but ended up disappointing with no community behind it.
The Secret World (PC)
So what happened with this game? A few years ago, it was announced and caught the attention of the industry by storm. But once it came out, this MMORPG was shot up with a spark of interest and quickly melded with the rest of the MMOs out in the market. I had the opportunity to try the game out during a free weekend and was presented with nearly 2.5 hours of cut-scenes and dialogue while only 30 minutes of those 3 hours was spent killing a few enemies. It's a strange mechanic to have the player press every attack over and over with the number rows when moving around with WASD and dodging is such a big part of the combat system in the game. It made the controls feel cumbersome and messy. A lot of the combat felt "ho-hum, it was kinda interesting" where it didn't seem to deliver the excitement and fast-paced combat it promised in these past few years. It's evident that the publisher couldn't keep the subscription base model anymore and moved to a pay-once with micro-transaction model much like Guild Wars 2. The game might have gotten better as I played farther into it, so perhaps I'll give it another chance in the future if it's still around.
The War Z (PC)
I bought this game knowing it uses the same exact formula concocted by the modders for DayZ, that it was still in Beta form, and that it included micro-transactions. What I didn't know was how hard it was just to play with a friend, how incredibly slow the pacing of the game was, and how very little the player is rewarded. The War Z is an obvious rip-off of the popular ArmA 2 mod "DayZ" where players are dropped into a desolate world of scarce resources, mobs of zombies, and human players who are more likely to kill you for your supplies than help each other to survive. In the first hour of playing the game, my friend and I worked on trying to meet up only to find ourselves dropped on opposite sides of the map. He was killed 3 times in a row by another player with a gun while I died of zombies overwhelming me whenever I found an item. 90% of the time will be spent walking to a destination or running away from zombies. 7% of the time, you'll be finding items and walking through a village or city. And the rare 3% of the time, you'll be fighting zombies and/or shooting other players. It's pretty exciting finding a weapon, item, or just nourishments, but that feeling is quickly dashed when you're killed by an unsuspecting zombie that made no sound or by another player sniping you from far away. So far, the game seems to work well for trolling other players by staying stationary at a city and killing other players who pass by, hackers who go around killing players with aim-bots with sniper rifles and such. The game provides quite the experience, but I don't think I'll be able to make the $13.50 I paid worth it. This game has so much negative feedback right now that I doubt it'll last much longer. From the poor launch to the handling of design priority, the developers and publisher of the game has a very bad reputation amongst the community. This was probably the most disappointing game I played in 2012.
Binary Domain (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
To be fair, I did enjoy the game from time to time throughout the playthrough; however, the amount of flaws made it more frustrating than enjoyable. The premise of the story isn't entirely new, but it was provocative and intriguing. The writing was humorous and made dialogues between the characters more interesting rather than just moving the plot along. The graphics were incredibly beautiful, especially a lot of the city scape settings. With so much going for it, what made it considered so bad? The biggest gimmick in the game was the ability to give voice commands to your allies. You can tell them to rush forward, give cover fire, praise them, or yell at them. Unfortunately, the voice command system was always going haywire and giving absurd directions or insulting your team mates when you want to praise them which affected the relationship level system between the main character and his allies. I ended up turning off the voice commands which limited me to 2-4 choices of responses using key presses whenever presented with a question. Then there's the relationship level system mentioned earlier. Commending an ally or performing extraordinary feats will raise your relationship level with allies while friendly fire and undesirable responses to questions will anger them and lower your relationship level. The higher the relationship level, the more likely an ally will listen to a command while lower levels will often get them to ignore you. The problem is that friendly fire happens quite often as allies tend to run in front of gunfire almost constantly despite being purposely in front of them. Sometimes they'll ask a question in mid-combat and immediately get angry as an enemy interrupts them. The relationship level also affects the ending the player gets, so it makes it that more difficult to raise their levels to the max. Movement can be clunky, and firefights mostly consist of covering and firing. Boss fights are quite large and exciting, but they're also buggy, tedious, and annoying at times. This game probably should be in the first list as it was pretty fun shooting tons of robots and blowing things up, but it's also a game I couldn't recommend a friend and not a game I'd want to revisit anytime soon. I guess I felt that this game could've been so much more but isn't.
Home (PC)
I did not enjoy this game. It's an Adventure game presented as a retro-style, 8-bit thriller as the player tries to figure out what had happen in the brief past as the main character retraces his steps back to this own home. The story was shallow, the pacing was incredibly slow, and every possible ending was intentionally ambiguous to try to reach for something deeper in meaning which didn't matter. I do have to commend the game's ability to create a somewhat eerie atmosphere, but that's about it. Thankfully, it was only $1 and nothing more.
Journey (PS3)
Journey is by no means a bad game. The concept is unique, the graphics and environment is beautiful, and the experience was interesting; however, I just didn't enjoy it as a game. Most of the game was just holding up and walking. I fell asleep a few times from the short 1.5 hours of completion of the game. The most riveting part of the game was probably the very end. I won't say anymore as the whole playthrough is an experience and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Also, it quite pricey to have a $15 tag on it for just 1.5 hours of gameplay. I would probably recommend anyone to play through it once at a friend's house who has the game just for the experience as $15 just isn't worth it. Journey is more like an Art piece than a game.
Nexuiz (PC)
It's not that I didn't enjoy the game, it's that I didn't get a chance to. Nexuiz is an arena-style shooter akin to First-Person Shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament. It's fast-paced, has tons of character abilities, a nice line up of weapons, and beautifully crafted levels. But the problem is, no one plays it. I bought the game, was excited to try it out, went online and saw 2 people in one server and 1 guy in his own server. Despite numerous sales, promotions, and even the addition of Steamworks compatibility, the population of Nexuiz is extremely low to none. Thankfully, there's still a practice mode where I can mess around in the game against bots. It's a fun game, but ended up disappointing with no community behind it.
The Secret World (PC)
So what happened with this game? A few years ago, it was announced and caught the attention of the industry by storm. But once it came out, this MMORPG was shot up with a spark of interest and quickly melded with the rest of the MMOs out in the market. I had the opportunity to try the game out during a free weekend and was presented with nearly 2.5 hours of cut-scenes and dialogue while only 30 minutes of those 3 hours was spent killing a few enemies. It's a strange mechanic to have the player press every attack over and over with the number rows when moving around with WASD and dodging is such a big part of the combat system in the game. It made the controls feel cumbersome and messy. A lot of the combat felt "ho-hum, it was kinda interesting" where it didn't seem to deliver the excitement and fast-paced combat it promised in these past few years. It's evident that the publisher couldn't keep the subscription base model anymore and moved to a pay-once with micro-transaction model much like Guild Wars 2. The game might have gotten better as I played farther into it, so perhaps I'll give it another chance in the future if it's still around.
The War Z (PC)
I bought this game knowing it uses the same exact formula concocted by the modders for DayZ, that it was still in Beta form, and that it included micro-transactions. What I didn't know was how hard it was just to play with a friend, how incredibly slow the pacing of the game was, and how very little the player is rewarded. The War Z is an obvious rip-off of the popular ArmA 2 mod "DayZ" where players are dropped into a desolate world of scarce resources, mobs of zombies, and human players who are more likely to kill you for your supplies than help each other to survive. In the first hour of playing the game, my friend and I worked on trying to meet up only to find ourselves dropped on opposite sides of the map. He was killed 3 times in a row by another player with a gun while I died of zombies overwhelming me whenever I found an item. 90% of the time will be spent walking to a destination or running away from zombies. 7% of the time, you'll be finding items and walking through a village or city. And the rare 3% of the time, you'll be fighting zombies and/or shooting other players. It's pretty exciting finding a weapon, item, or just nourishments, but that feeling is quickly dashed when you're killed by an unsuspecting zombie that made no sound or by another player sniping you from far away. So far, the game seems to work well for trolling other players by staying stationary at a city and killing other players who pass by, hackers who go around killing players with aim-bots with sniper rifles and such. The game provides quite the experience, but I don't think I'll be able to make the $13.50 I paid worth it. This game has so much negative feedback right now that I doubt it'll last much longer. From the poor launch to the handling of design priority, the developers and publisher of the game has a very bad reputation amongst the community. This was probably the most disappointing game I played in 2012.
Monday, January 7, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Played and Liked
Hopefully everyone had a great holiday season and is prepared for the new year. 2012 was an amazing year for gamers as it was filled with tons of wonderful titles. It was one of the funnest years for gaming despite the decline in retail sales in the market. For this week, there will be a GameOn reviewing 2012. I'll be going through games I played and enjoyed, played and disliked, great games I missed out on, games I'm probably glad I didn't get, and a final pick of games I would personally recommend from 2012.
These are the games I played in 2012 that I enjoyed:
Highlights
Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
The game looks silly and absolutely absurd, but I believe that's part of the charm to the game. It's made to be a 2D MOBA, but is probably better understood as an Action-Platformer Tower-Defense game. I was pretty hesitant about getting the game as I wasn't sure how populated the game was as most multiplayer-intensive games I've purchased in the past end up being empty or bad. Thankfully, as the game got 3 sales within the last 3 months of 2012 the population rose and provided some really fun games. The game's fairly easy to learn but still challenges even the most hardcore of players. It was one of the most delightful games I played in 2012 and hope that it continues to grow in popularity as time passes on.
Chivlary: Medieval Warfare (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel TornBannerStudios
I played a bit of the original Half-Life 2 mod back a while ago and enjoyed concept of medieval fights with swords, shields, and lopping heads off. So when I heard that a stand-alone version was finally going to be made, I was happy for them and was ready support them when I could. During the Steam Winter Sales not long ago, I bought the game and finally got a chance to play it one night for about 3 hours. Although the game felt familiar from the original, the improvements were evident and limitations were lifted. The game's a lot of fun mixed with a lot of frustration. Thankfully, winning isn't a big part of the game. It's all the fights and kills you racked up that makes this a fun distraction to hop into and mess around in much like in Team Fortress 2. So far, the community is very strong and hopefully continues to grow throughout this year.
Fortune Summoners: Secret of the Elemental Stone (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel mentaldagger
I mentioned this game quite often throughout the year and finally started playing it only to find that the game was significantly more challenging than I had anticipated. I started the game playing on the hardest difficulty as my friend in this video did and completed the game. It was definitely possible to get through the game, but there was a lot more grinding and persistence required just to get to the next part of the game. I had restarted the game on the easiest level and am still able to enjoy the game as it reminds me of the Castlevania games I've played in the past. It's tough trying to get this game under $10, but it's worth it if Action-Adventure games is your thing.
Hotline Miami (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel DevolverDigital
This was probably the most surprising game of the year for me. I had no intention of getting the game after seeing the cover art and some of the gameplay. But day after day, I saw this game pop up on blogs, reviews, and comments of how great this game was. I decided to give it a chance when it got a 50% off deal during the Steam Winter Sales. The game's a puzzle game! It's weird to say and it's not listed as so, but that's what it is. The player must find the quickest and most efficient way to kill off all the enemies of each floor without getting killed themselves which was pretty easy considering all it takes is one hit or one shot. The action is fast-paced, challenging, completely hilarious, and has one heck of a soundtrack to match it up. I also really like how visceral the game feels. From the graphics to the sound effects, all the action the player makes has a very tangible feel to them and it makes each kill feel very satisfying.
Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
I wasn't planning on getting the game so early as I haven't even played the original Persona 4 game yet and do not know the story or characters. Still, I had friends who really enjoyed the game and urged me to get the game. After about 20-30 matches, I have come to the realization that Persona 4 Arena is possibly the most accessible 2D fighting game I have ever played that anyone can pick up and play. The mechanics to the game are universal through all the characters and they're as simple as mashing one button to do an incredible combo. Because of this, I was able to convince all my friends who don't play fighting games to give it a chance. A lot of fighting games were released in 2012, and I believe this was the most unique and original title to come out throughout the year.
The other games I played:
-Ace of Spades
-Blacklight: Retribution
-BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
-Borderlands 2
-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Diablo 3
-DotA 2
-Dragon's Dogma
-Dustforce
-eXceed Collection
-FTL: Faster Than Light
-Forge
-Guild Wars 2
-Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax Ultimate Boy
-Heroes of Ruin
-Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
-Legend of Grimrock
-New Super Mario Bros. 2
-Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp)
-PlanetSide 2
-PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
-Primal Carnage
-RaiderZ
-Realm of the Mad God
-Resident Evil: Revelations
-Sine Mora
-Street Fighter x Mega Man
-Street Fighter x Tekken
-Symphony
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-TERA Online
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-The Darkness 2
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
-Torchlight 2
-Tribes: Ascend
These are the games I played in 2012 that I enjoyed:
Highlights
Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
The game looks silly and absolutely absurd, but I believe that's part of the charm to the game. It's made to be a 2D MOBA, but is probably better understood as an Action-Platformer Tower-Defense game. I was pretty hesitant about getting the game as I wasn't sure how populated the game was as most multiplayer-intensive games I've purchased in the past end up being empty or bad. Thankfully, as the game got 3 sales within the last 3 months of 2012 the population rose and provided some really fun games. The game's fairly easy to learn but still challenges even the most hardcore of players. It was one of the most delightful games I played in 2012 and hope that it continues to grow in popularity as time passes on.
Chivlary: Medieval Warfare (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel TornBannerStudios
I played a bit of the original Half-Life 2 mod back a while ago and enjoyed concept of medieval fights with swords, shields, and lopping heads off. So when I heard that a stand-alone version was finally going to be made, I was happy for them and was ready support them when I could. During the Steam Winter Sales not long ago, I bought the game and finally got a chance to play it one night for about 3 hours. Although the game felt familiar from the original, the improvements were evident and limitations were lifted. The game's a lot of fun mixed with a lot of frustration. Thankfully, winning isn't a big part of the game. It's all the fights and kills you racked up that makes this a fun distraction to hop into and mess around in much like in Team Fortress 2. So far, the community is very strong and hopefully continues to grow throughout this year.
Fortune Summoners: Secret of the Elemental Stone (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel mentaldagger
I mentioned this game quite often throughout the year and finally started playing it only to find that the game was significantly more challenging than I had anticipated. I started the game playing on the hardest difficulty as my friend in this video did and completed the game. It was definitely possible to get through the game, but there was a lot more grinding and persistence required just to get to the next part of the game. I had restarted the game on the easiest level and am still able to enjoy the game as it reminds me of the Castlevania games I've played in the past. It's tough trying to get this game under $10, but it's worth it if Action-Adventure games is your thing.
Hotline Miami (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel DevolverDigital
This was probably the most surprising game of the year for me. I had no intention of getting the game after seeing the cover art and some of the gameplay. But day after day, I saw this game pop up on blogs, reviews, and comments of how great this game was. I decided to give it a chance when it got a 50% off deal during the Steam Winter Sales. The game's a puzzle game! It's weird to say and it's not listed as so, but that's what it is. The player must find the quickest and most efficient way to kill off all the enemies of each floor without getting killed themselves which was pretty easy considering all it takes is one hit or one shot. The action is fast-paced, challenging, completely hilarious, and has one heck of a soundtrack to match it up. I also really like how visceral the game feels. From the graphics to the sound effects, all the action the player makes has a very tangible feel to them and it makes each kill feel very satisfying.
Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
I wasn't planning on getting the game so early as I haven't even played the original Persona 4 game yet and do not know the story or characters. Still, I had friends who really enjoyed the game and urged me to get the game. After about 20-30 matches, I have come to the realization that Persona 4 Arena is possibly the most accessible 2D fighting game I have ever played that anyone can pick up and play. The mechanics to the game are universal through all the characters and they're as simple as mashing one button to do an incredible combo. Because of this, I was able to convince all my friends who don't play fighting games to give it a chance. A lot of fighting games were released in 2012, and I believe this was the most unique and original title to come out throughout the year.
The other games I played:
-Ace of Spades
-Blacklight: Retribution
-BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
-Borderlands 2
-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Diablo 3
-DotA 2
-Dragon's Dogma
-Dustforce
-eXceed Collection
-FTL: Faster Than Light
-Forge
-Guild Wars 2
-Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax Ultimate Boy
-Heroes of Ruin
-Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
-Legend of Grimrock
-New Super Mario Bros. 2
-Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp)
-PlanetSide 2
-PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
-Primal Carnage
-RaiderZ
-Realm of the Mad God
-Resident Evil: Revelations
-Sine Mora
-Street Fighter x Mega Man
-Street Fighter x Tekken
-Symphony
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-TERA Online
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-The Darkness 2
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
-Torchlight 2
-Tribes: Ascend
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