Top 5 Games of E3 for 2015

2015 is setting up to be a fantastic year for video games. With many games originally scheduled for release in 2014 being pushed to 2015, the calendar will be full.  I had a much harder time with this top 5 list than the 2014 list. What I decided to do is limit the pool of games that could be on the list to only games that showed gameplay at E3.

Here are my top 5 most anticipated games of 2015. Drum roll please…

5) Yoshi’s Woolly World – Going into E3, I anticipated very little from Nintendo. I expected them to talk about Smash Bros. and the new Zelda but Yoshi’s Woolly World totally surprised me. I love that Nintendo is still doing classic side-scrolling games and consistently inserts such whimsy and charm. Only Nintendo can make the process of eating a character and pooping it out a game mechanic that works and is not a joke. The WiiU is not a graphics powerhouse but this game looks gorgeous. After all the guns and gore from the major publishers, Yoshi was a breath of fresh air that I can’t wait to play.

4) The Division - Ubisoft showed off more of The Division at E3 and the footage looked incredible. The team-based gameplay reminds me of the Rainbow Six: Vegas games that I really enjoyed. We were shown lots of tech the player can use in battle to get intel on the enemy. The footage shown in the trailer looked like a great set piece moment. I hope they can duplicate that throughout the campaign. I also like how the player can jump from one member of the team to another smoothly. The addition of having someone on a tablet help out remotely with a drone could be a fun way for friends to help you complete missions. Graphically it is as impressive as any other game.

3) The Order: 1886 - The Order is the first game I’ve seen that pulls off the seamless transition between cutscene and gameplay without any loss in graphic fidelity. This was very impressive in the demo shown during the Sony conference. I love the turn of the century London setting of the game. I think with the historical setting and the beautiful transitioning, The Order: 1886 could tell a great story in a cinematic way. 

2) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - The Witcher 3 was one of my most anticipated games of 2014 until it was delayed recently. The Witcher 2 was a hidden gem when it was released. The developer, Projekt RED, looks to have taken what was great about The Witcher 2 and built upon it to create an even bigger, more immersive world. They have said that it will be a living world larger than any other in modern RPG history and is 30 times larger than previous Witcher games. Every action affects the world and every quest has many options on how to complete it. Until the most recent technology, “choose your own adventure” gameplay was not possible and this is something I’ve always wanted out of a title. I can’t wait to just spend weeks in this world.

1) Batman: Arkham Knight - One word: Batmobile. Once I saw how Batman called in the Batmobile and flew into the driver’s seat, I was sold. This game seems like the perfect Batman simulator. I can’t wait to drive around Gotham, pop out, fight criminals, and fly back into the Batmobile. Once in the Batmobile, the player can enter battle mode, which turns the Batmobile into a tank-like vehicle to do more damage. The main villain in Arkham Knight is Scarecrow. He looked so creepy and had a new, very cool look for Scarecrow. As a huge Batman fan, I loved Batman: Arkham City and this looks to take that formula and build on it. I can’t wait to get into the Batcave again.

As you can see, there is a lot to look forward to in 2015. Some amazing titles and that doesn’t include others that could come out that just had trailers. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Star Wars: Battlefront, and the new Zelda game would have definitely made the list if we saw gameplay.  These games are so early in development that 2015 could be a stretch for release. No Man’s Sky would have definitely made this list if it had release date. What games are you most looking for to in 2015? Let me know in the comments.

Top 5 Games of E3 For 2014

With E3 behind us, I wanted to look back on what was shown and come up with my top 10 most anticipated games. So many great games were announced and shown at E3 making it difficult to choose just ten. I’ve split my top 10 list between games that are coming out in 2014 and ones that are coming out in 2015 and beyond.

So without further ado, here are the games I’m most looking forward to in 2014:

5) Destiny – Going into E3, Destiny was on my radar but I wasn’t too excited about it. After seeing how ambitious the creators at Bungie were with the world building and the scope, it is now a must buy for me. I had the chance to play the Alpha demo this weekend and I loved how it felt like a living world that you can explore. Destiny isn’t a typical first-person shooter. It is trying to be something so much more and graphically looks incredible.

4) Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Every time I think I’m burnt out and done with this franchise, they pull me back in. Now the game is set in Paris during the French Revolution. Ubisoft does an impeccable job of creating engaging historical contexts that keep my attention and make for fun exploration of cities. The increase in graphical fidelity is clear with the jump to the next-gen consoles. The inclusion of 4 layer co-op could make for some very fun encounters.

3) The Witness – The Witness, created by Jonathan Blow, has slid under most people’s radar. Blow also created of one of my favorite games, Braid, so I was excited for a preview of his latest work. It looks like a next-gen version of Myst. Exploring the world and solving the mind-bending puzzles while telling a great story makes this the kind of game I love.

2) Dragon Age: Inquisition - Bioware makes games with great narratives and with their newest title, the third in the Dragon Age franchise, they look to have created a truly epic experience. With hours of gameplay, fighting dragons, making tough decisions, and tactical combat, I’m sold. Just look at the gameplay footage below and you will be as well.

1) Little Big Planet 3 – As a total surprise announcement, LBP 3 has leaped to my most anticipated game. I loved the previous two games as well as the PS Vita version. This series is full of whimsy and the new characters; Toggle, Oddsock, and Swoop are as cute as they come. Each of them has a different characteristic that work together to complete each level. I dare you to watch the game footage without a smile on your face. With all the previous levels being playable in LBP 3, there will be endless fun playing this game.

 So there you have it, my 5 most anticipated games of 2014. What are yours? Did I miss one you are looking forward to? Let me know in the comments. After looking like a slow year, 2014 is now shaping up to be a pretty good year in gaming. Stay tuned for my list of games coming in 2015 and beyond.

My Sony E3 Impressions

I thought Sony did a really good job by doing what they do best, showing off innovative games from their studios as well as indies. Playstation is where I go to play something unique and I thought they showed enough of those types of games mixed in with the shooters and sequels. It did seem that most of the exclusive content, outside of their studios, was mostly betas or "first on" exclusives though. 

The megaton announcement was Little Big Planet 3 and that it is coming this November. Huge surprise! Entwined looked really interesting and I love that it was released today, Steve Jobs style. A few other highlights were Grim Fandango remastered, Abzu, No Man's Sky, and The Order: 1886.

But the winner, in my opinion, is Batman Arkham Knight. As a huge Batman fan, this looked like the Batman simulator I've always wanted. The seamless gliding into Batmobile and back to gliding was incredible. Uncharted was the graphical winner and even though they announced 2015 as the release year, I doubt it makes that date since we have not seen any game footage. Overall, I'd say Sony did a good job but didn't blow me away.

Scarecrow has returned to unite the Rogues Gallery and has enlisted the Arkham Knight and his immense military force to bring all-out War to Gotham City and destroy the Batman once and for all. The Dark Knight must utilize the Batmobile's newly-revealed Battle Mode, as well as his full arsenal of abilities, to protect his city from complete destruction.

My top 10 games of E3 will be posted here later this week. Stay tuned.

Why This E3 Could Be The Most Exciting In Years

With all the delays and cancellations leading into E3, which starts tomorrow, I believe 2014’s E3 could be the most exciting one yet.

Last year, we knew what was coming from the big three.  Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo had already announced their new consoles. Their press conferences would be spent on why their consoles were the one you wanted to buy. This year should be all about the games. The beginning of a new generation typically brings new IPs; Gears of War, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, Etc. and this is the year those games should be announced. So move the sequels aside, tomorrow we will be introduced to all the new series that we will care about for years to come.

In 2013, Microsoft’s message was clear. They wanted to be the one box to rule them all. Microsoft made a big push to take over the living room with entertainment through controlling your TV and playing games. Also, with the new Kinect, they showed how all aspects of their system could be controlled with your voice. Problems came when Sony undercut Microsoft in price. They also were pushing the “always on” capabilities to access your games, which they had to remove weeks later when Sony, in their press conference, said you could trades games like you always have been able to do.

Microsoft has to come out swinging at E3 this year.  They are the underdog for the first time in years and I believe that will push them to refocus on the gamer. Microsoft’s fatal flaw is their lack of many first party studios. In order for Microsoft to get exclusive content or a timed exclusive, they will have to partner with third party studios and throw some money their way. I think Microsoft has the most to gain this E3 and I hope they surprise us.

Sony is in the catbird’s seat. They are currently winning the sales war and the PS4 is almost unanimously viewed as the console for gamers.  My worry is they will come out, brag about how they are doing, and rest on their laurels. The advantage Sony has is they own 12 first party studios and 14 second party studios and Sony has made it clear that most of them are working on PS4 games. So far, we only know of a couple of those games: Naughty Dog – Uncharted 4 and Ready at Dawn – The Order: 1886. Sony needs to show off their studios and the games they are working on that can only be made on PS4. With nothing announced for the fall that is an exclusive, they need to give people a reason to buy the PS4 besides potential. Sony should also show more indie titles, which have been the staples of the PS4’s success up to this point. They also need to show us games for the PS Vita. Without any first party games, the Vita will die, which is unfortunate because I love my Vita.

Nintendo always beats to their own drum. They don’t seem to care what Microsoft and Sony are doing. They stay focused on their own properties, sometimes to their demise. What I would love to see from Nintendo is a new property. Every year Nintendo has only announced sequels to existing properties. Rumor has it that this year we will see the new Zelda, which would make me and I expect many others, consider picking up a WiiU. Come on, Nintendo; surprise me with something!

The element of E3 that brings me the most excitement is surprises, especially with new properties. With most of the known games moved to 2015, this opens the door for new IPs and better games. Give me delays and surprises, with better games in 2015, and I’ll work on my backlog in the meantime. Either way, it should be a fun week for gamers. Stay tuned all week for coverage.

X-Men Days of Future Past Review

14 years ago, Bryan Singer directed the original X-Men movie  and followed it in 2003 with X2. Both movies launched X-Men into cinema and were mostly loved by audiences and critics alike. He left after X2 and since then the X-Men franchise has floundered until the most recent movie, X-Men: First Class, which was a reboot of sorts with all the X-Men being played by younger actors. Bryan Singer is back for X-Men: Days of Future Past and while it mostly succeeds, it's not as good as First Class or X2.

The main plot of Days of Future Past involves time traveling back to the 1970s through the powers of Kitty Pryde, played by Ellen Page.  Acting on Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) suggestion, Kitty Page uses her powers on Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to send his conscious back in time to him in the past to stop Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from killing Dr. Boliver Trask (Peter Dinklage). Dr. Trask is creating weapons that are able to kill mutants called Sentinels. By stopping her from killing Dr. Trask, she is never captured and her genes are never used to help create the Sentinels. With the past, present, and future all being represented in the film, the writer, Simon Kinberg, did a great job weaving all these together without confusing the audience.

Along with the X-Men we are all familiar with from the previous films, a few new ones are introduced in this movie. Most are done successfully with some cool new powers such as Blink (Bingbing Fan) who opens two portals, one that creates an entry and the other an exit, much like the game Portal. The best new character is Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who gets about 20 minutes in the movie and steals the show. His time on screen is the most fun during the movie. Seeing Quicksilver makes me want a Flash movie with the same effects used in this movie. Singer was able to capture the sense of speed not only visually but also with sound design.

This is were my biggest problem with the lies. After the escape scene that Quicksilver helps with, the movie loses its sense of fun. In First Class and other Marvel movies, they are able to tackle serious issues while still maintaining the sense of fun. Once Quicksilver disappears, this sense is never regained.  I wish there were more scenes with the mutants playing with their powers and seeing how they can combine them in inventive ways. We see this in the opening of the movie and never see it again.

It was great to see Wolverine interact with the new cast and Hugh Jackman delivers. Michael Fassbender (young Magneto) and James McAvoy (young Charles Xavier) also give great performances. Jennifer Lawrence (Raven/Mystique) has some good action sequences which are a lot of fun although she gets little else to do in the movie. It will be interesting to see how she is handled going forward now that she's a major Hollywood star. You would have to believe she will get more of a major role in the next film.

Overall, I really enjoyed Days of Future Past. It mostly delivers what it tries to accomplish; although, in my opinion, doesn't reach the fun of X-Men: First Class.  I believe it is my favorite Wolverine movie and definitely worth seeing.