First, let's talk Survivor Series. Many have called it the worst PPV they have ever seen and to those people, you have never seen Over the Limit 2011 or Capitol Punishment 2011. THOSE were horrible PPVs. Survivor Series was fair to say the least. The traditional Survivor Series match exceeded my expectations and was the match of the night. It came down to one guy. A guy I wasn't expecting, but should have. Roman Reigns ends up being the sole survivor and while I was initially surprised, I see why they did it. The Shield aren't going to last for too much longer. I'll give them until the Royal Rumble and then all hell will break loose between them. I would love to see a Triple Threat between the three at Mania, but I'm getting ahead of myself. With the bigger guys looking to get the push, it's no surprise the biggest guy on the team gets the win. I like Reigns, he's becoming one of my favorite young guys on the roster and I can definitely see him being the top babyface WWE severely needs. And him being related to the Rock doesn't hurt either. I'm going out on a limb here and saying that Roman Reigns will be a World Champion by the end of 2014. It's bound to happen but it might be harder for him and I'll explain in a bit.
The Wyatts definitely held their own in what was the main event for me. They kept up with Bryan and Punk and had one of the best tag matches of the year. Although they lost, they looked fantastic and I hope we see some kind of extreme rematch at TLC. The real main event on the other hand, was terrible. Of all the PPV main events this year, this was by far the worst one. It was embarrassingly bad and WWE should be ashamed of themselves for putting it on. It did, however, lead to an interesting predicament on Raw.
After 11 years of having two World Champions, at TLC, there will be one. And it only makes sense that the two golden boys get to do it. It will be John Cena VS Randy Orton in a TLC match for BOTH World Titles. Sounds something straight out of WWE 2K14 doesn't it? I'm not like many of the IWC complaining why it has to be Cena/Orton but I do have two complaints about the match.
1. This, to me, is a Wrestlemania XXX main event. Hell, it's a show ender. Why have it on the last PPV of the year? Why have this be the start of the Road to Wrestlemania? Ever since I saw that WWE Shop commercial with the black kid dancing, I knew Orton/Cena was going to happen again. That means whoever wins the Rumble HAS to main event Wrestlemania. That means a superstar who has credentials is going to win, if they decide to unify the titles. That's another thing. I'm not sure if it's a unification match OR if it's just for both belts. If it's for both belts, cool, that means more young guys can gun for the World Title. If not, then Rhodes, Barrett, Reigns, and Wyatt are going to have to work EXTRA hard to get over or they won't get shots. While the match was bound to happen, why at TLC?
2. Like I said before, younger guys are going to have to work harder if the titles are unified. That means, there is only ONE World Title in the company. Everyone is going to have to be on their A game if they want a shot at the belt. Maybe if the titles are unified, they'll bring the NXT Title up so that will be like the second tier World Title. Then, they could do what TNA does and have the person exchange that title for a shot at a PPV or Raw or something. That was one of TNA's brightest moves. The World Title was the title you gave to young guys who were up and coming but weren't ready for the spotlight. Orton, Punk, Bryan, and Ziggler ALL won the World Title first. Now, three of those guys went to main event PPVs. That just tells you the importance of the World Title. This argument would be put to rest if they just treated the IC Title the way they did in the 80s and early 90s but I guess time will tell.
I'm all behind a Champion VS Champion match, just as long as the winner gets to defend BOTH titles. Don't only have one title! It's stupid and gives less guys an opportunity at greatness. So TLC could be packed with some interesting matches. We already have Cena/Orton and with how Raw went, we'll probably be treated to Punk VS A Shield member and Bryan/Wyatt. If those three matches happened, I would buy TLC hands down.
What do you think? Is it time to unify the titles?
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Survivor Series 2013 predictions
I'm not going to lie, but I'm not AS excited for Survivor Series as I usually am. The main events are weak and the 5-on-5 match is just a thrown together but much welcomed mess! This Survivor Series is going to confirm one thing; it will show whether the big man push is really happening or not. Let's get started with the predictions.
Big E Langston won the IC Title on Raw and got a HUGE ovation. It was one of the best of the night honestly. And now he has a rematch with Axel at SS. Axel's stock in WWE has fallen fast and it's ashame. He just doesn't have what his father did. I don't think WWE took the title off of Axel JUST to give it back to him so soon, so I'm going with Langston for the win. I'm really hoping this is just the start of big things for this kid. He's one of the guys I really want to succeed with this 'big man' push.
Total Divas exploitation time! 14 Divas in one ring is a big fantasy for any male WWE fan. While the match will most likely be fast and boring, it will be great seeing all those sexy bodies in the ring. Total Divas win.
Cena and Del Rio is not the World Title feud I wanted. What happened to Damien Sandow saying his whole reason was to end Cena's title reign? I thought at least they would do a Triple Threat and make it a little interesting. I don't see the value in doing a rematch at a big event and when I say rematch, I mean like a match that has happened at the last PPV. How are you going to really sell that? Del Rio will look good in the match and will easily dominate his opponent John Cena bur in the end, SuperCena will show up and finish what he should have ended at HIAC. Cena wins and hopefully moves onto his next feud. Sandow or Barrett please.
The 5-on-5 match is nice but it could have been SO much more. What we are getting though is a showcase of great talent in the match that has made Survivor Series famous. Both teams are rounded out pretty nice and it should be a great match-up. If you've been counting, the heels have won the main SS match the last two years with Barrett/Rhodes surviving in 2011 and Ziggler being the sole survivor in 2012. I don't know if the heels will get another win this year. I think a Shield meltdown will begin here unless they're going to feud with The Wyatt Family. I'm going with the face team winning with Mysterio and Cody surviving or one of them being the sole survivor. I think it's time to start to push Rhodes as a single wrestler. I would love to see Rhodes/Cena in 2014 with the World Title up for grabs but not before the Rhodes/Goldust match!
The match I'm really buying Survivor Series for; The Wyatts VS The Best and The Beard. This WILL be match of the night. I've heard nothing but good things about Rowan and Harper's in-ring abilities, even though they are bigger guys. This is probably one of my more favorite feuds of the year simply because it's simple. You have two well established guys who are over with the crowd and you put them against the next up and coming guys. It's really not that hard. It's also interesting to see if they ever reveal who this 'Devil' is that made Wyatt attack Bryan and Punk in the first place. Regardless, I hope this leads to a couple of matches in this feud. I think to get over, The Wyatt Family will pick up the win after interference from Wyatt and maybe even a new member of the faction. Apparently, NXT star Judas Devlin posted something on Twitter relating to Sister Abigail and the guy has the look associated with the Wyatt Family so maybe it's only a matter of time. I want a TLC tag rematch at TLC! Wyatts get their first big PPV win.
This is the most pointless Survivor Series main event since...well, since the PG Era started. I know, that's a bit extreme but I have no care for Big Show at all. Yes, I marked out when he helped the Brother Rhodes win the tag belts but I don't think he's deserving of a title match! If you're going to push a big guy in the main event, let it be a younger guy! I really could care less WHO wins this match but I guess I'll go with Orton. I want this to be one and done but I think they're going to stretch this out until TLC unless Show/HHH finally wrestle! It's ashame the WWE Title while is the biggest title in the company is the least thing I care about on the show and it's not Orton's fault. It's just the opponent he's facing. I don't feel any connection to Show or what he's gone through. It's stupid and irrelevant and I want change for the WWE Title picture. I don't know what change seeing how the top faces are all preoccupied at the moment but something has to happen and soon.
Survivor Series is weak this year. WWE doesn't seem to know how to build to a PPV unless it's named Wrestlemania and even then it's shaky at best. Punk and Bryan will shine with the Wyatts and I'm really looking to see the talent on display in the traditional SS match. The golden boys though, Cena and Orton, have to really step their games up to prove me wrong come Sunday. Let's go Wyatt Family, time to shine on the semi big stage!
Big E Langston won the IC Title on Raw and got a HUGE ovation. It was one of the best of the night honestly. And now he has a rematch with Axel at SS. Axel's stock in WWE has fallen fast and it's ashame. He just doesn't have what his father did. I don't think WWE took the title off of Axel JUST to give it back to him so soon, so I'm going with Langston for the win. I'm really hoping this is just the start of big things for this kid. He's one of the guys I really want to succeed with this 'big man' push.
Total Divas exploitation time! 14 Divas in one ring is a big fantasy for any male WWE fan. While the match will most likely be fast and boring, it will be great seeing all those sexy bodies in the ring. Total Divas win.
Cena and Del Rio is not the World Title feud I wanted. What happened to Damien Sandow saying his whole reason was to end Cena's title reign? I thought at least they would do a Triple Threat and make it a little interesting. I don't see the value in doing a rematch at a big event and when I say rematch, I mean like a match that has happened at the last PPV. How are you going to really sell that? Del Rio will look good in the match and will easily dominate his opponent John Cena bur in the end, SuperCena will show up and finish what he should have ended at HIAC. Cena wins and hopefully moves onto his next feud. Sandow or Barrett please.
The 5-on-5 match is nice but it could have been SO much more. What we are getting though is a showcase of great talent in the match that has made Survivor Series famous. Both teams are rounded out pretty nice and it should be a great match-up. If you've been counting, the heels have won the main SS match the last two years with Barrett/Rhodes surviving in 2011 and Ziggler being the sole survivor in 2012. I don't know if the heels will get another win this year. I think a Shield meltdown will begin here unless they're going to feud with The Wyatt Family. I'm going with the face team winning with Mysterio and Cody surviving or one of them being the sole survivor. I think it's time to start to push Rhodes as a single wrestler. I would love to see Rhodes/Cena in 2014 with the World Title up for grabs but not before the Rhodes/Goldust match!
The match I'm really buying Survivor Series for; The Wyatts VS The Best and The Beard. This WILL be match of the night. I've heard nothing but good things about Rowan and Harper's in-ring abilities, even though they are bigger guys. This is probably one of my more favorite feuds of the year simply because it's simple. You have two well established guys who are over with the crowd and you put them against the next up and coming guys. It's really not that hard. It's also interesting to see if they ever reveal who this 'Devil' is that made Wyatt attack Bryan and Punk in the first place. Regardless, I hope this leads to a couple of matches in this feud. I think to get over, The Wyatt Family will pick up the win after interference from Wyatt and maybe even a new member of the faction. Apparently, NXT star Judas Devlin posted something on Twitter relating to Sister Abigail and the guy has the look associated with the Wyatt Family so maybe it's only a matter of time. I want a TLC tag rematch at TLC! Wyatts get their first big PPV win.
This is the most pointless Survivor Series main event since...well, since the PG Era started. I know, that's a bit extreme but I have no care for Big Show at all. Yes, I marked out when he helped the Brother Rhodes win the tag belts but I don't think he's deserving of a title match! If you're going to push a big guy in the main event, let it be a younger guy! I really could care less WHO wins this match but I guess I'll go with Orton. I want this to be one and done but I think they're going to stretch this out until TLC unless Show/HHH finally wrestle! It's ashame the WWE Title while is the biggest title in the company is the least thing I care about on the show and it's not Orton's fault. It's just the opponent he's facing. I don't feel any connection to Show or what he's gone through. It's stupid and irrelevant and I want change for the WWE Title picture. I don't know what change seeing how the top faces are all preoccupied at the moment but something has to happen and soon.
Survivor Series is weak this year. WWE doesn't seem to know how to build to a PPV unless it's named Wrestlemania and even then it's shaky at best. Punk and Bryan will shine with the Wyatts and I'm really looking to see the talent on display in the traditional SS match. The golden boys though, Cena and Orton, have to really step their games up to prove me wrong come Sunday. Let's go Wyatt Family, time to shine on the semi big stage!
Monday, November 18, 2013
My favorite games of the 7th Generation
Well, Playstation 4 has finally released which means the 8th generation of gaming is in full swing. It feels like just yesterday that I got my Xbox 360. I was so excited to finally play some next Gen RPGs like Eternal Sonata, Blue Dragon, and of course the epic Lost Odyssey. After 5 years with that and 3 years with my PS3, I've accumulated many gaming memories and epic moments. I'd like to talk about 10 games from this generation that either made me proud to be a gamer, were fantastic games, or a bit of both. It was very hard for me to confine this to 10, let alone put in order so I do have some honorable mentions.
Uncharted - Usually when I play games that are hugely anticipated, I feel they fall flat on their faces or don't meet the huge expectations that publications claim they set. Uncharted wasn't like that at all. It set the bar for all actions games to come this generation. It had great action, fun gameplay and something little AAA releases have, humor. I found myself laughing with Nate in all 3 console games. Uncharted will be remembered by me for being the archetype action adventure game of the generation. I mean just look at Tomb Raider from 2013.
The Last of Us - Lightning struck twice for Naughty Dog as they released this amazing gem earlier this year. It's very rarely developers release two different triple A series on consoles but that's what we got from them. As what could be described as PS3's swan song, TLOU did NOT disappoint. The game itself was fantastic, but what hit home was the realistic narrative. Now, I'm not a gamer who gets emotionally attached to characters and I don't care about who dies in the course of a story but I did in Last of Us. When Joel's daughter dies in the beginning I instantly felt for him and started to care for him as a character. I don't do that. Ever. Naughty Dog made me feel emotions like that. It's that reason alone that makes the ending so powerful. After all that Joel has done to get Ellie to the climax of the story only to not let her sacrifice herself for the world. You can relate to Joel. You might feel bad for the world but you understand why Joel would do what he did. Naughty Dog succeeded with Uncharted. They reached new ground with The Last of Us.
Oh and I won't be doing certain games from a series. Like if I out Final Fantasy on the list it includes ALL the FFs released in the generation. Also, this is an opinion based list. While I think all of these games are amazing in their own right, many will probably think I'm crazy for not having Halo or Gears on this list. Hey, I don't care. It's my blog and my opinion.
10. No More Heroes - The Wii was the weakest 7th generation console only because there weren't many games for the hardcore gamer. Sure there were some usual suspects here and there but that was it. Not a lot of third party support. There was this one game though that captured my eye as soon as it was announced and that was No More Heroes. The graphics were sick and the amount of violence for the Wii was alarming, but I loved it. So you know I had to play it. Once I got a taste, I couldn't stop. It used the Wii motion controls right. There wasn't much waggling and when there was, it was to finish off an enemy. The game had a simple structure as well. Fight, get money from side jobs fight some more. Simple. It won't win anything for narrative but it was flipping amazing. The bosses were crazy! I still remember some of the names, Holly Summers, Harvey, and Darkstar (who you never face) to name a few. And then, the ending! The reveal of Jeane being your sister, the way Travis kills her, and the crazy back story that broke the 4th wall. But if you got all the beam katanas you know there's the real ending you have to fight hard for by fighting Henry, who turns out to be the husband of the hot girl you're lusting for and your twin brother. Just the whole cut scene after the fight gives me goose bumps, about how they have to wrap up the game and then the ending picture. So amazing. Unfortunately after completely knocking it out of the park with One, NMH2 felt like it was lacking. It was way more serious than the 1st and it misled me as well. You start at rank 51 but don't fight nowhere near that many bosses. You jump so many times it's insane. And there was no epic boss fight at the end either. Obviously there's a last boss but he sucked compared to Jeane and Henry. NMH will stand out for being the 1st game I'm glad I had a Wii for. It was edgy, awesome and abstract and the Wii didn't have that before NMH was released. Most memorable moment - Henry battle in 1. Stupid hard long and cheap but the payoff was worth it.
9. Dead Space - I've never been a big survival horror fan. I played RE4 and it changed my mind. I know it's not really survival horror compared to the others in the series but whatever it scared me at times. I remember just falling in love with DS for just its ambience. I looked at it in Game Informer and was really intrigued by the space horror setting. I still remember playing it for the 1st time and genuinely being scared. And then, after 3 hours of play I got the Red Rings of Death. 1 month later I started again. To get the full experience I played at night. I had to, it just didn't feel right to play it without darkness. Anyway, Dead Space was a reboot of the survival horror franchise. It was the breath of fresh air it needed. It was such an amazing experience. The feeling of fear I felt was intense. You remember the big boss in 1 that you fought in zero gravity? I remember being terrified of getting close to that thing. DS was a thrill ride from beginning to end and the end scares me still till this day. I remember knowing the ending going into the game but it still got to me. Ah, so creepy! As with NMH, the sequels couldn't reach the original. For DS, it was the horror that couldn't be duplicated. 2 had little scary parts and 3 felt like more of an action romp than a horror game. Despite that, DS still stands out as this generation's top console survival horror game. I say console because I heard good things about Amnesia and still haven't played it. Anyway, it's a great game series that lost its way down the line but I'm hoping that in this generation it gets back on track. Can you imagine the scares it can produce with the graphics of PS4 and XBO?
8. Xenoblade Chronicles - For me, this is the swan song of Wii. Not Skyward Sword or Galaxy 2, Xenoblade. What a massive game to release on the Wii. And in the end of its lifespan too. Xenoblade was AMAZING. I'm a huge fan of RPGs and in this day and age, they don't come along that often. And they certainly don't release on the Wii. This game was just an amazing experience. From the non clichéd story to the excellent mix of real time and turn based battle styles, Xenoblade had it all. I was literally addicted to this game when it came out. I once played this for 12 hours straight. I haven't done that for an RPG since Persona 4. It was just something about the gameplay that came be coming back for more. I just liked leveling up, getting stronger, changing my equipment, killing monsters, it all just clicked. Xenoblade is my favorite Wii game, yes, even better than NMH. It beckons back to the days of old RPGs that broke the mold. Xenoblade is a sign that RPGs can still be successful in a generation filled with war shooters. I'll be getting a Wii U once they announce a release window for X.
7. Mirror's Edge - I remember seeing Mirror's Edge at E3 one year and being completely blown away. The free running, the graphics, just the overall feel of the game made me want it. It was one of the reasons why Microsoft sold me on Xbox 360, even though the game was available on PS3. When I played the first level like they did in the E3 demo, I was still memorized by it all but it wasn't an overwhelming feeling, I just wanted to explore the world more and find different ways to get to the end. Eventually, I played through the whole game again just to do that. I also enjoyed the combat quite a bit as well. Sometimes first person combat can make me dizzy and confused, but all the punches and kicks felt realistic and I actually felt like I was apart of the game itself. Mirror's Edge is on this list because it was the first game I played that made me really feel like it was a next gen game. I played this during the summer of 09 and was blown away then. This is another series that I can't wait comes to PS4 and XB0.
6. Dead Rising - This was originally why I wanted an Xbox 360. Capcom doesn't disappoint when it comes to zombie games. Well, at least they didn't at the time. So when it was announced that they were making a game with zombies that didn't have Resident Evil in the title, I was excited. Let me get something straight, Capcom was probably my favorite company growing up. They made some of my favorite games in my youth. Megaman Legends, Tron Bonne, and Dino Crisis just to name a few, so I trust Capcom when it comes to new games. I got this game two months after I bought my 360 and I loved every single bit of this game. It was challenging at first, but once I got the hang of it, I was in love. The time and survival structure of the game was awesome. I played the game the first time not knowing exactly who I could save or how and after beating it, I saw I missed a lot of people since some people only appear at certain times at certain places. That made a 2nd playthrough worth it because there was so much content I skipped on. If a game can make me it through twice, that usually means it's a winner in my books. Another great thing about the game was the psychopaths AKA the boss fights from the game. This fights genuinely felt like boss fights and I died plenty of times fighting these guys. My favorites include Cliff and Stephen. DR2 was also a great entry into the series and even added the ability to make weapons, which made for awesome weapon combinations. Dead Rising is on this list because it was fun and showed that games don't have to take themselves too serious to be good.
DR3 is just a week away and hopefully it can keep up with its predecessors.
5. Tales of Vesperia - Let me start this off by first saying that Tales of Vesperia is my favorite Tales game ever. I've played Destiny, Symphonia, Phantasia, Abyss, and Legendia but for me, this one just stands high above them. I also recently beat Xillia as well and while it's very good, it just didn't capture the same magic that Vesperia did for me. I got it for a graduation gift in 2009. At this time, I was a fan of the Tales series and the last RPG I played to completion was Persona 4 so expectations for the next RPG were high. I played Abyss, and I'll probably be hated for saying this, and I wasn't that big of a fan of it. I just don't know what didn't click for me but I just couldn't get into. I've always wanted to try it again since I have a 3DS but I'm getting off topic. Vesperia was just epic. The battle system is just so fun and it was actually a little challenging. I also liked the Secret Missions that accompanied boss battles that gave you the extra edge but what really made Vesperia the game for me was the coliseum and the casino. I LOVE gambling in video games. Like, A LOT. Metal Saga had a game where you had to gamble and find out what 3 numbers were up. I spent HOURS playing that. I just like making digital money and I spent many a hours in Vesperia's casino as well. The coliseum was fantastic as well. Fighting many of the bosses over again and even facing characters from past Tales games is always amazing. It was awesome being able to go through 200 enemies with just Yuri. Xillia was great but didn't have either of these two features. Yes, there is a coliseum but it's nowhere on the level of Vesperia's. It doesn't have the best story or best characters, but somehow, it manages to be my favorite JRPG of this generation. Vesperia is on this list because it proved JRPGs AREN'T DEAD! They may be releasing slowly, they are still coming. I'm highly anticipating TOX 2 next year but I'm even more excited to see Tales on PS4 or XBO.
4. Catherine - No game has made me ever think about my life more than Catherine. It made me question my very existence, the decisions I made, and who I really was and it was all due to the fantastic story that Catherine presented. It featured a man who was feeling trapped in his relationship with his girlfriend when this hot vixen comes along and starts making his life difficult. If you haven't played it, please go and try it out. It's really an interesting experience. I'm upset that Persona/SMT missed the 7th generation home consoles (or has it? There are some teasers from Atlus) but Catherine makes up for it a little bit. While the story is the game's strongest point, that doesn't mean the gameplay is lacking. It's definitely not for everyone though. When I first heard about the game, I was turned off but once I got the game in my hands, I felt stupid for even feeling that way. It's a puzzle game, where you back to pull and push blocks and try to climb up the tower before you die. It sounds easy, but there are different kinds of blocks and the game really throws you to the wolves early. It's a tough game no doubt but it's very rewarding. There's even a game within the game, which has its own little story and exact gameplay but to be honest, it feels totally different than Catherine. It even could have been its own game. After you beat this amazing game, there's an extra mode with superbly hard towers. Harder than ANYTHING else in the main game. It was so hard, I couldn't even beat the first one. I would get close, but always fail. Anyway, it's a fantastic game that deserves to be played just because it's DIFFERENT. And that's why it's so high on this list. There's no like Catherine in the 7th generation. With all the war shooters and cover based shooters out there, Catherine took a chance and wanted to be different and exciting and it succeed on both accounts. There's currently a teaser with from Atlus USA that shows an ultrasound. Maybe either Catherine or Katherine is pregnant? Maybe I'm stretching too much? I just would love to see a sequel to one of the most abstract games of this generation. If you like different games, before you make that switch over, please give this game a try. You won't regret it.
3. Heavy Rain - Decisions. That's what Heavy Rain is all about. With many games, if you do something incorrectly, the game will stop and force you to do it again to get it right. It's nothing wrong with that but Heavy Rain doesn't follow that. There is no failure in the game. Whatever you choose to do, you can do and that's what makes HR unique! You can finish the game without bringing the killer to justice and have all the characters have 'unhappy' endings or you can bring the killer to justice and bring the characters closure. It's really a fantastic experience just for that. The story is obviously the hook for this game. There characters are realistic and I felt for each character as they went through the game. Spoiler, but when Ethan is going through one of his trials and has to cut off his finger. I flipping went crazy when they told me I had to make that choice and then they had a nerve to put a timer on it. They make you walk around the room to find an instrument to cut the finger off. It's really a tense experience if you let yourself get lost in the game. Heavy Rain has many moments like this. Ethan's story is easily my favorite because each of his trials challenges a different ideal but they all deal with sacrifice. Would you sacrifice everything to save someone you love. It's stunning. I thought the reveal of the killer was a little out there but it was still shocking nonetheless and I enjoyed the endings I got for each character. I was a huge fan of Indigo Prophecy when it first released so it's only natural that I play this. I was blown away. It's just something you have to play for yourself. Heavy Rain is simply something you must play to get for yourself. It's hard for me to explain but trust me, it's worth the time. Quantic Dream had another successful hit with Beyond but it didn't have nearly as much control as Heavy Rain did. Can't wait to see what they do with PS4. The graphics were amazing for both games for PS3. Beyond pushed the PS3 to its absolute limit. Just imagine what's they'll do with a full game.
2. Dark Souls - Dark Souls is the most frustrating game I have EVER played. When you have trouble with the first couple of bosses, you know you're going to be in for a long ride. The thing that made Dark Souls so great was the I didn't care how much the game destroyed me, I kept coming back for more. The more times the bosses killed me, the more determined I was to come back and kill them. I would try different strategies, see what I could get away with and seeing what I couldn't it. It was a trial and error kind of thing but it felt great. Once you finally fell a boss that beat you 23 times before is a satisfying feeling. I remember feeling SO relieved after beating the Capra Demon. They make you fight this boss with NO REAL SPACE AT ALL! I died so many times but eventually, I got him. How about Chaos Witch Quelaag? That spider chick kept me busy one morning from 6:00AM to 8:30AM but after her defeat, IT FELT AMAZING. And who could ever forget beating Ornstein and Smough? One Dark Souls boss is hard enough but two and then the one gets stronger AFTER defeating the other? It was crap but the feeling afterwards it so great. But Dark Souls doesn't let you hold onto that feeling too long. No, it puts you through a lengthly dungeon that makes you feel weak all over again. And that's why Dark Souls is #2. It literally MAKES you continue on. Even though it beats you down to your lowest point, it just forces you to be better. It made me want to quit so many times, but I wanted to feel what it would be like if I could actually BEAT Dark Souls. That's what kept me going all 50 hours of my journey into the Hell known as Dark Souls. Dark Souls is the defining experience of my gaming life. It's something I kept with, despite having other games at the time and despite all the struggles, I can say I completed Dark Souls. Dark Souls is on this list because this game made me feel like a gamer again. I had to use EVERYTHING I learned from gaming to beat this game and it's the most rewarding feeling in the world. Dark Souls II drops March 11th and you damn right I'll journey into Hell again.
1. Deadly Premonition - Let me explain how I found out about this game. I'm a cheap gamer. When I see a game releasing for $20 on the first day, I run right to get it. If a game is $20 on 360, I'll give it a go. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be playing my favorite game from the 7th generation when I first put that game in my 360 tray. Why though? Why is Deadly Premonition such a good game? Because it's such a mess. The controls, when I first played it at least because the PS3 controls are great, are clunky, the visuals are 6th generations and the sound is horrible. Sometimes the music would be too low or too loud and the character voices would be inaudible. The good thing though, the presentation is the only thing that makes this game 'bad.' The story and characters in the game are fantastic. The story is a murder mystery whodunit and you'll be just like Francis York Morgan trying to figure out who the murderer is. It also has things not a lot of games has. You have to actually take care of your character. York's suit will start to smell if you don't change it regularly. He'll start to grow a beard if you don't shave. He'll get hungry and tired. The characters have their own schedules. There are dozens of side quests. It's open world, it's the triple the length of most games that came out in the 7th generation. It's just a memorizing game. It's like the survival horror of Silent Hill mixed with the sandbox world of GTA mixed with the TV Show Twin Peaks for one crazy amazingly epic game. Deadly Premonition is not for everyone. Many people will be put off by it's looks and dated feel but for those who stick with the game will find an intriguing story with memorable characters and horrifically funny and inappropriate upbeat music played during the game's darkest point. Deadly Premonition is my favorite game of the 7th generation simply because it's insane. There's no game that can quite match what DP puts on the table because it's so unique. And that's why I love it so much. I love gaming and I've played some of the top releases of each year this generation but I just love what DP does, how it does it, and how everything comes together for one glorious beautiful trainwreck as Destructoid once called it. It's so different and that's what matters most.
Well, the 7th generation isn't over JUST yet. There's still Castlevania, Dark Soul II and South Park just to name a few. These 10 games give me hope for the future of gaming. I just hope there's some kind of Deadly Premonition sequel! Thanks for reading!
Uncharted - Usually when I play games that are hugely anticipated, I feel they fall flat on their faces or don't meet the huge expectations that publications claim they set. Uncharted wasn't like that at all. It set the bar for all actions games to come this generation. It had great action, fun gameplay and something little AAA releases have, humor. I found myself laughing with Nate in all 3 console games. Uncharted will be remembered by me for being the archetype action adventure game of the generation. I mean just look at Tomb Raider from 2013.
The Last of Us - Lightning struck twice for Naughty Dog as they released this amazing gem earlier this year. It's very rarely developers release two different triple A series on consoles but that's what we got from them. As what could be described as PS3's swan song, TLOU did NOT disappoint. The game itself was fantastic, but what hit home was the realistic narrative. Now, I'm not a gamer who gets emotionally attached to characters and I don't care about who dies in the course of a story but I did in Last of Us. When Joel's daughter dies in the beginning I instantly felt for him and started to care for him as a character. I don't do that. Ever. Naughty Dog made me feel emotions like that. It's that reason alone that makes the ending so powerful. After all that Joel has done to get Ellie to the climax of the story only to not let her sacrifice herself for the world. You can relate to Joel. You might feel bad for the world but you understand why Joel would do what he did. Naughty Dog succeeded with Uncharted. They reached new ground with The Last of Us.
Oh and I won't be doing certain games from a series. Like if I out Final Fantasy on the list it includes ALL the FFs released in the generation. Also, this is an opinion based list. While I think all of these games are amazing in their own right, many will probably think I'm crazy for not having Halo or Gears on this list. Hey, I don't care. It's my blog and my opinion.
10. No More Heroes - The Wii was the weakest 7th generation console only because there weren't many games for the hardcore gamer. Sure there were some usual suspects here and there but that was it. Not a lot of third party support. There was this one game though that captured my eye as soon as it was announced and that was No More Heroes. The graphics were sick and the amount of violence for the Wii was alarming, but I loved it. So you know I had to play it. Once I got a taste, I couldn't stop. It used the Wii motion controls right. There wasn't much waggling and when there was, it was to finish off an enemy. The game had a simple structure as well. Fight, get money from side jobs fight some more. Simple. It won't win anything for narrative but it was flipping amazing. The bosses were crazy! I still remember some of the names, Holly Summers, Harvey, and Darkstar (who you never face) to name a few. And then, the ending! The reveal of Jeane being your sister, the way Travis kills her, and the crazy back story that broke the 4th wall. But if you got all the beam katanas you know there's the real ending you have to fight hard for by fighting Henry, who turns out to be the husband of the hot girl you're lusting for and your twin brother. Just the whole cut scene after the fight gives me goose bumps, about how they have to wrap up the game and then the ending picture. So amazing. Unfortunately after completely knocking it out of the park with One, NMH2 felt like it was lacking. It was way more serious than the 1st and it misled me as well. You start at rank 51 but don't fight nowhere near that many bosses. You jump so many times it's insane. And there was no epic boss fight at the end either. Obviously there's a last boss but he sucked compared to Jeane and Henry. NMH will stand out for being the 1st game I'm glad I had a Wii for. It was edgy, awesome and abstract and the Wii didn't have that before NMH was released. Most memorable moment - Henry battle in 1. Stupid hard long and cheap but the payoff was worth it.
9. Dead Space - I've never been a big survival horror fan. I played RE4 and it changed my mind. I know it's not really survival horror compared to the others in the series but whatever it scared me at times. I remember just falling in love with DS for just its ambience. I looked at it in Game Informer and was really intrigued by the space horror setting. I still remember playing it for the 1st time and genuinely being scared. And then, after 3 hours of play I got the Red Rings of Death. 1 month later I started again. To get the full experience I played at night. I had to, it just didn't feel right to play it without darkness. Anyway, Dead Space was a reboot of the survival horror franchise. It was the breath of fresh air it needed. It was such an amazing experience. The feeling of fear I felt was intense. You remember the big boss in 1 that you fought in zero gravity? I remember being terrified of getting close to that thing. DS was a thrill ride from beginning to end and the end scares me still till this day. I remember knowing the ending going into the game but it still got to me. Ah, so creepy! As with NMH, the sequels couldn't reach the original. For DS, it was the horror that couldn't be duplicated. 2 had little scary parts and 3 felt like more of an action romp than a horror game. Despite that, DS still stands out as this generation's top console survival horror game. I say console because I heard good things about Amnesia and still haven't played it. Anyway, it's a great game series that lost its way down the line but I'm hoping that in this generation it gets back on track. Can you imagine the scares it can produce with the graphics of PS4 and XBO?
8. Xenoblade Chronicles - For me, this is the swan song of Wii. Not Skyward Sword or Galaxy 2, Xenoblade. What a massive game to release on the Wii. And in the end of its lifespan too. Xenoblade was AMAZING. I'm a huge fan of RPGs and in this day and age, they don't come along that often. And they certainly don't release on the Wii. This game was just an amazing experience. From the non clichéd story to the excellent mix of real time and turn based battle styles, Xenoblade had it all. I was literally addicted to this game when it came out. I once played this for 12 hours straight. I haven't done that for an RPG since Persona 4. It was just something about the gameplay that came be coming back for more. I just liked leveling up, getting stronger, changing my equipment, killing monsters, it all just clicked. Xenoblade is my favorite Wii game, yes, even better than NMH. It beckons back to the days of old RPGs that broke the mold. Xenoblade is a sign that RPGs can still be successful in a generation filled with war shooters. I'll be getting a Wii U once they announce a release window for X.
7. Mirror's Edge - I remember seeing Mirror's Edge at E3 one year and being completely blown away. The free running, the graphics, just the overall feel of the game made me want it. It was one of the reasons why Microsoft sold me on Xbox 360, even though the game was available on PS3. When I played the first level like they did in the E3 demo, I was still memorized by it all but it wasn't an overwhelming feeling, I just wanted to explore the world more and find different ways to get to the end. Eventually, I played through the whole game again just to do that. I also enjoyed the combat quite a bit as well. Sometimes first person combat can make me dizzy and confused, but all the punches and kicks felt realistic and I actually felt like I was apart of the game itself. Mirror's Edge is on this list because it was the first game I played that made me really feel like it was a next gen game. I played this during the summer of 09 and was blown away then. This is another series that I can't wait comes to PS4 and XB0.
6. Dead Rising - This was originally why I wanted an Xbox 360. Capcom doesn't disappoint when it comes to zombie games. Well, at least they didn't at the time. So when it was announced that they were making a game with zombies that didn't have Resident Evil in the title, I was excited. Let me get something straight, Capcom was probably my favorite company growing up. They made some of my favorite games in my youth. Megaman Legends, Tron Bonne, and Dino Crisis just to name a few, so I trust Capcom when it comes to new games. I got this game two months after I bought my 360 and I loved every single bit of this game. It was challenging at first, but once I got the hang of it, I was in love. The time and survival structure of the game was awesome. I played the game the first time not knowing exactly who I could save or how and after beating it, I saw I missed a lot of people since some people only appear at certain times at certain places. That made a 2nd playthrough worth it because there was so much content I skipped on. If a game can make me it through twice, that usually means it's a winner in my books. Another great thing about the game was the psychopaths AKA the boss fights from the game. This fights genuinely felt like boss fights and I died plenty of times fighting these guys. My favorites include Cliff and Stephen. DR2 was also a great entry into the series and even added the ability to make weapons, which made for awesome weapon combinations. Dead Rising is on this list because it was fun and showed that games don't have to take themselves too serious to be good.
DR3 is just a week away and hopefully it can keep up with its predecessors.
5. Tales of Vesperia - Let me start this off by first saying that Tales of Vesperia is my favorite Tales game ever. I've played Destiny, Symphonia, Phantasia, Abyss, and Legendia but for me, this one just stands high above them. I also recently beat Xillia as well and while it's very good, it just didn't capture the same magic that Vesperia did for me. I got it for a graduation gift in 2009. At this time, I was a fan of the Tales series and the last RPG I played to completion was Persona 4 so expectations for the next RPG were high. I played Abyss, and I'll probably be hated for saying this, and I wasn't that big of a fan of it. I just don't know what didn't click for me but I just couldn't get into. I've always wanted to try it again since I have a 3DS but I'm getting off topic. Vesperia was just epic. The battle system is just so fun and it was actually a little challenging. I also liked the Secret Missions that accompanied boss battles that gave you the extra edge but what really made Vesperia the game for me was the coliseum and the casino. I LOVE gambling in video games. Like, A LOT. Metal Saga had a game where you had to gamble and find out what 3 numbers were up. I spent HOURS playing that. I just like making digital money and I spent many a hours in Vesperia's casino as well. The coliseum was fantastic as well. Fighting many of the bosses over again and even facing characters from past Tales games is always amazing. It was awesome being able to go through 200 enemies with just Yuri. Xillia was great but didn't have either of these two features. Yes, there is a coliseum but it's nowhere on the level of Vesperia's. It doesn't have the best story or best characters, but somehow, it manages to be my favorite JRPG of this generation. Vesperia is on this list because it proved JRPGs AREN'T DEAD! They may be releasing slowly, they are still coming. I'm highly anticipating TOX 2 next year but I'm even more excited to see Tales on PS4 or XBO.
4. Catherine - No game has made me ever think about my life more than Catherine. It made me question my very existence, the decisions I made, and who I really was and it was all due to the fantastic story that Catherine presented. It featured a man who was feeling trapped in his relationship with his girlfriend when this hot vixen comes along and starts making his life difficult. If you haven't played it, please go and try it out. It's really an interesting experience. I'm upset that Persona/SMT missed the 7th generation home consoles (or has it? There are some teasers from Atlus) but Catherine makes up for it a little bit. While the story is the game's strongest point, that doesn't mean the gameplay is lacking. It's definitely not for everyone though. When I first heard about the game, I was turned off but once I got the game in my hands, I felt stupid for even feeling that way. It's a puzzle game, where you back to pull and push blocks and try to climb up the tower before you die. It sounds easy, but there are different kinds of blocks and the game really throws you to the wolves early. It's a tough game no doubt but it's very rewarding. There's even a game within the game, which has its own little story and exact gameplay but to be honest, it feels totally different than Catherine. It even could have been its own game. After you beat this amazing game, there's an extra mode with superbly hard towers. Harder than ANYTHING else in the main game. It was so hard, I couldn't even beat the first one. I would get close, but always fail. Anyway, it's a fantastic game that deserves to be played just because it's DIFFERENT. And that's why it's so high on this list. There's no like Catherine in the 7th generation. With all the war shooters and cover based shooters out there, Catherine took a chance and wanted to be different and exciting and it succeed on both accounts. There's currently a teaser with from Atlus USA that shows an ultrasound. Maybe either Catherine or Katherine is pregnant? Maybe I'm stretching too much? I just would love to see a sequel to one of the most abstract games of this generation. If you like different games, before you make that switch over, please give this game a try. You won't regret it.
3. Heavy Rain - Decisions. That's what Heavy Rain is all about. With many games, if you do something incorrectly, the game will stop and force you to do it again to get it right. It's nothing wrong with that but Heavy Rain doesn't follow that. There is no failure in the game. Whatever you choose to do, you can do and that's what makes HR unique! You can finish the game without bringing the killer to justice and have all the characters have 'unhappy' endings or you can bring the killer to justice and bring the characters closure. It's really a fantastic experience just for that. The story is obviously the hook for this game. There characters are realistic and I felt for each character as they went through the game. Spoiler, but when Ethan is going through one of his trials and has to cut off his finger. I flipping went crazy when they told me I had to make that choice and then they had a nerve to put a timer on it. They make you walk around the room to find an instrument to cut the finger off. It's really a tense experience if you let yourself get lost in the game. Heavy Rain has many moments like this. Ethan's story is easily my favorite because each of his trials challenges a different ideal but they all deal with sacrifice. Would you sacrifice everything to save someone you love. It's stunning. I thought the reveal of the killer was a little out there but it was still shocking nonetheless and I enjoyed the endings I got for each character. I was a huge fan of Indigo Prophecy when it first released so it's only natural that I play this. I was blown away. It's just something you have to play for yourself. Heavy Rain is simply something you must play to get for yourself. It's hard for me to explain but trust me, it's worth the time. Quantic Dream had another successful hit with Beyond but it didn't have nearly as much control as Heavy Rain did. Can't wait to see what they do with PS4. The graphics were amazing for both games for PS3. Beyond pushed the PS3 to its absolute limit. Just imagine what's they'll do with a full game.
2. Dark Souls - Dark Souls is the most frustrating game I have EVER played. When you have trouble with the first couple of bosses, you know you're going to be in for a long ride. The thing that made Dark Souls so great was the I didn't care how much the game destroyed me, I kept coming back for more. The more times the bosses killed me, the more determined I was to come back and kill them. I would try different strategies, see what I could get away with and seeing what I couldn't it. It was a trial and error kind of thing but it felt great. Once you finally fell a boss that beat you 23 times before is a satisfying feeling. I remember feeling SO relieved after beating the Capra Demon. They make you fight this boss with NO REAL SPACE AT ALL! I died so many times but eventually, I got him. How about Chaos Witch Quelaag? That spider chick kept me busy one morning from 6:00AM to 8:30AM but after her defeat, IT FELT AMAZING. And who could ever forget beating Ornstein and Smough? One Dark Souls boss is hard enough but two and then the one gets stronger AFTER defeating the other? It was crap but the feeling afterwards it so great. But Dark Souls doesn't let you hold onto that feeling too long. No, it puts you through a lengthly dungeon that makes you feel weak all over again. And that's why Dark Souls is #2. It literally MAKES you continue on. Even though it beats you down to your lowest point, it just forces you to be better. It made me want to quit so many times, but I wanted to feel what it would be like if I could actually BEAT Dark Souls. That's what kept me going all 50 hours of my journey into the Hell known as Dark Souls. Dark Souls is the defining experience of my gaming life. It's something I kept with, despite having other games at the time and despite all the struggles, I can say I completed Dark Souls. Dark Souls is on this list because this game made me feel like a gamer again. I had to use EVERYTHING I learned from gaming to beat this game and it's the most rewarding feeling in the world. Dark Souls II drops March 11th and you damn right I'll journey into Hell again.
1. Deadly Premonition - Let me explain how I found out about this game. I'm a cheap gamer. When I see a game releasing for $20 on the first day, I run right to get it. If a game is $20 on 360, I'll give it a go. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be playing my favorite game from the 7th generation when I first put that game in my 360 tray. Why though? Why is Deadly Premonition such a good game? Because it's such a mess. The controls, when I first played it at least because the PS3 controls are great, are clunky, the visuals are 6th generations and the sound is horrible. Sometimes the music would be too low or too loud and the character voices would be inaudible. The good thing though, the presentation is the only thing that makes this game 'bad.' The story and characters in the game are fantastic. The story is a murder mystery whodunit and you'll be just like Francis York Morgan trying to figure out who the murderer is. It also has things not a lot of games has. You have to actually take care of your character. York's suit will start to smell if you don't change it regularly. He'll start to grow a beard if you don't shave. He'll get hungry and tired. The characters have their own schedules. There are dozens of side quests. It's open world, it's the triple the length of most games that came out in the 7th generation. It's just a memorizing game. It's like the survival horror of Silent Hill mixed with the sandbox world of GTA mixed with the TV Show Twin Peaks for one crazy amazingly epic game. Deadly Premonition is not for everyone. Many people will be put off by it's looks and dated feel but for those who stick with the game will find an intriguing story with memorable characters and horrifically funny and inappropriate upbeat music played during the game's darkest point. Deadly Premonition is my favorite game of the 7th generation simply because it's insane. There's no game that can quite match what DP puts on the table because it's so unique. And that's why I love it so much. I love gaming and I've played some of the top releases of each year this generation but I just love what DP does, how it does it, and how everything comes together for one glorious beautiful trainwreck as Destructoid once called it. It's so different and that's what matters most.
Well, the 7th generation isn't over JUST yet. There's still Castlevania, Dark Soul II and South Park just to name a few. These 10 games give me hope for the future of gaming. I just hope there's some kind of Deadly Premonition sequel! Thanks for reading!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Is the smaller guy push over?
Has anyone been reading the dirt sheets lately? I know that we shouldn't follow it like it's guaranteed but the recent rumors that the small guy push is ending scares me. Guys like Punk and Bryan are going be basic mid carders having great matches while guys like Ryback who only have the look will main event PPVs and be successful. That's scary when you consider most of the NXT roster are smaller guys. It's also scary considering WWE are scouting Prince Devitt. I don't want to see a guy like Devitt, who's extremely talented, fall into mid card hell when in NJPW, he's the leader of his own stable. I want to see Devitt feud with the top guys in the company. Yes I want to see Devitt/Punk with all my being but not as a mid card feud. They deserve the superstar treating as well. What about talented stars like Xavier Woods and Adrien Neville? Are they just doing all this hard work in NXT to be jobbers on the main roster? Heaven forbid. What about Rollings and Ambrose? What's life after The Shield going to be like for those two quality stars? A main event on Superstars? It's just not fair to guys who have busted their asses so hard.
If you're going to focus on bigger guys, fine that's cool, but push guys who haven't had a chance yet. I'm liking The Wyatt Family push. Those are all some big dudes. I hope Wyatt himself can use this to get pushed into the WWE Title picture. Big E Langston is another one I like. Each week I'm starting to become a fan of his and his match with Orton this past week wasn't that bad. If he becomes a World Title contender in 2014, that would be pretty sweet. And if we're talking about big guys who deserve pushes, can we not forget about a man who led his own group called Nexus in 2010. Wade Barrett has every tool needed to be a power player in WWE. They've already proven that when he main evented all the PPVs he did in 2010. I think Barrett and Wyatt are the two big guys WWE have that can most gain if the small guy push is over. That could even be a PPV main event down the line, you never know.
Survivor Series is one of my favorite PPVs of the year, behind Wrestlemania and my all time favorite, Royal Rumble. The reason being, the SS Traditional 5-on-5 matches. And I'm not talking about the earlier ones. I'm a fan of the ones with major implications on the line. Who could forget the 2001 match between WWF and WCW/ECW? Winner gets control of the company. It had all the tension a main event should and came down to two of the biggest stars in WWE history; Rock and Stone Cold. 2003 had Stone Cold's job up for grabs which easily could have been the main event. Orton's Survivor Series dominance would begin there. I miss those days. Sure the last couple SS matches have been good, like Rhodes and Barrett surviving in 2011 and Ziggler in 2012, but where are the implications?!?! They need to do one with the title on the line. Like if Cena captained a team against Del Rio. Let's do Cena/Punk/Bryan/Rhodes/Goldust vs Del Rio/Harper/Rowan/Swagger/Cesaro. Let it be for Cena's title with whoever pins Cena for the title to become champion but if that person is pinned, then the person who beat him is champion. That would go on until there is a World Champion. What if Cena retains with his whole team intact? Those guys would be subject to title matches on upcoming Raws. Same goes for Del Rio and his team. If Cena is eliminated and the last guy remaining on his team, Goldust, wins, then Goldust would be World Champion. It's really a crazy idea but I think it would work in the end. It would pit teammate against teammate and add tension back into Survivor Series. It would be my most anticipated match of the night and with due reason. Anything could happen. Anyone could walk out as champion. Anyone could turn for the shot of being champion. Who would survive? What a match idea!
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