Capcom were always going to have a tough time after Resident evil 4. Not only was it an amazing sequel, but it was a brilliant game which set the template for a plethora of third person action games which would release in the follow up generation. When you've managed to completely redefine a genre and set a standard, it's difficult to do it again. And in this sense you could argue perhaps some of us were a bit too hard on 5. Resident evil 5 wasn't a terrible game. But it felt like it was trying to mimic much of what others had done before it, as opposed to trying to carve its own niche. The irony being that the games Resident evil 5 was trying to mimic were games which were influenced by Resident evil 4 in the first place; most notably Gears of war. It felt strange. Capcom have admitted on many occasions that they're aware of the backlash they'd received as a result of deviating from much of what makes Resident evil Resident evil. Hence why we got Lost in nightmares and Revelations, both presenting a dramatic shift in pace and tone from Resident evil 5 more akin to what came before. One would think in lieu of these two throwback Resident evil experiences coming after 5 that 6 would follow suit!? Wrong. SO fucking wrong. Cue new Resident evil 6 trailer with helicopters, SWAT teams, zip lining, exploding cars, warfare outbreaks in central China and superhuman kung fu.
It's difficult to catch from this trailer what exactly direction Capcom have taken with this game, seeing as it looks like three separate games with a Chronicles style setup of parallel / intertwined stories from the viewpoints of different characters, each with their own styles of game play. Leon's section reeked of nostalgia: a familiar city, zombies, darkness and isolation. Chris' section ups the action ante with melee cover, explosions, civilians and has more in common with Ghost recon with a split second of Assassin creed (watch Chris mack his Ezio shove game from 1:40 onwards) than anything we've seen in Resident evil before. And the final section looked like Infamous without the electricity, a lightsaber and a bit The Matrix reloaded.
I can cuss Final Fantasy out until Square Enix actually make a decent one. But I know I will be buying every new instalment without fail. Regardless of whether it's slated, looks shit or features a ho as the lead character whom I wanted dead in the game which came before. This is a form of scepticism I've taken ever since the series hit that vertical slope into mediocrity. I could stay away, but I know I won't. And Square Enix's tenacity to have this game sell with a large scale promotional campaign which went as far as dominating the entire exit of Earl's court station and making a demo of the game available to download...I find it really admirable. Even if winds up duping me in the process.
I had absolutely no idea what was going on when I booted up the demo, but I knew I liked it. Not even 2 minutes into the demo and I've managed to travel through time, get attacked by a giant hand, see a pet moogle transform into a crossbow and engage in a fight with said hand. This game is already looking more exciting than XIII and Square Enix are so getting a pre-order from me.
New year's resolutions always feel pointless to me, because of one simple reason. If there's something you really want to do, adhere to, or achieve then you should just set yourself goal posts at any time. Not just the start of a year. Making a resolution at the top of the year in theory sounds like the best time to do it. New year, new slate and all that shit. But we should never see the end of a year / the start of a new one as a chance to start fresh just because it's easier. We can chose to start afresh and make a resolution at any time we choose. Not when society, tradition and a calendar on the wall dictates we must; which is why I think new year's resolutions are a load of wank. Having said that, I still made some.
My new year's resolutions for the year of 2012 are as follows:
To not tell you all of my resolutions
Not make too many resolutions
Be more patient
Drink more water
Join a gym
Eat less pizza
I can tell you here and now that at least for of these will be broken by this weekend. See? Pointless.
Have any of you made new year's resolution's? If you don't mind sharing them with me, then please do tell me! I solemnly promise not to rub it in your face when you break them not even 45 minutes after you'd told me.
I started plugging my podcasts on this blog centuries ago when I began podcasting. And then several era's down the line I'd stopped because I felt deep shame in regards to them. Relegating all communication of my podcasts existing to a small banner on the right hand side of my blog. Look at it. Feebly flashing yellow within an inch of its life. But what's the point of podcasting if I'm not going to let all of the two people who visit my blog that I have released one!? So this is me. Informing you that I have a new podcast out.
My next blog update on me having a new podcast available for your listening displeasure will come in 4 months time if my podcasting schedule for 2012 is anything like 2011's. Again...deep shame. It's what I should change the name of my podcasts to. It has a rather nice ring to it.
Mum: Son, I've been reading the Steve Jobs biography and I have to keep putting it down, because I can't believe some of it. *picks up iPhone to check a text* He's terrible! An absolute wanker! I'm never spending a penny on anything Apple...EVER!!
Me: But...my Christmas card from you had an iTunes gift voucher in it..
Mum: *Stands in silence and a long pause ensues* That Steve Jobs is a monster.
I decided to give Deus ex another go and I've only died 26 times so far, which is 57 times less than the last time I tried to play it. And I've also managed to make it out of the police station with the post mortem evidence. RESULT!! It only took me 3 months and 2 and a half hours out of my bank holiday Tuesday.
I thought my constant dying was because I was so shit at the game, but talking to a buddy of mine who is currently playing through it indicates that the game is hard. Either that or we're just both rubbish at the game. I think it's a combination of both.
I can't stand Devil may cry. The first game was just a stylized mess to me and at no point did I enjoy playing it. But I did love Dante. He was a breath of fresh air and was one of the first male characters in an all new IP who came along and just oozed blatant sexuality in a way we'd only seen done with female characters prior. Capcom downplayed it in future games, but it was always there. So for Capcom to remove the Dante we all know / love / might want to have sex with in a forthcoming Devil may cry game and re-name the new character...Dante is a huge risk for a character whose style helped define the games.
The latest trailer doesn't show a great deal. But it looks pretty. Although I couldn't help but think This reminds me of Bayonetta, which in turns was just Devil may cry with some witch stripper ho, which in turn was - oh, just watch the trailer.
The floor said FUCK YOU and Willow Smith appeared as a hologram. I'm not even going to try and make sense of this.
I'm already missing old Dante. The new Dante isn't as sexy and he is wearing a shirt under his leather jacket. The old Dante never would have worn a shirt under his leather jacket.
Metal Gear Solid: Rising (now Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance) comes with an all singing, dancing, running around train tunnels walls and slashtastic trailer. But you could be mistaken for confusing it with a Ninja Gaiden game or Bayonetta. Hence why the trailer production team probably felt compelled to throw giant Transformer style font words in every 10 seconds to remind us this isn't that Tecmo ninja game or the adventures of that witch ho with teh guns and teh super hair.
With Platinum games developing the game it's no wonder it looks like a cross between Bayonetta and Vanquish. This game will service PS3 and XBox 360 action nuts nicely. But just how far this game will go towards pushing the Metal Gear universe and being a relevant part of it remains to be seen. Because I'm getting nothing but generic, throwaway, same ol' same ol' vibes from what I can see of the gameplay. And even if Revengeance does become a vehicle for lots of key Metal Gear plot pieces; are fans willing to pay the price of it being bastardized in the form of some generic hack 'n slash game? I love the Metal Gear franchise, but this game looks like it's gonna have to take a spot on my miss list.
Hideo loves any reason to show off Raiden's body, so I'm sure we can expect super hyper drive attacks which see Raiden flapping around in the wind as his exoskeleton armour transforms into a megazord and kills everything within a 20 meter radius.
Uncharted 3 is still flying off of shelves, Nolan North is still pimping the franchise and Naughty dog are in everybody's good books. So now is as good a time as any to sucker punch everybody with a look at a brand new game, The last of us. I say brand new. But this game looks like I am dead Uncharted island legend.
It's great to see that Naughty dog are looking ahead beyond the Uncharted franchise. What we see in this trailer isn't all that new. But at least it's not Uncharted: Drake's last memory or a Crash Bandicoot game. And trailers can be misleading. We all remember that Dead island trailer fiasco.
If Naughty dog can make The last of us about the relationship between Joel and Ellie, then this could be what makes the game distinct from all of the other 'city infected in the dawn of an apocalyptic landscape' titles on the market. Because if there's one thing Naughty dog have mastered over the course of Uncharted, it's relationships between characters and making them feel real and tangible. We also do not know what the relationship between Joel and Ellie is, so there could be a cool twist here - because they don't seem to be father and daughter. And there's also no guarantee they'll be the only main characters in the game. Again...that Dead island trailer fiasco. Trust no trailer.
