When DmC Devil May Cry was announced at GamesCom in 2010, many fans believed it would be the death of their beloved franchise. While they viewed Devil May Cry 4 in somewhat of a mixed light, it provided the combat and difficulty necessities they desired in a DMC game. Given that Ninja Theory’s expertise was in storytelling and not combat, this left a lot to wonder if the development team could provide a deep combat system to entice players to coming back to a party where they were told they were unwelcome.
The good news is that DmC’s strongest feature is in its’ core combat mechanics. While it’s not as deep as previous Devil May Cry games, it’s fun and engaging. Switching from Rebellion to your Angel or Demon weapon on the fly makes it thrilling to beat enemies up to get your style meter up. While the Style Meter has been adjusted to make it easier for newer players to rank better than they’re actually doing, it doesn’t really take away from the game’s enjoyment unless you miss the older scoring system. You’ll also miss a lock-on button. While some Capcom testers have said that lock-on is neither needed nor missed, that is factually false. Instead, the gameplay relies on having two buttons dedicated to dodge, with no differences between them. The lack of lock-on is baffling, and in later fights leads to severe issues with camera and targeting enemies you don’t want to hit or can’t hit due to having the wrong weapon out.
However, what hurts the combat is that there are certain enemies in the game that require you to use an Angel or Demon weapon against them to kill them. This hurts the game’s pacing, and it shows an uneven design. Whereas you can kill most Demon enemies quickly, Angel enemies are tedious and a chore to fight, sometimes taking minutes to down one of them. Outside of these quirks, the game’s challenge is minimal, even on Nephilim, the game’s default Hard Mode. Enemies are slow, dumb and dealt with mostly by force. The game’s checkpoints upon death are also user friendly, having you start back at the beginning of the fight you last died on with full health. It’s nice that it caters to the casual player so much, and gets you back into the action quickly.
The game has several pacing issues outside of combat as well. Some levels, while beautifully designed and aesthetically interesting, can range anywhere from five to 25 minutes. It’s uneven, and bizarre that a level can last two minutes while the next one is over 30. The game’s first mission has you going through a Demon Carnival and a Mansion, which are excellent designed and paced. One of the better looking levels has Dante going through rounds of fights in a demon world version of a nightclub. It’s a brilliant level, with excellent visuals and music along with some interesting fights. But, like the rest of the game, what comes after is astonishingly bad. Boss fights in DmC are truly a low point for the series. While some are visually interesting, ultimately the fights are dull, simple and feel out of place. Some regular enemies in the game pose a more significant threat to you than any of the game’s boss fights, including the game’s anti-climactic boss fight, which comes out of nowhere from a narrative perspective.
Speaking of, the game’s story is genuinely dreadful. While the game starts out with a somewhat tongue-in-cheek nature, it quickly turns to being super serious and never lets up. The problem is it’s not cute, it’s not clever, it’s not edgy and it’s not good. Some of the moments in the story are absolutely repulsive and should not be applauded by anyone. It just gets in the way of what you’re trying to do, play the game. The characters and scenarios in the game are also poorly written. There’s very little motivation to hate certain characters and while you’re supposed to applaud the heroes, more often than not the game gives you moments where you will shake your head at their actions. It’s juvenile and gives the sense that it’s better than it actually is.
The fundamental gameplay of DmC is strong; it has a good user interface as excites you when you expand your arsenal. It will anger and depress you through its’ poor focus on characters and story interaction all while getting in the way of you enjoying the game. It may be worth your time, but for how long and how much is entirely up to you. It’s got a lot of negativity surrounding it, and not from fan backlash.
Score: 7 out of 10
+ Good Combat
+ Nice Visuals
- Poor Story and Characters
- No Challenge
- 30fps on Consoles
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
NFL 2012 Championship Predictions
The Conference Championships are here, and with that, comes predictions.
San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons
3:00pm EST - Fox
I expect this game to a be low scoring affair that is in line with last year's NFC Championship Game. But unlike last year, San Francisco will come out on top in this one due to their defense. While Atlanta is known for winning close games, eventually, they will have to lose one, and today is that game.
San Francisco - 17, Atlanta - 10
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
6:30pm EST - CBS
While this one is a rematch from last year's Championship Game, expect no less drama and excitement. These two teams know how to play each other and it's almost always great. While Baltimore is a considerable underdog, Ray Lewis is a great motivator, and I think he's saved his greatest motivation for this final drive. While the Patriots have a great offense and good defense, the Ravens are this year's magic team, like the Giants and Packers before them.
Baltimore - 24, New England - 20
San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons
3:00pm EST - Fox
I expect this game to a be low scoring affair that is in line with last year's NFC Championship Game. But unlike last year, San Francisco will come out on top in this one due to their defense. While Atlanta is known for winning close games, eventually, they will have to lose one, and today is that game.
San Francisco - 17, Atlanta - 10
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
6:30pm EST - CBS
While this one is a rematch from last year's Championship Game, expect no less drama and excitement. These two teams know how to play each other and it's almost always great. While Baltimore is a considerable underdog, Ray Lewis is a great motivator, and I think he's saved his greatest motivation for this final drive. While the Patriots have a great offense and good defense, the Ravens are this year's magic team, like the Giants and Packers before them.
Baltimore - 24, New England - 20
Saturday, January 12, 2013
NFL 2012 Divisional Round Predictions
I have been busy/sick again this week and I forgot to put this up. Here's a quick version of it:
Baltimore over Denver
San Francisco over Green Bay
Atlanta over Seattle
New England over Houston
I'll do a more in-depth analysis next week, I promise.
Baltimore over Denver
San Francisco over Green Bay
Atlanta over Seattle
New England over Houston
I'll do a more in-depth analysis next week, I promise.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
NFL 2012 NFC Wild Card Round Analysis
With one half of my analysis already complete, it's time to look at the NFC side of the playoff tree. One matchup is a divisional rivalry while the other is a playoff matchup that seems to show up pretty often as of late.
#6 - Minnesota Vikings @ #3 - Green Bay Packers
Saturday, January 5th, 8:00pm EST
While the Packers are two years removed from their last Super Bowl, Aaron Rodgers has become the quiet talk of the league for best quarterback. He's led the team to a 9-2 record down the stretch, and is one of the best players in football. The only problem is that he hasn't won a home playoff game, despite winning 3 on the road. He's ultimately the one that has to play well if the Packers have any hope of winning. The Green Bay defense has not been kind over the past two seasons, especially last year when they got humiliated by the Giants at home in the divisional round of the Playoffs. It also doesn't help that the Packers have allowed 400+ rushing yards to Adrian Peterson this year, who is facing them again on Saturday. But the Packers have the home field advantage here and the Vikings quarterback is ultimately a suit, someone who really shouldn't be in the League anyway. Despite the Packers not taking him seriously on Sunday, rest assured they will see him as a threat this Saturday.
The Vikings are led by Adrian Peterson, who 12 months ago broke the two major bones in his leg, and was expected to miss this entire season due to that injury. But he's come back in stride to lead the NFL in rushing yards, and got his team to the playoffs almost all by himself. Why you ask? Like I mentioned before, Christian Ponder, the Vikings QB, is pretty bad. He's unreliable, mistake prone and plays poorly under pressure. The Vikings defense is good, but they ultimately flounder on the road, particularly in cold weather. It's not impossible for the Vikings to win this Saturday, as they've played the Packers well for the past 4-5 seasons. But in order to win this time around, they'll have to get a perfect game out of their defense, an average game out of Ponder and a great game out of Peterson in order to do it.
Prediction: Green Bay - 20, Minnesota - 10
#5 - Seattle Seahawks @ #4 - Washington Redskins
Sunday, January 6th, 4:30pm EST
The Washington Redskins are the team everyone loves to pile on when the chips are down. In no large part thanks to their owner, his offseason moves, and the way the team has found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Washington Redskins for the last decade have embodied Washington sports teams like no other. They couldn't catch a break, even if they tried. But this year, they got two. Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. While RG3 was drafted #2 in the NFL draft after the Redskins traded two draft picks for him, the Redskins drafted Morris out of Florida Atlantic in the sixth round. The results for Washington, while starting out slow and Redskins-esque, has flourished over the the past seven weeks, where the team hasn't lost. The Redskins have closed games out when they should have. They made plays on both sides of the ball when it was necessary and they caught breaks. But in the back of everyone's minds is 'can they keep this up?' Even in my mind, where the worst is always at the top, I can't help but think good things right now.
The Seattle Seahawks are the talk of the NFL, at least if you listen to the news. Russel Wilson is a media darling, and their defense is stout. Having scored 40+ points in 3 consecutive weeks, including a game over division rival San Francisco, the Seahawks are a buzz like no other. It partially started due to the replacement referees' help during Week 3 against the Packers, but since then they have some legitimate wins. But those wins, particularly over New England and San Francisco were at home, where they were undefeated. On the road, Seattle is 3-5, a place where they have struggled for a long time. Considering their jekyl and hyde type play for home and away games, I question whether or not Seattle will play well going from Seattle to Washington, with a rookie QB, against a team that many are overlooking, despite having the longest winning streak in the league. While Seattle and Washington have played in the playoffs the last two times the Redskins have made it, those games were in Seattle, and they were close. Even though there's different personnel now, certain teams know how to play each other for years, and I think this one is no different.
Prediction: Washington - 23, Seattle - 13
That's it for my predictions this week. Have a good wild card weekend!
#6 - Minnesota Vikings @ #3 - Green Bay Packers
Saturday, January 5th, 8:00pm EST
While the Packers are two years removed from their last Super Bowl, Aaron Rodgers has become the quiet talk of the league for best quarterback. He's led the team to a 9-2 record down the stretch, and is one of the best players in football. The only problem is that he hasn't won a home playoff game, despite winning 3 on the road. He's ultimately the one that has to play well if the Packers have any hope of winning. The Green Bay defense has not been kind over the past two seasons, especially last year when they got humiliated by the Giants at home in the divisional round of the Playoffs. It also doesn't help that the Packers have allowed 400+ rushing yards to Adrian Peterson this year, who is facing them again on Saturday. But the Packers have the home field advantage here and the Vikings quarterback is ultimately a suit, someone who really shouldn't be in the League anyway. Despite the Packers not taking him seriously on Sunday, rest assured they will see him as a threat this Saturday.
The Vikings are led by Adrian Peterson, who 12 months ago broke the two major bones in his leg, and was expected to miss this entire season due to that injury. But he's come back in stride to lead the NFL in rushing yards, and got his team to the playoffs almost all by himself. Why you ask? Like I mentioned before, Christian Ponder, the Vikings QB, is pretty bad. He's unreliable, mistake prone and plays poorly under pressure. The Vikings defense is good, but they ultimately flounder on the road, particularly in cold weather. It's not impossible for the Vikings to win this Saturday, as they've played the Packers well for the past 4-5 seasons. But in order to win this time around, they'll have to get a perfect game out of their defense, an average game out of Ponder and a great game out of Peterson in order to do it.
Prediction: Green Bay - 20, Minnesota - 10
#5 - Seattle Seahawks @ #4 - Washington Redskins
Sunday, January 6th, 4:30pm EST
The Washington Redskins are the team everyone loves to pile on when the chips are down. In no large part thanks to their owner, his offseason moves, and the way the team has found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Washington Redskins for the last decade have embodied Washington sports teams like no other. They couldn't catch a break, even if they tried. But this year, they got two. Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. While RG3 was drafted #2 in the NFL draft after the Redskins traded two draft picks for him, the Redskins drafted Morris out of Florida Atlantic in the sixth round. The results for Washington, while starting out slow and Redskins-esque, has flourished over the the past seven weeks, where the team hasn't lost. The Redskins have closed games out when they should have. They made plays on both sides of the ball when it was necessary and they caught breaks. But in the back of everyone's minds is 'can they keep this up?' Even in my mind, where the worst is always at the top, I can't help but think good things right now.
The Seattle Seahawks are the talk of the NFL, at least if you listen to the news. Russel Wilson is a media darling, and their defense is stout. Having scored 40+ points in 3 consecutive weeks, including a game over division rival San Francisco, the Seahawks are a buzz like no other. It partially started due to the replacement referees' help during Week 3 against the Packers, but since then they have some legitimate wins. But those wins, particularly over New England and San Francisco were at home, where they were undefeated. On the road, Seattle is 3-5, a place where they have struggled for a long time. Considering their jekyl and hyde type play for home and away games, I question whether or not Seattle will play well going from Seattle to Washington, with a rookie QB, against a team that many are overlooking, despite having the longest winning streak in the league. While Seattle and Washington have played in the playoffs the last two times the Redskins have made it, those games were in Seattle, and they were close. Even though there's different personnel now, certain teams know how to play each other for years, and I think this one is no different.
Prediction: Washington - 23, Seattle - 13
That's it for my predictions this week. Have a good wild card weekend!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
NFL 2012 AFC Wild-Card Round Analysis
Happy New Year! While it may be a new year, it is not a new season for the NFL. The 2012 Playoffs are set to begin. Today, I'll be looking at and breaking down the AFC Wild Card matchups. On Thursday I'll be looking at the NFC Wild Card matchups. It's been an interesting year in the NFL this year, and week 17 proved that on both the AFC and NFC side of things, shifting many playoff positions, changing many fates of teams that continue on this season. For now, let's take a look at the first matchup of the AFC playoffs:
#6 - Cincinnati Bengals @ #3 - Houston Texans
Saturday, January 5th, 4:30pm EST
A few weeks ago, the Houston Texans were the best team in football. They looked unstoppable and were only a single win from clinching not only the AFC south, but homefield advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. And then New England happened. After a 42-14 drubbing at the hands of the Patriots, the Texans clinched the AFC south with a victory over Indianapolis at home. After that, their offense failed to show up against Minnesota and Indianapolis, which allowed Denver and New England to leapfrog them in the standings. Instead of resting up for a Divisional Playoff game at home in two weeks, they're in a rematch of last year's wild card home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals are back in the playoffs to many surprised people. After a rough patch in the middle of the season, the Bengals stabilized themselves and finished with a 10-6 record, beating the likes of Washington, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and San Diego, the Bengals look to go through the playoffs with a tough defense and serviceable offense. While the Bengals don't look fragile right now, their schedule reveals a weak schedule, along with mediocre wins at poor times. 6 of their 10 wins came against sub .500 teams, while only two came against playoff teams. Their resume is just not impressive, and while Houston is playing sloppy right now, they should be able to pull it together for another first round playoff win, and earn a rematch with New England.
Prediction: Houston - 24, Cincinnati - 13
#5 - Indianapolis Colts @ #4 - Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, January 6th, 1:00pm EST
Until the last month of the season, the Baltimore Ravens were among the short list of Super Bowl favorites. After losing four times in December, and firing offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the Ravens look shaky, confused and old. Their defense is thin because of injuries, their offense is weak because of lackluster quarterback play. Yet still, they're the Ravens. They have Playoff experience, and have been to two of the last three AFC Championship games. They're also desperate for one more Super Bowl run, because for their leaders Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, this is most likely it. If the Ravens don't win one here, they may not have another chance for a long time.
The Indianapolis Colts on the other hand will have many chances in the future. This year has been tough for them, as coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia around Week 3, forcing him off the field until Week 17. The Colts season has surprisingly been stable. They've had streaks of 3 and 4 wins along with a couple of wins early on and are currently on a two-game streak. They're led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck has thrown a lot of interceptions this year, but his defense has picked up the slack surprisingly when his team has needed it. Since Pagano has recently returned the questions are when the emotions will get the better of them and if the coaching change from interim to regular head coach will have an impact or not? If it doesn't happen this, it most certainly will in the second round, in what may be a showdown between the Colts and Broncos.
Prediction: Indianapolis - 31, Baltimore - 13
That's it for my AFC wild card predictions. On Thursday I'll look at the NFC wild card games as well as make my predictions for them.
#6 - Cincinnati Bengals @ #3 - Houston Texans
Saturday, January 5th, 4:30pm EST
A few weeks ago, the Houston Texans were the best team in football. They looked unstoppable and were only a single win from clinching not only the AFC south, but homefield advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. And then New England happened. After a 42-14 drubbing at the hands of the Patriots, the Texans clinched the AFC south with a victory over Indianapolis at home. After that, their offense failed to show up against Minnesota and Indianapolis, which allowed Denver and New England to leapfrog them in the standings. Instead of resting up for a Divisional Playoff game at home in two weeks, they're in a rematch of last year's wild card home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals are back in the playoffs to many surprised people. After a rough patch in the middle of the season, the Bengals stabilized themselves and finished with a 10-6 record, beating the likes of Washington, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and San Diego, the Bengals look to go through the playoffs with a tough defense and serviceable offense. While the Bengals don't look fragile right now, their schedule reveals a weak schedule, along with mediocre wins at poor times. 6 of their 10 wins came against sub .500 teams, while only two came against playoff teams. Their resume is just not impressive, and while Houston is playing sloppy right now, they should be able to pull it together for another first round playoff win, and earn a rematch with New England.
Prediction: Houston - 24, Cincinnati - 13
#5 - Indianapolis Colts @ #4 - Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, January 6th, 1:00pm EST
Until the last month of the season, the Baltimore Ravens were among the short list of Super Bowl favorites. After losing four times in December, and firing offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the Ravens look shaky, confused and old. Their defense is thin because of injuries, their offense is weak because of lackluster quarterback play. Yet still, they're the Ravens. They have Playoff experience, and have been to two of the last three AFC Championship games. They're also desperate for one more Super Bowl run, because for their leaders Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, this is most likely it. If the Ravens don't win one here, they may not have another chance for a long time.
The Indianapolis Colts on the other hand will have many chances in the future. This year has been tough for them, as coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia around Week 3, forcing him off the field until Week 17. The Colts season has surprisingly been stable. They've had streaks of 3 and 4 wins along with a couple of wins early on and are currently on a two-game streak. They're led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck has thrown a lot of interceptions this year, but his defense has picked up the slack surprisingly when his team has needed it. Since Pagano has recently returned the questions are when the emotions will get the better of them and if the coaching change from interim to regular head coach will have an impact or not? If it doesn't happen this, it most certainly will in the second round, in what may be a showdown between the Colts and Broncos.
Prediction: Indianapolis - 31, Baltimore - 13
That's it for my AFC wild card predictions. On Thursday I'll look at the NFC wild card games as well as make my predictions for them.
Monday, December 31, 2012
My 2012 Top Ten Games of the Year
In a year full of disappointing games, there were bound to be a few good ones here and there. When I started the year, my Top Ten list was a lot different than what it turned out to be. So, for your viewing entertainment, I present my Top Ten Games of the year, but since this year was full of disappointment, I'd like to start off with my Disappointment of the Year...
2012 Disappointment of The Year: Assassin's Creed 3
There really hasn't been a game more recent in my mind that is more disappointing than Assassin's Creed 3. The sheer hype and build-up for it was off the charts. The setting was bold and fresh. It caught the eyes of many, but it ultimately turned out to be not only a mess at a technical level, but emotionally as well. Even though it's the end of Desmond Miles' story, a character I cared nothing for, Assassin's Creed 3 barely tries to make you blink at eye at his plight. Instead of caring about heroes, I walked away caring more about a villain, which isn't something I can say was truly intentional. Assassin's Creed 3 has now tipped the series towards the mediocre scale after two straight down titles. Assassin's Creed needs a break, or will be assassinated itself.
And now, for my Top Ten Games of the Year...
#10 - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Wii U, PS3, 360, 3DS, Vita, PC)
A sequel to the great original finally arrived and delivered on most of what it promised. Even though the Single Player campaign was nothing more than a shell of what was promised, Sonic Racing Transformed still delivers to be an excellent kart racer, despite being murderously difficult in the most unexpected and head-scratching of ways.
#9 - Crashmo (3DS)
While an unexpected sequel, Crashmo doesn't disappoint at any level other than itself being more of a concept that captured the hearts and minds of many early 3DS adopters. Crashmo expands and evolves the concept that Pushmo originally laid forth, but doesn't stop being clever until long after you've given up.
#8 - Forza Horizon (360)
While I have no love for the Forza franchise, picking this one up cheap was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It is one of the best racing games made this generation, offering a variety of challenge and allows the game to be set to your level and not vice versa. It's what Need for Speed Hot Pursuit should've been two years ago, and smokes what Most Wanted provided this year. If you're looking for a great racing game, pick this one up if you have a 360.
#7 - New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)
A series that has two similar releases in the same year is either good news or bad news. While I can say they were both good, New Super Mario Bros. 2 falls well short of what New Super Mario Bros. U offers, both in terms of level design, but from a challenging standpoint as well. While New Super Mario Bros. 2 provided a coin gimmick that neutered the game's challenge, New Super Mario Bros. U not only provides excellent in-game challenge, but separate, out of the box challenges to keep you playing for hours on end. While there's no real reward at the end, getting there is more exciting than maxing out a couple of score counters.
#6 - Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
A revival of Kid Icarus is something people have wanted for a long time. Given Sakurai's track record of jam-packing games with content, along with several other marketing ploys like AR cards and stands, Kid Icarus Uprising is a gem for the 3DS. It's got great design, good controls, great music. But the thing that is the cherry on top is the game's story, which Sakurai also wrote. It's got a lot of charm that you won't find anywhere else, and for that reason above all, it's worth playing. Not to mention the multiplayer, the loot system, etc.
#5 - Nintendo Land (Wii U)
What do you get when put 12 Nintendo franchises into a mini-game collection? The best mini-game collection ever, that's what. Nintendo Land is more of a psychological profile than straight-up mini-game collection. It's an attack on the senses of non-gamers to buy Nintendo franchises outside of Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. While some obviously won't capitalize on this (Balloon Trip, Octopus Dance), it's a wonder if other franchises (Metroid, Pikmin) will or not. As itself, Nintendo Land is a reason to pick-up the Wii U. While not as universally easy to understand as Wii Sports, it gets you to learn the controller, which is what Wii Sports did.
#4 - Halo 4 (360)
Considering the last couple of Halo releases have been adept disappointments, Halo 4 is a nice rebound for the series that prides itself on multiplayer and having stories that are told horribly. Halo 4's multiplayer is a step above anything Bungie has done since Halo 3. While it's not quite as good, the story serves its' purpose well. While it's still not a fan favorite of mine, the multiplayer is enough to have me playing it, which is enough for it to be on this list.
#3 - Resident Evil: revelations (3DS)
Revelations is the best Resident Evil game to be released since Resident Evil 4. It's a shame since at the time of its' release, Capcom decided to devote time and marketing dollars towards the newly unveiled Resident Evil 6 and upcoming Operation Raccoon City instead of Revelations, which is heads and shoulders and knees above them both. A polished, survival-horror Resident Evil game with optional cooperative play is something that every RE fan has wanted for a long time, and finally got. It's a shame Capcom decided to shun this one.
#2 - Journey (PS3)
Journey is an interesting game. While a linear experience that takes around 90 minutes to complete, it's really something that needs to be played to be understood. The cooperative aspect is the major highlight of the game. If you don't have it, you're missing a significant portion of what makes Journey what it is. While you can replay multiple times, I feel once is more than enough to understand it's special. But it does and will lose some of its' luster over time.
#1 - Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
This is what you get when you evolve Final Fantasy XII, streamline the combat mechanics and dumb down the story a bit. It's an evolution to that formula in every regard and is better because of it. While the game is very involved, if it were more involved, it'd undoubtedly be better. Xenoblade Chronicles is the best JRPG released this generation by a country. It will make you want to play JRPG's again. That's why it's my game of the year. It's the game that made JRPG's relevant again, and it's not from Square Enix, who has seemingly lost their way.
That's it for my 2012 game of the year list. I hope you enjoyed it and have a Happy New Year!
2012 Disappointment of The Year: Assassin's Creed 3
There really hasn't been a game more recent in my mind that is more disappointing than Assassin's Creed 3. The sheer hype and build-up for it was off the charts. The setting was bold and fresh. It caught the eyes of many, but it ultimately turned out to be not only a mess at a technical level, but emotionally as well. Even though it's the end of Desmond Miles' story, a character I cared nothing for, Assassin's Creed 3 barely tries to make you blink at eye at his plight. Instead of caring about heroes, I walked away caring more about a villain, which isn't something I can say was truly intentional. Assassin's Creed 3 has now tipped the series towards the mediocre scale after two straight down titles. Assassin's Creed needs a break, or will be assassinated itself.
And now, for my Top Ten Games of the Year...
#10 - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Wii U, PS3, 360, 3DS, Vita, PC)
A sequel to the great original finally arrived and delivered on most of what it promised. Even though the Single Player campaign was nothing more than a shell of what was promised, Sonic Racing Transformed still delivers to be an excellent kart racer, despite being murderously difficult in the most unexpected and head-scratching of ways.
#9 - Crashmo (3DS)
While an unexpected sequel, Crashmo doesn't disappoint at any level other than itself being more of a concept that captured the hearts and minds of many early 3DS adopters. Crashmo expands and evolves the concept that Pushmo originally laid forth, but doesn't stop being clever until long after you've given up.
#8 - Forza Horizon (360)
While I have no love for the Forza franchise, picking this one up cheap was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It is one of the best racing games made this generation, offering a variety of challenge and allows the game to be set to your level and not vice versa. It's what Need for Speed Hot Pursuit should've been two years ago, and smokes what Most Wanted provided this year. If you're looking for a great racing game, pick this one up if you have a 360.
#7 - New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)
A series that has two similar releases in the same year is either good news or bad news. While I can say they were both good, New Super Mario Bros. 2 falls well short of what New Super Mario Bros. U offers, both in terms of level design, but from a challenging standpoint as well. While New Super Mario Bros. 2 provided a coin gimmick that neutered the game's challenge, New Super Mario Bros. U not only provides excellent in-game challenge, but separate, out of the box challenges to keep you playing for hours on end. While there's no real reward at the end, getting there is more exciting than maxing out a couple of score counters.
#6 - Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
A revival of Kid Icarus is something people have wanted for a long time. Given Sakurai's track record of jam-packing games with content, along with several other marketing ploys like AR cards and stands, Kid Icarus Uprising is a gem for the 3DS. It's got great design, good controls, great music. But the thing that is the cherry on top is the game's story, which Sakurai also wrote. It's got a lot of charm that you won't find anywhere else, and for that reason above all, it's worth playing. Not to mention the multiplayer, the loot system, etc.
#5 - Nintendo Land (Wii U)
What do you get when put 12 Nintendo franchises into a mini-game collection? The best mini-game collection ever, that's what. Nintendo Land is more of a psychological profile than straight-up mini-game collection. It's an attack on the senses of non-gamers to buy Nintendo franchises outside of Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. While some obviously won't capitalize on this (Balloon Trip, Octopus Dance), it's a wonder if other franchises (Metroid, Pikmin) will or not. As itself, Nintendo Land is a reason to pick-up the Wii U. While not as universally easy to understand as Wii Sports, it gets you to learn the controller, which is what Wii Sports did.
#4 - Halo 4 (360)
Considering the last couple of Halo releases have been adept disappointments, Halo 4 is a nice rebound for the series that prides itself on multiplayer and having stories that are told horribly. Halo 4's multiplayer is a step above anything Bungie has done since Halo 3. While it's not quite as good, the story serves its' purpose well. While it's still not a fan favorite of mine, the multiplayer is enough to have me playing it, which is enough for it to be on this list.
#3 - Resident Evil: revelations (3DS)
Revelations is the best Resident Evil game to be released since Resident Evil 4. It's a shame since at the time of its' release, Capcom decided to devote time and marketing dollars towards the newly unveiled Resident Evil 6 and upcoming Operation Raccoon City instead of Revelations, which is heads and shoulders and knees above them both. A polished, survival-horror Resident Evil game with optional cooperative play is something that every RE fan has wanted for a long time, and finally got. It's a shame Capcom decided to shun this one.
#2 - Journey (PS3)
Journey is an interesting game. While a linear experience that takes around 90 minutes to complete, it's really something that needs to be played to be understood. The cooperative aspect is the major highlight of the game. If you don't have it, you're missing a significant portion of what makes Journey what it is. While you can replay multiple times, I feel once is more than enough to understand it's special. But it does and will lose some of its' luster over time.
#1 - Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
This is what you get when you evolve Final Fantasy XII, streamline the combat mechanics and dumb down the story a bit. It's an evolution to that formula in every regard and is better because of it. While the game is very involved, if it were more involved, it'd undoubtedly be better. Xenoblade Chronicles is the best JRPG released this generation by a country. It will make you want to play JRPG's again. That's why it's my game of the year. It's the game that made JRPG's relevant again, and it's not from Square Enix, who has seemingly lost their way.
That's it for my 2012 game of the year list. I hope you enjoyed it and have a Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
NFL 2012 Week 17 Predictions
Here are my Week 17 Predictions for the 2012 NFL Regular Season.
Winners are indicated in BOLD letters
Sunday Early Games
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
NY Jets @ Buffalo
Baltimore @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Houston @ Indianapolis
Carolina @ New Orleans
Philadelphia @ NY Giants
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh
Sunday Afternoon Games
Kansas City @ Denver
Green Bay @ Minnesota
Miami @ New England
Oakland @ San Diego
Arizona @ San Francisco
St. Louis @ Seattle
Sunday Night Game
Dallas @ Washington
Last Week's Record: 11-5
Overall Record: 153-86
Winners are indicated in BOLD letters
Sunday Early Games
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
NY Jets @ Buffalo
Baltimore @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Houston @ Indianapolis
Carolina @ New Orleans
Philadelphia @ NY Giants
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh
Sunday Afternoon Games
Kansas City @ Denver
Green Bay @ Minnesota
Miami @ New England
Oakland @ San Diego
Arizona @ San Francisco
St. Louis @ Seattle
Sunday Night Game
Dallas @ Washington
Last Week's Record: 11-5
Overall Record: 153-86
Thursday, December 20, 2012
NFL 2012 Week 16 Predictions
Here are my week 16 NFL predictions for the 2012 season. Sorry about not posting them last week. I was busy with work and I've recently fallen ill.
Winners are indicated in BOLD text
Sunday Early Games
Atlanta @ Detroit
New Orleans @ Dallas
Tennessee @ Green Bay
Indianapolis @ Kansas City
Buffalo @ Miami
San Diego @ NY Jets
Washington @ Philadelphia
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ Carolina
New England @ Jackonsville
Minnesota @ Houston
Sunday Afternoon Games
Cleveland @ Denver
Chicago @ Arizona
NY Giants @ Baltimore
Sunday Night Game
San Francisco @ Seattle
My Record: 142-81
Last Week: 11-5
Winners are indicated in BOLD text
Sunday Early Games
Atlanta @ Detroit
New Orleans @ Dallas
Tennessee @ Green Bay
Indianapolis @ Kansas City
Buffalo @ Miami
San Diego @ NY Jets
Washington @ Philadelphia
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ Carolina
New England @ Jackonsville
Minnesota @ Houston
Sunday Afternoon Games
Cleveland @ Denver
Chicago @ Arizona
NY Giants @ Baltimore
Sunday Night Game
San Francisco @ Seattle
My Record: 142-81
Last Week: 11-5
Thursday, December 6, 2012
2012 NFL Week 14 Predictions
Here are my Week 14 NFL Predictions for the 2012 Season.
Winners are indicated in BOLD
Thursday Game
Denver @ Oakland
Sunday Games
St. Louis @ Buffalo
Dallas @ Cincinnati
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Chicago @ Minnesota
San Diego @ Pittsburgh
Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay
Baltimore @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
NY Jets @ Jacksonville
Miami @ San Francisco
New Orleans @ NY Giants
Arizona @ Seattle
Detroit @ Green Bay
Monday Game
Houston @ New England
Overall Record: 122-69
Winners are indicated in BOLD
Thursday Game
Denver @ Oakland
Sunday Games
St. Louis @ Buffalo
Dallas @ Cincinnati
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Chicago @ Minnesota
San Diego @ Pittsburgh
Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay
Baltimore @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
NY Jets @ Jacksonville
Miami @ San Francisco
New Orleans @ NY Giants
Arizona @ Seattle
Detroit @ Green Bay
Monday Game
Houston @ New England
Overall Record: 122-69
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge Review
Team Ninja has come a long way from Itagaki’s departure after Ninja Gaiden 2. After helping destroy the Metroid franchise, Team Ninja did a wonderful job duplicating those results with Ninja Gaiden 3. After some kind of revelation after saying they’d ignore fans and after its’ reception went on to blame them, Team Ninja seems like they’re trying to play make-up with Razor’s Edge, the “Sigma” version of Ninja Gaiden 3. Considering how bad Ninja Gaiden 3 was, Razor’s Edge is a significant improvement, but what does that really say about its’ quality? Not much.
One of the first things you’ll notice about Razor’s Edge if you’ve played the original is the distinct lack of henchmen begging for Ryu to spare their inane lives. It’s a welcome change because it removes what had no business being in the game to begin with. Now Ryu’s story is simple: Your arm has been cursed, and you lost your Dragon Sword. Whatever semblance of emotion that’s supposed to be tied to it from the original is gone. While the story tries to maintain Ninja Gaiden’s long-standing history of ridiculousness, it ultimately tries dressing it up, which results in gamers wondering why anyone would want a video game story ever again.
Weapon Upgrading assumes you have to do everything. By the end, you’ll have nowhere near enough Karma to upgrade everything in your arsenal. It shows a complete lack of balance for the overall combat system, which is in itself mashy and tiresome. While the combat matches that seen in the original Ninja Gaiden 2 for Xbox 360, it doesn’t fix the inherent balancing problems that exists with that speed. For example, because the game’s speed is so frantic, the game’s framerate is less than optimal, causing not only a drop in frames, but inputs as well, which will lead to some untimely and frustrating deaths. While this is mostly on Ryu’s side, Ayane’s side really makes it clear that the game is balanced, which will put you in a few situations where you’ll have to get lucky to in order to pass or spend a great deal of time on in order to figure out a fight’s gimmick.
While Razor’s Edge can be seen as improvement, it’s simply window dressing. There’s blood, decapitations, faster combat, tests of valor, collectibles, weapon upgrades, etc. But it doesn’t fix the problems that existed with the last two original Ninja Gaiden games, offering the worst of both worlds. It’s a frustrating experience that you can’t hope to master, but will instead be left whimpering like a Ninja Dog.
Score: 6 out of 10
+ Improved Combat from the original
+ Decapitation is nice
+ Tests of Valor are rewarding to find
- When you die, you usually don’t understand why you die
- Some graphical head-scratchers
- Story is complete garbage
One of the first things you’ll notice about Razor’s Edge if you’ve played the original is the distinct lack of henchmen begging for Ryu to spare their inane lives. It’s a welcome change because it removes what had no business being in the game to begin with. Now Ryu’s story is simple: Your arm has been cursed, and you lost your Dragon Sword. Whatever semblance of emotion that’s supposed to be tied to it from the original is gone. While the story tries to maintain Ninja Gaiden’s long-standing history of ridiculousness, it ultimately tries dressing it up, which results in gamers wondering why anyone would want a video game story ever again.
Weapon Upgrading assumes you have to do everything. By the end, you’ll have nowhere near enough Karma to upgrade everything in your arsenal. It shows a complete lack of balance for the overall combat system, which is in itself mashy and tiresome. While the combat matches that seen in the original Ninja Gaiden 2 for Xbox 360, it doesn’t fix the inherent balancing problems that exists with that speed. For example, because the game’s speed is so frantic, the game’s framerate is less than optimal, causing not only a drop in frames, but inputs as well, which will lead to some untimely and frustrating deaths. While this is mostly on Ryu’s side, Ayane’s side really makes it clear that the game is balanced, which will put you in a few situations where you’ll have to get lucky to in order to pass or spend a great deal of time on in order to figure out a fight’s gimmick.
While Razor’s Edge can be seen as improvement, it’s simply window dressing. There’s blood, decapitations, faster combat, tests of valor, collectibles, weapon upgrades, etc. But it doesn’t fix the problems that existed with the last two original Ninja Gaiden games, offering the worst of both worlds. It’s a frustrating experience that you can’t hope to master, but will instead be left whimpering like a Ninja Dog.
Score: 6 out of 10
+ Improved Combat from the original
+ Decapitation is nice
+ Tests of Valor are rewarding to find
- When you die, you usually don’t understand why you die
- Some graphical head-scratchers
- Story is complete garbage
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