Archive for April, 2009

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My 10 Most Anticipated Console Games in 2009

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Apr 2009

30

If 2006 was the year of the Xbox 360, 2007 was the year of the Wii and 2008 was supposed to be the year of the PS3 (the year that didn’t quite happen), what is 2009? With some incredible exclusive titles for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, along with a number of AAA multiplatform releases, 2009 really looks to be the year of the gamer.  There are some incredible titles coming out for all platforms this year, not to mention some that have come out already.

 

Since I didn’t start this blog until now, I’m only going to look at upcoming titles that should be released by the end of this year. That means no Killzone 2 or Halo Wars (already released), and no God of War III or Alan Wake (release dates in 2010 or still TBA).

 

Here are 10 unordered titles, regardless of platform, regardless of genre that all gamers can look forward to being released later this year.* This look is taken without bias toward or against any platform, just looking at great games.
*Keep in mind that I have my own genre biases, so if you’re more excited about Guitar Hero XVIII and Rock Band XXII, this is probably not the list for you.

 

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams (Release: Q3 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

The first BioShock game, published by 2K Games, was one of the most innovative and fully-engrossing RPGs in a long time. Sea of Dreams takes another trip back to Rapture, ten years later, when the city is submerged in water. You’ll now take on the role of a freed Big Daddy, one who can use firearms and plasmids to wreak havoc on the city of Rapture, and ultimately battle the Big Sister who has been kidnapping young girls. The BioShock 2 Sea of Dreams trailer can be found below.

 

Assassin’s Creed 2 (Release: Q4 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

Assassin’s Creed 2 has only recently started to release assets regarding its holiday 2009 launch, so there is very little known about this title. I was a big fan of the first game, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the sequel. Assassin’s Creed 2 is rumored to be set in Venice, and the protagonist can now swim, so no worrying about pesky drowning situations. That said, very little has been revealed, so we’ll need to stay tuned for more details. The teaser trailer is posted below:

 

 

Halo 3: ODST (Release: Q3 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360

 

Halo 3: ODST (or, Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) is an exciting addition and change to the Halo Universe. With the release of Halo Wars recently, it’s clear that Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios are continuing to expand Halo, showing us new parts of the world that we might have only seen briefly in the main games. Halo 3 was the last game in the Halo Trilogy, and we may never again see Master Chief. That said, ODST takes us into the life of a rookie Drop Shock Trooper, an elite group of marines fighting on the front lines. Since you are no longer playing as a Spartan, some of your skill-sets are diminished, and you will likely have to make use of technology more than brute force. The Halo 3: ODST trailer can be viewed below:

 

 

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Release: Q4 2009)
Platform: PS3

 

Uncharted 2 flew under my radar for the late part of last year, and though I’d heard mentions of it early this year, I was much more interested in the upcoming release of God of War III in 2010. However, with the recent gameplay video of Uncharted 2’s multiplayer (seen below), my excitement level was instantly piqued. Among Thieves looks like it could be a very interesting cross between a Tomb Raider / Assassin’s Creed platformer and a Gears of War shooter. The video speaks for itself.

 

 

I Am Alive (Release: TBA)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

I Am Alive could be an exceptionally unique experience if it lives up to its trailer, which was released at E3 in 2008.* Its premise is that of a man caught in the aftermath of an earthquake in Chicago. Little is known about specific gameplay, but the storyline could prove to be exciting and different. This is right there up on the level with the interest I had for Mirror’s Edge and for the elusive Alan Wake.
*How many titles could we say that about?

 

 

Wii Sports Resort & MotionPlus (Release: June 16, 2009)
Platform: Wii

 

Here’s the only Wii title, because I’m still waiting to find that amazing core title that I was hoping would be used with the Wiimote. So far I’ve been much more pleased with Johnny Lee’s use of the Wiimote than my own. That could all change with Wii MotionPlus. With a much more accurate motion sensing system, MotionPlus could add a new level to the game, allowing for a truly skillful virtual use of the Wiimote (as opposed to what you get when you box in Wii Sports). From fencing to frisbee, this could add a whole new level of play for the Wii and should delay the next generation of consoles (at least for the Wii).

 

 

Final Fantasy XIII (Release: Q4 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

I am equally excited about Final Fantasy XIII and worried that it will not fulfill my lofty expectations. The trouble for me is that I loved the early games in the Final Fantasy series (namely, 2, 3, 5) and then FFVII was a pivotal experience in my gaming life and it blew me away. Every RPG I’ve played since has made me think back and compare to the Final Fantasy VII gameplay with disappointment. Will it live up to the hype? We’ll find out soon enough.

 

 

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Release: June 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

It is a very rare occasion for me to be truly excited about a video game title based on comics/movies/tv. I am almost always underwhelmed as the developers and publishers cut corners to hit the right date, take little creative license (most copying entirely from the movie storyline) and feel that they can put out an inferior product because people will buy it anyway. I don’t feel this way at all about Batman: Arkham Asylum. It looks to offer dramatic gameplay, great use of Batman’s tools (and strength), and at best could do for Batman video games what Batman Begins did for the Batman movie franchise. I am extremely excited about its June release. Below is a gameplay trailer done by walkthrough with Gamespot.

 

 

Dante’s Inferno (Release: Q4 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

Venture into the 9th circle of Hell in what looks to be an epic title released by EA. Dante’s Inferno takes the famous divine comedy and tries to adapt it for a video game. It’s an interesting take on an action game, and has a chance to be a big hit during the Holiday season (if it can beat out some of these other titles). It’s difficult for new IP to succeed when released in Holiday, but if Dante’s Inferno can put in great gameplay mechanics to match the solid storyline, it has a chance.

 

 

Max Payne 3 (Release: Q4 2009)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3

 

Though I wasn’t willing to foot the $13 to see Mark Wahlberg take on the role of Max Payne on the silver screen, I am absolutely willing to fork over $60 to play the third game in the Max Payne series. One of my most cherished PC games, bullet time was an amazing gameplay mechanic that added tremendously to the third person genre. I look forward to using it on this generation’s consoles and look forward to see what they do with the film noir storyline. One of the few games in which multiplayer absolutely does not matter to me, Max Payne looks to provide superior storytelling and gameplay to make it to the top of my games list. My biggest concern is playability on a console as opposed to using a keyboard and mouse. Below is the official Max Payne 3 Trailer (which leaves much to be desired).

 

 

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Passionate People Can Do Anything

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Apr 2009

27

Apathy Motivational Poster

Passionate people are willing to work 80 hour weeks for low pay and go the extra mile to make sure a project succeeds. Passionate people pay less heed to risks and believe more that anything is possible.* Take a look at the incredible grassroots marketing campaign done by the Obama team last November. If they asked a team full of realists to work 100-hour weeks on little pay to try to get an African-American president elected, Barack Obama would have had no chance. Instead, they took young, passionate people and told them that anything was possible if they worked hard enough and fought for every last vote.

 

Apathetic people will do whatever they can to tell you that something isn’t possible. Simple tasks turn into drawn-out ordeals, and it can be a nightmare to get anything done. I bet there have been a couple of projects that you’ve worked on in the past that you did for the wrong reasons*, and entered without passion. Lack of passion will hurt your productivity and apathy is the easiest way to kill a project in the water. Everyone must find ways to be passionate about your work in order to generate the greatest benefit out of their own skill set.
*see: Money, Fame.

 

I am eternally grateful that I have the opportunity to not only work in an industry that I am extremely passionate about, but that the current side projects I’m working on are of my own creation. It puts a jump in my step every day on my way to work, and makes me excited to take on new projects. Additionally, I am excited every day I get to work on winAround and try to come up with new ideas to improve a gamer’s experience. I’ve spent many late nights up talking with winAround’s CTO, Mike Murray, about how we can create the perfect experience for our users. There have been projects that I’ve quit because I wasn’t passionate about them. Figure out what you truly love, drop all the other stuff and do it.

 

Steve Jobs once said:

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

 

Treat every day like it’s your last, and love what you do, because passionate people can do anything.

 

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The Oprah Effect on Twitter

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Apr 2009

26

You’ve heard about the Oprah effect on books featured in her book club, or on Barack Obama’s election. But what has her effect been on Twitter (she started tweeting on 4/17)? Hitwise reported that Twitter’s US share of visits increased 24% on the day of her first tweet (graph below).

 

Oprah Effect on Twitter

 

Additionally, Ryan Block, former editor-in-chief of Engadget reported that 1.2 million new accounts have been created since Oprah’s mention on her show. If that’s true, that’s a 10% increase in Twitter users in less than a week. She already has over 600,000 followers.

 

I have no idea how this significant increase in users will actually effect the Twitter community, but it’s sure to make an impact one way or another. Also, here’s another example of Twitter’s mainstream growth: in the 10 days since Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) broke 1 million followers, he now has an additional 400,000.

 

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Core and Casual Gamer Appeal – The Great Divide

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Apr 2009

24

PongOver the past couple of years, gaming in America has reached a pivotal point in its life cycle. The gaming industry is currently caught between the new gaming adopters and those that have played for years, not quite mainstream, but no longer something to be shy about. Though it gives developers access to a much larger audience, it makes for an interesting catch-22: how do you create games that are easy enough for the newest (or casual) gamers, but hard enough to challenge the core gamers?

 

Game developers have approached this problem in a number of different ways to date. With difficulty settings, a game’s “Easy” mode can be adjusted – for example, in Street Fighter IV you can beat the game on easy mode by solely using high kicks. Though it might be a good stop-gap measure, it’s also an approach best paired with other techniques.

 

So what’s the best way to appeal to both core and casual gamers? I’ve come up with 3 broad-stroke solutions that have had success so far this console generation:

 

1- Even the playing field. Using a new control scheme or gameplay mechanism (see: Guitar Hero, Wii controls). By creating an entirely new control scheme, it evens the playing field for all gamers (at least at the beginning). It also adds the factor of newness and new game formats and styles (if publicized well) have had great success. It should be noted that of late, titles that have tried to capitalize on the success of music titles have flopped (see: Lips), but that may be based on quality more than the mechanism.

2- Simplify gameplay. Make the actual gameplay (and controls) simpler, while keeping a premium on intellectual puzzle solving (ex: Braid, Lego Indiana Jones). When you simplify a game to only a few buttons, it can either make the game far too easy, or it forces you to challenge your user intellectually. Using logic as opposed to reflexes or button control allows users of all kinds the ability to compete at the hardest difficulty.

3- Keep it old school. Continue to use and abuse tried-and-true intellectual properties like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mario (ex: Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros). It helps that both games simplify gameplay and use the Wii control scheme, but a big reason for the Wii’s success have been due to the success of big IP games such as Mario. There have been very few exclusive titles for the Wii that didn’t involve a very popular long-standing IP (though one of those titles is Wii Fit).

 

These are just three techniques that seem to work well in the current market, but when you think about it, even the most popular game on any platform is only purchased by ~25% of the gaming population (except for Halo 3). It shows that there is tremendous room for expansion for games if they are truly able to hit a large demographic.

 

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