Peggle is Totally Awesome

Everyone should hurry over and check out the current Humble Bundle. It has some amazing games and frankly contains three of my favorite games, which are Bastion, Limbo and Super Brothers Ep: Sword and Sworcerey. Also Psychonauts and Amnesia are both incredible games. So go check it out, so that you can help charity and play some amazing games. 

Dude E3 is coming up! Isn’t that sooooo exciting? I don’t know how I feel about next week’s show. Most of the titanic and otherwise triple A titles have been pushed back to February 2013. Which leaves a healthy smattering of games here and there, but for the most part there doesn’t seem to be anything overly exciting.

Nintendo needs something to prove that the Wii-U is worthwhile at the end of the console generation. I don’t mean to broadcast negativity, but releasing a current gen console after 5 years is a bit foolish in my opinion. I don’t know how far Nintendo good-will goes, but it’s probably a depressing amount. That being said, the 3DS is an amazing console, and even if the Wii-U fails, there’s still the vast library on that device.

Sony also needs to prove itself, it needs to prove why we care about the Sony brand in any fashion. It is severely behind the other two competitors, and the Vita sold underwhelming numbers to say the least. Between that and the phasing in for the new generation, Sony needs to wow us with something, or it will remain dead last. 

Microsoft will be Microsoft. The Xbox is an entertainment platform, filled with interesting apps and other godly who-ha. At the same time, this is the last E3 before the console shift, or the talk of a new hardware shift. So I feel like it’s old-hat (pardon the pun) to dissect the show and it’s respective companies for any longer.

The show will be about the games, (sort of) and we still have Borderlands 2, Assassin’s Creed 3, A Mario release, Resident Evil 6, and the annual Black ops 2. With other surprises along the way (sort of). This is still E3 with less surprises and more E to the three. (Yes that was awful, shut up.)

To bring everyone up to date. I have been writing my story/novel, whatever you wish to call it. It is under heavy editing by me, which is cool and bad at the same time, however you like to phrase it.With any luck, I should be finished with at least the first part of the book in little more than 2 months from now. Although that is wishful thinking-score me, jinxing myself.

On the gaming side, I like everyone else, is eagerly anticipating Diablo 3 and Max Payne 3 come this tuesday. or This week, whichever. Yeah, eventually. God knows it only took like 5 cancellations and the like, before it is actually released. I am speaking of course about D3 and not Max Payne. Regardless, I hope to somewhat revitalize my gaming bubble, and play some godamn games. Though, for it’s credit, Trials Evolution and FEZ are pretty sweet, but I need some RPGs. And I secretly reserve the emotions of shooting fools in the face. Score that for being appropriate and not homicidal in anyway.

Hopefully I will be on Tumblr more, but like anything else, it remains to be seen. Now to induce myself into a Terraria and Starcraft 2 induced coma.

At no point in my life do I enjoy being smitten. Smitten to the point where I am utterly not in control of my emotions and just feel a longing no other. I don’t even know anything about her. I know her name, and that’s it. I have no intention to stalk her or do anything remotely uncomfortable to her. I just wish to know her. I want to know what she likes or dislikes. What she loves or hates, everything about her. It doesn’t even matter if I get to be with her, I just want to know her. 

And it is driving me insane. For I doubt I have the courage to ask anything more of someone like her. Woe is me. Woe is me that I am such a coward to not want to be happy or to be too afraid to be happy.

Yeah, this is such a bullshit post with my slightly inebriated self, but I thought I would share. 

Jeff Gertsmann is one of my heroes. When I was still in grade school, he was reviewing games and showing off his great humor through the wonderful site of Gamespot. Overtime, I grew to respect and appreciate Brad Shoemaker, Ryan Davis, Alex Navarro and Greg Kasavin. Gamespot was the home of my heroes and the people I respected within the games industry. Even after 2007, I followed everyone from Gamespot to their new sites at Whiskey Media. I grew to respect them more and more, through each of their disections of the game’s industry and their stupid funny videos.

It was announced today that Gamespot is effectively partnering up with Giantbomb, and the Whiskey sites have repurposed with other companies.

The least I can say is that I am excited and thrilled. We as an industry are moving towards the byline and the idea of personality driven reviews. We need this. We need to be able to review games and cover games with creative freedom as much as possible. Games should be fun, and admist all the weird business practices, we are still an awesome industry about fun. This is an awesome industry, filled with amazing and incredibly intelligent people. There is nothing else that I would want to be apart of.

So heres to the future of Whiskey Media and the new Gamespot and Giantbomb. May you be a wonderful beacon for the rest of the industry about the importance of journalistic integrity and honesty.As one of your readers, I respect and admire each and every one of you, for your work and honesty. Thank you.

I have no clue why I put a date next to it. I’m weird? Anyway, these are currently the games that have enraptured my time and have stolen many hours of my sanity. They are as follows, in no particular order. (the console tags are to show how I am currently playing said game.)

6. Trine 2- Platformer Xbox Live Arcade

5. Rayman Origins. Xbox 360

4. Pineapple Smash Crew- PC/Steam

3. Star Wars The Old Republic. PC

2. SSX Xbox 360

1. Vessel (DUDE THIS GAME IS AWESOME!) PC/Steam A qwirky puzzle/platformer. It’s on Steam, and it is a great game. You should definitely give a shot. 

I have braved the realms of nightmare and survived.

I tread paths by moonlight that few dare speak by day.

I have been called hero, legend, kingslayer, Elimir’s bane and murderer. 

The moon cowers in fear of my name for it is great and terrible.

It is I that discovered the secrets of the Armathiea. 

It is I that broke the veil and unleashed the Aios on the world. 

Yet for all my glories and powers, I admit one failure.

One regret. 

One wonder that I could not claim.

Greater than the sword of Tiran.

More wild than the Sea of Zadria. 

More beautiful than the Eyes of Esper.

Your heart. 

Tomorrow, (or tonight depending on your excitement level or region) Mass Effect 3 is released. Like much of the greater Internet population, I have been keenly observing news concerning it with a small level of restraint. There has been much vitriol concerning the writer from Bioware, news of launch date DLC and the inclusion of Multiplayer. 

Initially I was disgusted and up in arms towards all these changes. I held that age old mentality that we carry towards something we care for and endear. “How could they do that!?” “How could they butcher my beloved product?”. Yet, everytime I looked at Mass Effect 3, I was reminded of my own ignorance and idiocy. 

I realized that Mass Effect 3 is just a scapegoat towards how I feel about Bioware as a company. The days that Baldur’s Gate, Jade Empire and Knights of the Old Republic have since passed. Bioware makes great games, games that I find myself rapidly losing interest in. It as a company has refocused their efforts to appeal to a different gamer. I am not one of those gamers. 

I love the first two Mass Effect games. And before this, I have always loved every new Bioware game. But this is the one that I choose to skip. The game is probably amazing, and a wonderful conclusion for the franchise. But Mass Effect 2 was the perfect conclusion to me. I have moved on to other companies, because I am an old crotchety PC gamer. Because games like Witcher 2 will always have a special place in my heart. Because the Bioware of the Infinite Engine will always the Bioware that I love. And that is ok. 

So amidst all the dubstep and weirdness of this year, games came out this year. Admittedly, a lot of good games came out this year and unfortunately did not make this list. This is my top ten games of this year, the games that I felt were important to me in one way or another. So without further ado-

10. Dark Souls

-Because I fucking hate myself. No other game this year made me virtually hate myself through 6 consecutive play-throughs than Dark Souls. A mix of old conventional RPG tropes from the 90’s mixed with a well imagined fantasy world, made me love this game. It is far from perfect or for everyone, but it is a well-made RPG that I am glad I played. Yet I still fucking hate Dark Souls. That is why you still get number ten. God. *frustration*

9. Batman: Arkham City

-Dude it’s fucking Batman. Sequels may have littered the gaming landscape this year, but Rocksteady has still provided us with an amazing world where we can just be Batman. There are issues of course, but the solid combo fighting scheme mixed with gadgets aplenty make this a great game. It may be largely the same game as Asylum, but is that really a bad thing?

8. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

-It’s Zelda. What can I say? Nintendo has provided us with the best Zelda game to date. Sadly, at the end of the Wii’s life-span. It is far from perfect, and it takes time to get through, but no other Zelda game has captured my fondness since Wind Waker. 

7. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

“I didn’t choose this”

-Cyber punk is sweet. As someone who has never played the first Deus Ex for more than an hour, I felt compelled to literally do everything in Human Revolution. I spent hours sniping guards, stockpiling ammo and hacking terminals. Mixed in with well realized cyber punk aesthetic and tone make me a little excited to see where the series is going. Also, RPG mechanics, so that’s an instant win into my list. 

6. L.A. Noire

-“Cole Phelps. Homicide. What’d you got for me, Mel?”

I will make no secret about my love of Noire and the 50’s. I love hard-boiled cop and detective procedural. LA Noire is all that, wrapped up in some truly next generation face technology. While the game itself is very shallow and a bit jarring at spots, the tone and the setting of the game is complex and well realized. Being able to visually see someone’s face emote in a video game is truly a transcendent experience. Sadly the game play doesn’t mesh well with the tech, leaving you with some strange uncanny valley experiences. Still, for capturing such a strong tone and style of the 50’s, it deserves high praise.

5. Portal 2

-“Oh. It’s you. It’s been a long time.”

No other game made me smile more than Portal 2. Valve is still adept at providing clever and fun puzzles mixed in with cool co-op features and just more levels. The clever dialogue mixed with the amazing characters of Cave Johnson, Wheatly and gLaDos make this a must-play for anyone this year. True that this means that Half Life sequel is farther away from us, but I don’t mind. Valve has done seemingly the impossible; told a fantastic story in a puzzle game. Also, the moon. So go. Go play Portal 2. 

4. Bastion

-“I dig my hole, you build a wall.”

Bastion is one of the most important games to me this year. With over 12 different weapons/playstyles, mixed with light RPG mechanics, it is a fun 3rd person action game. But more importantly, it told a story that is very simple and very sweet. More games today, should be focused on the simplicity of telling a good story. After I beat it the first time, I jumped back in for New Game Plus, just to see the other ending. I cannot recommend it enough. Also, the music is amazing. 

3. Saint’s Row: The Third

-Apoca-fist

I fucking love this game. I will level that I hated the series up until this point. They always seemed like a poor-man’s GTA with better shooting and less interesting cars. Everything with the marketing lead me to believe it to be a shoddy attempt at being “edgy” and hip. I hated all of it. Then I played it. For 80 hours. And no game this year made me laugh more, and appreciate just the absurd fun I was having. Volition brings a whole new level of absurd humor, explosions and just great fun to the open world environment. The fact that I shamefully ran around for 2 hours, beating people with a purple dildo, speaks to my greater physiological problems, but I digress. Saint’s Row: The Third is one of the greatest games of 2011, and for anyone that likes fun, you should pick it up. Burt-fucking Reynolds!

2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

-“Dovahkiin”

This is the best RPG I have ever played in my entire life. I will qualify that by saying that I have played alot of RPGs in my life. It is my favorite genre. I have always liked Bethesda games, amidst all the weird bugs and strange interface choices. Skyrim improves that model drastically. Giving you a fantastic open world to explore and just a fantastic looking game that controls and plays very well. I believe it has one of the best leveling systems in an RPG to date. True there is a great disconnect in terms of immersion, but that’s a separate issue. The quests and just the absurd amount of time you can sink into it is baffling. It is truly a masterpiece of a game. 

1. Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings

I find it strange that Witcher 2 is at the top of this list. I believed fully that Skyrim would steal the show, without a doubt. Yet every time I look back on this game, I feel giddy. I realize all the dark turns and ill-conceit that litters the Witcher world. I remember how much I love/hate characters in that world. It is a morally ambiguous world where good and evil are abstract concepts. For that to exist in fantasy is a rare and beautiful thing.  Witcher 2 is a great example of dark fantasy along with a fully well realized world. It is possibly one of the better stories I experienced this year. While the game has a punishing difficulty, Witcher 2 is a beautiful game, both aesthetically and in feeling. Witcher 2 is my game of the year for 2011. Yeah, games are still pretty damn good. 

Honorable mentions:

Terraria

Uncharted 3

Dungeon Defenders

Renegade Ops

Iron Brigade