Top 5: Upcoming 3rd Party Wii Games

It's about time, too!

Nintendo are making a point with their upcoming Wii releases over the next 12 months. With games like Metroid: Other M just being released, Kirby's Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns due out in the next few months, and Zelda: Skyward Sword to follow in 2011 - there is a clear focus on the needs of the dedicated Nintendo fan. All of these titles will have the high level of quality in both presentation and gameplay that Nintendo are known and adored for. However, at the same time one thing that has always held Nintendo back, basically since the Nintendo 64 is the lack of quality 3rd Party titles, and I think I've compiled a list of 5 games being made independent of Nintendo for Wii, that look like they could be something special. Of course, this list and indeed anything I believe about the games listed, are just predictions - but take them with the knowledge that I've done some research, and there will be a list of honourable mentions.

Number 5: Disney's Epic Mickey

That rabbit... horror

This is a game a lot of people are talking about, and let's be honest - why wouldn't we? It's true that Mickey has starred in various video games in the past - but nothing quite to the scale of Disney's Epic Mickey. Add the fact that Warren Spectre (known for his work on the System Shock series, the predecessors to Bioshock), is the director of the title and he's ensuring a high level of production which is certainly being shown in the game's presentation. Take a look a these screenshots - it's hard to ignore.

One of the most beautiful environments revealed so far

So naturally I'm very impressed by the level of detail going into this title, it's certainly top notch. So what's holding me back from placing this higher on the list? Well, I'm just not sold on the gameplay. Conceptually it sounds awesome, but Spectre has been keeping the true mechanics a little too much under wraps for my liking. For those who don't know, the basic game design for Disney's Epic Mickey is to make use of paint and paint thinner, to either create or destroy things in the world, a little like an artist - clever, isn't it? I really like this concept, but I've yet too see how it really translates into gameplay. That being said, I'm very keen to see reviews of this game, as I'm still quite sure it would be worth a purchase. They're keeping all the juiciness locked away!

Number 4: Flip's Twisted World

An epic game of hop-scotch indeed

In stark contrast, Flip's Twisted World's level of production is probably a little B-Grade when compared to Disney's Epic Mickey, but the gameplay looks challenging and innovative. A lot of people will slam this game for being too similar to the Super Mario Galaxy series, due to it's heavy use of gravity and "planets". However a distinct difference is the player is always in control of the gravity, and that gravity can be used to move not only the player, but objects in the world as well - opening up what I believe to be some unique opportunities for physics-based puzzles.

It hurts my brainzzzz

Another thing about this game that interests me, is it was initially planned for release around the time of Super Mario Galaxy 2 but was held off. This means the developer has had about 2 extra months to jam this game with extra content, give it finishing polish etc. That's naturally exciting because sometimes games with unique concepts get ruined due to time restraints, but Flip's Twisted World will hopefully not suffer that fate. The game is due out this month in the United States, but hopefully we're receive a local release here in Aus - it's on my watch list.

Number 3: Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions

Time for a fist full of Neil Patrick Harris!

Don't even try to tell me this game doesn't interest you - it's like denying your childhood. This is the first comic-book game I've been excited about since Arkham Asylum and with good reason. It's one of those games that pulls a "what if" scenario on you, and this time it's being able to play as four different Spider-Men from different dimensions. Naturally the Amazing Spider-Man Universe is here, but there's also the Noir Universe (set in the 1930's) the 2099 Universe (a.k.a THE FUTURE) and the Ultimate Spider-Man Universe (an alternate reality to the Amazing Spider-Man). The game looks wonderful, with different styles taken to reflect the different comic-book appearances of the four universes. On top of that there's some pretty impressive voice actors on board including Christopher Daniel Barnes (as Spider-Man Noir), Dan Gilvezan (as Spider-Man 2099) and Josh Keaton (as Ultimate Spider-Man). My favourite, however has to be Neil Patrick Harris as the Amazing Spider-Man - seriously, what an great way to inject some extra awesome into that cast.

Cool and methodical - stealth at its best

Of the universes, my nod will have to go out to the Noir Universe. In a word, it looks great. So stylised, that is looks just like a film noir - which is the obvious intention. However, it's not just the looks that get it across the line for me, it's the gameplay. Whilst the other three universes are based on classical super hero beat-em ups, Noir focuses on stealth and I can't help but be reminded of Arkham Asylum which utilised excellent stealth mechanics. There's just something great about creeping around the shadows, web slinging someone in and beating them senseless (no really, try it.)

Number 2: Sonic Colors

Looks promising, no?

Let's get one thing straight - I'm not a Sonic fanboy. I'll concede that I've enjoyed about four titles in the franchise (being Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and Sonic Advance) but Sonic and the Secret Rings really threw me off the bandwagon and I haven't bothered with Sega's blue mascot since. However Sonic Colors (which I always spell "Colours", and it annoys me to no end) looks like it could be the deal. Sonic Unleashed was praised for it's "day levels" which were fast and hectic, similar to the Sonic/Shadow levels found on Sonic Adventure 2. What held it back from being a true return to form for Sonic was the completely unnecessary and gimmicky inclusion of the "Were-Hog" which completely destroyed what the title had going for it by slowing the game to a clunky beat em-up.

Drillin', drillin' ma way south!

This game seems to have rectified that, and the only "addition" to the gameplay are the Whips, which act as power ups. However they're nothing ridiculous like a bazooka - they're nicely integrated power ups such as the Rocket or Drill Whips, which let you traverse environments better. So they simply add to the gameplay, rather than detract. This is probably the sole reason I have so much faith in this game. I'm not sold on it, but as long as Sonic Team manages to continue the level design found in the day levels of Sonic Unleashed (although they did have the help of Dimps) I don't see any reason why this couldn't be one of the best 3rd party released for the Wii.

Number 1: 007 Goldeneye

*Insert Wilhelm scream here*

I've only played about half of the original Goldeneye for Nintendo 64, but I've found it to be a most enjoyable and unique experience. A lot of people think this game will be a flop, because it's moving away from the archaic design of the original. Well there's a reason for this - the game's a re-imagining, not a remake. You can't remake a game that's over 10 years old, at least not at a level to do the original title justice. Technology simply advances to much, and things need to be changed in order to fit with the times.

"Like, oh my God! No way!"

I think this will be the most impressive shooter on the Wii. Period. Even better than Metroid Prime 3 and The Conduit. It's having a lot of time put into it, and it's running off a Call of Duty engine, and like them or not, Call of Duty games are quality in terms of production rate. Not only is it looking beautiful, but the fact it supports multiple peripherals for control and both local four player split-screen and online multiplayer, means it could be the defining multiplayer shooter experience on the Wii.

Honourable Mentions:

Honourable Mentions are extended to the following titles that made the shortlist for this blog (in no particular order):

Batman: The Brave and the Bold
De Blob: Underground
Raving Rabbids Travel in Time
Pearl Harbour Trilogy (WiiWare)
The Last Story
Conduit 2

The Bad, the Ugly, the Brutal

You're playing a game and you're fighting an enemy, however something is different than usual. This enemy is the real deal and he's not taking chalk from you, or any other hero that walks in after he turns your insides out. You know what I'm talking about. Those enemies that are completely brutal, chew you up, spit you out and then say, "Alright chump, round 2". They're the epitome of difficult (even though once you know they're secret they're not too tough) - but they're rare in gaming today. So starting with my first true gaming console, the Nintendo 64 as well as a few other systems - I give you (in a nice top 5 format - not 10 because I'm lazy) "The Bad, the Ugly, the Brutal".

5. Dark Link - (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

 

Those eyes pierce into your soul, and make you question your courage (ho, ho - see what I did thar?)

The entire mini boss fight with Dark Link is terrifying. First of all, you enter a room which is completely void of anything, save a small island home to a leafless tree. The musical score dies down. Eerie atmosphere, check. You walk around aimlessly, with no clue what to do. False sense of security, check. Finally  you decide to backtrack to the small island and this black, shadowy figure jumps out of the water, drawing his sword. Sudden shock, check. Just what is Dark Link? A parallel version of the Hero of Time, or a shadowy phantom conjured by Ganondorf? It's hard to tell - but either way, he's a pain in Link's posterior. He can dodge all of Link's sword attacks, and if the hero attempts a thrust attack Dark Link aptly hops on top of the Master Sword and has a free slash at Link's face. Once the player works out the secret to defeating him, Dark Link isn't so bad - however until that point, he strikes fear into the player's heart, and makes you second guess your every move.

4. The Elite 4 - (Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow) 

Is he big and scary? No. Should you fear him? Bloody oath!

So you've managed to clamber through the world of Kanto, defeating all 8 Gym Leaders as you go. You've even tackled the Power Plant, the Seafoam Islands and slugged your way through Victory Road. However, after all this trial and hardship, you learn that the real difficult is about to begin. Enter four elite Pokemon Trainers, whose sole purposes in life is to kick your arse from here, back to Pallet Town - with a cadre of battered, unconscious and utterly defeated Pokemon. These guys mean business. Unless you've given your Pokemon killer movesets, or trained into, at minimum the high 50s - these guys will wipe the floor with you. You might beat Lorelei comfortably, handle Bruno and even slug your way past Agatha, but then you have to face an absolute monster. The master of Dragon Pokemon; Lance doesn't show you any mercy and his two Dragonites are equipped with Hyper Beam to reign down on your parade. What made these guys so tough is, you either needed to be an ace battler, or you had to invest another 5 or so hours in training, just so your Pokemon even stood a chance against their beasties. Fittingly at number 4, I'm featuring a quartet.

3. Psycho Mantis - (Metal Gear Solid/The Twin Snakes) 

Oh-mi-gosh! Who told you?

Hideo Kojima is a strange, strange man. This isn't a bad thing, but he did spawn one of the most frustratingly bizzare enemies to ever appear in a game period. Psycho Mantis wasn't about being difficult neccessarily, but rather causing you to believe he was invincible and a complete badass, through a series of mind games. The list is huge. And yes, it is spoiler heavy so don't read on if you haven't experienced the Mantis yet.

1. Causing your in-game love interest to seduce you, then kill you
2. Forcing you to knock out said love interest to avoid aformentioned attempts against your life
3. Waking up your love interest and forcing her to attempt suicide
4. Forcing you to knock out your love interest a second time to avoid said suicide
5. Causing the furniture to attack you - Mantis is no stranger to domestic violence
6. Causing you to believe your television has changed channels
7. Reading your memory card and commenting on the games you've played
8. Being able to read your every move unless you plug your controller into an alternate port.

If all that wasn't enough - after you defeat him, he even manages to make you feel sorry for him. Master of psychotherapy? Yup. He's also one of the most unique enemies ever crafted in video game history, and he's damn ugly to boot.

2. Meta Ridley - (Metroid Prime)

Oh. My. God.

Samus has obtained all the Chozo artifacts and is on the way to prevent the complete destruction of Tallon IV, but Ridley has other ideas. He appears at of no where, raining missiles down on the heroine as he flies around the battlefield, stopping to land, breathe fire and claw at her face. This guy told us that we were at the business end of Metroid Prime, and that he was going to make our life a living hell to make sure we didn't pass, if he had to. The thing about Ridley is, he doens't seem to have any clear motives - the only reason he hunts Samus is because he hates her to his core. This fight showed that clearly, with many of the encounters ending with a fade to black and scream as Samus' suit systems shut down - how's that for a tongue twister?

1. Master Stalfos - (The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening) 

Horror.

Here we have the inspiration for this entire feature. Why you ask? Because this Stalfos doesn't muck around. Everytime you risk an attack on him, he's almost garuanteed to hit you in the process. There's also a chance you'll miss and still take the hit. Until you realise the correct way to approach him, this guy continually slaughters Link and it makes you want to go home and cry to mummy. Even if you're adopted. The most horrifying thing about the entire ordeal, is this guy is just a mini-boss, a la Dark Link. You also have to chase him around the entire dungeon, defeating him multiple times. It's well worth the reward though as he coughs up the Hookshot, which proves an invaluable tool for the dungeon and indeed, the rest of the quest on Koholint Island.

Video Game Journalism and me

I haven't written anything post E3, but believe me - it is coming, and those of you of Nintendo persuasion will like it a lot.

This however is just a short update to announce that I'm now a volunteer news writer at Vooks.net

My first article, 3DS Metal Gear may not be Snake Eater remake, just went live, so go check it out!

Whilst my new position may take a little away from blogging, I assure you it will not stop. This is a positive, and progressive step torwards realising my goals.

Thanks to all my readers, your support is invaluable.

E3 Nintendo - Thoughts, wishes and predictions

I try not to be biased, but when it comes to E3, it's always Nintendo that gets me the most excited. They always seem to have something that gets your jaw dropping and your heart pumping. This year there is one particular piece of software that is certainly a part of this. Guessed it yet? Why yes, it is Zelda. Make no mistake, I'm a big fan of The Legend of Zelda, and you can mainly thank the Nintendo 64 for that. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask would both rank in a top ten video game list of mine - although perhaps I'd rank them at the same spot together, as the really build upon and reflect each other so perfectly. The last Zelda outing was at the Wii's launch with Twilight Princess, but that was originally developed as a Gamecube game. In contrast the new Zelda Wii (officially confirmed to be called Skyward Sword), has been built for the Wii from the ground up. For me this means better motion control implementation, most likely improved graphics, and hopefully, a left-handed Link (yes, I did get pretty annoyed that he was right-handed in Twilight Princess, particularly considering I myself am left-handed). This series has such a reputation and legacy, it would be difficult for anyone to not, at the very least take notice of it during this year's E3. For those of you who rate this series highly, it's almost the real chunk of E3 you're interested in, and rightfully so - after all, software makes the system, and this could be one of the best pieces for the Wii.

 This is all we had - prior E3

However Nintendo have some competition in the industry. With Microsoft and Sony both tearing down the wall separating them and Nintendo from motion control, the forerunner of motion technology needs something to impress the masses with. In lieu of Sony's decision to implement 3D gaming with the PS3, Nintendo has decided to do the same, but through the handheld market. Enter the 3DS. It's debatable how effective 3D will be on the tiny handheld screens, but if anyone is going to make an impact with such seemingly insignificant hardware, it's Nintendo. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing the software in action - it's been a while since we've seen a true upgrade to Nintendo's handheld range and I don't think we're going to be let down. Just what kind of software? Well, I'm pretty clueless there. It seems unlikely it will be Mario, or Zelda. Perhaps a new IP? Time will tell. On the note of hardware, wishes of a HD enabled Wii are floating around, but I find it an unlikely prospect. It simply isn't Nintendo's best time to do so, from a business standpoint - they'll wait for the Wii's successor to enter the HD market on an even standing next generation.

What does the 3DS offer for gamers?

However, there is more than just a stellar title and a new handheld to get excited about. For me one of the biggest rumours, is that Retro Studios (pedigree of the Metroid Prime Trilogy) has been working on an entry into the Donkey Kong franchise. The gaming world hasn't really seen a true successor to Donkey Kong 64, and that's why I'd be quite pleased if this were indeed the title that Retro have been working on since completing Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Outside of this, people are hoping for some news on Pikmin 3, as both the Gamecube games were highly successful, and both were brought to the Wii via the new-play control line, so it only seems logical that a sequel will follow. I for one, contrary to many, would like to see the time restriction brought back into the game, as it made the original much more challenging than its successor, commanding planning and time management. Speaking of Metroid, Team Ninja have their spin-off game, Other M, which tries to take elements of Metroid Prime and fuse them with high-action gameplay, akin to that of Ninja Gaiden. I'm quite excited for this as I love it when franchises are taken in new directions - that being said, the verdict is still out on this one, and we'll need to wait for some hands on impressions to be sure it's doing the Metroid name justice. Also of note are Conduit 2 and Epic Mickey, both of which seem to be some good quailty, third party developed titles. The original Conduit was a fun game, but lacked unique art direction and needed a stronger narative. The gameplay itself was actually very intuitive and probably the best of any shooter available on Wii. I dare say it would even rank amongst the top shooter controls across all platforms. Obviously developer High Voltage Software's biggest challenge is to add some scope and character to their established universe in the upcoming sequel. The team hopes to implement Wii Motion Plus, but no details have been released as to how they will go about this. However, it has been confirmed that the title will utilise split-screen multiplayer, something that has slowly begun to die out in recent years, amongst all platforms. Epic Mickey seems to be the kind of game that will either soar or flop, with a great art direction and rich background to source its game play elements from. Hopefully some light will be shed on in, because I personally find its dark nature and take on the Disney mascot to be appealing.

Epic Mickey has impressed, but so far only with artwork

However, the Wii isn't the only platform getting attention during Nintendo's E3. Let us not forget the DS, which is still reeling out some quality titles in the highly anticipated Golden Sun DS, Okamiden, Super Scribblenauts and Pokemon Black & White. Obviously the first of these has been a long time coming. I was huge fan of the two original games on GBA, and rate them as two of the best RPGs, on any system.Considering how short (and pointless) the E3 2009 demo was, hopefully this year Camelot will give us a taste of the true meat of the title, and a juicy release date. Okami was a successful title, so successful it made it to both PS2 and then later, the Wii. It seems Capcom have wised up to the fact it appeals to the Zelda audience, and decided to make the sequel for the DS. The paintrbush mechanics should translate well with the DS's interface, and I think it would be a great title for the DS to go out on. Super Scbribblenauts is the sequel to the highly successful and creative title, Scribblenauts. Hopefully this sequel equips the player will more levels of creativity for solving its challenges. It seems that increasing the noun list, and improving the control of hero Maxwell are among the developer's top priorities, so they've definitely listened to the complaints of the critics, which is a great sign from any developer. Obviously Pokemon will be a big thing, as it always is. However for it to be a stand out, we'd have to see some very dynamic changes to the gameplay, which is not something the series is famous for, and I doubt will happen. Some new Pokemon reveals would be nice, apart from that, everyone is just expecting the little gameplay enhances, the come welcomed in every new iteration of the series. See you after E3!

Golden Sun DS - It's finally time for some real answers

E3 Playstation 3 - Thoughts, wishes and predictions

In lieu of the presence of Microsoft's Natal, Sony are pushing forth their Move. Similar to the Wii remote and nunchuck in design, Move is Sony's attempt to get a slice of the motion control cake. However, like Microsoft they are competing for an audience, which Nintendo already has a firm grip on (and probably doesn't feel like giving it up anytime soon). Impressions have been mixed. Some say it's very cool, and should provide owners of PS3s with an experience similar to that of the Wii. I'd say this is true, but one clear flaw exists, and that is the software. Nintendo has been able to churn out some amazing first party software, which utilises the motion controls perfectly, but can Sony manage this as well? They're very much in the same boat as Microsoft, but one would call both companies foolish to attempt this gamble, with out any credible software to back it up.  Just like with Natal, time will tell with this one. Personally, unless there is some absolutely amazing software, I don't think they'll sell. Why would anyone bother with the price tag, when they can purchase a Wii capable of doing the same thing, with an established library ready to go. This will be the real test for both Sony and Microsoft.

Sony's Move controller is very similar in design to the Wii remote and nunchuck

Outside of Move however, Sony are also attempting to span into another market. One that Nintendo is pursuing with its 3DS, the realm of 3D gaming. In fact firmware updates, and 3D games have already been released in Japan. As to whether this is a good move, it remains to be seen. 3D TVs are both expensive, and technologically primitive at this moment in time. This will probably, although not necessarily correlate with some poor initial sales from 3D games. That being said, it's interesting that Sony are placing themselves in such a vulnerable position of potential loss, but it wouldn't be the first time - remember when every said Blu-Ray wouldn't last? Personally I think it's a bold move, and indeed a strong statement to its competitors, first of all a challenge to Nintendo who would have otherwise entered the market uncontested, and a sharp jab into Microsoft, who currently have no revealed any plans to implement 3D into their endeavours. Of course the dynamic is a little different from the Blu-Ray incident - the PS3 functions as a Blu-Ray player, but it can't add 3D to a TV. Or can it? I suppose E3 will tell us.

3D Glasses - hopefully, a thing of the past

Once again like Microsoft, Sony are lining up some big titles for release, and most of them are sequels. It seems Sony are looking to establish their first party franchises, with follow ups in Killzone 3, LittleBigPlanet 2 and God of War: Ghost of Sparta. Killzone is obviously quickly becoming a staple series. Now in its third iteration (the original appearing on the PS2), the franchise is moving into 3D, expanding the variety of environments (including jungle and glacial areas), giving the melee system a little bit of a refresher with extra levels of "brutality" and even taking a leaf out of Halo: Reach's book by throwing in some jetpacks. Personally I'm not quite sure how well this will go, but I am adamant that it is important that one of the system's flagship franchises utilise the 3D technology - it could be the difference between whether it picks up or not, and at the very least its much needed support for the new tech. LittleBigPlanet 2 on the other is taking its concept to the next level. The original title was a great tool for creative gamers to show off their imagination and design skills, but the sequel is said to relinquish even more control in its revamped level editor. Such additions include AI behavioural control and even create entire games, rather than just levels. It reminds me of when I used to dabble in fan-made Zelda games. The main problem there was people just weren't gifted enough, or lacked the time to complete all the coding and all the various amount of sprite/graphic related preparation. LittleBigPlanet 2 is obviously a great way for developers to promote fan-made content, and I think all developers should take note of it. It's simple, content editors are fun, and people like to mod. Ghost of Sparta is the latest addition to the God of War franchise, following the release of the God of War III earlier this year. Obviously the developers have a tried and true formula, but the question will be what they introduce that's new, that will set this title apart from its previous iterations.

LittleBigPlanet 2 - a new level for fan-made content?

However, there are still quite a few more titles to get excited about in regards to Sony's E3 showing. Infamous 2 has been recently confirmed and Resistance 3 is also rumored to be a possibility. Outside of this is a plethora of third party games including Dead Space 2, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. I've never played Infamous, but I did like the concept of a sandbox-type superhero game, however it apparently had its flaws, so if the developers have focused on fixing those, it could become a must own title. The Resistance games are a great piece of work by Insomniac Games and provided the level of quality and detail present in the first two installments is still found in the 3 iteration, I can't really see myself having a problem with it. Some new gameplay elements should be added to keep it feeling fresh, but there's no need for any drastic changes to the game structure or formula. Dead Space was obviously a hit in the survival horror genre, and it's prequel for Wii, Extraction, also received positive reviews, so its hard not to back the developer to bring out a third title that stays true to the series. The original Force Unleashed, was a fun game, but as a avid Star Wars fan, I found it lacking. Whilst the polish was there, some of the controls felt unnatural, and because of this the gameplay felt disjointed and unflowing. If Lucasarts have managed to fix this gripe in the sequel, it could be the best action based Star Wars game to date - in regard to being a force user, Battlefront II is king of Star Wars action games. Castlevania is a series I enjoy, having played several of the iterations in the series. My favourites are most likely the Sorrow games, which both star Soma Cruz. However they followed the very popular and addictive "Metroid-vania" style, which has been present in the series since Symphony of the Night, way back on the original Playstation. So, I like many, was reluctant to see the series break away from this. However, once Hideo Kojima was revealed to be directing the title, all my fears were nullified. Kojima makes incredible games, and you need look no further than Metal Gear Solid. The fact that Castlevania is one of Konami's biggest franchises almost garauntees Kojima will have plently of resources for which to build this game upon. It will be huge and take the series in a completely different direction, but I have faith this could be the refresher the series needs, and that this game could be the best in the series. However, E3 has begun so these answers will come sooner than later.

 This is Sna- err, Gabriel!

Affiliation with VOOKS

Hello my readers, of whom I hope there are a few!

Just a quick update to say that The Game Over Blog officially has its first affiliate, Vooks.net!

An incredibly active, reliable and all things friendly Australian Nintendo community - I highly recommend any of my readers, whether they be Australian or otherwise, to check out the site and join the forums, because the respectful community and friendly members will accept you with open arms.

I'm a member of the forums, with my usual tag of Lucrei, but there are plenty of other intelligent, humorous and kind members, who you should converse with!

E3 Xbox360 - Thoughts, wishes and predictions + Advertising

So as I sit here, on the eve of my final and only mid-year exam I decide the best course of action is to blog. Blog about what you say? Why E3 of course! It's only a few days away, so the time to use my clairvoyant powers is running out. Of course E3 coverage, even in preview form is by no means easy, so I'll have my work cut out for me. Thank god that exam is tomorrow.

E3 2010, marks the 16th annual E3 since its inception in 1995

Each company, and indeed platform is bringing something exciting to this year's E3, so I think the best course of action would be to categorise, at the very least, to Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, for the sake of you the reader. Funnily enough, I do care about you, even if in a distant and irrelevant way - oh well you can praise me in the form of advertising, bless your souls. In this blog I'll be focusing solely on Microsoft, as the post will get rather lengthy if not split.

Microsoft's little black box of joy - Project Natal, alongside an Xbox360

To begin with Microsoft are obviously going to be pushing one huge thing this year - Project Natal. This is the company's first move into mainstream motion controls for their flagship console the Xbox360, alongside Nintendo's Wii and Sony Playstation's Move. Even if I weren't a Wii enthusiast, I'm pretty skeptical about Microsoft and indeed Sony's counterpart project, which from a business standpoint, seems to be a risky gamble. It's obvious that there are a number of people who enjoy the casual, motion controller approach - but what can both of these companies offer than Nintendo haven't already? In this blogger's opinion, bar some fancier graphics - nothing. With no real ammo to draw people to this new technology, let alone buy another console, Microsoft and indeed Sony will need to reveal some impressive software to win some of the casual scene away from Nintendo. Certainly from my personal perspective, the most impressive part of Natal's design is the absence of a controller - which I believe could go either way. Depending on the degree limitations this causes, which one can almost be certain it will impose some, we will either see something revolutionary (in terms of motion control) or something really not worth the time.

Woman interacting with Milo software (virtual boy simulation), sans controller

However, there is plenty outside of the Project Natal camp, for 360 owners to be excited about. For starters, flagship exclusive titles in Halo: Reach and Gears of War 3. Both of these series, (particularly the former, being the 5th iteration of its series) do not require introduction. Interestingly enough, players around the globe have already been exposed to Reach, vial the multiplayer BETA and questions have arisen as to just what Microsoft can actually show off from this title. The folks over at IGN.com have two suggestions, namely a first-look at the campaign, which revolves around the epic and climactic destruction of the planet Reach (being a prequel to the original Halo: Combat Evolved) or to just quell some of the public's Halo thirst, give the journos a go at ODST's Firefight mode, allegedly similar to CoD: World at War's Nazi Zombies and Gears of War 2's Horde mode. Personally I've grown distant from the Halo franchise (the last title I played being Halo 2), so it's difficult me for me to comment on just what I believe will be unveiled. I'd probably back the revealing of the campaign's nature and scope, as this would surely increase hype and therefore advertisement. In the Gears of War camp, the release of the third and final title, will complete the triology and the story set up in the first two titles. Naturally any fan of the series and story will be ready to gobble this up. Having only played a marginal amount of the first Gears of War, and finding it not particularly engaging, my comments on this title will be even more slim. That being said, to spawn two sequels is by no means an easy feat, so obviously the developer's have improved the game design dramatically, or I just don't get the franchise - I am human after all.

Scope? Well if this artwork is anything to go by, then yes, scope... copious amounts of scope

It's also rumoured that Rare will be releasing details on a new game. What exactly? It's hard to say. Out of their existing and successful IPs, only Conker hasn't received treatment in a while, but this blogger believes Rare won't tamper with the classics and instead be revealing a brand new IP (something I can honestly say I'd be excited about), and if not, nothing at all. Alongside this is Fable III, which has been reported to have Natal enhanced features, although Project Natal is not required to play the game. Fable is a unique and engaging series which I think could benefit from a subtle use of Natal, but nothing too over the top, which is what it sounds like the developers are aiming for. However at the same time it's essential it isn't just some tacky add on and actually add some quality to the title, if minimal.

Rare would do well to leave Conker, and other old IPs, well alone

Alongside these big first and second party releases, Microsoft will also have the pleasure of hosting some fantastic third party titles. Chief among interest are Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Fallout New Vegas and id software's latest, Rage. The latter in particular being a point of interest, as id have not solely produced a game since Doom 3. However it seems they're moving away from tradiotional old school shooter cliche's and moving towards the commonplace open enviroments, which I for one, think it is a bad move. Do you see anyone else offering that old school experience? No. It's a niche, and id should stick with it. Still the game looks polished and has some impressive graphics, so at the end of the day, it's pretty hard to complain at this stage.

At the very least, it's pretty! (Cheers IGN)

Overall Microsoft seem in good stead for this years E3. They have a huge title in Halo: Reach, which is heavily supported with Gears of War 3 and a nice collection of third party titles to show off, collectively with other companies (read: Sony). There is a looming potential of a new Rare IP, which I think is something anyone into gaming would appreciate, particularly if the developer can reignite some of that spark that helped it produce some of the best offering's on the Nintendo 64 in the 90's. However a lot seems to hinge on Project Natal. Is it the correct move business wise, and is there even software able to win over some of the Nintendo entrenched audience? E3 awaits.

On a final note, in relation to my previous mentioning of advertising being the best form of praise, if anyone wants to request a nice Game Over Blog banner they'd like for forum usage, just drop me a comment with the character you'd like to feature. Here are some examples of what they look like (of course I'm willing to spice them up if you wish, but I do like them to match the current site layout - however size is always negotiable):

Xbox 360: Sales top 40 million

Today, Microsoft confirmed that since its launch in November 2005, the Xbox 360 has sold over 40 million units worldwide.This currently puts it ahead of Sony's Playstation 3 (33.5 million, Dec 2009), but still on the tales of Nintendo's Wii (67.45 million, Dec 2009).

Microsoft's Xbox 360 sales are back on the rise

Microsoft is hoping the release of Project Natal, a motion sensing camera ad-on for the system, will further increase sales, and heavy rumours imply the company is also seeking to follow in Sony's footsteps, releasing a slimmed version of the console.

Could this be the future for X360? (Note: Fanmade image)

Perhaps a further price cut, tied in with the release of Halo: Reach, will also result in further sales. Many gamers who have the other two systems, may see now as an opportune time to pick up the third, and play its exclusives.

References
IGN: Xbox 360 Console Sales Top 40 Million Worldwide

Monster Hunter Tri - A step up for Wii online multiplayer?

It's always a pleasure when a game raises the bar for a system in a particular area. In terms of presentation, the Wii title Super Mario Galaxy, unarguably achieved this. The game displayed unprecedented levels of presentational detail, quality gameplay, responsive controls and musical score - not much a surprise for a game of its reputation, being Nintendo's flagship intellectual property since the 1980s. No doubt Super Mario Galaxy 2, due for release June 10th of this year in Australia, will raise this bar yet again. However, due to their nature, both of these titles do not grapple with one of the most disappointing aspects of the Wii- the online component. Enter Monster Hunter Tri.

You need not look further than this screenshot, to see how much detail has gone into Monster Hunter Tri.

Developed by Capcom, Monster Hunter Tri is the first of the series to make it to Nintendo's Wii, with various titles on both Playstation 2 and PSP. The basic concept behind the game is that the players visit various towns and cities to obtain "kill quests" - essentially bounties placed on dangerous monsters that roam the land. Upon killing these beasts, players are naturally rewarded with monetary sums which can be used to upgrade the player's gear. However, forging unique weapons and armour leads to much greater bonuses to stats. This is accomplished by salvaging the corpses of fallen monsters for valuable materials. This is obviously a unique method of character progression, but is a nice break from standard experience and level systems.This is essentially the heart of the gameplay found in Monster Hunter Tri, but those curious will find a more detailed explanation from IGN and GameTrailers reviews (see footer). However, whilst Monster Hunter Tri shines in both presentation and gameplay, it's its advancement in online mulitplayer that sets it apart from equally impressive titles on the system.

4 player online multiplayer: No more friendcodes, wiispeak and usb keyboard support? Aw yeah!

It can't be understated. Monster Hunter Tri is the industry standard for an online Wii experience. When players take their Monster Hunter Tri experience online, they'll find what is essentially a MMO, minus that first "m" (massively) as the game is limited to four players at once. This might not seem impressive, but despite this limitation, everything about the online experience is perfected. To begin with this game utilises the peripheral unit Wii Speak, making it only the 4th (and for us Australians, only the 3rd) released game to implement it. Considering the peripheral has been available for over a year now, it's quite poor that only 4 titles have managed to utilise it, when it should be a staple in Wii online game design. However, not only does Monster Hunter Tri provide audio communication for players, it also provides visual, with USB Keyboard support. This means no matter who the player is, or how they prefer to communicate, they can take down legions of monsters with gaming associates in a sensible, effective and co-operative fashion. Something that even The Conduit (the seminal Wii online FPS experience) didn't quite achieve by implementing the idea of player proximity, which was not universally praised. Yet even with all this, Monster Hunter Tri does not hold back on creating the ultimate Wii online experience. Capcom have managed to persuade Nintendo to negate the need for friend codes - that's right, they don't exist in Monster Hunter Tri. Rather the player is given a 6-digit "Capcom ID" to act as the online account. However players can instantly add each other to their friend rosters when online, without the need to register each other's codes, thus lifting one of the most painstaking and restricting elements of the friend code system. Fellow gamers, welcome the new industry standard for Wii online interactions- Monster Hunter Tri.

Monster Hunter Tri Online: Get excited!

References
Wikiepdia (Monster Hunter Tri)
Wikipedia (Wii Speak)
IGN - Monster Hunter Tri Review
GameTrailers - Monster Hunter Tri Review

Wii - Success or Failure?

In the October of 2008, games designer Brice Morrison in two separate articles (see footer), took a reflective look on what he deemed to be the successes and failures of Nintendo's latest entry to the console arena - the Wii. Despite providing some insightful thought in regards to the console's efforts, Morrison failed to really compare his evaluations, leaving his exposition lacking in closure and drawing little hard conclusions. This may be for the best, as the designer evidently had horrendously high expectations for Nintendo's white box, claiming it failed to keep its promise of facilitating a "completely visceral play session". An ideal that was never going to be realistically reached through the forerunner of all motion control dedicated consoles.

Nintendo's Wii has unarguably been a commercial success - but what do the critics think?

His first point is incredibly relevant when identifying the Wii's success in terms of financial profit, but also from it's ability to change gaming culture to accommodate a larger audience. By the end of 2009, the Wii had accumulated gross sales of 67 million units, becoming Nintendo's greatest selling console, evening surpassing the original Nintendo Entertainment System. This was largely due to its appeal to a new audience, those that had never played video games before. Morrison refers to this as "simplifying the connection between game and player" by eliminating the need for constant and accurate button pressing and replacing it with more natural motions, such as swinging or thrusting. This was when the term "casual gamer" first arose, used to distinguish those who solely played these new motion controlled games. The use of that term has evolved over the past few years, but it is still a correct label for gamers of this type. It began to also encompass gamers who preferred more leisure-based games such as Big Brain Academy and Wii Sports as opposed to the copious amounts of violence found in FPS (First Person Shooter) and Fighting games that other consoles offered. Morrison comments on it being integral that Nintendo didn't "[make] games for the hardcore gamers of last generation" and appeal to non-games instead, but this just isn't correct. Nintendo's flagship releases such as Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime: Corruption, both of which are challenging titles, show that Nintendo do not wish to alienate their previous fans, and will make sure the Wii facilitates their gaming needs as well. An interesting statistic to note is, that whilst Wii sales had been progressively increasing since its launch in 2006 by about 2-4 million per year, it increased by 7 million in the last quarter of 2007 and continued to sell at an accelerated point from then on. This can be explained by the power the Wii has over the casual audience. It might have taken a few years to establish its reputation, but the Wii has begun to reap the rewards and it's little wonder retailers are seething at their lack of availability even now in 2010. Naturally this can only be a good thing for the industry, however Morrison had some issues with the Wii, even after the successes it had already achieved.

Super Mario Galaxy - a perfect example of how Nintendo satiate the need of the "hardcore" gamer.

Morrison's grievances are the product of his own inability to discern the limits of the Wii's potential and therefore expect too much of it. His claim is people aren't buying Wii systems, but rather the "idea and dream" they believe the Wii is. His own explanation of this, is that consumers expected "immersion through movement", but they did not receive this due to the limited capabilities of the system. Whilst it is true that many games simply substitute waggles of the Wiimote for button presses, there are titles that show great examples of how motion control can provide for a more immersive experience. Titles utilising a FPS set up, when done correctly, such as Metroid Prime: Corruption (Nintendo, Retro Studios) or The Conduit (Sega, High Voltage Software) can provide incredibly intuitive and rewarding experiences when played, with point-point accuracy and faster response time than the analog stick, on par with that of a computer mouse set up. So while it could perhaps be argued that the Wii does not always deliver on immersion, there are credible examples of where motion controls do provide some substantial benefit to gameplay elements. It could be argued that it is not the limitations of the hardware, but the unwillingness of developers to fully utilise and perfect what technology is available to them, that holds the Wii back . The aforementioned titles were developed without the new Wii Motion Plus, so it remains to be seen how much more immersive titles can be once they are developed with the ad-on's technology.

The Conduit - one of several examples of how Wii motion controls can be implemented to great reward.

References
Wikipedia Article (Wii)
Two Years In - The Wii's Successes - Brice Morrison
Two Years In - How the Wii has Failed - Brice Morrison