Ok, my presence on the Internet the last week has been next to non-existent. Not just on this site, but Creative Fluff, twitter, IRC ect. Call it laziness or school, but I’m still alive. It’s that time when my personal projects are numerous and I hope to finish them off before my school work takes complete focus.
Anyway I was thinking about what to write as a quick of the top of my head post and it occurred to me. I did a post last year, I Called It, which was kind of pointless being one of the first half a dozen things I posted on the site. I could have written anything that happened and said I say this would happen. Well I did say those things, maybe not on the net, but in real life to anyone who would bother to listen to me. This year I decided to put my money where my mouth is so to speak and play act as Nostradamus of a little bit, without the cryptic speech that can be interpreted any which way of course.
First off, my thoughts on Resident Evil 5. This game is not going to light the world on fire, nor is it going to get the same kind of “best game of all time” response that Resident Evil 4 received from non-hype machine sources. The game is just like RE4 and unlike it’s predecessor it is not fresh enough to escape the fact that it isn’t frightening anymore and is an action title with some very frustrating controls. Co-op mode, while assuredly fun, should be the first and only needed clue that this is no longer a horror game. It takes its lessons from the school of Gears of War, only with less amiable controls, and not, say, previous Resident Evils. I’m not even speaking towards the game’s quality or the debates that will go on with the game’s “racism.”
Killzone 2– It was marketed as a Halo killer. I’m not sure that’s accurate no matter how nice the grit looks on screen. I was in the multiplayer beta and its just a basic shooter. Which given how much gimmick there seems to be now, a basic shooter may be something new. I am willing to bet that this will be the PlayStation’s answer to Halo. Not in terms of advancement of the genre as the first one was, but I’d say closer to the third one. The multiplayer is the focus and the story is just sort of there for the “few” people that still get shooters for single player. You’re a space marine tasked with killing aliens. It will be a killer app for Sony, if they ever market the bloody thing, but frankly all it is, is another shooter. The best of the bunch, but still just another shooter.
I just looked over the last two paragraphs and realize they could spawn posts in and of themselves. However, since I’m here to make predictions I’m going to curtail reasons for latter game specific posts. Onward.
3. inFamous – I can get behind this game. It is going to be solid title for the PlayStation 3. That’s it a strong and solid title. That’s not a bad thing, but I doubt the whole open world aspect that inFamous is in a long line of games trying to promote. I don’t think it’s going to offer the freedom to just do anything you want. And as for the choice of being a hero or an anti-hero as much as I love the idea, I think it’s going to fall as flat as Bioshock’s attempt did.
Cuatro: Heavy Rain– This game, like the Quantic Dreams’ last game, Indigo Prophecy, is going to fall squarely into the sphere of the Killer 7 argument. Like the term’s titular game and No More Heroes and Earthbound and Beyond Good and Evil, despite the flaws its worth getting and playing because of the utter uniqueness of the title. I haven’t a clue how much they are going to live up to the ever player action affects the story aspect, but I think its going to shoot for the moon, push the boundaries of what is currently being done and then fall short. Hence the Killer 7 argument.
Quinqu__ Prototype – Really, this is the game getting most of the attention and hype? Two phrases should have turned everyone off this title. “The main character has amnesia” and “Open world game with totally destructible environments.” If that’s your thing you don’t have to wait for the game to come out. Both Grand Theft Auto 4 and Hulk Ultimate Destruction will fill the space. Average, run of the mill, solid but uninspired and that’s being generous. At least inFamous got creative in its excuses for the character to do things.
Roku = Uncharted 2: Among Thieves– I predict that this game will have the exact same effect on me that the first one did. I like the game thought it was solid and even better than average, but on replaying it and on every reflection of the game it goes up in my esteem. I end somehow defending against all nitpicks and am not sure how I got to that point. But honestly, after experiencing that effect once, that’s really what I want the sequel to do to me.
& // I Am Alive – I expect this game to promise a world of new experience in the survival genre and then deliver only dressed up old experiences.
Eight || Assassin’s Creed 2 – An improved Assassin’s Creed game, with more varied missions and interesting interactions. Basically what the first title should have been. And of course another balls to the wall excuse to have it take place in the past.
Nove [] Alan Wake – It will not come out this year.
Zhen ; Dragon Age: Origins– It will not live up to the myth Baldur’s Gate built up over the last 11 years, but it will come damn close. The PC version will be better than the console versions.
Well those are all the games I can think of off the top of my head and is more than enough for ten months from now, when I see how I did.
I concur with your predictions for the most part however I temper my cynicism somewhat. Consider that musicians often make the same music with only subtle changes album-to-album and yet we still enjoy their new work.
It’s interesting how you decided to weigh in on Killzone 2, especially with all the ludicrous hype/anti-hype that’s surrounding it right now. I think that people forget that a title can be “just another shooter” and still be good, just as Die Hard 2 didn’t offer any innovations over Die Hard, but still retained big explosions and a fun atmosphere. Of course, these types of games (in which you blow up aliens) are rarely lauded for their single player campaign’s, so it’s a bit strange that the critical reaction seems to have expected as much from it. Why would you (not you literally) think it would have a good story? The first one didn’t, the PSP one didn’t…
On Heavy Rain, I agree, and I’m stoked/scared/excited/frightened. It could be amazing, and more than likely will NEED to be played.
I’m gonna disagree on I Am Alive, even this early in development they’re saying that puzzles will push the player to non-violent means, and I’m hoping that it comes to fruition. Regardless of the hundreds of Hollywood cliche’s that’ll likely come with it, I’m hoping that it retains a think or be killed attitude.
I hope that Infamous changes their character designs before launch. I don’t really want to play a game as a electric exploding motorcycle riding raver.
What about Brutal Legend? Any thoughts? I love Tim Schafer, but can’t stand Jack Black, so I’m a bit scared…
@Shaggie76 That thing about artist not changing their sound much from album to album is a recent phenomina. Beofer artist had the time to develop a personal sound, but now they have to market themselves right off the bat and stay the same so they can be easily marketed just with a name. Only older bands get any sort of pass to experiment anymore. See Guns n’Roses. Don’t know why I felt I had to share that.
@Thorin I forgot about Brutal Legend and a few others. This was everything I could remember off the top of my head. I also forgot God of War III. I liked Brutal Legend when I first saw it. I thought it was going to be gold, but then I saw the trailer at SpikeTV Awards. Jack Black’s voice turned me off a bit. At the moment, I guess I’m glad I forgot to remember the game, because I have no opinion at this time.