Sweeping Review: Every PS3 Game I Have

Several months ago, I made a huge purchase. That purchase was a PS3. Sony had poked and prodded me for my attention since I was first wowed by a Motorstorm demo at a local Target over three years ago. However, not since the first PS1 Spyro game had I really played a game for any length of time on a Sony console. Sure, there were dalliances with Virtua Fighter 4 and a few instances of playing Medal of Honor, but not much else. This was a radical step. I was steeped heavily in Nintendo orthodoxy, closed to the outside. Over the last half of 2008 and 2009, I became ever more curious about the world outside.

This curiosity led to a more solid conviction that I should explore another console. My hatred for Microsoft (irrational, I admit, but deeply ingrained) prevented me from even giving the Xbox 360 a second look. I gravitated toward Sony because, and this is the truth, of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. What? A game that is so overtly celebratory of Nintendo fandom pushed me to one of their rivals? Why, yes. Actually, there was one specific character included: Solid Snake. My fascination with the lore and games of the Metal Gear franchise soon became stymied by the fact that I had just a Wii and there was no way a Metal Gear was coming to that platform. I looked into MGS4, and was blown away by its music, its graphical presentation, and its self-referential humour and style.

This, in turn, led to a breakthrough. I realized that there was too much passing me by on the PS3 to not own one. At the beginning of summer 2009, I made a pact with my gamer self that I would get a PS3 before the Autumnal Equinox. Sure enough, by late August, I had one. A shiny, huge black console that dwarfed my Wii in terms of size, power, and electricity consumption. More than that, though, it soon dwarfed the Wii in terms of play time.

Well, after the longwinded introduction, I must now introduce the actual topic at hand. Through the first five months of my PS3 ownership, I have acquired several games for the system. They run a wide gamut of styles and persuasion, but hold to a couple of common themes: the vast majority are either exclusives (like MGS4) or made primarily for the PS3 (Burnout Paradise). The purchase was made because I thought that that the PS3 had a unique appeal. Why should I get games that are also available for other platforms unless they are so good so as to require me to?

Here they are, in order of purchase:

1. Burnout Paradise

Despite the fact that this game was $20, I was expecting great things from this one. The game did not disappoint. It has a fantastic open-world setup, great driving controls, and an adrenaline rush that is almost unparalleled in my collection so far. Despite my disappointment that the game did not contain real cars, I fully embraced the game’s stylized California landscapes and edgy presentation. An additional plus for me was the custom soundtrack option, which allowed me to listen to Relient k and the Advent Children soundtrack while racing for my life through the cluttered streets of Paradise City. “Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.”

2. Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Before my conversion to a “gamer” from “Nintendo guy” I was deeply skeptical of Ratchet and Clank. I was a bit too closed-minded to look up the fact that Insomniac had also created the first video game I can remember playing (Spyro the Dragon). Well, the fact is that R&C is awesome. From beginning to end, the game just piles on the charm, fun action, and humour. The game is also gorgeous, by the way. Still, that barely mattered in the face of just how great the game was once I got into it. My current love of this franchise may have been the greatest paradigm shift in my transition.

3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

In order to effectively illustrate how I feel about this particular piece of interactive entertainment, a few statistics will be presented. The number of times I have completed the game: 6. Total number of hours spent in the game: 40-50. At this point, I can blaze through the game on Solid Normal in just under 9 hours. Not impressive, for sure, but still good. In short terms, this has become my favourite game of this generation, leapfrogging Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3. Never having been exposed to Metal Gear before, I was confused by the storyline but never repelled. This game keeps its head on its shoulders and a good sense of humour about itself. It is an entertaining tour-de-force of game design and cinema design meeting in the middle and subliming into a powerful combination. Seriously. This game is probably the closest to a perfect game I have ever played.

4: LittleBigPlanet

When I look back on it, it was Metal Gear and this game that first struck my interest as PS3 exclusives. This game appealed to the rabid Mario fan in me. The one who loved jumping from left to right and exploring surreal worlds full of things that have eyeballs but shouldn’t. LittleBigPlanet is the greatest fork in the road for platformers in years. It has redefined what a platformer can be in my eyes. This game takes place in a world of realistic physics and unrealistic situations. There is a fantastic single-player mode (that can be played with up to four people online) and an incredible community that has produced some of the coolest platforming levels I can remember playing. Come for the gameplay and graphics (which are also quite pretty and styled appropriately) and stay for the infinite well of content that is just waiting to be dredged up.

5. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

Now, though I am not by nature nostalgic when it comes to video games, I would be the first to acknowledge that some games have stood the test of time extraordinarily well. Actually, I had never touch a Street Fighter arcade or played a console version in my entire life before last year. I Of course, I was converted to be a fan instantly. Despite how hard the Arcade Mode is, I have grown to appreciate that, and see it as a great challenge that keeps on giving. I mean, other than the hilariously stereotyped characters, what other reason is there to play Street Fighter? Plot?

6. GRiD

Burnout is a great game, but it left me oddly dissatisfied in some ways. I did resent the fact that it did not have any real cars, for instance. So, along comes my cousin, who agrees to give me GRiD for free. I was overwhelmed with the punishingly realistic controls and it required a big mental adjustment after playing Burnout for so long. After this, I became enamoured with ascending the ranks of the world of race driving. It was vital, however, that that rewind mechanism was included. Otherwise, I may have let this one stay at the starting line, spinning its tires.

7. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Usually, I’m able to contain the hype I have for a game to forms of non-verbal communication. Silently laughing to myself, raising my hands in the air in an emphatic manner, that kind of thing. However, upon my first glimpse of Uncharted 2, I was swept up into all the ruckus. I didn’t scream but I did applaud and whoop (quietly) after viewing the E3 2009 demo trailer for the first time. At that point, I had already decided to get a PS3, but after that show, I was dying to get one. Well, not dying in the literal sense. And, of course, the hype faded away eventually. But it was soon replaced by a feeling of immense satisfaction, the feeling I had not gotten since first playing Metal Gear Solid 4. The game blew me away almost from start to finish. Visually, the game is unparalleled, and the voice acting and presentation are top-notch. It was incredible.

8. inFamous

Here’s a confession. It may be known that I do not have a soft spot in my heart for open world games. In fact, inFamous was the first one that I really connected with (OK, besides Burnout, but that was a racing game) on any meaningful level. I think the fact that the city is a devastated shell, that Cole is a genuinely cool and endearing character, and that you are an electrically-powered superhero who fights crime and can be either bad or good. In Grand Theft Auto, there is almost no choice. You are bad, a criminal who rises up the ranks and murders countless people. In inFamous, you have a choice to be good, and that is something I love. Sometimes. But this one is definitely a keeper.

9. Resistance 2

My most recent purchase (just a few days ago, in fact), I have yet to experience the entire game. Or even just the campaign. More on this later, but so far the game is looking to be massive, with a long road ahead through both competitive and cooperative multiplayer. Not to mention the fact that the campaign itself is great.

Review: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

Some games defy easy explanation. These games, in both their defiance of conventional genre-based classification and, in the case of the game I am now reviewing, their naggingly ambiguous quality, are the hardest to evaluate fairly. In all honesty, most games I play are quite simple to peg with a quick score. In the case of NiGHTS, however, I am stymied. At this point in writing the review, I have no idea what score I plan to assign. By the end, however, I should know.

Graphics and Art Design:

This is my blunt opinion of the graphics in NiGHTS: unforgivable. Truthfully, the game occasionally looks fairly good, evoking a true sense of wonder at the more imaginative levels in the game. And the boss battle stages are a treat to look at if only for their unique nightmarish qualities. There are, however, some glaring issues that suggest quite strongly the fact that the game was not finished before release. The water themed level suffers the most, with low-resolution textures and unfortunately jaggy environment geometry. Character models are fine, except the faces. During inexplicably lengthy cutscenes, their hollow, huge eyes and creepy animation suggest reanimated corpses. Character designs for the main characters, Will and Helen, are fine and look awesome in the few CG cutscenes, but in the game they are just plain disturbing.

Artistically, and graphically, the game is a mixed bag. Whatever imagination was used was usually obscured by the game’s poor graphics. Even in levels that do not look at all like a modern Wii game, NiGHTS refuses to run smoothly, with framerates dropping frequently below the game’s standard 30 frames per second. There are some inventive locales, such as a level filled with mirrors and an odd desert theme park stage. This being a SEGA game, though, the designers must have felt compelled to throw in the obligatory, and frankly, unwanted, casino level. The game is all about people’s dreams, the dreams of children at that. There is no rational explanation that would show why these children are dreaming about a casino. Perhaps they have been sneaking off while their parents abandon them. Boss and enemy designs are appropriately surreal and creepy, and are much more distinctive than the heroes. Wizeman, the main villain, looks absolutely stunning, in fact. No, I won’t spoil you with a short glimpse. Find him yourselves.

Story:

One thing that bothers me about contemporary entertainment of any kind is its preoccupation with filling our ears with sounds. In the localization of the Miyazaki movie Howl’s Moving Castle, for instance, they added more sounds in the background to make sure there were no silences in the game. This is relevant to the game because it spoiled something quite distinctive about Japanese filmmaking. In this case, the decision to have certain sounds–voices, actually–filling your ears is a travesty. The voice acting in this game is awful on average. That is all there is to be said about that, except that one actor in particular (Will’s) is supposed to be acting a British boy, but drops frequently in and out of his obviously faked accent. It’s odd, and breaks any interest or sympathy that you might have had for the character.

One problem you would not expect an arcade-style game is a story that is ridiculously convoluted. Character motivations are pretty hazy, and the writing is dumbed down to a 6th grade level. There is nothing compelling here for more mature people, and the story will likely confuse younger kids. If you do want to play this game, do not play it for the narrative.

Gameplay:

This game plays like no other. You cannot call it a flight game, and neither can you call it a platformer nor an adventure game. Even the title of “action game” is slightly misplaced. There is little combat, your flight is restricted to a 2D plane, and you are mainly concentrating on your time and your score. In fact, this game would not find itself out of place as a stand-up arcade game, at least most of the time. The better sections of the game are called Chase missions, and they have your controlling NiGHTS and the child you are currently in control of and attempting to get through 2D levels by avoiding or defeating some enemies, yes, but mainly by flying through rings and finding some clever short cuts in order to cut your time and earn a better ranking. These rankings are not really important unless you want to unlock some secret extras later on.

However, there are also boss battles, and these are the best sections of the game. For the most part, the boss battles are visually stunning and do not conform to the normal patterns of video game boss battles. In one particular standout, you have to find the boss first by forming a paraloop (a vortex created by flying in a tight circle) and revealing him. To do this you follow a  trail of playing cards that inevitably lead you to the boss. And this is one of the earlier bosses (depending on which child you choose to play as first). Bosses are tricky to figure out but can be honed down to a science with practice. The boss battles are the best thing about this game. It actually bears some repeating: the best thing.

There are, unfortunately, other types of missions as well. Many of these are variations on the main levels. One has you following an octopus and trying to fly through as many rings as you can. Others have your rescuing cute little Nightopians (strange sprite-like creatures that inhabit the idyllic dreamscape) from certain doom. These are more frustrating and less magical by far. The controls are not as flexible as you need them to be, and the camera (even in 2D) can be an annoying obstruction to your view. Simply put, there are brilliant and inane sections in this game in almost equal number.

Verdict:

If you’re a fan of retro-games, or of NiGHTS specifically, or if you just want something radically original, then get this game. At this point, the game’s price has dropped enough for it to be worth buying. However, if you have polish and finesse as requisites for your purchases, do not drop the cash for this one. Much as it pains me, I simply cannot recommend this rusty diamond to the majority of people.  The soundtrack, on the other hand…

Review: The World Ends with You

It has been quite some time since Square Enix released one of its few original games in the last half dozen years or so. That game, whose title is shown just above this body of text, has become something of a critical darling and cult favourite on the DS. Rightfully so, in fact. It’s a captivating, excitingly new take on the Action RPG genre that stands as a high watermark for the DS in many ways.

Though the presence of the conspicuously spike-haired protagonist Neku (who even has amnesia) might lead you to believe differently, the characters in The World Ends with You are deep, original and just plain fun to be around. For the fifteen hours or so that it will take you to complete the main campaign, you will be chuckling and smiling at one moment, and reacting with genuine concern at another. And since most of the cutscenes are shown in static text, credit really goes out to the writer’s and localization teams. They managed to take a truly interesting base story and turn it into a well-executed, emotional melodrama that is saturated with style and energy.

The basic plot is that Neku Sakuraba has been relieved of his memory and dropped into a bizarre alternate-universe version of Shibuya (an ultra-hip region of Tokyo popular with young people) known as the Underground. Here, he is thrust into a game with high stakes: win or die in 7 days. However, he cannot win alone, and is in fact completely unable to do anything solo. Along comes Shiki, an upbeat, optimistic girl that harbours a dark secret. Despite said secret, Shiki becomes an emotional anchor for the story, and acts as Neku’s primary motivation throughout. Neku, by nature, is a recluse hidden in a crowd (hence the gigantic blue headphones) and shuts out everyone. Gradually, he opens up, and he becomes far more likeable at the end than he was at the outset. Game characters can have arcs, I suppose.

Shiki, your feisty, pushy companion.

The overall structure of the game is fairly simple: follow your objective and survive. However, there are a multitude of things to do within that simple frame. There are sidequests, special endings, and a cool end level that opens up after you win. Truth be told, you’ll likely spend far more time in the game after the curtain closes on the main plot than you do in said plot. It can be daunting, but making sure that you finish all that end-game content unlocks awesome rewards like powerful weapons and gear, new boss fights, and alternate endings. You will definitely get your money’s worth out of this one.

As with any RPG, much of your time is spent in combat, and it is here that The World Ends with You shines. Although you may have to teach your hands how to dance in order to actually advance. You see, combat takes place on two screens, with Neku on the bottom fighting enemies with slashes and pokes of the stylus, while his partner (Shiki at the beginning) fights identical enemies using a faux-Dance Dance Revolution system that relies on quick presses of the D-pad. All this happens in real time and the result, at first, is utter confusion. After a couple of battles, though, you begin to get into the game’s unique rhythm and exploiting that rhythm to your advantage. Enemies are varied, though there are a large number of palette-swap clones that appear later in the game. Nevertheless, even these clones all have their own unique advantages and weaknesses. Frogs tend to have special immunities, while wolves are fast and hard to dodge, and rhinos hit hard and need to be hit from the back.

Neku and his partner share HP, and fully heal after each battle or chain of battles. Yes, battles can be chained together for more experience, better chances at snagging good gear, and more PP.What is PP, you ask? Not power points or magic points. PP stands for Pin Points. You see, every attack that Neku can use is tied to a specific pin that he wears into battle. The system here is deep and you can spend many hours just finagling with your pins trying to find the best ones to build combos. Depth does not even begin to describe it, as pins can use PP that you earn and level up into new pins. There are hundreds of them, and you will have an insatiable, Pokémon-like drive to collect them all.

All of this would be compelling enough by itself, but Square has gone out of its way to include tons of visual and aural flair for your pleasure. The look definitely evokes a mix between Kingdom Hearts (courtesy of director Testsuya Nomura) and Jet Grind Radio. The streets of Shibuya are recreated here in fantastic style, and the 2D here is hands-down the best-looking sprite and background work on the system. Running smoothly at all times, the game loads the screen with effects and so much stylish art that you begin to look at drab, Western shooters with a sort of contempt. At least, that’s how it worked on me.

One thing that stays constant with most RPGs is the audio, normally composed of sweeping orchestras and tingly pianos designed to pull the heartstrings. Obviously, that would not fly in this aggressively cool, urban RPG. So Square went out and hired some outstanding musicians to create works that would not sound out of place in the real city. Driving, modern, and hip, the music provides a background for both battles and more tender moments with ease. All of it sounds fantastic, and even though I detest rap in real life, the numbers in the game were truly catchy and I even found myself obsessing over them in my head a week after finishing the game the first time.

There is so much more to talk about, as this game has so much to merit a purchase, it would be impossible to contain it in a 1000 word review. Just rest assure that, whatever a given store is asking for this game, you can pay it and be satisfied. Even to this day, this stands as a favourite on the DS, right along with my previously-reviewed Contact. Just buy the game and be swept up in its world. You won’t regret it.

(Note: I am trashing my scoring system, and allowing my review text to stand on its own. All scores for previous games still stand.)

Developers that Died

Game developers are the heart and soul of the interactive entertainment industry. They are the places where the masterminds work. Fresh ideas and no so fresh pour out of them, whether they are under a publisher or independent. With that in mind, it is always a sad event when a studio shuts down. Why do they shut down? Money. And, in case you have been bathing in gold coins this entire time, you should know that that is a bit short these days. Thus, studios are dropping like flies, and this list is meant to briefly honour they legacy and attempt to show why they died.

1. Clover

Clover, in the strictest sense of the word, has closed. Most of its employees have moved on to new independent developer PlatinumGames, but not all. Following the success of the studio’s Viewtiful Joe, there came a string of financial failures that cost Capcom millions. These included the beautiful and overlooked Okami and the oddball action game God Hand. Despite there being quite a few dedicated followers for those games, the studio that birthed them was shut down by Capcom.

Clover’s Games:

• Viewtiful Joe – (2004) (PlayStation 2 – port from GameCube)
• Viewtiful Joe 2 – (2004) (GameCube)
• Viewtiful Joe 2 – (2004) (PlayStation 2)
• Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble – (2005) (GameCube)
• Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! – (2005) (Nintendo DS)
• Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble – (2006) (PlayStation Portable)
• Ōkami – (2006) (PlayStation 2)
• God Hand – (2006) (PlayStation 2)

Where are they now?

Well, most of their team has now moved on to PlatinumGames, which has recently created MadWorld, Infinite Space, and the upcoming Bayonetta. They are still alive and well.

2. Free Radical

Splitters

 

 

Free Radical is a British development house that is responsible for the TimeSplitters series, and is currently still in operation under the name of Crytek UK. However, they are no longer independent, and their name is gone, so they fit the technical criteria for being declared dead. In the sad case of Free Radical, the main catalyst for their downfall was the PS3 exclusive first-person shooter Haze. Haze was delayed multiple times, panned on release, and sold miserably, leaving the company without the funding to continue operating independently. This led to their absorption by Crytek this year.

Free Radical’s Games:

• TimeSplitters (2000) for PlayStation 2
• TimeSplitters 2 (2002) for PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox
• Second Sight (2004) for PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox and Windows
• TimeSplitters Future Perfect (2005) for PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox
• Haze (2008) for PlayStation 3

Where are they now?

They are, as aforementioned, still kicking and mostly together. However, they now operate as a part of European publisher Crytek, and are now likely working on an undisclosed project.

3. Factor 5

An American development studio that got most of its acclaim from its time under Nintendo’s banner, Factor 5 was known for their ability to stretch the boundaries of technology and create stunning games. However, this studio too was killed by a lacklustre PS3 exclusive hobbled by technical problems and an inflated development cycle. That game was yet another monosyllabic games known as Lair, which was about dragons and in general was not a very good game. Unlike Clover and Free Radical, Factor 5 has a history that stretches back to the 16-bit era and even further back. This makes their loss all the more acute.

Factor 5’s Games:

Amiga

• 1988: Katakis
• 1989: R-Type
• 1990: Turrican
• 1990: Masterblazer (intro only)
• 1991: Turrican II: The Final Fight
• 1992: BC Kid
• 1993: Turrican 3

Atari ST

• 1990: Turrican
• 1991: Turrican II: The Final Fight

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

• 1993: Super Turrican
• 1994: Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures
• 1995: Super Turrican 2

Sega Mega Drive/Genesis

• 1993: Mega Turrican
• 1996: International Superstar Soccer Deluxe
• Mega Bomberman 8-players (unpublished tech demo)

Game Boy

• 1994: Contra: The Alien Wars
• 1995: Animaniacs

PC

• 1994: Tony & Friends in Kellogg’s Land ^[2]
• 1999: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D
• 2001: Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo

PlayStation

• 1997: Ballblazer Champions
• 1997: Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire

Nintendo 64

• 1998: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
• 1999: Resident Evil 2 (Sound Compression Technology)
• 2000: Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo
• 2000: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine

Nintendo GameCube

• 2001: Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
• 2003: Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
• Thornado (not released)

PlayStation 3

• 2007: Lair
• 2007: untitled project for Sony Computer Entertainment (cancelled)
• 2008: Superman (cancelled) ^[3]

Wii

• 2008: Superman (cancelled) ^[3]
• 2009: untitled Flight project for Nintendo ^[3]
• 2009: untitled project for Lucasarts ^[3]

Where are they now?

No one knows. Presumably the entire team was at one point unemployed, and are likely scattered across the far corners of the game industry. Also, the company has been sued by its employees for not paying them for two months prior to closing.

4. Ensemble Studios

One of the more puzzling closures of this decade was Microsoft’s closing of Ensemble. Their games were always at least good and sold quite well, which compounds the confusion felt by the general gaming public at their closure. This studio was known for one genre and that genre was the real-time strategy game. Their venerable Age of Empires series was one of the core pillars of the PC RTS, and their absence leaves yet another hole in the disintegrating pool of PC developers.

Ensemble’s Games

1997	Age of Empires
1998	Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome
1999	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
2000	Age of Empires II: The Conquerors
2002	Age of Mythology
2003	Age of Mythology: The Titans
2005	Age of Empires III
2006	Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
2007	Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties[2]
2009	Halo Wars

Where are they now?

Most of their employees were absorbed into the supermassive black hole that is Microsoft, likely pondering their fate in silence.

Month by Month: January-March on Xbox 360

I have never made secret my disdain for Microsoft. I wear it on my sleeve and call out into the hills proclaiming the virtues of any product that can bring them down. I snicker at Steve Ballmer’s loudmouthed idiocy and, while I hold Gates in the highest respect as a businessman, deplore his business tactics as immoral or at least unfair. But, all that notwithstanding, there are some cool games coming out for the fragile little white box early next year. I would be remiss in my duty if I failed to notice them simply because they are unlucky enough to be on the 360. Here they go:

1. Alan Wake

Developer: Remedy Entertainment

Publisher: That company

Atmosphere and story are two of the biggest lures a game can put out for me. Alan Wake has both of those in spades. It’s the psychological thriller concerning a writer who goes out into a frontier town and experiences all kinds of supernatural disturbances. Light plays a huge part in the gameplay, in that it is your only defence against your various ghostly foes. Intriguing, beautiful (for a 360 game) and long-in-the-making, this one looks to be a winner for March.

"Why am I here? Why was the PC version cancelled?"

2. Mass Effect 2

Developer: BioWare

Publisher: EA

Negativity is not what I am all about, just most of what I’m about. I don’t like most Western RPGs, but I find the space opera presentation and interesting dialogue of Mass Effect strangely compelling. Although this game is also arriving on the PC (I may get it on the PC) it will likely sell more on the 360. There are supposedly numerous improvements in this iteration of the franchise. Reduced load times, more dialogue, better visuals, and perhaps fewer elevators and screen tearing/framerate drops and visual glitches. Yes, this game will likely be just as much of a technical mess, but those craving story and character customization will find it in spades here.

"Dad, why are we in this painting?" "Son, here we are safe from technical problems."

3. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction

Developer: Ubisoft Montréal

Publisher: Ubisoft

Stealth is a fantastic subgenre within the action game sphere. It requires real thought and perhaps even a bit of tactical reasoning to get through without dying. And it encourages more realistic health meters (imagine if Metal Gear Solid 4 had regenerating health). However, Splinter Cell has never been my thing. Still, Conviction is looking to change that with some innovative new features ranging from the stupid and superficial (3D markers that blend into the environment, still breaking the realism but being harder to see) to the ultra-cool. Add to that a much more…human design for Fisher, and you have a winning stealth combo.

Month by Month: January-March on Nintendo Wii

The Wii has perennially suffered from a paucity of great games. However, this is far from the case in early 2010. More and more interesting games are being confirmed for the console in this time period that it may have the best lineup of any console (well…) in that period. Here we go, what are they?

1. No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture

Publisher: Ubisoft

Travis Touchdown, the man who used a lightsaber bought on eBay to become the world’s top assassin (I mean, what other logical course of action does one take in that event?) is back for revenge. Suda51 is one of my favourite game developers, and his manic style is bleeding–quite literally–all over this sequel. If this game can take the incredible greatness of the first game’s action and eliminate some of the tedium of the its odd jobs and awkward open world, then Desperate Struggle will be one that is worth taking on.

2. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars

Developer and Publisher: Capcom

Always a fan of over-the-top Japanese fighting games, I somehow never got into Marvel vs. Capcom. However, this appears to be the same kind of game and, quite honestly, looks to work even a bit better than that venerable Dreamcast fighter. I have little knowledge of Tatsunoko, but I understand it to be popular in Japan and its characters pretty interesting. Smooth, pretty graphics don’t hurt this game’s appeal either.

3. Arc Rise Fantasia

Developer: Image Epoch

Publisher: XSEED

One disturbing facet of this generation is the lack of compelling Japanese RPGs, particularly on the Wii. The creators of Luminous Arc are looking to rectify that with Arc Rise Fantasia, which will hit in late February. Despite looking fairly standard for a Japanese RPG, that certainly is not a bad thing on Nintendo’s console. XSEED is doing all of us a great favour by bringing this exclusive role-playing experience. The battle system appears to be fairly unique, although the characters have so far failed to grab me in any meaningful way. Perhaps that will change when we can all play the game in English.

4. Sin and Punishment 2

Developer: Treasure

Publisher: Nintendo

One unfortunate consequence of the Wii’s uniqueness has been the difficulty of developers in adapting games meant for more traditional control schemes to a Wii Remote configuration. Many developers have accomplished this by shoehorning their concepts in on-rails arcade shooters (See House of the Dead: Overkill, Resident Evil Chronicles, Dead Space Extraction). However, the original Sin and Punishment was an arcade shooter, and quite a good one at that. So I have much less reservation about this title than I had and continue to have about the other games listed in parentheses. Besides, this is Treasure we’re talking about. When have they ever done anything that could be considered boring?

5. Red Steel 2

Most Wii fans know the sad and not-so-twisted story of the original Red Steel. Unveiled to great interest and selling quite well upon arrival at the launch of the console, it ultimately disappointed due to some unfortunate problems with controls. That, and the game had no personality whatsoever (well, maybe a little bit) and didn’t look very unique. All of those grievances appear to be addressed in the new game. However, Ubisoft is cheating. Instead of following up on the last game and fixing its issues, they essentially started from scratch, created an entirely new game, and slapped the title of the first game on it. Still, the lack of resemblance may be a positive trait. Wii MotionPlus support built in, some interesting swordplay, and gorgeous graphics earn this one some optimism, if nothing else.

Month By Month: January through March on PlayStation 3

This Christmas game-buying season has dried up considerably compared to the past few years. There are still plenty of heavy hitters (Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2) and unique originals (Brütal Legend, Borderlands), but the zest and variety has been sucked out. Luckily, these games are merely delayed and not evaporated into nothingness. The normally barren early months of the year are now as teeming with life as a small Brazilian rainforest. My console of choice at the moment is the PlayStation 3, and so it will get top billing in a feature I plan to continue (with plan being the operative word) with the other consoles (except for the PC). So, here are the most noteworthy games arriving at a large black Blu-ray playing home console near you.

1. MAG

Developer: Zipper Interactive

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America

This game’s style does not particularly suit me, but I am intrigued by it on a purely technical level. 256-player simultaneous multiplayer is an impressive feat that is not even close to being equaled by another console shooter, and the unique tactical edge added on the side gives the game a bit of relief from its generic appearance. Objective-based, 32-player teams, and some fairly deep stage parts make this a game to watch for early 2010.

If I didn't tell you that this was from MAG, you probably would have never guessed.

2.  God of War III

Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

The sequel to the last hurrah of the PS2 is coming in March, and its pro/antagonist Kratos is back for some mythological vengeance. Already displayed as a gorgeous technical showcase for the PS3, the intense, deep combat and jaw-dropping scale that are quintessentially God of War appear to be returning for a third act. Only this time, the scale and intensity have been further ratcheted up. Titans, giant stone rams, and all the other accompanying awesomeness are here. As a heads up: the God of War Collection will contain a demo for this game, so pick it up if interested. For those like me who are less tolerant of gore, just find a pretty screenshot and stare at it until March.

Here's one. You're welcome.

3. Gran Turismo 5

Developer: Polyphony Digital

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Quick confession: despite my rabid appetite for racing games in general, I have never played a Gran Turismo before. However, I require no convincing as to its merits. Realistic, difficult-to-master control and strategy? OK, I like that. Endless numbers of cars from nearly every conceivable manufacturer on the planet, including my favourite Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Audi models? I am so far down with that, I might be crushed by the pressure from Earth’s core (and that, class is what we call hyperbole). As a rabid European car fanatic (I like Corvettes, too) racing hundreds of cars…no, just being able to have pictures and stats of that many cars in one product, and in HD, is a dream for me. I have a few passions in life. There’s history, geography, religion, video games, literature, music, and cars. Therefore, Gran Turismo is extremely high on my list of Very Important Games (VIGs).

Prancing horses.

4. White Knight Chronicles

Developer: Level 5

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Although not really confirmed for March, I think that, in all likelihood, White Knight will be hitting before the end of the March month. I have been craving a real Japanese RPG for months now, not really content with all the RPGs I have for the DS. A console RPG is just what I need to pass away the miserable early Canadian spring. White Knight looks to be the perfect fit. Despite mediocre reviews from Famitsu in Japan (although they give mediocre scores to pretty much anything that doesn’t have the words “final,” “dragon,” or “quest” in the title) I believe I will get a lot out of this product. Online party systems are nice (if unused by me) and the battle system reminds me of all the good pieces of Final Fantasy XII.

So many words on the screen. Must have more words.

Games as Art

Video games as we know them today are, in large part, impossible to consider art in most senses. Yes, there can be artistic components to them, including visual flair, music, and deep narratives. However, in order for the games themselves to be art, there needs to be something more. Since art is something that is crafted carefully to create an emotional response in its audience, most games at their core cannot be considered that. Why? Ultimately, the interactive parts of a game, the thing that animates a game, that extends the illusion of immersion beyond simple images and sounds, are today mainly designed to be seamless and unnoticeable. They are saying nothing, since they are designed to be learned, mastered, and forgotten.

Review: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The premiere launch game for the Wii and the last bookend to the gasping GameCube life cycle, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was one of the most heavily anticipated games ever. It was delayed numerous times,  and expectations were at a dizzying height. Twilight Princess is also the first Zelda game I ever played and the only one I have ever finished. So I come at the game from a very different perspective compared to the average guy. Whereas that person remembers Ocarina of Time as a huge trailblazer into refining 3D games and creating a gigantic adventure, I do not, and came into this with a fresh mind and no previous experience with the Zelda franchise. Just keep that in mind.

New Horizons: The Coming Dawn of the PS3 on my Life

Well, this is the final threshold. Over the past few years, I have been shedding every vestige of my former pro-Nintendo biases. I have bought third-party games for the Wii, allowed myself to play games on other systems, even if I never bought any, or paid for them in any way, shape, or form. Now, the final, infinitesimal trace of unabashed pro-Nintendo bias will disappear after the German Gamescom in Cologne. Or, to be more particular, the Sony Press Conference on August 18th. That event is where Sony will, almost surely, announce the new model of the PS3 and an accompanying price cut to $299. This will be the final factor that breaks my will, although if there is no announcement of a price cut or new model, I will buy one anyway. An era is passing, and it will be an end marked with celebration and lots and lots of game playing.