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| Why can't we just make it work?!?!?!? |
If there is one thing that's clear, it's that my wallet is going to take a pounding over the next few months. From Uncharted 3, to Skyrim, to Dark Souls, the list goes on and on with must buy games coming on the horizon. While it's going to be a project affording them all, it's a good problem to have. There's nothing wrong with too many good games to play. However, the dark side of this issue is that the titles on my "maybe" list will take a massive step back in my gaming queue and it might be a full year, if ever, that I finally find the time to check them out. While each has it's own different story why I haven't pulled the trigger yet, these 5 titles have been on my radar for awhile but never made it to the buy list, standing in the shadows of better games.
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| Shit is going to hitz the fan |
Ah, the 'ol God of War clone. This is by far the oldest entry on my list, but I've still never gotten around to checking it out, which is becoming even harder to justify since it's available on PSN for $30 or something like that. I've never been afraid to try out a clone, especially one that copies such a successful formula, so I'm sure the gameplay will be solid. I've also actually read Dante's Inferno, so I am somewhat curious to see how they turned that political and social commentary into a hack and slash gorefest complete with naked babies coming out of boobs. Tie in a very manageable platnium, and Dante's Inferno has been looking very enticing for a long time.
But I've yet to pick it up and there's a rationale to it. Like I said, being a clone isn't that big of a deal, but it certainly takes away the surprise element to the game. I know what I'll be getting into with Dante's Inferno, and while I may like it, I know I probably won't love it. The moral system seems pretty dumb and the gore, while not bothering me, has been said to be so over the top that it makes things kinda stupid rather than epic. Meh, atleast I could probably just skip the cut scenes then if I finally check it out...ever.
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| Dude, I'm so confused right now |
Since my early days of gaming, no genre pulls at my heart strings like an RPG, especially ones with a strategy element. But this generation, outside of Valkyria Chronicles (definitely in my top 5 of this gen), there really hasn't been that many. The last one I tried getting into was FF XIII and that was a disaster. Resonance of Fate has been touted as a hardcore RPG for the hardcore RPG fan, so I've been interested in it for quite awhile. Using this grid system thinger, the battle system seems very strategic and deep, which is a huge plus. Also, I think the setting is certainly interesting, taking place over several chapters while introduces different protagonists in a floating city. Pretty cool.
The one thing that scares me off is the learning curve, which has been written to be more like a learning wall you need to bash your head through to get the hang of things. I've never backed down from a challenge, but I don't take frustration well. I can see myself getting fed up with it after hours of unsuccessful battling and leaving it to gather dust, especially since the game is bound to be time consuming and there are SO MANY games coming in the next year.
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| Yeah, I just crapped on your heart. How'd that feel? |
Oh, Duke. Such a shame. I guess the joke's on you though if you think a game in development for 10+ years stood a chance of being good. I usually don't take a game's metacritic score as fact, but a 51 is a red flag no matter which way you slice it. It takes ALOT for a FPS to stand out nowadays, especially with the two titans, Battlefield and Call of Duty, getting ready to start swinging in early November. From all indication, it seems Duke doesn't have it. The controls are archaic, the jokes fall flat for the most part, and the King has seemingly fallen out of the lime light as the years progressed.
Nonetheless, Duke has some hope finding his way into my PS3 at some point for sheer nostalgia. I grew up playing Duke on the PC with the sound turned down low because because I didn't want my parents to know I was playing a game where the main character poops down a demon's neck. Love it. Plus, it's definitely not platnium worthy, so I can be satisfied with a single run through of the campaign and then let it be with a clear conscience. In the end, I know it's going to be a hot mess, but unless I fall through the mud firsthand, I think I'll always wonder. It should atleast be worth a weekend rental, right? Maybe? Sometime down the road when I find it for $5 bucks in the bargain bin?
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| You a crazy ho, Alice! |
I have and will always be a sucker for games with interesting art styles, which is why Alice found it's way onto my radar. I have no prior experience with the series at all and wasn't a huge fan of the source material, but this "Alice is a crazy girl killing demons with sharp objects" reimaginating looks appealing. I can't remember the last game I've played that actually creeped me out, and Alice definitely has a shot at doing that from the trailers I've seen. Plus, the platnium looks pretty straightforward.
The biggest knock against the game that has kept me away for the most part, from what I've read, is that the gameplay is basically a one trick pony. Things get shaken up a bit in the beginning, but once you get a sense of what is being asked of you in each section, the platforming becomes redundant and the experience as a whole feels repetitive. I can see how that turned off most gamers but like I've said earlier, I have a higher threshold for repetitiveness than most. I'm enroute to platniuming Dynasty Warriors for crying out loud. From what I've read in the user score sections, alot of gamers are much more outspoken for the quality of this game, which makes me think that there is alot under the surface that I'll appreciate once I get over the redundancy. Now if I just had the time...
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| Fear my penis..er, gun! |
Shadows of the Damned
The odd birthchild of some of the greats in the business, Shadows of the Damned appeared lackluster from trailers before its release and I really didn't pay it much attention until it came out. Labeled as being "immature" by alot of sites, the game seems to miss the mark with its humor, showcasing the cultural divide between the East and West. Taking the Resident Evil 4 control scheme, the game also doesn't really add anything to the formula and comes off feeling ordinary. In fact, from the reviews I've read, if it wasn't for all the boners and boobs in the game, nothing would really stand out.
On the other hand, like I said earlier, being a clone isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when it's a RE4 clone. I'm sure the humor won't be side splittingly hilarious, but I still find farts funny, so I'm sure when Carlos unleashes his big boner, it'll be enough to get a grin out of me. I think the real deal with this game is, given it's pedigree, everyone was expecting and amazing game and they got just a solid one. Not living up to the hype tends tends to diminish the end product. But knowing what to expect, I think this title can certainly fill two weeks in my schedule if I'm left with nothing to play. If only that time will come...
Hopefully one day, I'll get to try out these titles, but that certainly isn't now. Once I'm through with Catherine (which I'll write about next week), I'll probably just read water until Deus Ex. And so the great flood of games beings :)
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