Games Im Looking At for 2011

2011is finally here and with that a whole new year to make things better for ourselves and for our families. It also means a brand new start for video game companies to pump up their products and this year is as good as any other that I can recently remember. Now I know everyone is expecting great things from well known franchises like Gears of War and Mass Effect and Little Big Planet. These 5 games are the ones that I personally am looking for and am hoping to see big things. Lets take a look at the list.

Our favorite super heroes and villians are back in an epic battle to determine the fate of 2 worlds. Seriously...part of the title of the game is Fate of Two Worlds. It might sound silly but the game looks to be anything but...All our favorite characters from Capcom games and Marvel comics are back with a few new ones sprinkled in. Visually it looks awesome, taking a page from Street Fighter IV and obviously the gameplay is where its gonna the interesting part. Of course the online portion of this game will be active on day 1 and will continue until the next installment comes out. Supposedly the full roster of characters will be around 40 with DLC to include even more characters.

 

I know we have games like Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne that set the standard for Rockstar Games. They may have upped the ante with this title. If these guys can make the Old West look good in Red Dead Redemption, it'll be crazy to see what they come up with for L.A. Noire. A Crime Thriller thats set in the 1940s Los Angeles that not only looks great but may have a story that rivals Red Dead Redemption.

 

An MMO thats not named World of Warcraft. I know I know...we've seen this before. An MMO in the Star Wars universe has been already tried and it just didnt live up to the hype. Well...hopefully this one is different and since Bioware is behind the reigns on this one, I do have hope that this will rival WoW. Gameplay wise, it's supposed to be up to par and looks to be solid from the previews that I have read so there is promise to this game to last for a long time.

O.k....who thought a simple game where the only tool you use is a gun that lays out portals would be fun. Not only was it fun but it was addicting. How can they follow this up for sequel? How about adding a 2nd player into the mix. With the crazy dialogue from GLaDOS and the insane puzzles that Valve can come up with, this game should provide endless hours of laughter, frustration and insane competitiveness among friends to top each other's scores.

 

Bethesda is really good with RPGs so this game will probably do well. Oblivion was huge and this will probably be bigger. I think it will be interesting to see how the gameplay will be improved as well as rpg elements that this game will demand.

So thats my list of games that I am looking forward to for this upcoming year. What are some of your games that you want to see do well?

 

Year of the Undead

True Story: me and buddy of mine were in the movie theater waiting for Tron Legacy(nope, sorry...we did not dress up in combat armor or have any discs attached to our backs) he posed a question on me. What is the deal with video games having some sort of zombies in them? I thought about it and started wondering the same thing. What is it about the undead do we love that every popular game we like to play has some sort of zombie mode or have zombies in them? So I figured I would tweet about how 2010 would be the year of the zombie and lo and behold, IGN beats me to the punch and gives a nice video of some of the most popular games with zombies in them. Great minds think alike I guess.



It seems video games are creating hundreds of ways you can kill a zombie. In Chuck Greene's case, there's endless possibilities. I guess that's what appeals gamers with zombies. You can either pump a zombie full of lead or use a rake combined with a car battery to electrocute them senseless. It also can develop teamwork. Games like Left 4 Dead or Treyarch's Zombie Mode in Call of Duty make it worth your while to stay together as a team or die as an individual. Heck you dont even need guns or equipment to kill zombies it seems. Plants should be your weapon of choice. Not only do you have to worry about human zombies...there's also the zombie bears and zombie cougars. You can ask John Marston about how to take those things down. Maybe ride one of the 4 apocalyptic horses and scalp those zombies with your tomahawk. What else will they come up with?

IGN's take on the Year of the Zombie

It's not just in video games where zombies are thriving. Want to know what to do if a zombie outbreak occurs? Read Max Brooks Zombie Survival Guide. Theres also plenty of movies from Dawn of the Dead to 28 Days Later and my personal favorite Zombieland. AMC's new tv series The Walking Dead just finished up their 1st season. If you havent watched it yet, it's definitely recommended. It's not everyday a tv series about zombies shows up for long. It actually got me reading the comic book that inspired it. Any way you look at it, zombies will never die and they'll be around for a long time. Here's hoping we never get tired of planting a bullet in the head with one.

Check out the TV Series on AMC & the comic book as well

3D for you and me?

3D. Is it for you or me? 3D is taking off again in movie theaters, homes, and even the gaming scene. More content is becoming available each month, but is it worth the cost of the gear needed to get this effect? Is it even safe? Read on for my unbiased non sales thoughts on this.


I am lucky enough (for now) to work in the retail industry and get to see most newer technology before it drops in the stores. About 4 years ago or so, I seen my first 3DTV. Samsung was trying this thru PC emulation on their DLP tvs. Mitsubishi even made a laser TV in 3D that we seen in a huge 18 wheeler display truck, but it failed to release. Perhaps due to the price as it was around $6k. Fast forward to this year as most manufacturers have released 3D ready or enabled models that work from Blu-Ray players. Much better delivery this time as it has finally taken off and the pricing is much cheaper than in the past, but is it worth it now?

I say no. Each time I have seen a demo from different manufacturers sets, my head hurts about 10 minutes into things. This could be due to not using it over time, but it makes me wonder about the safety of things as I am not the only one that complains about this. This reminds me of the color wheel issues that many DLPs had when they first released as many had issues then as well. I also worry about children as who knows the damage it could be doing to them now or everyone in the years ahead. I have not seen any studies or looked into it much, but it is something to be aware of and you may want to demo a set before you buy due to this. The content has been limited as many movies will only have 3D effects here and there as you may be waiting several scenes to see an effect, then another wait to see something again. It takes a pretty big screen to get those nice effects as well. I would not use anything in 3D under 50 inches at this point.

Still, prices are going down, so you may be able to get a deal on something now, so here is why I would recommend one. Kids. Most of the content is for kids and families now, so it could be a benefit in this case if you can get over the safety part of it. Gaming. Games are on the way and now available and may be big in the future if developed correctly. Sunny Crockett. Yes, if you have to have that Ferrari, then 3D will be for you and you will not mind paying the fee to be the coolest on your block.

$$$. Speaking of fees, don't be fooled thinking you are set once you get that new 3DTV. There is more to it than the TV alone. You will need a 3D source or player. 3D approved HDMI cables, a new 3D receiver if you use one for video pass thru now, a 3D transmitter (many do not come with the TV), 3D glasses, and batteries as most will not last very long or some models do not come with rechargeable type batteries. Start adding those things up and you can see this will be a pretty big investment.

My advice, drive a Civic instead of that Ferrari. This is the first year for most 3D manufacturers, so things are buggy. Wait till next year or the year after and quality will be dramatically improved. Prices will also go down by then and more content will be available if this is indeed going to stick around. Look for a deal on a 120 HZ LCD or a plasma as you can strike it rich on deals for these models now.

We Run These Streets

If a remake is in the works, its over.

I remember back in the day when I first started playing video games me and my friends always had competitions with each other. Our weekly game of choice was either Street Fighter 2 or Killer Instinct on SNES at the time. It was a constant all nighter marathon that always involved lots of trash talking and lots of broken controllers. I know Ive spent more money on controllers than actual games for the Super Nintendo. It was these fighting games along with Mortal Kombat that got me into the competitive side of gaming. Staying up late, learning the combos and moves it became a science. My friends and I always thought we could not be beat as a group.

 It wasnt long until we started getting shooters and other multiplayer games. They included of course Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros for the N64. Oh yeah, there was another decent game you may have heard called Goldeneye. My first semester in college pretty much revolved around this game. The late night madness, the arguments over using Odd Job, and proximity mines...UGGGH!!!! Like the previous games we thought we were bad asses.

Best game ever.

The trend continued when computers started to become the norm. I remember the days when I lugged my 20 inch CRT Monitor and computer over to my friends house for LAN parties. We played all the shooters. Jedi Knight, Quake, Rainbow 6, Unreal Tournament. We somehow always came back to probably my favorite game of all time. Counter Strike dominated me and my friends time. It is the game that developed my shooter skills more than any game than Ive ever played. Probably the biggest reason why was it was the first game we played online. It was then I realized that even though I thought I was good, I was very mediocre compared to the rest of the world. I think me and my friends spent hours upon hours playing to get better. It was an obsession. Before and after class. Before and after work. If you ever see the MTV reality show True Life where they chronicled the video game addicts....lol that was us(not literally mind you) in a nutshell with this game. The only way for us to beat everyone in that game was to play and we played alot. More than I care to admit. Not only did it open a door for online gaming but also local lan tournaments which we competed, lol but never came close to winning. It was probably some of the most fun gaming Ive done.

 Nowadays, gaming online is the standard.  You can sign up for any tournaments on the web and play online from the comfort of your own home. There's also gaming leagues like MLG. Of course you have to be pretty good to compete and thus you need alot of play time. Competition is as fierce as it was back then but those times before it became as popular seemed more engaging. I think in my opinion that even though we can still game with friends online, it's not as personal when their sitting next to you and that's where the social interaction seems to be missing for me. I still find it cool though gathering a party and just blowing away the competition in Halo or Call of Duty. Its just dealing with the new excuses you constantly hear when they lose.

Gaming and Diapers Whaaat?

Perhaps I am behind the times but I heard something on the radio this morning that disturbed me. and a quick search confirms it is real try it for yourself http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Reusable-Cotton-Poly-Diaper/dp/B000BF5JFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291292952&sr=8-1

Diapers for playing COD?  Are you kidding me?  Do people know there is a pause button, or a leave lobby button? I mean how long does it actually take to run to the restroom.  Heck I could probably do it between rounds if I had to rush! We even had an all nighter and somehow I got through without a diaper.  Evidentially for this to show up as frequently purchased together this would have to be be...ahh....whats the word....FREQUENT!  I guess I heard some of the stories of the crazed PC gamers and their World of Warcraft shenanigans but COD?  I never thought I would see that day.  Obviously these guys don't have girlfriends or wifes right? Yea, I can see my wife coming home seeing me sitting in the living room wearing flip flops and a diaper playing video games!  Lets just say I would be horse-laughed out of the house and rightfully so.

Who are these guys?  I think I know.  It's the ones that have already prestiged 3 times and its only day 3!  We have all seen them.  So proud of their what the hell symbol is that rank that they proudly parade around in the lobby's shouting "lets get this done guys!" right before the round starts. Then blasting everyone else for everything that went wrong when they lose with the classic "you guys suck!" statement before they leave the lobby. .

I am sorry if this is old news and evidentially it is because it is linked to COD MW4, and perhaps I have heard of it but my brain refused to register such nonsense, but when I heard it this morning they referred to Black Ops as the culprit and it woke me up! Well the frequently purchased with doesn't show up on Amazon with COD BO yet but sadly it may not be far behind.

Anyone ever done something like this, or know someone like this?  I would love to hear a first hand account of whats going on in your mind!

My Gamerscore Is Bigger than Yours

Well...not really. In fact I recently just got it over 25,000. Scouring the internet, there's various websites dedicated to getting the highest possible gamerscore there is. There's even a website dedicated to getting a million gamescore points. Think about that for a second. Almost all games have at least 1000 points and one guy is making it his life goal to get *ahem*(in my best Dr. Evil voice) 1 MILLION GAMERSCORE POINTS. I just can't fathom the idea of dedicating my gaming towards getting achievements for Hannah Montana or Beijing 2008. It just blows my mind that having a number attached to your gamertag is that important to some people.

 Granted, when the 360 first came out and seeing the various challenges that the games came with, did entice me to get all the achievements for that game. It added the replayability I was looking for to find every chest or collect every coin. One of my favorite games, Star Ocean 3 always had me playing it over and over to complete quests, explore the hidden dungeons, and obtain every single ending for all the characters. I also remember when Super Mario World first came out, there was a percentage completion to it and my friend and I would try without any guides or cheats to get that golden 100% next to our game. When we finally got the number, it was like mixture of joy and relief that it was over. It was well worth it in the end.

Achievements that I see now just doesnt have that same feel like it used to. Most of them do take some time to achieve but others are just odd. You can easily get gamerscore points just for pressing start (a la The Simpsons Game). I guess putting the game in your Xbox 360 without seeing the RROD is an achievement in itself. Some of the achievements involve playing multiplayer to get them. This is where I get annoyed with it. Getting those points can easily be achieved just by getting a friend to be the sacrificial lamb and boosting your score instead of playing for the win or enjoyment. It takes the fun out of it when you see 2 guys in the corner away from the action humping each other.Yes...that really happened.

I still like the whole achievement system dont get me wrong. I just dont put it at the forefront for me when I get a new game to obtain every single achievement for it.For me, it hit home when I decided not to play games on the most difficult level. I dont think I wouldve enjoyed Black OPS as much as I did if I started the game on veteran. It's something I wont lose sleep over if I dont finish a level under a certain time or find every single piece of intel. Hopefully, you wont either.

Game Collector or Player?

I have known people that cherish every game they buy and have a library to prove it.  It is impressive to look at the bookshelves of games and marvel at the electronic playground that is presented to you.  There is something cool about that, but it's not me. I am not one thats real big on nostalgia.  Sure I would love to have my original circa 1970's GI Joe Helicopter back or my other prize possession;  the Evil Knievel Sports Cycle Stunt set!  But I don't and it doesn't bother me. (well maybe just a little)

So I don't collect games, as I try to get some value for them before it's too late to get he next big game . I usually go the route of Gamestop and with my bonus card I get an additional percentage added to my trade in.  Yes I could make more selling them on ebay or craigslist but that takes time, and sometimes I hate to say I am an impulse buyer.  My latest impulse buy was Rapala's bass Pro Fishing with the awesome fishing rod peripheral.  I hear some guys on GuG forums taking about it and thought that would be cool to get with the guys and have a fishing tournament online!  Well I normally do my homework but this time I didn't and my review reflects it.

I always buy the latest sport games.  I will never keep playing Tiger Woods, NCAA or Madden 10 when 11 is already out. I can't help myself always thinking new has to be better right?  I have always purchased the latest shooters even though some of them are not better.  Modern Warfare 2 comes to mind.  So to keep my obsession in tact I trade most my games in to get something for them.

I guess thats why I am not huge on Arcade XBOX Live titles and especially not nostalgic titles (Like Tecmo Bowl) .  I have some and like a few but the graphics and game play of arcade games just seems to be old technology to me.

While it would be great to have that library.  To me they would be nothing more than a bookshelf to ogle over. Cause I doubt I would go back and play anything older than what's hot right now.  Now don't get me wrong,  if someone was nice enough to purchase me that Evil Knievel Stunt Sports Cycle I am sure I could find some plywood a couple of bricks and a ditch outside to try some jumps out on!

So tell me are you a game collector or a new game player?