Monthly Archives: June 2016

08Jun

My Top 5 E3 Announcements Ever

Posted in E3 2016, Opinion | Leave a comment

The science of E3 announcements is one that I’ve been trying to grasp for years. What makes a good presentation for a video game company? I’d say a combination of things, but it changes regularly. For instance, some would say it’s important for a developer to announce a keynote title. Some Nintendo fans for instance, consider any E3 without Smash to be a bad E3. While others think it’s important to shed light on pre-existing titles. For instance, there was some pretty universal disdain for the lack of FFXV at Square Enix’s press conference. But this is an opinion piece. I want to talk about my five biggest E3 announcements.

5. inFAMOUS Second Soninfamous second son

I thought it was the end. I thought we’d never see another game in this series, but man I was wrong. E3 2013 was a
big one for sure. Every company had a competitive edge with some incredible and interesting announcements spanning from Smash Bros to Watch Dogs but perhaps one of the biggest announcements for me that year was inFAMOUS. As a fan of the original two, it was nice to see that this game was clearly taking a different path. From a major graphical upgrade, to what appeared to be more comfortable controls, this was absolutely going to be my reason to buy a PS4.

wii u4. Nintendo Wii U

I was ready. I knew Nintendo was planning to announce their new home console, Project Cafe. I had heard rumors of what it might be, but it was all kind of unclear still. Then, the announcement came. The name, which I didn’t love, was only a minor detail. What was truly important was the fantastic touch screen controller that would come bundled with the console. With asymmetric gameplay being the focal point of console development, I knew my inner party gamer would be satiated by this idea.

3. Final Fantasy XVffxv

I knew I wanted this game from the moment they announced it. E3 2013 was a big year. From the beautiful graphics,
gripping music, and interesting action mechanics in the trailer, I found myself being captured by a game in a series that, to be frank, had never gripped my interest in the past. This was a big deal, for sure, and would actually end up being one of the key reasons for my PS4 purchase. That’s how you do E3 announcements.

Last Of Us2. The Last Of Us
PlayStation, dominating this list. E3 2012 was a big one too, especially for Sony. This announcement changed the course of the industry in a major way. Naughty Dog, a company already known for its highly cinematic titles such as the famous Uncharted series, announced a new IP known as The Last Of Us. This game had a narrative grip over a large demographic from the time it was announced. It only turned out to meet every expectation and become one of the biggest games in PlayStation history.

1. Nintendo DSDS

This stands alone as my favorite announcement in E3 history. E3 2004, I had to have been a little kid at the time, so I didn’t see it when it first happened. Instead I came across it several years later, and while Reggie Fils-Aime’s public speaking is a high point for me, what really drove it all home was the legacy that the announcement would have. The excitement around this weird idea was everything that E3 represents. And the DS family went on to become one of the highest grossing video game consoles of all time.

There you have it. My top five E3 announcements. I hope you all enjoyed this post. It’s the first part of my “E3 Retrospective” series, which will take place over the next few days leading up to the big stream on Sunday!

06Jun

Five Fighting Games You Need This Summer

Posted in Five Picks, Video Game Review | Leave a comment

We’re back for another one of these lists! This time, I’m tackling the Fighting Game genre. I’m a long time fan of a lot of fighting games. But these five, above all else, I think are a good way to pour some time down the drain.

GGXRD5. Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator

Guilty Gear is a good fighting series. With Xrd Revelator coming out soon, I can only imagine the same quality combat will be present here. I’d recommend any fans of the series to give it a try. The anime aesthetic, combined with the unique and creative character and weapon designs, with combos and comfortable movement to boot? This game is without a doubt, a good way to spend time this summer.

 

4. DragonTitle Screen Ball Xenoverse

This might seem a bit contradictory given my review, but I actually think Xenoverse is a fun game. It’s not Earth shattering by any stretch, but it’s a fun ride. It expands on the DBZ storyline, which in my opinion is already very heavily flawed. But you don’t go to Dragon Ball Z for the writing, you go for action. Straight up, gritty, heart pounding action. Character customization and an expansive move-set make for a pretty average, yet decent, anime fighting game.

3. Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4ninja storm 4

This game offers the most extensive roster of any Naruto fighting games, and refined mechanics like never before. Team battles allow you to switch between all characters freely, and special moves can be executed with simple and easy controls. Combine this with a spectacularly executed story mode, that stays true to the original series, while still managing to be very video game friendly. It’s engaging, entertaining, and most of all, fun. If you’re into fighting games, this is one you want to try.

Sub-Zero looms over these interesting new cast members.

Sub-Zero looms over these interesting new cast members.

2. Mortal Kombat X/XL

This is one of the best fighting games on the market right now. I’d wager it’s among the best I’ve ever played. From a fun and exciting story to a large and diverse character roster, Mortal Kombat has stepped up their game. MK9 was a blast, but this game has a special factor to it. Interactivity with the environment, variants for each fighter, and the Faction system, which includes you in a community of people who fight like you do, make for a very valuable and immersive experience. But remember, not a game for the faint of heart by any stretch. Very graphic and very gory.

Nintendo's greats all in one spot!

Nintendo’s greats all in one spot!

1. Super Smash Bros. For Wii U

Seriously? Did anyone think a different game was gonna take this spot? With a roster currently boasting something close to 60 characters, countless stages, the ability to customize fighters and stages alike, and of course, the expansive and magnificent soundtrack. There isn’t a better option out there for a fighting game to pour hours into. With great online options, fantastic local play, and plenty for a single-player experience, this game is going to keep you busy for a long time.

 

 

That’s enough for this post! Thank you all for reading. For more on games you should be playing this summer, come back soon for more from the GAME ROOM!!!

04Jun

Fire Emblem Fates: A Look At The Story

Posted in Critical Analysis, Opinion | Leave a comment

Yo, we’re about to dive into some major late game conversation. So if you have yet to play all three paths of Fire Emblem Fates, including Revelations, turn back now. If you want a spoiler free review of the game’s Conquest path, head here!

To be unequivocally clear, I have been a long time fan of the Fire Emblem games dating back to my young teen years. Sacred Stones always held a special place in my heart, and I loved Fire Emblem Blazing Sword and Awakening. So any critiques I have for Fates only come from a place of love for the series. To be blunt, I loved Fire Emblem Fates, but I absolutely hated the story. Characters felt very singular in their execution. Events were often unexplained or hidden behind unnecessary pay walls. If you wanted to experience Fire Emblem Fates in its entirety, at least from a narrative perspective, you’d have to pay something close to $105. Thankfully, I got my hands on the special edition early on, so I got to experience all of Fates as intended.

Last spoiler warning. We’re getting into the nitty gritty here! Spoilers for Fates and Awakening ahead.

The cast of Fire Emblem Fates Conquest (Left) faces the cast of Birthright (Right).

The cast of Fire Emblem Fates Conquest (Left) faces the cast of Birthright (Right).

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright opens a lot of doors. It shows you a lot of possibilities, and gives you glimpses of what could have been, should you have chosen the other route. It was no doubt the most “vanilla” of the paths. It was weak willed in execution, without really allowing the same level of emotional string tugging that Awakening had.

The best thing that was done in Fire Emblem Awakening was the death of Emmeryn. Being Chrom and Lissa’s sister made it sad enough, but the level of helplessness that the situation showed was incredible. But it wasn’t abrupt. It had build up. Three chapters of a wild goose chase trying to protect Emmeryn, only to find that she was set to be executed. Then, when you confront and defeat Gangrel’s army, he does his last ditch villainous deed to try and steal the Fire Emblem from Chrom. Then there was a whole chapter dedicated to grieving Emm. She was a voice of reason for several chapters. The pacing set events in motion at the right time.

Almost every event in Fates was abrupt, without reason, and without a chance to truly process it. You meet the mother character, Mikoto, and within mere minutes of gameplay, she’s gone. We don’t get to see the Hoshido siblings grieve, and that’s probably the worst part. Nothing tells you more about a person than their grieving process. A lot goes on during the processing of grief, including, arguably the most charming trait about Fire Emblem characters, the setting of goals. Grief causes you to make plans and follow dreams. Emmeryn’s death made Chrom want to be a king. It turned vassals into soldiers. It shook the political world, and it strengthened the loyalty between Chrom and Robin.

Mikoto’s death made no impact. All it did was further instigate a war with some of the arguably most dispensable casualties in this entire series. I don’t want to continue going on for too long, so I’m going to segment this off into various parts. But this was a big complaint I had with this game.

Fire Emblem Fates is mechanically strong, but the narrative falls very short in my book. For more on Fates and other cool strategy gems, come back soon for more from the GAME ROOM!!!

02Jun

Official E3 Coverage Announcement!

Posted in Game Room Exclusive | Leave a comment

Yeah, so there are going to be a few posts relating to this as E3 is in merely two weeks. But given glitches we encountered on the podcast and whatnot, I wanted to make sure that this information got across as soon as possible. The most direct thing that everyone needs to hear is this:

E3Mustapha’s Game Room and MMOExaminer are teaming up to provide you with the best and most thorough E3 coverage you can find. From constant articles and live-tweets to a full stream covering the press conferences and some of the show floor content. While we won’t be at E3, we will be paying close attention to every broadcast and covering news in an effective and concise way with the charm of myself, Jeremy and James, the likes of which you wouldn’t get anywhere else.

Over the next few weeks prior to the conferences, you’ll see a theme of E3 predictions and reflection on both my site and MMO Examiner.

During E3 however, the stream is going to be embedded on their website. We will likely be watching the broadcasts directly from the sources. Sony’s from their own broadcaster and so on. I will also be adding an E3 page to this website that will link to where all the action is taking place! So make sure to check that out. There will be more updates in the week as things change.

E3 is the biggest time of the year for the video game industry, as we get a retrospective look at the past year, and an even bigger look at the next year going forward. I think that is an opportunity we should welcome and embrace. For more on this partnership as news becomes available stay tuned on MMOExaminer, and stay tuned here on the GAME ROOM!!!