Most Anticipated Games of 2014

I figured that I would give a little rundown of what I am most excited to play this year. Firstly I am really excited to see what else the PS4 has coming out this year. As far as big things go we really only know about inFamous: Second Son coming out and then The Order 1886 in the fall, plus multi-platform games like Watch Dogs and Destiny. I have a feeling that at E3 they will show off some actual gameplay for Uncharted and maybe we will finally see what Sony Santa Monica has been working on.

As for Nintendo, well really there's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze coming out next month, followed by Mario Kart 8 more than likely in April, and Super Smash Bros in September I would guess. As for the others, well Bayonetta 2 will also be a summer release I am guessing, and I am hoping that X ends up coming out next fall but who knows right now. Here are the games that I am most excited for this year.

Bravely Default - 3DS

I have been putting a bit of time into this demo and I am hooked, and apparently the game is much better than the demo is. If that is the case, then I am sold. I love classic JRPGs and as this is for all intents and purposes a new Final Fantasy game,  then Square have completely sold me. A month to go till this is in my hands. 

inFamous: Second Son - PS4

I love the inFamous games on the PS3 and this is one of the main reasons that I wanted to get a PS4 at launch. I also love Seattle so the fact that I get to adventure as Delsin in a reinterpretation of one of my most favourite cities also has me extremely excited. This game looks gorgeous just from the videos that I have seen and apparently in person it's even better. End of March is too far away.

Mario Kart 8 - Wii U

There's something so satisfying about getting together with some friends and playing some Mario Kart, and this looks to add to the games long legacy. I remember playing Mario Kart on my SNES with a ton of friends for my birthday 20 years ago and it was a total blast, and really that is what Nintendo does best. Create great gaming experiences with friends and family in your own house, and that is why I can't wait to play this one.

The Order: 1886 - PS4

When I saw the first trailer for this game, I thought that it could be kind of cool. Looks to be Sony's own squad-based shooter, kind of similar to Gears of War (that's what I think based on the number of people in the party, I could be wrong though). I didn't think that it could really look as sweet as the first trailer showed, but then more screenshots and videos keep popping up. Ready at Dawn have made some sweet games so gameplay wise I am hoping this holds up, but if it is as good as these videos show it, this will be a great game this fall.

X - Wii U

I can't count how many times I go back and watch the X trailer, it's honestly pretty excessive. I tried a bit of Xenoblade Chronicles (can't afford to buy, it's too pricy) and really enjoyed it. This game looks to blow that out of the water and looks to be one of the best looking games on the Wii U and hopefully will show that the system is no slouch. I have no idea when this will come out but I am hoping that it's sooner than later.

Those are a few of the games I am excited for, anyone else?

Super Mario 3D World

First off, I would like to state that I did in fact get my PS4 at launch and think it's a great machine. Resogun has been the most played game so far, followed by Need for Speed: Rivals, which is a fantastic, connected experience. Great games, and am especially excited for inFamous: Second Son and the great indie titles that are coming in the next few months. However, it was my birthday this weekend and I got a new game for the Wii U that will occupy most of the gaming time for the next bit and especially when others come over.

Super Mario 3D World.

This game is fantastic. I am a straight up sucker for platformers that is for sure, and Nintendo knows how to do these things properly. It's not just regular Mario though, it's the first 3D, multiplayer Mario game, and from the brief bit of time we spent playing multiplayer, it is a million times more fun and less frustrating than New Mario Bros U was.

Thus far the level designs have been fantastic, the music is brilliant as per usual (thanks Koji Kondo) and getting all the stars and stamps on every level has been easy so far, but I am certain that it is going to get far more difficult. Will Super Mario 3D World save the Wii U and be the system seller that Nintendo wants it to be? I'm not certain, but I will have you all know that this game is phenomenal, fun, and should be played by everyone. Expect a full review soon.

It's Almost Here

So I realize it's been a while since I wrote anything on here, been busy with school and the whatnot. I also have been writing for a sweet little site called Recultured, and you can go here if you want to see what I've been writing about. Anyways things have been pretty crazy but I have got some gaming in here or there. Here's a recap.

Wonderful 101 - It's fantastic, and while there are some flaws it's still been an enjoyable game and I hope they make a second one.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - A great touch up to one of my most favourite Zelda games, it's a great adventure and let me tell you, the new Swift Sail definitely helps to make the game even more enjoyable.

Pokemon Y - This is the one that I ended up with and thus far it's been good. Trading Pokemon with strangers has been weird but fun, and the 3D in the battles is great. I just wish the whole thing was in 3D.

Steamworld Dig - Another one of my favourite new 3DS games, this one is super addictive and helps me with the digging fix alternative to Spelunky on my 3DS. Check this one out for sure.

That being said, the PS4 comes out in a week and I'm excited to bust that thing open, do a day one update that hopefully doesn't brick systems, and play some Resogun, Contrast and whatever else I end up getting for the system. I'll try and post a bit more to here but Recultured is a sweet site so definitely check that out as well for whatever else I've been writing. Who else is excited for some next-gen goodness?

Will Wind Waker HD Help to Sell Wii U's?

Wind Waker HD is a highly anticipated title hitting the Wii U, and although it is a remake of a near-10 year old game it's still something that many people want to play. Technically it has already come out, being released digitally on this past Friday on the Wii U eshop and included with the new limited edition Wii U Zelda bundle. However it won't be available in stores for another week and a half (which is when I am getting my copy of this classic).

Many are speculating if this title, alongside some of the other fall Wii U releases will finally help Nintendo move some Wii U's and Nintendo believes that Wind Waker HD in particular will be a system seller. Roger Langford, Product Manager for Nintendo UK recently stated that, "It is the perfect time for Zelda fans to discover Wii U... For many Zelda fans, this is the first time that they'll discover Wind Waker and we're treating the game as a triple-A new release." He also goes on to point out that "Ocarina of Time 3D performed very positively on Nintendo 3DS and we're looking to replicate this success with The Wind Waker HD."

While many bemoan the fact that Nintendo is releasing another remake of a Zelda classic, it has been noted that it will be a while before a full on Wii U Zelda is released, and rumors have been rampant that the team on the new Zelda is the biggest Nintendo production yet. It may be a while until that Zelda comes out, but until then I will gladly spend some quality time with Wind Waker HD.

Wonderful 101 Review

I have put a good chunk of time into Wonderful 101 thus far and have been enjoying it immensely. There's already so much to do in this game and I'm about a quarter of the way through my first playthrough. I've been a fan of Platinum Games for as long as they've been Platinum Games (and a bit before that) and this was one of the titles that originally sold me on the Wii U. Sadly I have had to wait a good half year for it to come out, but it's definitely been worth the wait.

The basis of the game is that you control a group of superheroes that span the world over called the Centinels, though they are often referred to as Wonderful Ones. That is where the title of the game comes from, the Wonderful 101 (there's actually only 100 of them, the 101st is you of course) and they are quite the handful of hilarious stereotypes and bizarre heroes, Wonder Toilet being my favorite so far. They have banded together to stop the evil GEATHJERK who want to take over the world, destroy the world, or just do the usual bad guy thing. The story is fairly nonsensical but the dialogue is extremely comical and I did enjoy the cutscenes just as I couldn't wait to hear what pretty much anyone was going to say next.

The combat of course is the meat of it, as is the case with games from Platinum and early on it seems pretty simple, but as you add more of the core heroes, more combat options open up. Once you have more combat options like Wonder Green's gun or Wonder Pink's whip, you can start to chain even more combos together and things start to get pretty crazy. You can use the touch screen on the gamepad to make the shapes to transform your heroes, or you can use the right thumbstick to morph your group of crime fighters. I found that the thumbstick was pretty good for the most part and a bit faster than using the touch screen, especially when you are fighting dozens of baddies. Things got a bit frustrating from time to time when things didn't respond the way I had hoped but all in all it handles things pretty well. There are also times when you go into locations and use the gamepad as a second screen, which is pretty keen, and there are a number of moments where the game turns into a shooter or some other mini-game or quick time event occurs, which helps to break up the combo mashing.

All in all the style of the game, the controls, and the ridiculous but hilarious story have made me enjoy this game quite a bit. I'm definitely looking forward to my next playthrough on the next difficulty setting and this is a must own for Wii U owners.

Score: B+

Wonderful 101 Soon

Wonderful 101 should be waiting for me at home, and I can't wait to dig in to it. In general the scores have been pretty fair on it, and lots of people complaining about how short it is. On the other hand though many have mentioned that you need to play through it multiple times to really "get it."

I am definitely down for multiple playthroughs of a hopefully soon-to-be Platinum Games classic. I'll let everyone know what I think about it within the next few days!

Monster Hunter 4 plus Cats plus Mario

Monster Hunter 4 is shaping up to be a huge hit for Capcom as it readies it's release in Japan (and hopefully sooner than later here in the west) but one of the biggest treats is the Nintendo cameos in the game. I saw pictures earlier of the Link armour and weapon set that you can attain in the game, making your hero look like Nintendo's icon, with the trusty Master Sword and even boomerang in tow, but as well the feylnes, the little cat type creatures in the Monster Hunter series are able to be set in Mario and Luigi garb. It's cute, and ridiculous and can be seen here.

It's pretty ridiculous but I enjoy it. It's nice to see once again Nintendo branching out and letting other companies play around with their IP's, such as Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on the Wii U. I think that it helps Nintendo keep in the gamer's eye, especially for the more hardcore gamers and that there is nothing wrong with this, although I am certain there will be some that think this is a little ridiculous. Regardless, it's something fun to add to a game that is a little more intense than Super Mario Bros, I approve.