Critical Hit Gaming

The biggest event of the year for video games, E3, is next week (June 6-9). The big 3 will go up against each other in press conferences too see who "won" this year. Here's my predictions for the big 3 this year.

Microsoft- Microsoft has been the quietest of the big 3 this year. So far the only big game they have this year is Gears of War 3. They've held their cards exceptionally close to their chest, but I expect some big things. They'll undoubtably announce some new Kinect games, maybe even Dance Central 2. Epic registered the name "Gears of War: Exile" along with a logo to go with it. The game is heavily rumored to be a Kinect exclusive, and if it is indeed a real game, it'll be announced at this E3, maybe even with an early 2012 release date. I also expect to hear about the future of the Halo franchise. I expect to see an HD remake of Halo: Combat Evolved with full multiplayer. This will be a safe bet for 343 Industries, as they need to gain the confidence of the fans before they can make a true successor to this franchise. Although Microsoft announced Codename: Kingdoms last year, they showed very little details on it. It's made by the guys who make Crysis so expect it to have fantastic graphics. If Microsoft can really push games for the hardcore, they have a chance of winning this year.

Nintendo- Nintendo is going to have some trouble proving themselves. They told the media a couple weeks ago that they'll unveil a successor to the Wii at this E3. It's rumored to be as powerful as the 360. That would be fantastic if this was 2005, but in the present day all they're doing is making a dated product that will be obsolete in 3 years when Microsoft and Sony launch their new console. This strategy didn't work for Sega and the Dreamcast, and it wont work for Nintendo. They're going to have to prove to consumers that it's worth their money by announcing some huge games for it. They only way I see them doing that is by announcing a new Mario and a new Super Smash Bros, but that's a long shot. They're going to have to announce some big games for the 3DS, as the current line up of games is embarrassing. If they want to fend off Sony and the NGP, they're going to have to put out all the stops at this E3.

Sony- If I was writing this article 2 months ago I'd say that Sony is easily going to win E3, but we all know what has happened. They're going to have to publicly apologize for the attack and then move on with the rest of the show. I expect them to announce Sly Cooper 4, and possibly even God of War 4, or at least shed some light on it. They'll provide more details on Twisted Metal and Uncharted 3, both are scheduled for a fall 2011 release. Hopefully they're going to show more details on Agent and The Last Guardian, both were at E3 2009, but not 2010. Sony also will provide concrete details on their new PSP, the NGP. I expect to know a price, release date, and the launch line-up. The very skilled men at Sony Bend are working on a portable version of Uncharted, it looks to be very promising. If Sony can manage to announced some great new exclusives, provide a practical price for the NGP, and give more details on anticipated games, they just might be able to salvage themselves. 

This is it. The game everyone's been waiting for, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, has just been given a proper trailer earlier tonight and we have it on our youtube account. I am cautiously optimistic about this game seeing the current state Infinity Ward is in, but I believe they'll rebuild and with the help of the new studio Sledgehammer Games they'll create another AAA experience. I expect to see much more of this game at E3 this June 6-9, but for now we'll have to settle for the trailer. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=390c2ukEaWs

Hey guys, so apparently the world is ending tomorrow, so I though I'd come up with a handy list of games to play before the incoming apocalypse. Keep in mind these are not the best 6 games of all time, but in my mind the 6 biggest "must plays". 

1) Kingdom Hearts- This game, made exclusively for the PS2 in 2002, is without a doubt one of a kind. The brainchild of Final Fantasy VII artist and overall spikey hair fanatic Tetsuya Nomura, this game successfully merged Final Fantasy and Disney into one, very melodramatic world. It included old Final Fantasy favorites like Squall, Cloud, Tidus, Moogles, and Wakka. It also included classic Disney characters like Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. The dialog may be cheesy, but this game is something thats needs to be played to be experienced. 

2) Goldeneye 007 (N64)- This game belongs to what I call the "Prove It Club". This exclusive club is only for console games that I have decided proved wrong a previous truth about gaming. Before Goldeneye, the general consensus was that a first person shooter could never work on a console, that they were only for the PC. Rare managed to quiet millions of PC fanboys by proving an FPS could survive and thrive on a console, all the while proving a game based on a movie could indeed be great. The rest was history.

3) Okami- Oh Okami, you never did get the attention you deserved. Okami was a beautiful 3rd Person Platformer with a breath-taking art style made to look like Japanese ink paintings. It was released on the PS2's last legs on the eve of the PS3. Countless websites and blogs have written about it's greatness, but sadly it sold terribly and Capcom was reluctant to further pursue the franchise. A sequel to Okami was released on the DS, but we're still holding out for a proper sequel.

4) Heavy Rain- Heavy Rain, another member of my "Prove It Club", finally set the nail in the "Games can't be art" coffin. This game is incredibly cinematic with a great story line. The game plays out in the form of quasi Quick Time Events and cutscenes. I believe that this is the direction video games will be taking in the upcoming generations. A push for more cinematic games is something that every modern game pursues, only to fall short of the precedent Heavy Rain set.

5) Gears of War (Series)- Before Gears of War, the idea of a cover-based 3rd Person Shooter with a chainsaw gun sounded crazy and a little superfluous. This game seems simple and macho on the outside, but in the inside is an extremely well balanced multiplayer and some of the best cover mechanics in a game period. The feeling of pumping bullets into a Locust and then sealing the deal with a chainsaw to the face has yet to be beat in any game yet. I expect huge things from Gears 3.

6) Pokemon (Main Series)- Pokemon. Is. A. Must. Play. There's simply no other way to put it. The experience of collecting, battling, trading, and breeding those all-powerful monsters in your pocket has yet to be beat by any handheld game. I've devoted countless hours to this game, and I wouldn't want a single one back. This game spawned an ongoing anime, trading card games, and 14 and counting movies. This thing is huge, and honestly if you haven't played this yet you're most likely living in a cave or under a rock.

-The Knave

This is the box art for Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One. I like it, but I feel like the other Insomniac game, Resistance 3, has better box art. Olly Moss is a popular artist who designed the Resistance 3 art. Check out both images and tell me what you like better in the comments. 

I'm going to be doing a review of Infamous 2 when it comes out/ I finish it. I hope it'll be a well-written review, but that doesn't seem to matter for IGN.

The upcoming Indie game "No Time to Explain" by tinyBuildGAMES is really the first Indie game I have really been excited for. I have watched the trailer multiple times, and I am still mesmerized by its catchy 8-bit soundtrack and the fresh sense of humor. This game seems to have the potential to really be something special. Something else that tinyBuildGAMES did is add the Mac editor, which allows players that own a Mac to create their own levels for the game. If the levels are good enough, it will be added in the retail version! TinyBuildGAMES also said that the creators of these levels will be fully credited in the game itself, which I find to be incredibly rewarding. It's really refreshing seeing a studio connect with the community. This seems to be the first step in becoming a mega studio, Valve did the same thing in their infancy. I'm extremely optimistic about this game. We just might have another Minecraft on our hands.