Sage's Chosen Games Part One
Lately, I've felt like not many games coming out have been worth even a first look, but coming out of E3 (and TGS, now), I see that people have taken notice of this problem, and no small effort has gone toward fixing it. In fact, there's so many great games that have either recently come out or are coming out over the next year or so, that I kind of need a list to keep track of them.
With that in mind, I present to you Sage's Chosen Games.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
System: PS3, Xbox 360
Release: August 10, 2010
Screw Warcraft, THIS is addicting. I already mentioned my love for the Scott Pilgrim movie, but the game is fantastic as well. There's something captivating about it's SNES-style graphics, the old-school RPG elements, and it's wacky plot that had me playing this game non-stop the week before I had to go to school. Even though I beat it, if I turned it on right now, I'd basically have to kiss goodbye about three hours because I love running through the levels, finding new ways to smack Ramona's boyfriends around. Considering I've spent all of ten bucks on this game, I'm starting to believe disc games are going to have to be a LOT better if they want us to hand over $60 for a brand-new video game.
(Incidentally, I heard recently that Knives has been granted playable status, finally. And there are two more modes. Knives is my second favorite Scott Pilgrim character--so this warrants an entirely new playthrough.)
Another Century's Episode R
System: PS3
Release: August 19, 2010
Basically Super Robot Wars minus the super-deformed artstyle, Another Century's Episode was a franchise I thought died on the PS2, given the third one was called the "last" one. But they've brought it back with gorgeous PS3 visuals and some of mecha's most recent series (Gainer, Macross Frontier, Aquarion). A mecha fan's dream video game, the only problem is it's an anime mash-up game, and all of those are pretty much import-only. (I'm looking at you, Jump Ultimate Stars.) Still, how much Japanese does one need to know to take one mecha and kick the crap out of another?
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
System: PS3, Xbox 360
Release: September 7, 2010
Apparently, reviews for this game haven't been stellar, but I don't care. Getting to be four different Spider-Men across four different universes is awesome. And if they really make each world seem like a different game, it's still worth the $50. From what I know, the game is loaded down with fanservice, too. The alternate costumes are ones from the comic, each Spider-Man is voiced by someone who voiced Spider-Man in one of the cartoons, and the script was written by current Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott. I'm not the hugest fan of Spider-Man, but I couldn't even bring myself to read his comic if I didn't at least check this game out.
Blade Kitten
System: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release: September 24, 2010
I've wanted Blade Kitten since I first learned about it's existence earlier this year. A bad-ass catgirl bounty hunter? What's not to like? Released last week, I haven't played much of it, but thus far it's a fun game. Much like most gamers 20 and older, I have a soft spot in my heart for platformers. Especially when they're beautifully rendered and fun to play, like this one. Yet another PSN game that's not even half the cost of a disc game, but still just as good. Hmmm....
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
System: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, iPhone, iPod Touch
Release: Q4 2010
In the interest of being totally honest, I wasn't all that excited when I first heard the new Sonic game would be...exactly like the old Sonic games. But, it looks fun to play, and that's what matters. Plus, given the existence of Sonic Colors, this game is clearly just to get old-school Sonic fans to be quiet for once. Still, as a kid who sunk dozens of hours into Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic: Triple Trouble on the Game Gear, I've got to give it a shot.
Disney: Epic Mickey
System: Wii
Release: November 30, 2010
A Wii game?! On my Chosen Games list?! Yep. Disney: Epic Mickey is one of several titles announced by Nintendo at E3, and one of the most creative. The ability to destroy or build up the Wasteland as the player sees fit is genius, essentially making most playthroughs entirely unique from one another. It's a different way of looking at the morality system, and one I think will be a lot more fun to use than dialogue A or B. (Sadly though, I don't have a Wii just yet, but when I do this will be one of the first games I get for it.)
Kirby's Epic Yarn
System: Wii
Release: October 17, 2010
I don't know anything about Kirby, but man this game looks awesome. Another Nintendo game announced at E3, Epic Yarn's coolest feature is just the insane level of interactiveness you have with the game world itself. With everything made of yarn, you can "unravel" parts of the world, tying it into new shapes to help you get through levels and avoid or battle enemies. The game appears to be all kinds of fun, and is another reason why I want a Wii.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
System: Wii
Release: November 21, 2010
Did anyone else have flashbacks to Saturday mornings, right after all the good cartoons had gone off and you were flipping on your SNES to play some video games, after watching that clip? Suppose it could just be me. Hopefully this will prove Nintendo can make a decent Donkey Kong video game without the help of Rare. For me though, it looks like another supremely entertaining platformer game, and for someone as sick of FPS and W-RPGs as I am, that can only be a good thing.
That's enough for now. Come back later for the rest, folks.
With that in mind, I present to you Sage's Chosen Games.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
System: PS3, Xbox 360
Release: August 10, 2010
Screw Warcraft, THIS is addicting. I already mentioned my love for the Scott Pilgrim movie, but the game is fantastic as well. There's something captivating about it's SNES-style graphics, the old-school RPG elements, and it's wacky plot that had me playing this game non-stop the week before I had to go to school. Even though I beat it, if I turned it on right now, I'd basically have to kiss goodbye about three hours because I love running through the levels, finding new ways to smack Ramona's boyfriends around. Considering I've spent all of ten bucks on this game, I'm starting to believe disc games are going to have to be a LOT better if they want us to hand over $60 for a brand-new video game.
(Incidentally, I heard recently that Knives has been granted playable status, finally. And there are two more modes. Knives is my second favorite Scott Pilgrim character--so this warrants an entirely new playthrough.)
Another Century's Episode R
System: PS3
Release: August 19, 2010
Basically Super Robot Wars minus the super-deformed artstyle, Another Century's Episode was a franchise I thought died on the PS2, given the third one was called the "last" one. But they've brought it back with gorgeous PS3 visuals and some of mecha's most recent series (Gainer, Macross Frontier, Aquarion). A mecha fan's dream video game, the only problem is it's an anime mash-up game, and all of those are pretty much import-only. (I'm looking at you, Jump Ultimate Stars.) Still, how much Japanese does one need to know to take one mecha and kick the crap out of another?
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
System: PS3, Xbox 360
Release: September 7, 2010
Apparently, reviews for this game haven't been stellar, but I don't care. Getting to be four different Spider-Men across four different universes is awesome. And if they really make each world seem like a different game, it's still worth the $50. From what I know, the game is loaded down with fanservice, too. The alternate costumes are ones from the comic, each Spider-Man is voiced by someone who voiced Spider-Man in one of the cartoons, and the script was written by current Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott. I'm not the hugest fan of Spider-Man, but I couldn't even bring myself to read his comic if I didn't at least check this game out.
Blade Kitten
System: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release: September 24, 2010
I've wanted Blade Kitten since I first learned about it's existence earlier this year. A bad-ass catgirl bounty hunter? What's not to like? Released last week, I haven't played much of it, but thus far it's a fun game. Much like most gamers 20 and older, I have a soft spot in my heart for platformers. Especially when they're beautifully rendered and fun to play, like this one. Yet another PSN game that's not even half the cost of a disc game, but still just as good. Hmmm....
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
System: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, iPhone, iPod Touch
Release: Q4 2010
In the interest of being totally honest, I wasn't all that excited when I first heard the new Sonic game would be...exactly like the old Sonic games. But, it looks fun to play, and that's what matters. Plus, given the existence of Sonic Colors, this game is clearly just to get old-school Sonic fans to be quiet for once. Still, as a kid who sunk dozens of hours into Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic: Triple Trouble on the Game Gear, I've got to give it a shot.
Disney: Epic Mickey
System: Wii
Release: November 30, 2010
A Wii game?! On my Chosen Games list?! Yep. Disney: Epic Mickey is one of several titles announced by Nintendo at E3, and one of the most creative. The ability to destroy or build up the Wasteland as the player sees fit is genius, essentially making most playthroughs entirely unique from one another. It's a different way of looking at the morality system, and one I think will be a lot more fun to use than dialogue A or B. (Sadly though, I don't have a Wii just yet, but when I do this will be one of the first games I get for it.)
Kirby's Epic Yarn
System: Wii
Release: October 17, 2010
I don't know anything about Kirby, but man this game looks awesome. Another Nintendo game announced at E3, Epic Yarn's coolest feature is just the insane level of interactiveness you have with the game world itself. With everything made of yarn, you can "unravel" parts of the world, tying it into new shapes to help you get through levels and avoid or battle enemies. The game appears to be all kinds of fun, and is another reason why I want a Wii.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
System: Wii
Release: November 21, 2010
Did anyone else have flashbacks to Saturday mornings, right after all the good cartoons had gone off and you were flipping on your SNES to play some video games, after watching that clip? Suppose it could just be me. Hopefully this will prove Nintendo can make a decent Donkey Kong video game without the help of Rare. For me though, it looks like another supremely entertaining platformer game, and for someone as sick of FPS and W-RPGs as I am, that can only be a good thing.
That's enough for now. Come back later for the rest, folks.
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