Most anticipated games of 2013 (and beyond)

It is around this time of year that I tend to do a post detailing my most anticipated games of the following year. It has come to my attention however, that these games have often not come out in the year that I had anticipated they would, or even not at all (I’m looking at you The Last Guardian, and also you Final Fantasy Versus). As such, I have changed this to a list of my most anticipated games for 2013 (hopefully) or beyond.

Starting from 10 to 1:

10. Bioshock Infinite (Multi)

I loved Bioshock, and also Bioshock 2 (although I know many didn’t) and this game looks to improve further with the formula. Hopfully there shouldn’t be too much longer to find out exactly how great this game could be.

9. Grand Theft Auto V (Multi)

Whilst GTA4 may not have been as good as the previous games in the series (IMHO), the DLC for it seemed to learn from its mistakes and invest a little fun into the proceedings. GTA5 however looks to be very ambitious and also, hopefully equally fun to play.

Very little is known about the game at present, but I’m still really looking forward to it.

8. Animal Crossing 3DS (3DS)

Unfortunately this missed the 2013 expected release date, although it is being released very early in 2013 in Japan. It seems like ages since I have played an Animal Crossing game and to be fair I only really got stuck into the Gamecube version, but this seems like such a good fit for the 3DS (especially including Streetpass functionality). It’s also good to see that there have been a few notable changes to the standards in the game which should make for a more refreshing Animal Crossing experience.

7. Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright (3DS)

Take two franchise that I really love, mix them together and you get this gem of a title. Whilst I may favour the more traditional Ace Attorney 5, this still looks like a fantastic game, even if it may still be a little while until it comes to the West.

6. Ni No Kuni (PS3)

I’ve been looking forward to this for a few years now, and it will finally be released in January of 2013. After the missteps made by Square-Enix on Final Fantasy XIII, and the fact that Dragon Quest X has turned into a MMO, this is the one true traditional JRPG still standing. The fact that it is also created in conjunction with Studio Ghibli (and looks absolutely gorgeous as a result) is also a big bonus.

5. Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

This was the real surprise when Nintendo announced the price and release dates for the Wii U, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that Nintendo would announce that Bayonetta 2 would be released exclusively for the Wii U. The fact that Bayonetta 2 is being released at all is fantastic, and it would seem that the only reason that this is coming to fruition is that Nintendo have backed this, when previously Sega backed out of agreeing to publish.

This, more than anything, is an attempt by Nintendo to show that the Wii U can appeal to the hardcore audience as well as the casual audience, and I for one, more than welcome its presence.

4. Ace Attorney 5 (3DS)

It feels like an age since I last played an Ace Attorney game with Phoenix Wright as a lead. The forth Ace Attorney game featured Apollo Justice, and whilst good, did not live up to the first 3 games. The fact that this is also now running on improved hardware on the 3DS is also a bonus. Overall, this has got to be my most anticipated handheld game of (hopefully) 2013.

3. The Last Guardian (PS3)

This game has been on my list of most anticipated games for 3 years previous to this (at time at the very top of the list). I am honestly starting to question whether it will ever be released at all, or whether it will skip the PS3 and instead head for the PS4!

I cannot deny that the stories of development difficulties and staff members leaving the project hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm a little, but after ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, how can I not still be excited about this game!

2. The Last of Us (PS3)

The Uncharted games have been the absolute highlights on the PS3 and this game looks to be just as good, but with a more realistic edge than any of the games in the Uncharted series.

Naughty Dog seem to be putting their all into this, and the fact that this is being developed by the team who produced Uncharted 2 (the best in the series) certainly shows. I just hope that it lives up to its promise.

1. Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (Multi)

I have recently been replaying through all of the Metal Gear solid games and have been loving every moment of them (well maybe not so much the extended ending on Metal Gear solid 4). Then I saw the trailer for Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and that totally blew me away.

My only suspicion is that the graphics shown really don’t look like they will run on the current generation of consoles and as such, this game may be pushed back until the PS4/Xbox 720 is released. Either way, this is now my most anticipated game.


Other games that I’m looking forward to, that didn’t quite make the list:

Tomb Raider (Multi)

Fire Emblem 3DS (3DS)

Aliens: Colonial Marines (Multi)

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy (3DS)

Final Fantasy XIII Versus (PS3)

Half Life 2: Episode 3 / Half Life 3 (Multi – hopefully)

Tearaway (Vita)

Persona 4: The Golden (Vita)

Dragon Quest X (Wii/WiiU)

Rayman Legends (WiiU)

There are of course also a number of unknown factors.

- Only games over the launch window up to the end of March 2013 have been announced for the Wii U so far, and I would anticipate that Nintendo would be aiming to get a few strong first party games out by the end of 2013 (most likely a 3D Mario game and also something from Retro – a new Metroid Prime game please).

- It is not clear yet when the next consoles from Sony and Microsoft will be launched, but this may also be by the end of 2013, in which case there would likely be some strong launch games to support these consoles.

E3 predictions 2012

E3 2011 predictions

Okay, E3 is now less than a month away and as such, I thought that it was about time that I start making my predictions... So here goes

(I must state again that I have both Nintendo and Sony products, not Microsoft, as such, for this year I haven’t made predictions for Microsoft.)

Nintendo

For Wii:
- Next to nothing will be announced for Wii, this will be ignored. An announcement of Pandora’s Tower for the US is a possibility, together with a few other small games, but other than this, not much.
- A further price cut for the existing Wii

For 3DS:
- Footage for New Super Mario Bros 2 will be shown.
- There will be an announcement of a new Zelda game coming out, which will either be a brand new release, or a 3DS version of either A Link to the Past or Majora’s Mask.
- Footage will be shown of Monster Hunter 4.
- There will be no redesign for the 3DS (at present, this will be next year).
- Further footage will be shown of other games due for release, such as Luigi’s Mansion 2, Animal Crossing, Paper Mario and Fire Emblem.
- The 3DS will be integrated into a new online service (akin to Xbox Live and PSN) with the launch of the WiiU.
- DLC is announced for both Mario Kart 7 and also Mario 3D Land, with indications that there will also be DLC for other Nintendo games (such as Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing).
- A number of new games developed for the e-shop will be shown.
- The new game in the Brain Age/Brain Training series will be shown.

For Wii U:
- Wii U will be confirmed as the final name for the system (although the logo for Wii U will be changed.
- The console and the controller design will be changed from that shown at E3 2011. The controller will look sleeker and the console will look different enough to the Wii to distance itself from the prior generation.
- A worldwide release date is given, but not a price.
- I’m hoping that they announce that the console with be backwards compatible with both the Wii and gamecube and convert games to 720p or 1080p (which would be fantastic).
- It will be announced that the console will allow you to transfer all virtual console and Wiiware from the Wii.
- There will be a proper online service akin to Xbox Live and PSN and this will also be tied in with the 3DS friend code. Speaking of which, there will be none of the stupid friend code per game nonsense of the Wii. It is also a possibility that the online service may be connected to, or integrate with either Steam or EA Origin.
- Some form if trophies/achievement system is incorporated with the Wii U.
- A trailer will be shown for Pikmin 3 for the Wii U and this will also be playable (and look great in HD).
- Retro Studio’s will announce their next game for Wii U as a new Metroid Prime game.
- A trailer will be shown for the Wii U version of Smash Bros, although this will be very early on in development.
- Eternal Darkness 2 is announced.
- Footage is shown of Dragon Quest X running on the Wii U.
- Footage of a New Super Mario game (2D) is shown.
- Either a brand new F-Zero, or a brand new Starfox (more likely) game is shown.
- A brand new IP from Miyamoto is shown.
- There will be a great deal of support from some third parties, most notably the likes of EA, Ubisoft and Capcom.
- A fair few games will be shown to use near field communication to convert figures into in-game icons. One of these games will be Smash Bros.
- Footage will be shown of Aliens: Colonial Marines

Sony

For PS3:
- Extended service for Playstation Plus or a revised tiered service for customers will be announced.
- A further trailer for The Last of Us will be shown, with in game footage.
- There will be a further price drop announcement.
- Agent (Rockstar) will finally be shown (come on – surely).
- Nothing will be shown in relation to the Playstation 4/Orbis, other than perhaps a mention that they are currently working on developing next generation hardware.
- A new trailer will be shown for The Last Guardian, and a release date will be given as Holiday 2012 (it has to come out eventually!)
- New Footage will be shown of Little Big Planet Karting, God of Ware: Ascention and Playstation All Stars (together with an updated roster).
- A greater selection of PS2 downloadable classics will be announced, together with the fact that they can also be played on the Vita.
- There will be much less mention of Playstation Move then there has been the last 2 years.

For Vita:
- It will be announced that Resident Evil: Revelations is being ported to the Vita.
- A new Dissidia: Final Fantasy game will be announced.
- A Monster Hunter game will be announced or Sony will show a game developed internally which closely resembles Monster Hunter.
- New games in the Locoroco and Patapon series will be announced.
- New footage and a release date will be given for Little Big Planet on the Vita.
- A greater selection of PS2 downloadable classics will be announced, together with the fact that they can also be played on the Vita.
- An update will be announced for the Vita, allowing the emulation of PSOne game and PS2 games.
- Either a price drop, or a new console package (including a game or games) will be announced.
- A remake of Final Fantasy VII is announced for the Vita and will be shown together with the previously announced Final Fantasy X.

Multi platform

- A new trailer and launch date will be announced for GTA V (probably just ahead of E3).
- A new (fantastic) trailer is shown for Bioshock: Infinite
- A new trailer will be shown for Borderlands 2 (which will continue to look incredible).
- A new trailer and demo is shown for Tomb Raider, showing much more of the game than that shown previously.
- Mirror Edge 2 is announced (because it HAS to happen)
- Final Fantasy XV will be announced, which will be a single player game and also will have an old-school Final Fantasy look to it.
- The new multiplatform game from Bungie (a FPS) is announced.
- A new Burnout game will be announced by EA, and this will be akin to the Burnout’s of old rather than Paradise (i.e. similar to Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit).
- There is news (and a tentative release date) for the next Half Life game (despite what Valve have said). They also state that they have scrapped episode 3 and instead will be incorporating this into Half Life 3 (fingers crossed).

Oscar results

Right, so here are the Oscar results and how I did…

BEST PICTURE
The Artist

RIGHT

BEST DIRECTOR
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

RIGHT

BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin - The Artist

RIGHT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer - Beginners

RIGHT

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis - The Help

WRONG – Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer - The Help

RIGHT

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Rango

RIGHT

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon &
Jim Rash

RIGHT

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

WRONG – Midnight in Paris

ART DIRECTION
The Artist - Production Design: Laurence Bennett, Set Decoration: Robert Gould

WRONG – Hugo

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman

WRONG - Hugo

COSTUME DESIGN
The Artist - Mark Bridges

RIGHT

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

No prediction made.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

No prediction made.

BEST FILM EDITING
The Artist - Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

WRONG – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

No prediction made.

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs - Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and
Matthew W. Mungle

WRONG – The Iron Lady

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Artist - Ludovic Bource

RIGHT

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Man or Muppet - The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

RIGHT

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

No prediction made.

BEST LIVE FILM

No prediction made.

BEST SOUND EDITING
Drive - Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

WRONG - Hugo

BEST SOUND MIXING
Hugo - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

WRONG - Hugo

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett

WRONG – Hugo

Total results:

11 / 19 or 58% correct

Playstation Vita review

Vita review

Okay, I’ve had my Playstation Vita for a few days now, and I thought that I’d take the opportunity to write down a few thoughts (similar to what I did for the 3DS last year). Anyway, how I thought I’d approach this is by noting down both the good points and also the slight negatives.

Good points:

- It’s a current gen console in your hands, it really is. Uncharted plays just like Uncharted on the PS3. As a portable console, it packs a lot of punch.

- The OLED screen is big and beautiful. Again, it puts any other handheld to shame. The resolution, while not HD and not up to iphone retina standard, is a big jump from the DS, PSP and even the 3DS.

- In all the games that I have played, there is a greater sense of social connectivity with other SEN users. Scoreboards update with friends and other SEN users, ghost data is automatically added as you play and it keeps you updated with your friends progress, achievements and whether they have beaten you on certain sections of the games.

- Two analogue sticks. Yep, it’s an important addition for some games. Whilst not all games require the use of a second analogue stick, anything like a first or third person shooter struggles without this.

- I only owned a PSP for a relatively short while and as such, I missed out on a great many of the later games. Now with a Vita, I can download this missed games and play to my heart’s content.

Negatives:

- Just like you have to put up with loading screens on home consoles, now you have to put up with them on the Vita. Unfortunately, when you are not used to this (GB and DS have never had much of an issue with this) this can initially be annoying.

- I find that the “X” button is a little too close the second analogue stick for my liking. This could be because I have fat thumbs, but a little more room in this area would have been appreciated.

- So black, so shiny, so many fingerprints.

- The battery power is similar to that of the 3DS, which is still not ideal for a portable, but probably unavoidable with current battery technology.

As for the games, I got Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048 on cart and have downloaded Motorstorm RC and Super Stardust Delta. Granted all of these are continuations of known franchises, but I will also likely be getting some original games (such as Escape Plan and Gravity Rush) in the near future. So far, I have been very impressed with both the selection and quality of the games.

I know that there are questions to be asked as to the relevance of a portable gaming console in light of the rise of smartphones and tablets, but signs seem to show that 3DS sales have picked up after initial concerns and I firmly believe that there is a place still for portable consoles. As an owner of an ipod touch, 3DS and now a Vita, I believe that for people with more than a passing interest in gaming, that solely a touch screen interface does not satisfy the gaming itch for me. It could also be argued that due to the size of the Vita, that it isn’t a true portable system, but for me, I tend to use it around the house whilst Roz or Elliot are using the TV, or during my lunch at work, or lazing in bed. In short, I believe that there is a place for portable consoles in my life and I’m sure that I cannot be alone.

Oscar predictions 2012

Okay then, after a long delay, here are my Oscar predictions for the year…

I must first say that I have found last year rather underwhelming film wise, and as such I do not think that the selection of films this years is that great. Also, there is not one particular film that has been nominated for any category, which I feel that passionate about.

That being said, here are my predictions.

BEST PICTURE

The Artist

In a time when films seem to be losing their place in the modern world, this film harks back to Hollywood of old, and ir rather clever to boot. As such, I really don’t see anything else winning.

BEST DIRECTOR
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin - The Artist

He gave a great performance, and I think that it is deserving (although would love to see Gary Oldman win)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Not necessarily for this film, but more due to age and previous performances.

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis - The Help

This is between Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. It could go to Meryl Steep just because she has been nominated so many damn times, and only actually won a couple of time. Streeps film, however, has not been as well received and America loved the Help. As such, I’m going with Viola Davis.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer - The Help

Again, I predict another win for The Help with this one.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Rango

I’d be disappointed if it was anything else!

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon &
Jim Rash

A tough one to call, but I’ll go with this.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

Seems an odd choice since there is (almost) no written dialogue, but I still think it’ll win.

ART DIRECTION
The Artist - Production Design: Laurence Bennett, Set Decoration: Robert Gould

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman

COSTUME DESIGN
The Artist - Mark Bridges

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

No prediction made.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

No prediction made.

BEST FILM EDITING
The Artist - Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

No prediction made.

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs - Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and
Matthew W. Mungle

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Artist - Ludovic Bource

Another tough call, but as The artist needs to convey so much without dialogue, I think that this will win (although they did use some of Vertigo’s score)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Man or Muppet - The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

IT’S THE MUPPETS!

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

No prediction made.

BEST LIVE FILM

No prediction made.

BEST SOUND EDITING
Drive - Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

BEST SOUND MIXING
Hugo - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

Well, let’s see how I do!

Oscar nominations 2012

Well here they are, the oscar nominations for 2012:

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

BEST DIRECTOR
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Alexander Payne
Hugo - Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick

BEST ACTOR
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt -Moneyball

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help

BEST ANIMATED FILM
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon &
Jim Rash
Hugo - John Logan
The Ides of March - George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin
Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids - Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call - J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
A Separation - Asghar Farhadi


ART DIRECTION
The Artist - Production Design: Laurence Bennett, Set Decoration: Robert Gould
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 2 – Production Design: Stuart Craig, Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
Hugo - Production Design: Dante Ferretti, Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
Midnight in Paris - Production Design: Anne Seibel, Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
War Horse - Production Design: Rick Carter, Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Jeff Cronenweth
Hugo - Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life - Emmanuel Lubezki
War Horse - Janusz Kaminski

COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous - Lisy Christl
The Artist - Mark Bridges
Hugo - Sandy Powell
Jane Eyre - Michael O’Connor
W.E. - Arianne Phillips

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth
Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

BEST FILM EDITING
The Artist - Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Kevin Tent
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
Hugo - Thelma Schoonmaker
Moneyball - Christopher Tellefsen

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Bullhead - Belgium
Footnote - Israel
In Darkness - Poland
Monsieur Lazhar - Canada
A Separation - Iran

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs - Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and
Matthew W. Mungle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 2 - Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
The Iron Lady - Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Adventures of Tintin - John Williams
The Artist - Ludovic Bource
Hugo - Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Alberto Iglesias
War Horse - John Williams

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Man or Muppet - The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
Real in Rio – Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown
Lyric by Siedah Garrett

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Dimanche/Sunday - Patrick Doyon
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore - William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
La Luna - Enrico Casarosa
A Morning Stroll - Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
Wild Life - Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

BEST LIVE FILM
Pentecost - Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane
Raju - Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
The Shore - Terry George and Oorlagh George
Time Freak - Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
Tuba Atlantic - Hallvar Witzø

BEST SOUND EDITING
Drive - Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Ren Klyce
Hugo - Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
War Horse - Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
Hugo - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
Moneyball - Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and
Ed Novick
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
War Horse - Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and
Stuart Wilson

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 2 - Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and
John Richardson
Hugo - Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and
Alex Henning
Real Steel - Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

2011 Review

Another year over and done with and once again, my blog has had even less posts than any previous years. At this rate I seem to just be posting about the Oscars, E3 and doing a yearly review. Oh well, if this is all my blog is used for, then that’ll do.

Anyway, here goes:

Films

I first have to say that in my opinion, this has been truly awful year for films. I’ve really struggled to find 3 films to fill my top 3, and even then, whilst good, none of these has totally blown me away. I’d give each of these films no higher than an 8/10 (with the exception of The Girl Who Leaped Through Time, which is a clear 9/10, but technically that wasn’t released in 2011), which is pretty poor for a best of list.

I have to say, however, that I have been to the cinema less and less over the last few years, and tend to catch up on films later down the line via the likes of Lovefilm, but I still go to the cinema if there is a film that I desperately want to see, and this year there seems to be a definite lack of “”must see” films.

Top 3 films of 2010

The Girl Who Leaped Through Time

Okay, yet again this it a bit of a cheat, as this film was released in 2006 (although I’m not sure when it first came out on DVD/Blu-ray over here), but what the hell. As I seem to be catching up on a great number of films late recently, I’m adding it for the hell of it.

An enchanting, clever and moving Anime film about high school, love and time travel. Also, definitely my film of the year.

Rango

For once (in a long time) a Pixar film has not managed to make it into my top 3, instead that place has gone to Rango. A bizarre and hilarious CGI take on spaghetti westerns of old.

Black Swan

What I loved about this movie is that if you didn’t know any better going into the film, you wouldn’t realise that beyond the exterior of a simple film about ballet, lies a shocking and disturbing horror film underneath.

Notable mentions (for good or bad)

Source Code
Not quite as good as Moon, but a great second film from Duncan Jones. Reminds me a great deal of a sci-fi cross between Quantum Leap and Groundhog Day, but in a good way.

Thor and Captain America
Surprisingly good superhero adaptations, and probably the best Marvel films to date (I was not a fan of the Iron Man movies)

Julia’s Eyes
Not quite as good as I had hoped, but has to be mentioned as my token Spanish horror film of the year.

Sucker Punch
I really, REALLY wanted to like this. I loved Watchmen, Dawn of the Dead and 300, and as such believed that as this was an original script from Zack Snyder, that this would be a more personal, more spectacular and perhaps even a better film for it. Wrong, wrong and wrong again.

A Slew of Anime films:
I seem to have catched up on a great number of anime films this year, most of which have been quite excellent. As such, I thought that I’d list a few of them here:
Summer Wars
Arriety
Whisper of the Heart
The Cat Returns


Games

Top 3 games on 2010

This really was a tough one to call... but I just about whittled it down to the top 3 which are as follows:

Xenoblade Chronicles - Wii

This is, without a doubt, the game that I have spent the most time playing in 2011. It is also unquestionably, the best JRPG of this generation of consoles. In fact, I remember recently reading on a forum thread asking what the best Final Fantasy game was since VII that someone had simply answered “Xenoblade Chronicle”. It made me chuckle, but it is also very true.

It combines the best parts of Final Fantasy XII (battle system), with Final Fantasy VIII (equipment customization with crystals) and adds its own spin on things adding further additional elements. This together with a truly excellent story and memorable and likeable characters, and also some truly stunning environments on the humble Wii, made for an exceptional game.

Uncharted 3 – PS3

First of all, I think I need to get out of the way the fact that I think that Uncharted 2 is the better game, and is the pinnacle of the series so far, but saying that Uncharted 3 comes very close to the lofty highs of Uncharted 2.

As with any game in the Uncharted series, it’s the set-pieces that make the game, for Uncharted 2 the highlights for me were the train chapter and the tank chapter, for Uncharted 3 this is the chapters on a cruise liner and the truck convoy. Whilst obviously inspired by the likes of the Poseidon Adventure and Raiders of the Lost Ark, these were still fantastic gaming moments and the reason why the Uncharted games are so fantastic. In no other game that I can think of, does it really feel like you’re playing in a summer blockbuster movie.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Wii

Well, first I have to say that I haven't had as much time with this game as the others in my top 3 list, but what I have played so far, I have loved. I'm currently on the third dungeon, of I don't know how many, but what I have been able to ascertain so far is that this game still carries the same Zelda DNA, but at the same time is a very different beast than the past few Zelda's. This is largely due to to the motion controls, which whilst getting a little while to get used to, really do add to the experience.

The other elements which I think I should ass is that the puzzles also seem moire varied than previous and also very devious in places. The fights are also a lot more difficult, even lesser enemies need to be carefully approached and dealt with. Lastly, for some reason the story and Link's connection to Zelda, feels that bit more personal in this game than those previous.

Overall, it's Zelda, and I still love it!

I have to add (before I go onto the notable mentions), that I have also not had the chance to play Skyrim and also Batman: Arkham City during 2011 (I had both for Christmas, but Zelda and Mario Kart have taken priority). I hope to play these during early 2012.

Notable mentions (for good or bad)

LA Noire
Started off really promising, but it got boring real quick. It had all the appearances of an open game, but in reality was far from this. What really got on my nerves was that no matter how well, or poorly, you did on a case, the outcome seemed to be pretty much the same.

Infamous 2
Mentioned for the purpose of bringing up the truly fantastic evil (as opposed to the good route) ending. It’s rare that a games plot surprises me, but this came as a shock for 2 separate reasons, which I won’t spoil here. Overall it was a game which was great fun to play, but didn’t vary greatly from the original. All the same, a great PS3 exclusive.

Mario Kart 7
Only just recently got for Christmas and as such, have not put in as much time with it as I would like, but out of this and Mario Land 3D, I've spent much more time with this. I'd even go as far to say that this very nearly sneaked into my top 3 games of the year. What I have played so far, leads me to believe that this is quite possibly the most finely tuned Mario Kart game since Mario Kart DS (minus the annoying snaking which ruined online games).

Super Mario Land 3D
Also just got for Christmas (present to myself). Seems very much like the classic Mario games of old, specifically the likes of Mario 3 and Mario World. Even on a small screen, this still shines.

Pullblox
A small downloadable game for the 3DS, but a fantastic little puzzle game. It is also the best use of 3D in a game to date.

Battlefield 3
The best online multiplayer game of 2011 IMHO.

Life

A few bullet points of memorable things in my life from 2011:

My holiday in Wales with Roz and Elliot. Highlights include standing in a park that I used to visit as a child with a fantastic view of the Severn Bridge and also taking Elliot out on a mountain bike trip, only to get terribly lost in the wilds of Wales.

A trip to Budapest for a work course, this being my first trip to another European country apart from the UK and France.

Having to (recently) explain to Elliot what breast implants were, only for him to reply “why on earth would someone want to do that?”

Okay, I’m officially stumped to think of a number of other points, but what I will say is that although I can’t provide a long list of bullet points for the year, overall it has been a very happy year, made all the more happier because I get to spend a large majority of my time with both Roz and Elliot. After all, it’s not necessarily the big events in a year that make it a good year, it is also the small quite moments that makes life good.

Lastly.... A Happy New Year to everyone!

Okay then… Roll on 2012!

Happy Christmas everyone!

Just a quick note to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

Most anticipated games of 2012

As there are only a couple of months left of 2011 (hasn’t it gone fast), and most of the games for the last quarter of 2011 are now know, I thought I’d take this opportunity to look towards 2012 and my most anticipated games (that are known at present) for next year.

This is all bearing in mind that the world does not end in 2012 of course!

Anyway, without further ado starting from 10 and going all the way up to 1:

10: Animal Crossing (3DS)

I really got into Animal Crossing when it came out on the Gamecube and also to a lesser extent when it came out on the DS. I never got around to playing the Wii version, but for some reason I’m really looking forward to the 3DS version of this series.

I’m hoping that they make good use of the internet community this time and also that Streetpass and Spotpass are used well with this game (where I can see a great deal of promise).

9: Nu Ni Kuni (PS3)

There is also another DS game in this series due out, but it is the PS3 game which I’m really looking forward to.

I love Studio Ghibli, and the thought of them teaming up with Level 5 (who I really like as developers) is just fantastic. The art style really makes this, in my opinion, quite simply the most gorgeous game on the PS3, and if Dragon Quest IX is anything to go by, I’m hoping that the JPRG gameplay also matches the visuals.

8: Fire Emblem (3DS)

I have never played a Fire Emblem game, and I think that it is about time that I do.

I love the other strategic game by Intelligent Systems, namely the Advance Wars series, but for some reason or another have never got around to picking up one of the Fire Emblem games, possibly because next to the Advance Wars games they have in the past looked a little dated.

7: Uncharted: Golden Abyss (PSV)

There is a strong possibility that I may buy myself a Playstation Vita and the main reason for this is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Whilst I have my doubts that a handheld version of this game will reach the dizzy heights of the PS3 games, even if this almost as good as the console versions, that will be plenty good enough for me!

It’s just a bit of shame that there doesn’t appear to be an online component to this game, as I’ve come to really like Uncharted online of late.

6: Starhawk (PS3)

I was a big fan of Warhawk when it was released on the PS3, even to this day it is one of my favourite multiplayer experiences on the PS3. As such I’m also excited about the sequel.

Warhawk always played like an arcade version of Battlefield, and Starhawk looks like it will play in a similar style, except that there are now stages set in space, and the fact that you can also add buildings to the landscape in a semi-RTS fashion. There is also a single player game in there (something that Warhawk lacked), although I believe that it is likely that multiplayer will likely be the big draw.

5: Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS)

This was on my list from last year, and obviously did not make it out during the year (even in Japan). Here’s hoping that A: This is localised for Europe and B: This is released during 2012. Hopefully given the popularity of both characters and the fact that it topped the poll on Level 5’s website a few months ago for preferred games to be localised, will ensure that it is released.

I’m still not sure how they will mix the puzzle solving with the investigations and court room proceedings, but I have very high hopes.

4: Journey (PS3)

I was lucky enough to be part of the closed Beta for this (I was selected because I purchased both Flow and Flower on release – and also because of the playtime I put into each). I’ll also go on record stating that in my opinion Flower is the most remarkable indie/download only game that I have ever played. From my short time playing Journey, I believe that this could very well top Flower.

Journey has all of the wonder of Flower and also the sense of scale and isolation of Shadow of the Colossus. I say isolation, except for the fact that you are met on your journey by another online player, someone that you do not know, and never will know. Through the most basic of gestures you communicate with this other player and aid each other through the game.

My experiences with the Beta of Journey (which was for a very brief period), were simply magical. I can’t wait for the full release.

3: Bioshock Infinite (Multi)

I really enjoyed Bioshock when it was originally released on the PS3, and also enjoyed Bioshock 2 (which actually improved on the first game in a few area’s), but I was never a big fan of the System Shock series.

From what I have seen so far of Bioshock Infinite has great impressed me. I don’t think that it’ll deviate that much from the framework put down by the original Bioshock, and will also likely be a very linear game, but to be honest that’s fine by me, as what I have seen so far looks positively stunning!

2: Borderlands 2 (Multi)

I was a big fan of Borderlands when it was released and still believe that it has one of the most excellent co-operative experiences out there. Aside from a few issues that I had with the DLC, I loved pretty much every moment with this game, and played through it more than once. As such, I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel. So long as they can iron out a few of the kinks with the first game, this should be one of my absolute must have games of 2012.

1: The Last Guardian (PS3)

This was number 1 of my most anticipated games of 2010 and number 2 for 2011 (beaten by Uncharted 3). This year I’ve moved it back up to number 1 again in the hope that it eventually comes out at some stage during 2012 (surely it has to!)

I’ve also recently been playing both the HD remastered versions of both ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, which makes the yearning for this game all the greater!


Other games that I’m looking forward to, that didn’t quite make the list:

Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Multi)
Tomb Raider (Multi)
Metal Gear Solid: Rising (Multi)
Paper Mario (3DS)
Luigi’s Mansion 2 (3DS)
Dragon Quest X (Wii/WiiU)
Gravity Rush (PSV)
The Last Story (Wii)
Mass Effect 3 (Multi)

There are of course also a number of unknown factors.

- Obviously there could be games coming out in 2012 that have not yet been announced yet, which will surpass those that I already have noted above.

- Next to nothing is known in relation to the WiiU in respect of the games that will come out on this (okay, maybe a few cross platform games are known but not exclusive games and specifically whatever Nintendo will be bringing to the console).

Finally, games that I’m looking forward to, where the release date is a big BIG, unknown:

Final Fantasy XIII Versus
Half Life 2: Episode 3 (although I still believe that they might just skip ahead to Half Life 3)
GTA V (It’s bound to happen)

E3 2011 predictions

Okay, it’s that time of year where E3 is looming and I start making my predictions... So here goes

(I must state again that I have both a Nintendo and Sony products, not Microsoft, as such, my Microsoft predictions are limited, as I don’t tend to follow X-box news)

Nintendo

For Wii:

• Very few game announcements will be made, but those that are made will be the big Japanese releases which have previously not been translated, namely: Pandora Tower & The Last Story (both of which would be good).

• Dragon Quest X will be shown (perhaps).

• There will be a further price drop for the Wii (hopefully bringing it to the $150 to $99 bracket for the US). As such, the Wii will be positioned as a budget home console system... Which will continue to perform as a little brother to Project Cafe.

• A budget range of games will be announced for the Wii (a classics range) including the likes of Mario Kart etc again to compliment the position of the Wii as a budget console.

• A full proper trailer will be shown for Zelda: Skyward Sword, hopefully revealing a little more about the game.

(Note: Just as I was posting this, I have read that 2 of my predictions have already passed, namely the price drop and budget range)

For DS/3DS:

• A release date will be given for Mario Kart 3DS as winter 2011 and more footage will be shown.

• Footage will be shown for Mario 3DS and a title will be given to it, but it will be announced (probably after the conference) that this will not make a 2011 launch.

• Further details will be given in respect of 3D movie download and 3D streaming, along with an approximate launch date for these services.

• Monster Hunter will be announced for the 3DS (or the NGP – or both).

• A Pikmin game will be shown (or Project Cafe).

• More footage will be shown of the following games: Starfox 3D, Paper Mario 3D, Animal Crossing 3D and Kid Icarus: Uprising.

• A new trailer will be shown for Resident Evil: Revelations.

• A trailer will be shown for a Metal Gear Solid game for the 3DS, however it may not be Snake Eater, but may be another game (possibly or an original game)

• The virtual console for the 3DS will be expanded to include other platforms.

For Project Cafe:

• Will be given an official name (possibly Stream).

• The console and the controller will be unveiled and will be playable at E3.

• A worldwide release date is given as winter 2012 (or sooner if we are lucky, but no sooner than April 2012).

• The controller will be like a cross between an ipad and a gamecube controller and will feature a 6 inch touchscreen.

• The console with be backwards compatible with both the Wii and gamecube and (hopefully) convert games to 720p or 1080p.

• The console will allow you to transfer all virtual console and Wiiware from the Wii.

• There will be a proper online service akin to Xbox Live and PSN and this will also be tied in with the 3DS friend code. Speaking of which, there will be none of the stupid friend code per game nonsense of the Wii.

• There will likely be further surprises in relation to the console or the controller.

• A Pikmin game will be shown (or 3DS).

• Retro Studio’s will announce their next game for Project Cafe, possibly a new Metroid Prime game.

• A trailer will be shown for a Project Cafe version of Smash Bros.

• Nintendo will get a group of developers to state how fantastic and innovative the machine is.

• Not much will be shown in the way of games, but there will be rough demo’s available for people to try out the console, many of which will be aimed at the “hardcore” audience.

• The 3DS will be shown to be able to connect to Project Cafe in some form, either acting as an additional controller or similar.

  
  

Sony

For PS3:

• Starhawk (sequel to Warhawk will be announced – if not for the NGP)

• Extended service for Playstation Plus customers will be announced.

• There will be some form of apology for the PSN leak mess-up, together with assurances that this will not happen again.

• A further trailer for Uncharted: Drake’s Deception will be shown.

• Sony will make a big deal of the games which support Playstation Move and 3D.

• There will be a further price drop announcement.

• Agent (Rockstar) will finally be shown.

• No mention will be made of a next generation machine (Playstation 4).

• More footage will be shown for The Last Guardian.

• HD remakes of the Metal Gear Solid games will be announced (MGS, MGS2 & MGS3).

• Valve announce that they will be releasing PS3 versions of Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 as a compilation package.

For NGP:

• The official name will be announced, which will either be PSP2 or something along the lines of PSP (subtitle).

• Further games will be shown including: Uncharted portable, Possibly Final Fantasy VII remake and a new Wipeout game.

• Monster Hunter will be announced for the NGP (or the 3DS – or both).

• The NGP will be given a launch date and a price which will be very similar to the 3DS.

• There will be some sort of connection between certain games on the PS3 and NGP, allowing games to be played on the go between both devices.

Microsoft

• A remake of the original Halo will be announced for the 360, with a Holiday 2011 launch.

• There will be a further price drop announcement.

• A slew of games will be shown for Kinect, many of which will attempt to be aimed at the hardcore audience.

• Dance Central 2 will be shown for Kinect.

• Further enhancements to Xbox Live will be announced, including access to further services via Live.

• Microsoft will likely take to opportunity to take a dig at PSN and go out of their way to state that Xbox live is both a more secure and better service and value for money.

• The next Call of Duty game will be shown and will have exclusive content for Xbox.

• Other game will also be shown stating that there is exclusive content/DLC for Xbox (Mass Effect 3 possibly).

• No mention will be made of a next generation machine (Xbox 720?)

Multi platform

• GTA V will be announced (with a launch due for Spring 2012).

• A new Soul Calibur game will be announced.

• A full trailer for Metal Gear Solid: Risen will be shown.

• A new (fantastic) trailer is shown for Bioshock: Infinite

• The new multiplatform game from Bungie (a FPS) is announced.

• The new multiplatform game from Insomniac (a FPS) is announced.

• There is news (and a tentative release date) for the next Half Life game. They also state that they have scrapped episode 3 and instead will be incorporating this into Half Life 3 (fingers crossed).

3DS thoughts/comments

Okay now, I've had the 3DS now for a long weekend, and have had a chance to put it through it's paces, and I thought I'd take the opportunity to jot down a few thoughts on my blog.

For the record, the games which I got with the 3DS were as follows:

Pilot Wings
Street Fighter IV
Ridge Racer

I'd also like to add that I got the aqua blue model, in light of the fact that my original DS (phat) was silver, my DS lite was white and my Dsi was black. As such, I wanted something with a little more colour :)

Anyway, my thoughts (both good and bad), as bullet points (as I'm lazy).

- When I first saw the 3D effect, it really blew me away, but at the same time I also found it extremely intense (too much so). The fact that I first witnessed this at approximately half past midnight, and felt very tired, probably didn't help... speaking of which:

- My first lesson learned, the 3D effect is not good if you are feeling tired (especially fast moving, quick reflexes type games – Ridge Racer, I'm looking at you).

- Past my first experience, the next day, once I had more type to play (and was less tired), I found that I could get used to it, and found that depending on the type of game played, the 3D slider needs to be adjusted slightly.

- Also, the more you play with the 3DS, the more you tend to get used to the 3D effect and adjust to it quicker and quicker.

- One think that I actively HATE about 3D movies at the cinema, is that the 3D glasses that you have to wear are tinted (and are really like shades – which you wear in the dark). As a consequence, I often find that the colours of the film are muted and dulled (which isn't surprising), and as such pretty much prefer no 3D viewing. As the 3DS doesn't need glasses, this isn't an issue and the colours look as vibrant as you would expect from a Nintendo system.

- You know the type of warning you get in games that advises you to take a break every 30 minutes for 10 minutes. Normally, I pretty much ignore these, but in the 3DS's case, I think that this is quite prudent.

- For games where there are several levels of depth (such as Pilotwings), I tend to find that I need to turn the 3D effect down to half, or slightly lower. The fact remains that it still looks stunning in 3D even on lowers settings.

- I tend to find the higher the 3D slider, the closer you need to hold the 3DS to you.

- For AR games (which are also very cool) you need to have the 3D slider turned down low, as you need to move with the 3DS, which can sometimes loose the 3D effect, which is less jarring at a lower 3D level.

- Speaking of which, the 3D sweet spot is relatively small, and it takes a few plays to get used to this (i.e. to learn to keep your posture steady), but after a while you get used to this, and I haven't found this to be much of an issue.

- I think it is very likely that different people have a different perception of the 3D effect, but then again to some extent, the 3D slider helps to address this.

- The graphics are a definite step up from the DS, and the 3DS feels very much like a portable Wii, as far as power goes, which is great. The resolution, whilst not up to ipod touch retina standards, is still much better than the DS and seems more than adequate.

- I have tended to find that the added depth rally adds something to some games. With the likes of Pilotwings and Ridge Racer, I find that this really helps me to judge distance in the game, which in turn assists how I play the game.

- Going from 3DS to a monitor/ipod touch is a little weird, as I find myself looking at the screen and find that my brain is trying to make a 3D picture out of a 2D plane.

- The battery life really is approximately 3-5 hours, which compared to other DS models, is far from great. The fact that I have been using it a lot each day, and so has Elliot, has meant that I have been charging this pretty much every evening. This is far from perfect, but I'm learning to live with it. There are also 3rd part battery solutions coming, should I need these if I find this to be too much of an issue.

- I think that the analogue nub/joystick, is very good.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the 3DS. There's simply nothing quite like it out there at the moment, and I'm loving my experiences with it. It's a great machine and a definite step up from the normal DS. It's not perfect, and requires some tweaking and getting used to. Additionally, I have no doubt that there will likely be a 3DS lite in maybe a couple of years, which probably address a few of the issues (namely battery life and viewing angles), but at the same time, I would not want to wait until this, and would have no problem recommending the 3DS.

I'm also super hyped up at the prospect of 3D Ocarina of Time in a couple of months :)

There are probably more points, but these are all I can think of at present. I'm looking forward to trying out streetpass when I'm in London next week, as so far I have not had any joy with this, but like the concept of it.