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thanks to gaf (gaf link)
bu..bu...bu...sony only copies :cry:
The Unfinished Swan
Platform: PS3
Games should create a sense of wonder. In The Unfinished Swan, you start out being the one who creates the wonder. The story, in which a boy pursues a swan that has escaped from a painting, begins by having you fling black paint blobs to reveal the game world. You decide how much you want to reveal or leave hidden. Later, you hurl water blobs that cause vines to grow. The best moments in this relatively short game are when you stop to look around. The immersion comes from being in control of how much you see, even during a few traditional platforming sections.
Journey
Platform: PS3
In Journey, you play as an unnamed character who looks likes like an extra from the movie Lawrence of Arabia. The flowing robes snap in the wind, and the stark desert sand undulating around you becomes a character in the game.
Part of the enjoyment of Journey is simply figuring out what it is; not all of the gameplay elements are obvious. Do you need to collect ribbons or touch them? There are no clear goals, and at times you might decide to explore for fun. There's even a hint of Ico, the critically acclaimed exploration game for the PS2 released back in 2001. As in that game you have an AI sidekick who sojourns with you.
Escape Plan
Platform: PS Vita
:Escape Plan, released earlier this year for the PlayStation Vita, has a morbid sense of humor, with copious amounts of black blood and the occasional spinning fan blades. But it's the unusual play mechanics that make this game innovative. At first glance it appears you're simply moving the chubby black-and-white protagonist through a level. By the second level, the game changes. You have to reach behind the screen, using the Vita rear control surface, and push or move objects. (I first saw this concept at Microsoft Research about a decade ago.) Later, you tilt the console and tap the front touchscreen to direct the character.
Sound Shapes
Platform: PS3 and PS Vita
Sound Shapes is not just another of those confusing sound-creation games. Instead, it's a brilliant platformer in which the game world comes alive as you control the beats. The object is to move a small yellow ball through a level, avoiding obstacles. A drum pattern or percussive synth part plays to begin the level, and you can decide to knock into harmless objects to create a mix of music while avoiding the nasties. Some of the objectives are a bit mind-bending; you're floating, arcing, and avoiding danger all at the same time as the music starts to crescendo. No game in recent memory has quite combined such a chaotic feel with a matching musical backdrop.
Both versions of Sound Shapes are good for different reasons. The Vita game is more immersive and personal, but on the PS3 you can play it loud.
Botanicula
Platform: PC
We will admit about some initial head-scratching here. Botnicula follows five plant creaturesone of which is named Mr. Poppy Headand they always stay in a group. You click an arrow to move from one side of the screen to another. And the gameplay is enticingly unusual: You have to click on a hole in a tree to free a worm and grab a feather, or send one of the plant creatures under a tree limb to avoid enemies.
What's the innovation here? The game world effuses weird chirping sounds, brightly cheerful exclamations, and stunning backdrops. The mesmerizing music, created by the band UVA, is available as a separate soundtrack. Overall, the game is a fun mix of Monty Pythonstyle graphics and ingenious gameplay.
Zombi U
Platform: Wii U
This brilliant survival/horror game uses all of the established norms of the genre: a flashlight that runs out of batteries, zombies who are poorly caffeinated and easy to kill, and an achingly obtuse soundtrack. What makes it a must-play is the Wii U system. The main TV screen shows only the game world, with no clues about where you are or how many bullets you have left. On the Wii U GamePad touchscreen, you see a minimap of the world, ammo count, and clues about any nearby items. You can also use the GamePad to scan for objects, and as you move the GamePad, your character also moves.
As a bonus, the story and visuals are top-notch. Just don't play Zombi U alone in the dark.
Super Stardust Delta
Platform: PS Vita
Easily the most addictive game of the bunch, Super Stardust Delta's core gameplay involves a lone ship shooting enemies in space. The action gets intense: You can move one of the Vita analog controllers around in a circle to zap multiple enemies, and tilt the console to get a better view of the planet. Super Stardust Delta offers lots of choices in weapons and smart bombs, and even a slow-motion feature to escape a tricky predicament.
Nano Assault Neo
Platform: Wii U
Remarkably similar to Super Stardust Delta (we mean that in a good way), this two-stick shooter for the Wii U is available as a download from the Nintendo store. You zoom around a planet or asteroid, shooting rocks and alien craft. Like Zombi U, the game uses the GamePad's screen in an inventive way: You can see a minimap, select weapons, and control your ship. Sounds emanate from both the Wii U and the GamePad, often intersecting for a unique surround-sound experience. The visuals rival what you'd see in a major franchise shooter and have an organic, gleaming look.
Halo 4
Platform: Xbox 360
Perhaps an unusual pick for an innovative game roundup, Halo 4 deserves credit not for the gameplay, which hasn't changed too much over the years, but rather for finally delivering on the cinematic promises of earlier entries. There's nothing quite like wandering through some dark alien abyss, shooting all the enemies, and then trudging up one last narrow passageway to climb out onto another stunning vista.
Halo 4 has an epic scope unlike even the original game. The scenes you encounter are not just wallpaper backgrounds (see the Gears of War series and many other shooters). If there's a massive space bunker off in the distance, chances are good you will fight your way to the landing pad soon.
One other innovation: the sound. There's an explosive soundtrack, and the dev team went to great lengths to create the new Battle Rifle sound by recording mortar shells, rusty scissors, and even the sound of a screaming bushtail possum.
Planetside 2
Platform: PC
With Planetside 2, the innovation is in how you buy it. For a massively multiplayer online game like this, you'd expect to pay a monthly fee like millions of people do to play World of Warcraft. Instead, Planetside 2 is free to play. Sony makes money when you purchase new weapons, add-ons for tanks, and other items, though you can also earn these upgrades by successfully completing objectives as you level up. Plenty of smaller games found on Facebook or on smartphones use this freemium model; now the model has entered the MMO world.
lol @ halo 4.
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