I never knew Ryan Davis personally.

The only sort of interaction I got was several years ago when he read one my questions for On the Spot on-air. Said my name was awesome -- even pronounced it correctly! Was a very cool, flattering, and weird moment. I've come is meeting him along with the rest of the Giant Bomb crew at these past two E3s (and I did have a brief encounter with Brad and Vinny), though I never saw Ryan. "There's always next year," I thought, certain I'd be lucky catch a glimpse of him one of these years.

Well. There won't be a next time now. Not anymore.

Ryan passed away last week, just days after his wedding, at the young age of 34. I'll spare you a repeat of the details and direct you to Giant Bomb's story for more. It's been tough to comes to terms with. Followed his work for almost a decade now. You sort of get to know someone after keeping up with their career for so long. Makes the eventual death all the more difficult to handle.

I've spent the day in a daze of confusion and depression, unsure of what to do with myself. Tried working, playing games, reading -- nothing helped distract me. Couldn't focus on anything, instead aimlessly browsing the Web just trying to pass the time until I somehow manage to accept what happened and move on. Wasn't fun.

I'm still surprised by how much this effected me. I've lost people close to me before -- my grandfather passed away back in early 2010, for instance -- and I recall taking that well. Saddened, of course, but not broken up over it. Maybe it's because I knew it was coming with him. The family and I knew he was in poor health for months prior to his death, the signs of poor health clearly visible on his rare visits. So the news wasn't as shocking when it came to pass. Ryan, by comparison, seemed to be fine by all accounts -- fit as fiddle. And yet, here we are.

These incidents always serve as a stark reminder of how short life can be. A fact we're all familiar with, sure -- but it never truly hits you until it happens. Ryan was one of many who inspired me to try my hand at game journalism. Always hoped I'd one day be able to work alongside him and the rest of the Giant Bomb crew; or at least be acquainted from afar. Thank him for all his stupendous work and for motivating me to become a writer. Alas...

Rest in peace, sir. You'll be missed dearly.

Not a whole lot of games from this year were played (as per usual), as I spent a good part of it chipping away at the ol' backlog and roaming Skyrim. (What can I say -- game's good.) The stuff I played was nothing short of fantastic, however, which made compiling this list quite the challenge.

10. Dustforce
PC-based platformers are generally... middling. When played on a keyboard, they are exercises in frustration that make even the easiest platformers daunting and tedious as hell. Psychonauts and Super Meat Boy play surprisingly well, of course -- played through the entirety of the former without a controller and have almost finished the latter doing the same.

Dustforce, however, is different. Though a controller is definitely a boon, the game generally plays better with a keyboard because of the precision demanded of you. Guiding your motley crew of acrobatic janitors through forests, cities, and laboratories requires the utmost care. It's a difficult task to earn those coveted S-ranks, but when a run comes together flawlessly, it is nothing short of sublime.

9. Persona 4 Arena
Persona 4 Arena has the distinction of perfectly walking the fine line between accessibility and depth in fighting games. As someone who hasnt touched a traditional fighting game since SoulCalibur 3 in 2005, Persona 4 Arena's simple mechanics and systems were a godsend.

All too often it feels next to impossible to really learn the systems and execute those all-powerful supers. Arena avoids that by including an actually useful tutorial and by keeping the commands for unleashing heavier, stronger attacks simple. It's the sort of game where a newcomer could easily hold their own against a seasoned pro. A true rarity for fighting games. Plus, its got a pretty good story, even if the visual novel delivery was less than ideal.

8. Rhythm Heaven Fever
I wasn't able to play much of the original Rhythm Heaven due to the inaccuracy of the DS. Certain games felt impossible because they required a level of precision I just wasnt capable of performing through the touch screen.

Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii fixed that. By avoiding any measure of motion control, relegating all actions to the A and B buttons, Fever became an infinitely better, much more enjoyable game. Its charming art styles, lovably ridiculous premises (the boxer interview minigame -- shown above -- is a prime example), and infectious tunes make it a fantastic follow-up. Really hoping Nintendo continues to iterate on this series. They've got something special here.

7. Legend of Grimrock
Never have been the biggest fan of dungeon crawlers, stuff like Torchlight a good example why. (Repetition, namely. Clicking about everywhere gets boring quickly when you're crazy powerful.) Legend of Grimrock has managed to keep my interest because of two things: 1, puzzles that are genuinely challenging; and 2, fun, nerve-wracking combat.

The claustrophobic halls of the complex and foes who can slay you almost instantly create a constant sense of dread and fear. Can't count the number of times I've turned only to be face-to-face with a skeleton soldier or spider, nearly jumping out of my chair in response. Any dungeon crawler that can cause me to tense up as soon as I load the game up is doing something right.

6. Splice
Cipher Prime is quickly becoming one of my favorite developers. Their expert use of minimalism and continuously intriguing premises for puzzle games are second to none. Plus, they compose some fantastic music to accompany their works, which is always a bonus.

Splice takes a while to flourish. Your first time through is but a simple one, solving strands as they arrive in the least direct ways possible. Strong, sound design presents itself throughout, but past its unusual premise, there's nothing especially noteworthy. It's once you discover the angelic solutions -- in which you solve a strand without using all your available moves -- that its cleverness reveals itself. The standard solutions are creative enough already; these only further emphasize the strong puzzle design demonstrated throughout.

5. Okami HD
Okami HD is as pure a remaster you could ask for: the graphics are improved immensely, the gameplay kept entirely intact, former technical issues resolved. The idea behind these was to get games back onto the market in their original form while ensuring they aren't marred by age, visually. A task that Okami fulfills flawlessly.

I'm still disappointed that they removed the song that played over the original credits sequence (what can I say -- I'm a purist), but the incredible amount of work put into this makes up for that small omission. Many kudos to Hexa Drive for the fantastic work on this.

4. The Walking Dead
I get depressed just thinking about this game.

The Walking Dead is a tough game to play. Not because its challenging in the usual game sense, but because you're asked to make some hard calls and perform some gruesome tasks. Quick-time events and conversation trees makeup the majority of the game's interactivity, both of which the game nails. Even though you watch The Walking Dead more than you do play it, it still manages to enthrall far better than any other game from any year can. The characters, the drama, the suspense, the tragedies -- all of it culminates in the best, most emotionally devastating finale imaginable.

In one fell swoop, Telltale Games has perfected the episodic formula as well as how one involves player choice. Truly remarkable.

3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
I said it before and I'll say it again: XCOM is the hardest game to come out this year. It's the most intense turn-based strategy game in years, where you're scrutinizing every single action you're performing. Whether it be moving your troops about the field or deciding what to research, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is constantly forcing you to make very hard, very calculated choices. The micromanagement meta-game is as enthralling as the combat, each providing its own sort of entertainment through the never-ending strain placed on you.

2. Dark Souls
Putting this here because the game came out on PC this year. Far as I'm concerned, that makes it eligible. Also: It's Dark Souls. How could I not add it?

Dark Souls is the most intense, frightening game I've played yet. I'm still working through it -- just finished Anor Londo, as of this writing -- but I've played enough to know this is a marvelous game.

The entire design is carefully and deliberately crafted, so expertly paced. Wonderfully elaborate level design and key enemy placement ensures each step is rife with tension. The fear of not knowing what lies ahead, of surprise ambushes from ghostly foes, of whether or not you can trust certain non-player characters its brilliant. The story and lore are incredibly deep as well, constantly rewarding you for seeking out its many secrets.

1. Journey
Music is an oft-ignored element of games. Usually it serves more as background noise than something thats really truly a profound, crucial component. Hotline Miami was a fantastic example for its wonderfully psychedelic soundtrack that, in perfect concert with the visuals, depicted the dark, twisted, and downright gruesome narrative the game wove. Journey does the same.

Austin Wintory's enchanting score did what so few other games can by matching every single track to the scene to elicit the exact emotions the game attempted to draw. From the triumphant tune that plays as you slide down a massive hill of sand to the melancholic theme that echoes the profound sense of dread and futility as you begin to succumb to the harsh climate of the mountaintop -- Journey manages to manipulate emotions through music alone.

But it's more than just the music: it's the fantastical splendor of the desolate desert, the brilliant use of cooperative play, the beauty of its minimalist gameplay. It is a game distilled to its barest, purest form, where exploration is paramount above all else. Sure it may be linear, but that doesn't make its gorgeous world any less fun to traverse.

There is literally no way a screenshot from Okami cannot look amazing.
(Image credit: Deadendthrills.com)

Playing Okami HD has made one thing absolutely, undeniably clear: remastered games are huge boon for this industry. Not only do they give old favorites a shiny new coat of paint, they allow easy access for anyone who's never tried one of these remastered titles a chance to experience them in their original form.

The sentiment is one I've known since playing The Sly Collection (another fine series helped by high definition) back in 2010, of course. But Okami is easily the game to benefit most from its effects.

Okami's gorgeous art style, reminiscent of a Sumi-e painting, is revitalized by the upscaled resolution. Previously subdued colors now pop with vibrancy, creating a brighter, prettier picture; a touch helped greatly by the slightly reduced paper filter effect (dont worry; you can control how visible the filter is). The game also moves at a smooth 60 frames per second, never once dropping during busy scenes, unlike the PlayStation 2 original.

A remaster was the right choice, because the original game still holds up spectacularly, its visuals still as awe-inspiring as they were in 2006. A full graphical revamp certainly could have made for much more breathtaking game, but at the cost of the aesthetic's character, its achievements.

Sumi-e is predicated on the art of simplicity. Okami, for all its extravagant vistas and villiages, still maintains that core tenant. Characters are blocky; trees are flat, particle effects too. These are deliberate decisions made by now-defunct developer Clover Studio. Decisions made all in service to the aesthetic.

Seriously. Every screenshot is practically perfect wallpaper material.

The choice of remastering the game alone is evidence of this. Capcom could have easily contracted a team to remake one of its most beautiful games for a new generation, take advantage of the PlayStaion 3. Okami never has been a successful franchise, but the core fanbase would certainly be front and center for a remake.

But they didn't.

Because they know Okami's aesthetic relies on the limitations it had placed upon it at the time of its release. Its beauty is remarkable not just because the aesthetic, but for how it leveraged the power of an aging system. A remake would diminish these accomplishments that are crucial to understanding the game's acclaim from a historical standpoint.

Remasters like this allow us to see games in the way developers intended to without having to seek out old hardware. It's easy to dismiss them as quick cash-grabs, but there's more to them than that. In an industry so careless with the archival of video games (there are literally tons of games lost to time because no one thought to make a back-up), any means of playing games in their purest forms are more than just welcome; they're necessary.

Mean as he looks, he's a real pushover.

It was almost two weeks ago that I began delving into the devilish role-playing game that is From Software's Demon's Souls. A game that many claim to be the toughest and most punishing of our time. I don't quite agree with that assessment (it really isn't that bad), but the praise is most certainly not misplaced.

I'll have a full review up later, but I wanted to address one quick point: the difficulty. Reviewers and fans would have you believe the game is merciless, that it's only goal is to destroy you, kill your self-esteem. In truth, it's no different than every other trial and error-heavy game in existence. It punishes you, all right, but only if you're careless and try rushing through everything. It's hard, but it gets easier the more you familiarize yourself with the mechanics. About the most daunting task was a fight with two snake-tailed gargoyles, and that was more so due to the environment -- a narrow bridge with no reliable railing -- than the foes themselves (not they're to be underestimated, of course).

The game is one that's easily finished with a bit of perseverance. It only knocks you down when you neglect to tread carefully, thus leaving yourself open, unprepared. You must take it slow at first, learn the systems and take note of where each foe lie. After that you can breeze through areas with little difficulty, provided you're well equipped to deal with the surroundings. Everything always remains the same as far as enemy placement goes.

Really, the only way you'd find the game unfathomably hard is if you didn't know what you were getting into or refused to adjust your play-style to what the game demands. It's not so bad as long as you're willing to endure. Everyone would probably know that by now, had the hyperbole been discounted rather given credence.

Another year gone. With 2011 past us, now's about time we all start reflecting on the year that was. In this case, that's recognizing the best the industry had to offer us these past 12 months. I didn't get to play many actual 2011 releases this year (certain circumstances prevented that), so I've definitely missed a ton. But what I did manage to play proved to be nothing short of amazing.

Before I get into it, a few honorable mentions:

Okamiden: A strong sequel to what I consider to be the greatest game ever made. I now know the series is in good hands over at Capcom's internal dev teams.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: I only just started this a few days ago, so I haven't had enough time to really sink my teeth into it (figuratively, of course). I'd like to see more before I claim it to be one of the year's best, so that's why I've left it out of my list. Damn good game, though. Incredibly detailed world. Easy to lose hours just on side content. In fact, it's 'cause of Skyrim that this list is going up so late. If it weren't for that, I'd have probably gotten this up a few days ago!

NightSky: A splendid little puzzler with a cool atmosphere. Maybe a bit too much abstract, though I had fun when I wasn't screaming in frustration at the absurd level of precision being asked of me.

Voxatron: I still don't know if I completely understand what a voxel is, but they certainly made a cool game. A dual-stick shooter made around user-created levels, Voxatron's got some amazing potential behind it. The game just launched in Alpha a couple months ago through the Humble Bundle, and it's been pretty cool so far. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

And with that, onto the list!

10. de Blob 2
Yeah, I know. This is primarily a kids game (as evident by this particular entry carrying the Sy-Fy Kids logo on it), but I don't care. I love de Blob. Sure it doesn't evolve on the formula of the first game even slightly, and sure it's ridiculously simple, but it was also some of the most fun I had all year.

Bringing back life and color to the streets of Prisma never ceased to enthrall. Rejuvenating distorted lands is a theme that always resonates with me. My deep seated love for Okami is no doubt something to do with it, but I also enjoy the concept of restoring worlds to their natural state. It's a nice change from the usual themes of destruction and ruin we so often participate in. The infectious upbeat attitude of de Blob with its funky jazz and vibrant landscapes always manages to bring a smile to my face. It's a very relaxing and uplifting game. It's a real shame that Blue Tongue was lost this year, as de Blob 2 will probably be the last we ever see of that lovable guy.

9. Burnout: Crash
Frankly, I'm surprised it's taken so long for Burnout to have a crash mode focused game to come out. As a series staple, you'd think Criterion Games would have done so ages ago. Ah well. Better late than never, right? With Burnout: Crash, Criterion delivered a true return to form for the much-beloved mode. The concept was already immensely absurd, but since that obviously wasn't enough, the developers went ahead and upped the level of crazy ten-fold. Calling on natural disasters. extraterestials, and... lobster monsters to aide in your swath of vehicular mayhem is simply awesome. The clever use of licensed music lends a ton of extra personality as well.

8. Outland
Outland's biggest claim to fame is easily the new genre it crafted: the bullet-hell platformer. It's unusual mixture of projectile dodging and alignment shifting created some great, challenging levels. Fluid movement and snappy controls, as well as a ultra-stylish tribal aesthetic culminate in a fantastic platform/action game. It also had some of the best boss battles I've seen in a long time. All big on spectacle and each being worthy opponents. Sure the co-op was unfortunately plagued by game-breaking lag, but damn if those co-op chambers weren't fun to participate in regardless. Would love to see Housemarque branch out like this more often.

7. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Ghost Trick is awesome for many different reasons. It's witty writing, it's fun, quirky characters, its intriguing, well-paced story, it's fantastic puzzles -- any of which on their own would be totally applicable. But honestly, it's the premise that really does it for me. Playing as a dead guy trying to solve his own murder is a great basis for a story, and the game runs with it in the best way possible: by making it completely and utterly crazy. That the team behind the Ace Attorney series developed it only makes it that much better.

6. SpaceChem
This is the only game on the list that I haven't actually finished yet. I'm only a few chapters in, having clocked well over 14 hours into it, and am nowhere near being done. It's a puzzle game -- a very-complicated-yet-still-very-accessible one at that. What you do in SpaceChem is bond atoms together to form elements and chemicals. It's basically a game of chemistry, but without the prerequisite of having to know the subject to understand what's going on. Here -- just read Rock, Paper, Shotgun's review of it. Sums the game up pretty well.

What makes SpaceChem amazing is how there are literally thousands of possible solutions to any puzzle. Just looking at the game's leaderboards, you can see how each individual solution is truly unique. The secret lies in the fact that SpaceChem's puzzles aren't about discovering solutions; they're about creating them. And then optimizing them to climb the leaderboards, should you be the competitive type. I haven't seen all its tricks yet, but what I've played is enough to convince me of its splendor. Easily one of the best pure puzzle games in years.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
At this point, it's no surprise that a Legend of Zelda game would get high praise. They're well made games, regardless of your position on the series' stance on sticking to its age-old formula. Skyward Sword doesn't make any radical changes, sure, but delivers what we've come to love about Zelda and makes even makes a compelling case for why motion control matters. A little late, yes, but, like with Burnout -- better late than never, eh?

Skyward Sword's combat shines brilliantly because of the one-to-one motion control. It feels like you're actually engaged in battle because you're performing the actions rather than just mindlessly mashing away on buttons. It's immersive in the best way possible, aiding the experience both on a mechanical level and a gameplay level. The only problem is that it came out so gosh darn late. If this came out earlier in the Wii's life-cycle, I'm certain the console's software lineup would have turned out much different.

4. Frozen Synapse
Frozen Synapse does one thing that every other turn-based strategy game I've ever played (that is, very few of them) has never managed to truly capture: the intense uncertainly of battle. Being able to react quickly to an enemy's actions doesn't do well to instill fear for your units, as it turns out (Fire Emblem being the obvious exception because of the whole permanent death thing). But Frozen Synapse? Nailed it.

The key lies in making your enemy's movements masked until you've locked-in your own, because that way the wait for the outcome can build appropriate tension. Here, you don't swap back and forth taking turns moving and attacking. Instead, you both act simultaneously, but don't see each other's actions until you've both submitted them. Why is this important? Because it lends ample opportunity for fear to rise, make yourself start questioning your actions. Was it really a good idea to send your shotgunner right into that den of machine gunners? Is your sniper going to be safe close to those walls? There are a lot of rocket launchers about...

Things like that distill the experience Frozen Synapse brings with its take on strategy games. The best ones are always those that raise anxiety and force you to think ultra-critically of your actions, and Frozen Synapse delivers like few others can. Plus, the music is awesome. Some of the best you could ask for a game like this. Here, listen for yourself. Doesn't that just get you in the mood for stategizing?

3. Rayman Origins
Words cannot describe how happy this game makes me feel. And I'm not just talking about the evocative artwork or snazzy music. Those are great, but it's the pitch-perfect gameplay that makes Rayman Origins a joy to play. That fine balance of challenge and simplicity is expertly struck, crafting a myriad of gorgeous, intelligently designed levels to leap, glide, and wall-run through.

After having gone into unexpected retirement following the debut and success of the Raving Rabbids franchise, Rayman Origins brings Ubisoft's limbless wonder back spectacularly. Now if only they hadn't been so dumb as to release it right smack-dab in the middle of the holiday game rush. Maybe then it would have found a bigger audience. Shame on you, Ubisoft!

2. Portal 2
Millions of words have already been written about what it is that makes Portal 2 such an enchanting game. From the way it effortlessly weaves story and gameplay together unobtrusively to the charming, deeply developed characters and humor and to the brilliant puzzle design itself, Portal 2 hits nothing but high marks at every juncture. The game is a master-class in stellar game design, every facet exuding only the utmost excellence. That Portal 2 was able to build exponentially upon the bare-but-still-plenty-strong foundation of its predecessor is astonishing.

The introduction of characters like Wheatly, Cave Johnson, and the other personality cores (SPAAAAAACE!) add so much more to the story. It's all paced very well, keeping the intrigue and humor constant while upping the ante all the time. And that ending... oh my god, that ending! And the co-op, too! So good. And there's still more to come! Amazing!

1. Bastion
Oh man... where do I begin?

Bastion is... a very special game. You know how there's always that one game that resonates with you so deeply that it forever sticks out in the forefront of your mind? Even consider it to be the very best the medium has to offer? To me, that's Bastion. What the folks at Supergiant Games have accomplished is, for a start-up "indie" developer, just... phenomenal.

It's exceptionally well-told tale crafts a rich world with very few words. The narrator's terse speech regales Bastion's story of calamity constantly but never over does it. Every snippet is carefully doled out, his words always being used to educate the player just as questions about the world, the level, or... anything, really, arise. The developers clearly believe in "less is more," and I couldn't agree more.

But its not just narrative alone that makes Bastion magical. Finely tuned gameplay brings a mixture of depth and simplicity to combat, the varied customizable arsenal bringing endless possibilities as to how play. The art and music set a perfect tone, each adding life and beauty to each and every crippled piece of reformed land. Its like a painting brought to life supplemented by an acoustic soundtrack that suits the frontier-fantasy-style of the world.

Most importantly, though, every single element works in perfect harmony with each other. No one part feels less important than another, each acting in service to the other. It's rare to see that kind of collaboration, let alone for it to be done so marvelously.

I'm a tad late with getting this posted, I know -- but I wasn't able to watch the Nintendo conference until just yesterday, nor have I had a lot of time to dedicate to writing this past week. But now I do! So let's get to it. (Note: I'm only focusing on the big three because I don't have a whole lot of stuff to say on EA and Ubisoft. Maybe next year I'll be more opinionated on those conferences.)

Microsoft
Kinect was really Microsoft's focus this year, as expected. Most of the conference was solely devoted to it. And, man, was it embarrassing. The people they had demoing the games were horrible actors. They were making it painfully obvious that they were faking their enthusiasm. It was laughable. They really need to stop having their presenters act. Just demo the games. The games themselves weren't remarkable, either. All a bunch of mini-game or sport compilations.

There were some interesting things, though. Most notable being Mass Effect 3 getting Kinect support, or rather voice command support. Curious addition. Voice input is hardly something to advertise. But what do I care? I don't play those games! Also of note was Ghost Recon's Kinect functionality, which they announced was a fully functional way of playing it. The actions, however, were a little... odd. You fire your gun by opening your right (or maybe your left?) palm and stop once you close it while you aim with your left arm. Shooting that way just doesn't seem intuitive. Feels like developers are trying too hard to put Kinect functionality where it needn't be.

And that, to me, is much to the detriment of Kinect. Motion control works best when you build the game around it instead of vice versa. It always comes off as a case of shoehorning, otherwise. That it's being supported is good; a significant peripheral like this needs it given how late it was introduced. Problem is, though, that, like the Wii, no one seems to know how to really make a compelling use of the hardware to create a game that appeals to both markets. That's why we're seeing people either making mini-game compilations or weird implementations like Ghost Recon did.

I know that Kinect is primarily aimed at the non-gamer market -- the majority of the software makes that clear given that they're copying Nintendo in some respects -- but if they want to capture the existing gamer market, they'll have to do more than shoehorn in Kinect functionality. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that never helps.

On the games front, there wasn't anything that particularly interested me. The Summer of Arcade lineup this year includes Bastion from Super Giant Games, though, which really excites me. I've been following the feature Giant Bomb's been doing on the development of the game. It's looking great. Hope being apart of the promotion will allow it to see incredible success. They deserve it.

Sony
Sony was evenly split between everything: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Move, and PlayStation Vita -- the now confirmed to be official name of the previously titled Next Generation Portable. Strong presentation all-around. Rather boring in delivery, though. Sony really ought to start working getting some liveliness and entertainment in there.

Like Microsoft, Sony looks to be trying hard to keep their motion control device well-supported. Medieval Moves was the big Move only software, with the rest of the demonstrations being it's functionality in other games as an optional control choice. It's a shame that the Move isn't getting a whole lotta exclusive software for it. Developers seem keen on just tossing it in rather than design a game around it, making it little more than an expensive under-supported Wii Remote knock-off. Say what you will about the Kinect, but at least Microsoft is keeping it constantly supplied with software centered around it. Sony's trying, but even they seem happy enough to just toss it in as a secondary control scheme. Not very enticing reason to buy one, I gotta say. Support's support, though.

The PlayStation Vita was also there. Biggest news of the conference (apart from Sly 4 being unveiled; so can't wait for that) was the price. It's going to launch in the fall at $250 for the wi-fi only version and $300 for the 3G (with AT&T) and wi-fi enabled version. Smart pricing. This puts them in direct competition with the 3DS. Assuming Nintendo doesn't drop the price in time of the PlayStation Vita's release, the hand-held console arena is going to become real interesting. Nintendo's never had much in the way of a strong competitor (mobile platforms could be argued to be their first real threat, although). They've all always failed to make much of a dent in their control of that sector of gaming, mostly because their pricing was never good enough to actually compete. If Sony does it right, they could present a real challenge for Nintendo.

Strangely, they never once tried to advertise the multi-media capabilities of the platform. They seem to be banking squarely on its gaming capabilities -- not there's anything wrong with that. A peculiar tactic given their history shows they usually advertise multi-media functions extensively. I'm thinking that means they're relying on its games to sell the platform instead. Whatever the case, the device is really cool. Definitely sold on it.

Games-wise, Sony continued its tradition of focusing primarily on exclusives. They didn't hold back on the software, showing off lengthy demos for games like Uncharted 3. There were a lot of absent games, though. The Last Guardian from Team ICO wasn't mentioned even in passing at the show, nor was Journey or other newly announced PSN exclusives (Papo & Yo, for instance) mentioned. Heck, even Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One didn't get demoed. I understand that they only had so much time, but it seems odd to have snubbed mentioning what many are most excited about.

Nintendo
To put it simply, this conference was far too short and light on info. It was the most entertaining of the bunch, though.

It started with a bang: an orchestra performing tunes from The Legend of Zelda series. Hearing them in full orchestral form was truly a delight. Nintendo really needs to start making orchestration the standard for their soundtracks. MIDI is getting kinda old. Anyway, after the performance, Miyamoto walked on stage and started reminiscing about Zelda. Didn't reveal anything about Skyward Sword, the newest installment, except for a release window (this holiday worldwide), but he did announce that a free DSi game of Four Swords would be coming out in the near future. No exact details were given on that either, however.

The Zelda portion took up almost a half-hour of the conference. For that much time, it's odd that more details weren't revealed, let alone any demonstrations performed. But then, we all know how Zelda works at this point. Not a whole lot of stuff you could show, really.

After the Zelda portion it was onto the 3DS. Not a whole lot of announcements there -- just stuff we've known about since last year, like Mario Kart, Kid Icarus, and Star Fox 64. Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced, though, which I find an odd choice for the 3DS given the mechanics. The flashlight element would have been a natural fit with the Wii remote, I'd think. They would have been able to make better lighting effects, too, that way.

Honestly, I'm surprised Nintendo didn't have more to announce for 3DS. That system is in dire need of some strong software and Nintendo hasn't provided a huge amount of games for it just yet. Most of what they had at the presentation is coming out before the end of the year, but I feel like they could have had more, even if it was just a couple of third-party titles. Nintendo must really be banking on the DS name to sell the system.

Interestingly, with the exception of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, there wasn't a single Wii game there despite there being WIi games from them coming this year. I suppose it's just a result of their conference being little more than an hour long, but ignoring games for your still current console seems like a poor decision. Though it's certainly not uncommon for Nintendo. Once they've got a new console unveiled, they start ignoring their older console, dropping support almost immediately.

Speaking of which, Nintendo's long rumored new console was there. It's called the Wii U. It's key feature? The screen embedded within the controller. It's essentially a tablet of sorts equipped with a conventional control scheme. Intriguing concept. From what I can tell, implementation ranges from the obvious (displaying inventory menus and maps) to more exceptional, gameplay-affecting uses, like using the controller as a scope of sorts attached to the Wii Zaper.

There were a lot of conceptual ideas Nintendo trotted out. The most eye-catching, to me, was how it could be used in a multiplayer setting. One example played two players, using Wii remotes (you only get one Wii U controller per system), on the TV screen working together to shoot down some flying ship, which was being controlled by a third player on the Wii U controller. It sounds really cool. I could see this bringing a ton of great ideas.

No actual games were announced for the system specifically, though. The conceptual ideas were playable on the show floor, I hear, but they weren't actual games. I assume that's because whatever games they are working on aren't anywhere near ready to be shown. Come time for E3 next year there will undoubtedly be tons of games being shown for it.

What I'm most interested in, however, is how ports are going to be handled. Since the Wii U is at least on par with 360 and PS3, the console is going see ports left and right. Heck, they even announced plenty of them at the conference. Games like Darksiders 2, which will be a launch title, they've confirmed; Ninja Gaiden 3, Assassin's Creed, Dirt, etc. are all coming to the Wii U. Will all of the controller's features be used? Or will they just shoehorn everything in? I would hope that they would be judicious in their use of the controller's functions, but if since we're dealing with ports, I'm keeping my expectations low.

The one problem I see with Nintendo's conference is that there just simply wasn't enough info on the console itself. What are the specs? How's the online infrastructure going to be? The controller's cool, but we need details on the hardware. That lack of info is undoubtedly what's causing some to misinterpret that the Wii U isn't a new system but a controller add-on for the existing Wii. They need to rectify that perception if they want to make sure that they can again court non-gamers to jump on board with their new platform.

Overall thoughts on the show
E3 was great this year. Not a whole lot of huge surprises here this year -- the stuff that could have been big were leaked beforehand -- but it was entertaining and enlightening nonetheless. A lot were saying this E3 was the year of the Quick-Time Event. I'm hoping that's going to be a short-lived fad. We don't need more excuses for developers to take away control from the player just for some light cinematic flair. Just give us full control to execute those cinematic actions ourselves instead.

What about you? What'd you think of this year's E3?

One of today's news headlines on GameSpot was the following:

Sony's E3 press briefing slated for June 6

Is it just me, or is it really weird to be talking E3 matters already? I thought that didn't start until mid-May at the earliest. It makes sense that they would have the press conferences scheduled by now, sure, but announcing that hardly seems newsworthy at this moment. Not like anyone's going to remember that announcement as we get closer to the event proper. What are they hoping to accomplish with this? To jump start wild speculation? Start building up hype that won't mean much for another month or two? Whatever the case, this whole notice ust seems unnecessary right now. It'd be better off being made closer to the actual event (like a week or two before it stats, maybe) when it'd have more relevance.

On that note, though, I can't believe it's almost time for E3! Only a couple months away now (feels like it should be longer off, though). Hard to believe it's almost that time of the year already. Feels just like yesterday that the year began. Crazy how time flies, eh?

Decided to post this up here because, predictably, my intent to regularly post stuff up here hasn't exactly worked out (you win again, procrastination!). Figured that posting up reviews would help remedy that. Well, that and I've been meaning to get back to doing this for a while now to maybe get some extra feedback on my work. (Again, procrastination saw to that not happening. I really need to stop being so gosh darn lazy.) Enjoy!

Space Invaders evolves from its methodical roots into full-fledged bullet-hell chaos in this spectacular space shooter.

Upon starting Space Invaders Infinity Gene's campaign, one is met with the following quote from Charles Darwin:

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."

Strong words. Words that say a lot about the state of Space Invaders over the past few years and its efforts to stay relevant. It's many evolutions have, for the most part, always remained small and inconsequential to the core gameplay. Space Invaders Infinity Gene, however, the latest in the popular space shooter series, sees one of the more drastic yet all the while small shifts in the series yet: the move to bullet-hell territory. A definite change from the usual systematic approach of alien dispatch. By disposing its previously methodical nature, Infinity Gene creates a more thrilling experience where quick reflexes triumph over strategy, unlike its predecessors. Along with this, Infinity Gene brings with it a megaton of content to blast through, which lends it not only a strong lasting value but the title of one of the better incarnations of the series in a long time, as well.

The theme of Space Invaders Infinity Gene is evolution. In this case, the evolutionary process of moving from a methodical column-shooter into pure bullet-hell chaos. It begins with an arcade-perfect port of the original Space Invaders that, unfortunately, lasts for all of five seconds before it whisks you away to the game proper. Once passed, you're moved to a construct similar to that of 2008's Space Invaders Extreme in that you're faced with the same columns of invaders but with foes of varying sizes mixed in. The entirety of the first level, which is split into six smaller stages (as are the rest of the levels), sticks to that basic approach. The only evolutions that occur at first are the unlocking of additional types of ships and the amount of lives you start off with. (Unlocks occur every time the Evolution Gauge is filled at the end of each level, which is done by scoring well as points feed gauge's progress.) It's not until the second level that the first real significant evolution is made: full freedom of movement.

Once you get there, things start to change drastically. No more are you just eliminating columns of foes one at a time; instead, you're fighting off nearly endless waves of invaders that enter the ring from every side and angle imaginable, typically at blistering speeds. Everything moves fast -- so much so, in fact, that you often don't get any time to react to the sudden entrance of foes. By the time you notice their presence, you'll have likely already been destroyed. Its frustrating at first due to how cheap of a tactic that appears to be, but it's key aspect of the experience. A bit of trial-and-error may annoy at first, but once you begin anticipating your enemies movements and spawn points and begin using that info to your advantage to rack up points en masse, the brilliance of the game's design starts to set in. Weaving through legions of foes and bullets with ease is an art in and of itself. The skill necessary to pull off flawless runs of levels is demanding, but hugely satisfying once you ascertain the correct means of doing so. This isn't anything new for the genre, sure (a bit ironic for a game centered around evolution), but it still works wonders, which is more than enough for this styIe of game.

And besides, what other kind of shooter produces set-pieces like this on a near constant basis?

As you move onward, the game makes a few minor aesthetic upgrades as it increases the intensity of the action. Static, plain background images appear throughout the stages of the first two levels that then change into slightly more dynamic images throughout the three remaining levels. Small elements like walls and pillars populate the play-field and endanger your well-being while effects like color and pulsating patterns appear in the background to give it more flash. A great accompaniment for the stylish wireframe aesthetic used to render you, your foes, and environmental elements, which gives the game a very appealing minimalistic visual styIe. Amongst all this, the intensity of the action increases as well, with more and more types of enemies surfacing as time goes on until it all eventually reaches a crescendo of madness that throws a myriad of foes at you, both stationary and mobile, while moving through a structure armed to the teeth with weaponry. By that point, the game transforms into a fully three-dimensional shooter, complete with changes in camera perspective.

A major departure from the standard isometric view that the game uses almost exclusively up until then, the change repositions the view behind the ship itself to give you a better view of what's directly ahead and generally disorient you. Adjusting yourself to moving about in a three-dimensional space here is far from easy; discerning where it is you can move in the foreground, sure -- your ship is practically pressed against the TV screen when in the foreground -- but in the background? Not so much. Distance is the primary obstacle; judging how far enemies are from your vessel is challenging due to you not having as clear a picture as you do with the isometric view. Moving behind foes off in the distance is especially challenging since they obscure your view your ship. It presents an interesting and welcome challenge. It's also the biggest evolution here. Unfortunately, segments where the 3D side comes into play are sorely underused and only appear during a couple of levels. All that's left then is seeing enemies and environmental elements rendered in 3D. That's all fine and dandy, but it's not quite as significant or noteworthy.

Apart from the mechanics, your weaponry is also affected by evolution. You begin with a standard double-barrel cannon as your weapon: A serviceable means of alien dispatch during the first set of stages, but a quickly defunct method as the intensity of the action grows. To better combat the onslaught of invaders, newer weaponry regularly becomes available, presenting you with a myriad of options of firepower. From a ship that fires an expanding wave of energy to one that instantly locks-on to foes both in front and behind you and pummels them with lasers to one accompanied by attack drones for added firepower, Infinity Gene has options aplenty. Each ship has its own styIe of play, which not only encourages experimentation to find the right ship for you, but also provides a nice bevy of ways to challenge yourself on previously conquered levels.

Such as trying to take down all those invaders with the aforementioned double-barrel cannon.
It ain't easy, let me tell ya.

There is one especially disruptive presence in the bunch, though: the "Field" weapon. What this one does is expand a large circle around yourself that decimates anything that enters it. Whether your foes be big or small, the weapon makes ultra-fast work of your adversaries without you so much as lifting a finger. In fact, once its fully powered up (power-ups are earned by destroying UFOs that stream across the top-half of the screen), you get by just about anything just by sitting in the center of the screen, as it covers the entire screen almost once fully upgraded. Using this weapon robs the game of its intense nature and makes it a mere cakewalk -- a major detriment to the gameplay. Granted, you don't have to use it, but given its enticing powers, it's hard not to use it. It's therefore a detriment and would have been better left unincorporated.

In terms of content, Infinity Gene is vast, containing 140 plus levels in all. A lot of content to preoccupy yourself with, certainly, especially with the added competitive aspect of leaderboards -- and that's not even counting the game's music mode. One of the more singular features of Infinity Gene, music mode allows you to create new levels using tracks of music stored on your console's hard drive, thus providing a near limitless amount of content. That's quite a steal given the game's $10 asking price.

For a bullet-hell shooter on the cheap, Space Invaders Infinity Gene is easily a bargain. Its new take on the series formula is welcome and gives a nice refreshing change from the methodical gameplay of its predecessors. And with so much content available it's certain to keep you preoccupied for many months to come. For only $10, this game is an absolute steal for bullet-hell fans and Space Invaders enthusiasts alike.

Like, seriously. I haven't played anything this hard since Bit.Trip Beat back in '09. And that's saying something!

So I started playing this a couple days ago. I had some prior experience with it through the demo last year (hard to believe how quickly time flies), though it was a lot easier back then from what I recall. Those five minute games must have simply ended before the mayhem set in, 'cause the full game is pure madness!

If you haven't heard of Super Stardust HD, let me educate you: It's basically a Robotron/Geometry Wars clone exclusive to the PlayStation 3. The game sets you as a lone spaceship charged with, what I assume, is protecting a planet from an oncoming onslaught of meteors, UFOs, and all sorts of other nasties. Standard fare, really. Well, except for how surprisingly punishing it is. Not because it's naturally hard, mind you, but because it's simply sheer chaos.

Every game begins easy enough: a couple meteors make contact with the grid the planet below with them splitting apart into smaller hazards as they get shot, much like Asteroids, making the field slowly more dangerous. During the first phase (there's five total per level) it's easy enough to manage. Come the second phase onward, however, when enemies start flooding in and the meteors start coming down more often and in higher numbers, things get all kinds of crazy and nigh impossible to manage. This is mostly on account of the myriad particle effects produced by destroy meteors and enemies that could your view. And in a game like this, visibility is of the utmost importance, so any sort disruption can easily spell disaster.

By this point, I'm usually exclaiming something like: "AAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
I'm sure you can guess why.

And in this game, it always spells disaster.

Frustrating? Yeah, definitely. Does that stop me? Heck no! It only encourages me to keep going, actually. Why? Because, like any good bullet-hell shooter (which is what this is as far as I'm concerned), failure makes you better. Now, typically, this is because you begin to memorize enemy placement and learn the most efficent ways of vanquishing them. And while there some level of memorization here, victory is mostly obtained through perseverance, and maybe just a smidge of luck. Not the most scientific way, sure, but it keeps a nice element of unpredictability in play, which is more than can be said for most bullet-hell games.

That's what I like most about these games: they're unpredictable, yet clearly methodical logic that dictates the flow of enemies. For usual shoot-'em-ups that stuff is mostly set in stone; for stuff like this, though it probably still is, it never once feels that way. That's impressive.

So, yeah. Super Stardust HD. It's awesome. Brutal, yes, but awesome. Look for a review sometime after I finally conquer this game (and finish up that Shatter review, too).

Kinda late with getting this posted, I know (you can blame general procrastination and being preoccupied with other writing projects for that), but better late than never, right?

Man, what a year, eh? Even though most of the releases were pushed into Q1 2011, 2010 was a real good year for games. Granted, I haven't played many titles from the year (most of it was spent playing games from previous years), so I'm probably not "certified" to pass that judgment, but, hey, why not. What few games I did play, however, were quite exquisite. Can't fit all of them on here, sadly, because then it wouldn't so much be a list of my top games of the year as it would a simple reminiscence on what I had managed to play in those past twelve months. (Besides, what's the fun in compiling these lists if there isn't at least a modicum of challenge involved?)

But enough of that -- I've rambled on enough, I think. So, without further ado, onto the list!

5. 3D Dot Game Heroes
Yeah, I know -- this is basically a blatant Zelda-clone in just about every way possible. From the similar dungeon designs and enemies to even some of the music tracks, the game makes it abundantly clear that this is heavily inspired by the Zelda series. Be that as it may, though, I couldn't help but enjoy this hilarious, lighthearted throwback thoroughly. I wouldn't say it's one of the "best" games of the year, but it's certainly one of the most memorable, which is more than enough to secure itself a spot on this list.

4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
It's Mario -- need I say more? Yes? Okay, fine...

The original Super Mario Galaxy was easily one of the best 3D platformers released in years: it's massive creativity and superb gameplay were some of the best the genre had seen in ages. This sequel takes that foundation, iterates on it, and adds a ton of new elements that make a sequel that more than trumps its predecessor in just about every way possible. For something that started life as a level-pack of sorts, that's quite a triumph. But it's not for that that the game is on this list -- it's because it's some of the best platforming seen in years, as well as a generally enjoyable experience through and through.

3. Bit.Trip Runner
Even though I have absolutely no idea what's going on in these games, their daunting challenge level, funky chiptune themes and inventive gameplay are always a delight to play. Runner is easily the highlight for the series, as it takes the rhythmic gameplay of its predecessors and blends it beautifully with its Canabalt-styIe platforming to create a truly special rhythm game. Plus, it's got more content than any other entry in the series, so that helps, too.

2. The Sly Collection
I realize that placing a collection of older titles from the last generation of consoles on this list is... questionable, to say the least (especially placing it above Mario of all things in the platformer department), but what the heck. The Sly Cooper series, with its interesting and smartly executed gameplay mix of stealth and platforming, can still easily hold its own against any of the games released this whole generation, which says a lot about its quality. That fact alone, along with how good of a deal the package is, is more than enough to secure itself a spot.

1. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Yeah, that's right -- Pac-Man.

Re-imagining a cIassic like Pac-Man, something that's arguably already flawless in design, is no easy feat. Namco did it, though -- and not just once, mind you, but twice -- to much success. DX takes the ever addictive formula of Pac-Man and, after a few small tweaks, takes it to new levels of gratification. The role-reversal -- Pac-Man isn't so much the hunted as he is the hunter now -- though minute in concept, turns out to be the greatest innovation for the yellow eating machine in forever. What's most impressive, however, is how in spite of different it is, it still feels like Pac-Man. It feels like the natural next step of progression. That they were able to do that is a feat all its own, and just one of the many, many reasons why I adore this game immensely (one of the others being the gobbling of ghost trains -- that never gets old or any less satisfying no matter how many times it's done).