What's going on gamers? Summer has finally arrived; children are out of school and games are slowly filling up stores' shelves. When I buy games, I look for quality no matter what type of game it is. This summer looks to be a good one for gamers who are looking for some quality games as some will be released in the coming months. There are a few games I am personally looking forward to and I thought I would take a little time to tell you my personal top five games that I'm waiting for this summer. So let me begin my countdown...
5). Ninja Gaiden II (X360)
Okay, so some of you may have checked my profile and seen that I don't actually own a 360. So? You know what grinds my gears? Where does it say in the Bible a man can't enjoy a little 360 action at a friend's house playin as a super ninja running here and there and what-not beaten on some crazy monsters? Well I don't know, 'cause the book is way too long to read (joke, some of you may know where that's from). I had played the original Xbox version on my brother's 360 before he sold the 360 some time ago. It was an amazing game so those of you who experienced Sigma may understand how cool the game was. The game didn't really create something new since there's always been ninjas in games, and there's always been hack-and-slash games (even the main character came from another game) but this is the most refined and polished game of either type. Ninja Gaiden II doesn't seem to have changed the formula up much at all compared to the first which is perfectly fine. The game is set to be released June 3rd so to all of those impatient to get this game, practice your killer moves with those swords laying around in your basement. For the normal people, play through the first one again (definitely play the first one if you haven't already played it yet and are planning to buy the second game).
4). Top Spin 3 (PS3/360/Wii/DS)
I do have a sports game on my list! I'm a tennis player so there is that little bias in me to appreciate a tennis game. However, I only appreciate games of higher calibur. I played the original Top Spin when it first came out on the original Xbox. After viewing a few trailers on this and learning more about it. It's compared a lot to the Virtua Tennis series. This game however seems to have an edge over Virtua Tennis 3 however. The best addition to the series is the fact that there is now ONLINE PLAY! First tennis game to do so, I believe. They have also made the players play and act similiar to how they do in real life. Shot power is now determined by how long you hold a certain button before you release after reaching the ball. Of course, the gameplay is slowed down by a slight fraction as it would pretty hard to play the game if it was at realistic speed. Overall, they have made major improvements in terms of graphics gameplay. Though I will be picking this up for the PS3, all 3 current consoles and the DS are recieving this game on June 23rd. Hopefully, this game doesn't keep me from playing any real tennis.
3). SoulCalibur IV (PS3/360)
Ah, the glory of another fighting game. I love fighting games. I have played Soul Calibur 1 and 2 on the Dreamcast and PS2, respectively. I've only played a little of the third in the series, so hopefully I will see some great features in this new release (or is it final?). I believe this series became popular for its implementation of weapons in battle. Most fighting games are hand to hand which feature different martial arts. This game shows us, on the other hand, the art of weapons, though some may just be made up (what the **** is Voldo doing?!?). In case you didn't know, the PS3 will include Darth Vader and the 360 will include Yoda from the Star Wars series. This series has been great so far so why won't this one? This game is to be released July 29th.
2). The Bourne Conspiracy (PS3/360)
Most movie-based games don't turn out too well, even the ones based on more recent ones such as Spider-Man 3 and Iron Man. However, this game will be a definte pick-up for me. I've given the demo a few runs through and was happy with what I experienced. The game looks pretty smooth and plays decent. The best parts about this game is how well the game switches between gun-fights and hand to hand combat and the special takedowns which vary depending what are next to. The camera does a good job with giving you that adrenaline rush and the combat has the same feel of impact like in the movies. Some of you may or may not be pleased with the fact that they didn't base Jason Bourne's model off of Matt Damon. He's a decent actor but I'm sort of happy they didn't go with his model. By not using his model, it tells me that the developers don't want this game to just be a replica of the movie. With the countless takedowns, it gives the game a more open feel in terms of plot while still delivering a solid and structured story. This game will be released June 3rd.
1). Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
Do I have to explain why this will be a good game? In case you just got into gaming, and don't know what Metal Gear Solid is, it is a stealth game foremost. You try to sneak around here and there without letting guards notice you, or you wipe them out before they let anyone else know you are present. So in other words, you can accomplish the mission many ways depending on how you prefer. You can make it through the game without ever killing anyone or if you so trully desired, slit everyone's throat. The series has evolved by adding more features such as adding the use of camoflauge and holding enemies hostage, asking them to spill the beans / call off alarms etc. What has remained constant, however, is the amazing story given by Kojima. The games make good use of real historic events and throw in some conspiracies, which may even make you strongly rethink about the world we live in. The game also includes the starter pack for Metal Gear Online so that will be a special extra. This game will be the first to make use of (and even fill) a dual-layered Blu-ray disc which holds approximately 50GB each. I have already paid for the game in full, so my friend will be there to pick it up for me when it arrives on June 12th. I won't be in the country at the time, so I will not be able to enjoy this until July. I cannot see anyone not having fun with this game.
So that is my top five countdown for the summer. You may notice the games vary completely from one another so there's a chance that you will pick up at least one of these titles depending on your preference. I hope you enjoy your summer, and you should expect my review on some of these titles I just mentioned later and more on games that I am looking forward to playing that are arriving during autumn. See you in the forums!
- Vic
Note of the Day: Did you know my first name spelled backwards is Mark IV? (Vikram > Mark IV) Crazy isn't it?