My 5 Most Anticipated Games of the Fall

This Fall's game release schedule is full to the brim with some major releases, and I'm having a really tough time deciding what to spend my money and time on. However, with some time and very careful consideration, I've narrowed down the list of games I'm willing to spend my money and time on to just five. Of course, that isn't to say that I'm going to play more of them. Knowing me, I'm going to go incredibly broke this Fall and disappear for the next four months.

Anyway, here are some cool games I'm excited for:

Image courtesy of Duuro Mag

Mad Max
Avalanche Studios
PS4/Xbox One/PC
September 1st

It's no secret that Fury Road absolutely took over my life this year, and I'm super excited to see if the game can bring Max and all the madness of the world he inhabits into the digital space. It serves as a prequel to the film, shedding light on what Max was up to before he joined forces with Furiosa. The fact that it's being developed by Avalanche Studios, the team behind the super fun and destructive Just Cause games, gives me hope; if there was ever a development studio that can pull off a Mad Max game, its this one. However, publisher Warner Bros. seems to have completely given up on the game, based solely on the fact that its received little to no fanfare leading up to its release, not to mention the fact that it's going head-to-head with the behemoth that is Metal Gear Solid V. Regardless, Mad Max looks very promising, with the ability to fully customize Max's car and engage in chaotic vehicular and hand-to-hand combat across a massive open world. This is a day one purchase for me.

Image courtesy of IGN

Super Mario Maker
Nintendo
Wii U
September 11th

Did I ever tell you guys that I have a Wii U? Well, I do. It's just sitting next to my TV collecting dust, is all. However, Super Mario Maker looks like just the thing I need to revitalize the little black box when it releases this September. The game's premise is right there in the title: you have the ability to create and share your very own Mario levels. There are a wealth of options at your disposal that allow you to fully customize each level as you please, allowing each player to effectively take Mario games where they have never been before. Like most games that allow and encourage player creation, Super Mario Maker will live or die depending on community support. But I'm not worried, as Nintendo fans are some of the most rabid and creative gamers on the planet, and I fully expect to play some truly unique levels for months and years to come. Just don't expect anything good from me.

Image courtesy of 505 Games

Adr1ft
Three One Zero
PS4/Xbox One/PC
TBA September

If you know me, you know that I like the so-called "walking simulator" genre of video games. Experiences like Gone Home and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture continue to swirl around in my head long after I played them. Adr1ft is not a "walking simulator" per se, as you're in space. So it's a "floating simulator"? Whatever genre is may or may not fit into, Adr1ft holds a lot of promise. You're the lone survivor of a massive space disaster with no memory of the incident, and it's up to you to stay alive long enough to make contact with Earth, as well as piece together what happened. The fact that it's set in space is enough to get me pumped, but it looks visually stunning and looks to offer an intense and thrilling experience. There's still no release date set yet, but the sooner it comes out the better.

Image courtesy of Bethesda

Fallout 4
Bethesda Game Studios
PS4/Xbox One/PC
November 10th

No duh. Like, what human isn't excited for Fallout 4? It's been on everyone's mind long before we even knew it actually existed, and when it was finally revealed earlier this year, the gaming world collectively lost its mind. It's bigger, badder, and more colorful than Fallout 3. It's got improved shooting controls and mechanics. The awesome V.A.T.S. system returns, as does an upgraded Pip Boy. You've got an invincible (!!!) dog that can aid you in item collection and combat. You can even build a settlement from scrap and customize and upgrade weapons and armor. You've got a truly massive apocalyptic Boston to explore until the end of time; seriously, Fallout 4 will be endless. There's no level cap and the game continues even after you complete the main story, a welcome change from Fallout 3. So yeah. I don't have to do anything to explain why Fallout 4 is the most anticipated game of the Fall for me. Even though I just kind of did.

Image courtesy of EA

Star Wars Battlefront
DICE
PS4/Xbox One
November 17th

I like Star Wars. You like Star Wars. The whole world likes Star Wars. So we all know how cool it would be to actually be a part of all the massive battles that the films are known for. Ever wanted to pilot a Snow Speeder during the Battle of Hoth? How about cruise around on a Speederbike and fight the Empire in the Battle of Hoth? Well, Star Wars Battlefront hopes to do just that when it launches in November. Those looking for a single-player campaign will unfortunately be left out in the cold, as the new Battlefront is multiplayer only. Being made by DICE gives me hope that the shooting and flying will be as tight and responsive as always, but being in the hands of EA worries me. Will Battlefront, which has a pretty slim selection of maps and locations at launch, be propped up by endless DLC and microtransactions? Or will the base game be enough to entertain and thrill fans? Only time will tell, but what I've seen of the game so far has got me excited. My anticipation for all things Star Wars is at an all-time high, and a new entry in the Battlefront series can only add to it.

Does Until Dawn Have a Chance?

Image Courtesy of Game Informer

Until Dawn, the choose-your-own adventure-style horror game from Sony and Supermassive Games finally arrived for the PS4 earlier this week after an overly long development. Perhaps more surprising than the fact that it actually came out (it originally was a Move game for the PS3) is that it's good. I'm talking really, really good; it's garnered praise from critics and gamers alike as a gripping, unique, and genuinely scary experience. Sounds like Sony has another hit on its hands, right? Well, that answer may be a little more complicated than it seems.

Sony doesn't have a huge tentpole title for the PS4 this Fall, as Uncharted 4 got pushed into next Spring, and is having to rely on the remastered Uncharted collection to be their "big" first-party exclusive for the final quarter of 2015. While the system has great third-party support, there's no new, exclusive title that Sony could use as a system seller. Except there is, and it's called Until Dawn. Having played a good chunk of it, I can safely say it's one of the most surprising games of the year, and one of its best so far. My fear is that it's going to fade into obscurity, especially considering that Metal Gear Solid V is just around the corner. It seems like Sony's leaving it out in the cold to die.

Sony's first big release of the year was The Order: 1886, and even though it was lauded as a "must have" game for the system, it most certainly did not live up to the hype that surrounded it. The thud that it made when it launched earlier this year is still ringing in a lot of people's ears, particularly Sony's. It seems as if Sony is desperately trying to avoid that kind of let down again by not pushing Until Dawn as hard as it could. Part of me also thinks that they don't know what to do with it; I imagine it didn't focus test well, as it seems more suited for a certain kind of audience (horror movie fans, adventure game fans, etc.) and doesn't scream "mainstream appeal". Regardless, Until Dawn is good enough to be the first-party exclusive Sony so desperately needs going into Fall, but it won't, and that's a real shame.

Whether Until Dawn ends up being a hit or not, Supermassive Games is to be congratulated on crafting a very, very good game. It delivers on the potential of games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls (in fact, Quantic Dream should take a few notes from it) and delivers something unlike I've ever played. It practically begs for multiple play-throughs, as every single choice you make alters the narrative in a unique way. Even if you don't like horror or adventure games, give Until Dawn a chance, it really deserves it. On top of its innovative gameplay and narrative structure, it's also well acted and written, and is perfectly paced to build some solid tension, leading to lots of great scares.

I really want to see this game succeed, but my gut tells me otherwise. It's not getting the kind of marketing push it deserves, and though it's scored well with gaming outlets, its coverage is being pushed aside for all things Metal Gear. I feel as if it's a great reason to pick up a PS4 if you haven't already, as it's the kind of game you won't find anywhere else. Until Dawn deserves your time, money, and attention, and if you have a PS4 and about 10 hours of free time, definitely give it a chance. It deserves more faith than it's getting.

Two Days with the Black Ops 3 Beta

Image courtesy of Treyarch

Over the weekend, Activision opened up the previously closed Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 beta to everyone on PS4 (as it was originally only available to those who pre-ordered the game). I am admittedly not the biggest COD fan on earth and have always been bad at its multiplayer. Even though my opinion on the series has remained the same over the years, I always find myself drawn towards it for some God-awful reason. I do usually like the single player campaigns, as I find that they have a goofy charm to them, but could never for the life of me enjoy its insanely popular multiplayer the same way everyone else could. But, for reasons unknown, I always seem to pick up the newest entry every single time. This leads to me following the same emotional path each year, something I like to call "Failing to like COD in Four Easy Steps". It is as follows:

1. A new game is announced
2. I think, "Maybe this will be the one!"
3. I play the new game
4. I realize, once again, I've made a horrible mistake

I just can never, ever get into it. Is it because I'm bad at it? Well sure, that does play a large part. But for me, its biggest crime is that it's just not fun to play when you're bad at it. I've played countless shooters in my day, and there have been plenty of them that I'm not good at, most notably of which is Halo. I'm passable at it, but I fluctuate between good and downright awful at it at the flick of a switch. Thing is, I'm always having fun, regardless of how well I'm doing. Heck, to me, COD isn't even fun when you're winning. It's too twitchy and it feels like each player is make of paper; get shot twice and BOOM you're dead. I never feel like I have the time to defend myself or be tactical. I just run around the maps like everyone else hoping to run into someone and shoot them before they shoot me.

But I know you're all asking the same thing: if you don't like COD, why did you play the beta? Easy:

1. It was free
2. I had nothing else to do over the weekend

Please understand, I'm not a COD hater! I just don't like it. But that won't stop me from playing a free version of it!

Black Ops 3 does try to do some cool things to change up the COD multiplayer formula. Instead of customizing some random character that means absolutely nothing, BLOPS 3 gives you multiple characters to choose from, each with their own unique personalities, designs, power-ups, and voices. Yes, you heard me: COD's multiplayer characters now have voice over! And you know what, it's pretty cool! Running around and hearing your character interact with your teammates in-game is a nice touch. Your specialist (as they're called) is allowed one of two special abilities, which can either be a more powerful weapon or "power-up" of sorts. The one I used, a badass looking lady named Battery, had armor that reflected bullets for a short time. Another character had the ability to come back to life after being killed. Imagine my surprise when I thought I actually killed a dude for once, only to have his lifeless corpse pop back up and kill me dead. They are a cool addition but I didn't feel like they really changed up the rhythm or tide of a game too much.

I played a bunch of the modes that COD is known for, like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill Confirmed. The game plays just as fast and smooth as previous entries, and the shooting remains tight. Fans of Advanced Warfare will be happy to know that the ability to double jump is back, as is the ability to swim I also checked out a new game mode called Safeguard, in which each team takes turns escorting an A.I. robot across the map. It was cool and a nice, tactical change of pace for the series, except for one small thing: the robot always reached its destination, as it continuously regained its health after being disabled. I don't know if there were any other rules for the mode, but the game ended in a tie as neither side could stop the robot. Again, this is a beta, and Treyarch mentioned they are messing around with is and that the beta was a great place to do so. Hopefully it gets fixed up, because I thought it was a pretty cool addition.

For a beta, it played very well (except for that one time it completely broke) and looks to be in good shape when it ships this November. For better or worse, Black Ops 3 is more Call of Duty, which means you'll either love it or hate it. But the thing is, you're probably going to buy it. Why else do they keep making them year after year, and sell millions of copies? COD has a HUGE fanbase and I don't see that ever changing any time soon. Thing is, this Fall has some really, really big games coming. As for me, I know exactly what I'll be doing in November, and I have convinced myself that this is the year that I finally heed my own conscience and NOT buy the new Call of Duty game. Hooray for me! And my wallet!

I just don't like Call of Duty's multiplayer. Nothing against the series, as I see its appeal and respect it as a well designed and polished video game. But it's not for me, despite my endless attempts to change that. Do you like Call of Duty? Well, congratulations! Black Ops 3 is more of what you love, with some cool tweaks. It's gonna sell out the wazoo for the 186th time in a row, regardless of what I or any other person says. So go get hopped up on Moutain Dew and kill some racist 14 year-olds online. I'll just be over here, playing something else.

Back to Basics Stealth: My Thoughts on Volume

I've always had a soft spot for stealth games, especially the ones that rely on the player's quick wit and swift movement rather than deadly force to succeed. Volume, the new game from Thomas Was Alone developer Mike Bithell, does just that: it's a beautifully old-school take on the stealth genre that also manages to hide a few new tricks up its sleeve. I've only just begun to scratch the surface of what the game has to offer (it features 100 campaign levels) but have been so incredibly taken by it so far. Much like Thomas Was Alone, Volume features deceptively simple game design: collect all of the items in a level and escape, all while avoiding enemies. Both games also share a similar learning curve, as you learn new techniques as you progress to counter the equally evolving enemy types and level design. It's always challenging without being overly difficult. It's equal parts Robin Hood, Tron, and Metal Gear Solid, a lovely combination if I do say so myself.

The premise is a science fiction take on the Robin Hood legend. You play as Rob Locksley, a small-time thief who uses a device called the "Volume" to simulate robberies. Rob decides to stream his digital robberies online (I like to think he uses Twitch) to demonstrate to the citizens of dystopian England how to "steal from the rich". It features the vocal talents of YouTube celebrity Chris McDonnell, Danny Wallace (the narrator from Thomas Was Alone), and even Gollum himself, Andy Serkis. Story takes somewhat of a backseat to the gameplay, but it's well written and implemented, and always intriguing.

As the game progresses, Rob is given some new toys to play with, like a noise maker that can be thrown to lure guards away from their posts or a flashy item to distract them. Of course, Rob can also utilize some less advanced techniques to outwit his enemies, like whistling and hiding in closets. Controls are butter smooth and the level design is excellent, though it is easy to take advantages of the A.I. at times. It's fun, challenging, and addicting.

Volume features 100 story missions (which all last around 5 minutes or so), but the real draw here is its robust level editor. It gives players every tool that was used to create all of its campaign levels, allowing them every ability to create an endless stream of new content. If the community plays its part (like I think it will), Volume could have some serious legs.

I've been looking for a game to really grab me all year long, and have yet to find one until now. Volume is a "just one more level" kind of game, one that begs you to just keep going. I had a hard time putting my controller down the first time I started playing, and could see myself spending a lot of time with it in the future. If you've been wanting a stealth experience in the same vein as the original Metal Gear Solid, then Volume is just the game for you.

In Defense of Walking Simulators

This week's biggest new release is Everybody's Gone to the Rapture from The Chinese Room, developers of Dear Esther and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. It takes place in a small, remote village in England in 1984, where everyone has mysteriously vanished. As an unnamed (and seemingly unimportant) character, you are free to explore the county of Shropshire at your leisure, and uncover the truth.

Rapture is another entry in the so-called "walking simulator" genre of games, where the "gameplay" consists of pressing forward on the left stick and occasionally pressing a button to inspect items or start conversations. Much like Gone Home, the goal in Rapture isn't to defeat enemies or solve puzzles, but to have a story told to you. Think of games like this as an interactive movie studio in the middle of a big production, where you wander around from set to set, watching each scene unfold before your eyes.

To me, that's what makes games like this so interesting. And I will classify them as games simply because that's what they are. Rapture isn't a book because even though narrative is its primary focus, it's been visualized for me. It's not a film because I get to control where I go, what I see, and how fast I go. Games like this are about exploration and discovery; things are being shown to you but it's your job to interpret them. What makes this game (and others like it) special is that it can mean so many different things to different people. But at the same time, that all depends on how well its story is told.

Gone Home was universally loved, and for good reason. It was small, concise, and moving. Rapture is similar, though on a much larger scale. Critics and gamers are divided on it, and after playing a good chunk of it, I can see why. You move rather slow (though holding down R2 does speed things up a bit) and the story might not grab everyone's attention. You can advance by sticking to the game's main path, but are free to explore at your own leisure. There are numerous things in Rapture you can miss if you just blaze through it, so I highly suggest you take time to explore everything.

Most "walking simulators" are criticized for a lack of interactivity; there may be a lot to "see" in them, but often times there is very little to "do". Rapture is very much a game that you "see" rather than "play", and though that may not seem inviting, I feel that's what make it so unique. You can explore the various homes and buildings but will find that you can't go inside most of them. There are radios scattered around that provide more insight to the plot, as well as some hidden narrative beats, but you can't pick up and inspect items like you could in Gone Home. The lack of interactivity will definitely be a turn off for some gamers, and I can totally understand that. But for me, I have fully enjoyed my time with Rapture because its the first game I've played in a while that just set me free and let me explore with little to no consequences. I am fully invested in its story and am eager to see what happens next. Games like this hinge completely on their story; how well a narrative is written and structured can make or break a game where story is the primary (and only) focus. Thankfully Rapture's story is well paced and completely engrossing, and because of that, the game works.

In the end, I really do like these so-called "walking simulators". The ability to freely experience and explore a game at your own pace is something that doesn't happen all that often. Games like Rapture are definitely not for everyone, but they provide a very unique and important experience. Video games don't have to be about shooting or collecting things all of the time, and it's good to take a step back and just be simple. It's nice to have developers experimenting with narrative and exploration like this, as I feel it will only help make gaming better.

The debate on whether or not these are actual "games" will rage on forever, but for me there's no other way to classify them. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is a video game. Gone Home is a video game. They are stories and experiences that you can't get anywhere else, and because they are being told in video game form, you get to live in them rather than just watch them. And that, to me, is what makes gaming the best entertainment medium.

My Week In Gaming: A Trio of Goodness

Here's a quick rundown of all the new games I played this week!

Even though we're getting close to the end of Summer, this week saw some really high-profile game releases. Usually a crowded release week like this one would overwhelm me, but I've been away from 'new' games for the past month of so, instead opting to play back through older games again or cross ones off of my backlog. Finally having something 'new' and exciting to play was absolutely fantastic, especially considering that one of these games came out of nowhere. 

Image courtesy of Game Informer

Galak-Z

PS4
Developed by 17-bit Games

I've been following Galak-Z for a long time, and was really excited to see it finally released on PS4 this week. If you don't know anything about it, Galak-Z is a rogue-like top-down space shooter that takes heavy influences from '80s anime like Robotech (your ship can even transform into a mech). Make no mistake - Galak-Z is incredibly difficult. It's got a steep but manageable learning curve (the controls and weight/physics of your ship take some getting used to) but if you learn to play by its rules, you'll come to really find the joy and thrill in Galak-Z's gameplay. The story is broken up into five seasons, each consisting of five missions. If you die during a mission, its game over, and you've got to start all over again. If you make it through a season, you unlock the next and can start from there. All of your stats and upgrades are stripped when you die or start a new season as well, but you can collect scrap to gain them all back. Missions are short (lasting about 8 minutes or so) but intense. Being a rogue-like, missions are randomly generated. However, the objectives of each mission remain the same, but the layout of the map and placement of enemies change. Don't be scared away from its difficulty, because Galak-Z is one of the year's best games, and a must-own if you've got a PS4.

Image courtesy of WiiU Daily

Rare Replay

Xbox One

Developed by Rare

It's hard to believe that Rare, one of the world's most cherished game developers, has been around for 30 years. Though they've been on somewhat of a downslide lately, I will always hold the company in high regard. They've given me and the rest of the world gems like Battletoads, Perfect Dark, and Banjo-Kazooie. Rare Replary collects 30 games that stretch across the company's long and storied history. Unfortunately, games like Goldeneye 007 and Donkey Kong Country are absent (thanks, Nintendo and EON), but there are more than enough fantastic games here to provide infinite hours of fun. In addition to the games, there's a pretty extensive array of behind-the-scenes features, including some looks at cancelled Rare projects. Rare Replay also includes a challenge mode (called Snapshots) reminiscent of Nintendo's NES Remix, where games are rearranged into bit-sized chunks and feature a wide range of objectives and challenges. Though some of the games are not worth playing more than once, this is one of the most well presented and stacked gaming collections I've ever seen. At only $30, Rare Replay is a no-brainer for anyone with a Xbox One and a deep love for video games.

Beyond Eyes

Xbox One and PC
Developed by Tiger & Squid and Team 17

Announced at this year's E3, Beyond Eyes was stealthily released for Xbox One and PC this week to little fanfare. This is a shame, as it's a stunningly beautiful and simple game that deserves way more attention that it's getting. You play as Rae, a young girl who has lost her sight after an accident. She becomes friends with a cat (whom she calls Nani), and has to leave the safety of her home when he runs away. The game features a visual style reminiscent of a watercolor painting, and the world comes into view as Rae explores it. It reminds me a lot of the PS3 classic The Unfinished Swan, where you had to spray paint around the world in order to move around and explore. When Rae hears things in the distance, they come into view, but things aren't always as they seem. The sound of a revving engine is imagined as a car in Rae's mind, but once she reaches it, it turns out to be a man mowing his lawn. It's a game about exploration and seeing the world from a different perspective. I haven't played a more relaxing and genuine game in a long time, and if you've got a few hours to kill and are looking for a break from the mainstream, I highly suggest giving Beyond Eyes a try.