E3 brought a lot of traffic to this humble blog, an alarming amount actually. I say hello to the new readers of SPC, and I hope you will stick with me and my ramblings for a long time. Or at least until you grow bored of me repeating myself. Updated: And for those new, how about you get to know me a little?
That said, I am wondering what I can do to improve your experience at SuperPhillip Central. What can I do to make this blog even better? More reviews? More news? More editorials? More content (well, to be fair, this week I posted the most entries to this blog of any week in SPC history)? Should I somehow scrounge up the money to afford my own domain name for easy access? Should I get some people to help spread the word about SPC to other people and sites? Should I affiliate with more places of wider range and categories? Too many questions, but I would be open to any suggestions from the SPC public. Feel free to post a comment here, or if you would rather, e-mail me at superphillip32[at]yahoo[dot]com. Replace the [at] and [dot] with the necessary symbols. I run this blog, but I do care what the community has to say. Otherwise I wouldn't even bother shamelessly fishing for comments at the end of each story. Thanks for your time and continued use of SuperPhillip Central!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
My Favorite New Games From E3 2012
I don't usually post two exclusive-to-SPC articles, reviews, segments, etc. in one day. Since this was E3 week, why not? There was a shocking amount of regurgitated games being shown that were from previous events. In order to find actual new titles you had to search high and low through the hollowed halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Still, I imagined to piece together a handful of brand-new titles that have my curiosity aroused.
Beyond: Two Souls (PS3)
The only non-Nintendo console game on this list, Beyond: Two Souls is a supernatural tale starring a girl named Jodie Holmes, voiced by Ellen Page. Quantic Dream, the developer behind Heavy Rain, claims the game will have a mature storyline featuring many choices for the player to partake in. What was shown at Sony's E3 press conference was a sensational-looking cutscene including a policeman trying to futilely and politely pry information from a nonspeaking Ms. Holmes. A SWAT team busts into the quiet town's police station, and the leader of the team instructs the policeman to open the door to the room the two were sitting in. Then came a bunch of action-packed scenes. Since this game appears to be akin to Heavy Rain, who knows how much "gameplay" will actually be in this title? Nonetheless, I'm intrigued.
New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)
Last year we saw a tech demo called New Super Mario Bros. Mii that looked nothing more than some new levels of the Wii version with an HD coating. This year the curtain was raised on the game's final form, New Super Mario Bros. U. The foreground and models still look blase, but the backgrounds are quite catching. I'm digging the art style and look of the game. I've watched a player on the show floor go through the three demo levels: one beginning level, one set in the clouds atop mushroom platforms with a cameo by a red Baby Yoshi, and a level with twirling star platforms in a winter wonderland. The level design looks top notch to me. People have the jewels to compare New Super Mario Bros. to Call of Duty, but I don't recall New Super Mario Bros. to be a yearly series selling to college kids. It is constantly providing everyone with what I like to call "comfort food gaming" with excellent level design and clever placement of obstacles, enemies, and traps.
Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
The opening for Nintendo's 2012 E3 show was very cute. It had Shigeru Miyamoto in his dressing room with his pet creations, the Pikmin, sauntering and hiding anywhere and everywhere. The game itself looks like it was moved in late development from Wii to Wii U (which it actually was), but it still resembles something particularly impressive. Utilizing either the comfortable Wii remote and nunchuk combo or the Wii U Gamepad, players can quickly and effortlessly cycle between groups of Pikmin, chucking them at foes, breaking down walls, and carrying objects back to home base. It's been ten years or so since we've last "pik-ed" up from Captain Olimar's journey on a strange planet, and it is great to have him back.
Rayman Legends (Wii U)
Compared to New Super Mario Bros. U's style, Rayman Legends is a work of art. It's not known whether or not the game is a Wii U exclusive or maybe even a timed exclusive, but all we do know is that the game is coming to the Wii U during the launch period. Wait-- two terrific modes of platforming on one console during one period? I must be gaming heaven. Sure, Rayman is a less-than-popular character, but his last game, Rayman Origins, was superb. The Wii U Gamepad offers content that wouldn't be available on other platforms if the game were to be ported. Having extra help and extra friends (using Wii remotes) is something that excites me. Did I mention that the game looks absolutely stunning?
Project P-100 (Wii U)
Now the exclusion of this game at Nintendo's press conference certainly ticked me off. Apparently showing a six month old game is considered valuable time spent but a cunning collaboration between Nintendo and Platinum Games isn't worth a millisecond to the presser public. It is sort of what would happen if you combined Pikmin with Viewtiful Joe. It is almost set up the same way with levels being divided by sections where at the conclusion of each section your score for that part is shown. Your team of everyday superheroes can morph into many forms to take down formidable foes. A gun? No problem. How about a sword? Sure thing. What about pudding to bounce back enemy projectiles? You bet. This game has everything-- charm, wit, action, and something you don't see much in HD, color. I wonder if this game showing up at the E3 conference would have made fans less agitated and more enthused with the Wii U.
Nintendo Land (Wii U)
Maybe not the best game to end a show on, but then again, E3 really doesn't matter as much as it has in the past, Nintendo Land takes twelve existing Nintendo properties such as Mario, Luigi's Mansion, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong, and F-Zero and makes mini-games inspired from them. Something tells me as someone who is a forward-thinker (feel free to boast, SuperPhillip) that Nintendo Land is meant to be a game to get the word out of Nintendo's franchises to people who wouldn't normally know about them. So when F-Zero U (this game is not confirmed whatsoever), for example, arrives on store shelves, the unassuming consumer can go "hey, I played something like that on Nintendo Land" and pick the game up. I'm wondering if Nintendo is planning on making this the Wii Sports of the Wii U or if it will be doomed to be the Wii Play of the system. I have carefully contained hype for this game. We'll see how it shapes up much later, as well as what the other six mini-games are-- even though the franchises have been hinted by game icons.
I think there's a statement to be made when only a handful of games from E3 2012 are actually all-new-- much less the ones I've picked. Of course, it IS the end of a generation, but I think it also really shows how marginalized E3 has become, doesn't it? Most of the games I listed will be available on Wii U, so I guess I shouldn't beat up on Nintendo's efforts too much just yet. No use jumping the gun until closer to launch. What new games from E3 2012 appealed to you most? I'm sure some of you might care for Ubisoft's Watch_Dogs or ZombiU. Those just aren't my cup of tea. Share your thoughts on E3 in past articles such as these:
Top Five Reasons E3 2012 Was Underwhelming
Nintendo, Third Parties, and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Report Card - E3 2012 Press Conferences
Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of E3 2012
...Or just choose an article to start rambling about from the SPC Feature Catalog.
Beyond: Two Souls (PS3)
The only non-Nintendo console game on this list, Beyond: Two Souls is a supernatural tale starring a girl named Jodie Holmes, voiced by Ellen Page. Quantic Dream, the developer behind Heavy Rain, claims the game will have a mature storyline featuring many choices for the player to partake in. What was shown at Sony's E3 press conference was a sensational-looking cutscene including a policeman trying to futilely and politely pry information from a nonspeaking Ms. Holmes. A SWAT team busts into the quiet town's police station, and the leader of the team instructs the policeman to open the door to the room the two were sitting in. Then came a bunch of action-packed scenes. Since this game appears to be akin to Heavy Rain, who knows how much "gameplay" will actually be in this title? Nonetheless, I'm intrigued.
New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)
Last year we saw a tech demo called New Super Mario Bros. Mii that looked nothing more than some new levels of the Wii version with an HD coating. This year the curtain was raised on the game's final form, New Super Mario Bros. U. The foreground and models still look blase, but the backgrounds are quite catching. I'm digging the art style and look of the game. I've watched a player on the show floor go through the three demo levels: one beginning level, one set in the clouds atop mushroom platforms with a cameo by a red Baby Yoshi, and a level with twirling star platforms in a winter wonderland. The level design looks top notch to me. People have the jewels to compare New Super Mario Bros. to Call of Duty, but I don't recall New Super Mario Bros. to be a yearly series selling to college kids. It is constantly providing everyone with what I like to call "comfort food gaming" with excellent level design and clever placement of obstacles, enemies, and traps.
Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
The opening for Nintendo's 2012 E3 show was very cute. It had Shigeru Miyamoto in his dressing room with his pet creations, the Pikmin, sauntering and hiding anywhere and everywhere. The game itself looks like it was moved in late development from Wii to Wii U (which it actually was), but it still resembles something particularly impressive. Utilizing either the comfortable Wii remote and nunchuk combo or the Wii U Gamepad, players can quickly and effortlessly cycle between groups of Pikmin, chucking them at foes, breaking down walls, and carrying objects back to home base. It's been ten years or so since we've last "pik-ed" up from Captain Olimar's journey on a strange planet, and it is great to have him back.
Rayman Legends (Wii U)
Compared to New Super Mario Bros. U's style, Rayman Legends is a work of art. It's not known whether or not the game is a Wii U exclusive or maybe even a timed exclusive, but all we do know is that the game is coming to the Wii U during the launch period. Wait-- two terrific modes of platforming on one console during one period? I must be gaming heaven. Sure, Rayman is a less-than-popular character, but his last game, Rayman Origins, was superb. The Wii U Gamepad offers content that wouldn't be available on other platforms if the game were to be ported. Having extra help and extra friends (using Wii remotes) is something that excites me. Did I mention that the game looks absolutely stunning?
Project P-100 (Wii U)
Now the exclusion of this game at Nintendo's press conference certainly ticked me off. Apparently showing a six month old game is considered valuable time spent but a cunning collaboration between Nintendo and Platinum Games isn't worth a millisecond to the presser public. It is sort of what would happen if you combined Pikmin with Viewtiful Joe. It is almost set up the same way with levels being divided by sections where at the conclusion of each section your score for that part is shown. Your team of everyday superheroes can morph into many forms to take down formidable foes. A gun? No problem. How about a sword? Sure thing. What about pudding to bounce back enemy projectiles? You bet. This game has everything-- charm, wit, action, and something you don't see much in HD, color. I wonder if this game showing up at the E3 conference would have made fans less agitated and more enthused with the Wii U.
Nintendo Land (Wii U)
Maybe not the best game to end a show on, but then again, E3 really doesn't matter as much as it has in the past, Nintendo Land takes twelve existing Nintendo properties such as Mario, Luigi's Mansion, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong, and F-Zero and makes mini-games inspired from them. Something tells me as someone who is a forward-thinker (feel free to boast, SuperPhillip) that Nintendo Land is meant to be a game to get the word out of Nintendo's franchises to people who wouldn't normally know about them. So when F-Zero U (this game is not confirmed whatsoever), for example, arrives on store shelves, the unassuming consumer can go "hey, I played something like that on Nintendo Land" and pick the game up. I'm wondering if Nintendo is planning on making this the Wii Sports of the Wii U or if it will be doomed to be the Wii Play of the system. I have carefully contained hype for this game. We'll see how it shapes up much later, as well as what the other six mini-games are-- even though the franchises have been hinted by game icons.
===
I think there's a statement to be made when only a handful of games from E3 2012 are actually all-new-- much less the ones I've picked. Of course, it IS the end of a generation, but I think it also really shows how marginalized E3 has become, doesn't it? Most of the games I listed will be available on Wii U, so I guess I shouldn't beat up on Nintendo's efforts too much just yet. No use jumping the gun until closer to launch. What new games from E3 2012 appealed to you most? I'm sure some of you might care for Ubisoft's Watch_Dogs or ZombiU. Those just aren't my cup of tea. Share your thoughts on E3 in past articles such as these:
Top Five Reasons E3 2012 Was Underwhelming
Nintendo, Third Parties, and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Report Card - E3 2012 Press Conferences
Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of E3 2012
...Or just choose an article to start rambling about from the SPC Feature Catalog.
Project P-100 (Wii U) Gameplay Walkthrough
By far one of my most anticipated Wii U titles is the Nintendo x Platinum Games collaboration, Project P-100. You get over ten minutes to early level footage which showcases the vibrant colors, decidedly Japanese zaniness, and Pikmin-esque teamwork. The video shows the player's controller at all times, so you get a really wonderful idea on what the game will be like if and when you get it in your hands. I'm just a bit saddened that Nintendo didn't feel the need to show this gem at their press conference. Perhaps we'd be seeing a little less complaining then.
Yoko Kanno's Newest Soundtrack - Kids on the Slope
Yoko Kanno, you may know by now, is my favorite composer. It's really something as most of the anime she writes music for doesn't interest me. Well, she's at it again, penning the music for a series directed by the man behind Cowboy Bebop-- an anime I actually do adore. The series is called Kids on the Slope, a coming of age tale of teenage jazz musicians. That's enough of a description of the plot. No doubt you realize that the soundtrack must be mostly jazz. Quite perceptive of you! I'd like to share some of my favorite tracks of the show. Some are actually covers of popular jazz tunes:
Top Five Reasons E3 2012 Was Underwhelming
E3 2012 is finito. It is over. It is done. It is completed. It is-- well, you get the idea. However, while I usually come off as excited for the industry when an E3 concludes, I'm left this year with the complete opposite feeling. Would you like to know why? Sure thing. I have five major reasons why this E3 was less than spectacular. In fact, it downright was underwhelming.
5) The best press conference was Ubisoft's
That says it all, doesn't it? It says a lot when the best press conference at E3 2012 was that of Ubisoft, and even then it didn't give me much faith in the future of the industry. I don't care about Watch_Dogs as that isn't a game that excites me, and considering that is the most talked about game from the conference, that speaks volumes. At least there was Rayman Legends which showed a very entertaining demo of one of the faster paced levels in the game. The art style is lovely and the crazy gameplay was quite enticing. But for every Rayman Legends at the show, there were twenty Far Cry 3s, Splinter Cells, Assassin's Creed 3s, and Just Dance 4's that I just wasn't impressed by. Notice how all of those except Watch_Dogs are sequels. The state of the industry right now suffers from "sequelitis." Most games showcased at each conference was chock full of sequels to existing IPs. I'm very down on the gaming culture and industry right now, and E3 2012 didn't do me any favors.
4) Sony treated their Vita as a second-class citizen
Apparently Sony cut out a sizzle reel containing various Vita games at their E3 press conference due to time constraints. Perhaps they could have lowered the amount of time dedicated to Wonderbook (an interesting idea that doesn't look like it works all too well) by a little bit to fit the Vita offerings in. What was shown was confirmation of a new and exclusive Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty. But just not even giving Vita owners solace in the fact that Sony cares enough about the system to showcase its lineup at its own press conference is worrying to me. On the actual show floor the majority of titles are ports that are available on other systems. Are people really going to shell out $250+ on a platform that has games shared by its big brother, the PS3? I want to like the Vita. It has sexy hardware and potential, but if Sony and third-parties aren't even showcasing the system much at E3, why should I even care then? Maybe I'm just being overly negative. What do you think?
3) Near nonexistent Japanese support
I love Japanese games. I don't mean the "If I was trapped in a sealed room with a girl, I'd--" type games. I mean games like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil (which actually was at the show, to be fair), Final Fantasy, Tales of, Professor Layton, among other games. I don't like this generation because companies like Capcom and Konami tried way too hard to emulate Western gaming philosophies, giving their storied IPs to Western developers, and completely forgetting about their own design ideals. The lack of heavy Japanese presence at this year's E3 was quite disappointing. Are the majority of publishers waiting for the Tokyo Game Show? In any case, the pithy amount of offerings made me very sad as a gamer.
2) The Wii U's future isn't looking too bright right now
The supposed purpose of Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference was to get the world excited about the Wii U. Well, with the current state of message boards declaring Nintendo doomed, declaring them as DOA and going third-party, and saying that casuals left to smartphones and tablets so they will have no interest in a home console, it's fair to say that Nintendo failed. Even CNN wrote an article confusing the Wii U as merely an add-on to the current Wii. There isn't excitement for the console, and fans and haters alike seem to be glued to negative news while saying any article that is positive for the system is obviously a bribe from Nintendo. Seriously? That's almost as bad as the people who feel like Nintendo betrayed them. Yeah, a multimillion dollar corporation was your friend and cared about you. Not. People taking things so personally is just pathetic. Offense meant. And if you need more complaining about the third-party situation, see here. Regardless, there's still time to turn these around, but Nintendo definitely has a great uphill battle ahead of them. We just have to sit through angry fanboy rants, circle jerks like on NeoFAQs, and disingenuous "I have no interest in the Wii U now" posts from people who never cared about Nintendo's console in the first place for the next six years.
1) The realization that E3 is a hollow shell of what it once was
It seems that E3 is no longer a show that gamers should hotly anticipate. It is no longer Christmas for gamers. That should be obvious by how many publishers (such as Take Two) didn't show up and didn't show many games for most of the preexisting platforms. Why bother when they can set up their own shows, not compete with other companies for time and press, and do their own thing? The obvious lack of Japanese presence at E3 completely should have tipped people off that E3 is a shell of its former self. Microsoft and Nintendo doesn't even take it seriously anymore. Sony seems to be the only of the first-parties who still do, and even then their press conference was still graded with a C-. As for Nintendo, they now do their own thing like Nintendo Direct streaming presentations and their own conferences on their own time and dime. I wouldn't be surprised to see more publishers pull out of E3 next year while creating their own special events. There is nothing left to do but deal with it.
E3 2012 might go down as one of the worst in history. No hyperbole intended. It, as the top five title states, was entirely underwhelming. The theme of the show was ironically "Innovation Unveiled" yet what was unveiled was a copious amount of sequels (I know it's the end of a generation, but c'mon) and uninspired me-toos and ideas. The thought that next-gen only means more power and is not measured by new features or innovation sort of makes me wish we are coming close to another crash. (Digitally Downloaded has the same idea about a crash but for a totally different reason.) The same ideas are being passed off as new despite just being old ideas with a new coat of paint. E3 is regressing, and we are all just victims of it. It is our fault for hyping an event that the past has shown was changing in audience, meaning, and impact. I look forward to non-E3 events like Nintendo Directs, Vita Game Heavens, and Tokyo Game Shows. Because E3, something that I once could count on, is no longer serving that purpose anymore.
For more articles, editorials, and special segments, check out the SPC Feature Catalog.
5) The best press conference was Ubisoft's
That says it all, doesn't it? It says a lot when the best press conference at E3 2012 was that of Ubisoft, and even then it didn't give me much faith in the future of the industry. I don't care about Watch_Dogs as that isn't a game that excites me, and considering that is the most talked about game from the conference, that speaks volumes. At least there was Rayman Legends which showed a very entertaining demo of one of the faster paced levels in the game. The art style is lovely and the crazy gameplay was quite enticing. But for every Rayman Legends at the show, there were twenty Far Cry 3s, Splinter Cells, Assassin's Creed 3s, and Just Dance 4's that I just wasn't impressed by. Notice how all of those except Watch_Dogs are sequels. The state of the industry right now suffers from "sequelitis." Most games showcased at each conference was chock full of sequels to existing IPs. I'm very down on the gaming culture and industry right now, and E3 2012 didn't do me any favors.
4) Sony treated their Vita as a second-class citizen
Apparently Sony cut out a sizzle reel containing various Vita games at their E3 press conference due to time constraints. Perhaps they could have lowered the amount of time dedicated to Wonderbook (an interesting idea that doesn't look like it works all too well) by a little bit to fit the Vita offerings in. What was shown was confirmation of a new and exclusive Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty. But just not even giving Vita owners solace in the fact that Sony cares enough about the system to showcase its lineup at its own press conference is worrying to me. On the actual show floor the majority of titles are ports that are available on other systems. Are people really going to shell out $250+ on a platform that has games shared by its big brother, the PS3? I want to like the Vita. It has sexy hardware and potential, but if Sony and third-parties aren't even showcasing the system much at E3, why should I even care then? Maybe I'm just being overly negative. What do you think?
3) Near nonexistent Japanese support
I love Japanese games. I don't mean the "If I was trapped in a sealed room with a girl, I'd--" type games. I mean games like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil (which actually was at the show, to be fair), Final Fantasy, Tales of, Professor Layton, among other games. I don't like this generation because companies like Capcom and Konami tried way too hard to emulate Western gaming philosophies, giving their storied IPs to Western developers, and completely forgetting about their own design ideals. The lack of heavy Japanese presence at this year's E3 was quite disappointing. Are the majority of publishers waiting for the Tokyo Game Show? In any case, the pithy amount of offerings made me very sad as a gamer.
2) The Wii U's future isn't looking too bright right now
The supposed purpose of Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference was to get the world excited about the Wii U. Well, with the current state of message boards declaring Nintendo doomed, declaring them as DOA and going third-party, and saying that casuals left to smartphones and tablets so they will have no interest in a home console, it's fair to say that Nintendo failed. Even CNN wrote an article confusing the Wii U as merely an add-on to the current Wii. There isn't excitement for the console, and fans and haters alike seem to be glued to negative news while saying any article that is positive for the system is obviously a bribe from Nintendo. Seriously? That's almost as bad as the people who feel like Nintendo betrayed them. Yeah, a multimillion dollar corporation was your friend and cared about you. Not. People taking things so personally is just pathetic. Offense meant. And if you need more complaining about the third-party situation, see here. Regardless, there's still time to turn these around, but Nintendo definitely has a great uphill battle ahead of them. We just have to sit through angry fanboy rants, circle jerks like on NeoFAQs, and disingenuous "I have no interest in the Wii U now" posts from people who never cared about Nintendo's console in the first place for the next six years.
1) The realization that E3 is a hollow shell of what it once was
It seems that E3 is no longer a show that gamers should hotly anticipate. It is no longer Christmas for gamers. That should be obvious by how many publishers (such as Take Two) didn't show up and didn't show many games for most of the preexisting platforms. Why bother when they can set up their own shows, not compete with other companies for time and press, and do their own thing? The obvious lack of Japanese presence at E3 completely should have tipped people off that E3 is a shell of its former self. Microsoft and Nintendo doesn't even take it seriously anymore. Sony seems to be the only of the first-parties who still do, and even then their press conference was still graded with a C-. As for Nintendo, they now do their own thing like Nintendo Direct streaming presentations and their own conferences on their own time and dime. I wouldn't be surprised to see more publishers pull out of E3 next year while creating their own special events. There is nothing left to do but deal with it.
===
E3 2012 might go down as one of the worst in history. No hyperbole intended. It, as the top five title states, was entirely underwhelming. The theme of the show was ironically "Innovation Unveiled" yet what was unveiled was a copious amount of sequels (I know it's the end of a generation, but c'mon) and uninspired me-toos and ideas. The thought that next-gen only means more power and is not measured by new features or innovation sort of makes me wish we are coming close to another crash. (Digitally Downloaded has the same idea about a crash but for a totally different reason.) The same ideas are being passed off as new despite just being old ideas with a new coat of paint. E3 is regressing, and we are all just victims of it. It is our fault for hyping an event that the past has shown was changing in audience, meaning, and impact. I look forward to non-E3 events like Nintendo Directs, Vita Game Heavens, and Tokyo Game Shows. Because E3, something that I once could count on, is no longer serving that purpose anymore.
For more articles, editorials, and special segments, check out the SPC Feature Catalog.
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