Jumping Out: Why We're Currently Not in the Market for the Xbox One

We know what you're thinking. It's cool to hate on Microsoft right now. Well, if they didn't make it so easy to, then there probably wouldn't be a problem. Similar to Sony in 2006, it is quite easy to criticize Microsoft currently. However, unlike the situation with Sony, where we were making fun of Sony in the process and laughing at them, we're simply pissed off at Microsoft. No laughs are being had. This is SuperPhillip Central's short rant on Microsoft's past consoles, their present situation, and the future that is the Xbox One.

The fact of the matter is that we have given Microsoft chance after chance to impress us, and they have consistently let us down. We get suckered in with the promise of compelling content across various genres throughout the generation, and then we get primarily the same genres that Microsoft consoles always seem to give us: shooters, racers, and sports games. We are not college frat boys anymore. We are not 13-year-old children who think we're cool and grown up by playing Call of Duty while we call people bigoted names over Xbox Live. We've evolved as gamers. We want something more... or at least something different for a change.

The games shown at E3 did little to excite us. For goodness sake, we love franchises like Dead Rising and Killer Instinct, but these exclusives managed to be soiled to us. For one, Dead Rising 3 is more serious than previous installments. Half the freaking fun was how comedic the violence was. Then, you have Killer Instinct, which isn't even being made by Rare. That wasn't said at the E3 conference, nor was the fact that the game is going to be free-to-play (F2P), only giving players one character to use, forcing them to pay for the rest. How do you manage to botch the software so badly?

Dead Rising 3, an Xbox One exclusive

We were first in line for the Xbox 360 when it launched back in 2005, and what was our reward for that? Oh, yes. The Red Ring of Death. Thanks Microsoft, for building one of the shoddiest home consoles in existence. We happily paid the $50 a year for Xbox Live-- oops, now it's $60 a year, suckers-- to play online. Oh, and you don't get any free games, and you get the privilege of having even more ads than ever before on the dashboard.

Yes, we're extremely peeved about how needlessly complicated and convoluted Microsoft's policies are towards used games. (Can we get a straight answer on this finally, or are you just making this up as you go along, Microsoft?) Yes, we find the idea of having a console that needs to be connected to the Internet at least once every 24 hours to be a burden. And yes, having a device in the Kinect that can constantly watch us makes us uneasy, especially with all of this NSA nonsense going on. Considering it could be used for targeted advertising-- something we don't put below Microsoft to do-- this concerns us.

That's not what gets our proverbial goat (pardon the antiquated phrase) the most about Microsoft and their Xbox One. No, it's Microsoft's pure and utter arrogance. When you have President of Interactive Entertainment Business for Microsoft, Don Mattrick, saying that if you don't have a steady Internet connection, then you should get an Xbox 360 instead (oh, okay. So much for getting a system with future support.), you have a company that obviously couldn't care less about a good percentage of potential customers. Microsoft this coming generation is more about exclusion rather than inclusion, and seeing how they are focusing the Xbox One to be more of an all-in-one device rather than a video game system first and foremost, we can safely say we don't much care for Microsoft's direction.

Don Mattrick

What angers us most is that we're sure Microsoft is going to do what they always do to try to get on top-- strong arm the industry through using their immense amount of wealth to advertise, advertise, advertise and storm the airwaves to get the unassuming public to buy their product. How else do you think they swindled so many customers into buying the original Kinect on Xbox 360? Microsoft has a limited number of capable first-party studios, so they throw money at publishers to get exclusives since they are generally incapable of coming up with compelling content of their own. That's how it seems to us anyway. 

The Xbox One is a mess of miscommunication and anti-consumer policies. We know that businesses are in the industry to make money first and satisfy consumers second, but no company in recent memory seems to glorify this line of thinking and showboat it as much as Microsoft. The pure arrogance of the company is absolutely disgusting. Thankfully, our fears at E3 did not happen, where Microsoft showed a bunch of games people wanted-- no, needed-- for the Xbox One and then magically all the worries about DRM and used games went away. This did not happen, thankfully. 

For all we know, Microsoft might change their policies late in the game and the Xbox One might change its public perception. As it stands, we at SuperPhillip Central cannot support the direction Microsoft is wanting to take the industry. We've always been about games first. Microsoft cares more about their well being than contributing positively to the industry's future. We can only hope that Microsoft gets incredibly humbled like Sony did this past generation. Perhaps then they will create content that gamers want. Sorry Microsoft, but we're definitely jumping out for the time being.

SuperPhillip Central's Top 100 Games of All Time (90-81)

We know it's E3 week, but that isn't stopping us from continuing our list of favorite games!

On June 5, SuperPhillip Central turned five years old. We're celebrating big the only way we know how, with a list of our favorite 100 games of all time. SuperPhillip Central's staff have come together to come up with this list. These don't necessarily have to be the best, but they are indeed our favorites. Coming up with an order for these games has been an immense challenge. We're sure you won't agree with our order-- heck, we don't even agree with our order. That said, we hope you'll at least agree with our picks, and if you don't, at least you can read our rationale for our choices. Regardless, for ten weeks, we will be counting down our favorite games of all time. Please join us for this great undertaking. Let's get to the countdown!

90) Ultimate Spider-Man (PS2, GCN, XBX)

Based in the universe of the comic book of the same name, Ultimate Spider-Man distinguished itself from its contemporaries by possessing an authentic cel-shaded art style that looked like something lifted from a comic book. The game was a free-roaming open world action game where players switched off between assuming the roles of Spider-Man and later Venom. Through accomplishing city goals, players progressed through the game's storyline, loosely tying into the comic book series. Ultimate Spider-Man is not just an excellent Spider-Man game or a great looker, but it is an excellent game in general.

89) LEGO City Undercover (Wii U)

From one open world game to another, take on the role of Chase McCain, ace cop who has returned to LEGO City to help track down criminal mastermind Rex Fury. LEGO City was an open world game where there was literally something to do on every block and street corner, whether it was participating in a race, performing platforming feats of incredible prowess, or collecting a hidden trinket. LEGO City Undercover was a massive game with loads of charm, a terrific sense of humor about it, and quite honestly one of our favorite open worlds in any game. This was a killer app for us with regards to the Wii U, and if more people get the chance to play it, the better off the gaming world will be!

88) Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GCN)

Phil remembers lining up outside his local Toys 'R Us on a cold November morning, conversing with other prospective GameCube owners. He got three games once the doors opened: Luigi's Mansion, Madden NFL 02 (blech), and this game, Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II. As he puts it, the game made you feel like you were right inside the cockpit of an X-Wing, Y-Wing, or Snowspeeder. Being able to play and interact with scenarios from the original trilogy made for some awesome gaming moments. Heck, the first mission put you right into the action as you ran along the Death Star trench, aiming to blow that baby up. Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II still looks phenomenal to this day, and we can't help but pour one out for Factor 5.

87) Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP, PC)

The next game on this list was a remake of a Super Nintendo title, Ys III: Wanderers of Ys. With a greater focus on action rather than item and equipment management, Ys: The Oath in Felghana brought with it lots of monsters and enemies for Adol to slice and dice with his sword, as well as an updated presentation, including graphics, sound, and story. This was our first foray into the Ys series, and it sparked our interest in the rest of the games in this storied franchise. From dungeons full of platforming peril to booby trapped corridors, Ys: The Oath in Felghana focused on combat, exploration, and discovery to create one killer gameplay combination.

86) Wild ARMS (PS1)

An RPG series exclusive to PlayStation platforms, the Wild ARMS series takes new tech into an Old West environment for an intriguing mix. The original Wild ARMS was one of the first PlayStation RPGs to have a full 3D battle system, albeit a bit ugly now. The hero Rudy and his friends could utilize tools in the game world to solve puzzles to progress in the game and to reach optional areas. The amount of optional content in the game, whether it be hidden bosses or secret dungeons, was immense. Wild ARMS may seem like a relic compared to more contemporary RPGs, but it is still a classic in every sense of the word.

85) Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)

It was about time Luigi got his name on a game title! That was exactly what happened with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the first in the Mario & Luigi series (the fourth installment is releasing on the Nintendo 3DS this August). Like all other Mario RPGs, Superstar Saga featured a comedic story, whimsical characters (one particular character had fury), and a timing-based battle system to make for a game that kept players on their proverbial toes. Controlling both plumbers on the various maps of the game set up some fun puzzles and platforming to enrich the experience even further. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga set itself apart from past Mario RPG games fantastically, and we eagerly await Dream Team this August because of it.

84) Sonic the Hedgehog (GEN)

Back in the day, when there were no message boards to wage fanboy wars on, the original console wars took place on playgrounds across the world, where kids would argue who was best: Nintendo or SEGA. Up until 1991, SEGA did not really have a hot selling mascot character to call its own. That was until the Blue Blur, Sonic the Hedgehog, blazed a trail on the SEGA Genesis with his "blast processing" power (i.e. marketing mumbo jumbo). The original Sonic the Hedgehog was made up of six differently themed zones, each with three acts. The game was a mixture of super fast speeds and slower, more meticulous platforming gameplay (e.g. the Marble Zone and Labyrinth Zone). Not only is Sonic the Hedgehog on this list because of its classic status, but it's also here because it is still a tremendous game.

83) Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

Our favorite Mario RPG is Mario's very first run-in with the genre, courtesy of a partnership between Nintendo and Squaresoft (now Square Enix). Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars introduced a wide cast of characters into the Mushroom Kingdom, a relatively deep story (in comparison to most Mario games), a timing-based battle system, and prerendered graphics to make a memorable RPG experience. There were worries that turning the Mario series into an RPG would take away the portly plumber's identity, but those were put to bed by all of the jumping, coin collecting, nods to the series, and platforming that Super Mario RPG contained.

82) Resident Evil (GCN)

Don't pee your pants! Wait. We're saying that for the wrong Resident Evil. (If you don't get the reference, don't worry about it.) During the PlayStation 2 generation, for some unexpected reason, the Resident Evil franchise shifted from the PlayStation to the GameCube. The GameCube saw an abundance of past titles from the series, as well as Resident Evil 4 and this one, a remake of the original PS1 classic. Yes, tank controls were still in fashion, but perhaps that was what made the game even more horrifying and gave us a large sense of helplessness. The updated graphics, additional locales, richer story, and scarier scares all add up to one unforgettable survival-horror experience. Permission to pee pants, Shinji Mikami!

81) Okami (Multi)

For such a popular and well regarded series, there have not been too many games that are inspired and take many elements from The Legend of Zelda series. Clover Studios (R.I.P.) decided to take inspiration from Nintendo's historic action-adventure series and create their own personal touch to it. The final result was Okami, where players controlled a great spirit in the form of a wolf. Like Ultimate Spider-Man, Okami featured a cel-shaded art style, though this game looked like a watercolor painting come to life as opposed to a comic book. Following the lead of The Legend of Zelda, Okami contained a wide range of combat, puzzles, and exploration to make for a magical quest. Perhaps our only beef with the great Okami is that the game sort of drags on a bit too long for our liking.

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Be here next Wednesday we SuperPhillip Central counts down games 80-71 of our Top 100 Games of All Time list! See you later!

Report Card - E3 2013 Press Conferences

We were really skeptical coming into this year's E3. We were burned last year quite severely from overhyping the event. This year, however, the big three came and they came hard. ...That last sentence came out wrong.

Anyway, just like last year, we will be utilizing our popular Report Card segment to grade each of the big three's E3 presentation performances. This was a big year for all, as Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all had much to prove. Two had new consoles that needed to be unveiled, and one needed to stay relevant in the minds of consumers.

If you like, you can take these grades and play "who won E3" like the press and the fanboys they cater to enjoy doing, but we'd rather just sit back, relax, and enjoy how all three are going to give us each something to remember them by-- great gaming experiences. Let's get to grading, shall we?

Microsoft

Unfortunately, Microsoft has once again proven to us that they are still going to cater to the market that made them so popular in the first place. They will continue to publish, develop and house games in the genres of shooters, sports, and racers. That's fine. It works for Microsoft, but it means we have next to zero interest for the Xbox One. Even Dead Rising 3, a confirmed Xbox One exclusive, seemed to lose everything that made the first two games in the series so appealing, like the comedic charm. And what of Killer Instinct? Not only is it not being made by Rare (it's being made by Double Helix, who have a mediocre track record at best sadly), but it's F2P, meaning you get a free demo with one or two characters and you have to pay to unlock everything else.

Microsoft really did nothing to sell us on the Xbox One. They didn't bother mentioning the elephant in the room, the Xbox One's used game and DRM issues, which is a common tactic by anyone with something to hide. We all know that the average consumer will not really care about these issues and will blindly buy an Xbox One. We could say it's because of the games or all of their friends will be buying one, but our stance has the reason that Microsoft will throw an endless amount of money to make sure their system succeeds, despite what that would do to the future of our industry. That's generally Microsoft's answer to everything-- throwing money at everything. It's this crappy behavior and the lack of admitting they're snake oil salesmen that make us absolutely abhor what the Xbox One and Microsoft stand for.

Pardon the rant. We're here to talk about the press conference. After all of the gun games and sports titles, the price tag was revealed: $499. It seems to us that the so-called "third console curse" has taken another victim and its name is Microsoft. It is as if MS learned nothing from Sony last generation. They are acting just as arrogant, if not more so, and it is without a doubt disgusting. No thank you, Microsoft. No thank you. We're most definitely jumping out.

Grade: D-

Sony

Sony's 2013 press conference started out with the present, looking at PlayStation 3 titles slated for the rest of the year. Yes, Jack Tretton, not bad for a seven-year-old console indeed! There was Beyond: Two Souls, Gran Turismo 6, and much more.

Things then shifted to the PS4, what everyone was waiting for without a doubt. We saw the sexy piece of hardware, we saw Sony Santa Monica's first offering, developed by Ready at Dawn (God of War: Chains of Olympus, God of War: Ghost of Sparta), The Order. Steampunk? Werewolves? England? Color us intrigued!

We then caught a glimpse of four of the titles that debuted back in February's initial PlayStation 4 reveal: Killzone: Shadow Fall, Drive Club, Infamous: Second Son, and Knack. Somehow they looked even better than when they were originally shown. How is that even possible!?

It's no question that Sony is all about indies this new generation. They showed off an impressive number of independent developer games showing up first on PlayStation 4.

Third-parties were also kind to Sony, including Square Enix, who showed off not one but two mind-blowing games. The first was Final Fantasy XV, the game formerly known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII. There was a lot of murmuring about whether the former project would turn into the fifteenth mainline Final Fantasy game, and those folks who thought so were right. Then, the game announcement that excited us most from Sony's show, Kingdom Hearts III, was unveiled. Finally! No more spin-offs, no more side stories-- just the third numbered game in the Disney/Square Enix collaboration!

Most importantly, Sony absolutely pulled zero punches with regards to Microsoft, and after seeing how disgusting Microsoft's policies are, we loved every minute of it. There, stood Jack Tretton, with a giant warm grin plastered on his proud face, as the crowd hooted and hollered his confirmation that the PS4 would not be anti-used games (a funny official video from Sony can be seen here regarding that), would not need to be always online, and would not have any DRM. Then, came the haymaker-- $399.

Sure, the fact that online multiplayer will now be behind a paywall was a bit disappointing, but then PlayStation Plus has proven it is more than worth the money. You will still get free games, and you will still have an awesome service. The only other gripe we have with the press conference was the lack of a strong PlayStation Vita presence. I guess we're fine not caring if you're fine not caring, Sony.

Regardless, Sony came back in a big way at this E3. No doubt Microsoft thought the PlayStation 4 would be priced higher than their Xbox One, and Sony managed to deliver a seemingly knockout punch to Microsoft in round one of this new console war. Sony's E3 2013 press conference wasn't perfect, but it was one of the best in E3 history.

Grade: A

Nintendo

The Big N opted to do things differently than past E3s. They did not have a traditional E3 press conference. Instead, they had a Nintendo Direct, something very popular with fans and something that allows Nintendo to directly reach their fans... hence the name. Despite the seemingly infinite amount of lag and loading in the initial video, we were quite pleased with what Nintendo had to show.

There wasn't a lot that was not already known  coming into the Direct. Many of the games shown and highlighted had been previously announced at a Nintendo Direct which was shown earlier in the year. However, it was nice to finally get footage and details about a lot of the titles.

The program started with a look at Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, showing the impressive 3D world of the games, some new Pokemon, the battle system, and the eighteenth (thanks Rhythm Heaven Guy for correcting us) type of Pokemon, Fairy. We haven't had the "gotta catch 'em all" bug in a long time, but Pokemon X and Pokemon Y are giving us the fever once more.

Let's talk about the three games that excited us most. The first was Super Mario 3D World. We came into the Nintendo Direct, like most folks, expecting a 3D Mario in the style of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. We wanted to see something that pushed the Wii U hardware. What we got instead was a sequel to the Nintendo 3DS's Super Mario 3D Land, only this time on Wii U. However, our whining soon turned to quivering with excitement as we saw the game in action. Four player multiplayer with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad, each handling differently? Colorful worlds? Tight platforming? We totally understand why there's a good portion of pissed off people over the announcement of Super Mario 3D World, but perhaps if it's like most Nintendo games, you won't know that you wanted the game until you sit down and play it.

The next game that excited us heavily was Mario Kart 8, taking the racing into a whole new direction-- literally! Upwards, downwards, alongside walls-- it's like Mario and the gang entered into the world of F-Zero. Bikes return, 12 person racing returns, gliders and underwater sections return, and the game looked absolutely glorious in its high definition beauty. All that and 60 FPS? Yes, please!

The final game that excited us most (don't get us wrong, we loved most everything else) was Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. We knew a trailer was coming, but we didn't expect being absolutely floored by the footage shown. Levels took place aboard the train from The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (3DS version), a platforming area in Super Mario 3D Land (3DS version), Skyloft from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii U version) and a new version of Smashville (Wii U version). Newcomers like the Villager from Animal Crossing, the Wii Fit trainer, and yes, Mega Man made up for having no information about the game for nearly two years. Masahiro Sakurai and company, you glorious bastards!

Then there was footage of X, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, The Wonderful 101, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Art Academy, and Wii Party, each intriguing us but at varying levels.

All-in-all, we liked this approach to E3 from Nintendo. We're a bit annoyed that we have to wait until 2014 for a lot of the titles shown, but this year with Pikmin 3, New Super Luigi U, The Wonderful 101, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Super Mario 3D World, our Wii U systems will have plenty of games inside them for the rest of the year.

Grade: B

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This E3 will go down as one of the greatest in memory, and we've been following the expo since its inception in 1995. Great games were shown, consoles were revealed, and memorable moments were had. How would you grade the E3 shows this year? Break it to us gently in the comments section.

Project X Zone (3DS) E3 2013 Trailer

Project X Zone is billed as the ultimate crossover, and it's looking just like that with dozens upon dozens of characters from Namco Bandai (who is publishing the game in North America), Capcom, and SEGA. This strategy RPG with lots of action is going to certainly rock 3DS owners when it releases late this month.

Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS) Wii Fit Trainer Joins the Battle! Trailer

In a move that made fanboys across the world act as embarrassing as they are expected to behave, Wii Fit Trainer has been announced as the newest addition to the Super Smash Bros. roster. Watch this humorous trailer to see her weigh in on the action!