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3DS Grows An Unsightly Tumor For A Right Stick Attachment

2011-09-07T17:00:00Z

It seems that the rumors were true, Nintendo is developing an add-on for the 3DS that gives the system a much-needed right analog stick. And...oh dear lord.

That unsightly plastic cradle, with the look of a cheap knock-off peripheral, isn't just for show: it adds three important features to the system. First and foremost is the right circle pad, but that huge cradle wrapping around the 3DS also adds a second set of shoulder buttons for all of your R2 and L2 pressing needs. As for that third important feature? That would be the extra bulk, essentially doubling the system's thickness making it too large to fit in any pocket. I suppose that puts the 3DS more in line with the size and girth of a PlayStation Vita at least.

All of this info comes from a leaked scan of Famitsu Magazine in an article that links the 3DS attachment to the newly announced Monster Hunter 3G. This is all rather ironic seeing as Monster Hunter 3G is said to be an expanded port of the Wii's Monster Hunter Tri, a game that didn't have a second analog stick to begin with.

There are still several questions left unanswered about the peripheral. Release date and price are still up in the air, and it's unclear what kind of developer support the add-on will receive beyond Monster Hunter. It is also a rather transparent admission by Nintendo that a system redesign is in the works that will include a right circle pad, hopefully placed in a more reasonable location under the four face buttons, with this add-on releasing as a concession to early adopters so their system will still be compatible with future games.

Nintendo is holding a pre-Tokyo Game Show event on September 13 to discuss the future of the 3DS, at which point we'll likely learn a lot more about this add-on with an official unveiling. In the meantime, I'm left wondering where this circle pad extension will fall on the Nintendo peripheral continuum. Will it be utterly forgettable like the DS rumble pack? Fantastic, but poorly supported by developers like the Wii Motion+? Or will it become an essential part of the hardware like the Wii Nunchuck?

Indie Games Summer Uprising Begins Today On Xbox Live

2011-08-22T20:00:00Z

The Indie Games Summer Uprising is upon us. In true indie fashion, this was a developer-organized promotion that will see the release of 10 games hand-picked by developers and gamers alike.

It begins today with the release of Raventhrone, a gorgeous side-scrolling brawler from Milkstone Studios. The promotion will continue through both this week and next week, with a new game released every day. This week we'll also see the release of Battle High: San Bruno, Cute Things Dying Violently, T.E.C. 3001, and Doom & Destiny. After a weekend off, the promotion will return next week with Take Arms, SpeedRunner, Train Frontier Express, Chester, and Redd: The Lost Temple. Those last two games were the top voted entry from gamers, winning a recent vote on the Indie Summer Uprising Facebook page.

Watch the trailer above to catch a glimpse of all of the Uprising games. I know I'm personally very anxious to finally play T.E.C. 3001, Doom & Destiny, Chester, and Redd: The Lost Temple. Do any of the Indie Game Summer Uprising offerings tickle your fancy?

Indie Games Summer Uprising

Video: Take A Gander At Black Knight Sword From Grasshopper

2011-08-18T17:00:00Z

While Suda 51 is taking a major creativity sabbatical by working on Lollipop Chainsaw (cheerleaders and zombies, really?), his studio Grasshopper Manufacture is charging ahead with some more interesting game ideas. Specifically I'm referring to Black Knight Sword, a recently revealed side-scrolling action game born from the partnership between Grasshopper and Digital Reality.

The above video takes a while to get going (gameplay doesn't start until 2:26) but it's worth the wait. Black Knight Sword's side-scrolling levels take place on a puppet stage with a distinct paper cutout style. Think pre-Symphony of the Night Castlevania done in an art style that's one part Paper Mario and one part Okami, and you're most of the way there.

Oh yeah, and that's Akira Yamaoka, of Silent Hill composing fame, who is introducing the game. So if he's on board, you know there's reason to get excited.

Black Knight Sword will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN as Grasshopper Manufacture's first attempt at digital distribution, though no release date has been set yet.

Review: Toy Soldiers: Cold War

2011-08-17T22:00:00Z

To be perfectly honest, Toy Soldiers: Cold War wasn't a game that was even really on my radar going into the Summer of Arcade promotion. With the wealth of tower defense games on the market, I never really gave the first Toy Soldiers a chance, so the prospect of a sequel to a game I never played didn't excite me. I was also far more distracted with games like Bastion and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet that I had literally been waiting years to play. But when an unsolicited review copy appeared in my inbox, I thought "what the heck, I'll give it a try." And you know what, it's actually pretty darn good.

For those of you unfamiliar with the tower defense genre, Toy Soldiers: Cold War gives you the task of placing defensive weapons around the map to stop waves of enemies from invading your precious toy box. There are six turrets at your disposal, ranging from machine guns and anti-tank rockets to mortars and anti-air. My personal favorite is the makeshift, which features tiny plastic army men in hazmat suits spraying incoming infantry with pesticides.

]]> What makes Toy Soldiers: Cold War special is that you won't just be acting as commander placing defenses, but you can also jump right into any turret on the battlefield. This allows players more control over which enemies a turret is targeting, and just in a more general sense be more involved in the battle at hand. Fully upgraded turrets even have special abilities that can only be accessed when a player takes direct control. Machine gun turrets can fire grenades, anti-air turrets can fire multiple missiles at once, and players can control the flight path of anti-tank rockets. A skilled player controlling an anti-air turret can be more effective than two AI-controlled turrets, opening up new strategic options as players consider which turrets to build and which to control.

In addition to turrets, players can also jump into vehicles such as tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets. These vehicles are quite over-powered, but are balanced by their limited battery supply. Recharging batteries can take quite a long time, forcing players to look at what waves will be coming and plan vehicle use accordingly.

Of course, this being Toy Soldiers, the warfare is on a decidedly diminutive scale. I mean that in the best possible way. The game is absolutely packed with tiny details to give it a decidedly 80's toy flair. Each battlefield is constructed from a combination of model buildings and everyday toys. A Rubik's cube might stand in for a house, or a magnetic football toy (complete with paper cut-out players) plays the part of a roaring stadium. And just over the rim of each self-contained toybox battlefield you can see lava lamps, desks, and beds of the real world untouched by the imaginary war.

The one issue I see upsetting the game's balance is the ridiculously powerful anti-tank turrets. When fully upgraded, the anti-tank tower gives players the ability to guide each rocket through its entire flight, including buzzing around corners, over hills, and high into the air. This allows the anti-tank to destroy almost all vehicles in a mere two hits from across the entire map, or pick planes and helicopters out of the sky faster than a fully upgraded anti-air turret. With some decent defenses in place, (a well placed makeshift and an artillery or two to take care of infantry) a player could then sit in a level three anti-tank turret and complete most levels in the game. I know this is true, because I've done exactly that for 6 of the game's 11 missions. This is somewhat mitigated because the first time through the campaign tower upgrades are unlocked gradually, so level three rockets won't even be an option until the final few missions. However, once a tower upgrade is unlocked it can be used on any previously completed level for a higher score on Cold War's extremely competitive leaderboards.

The anti-tank balancing issues become even more prevalent in the versus multiplayer mode, where anti-tank rockets can be piloted to destroy the opponent's towers or special units right inside their base. This essentially locks the other player from building new towers or sending offensive troops since they no longer have a way to gain money. The commando unit is really the only hope for countering someone using this strategy, but needs to first travel across the map before it can reach the offending anti-tank, during which time a skilled anti-tank player can usually take away at least half of the commando's health. Unless there is some balance fix on the way, I can see multiplayer matches essentially boiling down to who can build a level three anti-tank tower fastest.

It's a shame, because the multiplayer mode is otherwise a lot of fun. Each map is set up with two bases, and waves of infantry that attack each at regular intervals. Players can use their earned money both for building new turrets or for sending more powerful units to their opponent. More powerful units are harder to kill, but also reward more money if they are taken down, meaning players have to plan around their opponent's defenses for victory. There are an unfortunately small number of multiplayer maps, only 3, but if the first Toy Soldiers is any indication then we can expect more to be added as DLC in the coming months.

I already mentioned Cold War's leaderboards, but they really deserve their own section. Every mode - campaign, survival maps, versus, and minigames - have their own leaderboards. Not only do they have leaderboards, but you are constantly bombarded by them. When selecting a campaign mission, for example, you will be shown the top scores from your friends list to compare without the need to open any extra leaderboard menu. Even once you're in a mission, every turret you build or enemy that gets through your defenses prompts a mini leaderboard notification showing how you compare to your friends list in that particular stat. The integration of leaderbaords into the game's core design encourages a more competitive way to play that elevated Cold War. I found myself replaying missions I otherwise probably wouldn't have touched again just to edge past the next leaderboard spot on my friends list.

Finally, I have to mention Cold War's innovative difficulty options. Sure, there are the standard easy, normal, and hard difficulties, but there are also the Elite and General options that really push the game to new heights. Elite difficulty takes away all AI from the turrets, meaning they will only fire when under your direct control. Meanwhile General difficulty takes away the option to control turrets entirely, as well as the ability to pilot vehicles. Both modes offer fresh experiences and require different strategies than the standard Toy Soldiers gameplay, going above and beyond what I would expect from an Xbox Live Arcade game's feature set.

Despite my complaints about the anti-tank turrets, and a sometimes restrictive camera angle, I can't help but recommend Toy Soldiers: Cold War. Especially for fans of the tower defense genre, the single-player campaign should offers a satisfying strategic experience. However, those who don't find leaderboards alluring will find significantly less value in the game. If you are looking for an action game with some strategic options, I might recommend you shift your gaze toward Trenched instead. But if you want the inverse, a strategic game with action-oriented options to keep you engaged, then Toy Soldiers: Cold War is a fight worth enlisting in.

A review copy was provided by the developer for this review. I completed the single-player campaign, played all of the minigames, and played three multiplayer matches on Xbox Live.

Bastion Coming To PC August 16, Heavenly Soundtrack Out Now

2011-08-05T16:44:08Z

Some of you may have heard that a little game called Bastion came out recently on Xbox Live Arcade. And sweet Tim Gunn on a bun is it good. Like, game of the year contender good, at least in my humble opinion. The only real negative aspect of the game is that it was only limited to Xbox Live Arcade. Well that's changing on August 16, when the game arrives on PC. In fact, you can go ahead and pre-purchase the game from Steam right now for $14.99. Sorry PS3 fans, no word on a version for Sony's console.

For even more Bastion goodness, Supergiant Games has also released the official soundtrack for the game on Bandcamp. It's an amazing soundtrack, which you can listen to on the Bandcamp page or download for your own listening pleasures for a mere $10. There's also a $15 option that gets you a good ol' fashioned physical CD, signed by the game's composer Darren Korb, as well as access to the downloadable tracks. Korb calls the music genre "acoustic fronteir trip-hop" and I really couldn't think of a more accurate way of describing the haunting and beautiful soundtrack.

Note: as amazing as the soundtrack is, it's advisable to play the game first, as some of the songs make a much bigger emotional impact if you hear them for the first time with the gameplay.

Review: Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

2011-08-01T19:00:00Z

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet has been a long time coming for a downloadable title. While I can trace my own first excited post about the game back two years, the game's development actually goes back further than that. What began as a simple game to capitalize on the art Michel Gagne created for his Insanely Twisted Shadow Puppets shorts has turned into a much larger adventure, and easily one of the best games on Xbox Live Arcade yet. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet was certainly worth the wait.

Right from the start, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet sets itself apart from contemporaries in the Metroidvania genre. While similar games in recent years put an emphasis on combat, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet begins as a purely explorative affair. You begin with only a scanner and a claw. The scanner allows you to see which items are useable on enemies and sections of the environment, while the claw is used for picking up objects or grabbing enemies and rendering them harmless while held at arm's length. While the arsenal does quickly expand to include a ray gun, missiles, and a buzzsaw, it's these initial items that set the tone for the rest of the game. Your goal isn't just to attack and destroy the shadow planet and its denizens, but to explore, prod, and discover the planet's mysteries.

]]> Even the more combat-oriented items have secondary explorative functions. The buzzsaw, for example, is extremely effective against enemies at close range, but is also an invaluable tool in clearing rubble. A powerful laser found late in the game was initially introduced as a puzzle tool, and I only discovered its weapon use by accident when an enemy flew into the beam. Items can be selected from a radial menu, with up to four that can also be mapped to the Xbox 360's A, B, X, and Y buttons. There is no separation between combat areas and puzzle areas, encouraging players to experiment with items in wholly new ways. It creates a seamless exploration experience while holding onto the unnerved feeling of a dangerous and unpredictable alien world.

The feeling of an alien world is driven home by Michel Gagne's stellar art, all hand drawn, breathing life into the shadow planet. Every inch of the game feels alive, foliage sways as your UFO brushes past it, tentacles undulate from and through the walls, gears churn ancient machinery, and some enemies will simply go about their own habits until fired upon. Every creature encountered is so alien in appearance, that it drives home the fact that you are the real alien invader. The shadow planet, though vastly different in its six interconnected sections, has a cohesive unity that acts as a striking contrast to your own UFO. It brought about a combined sense of wonderment and foreboding that often striven for but seldom accomplished with such expert execution.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet has another strength in its impeccable pacing. There was always something new just on the edge of the screen pushing me forward, whether it was a checkpoint, puzzle, new enemy type, collectable artifact, or just another piece of gorgeous and curious scenery. Dozens of times I said to myself, "I'll just make it past this one next section, then I'll stop," only to be entranced by something new and following it down yet another tunnel. At one point, what was intended to be a 1-hour play session before bed quickly turned, without my knowledge, into a 5-hour gaming marathon.

The game also solves many issues with the Metroidvania gameplay formula in elegant ways. For example, by scanning the environment you can see what item is required to pass certain points. These item icons then show up whenever you look at the map, eliminating tedious guesswork backtracking when a new item is discovered. Checkpoints are also provided in generous supply, which both heal your ship and autosave the game. Though despite their plentiful appearances, the game never feels too easy. In fact, if anything I would say it is quite the opposite, with enemies who will relentlessly defend their shadowy homeworld from the invading UFO.

In addition to the deep single-player campaign, there is a multiplayer mode called Lantern Run. In this mode, up to four UFOs must navigate through tight tunnels while chased by a tentacled terror that would humble H.P. Lovecraft. The catch is that each player is also responsible for carrying a lantern through the tunnels with their claw. If all players die or all lanterns go out, the game ends. There are also frequent choke points, where a wall blocks your progress until all enemies in the room are defeated. Playing with three friends online as we all coordinated our efforts to defend from enemies, carry our remaining lanterns, and clear boulders from the path ahead was probably the most enjoyable experience I've had on Xbox Live so far this year.

If there is one complaint to be held against Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, it would be that I want more of it. To complete the game at 98% took a total of six hours, with another hour to reach 100% completion. This is a respectable length for the genre, putting it on par with Super Metroid. But even so I devoured the game so quickly, admittedly because I was enjoying it so much, that I can't help but want more. Supposedly there is at least one DLC pack on the way, and I assure you that I will snatch that up without hesitation regardless of price just to spend more time in tendril-filled caverns of Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.

My only other real complaint? There is a gorgeous concept artwork gallery that can be unlocked but provides no commentary on the images. Oh, and the leaderboards could afford to show more information than just your completion percentage for ranking. Yeah, I'm nitpicking at this point, but those are the biggest problems I had with the game.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is one the best Xbox Live Arcade games. Period. Unlike other entries in the metroidvania genre, it manages to provide exploration-based gameplay and puzzles without resorting to copying and pasting what was done in Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night. It evokes a sense of isolation and wonderment that is alien and wholly its own. Often games will fall into development limbo for years, only to re-emerge and fail to live up to expectations. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is not one of those games. It surpassed my admittedly high expectations in almost every way, and was most certainly worth the long wait.

A review copy of Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet was provided by developer FuelCell Games for the purposes of this review. It is available on Xbox Live Arcade (as of Wednesday, August 3) for 1200 MS points. The game was played to 100% completion, which took approximately 6.5-7 hours. The multiplayer Lantern Run mode was played for around 4 hours, both alone and with three other players.

Review: From Dust

2011-07-26T16:00:00Z

The Xbox Summer of Arcade is in full swing, with From Dust taking up the second spot in the promotion following last week's strong release of Bastion. A "god-game" from designer Eric Chahi, best known for the absolutely stellar Out of This World, From Dust has some high pedigree to live up to. And though you play From Dust as an omniscient deity, the game's real focus is on the raw power of nature. Tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes are your unslayable foes as you protect your tribe, often in vain, in their search for their ancestral homeland.

From Dust takes place over a dozen different environments as you guide a masked tribe to settle the land. You play as The Breath, the tribe's favored deity, making you're their guardian and giving you basic mastery over the elements. As their guardian, you can instruct the tribe to build new settlements at designated totems, as well as tell tribesmen to find artifacts scattered across the land. This isn't a game of micromanagement though, once you give the tribe an instruction they will carry it out on their own. Your real job as The Breath of the tribe is to use the elements to help the tribe accomplish those goals.

]]> Using the left trigger you can pick up dirt, water, or lava, then place those elements with the right trigger. Dirt forms land, which can act as a land bridge across water or to cover rock with tree-bearing soil. Water forms pools, allows plants to grow, puts out fire, and can erode through soil. Finally, lava forms rock when released, which can be used for land bridges or to help direct the flow of rivers and volcanoes, but it also sets nearby plants on fire when first placed down. It is using these three elements that you must construct safe pathways for the tribe to follow, as well as restore life and vegetation to the desolate land.

Despite your best efforts as a deity, nature has other plans. Territories are regularly subjected to tsunamis, raging volcanoes, flash flooding, and forest fires, often with all of them occurring simultaneously. The artifacts I mentioned earlier can grant settlements protection from water and fire, but must first be found and brought back to the settlement by a vulnerable tribal shaman. Each settlement also provides additional powers for The Breath, such as extinguishing flames, evaporating all water, and "jellifying" water to prevent it from flowing with currents. The latter is especially useful for parting bodies of water Moses-style or stopping tsunamis in their tracks. These powers are activated using the D-pad, and have long cool down times after their temporary effects ware off, making them a useful last resort but not something to be relied on.

When at its best, From Dust brings back fond memories of the rocky Maine beaches I grew up on. I remember building sand castles among the tide pools, rushing to complete one before a large wave washed it away. In an impressive technical feat, water realistically eats away at the soil you place in From Dust. Often I would build a wall out of dirt to direct the flow of a river, only for the river to carry the dirt into deltas downstream just as I remember water carrying sand on the beaches of my youth. Of course, this meant that the area I tried to protect was flooded in the process, but as my tribe drowned I realized I only had myself to blame for underestimating the natural forces at work.

If From Dust were only a sandbox in which to explore how the elements interacted, I would have no difficulty recommending it as a game everyone should experience at least once. However, that is not the case. The tribe is often the source of far more frustration than anything else they add to the game. As I mentioned before, there is no way to micromanage the tribe, which is a shame because their default pathfinding and AI is some of the worst I've seen in years. When confronted by any obstacle, such as a river, they will stop and call for help, or try to find a new path if possible. That's good in theory, but not so much in practice.

The problem is that the available path is often a time-sensitive situation from tides. I became stuck in one early level when my tribe got stuck in an infinite loop of getting blocked by the tide, venturing off on a new path, the tide opening their original path, then finally the tribe returning only for the tide to come back in and block the original path again. And if even a small drop of water interferes with the totem they are directed to you cannot select it, which also means you cannot cancel the order to go to that totem. It is also impossible to order a shaman to bring powers, such as protection from water or fire, along with the initial group that forms a settlement, and must wait for the settlement to fully build before the shaman is automatically sent. Or sometimes tribesmen will simply stop for no reason at all and beg for help when they are on flat ground without any obstacle in sight for miles. Combine these issues with the frequent and violent weather conditions, and more often than not I simply wanted to abandon the poor fools to the fate Darwin would have prescribed.

From Dust also has the distinction of one of the worst final levels I have ever had the misfortune of playing in a videogame. Apparently From Dust's developers thought it would be a good idea to have the last level change all of the controls and replace them with new and unfamiliar abilities. That probably seemed too easy and satisfying for them, so they went the extra step to introduce an entirely new cataclysmic condition that had no precedent in the game. For an apt game comparison, imagine if Sid Meier's Civilization turned into a real-time strategy game when you reached the space age, allowing opponents to move freely while you're still constrained to a grid. Or imagine if the final level of Halo were suddenly a turn-based RPG, but since you hadn't been gaining experience throughout the game you face the final Kefka-esque boss while still at level 1. The first three times I played the last level, I assumed it was one of those impossible levels that you are required to lose because it just seemed so obtuse and inconsistent with the rest of the game. I did finally beat it, on my ninth attempt, but had I not been playing for a review I would have given up around the fourth or fifth attempt, never to play again.

Aside from the main story there are also 30 challenge levels to play through. Several of these challenge levels are unlocked by playing through the story, but many are also available right from the start. These challenges are much more focused and puzzle-oriented than the main game, tasking you with specific goals using a limited set of abilities. Because the challenge levels are focused on only one ability at a time they feel much more structured and add nice variety to the more freeform gameplay of the story campaign. The challenge levels also are supported by leaderboards, adding a competitive element as you compare times with other players.

From Dust is an absolutely gorgeous game with some of the most impressive weather effects seen on the Xbox 360, and I don't just mean on Xbox Live Arcade. Few games can compete with From Dust in displaying the raw power of nature through such convincing gameplay. But for all of its technical marvel, it's the technical details that also bring the game down, with abysmal AI and a bafflingly bad final chapter. When it works, From Dust transports me back to a seven-year-old boy playing in tide pools and reveling in how perfectly the natural world fits together. But when the game hits a snag, I'm instantly yanked back to the cynical world of computer glitches, frustrations, and unfulfilled promises.

A review copy of From Dust was provided by Ubisoft for the purposes of this review. It is available on Xbox Live Arcade (as of Wednesday, July 27) for 1200 MS points. I played the game for 8 hours, completing the story mode and seven of the 30 challenge levels.

Review: Bastion

2011-07-19T18:00:00Z

In 1982, a little company called Electronic Arts asked a big question: Can a computer make you cry? The question doesn't merely ask about tears of frustration when a hard drive fails; it is asking about the narrative potential that videogames hold. I'm proud to say that I have witnessed that potential, though rarely. It began with Shining Force 2, when at the age of eight a dear friend's betrayal hit me particularly hard. It didn't happen again until Lost Odyssey, where a child's final farewell brought tears to my eyes. Earlier this year the indie game Solace, based on the five stages of grief, moved me to tears right on the GDC show floor. And now, thanks to SuperGiant Games, Bastion is the fourth game to help me answer EA's question with a resounding yes.

]]> But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, let's start with the beginning. Bastion tells the story of a silent and nameless hero known only as "The Kid." You play as The Kid, but you aren't him, the game makes that fact very clear. When I say Bastion tells a story, I mean that quite literally. There is a narrator telling The Kid's story, in the past tense, punctuating your actions with exposition. When The Kid picks up his first weapon, a hammer, it becomes his "old friend" through the narrator's voice. When The Kid smashes vases for loot, it becomes "raging away at the world" through the narrator.

The narration is perhaps an acquired taste, but it is a taste I acquired almost immediately. It raises many questions. Who is the narrator? Who is he telling the story to? What happened to the world, and why? Finding the answers to these questions drove the plot forward and kept me entranced by Bastion right through the game's final moments. And surprisingly, I actually found the answers immensely satisfying when they were uncovered.

The game's visuals match its impeccable narrative style. The world is in ruins, destroyed by some calamity. Each area begins with The Kid on a single platform, floating above chaos and nothingness below. Moving The Kid reveals new paths, which form up under his feet with each step. This world-building runs parallel, thematically and in presentation, to how the story's narration forms around him, you, and your actions. It is one of the most thematically consistent games I have experienced, with all aspects of its design reinforcing the narrative message right down to the inability to replay completed levels and the New Game Plus option at the end. In the interest of avoiding spoilers though I can't say more on that aspect, it is far better to experience them firsthand through gameplay.

Those worried that it has taken me this far into the review before actually mentioning gameplay should be at ease. The Kid can equip two weapons at a time, and discovers a total of 11 melee and ranged weapons before the adventure is through. Each weapon controls differently, with the slow and strong hammer quite different from the long-reaching pike or the fast dual pistols. There are no restrictions on which weapons can be equipped together, allowing for any mix of melee and ranged weapons that lend to a any play style. This includes using two ranged or two melee weapons at a time, encouraging the player to find what works best for them. New weapons are automatically equipped when found, which can be annoying when it replaces an old favorite with something unfamiliar, but also introduces you to new gameplay at a steady pace. I likely wouldn't have switched from my hammer and bow combo if not for being forced to use new weapons, and ultimately found my favorites that way.

The combat is challenging, requiring knowledge of each unique weapon and enemy as you attack, dodge, block, counter. Gaining levels allows The Kid to equip new tonics and spirits (alcohol, not ghosts) that offer a variety of status buffs. Weapons can be customized and upgraded to further specialize their uses. Players seeking more of a challenge can pray to the Gods at a shrine, with each God offering buffs to your enemies while increasing your rewards. "Since when have the Gods ever made our lives easier," the narrator quips.

As much as I praise Bastion's story and narration, I must admit that it is somewhat slow to get started. But once it picks up, it adds narrative depth and complexities that are the exclusive domain of videogames as an interactive medium. And as many games before have done, in the end, Bastion faced me with a moral choice. However, unlike other games offering choice there was no gameplay benefit to either decision, it was a true moral dilemma with no right or wrong answer. I made my choice, and as the credits rolled, so did the tears down my face. Three games prior to Bastion have made me cry, but for the first time it was a cry of happiness and hope. Sadness is an easy emotion to manipulate, but hope? No other game or film or novel has moved me in that way before.

A review copy of Bastion was provided by the developers for this review. It is the first game in the Xbox Summer of Arcade promotion, and will sell for 1200 MS points. I played the game to completion in approximately 8-9 hours, followed by a second playthrough on New Game Plus for a total of 16 hours. I earned all achievements, and cried at both alternate endings.

Review: Nyko Power Pak+ For 3DS

2011-07-12T01:00:00Z

The Nintendo 3DS marks many firsts for a Nintendo handheld. It's the first handheld to provide glasses-free 3D gaming. The first to function as a 3D camera. The first Nintendo handheld to feature analog control. And, unfortunately, the first Nintendo handheld to feature fairly lackluster battery life. The stock 3DS battery lasts around 3-5 hours, depending on settings like screen brightness and whether the 3D effect is on.

That's where Nyko comes in with the Power Pak+ which it claims will double the battery life of the 3DS. And while in my own experience "double" is a very generous estimate on Nyko's part, it certainly does make the 3DS battery life more tolerable.

Installing the Power Pak+ is about as simple as you could hope. The Power Pak+ comes with a tiny screwdriver, which is used to remove four small screws from the back of the 3DS system. Once the screws are loose, the back panel comes off rather easily, revealing the battery. None of the system's other innards are exposed, so there is very little risk of harming your 3DS in the process. Actually removing the 3DS battery is probably the most difficult part of the process, since it's fit in rather snugly, but once it's out the PowerPak+ fits easily into the battery slot and covers the entire back of the system. From there it's just a matter of tightening the four screws again, and voila. The whole process took about five minutes.

To be clear, I didn't perform a stress test on the Power Pak+. Instead, I went the more practical route, testing how long Nyko's battery lasted under my regular play conditions. "Regular play conditions" for me mean that the system brightness is set to 3, 3D effect is off, volume is low, wireless is on, and power-saving mode is on. I can usually get about 4-5 hours of play on a single charge, with the system put into sleep mode in-between play sessions. On average, I have to put my 3DS in its charging cradle every 2 days.

Using the Power Pak+ I got a little more ambitious and turned off power-saving mode, while keeping the other settings the same. After all, I was using a higher capacity battery so I should be able to get the most out of my system. I found that I was able to go a full four days without needing to recharge. While that sounds like the Nyko battery did as promised and doubled the system's battery life, upon inspection of my 3DS activity log I had played a little over six hours during that time. Perhaps if I had kept power-saving mode on the Power Pak+ would have lasted another hour, which would still be a significantly more than a 3DS normally can, though still not quite double the regular 3DS battery life.

I can't talk about the Power Pak+ without also mentioning the bulk it adds to the 3DS. The Power Pak+ is about 1/3 of the thickness of the 3DS, so attaching it significantly increases the size of the system. It makes the system less pocket-friendly, and the added weight was especially noticeable when playing games where the system is held in one hand and the stylus in the other, like Picross 3D. The added size also means that the 3DS will no longer fit into Nintendo's charging cradle, though you can still plug the power cord directly into the 3DS or buy the PowerPak+ with a Nyko charging cradle for $29.99.

The most critical issue, however, is that the 3DS battery indicator seems incapable of accurately displaying the charge level of the Power Pak+. I said that the Power Pak+ lasted for four days without needing a charge, but for the first three of those days the battery indicator told me the 3DS battery was full. Suddenly, on the fourth day, the battery was half depleted; and in the time that it took me to complete Ocarina of Time's fire temple I was already getting a notification that the battery was almost empty. I assume that this is because the 3DS battery indicator is only supposed to sense a charge level up to the stock battery's capacity, so any charge above that simply registers as a full battery. The result, however, is that the Power Pak+ does not give you an accurate reading of how much charge you have left until it is too late, causing me to be more paranoid about the system's battery when using the Power Pak+ than without.

The final odd quirk of the Power Pak+ is that removing the system battery seems to mess with the 3DS system settings, namely by resetting the time and date. There is a chance that this could alter or erase your Activity Log data, though in my experience setting the proper date after changing the battery restored everything. This isn't an issue specific to the Power Pak+, as it just seems to be something the 3DS does no matter when the battery is removed.

Ultimately, the Power Pak+ does what it sets out to do by extending the meager battery life of the 3DS. If you're someone who travels a lot, I can definitely see the appeal of the Power Pak+. However, due to the added size, weight, and lack of an accurate battery indicator, I can't say that I would recommend the PowerPak+ for everyday use. Installing the extra battery isn't difficult, so I'll likely bring it out for my next flight, but after only one week of the Power Pak+ I've already removed it and gone back to the stock 3DS battery.

The Nyko PowerPak+ is available for $19.99 on its own or $29.99 with a charging cradle. A PowerPak+ was provided by Nyko for purposes of this review. I used it for one week playing predominantly Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Picross 3D, Picdun, and Starship Defense. I played under my regular system settings - which are the system brightness set to 3, 3D effect off, volume low, and wireless on - with the exception of turning power-saver mode off whereas I normally have it on. The battery needed to be recharged twice total during that week.

Indie Game Summer Uprising Approaching - 25 Finalists Revealed

2011-07-08T19:00:00Z

While Microsoft has its official Summer of Arcade promotion on the Xbox Marketplace in just a few weeks, indie games will get their own chance to shine during the Indie Game Summer Uprising. Some readers may remember back in December when there was the Indie Winter Uprising, which was hit by some annoying hiccups when not all of the games made it out on time, but ultimately showed some excellent games to represent the indie marketplace.

The Summer Uprising looks to be even bigger and better than the previous one, with nearly 70 games submitted by developers to be one of the 10 games featured during the event. During the past week, a small panel* narrowed that list down to 25 finalists, where developers will vote on which will actually be a part of the Indie Game Summer Uprising event. Actually, developers will only be voting on eight of those 25 finalists, because then the vote turns over to you, the gamers, to pick the final two Summer Uprising games.

Here are the important dates:
August 1-15: Fan voting on the final two Uprising games (can vote from all entries, not limited to 25 finalists).
August 16: Full Indie Game Summer Uprising roster will be revealed.
August 22-September 2: Summer Uprising games released.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I was a member of the panel that narrowed down the 25 finalists. I receive no compensation for it, and in the end it's the developers and fans who pick the final roster, so I don't see this as a conflict of interest.

Follow after the jump for the list of 25 finalists for the Indie Game Summer Uprising.

]]> 37 Days to Die

All the Bad Parts

Avaglide 2

Battle High: San Bruno

Blossom Tales

Cell: Emergence

Chester

City Tuesday

Cute Things Dying Violently

Dirchie Kart - World Tour

Doom & Destiny

Dragons vs Spaceships

Katana Land

Mega Shooter 11: Ladies and Power-Ups

Raventhrone

Redd: The Lost Temple

Speed Runner

T.E.C. 3001

Take Arms

The Hearts of Men: Throne of Deceit

The Jump Hero

The Spirit of Khon Ep1

Train Frontier Express

Volchaos

E3 '11: Sega Roundup

2011-06-16T20:00:00Z

Though I didn't get to spend much time at Sega's booth on the show floor at E3, I did have the chance to see some behind-closed-doors footage their upcoming games. And while I was disappointed to find out that Aliens: Colonial Marines wasn't on the menu, I still came away with new impressions on Sonic Generations, Anarchy Reigns, and Binary Domain.

Sonic Generations was first on my plate, and was definitely the game I was most interested in. While on the show floor there was a playable demo of the re-imagined Green Hill stage, behind closed doors we got to see the new City Escape level inspired by Sonic Adventure 2. We started with the classic Sonic version of the level, which meant it was strictly 2D platforming. And it actually looked pretty good. The level had multiple layers, both in terms of height and paths twisting through the background. Supposedly the background paths are accessible, adding new routes through the classic Sonic levels, but none were actually shown during my demonstration. The level also did an excellent job of incorporating elements from Sonic Adventure 2 into the 2D framework. There was even a skateboard power-up to collect (by breaking a TV, as is classic Sonic tradition) to pay homage to the original City Escape's skateboard sequence, and the truck chasing Sonic through the original level returns to crash through the level and close off certain paths if you don't reach them fast enough.

Next was modern Sonic's stage, and it looked pretty much the same as the original Dreamcast level. There were some aesthetic changes, like spinning blades added to the front of the truck to make it appear more menacing, but even the level layout seemed essentially identical. Whether that's a good or bad thing will depend on how much you enjoyed Sonic Adventure 2. The developers did say that it's possible to play the game 80% in one style or the other, so classic fans don't have to play every modern stage to complete the game and vice versa. Sega also talked briefly about the 3DS version of Sonic Generations, which will feature entirely different levels than the console versions. For the 3DS version, modern Sonic will use the gameplay of the Sonic Rush series, since that is the modern connotation on handhelds.

After Sonic, I got to take a look at Anarchy Reigns by Platinum Games. Though Anarchy Reigns is being billed as a multiplayer online brawler, for the behind closed doors presentation Sega was showing off the single player campaign. And while the multiplayer is packed with characters to choose from, most of whom haven't even been announced yet, the single player only lets you play through the story of Jack (of Mad World fame) and Leo. Since this was a strictly hands-off demonstration, there really isn't much to comment on about the game. Combat seems fairly standard for a button-mashing brawler, with none of the interactive environments of Mad World or the flashy combos of Bayonetta. This is likely necessary to scale the game for online play, but it doesn't make for a particularly convincing single player demo. What little information the developers did divulge was that the campaign is expected to run close to ten hours, and the story has no connection to Mad World despite sharing its lead character. If you're a hardcore brawler fan who wants to play online Anarchy Reigns may still be a solid bet, but it's clear from seeing the single player campaign in action (which isn't co-op by the way) that multiplayer is the game's real focus.

Finally, I got to see Binary Domain, a squad-based third-person shooter in which the entire planet seems to have declared war on Japan for building an evil army of life-like robots. Coming from a Japanese developer, the psychology that motivated the game fascinated me, but the developers didn't want to comment on that. Instead they wanted to show gameplay. From what I saw, trust is the most important gameplay element for your squad. Every squad member has their own level of trust in the player, and this can be changed depending on your actions. For example, if you give a squad member a command and they take significant damage or have to be revived because of it, their trust will deplete and they may not follow all of your instructions in future missions. The AI will also call out and suggest strategies to you, such as flanking routes, which you can accept and build trust depending on your performance. Binary Domain's new wrinkle to all of this is that it can be performed entirely through voice commands with a standard headset. Or at least, in theory it can. The voice commands didn't always register properly in the demo, with the developer finally admitting "sorry, we're still in the alpha stage." When it did work though, the AI response performed well above what is expected of friendly AI, so with some more polish Binary Domain could be a solid shooter when it releases in February next year.

I did manage to get a little time in at the Sega booth, where I felt a need to satisfy my curiosity with Sonic Generations. Unfortunately, I have some bad news for Sonic fans. Either the controller being used at the E3 kiosk was broken, or there is currently a full half-second lag between pressing jump and any action appearing on the screen. This was true of both the 2D classic Sonic levels and the 3D modern Sonic stages. The speed and physics seemed to be much improved from Sonic 4, but I found the game frustrating to play because of that button lag. I want to believe that this is just one faulty demo, so hopefully the final game will get it sorted out.

E3 '11: Interview: Jordan Thomas On XCOM And Homosexuality

2011-06-14T19:00:00Z

Yesterday I wrote about XCOM's gameplay, but that wasn't the only thing that intrigued me about the 60's alien invasion game. During the game's E3 demonstration Jordan Thomas, XCOM's narrative director and the creative director of BioShock 2, made reference to a character "discriminated for his sexuality," and my ears perked up like corgi that just heard someone say "bacon."

One of the most often repeated, if utterly foolhardy, arguments against gay characters in games is that their sexuality is never a relevant detail to the plot. So I was more than a little curious and delighted to hear a developer put such a strong emphasis on a character's homosexuality in the game's second public showing. Thankfully, Thomas was gracious enough to sit and chat with me about the character of Dr. Weir, and how social commentary is a natural partner for the videogame medium.

"Weir is an Australian," Thomas began. "He's not a citizen of the States, although he came there to study particle accelerators, and already found himself an outsider on that grounds alone simply because of the paranoia of foreigners that was prevalent in the mid-century."

"But on top of that, he is also a closeted homosexual. He has both a sexual and a political opposition to the elite of the country, which are still very conservative - very focused on America as the best and the brightest - and he doesn't fit their paradigm. It is hard for them to acknowledge that one of the best scientists in the world is, in their minds, deviant. So he's struggled with that for a long time."

"But all of sudden this alien invasion hits and they need him and they have to put it aside. But then you see those tensions come to bear in the base. There are characters who don't like working with him. They are people of their time. And so you'll see different positions represented amongst the core cast. But he is - he is a man with true grit. He's able to weather it pretty well, and the player kind of gets to decide where they fall on that continuum. You can basically decide how to treat him."

Of course, homosexuality wasn't the only civil rights movement making headway in the 60's, and XCOM will explore other socio-cultural tensions of the time.

"As a narrative guy, it's the reason I'm excited to work on the game. The setting was chosen very specifically because I feel that the socio-cultural tension was about to come to a head. It was an old America and a new America kind of locked in a mortal combat, and it was very interesting for me to start exploring what was going on at the time."

"Agent Barns, for example, the African American guy who runs the agent operation and recruits for you, he was working COINTELPRO in the FBI - and that was a bureau program to run surveillance on the American people, not known by anybody - and Dr. Martin Luther King was his assignment. He was supposed to infiltrate that movement and discredit King by finding evidence that he was Red. He didn't find anything, and he was asked to fabricate it. He refused, and was almost going to be kicked out by J. Edgar Hoover and his cronies, but at that time the alien invasion happens and XCOM snaps him up."

I commented that it sounded like XCOM was really more of a 60's period piece that happened to use aliens as a catalyst to bring out the social climate.

"As a narrative guy, absolutely. To both mutate and express the inner conflicts of the period."

After the complex portrayal of BioShock 2's brute splicer, I am eager to see if Thomas and the team at 2K Marin can have lightning strike twice with a depiction of homosexuality that may hit closer to home for many gamers. But if they can pull it off with even half of the enthusiasm and passion Thomas had while describing it to me, then XCOM could be one of the most earnest examples of a gay character in a game yet.

E3 '11: XCOM Preview

2011-06-13T23:00:00Z

At last year's E3 XCOM was announced, and stirred up quite a bit of bile in the stomachs of fans. The classic tactical gameplay had been replaced by an utterly generic first-person shooter. We haven't heard much from the game since then, and after seeing the game in motion at E3, it's clear why. The developers have been working hard at revamping XCOM into something that comes closer to living up to the series' tactical legacy.

Before the demo, the developers helped set the stage for the game's setting. Taking place in the 60's, XCOM's story tells an alternate history where an alien invasion interrupts the Cold War right before the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy is still the president, and civil rights movements are in full swing. Keep that last point in mind as you continue reading.

]]> The demo began at XCOM headquarters, which acts as the game's hub between missions akin to the Normandy in the Mass Effect series. And just like the Normandy, exploring the base allows players to talk with their squad members and NPCs to learn more of the game's backstory, research alien technology, and level up their squad members' skills. It seems from the demo that the player's character doesn't actually level up, making your choice of squad mates all the more important.

The headquarters also has a large map of the United States from which you can select missions. The map shows hot zones of alien activity, some of which are story missions and others side missions. The missions aren't time-sensitive, so there's no risk of one hot zone getting closed off if you leave it for last, but some missions will provide new squad members or technology that will change how the other missions play out. For the E3 demo, the developers chose a story mission to rescue the brilliant scientist Dr. Weir who "was discriminated in the 60's for his politics and his sexuality." Remember the whole civil rights angle? Well it looks like the treatment of homosexuality in the 60's will play an integral role in XCOM's plot. Suddenly, the E3 demo became a lot more interesting.

While the XCOM headquarters reminded me of Mass Effect, the actual gameplay during a mission was an even closer analog. From a first-person perspective, the player can crouch behind cover and issue commands to their squad members using a familiar looking ability wheel. An example was shown where the one squad member used a distraction ability to draw alien attention, allowing the player to circle around and flank the aliens from behind to destroy a shield generator. Unlike Mass Effect though, issuing squad commands doesn't pause the action, or at least not entirely. The action slowed down significantly when the squad ability wheel was on-screen, but both aliens and squad members were still exchanging fire, forcing tactical decision to be made quickly.

One of the more unique features of XCOM is the ability to capture alien technology. During the demo we came across a powerful alien turret. Capturing technology uses your "tactical time" the same recharging meter that allows you to issue squad commands. Technology at full health requires more tactical time to capture than weakened technology, so there's a bit of a Pokemon element at work as the turret's health whittled away before capture. Once technology has been captured it can be used at any time during the mission, or saved to provide unique research upgrades back at headquarters. The developers claim that literally every piece of alien technology can be captured and as if to prove it managed to capture a Titan, a giant Death Star-like boss, after a long fight to bring its health down. I feel like there must be some extra caveat to capturing technology that the developers didn't highlight, because it seems to be fairly overpowered in its current form, usable as an easy win button against powerful individual enemies. Sure the enemy needs to be weakened first, but it seems that some technology can be captured with as much as half of its health remaining. Perhaps, like catching Pokemon, capturing can fail from time to time, something which wasn't shown in the E3 demonstration.

After the Titan boss fight, a swarm of enemies surrounded the squad. For the demonstration the developers unleashed the newly acquired Titan, which could be given commands and targets like any other squad member. Using technology in a mission restores it to full health under your control, but it only lasts for a limited time, and cannot be recaptured. With the alien swarm distracted by the Titan, we ran to a nearby building and finally encountered Dr. Weir... just as an alien grabbed him and carried him through a portal. We ran through the portal after him, and the demo ended just as we saw the twisting blue insides of what appeared to be an alien spacecraft.

XCOM may not be faithful to its namesake in terms of gameplay, but it's shaping up to be a quality game in its own right. Had it gone by any other name I'm sure there would be a lot more buzz around XCOM. The tactical first-person gameplay, capturing alien technology, and apparently deep, character-driven story are enough to earn XCOM a high spot on my anticipated games list for the year. Whether you're a longtime X-Com fan reading this preview to confirm your rage, or an innocent bystander curious what all the fuss is about, I urge you to give XCOM a chance. If taken on its own gameplay merits rather than the expectations from its title, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

E3 '11: Hands-On PlayStation Vita

2011-06-13T20:00:00Z

I'm not really the biggest champion of Sony's systems in general. I had a PSP once, but hardly played it, and generally only use my PS3 for exclusives. So it's fair to say I wasn't expecting to be impressed by Sony's new handheld system at E3. It didn't help that with all the tech packed in the system it would surely be ridiculously expensive, looking at the system it is clearly too big for any pocket.

Then Sony's press conference happened. The price, $250 for the wifi model, definitely caught many gamers' attention, and announcements like a new Bioshock title pretty much sealed the deal. But how does the thing actually play? Thankfully, immediately after the press conference Sony had a number of systems on hand ready to show off what the Vita can do. And it can do quite a lot.

]]> As soon as I got into the roped off Vita demo area, I made a b-line for the only open kiosk I could see. As it turns out, that kiosk was for BlazBlue. While I love BlazBlue, this clearly wasn't the best game to show off the PlayStation Vita. Character movement was slow, animations were incomplete, and it just generally seemed like a demo thrown together at the last minute for the press conference. But I just wanted to get a feel for the system, and for that BlazBlue was more than adequate.

The PlayStation Vita is surprisingly light to hold. Not light in a flimsy breakable way, but for such a large handheld I was expecting it to weight me down a lot more. It's also quite comfortable to hold, thanks to the system's more curved design compared to its predecessor and concave grips on the back. Probably most shocking were the analog sticks, which are actually proper analog sticks this time around rather than the PSP's flat analog nub. The sticks worked great, though I do worry about the fact that they stick out from the system and could easily be prone to breaking if the Vita is bumping around inside backpack.

The next game I got to try was Wipeout 2048. This is a brand new Wipeout game for the PS Vita, and the only game I demoed where the developers would commit to saying it was a launch title instead of "launch window." Thought it is its own game with a whole new set of tracks, Wipeout 2048 will also be compatible with Wipeout HD on PS3, allowing for cross-platform races between PS3 and Vita. I tried one of these races using the Vita, and it felt great using the Vita analog stick to steer through the course. In fact, it might just be because of the smaller screen, but I thought the Wipeout HD track looked better on the Vita than on the PS3 running right next to it.

I next got to try one of the new Wipeout 2048 tracks using the Vita's tilt and touch screen controls. Touching the left side of the screen accelerated while the right side fired weapons. I can't say this worked nearly as well as the traditional button layout, but the developers assured me that there would be a lot of customization available in terms of tilt sensitivity for the final game. The track itself was fun to play though, with more shortcuts and alternate routes than are normally found in a Wipeout game.

I next moved on to Little Deviants. Little Deviants is split up into a series of minigames, each designed to showcase one of the Vita's features. I first tried an augmented reality game using the Vita's cameras where I had to physically move the system around to find and shoot alien invaders all around me. Think Face Raiders on the 3DS. While it seemed like it could be a fun game, the Vita was tethered to its demo kiosk by a short cord, making it very difficult to play.

I had a much better experience with a whack-a-mole minigame where I tapped on monsters using the touch screen as they popped out of various doors. Depending on which direction the monster was facing, I had to tap on the front touch screen or the back touch panel, and found the back panel surprisingly easy to use. I actually found myself preferring to use the back panel to touch, since then my finger wasn't obscuring part of the screen. Finally I tried a Marble Madness-type stage where I had to guide an adorable spherical creature to each level's exit by using the back touch panel. Touching on the back panel caused a hill to form on the level, almost as if I were reaching through the Vita and pushing up the level with my finger. It was a neat effect, but more difficult to control than I had hoped, especially if the creature got caught in a corner where there wasn't much ground around to create hills with.

Finally, my last demo was with Sound Shapes, created by Everyday Shooter developer Jonathan Mak. This was by far the best Vita game that I played. At first glance it looks like just a standard platformer. In addition to jumping, the blob I controlled automatically stuck to walls, or by holding the square button it would lose its stickiness but roll much faster along the ground. What made the game really stand out though was its music. Each level began in total silence. Then gradually, as blue icons scattered throughout the level were collected, new instruments and notes were added to the soundtrack. If I missed an icon, then I would never hear that note in the background music. When my blob took damage then the last note I collected would be removed. It was a fantastic effect, and made it so that each level's reward wasn't just making it safely to the exit, but surviving with the full soundtrack intact.

Sound Shapes also has a level editor mode that intuitively uses many of the Vita's features. Placing platforms and musical notes is as simple as tapping on the touch screen. You can choose which instruments you want notes to play, such as various drums, strings, woodwinds, and brass. Once platforms are placed, you can change their size by performing the familiar pinch-to-zoom action on the Vita's back panel, showing off the system's multitouch capability. In fact, you can just plop four or five fingers down on the front touch screen to place that many platforms at once if you so desire. At any time you can jump into your created level to test it, or return to the editing screen, which was an instant transition without any noticeable loading. Custom levels can be shared with friends, though it wasn't clear if level sharing will be through wirelessly connecting systems or by uploading levels to a memory stick and sharing online through a PC. It was clear from my short time with the game that Sound Shapes will likely have the same essential place in every PS Vita owner's collection that Lumines had on the PSP.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to play some of the bigger Vita names at the show like Little Big Planet and Uncharted, but I wanted to get a feel for what was new on the system. I also, to be quite honest, don't want a mini PS3 in my pocket. I've always loved handheld systems because developers seem more prone to take risks in handheld games when there isn't an inflated development budget to worry about. With the Vita's unique set of features, surprisingly accurate back touch panel, and courting unique games like Little Deviants and Sound Shapes, I have hope that the PS Vita will be able to offer that authentic handheld experience that I never fully felt from the PSP. The hardware is there to make the PS Vita a Swiss army knife of a handheld with every control method you could ask for. I'm excited for the hardware, now it's just a matter of waiting to see what new ideas developers can create with it.

GayGamer's Most Anticipated Games For E3 2011

2011-06-02T20:00:00Z

Next week Wootini and I will be flying off to LA for E3. To prepare we've mostly been playing lots of L.A. Noire to learn the lay of the land, but we've also been plotting and scheming which games we're most excited to play and learn more about at the show. We thought you might like to know what we're anticipating to be some of the big games of the show, so we made this nice list for all to enjoy.

The competition is tough this year, with tons of great games already announced and more likely to be announced at the show that we don't even know about yet, so don't think that these are the only games we're excited for. Be sure to let us know in the comments your own most anticipated games of E3. After all, we want to cover the games you care about.

So without further delay, here are our most anticipated games of E3 2011.

]]> Wootini's Top 5:

5. Batman: Arkham City: Personally, I thought Arkham Asylum was probably the best super hero videogame ever, so I have high hopes for the sequel, as most of you do, too. My concern is that they're going to try and fix what's not broken, and ruin the whole thing. So I can't wait to see if they can make Arkham City bigger and better than its predecessor while not screwing it up!

4. Silent Hill: Downpour: I was disappointed by Homecoming, but Shattered Memories restored my faith in the Silent Hill series. But since Downpour seems to be taking a step back towards the more traditional action gameplay of Homecoming, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because it looks a lot like Alan Wake, which I quite enjoyed. But it was my hands-on time with Shattered Memories at last year's E3 that sold me on it (especially when it could scare me even on the busy show floor), so we'll see if they can do it again.

3. The Sony NGP/VIta/Whatever: Ridiculous names aside, Sony's new handheld looks to be the most powerful portable gaming device ever created. But will people burned by the PSP be willing to give them another shot? It'll be interesting to see what they've got up their sleeves to convince gamers that the NGP is the one to play.

2. New Kinect Games: Specifically the Star Wars Kinect game, which is probably going to be their main focus, I'd expect. I haven't heard much about other Kinect games in development, but if Microsoft keeps wanting to tout their Kinect sales, it would be nice if they offered those of us who own one some good games to play. Because right now, as awesome as Twisted Pixel's Gunstringer looks, I'm gonna need more!

1. Nintendo's New Console: Whatever they're calling it (obviously/hopefully not Project Cafe), I can't wait to see what they've got planned for the Wii successor. Rumors have been flying fast and furious, but I'm going to wait until their Tuesday morning press conference to find out the truth. Nintendo walked away with last year's E3 easily by impressing with the 3DS... can they do it again?

NaviFairy's Top 5:

5. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Really, this spot is shared by Bioshock Infinite and the NGP. I'm quite excited for all three, but I also feel like I pretty much know what to expect from them. In the end, Skyrim inches into my top 5 because I spent close to 300 hours playing Oblivion. Though there are still some unknowns regarding Skyrim. I'm especially curious as to how the dragon battles will play out, as well as dragon shouts and magic, perks, new AI, and well, everything.

4. X-Men Destiny. Sure, I'm a fan of the X-Men, but what has me really excited about X-Men Destiny is its developer. How can I say no to an X-Men game from the studio that made Eternal Darkness and the original Blood Omen? Yeah, Silicon Knights also made Too Human, but I actually liked that game so I don't see that as a negative. One thing is for sure, Silicon Knights knows how to tell a story, and I'm excited to see their take on the X-Men universe.

3. Kinect Compatible Games. I'm still not sold on Kinect as a replacement for a controller, but I am very intrigued by the number of games that are going to use Kinect in more subtle ways. The one we know the most about is Forza 4, which uses Kinect head tracking to control the camera while in the first-person driver's seat view, but other games like Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and even Mass Effect 3 have been revealed to use Kinect in some way. Could we be commanding our Mass Effect 3 squadmates through voice commands or use our own body language during conversations? It's these subtle uses of Kinect that most interest me, and I can't wait to play at E3.

2. Dragon's Dogma. Though it seems to be getting overshadowed by other announcements, I am beyond excited to try out Dragon's Dogma. From what I've been hearing, the game plays like Demon's Souls with a sprinkling of Shadow of the Colossus' climbing/gripping mechanics and some squad management for good measure. It sounds great on paper, but I'm very eager to find out how it all meshes together in an actual game.

1. Nintendo's new console. With so many rumors about the system, Nintendo's mystery box is by far the thing I am most excited to see at E3. Touch screen controllers? Cameras? Cloud gaming? Blu-ray? Nintendo with an online strategy that isn't utterly embarrassing? Vitality sensor built-in(that last rumor's my fault)? I don't see any way that all of the rumors can be true, so I am most excited to finally get some concrete answers. Will I still be as excited about the console after I see and play it? I have no idea, but finding out is my most anticipated event of E3.

So there you have it, our most anticipated for E3 2011. Let us know your own picks in the comments. We'll have plenty more to say about E3 and all of the news that's happening next week when the whole shebang begins with Monday's press conferences for Microsoft, EA, Ubisofts, and Sony.