Hello and thank you for taking the time to
check out my first blog post of 2013! 2012 was a great year for both gaming and
myself, culminating in a fantastic list of titles that brought hours upon hours
of entertainment to gamers worldwide. I think it’s most important to really
acknowledge that considering we are right at the end of the longest generation
of consoles, developers like Ubisoft, Bethesda and Konami continue developing
and producing AAA titles for this generation while working secretly on new
projects with new hardware. Back on topic however, tradition states that I take
another look at my list of 2012’s top 10 games and reconsider my choices
through the power of hindsight, so let’s crack on!
The original top 10:
10] Resident Evil 6
09] Hitman: Absolution
08] Dishonored
07] Far Cry 3
06] Mass Effect 3
05] Journey
04] The Walking Dead
03] ZombiU
02] Max Payne 3
01] Borderlands 2
Last year I made a few amendments to my list and shuffled some stuff
around, but to be perfectly honest I am very happy with the games I’ve chosen.
The only title I look at on that list and question it’s position is Zombi U.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Ubisoft’s Wii U exclusive is a fantastic title
that brings to the table a type of horror the industry has been missing for a
few years now, but is it really better than all the other titles on that list?
The answer is probably no, as a technical achievement it is sub-par to every
game on that list bar Resident Evil 6, so perhaps the list should have looked
like this:
10] Resident Evil 6
09] Zombi U
08] Hitman: Absolution
07] Dishonored
06] Far Cry 3
05] Mass Effect 3
04] Journey
03] The Walking Dead
02] Max Payne 3
01] Borderlands 2
There you go, that sits considerably better in my book!
Now let’s have a quick look at some of the games I completely overlooked
from the list. Those of you who know me will understand why the likes of FIFA
13, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed III failed to make the list
– they are undoubtedly big sellers but they are not what I’d consider new
products for the industry. Titles like the aforementioned are the reason
developers choose to restrict their creativity and as a result, stifle the
industry. When a developer produces an idea and requires financial backing,
it’s unsurprising that investors will be looking for a guaranteed profit and
games that mimic big hitters are more likely to get the go-ahead to be created.
This is completely understandable but simultaneously a serious issue in the
industry and that’s why online sites like Kickstarter are so awesome because
some of our favourite independent developers can accumulate funds to create
games that wouldn’t necessarily get funding from big investors.
As for 2012 itself, overall it was an impressive year for gaming. Aside
from a quality top 10 list the fighting genre was pretty much completely
resurged thanks to Street Fighter x Tekken, Tekken and Dead or Alive 5 –
considering it was a dying genre fighting fans have a massive thank you to give
to Capcom because Street Fighter IV started this whole new revival.
2012 also saw the release of Sony’s PlayStation VITA. This slick new
handheld boasted incredible potential with PlayStation 3-like graphics,
cross-play functionality with Sony’s home console and a bunch of AAA titles
spawning from hits like Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty. Unfortunately the
VITA has failed to take off due to perhaps the high price tag or maybe the lack
of any original content on the machine. Sony were trying to give gamers home
console games on the move and perhaps what they’ve realized is gamers want
mobile and handheld games on the move and home console titles for just that,
their homes. It’s a strange argument but the massive popularity of the Nintendo
DS and all subsequent aiterations suggests there’s a very specific style of
game people want to play on the move and the VITA lacks those games. Let’s not
also forget that App gaming has proven to be an unstoppable force with games
coming out for as little as 69p – why would anyone pay £34.99 instead?
Nintendo were definitely the hardware kings of 2012 as their new 3DSXL
hit store shelves back in August. With a beautiful new screen, increased size
and battery life, this was definitely the way portable gaming should be experienced
if you wanted a dedicated handheld gaming device. A host of cool titles like
New Super Mario Bros. 2, Paper Mario and Resident Evil: Revelations all made
the 3DSXL a worthy console for gamers to purchase this year, especially those
who waited and didn’t buy the first 3DS (me!). 
Then of course came the start of the next generation of home consoles.
Nintendo finally released the Wii U, which can only be described as a giant HD
DS experience. Boasting superior power to the Wii, Nintendo’s new machine now
competes on the same level as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 while providing an
intriguing GamePad that innovates and recreates how you play games. While still
in its early phases little can be said about the Wii U other than currently,
I’m really enjoying the machine. What will happen when Microsoft and Sony’s new
consoles come out I can only guess but logically speaking those machines are
going to be super powerful and in terms of that alone, will blow the Wii U out
of the water. However, Nintendo have never been about powerful hardware and
their success is always been reliant on their amazing games. Ultimately if
developers support the Wii U the machine will be a resounding success.
What does 2013 have in store for us? Hopefully at E3 in June Microsoft
and maybe even Sony will unveil their new consoles and perhaps by the holiday
season of ’13 we might even be able to get our hands on them. If you want
something a little closer to look forward to, big titles like Dead Space 3,
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Devil May Cry and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the
White Witch are all big hitters coming out in the first quarter of 2013.
So there you have it guys and girls – I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed
reading my content in 2012 and look out for further articles this year.
Remember; let’s enjoy gaming after all, that’s what it’s about!
