The Worry Diary is my attempt to voice any and all game-related concerns that I may have; to remove them from the dark recesses of my mind, air them on the internet, and hopefully find peace. It’s deeply personal, so please approach this with the utmost respect.
Dear Diary,
Hey, I’ve been told that I should start journaling my worries. Will it help? Probably not… I’m out of options though.
I bought a Vita last week. I really wish you could play PS1 games on it, but they won’t let you. What if I’m never allowed to play Final Fantasy VIII on my Vita?? THAT’S ALL I WANT.
Instead, I bought Persona 3 Portable. What does that say about me? I bought a $250 portable system and the only game I’m playing on it is the 2 year old remake of a 5 year old game.
What if Devil’s Third never releases?
THQ have fucked themselves over and now the the legendary ex-Team Ninja head Tomonobu Itagaki’s game might not happen! (He’s such a badass). I’m ok with Ninja Gaiden 3 being terrible, but I really want to play Devil’s Third. What about the rest of THQ’s properties?! I’m sure Darksiders II will be a good game, but it won’t carry the company. South Park: The Game? Sure, but it won’t save them. That’s all they have coming out this year…
2013, however, is chock full of THQ games that I really want to play. Since THQ decided to invest so heavily in the useless uDraw peripheral, Devil’s Third, Metro: Last Light, and inSANE might not happen. If I don’t get to play those games, I don’t know what I’ll do.
I think I’m done for now… not done worrying, of course, but done writing about it. If I dwell on this anymore I don’t think i’ll make it through the day and I have to work later and… ugh, work. What if the boss is mean again? Ok, I’m really done now. I think this has been productive, but I know there’s still a lot of deep-seated worry that I’ve yet to tap into.
Thanks for listening,
Liam
X360, PS3 (Reviewed)
Release: March 20, 2012
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Namco Bandai
This is starting to look like an interesting year for fans of mech games. Hawken and Mechwarrior Online are both taking a very different approach to the genre with their shift to an MMO format and, with the way MMOs have developed in recent years that could be a very good thing; given the team-based nature of mech games, it makes perfect sense. Armored Core V made a similar choice, but it’s one that I’m a much bigger fan of.
You begin as a new recruit to the City Police. You’re a talent that Father, the omnipresent Orwellian voice of the government, is interested in having around. There’s a resistance brewing and you’re able to strike it down fairly easily at first though it’s not long before you join the resistance yourself. Things become increasingly more nonsensical from there.
3DS (Reviewed)
Released: December 4, 2011
Developer: Nintendo/Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
We often complain about a game series being too long, or becoming stale. Mario Kart in particular gets a lot of flak for being an unchanging rock of stubborn kartiness. What I’ve always found ironic, though, is how hard Nintendo tries to keep it fresh without changing much of anything.
Double Dash and Mario Kart Wii, arguably two of the weaker entries, tried to throw some makeup on the formula by completely changing the type of vehicles you used whereas Mario Kart DS and 64 skipped the funny business and focused on making a solid kart game. Mario Kart 7, for the 3DS, manages to fall somewhere in the middle.
The big “game changing feature” this time around is the implementation of air and water sections. You’ll deploy a glider after a big jump and rotors when you’re submerged; it’s an interesting change at first. There’s a definite change in physics under these conditions. The wind will throw you off course at any moment, while drifting under water takes on a certain floatiness that is a bit more difficult to master.
At first, it’s a great addition. After a few races on a particular track, however, it loses its freshness. Not an all-together bad thing, but it’s hardly the rejuvenating mechanic many were expecting. It’s still the same Mario Kart that we’ve all been playing for 20 years, though things have sped up considerably since its birth on the SNES.
Playstation Network
Released: March 13, 2012
Developer: thatgamecompany
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Back in 2006, thatgamecompany entered into a three-game contract with Sony. The fruits of that contract have already been great – Flow and Flower are both must-plays for PSN users – but Journey, the completion of that trinity, is easily the most beautiful game I’ve played.
Where most “beautiful” games would simply be content in looking pretty, similar to some beautiful girls you may have met in school, Journey provokes a range of passionate responses from absolute terror to unbridled joy. It’s wonderful.
3DS eShop
Released: February 22, 2012
Developer: Vanpool
Publisher: Nintendo
Nintendo’s 3DS eShop has been on a bit of a good run lately with Mutant Mudds, Pushmo, Mighty Switch Force, and Sakura Samurai all showing that the old, old, OLD dog still has something to offer the world in the way of original IPs. Beyond that, it let us breath a hesitant sigh of relief as it seems they’ve figured out how this whole digital service idea is supposed to work.
Dillon’s Rolling Western is the next would-be gem to hit the e-service, featuring a completely original character, unique controls, and a fresh approach to the tower defense genre. I quite like it.
X360, PS3 (Reviewed)
Released: June 21, 2011
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture have the wonderful ability to create games that fans will absolutely adore, but they have virtually no chance of appealing to the mass market. Killer 7 and No More Heroes both offered experiences that were uniquely Suda, with captivating art styles and a disregard for conventions and, in an industry drenched in sameyness and supposed sequel fatigue they managed to sell as well as a pork roast on Hannukah. If any of his games would have a shot at mainstream acceptance, it should’ve been Shadows of the Damned.
Suda’s trademark attitude is pushed to the forefront immediately as Garcia “Fucking” Hotspur is confronted by the (first) death of his girlfriend Paula. While I wasn’t exactly surprised by her death, but the event is handled with so little ceremony it can be more than a ltitle disarming. Suda treats her death, and subsequent deaths, with such disregard. This plays into what is easily one of Shadows’ biggest strengths: the atmosphere.
Writer: Liam Fisher
PS3, X360
Released: January 26 2012 US, February 03 2012 EU
Developer: Namco Bandai
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Let’s get this out of the way: I still play SoulCalibur II. I’ve tried other, later iterations of the series but they - or any other fighter for that matter - have never managed to capture my attention in the same way. With that in mind, it’s a bit surprising for me to admit that SoulCalibur V will soon be replacing its great-grandfather as my go-to fighter; it’s not, however, without flaws.
The Story Mode is easily the weakest aspect of the package. I wish I could say that the paltry two hours of content were at least expertly crafted, that story was surprisingly well done and engaging, but in the end it’s just not up to expectations. They’ve obviously taken cues from Mortal Kombat’s narrative focus, restricting you to specific characters to push their story forward, but it’s when SoulCalibur V is compared to Mortal Kombat that the Story Mode seems especially weak. That is something that I never, EVER thought I’d say.
