2012 and Beyond

Well, seeing as how I have already listed off my favorite games of 2011, I feel it is proper for me to now look ahead into 2012 and list a few of my “Most Anticipated” titles for the upcoming 12 months.  Now, I am looking forward to tons and tons of games set for release in 2012, but for this post I have decided to narrow things down to my Top 3 Games that I am looking forward to for next year.  Don’t worry though, I’m sure that I will cover my other anticipated titles in the coming weeks as new info comes up and as new trailers are released.   So, without further adieu, here we go!  

 

NUMBER 3: DmC: Devil May Cry (PS3, 360)

At first, I wasn’t on board with this re-envisioned DmC; I preferred Dante’s “classic” look (and trademark white hair) and didn’t care for the modern aesthetic showed off in the initial teaser trailers. However, the updated gameplay trailers from Gamescom and TGS this past year have changed my mind.  The combat looks so fast and fluid and Ninja Theory’s interpretation of the Devil May Cry universe has really started to grow on me.  Now that I’ve had a taste of what the final product will be, I wholeheartedly support the bold new direction Capcom and Ninja Theory are taking with this franchise that I have a lot of love for.  I can’t wait to hack-and-slash with this parallel dimension Dante in the coming months!

NUMBER 2: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3)

I grew up with Studio Ghibli.  I’ve probably watched the VHS of My Neighbor Totoro 50 times since my mother bought it for the family back when I was 8.  Concurrently, I have a long history with Level-5 as well.  That development studio has crafted some of my favorite games of the last ten years, namely Dark Cloud and Dragon Quest VIII.  Both Studio Ghibli and Level-5 have the ability to inject such whimsy, wonder, and character into their projects that I can’t help but get excited for this upcoming collaboration. 

MOST ANTICIPATED: The Last Story (Wii)

Sakaguchi.  Uematsu.  Enough said.  Okay, not really.  But seriously, the fact that these two powerhouses (both former Square and Final Fantasy veterans) have teamed up for another fantasy RPG can’t help but get me giddy with excitement.  I’ve already written before about why I’m so pumped for The Last Story, so instead of gushing my guts out more I will just leave you with the beautiful piece of game artwork that I’ve placed below:

Amazing stuff, for sure.  Are you excited yet?!

The Surprising Threads of Fate

In the year 2000, I was fully immersed in the world of PlayStation RPGs.  A big pile of birthday money gave me the necessary funds for my games and the fact that I was still in elementary school meant that I actually had the time to play them. I was perfectly primed for Square's "Summer of Adventure."

The games released that year were an odd bunch. Chrono Cross remains controversial for being a less than direct sequel to Chrono Trigger, and Legend of Mana kicked off a long line of mediocre Mana games (though LoM has its defenders, like every Square game). Sandwiched between these better known sequels was Threads of Fate, which I had completely forgotten about until yesterday when I was browsing my PSN downloads.

So you can tell that Threads of Fate left a deep impression (ha ha). Nevertheless, Square last year solicited the opinion of fans in Japan on what they would like to see re-released next, and Threads (known as Dewprism in Japan) was apparently right at the top of the list.

I'm aware that Threads of Fate has a reasonably dedicated cult following, but I'm admittedly a little baffled at the attention. The original game was a middling platform action RPG that was mostly notable for its soundtrack and its unique approach to the storytelling. Otherwise, it wasn't particularly deep, and it didn't really stand out from what ended up being a pretty busy year for Square.

Outside of Junya Nakano's soundtrack, it’s probably best known for its storytelling, which takes a Hexyz Force-like approach in dividing it up between two characters. Rue is an organic doll who questions his role in life, while Mint is a princess on the run. Playing as either one offers up a different point of view, and the "threads" can only be tied together by finishing the game with both.

In some ways, it could be considered one of the last of the "old-guard" action RPGs -- a platforming offshoot of the 16-bit classics like Seiken Densetsu. The closest we've got now is probably Kingdom Hearts, which is actually probably a pretty close relation, now that I think about it. Beyond that, we mostly have Monster Hunter and its ilk. Action RPGs as we know them today have changed a great deal since 2000.

Beyond the history lesson and maybe the nostalgia though, the best reason to buy Threads of Fate is to encourage Square Enix to keep bringing games to the American PSN.  That’s why I made the purchase a few months back. It'll be worth it if we can get other titles like Brave Fencer Musashi over here.   

My Top 3 Games of 2011

Yes, it is that time of the year: the time for gaming award lists.  For that reason, I have decided to list my Top 3 Games of 2011.  Most other sites will have larger countdowns, but I feel that listing any more than 3 titles just gets too drawn out and pointless.  These games that I have selected may not be the “best” games (critically and/or commercially), but they all have provided me with hours of entertainment over the recent months and are thus MY personal favorite games of the year.

NUMBER 3:  Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (Jan 2011, DS)

Re:coded is a game that's filled with breezy fun, excellent graphics, solid characters, and all the worlds of Disney in the palm of your hand (with a bit of The Matrix thrown in for good measure).  While Re:coded doesn’t do anything that's particularly groundbreaking, it does what it sets out to do very well and adds some fun and interesting twists to the standard formula.  Plus, it’s more Kingdom Hearts!

NUMBER 2:  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nov 2011, Wii)

Skyward Sword is a Zelda game that manages to reshape its control scheme, design sensibility and pacing all at once while still telling a brilliantly powerful story featuring some very memorable characters. It raises the bar for the legendary series and is perfectly paced from start to finish. It's challenging, unpredictable, diverse, thrilling, and endearing. Skyward Sword is a true masterpiece (but it still would have been better with a standard controller option).

NUMBER 1:  Xenoblade Chronicles (Aug 2011, Wii)

Xenoblade Chronicles is a game that compelled me to reassess what it means for a game to be a JRPG.  It points to a bold future for the genre while, at the same time, nodding with respect towards the past. Xenoblade provides a whole world to interact with and explore, removing boundaries and convenient game design choices for the sake of fun and immersion. It's a towering triumph.  It’s also my choice game of the year 2011.