Top 10 Games of Last Generation

With the Xbox One and Playstation 4 released in most countries at this point, next-gen gaming is upon us. Despite many games continuing to release over the next several years on current-gen consoles many developers will be switching their sights to next-gen. With that in mind here are my top 10 last generation games (so far) that I've played owning an Xbox 360.

10) L.A. Noire

Sneaking in at #10 is L.A. Noire. While lacking many of the extra activities of GTA or Skyrim that makes open world games feel truly alive. Credit must be given to L.A. Noire for its innovative gameplay, excellent facial animation and a faithfully recreated 1940's Los Angeles. I'd never played a game like L.A. Noire before and found the investigatory sequences a breath of fresh air. The game's biggest strength though is its story. Cole Phelps is an excellent detective, driven and ultimately flawed which makes him human above anything else. L.A. Noire was a standout surprise for me.

9) Skyrim

Possibly the only game I would have banked on making this list before its release, Skyrim did what Oblivion did at the start of the generation by crafting a beautiful world to explore dungeons, fight strange creatures and create a character that was unique while showcasing the hardware to great effect. With the addition of dragons and using their souls for powers while refining the already well liked formula, Bethesda again delivered one of the best games this generation. I can't wait to see what's next.

8) The Wolf Among Us

While it was a tough choice between The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead, this game won out as it refined The Walking Dead mechanics a notch and personally has a much more immersive feel to it. Bigby is a great character and I eagerly await the final two episodes. The characters are all fantastic and I'm a big fan of how it utilizes the stereotypes of these characters. I'm hooked on the story and if nothing else Telltale games have shown this generation how good episodic gaming can be when done right and handled properly.

7) Batman: Arkham City

Another close call, this time between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Ultimately Arkham City wins out as it contained so much more fan service including easter eggs, Riddler challenges, side missions, a fantastic plot and, as a big Batman fan, this game delivered in so many ways. Not afraid to make a bold ending Rocksteady is hard at work on the next-gen Arkham Knight and I can't wait to see what's next for these established characters.

6) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Without a doubt one of the best first person shooters ever released, the Call of Duty series has followed the same winning formula to this day. An explosive and action-packed campaign is only one highlight amongst a fantastic multiplayer that was so much fun to play with friends. At the time its mechanics were a welcome evolution of the first person shooter and was highly popular. Having jumped onto an Xbox 360 a while after its initial release, this was one of the first games I purchased and didn't regret it along with...

5) Halo 3

Arguably the best in the Halo series, this was the first Halo game I played and I was blown away by it. The campaign took you to strange and foreign locales that were as beautiful as they were fun to blast through especially in co-op. The story and its cliffhanger added a fantastic sense of adventure and anticipation for its sequel. On top of this was forge mode, a creative tool to build your own maps and gameplay sessions and an addictive multiplayer. I spent many hours playing this game with friends and trying for that pesky Vidmaster achievement.

4) Red Dead Redemption

My first Rockstar game on this list, Red Dead Redemption told the tale of John Marston, an outlaw forced to hunt down his old bandit buddies to save his family from the clutches of the government. The Old Wild West open world was stunning and filled with interesting characters and locations. Such a background led to some truly emotional moments from the ending to the moment you enter Mexico. The story of John Marston was captivating and easily one of the best told stories of this generation.

3) Grand Theft Auto V

Sequel to the excellent and well received GTA IV. Grand Theft Auto V once again raised the bar for open world gaming. Rockstar once again created an expansive world filled with life and vibrancy like never before. Instead of revolving around one main character, the game had 3 main protagonists from the aspiring Franklin, the weary Michael and the insane Trevor, there was never a dull moment in Los Santos. Improved customization, weaponry and driving were all highlights to a truly incredible world. And while the online section began poorly it continues to improve and will certainly be one to watch in the future.

2) Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed 2 is often held up as the best AC game and rightly so. Following the exploits of young Ezio Auditore, the story revolves around a coming-of-age story for the young Florentine as he's introduced to a world of Assassins and Templars. Improving upon the original in every way, Assassin's Creed 2 allowed us to explore Florence, Venice and other areas of Renaissance Italy in style with minimal modern day interruptions. This game is a brilliant example of how to do an action-adventure game right.

1) Mass Effect 2

As another sequel that built and improved on the original, Mass Effect 2 not only firmly established the franchise as an excellent role-playing science-fiction rollercoaster but also my highlight of this last generation. The player choice, the detailed universe, the impact of the choices you make, fun gameplay and emotional storytelling sealed Mass Effect 2 as my favorite game of this last generation.


What are your favorite games of this generation? Let me know in the comments.

Why I'm Leaning Towards Sony For Next-Gen

Let me start this off by saying I don't own either next-generation console, nor do I have a particular bias towards Sony/Microsoft. I don't currently own a next-gen console yet because as a student I currently lack the time and money to purchase one. I have owned a Playstation 1, Playstation 2, Xbox 360 and I also game on my PC from time to time.

Price

First off, let's get to one of the most obvious points: price. Living in the U.K. at launch the Xbox One was around £80 more expensive. Since then the console has become much more competitively priced, bundling in Titanfall for just £399.99. Given the price of Xbox One games that's a pretty good deal. However, it is still cheaper to get a Playstation 4. So where does the extra price come in for the Xbox? Microsoft would point to Kinect, others the system's multimedia, all-in-one entertainment promise. Neither of these factors influence me as I will go on to explain.

Focus on the Gamer

From the first announcement of the PS4 Sony's message has been clear. This is a console garnered to the gamer. As I will use these machines for gaming first and foremost this appealed to me. Granted there will be others unlike me who are excited by the Xbox's promise of a wealth of entertainment. But Microsoft made a blunder on this point. It was gamers who first picked up the Xbox 360 and told their friends about it, and it is for the most part gamers who first pick up the new hardware so naturally your core audience has a larger mind share of gamers in it than it will later. Their focus on the extraneous features outside of gaming certainly disenchanted me, as I know it did others. Sony's focus on showing games, albeit mostly indie titles during the announcement and through E3 told me this was a gaming machine.

Mixed Messages

We all have bad days. Microsoft's marketing department may have just as well gone on vacation for a few months. The message was convoluted to say the least. Not only was there uproar over their used game policy, but the kinect and a required internet connection were causes for concern for many. Commendably, Microsoft reversed these policies which begs the question: were they so integral to the vision of the Xbox One so heavily referenced? At any rate, I can see how an average console buyer would be confused. Fortunately, I keep up with gaming news so was aware of what the Xbox One would and wouldn't do. However, the lack of a clear message confounded me at times, there was years of planning behind this machine, could they not have anticipated these problems? If not, could they have at least clarified themselves in a better manner?

Peripherals

This is a topic which doesn't provoke the most excitement from me for next gen. However, in the PS Vita I can see functionality via remote play and at the end of the day, its an extra portable device that I can play games on. The Kinect on the other hand while containing some admittedly neat voice recognition functionality lacks any significant input to gaming. This would not be a problem if it didn't come with every console and wasn't presumably driving that price higher than Sony's. I may never own a Vita if I get a PS4 but the Kinect I'd be stuck with if I purchased an Xbox One and it would be likely relegated to gathering dust. Using a controller to navigate the dashboard is just simpler and more natural to me.

Kinect

Playstation Now

Both Microsoft and Sony have explained how the cloud will benefit next-gen from matchmaking in multiplayer to saving your data in a secure location. The lack of backwards compatibility in the next-gen consoles certainly have made me question this feature. Its a strange situation. On the one hand I feel slightly aggrieved at not being able to play my old games in the new consoles, even if I still own the old consoles, I'd rather have one plugged in at all times and possibly sell or get rid of the old ones. But on the other hand, having backwards compatibility would probably be a low priority for me as there would so many new games I was looking to play.

The Future of Gaming is Cloudy

Playstation Now offers backwards compatibility, yes. But it also offers me the chance to play the abundant source of PS3 games I missed out on last generation. Titles like the Last of Us, Uncharted series etc. This is a highly appealing feature especially if the price to use such a service is reasonable. I am concerned about the issue of bringing this to Europe, however, for the most part I think broadband is strong enough here in the U.K. to cope with Playstation Now.

X-boned?

Do I think the Xbox One is dead in the water? No. Despite being outsold by the PS4 so far, it is still selling well. I think Titanfall will be a huge hit as I've heard nothing but positives from those playing the beta. The price has become much more competitive, at least here in the U.K. Functionality that many Xbox users have missed from the 360 is finding its way back onto the system. These consoles are going to be around for a while so the real winner will be us as gamers. Xbox may have struggled to get going but will likely continue to improve their service as will Sony.

One thing is certain. It's a good time to be a gamer.


But hey, these are just my opinions. What do you think? Agree/Disagree? Share in the comments below.

My 5 Most Anticipated Games of 2014

2014 looks to be another great year for gamers with the next generation consoles looking to extend their reach with hit titles such as Titanfall, Infamous: Second Son, Destiny and Watch Dogs all arriving at some point this year. This is my personal list (so far) of games I am most looking forward to playing in the coming year:

1) Watch Dogs

At first glance the game looks like a cross between Assassin's Creed and Grand Theft Auto, but underneath it is so much more. Set in Chicago and giving the player the ability to control their hi-tech surroundings, the plot follows Aidan Pearce, a vigilante of sorts, who controls certain environmental actions in the game via his smartphone. Aidan can hack ATM's, laptops, trains and interestingly, can access information on NPC's around him. Not much is known about the plot, but with the game coming to most platforms including next-gen this surely will be one to keep an eye on.

Here's the most recent gameplay video:

2) Destiny

Destiny promises to be an evolution in the first person shooter genre. Developed by Bungie, the makers of Halo, Destiny puts you in the role of a Guardian, a protector of the last known human city, with the rest of humanity's colonies swarmed by alien races. It is described as 'mythic science fiction' and takes place in an RPG open-world that is persistent and evolving. The game looks to retain the science fiction shooter element of Halo but in a new and exciting world. Releasing on Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3 and Playstation 4, Destiny certainly looks like it has great potential.

Here's the gameplay from E3 2013:

3) Tom Clancy's The Division

Another one on the list from Ubisoft is The Division. First debuted at last year's E3. This 3rd person action RPG looks impressive. Playing as one of the 'division' the player can team up in an MMO-like scenario, much like Destiny, and fight AI as well as other players. The game looks beautiful and the promise of fighting in these areas with other players is intriguing. I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

 

Here's the gameplay from E3 2013:

4) Unknown Assassin's Creed title

I don't hide that I'm a big Assassin's Creed fan, and the promise of a new one is very exciting. Nothing is known about the location of AC: V. But with Black Flag being received well after the disappointing AC 3 then the future is looking up for this franchise.

5) ?

Well, this might be cheating but I'm leaving a spot open. With E3 2014 still to come and the big hitters Microsoft and Sony still keeping a lot of games under wraps till then, I'm looking forward expectantly for what comes next. You can bet on new iterations of old franchises and new IP's to come.


What do you think of these games? What game are you most looking forward to in 2014? Reply in the comments below.

Shadow of Mordor Gameplay Preview

Here's an early look at the upcoming Lord of the Rings game: Shadows of Mordor. The game is an open-world action-adventure RPG which follows a ranger named Talion who has wraith-like abilities. The game is developed by Monolith Studios and will be published by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.

The game seems to be a cool mix between Assassin's Creed open-world and exploration and the Arkham games combat with a Lord of the Rings setting. It certainly looks promising.

Shadows of Mordor is set to release in 2014 on next-gen and current-gen consoles.