Ben-DutkaThe first week of the New Year is over and already people are anticipating significant reviews…don't worry, I'll be on top of them. 😉
Is the violence in The Last Of Us REALLY warranted?
I completely understand Naughty Dog's explanation concerning the graphic and brutal violence in The Last Of Us . It makes perfect sense. You're in a post-apocalyptic kill-or-be-killed survival situation so of course, violence is inevitable. It's the way humans are; when reduced to a state of animalism, brutality will automatically ensue. However, I do question if the shocking violence we may see in Naughty Dog's hotly anticipated adventure is warranted from a presentation standpoint. I wonder about this in all forms of violent media these days. I.e., does the camera really have to be in that position to convey the appropriate tone and theme?
I'm not so sure we need to see absolutely everything at point-blank range, nor am I even sure that's more effective. The reason gory movies aren't scary is because they're merely disgusting, while the masters of terror know that the majority of all our fear originates with our imagination. What we can imagine is ten times worse than what it actually is, as Alfred Hitchcock well understood, and as many gamers understand from the Silent Hill franchise. And if you want to produce violence that is necessary for the setting, then so be it. I just don't think you need to show it in the way you do.
The word "accessibility" doesn't go over well with the hardcore crowd
The Dark Souls fans didn't like to hear about the sequel becoming more "accessible" and the Devil May Cry followers don't want to hear that word associated with the upcoming reboot. Ninja Theory has said the combat mechanic in DMC will satisfy both the casual and the hardcore , because it's designed for all types of players. In other words, those new to the franchise – and to the action genre – will still be able to pull off some seriously flashy combos, while the more dedicated and skilled can still attempt the super difficult maneuvers (and get rewarded for executing them). However, I'm getting the feeling that the hardcore never believe developers when they say something like this; the die-hard fans just go, "Bah, that just means the game will be easier."
I'm probably the wrong person to ask about this, though, because I don't mind if my action games are a little easier. The difficulty of something like Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is fine for me, and I usually find the God of War games to be pretty tough. I can finish them but it takes a lot of effort. Therefore, if DMC isn't quite as hard as DMC4, I'd be happy with that. …I may, however, be in the minority.
Personal gaming update
I'm still trying to get 100% full synchronization on all the main missions in Assassin's Creed III and I'll be starting Halo 4 at some point. I expect to see DMC at some point here and after that, there's Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch . I haven't gotten the chance to play the demo just yet, but I hear people liked it. My only problem is time (not sure I've got enough of it to complete long RPGs anymore). Beyond this, February is absolutely packed so I need to try and finish everything I can this month.
I'm not going to comment on the whole PS4 blocking used games thing, because A. We're really not sure that's what's going to happen, and B. It's a highly volatile conversation and I've extricated myself from such discussions because it's just better that way. All I can say is that I want the PS4 to have great games that I want to play. Simple as that. 🙂
I am really liking the approach Naughty Dog is taking. For the Last of Us i dont mind the game being ultra realistic. If you were to blow someones head off point blank with a shotgun in real life you can bet your a** it will be right in your face. Seems like they really want you to feel what you are doing in the game.
i have been playing djmax non stop since i got it. i cant put it down for anything haha. just got the 99 999 combo and working my way to level 99 for the platinum… good times. 🙂
Last edited by SayWord on 1/6/2013 12:15:08 AM
I think DMC has had it's loyal followers flustered for years now. I think this bad blood may detract as many gamers as it attracts new ones through it's more "approachable" game play system. I feel strongly that if NT was really concerned about satisfying the needs of the most hardcore they would've never have cut the frame rate in half. NT wants to express their vision and that has always been one that prioritizes presentation over technical game play. I don't doubt NT will produce a well made game that impressively shows off a wondrous artistic presentation and fascinating settings, but I do doubt they'll be able satiate the needs of it's ardent players. Having not been particularly at one with the series I think I'll be a bit more accepting of it's new changes. But I do think it right of series' fans to push back on Capcom and not let the standards of the DMC be lowered for more mainstream appeal.
PGU: I finished Journey. It was a nice and emotionally impressive little jaunt through an imaginative world. I think the music was the biggest star and I'm glad the collector's edition came with the full soundtrack which now resides nicely on my PC.
I'm about to start a heavy duty school quarter. One of the courses is considered the hardest of the degree. That should be fun.
For me, it's necessary to tell a deep story, there's a difference between senseless gore and emphasizing dark emotions. In a hand of a good director, those scenes can be powerful and amazing. Just like the elevator scene in the movie Drive. Of course there are directors who just really wants gore, because for the simple reason that they like it. And nothing is wrong in liking gory movies and games, just remember it's only a game and movie. If you can't differentiate it from reality then there is something wrong in yourself. And for the gore fans out there, have you watched the Cannibal Holocaust? A very gruesome film. Haha.
As for DMC, I just don't like Ninja Theory and their game Enslaved. I only played a little of DMC 3, even if it's hard in the beginning the combat is amazingly fun if you mastered your own style, I've watched my friend do amazing combos.
PGU:
I'm still playing Resonance Of Fate. The game is amazing. I'm having so much fun. The unique turn based battle system is very addictive, it's awesome. The story is also great and the way they told it is like watching an anime episodes. And the towns is like a painting, beautiful to look at. And doing the sub missions and talking to NPC if you pass them by makes the world of Basel feels more alive and makes you picture the story and the world much more larger. Just like the old JRPG'S of the past. Haha.
Last edited by homura on 1/6/2013 12:46:26 AM
I dont know but I feel like despite all the violent games, ND is taking the most criticism and theres been far more violent scenes in games. ND doesnt need to defend themselves.
But I agree, that the way violence is portrayed at times is unnecessary in different forms of entertainment. Its why I dont typically watch horror flicks or play horror games. But I agree with ND, that it really adds to what they are trying to accomplish. Its like I say about language in games. Its the atmosphere that provokes the situation. Doesnt make it completely acceptable, and I understand both sides. Im on neither side, other than its unfair for ND to get all this heat.
This all being said ND's approach is acceptable. Theres violence thats there just to be violent, and there is a time when given the circumstances that it works in the story. Again the atmosphere provokes the situation. Im sure after we play the game we wont be talking about the violence rsther how good the writing actually is.
PGU: Started my second playthrough of Borderlands 2 with my Siren. True vault hunter mode is the way to play the game. Im having more fun in my second go round than I did in my first. This game is so awesome!
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 1/6/2013 1:20:46 AM
Agreed, there are plenty of franchises and developers out there in gaming that have violence with no cinematic finesse and most importantly, context. Why Naughty Dog's level of presentation is in question by people, warranted due to context is beyond me.
This isn't Uncharted, they would in fact be doing a disservice to the narrative to NOT show full consequence in violent acts. Just because the most violent, graphic games are usually the most shallow pieces of media created so far doesn't mean this medium should stay that way.
I think that the violence in The Last of Us is warranted and, considering ND is going for a very serious, very dark tone, the presentation necessarily goes hand-in-hand with that. I get the feeling that the violence that is witnessed will be rather infrequent, (playing it the "right" way, anyway) thus increasing the impact of those ultraviolent scenes when they come around. Having it up-close, personal and meticulously detailed only reinforces that idea. It'll put some people off, and it may seem gratuitous to others, but given proper context, I daresay that it'll be alright.
Accessible really isn't a pleasant word for most. It denotes a reduction in difficulty and a catering to casual gamers that wouldn't be interested in it either. The funny thing in the case of both Dark Souls 2 and DmC is that neither is expressly referring to the difficulty. In DSouls2, it's about the layout of the world and lore and people being able to relate to it more, while DmC is purely about combat diversity and the epic feeling that you get from pro-vids. At least, I hope that it doesn't obliquely refer to difficulty. Sure, I get frustrated the same as anyone else, but only when I feel as though the game is cheap, rather than fairly creating difficulty. I have little doubt that NT can strike the right balance, though their games have heretofore erred slightly on the side of being too easy for proper action games. Less important in the case of Enslaved due to its adventure orientation, but still…
Personal Update:
Still reading War and Peace. Finished playing Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. That was actually a really touching game. The visual style was amazing and the story was pretty good while the plot was kinda meh. It strongly reminded me of a less polished version of ICO, and if it is any indication of what The Last Guardian will be like (and it should be considering the layout of Hero and oversized friendly beast, though you indirectly control Teotl in this, which isn't supposed to be the case in TLG) only with less polish and a less engaging narrative, than TLG is going to be nothing short of spectacular. If I was going to do a review, Majin would get between 7.8 and 8.2, even though it feels as loose as it does. It's just such a brilliant game.
Anyway, I'm playing GT5 now while I wait for DmC as I'm going to assume that I'm unlikely to get anything else in my backlog out of the way before it releases. I've set myself less than a week to blast through DmC because my journey starts on the 23rd and I need some time to get ready. Phew.
Also writing, working and sleeping. 🙂
Peace.
Looking forward to your ni no kuni review Ben, seeing as your a big jrpg fan. I hope you have enough time to complete the main quest and some of the post game stuff. I'll enjoy it regardless of reviews, the demo reaffirmed my pre order.
PGU:
This week I've tried Crysis in full HD resolution (1080p) and crazy good framerate, and I gotta say: Look forward to get your games in true HD with the next PS, guys. There really is a very, very visible difference – even more so than going from DVD to blu-ray movies.
Add to that a much better framerate and this alone makes me want a new console now. Good grief, the movements under these framerates were so crispy and sharp, it was kinda like moving a camera in real life. Can't explain it better, but just you wait and see, you'll love it.
I've also continued a bit in Dishonoured and so far I am very impressed by the characters and background stories in this game. I just love it. This is a quality production, quality writing and acting.
Last edited by Beamboom on 1/6/2013 2:52:01 AM
That will be nice, I had hoped 720p productions would fade away this gen but 360 held us all back.
Buddy, that made no sense. 😀
Last edited by Beamboom on 1/6/2013 8:54:46 AM
yes it did, PS3 was capable of full 1080p games but there hardly were any this gen.
Come on, World. Your logic is better than that. If that was the case then all exclusives would have been 1080p, it would have been a major showcase for Sony against Microsoft.
It was what they claimed at launch, true, but that was marketing gibberish. The hardware is not capable of such resolutions other than in very simple games, we know that now.
Last edited by Beamboom on 1/6/2013 3:58:35 PM
That really isn't true, Beamboom. GT6 and MGS4 were in 1080p, if I recall. GT6 definitely was. Not sure I'd call that a "simple" game.
I'm afraid they are upscaled to 1080p, Ben. MGS4 most definitely is but if I'm not mistaken GT6 was upscaled from a smaller width (in practise, stretched wide) so the horizontal lines were indeed 1080, they just skimped on the vertical lines in order to reach that goal. But hey, for hardware this old that's not bad at all.
A good example of a game that runs natively in 1080p is however Wipeout HD. Actually there is a pretty decent list of games running at 1080p natively (just google it and you'll see), but they are typically arcade style PSN games and to be frank I would not be surprised if those same games would run at the same resolution on the x360.
But let's not start a catfight over this. One or two games wouldn't really make much of a difference anyway.
With the next gen we will get full HD resolution for all games, imo that's guaranteed. And that *does* make a difference!
Last edited by Beamboom on 1/6/2013 4:57:08 PM
I really thought GT6 ran natively at 1080p. You might want to look that up…I don't really remember myself.
And don't worry, there will be no catfight. I'm no techie. If a picture looks good, I'm fine. I don't grouse about a few extra pixels one way or the other, if you haven't noticed in my reviews. 😉
Yah, MGS4 runs at some funky resolution that is essentially 720p in pixel throughput. Gt5 runs at a gimped 1080p which is like half way inbetween 720 and 1080 in rendered pixels.
Many ps3 games can and do support a 1080p video signal but the graphics are rendered in the frame buffer (where the fully rendered image is stored after processing) at something much lower, usually 720 or lower.
Every game always has the capacity to be rendered out at 1080p but it would come at a significant performance penalty relative to 720 to sub-720 games. Many devs have preferenced lower resolution rendering this gen in favor of increased volumes of effects and texture size.
PS3 inherent strength comes from having a storage container, blu ray discs, that can store much higher volumes of data. Hence why fmv like Blu ray full length movies are possible on PS3. As it turns out most games this gen fit comfortably within about 7-10GB of storage so the 1080 hd benefit of the ps3 is usually found only in its movies and lesser compressed FMV.
Well we can look at Bayonetta though, to me the gameplay mechanic is very simply yet fun and full of depth, I myself am a DMC fan but I don't consider myself a hardcore fan as I never play difficulty higher than Son of Sparda because it's too tough for me.
Yet I can easily enjoy Bayonetta to the max while my friends who are hardcore DMC fans also enjoyed Bayonetta.
Satisfy the casual and hardcore?
Doable.
As for this week, no gaming as I just got hooked to a mecha anime called Macross Frontier, completely different from what I'd expect since I watched quite a few Gundam before, a really good anime with good story and characters. Not to mention the awesome 3D batle sequence in space.
Watch Macross Frontier if you haven't watch it.
I feel bad for Bayo fans that don't want a Wii U.
It's a dumb move it remaining exclusive, effectively ignoring your entire established install base. We'll see it at some point.
Yea man, I loved Bayonetta but I wouldn't go and get a Wii U just to play it.
of course it doesent!
as i said before, there doing it for one and only one reason.
like sex, violence sells!
if you need extreme violence to set the survival dire straights tone, than why doesent the walking dead, i am alive, ect, ect why arent they void of it?
extreme violence is needed to set that tone, yet they have that tone and without it.
i guess my dream of all action games becoming like CLOS will never happen!
sigh.
so freaking in love with that game, just simply because its one of the VERY few games that actually has a advanced complected in depth combat system!
imagine how awesome a game like skyrim could be if it had a similar combat system!
or kingdoms of amalour, one of my most hated games this gen simply because it felt so cheap and poorly made.
but the combat system alone was just so freaking amazing!
what i would do to see a game like skyrim but with a decent combat system!
even the combat system in the witcher 2, one of my all time favorite games, is a bit bare and simplistic.
im just so f*cking sick of everything having to be so simple a freaking retarded snowflake could master it!
what happened to the good old days where saying i finished x game actually meant something!?
fine, you want to cater to the brain dead morons fine!
but at least go add in the complex combos that become required as you ramp the difficulty up, for us who still retain our brains aliens havent taken over the world just yet…….
i miss the good old days where developers were happy and appreciative of their fans!
not oh waaaaaaa we dont have enough fans, we have to go looking in dragging in the people who will never be interested in our stuff!
you dont see slayer attending a bible camp asking them to buy their new album, now do you!?
ive gone back to replaying through the AC series, 3 left such a bitter disappointed empty taste in my mouth i had to go back and delete it.
up to AC2, the mission where you have to light the fire beacons to fly the flying machine, oh that was so much fun!
flicking between that and splatterhouse, oh they just dont make games how they use to!
as ive said a billion times, its amazing how much were willing to overlook when a games FUN!
exactly how splatterhouse is, its unfair, cheap, frustrating as hell, and ridiculously buggy!
but you just dont give a sh*t, because it panders to that primeval urge.
its so dark and sadistic, and its so oldschool it feels like it was ripped straight out of the NES!
one thing i REALLY want to see on next gen systems, a much more open indie channel that way we can start seeing allot more games like this!
Hey mate, I loved AC but I haven't played ACIII yet, can ya tell me how it was a disappointment?
it does not feel like a AC game.
dident like the change in controls, and allot of it makes the game REALLY frustrating.
the "assassins claw" is gone, so now instead of having to hold R1 and X to run you just hold R1.
thats a big issue because the game has so many chase missions, and the areas of AC3 are quite tight so your constantly going to run around a corner and running up a wall instead thus loosing your tail and desyncing.
the story was a massive disappointment too, the whole mystery and conspiracy of the later games is gone.
there is no glyphs like there was in AC2, and no desmond missions like revelations where it gave you a insight into subject 16 and desmonds past.
the ending is very anticlimactic and really confusing and leaves so many questions unanswered.
it was a bit cheesy and lame too, like one of those cheesy B grade movies.
the mission layout is what disappointed me the most though.
its hard to describe but the way the levels are laid out just really did not feel right.
there are some levels that are so well designed, the one where you have to blow up the barracks for instance, or the one where you can sneak back and climb a tree and assassinate your target whos on a horse.
but others just feel so poorly designed and betrayal to the AC style.
its hard to describe you gotta play it for yourself, but they changed so much it just does not feel like a AC game anymore.
the location and layout did not help either, AC is famous for its architectural beauty and climbing massive buildings and rooftop chases.
thats mostly gone because the cities in 3 are so small because the architecture layout of the US was so very different, and less densely populated as europe was.
in short everything that made the series so awesome has either been removed, or changed so much its unrecognizable.
Last edited by ___________ on 1/6/2013 8:54:20 AM
I would've thought by now that you don't ask this lunatic for game advice.
Corrections to the maniacal insanity that supposedly qualifies as an opinion, but certainly nothing factual about it-
1. The controls haven't changed at all. R1 was always to run, X was to jump in addition to running if you came to a gap. X also allows you to sprint faster, as before. The fact that Blank Line didn't know this boggles the mind; I wonder how he even played past AC games. What, mash a bunch of buttons and hope something happens?
The only thing that IS gone that shouldn't be is the ability to grab when falling with Circle. I have no idea why they removed that. Otherwise, it moves and controls exactly like past AC entries. It may only feel different because of the new movement mechanics in the frontier (climbing and jumping through trees).
2. There are Desmond missions. Clearly, Blank Line didn't even play the game, as one of those missions occurs in the first five hours or so, where Desmond has to scale a very tall skyscraper and then leap from a crane to get to a secure building. That's just one example.
You also play as two separate characters; you start as someone besides Connor, so that gives you extra back story you would never have seen before in any AC game.
3. There's nothing wrong with the level design and layout of missions; the areas in question are just generally larger and require more in the way of creativity. Beyond that, in stark contrast to past AC games, you have both urban AND non-urban areas in which to attempt missions. Doing a mission on the frontier is VERY different from doing it in one of the cities. And oh, by the way, there's more than one big city.
Toss in the naval battles, which are extremely well done and add yet another dimension to an already extremely ambitious adventure, and you've got by the far the largest and most diverse AC yet. The combat has also been overhauled and refined, to the point where combination attacks are much more fluid and prevalent and you can do WAY cooler things. Plus, you've got a bigger variety of weaponry than ever before, primarily due to the firearms.
There. That's a proper explanation. I can't guarantee you'll love the game, but at least I know what I'm looking at.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/6/2013 1:16:04 PM
free run was holding x before, now you free run by holding R1 only.
nor can you lock onto targets like you could before, now everythings done by the game which gets REALLY frustrating!
especially when your fighting guards and want to run away, you go to run away and another guard is in front of you so the game auto locks onto him thus putting you back in the fight stance.
i said theres no desmond missions like brotherhood or revelations where you get insight to desmond.
they added something to the story, you play as desmond in AC3 ONLY to collect those BS items so you can get into the vault and finish the game.
besides that they add NOTHING to the story, and do nothing to deepen desmond as a character, or any other character for that matter!
every AC has had a real mystery, a real backstory and things you can snoop out to get a few extra details added to the story.
AC1 had all the emails sent back and forth from both lucy, vidic, and abstergo leaders.
2 had the glyphs, brotherhood had the same, subject 16 side missions, revelations had the desmond and subject 16 side missions.
AC3 has……….?
i was so excited when i finished the games and found the pivot points, i thought oh sweet i finish this and ill unlock more of the story.
nope, there just cheats!
sigh.
another thing thats gone, the potions creation system?
that was by far THE best of revelations, and probably THE best thing ever added to the series!
opened up the gameplay to a whole new level!
made running away from the guards so much easier too.
and thats exactly the problem.
is this assassins creed, or civilization V?
the developers were so heffed up on adding new things into the game, tree climbing, naval missions, they forgot the core, the things that made the series so awesome.
exactly like GT5, lost so many features the game should of had simply because they wanted to add dirt racing, rally, ect, ect, all this BS we dont want in GT!
once you make everything the game should have perfect, than fine add whatever you want!
but theres no point adding in new things, if you have not perfected the things the series is famous for!
Brotherhood is still my favorite. The story definitely isn't as special as ac2 was either.
Those Desmond missions add lots to the story. It describes modern say assassin struggles and solidifies Desmond and his fathers relationship.
Those subject 16 side missions were not as thick on game play either. They were just 16 1 minute puzzles that were far too easy.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 1/7/2013 9:23:35 AM
I think ND is doing the right thing. The graphics are so good anything less than a full embrace of realism would be an insult to the developers and competent gamers. It's there choice after all, or should be if not.
PGU: The soundtrack to Journey is awesome. I might have to dl that one. Xcom is nice. Now I can say that I own an RTS. I'm at the end of ACIII:L, just need to finish it off. For some reason it hasn't really been grabbing me. It's all there, but just not doing it for me? I guess the combat controls are frustrating to say the least.
I put the DLC of RAGE off b/c it's too awesome to use up all at once.
And at the end of the day all I want to do is play FFVII. The digital version on my Vita is super convenient and oh how I miss 1997! I wish I had enough amnesia greens to put me back into the 4th grade so I could relive the masterpiece for the first time. I feel the same way every time I rewatch Fight Club.
I think it's Naughty Dog's story to tell, if they want to rub our faces in the horrible reality of the world they create then I say rub away.
Accessible usually does mean trouble, but in the case of DMC I can tell from the demo that what they say is generally accurate.
I'm livin in backlog city, kinda meandering. My brother lent me his Assassin's Creed III so I kinda wanna dip a toe in that too.
I think its great ND is making a realistic survival game. Also, Fallout 3/New Vegas hs peoples head being blown off. You can see the eyeballs flying out and everything. Its supposed to be funny but still that's pretty gory. That fact that i can feel like im killing someone is going to make the game make me feel bad for killing someone.
How many games makes you think "Well, these guys are going to try and kill me. I HAVE to kill them, there's no way around it." Its going to make for a whole new level in gaming. Just like in Heavy Rain. I couldn't kill the guy in his daughters room. I just couldn't do it. What if they came home and saw their dad's head all over their wall. Just no.
PGU: Fallout New Vegas, Heavy Rain (already platinumed just playing for fun), Hitman Absolution, and wkc2. FNV is addicting because i like being attacked by things 4-5 times my size. Plus, walking into a cave and hearing hissing sounds all around you, then being attacked by several coyotes/rattle snakes hybrids just makes it even better.
After all this talk about Heavy Rain i wanted to replay it. So im playing it with my girl. We take turns on roles. I play as Ethan and Jayden. While she plays as Madison and Shelby. Its pretty fun. Hitman, i haven't gotten deep into the story because im still trying to 100% the first chapter. It bothers me that i won't move on until i do.
Back to the ND thing, how can anyone not think that's ok? That bothers me for some reason. That's like telling Ridley Scott his movies are bad and unwarranted because of the gore in them. Or that Predator is bad. I disagree entirely, if ND wants to make you feel like a crook for murdering people in a video game i say its a good thing. Great for immersion and great for the apocolyptic style of the game. If your beating someone with a machete you shouldn't be seeing rainbows and sunshine pouring out of their body. Just saying.
Have you played Borderlands 2 yet? You brought up that you like being attacked by things multiple times your size. Well theres plenty of huge enemies in that game, at a scale much larger than what you mentioned. It is fun! And I like when enemies have health bars, because you know youre in a fight for your life when the health bar is at the top of the screen.
I think there is nothing wrong with the violence in The Last of Us. It is NO different than the hyper gore and violence we see in The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones or any other violent tv series or movie. Also you have to go out and purchase this game, people can just find those tv series on cable. I say that for the people who think its dangerous for people to play. The entry fee to playing games is high unlike finding something violent on cable or the internet.
Nothing I have seen in The Last of Us has been more disturbing than in Manhunt 1 or 2, AND on top of that in The last of us it seems even more appropriate given the setting like Ben said.
Basically its not senseless gore. There is an artistic and emotional reason behind it.
I personally am frustrated about the accessibility trend that is bleeding into genres that weren't accessible. Its not a pissing contest that I don't want people to be able to play and enjoy these games, its just frustrating that its harder and harder to find a balanced challenging game. Not to mention the one series that gave me that is now trying to become more accessible..I speak of Dark souls 2.
PGU: My dad just got me Assassins Creed 3 because he saw a commercial for it and he is a huge american history buff(even though hes Canadian) and he bought it saying he wanted me to show him the cool parts. So that is awesome, and I have been enjoying it quite a bit so far. I haven't touched an AC game since AC2 and I'm glad I didn't because this actually feels some what fresh even though it plays like the others.
I also purchased Blazblue:continuum Extend for like 20 bucks from EB and it is a great accessible fighting game. I say that because now I have something to play with my friends who couldn't be bothered to learn VF5 and KoF13 😛
I'm looking forward to the 22nd when Ni No kuni comes out. Hopefully I finish AC3 before then because I am super excited for that game.
At some point you need to play Brotherhood. Its better than AC2 Imo. AC Revelations is also good and provides information n the background story of Altair. If anything I always tell people to skip AC and get the Ezio collection then move in to 3.
David Cage said something to the effect that violence in context is a powerful tool for conveying emotion.
I have a feeling Naughty Dog will do just this with The Last of Us.
Exactly!