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The One 2015 Game That’s Most Likely To Surprise You

Ben-Dutka 20 Comments

There are lots of hugely promising games on tap for 2015.

However, which one do you expect has the capacity to really surprise you, either in a good way or a bad way?

I think for many, it's going to end up being The Order: 1886 . Those who are giving it flak don't seem to fully comprehend the scope of that game, and I have a feeling many naysayers are going to end up eating their hats over that one. Thing is, if you really dive into the nuts and bolts of what Ready at Dawn is trying to do, it goes well beyond the standard third-person shooter. To think it'll be nothing more than a generic action game is insulting to the designers, that's for sure.

But if that's not the game that you think will surprise you, which is it? I'd like to say I'll hold out hope for Final Fantasy XV , but the only way that title surprises me is if it actually turns out to be a good RPG. And as it doesn't seem to be a role-playing game in the first place, I doubt it'll happen. But you never know…

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Will 2015 Be The Year In Gaming 2014 Should’ve Been?

Ben-Dutka 28 Comments

No matter how you slice it, 2014 was a disappointment.

Even though we always have plenty of games to play (something the youngsters don't fully appreciate), 2014 was billed as one of the best years in gaming history. It didn't turn out that way.

In doing up the Game of the Year nominees today, I realized just how big of a letdown the past year has been, especially if we consider the expectations for 2014. Many of the most anticipated games of the new generation just didn't blow us away; starting with inFamous: Second Son and Titanfall earlier in the year and moving through Destiny , Driveclub , The Evil Within , and Assassin's Creed Unity later, the year simply didn't deliver the defining experiences it promised.

On top of which, the constant delays took their toll. Without the likes of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , Batman: Arkham Knight , Evolve , Battlefield: Hardline and The Order: 1886 , we were left with mostly uninspired, technically unstable games. We caught a few glimpses of greatness in games like Unity , Watch Dogs and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor , and Dragon Age: Inquisition and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare were both great. Even so, it's really not what everyone had anticipated.

The question is, will 2015 be the year 2014 should've been? Uncharted 4: A Thief's End , Bloodborne and The Order lead the PlayStation charge, along with the aforementioned titles. Plus, you've got Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain , Final Fantasy XV , No Man's Sky , Rise of the Tomb Raider , Mortal Kombat X , Halo 5: Guardians , etc. Maybe that's the year that will make us all happy to be new-console owners.

What do you think?

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Could 2015 End Up Being The Year 2014 Should’ve Been?

Ben-Dutka 28 Comments

Many will agree that overall, 2014 was a relatively disappointing year.

A bunch of huge games got delayed and many others just didn't blow us away, as we expected them to do.

Personally, I'm not complaining. I never have any shortage of games to play, so delays and a few minor letdowns aren't enough to disappoint me. But there are plenty of gamers out there who disagree and so, that being the case, I'm wondering if 2015 will be the year 2014 probably should've been.

Not only will some of 2014's original high-profile productions like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , Battlefield: Hardline and Batman: Arkham Knight arrive in the first quarter, but other major titles could be truly "next-gen." Sony's PlayStation 4 might finally enforce its powerful will with exclusives like Uncharted 4: A Thief's End , Bloodborne , and The Order: 1886 , while other major third-party games are scheduled as well. Besides, now that developers are starting to focus entirely on the new consoles (and they're not forced to make a game work on two different generations of hardware), the experiences should, by default, get better.

Do you have high expectations for next year? Will it easily outstrip this year?

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Assassin’s Creed Unity: A Triumph, Or Another 2014 Letdown?

Ben-Dutka 37 Comments

2014 has been a difficult year from a review standpoint.

Some of the biggest titles haven't lived up to expectations, at least from a score perspective. Destiny , inFamous: Second Son , Watch Dogs and even the massively hyped Titanfall couldn't break the coveted 9+ threshold as an average Metascore.

So, the question should be obvious: Will the next huge release disappoint critics again, or will it soar high? One could actually argue that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was the first high-profile 2014 title that actually delivered. Most reviewers and gamers really seem to like it, right? Well, maybe Assassin's Creed Unity can continue the upswing. We're already seeing solid reviews for Rogue , so shouldn't it stand to reason that Unity – specifically designed for the new consoles and PC – will be even better…?

I can't say anything about it just yet, but we're mere hours from seeing reviews hit the Internet. I'm just wondering what people are anticipating. The year has been so up-and-down that it's difficult to know what to expect.

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Can You Predict The Highest Scoring Game Of 2014?

Ben-Dutka 39 Comments

Obviously, we don't know all the video games that will release in 2014. But based on what you know now, which one will the critics love most?

Bear in mind that there are multiple factors to consider, especially when we're talking about next-gen titles where the expectations could be – and often are – through the roof.

If Uncharted 4 came out this year, I'd pick that one. Unfortunately, it seems Naughty Dog scoffs at the idea that it'll launch in 2014 (if we're correctly interpreting that dismissal). The previous two Uncharted installments were two of the highest-scoring games of the generation and in fact, of all time. Naughty Dog just does amazing things, plain and simple.

Another contender might be Thief , even though I imagine it'd be a dark horse contender for Game of the Year. Don't forget that this franchise has a ton of respect from veteran gamers; hence, many critics may go easy on its flaws. We've been waiting on a new Thief for a long time and if it's done correctly, the stealth aficionados will be dancing in the streets. Then again, I suppose there's a chance that this title could be one of the biggest disappointments, too… The fans can be picky.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a worthy pick, even if CD Projekt RED can deliver on half of what it claims. Given its potential revolutionary size and depth, this anticipated sequel could redefine the nature of the open-world RPG. Destiny might do the same for multiplayer-oriented, open-world shooters, and Bungie has a fantastic track record. They're the guys who made Halo , remember? Speaking of which, I guess Halo 5 has a shot at being the best reviewed game of 2014, even though I say it's been overrated since the second entry on Xbox.

So, what's your pick? Could it be Watch Dogs ? The new Assassin's Creed ? An unexpected masterpiece like inFamous: Second Son ? Remember, the first two games didn't exactly score off the charts, strangely enough.

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Which Hyped Title Is Most Likely To Disappoint In 2014?

Ben-Dutka 37 Comments

There are plenty of hugely hyped games scheduled for 2014. Maybe all of them will totally rock.

But chances are, one of them will come up short and disappoint you. Which one is it? Which one are you hoping will be a masterpiece, but actually has the best chance of being ultimately underwhelming?

I think it might be Mad Max , currently in development at Avalanche. Despite the large and loyal following Just Cause generated, I've never quite understood the fascination. Those games were always riddled with technical issues; I suppose just because they were absurdly over-the-top, they were given a pass. But such flaws really take me out of the experience and on top of which, I was never that interested in any Just Cause world. They all seem so stark and barren, especially when compared with the likes of other sandbox titles ( Assassin's Creed , Grand Theft Auto , inFamous , etc.).

And it doesn't help that Mad Max will, almost by default, have yet another very stark environment. I don't see myself getting all that involved and despite all the hype, I have a feeling Avalanche will let a lot of people down with this one. Second on my list is actually The Order: 1886 , even though I won't be surprised if it ends up being excellent. Ready at Dawn is new to the AAA big-budget blockbuster game for consoles, and I'm concerned they've bitten off more than they can chew. The title sounds crazy ambitious, which I definitely applaud, but it can also lead to big problems.

I'd also mention Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII …if I actually thought anyone in their right minds was actually "hyped" for it.

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