With talks on the internet of where the industry is currently headed, it's hard to imagine where exactly we're heading. A year ago I was convinced virtual reality would be the next step, but it seems this new generation is more about social interaction and media expansion. From Wii U's Miiverse to Sony's online interaction innovations, console gaming seems to be stepping into territory more so about interaction than changing how we play.
However, the industry is not without its skeptics. I follow a handful of personalities online and often hear their thoughts on the continuing trends of the game industry. RazorFist for instance, a youtube personality with an intricate vocabulary as long as his hair, believes that we are currently seeing a video game crash, citing the multiple closings of various studios both small and large as well as the possible end to console gaming as we know it.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Furthermore, there's ReviewTechUSA, a neutrally and brutally honest tech-head who speaks about news articles pertaining to video games for both consoles and computers. He believes that gaming is moving toward the favor of the smartphone market, citing the growing similarities between smartphones and their functionality with TVs and their multimedia services as well as how cheap it is to buy/sell them when compared to consoles.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
RazorFist may be right about the crash and ReviewTechUSA may be right about smartphones becoming the new lead platforms in console gaming. Who can say for sure?
This brings me to my ultimate point. Today I've seen the trailer for Beyond: Two Souls, the new title for PS3 by Quantic Dream, the makers of Heavy Rain.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Needless to say, I was very impressed by it. Since their "Kara" demo, I've been particularly impressed with Quantic Dream's evolving motion capture technology. In a similar vain to James Cameron's Avatar, the focus of this title is about making characters based upon real life actors (such as the lead role filled by Ellen Page or the newly revealed supporting role filled by Willem Dafoe).
While I did express concern in my previous blog about redundancy with art styles in the upcoming generation, I feel this trailer showed an element of uniqueness in that respect. The trailer presented many light and dark color schemes and a variety of interesting looking environments for the player to explore. Furthermore, Quantic Dream seems to be succeeding in its effort to make games far more cinematic than they ever have been before. Should I even mention how intriguing the story is to me? If there was a PS3 game to play at the end of its lifespan (aside from The Last of Us, that is), it's this one.
Despite its critics, I felt their first venture in this realm, Heavy Rain, was a flawed but fun experience. With multiple endings and an interesting take on failure and the end of a playable character's life, the game had some very interesting ideas that, in my opinion, made the flaws more easily overlooked.
It's nice to see Quantic Dream expanding on this and showing not only what their tech is capable of, but the ever growing development on console games. Comparing Beyond to Heavy Rain is like comparing Halo 4 to Halo 3; despite being on the same system, there are distinct differences (not to mention improvements) on how the games look both graphically an stylistically.
I feel that unique experiences like these will keep traditional gaming consoles in the limelight in the game industry. So while Apple/Android smartphones continue to appeal to a more casual crowd, developers like Quantic Dream will continue to fill that more 'core' void that those smartphone platforms simply cannot satisfy if only for the time being.
Venturing into a post-apocalyptic world, Bandai Namco resurrects the forgotten treasure, Sand Land: will it capture the magic of the Manga?
I enjoyed the demo so I'll be picking this up. The gameplay made me think of Metal Max Xeno so it sold me on it.
After the release of the horrid avatar update, Pokémon GO fans are trying to get items refunded. This has led to some getting threats of being banned.
Shift Up has released Stellar Blade day one update 1.002 on PS5, and those who preloaded the game should be notified of this update.
I can't believe they're censoring this game on day 1. Games just aren't the same.
/s in case it's needed. I'm fine with them making these changes that they might not have known is culturally insensitive to some people in the big ole world. But that's just me.
I'm offended by the sight of blood a d violence and find violence to be very insensitive...
We can all play stupid and pretend to be offended by graphics and fake worlds.
I really enjoyed the demo.
I'm going to play through and max out on story mode then go to the challenge mode afterwards.
This game is very challenging but fun.
Especially for timing on the parrying and blocking.
Got the Deluxe Digital Edition (PS5) pre ordered.
:)
RazorFist is funny as hell. I been watching his stuff since the beginning. He should have his own review column, for real! I don't agree with half of his reviews (he's not a big fan of Metal gear games--and I am a Huge fan of MGS), but he's still funny and has good points.
OT: I also think Beyond will be great. It still has that heavy "movie" feel, but that's okay. I may not always agree with Cage's views on the industry, but I welcome another one of his brilliantly narrated games.
Second link shows as private.
Yes, RF comes off as being too puritan "sometimes" but I agree with him about the crash. Really it needs to happen.
I don't see these kinds of games as "evolution" it seems more like degradation to me. When gameplay is taking a backseat to "emotion" driven cut scenes in the style of a movie, and control is limited to forced linear events and QTE's, how can we honestly call them games anymore?.
I'll keep it simple. look at Dragons Lair. Then look at Shenmue. Then look at QD latest game(s). Then SHOW me proof that the medium ISN'T evolving.... i'll wait
"THE NEXT logical STEP FOR point and click adventure GAMES" Is that evolution or not?