Tomb Raider

Definitive Edition

Lara Croft. The name is known to many a gamer……of a certain age range. She is an immortal symbol of gaming and is recognisable when next to other such prominent figures like Solid Snake, Mario, Sonic and Crash Bandicoot. So its no surprise that a remake and a retelling of her story would come around, as that seems to be a trend among developers at the moment.

So what is Tomb Raider and how is it different from its predecessors? Well having never played any of the original Tomb Raider games I can only tell you that it is incredibly different…….based on previous games and their settings. This is an origin story folks so settle down and listen to the story.


Redefining a series

Lara Croft a twenty one year old archaeologist travels to the coasts of Japan in search of the lost kingdom of Yamatia located in the dragons triangle. Only it doesn't go exactly as planned I mean when does anything, ever, go right in a video game. The ship that Lara is travelling on is suddenly hit by a storm and is torn in two this marks the beginning of a long road of survival for Lara and the crew of the Endurance, which by the way very subtle but good name for a crew of survivors on an island. 

The s*** hits the fan early as Lara washes up on the island of Yamatia she is abducted and hung upside down in a sack next to corpses. I know right. Grim. The sequence that directly follows it is not for the squeamish as she has to set her self on fire to gain freedom and when she does, Lara is impaled on a piece of metal in her side. The sympathy pain is real I can tell you that. And thats just the beginning, injury follows injury as the game progresses.

So what do you do when your trapped on an island with no forceable way off it? What do you do when you find out that the islanders  there aren't exactly into luau? What do you do when every big gun is pointed at you and you just used up the last of your clip? The answer is that you get tough and you get tough quick. Because thats what this Tomb raider is about. Its not about a bodacious super model archaeologist, its not about the perceived fantastical beings that lurk in the shadows, no this Tomb Raider is about an innocent young woman who is thrown into a harsh and unrelenting landscape that threatens her life at every corner. The landscape isn't just harsh either, this game is very…..physical it makes a point of you using almost all the tools you have at your disposal for instance, Lara manages to get hold of a climbing axe and uses it to traverse rock walls sometimes you are forced to jump towards these rock walls and you need to press a button in order to grab ahold of it and woe betide you if you mess it up as you watch Lara plummet to her death. The game makes a point of these moments being as nail biting as possible as you have no idea where the next curve ball will come from.

The setting of Tomb Raider is always dark and bleak, the sky of the game world is always overcast and even in those brief moments when it isn't there is still something to throw off the tranquility. Such as demonic alters with bodies strewn across them like rag dolls…..did I not mention that? The purpose of this Tomb Raider is to make a very grim point, the people and the island are all a little bit mad and as much as you would like to leave there are just too many people saying other wise. 


Lara Croft Reborn

As I said before Lara Croft is an immortal figure in gaming as popular as her, arguably inspired, male counterpart Nathan Drake. She has always been presented as a confident and capable woman in previous games and that is what people think of when asked about her. However this is not the same Lara Croft no this is a Lara Croft for a generation of people who are unfamiliar with her plight, her business in Tomb Raiding.

Meet Lara Croft. Successful, bright, intelligent, has an eye for architecture and an ear for history, has braved the three peaks of England, She's english forgot to mention that, generally an alright gal. Lara is immediately thrown into a world that is unfamiliar to her a world in which she must survive by any means necessary, a world that has her struggle to get by.

If I had to say anything about Lara Croft as she is in this game then I would call her innately human. The way she is portrayed is human, her responses to situations, her uncertainties basically her personality is human. Which I think is an incredible step as most protagonists of games nowadays are buff guys who can shake off an arrow to the chest, its refreshing therefore to see someone react in a way that is plausible. Lara displays this humanity during the first couple of hours into the game by having to kill a deer for food and she is audibly upset by the process, when she is captured again by the enemy A.I. and is forced to then kill him she weeps after the ordeal as the shock of what happened sets in, this is what gives her character as at first she is shocked and worried about having to do these acts to survive Lara grows accustomed to it about mid way through the game, she realises that this is the reality she is faced with and that she must deal with it. 


Obviously if someone were pushed through an ordeal such as this, no one would come out the same. The most interesting thing about Lara's overall evolution is that, at first, she is timid, innocent, relatively weak….in combat terms most fights are a struggle and her inexperience is shown frequently in some of the games cutscenes, Lara really has to try against foes……at first. As the game goes on and Lara starts making use of different weapons and failsafes, she becomes more hardened by combat and the once innocent young woman is changed into an efficient killer and I have to say from my point of view its actually quite frightening how she can just transition from blubbering after having to kill a man to doing it so effortlessly later on, hell at one point Lara starts to taunt her enemies saying that they can't kill her. The change isn't sudden but it is one of the finer points of detail in this new Lara.

Thats not to say that she is a psychopath though, its not like Lara enjoys the killing I think she just thinks of it as another part of survival, as an archaeologist she has an interest in history and any time a relic is found during the game she will showcase her knowledge by narrating where the object is from proving that she isn't just all bluff. As her character progresses we see that Lara is also an incredibly resilient person doing feats and stunts most other characters wouldn't be able to, I mean thats the point of the game obviously if you got stuck with all the boring parts it wouldn't be fun but its still interesting. 

In all honesty I like this Lara Croft a lot, when compared to the original. Obviously I am a little biased as I've never shown interest in the series till now but even so she displays a new side of female protagonists and she makes an excellent case for more of them in the future. Lets remember guys, girls are just as capable of saving the world and rescuing the princess.


The Game itself

Tomb Raider itself is a game with very similar makeup to the Uncharted series, its easy to see where the influences came from, but don't get it twisted while there is a great amount of linearity to both games Tomb Raider allows for more searching, the game world is bigger and encourages back tracking as well as making use of all of your weapons and tools at your disposal. However it's fairly easy to get lost in the terrain of Tomb Raider as there is a lot of information at once, when using survival sense various objects of interest are highlighted as well as your current objective, this can make it difficult to navigate through areas with so much going on…not a humungous flaw but not something you always won't. 

But where does Tomb Raider prize itself, well it does it quite frequently in the form of collectable items and tombs to well, raid. There is a great amount of things to do in Tomb Raider even if it is only back tracking there is a great sense of wonder to it, and working out some of the puzzles, though frustrating at times, are rewarding. Tomb Raider feels like an adventure game as well with each time you climb a stone wall and each time you over come a difficult obstacle, its inviting and fun to scale some of the heights of the game and to witness its bleak surroundings. 

Which brings me to my next point. A constant feeling in Tomb Raider is the feeling of bleakness that the world has been drained of sympathy and colour it serves as a constant reminder of Lara's situation and while she may catch a break every now and then it is usually met with a catastrophic failure immediately afterwards. With other games the colours can be encouraging even optimistic and at the same time it makes the player feel better when playing through the game this isn't the case with Tomb Raider it is a grim reminder of the gruelling fate that Lara can expect and just when she can get her hopes up they are quickly dashed by any number of unforeseen circumstances. 

Finally the combat of the game. Tomb Raider incorporates a cover mechanic like most modern shooters but it endeavours to create situations in which you are forced to move and change tactics and with so many weapons at your disposal there really isn't any excuse not to switch periodically. The most intriguing part of Tomb Raiders combat is that Lara starts off rather docile, having no real combat experience previously that changes over the course of the game and she gains more devastating and brutal movements, one of the stealths takedowns is literally her shoving a climbing axe into an enemies head for an impromptu lobotomy. It adds character depth to Lara's skill set as she becomes increasingly aware that she cannot avoid killing it also shows how desperate she is to revert to such underhanded techniques to get the edge on opposition. Overall the emphasis on using Lara's quick movements and cunning is one of the finer points of it all, I suppose adding more variety will come in later games. Something I will note however is that I had a hard time believing that the inhabitants of Yamatia couldn't kill a single untrained woman, of course I suspended disbelief for the purposes of the game but it seemed to me that they weren't in as much danger as a lot of the npc's made out. 

The Closer

"A famous explorer once said, that the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are. I'd finally set out to make my mark; to find adventure. But instead adventure found me. In our darkest moments, when life flashes before us, we find something; Something that keeps us going. Something that pushes us." - Lara Crofts Opening Lines

Tomb Raider is a colossal change from its predecessors, it is a unique change from previous games and it just feels like a good game. A recent theme with developers has been to reinvent certain series in an effort to bring them back to life and while I can say that certain series of games maybe don't need the vitality boost there are some that could use it. Tomb Raider is neither of the above, it didn't really need a reboot but for the purposes of getting younger generations interested in the series perhaps it was needed. From where I am sitting however I have to say that I throughly enjoyed Tomb Raider, this is one welcome reboot that shows the potential for the series to truly grow, to branch out.

Tomb Raider is a great game that stands apart from others of its genre it shows us the complexity of human life as well as a need to survive that borders on the primal. The game is captivating and not for the purposes of its graphics but simply for the struggle that the game presents as well as the various characters that endure the storm alongside Lara. If there is a better example of what a rebooted series should look like then I can think of no greater example than Tomb Raider. 

It also makes me hopeful for Rise of the Tomb Raider. As this game had me transfixed if Square stick to their guns and use the same formula I am sure they will be onto a winner. 

Uncharted 4

My impressions

I love the Uncharted series. I consider it to be the hall mark of adventure gaming, I love every part of it right from Nathan Drake's wit to the ball busting run and gun moments. Uncharted is many things at once, taking cue's from Indiana johns and tomb raider alike as examples. Uncharted is a mix of adventure game/ third person shooter/ movie type of game series and the thing that it prides itself on the most is its very narrative driven story complete with predictable villains and some unexpected villains, unforeseen sub plots, cult references and dynamic movie style fight scenes. Oh and lets not forget the scenery as it is something to die for.

The brains behind this series are, undoubtedly, the biggest and most successful out of the big 4 (The big four being Insomniac, Sucker punch, Ubisoft and Naughty Dog, I'll come back to why I call them that later) Naughty Dog. The minds behind such award winning series as Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter and most recently The Last of us. If you haven't heard of any of the above may I ask what rock you've been living under and is it at all good during winter months? I need somewhere to get away from the family. Naughty Dog are consistent in producing new and better content each time they embark on a new project and its interesting to see how they as a company have grown up based on the games they develop, with each one being more mature than the last. 

So to get to the crux of the point, Uncharted 4, as a fan what did I think? I was blown away. Then again people would say I am easy to please which is partly true however I do have some reservations, most out of character right? 

The trailer above starts by showing the viewer multiple paths. Most of Naughty dogs games have been linear in the way you reach your goal, you can go off to the side of the screen and find an artefact but thats it. So the first thing we notice is that this game may be the first one to allow us to chose our own routes to get to the goal, in the past it was always go from point A to point Z, now its more like go from Point A to point B, C or D to get to point Z……if you follow that. Basically its giving us freedom to decide the path even if we end up at the same spot. The next part shows Nate moving through caves, using familiar climbing mechanics it eventually leads us to a skeleton leaned against a flag. And this is where we see where Neil Druckman's influence comes into the game, the canonical triangle button to examine the flag is similar to the last of us. Not a bad thing it just feels familiar. As Nate comes out of the caves we see what I think might be a side quest or quest item, which would explain the multiple routes perhaps naughty dog have decided to give a new edge to their sword. After Nate examines this new information he makes his first sarcastic comment to a skeleton asking him if he's seen "a tall guy filled with stupid ideas about pirate treasure". At that point I had goose bumps, its always gratifying to hear Nolan Norths rendition of Nathan Drake, that school boy wit and sense of fun is what makes his character so great as well as those moments where Drake can be serious, its hard not to love him. Nate continues on and starts climbing the cliff in front of him. Half way up he makes another comment to the dead guy saying "You were trying to climb up there? In these boots?" adding a slight laugh to the end of his line. At this point we see a new mechanic added in; the ability to climb on certain walls through the use of a safety harness pin. After some more climbing and showing off this new tool Drake looks off towards his goal commenting on how far he still has to go and its at this point that the fun starts, because it wouldn't be Uncharted without some impromptu shoot out.


If Uncharted can be credited on anything then it would be credited on its fights. Showdowns that are so dynamic you'd think you were watching the newest blockbuster straight out of Hollywood. We see the familiar "low profile" stance that Nate takes when sneaking around however whats this? Is Drake hiding in the tall grass like a well hidden Pokemon? A new mechanic it would seem is new dynamic cover to make sneaking around a little easier. Nate starts to traverse the surrounding cliff sides to get the jump on his enemies and again I see a familiar element crop up again, the white line on the screen similar to the last of us when in listen mode indicates where Nate's enemies are and whether or not they've spotted him. It will sure make it easier to sneak around. Next we see the canonical stealth takedown with Nate stealing his enemies pistol. As he continues traversing we overhear a conversation by the enemy saying they could be here a while and they talk about Nate's companion. And then s*** hits the fan as the player is noticed. Because you know a guy hanging from a ledge is pretty noticeable. 

This is where we are treated to new combat moves. It has the same flair as the original games but there is some new features. The fights in Uncharted 4 don't look "Scripted" it seems more situation based similar in respect to Uncharted 3. As the trailer goes along we are treated to Nate's rope hook. Which allows him to reach new areas, like the npc's of previous games except this time Nate has it all the time. He uses it effectively in combat to get away from an incoming grenade and smack the guy responsible for throwing it. 

At this point I am quoting the trailer so I'll just sum up combat, its gratifying to see new mechanics while keeping that same feeling of Uncharted thats become a staple for the series. So onto the last part of the trailer which is where we meet Drake's "brother" well thats what he says. Drake is apparently a little bro to this new comer voiced by the wonderful Troy Baker. The trailer ends with him saying they have some treasure to find and a pan upwards to see what looks like a village in the distance. Now I am a sceptic when it comes to these types of characters, and I am calling it now this new guy Sam is not I repeat NOT Drake's older brother. I know a backstabber when I see one and I don't know if anyone else got that vibe but Drake has been duped before and this scenario feels familiar. But thats why I won't to be wrong, because it seems predictable I want to be wrong so that I can see that Naughty dog haven't lost the touch. 

So overall I love the look of this new Uncharted. It feels like the success that Uncharted 3 wasn't. Don't get me wrong all of the Uncharted series is pure gold but Uncharted 3 didn't deliver the same thrill that number 2 had. Lets hope that Uncharted 4 delivers the same feeling. Honestly I can't tell at the moment whether it will or not yet, all I can say with some certainty is that I am going to love it no matter what. Yeah, yeah I don't care what reviewers might say I am a hopeless romantic I look past flaws in games and from what I can tell this Uncharted may be one for the record books.




















Oh yeah never explained the big four from before. Ok so the Big Four, for me anyway, is those game companies that started off with quite cartoony games that eventually evolved into the series of today for instance Sucker Punch are the minds behind the Sly Cooper series a game series which I played when I was younger, Sly cooper eventually went on to become Infamous and Infamous spanned the PS3's lifetime and eventually it evolved to Infamous second son carrying on the torch into the most recent gen of console. Insomniac had Ratchet and Clank which went on to become Resistance (Ugghh)  and which eventually ended up as Sunset Overdrive (YAY!!!). Naughty Dog go Crash Bandicoot to Jak and Daxter to Uncharted and Uncharted to The Last of us. Ubisoft from Prince of Persia to Assassins Creed. Basically the big four are game companies that have matured with their audience and are always aiming to keep the content going. They are also companies that I've grown up around in my childhood.

Square Enix

My renewed faith in them

Square enix are an old gaming company and have been going for 11 years now (28 years if you count Square soft) and I'll be honest here, haven't been too impressed with their recent games and or products. Having to wait nearly 8 years for FF XV is their biggest black mark at the moment and a lot of fans are turning away from this monolithic series that has spawned so many spinoffs and mini series simply because of the direction FF in particular has been taking. 

Final Fantasy is a series which I hold very close to my heart, I've played all of the main games I.e. 1 through 13 so far and If you've played any FF game the way it goes, usually, is the first one you play is your favourite title. For me that was FF IX, the atmosphere of the game, the characters, the storyline, the Shakespearean esque soliloquy's that nearly all of the main characters have whether there spoken or thought and the music all sold me. FF IX is my favourite so far and its not that I don't also like the more recent FF games it just feels that the further from their roots that they get the less they feel like FF games. Let me clarify that statement, Final Fantasy to me is an epic struggle; light versus dark, good vs evil, the whole basis of the crystals hold sway over the world.

So what do I mean when I say my faith is renewed? Well lately I have found that I am enjoying FF less and less, with each subsequent release being less interesting than the last. I have no interest in playing Lightning Returns because as far as I care the series was finished at FF XIII-2 and thats where it should have finished. Lighting returns felt like an excuse to milk the cow even though she was barren. FF XIV similarly held no interest to me………until I heard of an event. Something, which as far as I know, has never been done before. The world came to an end. 

Two years ago Square announced that they would be discontinuing service for Final Fantasy XIV online. The way they went about this was to create a clock counting down to the virtual doomsday in which meteor would crash into Eorzea (FF XIV's world). The event is actually part of the games storyline, the world of Eorzea goes through cycles of abundance (Astral Era's) and scarcity (Umbral Era's) the event that took place in FF XIV that closed the original game was the Seventh Umbral Era in which the planets moon grew bigger as it approached Eorzea, this along with the invasion of the Garlean empire obviously caused the people to panic.

I am going to stop there as my understanding of the event isn't great and I wasn't there to bear witness to it. The information I have is based on wiki readings and accounts by friends. To cut a long story short, Bahamut emerged from the moon and laid waste to a large portion of Eorzea a character within the story managed to save the adventurers (The player) by transporting them through time to a new Eorzea, and so the Seventh Astral Era begins and so does A Realm Reborn.





Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

I don't really invest much interest in the pay to play aspect of online gaming. I am of the belief that a game should be free to play to an extent. Having said that however I understand now why there is a subscription fee for FF XIV and why I would be happy to pay it. Online gaming, especially FF, isn't something that I took much interest in but recently having seen the massive leap forward that is a realm reborn I've had to revise my opinion. A realm reborn is a huge overhaul of FF XIV and it looks incredible especially when compared to the previous title. Whats encouraging about all of this is that Square are constantly releasing new patches with extra content, new missions, familiar bosses from previous games, hell Gilgamesh makes an experience (wouldn't be FF without him).

These updates aren't just a sign of Squares commitment to their fans but also just how much faith they are willing to put into a game as large as this. FF XIV ARR is a true fantasy game through and through and I honestly believe that at this moment in time it is a huge contributing factor to the rest of the series. Square release updates every couple of months and with each update comes about 3-5 hours of new content (Don't quote me on that outsiders opinion) Some of the updates are below:

This is the level of commitment that square are aiming for and I can honestly say that I am confident that any subsequent releases will be bolstered by this monolithic game. And here is what convinced me to buy and play FF XIV ARR. Their first expansion and hopefully the first in a long line of content.

Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn presents their first expansion Heavensward the scenario  mostly tells the story of Dragoons, which coincidentally, are my favourite of the FF classes. This epic trailer looks to bring all new content and just to put it in perspective for a moment those videos above are simple patches to gameplay PATCHES and there is so much content in them. Just……I am just blown away.





Final Fantasy Type-0 HD

This is one that unfortunately the rest of the world missed out on years ago when it was on the psp, unless like me you decided to import it. Type-0 is different from a lot of different titles that have come before it, for it is the most savage and relentless in reinforcing one consistent element in the games world and that element is death. Death plays a huge role in this unsung hero of FF's history and this Final Fantasy is brutal, seriously there's blood and violence and all sorts of stuff going on. If it sounds like I am exaggerating then I might be a bit why don't I leave the opening of the game below and you can make your own decision. 

My advice? Abandon everything you think you know about FF because this changes everything. Too dramatic? Maybe but it is justified, type-0 takes an all new turn in terms of maturity it shows how far Final fantasy has come and how much further its planning to go. In this game Square are showing the brutality of war, using so many different concepts I mean if you watched the trailer you would know that those people were pleading for their lives and being gunned down in the process. Type-0 proves one thing in all of this, that this game is going to be harrowing in many different ways and that it is the grown up younger sibling of all other FF's to date. If you claim to be any type of fan then don't miss Type-0 HD.





Final Fantasy XV

The most anticipated of the series so far might not be that far off after all. At least its reassuring to hear that Type-0 HD will include a demo for FF XV which I interpret as a good sign. It means that FF XV will be here soon. Then again as I've mentioned before I am rather optimistic about stuff like this, the reality might be that we need to wait until the end of 2015 or worse 2016. Either way I am holding on hope. Don't let us down Square. 

From everything that Square have shown so far it defiantly looks impressive, the open world concept obviously isn't for everyone and I know quite a few people who aren't happy about the whole "one button for everything" command, however I haven't played an FF game yet where I didn't press X the entire time for everything so I have no idea why anyone would complain about something like that (Bzzttt tangent, Sorry)

Its clear Square are trying to deliver big and promise bigger and I have to say, despite the wait, I am impressed by all of this. It looks to be a FF title unlike any other so far and if it delivers everything it promises then we are in for something special. 

With a combat system that is akin to Kingdom Hearts, FF XV looks like a more grown up version of the latter although having said that I prefer to see them as two different things. The base work is there and there are similarities but there is still a very clear division between the two. 

So the question for most people now isn't wether or not they will like the final product (Ha pun) its more a question of how long fans are willing to wait for something that arguably should have been released years ago as promised. And although I personally will be getting it regardless this is a blight on the fandom that, unfortunately, will NEVER go away like I've said before this better be the best that Square have to offer or otherwise they might be looking at the receding backs of a lot of their fan base. Ok maybe a bit too dramatic but they would suffer from this.



So all in all, despite what is going on with Square, I am redeemed by their commitment and honestly even though I am sure there are lots of people out there who would complain about the direction their going in but when you withstand criticism and an angry fan base telling you how disappointed they are, its refreshing to see that Square are pushing through it making even more content for their games, hearing the pleas of the fans regarding unreleased content, taking the criticism into consideration its all just so reassuring. I would say that this is the time to put your faith in Square as never before, to show them that their commitment wasn't wasted that all of their hard work will be repaid. To anyone losing faith out there hold on hope because the best they have to offer is just around the corner and remember their only human.

Fifteen game trailers that are memorable

(And downright awesome)

Some of my favourite one's

Advertising is a big part of...well any company no matter what they sell, wether its food, technology, clothing, medicine you name it, they've done it. It goes without saying that to capture the attention of any one you have to have a catchy trailer. This is just a little tidbit on some of the best game trailers that I've seen. Ones that were so enthralling and blew my mind that I wanted to instantly go out and buy said game, and sometimes I did just that. So without further adieu. 

Quick note, these are not in any particular order of which I think is the best, all the trailers in here are amazing in their own right. 

Number 15

Megaman Zero series was one that resinated with me in a big way. Ever since I discovered the series some 9 years ago, I've been hocked on it. The principle of the game, the story, the struggle between good and evil both apparent and not so. It is a rather juvenile series obviously, but for the hardcore fans and those that remember the very first time they ever saw Zero and were enthralled by him, this is certainly one game in the series you shouldn't miss. 

Megaman Zero 4 brings an end to the Zero series, as the struggle between the resistance and Neo arcadia becomes more heated, a small Caravan group of humans decide to leave the safety and comfort of Neo arcadia and try their luck in area zero, a natural forest area (and as far as i can remember one of the last pieces of unspoilt land in a world populated by humans and robots called Reploids.) 

Zero's mission: Defeat Doctor Wile and bring an end to his mad scheming once and for all. The final epic instalment of the  series brings together all the best bits of the previous one's with some new mechanics that can change the flow of the game all together. 

What attracted me to the trailer? Well I'll be honest the 12 year old me loved the music. It got me pumped for the end of this amazing series. Looking back on it now though...its pretty cheesy, but at the time I was captivated by the struggle that zero went through, the fight to prove that humans had their place in the world while he himself was a reploid  Megaman Zero 4 is a brilliant game, wether your looking for nostalgia or just to have a fast paced game. 

Number 14

Let's be honest for a moment. Nearly all Assassin's creed trailers are filled to the brim with free running, awesome combat and inspiring dialog and or music. Unity is no exception to the rule. The trailer easily redefines the series by using familiar elements but bringing a new twist to an otherwise linear formula. 

Out of all AC games so far, this one is the big hitter. The one that in terms of story and characters seems far more appealing than black flag. Don't get me wrong AC black flag; huge improvement over AC 3 but I didn't connect well with Edward Kenway. It always seemed to me that he danced at the edge of being someone important when really he played second fiddle to a lot of the other leading characters. 

Arno, thankfully, isn't some brash cocky pirate, he respects the order and the people within it. Having said that though Arno's character is still shrouded in relative mystery, wether or not he will be the embodiment of good or wether he will actually help the revolution is yet to be seen. 

During the trailer we witness a struggle between the people of France and the Aristocracy that threatens their way of life. Now I don't know much about the french revolution but it looks…pretty brutal. What does this trailer do well? In comparison to AC 4 it gives us a sense of duty, of wanting to help a waning power take hold over a corrupt society. That and the ass kicking plus (though I am not a fan) Lorde's version of "Tears for fears" really helps to pace the trailer as it comes to its, understated, bloody conclusion. 

This is looking great by the way. Most interested I've been since brotherhood. 

Number 13

Dragon age 2, isn't an rpg that I actually played and while I think that its a good series it never interested me enough to hold my attention. Having said that…the trailer for Dragon age 2 is good. It shows the baseness of the game without, sacrificing anything about the story so that while we are intrigued by it, it gives us the starting point to make the viewer want to buy it. 

So why do I like the trailer so much if I haven't played the game? I like most things action and at the time it seemed appealing to see a different take on a warrior than most other games. I.e. He used something akin to magic which might mean the character isn't entirely a warrior, maybe a mage knight.

The trailer itself is full of most normal rpg troupes. The solitary bad guy proves his ability by slaying everyone else single handedly, solitary good guy challenges him for nondescript hero reasons and then beats his ass. 

Its a little cliche, but it did draw me in to the world of dragon age even if it was for a rather cursory glance. Even so the trailer is full of action and helps solidify its place in rpg corner. 

Number 12

God. Damn. Friggin. Dark. Souls.

Is a phrase you'll likely hear a lot when you explore the annuls of this monstrously difficult rpg. Death and destruction, life and rebirth all very common themes in the souls series. Dark souls 2 doesn't hold back when it comes to difficulty, seriously it lays it on don't ever go wandering into Dark souls thinking that you won't die because you will. A lot. And for those of you who actually don't die, I hate you. 

Aside from that the one thing that has always gripped me about Dark souls is the sense of hopelessness that hangs over all the areas you visit, over all the people you encounter. Like they're all on the verge of giving up. And it is that desolation, that all to funny feeling that something is waiting around the next corner that makes Dark souls into what it is.

This trailer does a good job of showing us just what your in for. Out numbered, out manoeuvred that is what the trailer does well to represent. The all to real hopelessness that is Dark souls. Haven't put you off it have I?

Number 11

Some might argue that this instalment of Resi Evil is a blip, on an otherwise sound radar. It's not the best. No, seriously, its pretty bad. And not bad in a good way, just….bad. Personal preference,agree to disagree. Anyway.

Resident Evil has maintained a relatively good line up of games and while the scare factor has been replaced a little with action its still appealing. Maybe bigger fans of the series than myself (seeing as I am pretty much a newcomer to the series) will disagree. This individual game tells the tale of what happened after racoon city fell to the zombie virus (forgive me if I am wrong like I said, newcomer). A covert team is sent in to destroy any evidence of umbrella's involvement. Suffice to say, seeing as there are a whole load of games afterwards, they didn't do a great job. 

The trailer makes the game look really appealing. A group of bad guys chase down police witnesses to the zombie problem while another faction enters the city to help any civilians who survived. It all comes to ahead when the two groups clash and obviously, with the racket their causing, attract the "local wildlife". Its not the best that capcom have to offer but not the worst either. Unfortunately this is one of those cases where an impressive trailer can't save the final product.

Number 10

Probably my favourite instalment in the series so far as it did a fantastic job of shining light on some rather big questions, however as is Kingdom hearts style, it left a lot of new information with us and even more mystery. As someone who has played all titles to date I have to say that just "jumping in" to the series is pretty much impossible, as there is a lot of information to cover. Kingdom hearts and its lore is pretty big.



Birth by sleep introduced us to three apprentice Keyblade wielders. Two of whom are taking the "Mark of mastery" exam, to prove themselves worthy of the key blades true power. Long story short, it doesn't go swimmingly. Birth by sleep brings new mechanics to the game which have lasted up until the latest instalment. Although it seems that Square enix have opted to return to KH 2 style of gameplay (or at least in some part).



Kingdom hearts has a habit of saying much without saying a lot and it often raises more questions than it answers. Which is why the story line can be confusing to an outsider or newcomer to the series. And birth by sleep doesn't act to rectify the ambiguous nature of kingdom hearts cryptic messages.

Still having said that. With ever new trailer the hype intensifies, I remember watching this trailer when I was fifteen and loved it. Now after watching it again, I am looking for my copy of Birth by sleep to remember the thrill of playing it for the first time. 





Number 9


Don't think that I've ever played anything Tom Clancy based before. Thats about to change.

The division looks to be a step in the right direction and hopefully will help to become an independent series away from the rest of splinter cell. Not that those games are bad, but its always nice to see diversity and change. 

A haunting and extremely well done trailer. And a perfect way to show exactly what the Narrator is saying, turn away from it and its never there, look and its all around you. Not gonna lie, when I see unity and camaraderie such as what is displayed here I can't help but get goose bumps which is why the division is looking to be such a good title. Especially as the title of the game could have two meanings, The division is a group of soldiers who were given the directive "save what remains" and it can also refer to the very apparent divide that has surfaced between people. 

This is defiantly one to watch as Tom Clancy still brings the bucks even from beyond. May he rest in peace. (Yes I know Tom Clancy had no input but still)

Number 8

Jumping into a series from the third instalment isn't generally a good idea however Crysis 3 didn't exactly hide anything. Of course there backstory isn't all that hard to find or even explain. And while I am not exactly sure what sort of wrap it got when it was released, I've heard some mixed reviews on it. Having played it myself I can't say I am all too fond of it.

Its still a beautiful game none the less and its a testament to FPS's everywhere. Making use of some unique features that are reminiscent of something like Halo. These trailers sell the game really well and its still majestic and interesting even if you don't particularly enjoy it (like myself). Not much else to say really, watch the trailers and witness the massacre that is Crysis 3 (Massacre in a good way, the trailers are pretty impressive).

Number 7

What happens when you put a corrupt politician, a plague that threatens the safety of every person in a city, a supernatural voodoo gentleman and a royal guard turned assassin who is just dang tired of it all? 

The answer would be dishonored and the problem would be Corvo Attano. In this stealth/action/adventure game you explore the city of Dunwall to clear your name for being wrongfully accused of killing the empress and kidnapping her daughter. 

Yeah the s**** really hits the fan early. And while the trailer is a convincing, and mostly shows a lot of mechanics that made it into the main game (Most trailers show stuff that never appears in the main game), it has one flaw. "Revenge solves everything" brings you to a bad ending, so it seems that phrase is only for those who don't mind all the murder. But lets be honest, when you come up with creative ways to murder your opposition don't you just want to show off even a little bit?

Arguably one of the best games I've ever played and I can't oversell it enough. So I won't, its up to you to decide wether you like it or not. 

Number 6

Probably the most anticipated game of this year, given all the hype around it and having played it first hand I can assure you the hype is well founded. Lets take a step back for a moment and look at the events that bring Destiny about. Earthlings take their first step onto the planet mars, the planet is as barren as usual, without much life here or there. After a brief walk however the astronauts discover a huge planet sized sphere tentatively named The Traveller. This sentient object pushes humanity into a golden age from which they develop all sorts of new technology, are able to colonise on planets such as saturn and mars and the traveller brings one more gift that humans weren't expecting. The Darkness. No, not the video game. Another unseen entirety that helpfully, like most catastrophes, reminds humanity of the scope of their goal and the futility in trying.

The Darkness brings with it a whole host of alien warriors seeking to take what it was the humans built and they are as diverse as they come, from the spider armed alien pirates known as the Fallen to the robot alien race, the Vex. These creatures are coming to take what was ours or to reclaim what they thought was theirs. But if there is one thing that humanity is good at its surviving. And that in a nutshell is where the story of the Guardians (the player controlled character) comes in.

If I sounded a bit too enthusiastic about Destiny then I apologise, I won't lie this is looking to be one of the best games I will ever play and probably many others think in the same way as well. Given the success of Halo, and to no small extent how well Destiny has done based on its numbers even before its released, it seems safe to say that this could very well be the birth of something great.

Number 5

Another widely renowned and well known series is Super Smash Bros and personally speaking I am looking forward to this instalment the most out of all the other's so far. Mostly because some of my favourite characters are going to be in it, but also because if Kid icarus uprising was anything to go off of then we already know the new Smash Bros is going to be great. Its hard to pick just one trailer which exemplifies why I am looking forward to this, but this is one that stood out the most for me. 

Riding the success of Fire emblem Awakening come Robin and Lucina two pivotal characters from the game, for the purposes of spoiler prevention I won't explain why they're important. Just know that they are absolutely badass. 

Fire emblem is a great SRPG and these two are fantastic additions to the smash bros roster.

Number 4 

First off. I don't claim to know a single thing about League of Legends, whatsoever. Second this next trailer exemplifies some of the best CGI combat choreography I've ever seen.

League of legends is one of these series that I've always heard about but never really had enough interest in. That being said, it doesn't seem too be a game that has a bad rep or maybe I am looking in the wrong places for criticism. Anyway here's the trailer.

Obviously Riot games have come along way since the inception of this cult classic and if you look at some of their earlier content you can see what I mean. Its always gratifying and fun to watch trailers like this even if you don't want to become invested in the game itself. 

As someone who likes the flow of battles no matter what form they come in this is a perfectly executed example of what both CGI can accomplish and what a game is capable of. So lets give LOL a big round of applause eh. No takers?. Alright then.


Number 3

Waiting half a decade for a game is a pretty long time and apparently we may have to wait a little longer. But square seem sure that 2015 is the best time for Final Fantasy XV (15). Lets hope to god they're right.

In recent years Final Fantasy has pushed the whole role playing genre to the edge and now with the most recent games we begin to ask when does a turn based rpg become a run around beat em up. FF XV looks to be pushing not just the limits of the term turn based rpg but also the limits of the series as a whole. And while many are not appreciative of the changes made to the series, I eagerly await this next instalment both to see how good it is and also to see if my trust in square enix is great fully returned. Suffice to say, if this game goes south then tables will be flipped. 

At this point the thing that is driving any hardcore fan is faith. Faith that square will be able to turn around what has been a proverbial black mark on their reputation and deliver everything the trailer promises. 

And while most may not like the direction FF has taken, I for one, can't wait to see how this turns out because if this trailer is anything to go off then this should be one of the best FF titles in years. Lets hope. Oh god let us hope. 

Number 2

Hideo Kojima man, what a boss. Metal gear solid is a series that I am fond of and while I am not a die hard fan I can say this much, the phantom pain is going to be brilliant. 

Focusing once again on the story of Big Boss, the phantom pain takes place after Ground zeroes and the destruction of mother base. The game is set 9 years after Ground zeroes seeing as Big boss awakes from a coma in hospital with a new prosthetic arm. With the intention of hunting down the ones responsible for Mother bases destruction Big boss now cod named "Venom Snake" sets out once more into the world of MGS.

So whats so impressive about this new title? Um everything. A new expansive sandbox experience is what MGS the phantom pain is promising and I have to say after watching numerous trailers on the gameplay its one of these high priority titles that is defiantly going to be good. 

Don't take my word for it though. And if this is the first MGS title that your likely to play, part of me would criticise you for jumping in at the fifth game while another part of me would tell you that this is a good place to start. Either way MGS 5 The Phantom Pain looks impressive and if Kojima is as good as his word then this is a game you defiantly shouldn't miss.



Number 1

Words cannot accurately describe what my feelings are for this. Its not often that I am 100% blown away and so taken by a game that no doubt in my mind remains as to whether or not it will be good. Hyper Light Drifter was introduced to me by a friend, and having initially dismissed it without watching the trailer I went back and watched it.

If your looking for a 16 something bit game that reminds you of the classical generation of early consoles and gaming then look no further than Hyper Light Drifter, for it is a thing of utter beauty. HLD has a lot of tropes from previous gaming series that it adapts to make its own unique blend of gameplay and if you pay close enough attention you can see a lot of familiarity in it.

Everything about Hyper Light Drifter seems perfect in my eyes but then again I am quite the stubborn person who dislikes finding faults in games and tends to look at the bigger picture. To some this game will not appeal at all, to others this may be the greatest nostalgia kick in decades no matter what way your leaning wether your on the fence or not HLD is shaping up to be a mind blowing indie title. Too enthusiastic? Yeah a little bit. 


And that's it. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this….this…..whatever this is. My ramblings!! There we go thats the right word. Hope you've enjoyed reading. Pleases post criticism or your own opinions below. No name calling eh, lets try to act like adults. And yes I am not always great with grammar so if your gonna say something about it don't be a dick about it just point it out.



Honourable Mentions

Stuff that I enjoyed that didn't make it in here. Either because I didn't like it enough or because I Only remembered about it after I was done writing. No description just some brilliant trailers. Enjoy!