There Are Literally Zero Things Offensive About FAR CRY 4's Box Art

Uh oh, white skin means racism?

This is Far Cry 4's box art. Currently, it is being called racist and offensive by many people in the gaming industry. People are actually arguing that because it shows a light skinned man in a position of power over a slightly darker skinned man. It's being called offensive too because he's using a religious statue as a throne which is apparently 'desecration.' 

I apologize in advance, but if these are your arguments then they are automatically invalid and deserve absolutely no attention given to them. I'm sitting here using all the brain power I have deliberately trying to find something even remotely offensive about this box art and I just can't do it. It's a typical box art. What, do people think he's gay because his clothes and pose are a bit flamboyant? Why is that offensive? I seriously can't find anything here that's even mildly offensive or off putting. 

What about Far Cry 3's box art? It shows Vaas, a hispanic man, asserting dominance over a white male buried in the sand. Is that racist? In order to subvert racism do we need to have characters all be the same race? Wouldn't that ALSO be racist? Is it sexist too because there are no women on the cover? Holy shit, there are no women on the cover of Far Cry games, they must be sexist. It's the same leap in logic that's being made here.

Uh oh, sand is offensive?

The folks at IGN addressed the issue admitting they could see why people had an issue with the box art and that nobody's opinion should be 'written off.' I vehemently disagree. There is absolutely no controversy here. It's just people being oversensitive and overly politically correct. I'd honestly even go so far as to say that the actual racists are the ones calling this racist. When I saw Far Cry 4's box art, I saw a man who is clearly the villain, asserting his dominance over a henchman on a well constructed piece of art. All they seem to see is a white guy over a non white guy. Also, that statue may or may not have slight religious significance, so blasphemy too! Since when do we care about religion in games? Did we forget about how BioShock and BioShock Infinite portrayed both extremes of Atheism and Christianity? I genuinely don't get the controversy, and it's largely in part because there is none. 

Like the Mass Effect "gratuitous sex scenes" before it, this is a non-controversy and we should seriously stop taking any argument against that even remotely serious. 

The Best and Worst Spider-Man Games of All Time

With the Amazing Spider-Man 2 in theaters this weekend, I thought this was the perfect time to return to this page. I've been a fan of Spider-Man for longer than I can even remember and it was also one of the reasons why I got into gaming. So, to honor the wall crawler, I thought it'd be fun to rank my favorite Spider-Man games of all time, from worst to greatest. DISCLAIMER: This is strictly based off of the ones I've played. While I have played the genesis and gameboy advanced Spider-Man games, I'm going to focus on the most memorable ones, so basically, PS1 and onward. Let's go!

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Ehh, I'm not sure what to say about this one. I bought it on launch day because it had been such a long time since I had that web swinging fix that only a Spider-Man game could deliver, but this was just disappointing. Keep in mind, I'm also in the minority because I actually thought the film the game was based on was actually fantastic. The game just falls flat. Webs stick to clouds, the story is written horribly, the voice acting leaves much to be desired, the gameplay feels more like it's trying to emulate the Arkham games than it feels like it's trying to be a Spider-Man game, and the gameplay mechanics are kind of dull. Web Rush, which is a mechanic that puts Spider-Man on an automated path during gameplay is as about as lame as it sounds.

The camera's super close to Spider-Man during gameplay which unexpectedly makes the game feel less open. The lack of mission variety coupled with how dry the game is definitely makes this the worst game to don the Spider-Man name. At least, of all the ones I've played. It's worth playing, but not worth a buy. NYC is empty and lifeless which is the worst mistake you could possibly make in an open world game.

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (2007)

I'll be honest, I don't have much experience with this game. It's basically Marvel Ultimate Alliance with exclusively Spider-Man characters, villains and heroes alike. This game wins points for being the only game that lets players play as Doctor Octopus (my personal favorite villain) but aside from that nugget of positivity, the rest of the game is rather bland. I'm gonna be lenient though, because this game is clearly marketed for kids. It's not the WORST thing ever, but it's still pretty bad if your expecting a great game. 

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Okay, now we're getting to the good stuff. Spider-Man 3 hit theaters on May 3rd 2007 and it was awful. It was the first time I remember walking out of a movie I was really excited for thinking, "That wasn't nearly what I was hoping for." It's also the last time that's happened to me as well. So my hopes for the game were high. Not only was it a sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed superhero games ever, it was based on a film that was the sequel to the best Spider-Man film to date. 

The game is pretty good. I know, it's missing a lot of what made Spider-Man 2 great, and that's why it's not higher on the list, but they really did make some cool improvements. The swinging was fine tuned and improved from it's predecessor, the fighting was pretty cool, and Manhattan was a great open world. There weren't many things to do, but I really appreciated the open approach to boss fights. You could fight most of the bosses anywhere you wanted. Want to fight the New Goblin in the subway? You can do that. Grand Central Station? You can do that. Empire State building? You can do that. The map was designed really well and the graphics were pretty decent too. The quicktime events got stale real quick and the story, though decent, felt kinda dry in comparison to the last installment, but even so Spider-Man 3 was a pleasure to play. If my disc wasn't broken, I'd probably play it more often.

Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (2001)

Oh, PSOne. I miss you so much. This was one of my favorite games growing up. That said, it's also not very high on the list for a few reasons. It's a sequel to Spider-Man, duh, but it lacked a lot of the soul that went into that game. The level design here, while definitely reminiscent of it's predecessor, ultimately felt bland. This is likely due to the fact that, unlike Spider-Man, this game was developed by Vicarious Visions, and not by Neversoft. I feel like the developers were trying too hard to emulate the first one that they missed out on putting their own unique stamp on the series. That aside, there are some great moments here. The variety of levels, costumes, and ways to play is pretty amazing. 

It's got some great moments too. The introduction of The Lizard was fantastic and the game gave some great attention to lesser known villains like Hammerhead. The Sandman fight is particularly great. There's a lot to like here, there's just less overall. It's definitely worth picking up though. Especially for Spider-Man fans.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2005)

A cell shaded open-world Spider-Man based off of the Ultimate comics that let you play as Venom? Yes. A million yeses. I'll be honest here, Ultimate Spider-Man has it's fair share of problems. Venom's gameplay is kinda empty and the city in general doesn't have much to offer, but the way the game goes about telling the story, the way the comic book cell shade compliments the script, and the way the game progresses is unique to the point where it saves a lot of the games faults. Venom's gameplay might be empty, but it's also the only open world game that lets you play as Venom, so kudos on the devs for that. 

It really is just a fun universe to explore. The Ultimate comics were among my favorites growing up and this game did a pretty great representation of them. It could have been better, but for what it was, it was pretty damn great. 

Spider-Man (2001)

This was the first game I ever played in the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube generation of consoles, so I'm very fond of it. (Actually, I think I played Dragon Ball Z: Budokai first, but you get what I mean.) Yes, your webs attached to the clouds, the voice acting was silly, and the story was a bit off, but damn was this fun. "Looks like the freak wants to play," is tattooed into my memory at this point. I'm not sure what else to say about it. It had a lot. Great cheat codes, a Spider-Man bowling minigame, the ability to play as the Green Goblin (WHICH ROCKED!) It was a solid movie based game. The levels were fun and distinctive, and some missions were straight up Metal Gear Solid. Infiltrating Oscorp was one of the most tense experiences I remember having as a kid. I haven't played it in a while, but I think it holds up. Though I'll admit, nostalgia is a big factor here.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

This game is critically acclaimed. For many people, it's the best Spider-Man game based on the best Spider-Man film and it's a great combination. I don't really disagree. This was the first game in the franchise to introduce contextual web swinging. Your webs attached to buildings for the first time ever and not to clouds. It was revolutionary. The city had lots of different crimes to foil and many different mission types. Who could forget delivering those pizzas with that amazing soundtrack? It also melded the movie universe with the comic universe brilliantly. Including Black Cat and some pretty great encounters with Mysterio really made the game's story stand out. 

The story felt genuine. There were some issues however. The fight with Doc Ock in the end was a little disappointing and though the web swinging was revolutionary, it was the first iteration of it's kind and consequently hasn't aged as well as the future titles. That said, this might be the best game in the franchise. That said, there are still two other games that have a slight edge. 

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008)

What do you get when you take the web swinging mechanics made famous by Spider-Man 2, integrate a moral choice system that changes the outcome of the game, and set yourself free from any need to run parallel to a movie storyline? This. I loved this game. The combat was top notch, the story was incredibly comic booky (in a good way), and there were some great fights. Venom is treated fantastically here and he's portrayed as one of the most fearsome foes int Spider-Man has to face. Appearances by Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Symbiote Black Cat also make for some kickass encounters. 

I know, I'm in the minority here. Most critics slammed the game, and I even gave it a 6/10 back when I used to do reviews, but now that I reflect on it, it truly is one of the best Spider-Man games there is. The only thing I can think of that marred the experience was Spider-Man's voice acting. The acting isn't bad, it's really just the sound of his voice. Other than that, it's great. The graphics, the story, the gameplay, the combat, the characters, the mechanics. Switching between the black suit and classic suit alter gameplay and allow for some really interesting combat combinations. Like a fine wine, Web of Shadows only get's better with age. So what could possibly be number one? 

You all saw this coming.

Spider-Man (2000)

The game that really started it all. The only game that I can think of whose quirks and problems actually add character to the game. It's old. It's wonky. It's silly. It's awesome. This game has more than most AAA games nowadays. There's memorable moments, memorable music, memorable levels, memorable characters, memorable fights. Everything is memorable. The fight with Scorpion in JJJ's office, chasing Venom across Manhattan's sky scrapers, that beast of an introduction by Stan Lee that caught me way off guard when I first played it, lore hidden throughout the levels like the Green Goblin's lair, the horror that overcame you when you first heard the voice of Monster Octopus, the way the last level turns everything on it's head, the secondary story mode that alters the plot, coming face to bowl with Mysterio, Carnage's awesome introduction, using different elemental upgrades to change the effects of your webbing to use for different scenarios, dozens of costumes each with their own game changing attributes, etc. 

There's so much here. It may not have the AAA flash that the modern games do, might not have the deep and inspired story lines, the open world, and it doesn't even have the traditional building focused web swinging, but this one game on PS1 has more content and more character than most AAA games do. That's special. That's worth commending. That's Spider-Man.

Halo 4's Biggest Design Problems

This article will probably be of no interest to you if you are not an avid fan of the Halo series. I'd probably be willing to bet that unless you're on r/halo, you probably won't understand or care about this article. There will be spoilers of the previous Halo games and some severe 'nerding out' as some may call it. If you're not a Halo fan, or you are and haven't played some previous games, click away from this article.

***Alright, Let's Go***

I'm in the minority here, but I actually really liked Halo 4. It wasn't quite on par with the rest of the series, but it was an amazing game for a studio that had never made a game before. The gameplay was pretty nice, though a little clunky, the soundtrack was decent, and the multiplayer was a nice change of pace although I'll admit it could have been better. The story, I felt was Halo 4's strongest asset. It was awesomely constructed and surprisingly powerful. However, it was not without fault. 

I will address the biggest problems of Halo 4's campaign. By addressing these issues, we will know exactly what we want from the next Halo game.

DESIGN PROBLEMS

Quicktime Events

To the credit of 343i, the use of quicktime events in Halo 4 was fairly limited, but I still don't think it was necessary. There's a belief in the game industry that quicktime events serve to immerse the player in the game because it allows the player to take part in cinematic events that couldn't be achieved through the basic skeleton of the main game design. When we see button prompts on screen during a dramatic scene, we're not focusing on what's happening. Instead we are focussing on the buttons. This works well for DDR or guitar Guitar Hero because music is sequential and it doesn't tell a narrative or pull you into action scenes. With FPS games, it just takes you out of the game. In the beginning of Halo 4 there's a section where you climb an elevator shaft and when you reach the top, an Elite grabs you. The game tells you "Press RB to kill Elite." The problem with this scene is that it's awkward and out of place. Climbing the elevator shaft is extremely clunky and awkward and the struggle isn't satisfying. 

In Halo: Reach, Bungie had a similar scene in which a Zealot Class Elite get's the jump on Noble Team. The difference here is that the scene isn't interrupted by button prompts. It's not a quicktime event, it's a cutscene that allows you to fully appreciate the sequence and it flows seamlessly back into gameplay.

The same goes for the end of Halo 4 in which Master Chief defeats the Didact solely in a quicktime event. It's not satisfying and it feels disconnected. Imagine the Warthog run at the end of Halo 3 being a quicktime event instead of an in game play space. It wouldn't be nearly as satisfying. Part of what makes games great is our ability to directly participate in these epic scenarios. Taking down Scarabs in Halo 2 and Halo 3 were fun and satisfying because we could do it ourselves using the tools the game's sandbox gives us or whatever tools we choose to use. 

We could use the Hornets to fly above the Scarab to board it or drive off a natural ridge onto the top. Maybe use a rocket launcher or a Gauss Hog to take out the limbs so we can get in on foot. We have all these choices that are eliminated in quicktime events. Just press RB and watch the same scene every time.

This sequence is so fun, I play it more than GTA V.

We need variety not only in gameplay, but in choices. When we play Halo 5 there needs to be a variety of different ways to achieve one goal, several different paths. Halo 4 did this okay throughout the game, but we need more and we need to get rid of quicktime events. They don't serve a purpose that benefits the game. If 343 finds a way to utilize quicktime events in a unique way, by all means try it, but at least give it to us in a beta where we can decide wether or not it's actually beneficial. 

RAMPANT LEVEL PREFABRICATION

Forerunner architecture in the Halo universe is usually symmetrical. I understand that, but there needs to be some variation. There were so many points in Halo 4 where I felt like they made half a level and mirrored it. The levels, particularly the Forerunner sections felt very ... designed. In the previous Halo games, Forerunner architecture was symmetrical in their base form, but often added asymmetrical elements to design. 

Construct, a multiplayer map from Halo 3.

Construct from Halo 3's Multiplayer mode was a Forerunner map and was largely symmetrical, but offered distinct discrepancies to give the illusion of symmetry while also offering the variety of asymmetric level design. 

The component of asymmetrical/symmetrical symbiosis was entirely missing from Halo 4 in both Campaign and Multiplayer. Maps were either entirely asymmetrical or completely mirrored and it lead to an unintentional feeling dread whenever players would enter a Forerunner space because they knew it was going to be another boring level. And ironically enough, even the asymmetrical levels were often used twice and to make them feel like separate places they added an air vehicle in one of them.

Leave the rampant level prefabrication out of Halo 5. We don't want to play in the same spaces over and over again. We want new spaces to explore and we certainly don't want to explore the same place twice in the same game unless there are differences that effect the game in a beneficial way. It can be done well. Take the Storm and Floodgate from Halo 3.

The Storm

Floodgate

These are two separate levels in Halo 3, but both levels take place in the same environment. You probably wouldn't even notice that they are the same place unless you're paying attention, but that's the point. We shouldn't be obviously aware of the corners you're cutting. 

BUTTONS EVERYWHERE

There are more buttons in this game than in the entirety of the series before it. Buttons aren't necessarily a band thing, but when combined with RAMPANT LEVEL PREFABRICATION it becomes a nuisance. Having to press a button on two sides of a symmetrical room basically means we have to play through the same sequence twice when once would have made enough sense. There are many times where you'll need to press buttons multiple times, but what's weird about it is that it's not always consistent. In the older Halo games, pressing a button just meant you pressed a button and the door would open or the bridge would activate, but in Halo 4 there's an animation for Master Chief actually pushing the button ... but only sometimes. Some buttons I guess aren't important enough to warrant animations. It's a weird inconsistency. The buttons wouldn't even be so bad if they just didn't duplicate them and make us sit through an animation. It's the tediousness of it that makes it annoying. These decisions are obviously made to pad out the run time of the game, but consequently, it only prolongs the least interesting parts of the game.

The Top 10 Best Games of 2013

As 2013 draws to a close, it's time we evaluate the gaming landscape as it's changed in the last 12 months. The next generation went from rumor and speculation to in our homes, Early Access became more popular than ever, and the games were fantastic. These are my personal choices for top 10 games of 2013.

10: The Stanley Parable - PC

The Stanley Parable plays with the idea of choice, acting as a critique of both closed and open ended game design and narrative structure. An interactive story that acts as an in depth analysis on game design with a fantastic sense of humor, an awesome narrator, and moments of genuine awe. This game is truly something that needs to be played to appreciate. It's not The Last of Us where you can marvel at the visuals. You need to experience this. There is a free demo available on Steam right now for you to play at no charge. It has little to do with the main game, but it gets the idea across flawlessly. It's not action packed, it's not fast paced, and it's not a graphical titan, but it's definitely one of the most unique games to come out this year, and I'd even say the last 10 years. 

9: State of Decay - Xbox 360, PC

Originally designed to be a multiplayer online zombie title, State of Decay was reduced in size and scope and released as an Xbox Live arcade title. Since it was originally planned to be much bigger than it turned out, the game was surprisingly ripe with detail and genuinely awesome moments. This game is a story about you. How will you survive the zombie apocalypse? How will you manage your resources, conserve your ammo, scavenge? How will you survive. It's fun, immersive, and simple and complex in all the right places. Though the story is lackluster and the gameplay can be clunky at times, the level of detail within it astounds and for the price of an arcade title, you can't go wrong. Don't expect a vibrant story. Expect a great survival game.

8: Battlefield 4 - Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PC

Let me preface this by laying out a few facts. Battlefield 4 has one of the most uninteresting single player campaigns to ever exist in the FPS genre. Battlefield 4 has several bugs and glitches. Battlefield 4 is very much 'just another shooter.' All that aside, when Battlefield 4 is fun, it's really fun. The maps are nice, the gameplay is ridiculously fluid, and the little nuances in combat are satisfying. There were many times when I was playing that I thought "This is awesome." Nothing says "FUN" like ejecting from a jet onto a rooftop and shoving a knife in the back of an unsuspecting player immediately upon landing, only to continue to dive off the building and parachute through a skylight with a grenade launcher to decimate the enemy team from above. It's a satisfying game, and that's really all it is, and all it needs to be. The single player sucks, and the multiplayer needs work, but when it works, it's the best MMS around.  

7: Metro: Last Light - Xbox 360, PS3, PC

It's a post apocalyptic FPS set in the universe of a series of Russian novels, blending horror, action, and stealth into a great game with the best graphics I've seen this generation (especially on PC.) If you appreciate solid gameplay, sweet art design, and some powerful and emotionally charged scenes, you should play this. It's an under-appreciated series and one that is deserving of your play time.

6: Tomb Raider - Xbox 360, PS3, PC

This was a surprise to everyone. Given just how far Lara (not Laura dammit) Croft has fallen from grace, it was a miracle that this reboot turned out pretty great. Tomb Raider turned out to be a fantastic take on the established franchise. Offering a great story, some satisfying gameplay, and some seriously gritty moments that I felt genuinely uncomfortable watching. It pushed the boundaries of what a great Tomb Raider game can be. Though the game isn't perfect, it sure is a promising start to the next generation of Tomb Raider.

5: Gone Home - PC

This is a wild card. It's not technically a game, but I rather enjoyed it from a narrative perspective. Traditionally, this is one none of you will like. I happened to enjoy it because it was different, but really that's why I enjoyed it.

4: Grand Theft Auto V - Xbox 360, PS3

This game is awesome. The world of Los Santos is fun to explore, the characters are all well written, the story is well constructed, the acting is fantastic, the gameplay is satisfying, the world has variety in characters, locations, vehicles, scenarios, and missions. You can engage in heists and you can take your blood thirst into multiplayer. This game has so much in it that it would have been my number one game. The only reason it isn't is because of the multiplayer mode: GTA Online. It's broken, unstable, unbalanced, poorly maintained, and it really is just a mess. When it's fun, it's really fun, but when it's not fun, it's really not fun. It's the opposite of Battlefield 4. The single player here is much better that the multiplayer, but the multiplayer has the most replay value. Aside from the online, it's a fantastic game that simply needs work. Still, a great game if I ever played one.

3: Gunpoint - PC

Combine a pleasing art style with deep gameplay, multiplied by a wonderful sense of humor and satisfying controls and you have Gunpoint. The game is short and it won't be winning any 'Best Graphics' awards, but I love it. It's one of those games you don't need to be in the mood to play to enjoy it. It's equal parts satisfying and fun. 

2: The Last of Us - PS3

I've written a few articles on why I loved The Last of Us already so let's break it down. The Last of Us takes a genre that has been done to death and breathes new life into it. A unique take on zombies, a stellar crafting system, gameplay that reflects the tone, and a fantastic locale and even more impressive voice talent and presentation. The game is an amazing experience and though the multiplayer is lackluster and very unnecessary, the game is a masterpiece. If you own a PS3, there's no reason for you not to play this. 

1: BioShock Infinite - Xbox 360, PS3, PC

What can I say about this game that I haven't already said? The story is remarkable, the acting is amazing, the music is outstanding, the world and the lore are immersive, the gameplay is fresh yet familiar, the combat is varied, the characters are great, everything is just 100% solid. This is my game of the year. BioShock Infinite and The Last of Us are the games I point to when I point to examples of video games as art and they are without a doubt the games that defined 2013. For a more in depth reason for BioShock Infinite being my personal game of the year click here and here.

Amazing to think that with the next gen already taking the spotlight it's the last gen games that remain more impressive. This proves that gameplay and story are more important than graphical fidelity. A good story, a compelling narrative, great gameplay, nuanced mechanics, and a great presentation. All of these games had one, a few, or all of these things and they are all worthy of your time. 

Analyzing the Xbox One and Predicting the Next Gen

It's no surprise that the Xbox One has faced some stark criticism since it's unveiling in May. Since then we've learned a lot about the console, what it does, and what it can do. That has either pushed fans away or brought them back in. Let's look at the more recent problems facing the system.

RESOLUTIONGATE

The big talk around the internet now is a little problem known unofficially as "Resolutiongate." Turns out that games that are currently running at 1080p on the PS4 are only running at 720p on the Xbox One. As a console gamer I find this whole thing beyond hilarious. We've known for several years now that you can build a PC for less than a new console and get better resolution BEYOND 1080p on games natively on that platform. Since when did resolution become a console gaming problem. It's also not that the Xbox One can't run at 1080p. Forza 5 is running at native 1080p and 60 fps, it's the complexity of the hardware. The Xbox One, much like the PS3 before it, is harder to develop for and it'll be a while before we see the full potential of either console. I'll make a bet right now that games one or two years down the line will be running at 1080p on both systems. Though, to further illustrate my point, I'd like to point out the last generation of consoles.

The original Xbox was running at a higher resolution than the PlayStation 2, and it was even able to achieve 720x1080 when upscaled. Seriously, play an original Xbox game on an HDTV. The graphics are obviously dated, but it looks great. The PS2, however, could not reach the max resolution the original Xbox could. Do we remember which system won that console generation? I don't even think I need to tell you, but it's the internet so I might as well: Yes. The PlayStation 2 was the clear winner of the last generation.

In fact ... let's go even further. 

Between the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, what happened last generation? The PlayStation 3 could achieve 1080p on *some* games where the 360 could not. In fact, Halo 3; the KILLER APP for the Xbox 360 didn't even run at native 720p (fun fact), but that didn't really seem to matter. The Xbox 360 was in the lead almost all of the current generation and only recently did the PS3 outsell 360 consoles, likely to The Last of Us and GTA V console bundles. 

The SNES and the Genesis. The Genesis outperformed the SNES in almost every way, yet the Super Nintendo won by a landslide. 

What does this tell us? The power behind consoles, be it in their graphical fidelity or the native resolution of it's games, don't determine the better console. It's the games. The PlayStation 2 had Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, and so on. The Xbox 360 had Halo, Gears, and the support of independent developers like The Behemoth and Twisted Pixel, not to mention exclusive Valve titles. The games determine the king. Again, if your main reason for buying a next generation console is for the resolution, get a PC. Seriously. It's cheaper. 

WHAT DEFINES NEXT GENERATION?

What defines the next generation if it's not resolution? There are three things in my opinion that define the next generation. ONE: It offers experiences not available and not possible on the previous generation. TWO: It offers better looking games and richer worlds. THREE: The destruction of an annoyance that plagued the previous generation. Let's go over these one by one and why both the PS4 and Xbox One are beyond deserving of the next generation label despite the hilariously overblown Resolutiongate. 

I: EXPERIENCES NOT AVAILABLE OR POSSIBLE LAST GENERATION

Both the Xbox One and PS4 accomplish this. The PlayStation 4 has integrated a touch pad into it's controller which will likely add to the experience of playing games, especially if the games utilize it in a way that's unique. This isn't something that was available and I'd probably even say wasn't possible in the last generation. The Xbox One utilizes not only new impulse triggers but a Kinect camera that actually seems like it could add some great depth to next generation games without becoming intrusive. No absurd gesture controls that are tacked on to games like in the last generation, but a more natural use like pushing zombies off in Dead Rising 3. Both PS4 and Xbox One offer game DVR which was straight up IMPOSSIBLE in the last generation. Though the Xbox One seems to be pushing it a bit further what with having an HDMI In port and the Kinect 2.0 having it's own processor, both consoles are pushing the limits to what was available last time around.

II: BETTER LOOKING GAMES AND RICHER WORLDS

Yep.

III: THE DESTRUCTION OF AN ANNOYANCE THAT PLAGUED LAST GENERATION

Loading ... Loading ... Loading

The loading screen menace seems like it's exhaled it's final breath this generation. The next generation promises to see the end of the loading screen and I won't miss it. It remains to be seen wether or not developers will follow up on that promise, but Dead Rising 3 and a few other next gen titles have claimed to have abolished loading screens, but this comes back to a point I made earlier.

PREDICTION TIME

I'm pretty good at making predictions when it comes to the games industry (not to brag) so I'll offer a few predictions today and I'll check back to see if they were indeed accurate, which I'm pretty confident they will be. Three predictions.

Prediction I

The PlayStation 4, much like the Xbox 360 before it, will attract the most third party developer support. The Xbox One ports of multiplatform games will be slightly inferior on the Xbox One as they were on PS3 last time. However, since the hardware for both consoles is exponentially better than last generation, the lead that PlayStation 4 has will last (I'm guessing) until 2015.

Prediction II

First party developers will take the helm on the Xbox One front, much like Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, and SuckerPunch did with the PlayStation 3. We will see many new IPs on Xbox One due to the lesser extent of third party support on the platform.

Prediction III

I honestly think the Xbox One will surprise us. Maybe not immediately. Maybe not tomorrow. But at some point, I think the Xbox One will have something that will blow peoples minds. 

Prediction III is a vague one, I know. We'll see. 

Top 5 Best Video Game Trilogies of All TIme (1985-2013)

Let's just get a few things out of the way first. This list applies only to the trilogies that I have played completely. So games like Metal Gear Solid and Kingdom Hearts (though that one technically doesn't count) will not be included. This does not say anything about the quality of those games, I simply haven't experienced them. Also, for a game to qualify, each game in the trilogy needs to have expanded upon and improved upon the previous in countless ways, which is why you'll see no mention of the Gears of War or Call of Duty series on this list, and last but not least, this is simply my humble opinion. So let's get the ball rolling, yeah?

V: The Super Mario Brothers Trilogy (NES)

It's virtually impossible to have a list of best games ever and not have Mario mentioned at least once, and in terms of the original trilogy released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, these games were ace. Super Mario Brothers was a classic and is still ripe with impeccable design choices, Super Mario Brothers 2 changed the formula entirely and really took us by surprise, and the holy grail of gaming that was Super Mario Brothers 3 had a fantastic art style, a killer sound track, and some of the most memorable gameplay in the trilogy. Each game expanded upon the last one in massive ways and that's really the main reason it's on this list. Each game was great and each game felt different from the other ones. Simply masterful.

While Super Mario Brothers 2 has some valid criticisms about it, it's still a fun game to play, and with SMB 3 being as universally cherished as bacon, it's no surprise to see the original Super Mario Brothers trilogy on this list.

IV: The Spyro Trilogy (PS1)

Developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation, Spyro The Dragon was a charming 3D platformer that had collect-a-thon elements from Banjo Kazooie and some of the finest "open world" platforming on the PS1. Beyond the slick controls, cheerful art design, and fantastic music, the Spyro games never failed to improve upon the previous iteration during the PlayStation's life cycle. (We don't talk about the other ones. This is a happy place.) The sequel, Spyro: Ripto's Rage opened the world up and refined the platforming, and Spyro: Year of the Dragon perfected everything and allowed players to not only control Spyro, but several other character's in his gang of allies including a badass military penguin and a snarky Kangaroo all with their own unique gameplay styles and abilities. 

This is one of the most engrossing video games on PS1 and it's still one of the most immersive games on any platform. The art, the characters, the gameplay, the world. Everything in the game makes you want to spend time playing it and there's never a dull moment. While I may be more nostalgically attached to Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage, there's no shadow of a doubt that the series only got better over time, by refining the gameplay and the wondrous atmosphere Spyro had offered in the beginning. While the game isn't particularly challenging, it's certainly one of the finest trilogies in existence.

III: The Splinter Cell Trilogy (Xbox)

I had very little experience with Metal Gear Solid, and I know most people prefer that series to this series, especially considering they're both stealth oriented, but there was always something about the Splinter Cell series that made me feel uncomfortable while playing it. It feels incredibly stealthy and your heart beat really get's pumping in some areas and the each game is legitimately challenging. Absurdly difficult. Each game offered more tools, more story, and even more modes as the trilogy moved forward. The first one offered a solid stealth experience, the second one offered slicker controls and more intuitive locales, and the third one refined it all with the addition of one of the most interesting multiplayer modes ever seen in gaming with spies versus mercs, in which one team played in first person with heavy fire power, equipment, and limited mobility and the other played in third person with better level traversal, more methods of hiding, and special equipment suited for stealth.

Now, I'll readily admit, this franchise isn't for everyone in the same vein Metal Gear might not be for everyone, but it's ace. Quality increased with each sequel, a memorable voice for the lead protagonist, and very challenging and engaging gameplay puts this series firmly at number three.

II: The Halo Trilogy (Xbox - Xbox 360)

I've gushed about this franchise for years, and I've already written several articles about why I love these games, but I'll run through them here so there's a general idea and if you'd like more in depth analysis click THIS LINK to read it. Each game drastically improved upon the last in every way imaginable. Halo CE gave us a great story, solid controls, impeccable physics, and some addicting gameplay. Halo 2 made the story even bigger with more missions with more variety, a more robust multiplayer suite, more customization, and it started a multiplayer revolution by laying the foundation for the future of multiplayer games on the console platform. Halo 3 refined everything, tied up a fantastic story in a rich universe, gave us the most options we've ever had with customization and multiplayer, more modes including the first ever inclusion of a comprehensive theater mode, and the addition of a map editor when in combination with the heavily customizable custom games settings allowed for players to create their own gametypes on their own play spaces. This series progressed so gracefully, I can hardly believe it and it truly is the franchise that is most near and dear to my heart ... so why is it at number 2? ... Well ...

I: The Crash Bandicoot Trilogy (PS1)

I know, this is surprising. Especially coming from me considering how much I adore the Halo series, and I was honestly going to pull a real jackass move and put both Halo and Crash Bandicoot at the number one spot. The thing to remember here though is that although the Halo series is really fun, really fantastically well made, and just overall great, Crash Bandicoot has it beat in one category and one category only: It can be played at any time. Halo is a somewhat serious First Person Shooter and you usually have to be in the mood for that kind of thing to play it, but Crash Bandicoot? Happy, sad, tired, excited, angry, apathetic, this trilogy can be played at any time. Although I love the Halo series to death, a lot of the replayability comes from the multiplayer, which Crash Bandicoot doesn't have so by default it doesn't need to rely on it. Each game just gets better, the music boosts in quality, the controls get tighter, the levels get more and more varied, the visuals improve, the themes change gradually and in ways that feel well paced, the story is kooky and good fun, the animations and characters get more established, the humor finds it's footing, and the gameplay is simple and top notch. 

But in addition to all that, it's got a charm to it that comes from being on the original PlayStation that makes it feel like it's got it's own personality. Not to mention each of these games were made within one year of each other. Considering the huge jump in quality between these three games in the short amount of time the developers had to work on them, that's massively impressive, and Naughty Dog is still pumping out fantastic games today. 

It was a hard choice to make, but I think all these contributing factors place Crash Bandicoot at number one for me. It's simple, it's fun, it's challenging, it's unique, and more importantly it is (in my humble opinion) the best platform game ever made across all platforms.

TRILOGIES THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT

The Mass Effect Trilogy

This game series is bursting with content ... but the third one didn't really do much to improve upon Mass Effect 2. Which is a shame because if I made a list of best sequels, Mass Effect 2 would definitely be on there. The third game in the franchise felt empty in comparison and although I had a blast playing through these games, there are far too many problems with it. (Like how horrendously boring the first one was.)

The BioShock "Trilogy"

BioShock is probably my favorite stand alone FPS of all time. The story and the atmosphere were magnificent and though the gameplay was clunky, it fit well with the tone of the game. BioShock Infinite is my favorite game of 2013 so far including The Last of Us. BioShock 2 ... isn't. BioShock 2 really didn't bring much to the table aside from a new protagonist and a tacked on multiplayer mode. Even though BioShock 2 is the odd man out, I still felt I couldn't put this in because it didn't feel like a trilogy to me because BioShock 2 was just so forgettable. 

The Destroy All Humans! "Trilogy"

The first one was fantastic. The second one was a great improvement. The stars were aligned for an even better sequel, and not only that, but on the next generation of consoles; PS3 and Xbox 360 ... and they FUCKED it up. EA shut down Pandemic studios and Destroy All Humans! 3 never happened. Instead we got Path of the Furon. I seriously get sad just thinking about the potential this game could have had. Thanks EA.

"Electronic Arts. Because your dreams are ours to destroy."

Random Things Linked to the Halo Series in Completely Random Ways

This entire article is born from boredom. With that out there, I'll be linking the Halo series to several seemingly irrelevant bands, figures, companies, movies, and television shows. Why? I don't fucking know. 

Let's go. 

Queen (Band)

-Queen's song "Radio Ga Ga" was used in a promotional ad for Grand Theft Auto V.

-Grand Theft Auto V was developed by Rockstar Games.

-Rockstar Games published Oni in 2001.

-Oni was developed by Bungie.

-Bungie went on to create the Halo series.

The Muppets (Movie)

-The latest Muppets movie released in 2011 with actor, Jason Segel in one of the lead roles.

-Jason Segel also stars in "How I Met Your Mother" with Niel Patrick Harris and others.

-Niel Patrick Harris starred in "Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" with Nathan Fillion.

-Nathan Fillion is the voice of Gunnery Sgt. Edward Buck in Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach.

Rise Against (Band)

-On their latest album "Long Forgotten Songs", Rise Against covered "The Ghost of Tom Joad."

-The Ghost of Tom Joad was also covered by Junip.

-Junip wrote "Line of Fire," a song that played during promos for the final season of Breaking Bad. 

-Giancarlo Esposito played a major character in Breaking Bad by the name of Gustavo Fring.

-Giancarlo was in the first (and currently only) live acton trailer for Destiny.

-Destiny is being developed by Bungie Studios.

-Bungie Studios created the Halo series.

That 70's Show (TV Show)

-That 70's Show starred Topher Grace with others, including Ashton Kutcher.

-Ashton Kutcher played Steve Jobs in "Jobs" a movie about the life of Steve Jobs (duh).

-Steve Jobs of course founded Apple and created brands like Macintosh, iPod, and others. 

-Steve Jobs unveiled the Halo series to the world at Mac World 1999.

Miley Cyrus (Public Laughingstock)

-Miley Cyrus covered "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana at a live concert. 

-Smells Like Teen Spirit was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic. 

-"Weird Al" Yankovic wrote and starred in a movie called "UHF."

-Among the cast of this film was Michael Richards.

-Michael Richards went on to play Cosmo Kramer in the hit 90s sitcom "Seinfeld."

-Among the many characters on Seinfeld was Newman, played by Wayne Knight.

-Wayne Knight played Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park alongside Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill.

-Jurassic Park was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg.

-Spielberg is currently working on a Halo TV series.

Spider-Man (Marvel Comics Superhero)

-The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is currently being filmed and will release in 2014.

-Jamie Foxx is playing Electro, the main villain. 

-Jamie Foxx also played Django Freeman in "Django Unchained."

-Django Unchained was directed by Quentin Tarantino.

-Quentin Tarantino has frequently casted Samuel L. Jackson in his movies. 

-Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Fury in The Avengers. 

-Iron Man is a central character in The Avengers and he is played by Robert Downey Junior.

-Robert Downey Junior also played Sherlock Holmes in the most recent Sherlock films. 

-Gavin Free of the "Slo Mo Guys" did the slow motion effects for the second Sherlock Holmes. 

-Gavin Free currently works at Rooster Teeth.

-Rooster Teeth became successful through their machinima series Red vs Blue.

-Red vs Blue is a Halo machinima series. 

Was this article completely stupid and pointless? Absolutely. It did, however, amuse me to know end to write it. There are several other connections within these connections, such as Joss Whedon directing both The Avengers and creating FIrefly, which starred Nathan Fillion, but I digress. It's interesting to link things together although they may seem completely unrelated. 

That's all. I was bored.

Bye.