Destiny Alpha - First Impressions

At Sony's E3 presentation, it was announced that Bungie's new FPS would be playable within the week of the conference. I've had a considerable amount of time with the Destiny alpha and I thought I'd give you my first impressions, as a longtime Halo fan who was both excited and skeptical before-hand of the game's goals.

New and familiar.

The game plays like you would expect, shoot, run, jump, melee, and it all feels very responsive and tweaked to near perfection. What struck me with the most happiness was the fact that it wasn't as easy as I was expecting. There is some serious challenge here and I found it in the only Strike available in the alpha. Damn, was that hard. In a Strike, fight through hordes of enemies and eventually fight a boss. I never got to the boss. 

It's easy to pick up and understand, but it seems like there are advantages to really practicing. Supers aren't really that easy to pull off and while they are very powerful, they do require a uniquely great sense of timing and precision. 

The world is massive and this is only the Alpha, which only lets you explore Old Russia and the Tower, the social hub of the game. I was playing on a friends PS4, so he's had considerably more time with it than I have, and we managed to come across several areas that neither of us had seen before, in the hours of gameplay online or first hand gameplay. We found caves with unique enemies, hidden chests with money and guns, and buildings that took us to dilapidated highways and abandoned shipyards. The variety in the environments are remarkably enjoyable and they all feel like they belong. It's a big game.

The world is massive and that means you'll need to traverse quickly. The inclusion of the Sparrow, a speeder hover bike mount that you can summon at anytime outdoors, is a wonderful inclusion. It's really fun to drive and it's incredibly useful in competitive multiplayer.

Speaking of competitive multiplayer, the Alpha ships with only one mode: Control. This is a typical, stay in the area and control zones, type of game, but the style of gameplay really switches it up. The inclusion of magic, summonable vehicles, and a vertical movement mode really make the game feel unique and though the game mode itself might be familiar, it's new and fun enough to warrant a many binges. 

There are other vehicles available too, including a Fallen Pike, which is essentially, your Sparrow but way more powerful and way more satisfying to fly. It's got guns and an ability to strafe left and right on a quick dash. This vehicle controls like no other vehicle I've ever driven in any game. The way it sways through the air is immensely satisfying and I wish I could drive it forever. 

The ability to emote is another thing that makes this feel really great. It's a hybrid MMOFPSRPG. You will encounter players on their own missions as you explore the world of Destiny. The world is a matchmaking lobby and it's seamless and satisfying. 

Public Events breathe life into the world, especially when several of you team up for a unified goal. It's such a satisfying experience, I can barely form the words to describe it. It's Halo meets Borderlands meets Lost Planet meets Shadowrun. It's friendly to the familiar and inviting to the unknown. Anyone looking to experience a unique game this year really needs to check this out. Destiny exceeded my expectations in every way possible and it did so in only one map. 

What's difficult is that Destiny isn't really easy to explain. Hearing about it doesn't do it justice and neither does watching gameplay of it. It really is something you need to play and immerse yourself in to believe. Fortunately, this alpha is a free way to do that for people looking to give it a chance and the beta coming July 17th can be accessed just by pre ordering the game.

There are several ways to experience Destiny for free, is what I'm saying, so if you can, try it out. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

If the game turns out to be a more lush version of what I've seen today, I'd gladly buy this game for every console I own. I believe this has the power to be a game changer and I'm excited beyond belief to get my hands on the beta this summer. Hopefully, I'll see you there.

My Top 10 Rise Against Songs

With "The Black Market" just a few weeks away, I thought it was fitting to go through a list of my absolute favorite Rise Against songs. Before I get to the list, let's set some ground rules.

I: My list will not be based on commercial successes, just my personal favorites.

II: That doesn't mean that commercial successes won't be on it.

III: Some might surprise you.

Let's get started.

10: Elective Amnesia

A hidden track on Appeal to Reason, this song starts off softly and builds up into anthemic chorus of energy and anger. The lyrics follow the same build up, starting in a soft poetry and evolving into an anthem. Mix in a trademark Rise Against political message about the environment and the inevitable doom that awaits humanity if we continue to be careless in our existence and treatment of the planet, and you've got a killer track with some killer insight.

9: The Approaching Curve

The most unique song on The Sufferer and the Witness, this song is almost entirely a spoken word poem, and it's pretty awesome. It's about a couple that looks perfect from the outside but in reality is going through the same things we all deal with. Or is it? That's what I love about this song. It can be about a lot of things. It can be literal or metaphorical and both interpretations are deep, but opposites. A literal interpretation would make the song grim, but a metaphorical interpretation could make it strangely uplifting. 

Tim's voice is surprisingly fitting in the spoken verse, which makes the chorus all the more impressive. It's a unique gem that's usually overlooked. It's probably the only song they have that's even remotely like this, which alone justifies it's placement on the list. Given the complexity of the lyrics, it more than earns it's place. 

8: Under The Knife

Also from Sufferer and the Witness, this song starts off with a riff that demands your attention and promptly sucks you in. It uses surgery and anesthetic as a physical representation of the struggles that people find themselves in when they're lost in their own problems. It's about moving on with your life despite the hardships that come your way. Of course, that's just one meaning. 

This is another song that's tough to decipher. It's extremely poetic in the way it's written. It's a song that very much reflects your mood when you listen to it. It's got a great riff, a beautifully written chorus, and it packs a huge punch.

7: Everchanging

This song is so spot on, it's scary. It's a song about love and how people grow apart. You'd be hard pressed to find another song on planet Earth that has more relatable lyrics regarding love. It's so well composed and well written that it deserves it's own "Top 10 Three Second Intervals of 'Everchanging'" list. It really is that good and the fact that it's also available in an acoustic suite, which more accurately captures the feel of the words, means this song is a no brainer for anyone looking for phenomenal songs, let alone good Rise Against tracks. The entirety of The Unraveling is pretty strong too.

6: Life Less Frightening 

This track off of Siren Song of the Counter Culture is both cryptic and straightforward all in one go. A nice instrumental introduction fades into a pretty great chorus. Like many of Rise Against's songs, this one is very open to interpretation. Though it's lyrics are tougher to capture, the music here is all amazingly well composed. From the introduction, to the chorus, to the soft instrumental bridge, to the build up to the final chorus, to the fading exit, it's a great track from a great album.

5: Architects 

Though 2011's Endgame wasn't as diverse as their previous albums, there was no shortage of brilliance in it. The record's opening track was a great example. Make it Stop was a close second with it's anti bullying message along with it's advocacy for gay rights, but musically Architects is just a cooler tune. A song about a generation of rebels refusing to give up the rebellious fire in their hearts, Architects captures the essence of what punk rock is about without alienating those who might not care to listen to it. Not only does it have a direct line of criticism to Against Me's "Teenage Anarchist" in it's bridge, it's also got some of the most powerful lyrics in a final chorus in any song I've ever seen. 

An unapologetic anthem for rebellious attitudes, Architects is a gem. Uplifting and empowering, it's a great listen for anyone trying to get pumped up for any occasion. 

4: From Heads Unworthy

It was a tough choice between this and Re-Education (Through Labor), but as good as that song is, I had to give it to this one simply because it's so under-appreciated. Mixing themes of love and rebellion against the powerful, From Heads Unworthy is a song that says what we all want to say and challenges us to progress and build a future where it's message isn't a call for action, but a remembrance of actions already taken. 

A ridiculously palpable chorus, an awesome tonal shift in the bridge, and an overall catchy melody, this song is a great song for any occasion. Top it off with an empowering final crescendo and you've got a winner.

3: Voices Off Camera

A great album always has a relatable song, and Voices Off Camera is nothing but. A song about the intricacies of social anxiety and feelings of alienation, this was one of the first songs that made me realize that music had more power than just a pleasant sound. Dealing with everything from fear of success and the expectations we put on ourselves to self imposed failure, Voices Off Camera is an introspective view of the individual who doesn't fit in. 

It's an anthem for the counter culture and it's pretty brilliant. 

2: Satellite 

Another under-appreciated gem off of Endgame, Satellite is a song about uprising. A song that lets the listener know that actual revolution and real change begins only when we take action. At least, that's how one can interpret it. Like many Rise Against songs, this has themes of politics as well as love. What doesn't change though, is the tone. The chorus is designed form the ground up to pump you up and get you excited. The song is empowering, and the best songs are the ones that make us feel like we can punch the moon. 

While it's lyrics and execution is fairly simple, Satellite is exciting, it's uplifting, it's energizing, and it's anthemic nature never gets old. 

Before we move on to number one, let's see some honorable mentions. These are songs that almost took number one, but ultimately couldn't stand up against the final number one choice. 

Honorable Mentions-

-Prayer of the Refugee

-Join The Ranks

-Savior

-Heaven Knows

-Chamber The Cartridge

-Injection

1: Survive

The Sufferer and the Witness was an amazing record and Survive is evidence. It's uplifting, it's powerful, it's strong, it's loud, it's relatable, it's depressing, it's sad, it's empowering, it's happy. It's a reality check. It let's us know that no matter how hard we might think we have it, we can always overcome it. It's how we overcome our problems that define us. What's great about this song is that it doesn't undermine the emotions of those who might relate to it. It doesn't say that your troubles are meaningless because you have it good in comparison to others. It tells us that life doesn't always go as planned and that life is hard, but we can't let it destroy us.

It's a powerful song, in lyrics, in composition, and in tone. It pulls no punches and the bridge is a barrage of tough love and it's great. There are many powerful Rise Against songs, but Survive might be the strongest. I still have yet to hear a song by anyone in general that's as personal and as heavyweight as this one. Songs like these save lives. I know that first hand. 

Thank you, Rise Against. I look forward to your new ventures. If I can understand the future by understanding the past as Satellite says, I have no doubt that "The Black Market" will be one hell of a record.

Tim McIlrath

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.