390°

'Metal Gear Solid 5' And 'The Witcher 3:' What's Happening With Video Games?

Forbes: "It was hard to not be a little cynical about AAA games in 2014. We saw broken releases, lackluster sequels, and halfhearted sequels. Even the relative successes were mostly fine: game of the year mostly went to Dragon Age: Inquisition, a solid, but ultimately unremarkable RPG. Far Cry 4 was a fine follow-up to Far Cry 3, but it felt rote in the light of its predecessor. Watch Dogs fell flat, Destiny launched real weird. By the time we reached the second holiday season for the Xbox One/PS4 generation, I still couldn’t recommend any of my friends upgrade. Today, however, I’m playing Metal Gear Solid 5. And I’m feeling much, much better."

DarkOcelet3160d ago

I am glad that we are getting great video games this year. In my personal opinion, The Evil Within was the best 2014 game along with Alien Isolation and Wolfenstein. The rest were just overhyped and under delivered.

Skate-AK3160d ago

Looks like I lucked out. I have all three of those games. Got the Plat for Wolfenstien but only played to chapter 3 on Evil Within and haven't started Alien Isolation yet. Backlog is just too crazy at the moment. I buy games way quicker than I can 100% them.

freshslicepizza3159d ago

we are finally getting into the groove with these new systems but as primarily a pc gamer i can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed so far to what they offer. right now there is only a small handful of games that show why anyone would upgrade. bloodborne, forza horizon 2, sunset overdrive, destiny and smaller titles. games like the witcher 3 are on the pc and are the platform of choice if you want the best possible version. even mgs5 on the pc is the better platform.

now we are heading into the fall with games like forza 6 and halo 5 and sony with tearaway which is mostly a vita port and some japanese games. it's no wonder they are pushing indie games so much. exclusives don't seem to be playing a major role as they used to. makes sense too with how much investment they take.

the wii u is probably the best partner to go with a pc since the ps4 and xbox one are more like the pc, just more mainstream and economic.

Thatguy-3103160d ago (Edited 3160d ago )

We're at a point where they have to do a lot to impress. Last yr games were ok but nothing mind blowing. Games like The last of Us, the Witcher, MGS V are making developers up their game because we know how far a gaming experiences can go.

Gazondaily3160d ago

Forza Horizon 2 was and is still incredible. Thats a title that really dampens any next gen blues. One of the best racers ever for me. Yes ever!

Titanfall was great especially if you are a competitive shooter fan even though it didn't match the stratospheric levels of hype.

Bloodborne was amazing, especially for someone like me who never played the Souls games. A niche title yeah but one if you can get into, is a work of art.

So yeah, this gen started a lot like the last one with its slowish starts but with some classic gems. But next year, say goodbye to that drought because :

Uncharted 4
Horizon
Sea of Thieves
Quantum Break
Scalebound
The Last Guardian
Crackdown
Zelda!

So much next year that the bank account will be the real problem.

Gemmol3160d ago

Wii U got great games, so in my opinion if you only had 1 system either ps4 or Xbox one then yeah I agree games were so boring, but if you had a Wii U and ps4 or Xbox one then you had a great time with this gen, or if you had a Wii U alone while waiting for great deals on ps4 or Xbox one that was a great way to go to because they have some really good deals for ps4 where u get 3 games and a ps4 for 400......I feel sorry for yall sony only or Microsoft only or sony and Microsoft only fans, yall miss out on great games on Wii U

remixx1163159d ago

I hate the word niche, not sure why but I'm not a fan it, oh well.

BG115793160d ago

Not even a word about Bloodborne in this article... Hummmm...

nyctophilia133159d ago

Alien Isolation was easily my GOTY last year. And Wolfenstein definitely had a fantastic campaign.

Hk85karlsson3159d ago

ME:Shadow of Mordor was pretty darn good (sleeper hit for sure).
Don't you agree?

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3159d ago
StrayaKNT3160d ago

Fh2 and Sso were the best games of last year.Fh2 should have won GOTY but we all know it's Impossible these days for a racer to win GOTY.

Griever3160d ago

SSO? LoL. It might be a decent game but not GTOY material. Forza? Man they arrive every 6 months. Nobody cares except the die-hard Xbox fanboys. Try playing something other than a Halo, Gears and Forza once in a while. There are much better games out there.

Gazondaily3160d ago

Forza arrives every 6 months? What are you on about? This is the SECOND Horizon game and it schooled all other arcade racers in its genre.

"There are much better games out there."

Okay Griever, name me one console exclusive better than Halo or a racer better than Horizon 2 lately?

Volkama3160d ago

I enjoyed Gears of War 4. I don't really know why they called it Sunset Overdrive though. It was clear to me and Griever that it was actually a Gears of War game, but I'm not sure it was so obvious to sane people.

Lennoxb633160d ago

"There are much better games out there."

When it comes to competitive MP, no there isn't. There's no game on any other platform that competes with the MP games MS pumps out. So why stop making them?

Killzone is no match for Halo. There's no third person shooter MP game that sells as much as Gears. Or plays as well. And there's no sim racer or arcade racer that competes with Forza. The new need for speed is up for debate.

r2oB3159d ago

@ septic

Although Griever clearly exaggerated in regards to the frequency of their releases, he has a point. Forza is pretty much a yearly franchise, so despite them being good games, they don't have the same impact as games that actually win GOTY. And Straya is correct in stating its very unlikely a racer would win GOTY since its not a genre as prevelant as others.

And what I think he meant by "there are much better games out there" is in regards to variety, which is why he mentioned the Halo, Gears, Forza combo. There is no denying Microsoft has road that train for a very, very long time. What began as a rotating schedule has become them releasing the same franchises within the same year (TMCC and Forza H2 in 2014; Gears UE, Halo 5, Forza 6 in 2015; and likely Gears 4, Halo Wars 2, Forza H3 in 2016). To be fair, it seems Microsoft has learned from this which is why they are investing in exclusives of other genres like Quantum Break, Crackdown 3, Scalebound, Cup head, Sea of thieves, and Recore. Let's just hope they keep it up because having their tried-and-true franchises along with new franchises would be a great thing.

@ Lennoxb63

You are right, Killzone can't match Halo. But Uncharted as a franchise has sold more than Gears and is rated higher. And I reckon GT can compete with Forza on the sim racer front considering as a franchise it has sold monumentally more and is also rated higher. As far as arcade racers go, Horizon is a breath of fresh air on the Forza franchise, very good games. As far as competition goes I would say Driveclub is doing a good job considering it's a new IP.

bradleejones3159d ago (Edited 3159d ago )

@lennoxb3. Uncharted says hi.
Edit: damn, beat me to it. A lot of non ps3 owners don't know that Uncharted has some of the best multiplayer out there, and is insanely popular. Especially UC2

cyber_daemonx3159d ago

@Septic, 'Name me one console exclusive better than Halo...’

Easy, Bloodborne.

As for driving game, I reckon the next GT will give Forza a run for it's money, (eventually) lol.

nosferatuzodd3159d ago (Edited 3159d ago )

Lennox63you crack me up , you say there's no third person game that can match gears lol well uncharted and lost of us have something to say about that and you said it tricky too you said in sales because you know deep down those two games are better than gears but if your going off sales then I can do that too ,grand tourismo wipe the floor with forza every day of the week in sales if that's what makes a good game in youre book..

GT sold 11 million copy every time one drops go look it up all games sold 70million copy combined so youre argument is null and void
You always say if a game sold more than the other then the one sold the most is the better game but when grand t destroy forza in sales oh just because it sell well that doesn't mean it's better than forza lol bias much

gangsta_red3156d ago

"Try playing something other than a Halo, Gears and Forza once in a while."

Like Sunset Overdrive as he stated? I'm sure he has played other games for the Xbox One, have you?

Or are you just here to dictate what others should and shouldn't be doing with their gaming time?

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3156d ago
psuedo3160d ago

Until Dawn is pretty badass.

poppinslops3160d ago

I thought 2014 was great... Titanfall, Wolfenstien, Forza Horizon 2, Shadow of Mordor, Sunset Overdrive, Farcry 4 (I didn't play 3) and Dragon Age: Inquisition were great games that ate a lot of my time - some of them still do.

Yeah, None of them were as amazing as 'Wild Hunt', but you could say that about any game, regardless of when it released... I reckon it's the best game since Red Dead Redemption.

XabiDaChosenOne3160d ago

Infamous Second Son was great last year.

Show all comments (59)
110°

The 7 Best Western RPGs: Immersive Adventures

RPGs are often huge, sprawling endeavours. With limited playtime, we have to choose wisely, so here's the best western RPGs available today.

SimpleSlave26d ago

"I started playing games yesterday" the List... Meh!

How about a few RPGs that deserve some love instead?
1 - Alpha Protocol - Now on GOG
2 - else Heart.Break()
3 - Shadowrun Trilogy
4 - Wasteland 2
5 - UnderRail
6 - Tyranny
7 - Torment: Tides of Numenera

And for a bonus game that flew under the radar:
8 - Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

DustMan26d ago

Loved Alpha Protocol in all it's glorious jank. Great game.

SimpleSlave26d ago (Edited 26d ago )

Not only glorious jank, but the idea that the story can completely change depending on what you do, or say, or side with, makes it one of the most forward thinking games ever. The amount of story permutation is the equivalent of a Hitman level but in Story Form. And it wasn't just that the story changed, no, it was that you met completely new characters, or missed them, depending on your choices. Made Mass Effect feel static in comparison.

Alpha Protocol was absolutely glorious, indeed. And it was, and still is, more Next Gen than most anything out there these days. In this regard at least.

Pity.

230°

All the Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Given the medium's wild diversity, this primer of the essential video games everyone should try is a good place to start.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com
thorstein50d ago

.... from the 2000s (mostly).

shinoff218350d ago

I can't fk with this list. They missed on alot of games probably before the writers times. Also I know people loved some portal but I was never a fan.

Cacabunga50d ago

Tomb Raider 1
Driver 1
Abe’s Odyssey
FF6
King of Fighters 94
Mortal Kombat OG
LINK 2 the past
Street Fighter 2
Resident Evil 1

Inverno50d ago

Infinite but not the first two games? Witcher 3 but not the first two games?? GTA V but not literally any of the games before it??? Portal 2 but not the first? Also if you're going to play Shadow of The Colossus play the remaster and not the remake. Can't say I disagree with the list but my man it's all over the place.

Name Last Name50d ago

I mean some sequels are objectively better and you don’t need to play the whole series.

Inverno50d ago

But most of these games have a story to follow, sure you can catch up with a YouTube vid but where's the fun in that?

LucasRuinedChildhood50d ago (Edited 50d ago )

A list like this isn't telling you not to play the previous games if you want to. It's just giving you legendary games to play.

But tbh, you don't always have to force yourself to play every entry in a franchise to get to the better ones.

- The vast majority of Witcher 3 players never played the first 2 and had a great time. The first 2 games aren't in the same league.
- The GTA games are self-contained with the odd fun reference. You can easily jump into any of them.
- The Shadow Of The Colossus remake looks and controls better than the original (plus it has a 60fps option while the remaster is just 30fps). New players will enjoy it more.
- Portal 2 is a lot better than Portal 1 and takes the concept much further gameplay-wise. Storywise, Portal 1 is fairly light too. Not that you shouldn't play it but realistically ... you'd love Portal 2 whether you play it or not (at lot of Portal 2 players have never played 1).

Bioshock 1 is the only one I agree with you on simply because it's one the best games of all time and arguably better than Infinite. No other setting like Rapture.

Looking at the list, I'd recommend playing Uncharted 1 before 2 but no doubt, 2 is the legendary one you have to play.

Inverno50d ago

I get it, but that's just my opinion on his opinion. I just think that before you play a sequel you should still play what came before it. Maybe it's just me but i find it fascinating playing through the first game in a series and seeing how it has evolved through its sequels. Like I said I don't disagree with the list, other than SoTC which I strongly believe the remaster of the original should be played above the remake.

AuraAbjure50d ago

Awesome list! Hot take on Fear (and it's hard af expansion Persaus Mandate!) Bioshock Infinite is stellar, so is the Witcher 3 and you nailed it by having Ocarina of Time. So many fantastic games! Gotta play 'em all! Next one on my list is Prey after I beat Dead Space 2 and Splinter Cell Conviction.

Show all comments (11)
80°

The Best Video Game Romances of All Time

Wealth of Geeks explores some of the best gaming romances that have stolen our hearts over the years.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com