Even though it has been rough years for Nintendo as the company has endured harsh loses within the company (Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2013 and Satoru Iwata this year), the famous corporation has not lost its innovative spirit and eagerness. Nintendo declared a new console will be making its way to people’s homes: Nintendo NX. However, there has been no official announcement on when the console will be released or what features it will have. Therefore, I am gonna go crazy on what I will like for the NX.
First, a new controller. A nice, beautiful, wireless, NOT WAND-LIKE controller. The Wii controller has been the most horrendous inventions ever and I would like for it to be eradicated from the planet. There’s only so much you can take waving that thing around. I am done with it and ready for a change. (Pssst… Bring the GameCube controller back!)
The Game Pad can stay. I enjoy being able to keep playing my game while my other half is binging on Netflix on whatever 90’s series. You have to admit it’s pretty convenient – definitely needs to stay. A shelf charge station for up to 4 controllers for the system would be amazing too. Keeping the amiibo technology would be a great plus.
I wish it was backwards compatible with everything. Yes – EVERYTHING. We live in the 21st century. There has to be a way for this new console to be able to accept discs, cartridges, whatever. In addition, I do not believe aesthetics need to be compromised either. The cartridge slot can be a nice little opening with a closing slot once the game is not in. Then have the disc opening in the front like the Wii U. Apart from backwards compatibility, it would be awesome that NX plays DVD and Blu-Ray discs.
That is some of the features I would like to see on the NX. What features would you like to see on a new console? Let me know on the comments below. Don’t forget to Share and Like. See you around!
Welcome back to Lou-Cyo’s reaction to E3, 2015 Edition! It took me some time to organize myself and all of the, may I say, FUCKING AWESOME gaming experiences my visual and auditory senses were exposed to. We have a lot of ground to cover, so let’s begin. Shall we?
Shawn Layden, President and CEO at Sony Computer Entertainment America
Image from gamedynamo
Shawn Layden, President and CEO at Sony Computer Entertainment America, began the “already known” speech of how powerful the PlayStation 4’s engine and graphics are. He knows it. We know it. Millions know it. So what was exactly new about the PS4 this time around especially since the noticeable lack luster of game releases at its launch?
The first one I NEED to mention is Final Fantasy VII: Remake. I wrote about is before here. So GET INTO IT! After, you may keep reading.
image from Digital Trends
Game related hardware, Morpheus, made a debut at E3. Andrew House, current president and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, baptized the hardware as the PS4’s virtual reality experience. Morpheus is expected to be able to connect friends and family to the same virtual reality world for a shared experience. Nonetheless, VR technology is far from what movies have shown us it should be – even for Sony. One of the main reasons is the lack of optic professionals needed to work the science behind the VR experience (read more in detail about the obstacles the virtual world gaming currently faces in one of my previous posts here).
images from IGN and PS4 Home respectively
Co-founder and Managing Director of Guerrilla Games, and Vice President for Sony Computer Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios, Hermen Hulst, introduced a new franchise to the system: Horizon, Zero Dawn.
Hermen Hulst, image from pressfire.no
Horizon takes place in the post-apocalyptic world where humans have retrogressed to Neanderthal times and are at war with machines. Think of it of a Jurassic Park accident taking place all over the world and the dinosaurs are immense machinery trying to end your life. The graphics were beautiful and the detail is spectacular. One of the major points of this game is the lead femalecharacter. She’s tough, looks rough, and is not wearing a skimpy outfit. Again, mad points for letting the gals have their say in looking strong and knowing how to dress properly for battle. The gaming world is still ruled by a shitload of dudes – (in Kanye’s VMAs 2015 voice) WHERE THE GIRLS AT, BRUH?!
image from moviepilot.com
One of the games, The Last Guardian, (to be released in 2016) was not really catching my attention. I will not go into it, but I encourage you to check it out if you’re that curious. Basically, you have a humongous flying dog who you apparently need to be calling to help you cross from point A to point B. Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony’s Worldwide Studios, was beaming with joy about it though. However, I was over here thinking, ” Oh. So… A modern day Hey You, Pikachu.” #NotSorry
I did enjoy the exploring aspect of No Man’s Sky presented by Managing Director at Hello Games, Sean Murray. The game will feature a VASTLY MASSIVE number of planet and solar systems for your exploring content. Alex Evan,Technical Director at Media Molecule, very excitingly presented Dreams. It lets you legitimately create surreal worlds which other’s can explore and you control. You can make them as whimsical, cool, or creepy as you want. Think of it as the nicer and magical version of Minecraft. If you’re into games that do not have a definite “end”, these are games you definitely want to get a hold of. Quite impressive if I do say so myself.
Fire Watch was one of the games that caught my attention. It starts off really “romantic cliché” between you (the forest lookout) and the sexy voice coming out of the walkie talkie, but the trailer gets intense really quick when you are told you’re the last person that might have seen 2 recently reported missing women and you’re informed someone is at your lookout post. Since we’re discussing suspense, I have to give out a mention to Batman: Akrham Knights since it was full of death, skulls, psychosis, and so much “WHAT THE FUCK?” moments… It was glorious and it was released in June this year so get a copy – fast.
Yup. That’s the tower you were supposed to be at. And yes, that is The Joker burning.
images from gamingbolt and WN.com respectively
Adam Boyes,VP of Publisher & Developer Relations at PlayStation, and his quirky self shared the next update for Destiny and Assassin Creed: Syndicate. I have yet to give Destiny a try, but promise to do it soon enough. The hype people give it is too much for me to not notice. Let us not lose focus on Syndicate’s (to be released 10/2015) option to choose the main character to be FEMALE. PS4’s on a roll breaking stereotypes! Boyes almost killed me with cuteness when presenting World of Final Fantasy to be released in 2016. It was like playing any Final Fantasy but no one looks scary and just plain adorable. When you see it you will understand, I promise. Plus, Boyes always makes you feel excited about anything he talks about.
Adam Boyes,VP of Publisher & Developer Relations at PlayStation
image from stealthybox.com
Boyes didn’t leave the stage without a letting PS4 fans know about Shenmue III’s (created by Yu Suzuki) Kickstarter and last time I checked, Suzuki has raised over 6M. How come Sony does not fund this game obviously being supported by so many is beyond my scope of comprehension.
Asad Qizilbash, Product Manager at Sony PlayStation, and Mark Lamia and David Vonderhaar from Treyarch, Bruce Straley, walked us through favorite titles like Hitman, Uncharted, Call of Duty: BlackOps and Street Fighter V which made an appearance at E3 and did not disappoint. John Vignocchi from Disney Interactive made an appearance to discuss Star Wars additions to Disney’s Infinity and Patrick Bach from Dice introduced Star Wars Battlefront.
Though the games presented were indeed a combination of “hits and misses,” there is something the PS4 does not lack – graphic power. All the games look beautiful and close to flawless. The consoles ability to display such visual treats is indeed something to admire and give credit where it’s due.
image from PS4 Home
I will cover the other E3 highlights soon, so stayed tuned!
As if Nintendo did not suffered enough already when Nintendo’s 3rd President, Hiroshi Yamauchi, passed away at age 85 due to reported complications of pneumonia in 2013. A dark cloud has once more set on top of Nintendo Land with the death of who was current President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata.
Satoru Iwata, President and CEO of Nintendo 2002 – 2015
Iwata died at the young age of 55 due to a reported tumor in his bile duct. Reportedly, the tumor was discovered in June 2014 and was successfully removed. However, the cancer reappeared and took Iwata’s life on July 11th, 2015. I am in shock because it seems like yesterday when I was writing about how Iwata has been doing an exceptional job at keeping Nintendo’s name relevant in the industry. Nintendo as to this date has not released who will be Satoru Iwata’s successor. At the time, Nintendo is reportedly being managed Genyo Takeda (general manager of Nintendo’s integrated research division and Representative Director of Nintendo) and Shigeru Miyamoto (video game designer and producer) while awaiting the new President to be appointed.
Iwata’s journey with Nintendo started as a collaborator through his gaming developing role in HAL Laboratory in 1980, a Japanese video game developer in Tokyo. Through exceptional work on developing the EarthBound and Kirby series titles, Iwata became President of Hal in 1993. During his time as President at HAL, he assisted Nintendo with the world famous titles of Pokémon and Super Smash Bros. In 2000, Iwata began working officially for Nintendo in the corporate division. If you have been paying attention to the dates, that means only 2 years after his start date he became President of Nintendo (and the first outside of the Yamauchi family). How IMPRESSIVE is that?! Pretty darn impressive if you ask me. During his reign as President, he birthed various Nintendo’s smashing hits like the Wii gaming console and the Nintendo DS handheld – the latter being the second-best selling video game console of all time following the PlayStation 2. Both systems (i.e., the Wii and DS) reinforced Nintendo’s relevance in the gaming world after the public not taking well the GameCube console (which I will never understand because it is actually one of my favorite). Also during his years at Nintendo, Iwata was involved in the Super Mario, Animal Crossing, Metroid Prime, and The Legend of Zelda series – all which have become gaming phenomena.
Satoru Iwata was the definition of what it means to be a visionary – he believed in magic Nintendo brings to families and households around the world. He took risks in attempts to keep Nintendo’s legacy as strong as ever. For example, the sales of the Nintendo 3DS handheld console when it came out in 2011 were less than promising. Moreover in 2014, the Wii U sales also spiraled down the drain. However, what did Iwata do? He VOLUNTARILY took a 50% pay cut of his salary in 2011 and 2014 to help buffer the lack of revenue from the 3DS. WHO DOES THAT?! An amazing human being who believes in his company – that’s who.
Satoru Iwata will always be remembered for his energetic, approachable, and positive attitude he portrayed whether in person, a presentation at E3, or a Nintendo Direct recording. When he came on stage or on your browser window, it always felt like you were talking to one of your gamer friends in middle school – that level of closeness I believe is characteristic of being part of the Nintendo culture. A testament to this is the massive support fans all over the world have expressed with his passing. It will only take you seconds to search “satoru iwata tribute” on a search engine and you will see countless threads and images solely dedicated to showing the love and appreciation for not only Iwata’s work, but for who he was as a person.
Iwata tribute example
Nonetheless, Satoru Iwata, rest in peace. May your beautiful soul and exceptional work be never forgotten.
I can’t even even keep it together as I am writing this post! It’s finally here: Final Fantasy VII – The Remake
Sony is sure to keep PlayStation 4 on the map with this. A remake for FFVII has been talked about for LONG YEARS now within gamers from all over advocating for such a masterpiece of a story to be retold through the power of new technologies. I sustain the latter as a fact as the combined video count for the trailer surpasses 10 million views – more than various of the games trailers shown for E3 like Uncharted 4 and Halo 5.
It has come to my attention (sadly) that the new FFVII’s storyline will have drastic changes in comparison to the previous FFVII for the PlayStation. It rubs me the wrong way those kind of rumors are floating around (and I’ll be damn hurt to the deepest part of my core), but let’s be honest here: I am pretty certain that being able to play with such a beloved cast outweighs the fact of the story not being the exact same as it’s predecessor. However, Tetsuya Nomura (Japanese video game artist, designer, and director for Square Enix), stated there are certain plots in the game will be left untouched. Leaving us to think changes are to be expected. Another one of the rumored changes was that the character list may be altered by adding and/or subtracting characters. However, Nomura has confirmed the roster will be intact and moving on forward headstrong – YAAAAY! Not saying I approve of changes, I am just saying it would be refreshing to not see them like this anymore:
With no release date yet, we can only sit and try to manage our anxiety and depressive symptoms while we wait for this wonderful for such treasure to materialize. A release date of 2017 has been rumored. Though it might be longer since Nomura is also working on Kingdom Hearts 3 which also does not have a release date – a handful for sure.
Are you ready?
What are your thoughts on this remake? Are you excited as I am? Let me know on the comments. Also, remember to Like and Share. See you around!
Virtual reality. A topic that has been lingering around the gaming world for quite some time, but sadly it is not up to par when comparing its popularity with consoles, PC, and the like. However, I came across a Seattle based company, VRstudios – that mainly provides virtual reality solutions to commercial, government, military and entertainment environment – that is installing hope in the advancement of the virtual gaming world with its division VRCADE.
VRCADE is part of VRstudios division in charge of games and entertainment. VRcade has developed (and still working on) technology focused on people being able to get a 3D experience in an actual grid space. Basically, it means you’ll put on the VR goggles and you’ll be transported to a different world in mere seconds. Your body is the remote control. Your movements are the buttons.
Though it sounds pretty amazing, there is still a long way to go. For one, the VR headsets are somewhat heavy and expensive to make. Also, there’s a level of uncomfortableness to them. Adding to the latter, I have never seen someone with glasses wear one of these goggles. Another issue in the world of virtual reality is the lack of experts in the arena of optics. It’s actually really common for VR projects to be delayed or even cancelled due to the need of high monetary resources needed just for salaries and assigning numerous responsibilities to the most likely limited staff. These just being a few of the difficulties the VR field is facing.
What are your thoughts on VR? Let me know on the comments below. Don’t forget to Like and Share.
You remember when many of us were squealing like lunatic fans for the new Silent Hill game starting Norman Reedus? Well, it’s time break out the handkerchief as the game has been officially cancelled. Yes, you read right. Out of ALL the online April Fool’s jokes, this one had to be actually true. Not amused…
As a fan of survival horror in general, this completely blows – and not in the good way. I remember hours stuck to the television screen with one of my best friends who was a hardcore fan of the franchise. The creepy ambiance. The crazy puzzles. The intricate story. Ugh! Loved it. Even when the movie came out and I haven’t heard about Silent Hill in a long while, a spark ignited in me as I remember the masterpiece Silent Hill was and continues to be. So you can imagine the excitement I got when I read about a Silent Hill game coming for this time’s new gen consoles.
But now it’s all a lie… THE CAKE IS A LIE!
The cancellation I’m pretty certain came as a ripple effect of Kojima leaving Konami after Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is complete. Him leaving meant the Konami-Norman-Del Toro relationship to be non-existent. At least for now…Maybe someone will pick it up? …I AM ALLOWED TO HOPE!
Earlier when the teaser was out, Kojima had stated the new Silent Hills would make us so scared that it would “make you sh*t [our] pants.” How right he was. I am pretty sure many did when reading the game was not ever going to be completed. To make things even more “interesting,” the playable teaser on the PS4 was removed yesterday. If you didn’t play it, tough luck. People who have it don’t want to give it away. There are people who are willing to sell it – for a decent price of course. You might be able to take refuge on YouTube sanctuary and at least look at the beautiful thing that will never be.
Let me know how you feel about this? Did you cry uncontrollably? Punched a wall? Unhinged from reality? Let me know on the comments below.
A new challenger has arrived! Please, welcome SHIELD!
Look at this sexy mo-fo!
The Titan Trifecta of gaming consoles (Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox) will soon have to face NVIDIA in battle. The visual computing company will release the first considered world’s Android TV console: SHIELD. No release date has been confirmed yet in the U.S. However, I am awaiting anxiously to see how this console will prove itself in the gaming world market. SHIELD will unleash the power of “supercomputer” technology in a cloud system (i.e., the GRID) letting the consumers not only stream the PC games, but also play Android games and watch high quality videos. And with a 3GB memory I say that’s more than doable. NVIDIA’s goals with SHIELD include to infuse PC quality graphics to games available for the system. As if that is not impressive enough, SHIELD will hold the capability of diverse gameplay like supporting multiplayer options.
Look at that controller how sexy and sleek it is! -Drools.-
You’re probably asking yourself, “What games could possibly make me want to even consider buying this thing?” Thankfully, I am here to answer that question! Available on Google Play you will have access to Crysis 3, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Resident Evil 5, and Doom 3. IF that is not good enough, the GRID will give graciously let you play Batman: Arkham Origins, Boderlands 2, and Ultra Street Fighter IV just to name a few. And all this in a CLOUD?! A CLOUD! Think about this for a second… What is also a promising factor, which I have mentioned before in some of my entries, is that NVIDIA has listened to the gaming world inhabitants. SHIELD was developed with feedback provided by gamers from all over for specifics like graphics, processing power, accessibility, and comfort when playing with controllers. Hence, the slogan “Made To Game.”
What are your thoughts about SHIELD? Is it here to stay? Let me know on the comments below and don’t forget to Like and Share! Until next time!
These first two months of 2015 have brought much promise to the land of Gaming across all platforms. And now, we are taking over the television realm! …Or maybe not, but we’ll play along as much as we can because, well, we can.
Returning to Lon Lon Ranch Photo by The Zelda Project (www.thezeldaproject.net) Photo series: Lon Lon Ranch
It has been rumored that a partnership between Netflix and Nintendo has sprouted and a The Legend of Zelda live action series is in the works. It has definitely been a “Break the Internet” phenomenon earlier this month. People being both excited and fearful. Why is that, you might ask. Well, let’s say Nintendo does not have a “hot” record when it comes to adapting their games to the screen. For example, we can recall the cartoon series for The Legend of Zelda and the one for Mario Bros. We also have the Mario Bros. movie which I am still battling my own brain cells in attempts to forget I watched the whole thing at one point in my life. All of the above… No. Just no.
Though skepticism is all around, I for one will stay positive. There are marvelously well-done movies involving fantastical and magic aspects that can serve as inspiration like The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter. On that note, there’s also a wonderful group of photographers and film makers under the name The Zelda Project who have done a beautiful job in bringing the world of Hyrule and its inhabitants to life. I encourage you all to check them out. Moreover, The Legend of Zelda’s storyline has a great plot and characters full of life. I am certain Nintendo has the budget to make this series phenomenal and groundbreaking.
There is one major challenge I believe the team involved in the creation of this series will have to face: Link’s personality. Throughout the games (and I’m not counting the cartoon series because no) Link’s personality is more of an extension of the player. You get to decide what to do; when to do it; and how to do it. We don’t even know how Link’s voice sounds except for his sighs and grunts. He’s a very blank pallet – that can be very easily fucked.
But what do you think about this Zelda series? Do you think it will happen? Would you binge watch? Let me know on the comments below! Also, remember to Like and Share.
Yes, you are not hallucinating. Above is the trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – remake for the Nintendo 2DS and 3DS systems which is to be release in Spring 2015. Although I am not that much of handheld devices anymore, I have to admit this game might just reanimate that dead passion. Majora’s Mask if by far one of the most greatest and darkest games in the history of TLOZ games. It is unbelievable to think such masterpiece was developed in around 18 months back in the year 2000.
The mask that was stolen from me… It’s called Majora’s Mask.
It is said that an evil and wicked power is bestowed upon the one who wears that mask.
The game opens with a Salesman recounting his tragic loss of an ancient artifact stolen from him known as Majora’s Mask. What happens next? Of course you are asked to retrieve it to prevent the impending catastrophe… Only having a span of 3 days to do so. The power of Majora’s Mask has summoned the Moon to descend violently into the land below causing complete annihilation. Link must used his honed Warrior of Time skills and magic to save the world of Termina from an apocalyptic doom. That’s the game in a nutshell. However, it brings so much more! Throughout the game, you will be confronted with the social psyche of what individuals facing crisis exhibit. For example, you will meet characters who are in panic because the Moon is about to kill everything in sight, while others are in complete denial and rationalized the the very end how the celestial body with the psychotic grin is not a threat. I believe that aspect alone – raw human behavior – makes the game worth while. Also, the game revolves around different masks you can acquire in your travels. Each mask having it’s own unique story – whether depressing, heroic, or down right silly. Another unique aspect of the game is how it does not feature Zelda, Hyrule, Ganon, or the Triforce; completely throwing a curve ball to its predecessors. One final thing I want to make sure I highlight it the music. Oh, how AMAZING the musical scores are! Koji Kondo and Toru Minegishi were brilliant! Do yourself a favor and if you do not want to buy the game, get the soundtrack – it will be an out of body experience. That good.
As if the excitement to see this game reborn wasn’t enough, different limited edition bundles will be sold around the world. Mainly, what you want to be looking out for is this:
Have you ever played Majora’s Mask? Are you anticipating this remake? Let me know on the comments below! Please, remember to Like and Share this post if you enjoyed it even a little. I won’t lie: getting notifications on my entries make me feel and warm and fuzzy on the inside.
As the New Year comes upon us, so will a beautiful roster of games. After much reading, I have composed a list of what I believe to be the most anticipated games for 2015. I’m highlight the Top 5 games I am most excited about because I am a fanboy and I can. The others, I will leave the names and trailers (as available) for all of you to enjoy. Now, without further delay, here it is:
Yes, I know. Religion. However, I cannot deny my fascination for controversial religious themes. This first-person game will feature the stories of 6 characters facing the Rapture events. The psychological-heavy atmosphere will deal with the aftermath of people left behind with no glimmer of hope… Can’t wait to see what the apocalypse has in store for us!
Now this one also causes me a level of anxiety. Don’t get me wrong, I am STOKED for Mega Man to return. He deserves it. But, after so many Mega Man game cancellations, I am scared this is just a rushed title for money making purposes and turning out to be an utter pile of shit. Nonetheless, this game has so much potential; so much melancholy… I am ready to annihilate some androids!
Silent Hill. Norman Reedus. What more can you ask for? I know what: information! There’s barely any background on this game. What we know is that there’s an unknown protagonist – portrayed by Norman – who awakens in a house and chatracteristic Silent Hill supernatural events begin to occur. Hopefully, my hype will match the actual game.
Star Fox
I am eager, but pissed about this one – and I admit it is because of the fanboy screaming inside of me. I’m angry because there’s not an actual game trailer showing the level of interaction with the controls (especially the GamePad); any features within the game (e.g., multiplayer); or how the graphics look like. Therefore, the only thing we can do is sit tightly and wait… Wait… And wait… SO annoying.
YES! YES! YES! One of my Nintendo passionate obsessions is TLOZ games for consoles so I am extremely overjoyed with this. The gameplay will most likely involve Link being reborn; Zelda will be ruling Hyrule; and Ganondorf finding a way to break whatever seal kept him locked away and now he will seek revenge. To be completely honest, I could not care less if that’s the case because Nintendo always does such a masterful job bringing the Triforce characters back in new and alluring ways. Watch the trailer and drool over the vast new world we will aid Link in his travels.
How many of these titles are on your wishlist? Let me know on the comments below! Don’t forget to share this post with others that might need a broken down list. See you around!
P.S. – Last post of the year! I want to take a few moments to say thank you. Thank you for always reading my posts, commenting, and sharing them – it keeps me motivated! Happy New Year 2015!
Lou-Cyo Reviews 