Five Games I Can’t Wait To Play In 2013

Welcome to a brand new year. It’s 2013, and yet I’m still trying to finish games from as far back as 2010. Yes, I’m looking at you Red Dead Redemption and Dead Space 2. While I’ll be working diligently trying to complete older games I’ll also be reviewing all the new games that will arrive. Once again there will be a heavy influx of titles during the next couple of months starting in February, and I think part of this has to do with the the fact that there’s a new Xbox console on the way later this year. So until the Xbox 720, Durango, or whatever Microsoft wants to call the new console arrives, or if I retire from gaming, there’s still a shitload of games on the horizon that I want to play. While some of these games have piqued my interest only five are on my must play list this year. So what games can I no longer wait to play? Check out my list.

Bioshock Infinite

Diving into the depths of Rapture was an amazing moment back in 2007. Returning as a Big Daddy a couple of years later…not so much. The Bioshock sequel was good, but it didn’t have the same magic due to the fact that I’ve already been to Rapture once before. Now a new Bioshock adventure is on it’s way and this time I’ll be taken to a brand new world up in the clouds. A turn of the century Cloud City. Now this is very interesting. Plus there’s an amazing story yet to unfold in the process. Hang on Elizabeth. I’ll be there to rescue you soon.

Gears of War: Judgement

Going the route of a prequel, this chapter of the riveting Gears of War saga takes place just days after “Emergence Day” and stars Baird and Cole. Yes, I’m going to miss Marcus, but the idea of playing as other characters definitely breathes new life in the cover based shooter franchise. Plus I get to experience the early days of the war before the real doom and gloom of humanity’s epic struggle really set in. Looks like I’ll have plenty of grubs to kill along with other human players online in multiplayer. Roadie roll into a shotgun blast to an enemy’s head FTW!

Grand Theft Auto V

Yes, I’m a GTA junkie. Nothing says fun than going on a rampage and taking the cops for a wild ride through the city while I cause absolute mayhem. That’s what I do when I’m having a good day. Just imagine what I do when I’m having a shitty one. The new GTA game takes place back in another familiar setting…San Andreas. Now I wasn’t a big fan of the previous San Andreas game due to the fact of the game being more like Boyz n the Hood which didn’t interest me. GTA V is not going that route, and from what I’ve seen so far from the few screenshots and trailers it’s safe to assume that things are looking on the up and up.

South Park: The Stick of Truth

This has to be the biggest South Park undertaking ever. The games based on one of my favorite long running animated series has seen titles from all genres. Now it’s time for an epic role playing game, but this time it stars me! I get to make myself into a South Park character and interact with Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Eric Cartman, Butters, and the rest of the gang. With Trey Parker and Matt Stone behind it I can hopefully expect the best South Park game of all time. Plenty of references to the show and laugh out loud moments are awaiting me. Best of all…completely uncensored! The big question for me is what type of character do I start out with. I think the Jew in me is going for the High Jew Elf.

Tomb Raider

Call me weird, but I’ve never been big on the Tomb Raider franchise. I did play the original game and for a time, like most fanboys, I was hooked to Lara Croft’s hot curves. While most of the latest games have not done Ms. Croft justice, this new reboot from Crystal Dynamics will provide an origin story that will make old and new fans scream out in joy. This new Tomb Raider game feels a bit more realistic and down to earth compared to the other games. Survival becomes a key element, and this young Lara Croft will continue to find a way to survive against the overwhelming elements that confront her. I really like what I’ve seen with this game in the last year, and I’m hopeful that everything stays true to form reviving the rather tired franchise.

So there you have it. My eye is fixated on these five titles that look to shape up my gaming year of 2013. These titles are mostly early releases so I’m sure that maybe the late holiday releases could be even bigger especially with a new console on the way. However, I’m not concerned with that at this point, because these games are what’s going to take up the most of my playing time this year. Game on my friends.

Now Playing: Far Cry 3

I’m sure this wasn’t the vacation Jason Brody saw on the brochure. After jumping out of a plane, the quasi Jersey Shore opening sequence, and some crazy partying at the nightclub, I found myself tied up and at the mercy of the psychotic Vaas who pretty much told me that we were now his bitches. Well that’s not going to sit well with me. Only one thing left to do…escape. Well I almost got there only to watch my older brother die by the barrel of Vaas’ gun. Then it was “Run Forrest Run” all the way to a new path…The “Path of the Warrior.” After some training it was payback time. Time to rescue my friends, and put a bullet in the head of the man who said I was going to be his bitch. “Eye for an eye mother fucker!” Welcome to Rook Island and the masterpiece that is Far Cry 3.

Now I’ve never played the previous games in this series. For my first dip into this franchise I must say that I’m very impressed. Far Cry 3 is a fans that’s got some depth making it more than just your average first person shooter. Most of all Far Cry 3 is a lot of fun in psychotic paradise.

PROS:

Skyrim With Guns
Well that’s what some people are calling Far Cry 3. At first I thought that was a major exaggeration, but after an few hours of playing I was starting to agree with them. I found quite a few similarities with the Bethesda juggernaut except for the fact that there are no dragons or shouts to learn. Everything else is pretty much intact in terms of earning experience points, looting, learning valuable skills, crafting, raiding camps, and so much more. Far Cry 3 doesn’t have the hundreds of hours of role playing depth that games like Skyrim possesses, but for what the game does offer will still provide plenty of hours of memorable entertainment.

There’s So Much To Do And Explore
Like any open world sandbox game Far Cry 3 offers so much more than just the main storyline. Exploration is key and Rook Island is your playground. There’s so much to see and do which can be a bit overwhelming at first, but most sandbox games are pretty much like this so it wasn’t something that I’m not already used to. My initial thoughts were that when I think of islands I think rather small, but once I started climbing radio towers the island began unveiling itself ala Assassins’s Creed and that was pretty cool. Getting around the island is also quite striking with vehicles, or maybe even taking a hang glider for a more arial tour. I found myself wanting to hunt, craft, and explore even more than completing the main story which is a big plus. Plus there’s also all the side missions, outpost clearing, and so much more.

Hunting Animals
One of the more interesting things to do while on Rook Island is hunting the various wildlife that populate the landscape. Now Far Cry 3 is nothing like the Cabela’s hunting games, but Ubisoft Montreal sure made it fun. Hunting down animals is more than just killing and skinning them. Their hides are also used to craft useful items including ammo pouches, healing items, and so much more making things a bit easier on myself. Now when it comes to hunting animals let me just tell you that nothing felt more satisfying then killing a shark. Oh and there’s the part where I was punching him too which was really awesome.

Survival Instincts
Saving my friends meant doing everything I could just to stay alive. I am a warrior, and death is not an option. Through my adventures on the island I cut various plant life and used it to create healing items beyond just bandaging myself up when I got a little too shot up or mauled by animals. The game does feature regenerating health (bummer), but it has to be activated and if works through segments. Overall, I liked the fact that it made me think twice about running and gunning into an enemy outpost and employ some sort of strategy instead like tagging enemies so that I can utilize a more stealthy offensive. Sometimes being more like Sam Fisher is better than Rambo.

Multiplayer
The developers at Ubisoft Montreal could’ve just mailed in some average multiplayer to tack on to the game, but they didn’t. Instead what they did was put together a multiplayer experience on par with dare I say Call of Duty to appease to the fans. Killstreaks are found here in the competitive gameplay as well as a unique reward for the highest scoring player of the winning team. Not only is there a competitive arena, but a co-op campaign is also available complete with it’s own separate story adding another layer of depth to a pretty solid game. Overall, Far Cry 3 has a strong multiplayer option with a large community of players putting itself with the elite multiplayer of Halo, Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Gears of War games.

CONS:

Far Cry 3 is a pretty solid game, and throughout my adventure I can’t really find anything negative to say about it. I’m not calling the game perfect, but it sure is close to being one of the better offerings I’ve played on the Xbox 360 to date.

IN CONCLUSION

Far Cry 3 is an open sandbox game that’s full of action, adventure, and thrills. It’s also an all out attack on my senses especially when I’m dealing with Vaas, or maybe when I was on some serious mind-altering drugs (yes, you can take drugs in the game, and the effects are more than just staggering around and a blurry screen). The game has exploration, hunting, punching sharks, awesome weaponry (check out the bow and the awesome flamethrower), and hours upon hours of entertainment both in single player and multiplayer. Far Cry 3 is of the best games of 2012 and a must buy. I think I might also have to buy the previous games as well.

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Platform: Xbox 360
Players: 1-14 (online multiplayer)
Price: $59.99

Now Playing: Halo 4

Master Chief Is Back!

It’s been five years since the last appearance of the iconic Master Chief in Halo 3. The Halo rings were destroyed, 343 Guilty Spark was destroyed, and Earth was saved. The Chief and Cortana however were last seen drifting in the far reaches of space on the fractured UNSC ship Forward Unto Dawn. The Chief has gone back into cryo sleep and tells Cortana to wake him when he’s needed. Now after more than four years in space a new threat along with Covenant called the Prometheans has arisen. Add onto that Cortana’s AI is deteriorating. What does the Chief do? Kick ass, take names, and once again try to save the day. It’s time for me to take part in a brand new Halo trilogy. The Reclaimer Trilogy.

PROS:

The Story Drew Me Right In (Spoiler Free)
343 Industries sure did their homework because Halo 4’s story was amazing right from the start. I was hooked right away as the action ramped right up after the awakening. I was able to really feel the tense drama between Master Chief and Cortana throughout the campaign. Then again I’ve taken quite a keen interest in the adventures of the duo since the original Combat Evolved game more than a decade ago. At no point did I feel lost, bored, or wondered what the heck was going on. Halo 4’s story is gripping, intense, and kept me interested in between all the gunfights with Covenant and Prometheans forces.

The Visuals Are Absolutely Stunning
It’s not very often that I talk about a game’s graphics. Actually I never do, but I need to comment on the visual eye candy of Halo 4. It’s amazing. The sheer amount of detail is awe inspiring. I had to pause for a moment, pull out the disc, and put in previous Halo games just to see all the differences in both character design and the overall environment. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. While the graphics look impressive on my 1080p HD television I’ll bet that it still looks just as good on any standard television as well.

Amazing Sound
What makes Halo so unique is the amazing soundtrack. It’s almost tells a story in itself with tones that spell out the drama along with energetic beats when the action heats up. I absolutely loved it. Along with the music comes with the sounds of the weapons themselves. 343 Industries did a complete overhaul with weapon sounds making them sound even realistic than ever before. Now It really feels like I’m here to kick some ass with some awesome weapons.

Spartan Ops
Along with the thrilling campaign 343 Industries replaces Firefight with a new episodic campaign entitled Spartan Ops. The new campaign has weekly episode updates bringing me a whole new story taking place after the event s of Halo 4. Featuring both solo and co-op play Spartan Ops is quite addicting giving me even more Halo bang for the buck. It’s also great to play in between all the competitive multiplayer action. Sure I’ll miss Firefight, but all I’ll have to do is change discs to Halo: Reach and everything will be just fine.

Multiplayer Is Still Awesome
Besides a well done story, Halo is also known for some of the best multiplayer action online on Xbox Live. Yes, I said it. No, I’m not bragging. I honestly seem to enjoy Halo’s competitive multiplayer a little more than Gears of War, Battlefield, and Call of Duty. Halo: Reach made some radical changes in the multiplayer formula, but still kept it’s fun factor. Halo 4 continues that tradition by making a few tweaks here and there, but still keeps the core mechanics intact making me want to put on my Astro A50 headsets and kick some ass online. Forge mode is also back allowing me to create new game types along with making a tweak, or two, in popular maps just to change things up. Finally, there’s the customization factor allowing to create my own unique Spartan along with loadouts catering to my competitive needs.

CONS:

Honestly, throughout my gameplay time with Halo 4 I really couldn’t find any nagging issues that brought the game down for me. Maybe I was too hooked on the epic story and action to even care. It’s extremely rare for me not to have some sort of negative about a game, but I’m at a loss with this one. I’m not saying that Halo 4 is perfect, but I will say that this game is the closest thing to a near perfect experience.

IN CONCLUSION

Bungie handed 343 Industries the keys to the palace, and clearly they didn’t disappoint. Sure I had my doubts in the beginning, but they were quickly dashed once I got underway in the campaign. Combat Evolved was the bar in my opinion when it came to Halo games. Halo 4 has clearly surpassed that bar, and now sets the standards for what a first person shooter should be. I didn’t think that the Halo series needed a new trilogy, but this new Reclaimer Trilogy is a welcome addition. I can’t wait to see what 343 Industries have next up their sleeves with Halo 5, but I will say that the expectations will be at an extremely high level. Hopefully they’re up for the difficult challenge that lies ahead. Until then it will be more of the campaign, Spartan Ops, and multiplayer for me. Welcome back Master Chief!

Developer: 343 Industries
Platform: Xbox 360
Players: 1-16 (online multiplayer)
Price: $59.99

The Final Cut: Binary Domain

STATUS: Amada Corporation Is Destroyed
ACHIEVEMENTS EARNED: 26 out of 50 (425 Gamerscore)

For my original review on Binary Domain click HERE.

Mesmerizing, amazing, tons of action, suspense, plot twists, hella fun. These are just a few of the words that described my experience with Sega‘s Binary Domain. Obviously the most underrated game of the year. Most people out there have never played yet never even heard of this title. If your one of those few then I suggest you head to your local store and pick up this game, or at least just rent it.

Playing Binary Domain gave me that feeling of Blade Runner, Gears of War, Battlestar Galactica (the re-imagined version) and The Terminator and it was awesome. Hollow Children. Robots disguised as humans with no knowledge whatsoever that they’re robots. Very interesting. I was trying to see what was cooler: The Cylons from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica or the Hollow Children. Hmm…ok I still have to give it to the Cylons. Now these robots didn’t go down easy. Shoot them in he head and maybe they can still come towards me for a couple of seconds, but shoot them in the legs and they’ll still crawling towards you just like the Terminator did in the original movie. Now that was cool.

At first I said to myself “Binary Domain really feels like a Gears of War clone.” Roadie run to a roll with a shotgun blast to the head. Check. Take cover. Check. Blind fire from cover. Check. Yell out various obscenities while reloading. Ok, that’s not there, but I really felt comfortable with the controls making things rather easy to jump right in and play. That’s something I liked. Other than that I was able to get past the cheesy dialog and various stereotypes to find a game filled with fun and entertainment.

ARE THE HOLLOW CHILDREN’S DAYS STILL NUMBERED?

While I really enjoyed the story and experience with Binary Domain I just don’t see another playthrough. The plot twists won’t feel the same the second time around, because I already know what happens. The multiplayer was pretty uneventful and empty as well. Besides Binary Domain’s gameplay is similar to Gears of War, so if I had to make a decision on what game I’d rather play multiplayer on Gears of War. So I decided to trade in Binary Domain so that someone else can enjoy a great story.

Developer: Sega
Platform: Xbox 360
Players: 1-8 (Online Multiplayer)
Price: $39.99

Now Playing: Binary Domain

I’ve got plenty of games where I shoot endless human soldiers as well as undead zombies. Sega on the other hand had another idea. Robots. They did it with Vanquish a couple of years ago and it was brilliant. Besides, there’s not enough games these days where your shooting mechanical robots. Oil and shrapnel instead of blood. Tons of bullets and plenty of “bro” moments. Binary Domain has it all and it’s kick ass fun.

The futuristic style of Binary Domain takes me to the year 2080 where a new breed of robots have infiltrated human society. These robots, known as “Hollow Children,” look and act human. Add on to the fact that they have no clue that they’re actually freaking robots. Unfortunately this is considered illegal by the New Geneva Convention and the Japanese company Amada is responsible. The U.S. along with Britain and China send in a team of commandos to counter this new threat called the “Rust Crew.” Their mission is to stop Amada Corporation at all costs. Amada eventually does become aware of the situation and a war with the machines is underway

Now I know that I’m a little late on the release window for a review, but I had so many other games to complete at the time so I waited. Well let me tell you that this game was worth the wait and it’s not because it was on sale. Don’t get me wrong…I like a good sale. Binary Domain had me hooked from the opening moments with the storyline, some rather funny dialog from the characters, tough bosses, upgradeable characters, and all the exciting action packed third person shooter madness.

Binary Domain is more of an under the radar title that many gamers missed out on. Sadly this is what happens to any game that doesn’t have “Call of Duty” in the title. Pathetic! Anyways, let’s move on. If I had to describe Binary Domain in a nutshell then I would say that this game is a combination of the movies I Robot, Blade Runner, and The Terminator, along with Sega and Platinum Games’ sleeper hit Vanquish. Now that’s some good company. The game also plays out as a third person shooter reminiscent of the popular Gears of War series. So far so good.

Considering the fact that I was familiar with Gear of War control scheme I felt right at home with Binary Domain. I was shooting, blind firing,  roadie running, and diving into cover at ease. Switching weapons was easy as choosing a direction on the D-pad. It was comfortable and simple. The game also featured a dialog system allowing me to issue orders to my squad. It wasn’t mandatory, but what I liked about it was the fact that my responses led to the morale of the team. The more helpful I was and my teammates responded. The more negative I was they made me pay for it. I even went as far as telling the beautiful Chinese sniper chick “I love you.” Love on the battlefield. Isn’t it wonderful.

Fun storyline, excellent AI enemies, tough bosses, plenty of “bro” moments, familiar control scheme, and tons of flying shrapnel, Binary Domain has it all. It’s the type of game that will have you amped up with all the action and highly satisfied when you leave all those enemy robots in a huge pile of scrap metal. Add on to the fact that the game is a little cheaper than it’s original retail price made this game a must buy for me. Then again I do like Sega games and shooters in general.

Developer: Sega
Platform: Xbox 360
Players: 1-8 (Online Multiplayer)
Price: $39.99

E3 2012: Microsoft Press Conference Positives and Negatives

Hardcore gaming fans, Microsoft has NOT forgotten about you. After watching the 2012 E3 keynote press conference on Xbox Live it looks like they listened to their customer base and delivered the goods. Games, games, and more games. Of course there was also plenty of Kinect, apps, and the introduction of Smart Glass which looks like a great innovation. More on that in a bit.

So what did I enjoy out of the press conference? Well here is my positives and unfortunate negatives of the big show today.

Halo 4: Kicking off the show was Microsoft’s premiere franchise. Good move, because I didn’t want to see Call of Duty…again. From live action to the gameplay itself Halo 4 looks like it will deliver on it’s promises especially considering the fact that this game is developed by 343 Industries and not Bungie. Master Chief is back! And so is the Battle Rifle. from the campaign footage I saw I can tell you that this game looks awesome. A new enemy joins the fight which had one moment where the chief threw a plasma grenade only to have it thrown back at him. 343 did announce before the show about multiplayer with both competitive and co-op gameplay with Spartan Ops. As of right now this game is living up to it’s tremendous hype.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist: Holy shit Ubisoft I didn’t see this one coming! Sam Fisher is back in a whole new adventure taking place on the Iran/Iraq border where his mission is to prevent the next blacklist attack. In other words it’s more kick ass stealth, interrogation, and execution tactics that I love. Busting through doors and taking out enemies you tracked beforehand in slow motion looked amazing. Kinect voice recognition also played a factor in this game as Sam can get the enemies attention as well as call in an air strike. This is something I’m going to like. Too bad I have to wait until Spring 2013.

Tomb Raider: While I’ve never been really into the Tomb Raider series, the latest gameplay demo for the rebooted origin story for Lara Croft really blew my mind. A mature style Tomb Raider with amazing visuals and combat along with a more realistic feeling. I really liked the outstanding visuals (especially the water effects), the combat, and the destructible environment as it objects would splinter and break from gun attacks. I really enjoyed the cinematic action from the waterfall and parachuting scene where Lara literally fought for her life while going through tremendous pain and suffering. A great demo from Crystal Dynamics and more than likely a buy for me.

Gears of War: Judgement: OK, so this was only a trailer, but the prequel that takes place just after Emergence Day and stars Baird and Cole Train is looking pretty good so far. Too bad I have to wait probably another year to play it. Hopefully this game debuts on the new Xbox with the new Unreal 4 Engine.

Resident Evil 6: Could it be? Another game that feels like a Hollywood blockbuster movie. Leon tore through zombies better than any USS soldier in Operation Raccoon City. No bullet sponge enemies and clunky movements made for some great action. Objects crash and explode along with the zombies that stand in your way from completing each objective. The demo was spoiler free leaving plenty to the imagination.

Xbox Smart Glass: The mere thought of having my Xbox connected with my iPad and iPhone has me excited. From television, to movies, and even my games I can coordinate everything into one smart source. I can be playing a game of Halo 4 and my iPad displays key information of locations and about what I’m doing. My iPhone can be used as a remote control to integrate to the new web browser. Even my Kinect integrates much simpler with Windows 8 for easy web browsing and voice recognition. Full integration begins this Fall.

Other things that interested me included the expansion of ESPN with all channels along with NBA Gametime and League Pass so that I can watch the Miami Heat anywhere when I’m working on the road. South Park: The Stick of Truth has me very interested considering the fact that I’m a big fan of the show. I also liked The Wreckateer which could make for a fun Angry Birds clone with Kinect this summer. Finally, I’m going to keep my eyes on Ascend: New Gods from Signal Studios, LocoCycle from Twisted Pixel, and Forza Horizon which sort of reminds me of a mix of Need for Speed and Test Drive Unlimited.

So here is my list of negatives.

Madden NFL 13: NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana was a great highlight, but the laggy voice recognition controls for calling plays at the line made things look terrible. EA Sports and Tiburon have a lot of work to do to make this feature work seamlessly. August 28 is not that far away so get busy.

Nike + Kinect Training: I’m not going to fault Nike for announcing this innovative product featuring your own personal trainer, development program, and challenging friends on Xbox Live, but I just don’t see a lot of people buying this Kinect based program. Just look back to last year with UFC Personal Trainer. Not everyone has a Kinect and more people would rather just play games or watch movies and sports. Besides most of us all have gym memberships already.

Xbox Music: With so many apps on Xbox Live including last.fm and Pandora already available Xbox Music and it’s 30 million songs to choose from will have a hard time fitting itself in. Also will this be a free service or pay per song like iTunes.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Since this series has fallen out of favor with me due to it’s crappy multiplayer filled with cheaters, glitches, and boosters, it would take a lot to bring me back. Activision and Treyarch are taking a big leap here with a future war, but there wasn’t enough here today to sway me back. Zombies will return, but I need more of a reason besides that to make me commit the money. Hopefully I’ll get that answer in the coming months, or else it’s another year of avoidance.

Overall, I enjoyed Microsoft’s presentation for the Xbox 360 for the rest of the year and beyond. No terrible actors, no casual kiddy games taking control of the show, no fist bumping. Microsoft went back to what made them successful since the beginning and left the majority of fans, including myself, happy. Time to get my wallet ready for another busy season.

E3 2012: Microsoft Press Conference Predictions

In just one week, the gaming world will descend on Los Angeles for the 2012 edition of the Electronic Entertainment Expo otherwise known as E3. It’s a week filled with big announcements, parties, and tons of games to play.  Back in 2009, I attended the E3 Expo and had one heck of a good time as I got the opportunity to meet and play some games with some of the big names of the industry. I also remember consuming a ton of alcoholic beverages as well. Still it was a great time that I hope to do again in the future.

Before the big show starts you get the keynote press conferences. Every year I check out the Microsoft press event to see what I can look forward to on the Xbox 360 for the rest of the year and beyond. Some things are rather predictable, but then there are times where they’ll throw in a surprise or two just to keep you on your toes and excited. However, don’t expect any news on a new Xbox console at least until next year. Well it’s time to make my predictions on what I can expect from Microsoft at E3 2012.

Right off the bat I’ll expect a demo of the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. For the past few years it’s been tradition for Microsoft to show off the game especially due to the fact that they have the exclusive rights to have the game’s DLC first before anyone else. Now it’s no surprise that I really have no interest in this franchise anymore, but I have to admit that I did like Treyarch’s previous Black Ops game especially in the single player and zombies mode. Call me slightly interested on this one, because if the campaign looks pretty good and zombies mode returns I might possibly buy this game.

Next up I have 343 Studios showing off the highly anticipated Halo 4. Last year at this time we got a teaser trailer letting us all know that Master Chief is back. I expect a demo of the campaign just to wet the appetite along with showing us some new features. I’m a big fan of the series even though the last two games in terms of the plot was a little far fetched. The multiplayer however is awesome and very addictive. I’m definitely looking forward to this game.

Next up I have Forza Horizon. This is a game that I don’t know much about. All I’ve seen was a teaser trailer with a few exotic cars (including the new Dodge Viper) and a crowd of people partying. So what kind of racing game is this? Arcade or simulation? Hopefully there is an answer on this one.

In the past few years Twisted Pixel has put out some amazing games for both XBLA and for Kinect including the Splosion Man games and The Gunstringer. Microsoft responded by acquiring the development studio. Just before PAX East last month Twisted Pixel hinted at a new game to be announced at E3. I would assume to hear what’s next from the studio during the press conference.

As usual we could expect plenty of Kinect announcements along with a demo or two hopefully free of fist bumping and terrible acting. I’m sure they’ll show  Fable: The Journey and Harry Potter Kinect, but what I really hope to see is Crimson Dragon. This game was worked on by some of the development team behind the Panzer Dragoon series. I know that most people hate the motion controlled add on, but keep in mind that Microsoft also wants to reach out to the casual players.

Finally, we can expect plenty of talk centered around the Xbox Live Dashboard as well as integration with Kinect. I also expect Microsoft to announce some new apps to make the Xbox 360 more than just a gaming console. Honestly, apps don’t concern me as much, because the only apps I really use is Netflix, UFC, and ESPN. I don’t see the need for anything else.

Other Games that may make an appearance include:

Assassin’s Creed 3
Rainbow Six: Patriots
Tomb Raider
Bioshock Infinite
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Rock Band Blitz
Deadlight
Avatar Motocross Madness

Well that’s my predictions for Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference. The spectacular kicks off E3 on Monday, June 4 at 1pm ET/ 10am PT. I’ll be watching this all unfold on Xbox Live, and see if my predictions hold water.

Oh wait…I just remembered. At the end of the show, Microsoft always surprises us with an unannounced game. It’s always a game from a popular franchise. Last year it was Halo 4. This year I have two possible predictions. One would be Left 4 Dead 3, but my money is on a prequel to Gears of War. Pendulum Wars maybe?

Now Playing: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

I may have tons of shooters, but it’s the tactical shooters that bring out the best in me. Sadly, some people consider Call of Duty a great tactical shooter. I’m sorry, but Call of Duty is a game for little kids who would have no skills and rely on killstreaks that they cheated for just to post some shitty YouTube video that nobody cares about. Others think tactical is “camping out” and sniping from a distance. Again no skills. This is where the Tom Clancy games come in. Games like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six are more squad-based tactical shooters where you must work as a team in order to survive…and maybe even save the world in the process.

The latest game in the series entitled Future Soldier takes the lessons learned from the Advanced Warfighter games and makes a complete shooter experience which is one of the best that I’ve ever played. The story may be a bit lacking, but I didn’t care because this wasn’t the reason why I bought the game. It was about the overall gameplay and it’s rock solid. Plenty of strategy, guns, action, and shit blowing up all around me and that’s just the main campaign which is only a small fraction of the overall game. It’s almost like a big budget Hollywood movie. What really impressed me is the fact that as you play the objectives change up making you think twice about how to accomplish the mission. The game is not a straight up shooter like other games in the market. Sometimes I had to rely on stealth, using items like sensors and drones, or sync shooting as a team to rid myself of multiple targets to avoid detection. By the way, the active camo is also kick ass.

When I first popped in the game disc, I went right to the multiplayer because I wanted to see how well it played since I didn’t get a chance to try out the beta. I started with Guerrilla which was the equivalent of Gears of War’s Horde mode. First I made my way to the HQ while taking out a few enemies. Then I had to defend it along with receiving new equipment in between waves. Learning where to place items like claymores and sensors made things a little easier in figuring out enemy positions while defending my location. I also played some team-based competitive multiplayer (specifically Conflict) where I had to complete objectives while taking out the opposing team in the process. Once again I used my items to my advantage while gaining kills, points, and even an achievement or two. Strategy plays a huge role in this game which clearly trumps camping and lucky grenades found in Call of Duty. I will make one suggestion out there to all players: Use your headsets and communicate with your teammates or else your going to lose…a lot.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is a blast to play. While it’s still early I can say that I enjoy it just as much as my other shooters including Halo and Gears of War. It looks great, sounds great, and plays great as well. The strategic elements help aid in the gameplay and the multiplayer is awesome. Of course there’s the Kinect features with the Gunsmith option which is pretty cool when I work on upgrades for my weapons as well as other customizations. It’s safe to assume that I found another keeper in my shooter collection. With Future Soldier turning out this good it makes me wonder how the next Rainbow Six game next year is going to be.

Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: Xbox 360
Players: 1-12 (online)
Price: $59.99