An editorial by NoirZillaGamer
“The games aren’t shiny enough, the frames aren’t moving fast enough, Where is my multiplayer?”
The first day of Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, has drawn to a close. While catching up on Nintendo ingenious Digital Event, I start thinking on year two of the Wii U resting in our homes and the looming one year anniversary of Microsoft and Sony’s 8th generation consoles. What spurred these thoughts was a couple of conversations I’ve had with my buddies on Miiverse and voice chat on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. What we talked about was how good or bad of a job UbiSoft, EA, Microsoft and Sony have done with their press conferences. Today, while checking in with my teammates here at RealOtakuGamer.com in our Google Hangout room, our PR rep – better known to you viewers as Gehennakat – spoke on how the E3 vendors have promised much and have fallen short of those said promises. My head started to fill up with a plethora of bullet points beneath subjects of my personal concern and delight started to accrue in my head. This is where the purpose of this lovely editorial rears its head.
Is this supposed to be NXTGEN? Many gamers have probably thought or said this question since their purchases of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft’s 8th gen flagship consoles. Many have came to the agreement that this generation just isn’t Next Genny enough. Too many remastered HD ports, digital only Indie titles and sub-HD games that have been delayed to high definition heaven. “The games aren’t shiny enough, the frames aren’t moving fast enough, Where is my multiplayer?”
I must say I get it, but I just don’t get it…
In my view, gamers today are just too jaded. I’m sure our very own Andre Tipton would agree and I am honestly trying hard to find their inspiration in playing games these days. I do agree with the distemperment of the gamers out here who are mad at the lesser 60FPS & sub 1080P games being released in this day of 8 core consoles in our midst. The game companies in question have prepared this trap for themselves nice and neatly. When they stepped out on the grand stage in the city of the Lost Angels to proclaim they are soon to release the most shiniest 60 frame per second title in superior HD resolutions. They failed to realize they should have tested, played, tested and played these titles before they stood on the tallest hill of the year to make such proclamation. For that they were wrong.
I believe that the 8th generation is pretty RAD. What the freak? did I just say RAD well, yes, yes I did. I said that to put into perspective of where my head is at as a gamer. If you haven’t read up on my BIO yet I’ll save you the eye strain and let you know that I’m an 80’s gamer and have been gaming since I was five or six, pretty much the beginning of Nintendo’s dominance. I grew up in an age where graphics and speed were the last thing on our minds when gaming was concerned. Things like gameplay, controls, and story were pinnacle of what the 1980’s had decades ago. What I am here to express to you all is how NextGenny our PlayStation 4’s, Wii U’s and Xbox One’s truly are. Yes, the developers have dropped the ball on relaying the truth about tech specifications in a world with companies like Digital Foundry around (Can someone show these developers what these fellas do, please?)
“These dreams have created tons of classics that even the most feared fanboys/girls would jump at the chance to have these beautiful, magical titles on their consoles of choice.”
We have the Wii U where you have a innovative controller like the gamepad. While it’s technically an inferior tablet when referencing the screen tech but, be mindful that this is the first of its kind for consoles. We the players have the ability to play off the television screen with most games available for the system, which I’m sure is over one hundred by now. We can let the family take back the TV or go take a potty break while never needing to pause or save your game to come back to later to continue enjoying the game. Let’s not forget while this is not a new thing, the Wii U is backwards compatible with the original Wii console. What the Wii U does add to the Next Gen pot is a little social thing called MiiVerse – look at this badboy as Nintendo’s very own hybrid of Facebook and Twitter. This platform is for gamers by gamers and is a loud engine behind the success and demise of a title released on this console. You will get a mixture of responses, some good some bad, but you will come out informed none the less. The Wii U is a HD version of its older sibling, but don’t be deterred by the sins of its brother if you were one of the many whom were burned by it. This console is silent and very powerful designed by the crazy geniuses of Nintendo. Wii U is the least powerful of them spec wise but, they are backed by a team of developers/ game makers that still dare to dream and work big magic. These dreams have created tons of classics that even the most feared fanboys/girls would jump at the chance to have these beautiful, magical titles on their consoles of choice. There is plenty of more to share about this lovely console, I could go on and on, but I must move on to the nest NEXT Genny console out here.
“I am talking about the tech that makes this console NEXT Gen.”
The Xbox One, a system that has gone through more changes in its first year than its predecessor the Xbox 360 has in its lifetime. Though the Xbox One is packed to the gills in NEXT Genny goodness! You have the User Interface that mimics the Windows 8 platform used by PC & Tablet markets. This big boy aims to control everything that runs through your TV in a nice non nefarious way. What you will get if you decide to go this route is a system that can record your gameplay, edit it, and even add borders and voice over to your mini gameplay movies. This is not just it. You also get to have the industry’s most advanced multiplayer system around town. We the gamers can talk to the console via the Kinect 2.0 and request for it to search the internet, suspend a game by asking it to watch TV, only to go back home and start playing your game once more. The Xbox One has an updated control, blasting the older gen controls out of the water – let’s not forget the hand gesture we can do while playing games or watching TV or scrolling the one guide TV guide. The Xbox One is the one place you need to be if you want to watch music videos through Xbox Video or watch movies or listen to music. Add in smart glass and your TV can be controlled by a tablet/smartphone just in case you lost your TV remote. The Xbox One does deliver of course in the games department, but I am talking about the tech that makes this console NEXT Gen. When you have all this going on and you still can blaze along while commanding, by voice, for your system to broadcast to Twitch or record the gameplay footage without hardly a hangup. This is where next generation screams loudly to me.
Sony comes in doing a lot of what the Xbox One does to a lesser extent, except for releasing a great amount of games – spanning from in-house AAA titles to multiplatform titles down to indie game support of great proportions and the new advanced Dual Shock 4 controller with its touchpad in the center. Sony’s PlayStation 4 has a camera that is available at a separate cost that has some hand gestures within some games that are available at the moment for free in the PSN store. The PS camera has voice recognition for longer gameplay recording than its competitor and can access apps and games from its home screen. The PS4 is not a media/ entertainment hub for living room, yet it can still be used for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus. PS4 also has the ability to multitask without a hitch like the XB1. While Sony’s PS4 doesn’t attempt to take over your living room, it does aim to push your game play experiences to newer heights by giving us brand new stories or fresher perspectives on older ideas.
” if you crave new experiences step out of your box and try newer ways to play invest in companies you normally don’t you actually might find something new to love.”
Enjoy the new experiences brought to you by your favorite developer or support an indie title. I’m sure you will believe in this movement. Moving forward, AAA titles will be far and few between and you will be hard pressed to find a megaton of them like in the past. Indie games are the new norm. These companies are comprised of ex-AAA studio developers that create games like the upcoming Secret Ponchos, No Mans Sky, The Witness, C3, The Dead Linger and The Guns Of Icarus. Games that push the envelope of new thinking and spit in the face of the routine yearly affairs of titles that get spawned faster than Master Chief after getting blasted in Halo 2.
Is this supposed to be NXTGEN?
Hell yes! You might just be too jaded to notice it. Next Gen, now current gen, is in full effect. I suggest you sit back, try to remain calm, and play games. If you crave new experiences step out of your box and try newer ways to play. Invest in companies you normally don’t – you actually might find something new to love.