I’ve been playing video games ever since I can remember which as you may or may not know is all due to Nintendo and Super Mario Bros. 3. Games and I have grown up through five generations together, and that’s a lot of time. All the while some games have transported me to new worlds while others had me racing the clock and scrambling to get the highest score possible.
Like I said, five generations is a long time. I’ve witnessed both groundbreaking technology and game concepts propel the industry forward at breakneck speed, but I’ve also seen companies jump too far ahead with forward -thinking ideas like the Sega Channel and Virtual Boy only to have them fail miserably. One thing I really miss is a AAA industry that was both willing, and financially able, to take risks at a time when game development wasn’t stupid expensive. Back in the day (kill me) we had sequels, sure, but not at the abundance we do in today’s day and age. Gears of War 4 is coming out along with Uncharted 4 and I can’t help but agree with Tristan in that I’m fatigued of these franchises. I know I’ll play Uncharted 4, but not at launch (or so I’ve been saying). If there’s one AAA developer/publisher who isn’t afraid to buck the trend with fresh ideas it’s Nintendo. Now before you raise your pitchforks, I know this very same company also churns out Smash Bros, Donkey Kong, and Mario games like a pez dispensor, but they also put their all in new IP like Pushmo, Splatoon, and recently Miitomo (although it being a game is arguable). And against unwarranted criticism from a bunch of loud whiny little babies they are proudly moving forward with a fresh spin on the Metroid series, something Tristan has come around on.
Like many of you I bought into the hype of Destiny only to be immensely disappointed upon release when it felt like the beta was a third of the final game. Year two made up for it with The Taken King but I haven’t touched it since. Then The Division came out and, while I had a blast with my buddy Ryan in the beta, the final game wore thin real quick. After a few weeks I traded in an abandoned New York city for a handheld wonderland on 3DS with Kingdom Hearts.
That’s right. I traded in a hot new AAA game for a four year old handheld game. Cringing yet?
Maybe you are. Maybe you love an annualized Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed but I don’t. I’m over that regurgitated shit. But you may be thinking, “Hold up—The Division is a brand new IP bitch!”, and you’re right, except that’s it’s not a very fresh one. At it’s core it’s nothing more than a bland third person shooter with repetitive dialogue, five enemy types, bullet sponge difficulty, and brainless AI. Each gun felt like the last one and weapons upgrades felt just as boring.
But low and behold Ratchet & Clank for PlayStation 4 comes along and I can honestly say it’s one of the best game purchases I’ve made in a long time. The folks at Insomniac still got it (as if they ever lost it) and it shows to me now more than ever with this franchise’s re-envisioning. The colors are loud and vibrant, enemies come to life in stunning detail, and the weapons are very different from one another which is great because you blow shit up.
@insomniacgames So. Many. Explosions. #RatchetAndClank #PS4share @RatchetMovie pic.twitter.com/5LkC6nCqrC
— Antonio Worrall (@_tonezone_) April 13, 2016
A lot of shit.
Like, a lot.
Basically what I’m trying to say is in a world full of sequels for sequels it’s nice to have something come along that feels new and exciting. Something that’s witty, charming, and entertaining. I can’t get enough of it. Granted, there are like seven R&C games but in a world flooded with first person shooters, third person shooters, and open world adventures with a gazillion quests, it’s nice to have a spectacular action platformer. As a matter of fact, I’m going to keep playing right now. Bye.
