Current Opinions and Status of FFVII Remake

First off, this year's E3 has been on the boring side, focusing more on early teaser announcements as opposed to actual gameplay. With Sony not in the venue, this could be the decline of E3 for the future. However the one game that stood out for me was Final Fantasy VII Remake.

After 4 years, we final got some actual gameplay of the upcoming FFVII. The fighting mechanics are more action-based, compared to the original time-based RPG style. In ways, this is similar to the latest Final Fantasy games in the series. This is a complete change, but fits the style of the game perfectly. There seems to be more of a focus with switching from offense and defense; Knowing the right moments to attack the enemy, and to avoid oncoming attacks. The added ATP gauge seems to help build combos, and may be necessary to take down bigger enemies and bosses.

The environment is no doubt, outstanding. The updated look to Midgar makes the city so lively and in a way closer to modern times. Judging by videos, there might be some interactivity / side quests that players could partake. Seeing the Shinra building, it shows even more of a cold industrial place, heavy on technology and scientific designs.

At the end of the long trailer, we finally get a release date, March 3, 2020. Along with that, we also get a glimpse of all of the editions available to preorder. The First Class edition being the most pricey, that also includes a scale model of Cloud on a motorcycle.

With all that is shown, it still leaves a couple of questions. Since only Midgar gameplay was all that was shown, it is safe to assume that the release of next year is for only episode 1 of the game, as it was stated that this remake was going to be broken down into multiple episodes. If that is the case, how long would this episode be, as well as when will the subsequent episodes come out? Along with those lines, since Sony is nearing the announcement / release of the next console (PS5 mostly), How is the game going to be distributed over multiple consoles? Would save date be transferable across the consoles, or would you need to start from scratch?

We got some idea of what to expect with FFVII, and I am extremely pumped up for the game, but it still leaves players wanting more information of the future goals for this game.

E3 2018 Conference Recap

Once again E3 has returned to see the latest in games, hardware, technology, etc. This year there were more conferences, as not only we have Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and the other independent studios, Bethesda and EA, but we also for the first time had a conference for Square Enix. This is a small overview of some of the highlights of the conferences.

EA

• Battlefield V is going to have battle-royale mode.
• More sport games, including FIFA 19, NBA Live 19, and Madden NFL 19.
• Star Wars Battlefront II DLC, adding in elements from the Clone Wars.
• Very slight news on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order.
• Command & Conquer Rivals, the real-time strategy game returns as a mobile game. 

Overall EA's conference was on the dull side. Hardly any information on the important console games, and instead focusing on a mobile game.

Microsoft

• Halo Infinite, the new game in the Halo franchise. 
• Fallout 76 is going to be 4x bigger than Fallout 4.
• A glimpse of Kingdom Hearts 3.
• The Division 2 is going to graphically better than the previous title.
• A further look in the dark story of Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
• An expansion of the Xbox exclusive, Cuphead.
• The long awaited sequel of the hack-n-slash game is revealed, Devil May Cry 5.
• 3 Gears of War games, including Gears 5.
• Cyberpunk 2077.

Microsoft was no doubt the star of the show. So many Xbox exclusive games, fan favorites and all. Most of the reveals were spectacular, and gave gamers a taste of what's to come in the future.

Bethesda

• Doom Eternal, the sequel to the Doom reboot.
• Quake Champions, including a free-to-play session.
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood is going to be a co-op game.
• Elder Scrolls VI returns to its RPG roots. 

Bethesda didn't do to bad in the conference, but the reveals where nowhere near as massive as Microsoft. However there were still games to be excited.

Square Enix

• More info on some Square Enix games, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Kingdom Hearts 3.
• A crossover event with Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter World. 
• Showing the gadgets, weather, and other elements for Just Cause 4.
• A glimpse of Dragon Quest XI.  

For Square Enix's first E3 conference, I say it was okay. However there were not many new games. Mostly expansions to previous games is what the conference was about. And still no word on FFVII Remake. 

Ubisoft

• Just Dance 2019.
• A deeper look in The Division 2.
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a Star Fox tie-in with the game.
• The Crew 2, with Open beta details. 
• Beyond Good and Evil 2.
• Assassin's Creed Odyssey, now set in ancient Greece, have gender choices, and branching dialogue.

Ubisoft's conference was pretty good. Seeing more sequels to popular Ubisoft games always brings a smile to gamers faces.

Sony

• A glimpse of The Last of Us Part 2.
• A bigger look of the samurai game Ghost of Tsushima. 
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has a Black Ops Pass, to give players more content sooner at a steady pace.
• Kojima's game Death Stranding gives more detail about the characters and settings, also more celebrity appearances.
• A lengthy demo of Marvel's Spiderman, showing off the fighting mechanics. 
• The long awaited Resident Evil 2 Remake announced for a Early 2019 release. 

Sony did pretty well at some of the reveals, including Spiderman and Resident Evil 2 Remake. However some games were somewhat hinted or leaked ahead of time, and were inevitable. 

Nintendo

• Daemon X Machina, a mech-battling game.
• Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
• Fortnite: Battle Royale is going to be on the Switch. 
• Super Mario Party, another installment of the Mario Party games, now coming on the Switch.
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, possibly a new game, will feature over 64 characters with some changes to the fighting, for the switch.

Nintendo's Treehouse had the usual trope of supporting their current console with many popular games being ported. So it was okay. 

Overall the conferences were pretty good. All the studios had a number of announcements. Some good, some average. While we got a lot of information on some games, there were others that were just teasing. But this year seems like another good year for games.

E3 2017 Top Announcements

E3 is back once again, and we get the usual press conferences from the big developers: EA, Bethesda, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Sony, and Nintendo. One key difference this year, was the opportunity for the public to enter the convention. Tickets were pricy, but the chance to see the new titles, tech, and upcoming news live was a treat. In the past E3 had been restricted to the media, and those involved in the gaming industry. Hopefully, E3 can stay public for next year.

EA

• Star Wars Battlefront II. Bigger and better than the first game, with more focus to the multiplayer elements, and with free DLC.

• Need For Speed: Payback. Looking similar to a Burnout game with really impressive visuals.

• map expansions to Battlefield 1.

• New Fifa and Madden games, both having story modes with good narratives.

Bethesda

• Doom and Fallout 4 has VR. Doom is going to be for PSVR and HTC Vive, while as of now Fallout will be for Vive and can be played through its entirety. 

• Dishonored gets a new chapter added to the game.

• The Evil Within 2 is finally announced, with Sebastian Castellanos in search of his daughter a surreal nightmare.

Microsoft

• Forza 7 has 700 cars, and runs at 60fps in 4K resolution. The racing game looks and plays impressively.

• Assassin's Creed Origins focuses in Egypt and includes RPG elements, along with the traditional combat of past games.

• Original Xbox games are coming to Xbox One through backwards compatibility. 

• Project Scorpio is now Xbox One X, offering more graphical power than PS4 Pro with native 4K. However the price is set for $499.

Ubisoft

• Beyond Good and Evil 2 is announced as a prequel to the classic game from 2003.

• The Crew 2 lets you race more than cars. From the trailer, you could race on bikes, planes, and even boats. While boasting in lifelike physics, the game's focus is racing as anything. 

• Far Cry 5, the popular open-world shooter from Ubisoft becomes more enticing with the story of the Resistance facing a murderous religious group. It also includes co-op and map editor.

• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle combines the characters of Mario and the Rabbids in a tactical RPG game. Very strange, but interesting to both fans of the series.

Sony

• Detroit: Become Human, the interactive story game, shows more of riots between Androids and Human.

• The original Shadow of the Colossus is getting a PS4 remake. The gameplay and visuals look ever so amazing.

• Insomniac's new Spider-Man game shows more of the web-slinger and features an original story and possibly have Miles Morales as the new Spider-Man.

• God of War Reboot which shows more of Kratos with his son, Atreus, in more of a Norse mythology setting.

Nintendo

• Super Mario Odyssey features a sandbox style gameplay that has Mario in many different locations. Gameplay has a lot of variety and even his hat is its own character. 

• Metroid Prime 4 is announced and in development.

• Game Freak is making a proper Pokémon game, going back to the familiar RPG style.

• Rocket League is coming to the Switch, with some Nintendo-themed content, and is going to feature cross network play.

Like last year, E3's reveals were good, but not amazing. While there were some quirky moments for the press conferences, it felt about the same as before. Nonetheless, there are some good games, coming along the way this year and early 2018. Also, the introduction of having public access to E3 may open the door to more opportunities. There could be changes for future E3.

PlayStation VR

I had gotten my PlayStation VR headset over the holiday break and I must say, I'm surprised. Sony's new attempt to cater gamers to an immersive experience is unique.

The first thing to note, the headset is $400 by itself. The price is pretty steep however, that's only the headset. You'll also need to get a PS camera, which could be another $50. Plus any additional games. There is a bundle that comes with the headset, along with the camera and two Move controllers, as well as a copy of PS VR Worlds all for $500. Either way, you'll be spending a lot of money.

Design wise, the headset is simplistic and looks durable. However, the same can't be said with all the wires needed to connect the device to the PS4. There're at least 4 different wires all needed to connect to either the PS4, the TV, or a separate processing unit, which means you need to have a good amount of space to fit all of the hardware.

After spending roughly an hour messing with wires and setting everything up, I finally got to try the headset. From first impression it felt nice. The padding on the head strap helped support my head, and didn't cause any pain or headaches. There are side panels to block  out outside view and light. Also the area for your nose has a thin layer of padding. Overall the headset was comfortable and was not heavy what-so-ever.

I tired a few demos from the demo disc that came with my headset, and some worked pretty well and impressive. Although, slightly bummed from the short length of each demo only lasting a few minutes. Out of the demos I tried the ones that really stood out for me were: Kitchen, Drive Club VR, and Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.

I also took the time to download Job Simulator, a VR experience of having to work at different types of jobs. The game was funny and pretty immersive, however what threw me off at times were the Move controllers not responding to the action I'm trying to perform.

The latest game I playing with the VR is Resident Evil 7 Biohazard. This, unlike all other games I've tried, is a full game experience that lasts for hours. Being in first-person really adds more to the immersion as this game relies on survival horror. The atmosphere makes this game on the VR kind of terrifying to play. So far this game is one of my favorites.

Overall, my experience with PS VR is mostly positive. I like the way how to PS VR headset feels and responds. I also love the immersive experience you get with different games. There are a few things however, that do hinder my enjoyment at times. Using the PS Move controllers in some games is a hit-or-miss. sometimes the controllers along with the headset, and sometimes you're going to be fighting with the controls. If Sony could release an updated version of the Move controllers that improves on the tracking, that could easily solve this issue. The other issue is that most games now are somewhat expensive and offer so little. most games I've seen go anywhere from $20-$60, and may only have 2-4 hours worth of content. RE7 was one of the few exceptions as I spent about 8-10 hours with VR on the game.

For PS VR I would give this a score of a 7 / 10. While the PS VR gives a new experience to gamers, you'll have to be cautious on the price for these headsets and any additional accessories, as well as the fact that most games feel more like glorified demos that are high of price, but low on content. I would say wait for a price drop on the headset. By the time the prices go down, there should be more games that can offer a lot more than what we have now. The PS VR headset is not bad by any means, but you should also consider the expenses.

E3 2016 Conferences

E3 has come back once again, and delivered us some interesting info on gaming. From current games, to future releases, to new hardware, this has to be one of the better E3's. As a quick overview, I'm going to go through some of the best reveals for each of the conferences.

EA
EA has usually had a bad reputation, especially when it comes to overpriced / overhyped games. Even though that's the case, their reveals seem to make up for it...usually.

• There was a quick look on Titanfall 2, also confirming a single player mode in the game.
• New sports game with, Madden NFL 2017 and FIFA 17.
• There was some impressive gameplay on Battlefield 1, and how the change to WWI still doesn't hold the game back.
• A quick trailer for the new Mass Effect: Andromeda.

For the most part, the reveals were not too bad, although it would have been nice to see more of Mass Effect, since the series has been long time supported by fans.

Bethesda

This is the second year that Bethesda had it's own conference, and they did had a lot of reveals. However, most of the best reveals, seem to be add-ons to current games.

• Quake Champions was one of the new game reveals, mostly a head-to-head arena shooter.
• Dishonored 2 was revealed at the end of the conference, that gave us a good trailer and demo.
• DLC for Fallout 4 and Doom.
• A special Edition for Skyrim.

Bethesda overall, seemed to focus more on adding content to current games, as opposed to revealing new games. Considering this is their second time to do an independent conference, I knew it was going to be something like this.

Microsoft

Here we get to the meat of E3. Microsoft went all out this year to give gamers a lot of good reveals.

• A look on the new Xbox One S. A slimmer version of the current XBOne, but also talking about cross-play between the consoles and Windows 10.
• We got a look at Gears of War 4 and their co-op mode.
• Another trailer with some gameplay of Tekken 7, which shows off Akuma and Heihachi.
• A trailer for the zombie killing action, Dead Rising 4.
• Finally a mention to the new Project Scorpio and how it will be the new way to game, with 4K graphics and the support for VR.

Microsoft, did a good job like always and I'm pretty sure fans will be waiting for the new Gears of War 4 and the new XBOne.

Ubisoft

Ubisoft, to me, seems to be a hit-or-miss. Sometimes their reveals are good, and other times, not. Whether you see it the same, they did had some interesting reveals.

• Just Dance 2017 was revealed at the very start, and also confirming it will be on the Nintendo NX.
• Ghost Recon Wildlands was shown with co-op and completing of various objectives in the demo.
• Watch Dogs 2 finally gots revealed. The game seems to expand more on the exploration and hacking abilities.
• Steep, an open-world extreme sports game, got announced. It seems to put realism in sports, and at the same time be competitive.

For the most part, Ubisoft had a decent conference. Nothing was jaw-dropping, but since this was their 30 anniversary, I still surprised to see it running this long.

Sony

Sony, like Microsoft, has always blew us away with great reveals. This year is no different. In fact, probably they were better than last year. There were so many great reveals, it was hard to choose the best ones.

• Of course, the conference opened up with the reveal of God of War 4 (unofficial name). We get a look at Kratos back in action, with his son?!
• We finally got a trailer for The Last Guardian. I know a lot of fans have been waiting years for this one.
• Everyone got a big surprise when we were shown a trailer for Resident Evil 7. In fact a demo is available for PS Plus subscribers.
• We got another trailer for Final Fantasy XV. And not only that, it was announced, it would be VR supported.
• For blast for the past, Sony announced the remastering of Crash Bandicoot 1-3 for the PS4.

I have to say, Sony had the best conference this year, no doubt about it. It seemed to show great game after great game. Good job Sony.

Nintendo

Nintendo again, did not have a traditional press conference, but instead went with a live Treehouse event to showcase some new games.

• We got a preview of the new Pokémon: Sun and Moon.
• There was a lengthy demo of the new Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

There wasn't a lot of reveals, but since this was not a conference, it's understandable. And as of now, there is still at least another day of the Treehouse event that has yet to be revealed. But the main stars have already been shown. And in case you're wondering, no news on Nintendo NX.

Besides these press conferences, there were a few more that weren't shown live. Square Enix was technically first, but we didn't see them. But I'm assuming there were talking about FF XV and possibly the World of Final Fantasy. Also Kadokawa Games had a conference. Although the only game that caught my interest was Demon Gaze 2. I liked the first game and was waiting for the sequel for some time.

Overall, this year's E3 was one of the better ones. Over the past couple of years, E3 was becoming average, and didn't seem to be extremely exciting. However, I say everyone seemed to step-up and gave fans a lot to be excited for the near future. Let's hope this trend can continue.

PlayStation Experience 2015 & FF7 Remake

The PlayStation Experience this year offered a lot of new surprises for next year's gaming industry. There were surprises for classics returning to new games set to release. And while there was a lot to showcase, some of these upcoming releases have made an impact on the public.

Some games that had been detailed during the event include:

• More details about Street Fighter V
• More details about Uncharted 4
• Rez infinite
• Ratchet & Clank
• A new Psychonauts
• Updates to Destiny

As well as the games, they also previewed the PlayStation VR in action. Unfortunately the demo didn't proved that useful to showoff the capabilities of the peripheral. Even still baffling, there still was no mention of price or release date.

What I believed to be the biggest news for the event was the talk about FF7 and the remake. First off the FF7 HD PC port is now available for PS4. The game plays the same as the PC, along with all of the benefits, including cheats and trophies.

FF7 Remake on the other hand was incredible. The trailer showed scenes from the Bombing Mission as well as roaming through the streets of Midgar. The graphics were amazing and look the same as those for the upcoming FF15. The battle system is similar to also FF15 but still have the classic Active Time Battle feel as well as the traditional Limit Breaks. The voice acting, although strange, feels natural and not forced. I believe this game is going to be a massive hit when it comes out.

E3 2015 Press Conferences

E3 is back this year and as usual there were a lot of great announcements relating to upcoming games, devices, and updates. E3 this year had some great surprises including Bethesda's first conference in history. However the main focus was of course the Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo press conferences.

For Microsoft, their major franchises made appearances and there were also updates for the Xbox One. Some things announced include:

• Halo 5
• Fallout 4
• Gears of War 4
• Introducing the Xbox One Elite controller with a price of $150
• Xbox One will eventually have backwards compatibility for 360 games

The big news of Halo 5 was epic, but I believe a lot of gamers were extremely happy to know that their was backwards compatibility for Xbox One, which is one of the main concerns for the console. With this new door opening up, their might be an opportunity for Microsoft catching up with Sony in sales.

Sony on the other hand had their exclusive games as well as a way to enhance TV services, similar to the Xbox One's introduction to their take on TV. During Sony's conference, some things include:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops III and their exclusive DLC
• Uncharted 4
• The Last Guardian (Been in development since 2007)
• PlayStation Vue and subscriptions to individual channels
• Final Fantasy 7 HD remake (After a decade of ongoing rumors the wish is coming true)

PlayStation 4 managed to be the top competitive console for gaming, and it looks like it will still continue especially with COD BO3 being exclusive for a Sony console for the first time, as well as bringing FF7 back.

Nintendo was interesting as their press conference was digital and not live like the others, however there were still some great news. They include:

• Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes
• Metroid Prime Federation
• Starfox Zero
• Super Mario Maker

Nintendo is still trying to make a comeback with their traditional characters in new games. Some of their games are impressive, especially Super Mario Maker, which made a debut during Nintendo World Championships 2015. Nintendo is hoping to gather more gamers for their consoles and handhelds; how well it does only time will tell.

E3 2015 is still going on and there will be a lot of questions and answers with for upcoming titles, but as of now, E3 is turning up to be a better year for all of the competing gaming franchises. We will have to wait and see what the future holds.

The Evil Within...The new Resident Evil?

We all heard of the term, "Survival Horror." However, not many games seem to understand the meaning. By Instinct, we may think of the Resident Evil series. The games have all started with the traditional survival horror concept, but as time went on, the games were heading towards an action genre, which leaves games puzzled by the odd choice.

Tango Gameworks along with RE director Shinji Mikami developed a new type of survival horror game known as The Evil Within. The Evil Within takes on a new form of survival horror by instead on being in a known situation, like a dark forest, and goes for a more supernatural approach by having the game take place in the mind of a unstable experimental mental patient. Without spoiling the game, the feel you will get will be unsettling at times as well as disturbing, as the player continues this strange campaign.

Pros

• True Survival Horror Gameplay- This game gives us a true survival horror gameplay. In terms of horror, it may or may not be extremely scary, but it will give a sense of distress as enemies will constantly attack you and at most times you will have very little resources to defend yourself. Unlike current RE games, you can't gun down all the enemies, and will most likely have to spend time running away and hiding.

• Interesting Boss Battles- There are bosses you will have to face, and they will not be as easy as unleashing firepower on them. You will have to figure out methods to defeat, whether shooting valves that release fire, or using the environment around you to finish them off.

• Unique Puzzle Solving- At points in the game, there will be times where you need to solve puzzles in a manner similar to the old-school RE games. Completing these puzzles is a literal matter of life and death.

• Power Ups- While this game tries to be old-school it does have a touch of modern mechanics in the form of power ups. Players will be able to collect Green Gel, which acts as currency, to enhance the stats such as sprint time and health. At the same, time you can power up weapons in a similar fashion to RE by increasing firing speed and firepower.

Cons

• High Difficulty- This game is not a simple walk in the park. More or less, you will get killed, especially on your first playthrough. The amount of deaths will most likely increase as you raise the difficulty. While there is no game over or lives, the fact that you will see Sebastian die in many ways. Newcomers to the survival horror genre should be aware.

• Confusing Story- The story is somewhat on the confusing side. First-time players will be scratching their head wondering what did they just played. Even the end leaves players on a cliffhanger as well as leave answers unsolved. Whether this was intentional for sequel bait is yet to be seen.

• No Multiplayer or Online- Unfortunately, there is no multiplayer of any kind or any game modes that allow you to share the experience with other players. This games is strictly a single player only, which is odd as in this generation of gaming, multiplayer is seen as a major focus.

Overall The Evil Within is a unique game in this generation. It tries to revive the tradition of what it means to be a survival horror game, while still adding unique touches of the modern games. Hopefully, a sequel will surface that will gives us more and may bring back the survival horror genre to the hearts of gamers. This game gets a score of a 9 / 10.

Oldy but Goody...Devil May Cry HD Collection

Yes. This game has been out for a couple of years, but I never had a chance to try it. Since I am a DMC fan, I wanted to talk about it.

DMC HD Collection comprises the first 3 DMC games but they are updated with sharper graphics. In essence, the games are exactly the same as they were back on the PS2. For those who never got to experience the rushing excitement of the games are in luck; especially those on the 360. This game is intended not only to show the games at HD quality, but to introduce newcomers and reintroduce former fans of the series.

Pros

• All 3 Games in One- This game will give you hours of enjoyment as you can play any or all of the 3 games.
• HD Quality Graphics- This game sports sharper visuals for those who can't stand to look at the awful composite cable quality, and they look impressive.
• Minor Updates- By this I mean Capcom decided to help newcomers by making sure the game is balanced. For instance, the 1st game had its difficulty reduced slightly. Also DMC3 is the special edition, so slight difficulty change and the ability to play as Vergil.
• Trophy/Achievement Support- The 3 games also support trophies and achievements. If you are a trophy/achievement hunter or like to add a little challenge, well there you go. Each game has there own set of trophies/achievements so you don't have to finish all the games to get 100%.

Cons

• Camera Problems- The DMC games in the past had their usual camera problems, and unfortunately they are still present in the HD Collection. There're going to be times where you have to fight against the camera.
• Can't Switch Between Games- The odd thing is while you can play all 3 games from the start, you can't switch between the 3 games while in game. If you want to play another game, you have to re-launch the entire HD Collection to switch. It may not feel like a big issue, but it makes the games feel disjointed.

Overall DMC HD Collection is a game great for those who want to take a trip down memory lane or want to understand the story. For fans who already have the games on the PS2, I say you are not missing much and not too worth buying for updated graphics. However, if you don't have any of the games or the usual case, a Xbox 360 gamer, this is definitely worth buying. This game gets a final score of a 8 / 10.

E3 2014 Recap

This years E3 turned out to be as extravagant as last year's. For the most part, it was similar to how everything was last E3. The event started Monday, June 9th with the traditional press conferences from the main industries, Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft, E.A., and Nintendo. The following 3 days were dedicated to the floor show previews and interviews with directors and producers. This year's content was no different and proved to be incredible.

Electronic Arts

E.A. was one of those press conferences that was somewhat big, but not as much as the big three. Also considered by many as one of the worst companies, it was worrying on how E.A. was going to get themselves out of the fire. E.A.'s press conference was overall a little on the short side, but did had some titles that may help them out in the near future. Some of which include...

• A teaser trailer look on Star Wars: Battlefront.
• Fifa 2015.
• The Sims 4 with a look on emotional status.
• Rumors about a new Mass Effect.
• And a look on the new Battlefield: Hardline, at judging from what we saw has a stronger emphasis on cops and robbers.

Ubisoft

Ubisoft kicked off things pretty great and has a lot more hyped games compared to E.A. Also they are considered a second-hand company much like E.A. compared to the big three. Again on the short side, this company tried to get as much content in the short time they have.  A lot of the hyped games from Ubisoft include...

• A look on Just Dance 2015, which looks like it will allow community uploads to showcase your dance moves.
• A look on the new installment of Assassin's Creed: Unity. They gave us a explanation on the controls and how co-op was going to be played out.
• And the biggest game, Far Cry 4, which gave us a preview on the mechanics, the environment, and an explanation of the multiplayer feature. The multiplayer was unique in that players who even don't have the game can join in on the fun.

Nintendo

Nintendo has had a rough year. Even though they are a member of the big three; the disappointing sales of the Wii U, Nintendo has been in a financial struggle to keep going. Unfortunately like last year, Nintendo had no press conference but instead opt for a online digital event. Though there was no press conference, Nintendo had some great games that can hopefully bring about selling more of their consoles. Some great titles shown were...

•  Super Smash Bros. 3DS. We got a look on the fighting and some of the characters in this popular franchise.
• Mario Maker, which allowed players for the first time ever create their own 8-bit levels.
• A glimpse of the long awaited Bayonetta 2, also showing a cross promotion with Bayonetta dressing in attire from other Nintendo characters.
• And a new Zelda game, which focused on creating a more open world feel as well as the possibility to allow players to play Zelda.

Microsoft

Microsoft, another member of the big three, did a complete 360 (no pun intended) in what was showed last year.  While last year was more of a focus on the T.V. concept and the Kinect, this year focused on the games. However, even when discussing the games for the current console, there were still questions about the current state of the Xbox 360 and the Kinect, as well as P.C. games. Nevertheless, the press conference was amazing. They showed the audience games such as...

• Forza Horizon 2 and look on the new engine and a dynamic weather system.
• An original game known as Sunset Overdrive.
• A look on Halo 5 as well as a collection for the series that allows players to experience the journey so far.
• And the overly hyped installment of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. We got to look at a long demo of the game mechanics, some of the weapons, and the impressive graphics.

Sony

Sony has surprisingly been on top of the gaming industry with the successful sales of the PS4, making them the leading company. Even after just 6 months, Sony has sold over 7 million units of the PS4. So it was no surprise that they were going to have a great E3 this year. For the most part, the main focus was the new games, but also discussed some of the technology like the PS Vita T.V. and Project Morpheus, but that is a discussion for another time. With the new games, I believe Sony will continue to gain success for many years, including...

• Destiny, a FPS with solar system theme.
• The Order: 1886, A war game in an alternate timeline featuring monsters.
• Little Big Planet 3 and the look on the new team system.
• A demo of Mortal Kombat X of how the new gameplay mechanics are more outstanding than the last installment, taken a page from Injustice.
• A preview of Batman: Arkham Knight with the glimpse of the graphics, gliding mechanics, and combat with the new Batmobile.
• And a trailer of the next chapter of the series; Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain looks to be amazing and have more of an open world compared to Ground Zeroes. We may also get hints of this game leading to the original Metal Gear.

E3 this year was more successful than last year and looks like the main game industries were trying to please the gaming community more than ever. For the rest of the trade show, it was dedicated to playable demos and interviews as stated before. While not all of our questions have been answer, this looks like a better year for the gaming industry and community.

Titanfall

Titanfall, made by Respawn Entertainment, is a FPS multiplayer game. The entire experience is played online in a team setting featuring a multiplayer campaign. People have been calling it the COD killer as it offers the same amount as a typical Call of Duty but with more benefits. The main feature in terms of combat is using mechs to make gameplay more engaging. Players can control mechs to complete objectives and help winning matches. This game offers a variety of ways to engage in combat situations.

Titanfall has a lot of great points that most people would enjoy and get their fun filled excitement.

Pros:

• Playing as either a mech or a pilot. You can play the game in a similar style of a ground soldier or use mechs to win your way through the campaign. Playing as a pilot doesn't mean your weaker, but offers new possibilities. As a pilot you have parkour abilities and transverse the maps in a unique way. As a mech, though you can't jump or dodge, acts as a stronger soldier. There are even different types of mechs with their own abilities. You can even customize the pilots and mechs to give them some originality.

• The level design is amazing. There are a good amount of maps, 15 to be exact. The map are a great size, for the purpose of this game and don't rely on tight spaces. And the way the levels are designed, they can allow for movement across the map with the use parkour.

• Added Minions. Minions are AI controlled and they are the grunts of the game. Though they are not highly responsive against human players, they are purposefully added to make battles last. As opposed to FPS multiplayer games where you spend time searching through the map finding players, Minions help alleviate the problem.

Unfortunately, the game is plagued with some downsides.

Cons:

• Small teams. The game only allows up to 12 players in a game. The map size and amount of fast-paced combat could easily have allowed for more players, at least 18 in my opinion.

• Lack-luster game modes. For a game that brings a new concept to combat, the game modes are the same typical modes that you would find in any other FPS. Mostly they are the team deathmatch type with some alteration, and a few objective base modes.

• Multiplayer campaign is bad. Probably the most criticized thing in the game. The "campaign" so to speak is nothing more than multiplayer matches with story elements thrown into it. The story within the campaign is not entertaining at all, and with the distraction of playing the game and listening to voice chat, you will most likely ignore all the dialogue and just play the game. The campaign is also short and can be completed in a few hours. Also the game has scripted moments that don't seem to change the overall result of the battle no matter what you do. Obviously this was just tact on to say Titanfall has a story.

Overall, the game is highly outstanding with the new FPS elements. However, what brings it down is it's lack of connectivity in the world of Titanfall. If the game had original game modes and a single player story instead of a multiplayer story, along with polishing the story to fit the identity of Titanfall, this game would outshine other FPS games by a long shot. Does this game outshine Call of Duty? In my opinion, it is about the same enjoyment for different reasons. This game is still amazing and you will have tons of fun. If you want a good narrative game, this is not for you, but for good FPS action, this is a must buy. I give this game a score of 8 / 10.

Call of Duty: Ghosts

The tenth installment of one of the most known series in gaming, Call of Duty: Ghosts is the turn of the next generation of gaming. Available for the last and current gen consoles, this game feels like the start of something new. What comes with this game is the usual campaign and multiplayer aspect that we are familiar in the past, however there is more here than what the previous games gave us.

Pros

• Cross gen Availability
• This Call of Duty is available for the PS3, PS4, 360, XBOne, Wii U, and PC, which gives the consumer a number of opportunities to play the game on their console of choice.
• Engaging Campaign
• The game's main story has a lot of potential. There are no "fork in the road" type of missions, but instead returns to the classic linear campaign. However, The game takes the combat to everywhere. Land, sea, sky, the moon. Everything is thrown at you. And not to spoil the ending, The game's final moments are not the traditional endings you see in the past games.
• New Mode Squads
• Squads is the newest mode in the game. It offers a variety of things to do. You can customize your squad with names and loadouts. You can refine your skills with a gameplay similar to a practice mode. You can take part in a wave-like survival mode similar to MW3's survival. You can even go head-to-head against other players' squads.
• Improved Multiplayer Loadout
• Everything seems to be different in terms of multiple customization. Instead of one soldier to level up, you have 10 soldiers to level up. You can also create soldiers of your liking, even female characters if you want. And for the most part, weapons, perks, streaks, etc. are unlocked with the help of squad points. Squad points are similar to the unlock tokens from BO2, but you get them from continuous play, and the cost depends on what you are buying.
• New Mode Extinction
• Extinction is another new mode in the game. The best way to explain this game is similar to Resistance 2's Co-op mode, or combining survival with objectives. This mode seems like the Zombies of Activision. The game features a group of soldiers fighting against an alien threat. Currently there is only one chapter, however it is safe to say that there will be more with the upcoming DLC.
• Clan Wars
• Clan Wars is a new way to play multiplayer. Similar to Leagues in BO2, Clan Wars, in a nutshell, allows users to create clans, have people join, and compete against others with clans to win loadout items and other prizes.

Cons

• Multiplayer Issues
• There are some issues regarding the multiplayer section. First off, there are not that many game modes. Some of the fan favorites, like Sabotage, Demolition, and HQ are not in the game, which is a let down. In game, there are issues with spawning and the overall map sizes seem to expansive. Its like they are trying to mimic Battlefield's map sizes.
• No Multi-path Campaign
• While the story is impressive, some have argued for a campaign with multiple endings like BO2. And while that would be great, I just preferred the way the campaign ended. Having another ending would throw it off.

Call of Duty: Ghosts started something new and seems to be the key to making the next gen consoles and even the next game in the series more successful. Let's face it, the last few CODs have been okay, but nothing extraordinary like when COD4 first came out. While there are fans who wish the series would stop when they are on top, Call of Duty: Ghosts might be able to bring the franchise back up. I will give this game an 8.5 out of 10.

Console War: PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U

Officially, the time is here. All 3 of the next-gen consoles have finally been released. For many months, the console war is at a new time high. If you are planning on getting one of these systems, then you might want to know what makes each so special.

First I want to say, that while others may not like a certain aspect of these consoles, don't let that be the deciding factor. This post is not choosing which is better, but more of the hits and misses of each console to give a general idea of the current state of gaming.

The Wii U came to the scene first and was the latest attempt by Nintendo to get the consumers.

Pros:

• Immediately, what I like about the Wii U is the game pad. The game pad acts as a support for the games and at the same time, is very useful for 2 player games, as each player has a full screen.
• Online support seems to be better. I don't know too much of the online capabilities, but from what I heard, the internet is faster and online seems more smooth compared to the original Wii.

cons:

• The game line up is lacking. There were some good ones at launch, but after all this time, there are not many good games. It suffers from the same problem as the PS Vita.
• The initial setup is long. You have to update the console and can take almost 5 hours to complete. So if you are planning on playing anything on the day you get the console, think again.

Over the months it has been out, the unfortunate thing is the console sales are doing very poorly. But yet the irony is that their handheld division is doing great. It seems as though Nintendo should stick to handheld games. As of now, there is a bundle with the new Super Mario Bros 3D World, to try to get the Mario fans buy the console. We just have to wait and see if this can turn the Wii U around.

The PS4 came out last week and a lot of people have been awaiting for this console. This console claims to be the system that supports the community.

Pros:

• The price is way more affordable than the initial launch of the PS3. Better chances of people are getting the console sooner than later.
• A changeable HDD is possible in case you need to expand storage.
• Share features are also possible. You can share gameplay to a few sites. And also share online features with other account users.
• Blu-ray features stay the same as the PS3.
• Internal Game Capture.
• Upgrade feature with games.

Cons:

• No backwards compatibility is available for previous games. You are stuck with PS4 games.
• Online Fee! Yes you have to now pay for playing online on the PS4. That has to be the most disappointing things about the PS4. We spent the lifetime of the PS3 free, and now Sony is starting to assimilate into Microsoft.
• Day One problems. When the consoles first launched, there were some hardware and software problems. This is only a very small percentage of the users, but it is still out there. Currently Sony is taking the time to fix the problem and is offering refunds if necessary.

The PS4 is one of those consoles where you kind of like it. There are some great benefits, but you are also losing other benefits. If you can accept losing some of the important aspects, I say this is a great console.

The Xbox One just hit the store shelves today. And after knowing that the XB1 and PS4 are similar in terms of tech and hardware. There are some other qualities that make it different from the PS4.

Pros:

• TV integration makes this console like a cable box, allowing you to watch channels.
• External HDD support.
• Kinect 2 is improved and more responsive than its predecessor.
• Improved Controller.
• Internal Game Capture.
• Upgrade feature in games.

Cons:

• No Exchangeable HDD. The HDD can't be replaced which may not seem like a problem now, but with all the games that are going to take up space, you will have no choice but to use external HDDs.
• Subscription is still required for Online support so there is no surprise there.
• The price is higher than that of the PS4, so more buyers may tend to go after the PS4.
• Day One Problems. Even as we speak there have been reports of discs not being read properly. This could be do to the fact that the initial design was to install the game and abandon the disc and just play the game straight from the console.

The Xbox One is in the same predicament as the PS4 and more or less may come to preference.

In the end all consoles share unique goals. Some have great benefits that will improve a gamer's experience, while others may hinder from what worked in the past. These game companies all seem to want to please the consuming market, while at the same time want to try something new. Whether you are going for one or all 3 consoles, the question is which one are you going to buy first?

PS4 & Xbox One, E3 recap

E3 is finally over and we now have some idea of the capabilities of the next-gen systems. However, at this point, which option is better?

Sony's PlayStation 4 was first introduced back in February and only show the games and the controller. Since E3, we got a look at some of the most anticipated games, including "Killzone Shadow Fall" and "Infamous Second Son" along with the system itself.

The concept of the PS4 is to allow for a more social standpoint; gathering more players to a gaming community and offering opportunities to the fans to share their gameplay. The system is going to cost $399 in the U.S. As of now, The only downside to the console is no backwards compatibility. Only PS4 games can be played. Sony seemed to listen to the fans and offered them one of the best gaming consoles of the generation.

Microsoft's Xbox One on the other hand was a complete letdown. The system appeared in May and didn't impress the gamers with the TV functionality. And since E3, The Xbox One kept falling under the weight of the PS4. The system was plagued with numerous limitations and restrictions.

Microsoft has tried to appeal to the gamers during E3 by releasing more games, including the new Call of Duty and Halo. The price of the system is now set for $499 in the U.S. But at that point, the contest was won by the PS4.

As of today, 6/19, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One will reverse policies and will not require a constant internet connection and used games will function the same as before. So luckily, the Xbox One is now in a competition with the PS4.

While both systems are similar in terms of hardware, and gameplay, for right now the only thing that separates them is the price. The PS4 is now only slightly better with $100 less than the Xbox One. But there is still time for the price to drop before launch, so just keep a look at the consoles and decide which is better.

The Future of Microsoft and Xbox One

Microsoft earlier today has just reveal their next generation console in their event, "Xbox One". The name alone is interesting. It sounds like this new Xbox is the ONE. It's the ultimate console. But will it able to surpass the PS4.

The event itself only lasted for about an hour, on the web. (I watched it through IGN). Really short compared to the PS4, but a good explanation is that we are also close to E3, and didn't want to reveal everything yet.

For those who haven't seen it yet, the event is broken down in the following order...

1. After the pre-show stuff, Don Mattrick delivers a speech to the fans.
2. Afterwards, the announcement of the new name for the Xbox.
3. They talk about the new redesign of the Kinect, and explain the improved functionality.
4. After that, they demonstrated the voice command and showed the public live TV and discussed Skype conversation.
5. Then they discussed the system specs of the Xbox.
6. Then they briefly talked about the redesign of the controller and the d-pad.
7. Finally the new Xbox Live has been discussed, allowing the use of cloud storage, along with the built in DVR for game sharing.
8. After all is said and done, new games have been announced for the upcoming console, which includes the premier trailer of Call of Duty Ghosts.

I got to say, Microsoft has put a lot for a short reveal. I do have to admit, they actually did a better job of revealing the console and Kinect than Sony. But that could be because of the timing. It seems that Microsoft is taking a page from Sony and trying to make the Xbox One more social to the gaming community. But also Microsoft has taken the feedback of gamers from the Xbox 360, and used that to make the Xbox One to function better. And that seems to be the goal of Microsoft, allowing more functionality and more usability.

The are some downsides to the new Xbox. From articles, some of the earlier rumors are true. While the Xbox doesn't need to have a constant internet connection, the Xbox One is not backwards compatible with 360 games, and it does require the connection of the Kinect in order to make the console work. When it comes to the games, I'm not saying that the games are bad, but there wasn't many games that they revealed during the event. The only good one was the last one, Call of Duty Ghosts.

Update: It has been confirmed that the Xbox One can play used games, but requires the user to pay a small fee. When playing a new game the game data will be installed onto the console that corresponds to the account. If you try to play the game on another account, the game will be blocked unless the new user pays a fee. This really will put a damper on the gaming community and places that allow trading and selling of games.

The event in many ways was like the Sony conference, they tell but didn't show. While they shared a lot, there are still questions I'm sure everyone is wondering. I guess to the see and hear everything that both Sony and Microsoft has to offer, we have to wait another 3 weeks for E3.

DmC Vergil's Downfall

I usually don't do blogs on DLC, but since I am a DMC fan and the fact that this DLC is different than most typical DLCs, I think this deserves some recognition.

Vergil's Downfall is the latest DLC for DmC Devil May Cry. However, instead of it being something that adds to the game, this DLC is independent of the main game. This acts like a sequel to the main game and focuses on Vergil. After his defeat to Dante, Vergil heads to the Demon World to gain the power he needs to rule and goes through a fight against his inner self. The missions involve Vergil tackling a different part of something he cared about and his job is to eliminate his attachments.

The DLC offers some potential which I think should not go unnoticed. Vergil plays better than how he was in DMC3, considering this Vergil contains similar moves. Vergil has similar techniques as Dante with the Demon mode and Angel mode. The gameplay can be insane if you combine Yamato and the Summoned Swords in your fights. The ability to upgrade Vergil with actions, life, and Devil Trigger is present and feels rewarding. And the cutscenes are impressive; taking straight from a graphic novel.

At the same time, there are some flaws to consider. The game is only 6 missions, but actually it really should be 5 since the first and last missions are relatively the same. There are no secret missions. There is only two available costumes. And there is technically no Devil Trigger. Vergil has the Doppelganger ability similar to DMC3.

The DLC though the pros and cons are equally weighed, I still think this is a decent DLC for only $9. You get what you paid for. I say with the action that comes packed in the game, it is just enough to make it worth it. I would give this a 5.5 out of 10.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

What do you get when you combine the subtleness of stealth and hack-and-slash? This game! Rising is like combining the gameplay from Devil May Cry with Metal Gear characters. The game is a fast-paced action game created by Konami and developed by Platinum Games.

Originally the game went under the title, Metal Gear Solid: Rising as a stealth game and was intended to be an interquel between the 2nd and 4th game. However development tend to be difficult to incorporate an action character into a stealth game.

Now the game is all action and is now a canon sequel to the Metal Gear series after 4. How different is this game? When it comes to Metal Gear, we think of stealth. Now that stealth barely exists, did the fans like this game?

There are some incredible things that this game offers and hopefully a lot of players would agree:

• Action and Plenty of it- The game contains a lot of sword swinging gameplay, almost like Devil May Cry. When encountering enemies you may be able to pull off insane moves and kill enemies in unique fashion. Raiden is even more hardcore than in MGS4. The game has a combo system that allows you to rack up as many possible hits towards your enemies. After each battle you'll get graded on your performance determining how stylish you were.

• Upgrades- Before the beginning of the chapter, you'll have the option to upgrade Raiden. The upgrades can go anywhere from enhancing your sword to increasing life and fuel cell. You can even change the appearance of Raiden with alternate costumes.

• Blade Mode- An original concept is allowing the player to use their sword and swing it to any degree and being able to slice through anything. This ability also allows you to perform the Zandatsu technique, slicing open the enemies to steal their fuel cell. However, this ability is limited to the amount of fuel you have. Eventually, the fuel can also call out the "Jack-the-Ripper" persona and boost Raiden's power.

• Engaging Story- The story starts out as a simple rescue mission, but expands to greater depths. Raiden gets himself into a political struggle that forces him to save the country from war. Throughout the time, Raiden is still tormented by his past and has an internal conflict of what is he.

• VR Missions are Back- Been quite sometime since we have seen VR missions. Now you can go through 20 missions doing various objectives and competing for the top score. Of course you have to unlock them in the game.

This game has plenty to offer, but there are some minor faults.

• A Short Game- The game at an average is about 4-5 hours. There are not too many chapters and the game feels short. But at least there are not many long cutscenes.

• Characters- The characters in the game are all new. And I wished they could have shown some familiar faces that we knew. With the exception to Sunny near the end of the game, I wanted to see more original characters.

• No PlayStation Move- The Move should have been a good way to play this game, since you could have mimic the sword slashes. That would have been a perfect fit for the game.

The game is amazing especially the final battle, it gets insane. Now there is official word on upcoming DLC that brings more VR missions, costumes, and a sword with Solid Snake's voice. Metal Gear Rising is a unique game and if you want to try something different from how Metal Gear has been, then this game is right for you. Either way, this game is a 9 out of 10.

The Future of Sony and PS4

Sony's press conference took place back on February 20th and there is a lot to say. Right off the bat, representatives announced that the PlayStation 4 will be hitting stores later this year. With that information, the rest of the conference went into depth of how Sony is planning on changing the gaming community.

The conference lasted for over two hours and there was a lot that was covered. To give a basic overview of the conference:

1. The technical specs of the PS4
2. The announcement of the new DualShock 4 controller
3. The features and functions of the new PS4, including Remote Play with the PSVita
4. The new Cloud storage
5. Upcoming and launch-title games with different companies

I admit, I was amazed by what the PS4 can do. I was also impressed by the new controller. It seems as though Sony is now focusing their attention of the consumers needs and wants. I say that was a smart move. It looked as though Sony was compensating for the issues addressed in the PS3, both technologically and social. Their focus was to make the next-gen system a social platform; connecting gamers all around the world, more better than the PS3.

With that said, there were some weak moments in the conference. Sony doesn't go into much detail on some of the features which might leave some questions on how a certain function works. Also the capabilities of the PS4 still might disappoint:

• No backwards compatibility
• PSN downloads cannot be transferred

The games announced were something. I am not going to say that they are bad, but I am not sure if I am interested. They didn't wow me. If we could have saw more gameplay, maybe I might like them. Finally, what really surprised me was that Sony did not show the actual system. For a conference that was explaining the PS4, it would have been nice to see it. But perhaps they are saving it for E3.

Overall, the PS4 seems to be an amazing system and looks like the answer all the Sony fans have been waiting for. Hopefully Sony can shed more light on the PS4 later in the year and finally put an end to some of these questions. I can't wait to see what Sony will bring for the next generation and I can't wait for the PS4.

DmC Devil May Cry

The newest action oriented Hack-and-Slash game, Devil May Cry is back but different. This is not a sequel or a prequel, but a reboot of the entire franchise. The game retells the origin of Dante who this time around is a angel-demon hybrid, in search of destroying Mundus along with the help of a human, Kat, and his twin brother, Vergil. The game has a different feel than the previous games, giving it more of a Gothic tone, but still has the action.

Pros

• Stylish Action- The action is back and continues to be better. The way of performing combos is more natural looking. There are also a variety of combos to pull off and getting a great rank is quite easy.
• Familiar Items- You get the usual stuff from games like red and green orbs. And the items you can buy are all familiar from previous games. The upgrades are done with the use of upgrade points that you accumulate from white orbs. There are not too many surprises from the menu that might get you off guard.
• Training Mode- For the first time, you can practice different weapons and combos and take the time to master the controls.
• Secret Mission Mode- Secret Missions are back, however this time around, you can access them in the main menu without having to go into the specific mission to play them.
• Skins and costumes- You get different unlockable costumes for Dante, and even some that you can buy. Also you can customize the look of the weapons.
• New Angel/Demon Mode- Dante can access two parts of his power. The Demon Mode allows him to use demon weapons along with certain abilities, as too with Angel Mode, but with angelic weapons.

Cons

• No Lock-on- The first thing you are going to notice is there is no lock-on to easily switch targets. This can be frustrating at times trying to attack the right enemy in a group. It is also awkward for players who used to constantly lock-on to enemies in past games.
• Lacking Weapons- The weapons seem lacking since the weapons you get are the two demon and angel weapons, the Rebellion, and three guns. I feel there should have at least incorporated more guns as they are almost the same as DMC4.
• Awkward Devil Trigger- The DT in this game doesn't turn you into a demon, but instead creates a void in time to slow down time while giving you an increase in power. At the same time the enemies are all jolted into the air. This method seemed familiar to Bayonetta's Witch Time, as it does about the same thing. I liked it at first to give some breather room to think, but it gets annoying to have everyone in the air.
• Weak Dialogue- The story was decent to say the least, but the dialogue is kind of bad, almost laughable bad. The whole time, Dante mostly uses one-liners that are not witty like DMC3 Dante, but instead pissing off his enemies. Also it is thrown in with some sex jokes that don't have a purpose.There is also not strong connections amongst the characters to say that you would care about them.

The overall game is good. There are some weak moments, but the action sure makes up for it. Reviewers gave this game a decent score, while fans hammer at the game for being different. You have to keep in mind that this is a reboot and should not be compared to the other games. DmC takes a chance to try something new and players will have to open their mind and see how original the game can be. I say give this game a chance and you might be surprised. I give this game a 7.5 out of 10.

Call of Duty Black Ops II

I have played the latest in the Call of Duty franchise, and I believe this is a great improvement from MW3. Don't get me wrong. I love MW3, but I think we can agree that the game needed more content than being an updated version of MW2. Black Ops II doesn't play it safe, but takes a chance creating one good game.

What you will like from the game

• The campaign is amazing. There are great moments in the game that you wished were in the previous games. It really is engaging taking up multiple roles playing as the good and bad guy.

• Mission Customization. You can customize classes for the campaign creating variety every time you play the game.

• New Zombie Modes. Zombies is taken to the next level. Not only it has the traditional survival mode, but it includes other modes. Grief puts two teams fighting to be the only one alive. And this mode can get chaotic. Tranzit is the buzz for the game. Up to 4 players can explore an entire town with the help of a bus. Also to note as of now there is an upcoming DLC to finally allow us to play as the zombies.

• Multiplayer's Pick-10. Black Ops II breaks the traditional class set up for the new pick-10-system. Players are allotted 10 points to customize classes in any way from having two guns and three perks, to having six perks and a knife.

• Score Streaks. Instead of killstreaks, Black Ops II improved on MW3's idea of pointstreaks. Players will have to earn score points within the game to call in streaks. The way to earn score points can be anything from kills, to objectives. This really gets players more involved in teamwork instead of going Rambo.

• League Play. I haven't much to give a lot of info, but you can actually be part of a league along with other players around the world close to your skill level. In a way this is similar to clans from Elite.

Though this game is an improvement, there's not to say it is faulted by minor problems.

• Poor branching storylines. This is the first COD to have a branching story where your decisions influence the game. Yet I find there is little change to the story based on the decisions and the choices are small. For instance whether or not to shoot someone.

• Strike Force Missions. These are side missions that are supposed to also influence the story by completing various objectives. You get to control everything from the soldiers to the machines. However most of these missions are repetitive and don't seem to really influence the main game.

• This may be minor for me, but I think there should be more game modes for multiplayer. Where is Sabotage? I used to play that a lot. Also I wonder if they are going to add modes from MW3 like Infected.

Aside from all of that, I find this game to be one of the top FPS games opposed to Halo 4. If you have not played this game, I say go for it. It is worth the $60 as you will keep finding excitement and you can expect future DLC. I personally give this game a score of 9 out of 10.