Last and quite possibly least in my 2013 E3 Preview Preview is Microsoft. The once proud software juggernaut has been reduced to a turd-juggling monkey.  Although the Windows Phone, Surface, and Windows 8 OS may have made Microsoft the most talented primate in the zoo, they have done nothing to capture the imagination of consumers. I guess an ad filled with ethnically diverse twenty-somethings dancing on tables failed to communicate the worth of a Surface Pro. But the one area where Microsoft perpetually outperforms the competition is console gaming. That success is due largely in part to its strong third party support as well as its cohesive multiplayer functionality. It also means that Microsoft has the most to lose with this upcoming console generation.

The Kinect Effect

We’ll hear the new console’s official name at E3 2013. My guess would be Xbox Infinity which would tie in with their Windows 8 logo pretty well (just knock the 8 over). We can expect multiple SKUs as well as a subscription option for those willing to lease a new console for two years at a time as opposed to buying one outright. Look for the consoles to range from $499 to $599 with an option to commit to a two year contract at $100.00 for the hardware and a subscription of $19.99 a month.

Despite the lukewarm reception from the core audience, the Kinect has found a place among casual gamers and makes browsing content on the console less cumbersome. Microsoft will eliminate some of the issues with the original Kinect by including the upgraded version with every next generation console SKU. Developers won’t have to worry if everyone has a Kinect or not before adding key gameplay features. If the new Kinect fails to work this time around, it will be relegated to educational software and dance games.

The new Kinect will be able to register your movements more accurately than the previous version, but it may come at a price. That weird little robot may follow your movement around the living room even when the console is off. Sony was adamant about the speed of play with PS4 from the moment the power button is pressed to actual gameplay. Microsoft will look tired by comparison if it has to wait five minutes for both the console and the Kinect to boot up.

So What about the First Party Games?

That strong third party support has resulted in an anemic first party line up. Microsoft has Halo and Forza. Games like Perfect Dark and Viva Piñata don’t seem like strong candidates for reboots and the Fable series has been embarrassing itself for years. We could end up seeing an almost entirely fresh roster of IPs for their next generation console. Epic Games showed an impressive Unreal Engine trailer called Samaritan back at GDC 2011. They have a habit of converting tech demos into actual games and this title could replace the ageing Gears of War as their marquee franchise. Speaking of Epic, their Minecraft-meets-The Walking Dead-experiment Fortnite should be ready for a live-stage demo in June. You can look for Fortnite to launch with Infinity in early November. Samaritan will just miss the launch window with a spring 2014 release.

Once upon a time, 343 announced two new Halo trilogies. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Halo offshoot presented as a launch title while the numbered sequels leap frog every two years a la Call of Duty, which will also make an appearance at Microsoft’s E3 conference. EA will make its obligatory sports game presentation—the UFC license they acquired from THQ should be put to good use here. Ubisoft’s Assassins’ Creed: Black Flag will also make an appearance as Watch Dogs continues to get touted at the Sony booth.

The Fate of 360

The original Xbox was dropped unceremoniously when the 360 was announced. With an installed base ten times larger than the original Xbox, Microsoft would be foolish to let the 360 die off so quickly. It will take a year or so of transition before any of the next gen consoles gain traction. Microsoft will have an edge over Sony and Nintendo in transferring downloadable content from the 360 to the Infinity. You won’t be able to play your 360 disks, but all downloadable purchases should carry over seamlessly with your Xbox Live account. There’s no reason Microsoft would charge you again to download games you already purchased, right? Right!?

And the rest…

Halo: Subtitle Pending – Fall 2013

Forza 5 -Fall of 2013

A Wretched Kinect Game-Fall of 2013

?????????? – Winter 2014

?????????? 2 – Spring 2014

The thing is, when it comes to fighting games, female characters are almost always very agile, and you – as the player – can use their agility as an advantage in a match against some hardass like Zangief, who may be tough but is a little on the slow (and heavy) side. These are fighting games, and playing them requires strategy, like it or not. It’s unreasonable (and, frankly, a little sexist) to just “stick to male characters because you’re also a male.” With that logic, does that mean you think you’re really Ryu when you’re using him in a match? I mean, come on. That’s just ridiculous. You may be controlling Ryu in a game, but his moves and abilities are still his. This reminds me of the time when one of my friends found out I watched Dexter, the TV show about an arguably justified serial killer. He said I “might turn into a serial killer one day,” apparently. I scoffed when he said that, because it’s so annoyingly ignorant. I watched The Matrix trilogy, too, and I liked it; so does that mean one day, like Neo did, I’ll gain the ability of flight and be able to stop bullets mid-air just by making the bullets see the wrath of my bare, sweaty palm? Outstanding. I’m no psychologist, but I’m sure there’s a technical term for that kind of reasoning — my personal term for it is selective reasoning. It’s “fine” to watch and like TV shows and movies where the characters’ actions aren’t as questionable as Dexter Morgan’s, or Heisenberg’s, but if you watch Dexter, you’ll “become a serial killer,” and if you watch Breaking Bad, “you’ll become either a drug addict or a drug pusher.” Uh huh. Just so you know, while I do enjoy watching Dexter Morgan’s story unfold, that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to live HIS life. And just because I’m using Juri in Super Street Fighter IV to win a match, that doesn’t mean I want to BE her, wear her outfit and trade my penis for a vagina.

Now let’s talk Lara Croft.

Lara Croft from Crystal Dynamics’ “Tomb Raider” reboot.

A few years ago, back when Tomb Raider Legend was still relevant, my older cousin (and a few relatives) spent New Year’s Eve with my family. I was playing the game on my PC while he watched, along with his wife. My cousin then said, “I was going to get that game, but I kind of have an issue with a female being the lead.” I was about to say “So what?” but his wife beat me to it. She said exactly what I was thinking. So I just sat there and continued playing my game.

To this day, I still don’t understand why my cousin said what he said. Does he not know that Tomb Raider and the character of Lara Croft was originally specifically created to cater to the male audience? For the record, I never got to play the original Tomb Raider with the low-polygon model of Lara Croft and her famous “cone boobs,” but I’ve read about it (and seen multiple images of Lara’s original lovely lady lumps). Anyway, we’re talking about a 3rd person adventure game here, not a 1st person RPG where the player has more reason to think they are the character they’re playing. In 3rd person games, you’re looking at the character whose story you’re witnessing unfold. Most of the time, in Tomb Raider, Lara Croft’s bottom is right in front of your face. How come some guys think it’s fine to play a game like Hitman, or Gears of War, or Splinter Cell in which, for the entire duration of the actual gameplay, a guy’s be-hind is on display? Not the mention their “delicious muscular arms, manly hands and sexy smirks.” All of that is ON DISPLAY for the player. If you’re really going to let a character’s gender decide whether you should get a game or not, then not getting Tomb Raider because the lead is a female (and is on display) is probably the wrong way to go about it. Either way, you’re making your decisions for the wrong reasons.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I play a game, I am fully aware that it’s not MY story. While there is definitely a required level of immersion to be able to fully enjoy a game and the story it tells, that doesn’t mean you HAVE to be the character you’re playing. This is why I never let the gender of the game’s main protagonist bother me, or even factor into my decision-making whether to get a game or not. There are at least two ridiculous ways some men look at women characters in videogames: the player either wants to “be” the women characters, or the player wants to look at (and objectify) the women characters. Me? Well, I just want to enjoy the gameplay and the story, thank you very much. I already have my own life to worry about; must people also make an issue if I play a female character in video games? Life is already complicated as it is; it’s stupid that certain people are finding additional ways to make it more complicated.

Quick summary and review for people who don’t like to read 

Catherine PS3 Cover

In 2011/2012(Europe) Atlus published their videogame “Catherine” with a very provocative cover of a sexy blonde girl catching a guy in her bra while he is only wearing his boxershorts. Nevertheless Catherine turns out to be a cleverly planned game about love, decisions and friendship. Well ok, also about drinks, a bar and screwing… Everyday after hanging out in the bar called “The Stray Sheep” Vincent, the boxershorts guy who is actually the game’s protagonist, has reoccuring nightmares in which he has to climb a block tower filled with traps that become deadlier every night. This is what you as the player basically do the whole time, you try to find a way for Vincent up to the top of the tower. At daytime you experience the life of Vincent who has many issues with committing to his relationship with Katherine. Shit really hits the fan when Catherine (with C!) appears, the girl we already know from the provocative cover. Vincent starts an affair he doesn’t really want and is confused and depressed throughout the whole game. Hanging out at the Stray Sheep is a pretty exciting part of the game. You get to know Vincent’s friends who have their own issues, can select different songs from the jukeboy, talk to everyone in the bar, send and receive text messages with your mobile or even play an arcade videogame called “Rapunzel”. Everything might seem like a cheesy soap opera but it isn’t. The story and the puzzle stages are well planned and even contain horror elements. You as the player have the power to choose which ending all the characters of the game get, as you are asked questions before every nightmare puzzle stage. There are 7 endings in total so the replay value is enormous.

Personal opinion

I Let’s Played the game ( check out the whole playlist here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3RNUyDjeJI&list=PLHBaJedYvAZ6I_WnMfYge-_sNRK2IQmju ) and therefore had a very intense insight into the game. There´s something you have to know about me. I really love puzzle games but i am usually not a fan of Japanese games, especially those containing fan service. There are obviously some exceptions like the great Final Fantasy X which I am Let’s Playing right now as well. Nevertheless I gave it a shot and it was amazing. Immediately, I was sucked into the story. Vincent’s issues, Katherine’s way of dealing with his uncertainty and obviously Catherine made the whole gaming experience feel very personal. I named Catherine  ‘Curlyfry’ during my Let’s Plays, as she is just a seductive clichee of a loud and annoying japanese anime schoolgirl. Friends who have been watching my Catherine Let’s Plays from time to time kept on asking me if solving all these puzzle stages isn’t extremely boring and tedious, but surprisingly it wasn’t. You are part of Vincent’s microcosm and you really want to make it, especially for his sake. I for example got the “True Lover” ending as I really wanted him to commit to his relationship and live a happy, traditional life. I guess this is what I would want myself, therefore my path for him was quite determined. But believe it or not I am so fascinated by this game, that I will replay it now to make completely different decisions. I will try to get all the Cocktail trivia you get by hanging out in the bar every night and I will also try to pay more attention to details as I know the frame story now.

Rating System

So I decided to go for hearts as rating symbols.

Six hearts: Super Awesomely Amazing Videogame

One heart: Use it as room decoration only.

Rating for Catherine: 

Well, well, well. Catherine is a really amazing, well-planned and exciting game and everyone should play it!  The only reason why it didn’t get 6 hearts is because the game would have been even better with varying puzzles.  I know the game is about Vincent climbing a metaphorical ‘tower to his destiny’ but it just would have been nice to have a few different puzzles.For instance they could have had puzzles in the Stray Sheep or just different kinds of puzzles in general. You really hate climbing blocks after a while.

Thanks for reading! Check out my Let’s Play Channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/AliceWoelfer and if you really like it like my Page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aliceplaysvideogames

Cheers,

Alice

Check out this Tribute to Hip-Hop Posse tracks…Classic: “POSSE CUT TRIBUTE“

The X-Factor Podcast Episode # 97.1 (Time:1 hour 30 min.)

1. “The Symphony’”
2. “Buddy (Remix)”
3. “Scenario/Scenario(Remix)”
4. “Live at the Barbeque”
5. “Don’t Curse”
6. “Headbanger”

7. “Flava in ya Ear(Remix)”
8. “Protect Ya Neck”
9. “Eye for a Eye”
10. “Headz Ain’t Redee/Leflaur Leflaur Eshkoshka”
11. “Affirmative Action (Main & Remix)”
12. “I Shot Ya/4,3,2,1″

13. “24 Hours to Live”
14. “Reservoir Dogs”
15. “Banned From T.V.”
16. “John Blaze”
17. “Watch Out for the Hook”
18. “Ante Up (Remix)”
19. Simon Says (Remix)

Madame Spontaneous on DeviantART.

However, since Boyfriend started coming to my roller derby games, I decided I should probably take an interest in one of his favourite pastimes, and started to play VIDEO GAMES with him. And I have discovered something astounding – VIDEO GAMES ARE REALLY, REALLY FUN.

Here is the ramshackle list of games (mainly co-op) that I have been playing over the last few months:

Dead Nation
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Little Big Planet
Borderlands 2
Halo 4
Uncharted 2
Saint’s Row 2

During these few months I have mainly discovered that I HATE jumping (“you are the only person in the world who finds Little Big Planet too difficult to play”), and that I LOVE shooting things. Especially in Borderlands 2. I think I want to marry that game.

Note: I accidentally typed Final Fantasy as Final Fantasty – an RPG about sandwiches. I would TOTALLY buy that game.