The next generation of gaming will be kicking off Today, November 15th as Sony releases the Playstation 4 with a variety of new video games. It’s an exciting time for gaming as the industry will hopefully continue to move forward and innovate. Consumers are no longer tied to retail games as indie and free to play grow larger. Online gaming will be moving to a more social aspect as streaming becomes easier for all devices. Last, but certainly not least, games are getting bigger and hopefully better. In preparation for the next generation, lets take a look at some of the most promising games that have been announced
Disclaimer: Certain games like Sunset Overdrive and The Order:1886 will not be on this list due to their trailers not showing any gameplay. For any game to be featured on this list, it must show a good amount of gameplay so a slightly educated opinion can be formed. Also, games like Infamous: Second Son most likely will not be on this list due to the fact that it isn’t showing anything that the last gen couldn’t do besides graphics/design: This only plays a facrot however.
5.) Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy is a beloved RPG series that has recently lost a lot of popularity. Final Fantasy 13 failed to impress many as well as it’s sequel. Final Fantasy 14 bombed horribly, and has only recently reached success due to a complete re-release of the entire package. Square Enix has also been hitting some financial trouble due to mismanagement and poor sales expectation. This puts Final Fantasy 15 in a slightly similar spot as the original Final Fantasy (Square’s Last Hope.) However, Final Fantasy 15 will be throwing away the tradition of turn based combat in exchange for real time action. This may not seem big, but lets not forget that turn based combat has been staple to the series since it’s beginning; and it has been very successful until recent years. Square Enix is planning to put a new spin on the series and I couldn’t be happier. Tetsuya Nomura is the Director and Square Enix couldn’t have picked anyone better: After all, Tetsuya is the creator of Square’s most beloved action rpg series Kingdom Hearts. RPGSthat implement more action such has Fallout 3 or The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim have become a big hit lately. Square Enix seems to have taken notice of western games and Tetsuya is obviously a fan of western media. Hopefully he is able to release the game swiftly as he will be working on Final Fantasy 15 in conjunction with Kingdom Hearts 3.
4.) Need For Speed: Rivals
Need For Speed: Rivals will be coming out on launch for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One; but will also be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360. To start off, the graphics have clearly been upgraded; and features like the dynamic weather system show how Crition took advantage of the new hardware. However, What makes the game impressive is the new AllDrive feature that Crition is working on. Alldrive allows players to connect to online play sessions seamlessly, bringing a near Dark Souls feel. Basically, players can play the game in single player; but have the option to always be connected so players can enter your world. With a new focus on social gaming you can expect to see more and more features like Alldrive implemented into games. This will also be great on live streams as it allows viewers to interact with the streamers.
3.) Deep Down
Capcom is another company that has recently hit some pretty hard financial troubles. With only $152 million dollars in the bank, the idea of the industry without Capcom seems sadly realistic. Although many have disproved of Capcom’s recent practice, many still have a mushy spot for the once proud juggernaut of gaming. Deep Down is their newest project and it is showing a lot of promise. Many have compared the gameplay to Elder Scrolls and Dark Souls, and it is easy to see why. The four player co-op is a great feature as many have been begging Bethesda to throw that feature in Elder Scrolls and Fallout. The game also features a darker tone in terms of artistic design which looks quite amazing on the Playstation 4. The only scare that really holds this game down is the fact that the game is free to play. Capcom does not have the cleanest record when it comes to the digital market to say the least. This will upset many fans, but I do believe with the right management/planning, this can turn out to be great for consumers and Capcom. Here hoping that Capcom puts a lot of thought into FTP and that they look at other successful FTP Titles. As long as the “pay to win” strategy is avoided there is no reason why this couldn’t be a phenomenal experience
2.) Transistor
To put it nicely, the turn based RPG genre has become less popular over the years. This is mainly due to the games never aspiring to be more than what they were in the 90s. Turn Based RPGs have become more repetitive due to most companies wanting to create the next Final Fantasy 7, literally. This trend needs to stop because although Final Fantasy 7 will always be regarded as one of the best turn based RPG, it is not the only way to make a game: When developers focus on this design in fact, they make the entire genre dull as it presents itself as a one trick pony. So why does Transistor belong on this list? Simple, Transistor is inspired and innovative. Supergiant Games managed to blend the combat of Bastion with turn based, strategic, and tactical gameplay. It promotes the player to experiment in its dark cyberpunk world. The artistic design is both inspired and creative, making an all around beautiful atmospheric experience. A talented indie developer is what the genre needed, and hopefully this game inspires other companies to change the tired formula.
1.) The Division
Watch Dogs was probably the Ubisoft game that most expected to make the list. However, although Watch Dogs is clearly ambitious, Tom Clancy’s: The Division looks like a bigger game changer overall. The game has been classified as a online, open world RPG; and it couldn’t look better. The social aspect of the new consoles will surely strengthen this games goal of bringing the massive post apocalyptic Manhattan to life. The game will feature random loot, and whether or not the game will work like the Alldrive feature, or just the ability to add a lot of players to your world has yet been explained. Regardless, the ambition of this title is clear and no other game screams next-gen as loud as The Division.
