My most anticipated RPGs of 2011

2011 so far has been a pretty good year for a number of genres like FPS or action adventure games and it would seem (from the release dates) that this trend will continue for the rest of the year as well. OK lets see now we have Gears of Wars 3 primed for release very soon, Infamous 2 June's debut is pretty close and Uncharted 3 is set for the fall release. But as much as this year has been awesome, there have been a woefully small number of quality RPGs coming out in 2011 and this fact is indicative of the new direction the current generation is taking. This is not say that 2011 has been or will be barren for RPGs, on contrary there are number of pretty solid RPGs coming out and although I am a few months late in bringing out this post (there have been around 3 good RPGs released in this time), but from today till the 2nd of June I will be discussing 10 of my most anticipated RPGs of this year (well...of 6 months that is):

1) Xenoblade Chronicles - Wii -September :

A simple and plan fact is that Wii has not been a power house for RPGs (even with the incredible popularity of the console), but unlike Nintendo's previous console (GameCube) there have been 3-5 solid RPGs for gamers to choose. But the console is still missing THAT epic RPG, which would define the console for RPG players. This is about to change though with the release of two RPGs from experienced developers. First I will talk about Xenoblade Chronicles. The game comes from the team which has made a HUGE name for themselves with the superlative Xenogears and XenoSaga series, helmed by Tetsuya Takahashi and the game company Monolith Soft, backed by Nintendo (phew). Now that is a quite a pedigree if you ask me, one which will catapult this game to a top billing for RPG players. The game was originally called Monado: Beginning of the World, but was thankfully changed to Xenoblade in honor of Takahashi (the creator of the Xeno brand games). Nintendo has a sure-fire winner on its hands and has done well in becoming the publisher, meaning the quality of the localization will be great. As a Wii owner I can't wait to get my grubby mitts on this one as soon as its out.

The premise of the plot takes place on top two crystallized gods where humanoids and machines have taken up residence and are now embroiled in a never ending war. From the outset the game already has a unique backdrop which will inevitable open up into something epic. Tetsuya Takahashi has also pointed out that the narrative will be quite different from the cut-scene heavy XenoSaga series (much to my chagrin), while also having emphasis on exploration. Consider this as an amalgam of eastern story-telling with western game play tropes. This will be very interesting indeed!

The game play resembles Final Fantasy XII (ala offline MMORPG), while players will have the freedom to input commands as well. I am one of those who actually really liked the MMORPG mechanics from Final Fantasy XII and after going through quite a few of game play video that mechanics looks very solid in Xenoblade Chronicles. I am very excited for the game play and with a promise of 50-60 hours of the main plot Xenoblade Chronicles has a lot going for it.


The technical aspect of the game looks really spiffy with some awesome visuals, perhaps one of the best looking Wii game to date! The screen shots and videos showcase huge environs to explores, beautiful vistas to behold and attention of a lot of detail. I mean lets face it, Wii isn't known for a its graphics, but Xenoblade Chronicles really does look good. For me the look of the game is very similar to many of the outstanding PS2 RPGs and I felt a twinge of nostalgia looking at screenshots and videos of the game.

But the soundtrack has all the bearing to be very memorable. Yoko Shimomura (of Kingdom Hearts and Legend of Mana fame) and Yasunori Mitsuda (of Chrono Trigger/Cross and XenoSaga fame) providing the sound track!!!. I mean two of the finest composers in the game industry working together can only mean that the sound track well be of dizzying quality.

So yeah it will be a huge understatement to say that I am excited for Xenoblade Chronicles. The game has that PS2 RPG vibe to it and that can only be a good thing (PS2 RPG library the greatest ever!). The Wii has been a huge success for Nintendo but the lack of good RPG has been disappointing, so here hoping that Xenoblade Chronicles lives up to the hype and finally give the Wii the epic RPG it deserves before it rides off into the sunset.

Join me tomorrow for another anticipated RPG.

Co-pilot

Before reading on I suggest to the read this article:

http://kotaku.com/5656943/the-gamer-i-really-am

Playing video games with my siblings is one of my most enduring childhood memories. Spending hours with my older brothers playing Super Mario Bros, or using cheat codes in Contra in an effort of finish game. Jungle Strike on the Sega Mega Drive was a game which me and my brother played quite a bit, doing mission turn by turn or helping out in difficult sections. Another game which vied for our time was Brian Lara Cricket. Here was game which we played tourney style, and it was always a blast. Streets of Rage series was one also another franchise we sibling with play alot.

With my purchasing of the PlayStation, coupled with my brothers getting less and less interested in games, I started getting more time playing single player games, and slowly I enjoyed them more than playing with my sibling. My gaming started to revolve around RPGs and it was good. Although it didn't matter much that none of my siblings were interested in gaming much (barring a few games here and there of course), but I did miss simpler days.

As my brothers left home, my gaming would become a total single player experience, as my sisters were either too young or just not interested. But that changed, just for a short period of time when I purchased PS2's first Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy X. As the game started, my younger sister (who is just a couple of years younger than me) caught a glimpse of me playing the game, and just like that she is like watching me play the game intently, marvelling at the graphics, chipping in with a suggestion on beating enemies and getting really surprised at how the story was developing. This went on for while, and I was kinda surprised that a single player game had caught the attention of one of my siblings. Its not that my sister was interested in the game itself, but she got intrigued with the game's story and the characters.



Now whenever I would put the game, my sister would come and watch the cut-scenes (not FMVs mind you, but story exposition cut-scenes). New developments in the story and characters would be discussed and analyzed. Hell even the sound track would get a bit of attention. I actually had to stop from progressing the story for a month as my sister's annual exams had started, and that gave me ample time to get all the ultimate weapons for my characters and finish all of the side quests by the time her exams finished.

And when the game reached it epic conclusion, and I had broken down into a sobbing mess, my sister was there to witness that doing her best not laugh at me all the while trying to cheer me up during the credits. Yes the game was quite incredible and I regard it as a crowning glory in the world of RPGs, but I know it as a fact that the game become so memorable due to my co-pilot. Even today we sometimes discuss some of the finer points of game's story and the characters.

Invariably after a few years when my youngest sister (who is alot younger than me) started playing Final Fantasy 10, I would usually watch her play and essentially performed the co-pilot's role.

Single player games are still the trend of my gaming, but as I said, for a little while Final Fantasy 10 become a 'multi-player' experience.

But anyways the article written the Leigh Alexander (in link above) was quite the read and will be visiting her blog Sexy Videogameland.