With last night’s successful Bethesda conference on my mind
and the many possibilities on the horizon as the rest of E3 approaches, I have managed
to motivate my lazy summer self to write about how excited I am this year.
Let me clarify my intentions for this wish list. There are
many things I hope to see over the next few days, so I am going to maintain a
focus on things that would truly make my day. These can fall anywhere on the
realistic spectrum from “that could totally happen” to “that’s never going to
happen, but it would indeed be awesome.”
Let’s cut to the chase before conferences actually begin!
1. Some Kingdom Hearts details are revealed
I would love to hear a little more about the franchise that
defined my childhood. There are so many things I can imagine for Kingdom Hearts
3, but I’ll stick to some nifty ideas I have had and steer clear of spoilers.
I would like to see the following worlds appear in Kingdom
Hearts 3:
Shibuya (from The World Ends With You)
Tangled
Frozen
Pixar worlds
Big Hero 6
Another Final Fantasy world apart from Radiant
Garden
Chrono Trigger world (long shot, but hey… this
is a wish list!)
Marvel Cinematic Universe
It would also make my day to hear about these characters either
(A) debuting for the first time or (B) returning after a long absence:
Noctis from Final Fantasy XV
Tidus (reappearing and older than he was in KH1)
Zack Fair (reappearing and older than he was in
Birth by Sleep)
Kefka from FFXI
Zidane Tribal from FFIX
The World Ends With You characters
The Avengers
Rocket and Groot
Before anyone asks why I didn’t include Star Wars on here,
let me just say that I am not opposed to the idea. I just don’t particularly
wish for it either.
2. Rise of the Tomb Raider receives a PS4 release
date
And let’s say it is released a mere three months after the
Xbox One release. I can wait that long.
Side note: I own an Xbox One, but do not want to encourage
Crystal Dynamic’s choice to alienate their long term fans in favor of a quick
buck. So we will hopefully be purchasing this game for a Sony console. Because business.
3. Theatrhythm: Kingdom Hearts is announced for 3DS
So this could totally happen at the Square Enix conference,
and that would be fantastic. I’ve already detailed how this game could work in
my very first blog post, and I welcome the surreal feeling of seeing something
I wrote about months ago coming to life at E3.
4. An HD remake of Final Fantasy VII bundled with
FFVII: Crisis Core released for PS4
So I am convinced this one is not going to happen. My
brother pointed out this morning that there are rumors abounding yet again, but
I just can’t seem to get over the disappointment of last year’s PlayStation
Experience announcement. They made it pretty clear there that they were only
porting the PC version onto PS4. No touchups. No enhanced musical scores. It
would be a dream come true of this were all some creepy ruse and they really
were listening intently to what fans want. I just can’t let myself be vulnerable
to this one again after the huge let down last year.
Jokingly, I came up with a wistfully enticing collector’s edition
pre-order bundle. It could include the blu-ray for Advent Children, the
reimagined soundtrack to both games and the movie, a hard-covered art book, a
hand painted knights of the round figurine, and a set of glass materia complete
with display case. Oh, and a $20 credit toward Final Fantasy XV. Because why
not? This is a wish list after all.
5. Limited Persona 5 details announced
So I don’t want to know too much about Persona 5, since this
is a franchise that just needs to be experienced. But I am curious about a
couple things that would not ruin the surprises that are surely embedded inside
this definite masterpiece.
First of all, I want to know the official release date. It
is immensely satisfying knowing that Persona 5 should be released in the East
and West simultaneously, but I still need to know when.
Second, I’m curious about the voice cast for Persona 5. I
doubt this will be announced anytime soon, but if it was, I would like to hear
about participation from the likes of Travis Willingham, Nolan North, Colleen
Clinkenbeard, Monica Rial, and (of course) Yuri Lowenthal. It just wouldn’t be
right to have a Persona game without Yuri Lowenthal.
6. Mass Effect 4’s main character and other details
revealed
We know so little about this one. I mainly want to discover
more about the character that will define the next arc of this series.
Additionally, it wouldn’t hurt to hear where they plan on taking this universe
next, and whether or not it takes any steps forward in terms of a divergent
ending based on your actions throughout the series.
7. Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem
Nintendo. Please, please tell me why I want to play this. It
looks bizarre. I very much want to like it. I just need to know why. I trust
that putting these two great things together will make a brand new game that
can’t NOT impress me. But I want some encouragement here, and maybe something
spectacular to convince me that I am not crazy for wanting this one.
8. Any fantastic new IP
I am sure there is someone out
there that had an as of yet unknown stroke of brilliance that they will
announce either today or tomorrow. I look forward to that and hope it is every
bit as wonderful as the rest of these things that have made my list.
So I’m sure I am leaving something out, but my husband is
telling me it is time to publish. No time for proof reading or tweaking my
words or phrasing. The Microsoft conference is about to start after all! I will
do my best to document the most exciting announcements throughout the next few
days. I look forward to all the exciting news and hope this is an E3 akin to
2013’s (not last year’s… that one was kind of a letdown).
There is something bittersweet about anticipating a new
game.
First, the sweet.
There is the enveloping excitement that emerges immediately
when a project is officially announced. Then follows the unbridled hunger for
that first teaser trailer. Theories begin to fly regarding mechanics, design,
story, and characters. Gameplay footage is showcased as development progresses.
Clues are excavated from every screenshot, video, and announcement made public.
Then, the bitter.
Uncertainty plagues fans. Release dates are either announced
ridiculously far in advance (causing an unbearably long wait), surprisingly
late (leaving fans in the dark for longer), or are delayed completely (when the
industry can’t keep up with the timeline they set without sacrificing quality).
Some projects are brought to the public’s attention only to go silent for years
(e.g. The Last Guardian).
It seems like my own personal list of games I am eagerly
expecting ebbs and flows like waves on the sand. There are dry spells usually
around summer and Christmas when release dates are more common and new projects
are in their early stages around the world. Then there are times (like now)
where there are a plethora of expected masterpieces that I impatiently await.
In honor of this spring’s greater than average
quantity/quality of upcoming games, below are 11 games I am incredibly excited
about.
11. No Man’s Sky
I hesitantly trust that No Man’s Sky lives up to all the
hype. I know how excited people are (I am too), but I have this fear that it’s
going to end up like Fable: lots of raised hopes only to lead to unnecessary let
downs. Because, like Fable, I can totally see No Man’s Sky being an excellent
game. But I can also see it not quite living up to all the lofty expectations.
If No Man’s Sky ends up being a solid A- game, I really hope that people refrain
from criticizing it for not being an A+.
I mainly want to play No Man’s Sky to make good on the
promise that I can be the first to discover my own planet.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Wii U
Riding Epona as she naturally doesn’t
run into trees? Leaping off her back while firing arrows at my enemies? Playing in a
vast open Hyrule akin to Skyrim? Yes please!
Enough said.
9. Quantum Break
I was saddened by the news that Quantum Break would be
delayed but hopeful that the extended development time would ensure a quality
product. I feel like this gem has been flying under the radar for months, so if
you haven’t seen anything about it, please watch the embedded video below. It gets really interesting around the 5 minute mark.
Quantum Break’s physics/time based gameplay looks like a
blast. Its visuals are gorgeous and eerie. I hope it lives up to my
expectations, and the delay ends up benefiting the project as a whole. I can
honestly say that this is my most anticipated Xbox One exclusive as of yet.
8. Danganronpa 3
I think most people would agree that the high school
experience was pretty awful. Sure, there might be some popular kids who enjoyed
it pretty thoroughly, but even they might say that high school did a disservice
to them by not preparing them for a world that doesn’t care how attractive or
athletic they are. Well our high school days were nothing compared to the horrible,
upside-down world of Danganronpa.
This series has a pretty fantastic formula. Take a group of “ultimate”
high school students who all excel in one oddly specific area of life. Trap
them somewhere. Force them to murder a classmate and get away with it if they
ever want to escape.
What ensues is a murder mystery teen social mashup that
delivers better than I would have ever guessed. These games are full of crazy
twists, humorous dialogue, and creative storytelling.
I played the first game in the series when it was ported to
Vita, and I loved it. But I was dubious regarding the success of Danganronpa 2:
Goodbye Despair because I couldn’t foresee how it could even work. How could
there be more crazy twists when the underlying secrets of the first game were,
for the most part, exposed? But sure enough, I was wrong. The second game was
every bit as wonderful and shocking as I could have hoped. I have no idea how
writer Kodaka (friends with Kotaro Uchikoshi) will make a third game that still
surprises his fans, but I now have confidence he can do it.
If you enjoy Zero Escape’s suspenseful story, Phoenix Wright’s
courtroom battles, or Persona’s social links, you will probably enjoy
Danganronpa. Start with the first entry, Trigger Happy Havoc. Meanwhile, I will
be eagerly awaiting Danganronpa 3.
7. Rise of the Tomb Raider
When a close friend recommended the 2013 reboot to the Tomb
Raider franchise, I was cautiously optimistic. Here was a franchise I had
always liked that seemed to be falling behind the times in terms of mechanics,
innovation, graphics, and character development. Well. I guess you could say the
old Lara Croft is “developed” (overly so!), but not in a relatable way…
Comparison composite via howmanly.com, left image via GameInformer.com, right image via laracroft.wikia.com
You can imagine my pleasant surprise at the new character
model for Lara. Her redesign leaves her looking real, healthy, and strong. Her
personality was also given a complete overhaul, and it did wonders for the
series.
The Tomb Raider reboot takes Lara back to her origin story,
in which she is mentally naïve, physically inexperienced, and emotionally desperate.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh take on a classic character and hungrily
anticipate Rise of the Tomb Raider, the next entry in the beautifully resurrected
franchise.
Unfortunately, Rise of the Tomb Raider appears to be a timed
exclusive for Xbox One (which makes no sense, considering Tomb Raider has
always been for the most part a PlayStation thing). Out of an effort to support
Sony, we will try to wait it out and purchase the game on PlayStation 4
whenever it is released for the system. I'm sure we won't be the only ones
either. Hopefully that will help send a collective message to Crystal Dynamics
that their loyal fans are more important than a quick cash grab.
6. Fire Emblem: If
Finally, a Fire Emblem in which you are the (customizable) main character. Since Awakening balanced perfectly the old school elements of
Fire Emblem with many new and welcome features, I believe Fire Emblem: If will
be free to improve further on the series thanks to Awakening’s success. And the
character models will finally have feet!
5. Final Fantasy XV
I had the immense pleasure of playing the Final Fantasy XV
demo when it was released, and I must say I was thoroughly impressed. Many old
school FF fans are dissatisfied with the current state of things, particularly
that Final Fantasy XIII has taken such a massive chunk of development time and
effort when they could have moved on to other things. But I think Final Fantasy
XV is really going to get everything back on track.
Its design brings me back to what Final Fantasy VII felt
like in terms of atmosphere. The universe seems like a strange amalgam of
modern and fantasy. One minute you are in a lush landscape filled with bizarre
fantasy creatures. The next you find yourself in a convenience store parking
lot next to your rockin’ black convertible. Familiar Final Fantasy feelings
come rushing back. Remember what it felt
like when you first discovered Final Fantasy VII was an open world? Remember
seeing the grand expanse that was Final Fantasy X’s Calm Lands for the first
time? Remember learning the draw system and milking it to maximize every spell
in Final Fantasy VIII? Remember managing your gear in Final Fantasy IX to make
the most of each battle? And while the essence of the game certainly has that
nostalgia factor, Final Fantasy XV feels revitalized, refreshing, and novel. Plus the soundtrack is going to be amazing.
4. Uncharted 4
I know this is going to be a fantastic game. Naughty Dog has
proven to their fans time after time that they will do what it takes to build top
notch products. If you don’t believe me, watch Grounded: The Making of The Last of Us. It’s clear how hard these
guys (and ladies) work. If they do anything short of our expectations, it is
because the hardware, gameplay, or other such circumstances demand it. But in
the end, they are going to ensure that the experience they provide to fans is
the best one they can create.
That being said, there have been criticisms regarding
Uncharted 4’s gameplay showcased at the 2014 E3. I have a hard time believing
the final product will suffer from these same criticisms. Naughty Dog isn’t
done. Games frequently do not end up matching with their early gameplay trailers.
So graphical limitations that seem to be there now may not be there by the time
the game is released. Case in point, check this out.
In other words, they are still learning. The game is still
evolving. And I trust Naughty Dog to do it right. That being said, the gameplay
here looks super fun.
3. Persona 5
Every Persona fan salivated in unison over the Persona 5
trailer released earlier this year; so much so that if they had all been
gathered in Cowboys Stadium to watch the trailer on the massive jumbotron,
their drool would have filled the place like a fish bowl. That’s because the
video Atlus released was slick. It
was filled with style, intrigue, and a completely fresh atmosphere.
I want Persona 5. In fact, my husband and I have been
brainstorming for months trying to decide how both of us can play it
immediately after it comes out without spoiling the story for each other. Do we
take turns playing in a room closed off from the world? Do we track our
calendar days so that whoever is ahead in the game can watch the other person?
Do we get two copies and play simultaneously in separate rooms like a couple
who've let their love die out? We are still debating the best solution.
2. Kingdom Hearts III
There is almost no game I long for more than Kingdom Hearts
III. The first installment came out in 2002 just before I turned fourteen. I
remember soaking in its imaginative story as a kid. I loved every piece of it,
including the Disney influence that so many feared would never work. Kingdom
Hearts II came out in late 2005, meaning I had to wait over three years for the
full blown sequel. I remember the horribly long wait between KH1 and KH2.
Once Kingdom Hearts II came out, I think a lot of people realized
the beauty of this universe. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a Disney/Square Enix
crossover. It was an epic clash of light and darkness. It was a coming-of-age
tale revolving around themes everyone on the planet can relate to (including
love, friendship, loyalty, burdens, tenacity, and sacrifice). But along with
Kingdom Hearts II came something else: the extensive wait for the next big
game. Sure, there were smaller games in between (that—believe it or not—are instrumental
to the overarching story), but every fan of the series knows that there are big,
unresolved issues that only Kingdom Hearts III can address.
This franchise has matured with me. I feel like I have grown
up with Sora and the gang. As I have become a more complex person, the
characters have developed more multifaceted personalities right there with me.
The themes of the games have matured as well. Just try playing Birth By Sleep
(included in Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix) and not feel the emotional weight of its
story.
I cannot wait to see what 10-ish years in the making will do
for Kingdom Hearts III. I hope its theme of maturation continues and we see a
truly developed, dynamic world with the same spectacular cast of characters. I
hope the game maintains Sora as his same old good hearted self while simultaneously
addressing the heavy burdens he carries. I hope to see some more intense Square
Enix characters thrown into the mix, including a fully grown Tidus (he was a
kid in Kingdom Hearts I, so why not let him grow up with Sora too?), a
villainously insane Kefka, and a mischievous Zidane Tribal. I hope the game has
Shibuya (from The World Ends With You) as a playable world, and I hope the
gameplay feels both balanced and powerful. But no matter what they do with it,
I know Tetsuya Nomura has a crazy intricate plan that I will love.
1. Zero Escape 3
Okay, so I cheated a little. I put Zero Escape 3 on this
list despite the fact that it has not been announced yet. But as I stated in my
previous post, “The Dangerous Nature of Hype,” I have succumbed to the
excitement. My hopes are up.
The Zero Escape series is the smartest game I have ever
played. Its writing is quite frankly genius, and I have never experienced
anything as exciting before or since. Maybe it’s because of my love for math,
psychology, video games, and a good story. All of these elements come together
beautifully in 999 and Virtue’s Last Reward.
I have written quite a bit regarding the Zero Escape franchise.
I was also extremely fortunate to have many excited readers view my articles after
Uchikoshi generously retweeted my husband’s link to this blog. So you guys
already know how I feel. In fact, many of you probably guessed that this would
be number 1. Now all I can do is look forward to the other ten games on this
list and hope this will be released among them soon enough.
