A Comparison of Tomb Raiders

2013's Tomb Raider vs. Rise of the Tomb Raider

So I just completed the newest installment in the recently revived Tomb Raider franchise. I had a mountain of fun playing through the game despite my initial hesitation. While I would have preferred playing on PS4 (I can't tell you how many times I embarrassingly made Lara jump with the A button when prompted to hit X), the experience was altogether quite enjoyable.

I did notice a compulsive tendency to compare the original reboot with the latest release, and I can say (with a little unexplained guilt) that I feel torn. Don't misunderstand. I meant everything I wrote about enjoying Rise of the Tomb Raider. But after such a strong performance from the first game, some of Rise's elements seemed to fall just a bit short of my expectations. Perhaps this is the same feeling that others claim to have about Uncharted 3?

So I decided about a week ago to write a post upon my completion (and I mean 100% completion) of the game. In this post, my intention is to take the elements necessary for a successful game and compare how well these elements are executed in Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider respectively. The elements I've chosen to consider are story, character development, gameplay mechanics, environment, and the replay value. Normally when comparing games, I would also include graphics, music, and voice acting, but since all of these are essentially the same (or marginally different at best), I chose not to compare these at all.

As always, there are some spoilers beyond this point. If you want to play these games without any backstory or knowledge of their plots, skip to the conclusion.

Story

Tomb Raider (2013)

Two years ago, we experienced Lara's origin story. Here is a woman who wants to break new archaeological ground (pun intended) and reveal the secrets of Yamatai. What was supposed to be an academic journey revealing the ancestry of her best friend quickly turns south as she enters a waking nightmare she cannot escape. Everything the player goes through in the story is necessary for survival, the stakes feel high, and it all feels very personal.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Intended to feel quite personal once again, Rise of the Tomb Raider relies heavily on Lara's quest to salvage her father's honor and save her family name. Despite the trauma experienced on the island of Yamatai, Lara immerses herself once again in legends and myths, eventually traveling halfway around the world to find the "divine source", an artifact that grants immortality. Unfortunately, this does not feel quite as personal as the first game (regardless of the inclusion of Lara's family in the main plot), perhaps because the whole thing seems a bit unnecessary. Throughout the game, I felt myself questioning why Lara would even put herself in a position to experience the same pain she just experienced on Yamatai. Defending the Croft name years after her father was shamed just didn't feel like a good enough reason.

Perhaps some of my reluctance to enjoy Rise's story comes from the impression left on me by this trailer, released at E3 2014:



Now that is the game I was expecting. So when I criticize the story, it is not because it was bad. It simply wasn't what I wanted or expected out of this game. I think if the game had focused more on a phoenix rising from the ashes sort of theme, it would have struck me as much more meaningful.

Character Development

Tomb Raider

I've already touched on the fact that Lara remains very much the reluctant hero through most of her origin story. Her character development was excellently executed. Additionally, many of the characters surrounding her in Tomb Raider are interesting, memorable, and dynamic with the exception of one or two somewhat one-dimensional characters. You have the capable father figure Roth, the unfortunately flat personality of damsel in distress Sam, the "betray-whoever" mentality of Whitman, the mega-geek Alex (my favorite), the fearless fighter Grim, the loyal teddy bear Jonah, and the rough and tough unsociable Reyes.

In addition to her expedition team, Lara meets the insane villain Mathias, a man who has survived 30 years stranded on Yamatai and has spent the abundance of time building up a disturbing cult, its members purposely cultivated to serve as Mathias's own private army.

All in all, the characterization and development of protagonist Lara are both strong in Tomb Raider with a few minor shortcomings here and there.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

As stated above, Lara's progression from traumatized and reluctant hero to capable and willing explorer seemed rather rushed in Rise of the Tomb Raider. Perhaps they decided to pretend the announcement trailer never happened. If this is the case, Lara's lack of hesitation when faced with another adventure is startling. Why would she not pause at least a little when faced with the daunting task of trekking through enemy territory filled with wild animals and murderers and explosions and injury and overwhelmingly terrible odds? To me, Lara came off as a little bit crazy in a less than understandable way here.

In my mind I can see instead a woman who feels conflicted about herself. She witnessed terrible things on Yamatai and--let's face it--she did terrible things on Yamatai. She killed to survive and save her friends. With good reason of course, but still the guilt lingers within her.

I can also imagine that within that conflict is a little bit of pride. She is strong and capable. She was good at it. She was an amazingly effective explorer, survivor, and fighter.

I am reminded of a scene in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood where Kimblee approaches sniper Riza Hawkeye while at war. He asks her a question that shakes her down to the core because it makes her feel so inhuman.



And it is Lara's own pride in her skills that I think would be fascinating to see her wrestle with in Rise of the Tomb Raider. She wants to continue on with her pursuit of discovery. But her chosen path will no doubt result in enemies that she must defend against. It would have been fascinating to see her realize that Yamatai was not an isolated scar that would fade over time; rather, it was something she must actively run from or else openly embrace. And wouldn't it be an interesting moment in Tomb Raider lore when she finally decides upon the latter?

Of course, Lara is not the only character in Rise of the Tomb Raider. You have the Remnants, a people hidden from history. To be honest, I found them slightly boring with the exception of Jacob. He was a little more complex, mysterious, and witty than most characters in the franchise. While I did anticipate how his character would factor in later in the game with very little surprise, I still enjoyed his interactions with Lara.

There is also the organization of Trinity.

Compared to the Solarii cult in the first game, Trinity enemies were roughly the same except for one thing: their motivation. The Solarii were motivated by a sick sort of initiation and brainwashing process. I mean, come on. They were in a cult and were being manipulated.

But Trinity came off as more of religious zealots, and I wasn't quite sure why any of them joined the organization in the first place. I guess there was kind of a reference to the Crusades, but with two made up religions battling it out, it didn't really feel real. Not to mention, for much of the early stages of the game, I felt distracted by my own contemplation of the developer's purpose. Were they trying to make a statement about religion? Were they trying to make the Remnants look like Christians, all the while doing a terrible job of it? I wasn't quite sure what to make of it (and it actually took me a long time to realize I was supposed to be helping the Remnants) because I viewed the characters in the game through the lens of both sides being wrong.

Gameplay Mechanics

Tomb Raider

Let's face it. The reboot has amazing mechanics. Everything feels really fluid. While the gameplay could be described as formulaic (hunt, scavenge, climb, raid, fight, loot, repeat), it never feels old. The game does a good job of disguising the repeating formula by giving logical reasons every step of the way.

One of my favorite aspects of Tomb Raider is the increasing diversity of Lara's arsenal. I enjoyed approaching every new area with the option of taking everyone out carefully with my bow and arrow, silently and quickly using my suppressor-equipped handgun, powerfully with my rifle, or up close and personal with my shotgun.

Not only does Lara's weaponry become more deadly as the game goes on, but Lara becomes a more effective combatant as well. Working through the game's skill tree is amazingly fun. By the time I unlocked everything, I felt strong and well-prepared for the final fight.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

And here is where Rise of the Tomb Raider really shines. The sequel takes everything the first game did well and makes it better.

Hunting is incredibly satisfying. A greater diversity of animals are available compared to the previous game. Bears and predatory felines make the player's heart beat a little faster and provide some added variety.

Poison arrows, a combat knife, and hollow point bullets are added to Lara's arsenal. Each weapon type also has multiple options to choose from and improvements made within a weapon class are applied to all similar weapons.

A crafting system has been added for greater control over combat. Explosives and distracting devices can be quickly whipped up with a quick hold of the right trigger. Special ammo (arrows, incendiary shotgun shells, hollow points, and grenades) can also be crafted on the run. Bodies and radios can also be rigged with traps for enemies.

In addition to weapon improvements, Lara receives a rebreather to allow extended time underwater. She also converts her climbing ax into a grapple for increased ease traversing the environments. Arrows can now be used for climbing as well. These additions all make movement throughout the world much more flexible and interesting.

Missions have been included in the game. Similar to challenges, missions present Lara with a specific goal that runs parallel to the main plot. The beauty of the mission system lies in the fact that instead of being rewarded with only experience, successfully completed missions result in a physical reward for Lara (e.g. weapons, outfits, money, etc.).

A shop was also included in the game, allowing the player to make purchases using ancient Byzantine coins found in tombs and throughout each new area. This provided a little more incentive to explore each area thoroughly in order to find enough coins for the next shiny new toy.

Environments

Tomb Raider

When I found out this game would take place on an island, I figured the setting would be slightly limited. Not bad, just limited. I was surprised to see that the game had everything from expansive beaches to snowy mountains, ancient Japanese cities to makeshift metal shanty towns. Each new chapter was fresh and vibrantly diverse.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

While the environments in Rise of the Tomb Raider were well put together, they did not stir up the same feelings of awe, nor did they have quite the variety found in Tomb Raider. To be fair, there were some striking locations. The glacial caverns were beautiful, and the lost city was properly gloomy and haunting.

Replay Value

Tomb Raider

The 2013 reboot has a lot going for it. I spent many hours collecting everything, scrounging up trophies, and (sadly) trying the pretty much broken multiplayer. But once I collected everything, the game was utterly and thoroughly beaten. There wasn't much more to do.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Similarly to Tomb Raider, I achieved 100% completion on the campaign. But the good news is that Rise of the Tomb Raider has a challenge mode with lots of rewards to reap. Additionally, accomplishments in game provide currency to be spent on cards that have different effects in challenge mode. So while I have beaten the game, there are still more enemies to defeat, animals to hunt, and ruins to climb.

Verdict

	Tomb Raider	Rise of the Tomb Raider
Story	X
Character Development	X
Gameplay Mechanics		X
Environments	X
Replay Value		X

While I certainly agree with the reviews that Rise of the Tomb Raider is a successful sequel to the series with its improvements to gameplay, I would argue that the first game boasted a stronger story, more impressive characters, and more imaginative environments. What do you think? Feel free to comment below sharing your Tomb Raider experiences!

How Interactivity Enhances the Gaming Experience

Video games can do something that literature and film cannot realistically accomplish; A game can take the player, deposit them in another world, and allow them to interact directly with it.

Now before I offend all of my beloved bibliophiles and cinephiles, let me emphasize that these mediums have other strengths not shared by video games.

I would argue that books can provide a more detailed rendering of any given experience, so long as it is powered mutually by the intricate weaving of words and the adequate strength of the reader's imagination. In that sense, the author and the reader work together to create the experience.

Contrastingly, movies have the distinct ability to convey a precise story (complete with perfectly edited sound, visuals, script, tone, and acting) to millions of people with the only true variation being in its interpretation. That in itself is immensely powerful, as a relatively small crew of people can share an amazingly uniform message to a huge audience.

Both are beautiful art forms that games cannot replace.

But through their interactivity, games can send a message that novels and films can't. Because the player is a part of the experience, and this encourages him or her to be far more empathetic and exposed.

Empathy. Not to be confused with sympathy, empathy is a very difficult thing to draw out of someone in a subtle and natural way when they are just looking to be entertained, yet video games do it exceptionally well.

I can demonstrate this simply by honing in on five distinct feelings: accomplishment, vulnerability, attachment, responsibility, and anguish. For each emotion, I will provide two or three video game examples that elicit that particular form of empathy from the player.

Because I will be relying heavily on the connections between interactive gameplay and the narrative itself, there will certainly be some spoilers from here on out. With this in mind, I have hidden the remaining content of this post behind show/hide buttons whether I felt they were particularly "spoilery" or not. That way you can ensure your own reading experience is spoiler free.

If you wish to know what games I will be discussing, I have listed them here for your convenience. If you spot a game you know you wish to play someday, I would definitely avoid reading that particular portion of this post. As always, continue at your own risk.

Games to be discussed:

• Uncharted
• Portal
• The Last of Us
• Heavy Rain
• 999
• Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Tomb Raider
• The Walking Dead: Season 1
• Mass Effect 2
• The World Ends With You
• Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

I'll start with the most obvious feeling video games love to make you feel.

Interactivity Allows the Player to Feel Accomplished

Example 1: The Uncharted Series

There's nothing like putting yourself in Nathan Drake's epic shoes to make you feel like the most amazing, most heroic adventurer there ever was. Every time you conquer an obstacle--whether it be an army of thugs or a particularly daunting puzzle complete with ridiculously far-fetched jumps--this beautifully warm feeling of satisfaction floods into your brain. You did it. You didn't just watch Nathan take out that entire train, complete with machine gun and heavy brutes. You did it.

Example 2: Portal

I distinctly remember how I felt the first time I played Portal. I can still feel my own hesitant confusion in the early hours of the game. I can recall my growing distrust of GLaDOS, the increasingly hostile AI. But the moment I feel proudest of was that fateful moment in test chamber 19 when I was promised cake and was instead ushered slowly toward a flaming pit, about to be burned alive. You are given a few seconds to decide what to do, and I remember it feeling more like a painful eternity as I struggled with the scenario. I kept asking myself, "what am I supposed to do?" and "what does the game want me to do?" Finally, I realized these were not the right questions to be asking myself. I wasn't going to listen to this murderous AI anymore. I wanted to be free! I didn't realize until years later how truly brilliant this is. Because simultaneously, the main character (Chell) and the player (you and I) are both stepping outside of the boundaries provided for us. No longer are we obediently working through test chamber after test chamber. That moment left me with such satisfaction, particularly because I accomplished this feat on my first try.

 

Interactivity Pushes the Player to Feel Vulnerable

Example 3: The Last of Us

The Last of Us is loaded with examples of how the gameplay is specifically designed to draw on the player's vulnerabilities whether they be physical, mental, or emotional. In fact, the Naughty Dog team sets this in motion right from the beginning. When the prologue begins, you do not play as Ellie. We're twenty years too early for that. Nor do we play as strong, capable Joel. When the outbreak first shatters the world and brings forth its heart wrenching chaos, you play as small, lovable, fragile Sarah. They did this on purpose, and we can infer their reasoning was at least two-fold.

First, it gives the player a better chance of connecting to Sarah when you play as her. There is attachment there because when you moved your controller, Sarah was the one who interacted with the world for you. It sped up the bonding process. It's vaguely similar to how ranches never name the animals because it makes it harder when you lose them. Naming them causes accelerated attachment. It makes things personal.

Second, playing as Sarah makes the player feel weak and fearful, which is the perfect way to start out a game where the world is a broken and violent place. I remember first walking Sarah through the house in Austin and noting her body language. Hunched over with hands firmly across her chest, walking slowly and nervously, she looked a lot like I imagine I would in that situation. It perfectly projects her vulnerability onto the player.

This same emotion is felt through other interactive segments of The Last of Us, including when: Joel carries Sarah with Tommy as their only defense; Joel must slowly hobble out of the university with a life-threatening injury while being pursued by hunters; and Ellie must do enough to survive on her own and protect Joel through the winter despite being weak.

There is one more that comes to mind as I write, though it is a bit different in that it doesn't communicate vulnerability. However, it is an excellent example of how interactivity affects the gaming experience, so I will list it here. At the end of the game, when Joel busts into that operating room, many people expected either a choice or a cutscene. Instead, what happened is the player was forced to take action, eliminate the doctor(s), and take Ellie back. This is brilliant because it provides no excuses to the player. The player doesn't get to just sit back and watch a PlayStation rendered video clip. They don't get to choose a nicer ending. The ending is what it is, and the player is the one that has to pull the trigger. In that way, The Last of Us makes us take ownership of the ending and really grapple with it in a more meaningful way.

Example 4: Heavy Rain

I think it is safe to say that the entire game of Heavy Rain is one big quick time event/adventure game hybrid. While I know there are plenty of people out there who despise QTEs with a fiery hot passion, I do think they were executed rather well for Heavy Rain's purposes.

In order to understand my reasoning, it is important to contrast typical QTEs with the ones found in Heavy Rain. Most games have the player perform a quick time event in a way that closely resembles a cutscene. The playable character moves largely on their own save a few buttons the player must press within a limited amount of time. If the player presses the incorrect button or takes too long, the main character usually dies and the player is forced to replay the cutscene until they do it correctly.

However, with Heavy Rain, the entire game is a QTE. And if you fail, you don't replay anything; instead, you must accept your failure and the resulting consequences as you continue on with the game. In this way, Heavy Rain makes every action you take--no matter how trivial--feel like it could irreversibly affect the rest of your experience.

Interactivity Encourages the Player to Feel Connected

Example 5: 999 (Zero Escape 1)

As everyone who has taken more than a glance at this blog would know, I am a huge Zero Escape fan. It is without a doubt one of the most well written games I have ever played. What I haven't  yet spoken of is how its mechanics enhance the already brilliant experience.

There are two distinct examples of interactivity in 999 that really made me as the player feel like an integral part of what was happening in the game. The first is the multiple endings feature that is executed far differently than any other game I've seen. The second is the final puzzle. Both examples stand alone, so I will discuss them separately.

Lots of games have multiple endings. Mass Effect, Chrono Trigger, Persona 4, Catherine, and Heavy Rain are just a few examples. But with most games, having different story endings that are all isolated from one another leads to the player experiencing separate scenarios and eventually satisfying him/herself with the "true" ending, None of the other endings really happened. They were all just possibilities that may have been.

Zero Escape takes a different approach. It takes the idea of multiple endings and makes them all essential to the plot. Because--and here's the crazy part--the main character unknowingly has the ability to access information from other timelines. So once you have experienced a "bad" timeline, you and the main character both have new knowledge necessary to progress further into the story from another timeline. That is, you and the main character learn something in timeline A and use it in timeline B despite not having a legitimate excuse for knowing the information learned from timeline A in the first place. It is a lovely system because your experiences as the player are mirrored by the main character. What results is a feeling of being connected to the main character in a rather surreal way.

The second example from 999 is very subtle and much simpler, but it happens when you get to the sudoku puzzle at the end. It sounds trivial, but when I had to flip my DS upside down, there was something there that got me all choked up. I guess it was the thought of being able to save the scared little girl on the other end of that puzzle that made it feel very real and important. To the game's creator I wanted to say, "well done, Uchikoshi. You got me."

Example 6: Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

This one will be short and sweet instead of all the long-winded stuff I normally write. Shadow of Mordor has something called the Nemesis System. It means that the enemies you face (the important ones at least) remember you. They remember vanquishing you or else they remember their own crushing defeat. In fact, the enemies in Shadow of Mordor make a point to bring it up frequently. If they lost, they will swear vengeance. If they won they will gloat shamelessly. Even the enemies' character models reflect the affect your character had on them. If you beheaded them, they might have a head all wrapped up in bandages next time. If you blew them up in a raging fire, they might be burning a flame atop their head upon your second encounter. There are plenty of other cool changes the baddies endure as they hunt you down unceasingly. What ends up eventually happening is you develop this awful rivalry with that one disgusting Uruk who won't leave you alone. It's fantastic.

Example 7: Tomb Raider

My experience with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot was largely influenced by this article by GameSpot blogger Tom McShea. It talks about the dichotomy of available play styles in the game as various weapons become available to Lara. Do you go through the game stealthily with your bow taking out enemies with them oblivious of the coming threat? Do you go in with guns ablazing fueled by Lara's righteous fury? Either way the choice in gameplay style allows the player to project his or her feelings onto Lara.

Interactivity Forces the Player to Feel Responsible

Example 8: The Walking Dead (Season 1)

I've mentioned this before, but remember when I stole those rations and supplies out of that apparently abandoned car? There is something about the way the stranger in episode 5 confronted me that made me feel immensely responsible for the way the game turned out in the end.

Books can't do that to me. Movies can't do that to me either. Because in those mediums, none of the things that happen are my fault. In fact, I can pick everything apart and reassure myself that the situation in question would never happen to me because I am just too smart to stumble into such circumstances. Horror movies are always susceptible to that mentality (not that I watch them...way too full of images you can't unsee).

But in a game, it is my fault in a way. I made the choice within the confines of the game, and I would have to deal with the consequences.

Example 9: Mass Effect 2

Like Telltale's The Walking Dead, this series is all about the choices you make. I chose the second entry in the series because of the epic third act, the "suicide mission". Shepard is tasked with assigning roles to each of his crew members in the hopes of utilizing their strengths, guarding their weaknesses, and keeping everyone alive. That's right. Their survival is entirely dependent upon your choices and adequate preparation. If you don't do this right, you could ultimately feel responsible for your favorite character's untimely demise.

Interactivity Compels the Player to Feel Anguish

Example 10: The World Ends With You

In this Square Enix cult classic, the MC is forced to play a game with his life (among other things) at stake. By offering up what he values most as a sort of blind bet, the main character (Neku) must gamble on something called "the reaper's game" for a week with the grand prize being an opportunity to reclaim his own destiny and move on. Only it doesn't happen like that at all.

Neku finds himself being cheated repeatedly and forced to play for a second week and then a third. The unfairness is evident as more and more is taken away from him, ridiculous loopholes keep him from getting out of it, and even his chance to succeed is heavily interfered with. What results is the player's own despairing mentality as you play the same week long game three times over. You feel the way Neku feels as you confront a game that isn't exactly what you thought it was.

Example 11: Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Now here is an ending my husband and I have spent hours here and there discussing in depth. If you are reading this one thinking you will never play it so you may as well read, please do yourself a favor now and click the hide button. This is about as big as a spoiler can get, and it’s not worth wrecking such a beautiful ending. Instead of reading this, go find an old PSP and a used copy of the game (Crisis Core alone is reason enough to buy the outdated system). Or at least go watch the movie version on YouTube. This game is too good to spoil here. So again, turn back now if you haven’t played. Pretty please.

Free advertising aside, you know those games where you are forced to enter a battle, fight beautifully 80% of the way toward victory, are forced to quit, and then are shown a cutscene in which you lose despite how well you performed? Crisis Core doesn't do that.

Oh you will lose. Epically. By fighting until you can't fight anymore. For however long it takes. With no indication that you are actually supposed to lose. So you fight tooth and nail past one hundred, five hundred, a thousand enemies. And finally it clicks. You can't win. The infinite tide of enemies eventually overtakes you.

Now they easily could have changed this experience into a cutscene, taken the power away from the player, and shown you the inevitable end to the battle. But they didn't. They let you experience the ending and interact with it, and it makes the climax heartfelt and memorable and heartbreaking in a way that a regular old cutscene couldn't have.

It Can't Be Found Elsewhere

Yes, games tell a story. Games can be a lot of fun, too. But ultimately, they provide a unique way to communicate emotion in that they can imprint feelings onto the player. And the industry is still so young, meaning every day developers learn new ways to accomplish this amazing feat. It's a fascinating concept that at this point only video games can effectively utilize, and it is exciting to think about how they will use it next.

My 2015 E3 Wish List

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.

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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).

11 Games I Am Looking Forward To

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.