The 360/PS3 generation brought both horrible and great additions to gaming with it. Here's a few of my favourites, good and bad.

BAD: The local level of social gaming disappeared...

Since the emergence of online gaming — PSN, Xbox Live and the like — the personal camaraderie of gaming seems to have all but disappeared. Remember games like Goldeneye and Mario Kart 64? Gaming was more social back in the day; we had more fun, we talked trash, we had beers, we socialised. There was nothing like executing a perfect powerslide past your friend on the last corner of a track on Mario Kart and getting to see the devastation on their face! At the end of the passing generation, people stopped using microphones online; the personal factor dwindled.

GOOD: Bon Voyage wired controllers.

This is something that didn’t cross my mind until I played Mario Party 2 with a few friends over the summer. Traversing the living room felt like recreating a laser hallway scene in a cheesy action film. If you wanted to get past for any reason, you literally had to be become an acrobat; wires were left, right and centre. As much as I could do with the work out these days, I just love the neatness of wireless controllers. I sure as hell will never take them for granted after last summer’s fiasco.

BAD: Where's my 3D platformers!?

Sure, there have been a couple of good ‘uns this passing generation in the form of the Ratchet games and Mario Galaxy. Honestly though, think back to 10-15 years ago; We still had Mario and Ratchet, but we also had Banjo, Jak and Daxter, Crash, Spyro, Donkey Kong and it goes on… These games hold such a place in many gamer’s hearts, it’s a shame to see them going into decline.

That being said, the new indie era of game development provided some cracking (mostly 2D) platformers: Meat Boy, Braid, Journey, ‘Splosion Man, Fez, I could go on.

GOOD: Plenty of storage capacity.

These days we hardly have to think about our save files. 500GB Hard drives and the Cloud more than do the job of holding every save file we could dream of (even including DLC, movies and entire game downloads). One story in particular comes to mind from my Gamecube days. It came down to the decision of deleting my 100 hour plus Animal Crossing file or my beloved Wind Waker file. I couldn’t afford another memory card back then and mostly rented games. Thank God that horror will never have to be relived. All hail the Cloud.

BAD: Consoles are faulty

Right, I still have my SNES, Gamecube, PS1, Mega Drive, GBA, GBC and more from back in the day. This generation, I have gone through four Xbox 360 consoles, three PS3 consoles and two Wii consoles. This is unacceptable, and I hope to God this trend ends in this coming generation. Looks like with great power, comes great destructibility… Early reports of faulty PS4 and Xbox One models are not comforting.

BAD: Oh, it's just a black and white, double-sided sheet...

I miss detailed, coloured manuals. It's so sad to see a few sheets black and white of paper with very bare bones information on them. When I was younger I'd love buying a game and then reading the manual on the journey home; I will always hold that feeling of excitement and wonder close. Shame it's gone :(. Nintendo are still pretty good with their box art though (reversible covers etc).

BAD: I just bought a full game, right?

I’m sick of buying a game, only to have to wait for a 10 minute patch to download because they released it buggy and broken (I’m looking at you Obsidian!). Don’t even get me started on Capcom’s antics with on-disc DLC this generation. Sure, DLC can be great when it adds to the experience- it’s just when publishers (and even developers) hold back ready content just to make a quick buck that ruins everything. We are paying quite a bit of money for these video games; I want the full package on day one, with nice extras along the line if I want them. We are now even being charged for things that used to be FREE: extra skins, characters and even cheats. It is ridiculous. Not only that, the increasingly popular“free-to-play” model is being implemented into games we paid 40 quid for. Even Rockstar dabbled in this model, with the ability to purchase online GTA dollars with real cash. This worries me, this worries me a lot…

GOOD: The stigma of gamers as 'losers' is gone (almost)

Fifteen years ago people would think of a stereotypical gamer as an outsider of society: a geek, a nerd, a loser. The segregated line between gamers and everybody else has blurred, and I frickin’ love it. Society has almost fully accepted gaming now. Obviously the older farts in the partisan sphere are still pretty against it, but they’ll be *ahem* gone soon. Gaming SMASHED the box office towards the end of the 360/PS3 era. GTA V broke seven world records, including the fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion. It’s not just third party games that performed well though; over the summer in my motherland (the UK), The Last of Us had allegedly grossed more than Man of Steel in its opening weeks. A first party Playstation game grossing more than THE FRICKIN’ NEW SUPERMAN MOVIE; if that’s not an exemplar of the popularity and acceptance of gaming today, what is? It's only going to become more accepted in the coming years too.

To conclude, the passing generation was a cocktail of the good and the bad, the expressive and the repressive. Gaming was propelled into new avenues at an insane rate; it was a state of flux. Free to Play, DLC, online passes were being consistently being forced at us. It was a confusing, annoying transition; but, I think it was worth it. Sure, gaming is now an entity obsessed with bombastic yearly titles: on ONE side.
On the other hand, we'll always have solid first party efforts, and the indie platform is a means for creativity and exploration. This generation has been controversial, infuriating and contradictory; with many complaining that developers are too constrained and pressured. This is true in a way, but just look at the phenomenal games that surfaced this generation. Despite the bullshit we've been through, it has been a good generation; one I'll look back on fondly.
Let's hope this new generation propels our passion even further.

The Past Decade and a Half n Gaming- 4 Things I Miss and 4 I Don't

Miss 1: Personalisation

Since the emergence of online gaming: PSN, Xbox Live and the like- the personalisation of gaming seems to have all but disappeared. Remember games like Goldeneye and Mario Kart 64? Gaming was more social back in the day; we had more fun, we talked trash, we had beers, we socialised. There was nothing like skidding past your friend on the last corner of a track on Mario Kart and getting to see the devastation on their face! These days people don’t even use microphones online; the personal factor is sadly diminishing.

Don’t 1: Wired Controllers

This is something that didn’t cross my mind until I played Mario Party 2 with a few friends last month. Traversing the living room felt live reliving a laser hallway scene in a cheesy action film. If you wanted to get past for any reason, you literally had to be become an acrobat; wires were left, right and centre. As much as I could do with the work out these days, I just love the neatness of wireless controllers. I sure as hell will never take them for granted after last month’s fiasco.

Miss 2: 3D Platformers

Sure, there have been a couple of good ‘uns this generation in the form of the Ratchet games and Mario Galaxy. Honestly though, think back to the past 10-15 years. We still had Mario and Ratchet, but we also had Banjo, Jak and Daxter, Crash, Spyro, Donkey Kong and it goes on… These games hold such a place in many gamer’s hearts, it’s a shame to see them dying out.

That being said, this new indie era of games has provided some cracking (mostly 2D) platformers: Meat Boy, Braid, Journey, ‘Splosion Man, Fez, I could go on.

Don’t 2: Memory Cards

These days we hardly have to think about our save files. 500GB Hard drives and the Cloud more than do the job of holding every save file we could dream of (even including DLC, movies and entire game downloads). One story in particular comes to mind from my Gamecube days. It came down to the decision of deleting my 100 hour plus Animal Crossing file or my beloved Wind Waker file. I couldn’t afford another memory card back then and mostly rented games. Thank god that horror will never have to be relived. All hail the Cloud.

Miss 3: Sturdy Consoles

Right, I still have my SNES, Gamecube, PS1, Mega Drive, GBA, GBC and more from back in the day. This generation, I have gone through 4 Xbox 360 consoles, 3 PS3 consoles and 2 Wii consoles. This is unacceptable, and I hope to God this trend ends in this coming generation. Looks like with great power, comes great destructibility... Handhelds are still sturdy enough though.

Don’t 3: Bloody Cardboard Boxes

This mainly applies to Nintendo’s old packaging. Look over at your game collection from this generation. There are probably a few scuff marks and stains, but nothing too bad. Now, think back to your old GBA/GB/N64 collections; the boxes were probably disintegrating, rotting, squashed and stained beyond repair. Thank you DVD cases. I suppose we won’t even have boxes in the next few decades though. Bon voyage brick and motar, you had a good run…

Miss 4: Buying a Game, the Whole Game and Nothing but the Game

I’m sick of buying a game, only to have to wait for a 10 minute patch to download because they released it buggy and broken (I’m looking at you Obsidian!). Don’t even get me started on Capcom’s antics with on-disc DLC. Sure, DLC can be great when it adds to the experience- it’s just when publishers (and even developers) hold back ready content just to make a quick buck that ruins everything. We are paying quite a bit of money for these video games; I want the full package on day one- with nice extras along the line if I want them.

Don’t 4: Gaming Being a Hermit’s Hobby

Fifteen years ago people would think of a stereotypical gamer as an outsider of society: a geek, a nerd, a loser. The line between gamers and everybody else has blurred, and I frickin’ love it. Society has almost fully accepted gaming now. Obviously the older farts in politics are still pretty against it, but they’ll be *ahem* gone soon. Gaming is smashing the box office as of late. In my motherland (UK) The Last of Us had allegedly grossed more than Man of Steel in its opening weeks. A first party Playstation game grossing more than THE FRICKIN’ NEW SUPERMAN MOVIE; if that’s not an exemplar of the popularity and acceptance of gaming today, what is?

The Last of Us, which is an upcoming third-person survival action-adventure video game from acclaimed developer Naughty Dog, has been very high on my gaming radar ever since its unveiling at the 2011 Spike Video Game awards. Setting aside the fact that Naughty Dog has created two of my favourite franchises of all time, the original teaser for this game gripped me and had me begging for more. The gameplay trailer showcased at E3 did not disappoint.

The trailer bounds off to an epic start whereby protagonist Joel and his young companion Ellie have presummably just escaped from some form of malicous pursuer. What is strikingly obvious is that the production values; the quality voice acting, the fluidity of the animation and the sheer audacity of the game are on par with what we've come to expect from Naughty Dog. When Ellie and Joel first venture out into the open it is clear that the graphical fidelity of the game is spectacular. The shocking attention to detail (such as flocks of birds ravaging the sky), the way the desolate city is beautifully overgrown with fauna, folliage and floodage and the believable banter between the characters all intertwine to fuse a cocktail of technical and visual marvel.

The trailer continues in this fashion until more pursuers are spotted. This further showcases the context specific chitter-chatter among the characters and changes to their animation and posture, adding elements of immersion and empathy to the game. What follows is a predator-esque style of gameplay whereby Joel attempts to stealithily pick off his pursuers. However, if you were expecting the swift, simple and clean assassinations which are affiliated with the likes of Uncharted, well, you've come to the wrong place! The assassination melee kills in this game invoke a feeling of insecutity and a sense of struggle. The kills are extremely grizzly and brutal, showcasing that Naughty Dog have left behind their more recreational Crash Bandicoot era and are flaunting their darker side. Heads are gruesomely smashed against furniture fittings with bloody by-products, faces are spliced with the rear end of a shotgun and necks are choked with ambient and sickening last breaths.

The game also portrays strong elements of a sense of urgency and survival. Joel is not a meat shield who just takes bullets like other contenders in the genre, Joel stumbles, stutters and falls out of cover if he is hit and even receives shouts of worry from his partner. Ellie also proves to be an ample side kick, saving Joel when he depletes his ammo by launching a brick at the head on an unsuspecting enemy.

My only minor (and I mean MINOR) complaint with what I saw involves the gunplay. I don't know if it's just me, but the hit detection seemed a little off and too delayed. Also, I hope that the finished game isn't too scripted in its execution, giving the player leeway in how to tackle each situation. I'm getting more and more sick of the Call of Duty archtype each year and would like some freedom in how I play my games, much in the vain of Assassin's Creed and the Batman: Arkham games. However this particular concern has been somewhat laid to rest if this article is to believed.

In retrospect, I am extremely impressed with what I've seen from this interesting new IP. The direction the game is going with its visual style, along with the gritty gameplay and post-apocalytic feelings of urgency and companionship have once again left me lusting for more details and media on the game. I cannot wait to see how this game pans out and am strongly anticipating its release!

About time I did another blog post! I've been tied up with uni work lately!

But yeah, I picked up Modern Warfare 3 after class yesterday and just wanted to report my initial reactions. To put it bluntly, it's a good game but I feel a little conned. The online is as solid as ever, but doesn't really add anything new..... Black OPS added some cool, new features like wager matches and the COD POINTS aspect. But all these things are taken away in MW3. I'm sure me and my friends will have some fun times online, but I feel this could have been achieved with new map packs on Black OPS.

As for the campaign, I'm about half way through ( I think, judging on the lengths of previous renditions) and I'm having a decent time with it. I really enjoyed MW2's campaign due to the thrilling set pieces and tight gunplay, but I feel the epicness of having just playing Uncharted 3 makes MW3 come up short.

One thing I must mention about the game is that the sound is BREATHTAKING! The sound of the guns, explosions and the voice acting are top-notch and among the best in the industry. Also, considering the age of the engine, the visuals aren't so bad themselves. Although I think they'd be pushing it by using the same engine next year.

All in all, I think it's time for COD to innovate a lot more. The 'if it aint broke don't fix it' argument is all well and good, but I've been buying the same game for 4 years now. Some big improvements and innovations are going to be needed for me to put my dollar in Activision's pocket next year!

This is my second blog post so I'm going to post something which I've been thinking a lot about lately, the next generation of consoles! Okay, so right now we're in the longest void between consoles which I can remember. It's approaching 6 years since this gen started and we haven't even heard a trickle of information about the next generation from Sony or Microsoft. Only the gaming industry's finest know the true intentions of both Microsoft and Sony for the next generation. So all i can do is speculate. Although during watching Cliffy B's interviews on Gears, he's elluded to the fact that the consoles aren't coming out anytime soon. Industry analyst Michael Pachter has also predicted the consoles could come as late as 2014! (although as many of you know, his predictions are very hit-or-miss). 
 
In my opinion, this is freaking awesome! I felt that the potentials of the consoles during last gen (ps2, xbox etc) were not maximized completely. This generation is looking to be completely different. The devs are really pushing the hardware. Just look at Uncharted 3 and Gears 3, these are both running on 5-6 year old hardware units and to be honest, they are not a far cry (no pun intended) from the top notch PC juggernauts. Think about it, if we have another 2 years of this generation, think of the potential developers have to deliver some awesome new games! All that and we don't even have to spend £300 on a new machine.  
 
However I do not know what to expect from the next gen of consoles. Will Microsoft act on the success of Kinect and continue support for that and develop a console for the casual or will it strive to please the hardcore? Same with sony, will they pursue the move, or seek to be that ever-so cheesy slogan of theirs- ''it only does everything''. Time will tell. As for Nintendo, which we have some insight on, will they deliver on their promises to cater for the core games? I freaking hope so. The Wii-U has so much potential and it would be a shame to throw that away. 
 
Overall, this incoming generation is the most shrouded, thought provoking and, to me, the most exciting yet!  
Thanks for reading my 2-cents. Please let me know what you guys think about the next-gen!

Hey, I'm Rhys.... Yeah I'm no good with introductions, so that's the best you're getting. I'm a 20 (soon to be 21) year old student in Cardiff, studying Criminology., but people on this site probably don't care about that. But what you may care about it that  I've been into gaming ever since i was about 5 years old; those long summer holidays playing Sonic the Hedgehog on my megadrive. I seriously cannot hear that catchy, chirpy Green Hill Zone theme tune without having a nostalgia trip and thinking I'm 5 years old again! Everthing from scavenging for that last hidden bloody gem on Spyro, to getting every hidden package on Vice city to saving the whole crew on 2010's Mass Effect, I've grown up with gaming and it has grown up with me. It's a huge part of my life and even though I will have to cut down when I'm in full-time work and hopefully starting a family, it will always be a part of my life. That's partly why I decided to write this blog, along with maybe pursuing journalism as a hobby after my degree.
 
Okay enough formalities and intros. I can't really think of much to write so I'm just going to talk about the most recent gaming related news in my life.....So yesterday I bought my second Playstation 3 after selling my first due to the majority of my playing being on the Xbox 360. Sadly, this summer the only draught in South Wales has been the games draught on the 360, so I decided to pick up a PS3 to catch up on the killer apps I've missed in during my 2 year Sony hiatus. I won't regret that. Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2 has been my best gaming experience so far this year. The cinematic, Michael Bay-esque set pieces, the stellar voice acting, the crisp, ambient sound blasting through my speakers and the cocky, yet like-able character of Nathan Drake have been one of the most refreshing gaming experiences I've had in ages.  Don't even get me started on the graphics...... The draw distances are amazing, the textures are detailed, the character animations are fluid and varied, it's enough to make the most zealous PC fanboy quake at the knees. The graphical fidelity is fucking amazing. To top this it has a mutliplayer which actually works, not a tacked on, half-assed experience associated with most multiplayer sequels to single player games.  The bottom line is, I'm happy I treated myself (for a change!) and picked up a PS3 with Uncharted 2 and I'm now ripe with anticipation for the third one which hits stores this holiday season.
 
Well, I guess that's my first blog post. It's been rushed, short and a little messy, but I hope everyone who reads this, if anyone, enjoyed. Thanks for reading!