Wish List

Right, it's been exactly one month since I last posted, so I thought I'd chuck something up quickly so people don't think I've abandonded my blog. I thought I'd tackle that old chestnut, the wish list.

Brütal Legend

Okay, Jack Black's skills as an actor may be questionable (to say nothing for Ozzy Osbourne), but Tim Schafer is a bone fide videogame genius. This game looks awesome; there is no more appropriate word to describe it. None of the ideas in it are particulary new, but the pulling together of elements with a rock-solid, consistent theme and a cracking (and funny) story is

really going to show people why single player games still have it.

No more words are needed.

I hope the Star Power (no pun intended) of Jack Black will be enough to punch this through to the mainstream (the advertising for it has been a lot heavier than with Psychonauts as well). This game DESERVES to have commercial as well as critical success, but I have a feeling as it's trying to do something fresh and different it may alieniate newer game players.

As a side issue, the reissue of Monkey Island is looking pretty hot too; just the opportunity the world needs to play through the game again (and it will, no doubt, show up the new version released by Telltale... this is not a condemnation of them, by the way, Monkey Island was just THAT GOOD).

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Okay, so bit more mainstream this time... I've been excited by this game for a while now; the combination of 3rd person beat 'em up and sneak 'em up REALLY strikes my fancy, not to mention the fact that I get to pretend I'm Batman. It also helps that I think the Joker is possibly one of the best comic-book villians ever put to paper. I've made no secret of the fact I love the Hitman games, and this seems to be taking a similar approach, only it now encourages me to take out all the guards on a level and not just my target!

Anyway, the graphics look good, they've got the classic voice actors in to do Batman and the Joker, the story seems classic comic-book fare, and the gameplay looks very swish. You even get a replica batarang when you preorder!

Dragon Age: Origins

Unfortunately not a PC exclusive... Again, I've been a Bioware fan for some time; I LOVED the original Baldur's Gate games (which this is being pitched as a sequel to) and they've done some pretty awesome games since then; maybe less so Neverwinter Nights, but Knights of the Old Republic was good, and what I've played of Mass Effect seems really good too.

This guy was awesome, too

My only fear with this game is they go overboard on the GrimDark (there, I've done it now, I've linked to TV Tropes... your afternoon is gone, mwahaha!) and slosh a load of sex and bad language in there. The Witcher was bad enough, I don't think I can stomach many more concessions to the teenage market. If they keep it nice and complex, and mature without being smutty, I'll be happy!

Okay, that's enough of that, it's tired and I want to go to bed. I'll be posting again soon, I even have a topic in mind!