GIReiner Blog

Turning My Back On Final Fantasy

Andrew Reiner — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:47:00 GMT

During today's lunch break, my coworker Dan Ryckert and I ran out to a local game store to pick up copies of Soul Calibur V. As soon as we walked into the shop, my eye caught a stack of Final Fantasy XIII-2 strategy guides. I turned to Dan and said “I just realized something: This is the first time I’m not purchasing a new Final Fantasy game on launch day since the release Final Fantasy III.” Granted, I haven’t played many of the side games released on Nintendo’s handhelds, and Final Fantasy XIV, well, we can all laugh about that one, but this is the first numbered, offline Final Fantasy title I honestly have little interest in.

The odd thing: I enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII…to a degree. My memories of that game are mostly of the combat system, the intense boss fights, and all of the awful stuff around it. Final Fantasy XIII was the first Final Fantasy title that didn’t deliver a story that I was engaged in or characters that I cared about. I had no idea what was going on in the plot most of the time. The strongest link I had with any of the characters was an intense hatred for Hope Estheim, a spineless youth who talks way too much. "Lightning. I – me too. I mean, at least I'll try. I'll try to watch out for you, too.” Guh.

When Joe Juba, Game Informer’s Final Fantasy expert, told me that Final Fantasy XIII-2’s story was worse than its predecessor’s, it instantly fell off of my shopping list. The pulse for this series, at least for me, has always been the storytelling. Aeris’ death, Tidus going against his dad, the opera; I can name amazing story moments from all of the Final Fantasy titles except for Final Fantasy XIII.

I’m sure I’ll give Final Fantasy XIII-2 a chance one of these days, but for now, I’m more excited to play Soul Calibur V and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (a game that just showed up on my desk seconds ago). The Final Fantasy series is still one of my favorites, but right now the love I have for it is nostalgic only. This generation has not been kind to this series.

Star Wars Uncut: The Director's Cut

Andrew Reiner — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:29:00 GMT

Next to baking the world's largest pizza (which I'm told is 122 feet in diameter), I can't think of a more ambitious fan project than director Casey Pugh's Star Wars Uncut. A few years ago, Casey dissected George Lucas' Star Wars: A New Hope into 473, 15-second clips and asked fans to recreate one of these clips using whatever means they wanted to. Casey has stitched these clips together into a full-length remake of Lucas' film. Casey won an Emmy for this project, and the Director's Cut is finally online for our viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

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The Games I Completed In 2011

Andrew Reiner — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:26:00 GMT

As we all know, it’s next to impossible to play every game that releases in a calendar year. I often joke that film critics have it easy since most movies can be watched in around two hours. Games, on the other hand, can range from a few hours to hundreds of hours. One of these years I’m going to record the amount of time I play and figure out the average across all of them. I’m guessing it’s somewhere around 15 to 20 hours (a game like Skyrim obviously inflates that number).

Part of being a gamer is figuring out where our precious hours should go. This year, I decided that my hours should be vested in the completion of 69 different games (see the list below). These are the games that I FINISHED. There are dozens upon dozens of others that I started and decided to shelve or abandon for any number of reasons.

I played a lot of great games and I played more horrible games than I thought I did. Somehow, I managed to finish every game bearing the Harry Potter name (achievement unlocked?).

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was the game I devoted the most time to. I don’t have the exact number in front of me, but I believe it’s around 130 hours. I still have a week and a half of gaming to do, so there’s a chance Star Wars: The Old Republic, a game I obsessively think about, could pass it up.

I should also point out that I hope to finish off L.A. Noire before the end of the year. I’ve tried to get through this game at least a dozen times, but can’t seem to play it for more than a few hours at a time. I’m near the end of it now (with only four cases to go). It’s the last game on my list that I feel I NEED to finish.

If you have some time on your hands, I’d love to see what games you guys managed to complete. List them below in the comments section along with the games you were hoping to finish before 2012. Also, as a side note: I only watched 11 movies this year and most of them were the "summer blockbusters."

My List of Completed Games in 2011
Army of Two (second playthrough)
Army of Two: The 40th Day
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Bastion
Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3
Battleheart
Battle: Los Angeles
Brink
Bulletstorm
Burnout Crash!
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Captain America
Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do
Costume Quest
Crysis 2
Dark Souls
Dead Island
Dead Space 2
DeBlob 2
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Driver: San Francisco
Duke Nukem Forever
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Enslaved (second playthrough)
F.E.A.R. 3
Fight Night Champion
Game Dev Story
Gears of War 3
Grand Theft Auto IV (third playthrough)
Green Lantern
The Gunstringer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Homefront
Infamous 2
Jet Pack Joyride
Killzone 3
Knights Contract
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
LEGO Star Wars III
LittleBigPlanet 2
Major League Baseball 2K11
Man vs. Wild
Marvel vs. Capcom 3
MLB 11: The Show
Mortal Kombat
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Pinball FX 2
Portal 2
Rage
Rango
Rayman 2 3DS (fourth and hopefully last playthrough)
Red Faction: Armageddon
Saints Row 2
Saints Row: The Third
Shadows of the Damned
Spider-Man: Edge of Time
Splatterhouse
Super Mario 3D Land
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
X-Men: Destiny

Quick Take: Which System Had The Best Year?

Andrew Reiner — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:45:00 GMT

Most of the heated “Which system is better?” debates I’m a part of usually end up as dissections of software libraries. First-party exclusives and third-party blockbusters are ultimately what drive console sales. A healthy system maintains a consistent stream of both. This year’s debates have been much different. Most start with someone saying something along the lines of “PlayStation 3’s hacking scandal puts it in last place” or “Xbox 360 wasn’t hacked so it wins.” While console services have been a part of the equation for years, this is the first year that they’ve carried significant weight in the debates. From Sony's struggles to protect its user data to Steam's dominance in the digital download space on PC, a good online service is just as valuable to gamers as its software library.

As you are probably well aware, most “My system is better than yours” arguments can last for hours, or end with someone saying or doing something they end up regretting. What would you say if you were only given 140 characters for your response? I asked gamers on my Twitter account which system they thought had the best 2011. Truthfully, I expected most people to send back a joke about PSN getting hacked, followed by their choice of “Xbox 360” or “PC.” Despite PlayStation 3’s struggles this year, the console was still held in high regard, mostly because people thought it delivered on the software front.

Here are all of the Twitter responses I received for the question “Which gaming system had the best year and why?”

@Casey_Malone: I think Xbox wins this year, just by virtue of having games (over the Wii) and not giving away people's credit card numbers.

@Mray091: PS3. Not only the third party games, but stuff like LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3, inFamous 2, etc.

@TooTruw: Nintendo 3DS. Nothing can beat Steel Diver, or any of th other stunning and exemplary titles for the 3DS this year.

@FuriousFura: xbox... ps3 skyrim problems. Enough said

@ZBurmeister: Xbox, because Live wasn't down for 5 weeks...

@cybert00thtiger: Vita. Can you say ANY bad games came out for it this year?!

@glamgeekgirl: Hmmm. Interesting question. I think the Kinect secured its position in 2011. And so did smartphones.

@CEOTMorehead: PS3. Uncharted exclusivity.

@Wifemomtwinsfan: Probably PS3, cause my kids Xmas lists are requesting all games be purchased for PS3 only with the exception of Zelda.

@Gordon17freeman: Wii because of LoZ and the other systems didn't have any spectacular exclusives. Xbox had GoW 3 and PS3 had Uncharted 3.

@NJDevilNYGuy: 360, hands down. Continuing to adapt, evolve & overcome the competition. Plus, no major security breaches lol.

@juiceboxlegend: im gonna have to say Xbox. With Gears, Call of Duty and with Playstations awful hacking problem, not much could compete.

@buddyacker: I'd say 360. Much more content.

@H_McCullough: PS3 - two great exclusives (InFAMOUS 2 and Uncharted 3) and passed the Xbox in worldwide sales, despite early PSN crash.

@_w4lly: Xbox, because it's not made by Sony. :)

@taulpaul: Xbox. Kinect finally has games that fully push the hardware.

@Carl_Jones: Xbox won...ps3 stays the same but Xbox evolves and it just got even better this year

@tullmetalhans: Xbox 360, this a really personal opinion, Halo:anniversary

@Ercoman: PS3 had better exclusives, although I still played my Xbox 360 more since I prefer it for multiplatform games.

@simopaulakoski: gears and forza 4 is the main reson i think xbox had a great year for me , well skyrim tops everything

@Muitnorts: PS3, because games. Mainly Uncharted 3. But Infamous, Resistance 3 etc were good backups. 360 only really had Gears.

@myquirk: 3DS went from zero to hero this year. I don't own one, but I sure want one now.

@Aerohead17: PC. Because it's PC.

@Ellimem: 360, it was online the whole year.

@digyman: pc. Complete resurgence. Havent wanted a gaming pc this bad in years.

@CarlTheHuman: PS3 2011. Still didn't overtake 360 in sales, but on the software front they dominated.

@allenbandido: I'd say Xbox 360 due to the PS3's online crisis.

@njoystic: The 3DO, because everyone had finally forgotten about it 'til I brought it up just now. Bazinga!

@BigDawgAug: Provably Wii. Xbox and Playstation cancel each other out exclusive-wise with Uncharted 3 and Gears 3, but Wii had a new Zelda.

@modeps: This year? PC because of indie gaming.

@gamedog2408: it's hard the 360 and PS3 both had awesome years. IMO PS3 exclusives gives it the edge RE3, UNC3, ICO HD and better Portal2

@Pushaman55: I would definitely say Xbox 360 just because of XBLA's Summer of the Arcade. of course you have Gears 3 but Uncharted and Zelda Skyward Sword, battled that. SO definitely a big contribution from XBLA made the Xbox 360 see success out the 3

@willstrib1996: PS3. Because of so many great exclusive releases. And they have @TheKevinButler that's a win bu itself

@Voleki: pc: Skyrim, Witcher 2. Yes they are on other platforms, but on pc & ultra, they are amazing.

@waudad01: I would say 360 because it was up all year and actually released games unlike the Ps3 and the wii

@TheOnlyRalphie: XBOX 360: Skyrim, Batman, Battlefield 3, MW3. All that needs to be said.

@JosePasillas: PS3 would of had the best year if not for the hack in the begining of the year

@TimShelton: Not even close, PS3 had a PR nightmare, Wii is all but dead and Xbox 360 had exclusives, a new dashboard, and new features.

@ShadowAuthor: Probably 360. It's negligible though b/c of all the cross-platform titles. 360 had more exclusives though, AFAIK.

@xXDanteHicksXx: 360. XBL wasn't hacked, continued innovation with Kinect & new dash, Gears 3, XBLA had several great games, etc.

@YouveBenHacked: Xbox 360 because of their success with Kinect and their ability to avoid pewee grade hacking attemps..unlike Sony and the PS3

@Firmly_Grasp_It: It was incredibly even. I'm a PC guy myself, but i'd say that Sony had the most must-have exclusives (despite PSN failing).

@ctplante: PC had the best 2011. Minecraft ended the "is pc dead" discussion, while Facebook games evangelized millions.

@Alienhunter95: ps3 cuz of hack. Free stuffs!

@HattoriZangestu: PS3, had much more exclusives, and you can see more games coming, 360 looks like only have Kinect for kids and halo. :(

@DaemonGildas: I'm gonna have to give it to PS3. Simply because it had Demon Souls exclusively until Dark Souls came out.

@Jedi_Marcos: Easy, PS3 hands down.Aside from solid 3rd party stuff,1st party games were amazing...and were critically acclaimed.

@DualChiet: Ps3 had the most games year round and they were all great quality(except for Socom 4 and PsMove Heroes).

@ODESSA_Z: Obviously XBOX - PS3 got hacked - could you make an argument for Sony that it was a good year?

@CircularPastry: Xbox reason: Gears of War 3 (srsly, xbl improvement, sales, games)

@styx971: Ps3 while the whole psn hack was bad they still had a good few exclusives.. and my 360 finaly died again so yeah

@smiley1651: Ps3 because of Uncharted 3 and Killzone 3

Feel free to post your own analysis of the systems in the comments section below. If you want to adhere to the 140 character rule, feel free to do so, or, if you have some time on your hands, give me your full assessment.

The Art That Will Hang Over My Fireplace

Andrew Reiner — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:24:00 GMT

Last week, Game Informer's Jeff Cork revealed his super classy artistic masterpiece. While I could never see myself putting a half-nude image on my wall, my thoughts changed today when I spied the intense image above. I haven't cleared my plans with my wife Kelly yet, but come the end of the week, this painting will likely be hanging over my fireplace.

This image of Ian Malcolm is just one of many art pieces on display at Brandon Bird's Jurassic Park art show running this weekend in Alhambra, CA. If you live in the nearby vicinity, you'd be stupid not to put aside an hour to check out this exhibit. I don't know how much the Ian Malcolm art will set me back, but I can't think of a better investment for the house. I hear the price of Goldblum is skyrocketing! Check out Brandon's website for more details and more art next week.

Why Saints Row: The Third Is One Of My Games Of The Year

Andrew Reiner — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:25:00 GMT

This holiday season belongs to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. I can't turn around in this office without bumping into a group of people talking about dragon combat or the secret masks in Skyrim. While Modern Warfare 3 may not be the topic of many discussions around here, my Xbox Live friends list, which is composed of many Game Informer readers, is filled with people competing in the game's multiplayer.

Saints Row: The Third is deserving of the same "holiday hit" respect. I couldn't put this game down, and in the span of just three short days, have completed over 90 percent of the game, and won't play anything else until I see everything it has to offer. I'm a big fan of silly humor and over-the-top action. Saints Row: The Third makes great use of both of these elements, almost coming across as a Naked Gun sequel directed by Michael Bay. By no means am I saying that you should stop questing in Skyrim or shooting teenagers in Modern Warfare 3 to play it. Just make sure you get around to it eventually. This is one of the year's must-play releases for all gamers. Here are a few reasons why I love this sandbox experience.

HUGE Set Piece Moments

If a Hollywood studio adapted this game into a movie it would probably cost a billion dollars to make. Everything in this game blows up, and the action sequences often defy logic, such as skydiving in a tank or entering a virtual reality world to battle a gang leader. Volition does a tremendous job of framing the insanity and heightening the excitement tied to them through beautifully crafted gameplay.

The Awesome Button
It lives up to its name. The Awesome Button can perform tornado DDTs, dropkicks, and flying clotheslines to any character in the game. For car jacking, it dramatically speeds up the process by launching your character through the windshield into the driver's seat.

Experience Earned for Everything

You probably wouldn't peg Saints Row as a game that would offer a satisfying RPG-like experience for character development, but it has a surprisingly deep system that allows players to gain experience for almost every "extreme" action in the game. Driving into oncoming traffic, swerving near cars, and chaining together headshots rewards the player with percentage bumps. Once enough experience is earned, the character ranks up, and given the level, might unlock new a new useful perk. These include smaller things like quicker revive times, increased follower health, and improved vehicle durability. There are also perks so useful they seem like cheat codes. At the higher levels you'll be able to buy immunity from bullets and fire, as well as the ability to call a homie who will deliver a VTOL to your location.

Most Activities are Fun

In Saints Row 2, many of the side activities ended up feeling like chores. This isn't the case in Saints Row: The Third. Almost every activity ends up being a blast. I couldn't get enough of Tank Mayhem and Professor Genki's Ethical Reality Climax.

An Amazing Assortment of Weapons

While most people seem to talk about the *** bat and the fart in the jar weapons, Saints Row: The Third actually packs an impressive arsenal that offers more firepower than any Modern Warfare game. I'll just say this, helicopters don't stand a chance against my pistols. That's right, pistols.

The Best Co-Op in the Biz

Seriously, folks. If you play this game, make sure you are connected with a friend online. The side activities are more entertaining when played two-player, and the story and dialogue often lend themselves to conversation.

It's Really Funny

I've said this before: We need more comedies in our gaming diets. Saints Row: The Third shows us just how a comedy can be handled in the video game space.

Playing as a Zombie
The entire game can be played through the eyes of a zombie (whom you create from the outset). The zombie's actions are no different than a humans, but Volition went out of its way to record unique zombie dialogue for every cutscene in the game. The zombie doesn't speak English, yet tries its best. You'll even hear this adorable guy sing along to a popular song during a scripted car ride. I wouldn't recommend playing as a zombie until the second playthrough, as you'll miss story content.

If you've followed my blog for the last few months, you know this is the third entry in my "Game of the Year" list. As I mentioned before, I'm only doing these blogs for games I haven't reviewed and believe will be on my Top 10 list come year end. Be sure to read my Why Dark Souls is One of My Games of the Year, and Why Dead Island is One of My Game of the Year posts. As for games I've reviewed that are in contention for this list, check out my Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, and Dead Space 2 reviews. My love of Portal 2 can be found in My Top 25 Games of this Generation list.

Disturbances During 2011's Holiday Season

Andrew Reiner — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:38:00 GMT

These days, if my eyes are open, they are likely fixated on a game that I have to complete before the end of 2011. When it comes to must-play games, 2011 is one of the best for our beloved industry. While I find myself stressing over the thought of not being able to get every major release, I cannot deny that I am having the time of my life. Games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Batman: Arkham City have ruled my life like few games have before. I can't stop thinking about either of them.

During my extensive gaming, I've found myself drifting off into thought about some of the strange things I'm seeing in this holiday's games. Since I'm in a bad mood today, I decided to focus on the disturbances I've observed rather than the noteworthy trends. As always, feel free to list your own in the comments below.

I Spent Far Too Much Time Trying To Log Into Call Of Duty: Elite

Seriously, I just want to see what this service has to offer. If it isn't working at all, don't give me the option of trying to log into something that is broken! You're wasting my time for no reason, Activision. Just turn it off and launch it when it works.

I Fear Bears More Than Dragons

In Skyrim, I was killed more by angry bears than dragons. The dragon fights are way too easy. When I confront them, I'm not thinking about tactics, just the loot they could potentially drop.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Reminds Me Of The Tony Hawk Games

Back in the day, I used to look forward to the new gameplay additions added to the Tony Hawk games each year. That was, until Neversoft ran out of interesting ideas and decided to add stupid things (like extreme shopping carts) to the mix. I'm getting the same feeling from Assassin's Creed: Revelations' additions. I could live without "the claw" and bombs.

Escapism Broken Up By The Need To Manually Save

In both Deus Ex: Human Revolution, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Rage, I found myself saving religiously. These games need to come packaged with specially designed controllers with gigantic red "SAVE" buttons on them. Entering a series of menus to to make sure progress is cataloged is something I didn't expect to encounter in 2011.

Nathan Drake Can't Stop Touching Stuff

Naughty Dog's new animation system is amazing, but one side effect is Nathan Drake touching every object near him. He looks like an ecstasy junkie who is amazed by every texture he touches.

Dan Ryckert Doesn't Know The Difference Between Cheetahs And Hyenas

Here's a little behind the scenes story for you: When Dan was reviewing Modern Warfare 3, he sent me a text that said "there's a scripted moment involving shooting a cheetah point blank in the face in a church." This tidbit obviously brought much laughter to the Game Informer offices. Jeff Cork even set up a fake twitter account for Church Cheetah. Turns out, the attack was made my a hyena, and Dan is an idiot.

Xbox Live Friends Lists Are Still Limited To 100 People

Each holiday season, I keep hearing that Microsoft is going to expand upon the number of friends people can have. Once again, I'm let down.

Wii Motion Plus Might Have a Future

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword may end up being the last great Wii game. This is the game that is turning people into Wii Motion Plus believers.

HD Remakes At The Wrong Time

My list of new games that I have to get through by the end of the year is gigantic. How in the world am I going to find the time to play all of the HD Metal Gears and Halo Anniversary, as well? Any HD remake released in the last few months automatically has a "will be played in 2012" tag for me.

I Can't Find My Wii

I guess this shouldn't be a surprise. After Super Mario Galaxy 2, I haven't played much of it. The machine will now be played more than it ever has, thanks to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

My Kinect Is Collecting Dust

I thought Kelly (my wife) would play the living hell out of Dance Central 2. She played it for no more than 20 minutes, stating "It's more of the same. I wanted something better." The last game I played on it was The Gunstringer, a brilliant and wacky shooter. I don't see myself using my Kinect any time soon.

I Haven't Downloaded A Game In A Loooong Time

Our industry is a strange place. Most major retail releases come out during the fall. Most major downloadable games are during the summer. Can't we just use the entire year for everything? I don't have any Xbox Live or PSN titles on my radar at this point. The last great downloadable game I played was Bastion.

I Don't Mind Dying

Death in a video game is usually something that doesn't sit well with me. It means failure. It means I wasn't good enough. After playing Dark Souls, death is just part of the process.

People Are Starting To Care About 3D

Don't pretend to be shocked by this. We all made fun of 3D at one point this year. It was easy to pick on. Shadow of the Colossus, Sony's 3D TV bundle, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception are turning people's heads. Will 3D catch on after this holiday?

The Jurassic Park Game Isn't Worth Playing

This squashes my theory that all games featuring dinosaurs are worth playing. As bad as Dino Crisis 3 and Jurassic: The Hunted were, I still played them extensively. For shame, Telltale. For shame!

Where Should Batman Go Next?

Andrew Reiner — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:45:00 GMT

By now, many of you have finished Batman: Arkham City. Some of this game's side missions and secrets hint at possible sequel directions, such as (SPOILERS from here on in) Batman saying he'll track down Hush tomorrow, Harley Quinn having Joker's baby, or Azrael saying that Gotham and Batman will both burn. Devoted players have even found secret radio messages that hints at a "nightmare" returning to Gotham, which of course points toward Scarecrow.

All of these teases would make great backbones for the next Batman game. Before DC Comics completely ruined Tommy Elliot as a character, Hush was one of Batman's most promising foes. If Rocksteady is willing to move this universe's timeline forward 20 years, I wouldn't mind seeing a showdown between Batman and Joker's offspring. Azrael, as many of you know, filled in for Batman in the late '90s and is a certifiable freak. A story similar to Knightfall, where Batman is crushed by all of his villains and Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael) has to fill in could be cool. Of course, the one that excites me most is the possible return of Scarecrow. His hallucinogenic attacks were the highlights in Arkham Asylum, and if he were in the leading villain role, the next game could be a mind-bending assault much like the Gamecube game, Eternal Darkness.

While it would seem Rocksteady has an idea of where they want to go and is willing to share it with gamers through side content, the death of Joker brings a conclusion. With that in mind, I wonder if Rocksteady will instead try something new. I may be completely wrong here, but it would seem the "Arkham" foundation has run its course, as well. The obvious next step is opening up all of Gotham's boroughs, which would make a gigantic open world for players to explore. Think The Elder Scrolls: Batman. It would be interesting seeing how Rocksteady handles a city full of pedestrians, not to mention vertical navigation on a much larger scale. I would love to see Rocksteady's take on Wayne Manor and the actual Batcave.

I doubt Rocksteady will explore Batman's lore outside of Gotham, but at some point, I hope they explore Batman's ties to other characters in the DC universe. The dream is a Justice League game that allows players to suit up as Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman (yes, he could be cool). Rocksteady could also play off of the amazing World's Finest stories of Batman and Superman teaming up. Just a cameo by Superman in the next game would be amazing. Of all of the Justice League characters mentioned, Green Arrow seems to fit Rocksteady's mold the best and could add an interesting short- and long-range mechanic to melee.

Even with villains made out of clay already a part of Rocksteady's formula, Justice League may be a little too fantastical. I wasn't a fan of Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated concept which spanned through all of the Batman comics for the last two years, but it would make an interesting backdrop for a Rocksteady game. The thrust of it is Bruce Wayne creating a Batman army across the globe. That means there's a Batman in Japan, a Batman in Africa, and a Bat-guardian in every major city. Shifting perspective to these different Bat-characters, which could be scaled back to Nightwing, the nest of Robins, Batgirl, and Batwoman, could be a cool way of telling a story, especially if Harley Quinn's tease of "the whole damned world" in Arkham City is a direction for the new game.

I also wouldn't mind seeing Rocksteady's take on classic Batman comic books, such as Long Halloween or The Dark Knight Returns. Obviously, The Dark Knight Returns would be next to impossible with Mark Hamill retiring as The Joker, and Long Halloween's focus on detective work might be a bit much given how great Rocksteady's combat mechanics are. Regardless, these classic stories are great fits for games, and even if they don't retell the comic stories panel-by-panel, lend themselves nicely as settings.

We'll have to wait and see where Rocksteady goes next – if they are even working on a Batman game – but one thing is for certain, there is no shortage of awesome ideas for Batman video games. I'll even go as far to say Batman Beyond would work. It's just sad that it took a developer this long to get it right. Now I'd like to turn the discussion over to you. What direction would you like to see Rocksteady go in for the next game?

A Snow White Movie That Looks Bad Ass?

Andrew Reiner — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:37:00 GMT

The first trailer for Universal's Snow White and the Huntsman is up on iTunes. I probably wouldn't have watched this trailer if not for Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski tweeting "Holy crap, this Snow White movie looks kick ass. #thingsIneverthoughtIwouldsay." Believe it or not, this trailer looks amazing and unlike anything I ever thought would carry the Snow White name. Get this – it even looks cool with that Twilight chick in it.

Bricks Of War

Andrew Reiner — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:34:00 GMT

Stop-motion animator Alex Kobbs of Kooberz Studios once again shows his love of video games with Bricks of War, an excellently crafted look at Gears of War in LEGO form. In addition to the Bricks of War short, Kobbs has posted a "making of" video that shows the hard work that went into this creation. Enjoy the videos!

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Why Dark Souls Is One Of My Games Of The Year

Andrew Reiner — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:40:00 GMT

A few weeks ago I posted a blog titled "Why Dead Island is One of My Games of the Year." You're probably seeing a theme in my naming conventions. Games I don't review and feel will be on my top 10 list at the end of the year are going to get a similarly titled blog. I would make one for Portal 2, but I already listed it in My Top 25 Games of This Console Generation list, so that one is more than covered.

As you are all aware, my first look at Dark Souls was the Reiner and Phil episode we filmed a few weeks prior to the game's launch date. Phil did an excellent job illustrating the game's difficulty and depth. He talked about memorizing the levels and spending hours grinding to be able to tackle some of the challenges that were thrown at him. His brief walkthrough made me a believer, not necessarily in Dark Souls, but that I could be as successful as Phil playing it. I had no idea what I was getting into. If anything, I walked away with the realization that Phil is one hell of a Dark Souls player. Despite dying more than I care to admit, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time in Dark Souls. Most of my deaths were fair and by my doing. Obviously, this isn't a game for everyone. Most successes are tied to memorizing or slowly inching through levels with a raised shield. Here are the reasons why I love it, and why you should consider playing it.

Dangerous, Yet Rewarding Exploration
At no point does Dark Souls hold the player's hand or try to funnel him or her in a particular direction. The player is dropped into the world and progress within it is based solely on exploration and combat abilities. The world is open to a degree, but more in the Zelda vein with a few avenues open at a time rather than Elder Scrolls' "do whatever you like" approach. To no surprise to anyone, discovering things on your own is more satisfying of an endeavor than following a glowing breadcrumb trailer or setting a waypoint on a map. It makes you feel like a true adventurer. On the flip side, I've spent hours trying to figure out where to go next.

Wonderfully Constructed World
I repeatedly find myself marveling at this world's design and how all of the zones are connected. Every area feels like an organic extension or piece of the world. If you see a path in the world, you know you'll be able to get there.

Slow, Smart Combat
This isn't a game where giant combos can be chained together. Instead, Dark Souls' combat is all about studying foes and learning when to attack and how to defend. Running headlong into a fight usually only brings death. Patience is the key to victory. While this may sound boring, most foes can kill you fairly quickly, if not with one hit. Dodging unblockable attacks brings a nearly unbearable intensity, especially during boss fights. It's slow but incredibly rewarding and a true test of skill.

Great Leveling System
Each foe that is downed rewards your character with souls that can be used to level up attributes, upgrade weapons, and purchase items. Determining where these souls should be invested is part of the fun.

Expansive Character Customization
For the longest time my character couldn't wear anything on his feet since his other armors combined with the footwear slowed him down too much. I'm happy to announce that he now has boots (thanks to a night of leveling). The game offers an extensive list of armors and weapons, most offering unique cosmetics.

Respect for the Shield
For the first time in a video game, I find myself loving my shields more than my weapons. They are the ultimate life saver. If my character moves, he usually has his shield drawn for those instances when an enemy leaps out from behind a corner or a trap is triggered. Shields can also be used as weapons. I now know why Captain America loves them.

WTF IS THAT THING???!!!
Almost every boss encounter begins with me saying "WTF is that thing?" From Software's monster designs are incredible, and outside of the large rat or stupid skeleton, are different from anything I've seen before. One boss can best be described as a crocodile-dragon-bat-salamander-vagina-thingy.

Covenants
As this world opens up, the player runs into NPC representatives for a variety of covenants. You can ally yourself with any of these groups. They can change the way you interact with other players, as well as your character's appearance. If you abandon a covenant that you joined, you'll be marked a traitor for another covenant that only hunts turncoats.

Unique Co-Op/Multiplayer
All throughout the game, players can leave notes that either warn players of danger or conversely steers them into the teeth of it. Some of these messages saved my life, others falsely lured me to into jumping off a cliff to my death. On top of this, players can invade other players' worlds to either help or hinder progress. You cannot invite friends into your world; rather the game forces you to team up with strangers, whose abilities you don't know. You can't communicate with them, outside of gestures.

War Stories
One of my favorite experiences with Dark Souls is sharing the war stories I experienced within it with my friends and coworkers. I usually walk away from these conversations with knowledge of new zones, strategies to use within them, the locations of rare loot, and warnings pertaining to the way my character will likely die. This game is designed to support community discussions. If you want to hear one of these talks, check out our Dark Souls podcast.

Check Out The First Trailer For The Avengers

Andrew Reiner — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:00:13 GMT

Marvel Comics' highly anticipated Avengers film hits the silver screen on May 4, 2012, and it would appear that we'll be seeing a lot of it prior to this release as this is already our second look at it. Marvel hasn't revealed story details yet, but long time comic fans will appreciate the small touches: Such as Captain America scowling at every character he meets, and Tony Stark only talking in one-liners. I didn't think that we'd get a look at CG The Hulk this early, but if you stick around until the final seconds of the trailer, you'll get a good look at this lumbering idiot. Let me know what you think of the film's direction in the comments below. I think it looks awesome!

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Is This The New Godzilla?

Andrew Reiner — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:29:00 GMT

If I ran a movie company, half of the films would be science fiction and the other half would be monster movies. Roger Corman has kept the monster movie genre alive on Syfy with his low-budget films, but there really hasn't been much going on on the silver screen. Legendary Pictures has been talking about rebooting the Godzilla franchise with director Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and writer David Goyer (The Dark Knight), but a filming start date and potential release date haven't been announced as of yet.

Images of a potential new Godzilla design have hit Infamouskidd, pointing toward production getting underway. This new demonic version looks fantastic, and you'd think in this day and age that he would be created exclusively with CGI. According to Infamouskidd, that may not be the case. "I’m hearing that the plan, as it stands now, is for Godzilla to actually be in the flesh, with someone filling a rubber suit for Godzilla’s return. The head will be controlled by animatronics, and any touch-ups needed for the final film will then fall upon CGI."

Yes, I like the idea of Edwards paying homage to the classics with a rubber suit, but I can't see it working for the entire film. Whenever I see an actor in costume in the Aliens films, it looks terrible. What do you think of this potential redesign?

31 Reasons Why I'll Be Broke By The End Of 2011

Andrew Reiner — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:36:00 GMT

You may not realize it yet, but video games' busy season is upon us. The release of Gears of War 3 next Tuesday starts a string of 10 consecutive weeks holding at least one game I hope to purchase. I tried to save up as much cash as I could, and even worked out an agreement with my wife Kelly that allowed for $30 from each of my paychecks to be put in a separate video game fund. Even with all of my saving, I look to be about a billion dollars shy of having the funds needed to buy everything I want this year. Yes, I know, most people don't always get what they want, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about it.

The games below are on my wish list. Feel free to provide your very own list in the comments section.

GEARS OF WAR 3 – September 20
I'm going to finish this fight. Or is it find my dad? Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing how Epic finishes this story.

X-MEN DESTINY – September 27
The jury is still out on this one, but we're due for a quality X-Men game. Silicon Knights is also due for a hit after Too Human.

ICO AND SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS COLLECTION – September 27
Yes, I've already played these games and have them stuffed away in a box in my closet. I now need to play them in HD!

DARK SOULS – October 4
Phil insists that he wants to train me in Dark Souls. He says he wants to be "the old man to my Rocky." Not sure what that means, but I can't wait to get my ass kicked playing this game.

RAGE – October 4
So you're telling me that this FPS runs at 60 frames per second, features extensive looting, and is set in a post apocalyptic world? Sounds like something I might like to play.

SPIDER-MAN: EDGE OF TIME – October 4
Beenox's first Spider-Man title was one of my surprise games of 2010 and I have a feeling that the sequel will be every bit as good.

ACE COMBAT: ASSAULT HORIZON – October 11
I'm a huge fan of the series, and can't wait to see what Namco has in store for this installment.

DEAD RISING 2: OFF THE RECORD – October 11
Dead Rising 2 just wasn't the same without dear, old Frank West snapping photos of zombies doing stupid things.

FORZA 4 – October 11
I'm not a car enthusiast by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love this series and the sense of progression it offers.

SESAME STREET: ONCE UPON A MONSTER – October 11
Don't judge! It's a Double Fine production!

SKYLANDER: SPYRO'S ADVENTURE – October 14
I'm curious to see how collectible action figures work with a video game.

BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY – October 18
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Batman: Arkham City are my two most anticipated games of the year. October 18 marks the first day of a five day gaming vacation for me!

RATCHET & CLANK: ALL 4 ONE – October 18
The classic gamer in me would much prefer a traditional Ratchet & Clank game. Who knows, though, four-player co-op could make for a more entertaining experience.

KIRBY'S RETURN TO DREAMLAND – October 25
I think the name sums it up. I've been waiting for this for over a decade. Actually, I never knew he left. Regardless, Kirby usually delivers sizable platforming thrills.

SILENT HILL DOWNPOUR – October 25
After Dead Space 2, I've been looking for a quality horror game. Konami needs to get this series back on track.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: OVERKILL EXTENDED CUT – October 25
The Wii version was one of the funniest (and most profane) games I've ever played. More is always welcome, Sega. Please bring us a Super Extended Cut on Xbox 360 next.

BATTLEFIELD 3 – October 25
I cannot wait for the Battlefield 3 versus Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 smack talk to begin! I'm not throwing my hat into either camp at this point. I'm excited for both of 'em.

UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE'S DECEPTION – November 1
I gave the last game a 10. Yes, I want to play the sequel.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR IN THE NORTH – November 1
An untold Lord of the Rings story with co-op sounds like a weekend well spent.

LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 5-7 – November 1
I've played every LEGO game to completion and have no intention of stopping any time soon.

METAL GEAR SOLID: HD COLLECTION – November 8
I'm convincing myself that these games need to be played again in HD. I'm a sucker for minor changes. By the way, did I tell you I purchased the Star Wars Blu-rays?

CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3 – November 8
This is easily the biggest release of the year. Can Infinity Ward rebound after the layoffs? Does this series' multiplayer still have teeth?

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM – November 11
This is the day I say goodbye to my wife and friends for a good month. I'm going to kill so many dragons!

SUPER MARIO 3D – November 13
A new portable Mario title is exactly what I need for my travels.

SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD – November 15
Why is this game releasing four days after Skyrim? I know I'm going to sink over 100 hours into both of these games.

ASSASSIN'S CREED: REVELATIONS – November 15
Ubisoft is promising answers in this installment. Remember when the creators of Lost delivered that promise?

JURASSIC PARK – November 15
Dinosaurs. Jurassic Park theme. Nuff said.

HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED ANNIVERSARY – November 15
How much money am I spending on game re-releases?

RAYMAN ORIGINS – November 15
Ubisoft is really releasing Rayman and Assassin's Creed on the same day? Isn't there a law out there that states that a company can't release two triple-A games on the same day?

NEED FOR SPEED: THE RUN – November 15
I'm a little wary of the out-of-car action at this point, but I do like seeing EA take chances with one of its flagship franchises.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD – November 20
Shigeru Miyamoto just announced that this game will feature between 50 and 100 hours of gameplay. Best news I've heard at the wrong time of the year.

Obviously, there's always a chance a few of these titles will be pushed into 2012, or may be of a quality that doesn't demand an immediate purchase. I'll weigh my purchasing decisions on the launch day of each game. No matter what happens, it looks like we'll all have a huge back catalog to catch up on come the new year.

Parting With The Collection

Andrew Reiner — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:57:00 GMT

Over the last two decades I've amassed a sizable video game collection. It doesn't come close to comparing in size to Game Informer's vault, but it has taken over a large portion of my house. You can't turn a corner without seeing a game or two. Most of my collection is locked away in boxes and hidden in the dark recesses of basement closets. These games deserve better homes. These games deserve to be played.

Rather than sell them, I've decided to give them away to charities and to you, the Game Informer reader. Every Sunday on my twitter account (@Andrew_Reiner) I'll be conducting contests and drawings with the hopes of finding better homes for these classic games. I'll try to post the day's giveaways around 5 PM CT.

Most of the games are for Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Genesis, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo 64, Saturn, Dreamcast, and GameCube. Many people think I'm crazy for doing this, but truthfully, I feel great about it. Just the thought that these titles might be played again puts a smile on my face.