All of us to some degree have things we love and hate about each of Videogamings biggest companies. But right now, compared with the quality we used to recieve in games, this generation is a joke. These are my concerns about the big 3 this gen.
Nintendo: I've been a Nintendo fan for while. I love Zelda, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and many other Nintendo IPs. Many people term them every time they talk about video games. But what they've done to they're gaming department is beyond cruel. WTF is this, "casual" thing? Appealing to a new audience is nice and all, but what about they're past following, what about the hardcore who followed them through thick and thin in the past generations? Now they have commericals featuring soccar mom's and generally people above the age of 50. Thankfully they haven't TOTALLY forgotten they're main gamers, and they released Zelda TP and SMG and the such. But Wii fit, possibly the worst gimmick I've seen in decades of gaming history, is knocking up charts like no other when the game probably took 6 weeks to develop. The DS is another example of this; while it has some truly great games for the hardcore and the casual, Brain Training(Education?) and games that are absolute jokes and insults to past gamers are being created and sold at outragous amounts. However, despite all this, you have to applaud Nintendos amazing innovation. Although they have foregone graphics and tech, they created a new way to play, even if it is in a very primitive stage. Which is ten times more then what these guys have done...
Microsoft: Newbies to the gaming industry, the original Xbox actually had some, well, originality to it. But Microsoft has become everything BUT original now. Shooters, RPGs, racers, sure it has them. But for the Lord's sake, is there ANYTHING THEY CAN MAKE THATS ORIGINAL?! You see Nintendo with the Wiimote, Sony with LBP and Blu-Ray,and then what does Microsoft have? Gears of War? Thats the problem with these guys; they make great games, of course. But they don't think ANYTHING outside the box! While Sony and Nintendo are getting they're audience through new ideas and games, Microsoft insists on using the same old freaking stuff over and over and over. Now they are going so low as to take the ideas from other for they're own use. Avatars. They had the chance to really make something original, new. But they essentially ripped Miis from Nintendo and are using them themselves. These people can't think for themselves. Notice how many games are being developed by Microsoft game studios: None. Zero. Zip. Published, yes, Developed, no. Even Sony, who receives a great deal of flak for unoriginal ideas are coming out shining with Blu-Ray implementation, LittleBigPlanet, Home(Which is actually a very mature and not-stolen way to answer to Nintendo's Miis) and other things. But not microsoft. What do they give us? The red ring of death. I honestly could have lived without that, causing all of Japan to shun the Xbox. Also, why does Microsoft insist on being so freakin impatient? I DONT WANT AN XBOX 720 BEFORE THE GEN IS OVER! Its because of this crap that you are being called technically behind, and I'm starting to believe it myself. You have done some things right though. You created the greatest online service in the world, and while I don't that much about having to pay for it, this gives PSN and just about every other online service shoulders over you. the only reason I like your console more then the others right now is because of the games, the games YOU didn't even make. If the ps3 wasn't so difficult to develop for, you would be lost like a dreamcast.
Sony: the PS2 is my favorite console of all time. So what went wrong here, and why is this the only company whose console I don't own yet this gen? Expense. Money. And games that are recycled almost as much as Nintendo, or are just sub-par to other consoles games. $600? Are you kidding me? I wouldn't even pay that if games were free afterward. Thankfully they lowered the price, but 400 is still the highest of any console this gen. I'm not paying that just so I can play games that I can easily play on a 360, and get achivements for. This brings me to a problem that microsoft has, but Sony has it in a much, much lesser regard: Innovation. Trophies for achievements. Sixaxis for the Wiimote. but these aren't very big problems. My question is: WTF is with Cell? I'm absolutely certain that you could have created a processor better then 360s and NOT MAKE IT A ***** TO CODE FOR. Delays. Port problems. Cancelled games. These are all a direct result of Sony's "need to be better." I can't blame them for the desire to be better, but when it comes to being better at the risk of quality, I want quality. If the PS3 had the same awesome games as the PS2, at half the cost but at the Wii's graphics, you bet I would be a Sony fanboy right now. And Sony, can you not keep better hold on your exclusives? I couldn't care less about having MGS4 on 360 or not, but Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, GTA, and even my favorite RpG series of all time, the Tales series, made a jump because of this. And also because of Cell, in Tales case. If you want me to get your console, GET SOME GAMES. MGS4 was a fine game, but not near incentive enough for me to buy the console. Now I have to give Sony points for some amazing game franchises; God of War, Littlebigplanet and resistence.(Don't you DARE even mention Killzone2. Killzone 1 was on of the worst let-downs I've ever had.) But quite frankly, your losing 3rd party support like there is no tommorow, and until you regain it, I'm gone. Thanks for a great last gen, but my loyalty only carries me so far.
GOTY Contestants this year: Dead Space 2, Dark Souls, Tales of Graces f. Everything else can suck it.
