E3 Impressions

E3 2018 is pretty much in the books now. Overall, I thought that Microsoft had the strongest showing with their presentation; although I do not own an Xbox One (yet), I believe that Microsoft had a great line-up of games (Halo, Gears of War) that effectively showcased Xbox One's value. Of course, Bethesda also got people hyped with Fallout 76 and their Elder Scrolls 6 teaser. But, seeing that I'm a die-hard fan of the Super Smash Bros. series, I was most psyched about the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate reveal. Nintendo didn't seem to have too many other games to showcase, with only a brief glimpse into the mechanics of Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee and some other games that we've already known about. No update on Metroid Prime 4 unfortunately. I thought Sony's press conference had a bit of a slow start with annoying intermissions, but I suppose it's important to try new things from time to time. I didn't bother watching EA's presentation since I don't care for them. Anyways, here are some of my impressions of several games that were announced or showcased. Sorry if I seem to ramble or go off-topic at times, or if there were any other games I didn't cover in as much detail.

Devil May Cry 5
I finally got around to playing through Devil May Cry 1 and 3 back in December, after many years of having these games on my bucket list. I'm glad that Capcom is going back to the main series as opposed to continuing with the reboot. However, throughout the whole trailer, I couldn't help but wonder where Dante was. After all, he is the character we love and the main reason why we play DMC. Then he appears at the very end of the trailer, looking so old and creepy... I don't know what to make of it, but I feel concerned. I haven't played DMC 4 yet, so maybe I should do that first. I don't have a well-informed opinion about Nero yet, but I still prefer having Dante as the main character (and not looking so old and weird). I'm trying to reserve my judgments; hopefully more gameplay footage will be revealed and the game will be awesome when it is finally released.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Ghosts of Tsushima
I feel like Samurai games are making a comeback! Nioh, which I still need to play, came out last year, and it's a game that hearkens back to the days of Onimusha, but with the strategic and action-oriented gameplay similar to that found in the Dark Souls series. Interestingly enough, FromSoftware, the creators of Dark Souls, is moving on to create a new game that has a Samurai/feudal Japan setting, with demons and magic (of course!) thrown into the mix. I first thought that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was going to be an Xbox One exclusive, but it looks like it's also coming out for the PS4 and PC. Joy! Let's see if I can try to finish the Dark Souls games and Nioh before it comes out...

Ghosts of Tsushima is a game that was announced a while ago, and it's another game that makes use of the Samurai theme. The swordplay mechanics in the trailer looked pretty realistic and engaging, and the game appears to be taking on a much more realistic approach compared to Sekiro and Nioh. Since I love Samurai games/movies and Japanese culture, I'm really looking forward to these games coming out.

Kingdom Hearts 3
I've been waiting too long, to the point where part of me accepted the possibility that this game may never come out. I've played every Kingdom Hearts game since the first one released back in 2002. When Sora was 14, I was 14. I kept track of the convoluted story, which only became more complicated and esoteric with each new entry into the series. KH has a plot that includes various versions of each character, too much back story, and then they thought it was a good idea to add in Inception-like dream mechanics and time travel... I used to cosplay as Riku. I love Yoko Shimomura's music for the series. But now, after so many years of waiting for KH3, I almost feel too old to like Kingdom Hearts anymore... Almost.

For the longest time, all I wanted was for this game to just come out. All I wanted was a release date. Finally, a release date was announced. January 29, 2019. Let's see if the release date gets pushed back. Hopefully we will not have another Final Fantasy XV situation on our hands. I certainly won't talk about the apparent development issues with the Final Fantasy VII remake right now.

Oh Square Enix, formerly Squaresoft, you were the first publisher outside of Nintendo that I fell in love with. You've pissed me off so much throughout the years. Your first online game took away seven years of my life. You're like a long-time, abusive lover who always infuriates me but somehow convinces me to come back and wait around for you. I can never forget the good old days when Final Fantasy games actually told good stories. Actually, these memories are the only reason why I still put up with you...

I really like how KH3 focuses on the Pixar movies. The trailer shows a lot of characters making a comeback, many of whom (the organization members in particular) I'd imagine that casual fans have either completely forgotten or couldn't care less about. The graphics look amazing, and I can tell that the gameplay mechanics draw upon everything the creators learned over the lifespan of the series. I truly hope that this game will give me and so many other longtime KH fans the closure that we've been desperately wanting and waiting for. And please, for the sake of our sanity, simplify rather than over-complicate the plot even further. Even though I feel that I have an adequate understanding of everything that's been going on throughout the KH games, most people simply can't keep up with all the keys and doors and people's hearts and people's hearts in other people's hearts and old Xehanort and Xehanort in Terra's body and Ansem who really isn't Ansem but is actually Xehanort who became separated from his body who was called Xemnas and DiZ who's the real Ansem and Roxas and Xion who are respectively Sora's nobody and clone made from his memories and...

I miss the days of when there was only one KH game and the story was so much simpler. I think KH3 will be amazing, and I can't wait. Although, I suppose waiting until 2019 isn't that big of a deal seeing that I've already waited 13 years since KH2 and 6-8 years since the last two main KH games (Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance).


The Last of Us Part 2
Brutal! That was my first response to the gameplay in the Last of Us Part 2 trailer. I love it. It's very interesting that the trailers released so far focus primarily on the human characters. The human vs. human conflicts appear to be taking center stage over the infected, but this could change. I'm glad that Ellie appears to be the main character in Part 2. I love Naughty Dog (creators of Uncharted and The Last of Us), and I agree with many people that The Last of Us tells one of the best stories in gaming. I recall that before I actually played the first game myself, I watched a playthrough of the game and felt upset at Joel's decision at the end to (SPOILER WARNING!) essentially sacrifice humanity to save one person. However, when I played the game myself and actually experienced the gameplay and character development firsthand, I found myself imagining what it was like to be in Joel's shoes, and then I had an epiphany: I would have made the exact same decision as he did. Maybe that makes me selfish or a terrible person, but I realized that I also would have chosen to save the life of one person that I cared about rather than leave their life in the hands of people I don't trust (and who were also jerks). This change in my perception of Joel's decision, in my opinion, demonstrates how video games as a storytelling medium can do so much more than movies and books (both of which I also love) through immersive gameplay, long-time character development, and story interactivity. 

Death Stranding
Knowing Hideo Kojima's style of storytelling (Metal Gear Solid is one of my top three favorite franchises), I'm not even going to try to make sense of the Death Stranding trailers so far. I know things will make far more sense once the game is actually released, whenever that might be. There's actually gameplay footage in the E3 trailer, but other then the game involving a lot of walking, and I think sneaking around (?), it's still hard to know what to expect. I hope the game turns out to be really good.

Nintendo's Partnership with Ubisoft
Starlink: Battle for Atlas was announced at Ubisoft's press conference, and Fox from Star Fox will be exclusive to the Switch version of the game. I'm wondering how many people will buy the game only because Fox and the Arwing are included. The idea of having customizable model ships that can interface with the game itself is intriguing. It reminds me of what Activision did with Skylanders, selling toys alongside the game to unlock new characters and features. Disney Infinity and Nintendo's Amiibo (and I'll not talk about my Amiibo collecting addiction right now) also made use of this concept. They also showed the Donkey Kong Adventure DLC for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which is another game I haven't yet picked up or tried but have heard is pretty good. It pleases me that Nintendo and Ubisoft have a good working relationship, and we'll see what else comes out of their partnership in the future.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey
I have to be honest: Assassin's Creed is another series that I love, and I've played every game in the franchise apart from Liberation and Origins (waiting for a Black Friday sale). I actually prefer that Ubisoft not release a new AC every year, as the series has already experienced stagnation in its gameplay. I know that Origins tried to reinvigorate the series and change things around, utilizing more role-playing elements and timing-based action gameplay (comparisons have made to Dark Souls and The Witcher 3). I like the Greek setting of Odyssey, but I'm worried that AC is experiencing an identity crisis right now. The inclusion of branching dialogue options seems forced in simply for the sake of having them, and the gameplay in the trailer, to me, did not seem very compelling. AC seems to be taking elements from other games because the creators aren't entirely sure what direction they should take the series. This is what happens when annual game releases that, for the most part, reuse the same gameplay mechanics from previous entries result in stifled creativity. This happened to Mega Man too, which is why there's a 12 year gap between Mega Man 8 and 9 and a 8 year gap between Mega Man 10 and 11. Mega Man is also one of my top 3 favorite series, but Capcom was stupid to release 6 games on the NES, which led to Mega Man as a whole becoming devalued (hopefully Mega Man 11 can help change this, but I digress; this paragraph is supposed to be about Assassin's Creed). Similarly, Ubisoft has been stupid for wanting to release a new Assassin's Creed game every year. I hoped that the longer development for Origins meant that Ubisoft would space out AC releases more, but it seems like this year they are going back to par for the course and releasing a game every year. Also, for AC Odyssey, it seems like they do not know what they should change and what they should keep. Personally, I'm turned off by the idea of not including the hidden blade since this weapon is the biggest defining characteristic of AC. There are some things that shouldn't be changed: Mario should jump, Sonic should run fast, and Assassins in AC should have their hidden blades. Perhaps I'm being too harsh with my criticism. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions too quickly. I still want AC Odyssey to turn out good, but I'm worried that the days of AC games like AC II, Brotherhood, AC III, and AC IV Black Flag being associated with high-quality gameplay might have come to an end.

Fortnite for Switch
I think releasing Fortnite on Switch was a really smart move. I know how popular this game is right now, and though I haven't yet played it myself, I like to watch highlight videos of Fortnite gameplay. I've downloaded Fortnite to both my PS4 and Switch, but because of the controversial decision Sony made to keep PS4 Fortnite accounts restricted to PS4 consoles, I'm currently unsure of whether to try playing Fortnite on my PS4 or Switch. I'm hoping that Sony eases up and rescinds their decision to prevent players from using their Fortnite accounts on multiple consoles. No one seems to really talk about Fortnite's core game (not the battle royale mode), so maybe I'll give that a try. 

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
I'm ecstatic that this game is coming out. It's common for fighting games to reuse assets and release updated versions of popular releases, as we have seen with Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Recently, I've been playing through a lot of Street Fighter games, and it's hard to keep track of all the different versions of each game. However, I've always liked how Nintendo takes each entry into the Smash Bros. series very seriously; instead of simply releasing an updated port (I don't really see the 3DS and Wii U versions as separate ports/releases since they're essentially the same game and came out pretty much at the same time), Nintendo is adding so much more by including new graphics, updating gameplay mechanics, and introducing new characters. Also, the prospect of including every single character from previous Smash Bros. titles is ambitious and wonderful. I was upset that Ice Climbers were not included in Smash 4, and I can't wait to be able to play as Snake again (in my opinion, his inclusion was one of the only good things about Brawl; I don't like Brawl). I've decided come out of retirement from playing Smash (of course, the retirement was only temporary), and I'm working hard to get better at both Smash 4 and Melee in preparation for Smash Ultimate's release. Since the gameplay in Ultimate will be faster than Smash 4, I'm hoping that it will be more akin to Melee, which is the game that I believe (and I think many people out there agree with me) is the best one in the series. I'm not necessarily an amazing Smash player, and pro players could easily demolish me. Getting soundly beaten by a competitive Smash player, who also happened to be one of my students, was the main reason why I retired from playing Smash 4 for a couple years. However, I'm good enough in Smash 4 to at least consistently 2-stock level 9 CPUs, and I'm working toward being able to 3-stock them fairly regularly. I'm better at Smash 4 than Melee, but I like Melee more, for it was the primary reason why I purchased a Gamecube. All in all, Smash Bros. Ultimate is the game I'm most looking forward to this year. I can't wait! 

Besides the announcement of Smash Ultimate, my favorite parts of E3 were the live Grim Fandango reading and the Austin Creed vs. Kenny Omega Street Fighter V contest!

Austin Creed vs. Kenny Omega: Chronicling the Rivalry

Hyperboles and clichés exist for a reason. At times, they serve to highlight the gravity of a situation or the ubiquity of certain sentiments. This week, an epic confrontation will shake the very foundations of both the gaming and professional wrestling worlds.

There are rivalries that transcend time and space. Batman vs. the Joker, Ash vs. Gary, and then, of course, there is Austin Creed vs. Kenny Omega. Both are professional wrestlers. Both are avid gamers. And for three years now, Austin and Kenny have engaged in an epic rivalry over who is the better gamer. The personal animosity is palpable. Never mind WWE vs. NJPW, and never mind that both Austin and Kenny are incredibly gifted athletes who rightfully deserve all of the success they have attained. What matters is who will win in Street Figther V this Thursday at E3 in Los Angeles.

BREAKING NEWS: We just spoke with @XavierWoodsPhD and @KennyOmegamanX and they've agreed to settle their #SFVAE feud in one week - June 14 during E3! pic.twitter.com/QolOVdzE9n

— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) June 7, 2018

However, things are slightly different this time around, and the stakes are considerably higher. It has been confirmed that Austin will bring along his New Day allies Kofi Kingston and Big E as his partners.

As I said, ive already got my team for #E3. Who you bringing Kenneth? @kennyomegamanx @streetfighter @upupdwndwn pic.twitter.com/6a5ivHZsSZ

— Austin Creed @ E3 but also put Dreamcast on Switch (@XavierWoodsPhD) June 10, 2018

This could be the end of the world as we know it for Kenny.

What will Kenny do? Thankfully, fellow Being the Elite members the Young Bucks have announced that they are coming to Kenny's aid.

The cataclysmic confrontation is imminent. The New Day vs. the Elite. Austin Creed vs. Kenny Omega III. Who will reign victorious and supreme? Have the Young Bucks ever played Street Fighter V? 

Before Thursday's showdown between the two rival factions, let us look back at the history between the ever-so-personal rivalry between Austin and Kenny.

Fans remember that it was during CEO 2016 when Kenny Omega claimed his victory in Street Fighter V over Austin Creed. In the eyes of many fans, this is where everything started. However, Austin and Kenny have been competing for the title of "best gamer" long before CEO 2016.

Austin vs. Kenny in NBA Jam

Austin vs. Kenny in Daytona USA

Austin vs. Kenny in Tetris

Austin vs. Kenny in WWF Superstars

Everything culminated in their confrontation at CEO 2016.

With some DDR afterwards:

Following their CEO 2016 match, which Kenny won, it would be a year until these two gentlemen faced each other again, only this time Tekken 7 was the game of choice. Let us look at what went down during CEO 2017 in an inconspicuous hotel room, far from the eyes of the public.

Austin vs. Kenny CEO 2017 Part 1

Part 2

Clearly, Austin Creed had the upper hand in Tekken. However, the rubber match this Thursday will once again be contested through Street Fighter V, Kenny's game of choice. Not only that, but Kenny has been undergoing intensive training, having played against the best SFV players in the world. But for Austin, together with Kofi and Big E, the New Day have proven that they always have each other's backs no matter who or what they are up against. On the other hand, Kenny and the Young Bucks have only recently reunited and reforged their friendship, which was on the verge of breaking down completely over the last several months due to pain, tragedy, loss, betrayal, and miscommunication. As much as Matt and Nick Jackson love their best friend Kenny Omega, how much support can they truly provide in the SFV arena? Both Austin and Kenny have won their share of battles, but who will win the war?  After all of the shade thrown, trash talking, and savagery, who will emerge victorious once all of the dust has settled? Who will lead his team to victory? The final (?) battle approaches: The New Day vs. The Elite in LA at E3 2018.

You can watch The New Day and the Elite's epic showdown on Capcom's twitch channel or on Austin Creed's UpUpDownDown youtube channel on Thursday, June 14, 1 PM PDT / 4 PM EDT:

https://www.twitch.tv/capcomfighters
UpUpDownDown

6/14 Update

Words cannot describe how happy this makes me.

Reflections on Gaming Part 1

I've been meaning to start a gaming blog for a while! I put this off for long enough. Having recently switched jobs, I've decided that I would like to dedicate time to writing about my experiences, thoughts, and opinions about video games.

Playing video games is one of my greatest passions, and probably the hobby that I have sunk the most time and money into. Right now is an exciting time for gaming; 2017 was a stellar year for releases, and we are currently in the midst of E3 2018 week. I might not write too much in response to this year's E3 presentations, as there are already a ton of people out there covering E3 news. Instead, after E3 is over and things have settled down, I will write a post in which I comment on specific games and reveals that I am most excited about.

For my first few entries, I wanted to write about some of my personal experiences with gaming, my favorite series, and my take on video games as an artistic medium. Everyone who plays video games enjoys them as a way to relax and alleviate boredom. There are also hardcore gamers, professional gamers, collectors, streamers, and so forth. I consider myself someone in between "medium" and "hardcore" gamer, though I am by no means pro. My favorite series include The Legend of Zelda (I have a collection of Zelda memorabilia that's valued at least over $1000), Mega Man, Metal Gear Solid, Super Smash Bros., and Final Fantasy. But I'm also a huge fan of Metroid, Pokemon, Portal, Mario, Sonic, Kingdom Hearts, Castlevania, Assassin's Creed, Uncharted, God of War, Fire Emblem, the Batman Arkham games, Kirby, Donkey Kong Country, and Ninja Gaiden. I'm probably forgetting to include some other franchises. At the same time, I have to give a special shout out to some of my favorite indie games: Cave Story, Shovel Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Undertale. I feel bad because there are so many other games that I love that I haven't mentioned! However, I need to stop here or else the list may very well be endless. For each of the series I've mentioned, I have played (and own) every (or almost every) entry in the series. As a long-time fan of these franchises, I plan to write articles in the future that delve deeper into the history, impact, and artistic merit of these games. Also, since I teach literature and psychology, in some of my articles I will naturally provide some of my own analyses of the characters, plots, and other facets of games' design and story.

Video games have truly evolved and bloomed over the last few decades, and there are no signs of the industry slowing down. More than anything else, I appreciate the love and passion that go into creating the memorable stories and engaging and fun experiences that only video games can provide.

Now, I am turning thirty this year. For the last two years or so, I have made a strong conscious effort to come to terms with the inescapable fact that I will no longer be a man in his twenties. However, I have always embraced my identity as a gamer, having had the opportunity to make great friends with fellow gamers during my teenage and young adult years. I was fortunate enough to befriend fellow teachers at my workplace who are also gamers. No longer is gaming seen merely as a "child's activity," especially since the average age of gamers is 31.

Online video game communities and youtubers have helped connect people of all ages and cultures. It warms my heart to see successful and passionate gamers like MatPat from Game Theory, Arin (Egoraptor) and Dan from Game Grumps, and so many others who have been able to make a living from playing and commenting on video games. Besides video games, I'm also an avid fan of MMA and pro-wrestling, so seeing wrestlers like Austin Creed (WWE's Xavier Woods) and Kenny Omega (best wrestler in the world and new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion!) and other athletes express their love and enthusiasm for gaming further adds to my pride as a gamer. Video games truly bring people together in so many ways. My goal for this blog is twofold: to express my love and passion for video games, and to put together a portfolio of sorts since I hope to write articles about video games as a freelance writer. For anyone who might come across the articles or blog posts I might write, I hope you enjoy!

Just for fun, here is a link to an old blog post I wrote six years ago. I'm so surprised that it's still up! It's from 2012, back before I started working as a teacher, when Pokemon Black and White 2 were first announced.