Xbox One: No 'always online' requirement.. for now.

So the Xbox One has been officially announced (from inside a tent) and it has brought with it some predictable expectations, but nothing too radical or game changing.

The main point to me was with the possibility of an 'always online' requirement. I'm glad they have taken the decision to not include this in their new console (maybe they had seen the roaring feedback following the release of SimCity and had changed their minds.. perhaps).

Personally however, isn't this merely postponing the inevitable? With the onslaught of DLC and continual game updates we receive whenever we don't play a game for a week or two. Plus the fact we can now buy full games online, without the need for a disc, it only seems like natural progression that 'always online' will one day be the norm. Whether this be your console, your mobile or perhaps even your touch screen coffee table..

It may not be a requirement now, but in the next generation it may well be. The Xbox Two and PS5 will likely adopt this, just as soon as the public comes around to the idea.

41 Seconds..

Today i played SimCity for 41 seconds. Thats right, 41 seconds, as its currently down for maintenance. That is all.

SimCity: What's The Problem?

Taking away the fact the release was a disaster, the always online requirement and the DRM. The actual game is in fact rather good.

Ofcourse, this is only my opinion.

Buying A Game And Your Partner Actually Plays It More..

I've found that in some games that I buy (and that I introduce to my otherwise none-gaming partner), is that they end playing the game more than me!

Examples of which:

- The Sims 3
- Spore
- Modnation Racers
- Far Cry 3
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops (?!)

This is to name but a few but I find it amazing that they spend more time on these games than me. I guess it's if there is a creative element in this situation (apart from Black Ops ofcourse).

It's worth noting that in no way am I complaining.. It's great to have a hobby you can share with your other half.

Ill be getting Simcity soon, we shall see what happens.

My Top 10 Games..

Ten games is quite hard to come up with. Games that come immediately to mind are:

1. Burnout Revenge (multiplayer was the best I've seen in a game to date, its just too bad it's not a popular game anymore.
2. Broken Sword.
3. Discworld
4. Super Mario: All Stars
5. Tomb Raider (although very much dated now.)
6. Half Life (series)
7. Rift
8. Simcity 4 (yet to play the new one)
9. Far Cry 3
10. Guild Wars 2 (subject to change)

From this, I feel I hold a lot of nostalgia for games gone by. What are yours?

Games That Suck You In..

No matter how hard you try, some games can get their grubby little claws into you and you'll be hard pressed to be able to let go. These are games that either have so much content, addictive gameplay or rewarding goals that we all play them time and time, and time again.

To name a few:

- The Elder Scrolls Games.. Oblivion being particularly greedy with my time.
- WoW
- Fry Cry 3
- Fuel
- Just Cause
- Simcity
- Anno

I'm sure we can all name our own few games that seem to of stolen many hours of our lives without us even realising it. This is likely to be the future of gaming and we are likely to see much more addictive 'RPG' like factors applied to almost every style of game going forward; for better or for worse (very much for worse with concern to things like DLC).

SimCity!

Although it has already been released in the US (anybody in the US or with a UK preorder already let me know what it's like), SimCity will be here tomorrow and I must admit I'm rather excited. It's a game that has been due a sequel for quite some time and hopefully it will live up to expectation.

I know there have been aspects which have caused uproar, such as the DRM , the constant need for an online connection and the matter of having several different smaller city areas; rather than a large expanse. I'm prepared to look beyond these as long as the game is as addicting and involved as the previous ones.

We shall see.

Wish Lists..

We all have them, whether it be for the latest album, book or game. Mine is more related to games and includes the following, including many more:

- Sim City (released March 2013). I loved SimCity 4 and its been way too long since. Hopefully this sequel will not disappoint.

- Elder Scrolls Online. If this is in anyway like Oblivion or Skyrim, then it's on to a brilliant concept in an MMO world. I did, however, think the same of SWTOR, and as much as I tried, i couldn't continue to play it. Hopefully, this will not disappoint.

- As previously said and for reasons I don't quite understand.. Euro Truck Simulator 2!

- Anno 2070. I know it's been out for a long time now, but I have never played it and I could plow hours and hours into Anno 1404.

Everybody has wish lists, mine is a good mixture of differing elements. What's in yours?

Have You Ever Bought A Game Twice?

Maybe its just me, but once in a while, you come across a game that you have played before, but perhaps not played in quite a few years. This impulse then causes you to buy the game (now with a much cheaper price ofcourse) to play again. Personally, I can think of many games that come under this category, such as:

Broken Sword

A game I have played so many times, I could probably tell you the story from start to end. The reason this game has been bought more than once, is mainly because I've lost it somewhere over the last few years, and then it was released onto a different format many years after. I originally played Broken Sword on the Playstation One, then on the PC, and then on the perfectly suited Nintendo DS.

SimCity 4

SimCity 4 is a game that fits itself very well into no bracket whatsoever, it is not too complicated to be cumbersome to a casual gamer. Yet not too casual to put off die hard micro management/city building fans. Simcity is a game which is intriguing. Even if you've already played it, the gameplay functionality is different across varying platforms. For instance, this game can now be played (with little differences in each) on the PC, Nintendo DS and Ipad respectively.

 

 

 

 

Too much money than sense? Well the games we tend to buy again are usually extremely cheap as its many years later when we find them again, and its good to re-visit an old past time and relive it all again; in some cases, with graphical improvements too.