We're about to head into the final run with everyone releasing all their big end of year games, looking to take all our money from our bank accounts. At this point we've either played the big games or known what's coming with the possible exception of the randomly illusive Nintendo WiiU.
If the rest of the year continues as it appears to, what are your thoughts on 2012?
For me 2012 has been one of the weakest in years. I don't subscribe to the commonly used complaint that all major games released are rubbish and without merit and only the odd indie game is any good but there's a definite whiff of stale going around. Many of this years releases have been perfectly reasonable, what I think has been the problem is the lack of a real big hitter which impresses. The constant trickle of merely 'decent' releases means it's easy to feel a bit 'meh' about it all and the weak summer release schedule and dismal Vita performance don't muster much good will.
The problem for me definitely isn't one of fatigue. The future is littered with titles that I'm either actively anticipating or at the very least curious to see how they turn out such as Last of Us, Beyond, MGS Rising, Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Raider, God of War, Metro Last Light etc.
However, every single one of them are all out in the first half of 2013, the only thing I can think of to explain this typically stupid cramming of major titles is that publishers are worried that consumer interest in this gen is tailing off and that next year everyone will run out and buy games amidst some sort of next-gen hype frenzy as the new machines begin to arrive. If the WiiU, 3DS and Vita are anything to go by we're in for a very soft launch to the remaining new formats so it's potentially both good and bad.
Personally, my approach for the rest of this year will be (with exceptions for easy main buys like Black Ops 2 and Borderlands 2) to stick with the filler software like Sonic All-Star Racing Transformed and F1 Race Stars which can be preordered at a budget friendly low price. By the time I've done these we'll be able to pick up the Darksider 2's, Assassins Creed 3's etc in the Boxing Day sales.
2012 = Things Can Only Get Better
If the rest of the year continues as it appears to, what are your thoughts on 2012?
For me 2012 has been one of the weakest in years. I don't subscribe to the commonly used complaint that all major games released are rubbish and without merit and only the odd indie game is any good but there's a definite whiff of stale going around. Many of this years releases have been perfectly reasonable, what I think has been the problem is the lack of a real big hitter which impresses. The constant trickle of merely 'decent' releases means it's easy to feel a bit 'meh' about it all and the weak summer release schedule and dismal Vita performance don't muster much good will.
The problem for me definitely isn't one of fatigue. The future is littered with titles that I'm either actively anticipating or at the very least curious to see how they turn out such as Last of Us, Beyond, MGS Rising, Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Raider, God of War, Metro Last Light etc.
However, every single one of them are all out in the first half of 2013, the only thing I can think of to explain this typically stupid cramming of major titles is that publishers are worried that consumer interest in this gen is tailing off and that next year everyone will run out and buy games amidst some sort of next-gen hype frenzy as the new machines begin to arrive. If the WiiU, 3DS and Vita are anything to go by we're in for a very soft launch to the remaining new formats so it's potentially both good and bad.
Personally, my approach for the rest of this year will be (with exceptions for easy main buys like Black Ops 2 and Borderlands 2) to stick with the filler software like Sonic All-Star Racing Transformed and F1 Race Stars which can be preordered at a budget friendly low price. By the time I've done these we'll be able to pick up the Darksider 2's, Assassins Creed 3's etc in the Boxing Day sales.
2012 = Things Can Only Get Better
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