Why, oh why, must there be so much video gaming goodness coming out this holiday season? Just how in the hell am I supposed to afford all of these choice titles I’m interested in, let alone find the time to play them?!? Yes, much has been said on these internets about the glut of AAA games being released so close to each other, but c’mon, this is nuts. Its unprecedented! Even if you leave out all the great games that have recently been released that I either haven’t had the time to complete (I’m looking at you, Metroid Prime3, and Halo 3), haven’t had the time to even start a game yet (sigh, soon Zelda PH, soon) or haven’t had the opportunity to pick up yet (every time I wanna get The Orange Box, something else comes up…), there are far too many options I see coming my way in the next little while. These are gonna be some tough choices in the days ahead, hell, this week alone I’m struggling with what to pick up: Guitar Hero III, or Zak & Wiki? And even if I totally buckle and get both of ‘em (lucky me, birthday money this week), those are apparently a couple of long-lasting, fun, great games which I’ll be playing for god-knows how long, where am I gonna find time for all the other great games ahead? I just absolutely know that Super Mario Galaxy will own me once I get it, and it’s a no-brainer day-one purchase, but then when will I have time for anything else?
And hey, that’s just a couple games for Wii, never mind all the other great games coming for 360 and DS (and the Wii) between now and the years end, I don’t know where I could possibly find the time to play all the games that look good to me, rental or purchase, there’s just not enough gaming hours in the day for all the quality that’s coming our way. This could only be worse if owned a PS3 too, as Eye of Judgement looks like a ton of fun, Ratchet & Clank Future would so rock my socks off, and I just know I‘d never put down Everyday Shooter if I had it. Haze looks frickin’ awesome too. This is truly a great time to be a gamer, as there’s something for just about everyone out there, but you know what? It’s a rather crappy time to be a hardcore gamer, as there’s just too much coming in such a short amount of time, it’s a real sensory, and financial, overload. It’s a funny thing to complain about - “there’s just too many good games out right now” - I certainly never thought I’d say it, but it’s true.
I was really looking forward to playing Army of Two this year, as it looks like a total blast, but now it’s early ‘08 for that one. I was also disappointed to read that Super Smash Bros. had been delayed until next year at first, then it dawned on me that I’d actually have more time to enjoy other worthy games before they finally came around, and I realised that it was really for the best. First time I’ve ever been glad about delays. Same thing for another Wii game, Forever Blue, which was originally supposed to drop on the same day as Battalion Wars 2 if I remember correctly (another game I’m trying to find some extra cash for, and if I do, will have to find lots of extra time for), but has now been thankfully delayed until February. That game is all about sitting back taking your time, relaxing and enjoying the underwater scenery, sense of exploration & discovery, apparently. And it looks interesting, like something that a gamer could unwind with, especially considering you can swim around with someone else over wifi (although I seriously hope that Nintendo wises up and releases a headset of some kind for voice chat by then). And as much as I’d really like to play it, and could see myself getting into it a bit and actually relaxing with it, if I did have it, would I be playing it or Mass Effect? Probably Mass Effect, but only if I wasn’t playing Mario Galaxy, or Ninja Gaiden DS, or Bwii, or CoD4, or Geometry Wars Galaxies, or Assassin’s Creed, or Contra 4, or The Simpsons, or maybe even still GH3 or Zak & Wiki, or….. I’m sure you can see my point here. There’s just too much good gaming to be had for any one gamer out there this year. It’s literally too much of a good thing.
I know that there’s usually time in the early months of the new year to catch up on everything you missed over the holidays, or just get better acquainted with what you did pick up or receive, but there’s so much coming out that there still may not be enough time in the day for gamers out there to play everything they want to. This is made even more evident when you look at how many high profile games are coming out in the first half of 2008. Even if you just look at only the so-called ‘casual’ system, Wii: There’s of course the aforementioned juggernaught Super Smash Bros., the equally-likely-to-be-huge Wii Fit w/balance board (which my Mom told me I have to get, go figure; I‘ll even be competing w/my Mom for console time…), and of course online Mario Kart, as just 3 examples for Wii alone that will be asking me to play them early next year (plus, as mentioned earlier, Forever Blue). That would do me in even if all I played was Wii, but then when you factor in all the 360 & DS games that I’ll also likely be coveting during that time period as well (don‘t even get me started….), I could go mad I tells ya. I’ll have to pick and choose this amazing game instead of that amazing game, every time I go game shopping. If my wife thinks I spend way too long at EB when we’re at the mall now, just what’s she gonna say over the next few months? And for the first time I’m actually kinda glad I don’t have a PS3 yet, as I’m sure MGS4 would command every single idle minute I had. There’s just not enough time
Oh well, there’s certainly worse things one could be complaining about, but I just wish these companies could stretch out these AAA titles a little bit over the year, my bank account and free time can’t keep up as it is. You know, Dickens really said it best as far as it pertains to diehard gamers this year; “It was the Best of times, it was the Worst of times”.
-Kimo
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