One of the reasons the video-game industry is so exciting right now is that so much is still in the process of being discovered. Every year is a pretty good year for music, but these days, each is not so noticeably better or worse from the year before. We haven’t had a 1968 in a while, let alone a 1787. But the degree of improvement the games industry goes through every year is nothing short of stunning. And just as with film where we get dumb stuff in the summer, smart stuff in the winter and just plain crap in February, games operate seasonally. Since a disproportionate amount of video-game money gets spent in the fourth quarter, the fall is a non-stop string of heavyweight titles. It starts with Madden in mid-August and peaks the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Add to that the fact that this holiday game makers have had enough time with the 360 and PS3 to really start unlocking their power, and it’s a recipe for an almost surreal number of shockingly good titles.
Owners of the 360 are drooling over Mass Effect, Bioware’s epic space opera that features, combat, exploration and conversation in equal amounts. PS3 owners finally get a couple of big hits with Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (which offers massive cartoon carnage) and Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (which plays like a mix of Gears of War and Tomb Raider, and has some of the most impressive graphics ever done on a console).
Then there are the games out for both platforms (and sometimes more), such as Call of Duty 4, which brings the venerable franchise out of WWII and into present day to pulse-pounding effect. Assassin’s Creed puts you in the cowl of Altair, a crusades-era assassin who must eliminate key figures in ancient Damascus and Jerusalem for the greater good. Its combination of climbing, gymnastic feats and a system of social acceptability that dictates how crowds react to you is unprecedented. The new FIFA soccer is a great leap forward over previous versions if that’s your bag.
The Simpsons game is out, which might not be the most innovative game ever made, but is an absolute hoot, with the the writing and voice acting is all by the TV show’s talent. It’s a must-have for fans. Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band represent a new high for music-based games. Guitar Hero 3 adds online play and new songs to its already wonderful guitar/bass formula. Rock Band one-ups Guitar Hero by adding the ability to play drums and sing, letting four people thrash their way through the Pixies’ Waves of Mutilation at once. Those with the Wii can grab the mind-bendingly adorable Super Mario Galaxy, a landmark achievement in game design.
And there’s more. Much more. We haven’t even mentioned Bioshock, Crysis, Project Gotham Racing 4, Halo 3, Hellgate: London, Ace Combat 6, Skate, World in Conflict, Metroid Prime 3, Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass and Orange Box. And if we did we’d be just scratching the surface. Turns out it’s a good year for games. And an even better year for gamers.
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