FEATURE: The Games I'm Currently Playing - Volume 3!

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I am now planning on doing one each month. Either way, let's get to it.

Saints Row: The Third

System: PS3

I have never actually played the first two games in this series, but through nothing but praise for this game from a friend, I decided to give it a shot.

Initially, I thought this could be a Grand Theft Auto rip-off, but it's so much more. I fell in love with it instantly - the ridiculous gameplay, the fantastic humour, there's just so much to do in this game. A sandbox game that oozes fun at every corner, an absolutely must-play for any gamer.

I have finished the storyline and most of the other optional tasks to, all I have left to do are the vehicle thefts, then that platinum trophy is mine. Extremely fun game with a lot of depth, definitely going to be buying the first two in the future.

Krusty's Super Fun House

System: MegaDrive

An interesting game for sure - it's no secret the majority of The Simpsons games back in the day were nothing short of awful, but here's one that I am actually really enjoying.

A puzzle game with a nice Simpsons touch, whilst some of the levels are pure hell to solve, there's no denying that this game is really well put together with brilliant level design, a real challenge but one worth beating.

I'm on the fourth world out of five so far and the levels are getting really hard now, it doesn't help I'm not the best at puzzle games either, however I'm still really enjoying this title. A retro Simpsons game I'd happily recommend.

Halo 2 Vista

System: Windows

I have recently done a solo-legendary playthrough of this game, partly to get the 1000/1000GS, but also to prove to myself I could do it.

On the original Xbox version, I could never get through a legendary run by myself, so I'm extremely happy I finally managed to do it, even if it is the Vista version.

Either way, the main reason I got this game is because I wanted to play online again - the game has actually been installed on my system for months and I've been playing it since then.

Halo 2 is one of my all-time favourite online games, so to get a chance to play it once again was incredible. Having a massive amounts of fun with this game, I even have a montage coming up, watch the trailer HERE. Feature1

FEATURE: Keeping Halo 2 Alive!

Halo 2 has played a massive part in my social gaming life, it was one of the first multiplayer games I truly got into, and it is something that has a special place in my heart. When I found out in April 2010 the servers were going to be shut down for good, I was devastated. My all-time favourite online game would no longer be available to play, I know most people will say oh it's only a game but I was genuinely really sad about this.

That was until I found out the game would be released as part of the Games for Windows scheme, but I didn't have the appropriate specifications on my system, so again - pure disappointment. However, since then I have been able to install it on a better system, and it runs perfectly. When I plugged in my Xbox 360 controller, it felt just like the original Xbox version, and I was playing online constantly, having so much fun and relishing in the fact I can play Halo 2 yet again without any of that annoying Xbox Connect nonsense. 

It was reported that the PC servers would also be shut down in June 2013, which made me feel the same anger and disappointment I felt with the original servers, however they are still online and a big part of that is the support of the community, who have contacted 343 Industries themselves in order to keep the servers online, and being a part of a community like that makes me feel good as not only a gamer but part of a team that loves Halo 2 and wants to play it for many more years to come.

So, what am I actually getting at here? I'd like you to help me along with many others to keep Halo 2 going, to do this simply buy the game or download it legally (wink wink), and come play with the community, it is generally cheap to buy either way. From personal experience, I had massive problems with the downloaded version, so I would advise to just buy the disc instead, much easier and less hassle that way. 

You do need an Xbox LIVE account but it doesn't have to be gold, you can play Halo 2 PC for free which is something I really appreciate since I don't have gold any more. If you decide to join the community, please leave your GamerTag in the comments below and I'll be happy to add you and we'll run some games together. Don't hesitate to check out my YouTube channel with a ton of clips and gameplay HERE

Join for forum that helped keep Halo 2 PC alive HERE, really great community with a lot of passion for the game still. Feature1

FEATURE: Pretty Bad, But Mildly Fun Games #2: A Nightmare On Elm Street (NES)

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Developer: Rare

Publisher: LJN

Genre: Platformer/Movie-Game

Release: 1989

Console: NES 

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Right off the bat, I am a HUGE Nightmare On Elm Street - I'm a sucker for 80s slasher movies, so I want to like this game because I feel I owe it to the franchise, but let's be honest, the video-game adaptation isn't too great. After all, LJN are responsible for the game and they are notorious for creating awful movie-games back in the day, but I give almost every game a chance and after finally beating this game, here's my thoughts. prettybad

It's difficult to tell which of the movies this game is actually based on, it was released in October of 1989, two months after the release of A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: Dream Child, so you would presume it would tie in with the film, but it really doesn't. If anything, the story reminds me of the third movie in the series; Dream Warriors - this is because there are numerous characters, each with different powers that can be only activated whilst in the dream world, and the whole point of the game is to collect Freddy's bones so you can burn him once and for all, which is conveniently similar to the ending of Dream Warriors, except Freddy get's buried, not burnt. However, it is generally accepted that the story is simply a spin-off from the movies, which would make a lot of sense. Play the game, and decide for yourself. It doesn't really matter either way, let's get down to the gameplay.

Up to four players can play the game, but I'd find if very difficult to get anyone else to play this with you - you start on Elm Street, and it is your mission to visit various houses, schools, graveyards, etc and find all the bones of Freddy Krueger, so you can finally destroy him (but we all know the killer never really dies...). You have a sleep meter that once emptied, the dream world takes over - here the enemies are no longer simple rats, but nightmarish monsters that are a little more difficult to defeat, to counter the effect of being asleep, you can collect cups of coffee and listen to radios to keep you awake. Throughout the game, you'll come across power-ups that grant your character more of a chance against Freddy and his minions, these being the Acrobat, which allows you to simply run faster, throw javelins, and perform somersaults - sounds good, and it is a useful power-up, but nothing compared to the Shadow Warrior, who's flying kick will make boss battles a lot easier, then there's the Necromancer who can actually use fire magic but the game's hit detection is terrible and the shots hardly ever register, so it's just best to hold on to the Shadow Warrior.

Each stage pits you against a lot of enemies and a certain amount of bones you have to collect before you can move on to the boss, the jumps look easy enough but it's one of those games where you sometimes just go through a platform randomly even though you've landed on it very safely. You sort of learn to get around it by jumping at very particular angles, and it does become playable.

At the end of each stage, you have to defeat a piece of Freddy in order to get that part of his body - these range from a huge Freddy glove-hand to his ghost, once all of the different parts of Freddy are collected, you are put through all of the bosses again, and Freddy himself in his full form. What is up with that? Games that feel you should defeat the bosses you've already killed - there's nothing wrong with just having one last final boss that puts up a fight, either way the final form of Freddy isn't too hard, and the game ends quite abruptly suggesting that Freddy isn't really dead. Big surprise, huh?

I've got to give LJN credit though, having the balls to create a horror movie-game - for the time there weren't many around, except Friday The 13th (NES), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Atari 2600), and Halloween (Atari 2600), which were way worse than A Nightmare On Elm Street, so in that respect, this is actually a half-decent video-game. I'm never going to play it again, and I wouldn't recommend it, but I think that love for Freddy I have makes me like the game...a little.Feature1

FEATURE: E3 2013 Highlights - The Games

Tons of games were shown at E3, so read on as Gaming Till Dawn recaps on the highlights.

A lot has been happening at this year's Electronic Arts Expo at the  Los Angeles Convention Center - new titles announced, new features, and so on - I'm going to be giving you a breakdown of the games that have been shown and what we can expect in the future for gaming.

Gameplay Reveal - Destiny

Destiny will be the first game Bungie are making after their departure from Microsoft, and it promises to be something special and unique in every sense of the meaning.

Developer: Bungie

Publisher: Activision

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Genre: Role-Playing, Action Role-Playing, First Person Shooter

Release Date: Late 2013 or Early 2014

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Stunning Visuals
• Vast Landscapes
• Leveling Up System
• Co-Operative Play 
• Revive System
• Player Skills & Abilities
• "Fallen" Enemies Introduced
• Boss Battle Shown
• Character Customization
• Loot Drops
• Weapon Modifications
• Airborne and Ground Vehicles
• Online Play - "Public Event"
• Enemies Health Is Displayed

Gameplay Reveal - Wolfenstein: The New Order

Ah, Wolfenstein - what started off as a small project within the walls of ID has now evolved into an FPS franchise that keeps on giving and giving. And I'm fine with that.

Developer: Machine Games

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360

Genre: First Person Shooter

Release Date: December 2013

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Mechanical Enemies - Most Likely Robots
• New York Bombed - Possibly A Playable Location
• Nazi Warfare
• New Weapons
• Melee Attack

Gameplay: Watch Dogs

Watch Dogs looks to be one of the most interesting games of E3, in the past we've seen snippets of the game and its narrative, but after watching the gameplay, I'm positive you'll be wanting more.

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Publisher: Ubisoft

Platforms: Windows, PS3, PS4, WiiU, 

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sandbox/Open World, Stealth, 3rd Person Shooter

Release Date: November 2013 / Late 2013 for PS4/Xbox One

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember: 

• Mini-Map with Waypoints
• Beautiful Weather Visuals
• Incredible Audio 
• Numerous Hacking Devices and Other Gadgets
• Practically All Electrical Items Can Be Hacked 
• Aiden Works With Someone - Neither Friend or Foe
• Able To See People's Information (Age, Occupation, Income, Blood Type, etc.)
• Able To Determine How Violent Someone Is
• Can Control Trains, Traffic Lights, and Bridges
• Melee Weapons and Guns
• Wears Mask, Hat, and Trench Coat For Stealth
• Manipulate The World Around You
• Slow-Motion Shooting
• Can Rescue Civilians
• Joseph Demarco - One of Many Villains
• Police Chases

New Game Reveal: Ray's The Dead

One of the new games announced at E3 this year was Ray's The Dead, which looks to be very interesting - instead of fighting against the zombies, you are the zombie....

Developer: Rag Tag Studio

Publisher: N/A

Platforms: PS4

Genre: Action, Puzzle, Strategy

Release Date: TBA

Watch the trailer here:

Things To Remember:

• "Ray" Wears A Device On His Head - Converts Humans Into Zombies
• Can Convert Animals Into Zombies
• Able To Command Zombies 
• Zombies Able To Destroy Obstructions (Cars, Blockades, etc)
• PlayStation 4 Exclusive

New Game Reveal: The Order: 1886

One of the most promising games this year was The Order: 1886, expect to play with history in this alternate  timeline of the industrial revolution - this time around you're fighting against inhumane enemies with what the revolution has to offer.

Publisher: Ready At Dawn
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment 

Platforms: PS4

Genre: Third-Person, Action-Adventure, 3rd-Person Shooter

Release Date: TBA

Watch the trailer:

Things To Remember:

• Quote At The Beginning Is From Real Literature
• Set in London
• Alternative History
• Advanced Weaponry
• Two Men in the Carriage - Twins?
• Man and Woman in Carriage Look More "Modern" Than The Two Men
• Enemies Move Fast and Able To Climb

Gameplay Reveal: The Evil Within

A lot of people are saying The Evil Within is the next step in survival horror, with it's gritty visuals and eerie gameplay, watch the video and decide for yourself.

Publisher: Tango Gameworks

Developer: Bethesda Softworks

Platforms: Windows, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Genre: 3rd-Person, Survival Horror, Action-Adventure

Release Date: 2014 (No specific date)

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Minimal or No HUD 
• Main Character - Sebastian/Police Detective
• Gameplay Takes Place In An Asylum
• Mix of Survival And Action
• Must Be Resourceful - Weapons/Ammo Not Too Common
• Emphasizes On The Survival Horror Aspect
• Headshots Don't Kill Enemies Instantly
• Enemies "Play Dead"
• "Chainsaw Guy" - Instant Kill (Much like the Chainsaw Ganados From RE4)
• "Safe Man" - Most Likely A Boss or Mini-Boss
• Player Can Be Victim To Various Traps
• Barbed Wire Is A Common Theme
• Numerous Types of Enemies
• Possibly Real-Life Cutscenes

Gameplay Reveal: Batman: Arkham Origins

There's been a lot of comic franchise video-games, and when I first heard another Batman game was being made, I was skeptic to the idea of it actually being good, considering past Batman games were pretty bad. But when the Arkham series showed up, all those negatives were ruled out, as it turned out to be one of the best video-games ever made, at least in my opinion. And at this year's E3, we were treated with gameplay from the latest in the series; Arkham Origins.

Developer: Warner Bros. Games Montreal

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Platforms: Windows, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U

Genre: Action-Adventure, 3rd-Person, Comic Book

Release Date: October 25, 2013

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Prequel To Asylum/City
• Bruce Wayne Has Only Been Batman For 2 Years
• The Notion of Batman Is Still A Myth
• The Joker Is Back
• Batman Is Considered An Outlaw and/or Vigilante
• Game Is Set on Christmas Eve
• "The Black Mask" - Major Villain 
• Total of 8 Assassins Hired To Kill Batman
• Playable World Is Bigger Than Arkham City
• Batman Drops From An Airborne Vehicle - New Method of Transport?
• New Movement Styles
• Experience Gained Is Broken Down Into Categories - "5 Enemy Kills", "Throwable Object", etc.
• You Get Graded On How Well You Do
• "Most Wanted" Campaigns - One of Many Side-Missions
• "Martial Artist" - New Type of Enemy
• Able To Double-Counter Attack
• Each Encounter Has a "Threat Level" - Higher It Is, Harder The Battle Will Be
• Able To Reconstruct A Crime-Scene - New Addition To Detective Mode
• New Gadget - The Remote Claw

Gameplay Reveal: Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Another MGS? Apparently so, I genuinely thought the series would have finished with Guns of the Patriots, but I'm not complaining - the game is both a sequel and a prequel in the sense it takes place after the events of Peace Walker (1975 to be precise), but also acts as a prequel considering other MGS titles. Big Boss is back, and what we've seen at E3 promises to be something very special.

Developer: Kojima Productions

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox, Xbox One

Genre: Action-Adventure, Stealth, 3rd-Person

Release Date: TBA

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Big Boss Is The Main Character - Now Known As "Punished Snake"
• Big Boss Has A Mechanical Left Hand/Wrist
• Kiefer Sutherland Will Voice Big Boss, Not David Hayter
• Kazuhira Miller, Ocelot, And Huey Emmerich Make Apperances
• Huey Emmerich Is The Father of Hal Emmerich
• Introduces New Character "Quiet" - A Silent Sniper
• Introduces New Character "Eli" - Young Kid
• Introduces New Character "Skull Face" - Carries A Ghostly Presence
• Introduces New Character "Code Talker" - An Extremely Old Wise Man
• Sequel to Peace Walker
• Incredible Graphics
• Amazing Lighting-Effects
• Distinct MGS-Sounding Music
• Kids Are Being Taught How To Shoot Weapons
• Major Terrorism Themes
• Horses Are A Form of Transport
• Able To Drive Vehicles
• Afghanistan Is A Playable Location
• The First Time MGS Has Gone Open-World
• New Methods of Stealth
• The Weather Is Real-Time
• Real-Time Day Progression - Morning To Night
• Close Quarters Combat Is Back - More Diverse
• Weapons Being Made To Surpass Metal Gear

Gameplay Reveal: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster

I say this is a "gameplay reveal" but I'm almost certain most gamers played Final Fantasy X/X-2 when they were first released, at E3 we got to look how the remastering of Final Fantasy X has turned out, and it's really quite impressive. I first played Final Fantasy X when it first came out and was hooked instantly, so being able to re-play it again will trophy support will be a very satisfying experience. Re-watching the learning to laugh scene in Luca in glorious HD will certainly be something.

Developer: Square-Enix

Publisher: Square-Enix

Platforms: PS3, PSVita

Genre: Role-Playing, J-RPG

Release Date: 2013 (No specific date)

Watch the gameplay here (2 parts):

Things To Remember:

• Fully Remastered Audio
• Fully Remastered Graphics and Visuals
• Redefined Character Models
• Bundle Comes With Both FFX and FFX-2
• International Version of FFX (Was Never Released In The Us, But Was In EUR/UK)
• International Version of FFX-2 (Only Available In Japan Before)
• FFX-2 Comes With "Last Mission" (Only Available In Japan Before)

Gameplay Reveal: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

The original launch of Final Fantasy XIV wasn't anything to brag about, it's clear the game had a lot of bugs, glitches, whatever you want to call it - Square Enix showed the latest gameplay of "version 2" of Final Fantasy XIV if you will. I actually never played the original so I can't give a comparison that gives the game justice. However, after seeing the new gameplay, I am definitely buying this at launch.

The PS3 beta is currently open for applications right HERE

Developer: Square Enix Product / Development Division 3

Publisher: Square Enix

Platforms: Windows, PS3, PS4

Genre: MMORPG, RPG

Release Date: August 27th (PS3 and Windows) / 2014 (PS4)

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Game Practically Completely Re-Done
• Stunning Visuals From A New Graphics Engine
• Air Transport
• Final Fantasy VI's Magitek Technology Implemented
• Final Fantasy VII's Limit Break System Implemented 
• Final Fantasy VII's Materia System Implemented
• Feels Like A Final Fantasy Game, Not Just Another MMORPG
• PS3 Gamers Can Carry On Through Their PS4
• Player Can Summon "Primals" i.e. Ifrit
• Unique Weapons And Familiar Weapons From The Series
• The Story Continues From The Original FFXIV
• Companion System - Chocobos Can Fight By Your Side
• Bahamut Plays Very Important Role Within The Main Storyline
• New Classes: Scholar and Summoner

Gameplay Reveal: Final Fantasy XV

Initially, when this was called Final Fantasy Versus XIII, I thought it was another spin-off from Final Fantasy XIII, but I sit here corrected - it's actually a completely new Final Fantasy in the works. I have to admit, I didn't like Final Fantasy XIII all too much, it was fun and I like the experimentation of the battle system, but to me it didn't feel like a true Final Fantasy, so I am hoping Final Fantasy XV will bring me back into the series and leave me as excited to play it as I was with the older Final Fantasy games back in the day. Decide for yourself what to think of it below with the newest trailer and gameplay from E3.

Developer: Square Enix 1st Production Department

Publisher: Square Enix

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One

Genre: RPG, Action-RPG

Release Date: TBA

Watch the gameplay here (2 parts):

Things To Remember:

• Two Known Kingdoms - Lucis and Niflheim
• Lucis Translates To "Light" In Latin
• Lucis Is The Only Kingdom That Has "The Crystal"
• All Other Kingdoms Used To Have Crystals In The Past
• Incredible Visuals and Audio - Making The Most of the Technology
• Characters:
• Noctis Lucis Caelum - The Main Character/Protagonist
• Stella Nox Fleuret - Often Battles Against Noctis
• King Regis Lucis Caelum - Father of Noctis/King Status
• Gladiolus Amicitia - Best Friend of Noctis/Acts Like His Brother
• Prompto Argentum - Friend of Noctis and Bad Influence
• Ignis Stupeo Scientia - Childhood Friend of Noctis and Personal Advisor
• Mechanical Vehicles Can Be Used In Battle
• Chocobos and Airships Return As Forms of Transport
• Highly Interactive Field-System
• Real-Time Battle System - No Loading Between Battles
• Max Battle Party of 3
• Battle Actions Include: "Warp", "Attack", "Linkform", "Item", and "Magic"
• Sometimes Able To Use Enemies Own Weapons Against Them
• No MP
• Noctis Can Dodge Attacks And Teleport From Side To Side
• Noctis Can Have 8 Weapons Equipped And Can Switch Seamlessly
• Gladiolis Specialises In Heavy Weapons and Bare Hand Combat
• Prompto Specialise In Guns and Able To Aim In 3rd-Person
• All Playable Characters Can Use Magic
• "Warp" Command Allows Noctis To Lock Onto Objects Or Enemies And Teleport There
• "Linkform" Command Allows Noctis To Use All 8 Weapons At Once
• Event Sequences - Scripted Battle Sequences

New Game Reveal: Halo 5

No official logo yet.

With the Xbox One announced, it's only fitting a new Halo is made - I am a big fan of the Halo franchise, and have been since Halo: CE and it's been pretty interesting to see the series evolve, I've enjoyed each and every Halo, and although it probably won't be as good as the first three games in the series, I still look forward to each new release. Check out the latest and only trailer-teaser for Halo 5 below.

Developer: 343 Industries

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Platforms: Xbox One 

Genre: First-Person Shooter

Release Date: TBA 2014

Watch the trailer here:

Things To Remember:

• Chief Is Wandering A Vast Desert - Almost Looks Post-Apocalyptic
• No Cortana - Master Chief Is Alone
• Chief Is Wearing A Coat/Poncho Even Though He Has Full Body Armour
• Gigantic Forerunner Structure or Enemy Rises From The Ground

Gameplay Reveal: Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2

After finishing the first Lords of Shadow, all I've been wanting is more in terms of both gameplay and storyline, the ending to the first game was annoying - annoying in the sense I knew I'd have to wait for the next part of the story in this incredible series. Now the wait is almost over, at E3 we got to see some nice new gameplay and I can safely say I'm very excited for its release.

Developer: Mercury Steam

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: Windows, PS3, Xbox 360
Genre: Action-Adventure, 3rd-Person

Release Date: Winter 2013

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Quote At The Beginning Is From A Real Philosopher 
• The Quote Represents Gabriel - "He Who Fights Monsters Should Be Aware, Lest He Become A Monster Himself."
• The Belmont Clan Returns
• Gabriel Is Now A Fully-Fledged Dracula
• Gabriel Is Relatively Older
• The Past Haunts Gabriel Constantly
• Vengeance Drives Gabriel
• Alucard and Simon Belmont Are Possibly Playable Characters
• Symbolism of Satan Can Be Seen
• Gigantic Fortress-Like Enemies Return
• Will Be The Last In The Shadow Series

Debut Trailer: Kingdom Hearts III

It's been a very long time since the last proper Kingdom Hearts game, yes there's been spin-offs and what have you but finally we got to see an actual glimpse into Kingdom Hearts III - this game will have a lot to answer for in terms of the narrative of the series as a whole, and I personally can't wait to get stuck in. It was announced that the franchise will be making it's way onto the Xbox One as well as the PlayStation 4. 

Developer: Square Enix First Production Department

Publisher: Square Enix

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One

Genre: RPG, Action-RPG

Release Date: TBA

Watch the trailer here:

Things To Remember:

• Sora Returns As Main Character/Protagonist
• Highly Possible Other Characters Return
• Story Continues From Dream Drop Distance
• Final Game In The Main Series
• NPCs Can Join In To Help You In Battle
• Improved Enemy AI
• Still Very Early In Development (Don't expect a release date any time soon...)

New Game Reveal: Super Mario 3D World

I'll be honest, I still haven't got a 3DS or a Wii U but I have played Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. U and they've been extremely fun. The latest in the Mario series doesn't seem to disappoint, and I find myself wondering if now is the time to buy a Wii U.

Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo

Publisher: Nintendo

Platforms: Wii U

Genre: Platformer, 3D

Release Date: December 2013

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• 4 Player Co-Op 
• Playable Characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad
• Each Character Has Unique Traits:
• Mario - Average Speed/High-Jump
• Luigi - High-Jump/Falls Slow
• Peach - Jump and Float
• Toad - Fastest Speed
• Sequel To Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
• Free-Roaming Gameplay
• Cat Suit Introduced - Allows Player To Climb Walls, Run Faster, And Perform Unique Attacks
• Wii U GamePad Allows Player To Reveal Hidden Objects
• Off-TV Play Also Available

Gameplay Reveal: Sonic: Lost World

The Sonic franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs, with the fantastic earlier games on the MegaDrive and Master System to the not so great games (Shadow The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2006) - then we were given the likes of Sonic 4: Episode 1 and 2 and Sonic Generations. which in my opinion brought the series back to its roots and allowed fans of the original games fall in love with Sonic all over again. It looks like the series is only getting better and better now, with the announcement of Sonic: Lost World, the future for the franchise is looking very bright. I'll be looking at the Wii U gameplay, not the 3DS.

Developer: Sonic Team (Wii U) / Dimps (3DS)
Publisher: Sega / Nintendo (Europe)
Platforms: Wii U, 3DS
Genre: Platformer
Release Date: Late 2013

Watch the gameplay here:

Things To Remember:

• Sonic and Eggman Work Together As A Team
• The Main Enemy Are The "Deadly Six"
• Wisp Ability Returns From Sonic Colours
• Side-Scrolling Levels
• Linear Levels
• Able To Control Sonic With The Wii Remote and Nunchuck
• Fully 3D Gameplay
• Supports Off-TV Play
• Local and Online Multiplayer
• 3DS Version Isn't A Port - Original Game
• Collecting Red Coins Unlocks Additional/Bonus Content
• Finding Gold Cannons Unlock Alternative Paths
• Sonic's Speed Depends On How Much The Directional Button Is Pressed
• Able To Run Up Walls / Run On Side of Walls

Well, that's it from me - it's been an incredible E3 this year, with some really incredible games finally being shown off, new games announced, and so fourth. There were many other games at E3, but like I mentioned at the start of this post, the games you see above are the games I'm most excited about, and I think a lot of gamers will be too. Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts and opinions. Feature1`

FEATURE: Pretty Bad, But Mildly Fun Games #1: Karate Champ! (NES)

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Developer: SAS Sakata
Publisher: Data East
Genre: Fighting/2-D Fighting
Release: 1986
Console: NES (Also on ARC and C64)
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To begin, I'd like to highlight this game was released in 1986, deeming it one of the first NES games (At least, in the US), so going into this game my expectations weren't high. prettybad

I don't know if there is an actual storyline to this game, especially since I'm playing the game only - I don't have the manual or box to give me any more information, but I presume you're a karate fighter who's trying to be the best by overcoming various opponents to get to the top. I say various opponents, but in reality you fight the same guy simply called "Red" (which is strange because he's very purple in the game) until you reach the 8th Dan, where your opponent finally changes to this God-like fighter - physically he doesn't change but the difficulty in fighting him eventually creeps up to God-like status.

In each fight, you have to "hit" your opponent a total of 6 times to win, or the time can run out and the judge will decide who deserves to win the round - you ("White) or Red. There's this strange guy in the background in every fight that looks like an 8-bit Lionel Richie, I imagine he is your trainer, and it's him you're looking for (sorry, awful joke).

You start the game in the training stages, where the fights are relatively easy to win, I found myself constantly using the most basic attacks to win, but as the training stages finished and I entered the 7th Dan, I quickly found out that I had to actually introduce a tactic to beat the harder stages, so after a bit of practising and learning the controls a bit more, I figured out all the moves or at least I think I did and it was back into the dojo. 

After grasping the controls, the best strategy was to constantly jump over the opponent until you can get in a quick kick whilst they face the other way. Cheap, I know. 

Based on reading that, you might be thinking that this game is relatively good, but don't be fooled - the hit detection is almost completely random, sometimes your punches or kicks will register instantly, whereas other times it seems like the opponent is invisible and all your attacks are going straight through them almost, this might be due to the difficulty increase but it just feels very awkward at times. 

At the end of each fight, there's this very strange mini-game where flowers in vases come from each side of the screen and I still don't know how to win - I've tried punching them, kicking them, jumping over them but no matter what I do, my score stays the exact same. A bit more explanation of how this mini-game worked would have been nice, but maybe it was described in the manual or box, but unfortunately I don't own either. 

Overall, Karate Champ isn't necessarily a bad game, once you learn how the fighting mechanics work it can be a bit fun, but it has some of the worst hit detection I've ever experienced and the gameplay does get old really quick. Feature1

FEATURE: Digital Download of Video-Games

Whether you're a collector or not, it wouldn't be surprising to see games released only digitally in the not so distant future.

As a gamer, you'll probably know that digital gaming is becoming a huge part of the industry, you can pretty much find any game you want via a download whether it be PSN Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, or Steam. You'll be able to find what you want somewhere without having to physically move, except with your hands of course.

Personally, I do prefer having physical copies of a game as I'm a bit of a collector but there's no denying that a lot of money is being made via digital distribution. So, I think it's time I weigh out the pros and cons of digital gaming downloads to come to some sort of conclusion as to whether digital downloads will take over physical copies of video-games.

Pros

• Don't take up any physical space at all 
• The disc will never get scratched or damaged
• You can't 'lose' a digital copy of a game, it's always available to re-download with no extra charge
• Very easy way of obtaining games that are hard to get in their physical form
• It's convenient to simply find a digital download and play there and then
• There will never be a shortage of stock

Cons

• Often the pricing isn't completely accurate (Red Faction Armageddon was £50 on PSN Store)
• Lack of any physical attachments such as the manual or the case (Mainly for collector's, not a huge problem for gamers who just want to play games whether they keep them in their collection or not.)
• As games get bigger in size, the longer the download will take
• You cannot return a digitally downloaded game
• No pre-owned games - it's not possible. A lot of people buy games pre-owned because it can a really cheap way of gaming, this is not possible the digital way.

As you can see, there are a lot of points to both arguments - like I said earlier, I prefer having the physical copy because it's nice to have the game as part of a collection with the artwork and so on but I know a lot of gamers don't care about any of that stuff, they just want the game to play and that's it. Either way, please comment and tell me what you think! Feature1

FEATURE: The Games I'm Currently Playing - Volume 2!

Definitely a varied selection of games this time around, including the classic Wolfenstein 3D and more.

Hexen: Beyond Heretic

System: PC

I have fond memories of this game when I played it on my uncle's PlayStation back in the 90's but never actually played the original PC version so I thought I'd give it a shot since I loved the PlayStation port back in the day

Straight away, I knew this version would be better (in most cases, original games are usually better than the ports, although many people argue PlayStation DOOM is the best but that's another discussion all together).

I am currently only at the start of the second "hub" (or episode) and I have to say, this game is incredibly fun and also very addictive, it's nice to have some puzzle elements thrown into the first-person shooter mechanic. However, from what I've played so far, this is not as good as it's predecessor; Heretic. 

Wolfenstein 3-D

System: PSN (Originally on DOS/PC)

Fun Fact: Wolfenstein 3-D was made by ID, the guys
 responsible for cult classic DOOM

Now, this won't be the best version of Wolfenstein 3-D but for now I've had to settle for the PlayStation Network port, which to be fair isn't all that bad. The controls can be a bit awkward but I adjusted to them pretty easy within the second level or so, at the moment I'm almost at the end of episode 2 and whilst this is no DOOM, you have to give credit to the guys at ID back in the day for this game, for the time this would have been absolutely amazing - the graphics, the sense of '3D', and so on. Really fantastic game so far!

Joe Danger

System: PSN

With only a couple more stages left, I can safely say I have had a lot of fun playing. Joe Danger is one of those games that got under-looked - it's nothing special but at the core it's incredibly fun and it often reminds me of Excitebike on the Nintendo Entertainment System which is always a good thing, right?

I'm having a really hard time getting some the coin stars though....Still, very enjoyable game.

Bayonetta

System: PS3

Fun Fact: Bayonetta 2 will be released exclusively
 on the Nintendo Wii-U

This game has been on my shelf since last December so I just thought 'I should really finish that game sometime' and I'm definitely glad I picked it up - currently on chapter 6 out of 15.

I find myself wanting more and more due to the insanely fun gameplay, parts of me feel like this is just a Devil May Cry clone but other parts of me think that a lot of Bayonetta is completely original, the story for one is very unique in the sense I've never seen a story like it before.

Over the top fighting and a lot of cheesy one-liners - yup, this game is awesome. Feature1