What next-gen games should really be

Does it really matter if it’s Xenon, Cell Broadband Engine, or Broadway? Is it that important to have high RAM and big storage spaces? How is it that much of a deal if a controller is wireless, rumble enabled, and capable of motion-sensing? This generation of video games sure demands powerful hardware like we’ve never imagined, but what exactly is a “next-gen” experience?  Let’s take a look at “next-gen” gaming, and this blogger’s thoughts on the video game industry today. Hit that link below to find the full article.

We’ve already seen great games as the Microsoft Xbox 360 hits two years while the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii reach their first birthdays. Gamers have enjoyed countless titles, especially those who grabbed consoles during launch, but how can we say if those games are next-gen? It wouldn’t be fair to say games haven’t improved since the last generation, but some arguably don’t step up much aside from having better graphics.

Fanboys talk about specs of their machines or what their consoles can do, but what is there that separates new from old? Is it the surround sound audio? Online capabilities? Motion sensing controllers? With so many questions, we can at least be certain that game design plays a major role.

Adventure games, first-person shooters, platformers, role-playing games – name any genre, and it’ll definitely be one that has been established years ago. Whether it’s jumping around as an Italian plumber, journeying to save the world, or fighting off an alien invasion, we can be sure that we’ve done it before. That isn’t to say 32-bit consoles back in the 90s could deliver what current technology can, but the gap is sometimes not phenomenal.

Graphics
For the most part, first impression is very important in video games. Graphics tell people what console could’ve ran certain games and in what generation they came out. What cannot be determined by looks alone, however, is if the game will play “next-gen.” Let’s take a look at Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS) and Crash of the Titans (Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation Portable) for example.

From the 1998 game to the recently released 3D platformer, mechanics haven’t really changed much. Instead of just having to go through stages and solving puzzles, you get to whack enemies and make them fight their own kin in Crash of the Titans. Nothing outstanding come from the control department, while puzzles haven’t gone far. You’ll find high resolution graphics, full voice-overs and other bells and whistles, but the jump to next-gen seems skin deep.

Presentation
After the layer of eye-candy, there’s the presentation. In today’s standards, a game without cutscenes is like a shoe without a sole. In other words, those explosive full-motion movies with great detail should always be present in next-gen games. Final Fantasy games first come to mind when talking about early adapters of mind-blowing movies, but now, even low budget titles have moments of stardom.

From the looks of it, next-gen presentation means making full use of powerful hardware to throw excitement at players. Apart from CG scenes, falling debris and collapsing bridges should happen during gameplay. Having thousands of objects on screen moving around is now possible, and there is no excuse to give gamers boring static backgrounds.

 

Audio
Immersive audio is another element that is almost required from games of this generation. Surround sound, without a doubt, provides a more believable experience. Gone are the days of stereo, and here comes audio from all directions. Thing is, surround sound has been around for years. Therefore, a next-gen game should do more than make use of the technology.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, PC)is one of the games that showed us how surround sound makes the difference. In the role-playing series where you’re supposed to be in the shoes of your fictional character, walking around an entirely new world while hearing sounds from actual sources was god sent. You could feel the pressure of the imperial soldier chasing your back, or be aware where enemies will strike from.

Storytelling
The time when simplistic stories of bad dudes saving the president’s daughter from ninjas has long gone. One strong point of games is the storytelling, and it’s something that should’ve evolved along with the growth of consoles. Of course, we can’t settle with “move from this point to that to encounter dialogue” anymore.

A good example of how a strong narrative should be delivered is Bioshock (Microsoft Xbox 360, PC). Even with the crazy tasks of eliminating creepy splicers and harvesting little sisters, BioShock established a solid setting oozing with details. Aside from the voice of Atlus guiding players, we also learned more by wandering around and picking up diaries or keeping a sharp eye on posters or whatever enemies say.