[merylsilverburg]

Originally Posted by Beretta55

The person behind Brutal Legend actually made games like Grim Fandango and Psychonauts, so I would hardly call it a rock band influenced game. More like the kind of game Tim Schafer has wanted to make for a while. But that's just my take.

Yes, I know he created Psychonauts and all but perhaps I worded the whole "Rock Band-influenced" poorly. What I really meant was that it just so happens to be perfect timing to "release" this game in the midst of the whole "rock band/guitar hero" mania going around. Too coincidental and - to me - really annoying to see another "rock" game, only this time, taking the form of an action/adventure that has the fighting style of God of War.

Originally Posted by Beretta55

I'm not sure how I feel about the new Castlevania. It's being made by Kojima so it has the high chance to be awesome, but I don't think his "style" really fits with Castlevania. As much as I love Kojima's style, the dude is a bit overblown and cinematic for a game series that is more about the top-notch gameplay, not how pretty the cutscenes look. I'm hoping it's not just Metal Gearvania and more.......well Castlevania. That's one of my favorite series, so it's one I want little in the ways of "dicking around" in for lack of a better word. He has his work cut out for him in general, Castlevania has very rarely faired well outside 2-D sidescrolling but he'll give it a shot. He's finally making something new for him, not another Metal Gear title which he has been wanting to pull away from for a while so I'm sure he's excited to put his brand of game making into something else. But even then I would of liked him to make something completely original, a new IP. If anybody has the chops for it, it's Hideo.

"Metal Gearvania" LOL! But yeah, I agree with you about Kojima's style not suited for the Castlevania world though we may end up being wrong and the game ends up great. I like some of the gameplay - well, I suppose they are gameplay shots, the part where the main character is fighting some of the monsters, like that ogre/goblin thing - and I think the game looks beautiful visually but again, the whole hiring actors/actresses as VOs lends to the cinematic feel and, again, feels so...annoying.

And speaking of Kojima, there was news that Kojima is bringing the MGS series onto the 360...but with Raiden as the main character. I saw this on the crawl during G4's E3 Day 2 coverage so I don't know for sure if this is legit. If it is, I'm sure many 360 fans are not happy. Furthermore, Kojima is planning a MGS5 or something, according to the whole mystery countdown that happened on his site. As much as I love the MGS series, I just want to say "Stop. It. Now." I don't know what his deal is...for so many years, he's been saying it's his last Metal Gear and that's it, blah, blah. But then we get a new MG or MG-related game. And it's starting to bug me. He's starting to bug me. So, Kojima, I love your MGS games but it's time to let it go, man.

Originally Posted by Beretta55

I also think you should take a deeper look into Alan Wake Meryl, which is a game I thought long dead. I saw the trailer for it and it looks pretty damn awesome. It seems to be taking a more mature route to story telling and looks really impressive.

Somehow the name sounds familiar to me but I'll have to check it out more, thanks Beretta. Oh and aren't you looking forward to Bioshock 2? Let's hope they keep the story and elements like the original; I haven't played it yet (I know, I know) but if I can manage to get over my motion sickness, I'll give it a whirl.

Other games I'm looking forward to is Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain but I just hope it won't be so cinematic that it's like watching a film, heh. I think there are more games but I'll have to sift through it again.