I remember when my Dad brought home my first PlayStation, along with Final Fanstasy VII. I was so excited to be clutching that monster case containing 3 discs. In a world where discs are becoming a thing of the past in favour of digital downloads, it seems crazy to think that any game created after 2010 would need anything like. This was not the case for L.A Noire on Xbox 360. Rockstar had put a lot of effort into their facial technology for this game, which was groundbreaking at the time, and it meant that actors would act scenes from the game to give a realistic feel to interviews in game, allowing us to judge their responses based on facial movements. This amount of data meant that the game had to span three discs on the Xbox format as they could not hold it on a single disc, unlike PlayStation who adopted the Blu-Ray disc format. Gamer’s became upset with having to swap discs throughout the game, questioning whether this technology was worth spending mass amounts of money on when facial animators could have done a similar job. We all enjoy a smooth running game experience and this is exactly what Xbox players didn’t

For such a stoic man, John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption , was a bit for a clutz. Despite being a frontiersman that should’ve been adapted to the rough terrain of the West, players found their character stumbling around like a drunken fool at the slightest notion of uneven land. It didn’t seem like John Marston had much ability to explore anything other than flat firm ground. Getting a player character that can climb up can ledges and swim across rivers would make for a much more realistic Western character, ready to take on whatever the terrain throws at them. He doesn’t need to have Assassin’s Creed style free running, jumping from tree to tree like a flying squirrel, but a bit more natural movement and flexibility over what terrain the player can traverse would make for a better character and experie

This seems nearly impossible seeing as we’re almost at the 10-year anniversary of the game’s announcement, but I feel fairly positive Final Fantasy XV might at least launch in Japan by the time 2015 ends. The fact that we’re getting a gameplay demo in 2015, the large amount of gameplay trailers released in 2014, and the fact that the English voice-overs are already done is enough evidence to suggest we’ll be playing Final Fantasy XV sooner than later.

With the release of the eagerly awaited Red Dead Redemption 2 on the horizon, they will be thrust into the spotlight once again. That being said, nothing is ever perfect and we all make mistakes, and Rockstar has been no exception over the years. Whether it is being nit-picked to death by their players or condemned within the media, no publisher inspires as many positive and negative reviews as Rockstar. But all publicity is good publicity. ri

Something I liked about E3 2014 is the strong focus the big 3 had on gamers. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all focused on delivering the games that we, the gamers, want to play. Aside from Sony getting a little sidetracked, E3 2014 ended up being one of the better shows in years. Let’s keep that up going into E3 2015.

2017 is shaping up to be a landmark year for video games. Not only do we have the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , Horizon: Zero Dawn , and Persona 5 already released, but Wolfenstein: The New Colossus , Crackdown 3 , Far Cry 5 , and God of War are all set to release before spring 2018. Red Dead may be a beloved game, but it doesn’t have the name recognition of Rockstar’s other big open-world crime game, or the popularity of some of the other games coming out. Even with this delay moving it away from the likes of Call of Duty WW2 and Battlefront 2 , the game still has to go up against some of the most highly anticipated titles of the past couple of ye

L.A. Noire was an interesting step in a new direction for Rockstar. Developed by Team Bondai and published by Rockstar, L.A Noire took us back to 1940s Los Angeles in a Noire setting made popular within the film industry. Controlling Detective Cole Phelps, you work your way through the divisions of the LAPD, solving some of the best and most gruesome cases 1940’s L.A has to offer. As well as this, Rockstar introduced a free roam mode, allowing us to explore the era in all its glory. While the game grossed highly and is rated among its fans, it did receive some criticism for being boring. Although it is argued that the slow pace and Openworldpilot explains difficult interrogations help build the atmosphere for the overall experience, many feel they still missed the boat in some circumstances, actually turning the whole story into a bit of a d

The release of the original _ Red Dead Redemption _ in 2010, along with the _ Undead Nightmare _ expansion, left players wanting more of everything. More shootouts and saloon fights. More eccentric and wily characters. More riding horseback through the vast, open world of the western frontier. And while it was a long eight years, Rockstar made sure that the wait was well worth it – albeit not without some controversy . _ Red Dead Redemption 2 _ immerses players in the grueling world of the wild west with familiar gameplay dynamics that have been taken to the next level to not only make _ Red Dead Redemption 2 _ an easy favorite for game of the year, but also Rockstar’s crowning achievement to d