Months Later Who Has The Upper Hand?

Welcome to another random Monday blogpost, trying to keep these short and sweet going forward. So not sure if you recall but a couple months back when E3 2013 happened we did our summary of the big question going into the holiday season. Which Next -Gen console to invest in? You can see that video below:

Months later and the dust has settled and the numbers are in. *Drumroll Please* Who comes out on top in the battle for Next-Gen Supremacy after all the changes and releases?

I called this from day one. Whether they want to call me a fanboy or not I was right. The facts were all there, even if certain policies and features changed here and there over the time period of when I released this video and now. So by now if you are a heavy gamer and been following the console wars you should have a firm grasp of what has solidified Sony's victory in the battle of Next Gen gaming, but here is  a updated glimpse of why.

The Games

Sony has the potential for more exciting exclusive games than Microsoft. Granted everyone is hyping over Titanfall right now, but already PS4's release of Infamous: Second Sun has further helped sell PS4's on release. As great as Titanfall is it isnt exactly the great console seller for theh XBOX One like Halo was for the original XBOX. According to a trusted source of the market for computer and videogames (MCV); PS4 hardware sales have been boosted a full 106% since the release of inFamous: Second Son. Supply constraints may have prevented that number from being even more significant. inFamous: Second Son is the first post-launch testament to the PS4's power, offering owners a chance to see visuals unlike ever seen before on a console. Sony has gone on to release a list of over 100 games that are scheduled for release on PS4 over the next year which you can see by clicking here.

Services

Essentially Sony went the route of appealing to gamers while Microsoft tried to be a jack of all trades by trying to appeal to everyone. Sadly when you are a jack of all trades but master of none it doesn't always workout so well. Granted now both consoles require you to pay for an online gaming experience but at least with Sony you get value for your money from all the PlayStation Plus deals and free games they offer. Couple that with the upcoming testing and release of PlayStation Now which will provide access to all the previous generations of games at your fingertip and its a no brainer. Ill give Microsoft the nod as far as service integration goes simply because they have the better dashboard and motion gaming setup but I play games and so do many others. I don't really care much about a voice control system that doesn't work well enough for me to abandon the idea of just using my controller to navigate the menu.

Performance

If you saw the video I did you should know the specs between both systems are relatively the same but the PS4 has a slight edge over the XBOX ONE. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes developer Kojima has gone on record saying his game will look better on PS4. And there's been a lot of argument around games like Call of Duty: Ghosts that run natively in 1080p on PS4 vs. 720p on Xbox One. Of course, the Xbox can run games in 1080p and 60fps, but with multiple titles coming in with lower native resolution on Xbox, Microsoft's machine has been publicly perceived as less powerful. Granted the experiences and games are almost identical like on Xbox One and PS4, but people will gravitate to what seems like the better system for the money. At at a $100 lower price point and essentially better gaming specs the choice is clear.

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Get Your Gaming In Gear (2012)

Well its about that time folks; its been a hell of a ride this here 2012 and I gotta admit I never thought I would still be doing this for a second year. This blog started but just a year ago and we have steadily and consistently grown and appealed to gamers far and wide. At the end of every year we look back and rate the top ten games of the year so you know what games you really need to clear off you back log list of games to enjoy as well as now is the time of year games are on sale for Christmas. So feel free to drop hints to friends and such so you can get some of these as gifts and just buy yourselves the rest as these games are a must play experience for any and every gamer. Let's get this show on the road:

1. The Walking Dead (Made by Telltale Games) - Multi-platform
This is without a doubt the highlight of my gaming year, the crown jewel of games this year that reminded many that you don't need a huge budget to make a great game. It showed us that it is good to try new gaming experiences instead of rehashing the same formula over and over again just because it works. You can check out our review where it all began with Episode 1. If you cant get your hands on a copy to play for yourself and you like what you see you can go watch our play-through as we documented our entire gaming experience with it on our YouTube channel.

2. Lollipop Chainsaw (Made by Grasshopper Manufacture) - PS3/XBOX360
There is so much fan service in this game its unbelievable, from costume bonuses to gratuitous panty shots, to crass humor, to sexual innuendo's this has everything that I need to have a great action packed time. I pre-ordered this game and "I REGRET NOTHING!". I enjoyed my time with this game from start to finish and would still be playing it if it were not for reviewing games for you guys, my 9-5 job, practicing to keep my fighting game skills somewhat up and now adding to that list of time consuming things; playing PlayStation All stars Battle Royale to unlock in-game content. You can check out our review of the game here.

3. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Made by Superbot  Entertainment) - PS3/PSVITA
Here is my current obsession, this game occupies my mind day and night, I play it at home, I play it on the road, when i'm not playing it i'm thinking about playing it or how to come up with new combos/strategies. It's been a long time coming that gamers have wanted an alternative brawler type game besides the Smash Brothers franchise from Nintendo. Thankfully this game is that and so much more, if you own a PS3 or PSVITA there is no reason for you to not have this game. NO REASON AT ALL!!! It is a game made by good people for good people; currently there are plans to release two FREE DLC characters in January. Our review of the game is posted here.

4. Borderlands 2 (Made by Gearbox Software) - Multi-platform
Without a doubt one of the years biggest and highly anticipated titles. We see a new batch of fearless vault hunters return to Pandora for another action packed adventure. With a current level cap of fifty, five different classes to choose from, multiple additional DLC missions, the freedom to customize your skill tree to your personal play-style and a vast array of weapons to choose from it is clear to see why this game is enjoyed by so many the world over. I had a blast playing as Gaige the Mechromancer class and am currently at lvl 50 awaiting what other goodies will undoubtedly be released in due time. See our review of the game if you haven't already.

5. I Am Alive (Made by Darkworks/Ubisoft Shanghai) - Multi-platform

I had heard about this game from as far back as 2003 but with delay after delay and an eventual change of studio we are only now in the year 2012 getting this game in all its glory. Received relatively well by most gaming presses it suffered from the typical flaw of games that stay in game development limbo for long time periods of time; graphical appeal. Thankfully through the power of PC gaming this is only an issue for the console releases as the PC one performs beautifully and is truly an immersible and impressive sight to behold. With a open and expansive world to traverse and many perilous obstacles to overcome you are guaranteed many hours of game-play to enjoy. Go check out our review for more details.

6. Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Made by Treyarch) - Multi-Platform
Well as the sun shall rise and the sun shall set a new Call of Duty game came out this year as expected an dit sold well worldwide within hours of release as expected and as expected its on our top ten list of games for yet another year. Its really easy to hate on a franchise as such but game recognize game and its easy to recognize the if it ain't broke don't fix it formula. The game is more or less the same it with a few tweaks here and there that add a bit more of a spice to the game original flavor of the Call of Duty franchise. Hop over to our full review to see whats up.

7. Asura's Wrath (Made by Capcom) - PS3/XBOX360
For those that follow my blog regularly for gaming you know by now that I am a sucker for a good story and QTE's. I feel like these are fundamental tools that should exist in every game in some way or another; as such that is probably why both Lollipop Chainsaw and Asura's Wrath are on this years list of top games everyone should play. The intricate art style and gripping story of betrayal and the never ending love a man had for his daughter  couple with epicly action packed fight scenes will entertain both the player and anyone watching. See our full review of the game here.

8. Max Payne 3 (Made by Rockstar Studios) - Multi-platform
Max Payne makes his startling return to the gaming world in a blaze of glory and pain killers. Eight years later after the release of Max Payne 2 we get the long awaited sequel fans have been waiting for. I suggest a bit of research into the prior games as I always do when recommending a game that is a sequel in nature but this I had not as much problem recommending as it is almost like a revamp of the game and character in a sense so you can pick up on the experience from this iteration of the game. See our full review breakdown of the game.

9. Dishonored (Made by Arkane Studios) - Multi-platform
One of this years up and newcomer titles that truly brought something new to the table with its original game-play system and new intellectual property Dishonored quickly set the tone for a unique game-play experience as soon as it was released. The ability to not only mold your character but as well as the story progression helped usher this game into the history books as a game worthy of each and every accolade that it received. Take a look into the city of Dunwall and experience life as an assassin in our review of Dishonored.

10. Spec Ops: The Line (Made by Yager Development) - Multi-platform
I'm not the biggest fan of third person shooter titles not to mention that I didn't want to over-saturate this list of games with military shooters but I had to give up a spot to this game. The story is a new refreshing twist in the world of military shooters that provides a look on the darker grittier side of war instead of the over glorified hype of gun fights and vehicular warfare that is ever so present in the Call of Dutys' and the Battlefield type military franchises out there. Check out our review that we posted for the run through.

Well there is our top ten list for 2012; many games came and many games went but these were the ones that lingered on in our thoughts. So I strongly recommend you experience these games in some shape or form before the year is over or the next big game purchase sneaks up on you. No matter the type of gamer you are at least two of these games should appeal to the gamer within you. This will be my last Game related post until next year when I get my hands on the first big title of the new year that I am eager for which will be the new and improved DMC: Devil May Cry scheduled for release on January 15th 2013. Seems like the Mayans were wrong after all so yaay for us more games. In closing remember we are having a giveaway contest to close out the year so feel free to check out that video with all the necessary information as such --->here<---.

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