On top of that, I'll give you all a "hot take" of some of the things going on in the gaming or anime industry. This new format will hopefully change things up, make these posts more interesting, and perhaps draw more readers. So, without further ado, here is my top game and anime series this month!
- Top Game of May 2018 -
- Minecraft -
"Minecraft is for kids!" right? Well, wrong. One could argue that LEGO is for kids. Also wrong. I mean, yes, Minecraft and LEGO are a wonderful game and toy for children, but adults can enjoy them just as much, if not more.
Minecraft is a game that I've been playing on and off since I think 2009, well before the official release hit the market. When I started playing, you didn't have to eat, I don't know that beds existed in game, there was nothing in the water or caves except maybe coal and I think diamond way down in the lowest levels of the world. My how the times have changed, and that's the main reason I've been binging this game once again.
A couple weeks ago, the major aquatic update hit the Windows 10 edition of Minecraft adding tons of features like new blocks, mobs, biomes (I think), underwater structures, and new water physics. The last item on the list is particularly exciting because oceans are no longer dark abysses in which descending and exploring is nearly impossible. When you go underwater, things are much clearer, and you can see for quite a ways - in fact, I think you can see as far as your settings allows.
Two of the major additions to this update are sunken ships and underwater ruins. All of these things spawn in the oceans in the game, and for those of you who already have realms servers or worlds from previous updates: Fear not! All you need to do is explore to brand new chunks, and the new features can spawn into preexisting worlds.
Speaking of realms, that is a major selling point of the game. Yes, you may have to buy a server, but you no longer have to mess with ports and your own local server in order to play with your friends. Players can buy a $4/month server to play with up to two other friends anywhere in the world, and if you're on Windows 10, you can cross play with any other platform except Sony devices.
Anyway, before the last major update, Mojang and Microsoft has been constantly adding other great features like new mobs, updating world aspects like dungeons and villages, and more. I expect them to keep adding major content like this for as long as Minecraft can roll in the dough for them (and I really don't see an end in sight).
For as much as this game gets updated now that it's under Microsoft's wing, and with the true sandbox nature of the game, you just can't go wrong but to get lost in this blocky game.
- Top Anime of May 2018 -
As someone on MyAnimeList.net said, Star Blazers is basically the Star Wars of Japan. Set in the year 2199, the Earth is in danger of collapse, threatening to no longer be able to support life as we know it. The Space Battleship Yamato and her crew set off on a galactic journey to obtain a piece of alien technology that will heal the Earth and allow its citizens to see another day.
On their trip through space, they encounter two alien races, one with a desire to rid the universe of humans, and the other offering the device that will save the Earth. All of this, and the Yamato only have one year's time to get the technology and warp back to save the planet from ruin.
Intense episodes filled with space battles, drama involving ship mates and the antagonistic aliens, laugh-out-loud funny parts, and absolute tear-jerking moments all fill this anime to the brim. The story is so suspenseful at times, and there are twists and turns every step of the way. This is one of the most satisfying series I've ever seen, and once you get done with this series which is 26 episodes long, you can start on the second series which is airing right now in Japan and simulcasting/simuldubbing on Crunchyroll and FunimationNow respectively.
One very cool aspect is that this is a reboot of the original series from the 70s, simply called Star Blazers. You can tell, even in the new series, that the original was from quite a while ago because of the sound effects and intro music. They are all very retro-sounding, but not in a cheesy way. It's a really good watch, especially if you like space operas.
So there are my two major reviews for the month. My honorary mentions are:
Top Games of May 2018:
- Minecraft (All platforms)
- Conan Exiles
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC, mobile)
- Hot Take -
This is the new section where I talk a bit about things that are either plaguing or helping the gaming or animation industry! How fun! Or not. Actually, this is just a short little opinion piece, that basically just serves the purpose of entertainment and 'food for thought'. By no means do I think what I say in this section is every truly factual or "the word of god" or anything like that. I am just looking to share my two cents, and help the consumer think about the state of the industry. That is all. So with that said, here's my first hot take:
Loot boxes actually aren't that bad.
Star Wars Battlefront II is plagued with poor (and shady) business practices. That game is a solid example of loot boxes done poorly. Other free to play games also do loot boxes very poorly. Most of the time, bad loot box integration can easily make any game pay to win and in-turn only accessible to people with a ton of disposable income. In today's world, the number of people who fit that description is dwindling, and you have to wonder if a few rich people are really supplementing game developers with the same income as typical, responsible gamers.
Regardless, loot boxes can be done right. Whether a gamer is responsible or not has no affect on whether developers should include some form of microtransation. At the end of the day, the predatory business models rely solely on the consumer to buy them...and consumers do just that. A lot. Where we run into a problem is consumers paying for buffs and other advantages that make them nearly invincible. This ruins the game for other players, and all for what? The developer's greed.
I propose that all developers should only put limited, very rare cosmetic items (character/weapon skins) in loot boxes. Sure, maybe they can offer short double XP buffs, in-game credits, or something like that (as long as they're also offering the same in daily log-in bonuses or something). There are tons of people who've spent tons of money on cosmetics for games like Diablo and World of Warcraft, so why not sell just cosmetics for games like Battlefront II?
Rocket League is a prime example of loot boxes done right. 100% of all loot box contents are cosmetic. There are new car models in the loot boxes, but there isn't a single car that is faster or anything to the others. Some vehicles are slightly larger (like the van, I forget it's name), but all cars have the same speed, boost, jumping power, etc. The loot boxes are only for cosmetics, and that's how all games should be.
Then, there are games like the Witcher 3. CD Project Red did not add any kind of loot box or microtransaction into the game at all. Some games are doing this now, but I don't necessarily see a problem with loot boxes or micro DLC, but there's a limit. Good on CDPR for keeping them out altogether though. It shows a lot of character in an industry that's all money-grabby.
Then we move on to the holy grail of all moral games: Warframe. This game is completely, 100%, from start to finish free to play. There are microtransactions, but it's for credits, which are mostly used for cosmetics. Yes, they can buy new frames and weapons, pets, and more, but probably 50-60% of the items you can buy with credits are cosmetic. If you are willing to put in the time to farm your items, you don't have to spend a dime, and the game is beautiful. It runs very smoothly, and it's continually updated with brand new content (the latest of which adds a huge mmo-like level where you can hunt, fish, and do other missions, etc).
So the final verdict? Loot boxes and micro DLC are unnecessary. Games can be perfectly successful without them, and that has been proven time and time again in the past and it will be again numerous times in the future. That said, developing games is expensive, and I am okay with developers seeking more income for their projects. In fact, I encourage developers to insert loot boxes and micro DLC (a la Rocket League). These things just need to be morally just, and the best way to achieve that is by keeping all loot box and micro dlc cosmetic-only, keep the loot box content limited to only a few items per series (also like Rocket League), and make all contents tradeable for credits or other rare cosmetic items.
Thanks for reading this hot take. What do you think of loot boxes in games?
Comment below to share your thoughts!
