Hyper Uppercut

Recently we brought you the ramblings from two TSA writers, where they discussed the gaming hype-machine and whether or not it works. Now, continuing their lengthy discussion they discuss their hype predictions for the coming year.

djhsecondnature: …and ultimately I hate the majority of the Internet outside of TSA and a select few sites. It’s not normally to do with the content, just all of the fanboy bollocks. I can’t be bothered to waste my time with it all; it actually drives me slightly mental. If I could line up every last one of the rabid fanboys hiding behind their anonymity, mouthing off without any regard to what they’re saying, I would gladly take the time out of my life to punch each and every one square in the face.

colossalblue: I’d hold your coat.

djhsecondnature: There are also so many ‘journalists’ that write fanboy drivel because they know that they will get hits. Why not just try writing something worthwhile and get hits from your good writing? Sorry what were we talking about? Oh yeah. Hype!

colossalblue: Don’t worry. We all like a good rant. Especially about mailmen. *growls*

djhsecondnature: Okay well we’ve talked a lot about hype already, but looking beyond Killzone 2 and games from the past; which games for 2009 are you most excited about?

colossalblue: After Killzone, I think I’m more looking forward to Prototype, Red Faction: Guerrilla (although it may look crap after Killzone) and Resident Evil 5, although they have confirmed an Assassin’s Creed sequel before April next year so perhaps we should get that hype train rolling!

djhsecondnature: For me I can’t really decide between Prototype and inFamous, but I can’t wait for them both. Having heard that Resident Evil 5 is very similar to the highly acclaimed Resi 4, I’m quite looking forward to that, considering I haven’t played 4. Well which games do you think have the most hype surrounding them at the moment?

colossalblue: I think, Heavy Rain, Uncharted: Amongst Thieves and God of War III are all ramping up the subliminal marketing, but I would point the finger at Final Fantasy for starting the hype machine way too early. I know it would be really hard for them to make a FF game that wasn’t well received but even so, there’s no need to start releasing this volume of screens 15 months before a possible release date.

djhsecondnature: I agree with the Final Fantasy marketing point. Especially if we assume that it will be release in Q4 of this year in Japan, we first saw the teaser in 2007? That’s over two years before the game finally comes out. This was a major problem with Home. We saw too much too early and ended up being fed up having to wait so long. I don’t expect this to happen with Final Fantasy but you never know. Okay, well which games do you think will probably disappoint?

colossalblue: As I said earlier, I have a nervy feeling about the new Red Faction. I really liked the first one and the second was pretty good too, I just think that releasing an FPS within six months on Killzone might lead to unhappy comparisons. I also have a feeling that Heavy Rain will be a spectacular disappointment but I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think maybe it’s just the vagueness of information that accompanies those gorgeous screens.

djhsecondnature: I’m on the opposite side of the fence to you when it comes to Heavy Rain as I think this will be a sleeping hit. Definitely critically and perhaps in sales, but equally I’m not sure why.

colossalblue: Oh and I was looking forward to Infamous until the latest video made it all look very samey so that might end up not quite meeting expectations. What about sales, which games do you think will do really well?

djhsecondnature: I’ve already predicted that Killzone 2 will sell a million titles worldwide within its first week so I have high hopes for it sales wise, but if Gran Turismo 5 comes out this year then it will steal the title as most sold game in 2009 from anything on a HD system.

colossalblue: Well, it’ll be Wii Sports Resort obviously. On the PS3, discounting the incremental sports sequels that will inevitably be right up there in the year end charts. Umm, it’s a really hard one to call because I think in a fair and just world Killzone 2 would sell like rice in China but we just don’t know. I’m going to have a punt and say it’ll either be the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (with its Xmas marketing evil) or the Bioshock sequel (with its convention video hype). How about critically?

djhsecondnature: Critically I really don’t know. My expectations are for Gran Turismo 5, Killzone 2, Heavy Rain, Uncharted 2 and God of War III to all get an average of above 90 (perhaps even 95) and with inFamous and Prototype around the 90 mark. Having never made proper predictions before I am curious as to how things pan out and see if I was really close or a million miles off target.

colossalblue: Critical success is next to impossible to guess at but I’ll try anyway: Apart from Killzone 2 I think probably Grant Turismo 5 will get the critics drooling, all the GT goodness with added network functionality and damage added? It’s got to be a winner hasn’t it? Other than that I think probably the lazy journos will salivate over whatever numberless sequel they can get away with plugging while simultaneously doing as little actual thinking as possible. I think Modern Warfare 2 starts with a perfect review and will have to screw something up to lose it.

djhsecondnature: In regards to Modern Warfare 2. I think as long as Activision plans on releasing a CoD every single year, it will not surpass Call of Duty 4.

colossalblue: Well I think our readers have probably had enough of our rambling for now. Shall we wrap this sensible discussion up and get back to the ranting?