Thief, Video Game Shows, ESO, Failbetter Games, and Other Obviously Connected Topics

I fucking love buffets. It's like a human feeding trough, but with better-tasting preservatives and a total disregard for respect of one's body. But it's all (one hopes) great-tasting, and it's a great chance to actually try something new.

And while buffets are great for food, it's also my favorite way to approach blogging. I don't have much of an attention span, and collies make great pets.

More Premature Reactions to Thief
I think the implementation of Thief's mechanics and the level design, in regards to these mechanics, are all under-baked. They don't quite mesh together in a totally silky-smooth way. People keep citing Dishonored as the game that this should've been, but I don't think that's right. I think the game works fine, once you reach the level of control refinement that Titanfall hit. In Titanfall, I can traverse the environment with great ease and it all feels smooth and natural. There's something that's not right about the 'oh shit' moments in this game, in which fleeing doesn't feel right. I kept running smack into things that I should've been able to traverse, but I couldn't.

Granted, this could all be from a lack of familiarity with this game, and it could be that I'm just bitching about it being hard, and maybe I'm a 'newb,' and I'm 'doing it wrong,' but it just doesn't feel right.

I'll keep plugging away at it, but I've already deemphasized the game, especially since ...

Mo Beta, Mo ESO
I'm back in the ESO beta this weekend! And Cardinals spring training games start!

AND WE'RE GETTING MORE FUCKING SNOW this weekend?!?! As a side note, fuck this winter in its stupid fucking ass.

In any case, I'm back in ESO this weekend, which is awesome. As I've said before, I'm super-hyped for the game, and I'm curious to see what changes have been made. Yeah, I could look at the changelog, but why do so when I can find a bunch of condescending pricks to do it for me, and then yell at me for daring to ask what's new.

Actually, I will look at the changelog, now that I think about it.

What's cool is that I'll have some buddies in there with me this weekend, so I'll finally get to, once again, combine cyberspace and meatspace. I hate grouping in most games, since most people, when online, slip into their 'Captain Fuckface' persona, but when I got a real buddy or two in there with me, it's a much improved experience. So long as Joel isn't rushing through like he left his car running by the quest giver.

I don't expect any huge changes in the game, mostly bug fixes, since we're probably pretty close to 'gold,' or whatever the MMO equivalent is, but I haven't really needed much in the game besides some bug fixes, anyway.

I do wish I could lose the subtitles in conversations, though. I can't stand subtitles unless the spoken language is one I don't speak.

Failbetter + BioWare = ?!
So, this came completely out of left field for me.

To put this into clearer context, Failbetter makes some amazing interactive fiction, such as Fallen London, which if you haven't played, I urge you to correct this mistake NOW.

In any case, I'm not sure what the project is, but I know David Gaider, he of the Dragon Age, is a big fan of interactive fiction, so one has to wonder if this is a Dragon Age project ... I would love love love love love love that. I'm a big IF fan myself, so this could be fantastic.

Risen 3: This Time It'll Be Good, We Mean It
Piranha Bytes is a studio that has produced a lot of games I should love, but have not. Games from the Gothic and Risen series are specifically to what I am referring.

Much like I used to say about the Bethesda RPGs, on paper, I should love these games, but I don't. At the same time, Piranha Bytes has a fierce and loyal following, so I'll probably give this series another look this summer, before Risen 3 hits this August.

Wasteland 2
By the way, I failed to mention it before, but I did get some time with the game this past weekend, and I enjoyed it, even if I was taken aback by how old school it really is. That's not a bad thing at all, but it really has been a while for me. I'm really excited to play more and not suck ass at the game. Here's a new trailer!



 

 

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Obsidian's new game, South Park: The Stick of Truth, hits next week, and I'm pretty excited. Obsidian is among my favorite developers, even if their games often require some additional *ahem* refinement after release.

 

Even with some decent gaming sneaking out right now during the 'dumping' release window for publishers, I'm still chomping at the bit for the big RPGs later this year. Ya know, The Witcher 3, Dragon Age Inquisition, Pillars of Eternity, etc.

 

I guess ESO will be here before we know it. Methinks that will do most of the tiding over until my big boy games.

 

As always, thanks for reading!

 

-Blaine



RPGs & Achievement Whoring

Back in the Day
I remember, in the days of yore, when Microsoft first showed off the Achievement system for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, I was curious, but not overtly excited. I wasn't opposed to the idea, but I was interested in seeing how it was implemented, and what effect it would have on the way we game. As it turned out, some of my good buddies instantly became what's now affectionately known as 'achievement whores,' and as I watched their Gamerscore tick up and up, almost minute by minute, I became concerned about their overall Xbox/life balance. This became a very real concern as I started seeing games like King Kong and Kameo pop up on their games list.

I wasn't into Elder Scrolls when Oblivion came out, which resulted in this weird period in time in which I never had anyone to play PDZ with. It was very isolating. I felt so alone.

Therefore, the first RPG that I really sunk my teeth into that had achievements was my beloved Lost Odyssey. Man, I loved that game. I think I said at the time that it was like reconnecting with an old flame, falling in love all over again, only to have it come to its inevitable end, one last time. Once the game was over, my heart was shattered again, but I didn't regret the time we shared. Not one bit. That was the last JRPG I really loved. It was that one last hurrah from Sakaguchi-san, the final Final Fantasy, and it was a showcaseof everything that was great about his games.

But then, it had DLC and achievements.

I remember, as I played through it, whenever I'd get that nice little Achievement pop-up, I got a nice warm feeling of artificial validation, but it was really neat, because it was for a game that was one of 'my' games. It was kinda cool seeing 'their' system applied to 'my' game. Sure, I'd racked up a few Achievements in other games prior to this, but it had rarely mattered much to me.

Shortly after Xbox Achievements became a big thing, both Steam and Sony scrambled to implement their versions of the Achievement system. I remember being really bothered that I'd beaten Uncharted before Sony had implemented Achievements, er, Trophies, and actually going back and playing through the game AGAIN after they were put in place, just so motherfuckers would know I could beat a game on easy.

Now
Through the years, I've found that I actually care more about Achievements in non-RPG games, like Uncharted and Dead Space than I do my usual BioWare/CDPR stable of games. I remember very distinctly, while playing each game in both series, I'd always pop into my Trophies on PSN to see how awesome I was, and to get a rough idea of my overall progress through the game. Oh, and you had to do that, since it was impossible for Sony to have that automatically sync otherwise (/facepalm. I sure hope that's fixed on PS4.)

I think I care less about it in my 'core' games, but then, I've always wished that my PC Mass Effect and Dragon Age achievements were tied to a bigger system than the BioWare Social Network (yes, it still exists, and could've been a cool thing), so that people could celebrate my love for playing through those games. EA, you have a big opportunity here with Origin.

Hell, the one thing I loved about the hated Games for Windows Live was that it tied PC games into my Xbox Achievements, so people could see my awesomeness in games like Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 2 and Fallout 3.

Throughout the years, one thing has never happened. I've never Achievement-whored a game, and I wonder why. Lost Odyssey is the EXACT kind of game I'd do it on, too. There are Achievements for optional bosses, max-leveling, and all the great stuff we all used to do 'back in the day.' I know for a fact that Tony and I both still have saves on old PS1 memory cards that we treasure because they're so bad-ass (mine have since been transferred to my PS3, many moons ago. That fucker better never die. And it's one of the original models, that still has the ability to play PS2 games.)

I wonder, at times, if the nature of RPGs discourages Achievement-whoring, since they tend to be big, huge semi-linear games, and aside from save-reloads, it's generally very difficult to get every Achievement on the first play-through.

Additionally, at least for me, RPGs provide repeated moments of immense payoff, whether it be taking down a difficult boss, getting to a great cut-scene, or just getting immersed in the world. Achievements are inherently immersion-breaking, so maybe I pay less attention to them while I'm playing a big, bad-ass RPG. I'm not sure.

Actually, there is one game in which I really pay attention to the Achievements, and I think it's because I've exhausted so much of the content. SWTOR. However, MMORPGs are an entirely different beast, and a bigger topic than I wanna get into right now.

I like Achievements in games. I think they provide a cool meta-game for the social scene that surrounds gaming culture. They can provide instant points of reference for a discussion between two people that both like a particular game, and there is something that's very cool about looking at my own Achievements, and comparing them with someone else's. I can get idea of how they approached the game, and maybe that's something about which we have a great discussion, or I use that data to refine my own approach the next time I play the game. Or, even better, I see they did something nigh impossible in the game, and I wanna hear all about it.

I do think, though, that Achievements in RPGs, perhaps moreso than any other genre, can evolve. Because RPGs tend to be so insanely detailed and stat-based, a developer could really have some fun when setting up the Achievements for the game. There are some rich opportunities for Achievements that are tied to leveling single attributes, crafting, or even wacky choice-based Achievements (or wackier than what's already in play in some of the choice-driven RPGs.)

I also like shame-based Achievements, as well, in which you're granted an Achievement for doing something stupid or being a weak player. I've seen a few of those. I wanna say Dead Space and Fallout 3 both have them.

In any case, I may try to finally 100% a game for the first time this year. We'll see. I'm curious to see how Achievements continue to evolve. I look forward to racking up more this year in the avalanche of RPGs that will start raining down on us next month.

An Idea
Something's been rattling around in my brain for a bit, and since I like to just give away good ideas before I have a chance to implement them myself, it would be interesting if an entity like Raptr started implementing a 'Retro Achievement' system, in which PC games that lack Achievements were set up with a Raptr-based system that analyzed game progress in saves and granted Achievements for titles like KotOR, or The Witcher, or even older games, like Baldur's Gate. That would be something I'd enjoy, and could build quite a community, since there's so much passion for those old RPGs right now.

Just sayin'.

In Conclusion
Achievements are here to stay, whether you like it or not. I've seen interesting arguments both for and against them, and I see the merit in both stances. I like them, and hate to admit, but I've occasionally been more inclined to play one game than another because it has Achievements.

But, Achievements that aren't easily and very visibly displayed to other community members are nearly worthless. If you're gonna go to the trouble of implementing an Achievement system, give the user some control over displaying them. It'd be cool to pick a few really rare Achievements, and have them displayed on my profile, or my forum sig. Make them visible outside of the game, if the user wants that. It provides more community and user engagement, and really maximizes the value of the system.

Side Quests
 - I mentioned the reviews for this game yesterday, but Lightning Returns is looking more and more divisive. I may need to see for myself sooner than I thought.
 - Pillars of Eternity is now set for a 'winter 2014' release. In my mind, at least, I'm now moving this to 2015. And I'm fine with that, if that's what the game needs. I have some high hopes riding on this one.

How do you feel about Achievements? How do you feel about them, as relates to RPGs?

As always, thanks for reading!

-Blaine

This MMO Would Be Great if it Weren't For All the Other Players

WARNING: BEGIN RANT

So, I spent a big chunk of the last weekend in a certain MMO beta, and really enjoyed a lot of it. Much of this established single player series' tropes were in place, which I enjoyed, and while it took a bit to wrap my head around some of the MMO concessions, I eventually started to 'get' the game once I started putting my preconceptions to the side.

However, because of the way I'm wired, no matter how hard I try, if someone's whining in general chat, I can't help but look.

And lemme tell ya, for a beta, I was blown away by the amount of bitching going on. It was as if the average mouthbreather doesn't understand what a beta is, nor do they understand that they're not playing the latest internal build of the game.

Part of the problem, I think, is that I tend to solo anything I can in an MMO. I like having huge worlds and tons of quests, and I love having new content added to this huge world over time, and I only group when a) I know the person or b) I absolutely must.

Yes, that is somewhat antithetical to playing a lot of MMOs, but really, I don't like most of you. Most of you can't communicate in a coherent fashion, AND, and this is my big irritation, just wanna click through and race through an instance as fast as possible.

I'm super-chill in MMOs. I like to take my time, explore, talk to folks, and really, zone out and absorb the world and the story through which I'm playing. Most MMO players are the second-worst human beings on earth, second only to the cesspool known as Xbox Live.

Actually, the average game article commenter is the worst. So, we'll say MMO players are a distant third-worst.

In any case, and yes, I could close gchat, but I like being helpful to new players, and sometimes, there are worthwhile discussions, especially back in pre-F2P SWTOR, but IN ANY CASE, nothing induces eyerolls like seeing a political discussion while you're tromping through the wastes of Korriban, or just trying to chill for a bit in Daggerfall, when someone starts ranting about the proliferation of gays in pro sports or some either equally dim-witted perspective.

Of course, nothing makes me lose hope for the future of humanity like the 'armchair developer.' These motherfuckers, because they know a guy that reads Gamasutra sometimes, know all about what it takes to develop a game, and the asshats that make THIS GAME are LAZY and GREEDY and WON'T LISTEN TO ME and I KNOW WHAT EVERYONE WANTS and FUCK THIS GAME and I'M STILL PLAYING THIS GAME BUT FUCK THIS GAME.

Yeah, criticism is fine, but damn, man, find a way to express yourself in a more constructive manner.

END RANT

So, anyway, I really enjoyed a lot of the beta I was on, and can't wait to test more, as well as play the production version.

I generally am not an MMO player, but have made exceptions for MMOs that make story a big part of the game, like Guild Wars, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and, I assume, Elder Scrolls Online.

When beta testing a game I assume I'm going to play the shit out of, I always try to pick the character build that I'm least-likely to enjoy, since I want to save as much of the 'real' game as possible for when I first start really playing. I try to hold all the awesomeness back for the game I really wanna play.

Again, I did that with this beta, but because of the awesome flexibility of the character leveling, I accidentally put together a character I really like, and I'll probably borrow a lot from this when I finally build my real 'main' when the game comes out.

I did a similar thing back on the SWTOR beta, when I built a super-awesome Sith Sorcerer, a build I never thought I'd want in the real game. I had so much fun with it, that I re-rolled that character last year.

I can't wait for the NDA to lift, because I wanna gush about this game. Until then, just know that your past weekend was far inferior to mine.

Side Quests
 - the South Park: Stick of Truth achievements are as horrifying as I imagined, and then some. This should be a very interesting game. I have it preordered on Steam.
 - PCGamer has a cool preview of Pillars of Eternity up

That's all, folks! Thanks for reading!

-Blaine

2014: The 'MUST HAVE' games

So, here we are. We've culled through the games that are on my radar, but about which I have some concerns, the games that I've found enticing, about which I'm very curious, and am eager to see more before I buy, which brings us to today, in which we discuss the games that I WANT. NOW.

This is a shorter list than what I've previously presented in the past couple days. There are fewer questions here, a greater number of assumptions, and in all, a brief and definitive presentation of the future greatest games of 2014. If I'm wrong, then everything is terrible, and surviving this wretched winter is virtually all for naught.

Here we go. Buckle in.

The Elder Scrolls Online (PC)
This was a game that I initially disregarded, given my checkered and difficult past with the Elder Scrolls series, and Bethesda, in general. However, after having finally found that I was 'doing it wrong,' and coming to appreciate Bethesda's style, learning more about the game, and stuff that I can't discuss yet, I preordered the hell out this motherfucker last night. Imperial Edition, bitches.

This is difficult for me, since I'm trying to explain why I'm excited about this without disclosing details that are under NDA.

Let's do it like this. Everything I've seen in the publicly available videos and marketing materials tells me this is a true Elder Scrolls game. The difference between this and previous core Elder Scrolls games is that you can team up with your friends, and this thing looks huge. Since Daggerfall, we've been restricted to one huge area of Tamriel at a time, whereas this opens up several areas. I cannot wait to just explore and see what's out there.

I also like the setting, both in terms of time and story, as well, and the game just looks really, really nice. According to the publicly available videos and marketing materials.

If they have an open beta before release, I beg you to try it. If you're reading this, my assumption is that you have at least a modicum of sense, and will come around to my way of seeing things.

The last thing that makes me love this in advance is that it's subscription-based, which tells me that the quality of the game is something about which Zenimax cares. I'm done with F2P stuff, and have no interest in going back. I care more about substantial content releases than I do hats.

If they do drop the sub at some point, I'd like to see them adopt a model in which big chunks of content are purchased, a la Secret World, LotRO, or Guild Wars. I'd be good with that. F2P has all but chased me out of STO and SWTOR, and that was really disappointing. Both of those games had endless potential that was curbed sharply by the decision to add an F2P model.

In any case, five days before 4/4 can't some soon enough!

Pillars of Eternity (PC)
This was the first project I ever backed on Kickstarter. When I saw it was Obsidian getting back to their roots, I literally dropped what I was doing and backed it. And then drove my coworkers nuts with tales of Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment while we were out to lunch, as those are the games being invoked in the design choices of this game (moreso the first two, while the further-away Torment: Tides of Numenera leans more on the, you guessed it, Torment design. That games look amazing, as well.)

I'm fascinated to see what the grand old style of PC RPG looks like today, how it plays, and how they've meshed that with today's modern RPG sensibilities.

What caught my attention the most was that it was a chance for Obsidian to operate without the meddling of a publisher, which seems to have hindered them in the past. Both KotOR2 and Alpha Protocol appeared to suffer from 'must meet release' date mentalities from their respective publishers. I'm excited to see these guys put their game where their mouth is, and I have a lot of confidence they can do it.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (PC)
It took a couple years for Geralt and I to come to terms with each other, but once we did, it was a partnership that I came to treasure, above all perhaps all other user-avatar relationships that I have.

The Witcher series speaks to me on a level that makes wonder why other development studios don't approach the concept of 'mature' storytelling the way this does. Everything in the Witcher games is there to serve the story and the experience. Nothing in these games cries out for controversy or attention. Rather, it's all components of a whole and complete storytelling experience. And, lemme tell ya, there's a lot of very 'adult' content, some of it rather gratuitous, but it all informs the tone and style of the storytelling.

Once I finally 'got' the first game, understood it, I was off to the races and plowed through every bit of content I could get my hands on. Once I was done, I dove into the mods, played those, loved them, and then felt a wave of depression come over me as I realized that The Witcher 2 was still a ways off.

Then, one glorious day, The Witcher 2 came out, and my video card howled in pain as I cried out in ecstasy. I consumed The Witcher 2 like a delicious Imo's Pizza, and then ... it was over. I wanted to fall to my knees and cry out, but I have hardwood floors, and I'm a bit heavyset, so that would've really fucking hurt. Instead, I turned my gaze back to my old BioWare games, and played some of that, but nothing could quite fill the void that had been left by completing all available Witcher content.

As each of the books has been slowly translated and released on Nook, they've brought a brief and all too-fleeting salve to my grievous wound, but nothing will compare to that moment when I'm back in Geralt's rough embrace.

That moment cannot come soon enough, but I've been assured that it will come this year. I'm already scoping out video cards.

Dragon Age: Inquisition (PC)
Before I talk about the game about which I'm the most excited for 2014, let's you and me get a few things straight right quick.

01. It has become fashionable to beat on BioWare. Yes, I've heard. I don't give a fuck. Do I think they've made some imperfect decisions in every one of their games? Oh, hell yes. Consider this, though. Is it possible that the quality of their games is so high that when they do make a decision most people don't like, it's all the more highlighted by the fact that everything else about the experience is orgasmically wonderful? All signs point to yes for me.

02. The Mass Effect 3 ending. Yes, it was shit. Up to that point, I was considering that I'd been playing what was arguably the best game I've ever played, and then that turd of an ending happened. The reaction from the community is what is typical when you have a large bag occupied with numerous smaller internet-infesting shitbags, and the whole thing got blown way out of proportion. Was the 'Director's Cut' (or whatever it was called) ending improve things? Yes. Was it made perfect by this patch? No. And that's okay. If BioWare stands by their artistic vision, even if I think the whole thing happened because they ran out of time to address the insane number of variables that could make up that ending, I'm okay with it. No one I care about in real life died, I still have a job, I still have a house, and it's time to move on.

03. It became especially fashionable to declare Dragon Age II as the worst game ever. This was a curious one. I really enjoyed it (on PC. I don't know why one would play this series on a console.) Was it as good as Dragon Age: Origins? Not even close. However, it was still a deeply enjoyable game that contributed a lot to the lore and larger story of the Dragon Age franchise. The majority of the core mechanics were still in place (for PC players), and the ridiculous reuse of assets and environments became a rallying cry for shitbags the world over. Morons. Do I hope for an experience that harkens back to DAO more than DA2? Yes. Do I also want new features? Yes. Do I still replay DA2 from time to time and enjoy the hell out of it? Yes.

All these gripes about your gripes lead me to believe that there's a lot of myopia when it comes to the average internet shitbag and their perspective on 'good' games. If a game lacks something that its excellent predecessor has, it must now, according to the average shitbag, be the worst game ever. What an odd and sad little world you've carved out for yourself.

Being a fan of the Dragon Age games, as well as the novels and comics, the Dragon Age universe is one with which I connect on a very deep level. There's something about the series that captures the same essence of 'I can't wait to see what happens next' that only KotOR has every captured for me.

From the storytelling to the combat, Dragon Age is my favorite game series ever, and everything I've seen about Inquisition has me ready to burst with excitement.

I'm keenly interested in the features that are new to the series, such as the more 'open world' structure, and the establishing of the Keep and what seem to be something like control points on the world map, that open up new areas for the user to explore.

My one potential disappointment is that PC players may not be able to directly import their save files, and may instead have to use the online system to 'create' an imported save. If that's true, that is a huge bummer, but one that I can easily overcome.

In all, DAI might be that game that I sheepishly take a day off work for, the day after it comes out (PC players, of any new release, always need to take the day after off, to get all the launch bugs and DRM worked out before they can play the best available version of the game.)

In closing ...
This is certainly shaping up to the best year ever in RPGs, and even if it was just the four games I talked about today, I would still have concerns about how I'm going to squeeze it all in, while still maintain that work-family-life balance.

And, hey, if I need to let it seep into next year, that's fine. Or not. Next year will have Mass Effect 4, Tides of Numenera, whatever the new Bethesda release is, and more and more and more.

Either way, too many good RPGs is a good problem to have. I look forward to having the best backlog ever.

What about you? What are you must-have games for 2014? Any thoughts on these? Lemme know!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Blaine

Those Other 2014 RPGs and the Time I Don't Have to Play Them

I've been avoiding doing individual posts about the remaining RPGs of 2014 about which I'm excited because, frankly, I hate writing previews, especially when there are so many skilled and paid writers out there already doing exactly that.

Instead, I think I'll just dump them all here, tell ya a bit about why I'm excited for it, and let you take it from there. It's not a matter of sheer laziness. Rather, I already won't have time to play all these games, especially with the backlog I have.

Consider this. I got no time with Morrowind this weekend because I was attending a wedding this weekend in my wife's hometown, and the setup there, from a gamer perspective, is much like camping, but indoors. The internet is something that is referenced in everyday conversation, but in a longing and 'someday' manner. My cell phones search frantically for signal when I attempt to tether either the Alienware or Surface, and on occasion, I can find that one perfect spot in my in-laws' house, as if the Maker himself is beaming down a beautiful one-bar LTE signal, just for me.

This is also assuming that I can resolve some of the power issues I run into up there, but enough of this.

The point is, I've lost a weekend of Morrowind play time, one weekend out of 52 this year, and that is a staggering loss, when considering that I'd like to play the following this year:

• Fable: Anniversary Xbox 360 2/4
• Bravely Default 3DS 2/7
• Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 2/11
• Thief PC 2/25
• South Park: The Stick of Truth PC 3/4
• Elder Scrolls Online PC 4/4
• Pillars of Eternity PC spring/summer 2014?
• Wasteland 2 PC spring/summer 2014?
• Divinity: Original Sin PC late summer 2014?
• Age of Decadence PC fall/winter 2014?
• Dragon Age: Inquisition PC fall/winter 2014?
• The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt PC fall/winter 2014?

That's a lotta big-ass RPGs. Oh, and as I've mentioned before, I'm employed full-time, married, and have children. Yeah.

I've not had a list like this in years. Not even close. If anything, my list of annual game purchases has been diminishing year after year, and then bam, 2014 hits, and I feel like I'm back to being a fresh college grad with a bachelor pad, old Final Fantasy preorder posters, and furniture that's been acquired via dumpster-diving. All I need now is a case of Icehouse and some Doritos, and I'd be 'back in the day.' I don't see my wife or employer going for that any time soon.

So, what's a grown-up RPG fan to do?

Maybe we can break these down into three categories, 'Maybe,' 'Curious,' and 'MUST HAVE.'

I'd like to be able to play new games this year, but intersperse my continued play-through of Elder Scrolls 3-5. I know. I know. One could fill a year with just those three Elder Scrolls games, but I'm an ambitious fellow.

So, this week, I think I'll break them down into each category. Tuesday, we'll talk the 'maybe' games, Wednesday, the 'curious' games, and then, Thursday, we'll talk the 'MUST HAVE' games.

What about you? What am I leaving off that should be on here? What games are in those three groups for you? How would you break these games down into those groups? Leave your comments below!

No matter what I do, it's going to be a great year for RPGs, maybe the best we've ever seen. Lots of variety, and a strong blend of both quality AND quantity.

Thanks for reading.

-Blaine