The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Welcome to the next generation of gaming

Though college has taken much of the gamer out of me, it?s hard for anyone with a soft spot for videogames to ignore the release of the next generation of consoles. All the debate, the hope, the excitement… it?s hard to really compare it to anything else in popular media. Fans of either console take pot shots at one another for their rival console?s apparent short-comings as people wait in line for days in advance to buy an absurdly expensive piece of plastic; it?s like one big mass hysteria that comes around every five years or so.It?s easy to get lost in all this craziness and forget what you should really be excited for: the games. Here are five that deserve all their hype.1.Destiny (PS4, Xbox One; TBA 2014)Of all the games on this list, Destiny is the one that immediately sticks out as definitive of what the ?next-gen? experience can be. Created by Bungie, the geniuses behind one of the most subtly revolutionary game series from the last two generations, Halo, Destiny didn?t even have to look particularly amazing to garner massive hype. The thing is, it really does.With Destiny, Bungie is taking the two biggest trends in gaming, open worlds and first person shooters imbued with role playing elements and combining them into one innovative system that appears to be the next logical step in gaming. The result is a fluid and persistent online world that moves beyond divided ?single player? and ?multiplayer? components and combines the best elements of both to create a unique and revolutionary experience that Bungie is calling a ?shared-world shooter.?Add on a deep and extensive sci-fi mythos that seems destined (no pun intended) to spawn a cross-media universe much like Halo did, and Destiny seems to me to be the singular game that might make those ridiculous price tags worth it. 2.The Division (PS4, Xbox One; TBA 2014)The Division is a new series from the Tom Clancy brand of games that surprised me with its ambitious goals and well-polished look. Much like Destiny, The Division is hoping to take advantage of the improved hardware capabilities of the new systems by introducing an open world with seamless multiplayer elements.For The Division, this world looks like a beautifully-realized, post-apocalyptic New York. Emphasizing tactical and cooperative third person shooter gameplay and highly customizable characters and gear, The Division seems primed to tackle the market of gamers looking for a more ?realistic? alternative to Destiny.3.Metal Gear Solid V (PS4, Xbox One; TBA 2014)Metal Gear Solid is one of the most beloved game series of all time, and as such, many fans are ravenously awaiting the next installment of the series: Metal Gear Solid V. Oddly, Metal Gear Solid V is being split into two games: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain, each of which will represent half of the story and will be released as stand-alone games. Both, however, will feature true open world gameplay for the first time in the series, which must be a challenge for the traditionally plot-driven Metal Gear Solid. If done successfully, this installment is shaping up to be the most engrossing Metal Gear Solid yet.4.Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4, Xbox One; TBA 2014)The Dragon Age series is the spiritual successor to Bioware?s other acclaimed fantasy role playing series, Baldur?s Gate, and features much of the same marks that defined that classic: tactical gameplay, an emphasis on player choice and an actually good storyline.Bioware seems to be focused on expanding upon and sharpening these core concepts in Dragon Age: Inquisition instead of introducing any crazy gimmicks, which to me is a sign that this will be a confident and well-executed game. A gorgeous and massive open world appears to be the only big change, which always seemed to be missing from the series anyway.5.Titanfall (Xbox One; March 11, 2014)Created by a development team staffed by former Call of Duty developers gone rogue, Titanfall is shaping up to be the next big thing in gaming. The big draw of Titanfall is a multiplayer-exclusive experience driven by a fluid combination of your classic first person shooter style gameplay (plus jetpacks) and mech combat.It?s a simple idea that will be buoyed by dynamic maps and plot driven game-types. The fact that the developers are focusing solely on multiplayer is a promising sign of an extremely tight and well-balanced game that will keep you coming back for more.

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Welcome to the next generation of gaming