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Top 20 most anticipated games of 2011

By Angela Espinoza

ome of you may remember that
S in last week’s issue, I’d begun

a top 30 list for 2011 games.
As we move further down, I can
honestly tell you this list is becoming
increasingly difficult to compile.
To those wondering, most of the
games omitted here are mainly due
to extremely shaky release dates (i.e.
Max Payne 3), in turn making this list
easier to piece together. So, without
further adieu, I give you our Top 20
most anticipated games of 2011.

20. Brink (Windows, Xbox 360, PS3)

Often described as the Mirror’s
Edge of first-person shooters, Brink
aims to bring flair to the FPS genre by
introducing parkour (“free running”’)-
based techniques.

19. inFamous 2 (PS3)

Once again we follow Cole
MacGrath as he embarks on a mission
to improve his electrical powers. This
time we’re in New Marais, and to go
with our new setting, we’re getting a
crisper-looking Cole and new game-

play techniques involving the Move.
18. Killzone 3 (PS3)

Taking place directly after
Killzone 2, we enter Killzone 3 with a
consistently lighter tone. Then again,
what else would you expect from the
inclusion of jet packs?

17. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward
Sword (Wii)

Serving as a prequel to Ocarina
of Time, we venture with Link as
he uncovers the magical properties
behind the titular Skyward Sword.

In other words, the Wii continues
giving us more bang for our buck by
heavily implementing the MotionPlus
peripheral when sword fighting.

16. Diablo 3 (Windows, Mac Os X)

After nearly eleven years of
waiting, Blizzard is finally releasing
the third instalment of the ever-
awesome Diablo series, and that’s all
we need to know.

15. RAGE (Windows, Mac Os X,
Xbox 360, PS3)

From the folks that brought us
titles such as Doom and Wolfenstein
comes RAGE. RAGE intends to blend
elements such as racing, role-playing,

and FPS into a post-apocalyptic
setting.

14. Metal Gear Solid: Rising
(Windows, Xbox 360, PS3)

Like MGS2, Raiden will be
featured as the protagonist throughout
Rising. If the trailer alone doesn’t
confirm Raiden’s place among fellow
bad-asses, than you must have a death
wish.

13. Twisted Metal (PS3)

The longest-running PlayStation
franchise returns with a supposedly
fresh start. It maintains a heavy focus
on multiplayer modes, allowing you
to play with up to sixteen players at
a time.

12. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
(PS3)

In this third instalment to the
series, we see Nathan Drake and
Victor Sullivan journeying this time
to the Rub’al Khali desert in search of
the legendary Iram of the Pillars.

11. Resistance 3 (PS3)

Taking place four years after
Resistance 2, we follow one Joseph
Capelli as he’s given an opportunity
to bring down the Chimeran

force. Multiplayer modes have
been revamped and, of course,
new weapons shall be introduced
throughout the game.
Honourable Mention:
LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3) (Released
January 18)

Like its predecessor, LBP2 is
reason alone to own a PS3. The
story’s been expanded, the controls
are smoother and best of all, your
abilities to create in this world have
been vastly improved. To be frank,
players can do virtually anything
from creating cut-scenes to designing
games specifically catered to their
liking (i.e. role-playing).

Don’t forget, we'll be counting
down to the Top 10 in next week’s
issue of The Other Press!

 

 

Download no more

Chronicles of a Netflix convert
By Cody Klyne, Arts Editor

s someone on a tight selective
An it should come as

no surprise that in my past,
my methods of acquiring movies and
television online could be described
as “suspect” at best. With sticky
e-fingers, I'd be the first to get my
hands on a hot off the press DVD
release or pilfer the newest episode of
my favourite weekly without a second
thought. Downloading was a shortcut
into being a part of the conversation
without committing my time, or
money, in a tangible or meaningful
way.

Being broke isn’t an excuse—for
the price that I willingly pay fora
pitcher of beer on a regular basis I ©
could be downloading my fill legally
and guilt-free—so, with the start
of the New Year, I’m dropping old,
shady habits in favour of adopting a
more on-the-level platform: Netflix.
This is more than a confession of my
past wrong doings; it’s a proclamation
of a convert.

6

Here’s what my experience with
Netflix over the holidays has revealed
to me about my own viewing habits,
why I’ve had a change of heart, and
why I’d encourage curious readers to
give it a try for themselves:

Streaming content online makes
for a quick and convenient way of
checking out programming that you
might otherwise not have bothered to
try. While Netflix Canada is still in its
infancy compared to its more fully-
featured American counterpart, the
catalogue of quirky documentaries,
foreign films, and long since
cancelled series currently available
still makes for hours and hours of
screen time. Note: It turns out I had a
latent affinity for British comedies.

Currently offering one free month
of service for first time subscribers,
even at the regular cost of $7.99 a
month, Netflix is a bargain at twice
the price

Rid yourself of the guilt of
downloading without cluttering up
your shelves with cases, box sets, and
needless hardcopies. Go green (this

is my attempt at appealing to your
already battered sense of eco-guilt)
and go digital!

Navigating and streaming Netflix to
your PC is as easy as typing in the
name of the movie or show you want
to watch and clicking play. Better
yet, if you’ve got any number of the
devices that offer a Netflix frontend,
watching Mad Men on the go, or

in HD through your Xbox 360, has
never been easier

     

Disclaimer: This is my personal,
uncompromised opinion of the service
provided by Netflix. Netflix, Inc.
has in no way made any attempts at
making direct contact with myself,
The Other Press; nor have they
lined my pockets with money, rubies,
or rupees (though it’d be swell if
they would.) I just really, really like
Netflix.