Happy New Year!
2015 was cool, but that’s in the past now and we have a new year to look forward to. This is going to be a monumental year for me, as Steff and I are set to get married(!). However, for the purposes of this post, let’s keep the focus on video games, board games and comic books. What are my thoughts on the year ahead?
Video Games
One game on the 2016 release calendar towers above the rest for me. That game is Street Fighter V. Its predecessor has kept me captivated since its 2009 console release, and based on how the new game is shaping up, the new one should keep me busy for years to come.
I’d be fine if that was the only game on my radar, but there are a few other big sequels scheduled for this year that I’m really excited for. On the Nintendo 3DS, Fire Emblem: Fates is almost guaranteed to keep me busy for dozens of hours. Gears of War: Judgment might have been a bust, but I’m excited for the true successor in the series, Gears of War 4. Nathan Drake is donning the half-tuck one more time in Uncharted 4. Mass Effect: Andromeda represents a fresh start for one of my favourite franchises. Last but not least is the next Legend of Zelda game on the Wii U. Beyond that, I hope 2016 finally ushers in a new era of creative games that justify the jump to the current generation of consoles. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a great start, but I want to see more games push the boundaries.
Board Games
Board games hard to project for. Release dates are hard to come by and are often missed due to the manufacturing and shipping process. People do try to compile all of that info in one place, though most of them are far from comprehensive.
Last year, I slowed down considerably on board gaming purchases. Knowing what I know now about the medium, I wanted to stick to games that were more sure-fire hits rather than swinging wildly on a game just because the internet says it’s good. Hoping to continue following that approach while getting more plays out of the games already in our collection.
Comic Books
Of the three, I’m least excited about comics. My curiousity about all of the things I’ve missed has been quenched. As for the new stuff, DC and Marvel kind of irked me in a big way with the latest company-wide reboots. While it was the shift to New 52 and Marvel Now that brought me in, it sucks to see how little any of it meant to the greater lore when so much of it just got arbitrarily reset yet again. Throughout the year, I’ll probably grab a few trade paperbacks here and there, but I don’t feel all that interested in keeping up with the latest and greatest.
In Third Person 