I want to take a break from my "top 10" blogs to discuss Rockstar games for a moment. Rockstar Games holds a lot of nostalgia for me. Their first big hit, GTA III, was the reason I bought a ps2 and I bought every GTA game since. Back then GTA was their ticket into fame, infamy, and fortune. But when this genration hit, Rockstar proved they were not a one trick pony.
Red Dead Redemption proved to me that Rockstar was past the childish elements of GTA. It had elements to it that screamed "Rockstar!" but without all the hookers and the innumerable innuendos of the GTA series. That is not to say I dislike those things, they are fun every once in a while but as I grew older I wanted something more than cheap laughs. Read Dead Redemption had more of a deeper story that said a lot about the earlier old west days; about how history back then is not so different from modern times. Red Dead Redemption was like a window into the past and since we don't have time machines, that is a good as it gets.
Im hoping Rockstar will continue this in their upcoming game, LA Noir. La Noir seems a lot like Red Dead Redemption, only set in the 1940s with a classic detective theme. From what I have seen in the trailers. this is a pretty classy game in many ways. The facial capture technology is not only very good but the story seems mature, gritty and engaging. Rockstar games is once again trying to show us a window into a different time. If Rockstar keeps uo this pace, GTA may have to share the fame with a few of its younger brothers.
Im impressed with how much Rockstar games has changed over the years. When you think they can't get any better, they push the boundaries even more by trying new approaches. Developers who try to copy them are always a step behind because no one knows what Rockstar will do next. They are not followers; they are one of the leaders of the industry. I am very excited for LA Noir, but I also want to hear a little bit about Agent pretty soon too. Maybe that will be the cream of the crop. Until then, kudos to you Rockstar, Keep on developing.
Travis Bruno of Capsule Computers writes:
"When it comes to any game from Goichi Suda, better known as Suda51, it is best to expect the unexpected. While his repertoire may feature some straightforward titles or those that are part of a series, anything that he has had a hand in developing originally, especially with his team at Grasshopper Manufacture, have been rollercoasters of quality. That is far from a bad thing though as even some of his strangest titles have had their unique charm to them to draw fans in regardless of their flaws. So when it was revealed that Suda51 was bringing out a brand new IP, expectations were quite high. Now with the brand new Romeo is a Dead Man arriving worldwide, does it continue to carry on that uniqueness that Suda51 provides? "
"Blusagi Team are today very excited to announce that their psychological horror game, ‘Locked in my Darkness 2: The Room’, is now available via Steam." - Blusagi Team.
"Global Publisher 505 Games and developer MercurySteam are excited to announce the Steam version of the dark-fantasy adventure Blades of Fire which will launch globally on May 14th." - 505 Games and MercurySteam.
Rockstar aren't making L.A. Noire though! Agent is the focus! However last gen R* had loads of non GTA games, more than this gen.
Rockstars last good game was GTA3 sad to say.
Great entry, thanks!
I don't know if it was just me, but I thought the facial animations were disturbing in that LA Noire trailer
ever since they made GTA4, I've vowed to myself to never by one of their games again unless they actualy throw in the element of fun in their games. there games have been lacking gameplay and replay value.
They are the kind of games that you finish once and never play again, which is what I look at in every single game I get. and R* has been failing that.