I was a child of the 1980s. As a kid I spent many an hour at school wishing the summer would hurry up and arrive. I couldn’t wait to be out of school. Growing up in North Texas my summer options were limited. My memories don’t include sandcastles, sunscreen, water waves, or even The Beach Boys singing “Surfin’ U.S.A.” I couldn’t spend my summers with friends. They had abandoned me for camps and vacations. Therefore, I spent a lot of time with my Nintendo Entertainment System, huddled in front of a TV playing tons of rented video games. That’s how I’d spend my summers. Currently I am a full-time college student at the age of 32. The summer is here and I’ve been playing a lot of video games. Summer is the time of year where things are rather quiet in the gaming industry. There isn’t a whole lot that happens in between June and August. I remember the games I played as a kid during this time period. Mega Man 3, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game were both wonderful games, but what about now? What are the best games of this console generation to play during the summertime? Here is my top five list.
Bulletstorm
Eating a hot dog is a major part of any summer experience; so is lassoing a hot dog cart and throwing it at your enemies across the screen. While a great number of people purchased Bulletstorm only for the Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta, I purchased and played the game because I knew it was going to be fun. Fun is the only word I can use to describe this first person shooter. Bulletstorm has everything you could ever want in an explosive rip-roaring video game. There are aliens, crazy weapons, expansive maps, and a story line straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster. The game operates on a point system. You’re rewarded for almost everything you do. You can achieve a higher score by doing away with your enemies in the most creative way possible. My original sentiment was that this game is like a first person pinball game. The only thing I didn’t care for was the extremely foul language and the juvenile humor. If you can look past that, then this game is the adrenaline charged, skill challenging, roller coaster ride that will help get you through the summer. Just don’t forget your sunglasses and Cherry Slurpee.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
What’s summer without a military shooter? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was the sequel to the much acclaimed Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which reset and pumped life back into a franchise that was growing stagnant. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has a very cinematic feel to it. Sometimes it’s almost like you’re watching a movie, not playing a video game. There were plenty of memorable levels, including one at a fast food restaurant in a strip mall, an airport, the White House, and my personal favorite, the Russian gulag. The game isn’t very long, but if you pace yourself you can make it last a while. It’s the perfect way to put off mowing the lawn.
Sleeping Dogs
Originally announced in 2009 as the next installment in the True Crime series, Sleeping Dogs was finally released in 2012. The game was initially cancelled by Activision, then picked up by Square Enix, where it was given a new life and a new name. Sleeping Dogs is an open world game set in Hong Kong. Its protagonist is an undercover police officer who goes undercover with the triads. The game is bright, beautiful, and highly interactive. You can easily get lost immersing yourself in the open world aspect of this game. It’s perfect for those long summer nights where you just want to relax at home. I often play this game and just drive around or take a walk. The combat system leaves a little to be desired, but Sleeping Dogs’ RPG elements easily make up for it. Eddie Cochran once said “There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.” Well, he obviously never played Sleeping Dogs.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
As a kid, comic books were also a huge part of my summer. Walking to the corner store and buying comic books, along with those mini chocolate footballs, made my day back then. In a weird way I get to relive those days with Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. The game was developed by Beenox and published by Activision in 2010. It features four different versions of Spider-Man: Amazing, Ultimate, Spider-Man 2099, and Spider-Man Noir. Every version has its own unique set of skills and gameplay elements. And they are all equally fun. Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Man 2099 are the most fun because one plays like a stealth game, and the other you can fly/glide around a bright cyberpunk-like world. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions plays like a throwback. It’s one of the few games of this console generation that actually reminds me of something I played on the Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo. It has that classic feel to it. It’s the most fun you can have during the summer without getting water in your ears.
Vanquish
Forget story for a minute. Shut your brain off. Just think, Augmented Reaction Suit, guns galore, sliding across the screen, and one of the most fun “bullet hell” games of all time. Put all of that together and you get 2010’s Vanquish, one of the few Sega games of this console generation that were worth playing. You are Sam Gideon. You work for DARPA. You have this totally awesome suit that lets you do all sorts of amazing things. Your mission is to save the United States of America from some evil something or other. If you’re looking for a game where you have nearly unlimited power and you can blow stuff up, then Vanquish is the game for you. It’s the ultimate summer madness spectacular! Just try not to get any sand in your suit. Ouch.
That was my list of top 5 games of this console generation to play during the summer. Go out and either rent or buy those games and I guarantee you’ll have something constructive to do during this summer. Granted, none of those games are Golden Axe, Altered Beast or Michael Jackson: Moonwalker, but they will suffice. Go forth and enjoy, my friends!
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