When L.A. Noire was first released, it was a breath of fresh air. The open-world genre wasn’t as saturated as it is today, so it was still unique to see such a story-heavy open-world game that was less about action and more about dialogue and choices. Despite the studio, Team Bondi, shutting down the year it was released, it seems that Rockstar Games still has some interest in the title and has decided to remaster the six-year-old game. Despite some minor hang ups, L.A. Noire still manages to capture the feeling of the classic 1940s detective films that inspired it.

You are Cole Phelps, a returning WW2 veteran who starts off as a standard cop and quickly moves up the ladder to a detective. There's a lot of corruption and murder happening in LA, and it's up to Cole to put a stop to it. Cole is a good cop; he's always trying to do the best to serve the law, has a strong sense of justice, and works to avoid becoming a crooked cop like some of his fellow LAPD coworkers. However, as the game progresses, Cole slowly learn that not everything is as black and white as he thinks it is. 

The writing in L.A. Noire is easily some of the best seen in any video game. Sure, you might see a character archetype or familiar plot line like something from an episode of Law and Order, but it's all told so well that they come off fresh. It's also an incredibly mature game, as it's not afraid to tackle themes of racism, sex, and morality that haven't been touched on in many games. It also does't back away from showing things such as frontal nudity of its dead victims. The game is bolstered by an impeccable cast of actors who can easily hold their own against any Emmy-nominated big-name players. Adding to the performances is the then-new facial-capture technology that was boasted of in numerous interviews and behind-the-scenes clips. It's still as impressive as it was then, even if some games have by this point surpassed it.

The gameplay of L.A. Noire is a mixture of action and mystery solving, with emphasis on the latter. 75% of your time will be spent looking for clues and interrogating witnesses and suspects, while the remaining 25% is spent partaking in gun fights and chases. The game is much more linear than other open-world games. You'll head to a crime scene, look around for any sort of evidence, and talk with primary sources. While the map is large, there's little to do aside from some random events that occur. The structure feels like something from a point-and-click adventure game, but the big thing that separates L.A. Noire from games of those cloth is its dialogue system.

During conversations, you'll have to see if someone is telling the truth or not. It's here where L.A. Noire is at its best. Thanks to the great facial-capture technology, it can be hard to really see if someone is telling the truth or lying. The better you are at judging them, the more likely the case will expand and become clearer. While you're never punished for guessing someone's motives incorrectly, you won't get to experience certain parts of the game. But even so, the game never feels like it's hiding away its tricks, and each case ends with a sense of accomplishment, which helps encourage you to go back and try it again on repeat playthroughs. 

Controlling Cole still feels a little sticky, and it would have been nice to play with a control scheme similar to that of GTA 5, but it still gets the job done. And while the gunplay isn't as frequent as in some of Rockstar's other games, it's still entertaining. Gun feedback is great, though you'll only get a standard pistol, and the only way to get new weapons is from off the ground, after you've downed an enemy. That being said, if combat is a bit cumbersome for you, there is an option that allows you to skip these sequences if you die enough times. Driving is also mixed bag. L.A. Noire has a more arcade-like feel than something like GTA 4 or 5, but the turning can feel too sluggish, especially in the high-action chase sequences. 

In terms of extras, L.A. Noire comes with the standard content expected from other remasters. You get all the game's DLC, including the various outfits and extra episodes, as well as a visual update. For the PS4 and Xbox One versions, the visuals have seen a substantial update. From improved texture details, new lighting, and support for 4K and HDR, LA Noire's updates are immediately noticeable. Colors have a much more vibrant look to them, and character models and animations have been slightly improved. While it's not the same level of GTA 5's update, it's still a great-looking game.

L.A. Noire is also available on the Nintendo Switch, though it's not as big of an update as compared to Sony's and Microsoft's outings. It's more of a cleaner version of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, running at 1080p docked and 720p in portable mode. While L.A. Noire isn't the type of game to play on the go, with its focus more on story, it's still a nice option to play anywhere you go. The touchscreen controls are also a nice inclusion, as you can twist and turn each of the various clues and objects on the touch screen (this can also be done with the PS4 touch pad), and choosing your dialogue options via the touchscreen is also a nice option.

The motion controls ... are there, but you're better off just sticking with a controller. The Joy Cons or Pro Controller aren't quite as responsive as the PS4 or Xbox One controllers, with the ZL and ZR buttons not functioning as well as the triggers found on the the other two, which can make driving more of a pain on the Switch. Finally, there are far more sections in the Switch version that suffer from frame rate drops than in the other versions. They're incredibly noticeable and seem to happen randomly.

That being said, there are still some minor blushes regardless of which version you decide to get. Despite improvements to textures, you'll still get some blurry images when looking at things close up. You'll also notice short draw distances, with the game world constantly loading buildings as you get closer up on them, especially on the Switch version. And there are some anti-aliasing issues throughout.

The audio is especiallty pleasing, with music that constantly evokes feelings of nostalgia if you've listened to the film noir soundtracks of the 40's and 50's. The score, by composers Andrew and Simon Hales, is top-notch and is some of the more underrated music you'll hear in gaming. Along with this is the inclusion of dozens of licensed songs from the era that helps lend some more authenticity to the world. Bottom line, L.A. Noire may be old, but there's been enough TLC put into the remasters of the game to help make it feel more like a living place than it was on last-gen hardware.

L.A. Noire is still a one-of-a-kind experience that's still worth playing even six years on. While some more additions and changes would have been nice, there's still nothing quite like living out the dream of being a detective in the late 40s. For only $40 on PS4 and Xbox One ($10 extra on Switch), it's a nice deal. Hopefully some day (after Red Dead Redemption 2), we'll get to return to Rockstar's version of 1940's Los Angeles with a sequel for current-gen systems.

After a stellar October for video games, including the much anticipated October 27th video game buffet of Wolfenstein 2, Assassin's Creed: Origins, and instant classic, Super Mario Odyssey, the games industry is in no way ramping down as we head into November.

There's such a variety of awesome games coming up in November and there really is something for everyone. So check out this run through of which games are coming out, to help you make the big decision -- what to spend your hard-earned cash on.

Call of Duty: WWII - November 3

PS4, Xbox One, PC 

Call of Duty's reinvention of itself/return to its gritty, boots on the ground roots is definitely going to help it be the biggest seller this month -- if not the entire year. Peeling back from their more futuristic themes has certainly paid off the franchise, with Infinite Warfare just last year becoming the most disliked video game trailer of all time.

Serving up its tried and true multiplayer focused gameplay, set in the grim World War II setting, and featuring far less parkour elements this time around, fans of the franchise will not be disappointed with Call of Duty: WWII. And with Sledgehammer Games back behind the wheel in this iteration, I think we're in for a treat when it comes to the single-player campaign.

.hack//G.U Last Recode - November 3

PS4, PC

A fully restored and remastered collection of the PlayStation 2 ARPG, .hack//G.U. trilogy, released in celebration of the beloved franchise's 15th anniversary. As well as the original three titles, Rebirth, Reminisce, and Redemption; in Last Recode, CyberConnect2 are including an all new and exclusive fourth chapter, Reconnection, continuing Haseo's adventure from where Redemption left off. 

If you were into these games back when they released, then it's a no-brainer to check out this definitive version. If you're unfamiliar with the series, the premise is essentially that you're controlling a character who is playing an MMO called The World. Think Sword Art Online, but without the part about being trapped in the game by a psychopathic game developer. 

Steven Universe: Save the Light! - November 3

Xbox One

A direct sequel to mobile game Steven Universe: Attack the Light, Save the Light expands upon everything the first game did in almost every way. Save the Light is a beautiful recreation of the popular Cartoon Network show and really nails the tone, which is really the main draw.

Assuming that you're a well versed Steven Universe fan, which Save the Light most certainly does, I'd suggest picking this one up.

Xbox One X Console Launch - November 7

It's not a game, but this is definitely something to look forward to. "The Most Powerful Console Ever Made" is finally hitting store shelves to compete with Sony's PS4 Pro. Boasting "true 4K" gaming, a sleeker design, and a six-teraflop AMD Radeon GPU, the Xbox One X lives up to it's claim, shadowing the PS4 Pro's performance capabilities.

It's a hefty investment at $499, but if having the best performance and visuals is what you care about, then it'll be worth the price of admission.

Nioh - November 7

PC

Good news for PC gamers -- the PS4 console exclusive, NIOH, is making its way to PC. Set during the fictionalized Sengoku period of Japan, you play as William, battling evil yokai (spirits) who are growing in power due to the chaos of civil war. If you're into Dark Souls-likes, don't miss out on this unique take on the genre.

Sonic Forces - November 7

PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch

Sonic Forces has a lot to live up after the fantastic Sonic Mania which released earlier this year. Featuring character customization and three different stage types (modern, classic, and avatar), it's shaping up to be a sort of all-in-one version of Sonic, taking inspiration from past mechanics and adding some new things too. 

Taking a crack at another 3D Sonic game that I guess someone, somewhere is asking for, the pressure is on for Sega to deliver something that none of us are expecting -- a good 3D Sonic game. Sonic Team are trying to do something different with the once hugely popular series, so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

Horizon: Zero Dawn - The Frozen Wilds - November 7

PS4

Guerilla Games' robot dinosaur hunting game is getting its first DLC expansion this month in the form of The Frozen Wilds. This DLC pack adds an estimated 15 hours of extra content, which includes a new area for Aloy to explore in the far north of the map, new mid-game story content, a new tribe, and some new robot beasties to hunt.

Possibly the best new addition, however, and just in time for the holiday season, you can now make snow angels in Photo Mode. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 

Super Lucky’s Tale - November 7

Xbox One, PC

A cutesy 3D platformer exclusive to the Xbox One, Super Lucky's Tale has you guiding the adorable fox, Lucky, through a series of levels to collect four-leaf clovers while solving a variety of puzzles.

The release date, overall premise, and even the inclusion of the word "Super" in its title, suggests that Super Lucky's Tale is meant as Microsoft's answer to Super Mario Odyssey. But I suspect that it's going to take more than a lucky fox to topple Nintendo's moustached mascot.

Mario Party: The Top 100 - November 10

3DS

Drawing from a whopping 21 Mario Party installments, the folks over at Nintendo have painstakingly crammed 100 of the best Mario Party mini-games, into one fun-filled experience in Mario Party: The Top 100.

It's a shame this didn't make it onto the Switch, as it would be the perfect party game to play with a group of friends. I'd wager that we're not far off from getting a fully fledged Mario Party game on the Switch for this very reason.

Doom - November 10

Nintendo Switch

If you thought that the Nintendo Switch was just for little kiddy games, think again. Released in 2016 to critical acclaim, the fast paced, first-person gore-fest is a must play for any fan of the genre.

With a great single-player mode full of awesome level design, cool guns, and a kick-ass soundtrack, Doom is a difficult one to say no to.

Need For Speed: Payback - November 10

PS4, Xbox One, PC

Need for Speed: Payback is the latest entry into the arcade-style street racing game. Heavily story focused this time around, you play as former street racer Tyler Morgan, who after being betrayed and exiled, is looking for some...you guessed it -- payback. Build up a crew, collect cars, and take down "The House", the cartel in control of the city.

Payback sounds like the most RPG-ified Need for Speed yet, with cars belonging to one of 5 classes, having the most amount of customization ever in a NfS game, and finding and collecting abandoned vehicles. If you're bored of real-life simulation racing games then Need for Speed: Payback should be a good one to try out.

Football Manager 2018 - November 10

PC

Live the dream and take a team from League 2 all the way up to become Premiership champs, or push out the manager of Manchester United and use their insane budget to create your dream team. There's so much you can do with this mindbogglingly deep management sim.

Popular as ever, the latest Football Manager debuts a new graphics engine, boasting improved lighting and better stadium and player models than ever. 

The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs - November 10

PC

Nearly three years after The Sims 4 came to PC, it's finally getting a much requested pets DLC. As the title of the DLC suggests, the Cats & Dogs update allows you to create your own cat or dog, choosing between different breeds, fur colors and patterns, and outfits to dress them up in. 

Your new pet will develop it's own personality as you interact with them and you'll even be able to open your own veterinarian business. Another cute addition the bizarre world of The Sims.

Batman: The Telltale Series - Season 1 - November 14

Nintendo Switch

First Minecraft: Story Mode and now Batman: The Telltale Series. It looks like Telltale Games are going all in on their support for the Switch.

Take control of Bruce Wayne, as you deal with juggling his public persona as head of Wayne Enterprises, along with his Caped Crusader alter-ego. Decisions will be thrown at you that will affect both of Batman's identities, and it's up to the player to decide when its best to keep up appearances by playing nice with shady villains as Bruce, or how far Batman should go in service of justice.

L.A. Noire - November 14

Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

The Rockstar developed 40's detective game that faded into obscurity is getting another chance in the spotlight. L.A. Noire was well received back in 2011, with particular praise for it's facial animations gameplay that helped you determine a suspect's true intentions. Using a combination of evidence and your own judgement based on how you perceived a suspects expressions, you attempt to solve a few gritty crimes.

The Switch version will feature motion controls and HD rumble support, whilst the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X versions will run at 4K for enhanced visual experience.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 - November 14

PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch

According to TT Games, the sequel to Lego Marvel Super Heroes promises to be bigger in every way. Featuring new (and more obscure) playable characters, a bigger open-world to play around in, and a longer story, it's clear that TT intend to honor that promise.

The villain this time around is Kang the Conqueror who will be bringing different times and realities together, which rallies Marvel's greatest heroes to save all Lego reality as we know it. 

RiME - November 14

Nintendo Switch

Once upon a time, RiME was set to be published by and exclusive to Sony. Thankfully for us Switch owners, Tequila Works reacquired the rights to their game and it was picked up by Grey Box. Now after it's May console release, this beautifully-styled adventure-puzzle game is coming to Switch.

Regularly drawing flattering comparisons to Wind Waker and Ico, RiME stands out as more than just an homage to these genre giants. With a wonderful story full of little discoveries and emotional beats, RiME is a joy to play through and is recommended to all Switch owners looking for something a bit different.

Rocket League - November 14

Nintendo Switch

Finally! Football Cars: The Video Game is coming to Switch. Rocket League is one of those games that's great for killing 5 minutes, because that's usually how long it takes to open up and get through a match. Combined with the whole concept of the Nintendo Switch, I think Rocket League will retain it's world-wide popularity for a long time to come. 

Also, think of the sweet Nintendo themed cars and accessories that will inevitably come to the game! 

Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - November 17

3DS

Featuring new Ultra Beasts, altered island trials, and some new story elements, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon look like familiar re-releases of the most recent Pokemon adventure. At least that's what we thought before November.

Now it's been revealed that Team Rocket will be making a come back in the form of a new organization called Team Rainbow Rocket, with no other than Giovanni himself at the helm. It also looks like other lead villains from previous games, such as Archie of Team Aqua and Lysandre of Team Flare, have been incorporated into the biggest criminal organization in Pokemon history.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, is that Legendary Pokemon from previous games will be obtainable through Ultra Wormholes, each having their own Ultra form which changes a Pokemon's stats and appearance in some really cool ways. A perfect send off for the main Pokemon series on 3DS.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 - November 17

PS4, Xbox One, PC

After a financially successful but heavily criticized first attempt, DICE's second bout with the Battlefront series looks to have addressed many of the main concerns had by fans. 

Introducing a 6-8 hour long campaign mode, more offline multiplayer modes, and more weapon and class variety, Star Wars Battlefront 2 could well be the droid you're looking for. 

Including heroes, vehicles, and planets spanning the prequel, sequel, and original trilogies fans, won't be short on content for good while. But when the time comes that you've had your fill, DICE will be releasing free DLC expansions including new planets, vehicles, and heroes. It sure is an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - November 17

Nintendo Switch

Nearly six years to the day since its initial release, Skyrim is making its debut on yet another new platform. Featuring motion controls and some exclusive Zelda-inspired gear, Skyrim for Switch is the best and only way to slay dragons on-the-go. 

The Sims 4 - November 17

PS4, Xbox One

After being available on PC for 3 years, Maxis has delivered the ultimate life simulation game to consoles. The vanilla console version features some content that was missing from the PC version at launch such as pools, ghosts, toddlers, and dishwashers. So don't worry, you can still trap your Sims in a pool and have their ghosts torment their remaining family members. Because that's what you do in The Sims, right?

Resident Evil: Revelations Collection - November 28

Nintendo Switch

Including both RE: Revelations 1 and 2 this Nintendo Switch re-release comes with a few extra features -- mostly in the form of tabletop-mode motion controls.

By holding ZL on the left Joy-Con, you aim your gun by moving the right Joy-Con around. You can also quickly reload you weapon by simulating putting a magazine into a gun with the left Joy-Con and use your knife attack by slashing horizontally with the right Joy-Con.

The Revelations Collection also supports local mulitplayer across two Switch consoles.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp - Late November

iOS, Android

The highly anticipated Animal Crossing mobile game isn't what a lot of us expected, but I for one am glad. Nintendo changing things up and subverting expectations is one of the reasons they've managed to successfully re-invent their roster so many times over the years.

Now with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, fans will be able to run a camp site from your phone -- along with all the usual Animal Crossing activities. That includes fishing, finding shells, befriending lovable guests of the site, and of course, paying off debt. I haven't seen any sign of Tom Nook yet, but the slightly suspicious looking Giovanni seems like he may be the slime ball giving players grief this time around. 

It's available in Australia right now, but the rest of us will unfortunately have to wait, though there are ways to play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp early. 

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And that's every game worth mentioning that's coming out in November. Man, it is good to be a gamer right now. Like I said, there's so many awesome games coming out this month that it's going to be tough to choose how to spend my limited free time.

How are you going to spend yours? Let me know in the comments section below!

I realize that 4 of 5 are DC heroes, but hey, they deserve some love too. I hope you enjoyed my trip of heroes that I think deserve the proper video game treatment. Maybe with the success of comic book movies, we'll get some great comic book games.

Let me know in the comments if you agree with my list. If not, who do you think should be included?

Green Lantern

Now this is the one I most want to see done well. Green Lantern, in any iteration, is my favorite DC Comics character. Whether it's Hal Jordan and his endless rivalry with Sinestro, or the latest duo of Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz, there are tons of great characters and stories to pull from. Imagine racing through space defending the galaxy from earth and utilizing the all-powerful Lantern Ring.

Heck, you could pull in all the other Lantern Corps and make a MMO out of it. Let the player choose their preferred color, or allow them to take a quiz to determine what they should play as, since the ring does choose the lantern after all.

Constantine

Now this is a bit of an odd choice, I admit, but Constantine makes for a great character. There are tons of great stories you could have too, like the Trinity of Evil storyline. The gameplay would be similar to games like Heavy Rain, solving puzzles using mystical devices. Plus you have a great cast of sidekicks that need his help.

It's always fun playing a jerk sometimes too.

Teen Titans

I realize that this is more a group than it is a single character, but they deserve some video game love. You could have almost any roster. With that, it could bring back the style of the great PS2-era games X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends 2. Give me some online and couch co-op and let me play as Beast Boy, changing from a shark solving a puzzle to a gorilla smashing some baddies.

You could also have an unlock system where you have to help other members with missions before they become a playable character. Think of all the DLC you could have.

The Flash

Sticking with popular superheroes, The Flash TV series is doing exceptionally well, and this game could play off of that popularity. Sure, it may be a little bit harder to develop this game, but I think it could be great.

You play half the game as crime lab specialist Barry Allen, searching for clues a la L.A. Noire and then, once you have a lead, you race through the city and fight bad guys. You could even have side quests where you help out the fire department and police department throughout Star City. The controls would just need to be slightly tweaked from DC Universe Online and you'd have some great gameplay to boot.

Captain America

With the popularity of Marvel movies and war games, the time is ripe for a proper Captain America game. Just think about it; you're in the thick of WWII as a super soldier. You are working your way through a tactical world trying to find Hydra's home base. You can visit classic scenes from the war with new eyes and completely different gameplay from most war games.

Flip around and throw your shield, throw cars and tanks and use the occasional pistol in a pinch. The mechanics are pretty simple to tweak to make right for the character. That's the only way I want a WWII game to come back, honestly: if you play as Captain America.

Comic books are a great source of visual media. Not only do they have great action scenes and immersive stories, but they often build a vibrant universe all their own.

And what does that mean? It means that many of these universes and stories are perfect for video games. The stories are definitely there to be told, and the mechanics could definitely be worked out, so long as they are made with the passion and skill of an Arkham game (man, doesn't the new Spiderman game look great?)

So, without further ado, here's our list of the top 5 comic books characters that should have their own game.

There are countless anime and manga series which could make for great games. Which ones did I miss? Which of your favorites did I overlook? Sound off in the comments! 

Berserk

The Series: Kentaro Miura’s ultraviolent horror fantasy has been going since 1989 and shows no sign of slowing down. The plot follows the wandering badass Guts who is hunting down demons in an attempt to take revenge on his former commander, who is now a demon lord.

What I really like about the series was how it briefly shows the state of the world with demon overlords and it then proceeds to delve into the backstory and how things turned out to be how they are. This allows a great deal of character development and you quickly begin to care about the characters and truly appreciate them.

The Game: There have been two games based on Berserk already made, but both were in the action/hack-n-slash genre. Both were also based further along in the series, leaving newcomers in the cold. My idea would follow Guts during the present timeline, but would flashback to the past to show how things came to be.

The present could be an open-world in the vein of Shadow of Mordor and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt while the flashbacks would be more akin to real-time strategy titles. In fact, if you could play as different officers of the Band of the Hawk during the flashbacks during some of the big battles, you could play as Casca, Pippin, or your other favorite characters. Also, the series is notorious for its over-the-top violence so it’s a perfect fit for the gaming world!

Death Note

The Series: Brilliant young Light Yagami finds a notebook belonging to a shinigami, a death god. Light discovers whenever a person’s name is written in the book, they die. The notebook can also exert some control over circumstances and people as well. Light begins to kill criminals and those he deems worthless to society.

The killings attract the attention of Interpol and the genius detective, L. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game of the two minds trying to flush out the other and eliminate them. While the series jumped the shark later on and the outlandishness got ridiculous, it is still a fine series worth looking into.

The Game: There have been some games based on the series released in Japan, but none seem to have seen a release outside of Japan. Players could assume the role of Light as he attempts to eliminate those he deems unworthy as well as his foes. However, players would have to be careful as certain kills or methods could help L suss out their identity. The mounting pressure of L’s investigation would keep things tense as well as a kill quota of some sort players have to meet as well. Just ignore the Near and Mello arc, and everything should be fine!

Higurashi When They Cry

The Series: Higurashi When They Cry is actually a series of dojin soft sound novels which was the basis for the subsequent anime series. The series follows five young friends in the small Japanese village of Hinamizawa who find out the sinister secrets of the village. Every year, a person in the village is brutally murdered, usually by someone they know, and another disappears. There are plenty of twists and gruesome scenes which make the Saw films look kid-friendly. Great stuff!

The Game: Rather than play as a visual novel like its predecessors, the game would be a more traditional investigation game. Players would play as one of the main characters in different arcs of the story as they try to uncover the hidden secrets to Hinamizawa. However, your friends are out to get you! Or are they? Maybe your mind is playing tricks on you… What can you trust?

The game could have a paranoia system similar to Eternal Darkness’ insanity system which would have players questioning what in the Wide World of Sports was going on in this creepy village. Add those stomach-churning murder scenes and you have a game the entire family can enjoy! 

Darker than Black

The Series: Ten years ago, a strange phenomenon occurred in Tokyo where the stars disappeared only to be replaced with counterfeit stars. The land of the city was ravaged. In the wake of this event, people with extraordinary abilities known as “Contractors” emerged from the shadows.

The cost of gaining tremendous power came at the loss of humanity as well as a “price” to pay for using their powers, which can range from inflicting harm on themselves to completing trivial tasks. Trying to keep their existence a secret, the world powers use these Contractors to carry out their dirty deeds, often with bloody results.

The Game: Players would create their own Contractor and undergo tasks for whoever they please, including the clandestine Syndicate. Players would decide which missions to undertake as well as how to fulfill them. Since the existence of Contractors is largely unknown, penalties would be incurred for witnesses or making a mess of things. You may even have Contractors sent to kill you. The price for using abilities could also play a role in combat. Stronger powers and abilities could also have more a costly effect or even multiples prices to pay. Excuse me for a minute. I seem to be drooling over my keyboard. 

Hellsing

The Series: The secret Hellsing organization fights supernatural threats in England with the help of Dracula erm… Alucard (because screw creativity, am I right?). The threats start out minor with petty vampires, zombies, and various undead.

Things soon escalate to include a deranged, murderous Catholic priest, werewolves, Nazis, Nazi werewolves (I kid you not), and the Vatican’s secret army. If it sounds stupid it’s because it is, but it knows what it is and revels in the glorious, awesome stupidity of the entire affair. Also, mounds of gratuitous violence for the kiddos!

The Game: Just let the masters of ridiculous at Platinum Games make an over-the-top action that makes Bayonetta look realistic. Players would play as Alucard and kill everything in sight. What more could you ask for with this? This is practically begging to be made!       

Deadman Wonderland

The Series: Ganta Igarashi is found in a classroom full of his dead classmates who have been brutally butchered. He is sentenced to die at the titular Deadman Wonderland prison. While the prison appears to be a demented theme park, it hides dark secrets and vicious fights between individuals with special powers for the privilege of those with massive pocketbooks. Needless to say, there are multiple, layered mysteries for Ganta to uncover to find the secrets to the prison, as well as some other things better left unsaid.

The Game: Since the main attraction of Deadman Wonderland is the brutal cage fights, those could be the basis for the game. However, rather than a lost match simply being a “Game Over,” a loss could take notes from the series. When a combatant loses a match in the series, a slot-like machine with parts of the body is spun to determine what bits the loser loses. It could be an eye, an organ, a leg, etc.

The game could have losses permanently affect future fights. Lost an eye? Your effectiveness goes down until you train to compensate. Lost an arm? You lose access to certain combat maneuvers. Round the fighting out with exploration of the prison a la Escape from Butcher Bay and you have a game just waiting to be made. 

Noragami

The Series: Noragami tells the tale of student Hiyori Iki who unknowingly stumbles upon the world of gods, monsters, and phantoms in present-day Japan. The series mostly follows Hiyori as she interacts with the war god Yato who attempts to gather believers and build a shrine of his own. There’s also fighting to be had too!

The Game: Essentially Every RPG Quest Ever, The Game. Since Yato is usually forgotten as a god, he will do anything for 5 yen. Well, nearly anything. The game could follow Yato and company as he does his countless tasks and combats monsters, but also having discussions with his comrades. So a ton of trivial quests with some action coupled with witty and amusing writing! Bam!

Sword Art Online

The Series: Sword Art Online is one of the worst anime I have seen. Really, and I have watched some questionable stuff! The premise of the series is great and full of potential. A new MMO named Sword Art Online launches and is played by players all over the globe. What makes special is that is a virtual reality game. However, it is soon revealed if a player dies in the game, they die in real life. The only way to stop the game is to beat it.

The series quickly loses sight of anything interesting and instead follows the romance of two insufferable teenagers rather than this fantasy world or anything remotely intriguing.

The Game: Rather than focus on the laughable romance of two kids who can’t even get their driver’s permit, the game could instead focus on the interesting bits such as the world of the MMO itself and interacting with other players. A possibility could be a rougue-lite where players attempt to clear dungeons and such, but a character’s death is permanent. This would one way to handle the death of the character killing the player. Honestly, any game would probably be better than the dreadful anime series. Such wasted potential. 

Kill la Kill

The Series: From some of the team who brought us the fantastic Gurren Lagann comes the tale of Ryuko Matoi in the search to find her father’s killer in a world where clothes grant people powers. You read that correctly; in this world people are granted zany powers by special clothing they wear. Kill la Kill is honestly pure zaniness and madcap antics captured for our delight. Go watch it. You won’t regret it.

The Game: Since most of the series features Ryuko fighting in one-on-one scenarios in the beginning, it could play out as a traditional fighting game and the early fights teaching some advanced mechanics. When the series goes completely bonkers, things would evolve into a spectacle action game akin to Bayonetta. So long as you have the option to play as Nudist Beach, I am all for it!

Psycho Pass

The Series: Psycho Pass takes place in a futuristic Japan where a computer system named The Sibyl System watches the populace’s mental health with a Psycho Pass test in order to prevent crime and flag troublesome citizens. The Sibyl System also decides on career paths for people and more.

The series follows Akane Tsunemori, a new investigator for the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division (try saying that three times fast), as she learns about the world, her coworkers, and questions the use of The Sibyl System. What follows is a noir-ish tale set in a dystopian future with great characters, solid writing, and philosophical questions, and people explode similar to Akira. It's Minority Report meets George Orwell. What’s not to love?

The Game: Since the series follows a detective attempting totrack killers and ne’er-do-wells, the game could be like a futuristic, stylistic version of L.A. Noire. Players would attempt to track criminals via clues, interrogate witnesses, and pursue villains.

However, players would also have to tend to their mental health status and ensure their Psycho Pass tests are clean and show no signs of criminal deviation, which can occur when becoming too immersed in a case. Throw in philosophical debates with various people and the relationships between Enforcers and Inspectors, and you could have a real winner here!

While there have been plenty of games over the years based on manga and anime, most have been based on the heavy hitters: the series most people have heard of even if they do not read manga or watch anime. With this wishlist, I wanted to look at some other series which could translate to the realm of gaming.

While these series listed are by no means obscure, most are not the household names such as Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, or Cowboy Bebop. As always, there are some exceptions. With that being said, let us begin!  

Another week of long works is calming down, and it's time to unwind again. This new year has been extremely light on fresh releases, but there are still reasons to play games. We all hold out on buying certain games, and we all have our own reasons for finally giving in and making the purchase. Typically, my reason is often I didn't want to spend the money to buy a game at full-price, so sales are often the culprit behind new purchases of older games.

Thus, this edition of weekend round-up will feature great games that are on sale right now. 

Terraria - $10 (XBLA X1)

Terraria a 2D Minecraft. This game is as amazing, in my opinion, as Minecraft. You are able to do just about the same things, but with better enemies. For those that want a small change from Minecraft, but still want the fun of digging and scrounging, look no further.

Saints Row 4 - $4.99 (Steam)

All of the Saints Row games are on sale right now. With Saints Row 4 being the most recent installment players, will be more apt to take Steam up on the sale. Saints Row 4 offers more of the off-the-wall and strange acts that the series is known for, and would be a great buy at this price.

L.A Noire - $12 (PS3)

L.A Noire was actually the first Rockstar game I played all the way through. This game was amazing all the way around. There is no reason players should pass this sale up. 

These games are fairly old, but all are on sale this week and at good prices. If you haven't had a chance to play these games yet, you should definitely check these out. What will you be playing this weekend? Comment below.

I started watching Brad Colburn, aka The Rad Brad, on YouTube last year. I wanted to watch Silent Hill games without the thrill of actually having to play them. So I went on YouTube, looked up Silent Hill, found a couple of videos and watched them. Little did I know that I would continue watching The Rad Brad's channel, which has gotten over one million subscribers to date. Considering that when I joined his channel the number was between 400,000-600,000 subscribers, that's quite an accomplishment.

A little while before that, I had played and beaten L.A. Noire on the XBox 360. Countless times I had picked the wrong answer, saying that this person was telling the truth and that person was telling lies, when it was actually vice versa. I had cost the city of Los Angeles thousands of dollars in damage in Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto series because I liked to jam the acceleration button and brake and turn at the last minute. Obviously I wasn't much of a mystery solver. But just yesterday, I visited Brad's channel after a long hiatus and discovered that he's doing a series on L.A. Noire.

Watching him drive those old '40s cars and trying to brake and turn reminds me of how I played and how I'm not alone in my lack of driving skills in this game. The cars, the characters' style of dress, the fluidity of their facial expressions... This game was a masterpiece in my eyes. Gaining the opportunity to learn about Los Angeles and its landmarks was exciting! It was like stepping into a classic movie.

In L.A. Noire, for those who aren't familiar, you play a cop who solves case files, crimes, etc. You can make a good deal of choices, which is nice if you enjoy that sort of freedom in an open-world game. You cruise the streets of Los Angeles in the 1940s, trying to chase down bad guys, avoid getting shot, and see through the suspects/witnesses who are trying to hide something. According to IGN.com, it came out in May of 2011 - just a two-year-old game! If you haven't played it, give it a shot.

If you're not familiar with The Rad Brad, let me tell you a bit about him. His commentary is always an unpredictable joy. Always relevant, he says just what's on his mind no matter what's going on. He's done a wide range of video games, from survival horrors to indie games, for the past three years. He's a talented guy who loves video games - just like us guys and gals here at GameSkinny!

If you would like to see the L.A. Noire series, which is now in progress on The Rad Brad channel, visit him on YouTube.

I'm not making any moral judgement, but all western RPGs should have a gay or lesbian story option or no romance options at all. The rhetoric represented by the recent Fox New article about the Star Wars: The Old Republic is not indicative of today's culture or is it the way to make money in a modern western RPG.

To be clear, I do not believe that every single video game should have a homosexual representative, nor do I believe that every roleplaying game should have a homosexual scene. I am not here to push a homosexual agenda nor a heterosexual agenda for that matter. I am pushing my agenda as a gamer and someone who likes to see games succeed.

To understand where I'm coming from we have to understand specifically which games I'm referring to. 

Hopefully, everyone here understands what a roleplaying game is when referring to video games. If not, then let me Google that for you. However, determining what constitutes a western RPG might be a little fuzzy.

Without giving a huge history lesson into the origin of the RPG, let me just say that the western world took the tabletop RPG model and made it a personal experience. In contrast, a JRPG (meaning Japanese roleplay game) is traditionally about about a specific character on his or her specific quest. Whereas, a western RPG generally focuses on encapsulating the player's personality in the character on the screen.

For example, the Legend of Zelda series of games, a JRPG, tells the story of Link in the land of Hyrule and his struggle against the tyrant Gannon. In contrast, the Ultima series, a western RPG, is about the player. The opener to the series even asks the player a series of questions to determine the starting location, and the other subsequent choices in the game are based on the player's choices.

Controversy sets in when games start introducing the idea of love and romance in the RPG. I'm not saying that JRPGs are above controversy. Remember the how androgynous Sephiroth was considered when he first appeared in Final Fantasy VII? However, nothing sparked more controversy than Mass Effect -- a mature rated game, mind you -- when it introduced the idea of characters actually sleeping with each other, specifically your character sleeping with a non-player character. Yet sex in movies and other entertainment had been depicted more graphically for decades. A good chunk of the issue stemmed from the idea that Shepard was a representation of the player in the game. Shepard's choices were the player's choices. There was a strong connection, which leads to my statement: Western RPGs should have homosexual options or not have romantic options at all.

If a western RPG, a game where the avatar mirrors the player, were to have romantic options yet not include (in a board sense) romantic options for everyone, then it is effectively cutting off a good chunk of its audience. According to the Williams Institute, there are approximate 25 million (11%) Americans who admit to same-sex attraction. From a business perspective, that's too many people to ignore. Anecdotally, I believe the number is a lot higher among gamers. And if you have a game that does not include them, it excludes them. It would be similar to not having a Hispanic character or women characters. With 38% of gamers being women, can you imagine the uproar if say Skyrim released without an option to make a female character?

Roleplaying games can be impactful, relevant, and exciting without romantic options at all. In fact, a good chunk of RPGs work that way. We can go back to the Ultima series for examples of western RPGs without romantic options. Or if designers want to have romance in their stories they can take the JRPG route like Heavy Rain and L.A. Noire.

If we look back to Star Wars: The Old Republic, its design mistake was veering from the path that BioWare had already set in its previous games. Even the precursor Knights of the Old Republic had a lesbian romantic option. And now because the game is releasing gay romantic options in a post-launch DLC, it appears to be an after thought. It also get more negative attention from conservative groups. I can't see that being positive for business.

I know people can cite many moral reasons to be for or against same-gender romance in games. But the bottom line is that this is the entertainment industry. If we want a game to appeal to the largest number of people, we have to consider ideas that will appeal to everyone.

I'll step off my soapbox now, but I want to know what you think. Let me know in the comments below or send me a message via Twitter.