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Celebrity (Video Game) Death Match…

I'm guessing many of you noticed Kyle Hilliard's news post from earlier today (and if you haven't, you should) providing a tidy list of confirmed video games for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. With 32 multiplatform titles, 25 exclusives for the PS4 and 17 exclusives for the Xbox One, we're all in for quite a treat regardless of which system you decide to get. If you're planning on getting both, good luck trying to decide which game to play at any given time.

I've already gone on record saying I'm planning on getting the Xbox One, and if all goes well, I'll be getting it the day it releases. If that's at midnight, super. If it's standing in line for 4 or 6 hours before the store opens, well I'll do that too. Major console releases are often defining moments in the video game industry and I want to remember where I was and what I was doing. Anyway, as I digested all the wonderful games on Kyle's list and started updating my own "games to track" list, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between a few of the titles I'm most interested in. And the longer I considered this the more my thoughts sort of morphed into a battle, much like the old claymation Celebrity Death Match videos airing on MTV. The series featured some notable lineups including Jim Carrey vs. Mariah Carey and Oprah vs. Jerry Springer, just to name a few.

So what I've decided to do (without all the humor, gore and dismemberment...unfortunately) is pair up similarly themed games I'm excited for and pick a winner. In reality, I may (eventually) buy both games (or neither) but these are the death match battles I'm currently considering.

Need for Speed: Rivals versus Forza Motorsport 5

Thoughts: Hmm, two racing games...both full of beautiful fast cars. On one hand, I have played nearly every Need For Speed that has ever been released since the first one came out in the mid-1990s. I can still remember the first time I drove one of my favorite fast cars, the Dodge Viper. Because of that, NFS starts with a few car length head start. But wow does Forza look amazing. If you didn't know (I didn't) - Forza means force and strength in Italian.

Results: In a photo finish almost too close to call, Forza gets the checker flag this round.

Project Spark versus Minecraft: Xbox One Edition

Thoughts: The games are somewhat similar in nature and revolve around building custom worlds. Minecraft has a huge following of which I am a part of. I've contributed who knows how many hours to the billion that have been devoted to playing the game. I've blogged about it and called it a game changer - one of those games that comes along every once in a while and kind of revolutionizes gaming as we know it. But Project Spark appears to be the byproduct of Minecraft and is simply stunning. It won't appeal to all gamers, but neither does Minecraft. If it can achieve everything it is advertising, I'm very excited for it. The deciding factor might be the simplicity associated with game play in Minecraft. Don't get me wrong, Minecraft is a complex game in terms of mechanics, but the controls and play are simple. Project Spark seems easy enough, but we won't know until it's here.

Results: I love Minecraft as much as anybody. I've spent the time and have suffered heavy losses from the creeper like many of you have, but the trailer simply advertises a bigger world and more players...and to be honest, Minecraft was already fairly big (especially if you play it on the PC)...at this point I'm looking for more features and Project Spark seems to be offering that. It's a unanimous decision, Project Spark wins.

The Division versus Watch Dogs

Thoughts: Watch Dogs certainly sounds interesting and relies on the very relevant topic of information warfare. It incorporates stealth and gadgets into the game play, which sounds sort of like a Tom Clancy novel. Speaking of Tom Clancy, the Division is actually short for Tom Clancy's The Division. Like Watch Dogs, it's also based on real world (or at least believable) events. Neither game has released a whole lot of information, but from what I've seen I'm intrigued by both.

Results: You had me at Tom Clancy. I'm huge Clancy fan and have been following all of the Tom Clancy games since the Red Storm Entertainment days. As cool as Watch Dogs sounds (and I hope it is), this was an unfair fight from the start. If Tom Clancy is in the title, whether the game succeeds or fails, chances are it will be my pick.

Ooh...the matches are getting a little tougher to pick.

Battlefield 4 versus Call of Duty: Ghosts

Thoughts: This is one of those fights where you like both sides and feel like whoever wins then you win. I like both series and will undoubtedly get both games. I am a huge fan of military shooters and even though both of these stray from the level of realism I prefer, I still enjoy them immensely. Don't blink or you might miss the knockout punch either could throw. I'm excited by the prospects of what Ghosts has to offer (and because it reminds me of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon - see previous comment) but having seen the Commander mode return in Battlefield 4, one of my favorite features in BF2, if this were really a boxing match I fear it would end in a draw.

Results: Split decision with Battlefield 4 getting the nod. I like Commander Mode that much I guess.

Destiny versus Titanfall

Thoughts: Since I am interested in both of these games and what they are claiming I have sort of minimized how much exposure I'll allow myself to view. I don't want to pollute my "initial reaction" when I finally sit down to play them. It's my understanding Destiny is a huge open world game, sort of an MMOFPS...and Titanfall is somewhat similar, but has big mechs engaging in brutal combat. They're both being developed by reputable names in the industry with proven track records. Hmmm....

Results: Destiny sounds amazing; Titanfall sounds amazing. I think this is one of those fights where I don't pick a winner, until after a winner is announced, and then I claim that was my pick all along. I like them both and want both to win.

Star Wars: Battlefront versus Halo

Thoughts: My favorite video game of all time against a video game related to my favorite movie of all time? This is torture; it's like asking a parent which child is their favorite. Halo is an iconic series, one of Microsoft's crown jewels...and 343 Industries did such a phenomenal job with the last one...but we've been waiting for a new (and hopefully decent) Star Wars game for so long.

Results: I've always said I'll always own the console that lets me play Halo, so as much as it pains me to not pick Star Wars for anything, Halo. Wins. Every time.

I know, I know...a bunch of you think I'm crazy. But hey, these are my picks. I don't expect everyone to agree with them (I know not everybody loves the Xbox or Halo as much as I do), but I'd love to hear what others are excited about. And if you're so inclined, feel free to tell me your celebrity video game death match lineups and who would win.

Good Games.