If there’s one goal that the PS4 and Xbox One have accomplished just about universally, it’s that they’ve spoiled us with big, beautiful games that surpass anything we’ve seen on previous systems. The sheer size of the games that we can play on these modern consoles is in the process of transforming the gaming industry as developers look to more expansive concepts. And one result is that games that don’t take full advantage of this scope are starting to stand out as appearing cheap or lazy.
The exciting part is that this whole development makes for a lot of room for improvement for a ton of different games. And these three games (or concepts) stand out as ideas that could be done better than they have been on modern consoles.
Avengers Open World
We’ve seen shockingly little in the form of Marvel’s Avengers on PS4 and Xbox One, given the popularity of the characters and their films and comics. LEGO Marvel’s Avengers is due out in 2016, and from time to time a Marvel character has a so-so standalone game, but there just hasn’t been much for fans of the franchise to get excited about in gaming.
Recently, however, word circulated on the Internet that THQ Australia was at one point developing a major open world, first-person Avengers video game. This report even had some crude footage from the game’s development, and it seems that what we almost got was a legitimate, full-scale video game in which players could have controlled their favorite superheroes while darting around a massive world and, presumably, saving Earth. However, THQ Australia shut down, and with it the progress of this game. So as of now, the online MMO Marvel Heroes 2015 is the best we’ve got. It goes without saying that a completed version of the THQ game would be the best way to improve Avengers gaming.
Console Poker
Poker is one of the most popular games of any kind in the world, and though by nature it’s somewhat simple for a console game, it makes perfect sense that there ought to be a massive online multiplayer casino game to satisfy poker players the world over. As it turns out, there is such a game. Pure Hold’Em was released earlier this year, and the reviews suggest that it’s a pretty satisfying title, particularly in that it allows for the creation of small tournaments with other players online. But even the game’s name suggests that it’s a little bit limited, focusing on Texas Hold’em rather than casino gaming as a whole.
This basically places Pure Hold’Em beneath some of the casino gaming platforms that already exist online. At this site’s video poker page, users can enjoy various types of poker, as well as blackjack. Additionally, the page is only part of a broader casino with roulette, arcade slot machines, etc. Given the popularity of these sorts of gaming, as well as the ease with which modern console games incorporate multiplayer and constantly functioning worlds, it’s easy to imagine a more advanced casino game for PS4 and Xbox One.
NBA 2k16 (and Other Sports Titles)
The recently released NBA 2k16 and many other modern sports games have been touting the inclusion of “life” features. This is to say they’re incorporating various aspects of what it is to be a professional athlete or run a sports franchise, as opposed to just letting you play the actual sport. It might mean acting as an owner handling contracts, deciding which shoe deals to sign as a player, or even hitting a street court for some off-day practice. Yet even with this focus in modern sports games, customization options for those who want to run their own teams remain oddly limited.
The best template for improvement, strangely enough, is actually in the app stores, where numerous soccer games make a point of allowing players to make real changes regarding an entire franchise, rather than just customize player names or sign players. This one even allows you to upgrade the stadium your team plays in! Given how large modern sports games can be, features like these ought to be easier to include. The ability to design uniforms, recruit players, build a stadium, change a city, or even move to a new city would expand sports games in a way most players would appreciate more than the chance to pick between a Nike or Adidas shoe deal.
Plenty of other games and types of games can still stand to be improved as well. These three concept suggestions could be implemented pretty easily, however, to make modern console gaming even better than it already is.