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Written by Dustin Murphy

There’s no secret that PC gamers have some of the most unique games out there. Their games range from large named Kickstarter projects to games that have managed to go under the radar and never even be seen from there. In this case? I’ve compiled a list of several games that would be instant smash hits on the consoles due to their story, background with PC gamers, and even the overall appeal to them. Some of these games have been out for a while now while others are just now starting to pick up a steam. So lets get started with our top ten titles we’d like to see.

#10: Rust – Face Punch Studio

Many know Rust for its brutal online gameplay where players fight to survive against other players. You must scavenge food from animals, players, and even hunt down resources while trying to build alliances and stay alive. Get a big enough alliance and a town may just be possible if players stick together. The true danger is? No one knows who can be trusted once their back is turned and bridges are burnt. This would fit perfectly on the PlayStation platform thanks to how isolated games can feel at times due to party chats.

#9: Niko: Through the Dream – Studio Paint

Niko: Through the Dream is a beautiful game that is recognized as a minimalist adventure that tells the tale of Niko as she attempts to return to her world. As you take on her adventure, players will travel through multiple islands where happiness, solitude, or fear are melted away with the games hidden riddles, traps, and dangers that will confront both the player and Niko’s abilities that require determination, ability, and even logic. With Niko’s adventure being told through colours, shapes, sounds, and small hidden items, the game is beautiful, sad, and even whimsical as her narrative is explored with each new adventure that comes forth on each island.

#8: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Collection – GSC Game World

Like in real history, 1986 was the host to one of the nuclear worst disasters to have ever occurred; Chernobyl. Amidst the nuclear meltdown the Soviet Union established a 30km Exclusion Zone around the nuclear wasteland to keep people out, but in 2006 the zone is rocked by yet another explosion that has brought all life in the ‘Exclusion Zone’ to an end and has pushed the boundary further out. From where the explosion had occurred something has come from the shadows: mutated creatures from the radiation, but also an anomalous energy source. Now cordoned off by the military, anyone that attempts to get close is shot on sight and the secret from this zone has become buried deep within the Zone. In 2012 a man has adventured into the heart of the Zone due to reports of strange ‘artifacts’ that have been imbued with this new energy source. In turn the military, mercenaries, and even bounty hunters have begun to compete against each other in order to obtain the artifacts and control the power they have, but while doing so? S.T.A.L.K.E.R.S. as they are called – will have to not fight against just each other, but against the creatures within as they seek to escape Chernobyl. This franchise would fit in quite well with the previous titles that had been released on the PlayStation 4 in the past year.

#7: Killing Floor – Tripwire Interactive

Killing Floor is just what it sounds like, a game that takes place in London, England after Horzine Biotech, a who has decided to work on mass cloning and genetic mutation has something go completely wrong in their labs. This incident leads to the human subjects turning into grotesque mutations that have also encountered a twisted set of disfigurements as the experiments continue on. After a few hours of the creatures becoming hostile, they begin to overrun the internal security forces and break out to the surface world. This is where our game begins as groups of four players seek to exterminate the mutations and even find their attempts fruitless as players attempt to survive each round, take out hordes of enemies and make their way to safety in order to possibly save the city from the brink of destruction.

#6: Warhammer 40,000: Regicide – Hammerfall Publishing

Lets just pretend one moment that you have no clue what Warhammer 40k is about, well that doesn’t necessarily matter in this new imagining of it. Thanks to the team at Hammerfall Publishing fans get to see Chess turn into a classic game of Warhammer in a very beautifully animated game that takes Space Marines and the likes only to throw them on a chessboard and allow newcomers to take on this classic game in a whole new look.

#5: The Forest (Confirmed – Date: TBA) – 

With the game being on early access via Steam Early Access, The Forest is a gorgeous game that is sitting in pre-alpha version and has been constantly updated sense with a new graphics engine, mechanics, and even having allowed fans to enjoy a game that emphasizes on survival as players take on the task of surviving an island that has been inhabited by cannibals. With the game not focusing on any form of set story or guidelines, it’s time for fans to brave the wilds of this island, gather resources, build a safe place, and explore the island around them including the wreckage of the plane they were once on.

#4: Rise of the Triad – Apogee Software and Interceptor Entertainment

Back in the 90’s it wasn’t uncommon to see games like this one where the objective is to kill as many enemies as possible without dying, but to also make it through various puzzles, landscapes, and the likes. During this era you wanted bigger guns, tons of enemies, and high paced action, and this variant of a classic throwback by both Apogee Software and Interceptor Entertainment is well worth it and one that definitely deserves a console launch for those who have yet to have a chance to play it.

#3: Wrack – Final Boss Entertainment

Just like before, Wrack is a highly entertaining and fun game that allows for a entertaining experience while utilizing a pistol, sword, shotgun, and even much bigger title as weapons are sought out in order to take out the enemies that Kain must encounter as players take on their quest. With cyborgs, aliens, and even mysterious enemies coming forth, players will take on puzzles, bosses, and well crafted encounters while attempting to pursue an amazing story. This is definitely a bullet hell title we’d love to see make its way to the consoles since its launch on PC by our acquaintances over at Final Boss Entertainment.

#2: Team Fortress 2 – Valve Software

You already know about the quirky game that has gotten more attention than Half-Life could ever get and has become easily one of the most played games next to CS:GO. Welcome to Team Fortress 2, the most ludicrous game I’ve ever played in my life. While the game was enjoyed for the most part on Xbox 360 and eventually PlayStation 3, Team Fortress 2 has remained at its heart a hysterical first person experience that relies heavily upon its mods, community, but also the fact its always evolving, which would fit in perfectly with how the PlayStation 4 handles the newer games that are releasing on it as free-to-plays.

#1: This War of Mine – 11bit Studios

War… War is something that can never be called beautiful even if it’s about liberation, freedom, revolution, or any of the above all at once. Unlike most war games, This War of Mine is a unique title that blends storytelling, consequence, and survival into an all-in-one title that will push fans to attempt keeping a group of survivors alive while food, medicine, and resources dwindle down over time and outside threats become a reality. With everything becoming harder and harder to find, your choices are serious, thoughtful, and can be just as punishing as ever if the right choices aren’t made before hand in this side-scrolling psychological title.

Closing Thoughts

While this is only a laundry list of the many great games that have managed to make their way onto the Steam store, we also know that many of these games have tons of potential thanks to the current gen consoles, but also the capabilities of the X86 architecture that both Sony and Microsoft proceeded to go with. If you are like myself, many of these games have been enjoyable on PC if you’ve had the chance to enjoy them through your own PC or even a friends PC. Regardless, the games are greatly imaginative and will push the mind of any gamer into the Twilight Zone whether they want to go there are not. What are some PC games you think would be good to make the jump? Let us know!

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About the Writer:

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

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Written by Devon Day

Greetings fellow readers! Devon here, bringing you my tribute of an innovator, a legend, and a great man; Mr. Satoru Iwata. That out of the way, let’s get started.

When I first heard of Iwata-Sensei, I really did not thinkof much of him at the time. Sure, I did hear of him regarding a certain game that would help me later on, but at the time, said name really meant little to me. After obtaining my PlayStation 3, I caught wind of his name once again. Naturally, as an adolescent, I had wondered who was this man and why was he continually mentioned. Soon after, one of my friends showed me one of Nintendo’s newest products: The Nintendo Dual Screen Handheld (DS as you may know it). At first, it looked quite odd. “Two screens on a handheld?”, I thought to myself. “Would it work?” Then, my friend showed me a game I had missed on the Nintendo 64: Super Mario DS. Playing near identical as the original, I knew I wasn’t missing out on said title this time. That being said, my journey towards knowing Iwata-Sensei began.

After saving up tons of money and obtaining good grades, the DS Lite would be mine on a cool crisp December 25 of 2007. At first, I was ecstatic. Having the successor to the DS was already a treat; getting the elusive Super Mario 64 in a remaster doubly so. Many long days were stretched as I figured out each level, stage, and challenge. However, as I was playing said game on an awesome system, one thing struck out to me. “If a person with a collective group of people made a great system, wouldn’t it be best to know more about him?” At that point, during the early days of January, I had toughed it out against chilly and snowy conditions to research who Iwata-Sensei was. His back story was quite interesting for me. Having owned the remastered variant of a game he helped developed was already a surprise for me. However, such research would help pave the way for much of my gaming hobby later on down the road; discovering games like Ballon Boy, the Kirby Series, and a game of a series I received in late January known as Pokémon. As time continued, not only would learning more about Iwata-Sensei help me learn more about games, this also gave me more appreciation for the developers and publishers of the games that I was playing; prompting me to research those as well. After getting a Wii later on in 2009, I had, for the first time, knew I was having some real fun with games like Super Mario Galaxy (even though my Call of Duty fix wasn’t satisfied at the time). All in all, the more I learned about Iwata and Nintendo, the more I appreciated others work.

Years would go by before I considered getting either a 3DS or Wii U. I didn’t have enough money like I did back in 2007-2010 to get myself many Nintendo products. However, while I coupe not get them, I did encounter a person who would later befriend me who did have both the Wii U and 3DS. While I only have played Pokemon X sparingly on the 3DS, my first game on the Wii U was the same series  I had received on the GameCube: Super Smash Bros. Naturally, being a rebel, my main character was Sonic (Gotta go fast!!). Having read about their rivalry, I still found it odd to see the blue blur again; even though I first saw him in Brawl. Either way, I do remember having a good time playing the game. Most importantly, Iwata-Sensei had helped delivered another grand slam console in my book. However, one game that I had always wanted to play always eluded me… until that day. Shortly after smashing things up, I had asked my friend if he had a game called “EarthBound.” To my astonishment, he indeed did. After some minor technical issues, I had finally got to play the game I had wanted to enjoy for over a decade, and I have to say, it was a decade worth waiting for. Everything caught my attention, even down to the wonderful cartoon esque pixel art. Knowing beforehand Iwata-Sensei had helped develop the game, my respect and admiration for him grew exponentially; an experience I will never forget.

This now concludes my tribute to Iwata-Sensei. Hearing the news this morning made me sick to my stomach; so much so I requested to postpone my interview for my new job. Multiple tissues lay beside my bed and many memories etched into my brain. That being said, he brought the power to Nintendo: Nintendo Power that is.

With that out of the way, what was your first Nintendo game that Iwata-Sensei was involved with? What did you like most about Iwata-Sensei? What would have been your final words to Iwata-Sensei had you knew today was his last day? Once again, thank you very much for reading! This has been a special tribute brought to you by the fellow writers of Blast Away The Game Review.

Rest In Peace Satori Iwata. You may be gone, but the memories and moments you shared with us all will never be forgotten.

Sunrise: December 6, 1959  // Sunset: July 11, 2015

Satoru Iwata, Former CEO of Nintendo

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About the Writer:

A man growing up between the gaming boundaries on the 5th generation N64, but admiring the 3rd gen. NES and 4th generation Sega Genesis for their contributions, he always has something on his mind regarding video games and acessories. His first was a microphone for N64 for “Hey You, Pikachu!”, but expanded towards the next line up of gaming peripherals including the Astro A40, MadCatz MLG Pro Circiut Controller, MadCatz STRIKE 7, and many other gadgets. Now loving gaming tech more than ever, he sees this generation crucial to bring the full circle of social connectivity that the 8th generation of consoles have.

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Written by Dustin Murphy

When I tried to type this, I almost seem to be unable to finish, rather I can’t even begin due to the pain my heart feels. Many of you may know Satoru Iwata as the CEO of Nintendo, while many of us don’t see him as that. We see him as a developer, a gamer, a member of our community that changed gaming in many, many, many amazing ways that we can never expect to see happen again. Let alone was a he a member of a developer, he treated us like friends, and even his family rather he met us or not, which was the empowerment this man had over us as gamers, but also one of our very own. When I step back and wipe the tears from my eyes as I type this up almost a week after his passing, the tears have still not stopped falling as I feel myself choke up, but it’s not just because this man was one of us. It’s because the adventure he took us on that stopped before it could truly feel like it was finished.

As you may know, Iwata-san was a visionary, a man who loved challenges, but there is a man that many of you may or may not know about in his younger years before he took to Nintendo. As a young man in his years growing up in his home town of Sapporo, Japan, Satoru-sama grew up with his father taking place in a head of his district as municipal mayor. In those years, Satoru began to find himself interested in video games and technology as he would get bored, create video games on his calculator, and would soon begin distributing those games to his friends. Over the years Iwata found himself growing even more interested in computers and would be admitted to the Tokyo Institute of Technology where he took on multiple classes so that he could major in computer sciences, which would soon lead to him taking his unpaid internship at Commodore Japan, which lead him to taking a job with HAL Laboratory. There he would find himself becoming the head engineer completing tasks with technical and software development. This is also where he would begin freelance work as a programmer for HAL Laboratory, Inc., as a game developer and would collaborate closely with Nintendo, which inevitable lead to his departure from the company and finding himself at Nintendo. However, after graduating from the university, many wouldn’t know that he came onto HAL Laboratory as a full-time employee where he would become the coordinator of software production starting in 1983, and would help build a relationship between both HAL and Nintendo in order to produce games for the Famicom home console.

Many would not know his success with games he worked on such as Balloon Fight, NES Open Tournament Golf, EarthBound, and the Kirby franchises. As the company began to go into bankruptcy, Iwata was appointed as President of HAL in 1993 where he helped readjust the companies business strategies and stabilize the company once more into a successful company, which would strengthen the ties with Nintendo.

Let alone did Iwata help save HAL, he also helped found the company Creatures Inc., which was founded in 1995 by Tsunekazu Ishihara, which would lead to the successful titles Pokémon Gold and Silver for the Game Boy Color in the fall of 1999. While he also helped do that, many would not know that Iwata helped develop the future title Pokémon Stadium, but also helped make this possible by using code from the original Red and Green titles in order to re-work the code in order for it to function, but during this period he also created the compression tools that were used for Gold and Silver when they eventually launched on the GBC. Let alone did his legacy entail the franchises Pokémon, he was also known for some of the most popular Nintendo franchises such as Kirby, Super Smash Bros., Brain Age Games, Earthbound, Balloon Fight, but also the simple fact that he had re-innovated gaming thanks to his faith in the Nintendo DS where he would bring forth the new age of gaming where graphics didn’t matter, where games were to be enjoyed, and the fact that some franchises remain just as fresh as ever with small changes and new additions. This also made him a major hit with Nintendo, but also fans.

When looking away from his achievements as a developer, a CEO, we all know that there is a quote that Iwata-san gained our hearts with;

“On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.” – Satoru Iwata, Former CEO of Nintendo

This quote has become a motto that Nintendo has since followed. Thus saying is one that Iwata would demonstrate with great love when working on the projects he was apart of when working with the teams at Nintendo around the world, but what is his impact with the world?

The legacy that Iwata leaves behind is one that is huge, in an instant we lost the biggest and most sincere person that could have ever been met within the gaming industry; the moment he had said, “Please understand,” it wasn’t because he was going to say something to shut the crowds up, it was because he was being sincere, loving, and truthful to the fans of Nintendo as a whole, but not just to fans. Instead he said ut to an industry as well as the world around him. When Iwata-san was around, people knew who he was, he was one of us, and someone that loved games just as much as we did regardless of graphics, regardless of console, but he enjoyed them because they were fun, creative, and enjoyable. His death has left a large hole in the hearts of the fans who loved him because of his character, his enjoyability of games, his passion, drive, and sincerity that could be seen in the Nintendo forums known as Iwata Asks.

Iwata-san was not just another suit, he was a man who was much like any of us fans of gamers no matter the graphics of games, the console that played them, or the genre. In truth, his death has impacted the world as a whole.

With my closing thoughts, I hope you take this and know, he was not a businessman, he was one of us, he was a gamer at heart, and he loved his fans just as much as they loved him.

“Iwata, you will be missed. Your legacy, creativity, love, and passion is something that shall be looked upon and remind us just how young we are in heart, as gamers, and as an industry. Your impact has truly been felt and won’t be seen for possibly decades till those who look back on you will see what you have done for us. I must truly say, my heart has broken as I feel I have lost a personal friend due to your sincerity, passion, and love that could be felt through both Iwata Ask’s and Nintendo Direct. You will be missed, you are loved, and you will be remembered for centuries.” – Dustin Murphy, President of Blast Away the Game Review

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Satoru Iwata

– December 6th, 1959 to July 11th, 2015 –

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About the Writer:

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.