Discussion: Where are the AAA Twin Stick Games?

The video game industry has changed drastically since the previous gen and even more so since the era of the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.  Video games as a whole have become much more than just a gameplay experience but a cinematic experience as well.  Companies like Naughty Dog, Irrational Games and Valve have told us brilliant stories that brought us interesting characters and story lines without mudding down our gameplay experience.  The big blockbuster games of the 360 and PS3 era have all been first person shooters and third person shooters that blend unique experiences and mechanics into each one.

I, for one, enjoyed my time with all these big AAA hits but where are all the twin stick shooters?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the indie scene hasn’t given us great twin stick games.  In fact, some of the most memorable like Geometry Wars and Hotline Miami (this games genre can be argued) were independently made.  With that being said, games like Neo Contra from the PS2 era were made with big budgets and were extremely fun.  The game feels like a big budget and goofy experience and I feel that developers can really make this genre of game very successful.  

Perhaps developers feel that this arcade style of gameplay wouldn’t fit their dramatic stories they would like to tell? In all honesty if the story is good then the gameplay can be whatever it needs to be.  For example, in the Tomb Raider reboot that came out earlier this year, we see young Lara Croft who kills someone for the first time.  The scene is emotional, sure, but the moment becomes overlooked as you kill hundreds of other people during the course of her adventure.

Maybe its because developers don’t how they can add additional value to the gameplay?  As I said before, game genres are meant to be combined as long as they fit the games purpose and don’t overstay their welcome.  In games like God Of War we get both action sequences and puzzle sequences.  They go hand in hand mainly because they help smooth out gameplay.  If action sequences last too long than the player becomes bored but with the puzzle elements, the player gets a break from the repeated chain swinging action.  Puzzle games like the 2D Legend of Zelda series could work very well with a twin stick game as well as tower defense.  RPG elements are even easier to implement making the ability to add additional value to gamers easy.  Quick Time Events would also work great for an over the top twin stick game.

One of my favorite additions to a AAA game was the Dead Ops Arcade in Call of Duty: Black Ops.  The small title alone would not warrant a $60 price tag but if the game was fleshed out into something more than just waves of enemies the game could have been something great.  The Call of Duty games already feel like an arcade game, especially the campaign and zombie/infested modes.

The new generation of consoles is among us and we have already seen a glimpse of a twin stick independent game with a lot of potential.  Will we see AAA developers take a risk with this genre?  What do you think or do you even care?  The way indie games are looking we may not even need the huge budget a publisher can provide.