Go back and do it again

Haven't said much this past week: Mostly becuase it's the Christmas season and this is the time of year people are taking breaks and making the effort to visit family and friends.
Other than that I'm still continuing on with Mass Effect. It seems daft but I'm keen on unlocking all achievements to build a Shepard to take into ME2 and beyond.

The idea of 360 achievements to encourage repeated plays is an interesting one but I have doubts as to whether it is a successful one. Now there is appeal in having game achievements that affect future plays - that is kinda cool. However with Mass Effect, if you play anything like me, it now becomes a challenge to play through multiple times to unlock everything - and for what? The ultimate play through just to prove...something. Much like World of Warcraft being propelled by new quests every week, it's just like Alexander the Great invading India on a regular basis.
I do recall as a child playing Batman on the Commodore 64. Sure I could complete in one sitting but it wasn't the longest game in the world. Conversely, an RPG is something that demands many hours of playtime - perhaps that is why so many Final Fantasy games are listed in my Hall of Shame. Indeed, doing the same thing in Mass Effect is beginning to get tedious to me. Indeed, I have three achievements left (Asari Ally, Extreme Power Gamer and Medal of Valor) and it would indeed be a kick in the nuts if I get to the end of my current play through and not get all of them.

Are achievements really there to be done in the same sitting? I mean to do that, you would have to be keen indeed.

...or least have waaaaaaay too much time on your hands.

Motivate me

Seeing the popularity of de-motivational images online, I thought I might try my hand at making one:

Wait! There's more

For those keeping score, some more games I recently got a hold of:

Bioshock/Oblivion (Xbox 360)
These two were given to me as a Christmas present from a good friend. Both came in the same pack. I've played Oblivion before, however briefly, and I was impressed by the rendering of it (particularly seeing things stretching out for miles). Sure many of the NPCs share the same voices but for an action/medival-esque RPG this may be just the thing...
Bioshock, conversely, is something that's completely foreign but may be worth taking a look. Personally I've had a keen interest in steampunk so someone trying their hand at it is fine by me.

Faxanadu (Virtual Console)
Now this is interesting: I have a long-standing love for RPGs and a long standing love for platformers - both of which stretches back many years. So someone combining these two? I'm sold! Looking at it, Faxanadu has a degree of charm to it and worth taking further.

Eternal Darkness Sanity's Requiem (Wii/Gamecube)
I'm intrigued by how techniques of horror movies can work in games: The sense of isolation, thinking something's there when it isn't, fighting a losing battle against madness and fighting an unstoppable foe with limited resources. Indeed, video games have a significant edge over horror movies as the viewer is an active participant. And with horror games, you may as well start with one of the best. I've heard good things about this (particularly with it being on a 'kiddie' console), so it will be interesting to see how it holds up.

So many games, so little time. Seeing as I have many games to work through (not least my Hall of Shame) I think its fair to say I'll be occupied until....2020?

2 Good 2 B True

The support for R18+ here in Australia is gaining momentum. So in relation to this, may I say the following:

Currently here in Australia we say games banned or heavily censored (although, presumably, not for much longer) for questionable content. That being said, I would like to see a game not being released here becuase it's awesomeness is too great for Australian minds to comprehend.

Chrono Trigger anyone?

Remake it so

For today I thought I'd share my thoughts on the thorny issue that is remakes.
Everyone has an opinion on this don't they? More often than not it is groans of disgust that old ground is being worked over, memories of childhood pleasure being irrevocably ruined and no one has the balls to come up with something new.

Personally, I can see both sides of the remake debate. On one hand, it presents a good opportunity for gamers to discover something that may have slipped their view the first item around: Older gamers can find something they didn't previously know about and younger gamers can something that made their comrades turn cartwheels over. As long as a formula works (and isn't tampered with too much), it can still keep working. And indeed, as long as there is a graphical upgrade, any old game can give any newer game a run for it's money.
On the other hand, game developers want something that can sell: Like any other project, making games is certainly not a cheap venture (how Jonathan Blow happened to have 250,000 lying around to make Braid is beyond me) so what you need is something that will return the investment. And that is no easy task seeing as gamers themselves tend to have attention spans that last no longer than five minutes.



So what do I think is a successful remake? The remake of Sid Meier's Pirates on the Xbox and Wii. I did try Pirates on the Commodore 64 back in the day but I found it stiff and unimpressive. On the Xbox however, I found it heaps of fun and quite easily to get lost in. As is my understanding the changes have been minor other than a complete graphic upgrade. But what does it matter? I've enjoyed playing Pirates and it is interesting to note the remake getting through to me when the original didn't.

A remake can work if the people understand what made it work the first time and not touch it further. A remake can be ruined by people adding too many changes and/or trying ever so hard to please fans of the original. But what I'd like to see is a remake done by the original developers who feel that they could've done a better job the first time around. Alfred Hitchcock did such a thing with the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much so I would like to see someone in the games industry with that kind of balls.

Ultimately though, I feel time spent on remakes would be better spent on developing new franchises to muck around with. Which is why I'm glad I'm playing Dragon Age Origins on my Xbox 360 and not some Baldur's Gate Redux (or something).

We R Australian

Big news down here in Australia with government support now behind the lifting of the R18+ ban. This has been a big thing down here as we are the only country who doesn't have an R18+ classification and as a result many games are either being unreleased or being heavily censored. So, with a shot in the arm to the ban being lifted, I thought I might share my thoughts on the idea of questionable content in games:

My main concern with R18+ games is that they contains buckets of blood and the type of sexual nature that would only appeal to gamers who can’t get it own and probably never will. No, I’m not some twerp who condemns the usage of gore on the screen. I’m actually someone who remembers what triggered this whole, long-lasting debate on violence in video games: It was in game called Mortal Kombat (anyone remember that?).

The thing with Mortal Kombat was that it came at a time when everyone was trying to capitalise on the one on one fighting formula that made Streetfighter 2 a big hit. I understand the notion that incorporating blood and gore was it’s method of standing out from the pack but looking back at the game now, it just seems tame: It hasn’t aged well, like other games from the era, and it’s flaws now seem glaringly obvious now the sensation of tearing people apart has since settled. Thankfully, the sequel, MK2 was an improvement on many levels – and it was indeed satisfying to hear, at the time, people talking abut MK2 as a great game, not just some gore-fest.



Looking at Mortal Kombat now it seems hard to believe that it started this ongoing debate about violence in videogames. Of course, since then games have incorporated violence and blood and have continually pushed the envelope on what players can do to their on-screen opponents.
And this is what I feel is the biggest problem with the violence in videogames debate: Violence has become too commonplace. Ten/Fifteen years ago, seeing a game bearing the M15+ label would’ve been an endorsement: This was a bad/naughty game that would make gamers buy it purely for the element of danger that continually drives thrillseekers onward. Nowadays, you see so many games bearing the M15+ and the MA15+ games that gamers just seem unfazed – even to the point where the games rated G and PG are laughed out of the room.

My point? Violence in videogames has evolved to a point where it’s no longer a constant: It’s now a dependant. Such is the gamer today that if a game doesn’t have lot’s guns and plenty of bad guys to mow down, then it has no hope of getting anywhere. Who cares about new ideas or getting a point across? All one needs to do is provide enough arms and ammunition for several Arnold Schwarzenegger movies and the player won’t think about anything else.

As stated above, I have a knowledge of what makes a good game, forged from many years playing them. I like games that present a degree of immersion, shows signs of intelligence, present a challenge and really establish a connection with the player. So in order to dispel some notion that I some lily-livered panzie who faints at the sight of blood, I do enjoy the game God of War. Sure it is a ridiculously violent game but it is a good way of reliving stress. More importantly however, it has some interesting tricks woven into the gameplay that give it long-lasting appeal and a compelling plot that adds depth to the protagonist Kratos that make him more than just some mindless mass-murderer. But what I find particularly interesting about God of War is that it reinvents Ancient Greek mythology by presenting a degree of brutality never seen before. All the legendary monsters, like the Minotaur, the centaur and the hydra, are in there but they look hideous and capable of breaking a neck like a twig.



Some may argue that violent games are a great way to relive stress. I can agree with that. Some also argue that violent games in no way provide a corrupt influence to socially-maladjusted teenagers and such a belief is ill-informed propaganda. That too has weight. But when it comes to the amount of violence in R18+ games, it is those gamers who are under 18 who will get the most out of it. Sure boasting about blowing foes away in a video game may be fun in High School but doing the same thing when you’re an adult just encourages everyone to keep their distance. That being said, it is strange to allow games bearing a R18+ when the type of things that gets done by its target audience isn’t anything worth bragging about.

Consider the game Grand Theft Auto 3. One of the most controversial games of all time it does succeed however by allowing the player to do whatever they want. It presents scenarios found in action movies, such as high speed car chases, punching people out and blowing things up with a variety of weapons.
There is no denying that escapism walks hand in hand with videogame. And therein lies the strength of GTA3: it allows players to do things that they will never do in real life. And that’s exactly why we play games. We want to escape the troubles of our own life and we want to do something that our mundane lives can’t provide. For this reason alone, the concept behind GTA3 has inspired other games.
But it strikes me that those trying to replicate the ‘do whatever you want’ concept of GTA3 missed the point completely: These clones seem more about blowing things up and creating a ruckus. This strikes me as an indication that game developers are getting lazy. I’m not denying that violence sells but if all there is to it then what are you doing? One of my favourite movies is the Wild Bunch. It is a violent film yes and focuses on violent men as it’s protagonists. But there is reasoning behind it and achieves the somewhat difficult task of introducing a lot of humanity to the murderous protagonists.

It strikes me that this continued presence of violence is really hurting the games industry in general. Consider Jack Thompson: Yes we all hate him and his arguments come across as ill-informed scare-mongering, but he’ll never stop. And even if he does shuffle off, some other nob will come and takes his place. In the case of Manhunt, it’s quite clear that it was intended as a huge smirking, kick in the balls to those who condemn videogames as too violent. It may work in theory but it seems to have backfired tremendously: It has instead given Jack Thompson and his ilk more ammunition. Nowadays gamers encompass people of all types and the idea of a socially inept with contempt for society is more inclined towards a cliché. However, clichés are harmful things and they can be easily utilised by the wrong people.



In the case of the hotly debated Left 4 Dead 2, I find interesting that there is a massive push to get in here uncensored that no one has bothered as to whether or not the game is actually any good. Indeed it is interesting to note that the censored L4D2 released here in Australia
People say that a large number of gamers are all adults when compared to the Golden Age of Gaming (the 16-bit era) but I don't buy that. I mean, if gaming has 'grown-up' as many claim then why is violence still the most powerful driving force? Anyone can make a game which can be addictive and fun without any violence – you only need to look at Tetris. And, in the case of Ico, concepts such as subtly and experimentation, end up being treated with confusion, being overlooked and ultimately disdain.
All of which is hindering gaming evolution.

So what would I like? Well, as mentioned above, violence is predominant in gaming that all designers are getting lazy and new ideas are being sneered upon. That being said, I would like to see game developers think beyond buckets of blood: It will prompt them to be adventurous, experimental and to try new things. It will encourage them to mess with established formulas and do something new with them and save them from being reduced to merely ripping off something else.
It will also force gamers to change their perception of games and look beyond the, somewhat juvenile, perception of buckets of blood. It will encourage thinking, emotion and imagination, elements that can have a place in gaming but are largely confined behind razor wire fencing.
Additionally, it will create a positive image of gamers. Yes we may have halted the cliché of being social freaks but that isn’t enough: The cliché is indeed a cliché and should be stamped out of existence. I would like to hear about gamers who are normal people who balance gaming with decent jobs and an active social life - Lord only knows why Pure Pwnage needs to exist.

In conclusion, I do indeed see the value of having an adult classification so people don't end up making the wrong choice. However, as a gamer, I would like to suggest the following:
We as gamers need to think beyond violence. We need to look to games that can be successful and fun without buckets of blood. We need to embrace any games that do things differently just for having the balls to do so. We need to understand subtly as not an alien concept. We need to take such steps to ensure gaming evolution and continued survival.
And while we're at it, I would also like a Ferrari.

Metal Gears of War Solid

I've had Gears of War 2 lying around for awhile so I recently sat down and popped it into the Xbox 360 to have a bash. I've never played the GoW games before so I had no idea what to expect. The cynic in me suggested that it was yet another shooter with pretensions to realism and maturity - ho-hum in other words. Nevertheless, if GoW is a major force in the Xbox camp then it must have something going for it.

After playing for a little while, what struck me is that I really have no idea how I should be taking this. Everything seems so macho that I'm not sure if the game is trying to be serious. The male protagonists all have stupid names, speak in ridiculous voices, are in possession of absurdly muscular bodies and body armor that seems designed for anything but practicality. Everything seems overdone it's hilarious, with patriotic speeches, the sense of impending extinction against an unstoppable foe and Marcus Fenix being able to both absorb so many bullets and heal wounds without too much effort.

Again I reiterate: Is this a parody? It can't surely be serious. You can't have so many absurd elements and have it done with a straight face. But regardless of intention, the idea of a parody is enough to keep me going, so I will continue with this game and see how things turn out...

Golden Goose

Last week I talked about remakes so today I’d talk about it some more.

Recently, Goldeneye 007 has touched down on the Wii. Billed as a remake of the classic Goldeneye 64 for the N64, this was indeed a surprise when it was originally announced and no doubt had more than a few Nintendo devotees both alarmed and angered. But on paper, the idea of remaking Goldeneye 64 has a lot going for it: 1) With Nintendo and Rare parted ways there’s no way we’ll ever see the original turn up on the Virtual Console, 2) there’s no denying that Goldeneye 64, despite its importance to console FPS’s, hasn’t aged too well and 3) the opportunity for online play would be welcome addition.

So in this case, a remake could be a good idea - But at the same time, any good idea/intent can fall flat on it’s face.
I was talking to a friend recently –he’d just picked up this remake and he seemed disappointed with the finished product. Unsurprisingly, he dismissed the game as not being a patch on the original.
So is it impossible then? Impossible to recapture the spark that made the original work so well? Or isn’t it far more easier to dismiss a bold idea without giving it a chance?

Personally my money’s on the latter. But, I can’t draw my own conclusions about he remake without playing it– and that will have to wait until Christmas.
Stay tuned….

Adventures in cosplay (no.5)

And here we are with the final installment of this series. As the month of November ends so does this series on cosplaying video game characters. This has been a fun serial to bash out and a slight change of pace from the nonsense I've bashed out so far.

So, what more do I have to say about cosplay? Well we started with a Final Fantasy cosplay so we may as well end with a Final Fantasy cosplay. And which character? One Zidane Tribal.



This came about last year: I played my way through Final Fantasy 9 and Kathleen watched me do so every step of the way. Prior to doing so, my understanding of FF9 is that it was underrated and never reached the levels of popularity achieved by 7, 8 and 10. Well being a champion of the underdog, I played it, loved it and was impressed enough with the lead character. Kathleen too loved Zidane that she needed little persuasion into cosplaying as Garnet (although her liking Garnet as already good enough reason).

In a way, perhaps this represents the accumulation of things I've mentioned before: I cosplayed as a character who came from a little known game because I loved the game and the character and wanted to express it. I've seen some cosplays of the character done before and thought "I can do that too". And yes, it was another excuse to create an impression as a couple in both life and cosplay.



Now this was a variation of the Zidane design: This was actually for Amaranth, an anime ball run in conjunction with Manifest. Whilst Kathleen looked all set to go with the Garnet princess dress, we decided to go with a slight alteration with Zidane so he'd look the part. Thus whereas Zidane in the game had bare arms, I wore a white shirt.

As for the rest of the cosplay, the pants were purchased, the vest was made (through a friend of ours), the gloves were purchased before being attached to the cuffs, the caveat was rescued from a previous cosplay and the wig was salvaged from my Link cosplay. I wasn't able to get a tail due to money and time limitations.

All in all this was heaps of fun to do and the 'formal' variation worked a treat. It was great to go around Amaranth dressed as such and it made an excellent counterpart to Kathleen's (already ballroom) cosplay.
Looking back on it I think this cosplay would have to rank as one my favorites. For me it's one to be proud of and for good reason: I look at it now and there's not one damn thing I'd change about it. Ask any cosplayer: If such a feeling ever arises about a cosplay then something must've worked.
And it is the greatest feeling.



And this concludes this series on Adventures in cosplay. Note that this series has just been on characters from video games and thus a representation of a much greater whole. If I were to include the anime characters I've cosplayed as this series would've gone on for much longer. Mind you for the curious, go check out the link to my (joint) cosplay.com account in the side bar to the right of this page.
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed reading this series and from here? Well I enjoy cosplay and get a lot of fun out of it so who knows? I may just sit down and bash out another Adventure in cosplay sometime in the future. Until then....

Wii are one but Wii are many

I was expecting a tonne of nasty comments to my last post but none such came. No matter: Guess I'll keep rambling on in the vain hope that someone else is listening.

Anyway, I've noticed there seems to be a lot of contempt for the Wii. It is indeed strange considering that, so far, the Wii has outsold both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. What, didn't the console wars end? I thought they were over now that many gamers these days own more than one console and many gamers waking up to the fact that ignoring a particular console may result in missing out on something good.
But I'd be a fool to think such puerile nonsense.

I find it kind of strange that people are turning on Nintendo with such venom. This are the people who pretty much broke out from the Post-Atari crash with the NES, wrote the rulebook for game design, and gave us such iconic characters such as Mario, Link, Samus and Donkey Kong. It begs the question, what went wrong? Why the sudden change of heart? I do recall Nintendo's fanbase being quite passionate during the early/mid-nineties to the point of ruthlessly mocking the Sega fanboys (like myself) but it is interesting to see such passion turn against the seemingly untouchable Nintendo.

Some would say that Nintendo's fanbase has grown up and moved onto pastures new. I beg to differ: I use my Wii for the Virtual Console and many games I recall from my childhood still hold up pretty well. Even games I never played manage to maintain my interest - which of course, goes to show that a well-designed game can still weave it's magic when the console it appears on has long since gone obsolete.



Some are unimpressed with the motion controller. I read that Nintendo aren't interested in competing against Microsoft and Sony in the technological department so, instead, they are looking for new ways to play games. It may sound like a good idea in theory but really, what is going to achieved via taking away the tenuous link between gamer and console? Taking it away kinda defeats the purpose of games being a fun way to relax.
True I can understand the contempt between motion controller but I'll give Nintendo credit: At least they're trying something new. It may not be a successful idea but at least they realise that graphics aren't going to get any better so a new approach could well be necessary.

Some are cross that the Wii is attracting the unlikeliest of gamers with pensioners and mothers. I never understood the distinction between casual and hardcore gamers. People are just playing games! Who gives two shits HOW they go about it? If anything the distinction exists just for snobbery and elitism. The way I see it, people playing games is a way to connect with people in social situations and make friends. Isn't that how people bond - over a common interest? Who cares if people take different approaches to the same task? Again, this is the case of doing something for fun and how much time can be spared.

Some are annoyed by the lack of quality software for the Wii. I personally never have this problem as I'm far too busy using my Wii for a virtual console. True, some people may be annoyed that people like me may be encouraging Nintendo to rely on past glories instead of inspiring development of something new but, again, if a game is well-designed it can, and will, be played for many years afterward.

But I must admit, some of these factors, however supposed, against Nintendo aren't very promising: A console outdone by more powerful rivals? A catalog of games that comes across as underwhelming? Franchises that are milked to a point where consumers are left unimpressed? A game developer focusing on the glory days when it's clear are those days are lost in a bygone era?
Didn't all these things happen to Sega?

Pwned

Earlier this week, Pure Pwnage wrapped up on ABC2. I sat through all of it becuase, very much Good Game, any show about gaming is good enough for me even if the end result leaves me dissatisfied. True I watch Good Game but it's the only gaming show on TV - thus it is a chore for me to sit through the nonsense in order to find something informative.

So did I come away from Pure Pwnage dissatisfied? Of course.
Much of it stems from the lead protagonist, Jeremy, being a deplorable one. He's lazy, rude, narcissistic and down right obnoxious. Thus, Pure Pwnage breaks a key rule in fiction by not having a character the audience can connect with. If such a connection isn't made, the story isn't going to go very far. Thus, Jeremy is not someone I'll give up twenty-odd minutes of my life for - no, he is someone I want to punch in the face.
By comparison, Kratos from God of War is too an unlikable character but at least this is balanced out through giving him a decent motivation (well at least in the FIRST game).

In addition, Jeremy's actions seem to enforce the equally detestable perception of gamers and how they interact with the real world. You know what I mean (don't pretend you don't): The stereotypical gamer who plays games with an almost religious devotion, has a grudge against society and who can't function properly on a social level.
I mean, considering that games are now more popular than ever, this stereotype seems to have severely challenged with games attracting people of many walks of life. Seriously you don't see people reacting to movies or books with the same passion as people who like games now, do you?
Thus, Jeremy's misadventures comes across more as being a backward step.

Some say these observations are precisely the point, inspiring a car-crash element to the series but I refuse to buy that. Stereotypes aren't there to be celebrated, they are there to be mocked. I don't want to hear about a guy who walks away with having learned nothing from his experiences. I don't want to know about guy who exists in his own little universe. I don't want to know about a guy who achieves victory without having to lift a finger to earn it. I don't want to know about a dude who has no admirable qualities to balance out his faults. I don't want to know about a guy who refuses to accept his shortcomings even when they're staring him directly in the face.
Indeed, I would rather watch a movie about a guy who wins with blind optimism despite everyone knowing he's a moron (case in point, Tim Burton's Ed Wood) than a serial about a guy who wins with obnoxiousness and immaturity despite everyone knowing he's a moron.

That being said, do I think I can come up with a better story?
Oooh, now there's a challenge...

Adventures in cosplay (no.4)

And here we go again with another Adventure in cosplay. Hope you're enjoying this series so far!

Now when it comes to cosplay, Kathleen and myself are inspired by our favorite games and anime. Most often than not, it's a case of one putting forth the suggestion and then trying to convince the other into doing so. And the convincing usually involves showing an anime, a game or even a picture (as was the case with the Link and Zelda). Which now brings me to Skies of Arcadia. I played this, on my Dreamcast, and loved it before we met and I was interested in cosplaying as Vyse - cos he rules and I liked the game a lot.
I then did a second playthrough, this time with Kathleen watching, and she seemed interested enough to cosplay as Fina to match.
Now seeing as we've done recognizable characters in the past, to suddenly do characters from a Dreamcast game would seem an odd move. But it mattered little: We liked this game and we both took great pride in cosplaying as lesser known characters - after all, if pulled off well, any cosplay can make the unfamiliar curious to know more.



Much like previous efforts, this cosplay was a combination of the manufactured and the assembled: The boots were from the Link cosplay (which subsequently fell apart on the day), the turtleneck was from an anime cosplay and the jeans were my own. The jacket was crafted by Kathleen (as was her Fina) and the eyepiece was crafted from swimming goggles!

Also pleasing is for once I was now able to actually do a cosplay using my real hair! As much fun as it is to wear wacky wigs, they eventually do create a strain on my head and it does get irritating at times. So whilst chances to use my real hair are slim, when they do come about, I seize upon them :D



If any of these photos seem a bit difficult to see, I'm afraid that these are the only photos that were taken of us at the con (that being AI-Con) itself. Remember what I said earlier about cosplaying as lesser-known characters? Well as it turns out, we were not recognized at all. Of course we have only ourselves to blame as this was in AI-Con, a much smaller scale con then, say, Manifest. As such, many people were left puzzled as to who were cosplaying as. This was particularly telling when I participated in a roleplay event and ended up winning. Also telling is whereas we had grown accustomed to be continually recognized and stopped for photos, this time it didn't happen at all. Indeed, it is hard to say whether it would've different had this been done at a larger scale con.

So is the Vyse a failure? I don't think so. I thought the end result was great and I don't feel ashamed to have worn it at all. Okay so yes being unrecognizable may have prompted a rethink in doing lesser known characters but I'm not too bothered (and after all, you can't win them all). We liked the game the characters are from, Skies of Arcadia, and we wanted to tell the world we did so - which is pretty much the entire point of cosplay.

Final Fantasy Fight

So a sequel to Final Fantasy Dissidia is in development eh? I never played the original (perhaps due to me not owning a PSP) but personally, I'm not in any rush to. If anything, what I have learnt over the years is that sometimes an outsiders view can make a whole lot of difference. As such, being interested in Final Fantasy (I wouldn't call myself a fan becuase being a FF fan means you played all of them. Including the crummy ones) I can see the value of a fan-service product.
True, pandering to the fans is never a good move but I can see the potential in having a fighting game featuring Final Fantasy characters. The problem is, that potential was squandered with the 'popular' characters making the final character roster - many of which fulfilling the 'paladin' role. So no knights, no ninjas or blue mages. Yay.

Granted there is potential for some ideal match ups (Sephiroth and Kefka being one that comes to mind) but for me, I think SqueeEnix was being too timid with their roster. So if Dissidia is truly going to expand the current roster then SqueeEnix should run with it. Some say that could result in an unnecessary overload but a fighting game CAN have many fighters as long as plenty of thought and effort is put into the development (I'm thinking of Bleach on the DS, and maybe even Super Smash Bros Brawl, by way of example.)

That being said, who'd I like to see included to the current FFD roster?
- Freya (IX): I don't care what anyone says: Freya is the best character in number 9 and the best knight in the entire series.
- Cid (VII): The second best knight character in the series. And ya gotta have a Cid!
- Edge (IV)/Shadow (VI): To fulfil the necessity of ninjas.
- A Monster Summoner: Be it Yuna (X) or Rydia (IV) one can't argue the opportunity to have giant critter tearing shit up on screen.
- Gilgamesh (V): Personally I think he was unjustly snubbed in the original for Exdeath.
- Seifer (VIII): Should've been in the original where Ultimecia was
- Aerith (VII): If SqueeEnix are truly listening as they claim, then they would at least present the chance for getting payback on Sephiroth. True it may undermine the impact of Aerith's (in)famous death scene but if she is absent from this new Dissidia, then it really isn't a fan service-based product then, right?

Don't Fear the Reaper

Another game has been beaten: This one being Mass Effect 2.

I've spent the past few weeks singing praises for this game and, really, I can't think of anything more to say. This game is brilliant, it's succeeded over its predecessor in every possible way, it is well-written with an epic feel and really goes to the effort of making my care about the characters enough to make me complete it a second time around to make sure no one gets killed (true).

Okay so maybe the planet mining sections were monumentally tedious but everything else is done really well and it is certainly fun to see decisions being made in the last game effect the second one. The game held my attention all the way through and was fun, exciting and compelling. In addition, having the T-800 as the final boss was the icing on the cake.

Thing is, where can this series possibly go from here? Topping Mass Effect was a tough job indeed - and ME2 pretty much achieved it. Resetting Shepard's stats though resurrection at the hands of Cerberus at the beginning was a clever move - how can it be topped? I liked the integration of the old crew in the sequel - can it done again with a crew of ten/twelve? I liked how every element in the previous game was improved upon - so if it ain't broke why fix it?

Can Bioware achieve the impossible with ME3? Well they would if gamers would lower their expectations but what's the chances of that happening?

Adventures in cosplay (no.3)

And welcome back to this ongoing series. So let's not dither about, let's talk cosplay!

Today I want to talk about another Final Fantasy cosplay. The Final Fantasy series truly is popular among cosplayers - and, through my experience, this popularity can be attributed to two factors: a) due to the major success of the Final Fantasy series many of the characters are immediately recognizable and b) the sheer crazy designs that go into some of the characters may strike some cosplayers as a challenge worth rising up to.
As a result, it's not unusual to go to a con and see numerous people cosplaying as one of the many Final Fantasy characters. Even some of the lesser known FF's still get a look in: I've seen one guy cosplaying as the Red Mage from FF1 and even he showed an incredible amount of detail that went above and beyond the original 8-bit sprite.

But I digress. Whilst I've done numerous Final fantasy cosplays in the past this was the very first one: Tidus from Final Fantasy X.



I mentioned in the last post in this series that the best cosplays are those which have a story attached to it - and this is certainly the case here. Around early 2008, I met a woman called Kathleen. We were heading to the same anime convention, AI-Con, and she wanted to cosplay. This was to be her first but it there was the problem of what to do, having two options. One such option was Yuna from FFX and, recognizing the character, I convinced her to do so. Then, somehow, I ended up doing Tidus to match. And thus the wheels were sent into motion - this was the foundation stones of something that eventually blossomed into a relationship.
So yes, cosplay got us together.
Still, I suppose relationships have started in weirder places....

But no matter - I'm not the biggest fan of Tidus so cosplaying as him was a bit of a stretch on my part. But I like Yuna a lot so, believe you me, it was worth it to have someone cosplay as Yuna hanging around me :D



Mind you, this is one cosplay that has gone through numerous incarnations: The first one, as displayed in the above photo, was the first but it faced problems with the shorts being wrong, the arm armor being hopeless and some other minor details were somewhat lacking. A second Tidus cosplay has since been acquired which was better but recently has been facing problems in the form of a disintegrating arm armor.
Yes I seem to have some trouble with the arm armor - could it be some sort of karmic justice for my contempt for this character? Maybe...

But one interesting point is the hair: The first photo in this post is my natural hair - at the time, it was in dire need of a trim but somehow it ended up working in my favor for the cosplay. The second photo is again my natural hair - this time it was in a much more reasonable haircut but in cosplay terms it doesn't seem to work. And since then I finally got a wig going:



The hair's still wrong but at least the colour's right. Sort of. Oh well....

Well there's not really much else I can say about this. Whilst not the first cosplay I did, it was however a step in the right direction. It has been dusted off and worn again numerous times and I've never once gotten tired of it. And, most important of all, it was the foundation of something special. Indeed, it's been great to wander around cons and to be recognized both as a character and a couple.
So whatever contempt I may for Tidus, at least in this time, he did inspire a cosplay that turned out one of my widely-used. Indeed it's strange to think that character I don't like made for a cosplay that turned out right - so whatever it was that worked I'm grateful for.



And to have someone willing to match it is ever the more sweeter.

....since I Rock n Rolled uh-huh

I've been playing a lot of Rock Band lately - only this time it's on a completely different system. Whereas previously I've been playing it on the Wii, now I've moved onto the Xbox.

In hindsight, it seems daft to play Rock Band on the Wii when the Xbox/PS3 offers backward compatibility and proper hard-drives to store music on but in my defense this was more accident than design: At the Melbourne EGames expo 2009, they had a stage set up where punters could go up and play Rock Band 2 - with prizes for those who "rocked out". I went up, in a Cloud Strife cosplay and performed Are You Gonna be My Girl with gusto and won. As I only had a Wii at the time, I told the Harmonix people so in order for them to send my game - But whereas I was expecting the Game (I should stress that RB2 was never released in this country) I was sent the whole entire band kit!

So yay me. Do I regret getting RB2 for the Wii? I see no reason to (getting something for nothing is perfectly fine by me). Sure it means I won't have a proper music library like the PS3 or Xbox but, as long as I can use the Wii for Beatles Rock Band, it isn't a total waste.
Of course, jumping over to a new system will mean I'll have to download all the DLC I did for the Wii all over again and make new avatars to rebuild my band (is it kinda weird that I have some kind of attachment to the characters I created for a fictitious band in a fictitious universe dreamt up by Harmonix?). But hey, it's still good fun. After all, that's what drew me to Rock Band in the first place.

Been a long time....

As Duke Nukem Forever rolls ever so closer to showing it's face, pre-release feedback seems quite promising. Do Gearbox genuinely believe in their product? Or are they just frightened that anything less than a wonder will mean all the wait and frustration will be for naught?
As previously stated, there is a part of me that really wants this oft-delayed game to succeed. To have a great game come out awesome in spite of the delays and the fan contempt would be a victory to end all victories - not to to mention the satisfaction of silencing many an angry gaming nerd. In fact, as the fans getting so worked up over an unreleased product still holds more fascination to me than the actual game.

Makes me wonder which will attract the greater venom:
- The fact that DNF took a long (and reportedly unnecessary) long time in development
- The fact that DNF was released and (hypothetically) turned out crap
- The fact that DNF was released

Still, a game can be good even when it's been a long time in development: Warcraft 3 took a long time to produce and it's still being regularly played at LANs. Team Fortress 2 took nine years to come through and it proved quite successful with critics/gamers/LAN goers alike.
So maybe there is value in wanting to do an awesome job of one's product. Maybe we should be grateful that people like Blizzard and Valve are willing to take their time and produce the best possible result.

But what are the chances of that happening?

Adventures in cosplay (no.2)

And welcome to part two of this series in Adventures in cosplay. So what I can I say for today's installment?

Well for starters, it is, for me, near impossible to discuss cosplay without mentioning my partner in crime Kathleen. It's something we love doing, it's a great couple activity and it was, believe it or not, a great foundation to build a relationship upon. And being genuine couple in life, it indeed shows and is quite popular at cons. Before we met I did wonder how cool it would be to see a genuine couple cosplay as fictitious couple and now that I've been a part of one, it's pretty damn cool :D
Of the many couples we've done, perhaps our best known one is Link and Princess Zelda from the Legend of Zelda games. This has been done many times and is the one people tend to remember us the best for.



This may seem like an odd choice for a cosplay couple seeing that, in the games, Link is the star and Zelda's screen time is, conversely, minimal. Yet still people seem strangely accepting of a connection between the two.
This came about however through personal experience: At the time, 2008, I was coming into the Zelda games for the very first time through playing Link to the Past. I played it, liked it a lot and was inspired enough to consider cosplaying as Link. Around the same time, my partner, Kathleen, and I had just come off the back of cosplaying as Tidus and Yuna and she was keen to do another cosplay couple. As serendipitous as it sounds, I asked if she was familiar with the Legend of Zelda games. Kathleen said yes she was familiar having played them as a kid. I then suggested we do a cosplay of Link and Zelda - At first she was reluctant saying she didn't want to wear a tea towel on her head but when I showed her a pic of the Twilight Princess Zelda, she quickly agreed.

2009: Man, it hurts to look at it now....

How the Link came about is an interesting case: It was something that was gradually built up over time and trial and error. I purchased the tunic and cap off ebay but they were found wanting. The tights were ladies (!) leggings purchased at clothing store Supre and the white shirt was an old long-sleeved t-shirt. The collar, gauntlets and leather straps were made through trial and error by Kathleen and the master sword was purchased at a con. The boots - oh boy: At first it was boot covers, but they were awful. Then it was riding caps before actual boots - which subsequently feel apart.

Although this cosplay isn't the easiest of things to wear, I do have a soft spot for it. Like other great cosplays this one has a story attached to it - of how it came about - and one I'll never tire of telling. And having done this cosplay numerous times since, it's has evolved through numerous improvements and built up it's own sense of history.
Indeed one such story that this cosplay inspired is when Kathleen and myself were sitting around when a young girl dressed as Link walked past. We called her over, had a long conversation and eventually, all three of us into a photo.

2010: Aaaaahhhhhh, Much better!

Now that I think of it, Link is an odd choice for someone like me: You see a lot of women cosplay as Link but they have the angular facial features and slim figure to make it work. Thus it does seem odd for a twenty something guy to cosplay such a youthful character - but what do I care? I love the character of Link and it's fun to be recognized for it.
And to have someone else willing to cosplay as Princess Zelda to match is even better :D

So much so in fact that I see both my Link and Kathleen's Princess Zelda, permanently connected. It may sound nuts but these two have been worn together and have been improved/evolved together that I honestly can't imagine them being separate entities. By way of example, Kathleen has cosplayed as Midna and I did Link to match but for me, it wasn't the same. Nope, the Link cosplay and the princess Zelda cosplay have had a shared history together to go elsewhere is unthinkable - and again, for a cosplay to have such stories and history attached to it is indeed something special.



And that's it for today. But there's more to come so stay tuned!

Pure Nonsense

I've been watching Pure Pwnage on ABC2 recently. It may seem old hat to many of you who watched it since it came online but for me, it's something new.

So what do I think of it?

I have no idea.
No really: this is a TV show that has left me with mixed feelings - perhaps more than any other TV show I have seen before. On one hand it is well written and, being a gamer, I am able to pick up on a lot of the jokes.
On the other hand, some of the jokes hit a little too close to home. Indeed, Jeremy is hard character to establish any kind of connection: Is he there to make us laugh? Is he meant to inspire scorn? Am I meant to connect with a narcissistic, immature character who'd I rather shoot in the head?
Or is the truth to ugly to confront? Indeed, I recall Eddie van Halen reacting to the great mocumentary This is Spinal Tap by saying that everyone else in the room was laughing bar him who'd lived through all the things happening in the movie. That being said, I hate to think how many gamers act like Jeremy.

But something must be working in Pure Pwnage becuase it keeps calling me back.

Reach Out

So Halo Reach is, reportedly, the last Halo game from Bungie? I sure hope so. I think it's fair to say that everyone is pretty sick of Halo, it's devoted-to-the-point-of-downright-weird fans and the over-saturation of it all. I personally don't mind Halo but I find it interesting that Bungie decided to move on.

You hear so many people complaining about how gaming franchises are run into the ground and no one seems keen to try something new. I personally find it interesting that anyone who has the balls to genuinely try something new is swallowed by gamers and shat out as yet another franchise. Case in point: God of War. It came when action games were running out of puff and presented a compelling anti-hero along with a deconstruction of Greek mythology. Also, it presented a proper story with a well-realised resolution. As such, I have no idea why the God of War sequels exist or there is any need: Sure the action is still there but the plot just gets silly plays off of Kratos being a total jerk - thus ruining a lot of what originally made him so interesting.

So I give Bungie credit: They are obviously closing the book on successful franchise and moving onto something different. You don't see that much in the gaming these days becuase such a move requires a large amount of balls to do so. I can only think of only one other case where a franchise was deliberately put to rest and that was Phantasy Star 4 on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.
Indeed, I'm interested to see what Bungie does next, and whether they will stick to their guns in the face of greedy business types and fans who will eat up anything with Halo written on it. It takes balls to do unconventional things with an established franchise (Leisure Suit Larry 4 comes to mind) so yay to Bungie.

Of course there is talk of doing ANOTHER Halo game only this time by fans but to me, in this franchise-driven, fan-pandering era, there's nothing sadder.

Adventures in cosplay (no.1)

I haven't talked much about cosplay in this blog. So why not? I like gaming and I like cosplay so there's no reason why I shouldn't talk about it. After all, this is my blog and I can do what I damn well like with it, dragging all my readers along for the ride whether they like it or not.

So for this month of November I'm going to make a series: Every Monday I'm going to pick out a particular cosplay I've done and wax lyrical about it.

I've enjoyed cosplay - it's fun to dress up and take on the persona of your favourite character. What's particularly sweet is that I have a cosplay partner in crime - and not just any partner. Yes, as I found out, cosplay is actually a really good way to develop a romance. My partner and I have cosplayed romantic couples in the past and it works because we're a real couple - it shows at cons and so forth and it's become a really big hit with the attendees who constantly collar us for photos. :)

So to kick off this series, I present one cosplay I did back in 2008: Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7.



I can't say I'm part of the fervent fanbase that keeps Final Fantasy VII alive much longer than the average video game but I've played it and found some enjoyment out of it. But what's even more surprising is whilst Cloud isn't my favorite character this came about because I liked Aerith and wanted my partner Kathleen to cosplay as her - and she only agreed to it provided I cosplay as Cloud. So Cloud it was then.

Much of this was purchased: The outfit was purchased, the ribbon and even the Buster sword. The boots were provided by me from a previous cosplay as was the wig. Unfortunately, on the day that these photos were taken, time restraints meant that the wig was unable to be styled.

This was worn on a day out in Melbourne with some other cosplayers. This proved to be quite a hit and some of the cosplayers were impressed with the Buster sword. In addition the inclusion of the glasses went over well too.
Unlike a lot of my other cosplays, this was easy to move around in and didn't disintegrate as the day wore on. It particularly amusing to enter a video store, with Aerith in tow, and having one of the staff there recognize us immediately.

So at the end of the day, this was fun to do and it was great to have a cosplay remain in one piece all throughout the day. I got some sweet recognition for it and an Aerith too :D



Who's the boss eh?

Anyway, that's enough for today. Come back next Monday where more Adventures in cosplay await...

Legion of the Damned

I'm feeling rather proud of myself: Been playing a lot of Mass Effect 2 and got Legion recruited in my squad. I like this character a lot, in the fact that he is a member of the 'enemy' (from the first game), he speaks with the knowledge absorbed from various data sources and his electronic voice is kinda cool.

Now that I think of it, my experience with RPGs and the people have played them has revealed that there is always someone in your party who you, the player, hate: Someone who is just annoying or just can't pull their weight in combat (or both). Players are encouraged to get behind someone and fight to the death to defend their character against the haters with so much passion, you'd think it was a law for an RPG to have someone to hate.
I personally found it puzzling that anyone would tolerate someone of such caliber: Anyone useless would seriously have been given their marching orders - likewise to someone who is trying to be funny but instead comes across as annoying.



I have never had such a problem: I would never hate a character becuase, in a way they are there for a reason: If not for combat then for the plot. If they at least contribute something in their own way then that's fine be me. As RPG's are renowned for taking up tens of hours of gameplay, I am willing to give time to charatcer so they can have the chance to impress me.
By way of (Final Fantasy) example: Quina must be the most maligned character in the Final Fantasy universe but at least s/he has some neat blue magic to make up for it. Also I think Tifa Lockhart is a poor fighter and nothing more than fanboy fodder but I must admit she does play a key role in the plot. And with FFX, everyone seems to hate someone in the main party (except for Auron) but with me, I used all seven combatants and utilised the sphere grid to great effect in order to build a team that functions like a well-oiled machine.

Which brings me back to ME2: It would seem that I don't hate anyone on board the Normandy. Each character is well realised and makes their own unique contribution to the game itself. I have no favorites and, similarly, no one has got on my nerves. I may thought Liara was a bit dull in the first game but now, as an information broker, she kicks arse!
I think what makes this work is the loyalty missions: Here, the character's background is explored, they are provided some depth and they undergo proper development. Better still, they contribute unlockable skills and their personality is changed with the quest completed. Thus Jack becomes more than hostile, Miranda shows more beyond snobby and Mordin shows signs of morality.
In any case, this was a masterstroke on Bioware's end and it is, in a sense, real effort being made to stop such 'useless character' bollocks that RPG's seem to have.
I for one am delighted that such effort is being put into the realization of these characters and only hope that this catches on.

Aerith vs Tifa

In the time since writing my list of compelling gaming heroine where I rated Aerith Gainsborough as my fav. Having made such a declaration, I thought I might contribute my thoughts to a never ending debate: Tifa Lockhart or Aerith Gainsborough. The two key heroines of Final Fantasy VII. This debate has been lasting a long time, many years since the game to be exact, and, as long as SquareEnix keeps pumping out stuff bearing the FF7 logo, doesn’t look like it’ll be ending sometime soon.
Granted I haven't attracted any attention from angry Tifa fans (alliteration!) but still, the Aerith/Tifa debate is something that’s guaranteed to have FF7 fans at each other’s throats so I might throw my two cents in.

But before I begin, I thought I might share my own thoughts on the role of women characters in gaming, both as a gamer and an aspiring writer.
It seems to me that female game characters seem to exist in two extremities: They are either a) a damsel in distress, incapable of doing a single thing when the hero isn’t around (eg: Princess Peach) or b) independent woman of the speak-to-me-and-I’ll-kick -your-balls-in variety (eg: Lara Croft). There appears to exist very little in the terms of overlap.
With the women’s rights movement, the fairy tale-inspired motif of ‘princess waiting around for prince to be rescued’ seems to have lost relevance in a modern world. Sure it may have been both a motivational aspect and a familiar plot device for games, but it does raise the question of why would the princess wait around for so long for the protagonist to get his act together? In all that time spent waiting wouldn’t she herself attempt to escape?
As for the independent woman motif, I’m not buying into it. It would appear that being independent means being grouchy and bitchy when a male character as so much says hello to you, doing everything a man can do to prove …….something, and favouring bleeding to death over asking for help. I have nothing wrong with women being independent but more often than not such independence is taken to unnecessarily extreme levels. Some would argue about one’s masculinity being threatened but I refute that claim by saying I wouldn’t be bothered by a female character who can do anything equally well as (or even surpass) the males – I would only be bothered if she decided to be a total bitch about it afterwards. Also, I’ve noticed in women characters that independence and depth don’t really sit well together. Just look at Lara Croft: As pointed out by Yahtzee, once you get past her over-sized bazoombas there really isn’t much to her: She is just stealing priceless historical artefacts before her rivals – all of which seem to have a lot less money than Lara. Sorry but I like my heroines to have a lot more than a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
What I look for in female game character is someone who has intelligence, has some capable fighting skills, is pro-active in solving a problem, has hopes and dreams like any other hero, doesn’t suddenly become completely useless when a problem arises, is able to do things without the hero being around, ends up rescuing the hero as many times as he rescues her AND has the looks to match.
So in any case, my criteria isn’t really that hard to accomplish and having a well-thought out female character with depth and independence isn’t really that hard.

Now that my view on female gaming characters has been established, let’s return to the task at hand: Tifa or Aerith. My thoughts on Aerith have already been established so lets cut straight to the chase and look at Tifa



Well, there’s no getting around it: For a bunch of polygons, she sure looks gorgeous. Okay she may not be much in the FF7 game graphics but, as the pic I’ve used above will attest, in Advent Children she looks great. For a fictional character, I’m quite impressed with what the animators did with her hair, her eyes and her facial features. Appearances are indeed stunning and it’s clear to see why Tifa has quite a large number of fans.
But I’m not fooled so easily: Through playing FF7 I didn’t find much to like about Tifa: Her limit breaks were lame, her fighting capabilities were useless, her stats were low and, as a result, I rarely used her at all. And this is supposed to be the greatest martial artist on the planet?
Okay maybe I’m being harsh but not without good reason. You see, there is something I don’t really like about Tifa’s personality. For the greatest martial artist on the planet (apparently), Tifa sure comes across as being somewhat useless the instant Cloud isn’t around – even to the point where Barrett actually points it out.
In fact a lot of Tifa’s world seems to revolve around Cloud: She worries about him when he isn’t around but won’t tell anyone else about it, and from the looks of it, the lass is in need of someone to look up to and lean upon when things are looking bad. Indeed, it makes me wonder how many male players entered their own name instead of Cloud’s.
But now that I think about it, Tifa really strikes me as pandering to the fanboys: a busty yet emotionally frail heroine who needs a man to rely because she can’t do jack the instant he leaves the room? What male wouldn’t want Tifa gushing over him?
To her credit though, Tifa certainly comes across as a more emotionally stable character in Advent Children, who’s more than capable of holding her own in a fight. And her appearance has a lot more sensuality than Aerith.
Ultimately though, Tifa strikes me as a woman who seems to need a man in a life becuase it seems that without one, she'd get nowhere fast. Indeed, it's the Lara Croft thing: Get past the looks and there's not really much left.

So when Tifa fails to win me over, Aerith claims that honour. After all, can you say no to those wonderful eyes?



Didn't think so

I come from a land down under

I finally got the chance to sit down and play Mass Effect 2. I have really high hopes for this (which is never a good thing) having enjoyed the first one a lot and seeing this one being played by someone else. Thankfully, what has transpired in the game so far has been quite promising - so I guess it's fair to say that I'm hooked.

What I have found quite striking is Miranda: Who sports an Australian accent big enough to drive an APC through. Speaking as an Australian, it is indeed interesting to hear Australian voices in games (Final Fantasy XIII being another example) but at the same time, I strangely find it rather cringing. If anything, it changed my perception of Miranda around completely: I will admit her looks caught my eye but at the same time, it doesn't really match her voice.

But I don't know: Do Australians sound like that? Can some of my US readers confirm this? It sounds bizarre hearing my native accent on screen like that - and personally I hate hearing recordings of my voice as it makes me sound like bigger nerd than I already am - but then again, anyone from any culture would think they sound normal when everyone else sounds weird.

It's great to see some Australian voice acting in games but I would rather someone who sounds more like Geoffrey Rush or Nick Cave than Steve Irwin any day...

Gearbox of Enthusiasm

As Duke Nukem Forever rumbles ever so closer I have to admit: It’s not hard to get caught up in the enthusiasm that Gearbox have for their project. But then again, who could blame them for displaying such enthusiasm as they have to face the many angry gamers who have been left waiting for well over a decade?

It Takes Two

As some of you may know, I do have a significant other in my life: Like many other relationships, we bonded over similar interests, namely anime and video games. Thanks to my partner I have an interest in the Xbox (a console I had previously little to do with) and I've had an attentive audience watching me play games.

Strangely, we've never really played a game together. This may seem strange as we both love gaming and playing a game together is something couples do (or at least should do). Thing is, the games we like aren't really of a two player variety. Indeed, the games we've really played together are few in number: Rock Band, Singstar and Super Mario World (note how all bar one are music games)

We both enjoy the Bioware RPG's. I loved Baldur's Gate and was determined to play Dragon Age Origins as soon as I saw it. My partner meanwhile was won over through playing Mass Effect and completed Dragon Age Origins well before me. The thing is, RPG's are really a one player game: there is no room for a second player to come in. Fable may present a second player option true but the role of the second player is reduced to that of an underling.

I would like to see an RPG where a second player can come in. It may seem a tall order seeing as RPG's are all about making decisions and fashioning character development in a way that stays with the player throughout the entire game but why not? True RPG's are usually a one player game but consider Final Fantasy X: The main character is Tidus but he isn't the driving force of the man quest - Yuna is. I would like to see conversations between two player characters where two people are individually selecting responses. I would like to see one player character doing something that will ultimately effect the other player character. I would like to see two people going off an doing separate sidequests at the same time. I would like to see two people playing the same RPG and making choices via connected consoles. We have the processing power so why not?

We don't need another God of War

I enjoyed the original God of War. It won me over on the strength of it’s action-packed pace, it’s reinvention of Ancient Greek Mythology and it’s compelling plot. Sure, the game-play formula has been duplicated many times ever since and sure the puzzles were annoying at times but God of War was indeed lot’s of fun and a great excuse to wreck some carnage. And Kratos, in all his psychopathic glory, was a welcome change of pace to a whole horde of whinging, whining girly heroes that proliferate certain games these days.

However I have a bone of contention with the sequels: As far as I’m concerned, they have no right to exist. Sure many critics are turning cartwheels over the technological aspects of the game but don’t they always do that? Sure there’s no denying that it looks great, the fun value and the reinvention of Ancient Greek mythology but I’m not buying that. As such I refuse to touch any God of War game that isn’t the first one.
The reason being is the plot: God of War presented a self-contained story that wrapped things up fairly nicely by the end. Kratos was given a decent motivation and enough characterisation and background for him to endear himself to the player in spite of the fact they were controlling a homicidal psychopath. And, like every other narrative protagonist, Kratos went through Hell/Hades (literally!), only to defeat Ares at the end, liberate himself from the curse (which was Kratos’ own stupid fault to begin with) and take the place of the God of War and inspire centuries of warfare forever afterward. That’s settled then!



However, come the sequel, Kratos is bored with being a god and being shunned by the other gods so he tries to start up a war on Earth. Zeus gets annoyed at this, strips Kratos of his powers and sends him back to Hades. This in turn, inspires Kratos to fight his way out of Hades swearing revenge on Zeus on his lips.
So just to recap: Kratos wants to get back at Zeus because Kratos was being a jerk. Riiiiiiiiiight.
Really though, from where I sit, it’s near impossible to build a sequel from a resolution offered by God of War 1. His family is avenged so what now? He’s just going to kill of a lot of things just because he feels like it? This does indeed come across as being a far cry from the complexity Kratos’ character got in the first game – and indeed puzzling that the designers made Kratos a psycho when he has previously been established as being more substantial than that. Sure he had a plausible motivation with revenge but when that’s fulfilled what next? Is he just going on revenge because that’s all he’s good at? Why would you complain about being a God? If you have powers beyond imagination and yet you STILL can’t extinguish the memory of your murdering past then what good are you?

And God of War 3 presents an even more nonsensical scenario as Kratos’ revenge-inspired, god-killing actions justifies the collapse of Greek Mythology. But really that just comes across as being sad: Kratos’ character is even further ruined and the distance between him and the players grows wider still. And having Kratos doing the same things, without any proper reason to do so, reeks of writers struggling to come up with something new. Indeed, it makes me wonder why they even bothered making a sequel – wouldn’t have been easier to come up with something new?

So that’s why I won’t touch the God of War sequels. Seriously, who would want to play a game controlling a dude whose one key achievement in the first game is repeated ever afterward?

Mass Effect 5

I recently read one critic compare Mass Effect 2 to, in relation to it's predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back. To me however, saying that seems to anticipate that the upcoming ME3 will be..... not as good.

Anyway, I recently read that whilst Mass Effect was originally planned as a trilogy, apparently EA are keen to expand the franchise and keep it going. Hardly surprising as franchises are the pretty much the lifeblood of games these days. However with this news, I can see some untapped potential.
This year I sat down and watched Babylon 5 - a long time coming true but well worth it in the end. And like most people, I was significantly impressed with how it was planned out from the very beginning and how things established earlier on become more important much later. It got me thinking, has anyone ever tried something of this multitude in a video game series?
Think about it: How awesome would be to keep using the same saved game over the one series, where the choices you made in the first game can ultimately effect the fifth and final game? You could even choose to keep the same character all the way through or change to someone else who has to deal with the decisions the first character made. The Quest for Glory series did it before with keeping the same character over a series, but with the processing power we have today, it may be possible to make decisions that can have much longer-lasting effects.

Sadly, as ambitious as the idea may seem, it may never happen: Bioware doesn't seem at all interested in going beyond a trilogy. And besides, who on earth actually SETS OUT to make a new game franchise in this day and age?

History Forever Repeats

The countdown to the arrival of Duke Nukem Forever ticks further away. This live footage of a demo recently surfaced:



Seeing as every man and his dog will be dissecting every last scrap of evidence to the finished product as it emerges, I offer my thoughts:

To be blunt, I'm unimpressed: I see a lot of piss-farting around at the start and a revamp of the final confrontation of the original Duke 3D only with nicer graphics. And suddenly I don't really seem as hopeful I thought I was.
However I did enjoy the end sequence with the breaking of the fourth-wall. Now, if the rest of the game is like that then we might be onto something.....

But I don't know: I'm beginning to wonder do we really want this? Do we want a game that's awesome or do we just want a punching bag? For me, DNF has been running on promises for so long that people are seeing it as the ultimate betrayal - you know, one that's beyond forgivable. The gamers left waiting are getting angry and more than keen to put the boot in - perhaps THAT'S why Yahtzee's fictitious review of DNF was voted the best Zero Punctuation by his audience.

Forever Denied

It seems the eventual arrival of Duke Nukem Forever is the talk of the town at the moment. Some people are angry that their long running joke won't be funny any more, some people are seething that the game just wouldn't lay down and die whilst other people are so furious, they're willing to put the boot in before the game has ever been released.

Personally, seeing people react to this (as yet) unreleased game for me is more interesting than the game itself. If anything, the amount of delays explained through using (seemingly) flimsy excuses is indeed the ultimate betrayal to many gamers. Thus, it is easier to dismiss the game, make jokes and strike up a meme then actually sitting down and giving it a chance - when it comes out of course.

I believe Pat from http://socksmakepeoplesexy summed it up best in his assessment of Final Fantasy VIII:

Let's face it: gamers are a tough audience to please, especially when it comes to sequels. Case in point: Street Fighter. (Yes, the only games I know anything about are 2D fighters and JRPGs, thanks for asking.) Street Fighter II was a megahit. It changed video games, revitalized the arcade scene, and pleased just about everybody - excluding, I suppose, fanatical Karate Champ loyalists. Naturally, fans craved more. Capcom took an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to following it up, releasing Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and then Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. Each new version included additional moves, playable boss characters,and minor game-balancing changes, but they weren't really new games. They were tweaks meant to make a good game even better. And for a while, fans bought it. Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting were well-received in the arcades, and SNES owners who'd already bought Street Fighter II's 16-bit port happily shelled out another fifty bucks for Street Fighter II Turbo. But by the time Capcom unveiled Super Street Fighter II Turbo, many fans were turned off. "Just more of the same," they grumbled, and went to place their quarters on the Mortal Kombat and Samurai Shodown cabinets. Capcom took heed and released Street Fighter Alpha. It was a fine game, and a good starting point for a new 2D fighting series, but I don't recall it turning many heads. "Sure, the new graphic style is nice," we said. "But there aren't enough characters, and most of them are just the same people, anyway. It's still too much of the same old, same old. When is Street Fighter III coming out already?" A couple years later, Capcom released III, and nobody even cared. "It's too different," we whined this time. "Who are all these new people? What happened to the old ones? What's with only being able to pick one Super Art? And besides, 2D games are practically antiques at this point. 3D games - now those are the wave of the future!" Recently, when Capcom announced Street Fighter IV would contain most or all of the old cast from Street Fighter II and would be 3D, gamers were already tearing their hair out and wailing that it was definitely going to suck. I would hate to have an audience like us.

Couldn't have put it more succinctly myself.

Ultimately, I would like to see Duke Nukem Forever turn out to be a great game. Not just for the sake of having a 'fun' shooter when nearly all of them these days are 'serious' (as mentioned in a previous blog post) - No, I want the game to be awesome just to silence all the many detractors. Considering the frustration that went into the overlong development phase, it would be delight for DNF to be awesome - unlike a lot of other games that took too long in development *coughTooHumancough*.
On a personal level, I champion the underdog and I favor anyone who stands defiant against the majority - after all, what do you do when the majority seem to be acting like complete prats?

Of course, there is the chance that a failure may cause some gamers to pause and reassess their tastes and the demands they make but what's the chances of that happening?

Keys to the Kingdom Hearts

I know next to little with Kingdom Hearts: As far as I'm concerned, it's Disney meets SqueeEnix with legions upon legions of scary fangirls chomping at the bit for some mansex. As such, Kingdom Hearts goes no further with me than acknowledgment of it's existence.

Still, I have to admit that I was interested to learn that with the latest incarnation of Kingdom Hearts, a female character was been included in the playable party: Aqua.
Again, I know little of Kingdom Hearts but I have very good ideas as to what makes an compelling gaming heroine. So having a courageous heroine who can rough 'n tumble with the best of them is welcome in my book. She looks cool too.

But then again, this is Kingdom Hearts we're taking about, where the entire male cast already look girly enough as it is. So I assume there is a reason to Aqua's existence....

My Game is Damaged

As I said before, Good Game is a mixture of the informative and the rubbish - to sit through the latter to get to the former is a chore indeed. Yet it is the only game program on TV so we Australians are stuck with it.
I personally would like to see Game Damage be granted a full-blown show. As is my understanding, there was some interest for a while but nothing has emerged since. I have seen the trailer and it certainly looks entertaining with information being well-presented and funny asides that are actually funny. I've seen some people compare it the trailer to Top Gear and that's hardly a bad thing: Top Gear succeeds through three distinct personalities bouncing off of each other and Game Damage appears to be operating on the same principle - and is all the better for it. Indeed, it actually looks like it was made by genuine gamers and not those who look great on camera.



So yes, I would like to see more Game Damage and hope it really gets made into a decent show. The way I see it, there's not much in the way of competition.

All in Good Time

Another game has been struck down from my Hall of Shame: Prince of Persia Sands of Time.

This one has been a long time coming in completion: I have played this game on and off at random intervals since 2006. Call it a long time between drinks yes but not without good reason. Like most people, I enjoyed the platforming jumping, the time-shifting mechanic, the puzzle-solving, the well-realised script and the interactions between the Prince and Farah. But at the same time, again like most people, I found the combat to be complete rubbish.

Indeed, this is worth dwelling on becuase for me it was a game killer: The combat sections are stiff, dull and come across as a chore to play. It is particularly irritating that, with each sequence, you keep killing the same guys over and over again as they keep coming back for whatever reason. It's also annoying that you get swamped quite easily by the baddies and getting knocked down only once leaves you unable to prevent a second, or third, blow coming down and beating you into a pulp. Particular contempt is held in the 81% mark where the Prince and Farah are attacked whilst riding a elevator. In such a confined space, the Prince needs to defeat the baddies and make sure they don't take out Farah at the same time. This was a particularly infuriating moment for me and many failed attempts to clear it turned me off the game for many months.

Ultimately though, this assessment is doing nothing more than reiterating what has been said before: The combat in PoP:Sot is crap but everything works well. But for me, the combat failing is a such a fatal error. True, I enjoyed Sands of Time on numerous levels but I don't see myself rushing back to play it again (and I'm not touching the sequels either).

Oh well, easy come easy go.