In this corner...

 Here's something that came to my attention recently: Australian current affairs programme Four Corners is doing an investigation on gaming. Or, to be more specific, an investigation in seeing how gaming affects relationships and health (physical and mental). 

If anyone is interested in finding out more, please go here

Transferring over

 On Wednesday, I was watching the Gruen Transfer.
For those not in the know, it's a show on Australian TV which discusses advertising with how it works, the tactics utilised to sell a product.

And on this particular night, they finally discussed gaming.

I say finally because in my mind it has been a long time coming: There have been some brilliant gaming ads made in the past that would have been an inspired choice for Gruen to analyse - 'Michael' anyone? - but perhaps I should be grateful that it's happening. 

Truth be told, there wasn't a lot revealed that I didn't already know. But Russell sure looked awkward...

Well played

Happy New Year!

I wish I could say that but alas, this new year  for Game Tumour has begun on a sour note: becuase yesterday, it was announced that Good Game, the longest running gaming show in the history of Australian TV, has been given the axe.

I can't contain my disappointment on this one: I've given Good Game my undivided attention every week for years. I may not have agreed with Bajo and Hex's opinions but the content in the show has been, at once, informative, different and engaging. Admittedly last year, there were times when I could feel the show was running out of gas but the ten year anniversary show put such fears to rest, proving there was still a lot left in the tank.

But the disappointing thing about this is that whilst the main show is gone, many of the web-only specials are gone too. This means the only survivor is Good Game Spawn Point: the show catering for a younger audience. In a way, I feel insulted: Contrary to the views of the ABC Management, Gaming is not a 'kids' activity. No, it is something that is enjoyed by adults. Some of whom are parents and enjoy gaming with their children. I thought the diverse range of shows under the Good Game brand would have silenced such an archaic perception but that, unfortunately, doesn't appear to be the case.

Still, I am grateful for Good Game for the many, many episodes produced and which kept giving me an excuse to come back every week. If I hadn't watched Good game I wouldn't have known about many great games and the world is indeed poorer without it.

A Few Good Games

And so, on last night's screening of Good Game, the list of 100 Best Games, as voted by the Australian public was released. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, Skyrim ended up on top. 

Sarcasm aside, two of the three games I voted for made the list (Metal Gear Solid at 52 and Baldur's Gate 2 at 46) so that's not a bad effort.
What is worthy of note though is that, looking at the list, it is dominated by 7th generation and 6th generation games. Granted that may be a product of a large number of gamers younger than me casting their vote but it is kind of interesting that Skyrim comes out on top whilst Super Mario Bros, without question one of the most important games ever made, is relegated to the opposite end of the list.
No doubt about it: Gaming is a platform that is continually advancing at an incredible rate - thus there is something to said about a game having staying power. True Ocarina of Time may exemplify that notion through being at no.3, but many games of the previous generation have been relegated to the first half of the list.
Indeed, one can only wonder if a similar list is done up in thirty years from now - and whether or not Skyrim will still be the king. ......

I wanna hold your hand

Some time ago, I wrote a poem about Ico. I liked it enough to do a little video about it:

(all words and original imagery done by me)

Since making this video, it has been submitted to the Good Game Top 100 special.
Don't know if it'll make the show but one can always try...

An Ode to Ico

Something I put together in anticipation for Good Game's greatest game special:

Favorite game? Ico. On the PS2
No joke: you’ve heard exactly what I’ve said
Not for me Portal, Halo and Wow too

No, give me a lad with horns on his head
Who meets a princess in a big fortress
Who can open doors and make black shapes dead

Both doomed to die: A fate to readdress
So an escape Ico and Yorda plan
Hand in hand through the castle they progress

Contending with: puzzles, solved as they can
And bashing, with a wood stick, black shadows
And, worse of all, Yorda’s attention span

Under bloom lightening the game flows
Showing Legend of Zelda how it’s done
Along with a loneliness this game knows

Oh Ico, you poor selling ball of fun
Father of Shadow of the Colossus
Now on the PS3 for everyone
Ico: Who does so much more with so less
Who proudly passes the ‘game as art’ test
And a real tear jerker I must confess

Yes, my favorite game’s Ico. It’s the best!
Mood, emotion: There’s nothing quite like it.
Even though it’s one big long escort quest

The view from afar

At the moment, I'm trying to restrict myself from buying more games until I've completed the one's I've got. However with such a restriction in place, it doesn't mean I can express an interest in certain games through putting them on my Steam Wish List.

Such games include:

Book of Legends
Sarcasm and RPGs? Sounds like a winning combination to me.

Crusader Kings 2
I once mentioned that the army movements and political skullduggery of Game of Thrones would make a superb game - and this game seems to do just that

Deadly Premonition
Much of what I've heard of this game makes it sound completely absurd (thank Good Game for that) and therefore completely worth my interest.

Kerbal Space program
Heard a lot about this game so it;s inclusion is there for curiosity's sake.

The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot
Included purely on the name alone.

RPG Maker
Why not? I've played plenty of RPGs and I have a good idea as to what one has to do to snare my interest so why wouldn't the idea of making and RPG for myself hold appeal?

Verdun
There may be plenty of games based on World War 2 but barely any based on World War 1. That alone is enough to get my interest.

And E makes 3

On last night's episode of Good Game, they did a feature on this years E3.

Thus some random thoughts:
 - Too many zombie games (ie more than zero)
 - I thought Spec Ops the Line would've sent all military shooters to go stand in a corner. Seems I was wrong
 - The new Call of Duty game offering control of a military dog? Well that's something different
 - Beyond Two Souls: Yes it's nice to see some cut scenes, footage of the mo-cap process and the talking up of games offering an emotional connection but can we see some actual GAMEPLAY please?
 - Titanfall looks promising. Stomping around in a huge mech? Hell yes
 - The new Saints Row promising control of the President of the U.S. and tearing up shit? That's sounds so absurd it just might work (oh wait its been banned in this country. Oh well....)

Back in the 90s

This week’s episode of Good Game was an analysis between the three great gaming generations: 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. So inspired by this, may I offer my two cents:

My favorite gaming generation out of the afore-mentioned three? The 1990’s without question. If the 1980s were represented by building ideas from practically out of nothing and the 2000s were defined by breaking down whatever restrictions were left standing, then the 1990’s seem to combine the best of the two: technology was advancing, admittedly at an alarming rate, but the limitations of the era encouraged developers to be smart in conveying what they were trying to get across.

One could argue that the first time is always the best time – and in such a case, those who champion the generation they got into gaming as the first time. Indeed I can imagine the kids playing the PS3 will, ten/twenty years from now, maintain that it was the best generation of the lot.
But that isn’t the case here: As previously established I started with the Commodore 64 and was already into gaming well before I set my young and impressionable mind first set eyes on a Sega Megadrive. That being said, the nineties may not have been the beginning but it certainly was the key to the Promised Land (or whatever you want to call it).

So what makes the nineties so special? Well then:
•    I recall declaring loyalty to Sega while so many others swore devotion to Nintendo – and hey, of people are forming tribes around something then you must be doing something right.
•    I recall going to friend’s places and having a bash on the console – true that could be done before and since but to me the nineties was where it happened to me first. Indeed, there something satisfying to have a friend or cousin who liked the same stuff you liked.
•    I recall hanging around people who liked gaming and talking about them with barely restrained enthusiasm.
•    I recall the first time a gamer specific store opened up in Hobart and I thought it was the best thing ever
•    I recall watching the Zone religiously on a Saturday morning and thinking it was ace to see a show for people who spoke my language
•    I recall reading the various magazines of the day and being impressed with both gaming developments and the latest games (even if most of the games featured were beyond the capabilities of my (t)rusty Commodore 64)
•    I recall the excitement of a LAN. Indeed was something special sneaking into a computer lab at school with some friends and using up one’s lunch hour blowing each other away in Doom.
•    I recall going into arcade game parlors and salivating like a Pavlovian dog at all the wonders around me. Okay sure some may lament the evolution of such parlors from seedy/dark places to family-friendly-environments but I tell you, there was no greater thrill than blowing so much change in a wide variety of games.

Looking back at what I’ve written it seems there is a common thread between these points: If anything the nineties proved to me that there truly was a world of gamers beyond what I’d previously experienced in my basement with my Commodore 64. Suddenly I realized there were people who liked what I liked and I wasn’t as alone as I originally thought I was. Whether it was visiting friends to play games, setting up LANs or reading various gaming publications; all of these indicated that there was a world of gaming that I was a part of and my interest were to be celebrated. Thus, whilst the eighties may have established the niche, the nineties saw the niche expand – to where it is today well beyond its original niche limitations.
And I don’t believe that this sense of belonging has been replicated. How? Well people nowadays may go on about how online gaming is great with being able to play against people from all corners of the globe and having games & DLC readily available to download. Yes that may be true but at what expense? Sure it may be easier to find people who like what you like online but it’s nowhere near as satisfying as meeting a similar someone in the flesh. You may reach more people online but it’s hardly a substitute for going to a friend’s place, hijacking their couch and duke it out in a fighting game.

So here's to the nineties. And what finer way then to conclude this post with some music from that glorious decade?

All together now:
"Gonna get the girl
Gonna kill the baddies
And save the entire planet!
Gonna get the girl
Gonna kill the baddies
And save the entire planet!"

I'll tell you when I've had enough

Inspired by my recent posting of the behemoth that is my games collection, I was inspired to add more of these titles to my Raptr account. Thus my game total on Raptr stands, at time of writing, at 182.
An impressive figure to be sure but it does raise a question: How big can a gaming collection get before it becomes too much to handle? When does a gaming collection get to the point where no games whatsoever are actually getting played? My current game total has nearly doubled in size from my original plan to hunt down a particular hundred but it's come to a point where it's more about the collection than the games itself.
Hardly a good a sign.
Of course it all comes down to how much time can be invested in playing so many games - and in my case I've got far too many games and staring down a incalculable amount of time that is required to get through them all. Indeed, I can only wonder how Bajo and Hex can, on a regular basis, get through so many games, still keep a fresh perspective on them AND still whip out a weekly TV show.

But I digress. It's baffling, at least to me, how my game collection ballooned to a point where it's about the games and not actually playing them. So, in an attempt to find some answers, I used Excel to make a tally of the games I've purchased from a particular date (in this case it was January 2009 when I had a PC and a Playstation) and the source of the games in question.

The result is as follows:

So what does this tell us? Well it is unsurprisingly to see large numbers with two completely new consoles (in this case the Wii and Xbox 360) but perhaps the main offender is, of course, digital distribution: A means where many games, from no matter what their era, are easily available, can be purchased & ready to play within moments and being far, far more cheaper than games available in a store.

But to me it is yet another reminder that my Hall of Shame isn't going to go away anytime soon.
Oh well....

The Interzone Mantras

Before there was Good Game, there was The Zone:



The Zone was a TV show that ran on Australian TV during the nineties. I watched it religiously as a kid thinking that a TV show dedicated to gaming was the best thing ever.

Looking back however, My God is this show a product of it's time: never mind the reviews focused on SNES or Megadrive, witness the cringe-worthy terminology, boundless enthusiasm and the opeing titles utilizing random 3d graphics over house music.
Funny thing is that this TV show came at a time when gaming is a niche activity. Now, of course, gaming is enjoyed by many people of many backgrounds - something that Good Game understands entirely.  In fact lets do a comparison: Good Game is made by people who are gamers, passionate about their craft and know their audience. The Zone, conversely looks like it's trying to appeal to a wide audience and acting in a manner to what someone thinks as 'nineties cool'. I've heard Bajo & Hex being criticized for looking and acting like they're from another planet but that's nothing compared to the stilted manner that The Zone comes across as. Interestingly enough, as the show went on, it gradually moved away from gaming and collapsed into nonsense that was painful to watch.

Still, as I've said, to see a TV show focused on gaming was a big deal and I enjoyed watching The Zone a lot. And besides, if it wasn't for this show, we might never have seen Good Game - so I'll take that for what it's worth.

For more info on The Zone go here

Corporate Retreat

Whilst going through some of my old files, I came across a submission I put in for the for the Good Game game Office Wars. Yeah I put one in: Figuring I had little to loose, I rose up to the task of conceiving a history of the company in the game, Wagglemax, and working on some of the characters within the game itself.
I made my submission but Good Game never got back to me. Nevertheless, I thought I might give my ideas a home here. Indeed, looking back these characters seem compelling enough and it would be shame not to put them to use (of course anyone can have an idea - but putting said into action is another thing entirely).

So here we go: My submisison for the Good Game game Office Wars:

--------------------

Wagglemax History:

Wagglemax is a company that ahs been around for twenty years. It’s origins came from a young business executive called James Morgan who wanted to make a mark in the business world in the manufacture of technical gadgets. It was James who founded the company and whom has been with the company ever since.

Times have been difficult recently in Wagglemax: at first they had a string of successes with products of ingenuity and they became one of the most successful technological gadget companies on the market – even to the point of making their rivals nervous. However, company got too sure of itself and made a number of ventures that promised so much but failed to deliver. This set off a string of failures that in retrospect looked good on paper but left a lot of untapped potential. Wagglemax’s status slipped drastically – even to the point where it lost vital ground against new and upcoming companies. 

Currently, Wagglemax is in a rather alarming position: It needs a something big to get back up and running or face the horror of being closed down. However, as with many times before, the wrong people have the larger say whilst the right people are being ignored.

CEO

Name: James Morgan

First Impressions: A large man who radiates a tyrannical presence. James is often found sitting at his desk, laughing manically with mad eyes and a demented grin. He is always thinking up new schemes to forward Wagglemax but none of them really succeed.

Background: Merciless, cruel and apathetic: as a CEO James is all this and more. In a cutthroat business of running and maintaining a company, he has built Wagglemax from the ground up – but only through muscling his way to the top through low cunning, ruthless strength and absolute terror. But his journey to the top has irrevocably altered his way of thinking. He has the smarts and the intelligence to make the company go even further but it’s at odds with him leaving such potential unrecognised and paranoia (not to mention the perception that all of his employees are worthless maggots). 

Having been with Wagglemax from the very beginning, James was once a young and enthusiastic business man who wanted to make a mark of his own. However once he got Wagglemax up and running, it quickly became clear how corporations work.

To his horror, James received first hand experience on the ruthless nature that corporations work: by eliminating the competition through whatever means necessary. Thus he slowly had his idealism sucked out of him, leaving him as he currently is: a jaded tyrant.

CEO Personal Assistant

Name: Charles Lloyd

First Impressions: A snivelling little worm and general arse-kisser, Charles is determined to stay in his boss’ good books. Meek in demeanour he is however keen to find any moment when the other employees slip up for he can use it do his (no matter how over-dramatised) advantage.

Background: The personal assistant of James, Charles knows the importance of his position and doesn’t let anyone forget it. Such is his devotion to his employer that Charles will use any blackmail, threats and other underhanded methods to make sure the employees of Wagglemax stay in line. He is not afraid to assert his authority nor is he afraid to get his hands dirty.

However, he is only acting under James’ guidance. Without him, Charles would be next to useless. Thus, it is Charles’ admiration for his employer that has kept him going for all this time. It has also brought him into conflict with Glenn on several occasions.

Coming from a lowly background out in the countryside, Charles left his home for the city in search of work. However it wasn’t easy: he was unemployed for a long time trying out for many jobs. The lack of success took its toll however, leaving him frequently depressed and beaten down by defeat. But he refused to give up and was eventually rewarded with his current position at Wagglemax. Delighted that things are finally going his way, Charles has every intention to hang onto this new role with an iron grip and refuses to give up anything for anyone (expect James, the man who gave him the job)

Cleaner

Name: Simon Welsh

First Impressions: A weary but still likable old chap, Simon appears to the only sane person in Wagglemax. He gets on well with everyone, can blend in easily and drifts in and out of each chaotic situation in an unflappable manner.

Background: At first glance, Simon is a simple cleaner but such first impressions conceal his true intentions: he is actually an agent for James. Because of his unassuming manner and ability to go anywhere without being suspected, James has an additional task for Simon: to scout around the office of Wagglemax and to report any dissension in the ranks. Simon may get along well with everyone and may appear to be the most liked person in Wagglemax, but in reality he cares little of loyalty save for watching out for his own skin.

Simon’s background is something of an enigma. After acquiring a decent education, Simon spent many years working in corporations such as Wagglemax. In fact, he made excellent progress over the years – even to the point of becoming a key employee of one rival company to Wagglemax. Needless to say, falling from a higher-up to a cleaner is a spectacular one indeed, so he has joined Wagglemax with the intention of getting back at James. Strangely enough, James is aware of this.

Office Junior

Name: Glenn Wheeler

First Impressions: Young and vital, Glenn possess the manner of a wheeler-dealer. Fast talking, charismatic and full of ideas (all of which are better than James’) he does however tend to wimp out in confrontational situations.

Background: A young idealist, Glenn is fresh out of University where he was consistently bright pupil. Dedicated completely to his studies, Glenn had little time for anything else. Thus, his marks were always impressive but his people skills kept needing drastic work.

He has just started out in Wagglemax and obtained the entry position of Office Junior. Coming from a prestigious background, Glenn is annoyed that he has been regulated to a position not worthy of his talents and his great ideas (as he believes) are being constantly ignored.

Yet the longer Glenn stays at Wagglemax, it becomes increasingly clear that James relies on brute force to move the company forward. Thinking the company would be better off suited to more subtle methods of progression, Glenn immediately vows to usurp his boss and takes his place. Thus, Glenn is quite open about his intentions. Even James is aware of this but it is only Glenn’s usefulness that keeps him on the payroll.

Strangely though, whilst he may have the wits and charisma that James will probably never have, Glenn is a coward: He can talk his opponents up easily but he lacks the guts to take action to fulfil his intentions. Which is a shame because he doesn’t realise that the plans he comes up with are far more effective than James will ever come up with.

HR Manager

Name: Samantha Davis

First Impressions: Smart and all too aware of it, Sam is the quietest employee in Wagglemax. She is regularly found sitting in front of her computer, unaware of the mayhem that’s continually happening around her. She thinks lowly of her employees and doesn’t hesitate in applying the most venomous of put downs.

Background: Being the HR Manager, Samantha is James’ right-hand man (woman?) and his most trusted advisor. She holds position no.3 on the office hierarchy and fulfils the role of a mentor to the new arrivals. And being a HR person, Sam knows the strengths and weaknesses of each and every employer in Wagglemax and how they can be pushed to their full potential. She is also a schemer who can come up with ingenious plans for the company’s progress. However, her status has also made her a vile opportunist. Sam knows everything about everyone and utilises this information to her advantage. But no matter how much of a blackmailer she is, Sam is the most loyal to James. And she is indeed aware that she is despised by her co-workers – but without her, Wagglemax would have no hope of success. 

Being employed in a ruthless world of corporate greed for several years now, Sam has gradually come to accept that she is a woman in a world dominated mostly by men. Thus, she is determined to prove her worthiness and understands that her brain is her best weapon. However, this continually marks Sam out as being notoriously frigid. Matters aren’t helped when she is exceptionally disdainful of the notion of using sex appeal to climb up the corporate ladder.

Your Boss

Name: Nikki Hall

First Impressions: Loud, obnoxious and determined to get her own way, Nikki has no hesitation in achieving what she sets out to do. Blind to reason, to the point of tunnel vision, she has no trouble in getting what she wants out of her employees – even if she has to force them into it kicking, screaming and protesting all the way.

Background:, Nikki holds the distinction of being James’ chief business tactician. Amazingly, her loud and brash persona conceals a shrewd mind. Appearances truly are deceiving as Nikki is actually a mastermind of numerous successful ventures and cunning business moves. She is able to think up clever plans quickly and easily – All of which are executed with a cold and brutal efficiency. But, Nikki does not share the same crushing principals that her boss holds. She would rather resort to a more intellectual way of solving problems. Thus, being brash and loud tend to astonish people when her plans work out – all of which are the type that always work out in ways no one else anticipated and the type that affects the opponent long before they start to realise it.

Despite occasionally seeing herself more intelligent than James, Nikki is still very loyal to her CEO and a capable overseer of operations in Wagglemax. Should James fall, she will gladly continue with the business to the very end. And such is her loyalty, Nikki hates Glenn for his ambitions.

Nikki’s background is tumultuous to say the least: She came from a rich family who constantly drove her forward, demanding success and the best out of her. And for a hile wit worked in that Nikki exhibited strong skills in both sports and business. She could’ve chosen whatever career she wanted. Strangely enough however, she lacked the drive to go all the way. Most likely it was the burden constantly put on her parents but whatever the reason, Nikki lost her way and relished the freedom adulthood presented. For a while she showed behaviour of an adult thinking they were still in their teens and her career path floundered. As a result, she fell in with the only company that would accept her: Wagglemax.

Did Not.....Flabbergast?

Well it's been less than a week since Duke Nukem Forever was finally unleashed on a suspecting world and already the knives are out. Common criticisms range from loading times, a structure made from an incoherent jumble of ideas, inane jokes, nothing new to offer the FPS genre and being outpaced by it's older brethren (Half Life and Halo being two such examples)
I've read quite a few negative reviews and it seems everyone is more than willing to put the boot in. Indeed, the only good positive review I've seen came from Good Game - and I was indeed waiting for Bajo and Andrew Hansen to suddenly turn around and say "Just Kidding: THIS is what's really like."

It may be too soon to deem the eventual product/conclusion of the DNF saga to be a complete failure but, for the purposes of this post, I'm going to do it anyway. You see, looking at the divisive opinions of DNF it seems that everyone is angry by the fourteen years of inaction and, as a result, can't escape that fact - thus leaving many critics more than willing to put the boot in. It's as if the development time was more important than the game itself - but me, conversely, I find the fan reaction more important than the game itself. I'm intrigued that people can feel so hurt and betrayed that they are ready to dismiss the game before it has a chance to prove itself. I'm fascinated with the idea that people can make jokes for so long about this game and can get angry with the idea of their joke being taken away from them. I'm enthralled that people can get so worked up about a game. I'm amazed that people can be delighted that it turned out rubbish and get so infuriated with the idea that it might actually be good (and before you say a prolonged development couldn't possibly yield a great game then I suggest you retreat back to the bosom of Team Fortress 2).
Indeed, I myself will admit I have yet to play DNF - becuase in all honesty I find the venomous fan reaction far more entertaining. And if the fans garner more attention than the game itself then something has gone very wrong.

That being said, with this saga coming to such an anti-climatic ending, who are the real winners here? Is it 3d Realms? No, they had a hit with Duke3D but the momentum afterward fell apart. Is it Gearbox? No, they just took, what seems to be, a mess and tried to make it go. Is it Duke himself? No, he seems now more like an anachronism. Is it the franchise? No, it seems it won't go any further following this debacle and it's unlikely an attempt to be a better job the second time around a sequel will emerge.
No, I think the real winners are the fans: Those who felt betrayed to a point where they were more than eager to dismiss the game as rubbish. Those who got their wish of an irredeemable disaster. Those who refuse to forgive and forget. Those who have been shouting "I told you so", are shouting "I told you so" and, I suspect, will continue to shout "I told you so" for the next fourteen years. And those who are no doubt waiting eagerly to hear Yahtzee tear into it with the next Zero Punctuation.

Personally, considering the troubled development DNF had, I wanted it to get a happy ending - but there's always the thought of how many people genuinely wanted it to fail.

Damaged Beyond Repair

I recently heard that Yahtzee's proposed TV show, game Damage, sadly, kinda died and won't be coming around as a full blown TV show.

I'm disappointed to say the least. Judging for the pilot, there was a lot of potential here. I heard some people compare said pilot to Top Gear and there is some truth there: Top Gear works becuase it has three hosts of three distinctive personalities and seeing them interact is part of the fun. Having that formula transfer into a gaming show would've worked a treat.

When i first saw the pilot I thought it was great as came across as being put together by people who knew exactly what they were talking about. They had humorous asides but there was a lot of red-hot info that wasn't clogged down by odd moments that were a) puzzling or b) lame attempts at humour. Having being disillusioned with Good game (at the time) for this reason, i was all set to support Game Damage.

But sadly it looks like it won't be happening. Ironically however, recently Good Game is getting better - even more watchable - with more emphasis on the gaming and less emphasis on the bullshit. Looks like Bajo and Hex get the last laugh....

Hate the Final not the Fantasy

On the TV show Good Game, they're currently calling for people to contribute to the latest Fanboys Vs Haters debate. There, a franchise is selected and the lovers/loathers have to defend their case to the death (or something).

With the latest franchise for debate being Final fantasy I thought I might share my two cents (curse the limit of 300 words!):

Whilst I’ve enjoyed the FF series in the past, I must however join the haters.
To me the FF series can be divided into two halves: the Nintendo era and the Sony era. The Nintendo era is the series at it’s most pure: When Square were tying out new things, taking risks and seeing what the medium of video gaming could actually accomplish. Whilst not all of the games on the NES and SNES were successful, it’s interesting to see well thought out characters, compelling stories, unforgettable music and making great video games – all of these aspects reaching their zenith with FFVI.

Conversely, the FF of the Sony Era is more about show: Characters you’d rather punch in the face, flashy graphics, dumb plots leaning more towards melodrama, character designs more intended to challenge cosplayers, and an opening designed to grab attention but not to maintain it throughout the whole game. And more importantly, little thought to what constitutes as a video game.
True I have enjoyed VII and even IX and X but as the series continues, the FF series is more like a golden goose: It’s makers trying to figure what worked before and trying to replicate it (Lightening is the female Cloud? Hrmmm…..). It is indeed a telling sign that every FF that’s followed VII has people willing to condemn and defend it in passionate fashion.

To me FF is in the same camp as Sonic the Hedgehog: A series whose glory days have come and gone. A series that a) belongs to an era long gone, b) no longer has the people that made it good and c) keeps pumping out titles to the point of becoming embarrassing. Maybe it’s time to put the Final Fantasy series to rest? If Bungie did so with Halo….

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...

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.

Shoot the Runner

I have mixed feelings towards the TV show Good Game (for the uninitiated it's a gaming show on Australian TV). I watch it yes but only becuase it's the only gaming show on TV. As such, the show frequently comes across as a mixture of rubbish and information - indeed, it is a chore to sit through the former just to get to the latter. I look forward to the day that the proposed Game Damage gets the green light but until then, Good Game is all we've got.

Still I'll give Good Game credit: I saw them give a glowing review to the WiiWare game Bit.Trip Runner. Intrigued, I downloaded, had a go at it and found it very much to my liking. It may seem quite daft, in that resembles an Atari 2600 game but the idea of collecting power-ups to build a tune is a strong one and here it works great. Sure some of the jumping may be frustrating (particularly when it sends you back to the beginning of the level!) but Bit.Trip Runner certainly has a lot going for it.

So yes - Bit.Trip Runner is a good game (for lack of a better choice of words).

Hall of Shame

Watching Good Game last night, I present my very own hall of shame - the games I have left uncompleted:

Actraiser
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Dragon Age 2
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Final Fantasy 1
Final Fantasy 4
Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 6
Final Fantasy 7
Gunstar Heroes
Jade Empire
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metroid Prime
Ninja Gaiden Black
Okami
Paper Mario
Phantasy Star
Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic CD
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with Knuckles
Star Wars Rogue Leader
Super Mario Bros
Super Mario 64
Super Mario RPG
Super Metroid
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

Quite amusing yes but it does raise an interesting question: Why are these games left uncompleted? And so many at that?
Time and Difficulty.
Time, because I have so many games to play. I am spoiled for choice with a number of games to play and it is hard to manage time to play them all. For this reason, I own very few games of current console generation. Why? Because so many games from the previous generations are left unfinished!
Difficulty is my way of playing game until I get to a difficult part - upon which I abandon the game with the intention of returning to it at a later date. But in some cases, that later date is a very, very long time. As such, it's hard to come back to a game only to find that you've been away so long you've completely forgotten just the hell you were doing previously! Other times, it's getting to a point which is quite demanding to the player (does anyone know how to pull off a successful wall jump in Super Metroid?!).

In any case, having this list before me is something of a carrot: I can see what games need attention. This list is a motivator in itself and suggests an interesting sense of self-discipline: No more new games until you complete the one's you've got!

Seems I've a lot of work to do.....