On this day...

Ten years to the day:

Yep, it was a full decade ago that this blog was created. 

Considering that technology moves at the pace it does, it is something of a miracle that this blog has lasted as long as it has. More so considering that platforms that rely on the written word are shunted aside for more visual based mediums (ie YouTube and Twitch).

It's even more astonishing that I have kept with this thing for as long as I have. Even though I have been running out of things to say with each passing year, I still manage to pump out some posts (no matter how much of them are just me rambling). 

It's fascinating to see how the world has changed since I started. Back in 2010, we were all waiting for Dragon Age 2 and were eager for Mass Effect 3 (funny how that all turned out). The seventh console generation was still going strong. There was increasing concern as to whether or not we would see Kingdom Hearts 3 and a remake of Final Fantasy 7. 

Personally the last decade has seen me try my hand at Xbox, discover MMORPGs and find out they are exactly the mountain of crack they were made out to be, sign up for accounts to both Steam and GoG, and finally take a red-hot go at making my own Raspberry Pi console. 

In short, I have challenged the frontiers of my gaming interests and pushed them back. It's been interesting to tread into territory that I previously would've shied away from. 

So where do we go from here? 

Well, the Hall of Shame continues to exist and as long as it continues to do so, this blog will still have purpose. Besides, after spending so long at ESO, I have a goal in mind, and subsequently, an endpoint. And as long as I continue to have something to say, I will keep at this blog. 

Sure there are other platforms I could use but as long as the frontiers waiting to be conquered, this blog shall endure. 

It's done so for a decade after all. 

So to conclude this post, i would like to thank everyone who has ever visited Game Tumour and who kept coming back. It is a pleasure that people have supported this blog in various forms and listen to my various ramblings, no matter how dumb or badly spelled they may be.  

From the depths of my heart: Thank you all

P.S.

I still can't believe that this post has been the most popular one I've produced. 

Soon you will call me remaster

Rumours are circulating that a Mass Effect remaster could be in development. And this isn't just the first game: The entire trilogy could be getting this treatment.

I do welcome the idea of revamping the graphics of ME1 so they are more in line with it's brethren and having some of the weak points in the game(s) ironed out. But at the same time, this is EA we're talking about and it's hard to distinguish what they say from a money-grabbing ploy. So far, there's been no GOTY release of the games that make up the trilogy and no hope of playing ME3 outside of Origin.

But for me? Will remaster be enough to sway me back to Mass Effect? Well, I'm still put off by the fracas over the ending. And whilst the modding community coming up with a solution may be enough of an enticement, I'm still not sold. And the fact that people are still grumbling about that notorious ending is still off-putting.
Still, next year will make the tenth anniversary of Mass Effect. So maybe that would be a good enough as any to go back an revisit this game. And then maybe finally finish the trilogy...

Excessive

Well, here's a bit of news that quietly crept into the room: Apparently Final Fantasy X will be released on Steam, along with X2, complete with achievements and HD support.

Well I suppose this was somewhat inevitable seeing as many of it's older brothers climbed aboard the Steam train *badumtish* but I'm not enthusiastic - just cautious.

Don't get me wrong: I have fond memories of playing FFX. It was the first game I played on my PS2, at the end of a gaming drought, and I sunk many hours into it. I recall abusing the hell out of the sphere grid (my favorite part) and being really invested in both the plot and the characters. Okay, I will admit, with hindsight, that it does pale next to some of it's older brethren but FFX was a decent game.

However I still spent a lot of hours in this game. And to buy a new version of this game would mean to do it all over again. Remember that boss you found so irritating? Gotta do it again. Remember that careful planing you did with the Sphere Grid? Gotta do it again. Remember that difficult part you got past through sheer luck? Gotta do it again.
I've heard stories of people being so delighted at playing a beloved game a second time but strangely enough I've never had that: Usually it's a case of "Well, That's Done". Maybe it's because my approach to gaming is a thorough one but hey, I've played through both Mass Effect and Dragon Age Origins multiple times and you can only the same things over and over again before they get tedious.

Still, I have to admit that Steam achievements and HD support do look rather tempting....

Days of the New Republic

Happy New Year everyone! And here we go again with another year of Game Tumour.
So what did I play over my Christmas/New Years break? None other than Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic!

Okay so yes I did get sucked into the hype over the new movie and yes it is in anticipation for giving the oft-maligned KOTOR 2 a look (and with the Steam release promising restored content and achievements how could I refuse?) but I made it a point to revisit KOTOR 1 due to several points of interest.

Firstly, I last played this game in 2009 on the original Xbox. This time I played it on Steam and with a better idea of what I was doing. Seeing as it's been seven years between drinks, it is interesting to see the game from such a perspective. And I can safely say that KOTOR 1 still holds up well - it's still fun and engaging and I even encountered some content I missed the first time around. And even with the knowledge of the big plot twist, it still comes across as well-orchestrated that you never really see it coming.

Secondly, I am playing this game when the ownership of Star Wars has changed hands to Disney - and subsequently slit the throat of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. This move is something I have mixed feelings about: On one hand, the EU was nothing short of huge and could be intimidating to newcomers - so scrapping the EU and starting again does invite a tightly controlled, and more coherent, continuity. But on the other hand, the end of the EU does mean that some quality material will be left by the wayside - and KOTOR being one of them.
Which is indeed a shame as KOTOR is easily one of the strongest entrants in Star Wars and could certainly show anyone working on the new continuity how it's done. It manages to achieve that difficult balancing act of being new and familiar - something that eluded the grasp of the prequels.

Thirdly, it is interesting to see this game now that Force Awakens has descended down from Heavens in a golden chariot. Much has been made that how this Star Wars has gone out of this way to have plenty of diversity in it's cast (not least Finn and Rey) but somehow that attention may have been better directed at KOTOR who did it first. There's no shortage of diversity in your companions (Bastila, Mission, Juhani and Jolee) but there is a real freedom being offered in who the PC is and how the player creates them. In fact, I find it funny how people rave about Rey being the strong female character that the Star Wars franchise needed when my character, Nicst Elhob, did it first.
In addition, the new Star Wars films have the unenviable task of being new and familiar at the same time. Whilst I did find Force awakens to be both enjoyable and an apology letter for the prequels, it still seemed to be leaning on the A New Hope a lot - at the expense of having something of it's own to say (hopefully Episode VIII doesn't fall into the same trap and be a retread of Empire Strikes back)- unlike KOTOR who again, certainly had something to say and within the context of the Star Wars universe.

And finally, KOTOR still represents the prequels that should've been. It's been said that there was a germ of an idea in them that sadly got overlooked. But that wasn't a problem with KOTOR: So Anakin Skywalker was truly The Chosen One who was meant to bring balance to the Force? So what - Nicst Elhob did just that. Yep, within the field of a RPG, I had the freedom to be precisely the Jedi I wanted to be. I got to make decisions that swung in the directions both good and bad. An why wouldn't I? This is an RPG, where the players are free to mould their character in the way they seem fit. Furthermore, the lack of a Mass Effect conversation reel yields no indication of how certain conversation responses will go over - therefore it becomes impossible to do a 'pure' light side character and, to me, makes the game better for it.

Personally, if I was charged with making a new Star Wars movie, or even a reboot of the prequels, I would look to KOTOR - because it got so much right it wasn't funny.

Dark as the Darkest Night was Diablo

Lets talk about Diablo for a minute.

With the passage of time, I find Diablo something of an oddity: It was a huge hit in it's day but now no one seems to talk about it a lot. Okay so maybe the game has, in the years since, been surpassed by many RPGs, and Blizzard have made other games, but I still believe this is more to this franchise than it's most recent iteration.

I first played Diablo in 2002 - where I got my copy of a friend. I was to reluctant to play it at first (largely because I knew of the big twist that happens at the end of the game) but within time, I played Diablo all the way to the end (with both the Rogue and the Warrior) and it was quite enjoyable. As an action RPG it was a lot of fun but in the terms of atmosphere and art direction, the game was unbeatable. It was indeed engaging to have this mood of dread creeping throughout the game - the type that no other game has done since (with the possible exception of Eversion).

In fact maybe that's what I got the most out of the first Diablo: It does Dark Fantasy really well. These days Dark Fantasy seems to be a tag used to describe fantasy set in less-than glorious settings (ie Dragon Age and Game of Thrones). But I however subscribe to the traditional description of Dark Fantasy in that it's the combination between the genres of fantasy and horror. And it's that niche that Diablo fills nicely. It's not just slaughtering demonic enemies and slowly descending into Hell: It is, again, the atmosphere. It is the increasing discomfort that resonates the further progression is made. It is, again, that feeling of dread that drips throughout the game itself.

But really, the strengths of Diablo as a Dark Fantasy is best viewed through the intro:

Original video located here. Accessed 11th December 2015

To me this is Dark Fantasy done right: The ruined buildings, the use of shadows, the foreboding  music, the monsters all accumulating to the scream at the end. Indeed, one can't not deny just how being constantly returned to that sword in the ground suddenly comes across as unsettling. Amazing how this intro is still compelling nearly twenty years later.
In fact i can just point tot that intro and say: "That's Dark Fantasy".

Which in turn makes me wonder why no one has ever done anything to match it. Sure anyone can use Dark Fantasy to describe certain fantasy settings but Diablo truly feels like a game that walks the walk. Perhaps no one has bothered to try an match it: because the first Diablo game it so well.

So have I bothered with the other Diablo games? No I haven't. I will admit that the afore-mentioned twist at the end of Diablo left me feeling cheated of victory that it was enough to put me off further explorations in the series. It may sound petty but I don't know: I spent all this time with this character so having them befall the fate that was handed to them does indeed feel like a rip off. But then again, maybe that is part and parcel of a Dark Fantasy.
I will admit that it would've been a cool idea to have the stats of the PC in Diablo being imported over into Diablo 2 (like in Mass Effect) but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Still, you can't say that the trailer to Diablo 2 broke from the Dark Fantasy template:

Original video located here. Accessed 11th December 2015

"....There's something dark within me now..."

Why don't you come join my party!

Here's something I've been pondering on recently: At what point did RPGs drop the player being in sole control of a party of adventurers?

Granted I can understand that RPGs are designed to be purely played through the eyes of a singular character and people would rather prefer an investment (both time and emotional) into one character rather than having such an investment spread across multiple characters. But I do miss the days when you can create a bunch of characters and take them across a journey spanning many, many hours of game time.
It's just like being a father guiding one's children: You create characters, you stay with them through thick and thin, you get worried when they get knocked out, you grind your teeth when there's this one guy who can't hit a barn door (there's always one) and you cheer when your dudes complete the game triumphant. They are six guys you created who each need care and attention to get anywhere and it;s your job to get them there.

I can't think of when the idea was dropped. Baldurs Gate may be last game I can think of that employed the traditional D&D six man party and even that had a structure that required participation from NPCs - well you could create a complete six man party but only one will be required to carry the narrative all the way through.
And whilst there have been party-based games like Mass Effect, Dragon Age and the Final Fantasy games they don;t really count because you have a selection of party members available - if you don't like someone you can not choose to use them. Its not the worse idea but there's something satisfying about having a character start out useless only to eventually turn out awesome.

Considering the processing power of gaming machines these days it does raise the question of whether this idea will be revisited. Both MMPORGers and Divinity Original Sin has proven that RPGs can work with multiplayer and people will eagerly embrace such an idea.
Besides, who wouldn't want to create multiple characters and go with them on every step through an incredible journey?

Honour Among Thieves

I recently saw the trailer to the new Tomb Raider game (Rise of) and I still have no idea what the people behind the game are going to do with this game. Did they realize that having Lara constantly have the shit kicked out of her doesn't really present any long term franchise plans? Also, somehow the image of having Lara visiting a psychiatrist seems to be leaning on a parody direction.

And in addition, I see the trailer and, somehow, this comes to mind:

In fact why can't Kasumi have her own game?! I'll play the hell out of that!

Jaded? Me? Never!

Another game has been cast down from my Hall of Shame. Goodbye…..Jade Empire!

It’s no secret that I love me some Bioware RPGs. Yes they all tend to be formulaic but they are compelling enough to see all the way through. And yet Jade Empire frequently comes across as being the lesser known middle child when compared to the likes of Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars KOTOR, Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
When playing this game I did get that impression but not in the way that one would expect. No, I found it the most difficult of Bioware RPGs. Remember how I mentioned previously that the advancements in the fighting styles are fixed and can’t be changed? Meaning that if you pick the wrong one, you’re stuck? Well that, in that sense, makes Jade Empire an unforgiving game: If you can’t progress then you have no choice but to start all over again – As I did.  That being said, I found the only way to success is to a) decide beforehand what styles you’ll use throughout the game, b) invest solely in those styles and c) most crucially of all, not spending all the style advancement points all at once. It prove successful but there were times when one particular style, the Jade Golem, maxed out turned to be a game-breaking one. Indeed, I found a maxed-out jade Golem, along with the focus sight, made the final battle so easy and so short it wasn’t funny.
I’ve never had this kind of problem with Bioware games since. Why even Jade Empire’s predecessor, Star Wars KOTOR, was more lenient. In fact, one common complaint I’ve heard against Jade Empire is that it is a short RPG – but considering the unforgivable nature of the game, perhaps it being short is merciful.

Still, I really enjoyed this game. It is indeed refreshing to pay an RPG set in somewhere that doesn’t resemble medieval Britain and to have the battles based around martial arts. I love the art direction, with the design of the game and a story with a plot twist I honestly didn’t see coming.

So yeah, Jade Empire is a winner in my book. Mind you, considering EA's love for brand recognition, it's kinda odd that a follow-up to Jade Empire has yet to be seen - but then again, perhaps it is best left that way

Faces to go with the voices

Something of interest I found recently:

Original video located here. Accessed 23rd May 2014

It has been said that voice acting is not the most glamorous occupation and much of the time being a voice actor is spent waiting for some work to show it's face. But still, it's still a field that sure has some beautiful people working in it.

Whats in a name?

Recently Bioware have revealed the most commonly used names for Commander Shepard in Mass Effect.
Of course the default names (John and Jane) were the most popular but beyond that:

(Female):

1. Sarah
2. Kate
3. Alice
4. Jessica
5. Alex

(Male):

1. Jack
2. James
3. Chris
4. Alex
5. Michael

(Source)

An impressive selection but none of the names were used to christen my Shepards. I went with the names Alana, John, Jeffrey and Elizabeth (can you guess the connection behind those names?!).

Mind you, I do wonder how popular the name Alan was for male Shepard....

Best Gaming Romances

Well it's that time of the year: Valentine's Day! And what better way to acknowledge this event than to talk about some of my favorite gaming couples.
Some simple rules for this one: The only restriction is that I must write about the couples that somehow made an impression on me. Doesn't matter how big - If I remember a certain couple over any other than they shall be included in this list.

So here we go. In no particular order:

Hiro and Lucia (Lunar 2)

Original image located here. Accessed 14th February 2014

It seems unfair including these two in this list seeing I haven’t actually played all the way through this game but based on what I've played I actually found myself somehow invested in these two. On paper, this could be another couple that populate rom-com anime with Hiro being a cocky, devil-may-care type and Lucia could be another paperweight love interest  (Belldandy anyone?) but somehow I don't get that impression. I think it's largely due to Lucia being of considerable magical prowess. And hey, anyone who can decimate the baddies within seconds is fine by me!
But in all seriousness, I feel the pinnacle of this relationship is the fact that Hiro traveled all the way to the moon to be with Lucia. You can't beat going to such lengths like that.

Zidane and Garnet (Final Fantasy 9)

 

Original image located here. Accessed 14th February 2014 

There's no shortage of romances within the Final Fantasy series and the one between Zidane and Garnet could well be, to me, one of the best.
I think what makes this work the best for me is the idea that this is indeed a storybook romance. Now that could be a bad thing but it is told with enough heart and sincerity that any skepticism is tossed out the window. Yes it may take the same plot as Disney’s Aladdin with a thief hitting up with a princess who wants to see the world beyond her home palace, but you know what? I don’t really care.
What I do care however is seeing Zidane and Garnet’s romance play out. Aside from the familiar strengths as they both go on a massive world-spanning adventure and help each other out in combat, what really works for me is that they help each other in times of crisis. They become quite prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to help the other. And, as mentioned previously, I love in the ending cinematic Garnet throws her crown away before leaping into Zidane arms – sometimes little moments can count for so much.
But ultimately I think this relationship succeeds because it is completely devoid of any pretension.  It is not trying to be a grandiose, universe-shattering, in-your-face-Gone-With-The Wind, romance and, as a result, it is all the better for it. After all, if I remember Zidane and Garnet over some of the other Final fantasy romances then they must’ve done something right.

(warden) and Liliana (Dragon Age Origins)
 Of all the options for a romantic partner in Dragon Age Origins, Leliana strikes me as the strongest. Alistair’s awkwardness may endear him the female gamers but I’m not one of them. Zevran doesn’t appeal to me either as he comes across as wanting to bang anything with legs. And Morrigan is…well… yet another one of those snarky types that Claudia Black always seems to play.
This leaves us to the bard.
And for some reason the romance between Leliana and the warden was the one that stuck with me the most. Leliana’s confusing accent aside, what appealed to me was that actually seemed genuine. Compared to the other three romances, this romance actually seemed like two people who would see each other on a daily basis, fight back to back, and engage in activities in their down time. The two people may be a bunch of graphics accompanied by some voice acting but to me they seemed real enough and comparable to romances I have seen in real life. I like the acts of affection Leliana did and the words she said for my warden.
And at the end, both the warden and Leliana left together to see the world and somehow, it made me wonder what kind of adventures they would have – and special mention must go to this because rare is it that I complete game and find myself wondering what will happen next to the characters once the narrative in the game is wrapped up. After all, once the game ends so does the narrative it was trying to convey. But somehow what my Warden and Leliana had together somehow made enough impression to wonder what happened next – And something must’ve happened because Leliana showed up in Dragon Age 2! Needless to say, I am curious to see what happens next in the upcoming Inquisition…..

Link and Zelda (Legend of Zelda)


This is a couple that's already been covered in a previous post in this blog so there’s not much I can say that already hasn’t been said before.
This is indeed a challenging couple as there a few things working against them. Yes Nintendo won’t admit to this coupling. Yes it is a different Link and Zelda with each game. Yes the game time Link and Zelda share varies. But in the end, this couple is one that somehow doesn’t need questioning. Link is out to rescue Zelda. Is she worth it? Well she seems to be considering the amount of effort Link invests in his quest. And that is enough to make it engaging to me, the player.

Femshep and Thane (Mass Effect 2)
I’ve always felt that, in the terms of Mass Effect 2 romances, Femshep seems to get the best picks. That may sound strange coming from a heterosexual male but I felt that the romances Femshep has come across as more interesting and more engaging than those enjoyed by male Shepard. And Thane could well be the best of the lot.
So what makes the relationship between Thane and Femshep special? Most likely it is the tragic element: Thane after all has very limited time left which would make one think that pursing a romantic relationship would be the last of his concerns. Yet somehow, against the odds (and/or common sense) one can indeed blossom between him and Femshep.
The tragic nature of this relationship is thus perfectly illustrated at the subquest’s conclusion: Whereas Thane was facing death with an unbowed acceptance; he is now frightened by the prospect of losing Femshep. And like any relationship one needs to treasure every moment they spend together with the other person and such a notion is indeed at play here – with the added emphasis that the one of the people involved has a terminal condition.
And this is indeed the first time we actually see Thane not being his usual stoic self and it;s quite revealing. And of course it is only Femshep who sees it.  Guess she must've made quite the impression.
I haven’t gotten far enough in Mass Effect 3 to see how this relationship plays out afterward but I will always treasure that final moment Femshep and Thane share before the Omega Run.  No matter how many times I see it, it still kicks me right in the feels

John and Abigail (Red Dead Redemption)

Original image located here. Accessed 14th February 2014 

Funny thing about gaming couples: Traditionally, the romantic interest is usually the endpoint/reward for beating the game. It is therefore rare to see a couple whose relationship is already in progress and rarer still to see a couple actually married (Mr and Mrs Pacman anyone?). Thankfully, John and Abigail Marston is such an occurrence.
On paper this couple should not work: Abigail only appears in the last leg of the game – and whereas we, the players, had an entire game to get to know, and build a connection with, John, we have a very limited time to get to know Abigail. Indeed, much of the game, information on Abigail is based on both what other characters say about here and John’s determination to get his job done so he can return to her.
But however limited Abigail’s time is in the game, there is no doubt that she has a genuine bond with John. These are two people who have spent a long time together and get on like any other married couple – and I say that without any hint of sarcasm whatsoever (well as much as the typed text permits anyway). These are two people who have a working relationship and know each other better than anyone else. It is the kind of relationship that has been little seen in a game and one hopes to see more often - perhaps moreso now that gamers who grew up in the eighties are now most likely married?

Tidus and Yuna (Final Fantasy X)


This is another couple that has already been covered in another post in this blog.
Again, I certainly don’t want to repeat myself so there isn’t much else can say that hasn’t been said already. But I will say that in the years since playing FFX, this couple still resonates within my cold, jaded heart. It was a relationship compelling enough to follow through the entire game.
Also pleasing is that Tidus, the Player Character, isn’t the one going on a quest. It’s Yuna's quest instead. It’s a welcome change as, after other gaming romances, we now know what it’s like to walk in a partner’s shoes as they follow their beloved into hell and beyond. The things one does for love eh?

PC and Jahiera (Baldurs Gate 2)
And we save the best for last.
Yes I said this was in no particular order but honestly? I think the relationship between Jahiera and the PC in Baldurs Gate 2 could well be the best relationship ever conceived for gaming.
Firstly, the length. This romantic subquest is indeed the longest of those available in BG2 and so it should be. Like any relationship, it takes time and effort to make it work. I don't think any other game has actually dared to take such a serious look at in-game relationships ever since. It seems that any romantic relationship would consist of a handful of conversations and boom! Romance. But not BG2 and such gall to tell any romance like it really is indeed a ballsy one.
Secondly, it is fascinating to see Jahiera slowly open up to the player. We see her get over the death of her first husband and reveal a more empathetic and trusting companion hiding behind the mask of a grumpy tough-chick. It's a 'project' in other words and one that is indeed worth the effort.
Finally, this relationship is more interesting on a realistic level. Viconia's may be beset with tragedy, Aerie's may be idealistic, but the relationship with Jahiera strikes me more as a weathered tree. It may endure hardships, periods of separation and so many obstacles but it still endures. And if nothing on earth can end such a union then it surely must be as strong as steel.
Indee,d with such an approach to a relationship, one can only wonder why no one has tried to replicate it. But then again, perhaps they don't need to.

And that is my take on Gaming's Greatest Romances. Of course, my idea of what is the greatest gaming romances may be completely different from someone else's but this is my opinion and my blog so you just read it whether you like it or not XD

Anywho, I hope you've enjoyed this post and you all have a fun Valentine's day spent in the company of loved ones.

Seventh Heaven

And so the seventh generation of console gaming has well and truly rode off into the sunset. So where does this leave us? Well for me this may as a good a time as any to do a retrospective on this generation outgoing.

At first I had no interest in the seventh generation. At the time the seventh generation was dawning, I got off my arse and got a PS2. A bit late to the party true but I didn't care: I merely wanted to find out what the PS2 had to offer - as well as what I'd missed out on with the PS1. And the shaky start of the Xbox 360 confirmed the wiseness of this decision.
True I did eventually obtain a Wii but that was more for the Virtual Console than the actual games the Wii had to offer.

But it didn't take long before something came along that really piqued my interest. The game was Dragon Age Origins - and somehow it being marketed as a successor to the mighty Baldur's Gate  was enough to warrant more investigation. And then, seeing a friend play Mass Effect 2 furthered my decision to fork out for a 360. It seemed a dumb decision to get yet another console when I had a PC, PS2 and a Wii but I don't regret it one bit.

Now. Do I have any favorite games from this last generation. Funny you should say that: I've got a top ten list prepared!
So here's my favorite games of the last generation all arranged in order of preference. All of these games I may have, at one stage or another, already talked about at length on this blog so I'll try and keep this brief.

10. Cave Story
It was made by one guy but damn what a labor of love this was. True the last boss may have prevented me for beating the game (otherwise this will be ranked much higher) but Cave Story has plenty of charm that puts a lot of triple A games to shame.

9. Braid 
I found Braid bogged down by the pretensions towards artiness this game had. But then I remembered this game had fun puzzles, clever mechanics and a lovely art direction. Enough to save it? Damn right.

8. Dragon Age Origins
Say what you like about Bioware but somehow Dragon Age Origins feels like one of their last watermarks. True it is more enjoyable on the PC, with mods, than the Xbox, but there is still a lot going for this game with it's art direction, gripping plot and solid writing.

7. Bioshock
Before I played Bioshock I was feeling somewhat unhappy with gaming - but by playing Bioshock I got the kick up the arse I was needing. Compelling in it's narrative, inventive in it's ideas and a great game all round, Bioshock was all this and more. Now about System Shock 2....

6. Bastion
A lot of games seem to rely on spectacle and explosions - so any game that attempts the 'Less is More' approach is worth nothing less than my interest. Four characters, a glorious narration, and an art direction to die for, Bastion is nothing short of brilliant.

5. Spec Ops the Line
The slap in the face that military shooters needed. It's not a game I'd play for enjoyment but it's a game that is indeed worthy of my respect. It takes balls for a game to critique it's audiences and Spec Ops The Line has the biggest balls of them all.

4. Thomas Was Alone
If the seventh generation proved anything it's the time that indie games truly flexed their muscles. And Thomas Was Alone could well have been the best of the lot. It may have won me over on sheer personality alone but being a great game certainly didn't hurt either.

3. Rock Band 2
I hate to think how many hours i may have sunk into Rock Band 2 but I honestly loved every minute of it. The implementation of the music library was a masterstroke and I've gained a new appreciation for music I wouldn't have otherwise been aware of.

2. Mass Effect 2
Dragon Age Origins may have proven that the seventh generation my be worth my time but Mass Effect 2 truly sealed the deal. It seems to me that Bioware were taking the concept of the Dirty Dozen and putting into game form for the first time. And I personally wouldn't have it any other way, 

1. Red Dead Redemption
Game of the generation? Hell yes. Beyond that I can't really think of much else to say about Red Dead Redemption. It's the game I got the most out of in the entire generation and it looks set to be a favorite in the years to come. Can something top it? Now there's a challenge to rise up to.....

So where am I at the beginning of the eighth generation? Anything but confident.
I'm serious: Nothing has come along that has really grabbed my attention. Indeed I have found, like most people, the seventh generation being truly defined by the presence of indie games on XBLA & Steam. And in particular I've found, much to my surprise, that many of them are more substantial than the games available on the shelves of EB Games. It is indeed telling that the only game I've truly gotten excited over in the past twelve months is The Stanley Parable.

But then again I have no patience for the eighth generation - not while my Hall of Shame continues to exist anyway.

No Effect

 I've still yet to play Mass Effect 3. I could say that I'm waiting to have enough money to obtain all the DLC but truth be told, the controversy over the ending still lingers. It does indeed cast an intimidating shadow behind Mass Effect 3 and looks like it won't be going away anytime soon - thus greatly hindering my plans to 'wait until this blows over'.

But then again, what need do I have for Mass Effect 3 as a game when the fan backlash proves to be more compelling and entertaining?

It's simply amazing to see such outrage that makes the Star Wars fans look like a bunch of wimps in comparison. For example I found this some months ago, being a document listing all the things wrong with the infamous ending. The amount of detail gone into this is astonishing - more so when one considers the level of passion to Mass Effect and fan rage. True fan rage is nothing new but to see such effort being invested is indeed enough to stop this being dismissed as people being angry for the sake of being angry.

More recently there's this that makes the effort gone into the previous link seem pitiful by comparison. It may seem like a fanfic - and there are certainly no shortage of attempts to fix the ending to Mass Effect 3 - but to bash out a 500+ page document? And to disguise it as a genuine planning document? Now this guy has really put in the effort and to that end he's got balls.

They say history is something that can never be re-written (or something like that) but gaming culture is the only culture I can see where it's supporters think they can. Books and movies are more or less untouchable but anyone with passion, as well as some knowledge in modding, seems convinced they can fix the mistakes made by the creators of the original product.
But this is Mass Effect 3 we're talking about, a game which had it's creators generate a new ending to placate the angry horde of fans -and even that wasn't enough to silence the angry horde who went ahead and still embraced a different, fan-made ending anyway. But will it ever be the end of this? Will everyone be convinced of Bioware's vision (if you can call it that)? Will Bioware admit they made a mistake and fix it come a tenth anniversary (or something) release? Will there be a resolution that satisfies both parties?

Probably not.

Take the Controls

Seems Homeworld isn’t the only IP getting a new lease of life: Stardock Entertainment has picked up Star Control for a revamp. Inspired by the success of the recent XCom reboot, Stardock wants to reboot Star Control and is even looking to draft some of the original development team in for the job.

I assume that this will be a reboot of Star Control 2 – for the original game was a ‘space battle’ game whilst its sequel builds upon the previous game incredibly (there was a Star Control 3 but people choose not to talk about that one….). I myself am delighted by this news I’ve been playing Star Control 2 a lot this year and found it much to my liking. True the game is already available for free online in the form of the Ur-Quan Masters, but if this reboot generates new interest in this classic then I’m all for it (It’s been a long time coming too).

In fact it would be interesting to see how this reboot stands up, when everyone’s been busy playing Mass Effect. Sure the element of space exploration may invite comparisons but whereas Mass Effect is an action RPG built around a central character, Star Control 2 is more about building a fleet, finding locales to visit, ship combat and building relations with other alien races so they’ll join your cause.
Mind you considering how many goofy alien races populate the Star Control 2 universe, one can only wonder how they’d work in a 7th/8th generation game.

Shut up and Play the Game

I've been traversing through Planescape Torment in recent weeks and, whilst I haven't got far, the game itself is proving to be engaging. It's making me pay attention to the dialogue and my journal - where I've previously skipped over in other games - so that must account for something.

But somehow I can see a problem: The writing may be top-notch but the combat is kinda dull. It is more or less like thwacking people over the head than actual life-threatening combat. If anything, the lame combat somehow makes the many kills The Nameless One racked up seem difficult to swallow.
Now that I think of it, the combat seems more like an afterthought, behind the massive effort gone into the writing. I heard that it is possible to talk your way out of certain situations and, true or not, it suggests that maybe the combat wasn't the intent of the game.

But strangely, a decade plus on, Planescape Torment is still a highly regarded game, beloved by fans and critics and still acknowledged as one of the finest games ever made. This makes an interesting point considering the many games that have been condemned for having too much story and not enough game. Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy 13 have both copped it for trying to tell a story whilst involving the player as little as possible. And yet we praise games that do the same thing: To the Moon requires the player to do little more then push the protagonists forward in the narrative and yet it's hailed as having an emotional effect on the player. Indeed, you could make the same argument for Planescape in that for the eternal search of finding more and more about the Nameless One and recovering his memories, all the player is doing is pushing him from one revelation to another.

So how much can a story-strong/gameplay-weak get away with it? Such games have had a rancid reputation throughout gaming history (Sega CD anyone?) so how can a game like To the Moon can do the same thing and still be highly regarded? I guess it all comes down to the story: it must be compelling and and must require at least some involvement with the player. Because, unlike a book or a movie, the medium of gaming is unique in that requires participation from the audience. So it would seem a story-strong/gameplay-weak game can succeed if the story was engaging enough and the involvement from the player is clearly defined.

But to have uninspiring combat in an RPG is problematic. Granted it is nearly a prerequisite for modern RPGs to have a damn good story but how many RPGs have managed to achieve that balance between engaging story and engaging gameplay? Mass Effect? Jade Empire?

Still this is but the first few steps into the world of Planescape Torment. i have yet to leave Sigil so whether or not things will get better has yet to be seen....

Star trekking across the universe

Recently I got my claws on a brand new monitor for my computer - and to celebrate I decided to have crack at a game that I've been longing to have a go at and have been unable to play until now:

Star Control 2!!

And not just the original - the Ur-Quan Masters revamp! After all how can you improve a game twenty years old? By giving it HD graphics. And making it available for free.

As this blog has indicated, I've played a lot of games form the early nineties but whereas I've both revisited games I've played before or played games I've had a vague idea of what it was about, Star Control 2 is a rare exception. It's one of those games I've gone into completely in the dark as to what to expect.
And so far I've been completely surprised: It is a space exploration game that offers an incredible amount of freedom. I like traveling from one of the galaxy to the other in a sandbox fashion. I like upgrading my flagship and building up a fleet of space ships. I like utilizing diplomacy and forging alliances with the alien races. And I even enjoy finding minerals to sell off. If anything, Star Control  2 seems to do the Star Trek schtick better than any Star Trek game I can think of. And, dare I say it, it's mechanics are done so well that they even outclass similar mechanics utilized in Mass Effect 2.

Of course this is just first impressions - it is only matter of time before any problems show their faces. And so far one has: I do not like the aliens in this game.
My beef? They're ANNOYING! They have annoying voices and they jabber on in such a nonsensical fashion. Maybe that is the case to convey that the only races that can assist the PC aren't really the warrior types - and thereby raising the stakes - but did they have to come across as so deplorable?!
I've seen various scifi alien species done well (ie Klingons, Borg, Cardassians, Salarians, Turians, Quarian, Krogan, Daleks, Sontarians, Go'Auld, Narn, Centuari, Minbari and Vorlons) but never have I seen such an alien species handled so badly! If anything they come across as so infuriating one would be tempted to let the Ur-Quan's destroy them - or better still join the Ur-Quans just so to wipe the annoying aliens out of existence.

Still this is only but the beginning: what happens next will indeed be something to see...

In the grim darkness of the far future there is ony war

Ever since my teens I've had a long-standing interest in Warhammer - as teenagers with more money than brains are wont to do. Although that interested has waned in more recent years, I still maintain some degree of interest. That being said, the Warhammer universe, both Fantasy Battle and 40k, has proven to be fertile ground for game settings over the years. But my problem is that they’ve either been shooters (ie Space Hulk, Space Marine) or strategy games (ie Dawn of War, Shadow of the Horned Rat).
If anything, I would really like to see the Games Workshop give the green light for a roleplaying game. It is indeed a crying shame that they won’t because I find both Warhammer universes solid enough settings for an RPG. So why aren’t the Games Workshop doing anything – aside from inspiring rival companies to make their own Warhammer-inspired IP? (Warcraft anyone?)
Okay, sure there was Warhammer Online but if history has taught us anything it’s that if you’re a MMORPGur that isn’t World of Warcraft then you’re Dead on Arrival.

Whilst the Warhammer Fantasy Battle world is a decent enough setting it may be difficult to say something new when similar worlds exist *coughAzerothcough*. Therefore I really want to an RPG set in the 40k universe: It is far more volatile with every faction are out for themselves and little to no sense of unity (with the possible exception of the Imperium of Mankind), and thus makes for a more fascinating setting with tonnes of potential.
If we go by the Mass Effect model, I would certainly like to take a ship and travel from one end of the 40k universe exploring many of the planets therein. There is a decent enough lore and many recognizable locations that would sweet to see rendered in computer graphics.
There is certainly enough races in the 40k universe to build up a decent party of NPCs. Indeed the diversity would be a key selling point because a party built solely of Space Marines would only be interesting for so long.  But if the diversity comes into play then who would the player control? A possible solution would be an Inquisitor – his party could be built up of henchmen and killing daemons certainly holds a lot of appeal. But an even better option would be a Rogue Trader – it presents a substantial grounding for a diverse party. And better still, it offers the unique opportunity to describe the 40k universe through the eyes of an outsider who isn’t tied to any faction – or at least an average Joe.

And I just pulled that off the top of my head – so why on earth aren’t Games Workshop green lighting something like this?!?!?

You can't please everyone

Recently I’ve been doing another playthrough of the mighty Baldur’s Gate 2. Yep, it still keeps calling to me with an eternal siren’s song – which is indeed a rare thing for many games to do when one has so many of them to keep track.
This time, however, this playthrough is different as I’ve included mods – not least is the one that combines BG1, ToSC and BG2 in one game. This is great for me – not only am I using ToSC for the first time but it’s fun to see a character grow over the course of a super-huge game. A time of writing I’m in the middle of the BG1 portion and, having conquered the ToSC regions, have made it to Baldur’s Gate itself.
Another one of the mods I’m using is one called ‘Virtue’ which takes into account the actions of the party and reputation. However having implemented the mod in the question, it effected the game already in progress. And suddenly, half my party members ended up walking out on me.

The members in question were Safina, Branwen and Khalid. The latter may come across as being surprising but the absence of Jahiera in my party may have something to do with it (but I’m not worried – if, of course, you know what happens to Khalid in BG2). But the departure of both Safina and Branwen is the accumulation of their disappointment over my actions. Being of neutral alignment, they did grumble a lot over my actions and the mod I installed gave them the excuse they were after to leave.
This in turn, is a good excuse for me to rant about the Good/Bad choices in game.

When it comes to gaming I’m far too used to be the good guy – As a child of the eighties I’ve played many games over many years where I’ve been presented with a problem and I must solve it. Such problem included saving the world/girlfriend or overcoming some antagonist. It’s a trope that was done to death in the sixteen bit era and having been exposed to it so often it’s now more like a programmed response.
And it’s still lasted long into my adulthood. As such I play a game now I expect to play the role of the hero - in fact, when presented with the option, I honestly can’t bring myself to be a baddie and do nasty things. So much so that whilst I’ve been a bad guy in games before like Mass Effect, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic and, to lesser extent Starcraft, I’ve felt like shit afterwards. And if the game stops being fun and enjoyable then that’s a danger sign if ever there was one.
I guess it comes with the freedom of choice – if you give the player the freedom they will do what they choose along with living with the consequences. It does indeed make a difference than a game that presents little choice alongside an emphasis on consequence (Spec Ops the Line anyone?). But at the same time there is little point in being a prick for the sake of being prick – by of comparison consider Red Dead Redemption: Yes you can become a Desperado but doing so makes John Marston’s insistence of putting his violent past behind him as somewhat insincere.

Yet with age comes experience and in my experience there is no such thing as a ‘pure’ hero. You simply can’t tell me that anyone can do so many heroic things with little effort and not have a single black spot to their name. Okay yes there is Superman but if someone has to Superman it may as well be Kal-El himself. No for me, the more realistic hero is the type that does the right thing but isn’t afraid to do something unorthodox and eschew falling over backwards to be an example for everyone to follow. Indeed, it is, to me, satisfying in the Avengers movie to have the irresponsible hero, Tony Stark/Iron Man, as the leader instead of the responsible one, Captain America.
Thus I like to play heroes that save the day but aren’t the type to take shit from anyone. By way of example when I play Mass Effect I take the Paragon path but I take Renegade choices whenever possible. For, as is often the case, there is no black or white, only shades of grey.

Which brings me back to Baldur’s Gate: My character is a paladin but taking this class has little to do with background or roleplay but more with the ruleset – fighters that can heal? What’s not to like? (The high charisma doesn’t hurt either)  But to be a paladin means you’re confined to being Lawful Good and can’t really break from it. Of course, my choices are me going through the motions of being a gaming hero but, as it would seem, such choices don’t seem to sit well with the people around me – God only knows what would happen when I reach BG2 and am presented with the opportunity to romance Jahiera.
Still though, I do strongly believe that the Good/Bad paths are ultimately futile: There is no such thing as a 100% White and a 100% Black – for being somewhere in the middle is both realistic and far more plausible.
But of course, being a paladin means you can’t sip up even once. Oh well….

East vs West

Regular visitors to this blog would know that I’m something of a connoisseur when it comes to RPGs. So the big question then is: Which do I prefer out of Western RPGS or JRPGs?

Much like any tribe, it would seem that there is no overlap: It’s either one or the other. My experience has shown that people raised on Dungeons and Dragons think JRPGs are inane whilst people who grew up with Final Fantasy tend to have little to no time for anything else.

But if the logic of 'the first one is the best one' was true then I’d lump in with Western RPGs. I grew up playing Pool of Radiance on the Commodore 64 and it in turn got me interested in Dungeons and Dragons. It proved to be my gateway drug to fantasy and as a result, set me on a path to seek out familiar material – eventually leading to reading Fighting Fantasy, Chronicles of Narnia, Dragonlance and Lord of the Rings.
However that logic isn't always the case: You see what appeals to me about RPGs is more or less a replication I had when I was a child: Taking a group of heroes together and go kicking some arse in various forms: Visiting interesting locations, smashing the face in of anything dumb enough to stand in your way, growing stronger with each step, building a bond with the dudes in your party, and, well, saving the world (true many games of the era did that but only in RPGs did it present a time investment that actually felt like the effort was worth it). This may sound like nostalgia but ultimately any RPG whether from the East or West, seems to follow the same formula – it only becomes matter of how this formula can be utilized.

So what do I like about Western RPGs? I enjoy roaming around Tolkien-inspired environments, with quasi-medieval elements merged with huge monsters. I enjoy a high quality of narrative and writing that always accompanies Western RPGs. I like being an elf, complete with long hair and pointy ears. I enjoy making decisions that actually have an effect and shape the world around me. I like leading a large party of dudes (large party as in more than two) through one battle after another. I like storming into a final dungeon made to look like an extension of hell loaded with demons galore. I like seeing, and interacting with, worlds that had been from straight from the pages of Tolkien. If anything I like seeing the Dungeons and Dragons rule-set being replicated in gaming form.
That being said, is there anything I don't like about Western RPGs? Why yes: They all seem to drawing from Tolkien playbook that it gets really tiresome to see the same tropes used over and over again. Also if you, like, play enough Bioware RPGs you soon realize that they're all formulaic - come on: you can't tell me that Mass Effect, Dragon Age Origins and Stars Wars KOTOR aren't running on the same blueprint.Indeed, it is rare to see one break from the formula - and rarer still to see one do so successfully (as the fans of Planescape Torment will attest).

So what does the JRPG offer to me then? Well for a start they offer a lot on technical level: I love the use of bright colours that I wouldn't see otherwise in a Western RPG. I love seeing environments that are inventive in their design. I love being swept up in a continually gorgeous soundtrack. Anything beyond that? Well, I do like how many JRPGs treat their characters and put effort into writing for them. And say what you like cinematics in a JRPG you can't deny that they're done very well. And if anything I appreciate JRPGs for being (for most of the time) an antithesis for the gritty Tolkien-inspired Western RPGs.
So then, what don't I like about JRPGs? Oh where do I start? For one, I find they don't offer a sense of non-linearity - you go in a different direction than the one the computer wants you to go in and computer gets all sulky. For two, there is very little freedom on offer when compared to Western RPGS - you're not making lasting decisions, no you're just prodding a character along a predetermined route. For three, whilst JRPGs may look great on a technical level most of it comes at the expense of the actual game part of the game. For four (?) I don't like many of the enemies in JRPGs because, more often than not, they look stupid and have equally silly names that one wonders if they're there to be taken seriously.  Finally, through playing numerous JRPGs, there is the realization that they're all trying to be Final Fantasy. And don't say they're aren't lest I call upon the bullshit police. I've seen attempts to replicate the formula that made Final Fantasy work in both the likes of Phantasy Star and Skies of Arcadia. And even then Final Fantasy originated as a variation on the DnD rule-set. In fact I can't think of any areas where the formula needed improving - which may account for why little has been done with the JRPG genre since.

So in the end what can I conclude from this post? Well I can say that I see these two forms of RPGs as beverages: Western RPGs are like a fine wine and JRPGs are like red fizzy cordial - both of them are nice but there's a time and place for each of them and they're not to be conusmed all at once.
Yeah lets go with that

The job that will never get done

I've never understood the Garrus fans - if anything Garrus doesn't strike me as someone you'd want to hang around with.
You'd be like: "Hey Garrus! Lets go out tonight to a bar! I bet I could drink you under the table!"
To which he'd respond: "Can it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle of some calibrations"