Intellectual Property Freely

So Capcom have announced they may show an interest in IP that has been long since dormant.

Well a sequel to Okami would be nice. And maybe some more Darkstalkers. And how about dusting off Warriors of Fate?

Wolf pack

Recently it was announced that Okami will be getting a HD remake on the PS4 and the Xbone.

And this certainly raised an eyebrow on my end: i enjoyed Okami a lot when i played it and the prospect of a HD remake is certainly appealing. So could this be the one? The moment where I will be swayed back to the console race? The game that is enough to convince me to give consoles another go and splurge out on an eighth generation console?

Oh wait, Okami HD is also coming to the PC
Oh well, never mind then

PS2 Hearts Beat as One

The big news of recent weeks is Sony ceasing production of the PlayStation 2. Yep after twelve years, the PS2 has been retired leaving behind a library of highly-regarded games and the status of the great selling console ever. Admittedly, it is a disappointment that the PS2 few short (of two years) of claiming the title of longest lasting console from the Atari 2600 but ya can’t have everything.

I purchased my PlayStation 2 in early 2006. I still remember the moment quite accurately: Going into Target and handing over so much money for a silver streamlined PS2 console and three games (Final Fantasy X, Gran Turismo 3 and Grand Theft Auto 3). In the time since, my PS2 was a loyal companion – it inspired many nights of late gaming (due to day spent with my University studies at the time).
It showed me many a game, many of which I was unaware existed.
It woke my interest in gaming up from a coma.
It inspired me to seek out games on the PS1 that I’d longed to play but was unable to at the time.
It introduced me to friends such as Ico, Kratos, Amaterasu, Solid Snake and Zidane.
It went with me to LANs and was the basis of many a Soul Caliber 3 bash.
It even followed me to Melbourne.
It was used extensively by both myself and Kathleen in our apartment.
It even got use when faced by stiff competition in the form of a Wii and an Xbox 360.
It came to represent the sixth generation for me – which has since proven to be a tough act to follow

Although my PS2 has been rather dormant in recent months, I can safely say there is still life in the old dog yet: It still works fine, I still have some games to complete and the occasional use of the Sonic collection is always fun.
Still even if the PS2 has been discontinued, the damn thing has done much to contribute to my interest in gaming and a permanent place in my gaming history is assured. It’s time may have ended but it’s existence will forever be appreciated.

R.I.P. Sony PlayStation 2

You. Me. Outside. Now

Some gaming deathmatches I would like to see:

Kratos (God of War) vs Amaterasui (Okami)

Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7) vs Kefka (Final Fantasy 6)

Samus Aran (Metroid) vs Femshep (Mass Effect)

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) vs Nathan Drake (Uncharted)

Kratos (God of War) vs The Master (Actraiser)

Morrigan (Dragon Age Origins) vs Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)

Shodan (System Shock 2) vs GlaDOS (Portal)

Wander (Shadow of the Colossus) vs. James Sutherland (Silent Hill 2)

Vaan (Final Fantasy XII) vs. Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)

Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Nei (Phantasy Star 2)

Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Taki (Soul Calibur 3)

Duke Nukem vs. Sonic the Hedgehog

Chronicles of a Gamer (Michael Revisited)

Here's a little something I bashed out - inspired by the legendary Michael ad:

I’m the one who walked with Link on his journey
The one Princess Zelda calls when danger nears
To Ganondorf I’m his constant enemy

I told Snake how to destroy the Metal Gears
Through me he found a sense of meaning in life
And we still meet regularly to drink some beers

I showed John Marston how to kill with a knife
With me he became a Legend of the West
And I got him back with his son and wife

I went with Commander Shepard – he’ll attest
I was with him through the Omega Relay
As everyone ‘round us gave their very best

I walked with Yuna every step of the way!
Got Ico and Yorda out of the fortress!
I’m that which makes Cyberdemons run away!

I got Samus Arun through planet Zebes!
Kefka, Loughain, M Bison, I did fracture!
Even Morrigan Aensland I did impress!

I got the Little Sisters out of Rapture!
I’ve faced down lines of relentless invaders!
Made friends with a wolf god and a space hamster!

I’ve been with Avalanche and Raynor’s Raiders!
When all’s gone to hell I’m the one they rely!
And I’m a friend of many a gun trader!

I’ve fought sand demons, zombies and colossi!
For I am the gamer and I’ve done it all
And in the eyes of my comrades, I’m their guy

31 Songs (no.4)

And here go with another installment to this series - Hope you've been enjoying what's been written up about already!
So, the sixth generation. Well I've said a lot already so there any more that can be added to it? Well yes there is.
So here we go!

Final Fantasy X - To Zanarkand

It’s a moment frozen in time: My first encounter with Final Fantasy. I pop the disc into my new PS2 and am immediately confronted with a solemn piano piece – that eventually leads to the images of the ruined Zanarkand and an introduction to the main cast.
So yes, I’ve always enjoyed this theme – but looking back in the five years since I first heard it, I can actually see something different: I’m really impressed by its simplicity. Sure that may have been the factor that won me over initially but now, having played more than a few JRPG’s where simplicity and subtlety a more or less foreign concepts, hearing something handled in such a manner is indeed a rare treat to behold. And besides it’s not often you hear a game tune being played out entirely as a piece on a sole piano – so to hear this – and as an opening theme no less – is a bold move but a welcome one at that. Matters are helped considerably in that the tune itself is a pretty damn good one.
Interestingly enough, I went to a friend’s wedding back in 2007 and they actually had this playing for the Bridal entry theme. It’s kind of funny when you hear this in such a serious context and you immediately recognise not only the theme but where it came from (as a footnote, I happened to be standing next to the person playing this theme on the piano and said “You’ve got taste!”).


Ico - You Were There

Much of the Ico soundtrack is minimalist, indeed much like the game itself, but for a concluding theme it seems they went all out with this one. Aside from the wonderful use of the mandolin and the rather unusual percussion, what really makes this them stand out for me is the child soprano. It may seem a complete left-of-field decision to have a child soprano for gaming theme but then again, Team Ico have practically made a career out of not playing by the rules of gaming convention.
Ultimately this is one theme that evokes plenty of emotions: the despair that the liberation that came may not have been the one that Ico and Yorda were hoping for, the sense of the stepping out from the shadows of the ruined castle and into the sunshine, the completion of the quest, the end of an era with the collapse of the ancient castle and the end of the evil queen’s very long life. And the fact that it shows flashbacks of Ico and Yorda’s adventure is the icing on the cake and works even more to the theme.
There’s not much more I can really say about this really. Ico is indeed a game that reaps a lot of emotional investment from the player and this is really the pinnacle of the experience. It’s a great theme and indeed one of the few game themes I can listen to eagerly without the game itself.
But what I am doing harping on about this? Just listen to it and draw your own conclusions.


Okami - Shinshu Fields

Well what can I say about the soundtrack to Okami? For starter’s how about it’s loaded with the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard in a video game? Yeah that’ll do.
On paper, the incorporation of classical Japanese instrumentation may sound bizarre for a video game but here it works. It’s in line with the theme of the game, which drew heavily from classical Japanese artwork and mythology, and works a treat. And I believe that unique nature of Okami’s music, the taiko drums and the pipes, make it stand head and shoulders over a lot of other game soundtracks out there. It fits the mood and tone for the rest of the game and really seems like music fit for a god.
And Shinshu Fields has to rank as my favourite piece in the game. It really encapsulates the mood of running out into a wide field in the sunshine to take up a glorious adventure (with a thousand flowers blossoming in one’s wake). Apparently the makers of Okami were inspired to build a connection with nature and this theme really represents that goal achieved in more ways than one. It starts of really simple and glorious and then halfway, it gets busy with some other instruments coming into the song – now whilst this may sound like bad thing, the new direction never ones loses it’s way and never once overpowers the rest of the song. And for a game theme to do that, when all is bombast, is actually a feat indeed.
Indeed, when playing Okami I always looked forward to coming back to the Shinshu Fields just to hear this glorious theme. If that isn’t the mark of a great video game theme then I don’t know what is.


Prince of Persia: Sands of Time - Farewell Princess

Here's a fun fact: The composer who wrote the music to the Sands of Time games was Stuart Chatwood, bass player of Canadian Gothic Rock band the Tea Party. This band was one I followed through High School and College and eventually became the first band I saw live back in 1999 ;)
This in turn influences my assessment of the soundtrack to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I enjoyed the Tea Party for it’s combination of Middle Eastern and rock guitars. So it’s interesting to see what they were doing being replicated into a video game soundtrack. Of course, the sound track to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time sounds pretty cool on its own but it’s indeed fun to see something you grew accustomed to as teenager being taken into a different context.
And in the case of Farewell Princess, thing about that strikes me straight off the bat is the rhythm in this song: namely the relentless drum beat and the rumbling bass line. Indeed, there is really a sinister feel, which makes the tune all the better for it, accompanied by the synthesizer effects and the horn sound. It’s perfect music to listen to when traveling across a large expanse of desert. The intro part (note the reversed section!) is also kinda cool too.
So which do I like better: this or Time Only Knows? Good question. I suppose I have to go with this because I found that once you take out the vocals, the attention is immediately drawn to the instrumentation itself which still sounds pretty fantastic on its own.


Shadow of the Colossus - To the Ancient Lands

It’s the first theme the player hears in this game and pretty much establishes the rest of the game. In fact so much is explained in this theme that watching the introductory movie – where Wander journeys with horse to a forbidden land and eventually crosses a bridge that can’t possibly exist – comes across as more strange than exciting. Not that that’s a bad thing of course but it’s interesting to inspire attraction from the bizarre and unusual rather than an adrenalin rush.
I’m impressed by how many moods are conveyed through the course of this theme: Wonder, bewilderment, journeying, trespassing, defying an ancient order, and the thought of taking up a quest that is somewhat questionable. Also, there is a lot going on in this theme with strings, choral vocals, an organ and a zither. But here everything is arranged in an economical sense and never once does anything feel out of place. It’s never over-powered and sounds to perfectly fit. Each portion of the song comes in, says its part and then makes way for the next one.
But ultimately, I really like this theme for the many ideas and emotions it manages to convey within the space of three and half minutes. In fact now that I think of it, this theme really does represent the ultimate of game music: Explaining what they’re all about within the context of the music. Many games may try to but To the Ancient Land, IMHO, nailed it.
And you know what? I don’t think it was even trying.


Skies of Arcadia - Kingdom of Ixataka

Throughout this series I’ve made mention that there have been several game soundtracks where every track is a gem. So do I have a favourite? Oh come on! I’m having hard time enough as it is selecting one piece from the soundtracks I like! But I have to say, without hesitation, that the Skies of Arcadia soundtrack is definitely up there in amongst the best.
Whilst the soundtrack to Skies of Arcadia may never reach the same level of respectability that the Final Fantasy achieved, that’s not to say that there isn’t anything of interest in it. Indeed, the soundtrack to Skies of Arcadia boasts a lot of diversity in styles & mood and some really delightfully charming pieces. Some are energetic and exciting, some are goofy and comical, and others are solemn and serious. It may sound like a scattershot score but never once does the Skies of Arcadia soundtrack lose its footing.
So what to choose? Good question: The Main Theme’s great, Gilder’s Theme’s great, Sailor Island’s great, Ruins Dungeon’s great and I even like how the music in the Boss themes change to reflect the state of the battle (calamitous for losing, energetic for winning). But I have to admit one stands out more than any of the others. Which now brings me to Kingdom of Ixataka: I’m not sure why this theme has managed to win me over: maybe it’s the tribal feel, the pipes melody or maybe it really fits the jungle setting it originates from. Maybe it really suits the summer feel? Or maybe it’s a damn snappy song? Yeah let’s go with that.


And thus there is my thoughts and recollections of some of my favorite video game themes. I pretty much set out to do in taking you readers along on a journey through time and picking out the themes that I loved over the years. And what you've just witnessed is thirty of the best.
So what about the current generation then? Well I have to confess: Nothing I've heard have really grabbed my attention. Whereas the music of the previous generations have provided a substantial selection, the current generation has left it hard to think up a handful. I could mention Still Alive from Portal but I refuse to submit to the obvious. That and it kind of breaks the limit of thirty songs.
But what the hell! I saw a book in my local library called 31 Songs - so if the author of that book can over the three-zero limit then I can make room for one more!
What could it be? Step forward....

Mass effect 2 - Suicide Mission

Much like its parent series, the music of Mass Effect has an epic feel, perfectly suited for a story encompassing many planets, stars, lifeforms and a universe to save from calamity. I’ve enjoyed the electronic soundtrack that backed the Mass Effect series but Suicide Mission from number 2 is really the standout piece for me. This is the sound of heading off to battle. The sound of stopping a colossal monster that can destroy a galaxy. The sound of not taking one step backwards. The sound of the weight of thousands resting on the shoulders of a scant few. The sound of a battle that may have been won but the knowledge that there’s a war that’s coming rumbling at full pelt towards you. So much commands attention in this tune: The pounding drums, the choral chanting, and the full orchestral effect. It’s epic in every sense of the word and best captures the mood of saving the universe.
True there have been many games that have worked with a world/galaxy saving plot but Mass Effect, I feel, stands out by actually addressing the stakes: It shows the preparation into going into a galaxy saving mission. It shows assembling the people you need for the job and where each one has their own character arc that needs to be resolved. It shows how every little thing can count for so much when you’re heading off to save the universe from disaster. And this theme, I feel, deals with such issues better than anyone else has ever done before or since.
So all in all, Suicide Mission is gripping, edge-of-your-seat, piece of music that leaves me with a lump in the throat every time I hear it. It's that good
And hey, you can never do better than Commander Shepard.


And so there you have it: 31 Songs and I hope you've enjoyed listening to them.
Come back later when we wrap this series up....

Weekend Edition

Last weekend I was at a friends place with some other friends - much of this time was spent around a PS3. Now whilst this isn't my first time using a PS3 (that story is something I may come back to in the future), this was an opportunity to have a quick bash at some of games that are only available on the Playstation.

So what got played? Well....

Marvel vs Capcom 3
Always good for a laugh. I will admit to being familiar with this series but I've never actually took the time to play it. But I did enjoy playing this game: Maybe it's one of those games that need the right atmosphere to get the most out of (ie played with a group of other people). I used a team of Wolverine, Morrigan (Darkstalkers) and Amaterasu (Okami) and did rather well. Sure it was odd to see Amaterasu present but there is indeed some amusement value in seeing her, a wolf god, trump the thunder god Thor....

Little Big Planet
One of the bigger hits to spawn from the PS3, Little Big Planet is something that left me with mixed feelings. I do like both the inventive graphics and the four-player malarkey (whilst being very reminiscent of New Super Mario Bros) but other times, the controls aren't really that welcoming - as I found out, it's hard to try and work out how to do things when the more experienced players are screaming ahead of you and taking the rest of the screen with them, leaving little time to work within! Still, Little Big Planet has some degree of charm and for that I give it props.

Dark Souls
What a reputation this game comes with - being perhaps the most fiendishly difficult RPG ever made. No pause button, a stacking of unbelievable odds and the sense the game is taunting the player with every step. And that reputation isn't kidding: I saw my com-padres each getting slaughtered by the same monster and it certainly made for a frustrating sight. Also notable is seeing announcements declared in large lettering and the many, many cheap deaths. Now normally I would hate a game for doing that but in the time I spent playing Dark Souls I can say it some elements going for it with the great skeleton animations and setting.

Ico / Shadow of the Colossus in HD
Well I've been singing the praises for these games many times before on this blog so there's not much to add. However, I'm astonished by the HD remake and how everything looks so much better - so much so it's near impossible to go back to the original PS2 incarnations. Also, there is indeed a sweet satisfaction to play games you thought only you knew about and seeing other people showing an interest.

Red Dead Trigger

I've been playing a lot of Red Dead Redemption this past weekend and I'm finding it very much to my liking. Strangely, I've played other open world games but I won't call myself a fan. Yes I've enjoyed Okami, Legend of Zelda Link to the Past and Sid Meier's Pirates! but the Open world gaming carries with it a sense of intimidation that I've never quite overcome. Maybe I could go over it in a future post but for now, let's say that Red Dead Redemption is one game that slipped through the cracks. :)

Also, I've been playing Chrono Trigger - Yes it would seem that my prayers have been answered and Chrono Trigger has finally shown it's face on the Virtual console - It didn't come on the SNES and the PS1 in Australia but it's finally come (you think waiting fourteen years for Duke Nukem Forever was annoying? Mate, you don't know nothing about nothing!).

I don't know how it came about but I was indeed surprised to see Chrono Trigger finally available - and sitting comfortably on the VC best seller list. So well done to Nintendo and here's hoping they're paying attention still....

Overload"*",8,1

In an attempt to remedy to problem brought about by the Hall of Shame, I recently dusted off Okami for a bash. And unlike most games I forget about for an astonishing amount of time, I was able to pick right up where I left off straight away.

At the moment, I have imposed a restriction: No more games until I beat the one's I already have. I have spent so much money on games over the past few years, both in disc format and on the Virtual Console, so it would make no sense if I leave them to gather dust. As such I have many games left unfinished and more left non-started. So thus, no more games and no more consoles until I'm through with the one's I already have.
I have many games indeed, covering many genres, platforms and styles. I have no loyalty to any console favoring, instead, the games - naturally, when you're an adult and you have money to spend you can do that type of thing. Yet, I can, however reluctantly, see an advantage in being one-eyed: You have a priority and direction. Thus, someone like me can have as many consoles and games as they like but too much information results in a lack of focus.
I have often been puzzled by seeing people with huge games collections wondering how on earth they manage the time to play them all - and now, I am in the similar boat. I'm used to see people having a single-digit number of games for their console so now the notion of overload becomes clear.
I guess when you're younger having a big games collection would be ideal but when you;re an adult, you find most of your money goes into important things, like food, bills, clothes, petrol for the car......

In any case, for the time being, I wish to focus on one game at a time. It therefore may take a while to be rid of my Hall of Shame, but hey, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the single step.

You and me against the world

I've been a regular viewer of Zero Punctuation for quite a while now. I mean who isn't? It's fun to see Yahtzee tear into game and have the balls to say things that seem to escape the view of other game critics. I've also had the pleasure to meet Yahtzee and got him to sign my walkthrough of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Anyway his latest review, Dead to Rights: Retribution, brought forth an interesting point: The moments when the player is controlling Shadow are far more interesting than when the player is controlling Jack Slate. Now, I won't say that Yahtzee's opinions have that great an influence on my perception towards games in general but what I see is a classic case of squandered potential.



Dead to Rights: Retribution seems to part of a recent clutch of games based on the concept of 'two dudes taking on a whole army' (or in DtRR's case one dude and a dog). Other such games of this caliber include Army of Two and Resident Evil 5. Both games however seemed to have stumbled in executing this concept with dodgy AI no real sense of uniqueness between the characters being controlled.
That being said, there is only one game I have seen to have done this concept the best and that's the Chaos Engine: A game released in 1993 on the Amiga (later ported to the PC, Megadrive and SNES). It works as follows: The player works in team of two with another human or the computer. The player(s) selects a team of two mercenaries from a group of six and they go mow down a bunch of mutants. The thing is, each mercenary has they own unique weapon and set of abilities. Sure there are three sets of stats between the three but they develop in their own unique way. Sure some abilities are shared by characters but that's at different points in the game. The point is, the two player mechanic works because the characters are unique and only by working together can victory be achieved. Even in one player mode, the player still has a degree of control over what abilities are used by the team itself. It also encourages careful thought into what mercenaries are selected, based on what they can do and their rate of reliability in the battlefield.

In short, the two player mechanic can work when the AI is reliable enough and the two characters each have a degree of uniqueness that, when combined, can succeed. As indicated above, it can be done so there's really no excuse.



So what would I have done in Dead to Rights: Retribution? I would've had the player control Shadow and have Jack being controlled by the computer/2nd player. I mean think about it: Here, we have a team of two who have unique approaches to solving a problem. They play completely differently and it may offer an interesting spin on how the story is told: Through the eyes of Shadow.

And hey, there's nothing wrong with controlling a dog: Just look at Okami.