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
Showing posts with label Playstation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Playstation. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Raiden Fighters
Recently I've been giving the 360 a bit of a rest - So I thus return to my long neglected (but still quite functioning) PlayStation 2 to give it some lovin'. Indeed, I have some unfinished business with my PS2 so no time like the present (or something..)
So I decided to take a crack at Metal Gear Solid 2. Man, has this been along time coming but not without good reason. Firstly, I've said, many times before, that the ending the the first Metal Gear Solid came to a great end with Snake coming away from his adventure having found a new meaning to his life and a determination to make every day of his now limited life count. Thus to see him head back out onto the battlefield seems odd in comparison.
Plus, one of the many criticisms of Metal Gear Solid 2 was the ratio of cut-scenes and the actual gameplay: Where too much time was spent watching an, at times, incomprehensible script play out when compared to actually cracking heads.
And finally there was that thorny issue of Raiden: The hard-bitten gravely voiced Snake had been replaced by a white-haired whiny wuss! But that was my impression - one that came from fan outrage that boiled over ten years ago. So now what? Has the shock worn off? And perhaps time has healed the wounds? Maybe.
Still, I've gone into Metal Gear Solid 2 with a fresh mind as ever so what do I think of it?
Well I've made it up to the battle with Fatman and it's been quite enjoyable so far. There's still that intense excitement of breaking into a enemy facility and trying to elude capture. I like the use of the first-person perspective, the M9 and the addition of the patrol squads and how maps can only be found through the Node. I'm not bothered by the cut scenes - or at least it hasn't got to the MGS4 level of absurdity in having a half hour long cutscene for the introduction (apparently).
And as for Raiden, well he has yet to annoy me: Sure he does whine but at least it's not constant - I understand his inexperience in the battlefield and, admittedly I kind of enjoyed seeing him aggravate Fatman. And sure his interactions with Rose may be off-putting but it's not to the point where it's a deal-breaker.
So I am willing to give him a chance at least - and this is from someone who spent their college years watching Neon Genesis Evangelion so believe you me I know a whining character.
Still this is only the first impressions - and such an opinion is subject to change.
So how will it go later on? Watch this space....
So I decided to take a crack at Metal Gear Solid 2. Man, has this been along time coming but not without good reason. Firstly, I've said, many times before, that the ending the the first Metal Gear Solid came to a great end with Snake coming away from his adventure having found a new meaning to his life and a determination to make every day of his now limited life count. Thus to see him head back out onto the battlefield seems odd in comparison.
Plus, one of the many criticisms of Metal Gear Solid 2 was the ratio of cut-scenes and the actual gameplay: Where too much time was spent watching an, at times, incomprehensible script play out when compared to actually cracking heads.
And finally there was that thorny issue of Raiden: The hard-bitten gravely voiced Snake had been replaced by a white-haired whiny wuss! But that was my impression - one that came from fan outrage that boiled over ten years ago. So now what? Has the shock worn off? And perhaps time has healed the wounds? Maybe.
Still, I've gone into Metal Gear Solid 2 with a fresh mind as ever so what do I think of it?
Well I've made it up to the battle with Fatman and it's been quite enjoyable so far. There's still that intense excitement of breaking into a enemy facility and trying to elude capture. I like the use of the first-person perspective, the M9 and the addition of the patrol squads and how maps can only be found through the Node. I'm not bothered by the cut scenes - or at least it hasn't got to the MGS4 level of absurdity in having a half hour long cutscene for the introduction (apparently).
And as for Raiden, well he has yet to annoy me: Sure he does whine but at least it's not constant - I understand his inexperience in the battlefield and, admittedly I kind of enjoyed seeing him aggravate Fatman. And sure his interactions with Rose may be off-putting but it's not to the point where it's a deal-breaker.
So I am willing to give him a chance at least - and this is from someone who spent their college years watching Neon Genesis Evangelion so believe you me I know a whining character.
Still this is only the first impressions - and such an opinion is subject to change.
So how will it go later on? Watch this space....
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Shining Star
Another game has been struck down from the Hall of Shame - Phantasy Star 4.
During the sixteen-bit era (largely regarded by some as the Golden Age of Gaming), whilst Nintendo had Final Fantasy, Sega had Phantasy Star. At that time, I had heard of both but it didn't go further beyond the names. It's ironic considering that Final Fantasy, of course, would go on to become inescapable - but what of the other camp?
Well having played PS4, I have to say I was impressed. I didn't know the Megadrive/Genesis for having any RPGs but this was indeed a treat. It was well presented, the plot was compelling, the characters likable, the whole thing was well-written.
There are signs this game was a labor of love and it shows: The graphics were gorgeous to say the least - I particularly enjoyed how the plot was conveyed through comic-strip style imagery. The combat was great and well thought out. Also pleasing is how the writers really worked hard to wrap up everything that had come in the previous Phantasy Star - even throwing in more than a few allusions - and bring the series to an excellent resolution.
And special mention must go to the music: I have a problem with Megadrive soundtracks in that they tend to date rather horribly but the music to Phantasy Star 4 - along with Golden Axe 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog - still holds up pretty well some seventeen years later.
It's not to say PS4 was without it's quibbles: The leveling up happened so quickly the challenge died away (indeed, I defeated the last boss on my first try!) - which is a bit odd as the Phantasy Star series has enjoyed a fearsome reputation of being one of the most the difficult RPGs ever made. And the encounter rate was stupidly high that traveling the worlds was a slow and annoying process.
Still, I enjoyed Phantasy Star 4 - and it is indeed admirable that it ended the way it did in an age where franchises are run into the ground (not least of which is PS's formal rival).
And so I come away with this game being not only is it the best of the series but both one of the Megadrive's finest moments and one of the best RPGs of it's era.
Good enough reason for it to stand tall with it's head held high.
During the sixteen-bit era (largely regarded by some as the Golden Age of Gaming), whilst Nintendo had Final Fantasy, Sega had Phantasy Star. At that time, I had heard of both but it didn't go further beyond the names. It's ironic considering that Final Fantasy, of course, would go on to become inescapable - but what of the other camp?
Well having played PS4, I have to say I was impressed. I didn't know the Megadrive/Genesis for having any RPGs but this was indeed a treat. It was well presented, the plot was compelling, the characters likable, the whole thing was well-written.
There are signs this game was a labor of love and it shows: The graphics were gorgeous to say the least - I particularly enjoyed how the plot was conveyed through comic-strip style imagery. The combat was great and well thought out. Also pleasing is how the writers really worked hard to wrap up everything that had come in the previous Phantasy Star - even throwing in more than a few allusions - and bring the series to an excellent resolution.
And special mention must go to the music: I have a problem with Megadrive soundtracks in that they tend to date rather horribly but the music to Phantasy Star 4 - along with Golden Axe 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog - still holds up pretty well some seventeen years later.
It's not to say PS4 was without it's quibbles: The leveling up happened so quickly the challenge died away (indeed, I defeated the last boss on my first try!) - which is a bit odd as the Phantasy Star series has enjoyed a fearsome reputation of being one of the most the difficult RPGs ever made. And the encounter rate was stupidly high that traveling the worlds was a slow and annoying process.
Still, I enjoyed Phantasy Star 4 - and it is indeed admirable that it ended the way it did in an age where franchises are run into the ground (not least of which is PS's formal rival).
And so I come away with this game being not only is it the best of the series but both one of the Megadrive's finest moments and one of the best RPGs of it's era.
Good enough reason for it to stand tall with it's head held high.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Fighting Fantasy
Well, Final Fantasy Dissidia no.2 is finally upon us – and once again, everyone is more than willing to bring the knives out and into the fighting roster. Great to see Yuna and Laguna present but I grumble at the lack of Cid Highwind, Freya Crescent and anyone from FF6. It would’ve been nice if SqueeEnix had stuck to the spirit of the game and had more selections based on the long-standing Job System (like having a Ninja character or a Red Mage character) but they blotched that the first time around with the over-abundance of paladin characters.
Ideally this could present a perfect opportunity to introduce some DLC characters: That way fans can have their favourite characters to download and really build a dream fighting roster. True a large roster may be unwieldy but, should enough effort be put in to character development, it can work - One only needs to look at the Soul Calibur series – or even Marvel vs Capcom - for proof.
But ultimately, I won’t hold my breath waiting for such an opportunity to be realised. Damn…
And then there’s the ever contentious issue of Aerith Gainsborough – only present as DLC and even then as an assist character as opposed to a fully-fledged one. I can imagine some fans are annoyed by this but me, I’m not sure what this is meant to represent.
You see, on one hand, at least SqueeEnix are sticking to their guns and not caving into a decade+ for fan demands to see a resurrection of the Flower Girl. It’s a rare thing to do in a profit-driven industry such as gaming. HOWEVER! On the other hand, if the Dissidia series is meant to be some kind of tribute to the fans (never a good sign), you think SqueeEnix would’ve given in and made Aerith a playable character? By not doing so, it seems a big FUCK YOU to the fanbase who buy their games (which is never a good business move). I mean, if SqueeEnix are willing the milk the FF7 cash cow for every last drop then they could’ve at least made Aerith a playable character. Still one can only how much money SqueeEnix would’ve made if they did (particularly as they seem to so love selling out).
Personally, the thinking of Dissidia is a good one: A tribute to the series in the form of a fighting game. Yes that idea has potential but in the end, anyone can have an idea: A good idea can be screwed around with just as easily as it can be made to work.
And if SqueeEnix's recent efforts to the Final Fantasy franchise are anything to go by, they show glimpses of promise squashed by timidness to do something radical. Time to pack it in perhaps?
Ideally this could present a perfect opportunity to introduce some DLC characters: That way fans can have their favourite characters to download and really build a dream fighting roster. True a large roster may be unwieldy but, should enough effort be put in to character development, it can work - One only needs to look at the Soul Calibur series – or even Marvel vs Capcom - for proof.
But ultimately, I won’t hold my breath waiting for such an opportunity to be realised. Damn…
And then there’s the ever contentious issue of Aerith Gainsborough – only present as DLC and even then as an assist character as opposed to a fully-fledged one. I can imagine some fans are annoyed by this but me, I’m not sure what this is meant to represent.
You see, on one hand, at least SqueeEnix are sticking to their guns and not caving into a decade+ for fan demands to see a resurrection of the Flower Girl. It’s a rare thing to do in a profit-driven industry such as gaming. HOWEVER! On the other hand, if the Dissidia series is meant to be some kind of tribute to the fans (never a good sign), you think SqueeEnix would’ve given in and made Aerith a playable character? By not doing so, it seems a big FUCK YOU to the fanbase who buy their games (which is never a good business move). I mean, if SqueeEnix are willing the milk the FF7 cash cow for every last drop then they could’ve at least made Aerith a playable character. Still one can only how much money SqueeEnix would’ve made if they did (particularly as they seem to so love selling out).
Personally, the thinking of Dissidia is a good one: A tribute to the series in the form of a fighting game. Yes that idea has potential but in the end, anyone can have an idea: A good idea can be screwed around with just as easily as it can be made to work.
And if SqueeEnix's recent efforts to the Final Fantasy franchise are anything to go by, they show glimpses of promise squashed by timidness to do something radical. Time to pack it in perhaps?
Friday, March 25, 2011
Ico Sucks!
Once upon a time, I posted the following on an Ico page on Facebook (of course said page has now disappeared so I may as well give this rant a home here):
This was then followed immediately by the following:
You know what I’m so sick and tired of? People shouting praises to the game ICO. I have heard time and again how “it’s the greatest game ever!” and “it’s criminally under-rated!”
Well I’m here to tell you all something: It sucks. It is under-rated but for a very good reason. It has some glaring obvious flaws, it is undeserving of all the praise it got and it deserved to be a poor seller, forever condemned to obscurity which is where it belonged.
That being said I have taken the various arguments made for ICO and prepared a series of retorts that will show up ICO for the tripe that it is.
It was made on the motivation of being something that had never been seen before
Are you joking? This is the gaming industry we’re talking about here! The age of ideas is long gone and now we’re all thriving on recycled ideas! If you’re going to bring in something completely new in this age of five second attention spans then of course you’re going to fail.
It shows what can happen when you experiment with the hardware you’re utilising
Come again? When was the age of experimentation? In the eighties when people were making games? I appreciate they’re pioneering spirit but please: They’re old so sod off. Currently, we have lot’s of ideas floating around so why make up new ones when the old ideas are working just fine as they are?
Furthermore, you call a white-washed graphical look experimentation? Hate to break this to you but a limited colour palette does not make for a great game! No, give me the spectacle over substance any day.
There is no story: All of it is left to our imagination
Tell me one thing: Who the hell plays games in this day and age when there is no story? I’ve been told that people that people play games that are actual games as opposed to interactive storybooks but I digress. I like to know where I’m going and I’ll gladly follow a strictly rigid path to get there.
As for imagination, who on God’s green Earth uses their imagination these days? I prefer to let someone else do my thinking for me and to have everything spelled out for me in large letters. I’ve been told that I should relate to Ico and feel confused as he is. And to that end I will admit I did feel confused: as to why anyone would fall head over heels in love for this nonsense.
It succeeds in having puzzles over conflict
Well dur! If you don’t have violence and blood in games today of course you’re going to fail! Instead, blood and gore is such a mainstay in gaming today that any game being slapped with G logo is a death warrant. G games are strictly for kids! Anyone knows that without needing to pick up a controller! But seriously no one thinks things through anymore. Any game in this day and age can’t succeed without violence and gore. That’s like saying people play God of War for the gameplay.
Yorda
The object of the game is for ICO to guide Yorda through many of the puzzles and obstacles that litter the castle. And no wonder she needs rescuing: She is hopeless! She can’t jump very well, she can’t defend herself and she is continually relying in on Ico for help. If Lara Croft has taught us anything, its women characters are useless if they don’t have a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
Also, why is Ico helping her? What the hell are we meant to feel without any dialogue or narrative? How are we meant to feel for his (and her) predicament? Correct me if I’m wrong but in this era of modern gaming, subtlety only works when it’s applied with a sledgehammer.
Emotional Weight
Hahahaha – you’re kidding right? What place does emotion have in gaming today? None whatsoever if the death of Aerith Gainsborough in Final Fantasy VII is anything to go by.
So much attention has been paid to the castle design: It is detailed, very realistic looking, atmospheric, an architectural marvel and demands interaction. The castle is even a character in itself.
You can’t expect me to pay attention to a character if it doesn’t talk. End of story
It succeeds on an ambient level.
Hate to break this to you but I expect my games to loud bombastic and wrapped in a big package of WOW to be of any use to me. Minimalism? Which requires a need to pay full attention? Give me a break.
And on that note, where the hell is the music in this game? Some crummy sounds used in sparing moments? What is this, a crappy game from the 8-bit era? Where are the loud rock/metal guitars that proliferate games these days? It’s not as if any game can succeed without them – After all, look at Guitar Hero!
It succeeds on so many levels that it’s a single entity rather than a bundle of features.
Sorry but I thought that you can succeed with crummy gameplay once you have awesome graphics and music! What type of douche puts so much thought into each and every levels of a game?! ICO is an entity? Pull the other one
It is short but had it gone on any longer, the maker’s intention would have been lost
What? The intention to bore me senseless with even more ‘subtly’? Isn’t bad enough that I’ll never be able to get those five hours of my life back?!
It have provided a subtle influence to other games namely, Legend of Zelda; Twilight Princess, Metal gear Solid 3 and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
All of which were infinitely better games and based on established franchises. Good day!
And there you have it: A complete dissection of Ico and why it’s not as great as everyone believes. Why people still think it’s a marvel despite age and lack of sales is beyond me.
This was then followed immediately by the following:
No doubt you’re all clenching your fist with rage having read that opening post but before you all start sending me death threats, I’ll let you in on a secret:
This is a JOKE
That’s right, that essay was written purely for satirical purposes.
I myself love ICO, I think it’s one of the greatest game ever made and I’m mystified as to why it was never a big hit.
So with no reasoning behind ICO’s obscurity, I decided to come up with some.
Thus, you can all breathe a sigh of relief. But still even if the above essay as written as a joke, there is always the sad thought that people like the one I’ve described above quite possibly exist in the world…
Monday, March 21, 2011
Reboot this: Loaded
Remakes and Reboots are certainly popular amongst game developers: It would seem that just as long as there is an instantly recognizable name attached to the product, it would sell enough to make a decent amount of dosh.
Some gamers may grow frustrated with such moves, wishing the developers would instead make their own IP but such a move is not without it's risks: It is indeed a very long and costly process that developers should aim to making something worthwhile. Having some flop is indeed the last thing developers want so there is always the comfort zone of working on an already established name.
A valid argument for the continued presence of the Reboots but I propose a middle ground: I would like to see a reboot built on risks. I want to see a reboot of a failed idea. I want a bad game taken and transformed into a good game that no one thought possible.
Any idea can work just as long as it's handled by people who know what they're doing. By way of example, the 80's film Xanadu was a notorious flop when first released but now it's been regenerated as a hit Broadway musical. And keeping with the movie theme, I thought Hancock had a good idea behind it, shame the execution was rather lousy.
So, in what could evolve into a series, I present a post on what games I would like to see re-energised. May I present the PS1 game, LOADED!
Loaded was a launch title for the Playstation. A top down shooter, it told the tale of six crims busting their way out of a futuristic prison as bloodily as posisble.
it didn't do much to show off the processing power for Sony's new beast but it certainly had a lot going for it: The game had a macabre sense of humour about it, the character designs where great (courtesy of Vertigo comics), the music was superb and boasted involvement with Pop Will Eat Itself and there was no shortage of action. Indeed, Loaded must be the bloodiest game ever made with no shortage of gore and blood. It seemed juvenile and lacking in substance but it had a charm to it that still works for me to this day: After all, it's a great way to vent some anger.
Loaded divided critics: some thought it dumb whilst others enjoyed the fun factor. Nevertheless it was a big seller: enough did get a sequel, Re-Loaded. But this wasn't well received as it's predecessor. A third title, Fully Loaded, was planned but didn't materialise. And thus the saga of Loaded ended there and then (although apparently both Loaded and it's sequel are on their way to the PSN).
So why remake this game? Some possible reasons:
- Fun. Many games these days are stern and serious. You don't see a game that doesn't take itself seriously. I welcome any game that walks a macabre path which other games avoid.
- Action. Gamers have been crying out for a return to when a shooter involved turning off your brain and shooting dudes. All eyes are currently looking to Duke Nukem Forever as some great white hope but will anyone challenge him?
- Characters. Loaded boasts some wonderfully kooky characters and some excellent character designs. The kind that are crying out for a well-written script and some manic voice acting.
Any takers?
Some gamers may grow frustrated with such moves, wishing the developers would instead make their own IP but such a move is not without it's risks: It is indeed a very long and costly process that developers should aim to making something worthwhile. Having some flop is indeed the last thing developers want so there is always the comfort zone of working on an already established name.
A valid argument for the continued presence of the Reboots but I propose a middle ground: I would like to see a reboot built on risks. I want to see a reboot of a failed idea. I want a bad game taken and transformed into a good game that no one thought possible.
Any idea can work just as long as it's handled by people who know what they're doing. By way of example, the 80's film Xanadu was a notorious flop when first released but now it's been regenerated as a hit Broadway musical. And keeping with the movie theme, I thought Hancock had a good idea behind it, shame the execution was rather lousy.
So, in what could evolve into a series, I present a post on what games I would like to see re-energised. May I present the PS1 game, LOADED!
Loaded was a launch title for the Playstation. A top down shooter, it told the tale of six crims busting their way out of a futuristic prison as bloodily as posisble.
it didn't do much to show off the processing power for Sony's new beast but it certainly had a lot going for it: The game had a macabre sense of humour about it, the character designs where great (courtesy of Vertigo comics), the music was superb and boasted involvement with Pop Will Eat Itself and there was no shortage of action. Indeed, Loaded must be the bloodiest game ever made with no shortage of gore and blood. It seemed juvenile and lacking in substance but it had a charm to it that still works for me to this day: After all, it's a great way to vent some anger.
Loaded divided critics: some thought it dumb whilst others enjoyed the fun factor. Nevertheless it was a big seller: enough did get a sequel, Re-Loaded. But this wasn't well received as it's predecessor. A third title, Fully Loaded, was planned but didn't materialise. And thus the saga of Loaded ended there and then (although apparently both Loaded and it's sequel are on their way to the PSN).
So why remake this game? Some possible reasons:
- Fun. Many games these days are stern and serious. You don't see a game that doesn't take itself seriously. I welcome any game that walks a macabre path which other games avoid.
- Action. Gamers have been crying out for a return to when a shooter involved turning off your brain and shooting dudes. All eyes are currently looking to Duke Nukem Forever as some great white hope but will anyone challenge him?
- Characters. Loaded boasts some wonderfully kooky characters and some excellent character designs. The kind that are crying out for a well-written script and some manic voice acting.
Any takers?
Friday, March 18, 2011
Mature like old cheese
With many gamers today being adults - many of whom grew up playing games - there is talk of games getting mature. This is due to games catering for a change of tastes and doing things beyond the restrictions of a child demographic.
Decent enough intentions true but I've grown suspicious of games proclaiming to be 'mature'. It's nice you cater for different tastes just don't make a big show of it!
In addition, claims of being 'mature' seem to come across as being silly: Sex, cursing and killing so many dudes in gruesome fashion seems to me, pandering to a sense of spectacle. Sure, it may be great that we can do such things but it is indeed problematic that such things should get more attention than the game mechanics themselves. Other times, the 'mature' content comes across as trying too hard to please an audience that's growing older. I personally thought the use of cuss words in Mass Effect 2 as coming across as trying ever so hard to such pretensions of 'maturity' - so much so that it kind of distracted from what was a stunning game on all accounts.
No, for me, 'mature' games seem ill-defined. In my eyes, 'mature' gaming is really a sign that that games are growing beyond their original intention as a sense of entertainment. 'Mature' games for me those which are trying to get a point across that challenges the player until well after the console is turned off.
So what games do I think meet this criteria? Funny you should say that:
Cannon Fodder (1993)
A game that came out on the Commodore Amiga with other systems following suite. Seeing as war games are a major driving force in the gaming industry, it seems strange that one game should come along which criticizes warfare. Strange yes but it works: You control a small group of soldiers through a succession of missions involving entering enemy territory and blowing shit up. Thing is, each soldier has a name and, upon each successful mission the player is confronted with a list of who survived and a list of who got killed. This is then followed by a screen image consisting of a line of new recruits ready for action - a line that encircles a hill covered with graves of the fallen. You wouldn't see a game biting the hand that feeds it but here it works a treat.
The Dig (1995)
Sure the dialogue's questionable, sure the period in development was beset with problems and sure it's stern/serious nature seems out of place to the rest of the LucasArts adventure games, but there is still a lot going for this game. I like the ideas that are really being put forward that suggests a gaming maturity: It breaking from the humor that the adventure genre is known for to do something different. It is conveying a sense of wonder in exploring an alien planet. It is the sense of atmosphere on being on a barren world where an advanced civilization once inhabited and is doing something with a tiny cast of characters.
Metal Gear Solid (1997)
Heavy handed in it's approach to war and nuclear warheads but at least they're having a stab at it.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
A dying planet that would be glad to see it's human inhabitants gone? That makes heaps of sense to me. Though it is interesting to note that, considering the backlash to the game's conclusion, whether or not gamers are really ready for 'mature' gaming as they so claim....
Chrono Cross (2000)
Can't say I've played this game (call it being in a country that apparently doesn't matter) so pretty much all I know about this game comes from this slice of wisdom. Still, what is said is enough to get me interested.
As indicated by the linked piece, Chrono Cross, as a game, has as many good ideas as bad ideas. But the one that works, is the one that challenges the borderline between the player and the player character. This eventually reaches it's apex with the game's conclusion with text addressed directly to the player and a montage made up of some life action footage shot in Japan.
Won't give too much away (you could read the linked article or just look the ending up on youtube) but I commend the balls the game designers had in presenting such an idea and connecting the player at a personal level. This type of thing needs to happen more often.
So let's drop the pretensions: Let's make something with more substance than style. And while we're at it, someone get me a Ferrari!
Decent enough intentions true but I've grown suspicious of games proclaiming to be 'mature'. It's nice you cater for different tastes just don't make a big show of it!
In addition, claims of being 'mature' seem to come across as being silly: Sex, cursing and killing so many dudes in gruesome fashion seems to me, pandering to a sense of spectacle. Sure, it may be great that we can do such things but it is indeed problematic that such things should get more attention than the game mechanics themselves. Other times, the 'mature' content comes across as trying too hard to please an audience that's growing older. I personally thought the use of cuss words in Mass Effect 2 as coming across as trying ever so hard to such pretensions of 'maturity' - so much so that it kind of distracted from what was a stunning game on all accounts.
No, for me, 'mature' games seem ill-defined. In my eyes, 'mature' gaming is really a sign that that games are growing beyond their original intention as a sense of entertainment. 'Mature' games for me those which are trying to get a point across that challenges the player until well after the console is turned off.
So what games do I think meet this criteria? Funny you should say that:
Cannon Fodder (1993)
A game that came out on the Commodore Amiga with other systems following suite. Seeing as war games are a major driving force in the gaming industry, it seems strange that one game should come along which criticizes warfare. Strange yes but it works: You control a small group of soldiers through a succession of missions involving entering enemy territory and blowing shit up. Thing is, each soldier has a name and, upon each successful mission the player is confronted with a list of who survived and a list of who got killed. This is then followed by a screen image consisting of a line of new recruits ready for action - a line that encircles a hill covered with graves of the fallen. You wouldn't see a game biting the hand that feeds it but here it works a treat.
The Dig (1995)
Sure the dialogue's questionable, sure the period in development was beset with problems and sure it's stern/serious nature seems out of place to the rest of the LucasArts adventure games, but there is still a lot going for this game. I like the ideas that are really being put forward that suggests a gaming maturity: It breaking from the humor that the adventure genre is known for to do something different. It is conveying a sense of wonder in exploring an alien planet. It is the sense of atmosphere on being on a barren world where an advanced civilization once inhabited and is doing something with a tiny cast of characters.
Metal Gear Solid (1997)
Heavy handed in it's approach to war and nuclear warheads but at least they're having a stab at it.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
A dying planet that would be glad to see it's human inhabitants gone? That makes heaps of sense to me. Though it is interesting to note that, considering the backlash to the game's conclusion, whether or not gamers are really ready for 'mature' gaming as they so claim....
Chrono Cross (2000)
Can't say I've played this game (call it being in a country that apparently doesn't matter) so pretty much all I know about this game comes from this slice of wisdom. Still, what is said is enough to get me interested.
As indicated by the linked piece, Chrono Cross, as a game, has as many good ideas as bad ideas. But the one that works, is the one that challenges the borderline between the player and the player character. This eventually reaches it's apex with the game's conclusion with text addressed directly to the player and a montage made up of some life action footage shot in Japan.
Won't give too much away (you could read the linked article or just look the ending up on youtube) but I commend the balls the game designers had in presenting such an idea and connecting the player at a personal level. This type of thing needs to happen more often.
So let's drop the pretensions: Let's make something with more substance than style. And while we're at it, someone get me a Ferrari!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Moving Forward
If history has taught us anything is that every five or so years a new console generation comes into. As gaming is pretty much a consumer-driven culture, nothing can really stay stable as long as people are willing to throw their money away.
Now that we are five years, going on six, into the seventh generation one has to wonder: Where do we go from here?
I see motion controls gathering interest. I see downloadable services like the Virtual Console and the PSN preserve games from obsolete platforms. I see sequels being made, old IP being dusted off and franchises being run into the ground. I see WOW players far easily willing to forget they have life. I see bedroom developers being given a lot of chance to come forward and show what they can do. I see a lot of invention but far less innovation. I see a lot of businesses and educational facilities taking notice about gaming where previously they showed little to no interest.
So yes, games are now more popular than ever and with such a victory, there is a lot of good and, at the same time, a lot of bad. But for me, I’m wondering where do we go from here? Gaming technology is always moving forward but is there anything left to do?
If anything, I believe that the current generation has proven that gamers have sense of preservation and will gladly keep on playing the same thing.
Examples:
- With the Virtual Console/PSN/XBLA, it is proven that people will gladly pay out for games they already have/had.
- Having Rock Band DLC compatible with future titles.
- Having XBLA profiles where people can share scores and what games they play seems more like a long-term move (kinda makes you wonder what scores will be like in ten years from now…….)
I see nothing wrong with preservation: After all if a game works then it can keep on working. Yet, with the idea of looking backwards, it kinda makes you wonder if so much has accomplished before, then is there anything left to do?
Ten years ago, Sega and the Dreamcast were on the way out, the Xbox was but a distant speck on the horizon, and the Playstation 2 had gotten off on a rocky start drawing more attention as a DVD player than a games console. Mass media attention was given to the development of a game called Metal Gear Solid 2, Everquest was ruling the MMPRG roost and the hundredth million Gameboy was sold.
So a lot can happen in ten years – I wonder what’s in store for the next ten…..?
Now that we are five years, going on six, into the seventh generation one has to wonder: Where do we go from here?
I see motion controls gathering interest. I see downloadable services like the Virtual Console and the PSN preserve games from obsolete platforms. I see sequels being made, old IP being dusted off and franchises being run into the ground. I see WOW players far easily willing to forget they have life. I see bedroom developers being given a lot of chance to come forward and show what they can do. I see a lot of invention but far less innovation. I see a lot of businesses and educational facilities taking notice about gaming where previously they showed little to no interest.
So yes, games are now more popular than ever and with such a victory, there is a lot of good and, at the same time, a lot of bad. But for me, I’m wondering where do we go from here? Gaming technology is always moving forward but is there anything left to do?
If anything, I believe that the current generation has proven that gamers have sense of preservation and will gladly keep on playing the same thing.
Examples:
- With the Virtual Console/PSN/XBLA, it is proven that people will gladly pay out for games they already have/had.
- Having Rock Band DLC compatible with future titles.
- Having XBLA profiles where people can share scores and what games they play seems more like a long-term move (kinda makes you wonder what scores will be like in ten years from now…….)
I see nothing wrong with preservation: After all if a game works then it can keep on working. Yet, with the idea of looking backwards, it kinda makes you wonder if so much has accomplished before, then is there anything left to do?
Ten years ago, Sega and the Dreamcast were on the way out, the Xbox was but a distant speck on the horizon, and the Playstation 2 had gotten off on a rocky start drawing more attention as a DVD player than a games console. Mass media attention was given to the development of a game called Metal Gear Solid 2, Everquest was ruling the MMPRG roost and the hundredth million Gameboy was sold.
So a lot can happen in ten years – I wonder what’s in store for the next ten…..?
Monday, March 7, 2011
The God of War Delusion
My distrust for the God of War sequels have been incensed thanks to Wikipedia:
Oh this is just sad: Kratos does some extraordinary, in defeating a god, in the first game so now he has to keep on doing it? Are you serious? What is this trying to prove? Militant atheism?!?!?
In 2007, God of War director David Jaffe stated that it would be "hell on earth" as the gods and the titans battle each other for domination and that "God of War explains, or ultimately will explain, why there are no more Greek myths". Jaffe also envisaged a very different end for the series, with other mythological pantheons becoming involved once Kratos killed Zeus and the other Greek gods. The end result would have apparently been mankind no longer believing in the gods, which according to Jaffe is the only true way a deity can die
Oh this is just sad: Kratos does some extraordinary, in defeating a god, in the first game so now he has to keep on doing it? Are you serious? What is this trying to prove? Militant atheism?!?!?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sons of Bastardry
Those who recall my original Hall of Shame post will note that one game mentioned was Metal Gear Solid 2. To me this is one of a handful of games listed in the Hall of Shame as a complete non-starter. Considering I have previously on this blog my admiration for Metal Gear Solid, this would be shameful to me.
Or is it?
Before I picked up MGS2, I was aware of the polarizing opinions of it: Some critics rated it highly whilst many players were both confused by the plot and aggravated by the presence of Raiden. That is a decent enough true but me, the warning enough was the original game getting a sequel.
For me, the ending to MGS1 bore a personal resonance: I completed the game at a low point in my life and seeing Snake achieve so much and then deciding to make the rest of his days count, struck a chord. Thus, I find it quite puzzling that Snake would agree to head back into the battlefield when his time on earth is determined with the FoxDie in his blood. Why would he do that? It seems a very regressive move after spending the entirety of MGS1 finding something worth living for.
And seeing an aged Snake head back to the battlefield in MGS4 is even more redundant. I can imagine Hideo Kojima would be delighted with the notion that a video game managed to establish such a personal connection with the player but such is the connection that seeing Snake going back to the action is more sad than inspiring.
That being said, the notion of having the lead for MGS2 being someone different has some degree of credibility but what is a Metal Gear game without it's iconic protagonist? A good excuse to kickstart a new franchise I'd think!
Or is it?
Before I picked up MGS2, I was aware of the polarizing opinions of it: Some critics rated it highly whilst many players were both confused by the plot and aggravated by the presence of Raiden. That is a decent enough true but me, the warning enough was the original game getting a sequel.
For me, the ending to MGS1 bore a personal resonance: I completed the game at a low point in my life and seeing Snake achieve so much and then deciding to make the rest of his days count, struck a chord. Thus, I find it quite puzzling that Snake would agree to head back into the battlefield when his time on earth is determined with the FoxDie in his blood. Why would he do that? It seems a very regressive move after spending the entirety of MGS1 finding something worth living for.
And seeing an aged Snake head back to the battlefield in MGS4 is even more redundant. I can imagine Hideo Kojima would be delighted with the notion that a video game managed to establish such a personal connection with the player but such is the connection that seeing Snake going back to the action is more sad than inspiring.
That being said, the notion of having the lead for MGS2 being someone different has some degree of credibility but what is a Metal Gear game without it's iconic protagonist? A good excuse to kickstart a new franchise I'd think!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Ico head
I heard today that Johnny Greenwood, guitarist of Radiohead, thinks very highly of Ico.
It made my day :)
It made my day :)
Monday, January 24, 2011
Final Round: Fight!
Last year I made a post describing what I would like for the sequel to Final Fantasy Dissidia. Now that more information has come to hand how do I feel about it?
Well, the presence of Yuna and Gilgamesh is pleasing - The addition of Laguna is a nice surprise too. However I am disappointed by (as yet) no sign of Seifer, Freya, Cid Highwind and Shadow. No doubt these fighters would be reduced to 'support' roles which comes across more as a wasted opportunity.
And then there's the presence of Aerith - only as a support character. Good Lord, has there been any other contentious issue than whether or not Aerith should stay dead? Having the Flower Girl has a support character really just adds to the never-ending debate. Personally, I can see both sides of the issue: Credit must be giving to Square for sticking to their guns and keeping Aerith dead out of undermining the impact of her death scene. But on the other hand, ignoring the fanbase is never a good business move: After all you can only ignore them for so long before they start refusing to hand over their dosh.
Well, the presence of Yuna and Gilgamesh is pleasing - The addition of Laguna is a nice surprise too. However I am disappointed by (as yet) no sign of Seifer, Freya, Cid Highwind and Shadow. No doubt these fighters would be reduced to 'support' roles which comes across more as a wasted opportunity.
And then there's the presence of Aerith - only as a support character. Good Lord, has there been any other contentious issue than whether or not Aerith should stay dead? Having the Flower Girl has a support character really just adds to the never-ending debate. Personally, I can see both sides of the issue: Credit must be giving to Square for sticking to their guns and keeping Aerith dead out of undermining the impact of her death scene. But on the other hand, ignoring the fanbase is never a good business move: After all you can only ignore them for so long before they start refusing to hand over their dosh.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Why my favourite games rock: The Metal Gear, The Solid Snake and Me
Today i thought I might share with you all my thoughts on one of my favourite games ever: What they do, how they work for me, what they do to my perception of gaming and why I hold them in such high regard
The game I want to talk about today is Metal Gear Solid.
Released in 1997 for the Playstation(1), it has since been recognized as one of the benchmarks of stealth-based games and a highpoint of that system. I myself agree whole-heatedly with the latter. It's strengths lie in some superb action sequences, compelling boss fights, great voice acting and a well-developed cast of characters, not least of which is the protagonist Solid Snake - whom the entire game's well-realized world is built around.
Props indeed must go to Solid Snake himself: Sure he plays the gruff, reluctant (and at times) Anti-hero that has been seen many times before but here it is pulled off in a way that makes him continually interesting. He was a lot of depth being put to him - and seeing as he carries the weight of the game on his shoulders, he still manages to becoming endearing to the player. Additionally, Snake has to think things out for himself, is guided by a support crew whose intentions may not be 100% but whom are ultimately helpful, kills the baddies with ease and uses a variety of weapons (I particularly enjoyed using the sniper rifle) and nifty little gadgets.
Also pleasing is the well detailed setting incorporating well realized rooms and detailed military equipment. The game shows signs of being meticulously researched by the makers and it works incredibly well for it. The action sequences are fun too, in using a variety of weapons and having to run the gauntlet with the bosses, each a different battle from the last.
Sure it has it's flaws: The plot is both complex and absurd in equal measures, the guards are so stupid it's beyond belief, it does get very preachy on it's stance of being anti-nuclear warheads and, in a way, the game is somewhat restrictive in that all the player is doing is just pushing Snake from one cut-scene to the next. But for me all of these are swept aside for one single moment: The conclusion.
At the end of the game, it is a happy conclusion of sorts: Global disaster has been averted, the baddies have been dealt with and Snake has saved the day. But for me the strength of the ending lies solely in the way it is handled and the top notch voice acting that, even to the end, never breaks stride.
Sure the game conclusion provides a sense of achievement (like all game endings should) and it could've settled with that but no: MGS goes one step further.
When I completed MGS for the first time I had hit a new low: I was feeling depressed, through unemployment, lack of progress and rejection. But watching the conclusion to Metal Gear Solid struck me. I felt something. Something different to what I have previously felt upon completing a game.
Really there are a number of magic moments in that ending: Roy giving up his role as Colonel just for the sake of keeping Snake alive; Snake and Roy putting past misgivings aside and agreeing to far more friendlier terms; Naomi reconciling with the memory of Frank and urging Snake to follow her lead in living instead of trying to find a reason to; and Snake finally deciding to live beyond his survival instincts, make every minute of his time left on Earth count and seeking a new path in life (henceforth I'm finding his subsequent reappearances in the MGS sequels rather puzzling).
And all of this is wrapped with the achingly beautiful closing The Best is Yet to Come which plays over the end credits accompanied by footage of the Alaskan wilderness.
Of course, what I've just described may sound cliched but because of the commitments to the writer who writes the lines and actors who read them, it evolves into something far more substantial. Indeed I still get a lump in my throat whenever I revisit it.
So seeing as I was at a low point in my life before I completed Metal Gear Solid, how did I feel after I completed it? Well not unlike the game's protagonist, I did feel lost and without any inkling of self-worth – but upon completing Metal Gear Solid, I came away feeling something else: It was enlightenment. It was the realization that there something else out there and that each minute upon this Earth should be used wisely & lived for one's self. The fact that a game can handle such human emotions and pull it off convincingly is indeed a feat in itself.
Indeed, the beauty of the game's conclusion is that it comes across as being a world apart from the game itself: Viewing it creates the impression I didn't spend so many hours of my life sneaking my way into a Alaskan military installation with the intention of stopping a nuclear warhead being fired. No, it was the impression that I had seen a man finding a sense of renewed purpose where once was nothing and wanting to make the rest of his time on Earth (no matter how limited) count. As such the title of the ending them rings true: The Best is Yet to Come.
I like the line that Dr. Hunter says at the end of the game:
"You mustn't allow yourself to be chained to fate, to be ruled by your genes, Humans can choose the type of life they want to live. ....whether you've been programmed or not. The important thing is that you choose life. And then....Live!"
Really, that says a lot about the game and how it made me feel at the end. I couldn't have put it better!
I think at some stage in this life each of us find a sense of self-worth (or at least find something new that provides us with a necessary reminder of it) and I found it in, of all places, a video game. It may be an odd place to find such an affirmation but the effect is still the same nonetheless.
So thank you to both Hideo Kojima and Solid Snake.
The game I want to talk about today is Metal Gear Solid.
Released in 1997 for the Playstation(1), it has since been recognized as one of the benchmarks of stealth-based games and a highpoint of that system. I myself agree whole-heatedly with the latter. It's strengths lie in some superb action sequences, compelling boss fights, great voice acting and a well-developed cast of characters, not least of which is the protagonist Solid Snake - whom the entire game's well-realized world is built around.
Props indeed must go to Solid Snake himself: Sure he plays the gruff, reluctant (and at times) Anti-hero that has been seen many times before but here it is pulled off in a way that makes him continually interesting. He was a lot of depth being put to him - and seeing as he carries the weight of the game on his shoulders, he still manages to becoming endearing to the player. Additionally, Snake has to think things out for himself, is guided by a support crew whose intentions may not be 100% but whom are ultimately helpful, kills the baddies with ease and uses a variety of weapons (I particularly enjoyed using the sniper rifle) and nifty little gadgets.
Also pleasing is the well detailed setting incorporating well realized rooms and detailed military equipment. The game shows signs of being meticulously researched by the makers and it works incredibly well for it. The action sequences are fun too, in using a variety of weapons and having to run the gauntlet with the bosses, each a different battle from the last.
Sure it has it's flaws: The plot is both complex and absurd in equal measures, the guards are so stupid it's beyond belief, it does get very preachy on it's stance of being anti-nuclear warheads and, in a way, the game is somewhat restrictive in that all the player is doing is just pushing Snake from one cut-scene to the next. But for me all of these are swept aside for one single moment: The conclusion.
At the end of the game, it is a happy conclusion of sorts: Global disaster has been averted, the baddies have been dealt with and Snake has saved the day. But for me the strength of the ending lies solely in the way it is handled and the top notch voice acting that, even to the end, never breaks stride.
Sure the game conclusion provides a sense of achievement (like all game endings should) and it could've settled with that but no: MGS goes one step further.
When I completed MGS for the first time I had hit a new low: I was feeling depressed, through unemployment, lack of progress and rejection. But watching the conclusion to Metal Gear Solid struck me. I felt something. Something different to what I have previously felt upon completing a game.
Really there are a number of magic moments in that ending: Roy giving up his role as Colonel just for the sake of keeping Snake alive; Snake and Roy putting past misgivings aside and agreeing to far more friendlier terms; Naomi reconciling with the memory of Frank and urging Snake to follow her lead in living instead of trying to find a reason to; and Snake finally deciding to live beyond his survival instincts, make every minute of his time left on Earth count and seeking a new path in life (henceforth I'm finding his subsequent reappearances in the MGS sequels rather puzzling).
And all of this is wrapped with the achingly beautiful closing The Best is Yet to Come which plays over the end credits accompanied by footage of the Alaskan wilderness.
Of course, what I've just described may sound cliched but because of the commitments to the writer who writes the lines and actors who read them, it evolves into something far more substantial. Indeed I still get a lump in my throat whenever I revisit it.
So seeing as I was at a low point in my life before I completed Metal Gear Solid, how did I feel after I completed it? Well not unlike the game's protagonist, I did feel lost and without any inkling of self-worth – but upon completing Metal Gear Solid, I came away feeling something else: It was enlightenment. It was the realization that there something else out there and that each minute upon this Earth should be used wisely & lived for one's self. The fact that a game can handle such human emotions and pull it off convincingly is indeed a feat in itself.
Indeed, the beauty of the game's conclusion is that it comes across as being a world apart from the game itself: Viewing it creates the impression I didn't spend so many hours of my life sneaking my way into a Alaskan military installation with the intention of stopping a nuclear warhead being fired. No, it was the impression that I had seen a man finding a sense of renewed purpose where once was nothing and wanting to make the rest of his time on Earth (no matter how limited) count. As such the title of the ending them rings true: The Best is Yet to Come.
I like the line that Dr. Hunter says at the end of the game:
"You mustn't allow yourself to be chained to fate, to be ruled by your genes, Humans can choose the type of life they want to live. ....whether you've been programmed or not. The important thing is that you choose life. And then....Live!"
Really, that says a lot about the game and how it made me feel at the end. I couldn't have put it better!
I think at some stage in this life each of us find a sense of self-worth (or at least find something new that provides us with a necessary reminder of it) and I found it in, of all places, a video game. It may be an odd place to find such an affirmation but the effect is still the same nonetheless.
So thank you to both Hideo Kojima and Solid Snake.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Final Fantasy: A Love Story
As mentioned previously, I prefer western RPGs over JRPGs - which is why I'm far more keen to have a second run through Baldur's Gate 2 instead of getting off my arse and completing those various Final Fantasy games I started but never finished. Perhaps this is due to me playing a WRPG first - in the form of Pool of Radiance on the Commodore 64 - whilst many people played their first RPG with Final Fantasy 7. I guess the first time you encounter something really is the one you best remember.
Therefore, it is only as recent as 2006 that my attention finally fell on Final Fantasy. I knew little of the series beforehand: I knew it was on the SNES as well as the Playstation, and beyond seeing a lot of promos for FF8 upon it's release, inspiring many upon many fans and seeing some figurines of FFX/X2 & thinking Yuna looked kinda hot, my knowledge of FF was limited.
Five years later, where am I at?
I'm not sure but that doesn't stop me writing a retrospective on Final Fantasy!
So today, I'm going to take the time to write about the FF games I have played and share my thoughts on them. It may have been done before but in my mind, I like WRPG's and I encountered my FF games well out of order. Should make for some interesting reading? Let's find out!
-------------------
Final Fantasy X
This is where it all started: This was the very first FF I ever played.
I'm not sure what set me off into the weird and wonderful world of FF: I did know, however, that when I finally got enough money to purchase PS2 I needed some games to go with it. Recognizing Yuna, I picked up FFX and, for a while, I played it at the expense of the other games.
Granted it wasn’t the best place to start explorations with FF but for some reason it was quite an entertaining game. The graphics were gorgeous, the music was equally glorious, the plot was compelling, the sphere grid was fun to use and it was generally fun to go around and bonk some heads. Plus the romance between Yuna and Tidus was actually one that was worth following all the way through. Like many people who played FF7 on the PS1, this game introduced me to the conventions of the JRPG and revealed to me how it was a very different beast than the AD&D rules I had been accustomed to through playing WRPGs.
So does the first time you encounter something leave the greater impression? Not so in this case. Now that I’ve played other FF games, the flaws of FFX become glaringly obvious: The game is awfully restrictive on where you can go, the minigames are horrifically tedious, the voice acting is plain awful, and running back and forth over the same strip of land just to find some baddies to level up is no fun at all.
Looking back, it may have been great at the time, and indeed certainly still holds some degree of appeal, but there’s a lot it’s older brothers did better. But still, ya gotta start somewhere and for an introduction to the series, I’ll give FFX that much.
And to wrap this up before moving on, seeing the rather unflattering things FFX has to say about religion, I wonder if Christopher Hitchins would like this game?
Final Fantasy IV
I should at this point stress that my encounters with the FF games are all out of order but this was more or less by accident: It just happened! That being said, it may seem a tremendous cultural shock going from wonderful PS2 graphics/sound to antiqued SNES graphics/sound but I was still willing to take the plunge: I heard IV was one of the best of the series so it would be interesting to see if the game lived up to such claims.
And you know something? It was actually quite fun to play. The graphics were bright and colourful (and in retrospect unusual for a FF game), the characters where charismatic and fun to watch (except, of course, Edward, the patron saint of useless RPG characters), the setting is truly a diverse and well-realised world. Best of all, while FF4 may be ahead of other games, at the time, in telling a story it still is quite aware it is game and requires a degree of interaction from the audience. Furthermore, it’s interesting to see how many ideas this game had – interesting when you consider which ideas have endured throughout the series right to the present day.
Mind you, there were some frustrating moments: Maybe it was me but whenever I wanted to go around trying to level up my party, FF4 seemed reluctant to let me do so: I would be levelling up smoothly for a while before the game would suddenly decide to slow down the progression dramatically. Thus the levelling-up would stop being fun and instead become laborious. It was if the game wanted to tell it’s story so badly, that doing something I wanted to do was simply not on. It’s interesting to note how certain modern games seem to be repeating the same mistake, with placing story over gameplay.
Grumbling aside, FF4 was good fun, being certainly worth coming back to have a bash and a game that has aged quite well. From a historical perspective, it is interesting to note that this game was putting forth a formula that many of the FF games have been utilising ever since. I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Final Fantasy VI
Many people deem Final Fantasy 6 as the best in the series – I myself consider myself one of those people. Of course, it will never reach the level of popularity its successor achieved but who cares? If people aren’t willing to take the effort to track down this gem among gems of a game it's their loss. Nothing to do with me
So what can I say about FF6 that hasn’t been said before? What makes FF6 work is that it has a good degree of heart. Playing it now, it strikes me that Square knew that the SNES was nearing the end of its lifespan so they went all out: They drew all the elements that worked in its predecessors together. They had the biggest cast ever assembled for a FF game, each with their own back-story, quirks and personality. They had a story that didn’t hold back, had some surprising twists and really defined the word ‘epic’. They pushed the graphic capabilities of the SNES further than they had ever done before. They ditched the colourful palettes of the previous five games in favour of a grim, dark theme. They got Nobuo Uematsu to produce some unforgettable themes, particularly the haunting Terra Theme. They even achieved a milestone for gaming by writing the only opera ever conceived for a game!
Really though, there isn’t much I can say about FF6 because talking about game isn’t any substitute for actually sitting done and playing the damn thing. All I can say is that if lot’s of people dub a game the best game ever it’s usually for good reason.
I’m not for playing a particular game exclusively, I’m not one to shell out on merch, and I’m not one to canonise the people involved with making games. I’m for talking about a game I think is damn good. And FF6 is one of those games.
Final Fantasy IX
As a newcomer to this game, my understanding was that FF9 is the ‘Forgotten Child’ of the series. Some people may overlook in favour of defending the merits of VII, VIII and X, but that’s more likely to occur in the US. You see, I come from Australia – a land where the underdog is celebrated and anyone who has a go at something is acknowledged as a champion. Furthermore, I live by the principles of exploring and discovering things for myself beyond the influence of anyone else, and to give something to speak to me in it’s own words (acknowledge, whether positive or negative, beats being ignored any day). This should make me an ideal candidate to play FF9, right?
So, having completed FF9, it to me, represents a mixture of the good and the bad. Some heavy complaints have been aimed at FF9 and even I have to admit they are glaring – namely the cluttered script, the annoyingly high rate of encounters and the loading times. Me, I was playing this on a PS2 so the loading time’s didn’t bother me (maybe the game would’ve been more at home on the PS2 rather than the PS1?). As for the encounters, it bother me because I was having fun breaking heads – plus I’ve played worse (Skies of Arcadia being one such example) But yes, the script is indeed a mess. It’s a shame, because the first disc held such promise but the pace couldn’t keep up. There were some good ideas used throughout the game but some were swamped with clutter and/or didn’t live up their full potential.
But you know what? When FF9 does something well, it hit’s the bullseye. The party customising was great, the in-jokes/references were fun to pick, and the characters were an endearing bunch. I particularly liked Freya and I thought the story-book romance of Garnet and Zidane was quite charming. So yeah, Final Fantasy 9 got through to me and to that end, it’s a success.
Final Fantasy V
Another one of the forgotten children of the FF family. Being unreleased in the US during the 16-bit era, FF5 tends to be overlooked in favour of its more popular brothers FF4 and FF6. These days, it’s more likely to be dismissed by those weaned on the big budget monsters spawned on the various incarnations of the Sony Playstation. But for many people, it remains the ultimate iteration of FF’s greatest achievements: The Job System. And that reason alone is enough to play it.
Looking back at now, having played other FF titles, it seems to come across as being somewhat goofy: The script seems less serious and the music, in particular, seems nowhere near as the solemn tunes that came before. Both these elements ultimately contributed to FF finding its own destiny so it’s strange that they should be absent.
However, the real meat of the game lies in the job system: the ability to change Jobs throughout the game, mixing and matching abilities to adapt to situations and building up a team of completely unique characters. It was this formula that kept me going through FFX and, to me, is heaps more fun that going through a pre-determined role for the character (so to speak). It was this formula that made the grinding actually enjoyable and the story a lesser priority. Indeed, the Job system was so successfully pulled off in this game it makes me wonder why they haven’t managed to replicate it in many more recent FF games. Indeed, an emphasis on gameplay over everything else is something that makes you wonder why it doesn’t happen more often (FF12, take your License system and SHOVE IT!).
So, I came into FF5 thinking it had something of it’s own to say and found it be a goofy but ultimately very entertaining game. Chalk one up for the underdogs!
Final Fantasy VII
I’ve already spoken about my thoughts about FF7 so there isn’t much to add. So yeah, once I got past the hype, the intimidation and let the game speak to me in its own terms, I found it quite enjoyable to play. Which goes to show that it never pays to listen to hype.
It does seem a shame though that the phenomenal success of FF7 has kinda left its brothers in the shadows, struggling to reach a benchmark that can’t possibly be reached. And Squee Enix are milking that success for all it’s worth with spin offs. Sure people may shout and scream for a PS3 remake for as long and loudly as they like but will the thrill be the same? More importantly, wouldn’t that time spent wishing and hoping be better spent tying something new?
Final Fantasy I
And here, we reach the conclusion of this journey with, where else, the beginning. I recently downloaded this game for the Virtual Console and having an enjoyable time making my way through it. Sure, it looks nothing like the big budget extravaganzas that its younger cousins are. Sure the 8-bit graphics are hard to take seriously when compared to the behemoths residing on the PS3 and Xbox 260. Sure it had some ideas that just needed that extra bit of polish. Sure it was pretty much figuring itself out but DAMN, this is just a really fun game to play. Will this mood outlast the first few hours (as JRPG’s are wont to do)? Only time will tell…..
Therefore, it is only as recent as 2006 that my attention finally fell on Final Fantasy. I knew little of the series beforehand: I knew it was on the SNES as well as the Playstation, and beyond seeing a lot of promos for FF8 upon it's release, inspiring many upon many fans and seeing some figurines of FFX/X2 & thinking Yuna looked kinda hot, my knowledge of FF was limited.
Five years later, where am I at?
I'm not sure but that doesn't stop me writing a retrospective on Final Fantasy!
So today, I'm going to take the time to write about the FF games I have played and share my thoughts on them. It may have been done before but in my mind, I like WRPG's and I encountered my FF games well out of order. Should make for some interesting reading? Let's find out!
-------------------
Final Fantasy X
This is where it all started: This was the very first FF I ever played.
I'm not sure what set me off into the weird and wonderful world of FF: I did know, however, that when I finally got enough money to purchase PS2 I needed some games to go with it. Recognizing Yuna, I picked up FFX and, for a while, I played it at the expense of the other games.
Granted it wasn’t the best place to start explorations with FF but for some reason it was quite an entertaining game. The graphics were gorgeous, the music was equally glorious, the plot was compelling, the sphere grid was fun to use and it was generally fun to go around and bonk some heads. Plus the romance between Yuna and Tidus was actually one that was worth following all the way through. Like many people who played FF7 on the PS1, this game introduced me to the conventions of the JRPG and revealed to me how it was a very different beast than the AD&D rules I had been accustomed to through playing WRPGs.
So does the first time you encounter something leave the greater impression? Not so in this case. Now that I’ve played other FF games, the flaws of FFX become glaringly obvious: The game is awfully restrictive on where you can go, the minigames are horrifically tedious, the voice acting is plain awful, and running back and forth over the same strip of land just to find some baddies to level up is no fun at all.
Looking back, it may have been great at the time, and indeed certainly still holds some degree of appeal, but there’s a lot it’s older brothers did better. But still, ya gotta start somewhere and for an introduction to the series, I’ll give FFX that much.
And to wrap this up before moving on, seeing the rather unflattering things FFX has to say about religion, I wonder if Christopher Hitchins would like this game?
Final Fantasy IV
I should at this point stress that my encounters with the FF games are all out of order but this was more or less by accident: It just happened! That being said, it may seem a tremendous cultural shock going from wonderful PS2 graphics/sound to antiqued SNES graphics/sound but I was still willing to take the plunge: I heard IV was one of the best of the series so it would be interesting to see if the game lived up to such claims.
And you know something? It was actually quite fun to play. The graphics were bright and colourful (and in retrospect unusual for a FF game), the characters where charismatic and fun to watch (except, of course, Edward, the patron saint of useless RPG characters), the setting is truly a diverse and well-realised world. Best of all, while FF4 may be ahead of other games, at the time, in telling a story it still is quite aware it is game and requires a degree of interaction from the audience. Furthermore, it’s interesting to see how many ideas this game had – interesting when you consider which ideas have endured throughout the series right to the present day.
Mind you, there were some frustrating moments: Maybe it was me but whenever I wanted to go around trying to level up my party, FF4 seemed reluctant to let me do so: I would be levelling up smoothly for a while before the game would suddenly decide to slow down the progression dramatically. Thus the levelling-up would stop being fun and instead become laborious. It was if the game wanted to tell it’s story so badly, that doing something I wanted to do was simply not on. It’s interesting to note how certain modern games seem to be repeating the same mistake, with placing story over gameplay.
Grumbling aside, FF4 was good fun, being certainly worth coming back to have a bash and a game that has aged quite well. From a historical perspective, it is interesting to note that this game was putting forth a formula that many of the FF games have been utilising ever since. I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Final Fantasy VI
Many people deem Final Fantasy 6 as the best in the series – I myself consider myself one of those people. Of course, it will never reach the level of popularity its successor achieved but who cares? If people aren’t willing to take the effort to track down this gem among gems of a game it's their loss. Nothing to do with me
So what can I say about FF6 that hasn’t been said before? What makes FF6 work is that it has a good degree of heart. Playing it now, it strikes me that Square knew that the SNES was nearing the end of its lifespan so they went all out: They drew all the elements that worked in its predecessors together. They had the biggest cast ever assembled for a FF game, each with their own back-story, quirks and personality. They had a story that didn’t hold back, had some surprising twists and really defined the word ‘epic’. They pushed the graphic capabilities of the SNES further than they had ever done before. They ditched the colourful palettes of the previous five games in favour of a grim, dark theme. They got Nobuo Uematsu to produce some unforgettable themes, particularly the haunting Terra Theme. They even achieved a milestone for gaming by writing the only opera ever conceived for a game!
Really though, there isn’t much I can say about FF6 because talking about game isn’t any substitute for actually sitting done and playing the damn thing. All I can say is that if lot’s of people dub a game the best game ever it’s usually for good reason.
I’m not for playing a particular game exclusively, I’m not one to shell out on merch, and I’m not one to canonise the people involved with making games. I’m for talking about a game I think is damn good. And FF6 is one of those games.
Final Fantasy IX
As a newcomer to this game, my understanding was that FF9 is the ‘Forgotten Child’ of the series. Some people may overlook in favour of defending the merits of VII, VIII and X, but that’s more likely to occur in the US. You see, I come from Australia – a land where the underdog is celebrated and anyone who has a go at something is acknowledged as a champion. Furthermore, I live by the principles of exploring and discovering things for myself beyond the influence of anyone else, and to give something to speak to me in it’s own words (acknowledge, whether positive or negative, beats being ignored any day). This should make me an ideal candidate to play FF9, right?
So, having completed FF9, it to me, represents a mixture of the good and the bad. Some heavy complaints have been aimed at FF9 and even I have to admit they are glaring – namely the cluttered script, the annoyingly high rate of encounters and the loading times. Me, I was playing this on a PS2 so the loading time’s didn’t bother me (maybe the game would’ve been more at home on the PS2 rather than the PS1?). As for the encounters, it bother me because I was having fun breaking heads – plus I’ve played worse (Skies of Arcadia being one such example) But yes, the script is indeed a mess. It’s a shame, because the first disc held such promise but the pace couldn’t keep up. There were some good ideas used throughout the game but some were swamped with clutter and/or didn’t live up their full potential.
But you know what? When FF9 does something well, it hit’s the bullseye. The party customising was great, the in-jokes/references were fun to pick, and the characters were an endearing bunch. I particularly liked Freya and I thought the story-book romance of Garnet and Zidane was quite charming. So yeah, Final Fantasy 9 got through to me and to that end, it’s a success.
Final Fantasy V
Another one of the forgotten children of the FF family. Being unreleased in the US during the 16-bit era, FF5 tends to be overlooked in favour of its more popular brothers FF4 and FF6. These days, it’s more likely to be dismissed by those weaned on the big budget monsters spawned on the various incarnations of the Sony Playstation. But for many people, it remains the ultimate iteration of FF’s greatest achievements: The Job System. And that reason alone is enough to play it.
Looking back at now, having played other FF titles, it seems to come across as being somewhat goofy: The script seems less serious and the music, in particular, seems nowhere near as the solemn tunes that came before. Both these elements ultimately contributed to FF finding its own destiny so it’s strange that they should be absent.
However, the real meat of the game lies in the job system: the ability to change Jobs throughout the game, mixing and matching abilities to adapt to situations and building up a team of completely unique characters. It was this formula that kept me going through FFX and, to me, is heaps more fun that going through a pre-determined role for the character (so to speak). It was this formula that made the grinding actually enjoyable and the story a lesser priority. Indeed, the Job system was so successfully pulled off in this game it makes me wonder why they haven’t managed to replicate it in many more recent FF games. Indeed, an emphasis on gameplay over everything else is something that makes you wonder why it doesn’t happen more often (FF12, take your License system and SHOVE IT!).
So, I came into FF5 thinking it had something of it’s own to say and found it be a goofy but ultimately very entertaining game. Chalk one up for the underdogs!
Final Fantasy VII
I’ve already spoken about my thoughts about FF7 so there isn’t much to add. So yeah, once I got past the hype, the intimidation and let the game speak to me in its own terms, I found it quite enjoyable to play. Which goes to show that it never pays to listen to hype.
It does seem a shame though that the phenomenal success of FF7 has kinda left its brothers in the shadows, struggling to reach a benchmark that can’t possibly be reached. And Squee Enix are milking that success for all it’s worth with spin offs. Sure people may shout and scream for a PS3 remake for as long and loudly as they like but will the thrill be the same? More importantly, wouldn’t that time spent wishing and hoping be better spent tying something new?
Final Fantasy I
And here, we reach the conclusion of this journey with, where else, the beginning. I recently downloaded this game for the Virtual Console and having an enjoyable time making my way through it. Sure, it looks nothing like the big budget extravaganzas that its younger cousins are. Sure the 8-bit graphics are hard to take seriously when compared to the behemoths residing on the PS3 and Xbox 260. Sure it had some ideas that just needed that extra bit of polish. Sure it was pretty much figuring itself out but DAMN, this is just a really fun game to play. Will this mood outlast the first few hours (as JRPG’s are wont to do)? Only time will tell…..
Friday, November 19, 2010
Final Fantasy Fight
So a sequel to Final Fantasy Dissidia is in development eh? I never played the original (perhaps due to me not owning a PSP) but personally, I'm not in any rush to. If anything, what I have learnt over the years is that sometimes an outsiders view can make a whole lot of difference. As such, being interested in Final Fantasy (I wouldn't call myself a fan becuase being a FF fan means you played all of them. Including the crummy ones) I can see the value of a fan-service product.
True, pandering to the fans is never a good move but I can see the potential in having a fighting game featuring Final Fantasy characters. The problem is, that potential was squandered with the 'popular' characters making the final character roster - many of which fulfilling the 'paladin' role. So no knights, no ninjas or blue mages. Yay.
Granted there is potential for some ideal match ups (Sephiroth and Kefka being one that comes to mind) but for me, I think SqueeEnix was being too timid with their roster. So if Dissidia is truly going to expand the current roster then SqueeEnix should run with it. Some say that could result in an unnecessary overload but a fighting game CAN have many fighters as long as plenty of thought and effort is put into the development (I'm thinking of Bleach on the DS, and maybe even Super Smash Bros Brawl, by way of example.)
That being said, who'd I like to see included to the current FFD roster?
- Freya (IX): I don't care what anyone says: Freya is the best character in number 9 and the best knight in the entire series.
- Cid (VII): The second best knight character in the series. And ya gotta have a Cid!
- Edge (IV)/Shadow (VI): To fulfil the necessity of ninjas.
- A Monster Summoner: Be it Yuna (X) or Rydia (IV) one can't argue the opportunity to have giant critter tearing shit up on screen.
- Gilgamesh (V): Personally I think he was unjustly snubbed in the original for Exdeath.
- Seifer (VIII): Should've been in the original where Ultimecia was
- Aerith (VII): If SqueeEnix are truly listening as they claim, then they would at least present the chance for getting payback on Sephiroth. True it may undermine the impact of Aerith's (in)famous death scene but if she is absent from this new Dissidia, then it really isn't a fan service-based product then, right?
True, pandering to the fans is never a good move but I can see the potential in having a fighting game featuring Final Fantasy characters. The problem is, that potential was squandered with the 'popular' characters making the final character roster - many of which fulfilling the 'paladin' role. So no knights, no ninjas or blue mages. Yay.
Granted there is potential for some ideal match ups (Sephiroth and Kefka being one that comes to mind) but for me, I think SqueeEnix was being too timid with their roster. So if Dissidia is truly going to expand the current roster then SqueeEnix should run with it. Some say that could result in an unnecessary overload but a fighting game CAN have many fighters as long as plenty of thought and effort is put into the development (I'm thinking of Bleach on the DS, and maybe even Super Smash Bros Brawl, by way of example.)
That being said, who'd I like to see included to the current FFD roster?
- Freya (IX): I don't care what anyone says: Freya is the best character in number 9 and the best knight in the entire series.
- Cid (VII): The second best knight character in the series. And ya gotta have a Cid!
- Edge (IV)/Shadow (VI): To fulfil the necessity of ninjas.
- A Monster Summoner: Be it Yuna (X) or Rydia (IV) one can't argue the opportunity to have giant critter tearing shit up on screen.
- Gilgamesh (V): Personally I think he was unjustly snubbed in the original for Exdeath.
- Seifer (VIII): Should've been in the original where Ultimecia was
- Aerith (VII): If SqueeEnix are truly listening as they claim, then they would at least present the chance for getting payback on Sephiroth. True it may undermine the impact of Aerith's (in)famous death scene but if she is absent from this new Dissidia, then it really isn't a fan service-based product then, right?
Friday, October 15, 2010
We don't need another God of War
I enjoyed the original God of War. It won me over on the strength of it’s action-packed pace, it’s reinvention of Ancient Greek Mythology and it’s compelling plot. Sure, the game-play formula has been duplicated many times ever since and sure the puzzles were annoying at times but God of War was indeed lot’s of fun and a great excuse to wreck some carnage. And Kratos, in all his psychopathic glory, was a welcome change of pace to a whole horde of whinging, whining girly heroes that proliferate certain games these days.
However I have a bone of contention with the sequels: As far as I’m concerned, they have no right to exist. Sure many critics are turning cartwheels over the technological aspects of the game but don’t they always do that? Sure there’s no denying that it looks great, the fun value and the reinvention of Ancient Greek mythology but I’m not buying that. As such I refuse to touch any God of War game that isn’t the first one.
The reason being is the plot: God of War presented a self-contained story that wrapped things up fairly nicely by the end. Kratos was given a decent motivation and enough characterisation and background for him to endear himself to the player in spite of the fact they were controlling a homicidal psychopath. And, like every other narrative protagonist, Kratos went through Hell/Hades (literally!), only to defeat Ares at the end, liberate himself from the curse (which was Kratos’ own stupid fault to begin with) and take the place of the God of War and inspire centuries of warfare forever afterward. That’s settled then!
However, come the sequel, Kratos is bored with being a god and being shunned by the other gods so he tries to start up a war on Earth. Zeus gets annoyed at this, strips Kratos of his powers and sends him back to Hades. This in turn, inspires Kratos to fight his way out of Hades swearing revenge on Zeus on his lips.
So just to recap: Kratos wants to get back at Zeus because Kratos was being a jerk. Riiiiiiiiiight.
Really though, from where I sit, it’s near impossible to build a sequel from a resolution offered by God of War 1. His family is avenged so what now? He’s just going to kill of a lot of things just because he feels like it? This does indeed come across as being a far cry from the complexity Kratos’ character got in the first game – and indeed puzzling that the designers made Kratos a psycho when he has previously been established as being more substantial than that. Sure he had a plausible motivation with revenge but when that’s fulfilled what next? Is he just going on revenge because that’s all he’s good at? Why would you complain about being a God? If you have powers beyond imagination and yet you STILL can’t extinguish the memory of your murdering past then what good are you?
And God of War 3 presents an even more nonsensical scenario as Kratos’ revenge-inspired, god-killing actions justifies the collapse of Greek Mythology. But really that just comes across as being sad: Kratos’ character is even further ruined and the distance between him and the players grows wider still. And having Kratos doing the same things, without any proper reason to do so, reeks of writers struggling to come up with something new. Indeed, it makes me wonder why they even bothered making a sequel – wouldn’t have been easier to come up with something new?
So that’s why I won’t touch the God of War sequels. Seriously, who would want to play a game controlling a dude whose one key achievement in the first game is repeated ever afterward?
However I have a bone of contention with the sequels: As far as I’m concerned, they have no right to exist. Sure many critics are turning cartwheels over the technological aspects of the game but don’t they always do that? Sure there’s no denying that it looks great, the fun value and the reinvention of Ancient Greek mythology but I’m not buying that. As such I refuse to touch any God of War game that isn’t the first one.
The reason being is the plot: God of War presented a self-contained story that wrapped things up fairly nicely by the end. Kratos was given a decent motivation and enough characterisation and background for him to endear himself to the player in spite of the fact they were controlling a homicidal psychopath. And, like every other narrative protagonist, Kratos went through Hell/Hades (literally!), only to defeat Ares at the end, liberate himself from the curse (which was Kratos’ own stupid fault to begin with) and take the place of the God of War and inspire centuries of warfare forever afterward. That’s settled then!
However, come the sequel, Kratos is bored with being a god and being shunned by the other gods so he tries to start up a war on Earth. Zeus gets annoyed at this, strips Kratos of his powers and sends him back to Hades. This in turn, inspires Kratos to fight his way out of Hades swearing revenge on Zeus on his lips.
So just to recap: Kratos wants to get back at Zeus because Kratos was being a jerk. Riiiiiiiiiight.
Really though, from where I sit, it’s near impossible to build a sequel from a resolution offered by God of War 1. His family is avenged so what now? He’s just going to kill of a lot of things just because he feels like it? This does indeed come across as being a far cry from the complexity Kratos’ character got in the first game – and indeed puzzling that the designers made Kratos a psycho when he has previously been established as being more substantial than that. Sure he had a plausible motivation with revenge but when that’s fulfilled what next? Is he just going on revenge because that’s all he’s good at? Why would you complain about being a God? If you have powers beyond imagination and yet you STILL can’t extinguish the memory of your murdering past then what good are you?
And God of War 3 presents an even more nonsensical scenario as Kratos’ revenge-inspired, god-killing actions justifies the collapse of Greek Mythology. But really that just comes across as being sad: Kratos’ character is even further ruined and the distance between him and the players grows wider still. And having Kratos doing the same things, without any proper reason to do so, reeks of writers struggling to come up with something new. Indeed, it makes me wonder why they even bothered making a sequel – wouldn’t have been easier to come up with something new?
So that’s why I won’t touch the God of War sequels. Seriously, who would want to play a game controlling a dude whose one key achievement in the first game is repeated ever afterward?
Friday, October 1, 2010
All in Good Time
Another game has been struck down from my Hall of Shame: Prince of Persia Sands of Time.
This one has been a long time coming in completion: I have played this game on and off at random intervals since 2006. Call it a long time between drinks yes but not without good reason. Like most people, I enjoyed the platforming jumping, the time-shifting mechanic, the puzzle-solving, the well-realised script and the interactions between the Prince and Farah. But at the same time, again like most people, I found the combat to be complete rubbish.
Indeed, this is worth dwelling on becuase for me it was a game killer: The combat sections are stiff, dull and come across as a chore to play. It is particularly irritating that, with each sequence, you keep killing the same guys over and over again as they keep coming back for whatever reason. It's also annoying that you get swamped quite easily by the baddies and getting knocked down only once leaves you unable to prevent a second, or third, blow coming down and beating you into a pulp. Particular contempt is held in the 81% mark where the Prince and Farah are attacked whilst riding a elevator. In such a confined space, the Prince needs to defeat the baddies and make sure they don't take out Farah at the same time. This was a particularly infuriating moment for me and many failed attempts to clear it turned me off the game for many months.
Ultimately though, this assessment is doing nothing more than reiterating what has been said before: The combat in PoP:Sot is crap but everything works well. But for me, the combat failing is a such a fatal error. True, I enjoyed Sands of Time on numerous levels but I don't see myself rushing back to play it again (and I'm not touching the sequels either).
Oh well, easy come easy go.
This one has been a long time coming in completion: I have played this game on and off at random intervals since 2006. Call it a long time between drinks yes but not without good reason. Like most people, I enjoyed the platforming jumping, the time-shifting mechanic, the puzzle-solving, the well-realised script and the interactions between the Prince and Farah. But at the same time, again like most people, I found the combat to be complete rubbish.
Indeed, this is worth dwelling on becuase for me it was a game killer: The combat sections are stiff, dull and come across as a chore to play. It is particularly irritating that, with each sequence, you keep killing the same guys over and over again as they keep coming back for whatever reason. It's also annoying that you get swamped quite easily by the baddies and getting knocked down only once leaves you unable to prevent a second, or third, blow coming down and beating you into a pulp. Particular contempt is held in the 81% mark where the Prince and Farah are attacked whilst riding a elevator. In such a confined space, the Prince needs to defeat the baddies and make sure they don't take out Farah at the same time. This was a particularly infuriating moment for me and many failed attempts to clear it turned me off the game for many months.
Ultimately though, this assessment is doing nothing more than reiterating what has been said before: The combat in PoP:Sot is crap but everything works well. But for me, the combat failing is a such a fatal error. True, I enjoyed Sands of Time on numerous levels but I don't see myself rushing back to play it again (and I'm not touching the sequels either).
Oh well, easy come easy go.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Why my favourite games rock: A boy named Ico
What games do I like? Well, I've working on this blog for over a month now and it wouldn't be a gaming blog if I didn't harp on about the games I like. Sure I've been talking about games I'm playing at the moment but, it would seem, not the games I enjoy.
So today I will talk about the Playstation 2 game Ico.
This game was released in 2001 and has since achieved something of a legend status: It didn't sell enough copies worldwide and, as such, it is subsequently less than easy to get a hold of (but there's always ebay....). Me, I walked into EB games in Cat and Fiddle Arcade (Hobart) and, just by chance, I saw it - Hearing about it, I snapped it up without a second thought.
But that isn't the only factor that contributes to Ico's legendary status: It was one of the first, and thus most prominent examples of 'games as art' theory. As such, not many people got it and thus the game didn't sell enough - and those who did lamented on how it didn't really reach enough people, thus cementing the game as the most underrated games of all time.
So what is Ico all about? Well, the players controls the titular character: a boy with horns. He is trapped in an (almost) abandoned castle. He eventually meets a girl named Yorda who speaks in an incomprehensible language and so the two try to escape. And that's pretty much it.
Yes it may be running on a formula seen in a gazillion and one games before but it's not the scenario but WHAT the game does with it. I mean Mario can rescue the clueless bint (to borrow a Yahtzee-ism) Princess Peach all he likes but it takes balls to do something different with something tried and true.
What strikes me about this game is that it really takes the frequented gaming scenario of "Rescue the princess from the castle" on it's head by having Ico guiding Yorda through an abandoned castle solving puzzles whilst having very little in the way of conflict. This what makes it so interesting: This game is one that breathes atmosphere. With drab colours and little music, the game becomes a triumph in ambiance. The setting itself looks completely believable and presents a degree of personality not seen in gaming buildings
Also, by allowing little action and forcing the player to pay attention to the scenery (in order to solve the problem), the game makes the castle a character in itself. It's certainly a credit to the designers for making a brave move to have a game featuring so little action when so any games these days feature nothing but.
What is also a brave move is throwing away all exposition whatsoever. A common problem with games these days is there is far too much exposition at the expense of the gametime - thus leaving the player spending far more time watching cinematics than actually playing the game (yes Hideo Kojima and SquareEnix, I'm looking at YOU). Not so with Ico: What little exposition is far more concerned with establishing an emotional connection with Ico by making the player as confused and disorientated as he is. Indeed, establishing a story is not important to the game because the game is the story. Considering that games are gradually becoming more emphasized on story lines, which is strange when you consider that video gaming is far more interactive than a book or a film, it takes balls to do something different
What I also find interesting is that not many people know of this great game: Despite an original concept, it got overlooked for some strange reason (perhaps a sign that modern video gamers are all action junkies?). Instead, it sold 650,000 units worldwide and few I've talked to has heard of it. Still, I think it's great that I own this game that no one else seems to know about (and one which comes with a great cover that resembles a Giorgio de Chirico painting).
So what is it about Ico that I hold it in high regard? It is many factors really: The unusual method of storytelling, the gall to be drastically different from other games on the market, the fantastic graphics, the use of ambiguity, the surprisingly effective use of subtly in a market which is not known for it, the wonderful and well-realised setting, the creation of atmosphere, but what works the most me is the emotional weight.
It has been said many times before that the emotional weight invested into Ico is one of it's key strengths. And to that, I'm not going to argue. So I'll describe my own experience and thoughts:
What makes this game a particularly satisfying one for me is that is the only one that has really made an emotional connection with me. One key theme is the emotions of loneliness and isolation, emphasized in the characters of both Ico and Yorda, how they're presented in being in a forgotten environment and their current situation. Thus it is not too hard to become attached to the characters and their goal of escaping the castle. Such is the case for me that, upon being confronted with the endgame cinematic, I broke down. Seriously. The emotional impact of the game finally caught up to me and I cried like a big baby - proof, if any was needed of a great game indeed. Through in an unforgettable ending theme and you have proof of the emotional power games can provide (when they decide to do it).
As mentioned before, video games aren't really known for their use of subtly. Thus I take my hat off to a game, and it's creator, whom are trying to do something different. And different being being profound and able to connect with people on an emotional level, in the same way as, say, a painting, a song, or a movie can is indeed a feat worth shouting about. I'm not about to divulge into that 'games as art' debate because I find it pointless but I give kudos to a game that makes the effort to be something more substantial than something of amusement value.
So that's my thoughts on Ico. It's a brilliant game that may not have reached enough people but left a lasting impression on those that did. It has emotion seeping through it in an area little known for it. I may be treading over well trodden ground with these words but really what can be said about this game? If anything it's an experience that has to be seen to be believed.
And that for me, is what makes it one of my favorite games EVER.
P.S.
I recently completed Shadow of the Colossus which was made by the same people. It pretty much achieved the same goals as it's older bother (only with more sales) and is too a great game.
P.P.S.
Last Guardian? Bring it on!
So today I will talk about the Playstation 2 game Ico.
This game was released in 2001 and has since achieved something of a legend status: It didn't sell enough copies worldwide and, as such, it is subsequently less than easy to get a hold of (but there's always ebay....). Me, I walked into EB games in Cat and Fiddle Arcade (Hobart) and, just by chance, I saw it - Hearing about it, I snapped it up without a second thought.
But that isn't the only factor that contributes to Ico's legendary status: It was one of the first, and thus most prominent examples of 'games as art' theory. As such, not many people got it and thus the game didn't sell enough - and those who did lamented on how it didn't really reach enough people, thus cementing the game as the most underrated games of all time.
So what is Ico all about? Well, the players controls the titular character: a boy with horns. He is trapped in an (almost) abandoned castle. He eventually meets a girl named Yorda who speaks in an incomprehensible language and so the two try to escape. And that's pretty much it.
Yes it may be running on a formula seen in a gazillion and one games before but it's not the scenario but WHAT the game does with it. I mean Mario can rescue the clueless bint (to borrow a Yahtzee-ism) Princess Peach all he likes but it takes balls to do something different with something tried and true.
What strikes me about this game is that it really takes the frequented gaming scenario of "Rescue the princess from the castle" on it's head by having Ico guiding Yorda through an abandoned castle solving puzzles whilst having very little in the way of conflict. This what makes it so interesting: This game is one that breathes atmosphere. With drab colours and little music, the game becomes a triumph in ambiance. The setting itself looks completely believable and presents a degree of personality not seen in gaming buildings
Also, by allowing little action and forcing the player to pay attention to the scenery (in order to solve the problem), the game makes the castle a character in itself. It's certainly a credit to the designers for making a brave move to have a game featuring so little action when so any games these days feature nothing but.
What is also a brave move is throwing away all exposition whatsoever. A common problem with games these days is there is far too much exposition at the expense of the gametime - thus leaving the player spending far more time watching cinematics than actually playing the game (yes Hideo Kojima and SquareEnix, I'm looking at YOU). Not so with Ico: What little exposition is far more concerned with establishing an emotional connection with Ico by making the player as confused and disorientated as he is. Indeed, establishing a story is not important to the game because the game is the story. Considering that games are gradually becoming more emphasized on story lines, which is strange when you consider that video gaming is far more interactive than a book or a film, it takes balls to do something different
What I also find interesting is that not many people know of this great game: Despite an original concept, it got overlooked for some strange reason (perhaps a sign that modern video gamers are all action junkies?). Instead, it sold 650,000 units worldwide and few I've talked to has heard of it. Still, I think it's great that I own this game that no one else seems to know about (and one which comes with a great cover that resembles a Giorgio de Chirico painting).
So what is it about Ico that I hold it in high regard? It is many factors really: The unusual method of storytelling, the gall to be drastically different from other games on the market, the fantastic graphics, the use of ambiguity, the surprisingly effective use of subtly in a market which is not known for it, the wonderful and well-realised setting, the creation of atmosphere, but what works the most me is the emotional weight.
It has been said many times before that the emotional weight invested into Ico is one of it's key strengths. And to that, I'm not going to argue. So I'll describe my own experience and thoughts:
What makes this game a particularly satisfying one for me is that is the only one that has really made an emotional connection with me. One key theme is the emotions of loneliness and isolation, emphasized in the characters of both Ico and Yorda, how they're presented in being in a forgotten environment and their current situation. Thus it is not too hard to become attached to the characters and their goal of escaping the castle. Such is the case for me that, upon being confronted with the endgame cinematic, I broke down. Seriously. The emotional impact of the game finally caught up to me and I cried like a big baby - proof, if any was needed of a great game indeed. Through in an unforgettable ending theme and you have proof of the emotional power games can provide (when they decide to do it).
As mentioned before, video games aren't really known for their use of subtly. Thus I take my hat off to a game, and it's creator, whom are trying to do something different. And different being being profound and able to connect with people on an emotional level, in the same way as, say, a painting, a song, or a movie can is indeed a feat worth shouting about. I'm not about to divulge into that 'games as art' debate because I find it pointless but I give kudos to a game that makes the effort to be something more substantial than something of amusement value.
So that's my thoughts on Ico. It's a brilliant game that may not have reached enough people but left a lasting impression on those that did. It has emotion seeping through it in an area little known for it. I may be treading over well trodden ground with these words but really what can be said about this game? If anything it's an experience that has to be seen to be believed.
And that for me, is what makes it one of my favorite games EVER.
P.S.
I recently completed Shadow of the Colossus which was made by the same people. It pretty much achieved the same goals as it's older bother (only with more sales) and is too a great game.
P.P.S.
Last Guardian? Bring it on!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Best Game Endings
Endings sure are a crucial point for gamers aren’t they? Seeing as people are willing to invest so many hours of their life in a game, it thus becomes a cardinal sin for games to have endings that are inconclusive or end on a cliff-hanger. Does anyone want to spend so many hours of their life only to arrive at a sloppy ending? Or a blank screen with ‘Game Over’ or, worse yet, ‘To be Continued’? Of course not! Thus it becomes apparent that to have a crummy ending is seen as a betrayal – betrayal to the player from investing so much time and reaping so much enjoyment.
And in some cases, a betrayal beyond forgivable.
We’ve all heard the story before: Someone plays a game and enjoys it a lot. They get to the ending, which turns out to be one big anticlimax, and the gamer gets mad. Within seconds, so many hours of fun and enjoyment are erased instantly and the gamer starts venting their disgust to some internet blog or message board.
To me, an ending needs to provide a proper resolution to the hard effort put into the game. It needs to convey a sense of achievement - or even something that sticks in the player’s mind – to really make all the hours worth it. So today, I’m going to talk about some of my favourite endings to a game and how they made an impression on me.
So here we go:
11. Ninja Warriors
And we start with an ending (badumtish) that certainly leaves a substantial impression. For those not in the know, Ninja Warriors was an arcade game from the late eighties (although the above video is from the SNES conversion), where the player controls a robot ninja assassin dispatched by revolutionaries to kill a corrupt politician. At the end of the game, the ninjas confront their target when suddenly they explode taking the politician’s mansion with them. It turns out the mission was a suicide one – thus enabling the revolutionaries to seize control and end up doing an even worse job than their predecessor.
This ending works on two levels: Firstly, it is thought-provoking in its handling of it’s themes of terrorism (perhaps more so in this modern, post-9/11 age we live in). Secondly, it is the notion that not all endings are happy ones. Sure it means all the player’s efforts were ultimately for naught but that doesn’t mean the player won’t walk away with something to ponder. I like games that challenge the relationship between game and the person playing it – and whilst this move has become popular in recent years, Ninja Warriors may just well have been a pioneer.
Audacious maybe but Ninja Warriors is still a worthy way to start off this list.
10. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
One of the most well-realised stories ever in the history of video gaming yields the cleverest of endings. Allegedly, Jordan Mechner was inspired by Tales of Arabian Nights in development of the original Prince of Persia – so it’s interesting to see the ideology of stories being carried over into Sands of Time.
The narrative of SoT is guided by the voice of the Prince himself, explaining things as they happen to an unseen audience. As the story progresses, the gamer is constantly wondering just who this audience is – and the urgency that the prince narrates with adds to this mystique. Indeed, it is an interesting motivator to keep playing just to find out who the Prince is telling this story to.
And when this audience is finally revealed, not to mention HOW the prince got there himself, is truly a moment even I did not see coming. And that for me represents a mark of exceptional storytelling: keeping the audience in suspense without breaking step once. Indeed, SoT makes it look so effortless you can’t help but wonder if other game developers were looking and taking notes.
Granted I haven’t included this revelation in the video above (actually I couldn’t find it but really maybe it’s something one has to see for themselves) but, as the ending indicates, I do like the ideology of stories that SoT has. A story is a narrative device, being told by the Prince, to someone who, as the above video indicates, is left in a state of disbelief. It’s a clever idea and the fact that it’s conveyed successfully throughout the whole game is an achievement in itself.
9. Skies of Arcadia
And here we have the very first JRPG in this list – and there’s more to come.
RPGs have got to be the most time-demanding game genre ever: After accomplishing so many quests, levelling up and building up characters in wealth and combat prowess, an RPG really needs to have a killer ending. So many RPG’s have been condemned for a lame ending, so it is interesting to see how that the developers handle the task of providing a decent pay-off. Some do a half-arsed job whilst others really put in an effort not shown by any other genre.
So what does Skies of Arcadia offer up? Well, after so many hours gone into the game, the gamer is treated to a cinematic displaying a sense of victory: The adversary is defeated, the heroes have won and the player is treated to a sense of accomplishment. Okay so the outcome of the efforts of Vyse, Fina and Aika was probably never in doubt but dammit, if any game ending did convey a sense of accomplishment then Skies of Arcadia does so in spades!
The real treat however is the end credits sequence which presents a montage revealing what everyone got up to following the events of the game. Granted this may not have been the first JRPG to do this but for me, it’s the one that does it best.
8. Super Mario Bros 3
I remember seeing this one when I was a kid: Mario defeats Bowser and runs to the rescue of Princess Peach – only to be informed that the Princess is in ANOTHER castle….. before Peach reveals she was only kidding.
Why does this ending work for me? Two reasons: The first is the idea that Mario is an everyman. He doesn’t look in any way the heroic type – he’s just a regular guy. And yet he still goes on fantastic adventures and manages to save the day (and a princess!). Indeed, it is that everyman quality that may attribute to his continuing popularity. And for me, the Super Mario bros. 3 ending exemplifies that quality more than it’s SMB1 and, quite possibly, even more that it’s successors.
The other reason is the joke Peach plays. While it’s a nice surprise to see Nintendo poking fun at their own franchise, one can only wonder how the player, after so many hours spent playing the game, reacted. What may have started as screams of disbelief and frustration eventually gave way to either a huge sigh of relief or shouts of “FUCK YOU BITCH!!”
Seriously though, this is an ending that, again, exemplifies the connection between the player and the game. And this is one ending which may have inspired a reaction – it may not have been the best one but it’s still one nonetheless. And not many games can lay claim to such a feat.
7. Terranigma
Whilst Australia may have missed out on Chrono Trigger, we instead had to settle for Terranigma. Okay so it may not compare on a level of complexity to Chrono Trigger but Terranigma can boast some great ideas being put to work.
The player controls a guy named Arc who lives in a village that seems to know largely little of the outside world. But through a series of misadventures, Arc eventually discovers an empty world and is thus charged with the task of resurrecting it. He does this through bringing life back to it and furthering scientific progress for it’s human inhabitants. However as the game goes on, the game puts forth some ideas on existence that’s kind of unexpected in a game of the 16-bit era.
As stated before, any game that can make a player think is a winner in my book. And no way is this exemplified with the ending: His task done, Arc is then left with one last day to spend on the mortal plane. This is indeed a challenging prospect that one wouldn’t find in a video game: What would you do if you had one last day upon this earth? How would you spend it? How would the thought of having made a difference weigh upon you’re mind? These are challenging ideas and for a game to convey them is indeed an achievement in itself.
In particular, I love that concluding dream sequence – I can’t really explain it as it's something that really needs to be seen to be comprehended. but, for me, it’s one of those moments of perfection that few games can match.
6. Chrono Cross
Okay so I’m cheating here seeing as I’ve never played this game (as it was never released here in Australia) and I’m relying on someone else’s assessment of it but this ending video is a gem indeed.
As the above link suggests, Chrono Cross is game aimed at breaking down the borderline between player and game. Throughout the game itself, there are key moments which suggest the player is having a more interactive role in the proceedings than what is usually associated in a video game. This eventually reaches its pinnacle at the end when the character of Schala speaks through a passage of text directly at the player. This is then followed by the ending cinematic which includes live action footage of an actress, representing Schala, searching for the player (ie YOU).
Quite disturbing yes but I take my hat off to the makers who seem to be keen on trying something different, intent on challenging the gamer’s perceptions and say something unexpected and unique – particularly in a medium which is usually associated with killing lot’s of dudes, buxom chicks and young men who look more girly than the females who control them.
Fortune, it would appear, truly does favour the brave.
5. Shadow of the Colossus
One of the big ones (pun most certainly intended). No other game has left me with a mixed reaction to this ending. With this ending, the rug is pulled under the player’s feet: Suspicions are confirmed and suddenly Wander’s quest is nowhere near as noble as one was originally led to believe.
Of course, at first I was annoyed that the hard effort I put into playing the game had, ultimately, all come to naught. But when I look back at it now, my view has softened - somewhat. You see, I can now appreciate the game for being able to challenge my perceptions and direct me into a quest that, upon closer examination, has me asking questions of a morale nature far more effectively than the Mass Effect series. In addition, the fact that not all endings are happy ones hits really hard in this cinematic.
Really though, I have no idea whether I should praise or condemn this ending but there is no need: If a game has inspired such a divisive opinion then it must have made quite an impression – indeed the type that some games can dream about. If game triggered a debate and a closer look, then it must’ve been a pretty damn good one.
4. Final Fantasy X
A mark of a great game is one that elicits an emotional reaction – and in that field, you can’t go wrong with this. Final Fantasy X may have had it’s fair share of emotional moments but the apex of it all comes in the form of the ending.
One thing I’ve enjoyed with the Final Fantasy games is that, unlike a lot of RPGs, their approach to story-telling is that not all endings are happy ones. Sure some good may have been done come at the end, but the protagonists can’t really save everyone. Which now brings me to Final Fantasy X and, in particular, the doomed romance between Tidus and Yuna. At the end, Spira may be saved but one of the main protagonists has fallen: One who didn’t really belong in Spira’s world and who made a lasting impression on the one who was supposed to die. Some say, the romance was kinda uninspiring but I give credit to Square to take a chance with this ending: It wasn’t a happy ending and it’s indeed interesting to see a romance that doesn’t work out. Sure Mario may keep saving Princess Peach from Bowser's constant clutches but no such thing seems to happen on Spira’s world.
Plus I have to admit, there is always the emotional punch of seeing Yuna running to Tidus and subsequently through him. This is then followed by those three words uttered by Yuna showing more emotion (or at least her voice actress) than she ever did in the entire game. It is a moment like this that still hits hard on my cold jaded heart.
Of course, this is all ruined with the advent of FFX2 but still, for a game to break the rules and convey such emotion, this is a shining example.
3. Ico
On second thought, forget what I said about Final Fantasy X: When it comes to eliciting an emotional response from the gamer, nothing can hope to match the ending that is Ico. Much like Team Ico’s other game, the afore-mentioned Shadow of the Colossus, there is no sense of a happy ending as it becomes clear that the player’s efforts have ultimately come to naught – except for leaving an emotional resonance that most games can only dream about.
There are so many magic moments in this ending that I don’t know where to start: The symbolism of Ico’s horns coming off, the Queen/Witch’s dying taunt, the realisation that Yorda can’t escape the castle even when the way out is finally open, the collapse of a seemingly ancient castle, the indication that Yorda and Ico belong in separate worlds and, of course, the slow creeping in of ‘You Were There’.
Funny thing is all of these aren’t really spelled out for the viewer: they are just presented for the viewer to draw their own conclusions. As a result, the mind works in the fashion that the designer intended and an emotion connection is built up. It is an effective method and one that works a treat.
Like FFX, the ending of Ico did indeed leave an impression on my cold jaded heart. And for a video game to do this is a feat indeed – enough to secure it in the third position in this list. What could top it? Funny you should say that…..
2. Metal Gear Solid
For me, Metal Gear Solid is a character driven game done right: Among the many achievements this game accomplished, paramount among them was the idea of taking a character and building a world around him for which to inhabit.
That being said, Metal Gear Solid is a game that deceived me: At the start, it is established that Snake is sneaking into Shadow Moses Island to thwart some terrorists who pose a considerable threat through being in the possession of nuclear warheads.
However, like many games on this list, by the end, the game has switched gears and revealed its true intentions: Metal Gear Solid isn’t about sneaking into a base, beating up some bad guys and eventually destroying a giant mech – no it represents a personal odyssey for Snake. It’s about him starting out with emptiness in his life only to come out the other side with a sense of meaning. It is indeed a relief to see Snake, through all his trials and tribulations come out the other side with a much better outlook on life. Of course, a feel-good/life affirming ending may have done many times before but here it works well – perhaps because, unlike a book or a movie, a video game demands participation from the player. Thus, there is the sense that Snake got to where he ended up with the player’s assistance. It is impressive, in the terms of story telling, to see Snake decide to make every day of his remaining time on earth count. What's even more impressive is this revelation is conveyed through to make an impression onto the player.
Of course, this ending is made redundant with the puzzling presence of the Metal Gear Solid’s 2 and 4 (why would Snake go back into combat after deciding to make every remaining day of his life count?!) but still it’s not everyday you see a life-affirming ending in video game.
And that’s why it works so well.
And my number 1 ending to a video game is…..
1. Final Fantasy IX
In this list, I’ve described various reasons to why certain endings work: Some challenge my perceptions as a gamer. Some give me something to think about. Some present situations designed to inspire an emotional response. Some present me with character and make me wanting to go with them on their adventures every step of the way.
But in the end, what I ultimately want is the sense that I achieved something: The sense that the many hours I put into the game have amounted to something grandiose. I want a payoff that was worth the effort. Step forward: Final Fantasy IX.
So why this one? Firstly length: The RPG demands the greatest investment of time than any other game – having an ending that stretches out for over half an hour is a perfect counter-weight to the many hours spent playing the game.
Secondly, throughout the ending, we get to see the character’s lives afterwards. Each of the key characters have their own cinematic which shows what they had gotten up to since the adventure ended. Whilst not all of them may be happy (Freya’s comes to mind), it is a credit to the designers for showing us that life does indeed go on (something that, I wish, would happen more often).
The real treat however is in the video shown above where Garnet and Zidane are finally reunited. Of course, it is a bit annoying that it isn’t really explained HOW Zidane managed to get back to Alexandria but it is interesting to see what Garnet’s character eventually developed into (note the moment when she loses the Alexander pendant). Indeed, I particularly love the moment when she throws away her tiara before charging into Zidane’s arms: Sometimes little things can mean so much.
Also pleasing is seeing the crowd, with Zidane and Garnet’s former comrades, bursting into applause. It is as if that after the grim undertones of 6, 7 and 8, Square just decided “Bugger this, let’s just do a happy ending’. It may not have been their intent but even if it was, it works a treat. A sweet relief maybe but there is the thought that, after so many dark themes lurking within the Final Fantasy games, if Square can put their mind to it a happy ending can work out well.
Some may dismiss the tried and tested notion of ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ but what would they know?
More to the point why would I care?
So that’s my thoughts on what makes a good ending. A diverse list but all work in different ways: I like having my perceptions as a gamer challenged. I tip my hat to a game designer for presenting something to think about. I love a sense of accomplishment whilst other times I just love a happy ending.
Really games should be self-contained stories with a properly defined beginning, middle and an end. And whilst many games can start of great they can fumble with the other two. But whereas people don't remember the middle of a game, it's the ending that can prove most critical. Having said that, I've just written out eleven different endings that work in different ways so really there is no excuse.
Until next time....
And in some cases, a betrayal beyond forgivable.
We’ve all heard the story before: Someone plays a game and enjoys it a lot. They get to the ending, which turns out to be one big anticlimax, and the gamer gets mad. Within seconds, so many hours of fun and enjoyment are erased instantly and the gamer starts venting their disgust to some internet blog or message board.
To me, an ending needs to provide a proper resolution to the hard effort put into the game. It needs to convey a sense of achievement - or even something that sticks in the player’s mind – to really make all the hours worth it. So today, I’m going to talk about some of my favourite endings to a game and how they made an impression on me.
So here we go:
11. Ninja Warriors
And we start with an ending (badumtish) that certainly leaves a substantial impression. For those not in the know, Ninja Warriors was an arcade game from the late eighties (although the above video is from the SNES conversion), where the player controls a robot ninja assassin dispatched by revolutionaries to kill a corrupt politician. At the end of the game, the ninjas confront their target when suddenly they explode taking the politician’s mansion with them. It turns out the mission was a suicide one – thus enabling the revolutionaries to seize control and end up doing an even worse job than their predecessor.
This ending works on two levels: Firstly, it is thought-provoking in its handling of it’s themes of terrorism (perhaps more so in this modern, post-9/11 age we live in). Secondly, it is the notion that not all endings are happy ones. Sure it means all the player’s efforts were ultimately for naught but that doesn’t mean the player won’t walk away with something to ponder. I like games that challenge the relationship between game and the person playing it – and whilst this move has become popular in recent years, Ninja Warriors may just well have been a pioneer.
Audacious maybe but Ninja Warriors is still a worthy way to start off this list.
10. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
One of the most well-realised stories ever in the history of video gaming yields the cleverest of endings. Allegedly, Jordan Mechner was inspired by Tales of Arabian Nights in development of the original Prince of Persia – so it’s interesting to see the ideology of stories being carried over into Sands of Time.
The narrative of SoT is guided by the voice of the Prince himself, explaining things as they happen to an unseen audience. As the story progresses, the gamer is constantly wondering just who this audience is – and the urgency that the prince narrates with adds to this mystique. Indeed, it is an interesting motivator to keep playing just to find out who the Prince is telling this story to.
And when this audience is finally revealed, not to mention HOW the prince got there himself, is truly a moment even I did not see coming. And that for me represents a mark of exceptional storytelling: keeping the audience in suspense without breaking step once. Indeed, SoT makes it look so effortless you can’t help but wonder if other game developers were looking and taking notes.
Granted I haven’t included this revelation in the video above (actually I couldn’t find it but really maybe it’s something one has to see for themselves) but, as the ending indicates, I do like the ideology of stories that SoT has. A story is a narrative device, being told by the Prince, to someone who, as the above video indicates, is left in a state of disbelief. It’s a clever idea and the fact that it’s conveyed successfully throughout the whole game is an achievement in itself.
9. Skies of Arcadia
And here we have the very first JRPG in this list – and there’s more to come.
RPGs have got to be the most time-demanding game genre ever: After accomplishing so many quests, levelling up and building up characters in wealth and combat prowess, an RPG really needs to have a killer ending. So many RPG’s have been condemned for a lame ending, so it is interesting to see how that the developers handle the task of providing a decent pay-off. Some do a half-arsed job whilst others really put in an effort not shown by any other genre.
So what does Skies of Arcadia offer up? Well, after so many hours gone into the game, the gamer is treated to a cinematic displaying a sense of victory: The adversary is defeated, the heroes have won and the player is treated to a sense of accomplishment. Okay so the outcome of the efforts of Vyse, Fina and Aika was probably never in doubt but dammit, if any game ending did convey a sense of accomplishment then Skies of Arcadia does so in spades!
The real treat however is the end credits sequence which presents a montage revealing what everyone got up to following the events of the game. Granted this may not have been the first JRPG to do this but for me, it’s the one that does it best.
8. Super Mario Bros 3
I remember seeing this one when I was a kid: Mario defeats Bowser and runs to the rescue of Princess Peach – only to be informed that the Princess is in ANOTHER castle….. before Peach reveals she was only kidding.
Why does this ending work for me? Two reasons: The first is the idea that Mario is an everyman. He doesn’t look in any way the heroic type – he’s just a regular guy. And yet he still goes on fantastic adventures and manages to save the day (and a princess!). Indeed, it is that everyman quality that may attribute to his continuing popularity. And for me, the Super Mario bros. 3 ending exemplifies that quality more than it’s SMB1 and, quite possibly, even more that it’s successors.
The other reason is the joke Peach plays. While it’s a nice surprise to see Nintendo poking fun at their own franchise, one can only wonder how the player, after so many hours spent playing the game, reacted. What may have started as screams of disbelief and frustration eventually gave way to either a huge sigh of relief or shouts of “FUCK YOU BITCH!!”
Seriously though, this is an ending that, again, exemplifies the connection between the player and the game. And this is one ending which may have inspired a reaction – it may not have been the best one but it’s still one nonetheless. And not many games can lay claim to such a feat.
7. Terranigma
Whilst Australia may have missed out on Chrono Trigger, we instead had to settle for Terranigma. Okay so it may not compare on a level of complexity to Chrono Trigger but Terranigma can boast some great ideas being put to work.
The player controls a guy named Arc who lives in a village that seems to know largely little of the outside world. But through a series of misadventures, Arc eventually discovers an empty world and is thus charged with the task of resurrecting it. He does this through bringing life back to it and furthering scientific progress for it’s human inhabitants. However as the game goes on, the game puts forth some ideas on existence that’s kind of unexpected in a game of the 16-bit era.
As stated before, any game that can make a player think is a winner in my book. And no way is this exemplified with the ending: His task done, Arc is then left with one last day to spend on the mortal plane. This is indeed a challenging prospect that one wouldn’t find in a video game: What would you do if you had one last day upon this earth? How would you spend it? How would the thought of having made a difference weigh upon you’re mind? These are challenging ideas and for a game to convey them is indeed an achievement in itself.
In particular, I love that concluding dream sequence – I can’t really explain it as it's something that really needs to be seen to be comprehended. but, for me, it’s one of those moments of perfection that few games can match.
6. Chrono Cross
Okay so I’m cheating here seeing as I’ve never played this game (as it was never released here in Australia) and I’m relying on someone else’s assessment of it but this ending video is a gem indeed.
As the above link suggests, Chrono Cross is game aimed at breaking down the borderline between player and game. Throughout the game itself, there are key moments which suggest the player is having a more interactive role in the proceedings than what is usually associated in a video game. This eventually reaches its pinnacle at the end when the character of Schala speaks through a passage of text directly at the player. This is then followed by the ending cinematic which includes live action footage of an actress, representing Schala, searching for the player (ie YOU).
Quite disturbing yes but I take my hat off to the makers who seem to be keen on trying something different, intent on challenging the gamer’s perceptions and say something unexpected and unique – particularly in a medium which is usually associated with killing lot’s of dudes, buxom chicks and young men who look more girly than the females who control them.
Fortune, it would appear, truly does favour the brave.
5. Shadow of the Colossus
One of the big ones (pun most certainly intended). No other game has left me with a mixed reaction to this ending. With this ending, the rug is pulled under the player’s feet: Suspicions are confirmed and suddenly Wander’s quest is nowhere near as noble as one was originally led to believe.
Of course, at first I was annoyed that the hard effort I put into playing the game had, ultimately, all come to naught. But when I look back at it now, my view has softened - somewhat. You see, I can now appreciate the game for being able to challenge my perceptions and direct me into a quest that, upon closer examination, has me asking questions of a morale nature far more effectively than the Mass Effect series. In addition, the fact that not all endings are happy ones hits really hard in this cinematic.
Really though, I have no idea whether I should praise or condemn this ending but there is no need: If a game has inspired such a divisive opinion then it must have made quite an impression – indeed the type that some games can dream about. If game triggered a debate and a closer look, then it must’ve been a pretty damn good one.
4. Final Fantasy X
A mark of a great game is one that elicits an emotional reaction – and in that field, you can’t go wrong with this. Final Fantasy X may have had it’s fair share of emotional moments but the apex of it all comes in the form of the ending.
One thing I’ve enjoyed with the Final Fantasy games is that, unlike a lot of RPGs, their approach to story-telling is that not all endings are happy ones. Sure some good may have been done come at the end, but the protagonists can’t really save everyone. Which now brings me to Final Fantasy X and, in particular, the doomed romance between Tidus and Yuna. At the end, Spira may be saved but one of the main protagonists has fallen: One who didn’t really belong in Spira’s world and who made a lasting impression on the one who was supposed to die. Some say, the romance was kinda uninspiring but I give credit to Square to take a chance with this ending: It wasn’t a happy ending and it’s indeed interesting to see a romance that doesn’t work out. Sure Mario may keep saving Princess Peach from Bowser's constant clutches but no such thing seems to happen on Spira’s world.
Plus I have to admit, there is always the emotional punch of seeing Yuna running to Tidus and subsequently through him. This is then followed by those three words uttered by Yuna showing more emotion (or at least her voice actress) than she ever did in the entire game. It is a moment like this that still hits hard on my cold jaded heart.
Of course, this is all ruined with the advent of FFX2 but still, for a game to break the rules and convey such emotion, this is a shining example.
3. Ico
On second thought, forget what I said about Final Fantasy X: When it comes to eliciting an emotional response from the gamer, nothing can hope to match the ending that is Ico. Much like Team Ico’s other game, the afore-mentioned Shadow of the Colossus, there is no sense of a happy ending as it becomes clear that the player’s efforts have ultimately come to naught – except for leaving an emotional resonance that most games can only dream about.
There are so many magic moments in this ending that I don’t know where to start: The symbolism of Ico’s horns coming off, the Queen/Witch’s dying taunt, the realisation that Yorda can’t escape the castle even when the way out is finally open, the collapse of a seemingly ancient castle, the indication that Yorda and Ico belong in separate worlds and, of course, the slow creeping in of ‘You Were There’.
Funny thing is all of these aren’t really spelled out for the viewer: they are just presented for the viewer to draw their own conclusions. As a result, the mind works in the fashion that the designer intended and an emotion connection is built up. It is an effective method and one that works a treat.
Like FFX, the ending of Ico did indeed leave an impression on my cold jaded heart. And for a video game to do this is a feat indeed – enough to secure it in the third position in this list. What could top it? Funny you should say that…..
2. Metal Gear Solid
For me, Metal Gear Solid is a character driven game done right: Among the many achievements this game accomplished, paramount among them was the idea of taking a character and building a world around him for which to inhabit.
That being said, Metal Gear Solid is a game that deceived me: At the start, it is established that Snake is sneaking into Shadow Moses Island to thwart some terrorists who pose a considerable threat through being in the possession of nuclear warheads.
However, like many games on this list, by the end, the game has switched gears and revealed its true intentions: Metal Gear Solid isn’t about sneaking into a base, beating up some bad guys and eventually destroying a giant mech – no it represents a personal odyssey for Snake. It’s about him starting out with emptiness in his life only to come out the other side with a sense of meaning. It is indeed a relief to see Snake, through all his trials and tribulations come out the other side with a much better outlook on life. Of course, a feel-good/life affirming ending may have done many times before but here it works well – perhaps because, unlike a book or a movie, a video game demands participation from the player. Thus, there is the sense that Snake got to where he ended up with the player’s assistance. It is impressive, in the terms of story telling, to see Snake decide to make every day of his remaining time on earth count. What's even more impressive is this revelation is conveyed through to make an impression onto the player.
Of course, this ending is made redundant with the puzzling presence of the Metal Gear Solid’s 2 and 4 (why would Snake go back into combat after deciding to make every remaining day of his life count?!) but still it’s not everyday you see a life-affirming ending in video game.
And that’s why it works so well.
And my number 1 ending to a video game is…..
1. Final Fantasy IX
In this list, I’ve described various reasons to why certain endings work: Some challenge my perceptions as a gamer. Some give me something to think about. Some present situations designed to inspire an emotional response. Some present me with character and make me wanting to go with them on their adventures every step of the way.
But in the end, what I ultimately want is the sense that I achieved something: The sense that the many hours I put into the game have amounted to something grandiose. I want a payoff that was worth the effort. Step forward: Final Fantasy IX.
So why this one? Firstly length: The RPG demands the greatest investment of time than any other game – having an ending that stretches out for over half an hour is a perfect counter-weight to the many hours spent playing the game.
Secondly, throughout the ending, we get to see the character’s lives afterwards. Each of the key characters have their own cinematic which shows what they had gotten up to since the adventure ended. Whilst not all of them may be happy (Freya’s comes to mind), it is a credit to the designers for showing us that life does indeed go on (something that, I wish, would happen more often).
The real treat however is in the video shown above where Garnet and Zidane are finally reunited. Of course, it is a bit annoying that it isn’t really explained HOW Zidane managed to get back to Alexandria but it is interesting to see what Garnet’s character eventually developed into (note the moment when she loses the Alexander pendant). Indeed, I particularly love the moment when she throws away her tiara before charging into Zidane’s arms: Sometimes little things can mean so much.
Also pleasing is seeing the crowd, with Zidane and Garnet’s former comrades, bursting into applause. It is as if that after the grim undertones of 6, 7 and 8, Square just decided “Bugger this, let’s just do a happy ending’. It may not have been their intent but even if it was, it works a treat. A sweet relief maybe but there is the thought that, after so many dark themes lurking within the Final Fantasy games, if Square can put their mind to it a happy ending can work out well.
Some may dismiss the tried and tested notion of ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ but what would they know?
More to the point why would I care?
So that’s my thoughts on what makes a good ending. A diverse list but all work in different ways: I like having my perceptions as a gamer challenged. I tip my hat to a game designer for presenting something to think about. I love a sense of accomplishment whilst other times I just love a happy ending.
Really games should be self-contained stories with a properly defined beginning, middle and an end. And whilst many games can start of great they can fumble with the other two. But whereas people don't remember the middle of a game, it's the ending that can prove most critical. Having said that, I've just written out eleven different endings that work in different ways so really there is no excuse.
Until next time....
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