Well a new Tomb Raider game is now on the horizon, going by the name of Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
Meaning Lara Croft will be rubbing shoulders with a Beast and a Colossus.
Joking aside, the Tomb Raider series has a nasty reputation for being formulaic - even for outsiders like myself. I only hope that this new game does something new with Lara as opposed to retreading the ground made by the reboot.
But therein lies the dread that such a statement may turn out to be wishful thinking....
Showing posts with label Tomb Raider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tomb Raider. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2018
Friday, January 30, 2015
Your God Not Mine
Some weeks ago, a new God of War was announced. Well I suppose a new God of War game is, by now, inevitable as the tide, regardless of actual quality.
Honestly, I think the God of War games have the same problem the Tomb Raider games one faced: The trap of formula. Both franchises had a big hit with the first game but everything that's followed in it's wake is the same formula - hindered by a Player character who has plenty of brand recognition but is handled by writers who don't seem to have a clue what to do with the them.
Really, what can you do with Kratos? It's fair to say that the God of War games that aren't no.1 have wrecked what made Kratos initially interesting: Now he's just being angry for the sake of it. Kratos is a parody of himself and he's stuck there. Now, he's been angry for so long that it's now expected of him: if he isn't tearing shit up, his fans will call foul - and if he were to have a moment of introspection and/or actual character depth, he'll be called a pussy.
Personally, I can see some potential in the idea of Kratos being confronted with the constant carnage he's caused. What if he was cast into a desert where he has no one to fight? There, in amongst the silence, he is confronted with his actions and the countless people he has killed. Only problem there is a) the afore-mentioned danger of making Kratos a pussy and b) that doesn't sound like much of a game.
Another idea, which continues the wavelength from the previous idea is having someone else as the Player Character. They saw their wife being cut down by Kratos so the player character takes it upon himself to take out Kratos himself. True Yahtzee suggested this before but it would make an interesting iteration on the themes established in the first game. Only problem there is that game franchises without their established lead tend not to do well (Metal Gear Solid 2 anyone?).
Still Tomb Raider managed to do something new with it's latest iteration, so there may be some hope for the God of War games - but I sincerely doubt it.
Honestly, I think the God of War games have the same problem the Tomb Raider games one faced: The trap of formula. Both franchises had a big hit with the first game but everything that's followed in it's wake is the same formula - hindered by a Player character who has plenty of brand recognition but is handled by writers who don't seem to have a clue what to do with the them.
Really, what can you do with Kratos? It's fair to say that the God of War games that aren't no.1 have wrecked what made Kratos initially interesting: Now he's just being angry for the sake of it. Kratos is a parody of himself and he's stuck there. Now, he's been angry for so long that it's now expected of him: if he isn't tearing shit up, his fans will call foul - and if he were to have a moment of introspection and/or actual character depth, he'll be called a pussy.
Personally, I can see some potential in the idea of Kratos being confronted with the constant carnage he's caused. What if he was cast into a desert where he has no one to fight? There, in amongst the silence, he is confronted with his actions and the countless people he has killed. Only problem there is a) the afore-mentioned danger of making Kratos a pussy and b) that doesn't sound like much of a game.
Another idea, which continues the wavelength from the previous idea is having someone else as the Player Character. They saw their wife being cut down by Kratos so the player character takes it upon himself to take out Kratos himself. True Yahtzee suggested this before but it would make an interesting iteration on the themes established in the first game. Only problem there is that game franchises without their established lead tend not to do well (Metal Gear Solid 2 anyone?).
Still Tomb Raider managed to do something new with it's latest iteration, so there may be some hope for the God of War games - but I sincerely doubt it.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Honour Among Thieves
I recently saw the trailer to the new Tomb Raider game (Rise of) and I still have no idea what the people behind the game are going to do with this game. Did they realize that having Lara constantly have the shit kicked out of her doesn't really present any long term franchise plans? Also, somehow the image of having Lara visiting a psychiatrist seems to be leaning on a parody direction.
And in addition, I see the trailer and, somehow, this comes to mind:
In fact why can't Kasumi have her own game?! I'll play the hell out of that!
And in addition, I see the trailer and, somehow, this comes to mind:
In fact why can't Kasumi have her own game?! I'll play the hell out of that!
Friday, June 20, 2014
Raiders of the Lost Character Arc
Among the trailers shown at this year's E3, were new iterations the franchises of Tomb Raider and Uncharted.
Of course this is a prime example of brand recognition being put to good use but I can see some potential. The question is whether or not that potential will be realised and not dropped on the floor. You see, my main beef with these two series is that they are being handled by writers who have a character but no idea as to what to do with them.
Much has been written about Nathan Drake being something of a response to Miss Croft - only with him being completely honest about being thief and being as snarky as humanly possible. And that's all there is to him - and for some reason that is enough for some people but you can only fool them for so long.
However, it has been observed that the torture/imprisonment scene in Uncharted 3 provided some depth that Nathan Drake sorely needed but it never went any further. Hopefully the writers of Uncharted realize this and build upon it for the new game. After all, it would be senseless to present a revelation and not see it through. Indeed, if Nathan Drake isn't who he claims to be then why would he build such a facade?
And as for Lara, the previous Tomb Raider game certainly put a lot of effort in establishing some background and making her a warrior/survivalist type. So is there anything that can be done? Well, from the looks of it, the new Tomb Raider game seems to heading further down that path. Such a knowledge doesn't sit well as the Tomb Raider games have had a nasty reputation of being formulaic - and just because there's one game setting off in a new direction doesn't mean the franchise won't fall back into bad habits.
Of course, this is all speculative - it is too early to say seeing this is based on trailers. But if a trailer is not making me interested in the game it's plugging, then something isn't working.
Whilst there is potential for the new Uncharted and Tomb Raider games, it remains to be seen if this potential is realized or mishandled completely.
Knowing how things go however, my money is on the latter....
Of course this is a prime example of brand recognition being put to good use but I can see some potential. The question is whether or not that potential will be realised and not dropped on the floor. You see, my main beef with these two series is that they are being handled by writers who have a character but no idea as to what to do with them.
Much has been written about Nathan Drake being something of a response to Miss Croft - only with him being completely honest about being thief and being as snarky as humanly possible. And that's all there is to him - and for some reason that is enough for some people but you can only fool them for so long.
However, it has been observed that the torture/imprisonment scene in Uncharted 3 provided some depth that Nathan Drake sorely needed but it never went any further. Hopefully the writers of Uncharted realize this and build upon it for the new game. After all, it would be senseless to present a revelation and not see it through. Indeed, if Nathan Drake isn't who he claims to be then why would he build such a facade?
And as for Lara, the previous Tomb Raider game certainly put a lot of effort in establishing some background and making her a warrior/survivalist type. So is there anything that can be done? Well, from the looks of it, the new Tomb Raider game seems to heading further down that path. Such a knowledge doesn't sit well as the Tomb Raider games have had a nasty reputation of being formulaic - and just because there's one game setting off in a new direction doesn't mean the franchise won't fall back into bad habits.
Of course, this is all speculative - it is too early to say seeing this is based on trailers. But if a trailer is not making me interested in the game it's plugging, then something isn't working.
Whilst there is potential for the new Uncharted and Tomb Raider games, it remains to be seen if this potential is realized or mishandled completely.
Knowing how things go however, my money is on the latter....
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Beyond the Stars
Well a new game in the Starcraft 2 trilogy is upon us in the form of Heart of the Swarm. And the question I want to ask is....
...what will Blizzard have Kerrigan do this time around?
I've already spoken on how I felt cheated out of victory at the end of Starcraft 1 but I have to give Blizzard credit: With Kerrigan, they created a character that made such an impression. As a result she is written about by academics, makes popular character lists and she inspires defenders who will stand by the Queen of Blades as a knight would the Holy Grail. It's such a response that most writers can only dream of but it does place the Blizzard writing staff in a rather awkward position:
What is there left for Kerrigan to do?
She destroys Arcturus' empire, brings the Protoss empire to it's knees, obliterates the UED, cons help out of the the other characters only to betray them and consolidates her position as unchallenged ruler of the Zerg. That's quite a lot but what is there to do? After declaring herself 'Queen Bitch of the Universe' it's near impossible to imagine Kerrigan doing something decent and to keep on acting as a destroyer can only last for so long - like until the destroyer runs out of things to destroy.
Personally, I see Kerrigan being in the same boats as Kratos and Lara Croft in that they are characters whom are being handled by writers who have no idea what to do with them (though to be fair the new Tomb Raider game shows some degree of writers having a clear goal in mind). If anything, I believe all three characters could benefit with a mirror character. You know, someone who does the same things the protagonist does to ultimately confront said protagonist with their actions. How would Lara react if someone else was hoarding artifacts to prevent an apocalyptic catastrophe? How would Kratos react if some sod challenged him over the murder of the sod's wife simply because she was in Kratos' way? And how would Kerrigan react if some other force was razing empires as well as making and breaking alliances on a whim?
In addition I still think my idea of the restored Sarah Kerrigan going out of her way to revert back to her infested state still has weight. After all, how awesome would it be that Sarah resents her previous/human state so much that she would rather stamp it out of existence completely? It would go a long way because a lot of time is spent having Infested Kerriagn acting in a ruthless/smug fashion that seeing her get angry or insulted would make for a worthwhile change of pace.
But alas I don't work for Blizzard so whatever ideas I have aren't worth jack.
Oh well....
...what will Blizzard have Kerrigan do this time around?
I've already spoken on how I felt cheated out of victory at the end of Starcraft 1 but I have to give Blizzard credit: With Kerrigan, they created a character that made such an impression. As a result she is written about by academics, makes popular character lists and she inspires defenders who will stand by the Queen of Blades as a knight would the Holy Grail. It's such a response that most writers can only dream of but it does place the Blizzard writing staff in a rather awkward position:
What is there left for Kerrigan to do?
She destroys Arcturus' empire, brings the Protoss empire to it's knees, obliterates the UED, cons help out of the the other characters only to betray them and consolidates her position as unchallenged ruler of the Zerg. That's quite a lot but what is there to do? After declaring herself 'Queen Bitch of the Universe' it's near impossible to imagine Kerrigan doing something decent and to keep on acting as a destroyer can only last for so long - like until the destroyer runs out of things to destroy.
Personally, I see Kerrigan being in the same boats as Kratos and Lara Croft in that they are characters whom are being handled by writers who have no idea what to do with them (though to be fair the new Tomb Raider game shows some degree of writers having a clear goal in mind). If anything, I believe all three characters could benefit with a mirror character. You know, someone who does the same things the protagonist does to ultimately confront said protagonist with their actions. How would Lara react if someone else was hoarding artifacts to prevent an apocalyptic catastrophe? How would Kratos react if some sod challenged him over the murder of the sod's wife simply because she was in Kratos' way? And how would Kerrigan react if some other force was razing empires as well as making and breaking alliances on a whim?
In addition I still think my idea of the restored Sarah Kerrigan going out of her way to revert back to her infested state still has weight. After all, how awesome would it be that Sarah resents her previous/human state so much that she would rather stamp it out of existence completely? It would go a long way because a lot of time is spent having Infested Kerriagn acting in a ruthless/smug fashion that seeing her get angry or insulted would make for a worthwhile change of pace.
But alas I don't work for Blizzard so whatever ideas I have aren't worth jack.
Oh well....
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
It's not about Tombs any more is it?
Recently I had the opportunity to try out the new Tomb Raider game. True I've never been keen on the Tomb Raider series but I was prepared to at least give this a chance. So what did I think of it?
Well I died a lot.
Seriously I couldn't get past the one section because I kept getting killed. Maybe it's because I have a bow and arrow whilst the guys I'm trying to take out have GUNS!
Oh well....
Well I died a lot.
Seriously I couldn't get past the one section because I kept getting killed. Maybe it's because I have a bow and arrow whilst the guys I'm trying to take out have GUNS!
Oh well....
Monday, March 4, 2013
Drop the Bomb
I recently read that SquareEnix is currently in a rather precarious position: Following the flop that was Final Fantasy XIV, the once revered JRPG company is in the position where if yet another flop comes along, it'll be curtains for SquareEnix as a whole.
Personally, I hope such a thing does come about. Yeah that's right: I sincerely hope that SqueeEnix does close it's doors for good and we can all move on. Sure that may not be an opinion shared by a group of people who vastly outnumber me but I speak as someone who's realized that the glory days of SqueeEnix are well & truly past and it's unlikely they will ever get back on their feet again.
Call me a cynic (or a heretic) but it is a somewhat realistic approach: SquareEnix is not the giant it once was and it's continued presence is looking more like a deadweight. Why? Well several reasons actually:
Key figures within the company have left the company and struck on their own (in the form of Mistwalker and Monolith Soft); no new talent is being groomed or developed in the wake of the aforementioned departures; the company is sticking to their RPGs and not trying (or, more accurately, risking) anything new; the possibility of a Kingdom Hearts 3 game is looking unlikely with each passing year; and SqueeEnix seems to be running on established ideas with it's recent involvement in the recent Tomb Raider and Deus Ex games. All of which suggests that SqueeEnix seem unwilling to try/risk new ideas and/or get some new blood into the stable.
So maybe it is time to move on: If SqueeEnix aren't prepared to try something new and would rather keep milking the cash cows of previous successes then maybe it is time to let it die in peace. The world has changed considerably since 1997-2000 and instead of basking in nostalgia how about finding something new you haven't discovered before? Who knows, you might actually find something enjoyable.
______________
Addendum:
To those who still want a FF7 remake: You're not helping. Yes we get the idea that Final Fantasy 7 may well have been the zenith of JRPGs but there are other games out there - including JRPGs - so you should at least give them a chance (apparently Xenoblade Chronicles is really good). Besides, it's better to got out and explore than giving up completely right?
And besides, if you keep claiming that doing an update of a 2d-game-done-3d in modern tech can be done then how about producing some evidence to back it up?
Personally, I hope such a thing does come about. Yeah that's right: I sincerely hope that SqueeEnix does close it's doors for good and we can all move on. Sure that may not be an opinion shared by a group of people who vastly outnumber me but I speak as someone who's realized that the glory days of SqueeEnix are well & truly past and it's unlikely they will ever get back on their feet again.
Call me a cynic (or a heretic) but it is a somewhat realistic approach: SquareEnix is not the giant it once was and it's continued presence is looking more like a deadweight. Why? Well several reasons actually:
Key figures within the company have left the company and struck on their own (in the form of Mistwalker and Monolith Soft); no new talent is being groomed or developed in the wake of the aforementioned departures; the company is sticking to their RPGs and not trying (or, more accurately, risking) anything new; the possibility of a Kingdom Hearts 3 game is looking unlikely with each passing year; and SqueeEnix seems to be running on established ideas with it's recent involvement in the recent Tomb Raider and Deus Ex games. All of which suggests that SqueeEnix seem unwilling to try/risk new ideas and/or get some new blood into the stable.
So maybe it is time to move on: If SqueeEnix aren't prepared to try something new and would rather keep milking the cash cows of previous successes then maybe it is time to let it die in peace. The world has changed considerably since 1997-2000 and instead of basking in nostalgia how about finding something new you haven't discovered before? Who knows, you might actually find something enjoyable.
______________
Addendum:
To those who still want a FF7 remake: You're not helping. Yes we get the idea that Final Fantasy 7 may well have been the zenith of JRPGs but there are other games out there - including JRPGs - so you should at least give them a chance (apparently Xenoblade Chronicles is really good). Besides, it's better to got out and explore than giving up completely right?
And besides, if you keep claiming that doing an update of a 2d-game-done-3d in modern tech can be done then how about producing some evidence to back it up?
Friday, June 1, 2012
Digging a Trent
Whilst digging through more old files I came across this pearl of wisdom:
I remember drawing this: It was around the release of Angel of Darkness and, from an outside perspective, I could see what was trying to accomplished with the presence of Kurtis Trent: Another playable character in Lara's universe - no doubt in an attempt to pull in some female gamers.
Perhaps it is fitting that the only Tomb Raider game I have is Angel of Darkness - because I'm really fascinated by the presence of Mr. Trent. After having some many Tomb Raider games based around this one character, Lara, we finally get to see an equivalent. We have another playable character moving in on Lara's turf of being an action hero(ine) and looking awesome whilst doing it. He even gets to do the impossible in having some sort of relationship with the seemingly untouchable Miss Croft.
But most of all, what fascinates me most about Trent is that the idea turned out be a huge failure: Aside from the fact that Angel of Darkness was a flop and the proposed trilogy never went ahead, the fact that Trent has inspired some contempt among Tomb Raider fans says a lot - not to mention the fact that the character has never been seen since. I do like the idea of introducing some new to the Tomb Raider formula and to have something of a mirror/partner/lover to Lara but it would seem that no one else would think so. What, did the idea of controlling someone in a Tomb Raider game who isn't Lara just simply unacceptable for her legions of fans? Oh well....
I remember drawing this: It was around the release of Angel of Darkness and, from an outside perspective, I could see what was trying to accomplished with the presence of Kurtis Trent: Another playable character in Lara's universe - no doubt in an attempt to pull in some female gamers.
Perhaps it is fitting that the only Tomb Raider game I have is Angel of Darkness - because I'm really fascinated by the presence of Mr. Trent. After having some many Tomb Raider games based around this one character, Lara, we finally get to see an equivalent. We have another playable character moving in on Lara's turf of being an action hero(ine) and looking awesome whilst doing it. He even gets to do the impossible in having some sort of relationship with the seemingly untouchable Miss Croft.
But most of all, what fascinates me most about Trent is that the idea turned out be a huge failure: Aside from the fact that Angel of Darkness was a flop and the proposed trilogy never went ahead, the fact that Trent has inspired some contempt among Tomb Raider fans says a lot - not to mention the fact that the character has never been seen since. I do like the idea of introducing some new to the Tomb Raider formula and to have something of a mirror/partner/lover to Lara but it would seem that no one else would think so. What, did the idea of controlling someone in a Tomb Raider game who isn't Lara just simply unacceptable for her legions of fans? Oh well....
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Prince is in another castle
Here's something I've been pondering recently: There have been numerous games where the player character has to rescue a princess but has there been a game where a lass rescues a prince?
I don't about the rest of you but since the first Legend of Zelda games and Super Mario bros. 1, the idea of rescuing princess as the game goal has some how been ingrained into the gamer consciousness. Sure it may a tried and tested trope but somehow we're keen to go with it. We're becoming used to control some guy rescuing a love interest and/or some gal using her wits to escape some sort of imprisonment. So why no gal-rescuing-prince? Well, the way I see it, this is such a familiar scenario then any attempt to mess with it is going to be challenged on multiple accounts. Therefore:
1) As the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. Sure the 'rescue princess' scenario may have worked a gazillion times before but there's no reason why additions can be made to the formula and have sime suitable characterization. Hence, in the case of Princess Zelda, we see her assisting Link in various forms, embodying the Triforce of wisdom and even taking up the mantle of Shiek. It also helps that the player character and princess (both Link and Zelda) are made to look beautiful, thus ensuring the attention of both male and female gamers alike.
2) Speaking of looking beautiful, it seems to be a defining element of 'rescuing princess' formula. I mean, the word princess is practicality synonymous with being young and beautiful - thus, it becomes clear that the rescue attempt must undertaken on the strength that it'll be worth it. Thus, conversely, the thought of rescuing a princess seems to establish the notion that if he was hopeless enough to get captured then he isn't worth jack.
3) Female player characters are indeed prevalent but they're always characterized as tough and independently minded - hardly the type that would go rescuing some prince. I mean can anyone think of Samus Aran or Lara Croft going out of there way to rescue some significant other? Of course not.
And besides, if the princess was cunning/fighter, she would rescue herself and there'd be no game to play!
4) In fact the only princely character I can think of in gaming would have to be Alister from Dragon Age Origins. But it would seem that to be a video game prince carries for too much stigmata - as a result, Alister is far from royal material - He's a bastard, uninterested in royal responsibilities, and a dope. Still there is the thought that if he didn't receive such necessary characterization, Alister would come across as a lot less interesting.
But now that I think about it, Dragon Age Origins had the option of being a female player character and romancing Alister - and thus the option of ending the game as King and Queen of Ferelden. So maybe there is some value in developing an attachment to a video game prince....
I don't about the rest of you but since the first Legend of Zelda games and Super Mario bros. 1, the idea of rescuing princess as the game goal has some how been ingrained into the gamer consciousness. Sure it may a tried and tested trope but somehow we're keen to go with it. We're becoming used to control some guy rescuing a love interest and/or some gal using her wits to escape some sort of imprisonment. So why no gal-rescuing-prince? Well, the way I see it, this is such a familiar scenario then any attempt to mess with it is going to be challenged on multiple accounts. Therefore:
1) As the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. Sure the 'rescue princess' scenario may have worked a gazillion times before but there's no reason why additions can be made to the formula and have sime suitable characterization. Hence, in the case of Princess Zelda, we see her assisting Link in various forms, embodying the Triforce of wisdom and even taking up the mantle of Shiek. It also helps that the player character and princess (both Link and Zelda) are made to look beautiful, thus ensuring the attention of both male and female gamers alike.
2) Speaking of looking beautiful, it seems to be a defining element of 'rescuing princess' formula. I mean, the word princess is practicality synonymous with being young and beautiful - thus, it becomes clear that the rescue attempt must undertaken on the strength that it'll be worth it. Thus, conversely, the thought of rescuing a princess seems to establish the notion that if he was hopeless enough to get captured then he isn't worth jack.
3) Female player characters are indeed prevalent but they're always characterized as tough and independently minded - hardly the type that would go rescuing some prince. I mean can anyone think of Samus Aran or Lara Croft going out of there way to rescue some significant other? Of course not.
And besides, if the princess was cunning/fighter, she would rescue herself and there'd be no game to play!
4) In fact the only princely character I can think of in gaming would have to be Alister from Dragon Age Origins. But it would seem that to be a video game prince carries for too much stigmata - as a result, Alister is far from royal material - He's a bastard, uninterested in royal responsibilities, and a dope. Still there is the thought that if he didn't receive such necessary characterization, Alister would come across as a lot less interesting.
But now that I think about it, Dragon Age Origins had the option of being a female player character and romancing Alister - and thus the option of ending the game as King and Queen of Ferelden. So maybe there is some value in developing an attachment to a video game prince....
Monday, May 14, 2012
Lara Croft vs James Bond
At one point last year I made a comment that equated Lara Croft with James Bond. Of course, I'm not the first one to make such a connection but I've since thought about it a lot and thought it deserved some closer examination. So, after some research, this is what I came up with:
- Lara Croft is constantly seeking artifacts to prevent global catastrophe. James Bond is loyal agent of MI6 and saving the world from a variety of nutters.
- Both are multilingual.
- Both are well educated.
- Both go on adventures which sees them visit a variety of exotic locations
- Both go on adventures which sees them face danger at every turn at afore-mentioned exotic locations
- Both go on adventures which sees them have numerous costume changes
- Both have a wide knowledge of, and use, a variety of firearms
Some similarities true but I don't know. I've seen numerous James Bond movies through the years and somehow the idea of having a female counterpart to 007 seems a bit lame and forced. I remember they tried it with The Spy Who Loved Me with the character of Anya but it seemed too obvious - why her introductory scene involved her bedding some nameless prat.
And whilst people seem accepting of the idea of James Bond screwing anything with legs, the same can't be said of Lara Croft - indeed it should be noted there was an attempt to introduce a potential romantic partner, one Kurtis Trent, but didn't really lead anyway and the character hasn't been seen since.
Still it should be noted that James Bond did inspire the character of Indiana Jones - who in turn inspired Lara herself. So let's just leave it at that.
- Lara Croft is constantly seeking artifacts to prevent global catastrophe. James Bond is loyal agent of MI6 and saving the world from a variety of nutters.
- Both are multilingual.
- Both are well educated.
- Both go on adventures which sees them visit a variety of exotic locations
- Both go on adventures which sees them face danger at every turn at afore-mentioned exotic locations
- Both go on adventures which sees them have numerous costume changes
- Both have a wide knowledge of, and use, a variety of firearms
Some similarities true but I don't know. I've seen numerous James Bond movies through the years and somehow the idea of having a female counterpart to 007 seems a bit lame and forced. I remember they tried it with The Spy Who Loved Me with the character of Anya but it seemed too obvious - why her introductory scene involved her bedding some nameless prat.
And whilst people seem accepting of the idea of James Bond screwing anything with legs, the same can't be said of Lara Croft - indeed it should be noted there was an attempt to introduce a potential romantic partner, one Kurtis Trent, but didn't really lead anyway and the character hasn't been seen since.
Still it should be noted that James Bond did inspire the character of Indiana Jones - who in turn inspired Lara herself. So let's just leave it at that.
Monday, April 30, 2012
You. Me. Outside. Now
Some gaming deathmatches I would like to see:
Kratos (God of War) vs Amaterasui (Okami)
Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7) vs Kefka (Final Fantasy 6)
Samus Aran (Metroid) vs Femshep (Mass Effect)
Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) vs Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
Kratos (God of War) vs The Master (Actraiser)
Morrigan (Dragon Age Origins) vs Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)
Shodan (System Shock 2) vs GlaDOS (Portal)
Wander (Shadow of the Colossus) vs. James Sutherland (Silent Hill 2)
Vaan (Final Fantasy XII) vs. Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)
Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Nei (Phantasy Star 2)
Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Taki (Soul Calibur 3)
Duke Nukem vs. Sonic the Hedgehog
Kratos (God of War) vs Amaterasui (Okami)
Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7) vs Kefka (Final Fantasy 6)
Samus Aran (Metroid) vs Femshep (Mass Effect)
Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) vs Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
Kratos (God of War) vs The Master (Actraiser)
Morrigan (Dragon Age Origins) vs Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)
Shodan (System Shock 2) vs GlaDOS (Portal)
Wander (Shadow of the Colossus) vs. James Sutherland (Silent Hill 2)
Vaan (Final Fantasy XII) vs. Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)
Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Nei (Phantasy Star 2)
Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Taki (Soul Calibur 3)
Duke Nukem vs. Sonic the Hedgehog
Friday, January 27, 2012
Angels brought me here
I've been away from my blog for a week because I've been in that horrible place known as the outside world hiking in the Tasmanian wilderness. Thus I haven't had much time to play games but now normal business can be resumed
It’s been stated before in this blog that I’ve not played any of the Tomb Raider games. It’s true: They never really grabbed my interest and the mass exposure didn’t help: Indeed, there was a time where Lara Croft’s mug was everywhere to the point when I just got sick and tired of her. Of course such a stance isn’t the brightest of moves but I’ve personally maintained that there is often great clarity to be had being on the outside looking in.
But you can only stick your head in the sand for so long. I may have said some nasty things about Lara but it was kinda stupid to do so seeing I’ve never played any Tomb Raider. Needless to day I’d painted myself into a corner and needed to get out – solution? Shut up and play a Tomb Raider game.
So it may come to a surprise to some of you that I’ve actually had a Tomb Raider game lying around in my collection for a number of years. How long it’s been there I don’t know but I know how it came into my hands: I made an order with Australian game store The Gamesmen and, for some reason, Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness came with it. I’m not sure why this so - Maybe they thought me a loyal customer? But whatever: I’m certainly not one to pass up a freebie.
So whilst Angel of Darkness may not have been my choice of game, I had heard a little of it beforehand – namely that it’s now recognised as being one of Lara’s lesser moments. In addition, Angel of Darkness was notable for introducing the playable character of Kurtis Trent who was obviously made out to be a male counterpart to Lara – although the fact that the character hasn’t been seen since speaks volumes at the effectiveness of such a move (maybe he changed his name to Nathan Drake and relocated to a different game? I don’t know).
So far, playing Angel of Darkness hasn’t gotten off to a good start. As this is the PC version I’m using, I’ve found using a keyboard awkward and the controls rather stiff and anything but engaging. And Lara herself moves with an odd lack of urgency: At one point she needs to escape a building that’s being filled with gas but she does so strolling casually around – as opposed to say, oh I don’t know, running?! I mean I did use the sprint button but it didn’t seem to last long and it did trigger a bleeping noise – as if the game resented me for doing so.
And I’m being reminded why I’m not too keen on 3d plat formers: Most often than not, they usually involve a sequence of acrobatic flips that the player must perform correctly – should the player fail to do so, they will need to perform the sequence all over again. I hate it when games make me do that – it takes one slip up and bam! You’re back where you started facing the dictating demands of a game that doesn’t seem to like you. Hey at least Prince of Persia Sands of Time had the saving grace of the rewind time feature but, alas and alack, such sequences seem to be the lifeblood of the Tomb Raider games.
But what is particularly interesting is that, more than any other game I’ve played, I’ve found playing Angel of Darkness a battle of wits. This is a game I’ve picked up with reluctance and, as such, the expectations are high. This is not a game I’m prepared to love and therefore it had better pull something off something tremendous to win me over. So far I'm not getting that vibe: Aside form the terrible controls and troublesome platforming sections, I’ve found Lara uninteresting and have pointed and laughed whenever she’s died.
Yet somehow, I’m not prepared to quit playing Angel of Darkness. Whilst there have been times when I’ve come close to chucking in the towel, something happens that pulls me back into the action. Despite the awkward nature of the controls, I’m somehow growing accustomed to them. And even when I ground my teeth at the platforming sections, I somehow win over them and keep going into the game. Thus it would seem that whereas I’m coming into the game with reluctance, it however won’t go without a fight.
So in the end, the stage is set for an ultimate battle of wits.
Who’s going to win, the game or the player? Stay tuned…
It’s been stated before in this blog that I’ve not played any of the Tomb Raider games. It’s true: They never really grabbed my interest and the mass exposure didn’t help: Indeed, there was a time where Lara Croft’s mug was everywhere to the point when I just got sick and tired of her. Of course such a stance isn’t the brightest of moves but I’ve personally maintained that there is often great clarity to be had being on the outside looking in.
But you can only stick your head in the sand for so long. I may have said some nasty things about Lara but it was kinda stupid to do so seeing I’ve never played any Tomb Raider. Needless to day I’d painted myself into a corner and needed to get out – solution? Shut up and play a Tomb Raider game.
So it may come to a surprise to some of you that I’ve actually had a Tomb Raider game lying around in my collection for a number of years. How long it’s been there I don’t know but I know how it came into my hands: I made an order with Australian game store The Gamesmen and, for some reason, Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness came with it. I’m not sure why this so - Maybe they thought me a loyal customer? But whatever: I’m certainly not one to pass up a freebie.
So whilst Angel of Darkness may not have been my choice of game, I had heard a little of it beforehand – namely that it’s now recognised as being one of Lara’s lesser moments. In addition, Angel of Darkness was notable for introducing the playable character of Kurtis Trent who was obviously made out to be a male counterpart to Lara – although the fact that the character hasn’t been seen since speaks volumes at the effectiveness of such a move (maybe he changed his name to Nathan Drake and relocated to a different game? I don’t know).
So far, playing Angel of Darkness hasn’t gotten off to a good start. As this is the PC version I’m using, I’ve found using a keyboard awkward and the controls rather stiff and anything but engaging. And Lara herself moves with an odd lack of urgency: At one point she needs to escape a building that’s being filled with gas but she does so strolling casually around – as opposed to say, oh I don’t know, running?! I mean I did use the sprint button but it didn’t seem to last long and it did trigger a bleeping noise – as if the game resented me for doing so.
And I’m being reminded why I’m not too keen on 3d plat formers: Most often than not, they usually involve a sequence of acrobatic flips that the player must perform correctly – should the player fail to do so, they will need to perform the sequence all over again. I hate it when games make me do that – it takes one slip up and bam! You’re back where you started facing the dictating demands of a game that doesn’t seem to like you. Hey at least Prince of Persia Sands of Time had the saving grace of the rewind time feature but, alas and alack, such sequences seem to be the lifeblood of the Tomb Raider games.
But what is particularly interesting is that, more than any other game I’ve played, I’ve found playing Angel of Darkness a battle of wits. This is a game I’ve picked up with reluctance and, as such, the expectations are high. This is not a game I’m prepared to love and therefore it had better pull something off something tremendous to win me over. So far I'm not getting that vibe: Aside form the terrible controls and troublesome platforming sections, I’ve found Lara uninteresting and have pointed and laughed whenever she’s died.
Yet somehow, I’m not prepared to quit playing Angel of Darkness. Whilst there have been times when I’ve come close to chucking in the towel, something happens that pulls me back into the action. Despite the awkward nature of the controls, I’m somehow growing accustomed to them. And even when I ground my teeth at the platforming sections, I somehow win over them and keep going into the game. Thus it would seem that whereas I’m coming into the game with reluctance, it however won’t go without a fight.
So in the end, the stage is set for an ultimate battle of wits.
Who’s going to win, the game or the player? Stay tuned…
Friday, January 13, 2012
To the Extreme
I have this friend (hey Aef!). He’s a major fan of Lara Croft and he also thinks highly of Talis (of Dragon Age fame) and Jack (Mass Effect 2). Personally I see them all belonging in the same camp of extreme-strong-independent-borderline-psychotic-woman characters so I’m a bit worried about him….
Seriously though, I don’t find anything wrong with female game character being strong and independent – hell, I wrote a massively long, post about it – but what bugs me is that many female game characters are written in two extremes. The first being a character that serves as no other function than being a damsel in distress, ie Princess Peach. But the second is the afore-mentioned strong to the point of being psychotic type. The type defined by characteristics such as a constant need to prove one’s self, violent to the point of being neurotic, no conscience whatsoever, a near rejection of human emotions, an almost tunnel-vision determination to beat their male counterparts at their own game (so to speak) and the necessity to surround herself with male characters who can only be described as hopeless.
I mean I can understand the second type being a reaction to the ineffectualness of the second type but so easily can the second type come across as being a caricature as opposed to a legitimate character. I can understand that the female gamers may want a champion to cheer for and aspire to but I’m not convinced that having a character with near-psychotic traits is the way to go about it. True the ‘damsel in distress’ may be a stereotype but the ‘sassy action girl’ could also be considered a stereotype. And no less obnoxious.
Okay so there’s nothing wrong with women being inspired by the likes of Buffy or Xena but at the end of the day, one thing I do object about the 'sassy action girl' is when they are shown doing 'action' things and little else! As an aspiring writer myself, I know for a fact that the best characters need a mixture of strengths and oddities to keep them interesting - after all, once you identify the unusual about a character you're pretty much on your way.
One thing that bothers me about the second type characters is that they seem to convey the idea that it’s wrong to be…well…..feminine. You know, a female character can’t be passive or dress up – no they have to be in everyone’s face and take control of situations! Thus the only time the sight of Lara Croft in a cocktail dress would be acceptable would be if she was holding an assault rifle or something.
Seriously, what’s wrong with being feminine? By way of experience, Kathleen spent her teen years as a tomboy military chick and years later I managed to convince her into a dress on numerous occasions without too much difficulty.
Ultimately I’m not interested in either the powerful/independent women (and thus evil) stereotype or the powerless/male-reliant women (and thus virtuous) stereotype. No, what I think game writers should be striving for is a middle ground: A strong independent woman who has at least has emotions, a softer side and not afraid to do feminine things. Why not? Surely such ingredients would make for a champion worth cheering for, no? Some would think such traits would create an inconsistent conflict but I call BS on that: What it does is create a character who is, oh I don't know, interesting.
I’ve made mention of instances when this balance has been achieved but at the end of the day they are few. Ultimately it’s hard for the middle ground to get heard when two extremes dominate.
Still it is puzzling why the middle ground can’t be embraced seeing as it does the best of both worlds. Indeed, I've seen several game characters - both male and female - loaded with both strengths and enough charm to win over a player - but no visible character flaws or actual depth to balance it out. And still the character is lauded for it!
Honestly one would think that to add flaws or depth to a player character is a crime punishable by death....
Seriously though, I don’t find anything wrong with female game character being strong and independent – hell, I wrote a massively long, post about it – but what bugs me is that many female game characters are written in two extremes. The first being a character that serves as no other function than being a damsel in distress, ie Princess Peach. But the second is the afore-mentioned strong to the point of being psychotic type. The type defined by characteristics such as a constant need to prove one’s self, violent to the point of being neurotic, no conscience whatsoever, a near rejection of human emotions, an almost tunnel-vision determination to beat their male counterparts at their own game (so to speak) and the necessity to surround herself with male characters who can only be described as hopeless.
I mean I can understand the second type being a reaction to the ineffectualness of the second type but so easily can the second type come across as being a caricature as opposed to a legitimate character. I can understand that the female gamers may want a champion to cheer for and aspire to but I’m not convinced that having a character with near-psychotic traits is the way to go about it. True the ‘damsel in distress’ may be a stereotype but the ‘sassy action girl’ could also be considered a stereotype. And no less obnoxious.
Okay so there’s nothing wrong with women being inspired by the likes of Buffy or Xena but at the end of the day, one thing I do object about the 'sassy action girl' is when they are shown doing 'action' things and little else! As an aspiring writer myself, I know for a fact that the best characters need a mixture of strengths and oddities to keep them interesting - after all, once you identify the unusual about a character you're pretty much on your way.
One thing that bothers me about the second type characters is that they seem to convey the idea that it’s wrong to be…well…..feminine. You know, a female character can’t be passive or dress up – no they have to be in everyone’s face and take control of situations! Thus the only time the sight of Lara Croft in a cocktail dress would be acceptable would be if she was holding an assault rifle or something.
Seriously, what’s wrong with being feminine? By way of experience, Kathleen spent her teen years as a tomboy military chick and years later I managed to convince her into a dress on numerous occasions without too much difficulty.
Ultimately I’m not interested in either the powerful/independent women (and thus evil) stereotype or the powerless/male-reliant women (and thus virtuous) stereotype. No, what I think game writers should be striving for is a middle ground: A strong independent woman who has at least has emotions, a softer side and not afraid to do feminine things. Why not? Surely such ingredients would make for a champion worth cheering for, no? Some would think such traits would create an inconsistent conflict but I call BS on that: What it does is create a character who is, oh I don't know, interesting.
I’ve made mention of instances when this balance has been achieved but at the end of the day they are few. Ultimately it’s hard for the middle ground to get heard when two extremes dominate.
Still it is puzzling why the middle ground can’t be embraced seeing as it does the best of both worlds. Indeed, I've seen several game characters - both male and female - loaded with both strengths and enough charm to win over a player - but no visible character flaws or actual depth to balance it out. And still the character is lauded for it!
Honestly one would think that to add flaws or depth to a player character is a crime punishable by death....
Monday, September 12, 2011
Romantic Link
Last year I posted a love letter to Tidus and Yuna of Final Fantasy X. Surprisingly, this has become the most visited post to this blog (or at least that's what my stats say). I'm not sure why though - perhaps I'm not the only hopeless romantic gamer in this world....
...But I'd be a fool to believe such bollocks. Seeing as games these days seem to rely on escapism, the kind involving killing dudes and doing the type of thing that would unattainable in real life mind you, it seems that actual romance seems rather quaint, reserved for the likes of Bioware RPGs and the games of a previous era (Final Fantasy 8 anyone?).
Are there any hopeless romantics in the gaming community? Has the idea of rescuing a princess been cast aside? Has gaming grown up up to the point where fairy-tale idealism has been ditched completely? Did strong independent women like Lara Croft, Samus Aran and Jill Valentine make the damsel in distress obsolete? Or have many gamers realised that real women are in fact, more fun than pretend ones?
No matter, I'm a hopeless romantic and I feel no shame in saying so. And if there other people who share the same mindset then so much the better. So, in the hope that such people exists and are reading this I want to talk about another of the great gaming couples. It’s one of the longest running romances in the history of gaming and hands down one of the most recognisable. The faces may change but all in all, it still has the power to entice the interest of gamers everywhere.
That’s right, I’m talking about Link and Zelda
This is a strange couple to say the least: They see little of each other as the game(s) progresses and the worlds & persona they inhabit keep changing with each new addition to the series. Yet, in spite of it all, this is one relationship that keeps standing strong no matter the changing perceptions of the two involved.
When I look at the Zelda series, the more it becomes clear that it is a throwback to the fairy tales we are read to when we're kids: Those which involve a princess in some sort of danger and a prince/heroic figure stepping in to save the day. Also, like a fairy tale, Link, abides to the tried and tested formula of undertaking an adventure that begins at a humble level before achieving extraordinary success and recognition at the end of it. The only difference is that this isn’t a fairy tale that one is being read to – this is one where one is actually an active participant! They say people find comfort in familiarity and it’s the tried and tested formula that hooked a lot of young people in with the very first Legend of Zelda and still maintain their attention many years later (also, the exploration element and excellent gameplay didn’t hurt either).
So in a way it’s not hearing about rescuing a princess – no it’s actually actively doing things that result in the rescue of the princess. And a princess who, unlike Princess Peach, doesn’t send the player on a seemingly never-ending wild goose chase into the wrong castle.
Indeed, it is that notion of fairy tales that makes Link and Zelda compelling. Much like fellow Nintendo stable-mate Mario, Link is an everyman, coming from a humble background only to, as the game progresses, grow stronger with experience and the acquisition of a range of helpful items and power-ups. Indeed, it is that everyman quality that endears him to the player and builds a connection that makes the quests one that demands to be seen through to completion.
Zelda, meanwhile is shrouded in mystique. As stated before, we may not know much about her but it is that tantalizing sense of mystery that holds the attention and urges the player onward to, if anything, find more about this enigmatic princess. The sense of mystery that surrounds Zelda may have come across in different manifestations but ultimately, her beauty and her status make the quest of rescuing her from Ganon/dorf truly a battle worth fighting for. And, unlike her Nintendo stable mate Princess Peach, Zelda is shown to be a wise and capable ruler who is shown to be able to make major decisions and being deeply concerned with the welfare of her subjects.
Ultimately, I think the appeal of Link and Zelda lies in the fact they are both blank slates. Link may not utter a word but through his actions and his body language, he shows admirable virtues such as determination, intelligence and courage. As for Princess Zelda she, as stated before, maintains a degree of allure due to her long-standing sense of mystique: She may not be the player character but it is consistently her name in the title. In addition, Zelda may be a damsel in distress but she assists in Link in many, mostly subtle, ways.
And, in a strange way, that’s enough. Because of such little information been provided to the player, it is enough to propel the appeal of this relationship forward. True much of it is left up to player speculation but through the subtlest of indications, in the form of facial expressions and body language, we can see something come to the forefront. Thus, Link rescues Zelda, Link protects Zelda, Link blushes upon hearing Zelda’s name, Zelda protects Link in her many disguises, Zelda shows concern for Link’s safety and assists him in the final confrontation with Ganon/dorf.
And that for me is the appeal of Link and Zelda: The romance is presented within a real subtle manner. Indeed, its little moments like those I’ve described above that ultimately count for so much. It may not be obvious but the fact that it can capture the mind of the player, without them realising it, is a feat indeed. Sure the Zelda games may put forward some complications like Midna or Marin but honestly, the Hero of Time being without the Princess will just be unthinkable.
So that’s why I like the pairing of Link and Princess Zelda: It is practically a gaming take on the tried and tested fairy tale concept and it is furthered by subtle moments that really count for so much.
And, it would seem, my partner agrees with me.
...But I'd be a fool to believe such bollocks. Seeing as games these days seem to rely on escapism, the kind involving killing dudes and doing the type of thing that would unattainable in real life mind you, it seems that actual romance seems rather quaint, reserved for the likes of Bioware RPGs and the games of a previous era (Final Fantasy 8 anyone?).
Are there any hopeless romantics in the gaming community? Has the idea of rescuing a princess been cast aside? Has gaming grown up up to the point where fairy-tale idealism has been ditched completely? Did strong independent women like Lara Croft, Samus Aran and Jill Valentine make the damsel in distress obsolete? Or have many gamers realised that real women are in fact, more fun than pretend ones?
No matter, I'm a hopeless romantic and I feel no shame in saying so. And if there other people who share the same mindset then so much the better. So, in the hope that such people exists and are reading this I want to talk about another of the great gaming couples. It’s one of the longest running romances in the history of gaming and hands down one of the most recognisable. The faces may change but all in all, it still has the power to entice the interest of gamers everywhere.
That’s right, I’m talking about Link and Zelda
This is a strange couple to say the least: They see little of each other as the game(s) progresses and the worlds & persona they inhabit keep changing with each new addition to the series. Yet, in spite of it all, this is one relationship that keeps standing strong no matter the changing perceptions of the two involved.
When I look at the Zelda series, the more it becomes clear that it is a throwback to the fairy tales we are read to when we're kids: Those which involve a princess in some sort of danger and a prince/heroic figure stepping in to save the day. Also, like a fairy tale, Link, abides to the tried and tested formula of undertaking an adventure that begins at a humble level before achieving extraordinary success and recognition at the end of it. The only difference is that this isn’t a fairy tale that one is being read to – this is one where one is actually an active participant! They say people find comfort in familiarity and it’s the tried and tested formula that hooked a lot of young people in with the very first Legend of Zelda and still maintain their attention many years later (also, the exploration element and excellent gameplay didn’t hurt either).
So in a way it’s not hearing about rescuing a princess – no it’s actually actively doing things that result in the rescue of the princess. And a princess who, unlike Princess Peach, doesn’t send the player on a seemingly never-ending wild goose chase into the wrong castle.
Indeed, it is that notion of fairy tales that makes Link and Zelda compelling. Much like fellow Nintendo stable-mate Mario, Link is an everyman, coming from a humble background only to, as the game progresses, grow stronger with experience and the acquisition of a range of helpful items and power-ups. Indeed, it is that everyman quality that endears him to the player and builds a connection that makes the quests one that demands to be seen through to completion.
Zelda, meanwhile is shrouded in mystique. As stated before, we may not know much about her but it is that tantalizing sense of mystery that holds the attention and urges the player onward to, if anything, find more about this enigmatic princess. The sense of mystery that surrounds Zelda may have come across in different manifestations but ultimately, her beauty and her status make the quest of rescuing her from Ganon/dorf truly a battle worth fighting for. And, unlike her Nintendo stable mate Princess Peach, Zelda is shown to be a wise and capable ruler who is shown to be able to make major decisions and being deeply concerned with the welfare of her subjects.
Ultimately, I think the appeal of Link and Zelda lies in the fact they are both blank slates. Link may not utter a word but through his actions and his body language, he shows admirable virtues such as determination, intelligence and courage. As for Princess Zelda she, as stated before, maintains a degree of allure due to her long-standing sense of mystique: She may not be the player character but it is consistently her name in the title. In addition, Zelda may be a damsel in distress but she assists in Link in many, mostly subtle, ways.
And, in a strange way, that’s enough. Because of such little information been provided to the player, it is enough to propel the appeal of this relationship forward. True much of it is left up to player speculation but through the subtlest of indications, in the form of facial expressions and body language, we can see something come to the forefront. Thus, Link rescues Zelda, Link protects Zelda, Link blushes upon hearing Zelda’s name, Zelda protects Link in her many disguises, Zelda shows concern for Link’s safety and assists him in the final confrontation with Ganon/dorf.
And that for me is the appeal of Link and Zelda: The romance is presented within a real subtle manner. Indeed, its little moments like those I’ve described above that ultimately count for so much. It may not be obvious but the fact that it can capture the mind of the player, without them realising it, is a feat indeed. Sure the Zelda games may put forward some complications like Midna or Marin but honestly, the Hero of Time being without the Princess will just be unthinkable.
So that’s why I like the pairing of Link and Princess Zelda: It is practically a gaming take on the tried and tested fairy tale concept and it is furthered by subtle moments that really count for so much.
And, it would seem, my partner agrees with me.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Mother's Day
I recently had a bash at Ms Pacman on XBLA. Still a great game that has emerged unscathed from the ravages of time. Plus you have give credit to the game's protagonist for pioneering female leads.
As mentioned in my list of 10 best gaming heroines there is a lot going for Ms Pacman, being a loving wife and a devoted mother. And now that I think of it, it does raise a question: Have there been any decent mother figures in gaming?
I honestly think a mother being a player character is an idea that has potential. This is not somebody who's saving the world or blowing shit up just for the sake of it: This is someone who's acting out of fear of their children and would do anything to keep any threat away. With games now having large scripts and attention to characterization, I can imagine a forty something who's not afraid to pick up a shotgun to save her teenaged daughter/son. Those familiar with anime would note the title Witchblade, wherein the main protagonist is super-heroine but, at the same time, a mother who wants to look after her daughter and make sure she doesn't grow up to have a miserable life. A scenario like that can work if handled right so why not apply it to games?
Indeed, I can imagine many game developers are people who grew up playing games and no doubt have children of their own. So why not?
Sadly, it seems nearly essential for a lot of female protagonists must have a) looks to draw in a male audience and b) fiery independent spirit to draw a female audience. Which such prerequisites, having a mother character is suicide. I mean can anyone imagine Lara Croft having kids? Of course not.
Indeed, I can only think of one other mother character and that would be Sophitia from the Soul Calibur games. Alas, I think Namco must've been frightened that making her embrace motherhood would turn a lot of players away so the poor gal has been sexed up with each passing game in the series. A move which, I feel, detracts from the more noble aspects of Sophitia's character.
Similarly, I've heard Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7 being the embodiment of a 'motherly' role but there is a part of me (the cynical one) that the only way SqueeEnix could've gotten away with it is to make her a) young and beautiful b) hopeless the minute Cloud leaves the room and c) in possession of a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
What is this meant to prove? You can only be a mother in gaming if you're hot? I know some women who are mothers and I can tell you it's near impossible to maintain an attractive appearance despite living with the various pressures motherhood brings.
Another such example of such mishandling is Wynne from Dragon Age Origins. She certainly passes for a motherly role with her wisdom, dispensing advice and making sure the [Grey Warden] stays on track (her healing prowess is also welcome). But whilst there are noble qualities, there is a part of me that makes me think that only a woman of an elderly disposition could do it. Granted an aged/experienced character is a familiar archetype but there's no reason to work against the grain: Personally, I wold like to see wisdom and experience put to work for a 'big sister' type character.
But it seems that wisdom and good looks don't walk hand in hand - but at the same time it places the likes of Wynne in the awkward position of both being wise and a nag - a real catch 22 (of course we could go with MY idea but still.....)
In fact I think the only parental player character that is both taken seriously and actually works would be John Marston from Red Dead Redemption. Whilst the player can do what they like with John, there is still no escaping the main plot of the game where John's actions are based on wanting to bury his past as an outlaw and ensure his son Jack lives in a better world.
A noble deed that could only be done by a father. Can a mother character do the same?
But you know maybe there is no need for a mother protagonist. Why? Because both Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor did the job and they did it so well.
As mentioned in my list of 10 best gaming heroines there is a lot going for Ms Pacman, being a loving wife and a devoted mother. And now that I think of it, it does raise a question: Have there been any decent mother figures in gaming?
I honestly think a mother being a player character is an idea that has potential. This is not somebody who's saving the world or blowing shit up just for the sake of it: This is someone who's acting out of fear of their children and would do anything to keep any threat away. With games now having large scripts and attention to characterization, I can imagine a forty something who's not afraid to pick up a shotgun to save her teenaged daughter/son. Those familiar with anime would note the title Witchblade, wherein the main protagonist is super-heroine but, at the same time, a mother who wants to look after her daughter and make sure she doesn't grow up to have a miserable life. A scenario like that can work if handled right so why not apply it to games?
Indeed, I can imagine many game developers are people who grew up playing games and no doubt have children of their own. So why not?
Sadly, it seems nearly essential for a lot of female protagonists must have a) looks to draw in a male audience and b) fiery independent spirit to draw a female audience. Which such prerequisites, having a mother character is suicide. I mean can anyone imagine Lara Croft having kids? Of course not.
Indeed, I can only think of one other mother character and that would be Sophitia from the Soul Calibur games. Alas, I think Namco must've been frightened that making her embrace motherhood would turn a lot of players away so the poor gal has been sexed up with each passing game in the series. A move which, I feel, detracts from the more noble aspects of Sophitia's character.
Similarly, I've heard Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7 being the embodiment of a 'motherly' role but there is a part of me (the cynical one) that the only way SqueeEnix could've gotten away with it is to make her a) young and beautiful b) hopeless the minute Cloud leaves the room and c) in possession of a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
What is this meant to prove? You can only be a mother in gaming if you're hot? I know some women who are mothers and I can tell you it's near impossible to maintain an attractive appearance despite living with the various pressures motherhood brings.
Another such example of such mishandling is Wynne from Dragon Age Origins. She certainly passes for a motherly role with her wisdom, dispensing advice and making sure the [Grey Warden] stays on track (her healing prowess is also welcome). But whilst there are noble qualities, there is a part of me that makes me think that only a woman of an elderly disposition could do it. Granted an aged/experienced character is a familiar archetype but there's no reason to work against the grain: Personally, I wold like to see wisdom and experience put to work for a 'big sister' type character.
But it seems that wisdom and good looks don't walk hand in hand - but at the same time it places the likes of Wynne in the awkward position of both being wise and a nag - a real catch 22 (of course we could go with MY idea but still.....)
In fact I think the only parental player character that is both taken seriously and actually works would be John Marston from Red Dead Redemption. Whilst the player can do what they like with John, there is still no escaping the main plot of the game where John's actions are based on wanting to bury his past as an outlaw and ensure his son Jack lives in a better world.
A noble deed that could only be done by a father. Can a mother character do the same?
But you know maybe there is no need for a mother protagonist. Why? Because both Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor did the job and they did it so well.
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, October 25, 2010
Aerith vs Tifa
In the time since writing my list of compelling gaming heroine where I rated Aerith Gainsborough as my fav. Having made such a declaration, I thought I might contribute my thoughts to a never ending debate: Tifa Lockhart or Aerith Gainsborough. The two key heroines of Final Fantasy VII. This debate has been lasting a long time, many years since the game to be exact, and, as long as SquareEnix keeps pumping out stuff bearing the FF7 logo, doesn’t look like it’ll be ending sometime soon.
Granted I haven't attracted any attention from angry Tifa fans (alliteration!) but still, the Aerith/Tifa debate is something that’s guaranteed to have FF7 fans at each other’s throats so I might throw my two cents in.
But before I begin, I thought I might share my own thoughts on the role of women characters in gaming, both as a gamer and an aspiring writer.
It seems to me that female game characters seem to exist in two extremities: They are either a) a damsel in distress, incapable of doing a single thing when the hero isn’t around (eg: Princess Peach) or b) independent woman of the speak-to-me-and-I’ll-kick -your-balls-in variety (eg: Lara Croft). There appears to exist very little in the terms of overlap.
With the women’s rights movement, the fairy tale-inspired motif of ‘princess waiting around for prince to be rescued’ seems to have lost relevance in a modern world. Sure it may have been both a motivational aspect and a familiar plot device for games, but it does raise the question of why would the princess wait around for so long for the protagonist to get his act together? In all that time spent waiting wouldn’t she herself attempt to escape?
As for the independent woman motif, I’m not buying into it. It would appear that being independent means being grouchy and bitchy when a male character as so much says hello to you, doing everything a man can do to prove …….something, and favouring bleeding to death over asking for help. I have nothing wrong with women being independent but more often than not such independence is taken to unnecessarily extreme levels. Some would argue about one’s masculinity being threatened but I refute that claim by saying I wouldn’t be bothered by a female character who can do anything equally well as (or even surpass) the males – I would only be bothered if she decided to be a total bitch about it afterwards. Also, I’ve noticed in women characters that independence and depth don’t really sit well together. Just look at Lara Croft: As pointed out by Yahtzee, once you get past her over-sized bazoombas there really isn’t much to her: She is just stealing priceless historical artefacts before her rivals – all of which seem to have a lot less money than Lara. Sorry but I like my heroines to have a lot more than a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
What I look for in female game character is someone who has intelligence, has some capable fighting skills, is pro-active in solving a problem, has hopes and dreams like any other hero, doesn’t suddenly become completely useless when a problem arises, is able to do things without the hero being around, ends up rescuing the hero as many times as he rescues her AND has the looks to match.
So in any case, my criteria isn’t really that hard to accomplish and having a well-thought out female character with depth and independence isn’t really that hard.
Now that my view on female gaming characters has been established, let’s return to the task at hand: Tifa or Aerith. My thoughts on Aerith have already been established so lets cut straight to the chase and look at Tifa
Well, there’s no getting around it: For a bunch of polygons, she sure looks gorgeous. Okay she may not be much in the FF7 game graphics but, as the pic I’ve used above will attest, in Advent Children she looks great. For a fictional character, I’m quite impressed with what the animators did with her hair, her eyes and her facial features. Appearances are indeed stunning and it’s clear to see why Tifa has quite a large number of fans.
But I’m not fooled so easily: Through playing FF7 I didn’t find much to like about Tifa: Her limit breaks were lame, her fighting capabilities were useless, her stats were low and, as a result, I rarely used her at all. And this is supposed to be the greatest martial artist on the planet?
Okay maybe I’m being harsh but not without good reason. You see, there is something I don’t really like about Tifa’s personality. For the greatest martial artist on the planet (apparently), Tifa sure comes across as being somewhat useless the instant Cloud isn’t around – even to the point where Barrett actually points it out.
In fact a lot of Tifa’s world seems to revolve around Cloud: She worries about him when he isn’t around but won’t tell anyone else about it, and from the looks of it, the lass is in need of someone to look up to and lean upon when things are looking bad. Indeed, it makes me wonder how many male players entered their own name instead of Cloud’s.
But now that I think about it, Tifa really strikes me as pandering to the fanboys: a busty yet emotionally frail heroine who needs a man to rely because she can’t do jack the instant he leaves the room? What male wouldn’t want Tifa gushing over him?
To her credit though, Tifa certainly comes across as a more emotionally stable character in Advent Children, who’s more than capable of holding her own in a fight. And her appearance has a lot more sensuality than Aerith.
Ultimately though, Tifa strikes me as a woman who seems to need a man in a life becuase it seems that without one, she'd get nowhere fast. Indeed, it's the Lara Croft thing: Get past the looks and there's not really much left.
So when Tifa fails to win me over, Aerith claims that honour. After all, can you say no to those wonderful eyes?
Didn't think so
Granted I haven't attracted any attention from angry Tifa fans (alliteration!) but still, the Aerith/Tifa debate is something that’s guaranteed to have FF7 fans at each other’s throats so I might throw my two cents in.
But before I begin, I thought I might share my own thoughts on the role of women characters in gaming, both as a gamer and an aspiring writer.
It seems to me that female game characters seem to exist in two extremities: They are either a) a damsel in distress, incapable of doing a single thing when the hero isn’t around (eg: Princess Peach) or b) independent woman of the speak-to-me-and-I’ll-kick -your-balls-in variety (eg: Lara Croft). There appears to exist very little in the terms of overlap.
With the women’s rights movement, the fairy tale-inspired motif of ‘princess waiting around for prince to be rescued’ seems to have lost relevance in a modern world. Sure it may have been both a motivational aspect and a familiar plot device for games, but it does raise the question of why would the princess wait around for so long for the protagonist to get his act together? In all that time spent waiting wouldn’t she herself attempt to escape?
As for the independent woman motif, I’m not buying into it. It would appear that being independent means being grouchy and bitchy when a male character as so much says hello to you, doing everything a man can do to prove …….something, and favouring bleeding to death over asking for help. I have nothing wrong with women being independent but more often than not such independence is taken to unnecessarily extreme levels. Some would argue about one’s masculinity being threatened but I refute that claim by saying I wouldn’t be bothered by a female character who can do anything equally well as (or even surpass) the males – I would only be bothered if she decided to be a total bitch about it afterwards. Also, I’ve noticed in women characters that independence and depth don’t really sit well together. Just look at Lara Croft: As pointed out by Yahtzee, once you get past her over-sized bazoombas there really isn’t much to her: She is just stealing priceless historical artefacts before her rivals – all of which seem to have a lot less money than Lara. Sorry but I like my heroines to have a lot more than a rack big enough to land stealth bombers on.
What I look for in female game character is someone who has intelligence, has some capable fighting skills, is pro-active in solving a problem, has hopes and dreams like any other hero, doesn’t suddenly become completely useless when a problem arises, is able to do things without the hero being around, ends up rescuing the hero as many times as he rescues her AND has the looks to match.
So in any case, my criteria isn’t really that hard to accomplish and having a well-thought out female character with depth and independence isn’t really that hard.
Now that my view on female gaming characters has been established, let’s return to the task at hand: Tifa or Aerith. My thoughts on Aerith have already been established so lets cut straight to the chase and look at Tifa
Well, there’s no getting around it: For a bunch of polygons, she sure looks gorgeous. Okay she may not be much in the FF7 game graphics but, as the pic I’ve used above will attest, in Advent Children she looks great. For a fictional character, I’m quite impressed with what the animators did with her hair, her eyes and her facial features. Appearances are indeed stunning and it’s clear to see why Tifa has quite a large number of fans.
But I’m not fooled so easily: Through playing FF7 I didn’t find much to like about Tifa: Her limit breaks were lame, her fighting capabilities were useless, her stats were low and, as a result, I rarely used her at all. And this is supposed to be the greatest martial artist on the planet?
Okay maybe I’m being harsh but not without good reason. You see, there is something I don’t really like about Tifa’s personality. For the greatest martial artist on the planet (apparently), Tifa sure comes across as being somewhat useless the instant Cloud isn’t around – even to the point where Barrett actually points it out.
In fact a lot of Tifa’s world seems to revolve around Cloud: She worries about him when he isn’t around but won’t tell anyone else about it, and from the looks of it, the lass is in need of someone to look up to and lean upon when things are looking bad. Indeed, it makes me wonder how many male players entered their own name instead of Cloud’s.
But now that I think about it, Tifa really strikes me as pandering to the fanboys: a busty yet emotionally frail heroine who needs a man to rely because she can’t do jack the instant he leaves the room? What male wouldn’t want Tifa gushing over him?
To her credit though, Tifa certainly comes across as a more emotionally stable character in Advent Children, who’s more than capable of holding her own in a fight. And her appearance has a lot more sensuality than Aerith.
Ultimately though, Tifa strikes me as a woman who seems to need a man in a life becuase it seems that without one, she'd get nowhere fast. Indeed, it's the Lara Croft thing: Get past the looks and there's not really much left.
So when Tifa fails to win me over, Aerith claims that honour. After all, can you say no to those wonderful eyes?
Didn't think so
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Hey Ladies
Last week I posted a list of my favourite heroines in gaming. Some o them made the list for different reasons, whether it was strength in personality or having the looks to kill for. But, in coming up with that list, there were some names that didn't make the cut. So, for today, a list of honorable mentions:
Lt. Eva (Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2)
Sonya Blade (Mortal Kombat series)
Lucrecia Crescent (Final Fantasy 7)
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (Final Fantasy 9)
Oerba Yun Fang (Final Fantasy 13)
Meryl Silverburgh (Metal Gear Solid)
Anyway, now that i think about it, constructing a list of my favourite gaming heroines ultimately makes it one among many here in cyberspace - all of which say the same damn thing. So yes, I certainly have a sense of satisfaction in that I put the effort in and said something different (and it would appear it is possible to make list without mentioning Lara Croft).
The thing is, I am a man (Shut up I am!) and it seems that many of these lists are constructed by men - in an essentially male dominated market. But seeing as female gamers are growing in number and prominence, it makes me wonder - has any of them ever sat down and thought up a similar list?
I for one would like to see a woman gamer do what I did: Sit down and work out a list of their 10 favourite heroines (and/or heroes) and explain why, using personal experiences, analysis to character design, strength of character and potential role-model material. Indeed, it would be interesting to see what the other side of the gender fence think.
The gauntlet has been dropped - any takers?
Lt. Eva (Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2)
Sonya Blade (Mortal Kombat series)
Lucrecia Crescent (Final Fantasy 7)
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (Final Fantasy 9)
Oerba Yun Fang (Final Fantasy 13)
Meryl Silverburgh (Metal Gear Solid)
Anyway, now that i think about it, constructing a list of my favourite gaming heroines ultimately makes it one among many here in cyberspace - all of which say the same damn thing. So yes, I certainly have a sense of satisfaction in that I put the effort in and said something different (and it would appear it is possible to make list without mentioning Lara Croft).
The thing is, I am a man (Shut up I am!) and it seems that many of these lists are constructed by men - in an essentially male dominated market. But seeing as female gamers are growing in number and prominence, it makes me wonder - has any of them ever sat down and thought up a similar list?
I for one would like to see a woman gamer do what I did: Sit down and work out a list of their 10 favourite heroines (and/or heroes) and explain why, using personal experiences, analysis to character design, strength of character and potential role-model material. Indeed, it would be interesting to see what the other side of the gender fence think.
The gauntlet has been dropped - any takers?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Favourite Gaming Heroines
Heroines in gaming are a strange thing aren’t they? Through my own experience I have seen two types: a) a damsel in distress who can’t seem to do much apart form getting abducted by the game’s antagonist and b) some tough chick sexed up to the fact that they will shoot the balls off any bloke who as so much says hello.
But I don’t buy to any of that rubbish. I prefer to see things not in black and white but in shades of grey. So today, I present a list of gaming heroines who for some reason or another left an impression on me. All of these heroines I like but for different reasons: Some look gorgeous and some have strength of character whilst others, in my eyes, set benchmarks for other heroines to follow.
Furthermore, I want to set a personal challenge: Make a list of gaming heroines without mentioning the star of the Tomb Raider games (Geez, you think she was the only gaming heroine in town).
So let’s get going: This is my favourite gaming heroines.
11. Jill Valentine (Resident Evil series)
When you’re running from a zombie horde you’d most certainly want someone watching your back. Someone who’s hardened from experience and knows exactly what to do. And looking good whilst doing it doesn’t hurt either.
I have enjoyed Jill’s progression throughout the Resident Evil series, seeing her go from a rookie police officer and becoming more battle hardened with each encounter. She displays some noble virtues (as befit her profession) as well as confidence, intelligence, the usage of handguns and concern for the welfare of the people around her.
But I can’t pretend: As Resident Evil 3 pointed out, Jill has the looks to kill. Sure some people may hold up Tomb Raider as being an inspiration for this but Jill has a degree of drop-dead gorgeousness all her own. How she manages to survive such a nasty situation whilst in a tube top, mini skirt and knee high boots is beyond me. Maybe the clothes give her zombie resistant powers? I don't know.
But taste in clothes aside, if you ever wanted someone to watch your back in a zombie apocalypse, I will take Jill any day. And if many female gamers can find inspiration in this character then something must have worked.
10. Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers series)
I have a soft spot for Morrigan: If anything, she was the first crush I had on a fictional character. In a stunning example of sex selling, I played the arcade game and selected her character through that her presence in the attract sequence that lingers longer than what one would consider to be healthy (keep in mind I was thirteen at the time).
And how could one refuse? Morrigan is a triumph in character design, boasting a figure to die for, anime eyes and hair, and sexiness oozing from every pore. A succubus by nature, her intentions are made clear right from the start that you’d have to wonder why you’d want to resist.
However, once you reach adulthood, you realise that once upon a time you were young and dumb: You see, I realised that once you get past Morrigan’s figure there’s really not much to her. Her character is quite unremarkable coming across more as a bratty teenager, eschewing responsibility in favour of going out and having fun (I thought about inserting a Paris Hilton joke here but felt it too obvious). For this reason, Morrigan has been regulated to the bottom end of this list.
But there’s no denying it: In terms of sexy characters, Morrigan comes out on top – I mean why settle for natural beauty when unnatural/demonic beauty has so much to offer?
9. Mrs Pacman (Mrs Pacman)
This may seem an unusual choice in this list. Sure Mrs Pacman may not have much going on in the looks department but she more than makes up for it in the strength of her character – a flipside to Morrigan if you will. Indeed, there is a lot to admire in Mrs Pacman’s character with her being a devoted wife, a loving mother and being courageous enough to head into areas more dangerous than the one’s her husband visited. Such noble qualities certainly don’t appear often in female characters in more recent games – but maybe they don’t need to because Mrs. Pacman got it right the first time around. She was the first icon the female gamers could cheer for and a true inspiration – even to the point of using her status to promote breast cancer awareness.
8. Samus Aran (Metroid series)
The courageous bounty hunter herself. She may not be as sexualised as a lot of her contemporaries but in my eyes that makes her all the better for it.
Strong and independent with a sense of adventure and a degree of compassion strong enough to compel her to rescue yellow rodents that shoot out electrical bolts (if Super Smash Brothers Brawl is to be believed). Much like Jill, Samus is definitely someone who you’d want watching your back. But, unlike Jill, Samus has a more practical dress sense. And a gun for an arm - How can you see no to that?!
But the reason I like Samus is that she provides a connection: Playing Super Metroid, the sense of atmosphere provides a sense that you, the player, are all alone on a planet that is trying to stop this intruder called Samus. You really feel that you want to survive this hostile environment. You really feel you want to find the next upgrade that will open new places to explore. You really want Samus to find the Metroid and stop Ridley, and get off this freaky planet!
And all of this accomplished without showing an inch of bare skin! See? It can be done!
7. Ada Wong (Resident Evil series)
Much like Morrigan, Ada certainly has the sexiness down pat. And like Jill, she maintains the RE tradition of having a female character who can look great and kick some serious arse whilst doing so.
Aside from the whole temptress thing she has going, what endeared me to Ada was her rather compelling characterization: When introduced in RE2, she teams up with Leon Kennedy - only to be revealed to be a spy trying to claim the G4 virus. She gets shot but manages to survive to make a return in RE4. Therein she again crosses paths with Leon whilst pursuing her own agenda, and subsequently alternates between being an ally and a potential adversary. Indeed, it is unfortunate that RE4 ended the way it did becuase I for one would like see what happens to her in the future and whether or not she will cross paths with Leon again....
Ultimately, I really Ada becuase she is courageous, independent and not afraid to back down from danger - yet such strengths are balanced out with a questionable honesty, a sense of loyalty that tends to change like the weather and instances where she needs to be rescued by Leon. Yep, a well-realized character who has the looks to match. Good for her!
Plus, how she is able to run from the zombies in those high heels is an achievement in itself.
6. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
Okay so I’m cheating a bit seeing as Commander Shepard can be a male character as well but ultimately I prefer Femshep. So why does she get the nod? Three reasons:
1. The beauty of Commander Shepard is seeing the evolution of a character: Throughout the course of the game(s) Commander Shepard is faced with various choices: Some may alter the course of the narrative whilst others reveal Shepard’s preferred way of solving problems. Such choices help define the character and it’s indeed pleasing to see the pay-off later in the game – whether through altering the universe permanently or seeing how the other characters react to Shepard’s reputation.
2. Unlike her male counterpart, there is something refreshing about seeing a woman don the power armour and having a go at saving the universe. Seeing as space marines in gaming are usually defined by scowling meataxes, usually with more balls than brains, it is a welcome change to see a woman step into the field. And strangely enough, where as the males would their actions written off as macho, the woman, who is doing the same things, suddenly comes across as more heroic and courageous. For this reason Femshep is special.
3. And a sterling performance from voice actor Jennifer Hale doesn’t hurt either.
5. Freya Crescent (Final Fantasy 9)
And here we have the very first Final Fantasy heroine to this list (but not the last I can assure you). Yep, when it comes to finding out compelling female heroines, you can't go past the Final Fantasy series. Sure some of the heroines throughout the series may come across as being helpless and unable to do things until the protagonist shows his mug but when Final Fantasy decides to present a heroine who does things differently, you can't help but sit up and take notice.
Which brings me to Freya. She may be an unusual choice to this list - she is after all a six foot rat - but appearances aside, she has to be, perhaps, the most well-realised heroine in the entire series. When other FF heroines/love interests seemed to following the same template, Freya represented a watershed: She is independent in spirit but noble in heart. She is efficient in combat but holds an aura of tragedy. She never needs rescuing but is seeking her lost lover. She is in love but never shows such interest in Zidane. She eventually finds her man but things don't look that good for the future. So I tip my hat off to Square for putting such a lot of thought into the character - it is such attention to detail that places Freya as my favorite knight in the entire series.
And if that isn't enough when I played FF9, I used Freya a lot due to her annoying habit of saving the day in the battles - seriously, I lost count how many times she dealt the killing blow when things were at their bleakest! In any case, you can't do better than that.
4. Jahiera (Baldur's Gate series)
So far in this list I have mentioned some faces that may come across as familiar to lists like these. So the inclusion of Jahiera from Baldur’s Gate may come across as something of a surprise. So why Jahiera? Well, much like Freya, it is little do with appearances but instead the way her character was realised through the progression of the game.
I will admit that when I was first introduced to Jahiera in Baldur’s Gate 1, I was unimpressed. To me she came across as a crabby, anti-authority crank who was just fighting for the sake of it. Additionally, she had an unusual choice of husband with Khalid who seemed far too timid to be hanging around Jahiera, let alone married to! (Maybe it was her acid-tongue that made him so jumpy?)
All of that changes however with the sequel: She is one of the first companions you come across but even then, the change is immediately evident: Through her voice, Jahiera, whilst still retaining the sexy Russian accent, now comes across as being a lot more mellow. But it isn’t long afterward that it is revealed that Khalid is dead – and thus begins a long journey where Jahiera has to overcome the death of her husband and gradually move on. It is through the romantic sub-plot that we see an emotional vulnerability hiding behind the brash exterior – and seeing as Jahiera’s romantic sub-plot is the longest and most complex of the three potential sub-plots, it thus becomes the most satisfying of them all. Indeed, it is compelling to see a grouch, slowly but surely, open up to reveal an emotional side one never thought possible.
That and anyone who can heal my warrior and transform into a bear in combat is fine by me.
3. Yuna (Final Fantasy X)
The face of Final Fantasy X also happens to be one of my favorite heroines. First impressions reveal a character who shows a lot of thoughtfulness going into her design: Her clothes are simple (when compared to the other people of Spira) but the white and blue kimono thing she has going is nice – I particularly love the subtle details like the floral design on the dress, the bead structure/earring and the chain beads that hang from her waist – coloured in a way that mirror the crystals from Final Fantasy 1. Also, I liked her different coloured eyes and I thought her short hair made her stand out from other gaming heroines.
Whilst Yuna looks great, her real strength comes from, once again, a well-realised complexity to her character. Indeed, when I was playing through FFX, it was indeed interesting to see Yuna, the driving force of nearly all of the game, through the eyes of someone else (that someone else being Tidus). As such, it made for a great perspective to see the character of Yuna evolve in the manner akin to a character study and more is gradually revealed of her as the game continues to moves forward. Who is Yuna? Why is she going on this pilgrimage? Indeed, it is that sense of mystique and the need to find out more that urges the player onward.
As the game progresses Yuna grows through a lot of personal growth, displaying a wide range of emotions – all of which is conveyed whilst hiding a dark side of her eventual fate and the acceptance of its inevitability. Indeed, it is credit to the game designers to have a character go through so much over such a long period of time and subsequently build up a substantial connection with the player.
So yes, Yuna may have won me over with the looks, but it was her personal growth that endeared me to her. And let us not forget, she does have a really good singing voice.
Also, having a powerful magic stat and the ability to summon aeons doesn’t hurt either.
2. Princess Zelda (Legend of Zelda series)
Perhaps the most enigmatic candidate in this list: She was introduced in the first Legend of Zelda game as a MacGuffin: It was her name appearing in the title and she only appeared at the very end of the game, but everything else happening in the game resting on Link’s stalwart shoulders. So what is the appeal of Princess Zelda when it’s Link’s fate that’s being guided by the player?
Easy: It’s what we don’t know.
Right from the beginning, Princess Zelda is established as being important to the game: It is her name in the title and she is a princess who has been captured by the persistent baddie Ganon/Ganondorf. Strangely enough, that is all the player needs to know: Zelda is important and there’s good enough reason to go rescue her. Aside from that, not much else is established about the princess but there’s no need. Indeed, it is the aura of mystery that the Princess herself holds that certainly makes the challenge of rescuing her one worth rising up to. One could say they want to rescue just because they want to know more about her! And as the series has progressed, that sense of mystery has manifested in interesting ways with Zelda being the embodiment of Triforce of Wisdom and the introduction of her alter ego Shiek. Indeed, the mystique is such a strong idea that a Zelda game without Zelda just …well……wouldn’t be Zelda.
In addition, there is indeed a lot to like about Princess Zelda: She looks gorgeous (particularly in her Wii incarnations), she is of royalty, she is powerful in magic as well as capable in using the sword and bow, and she’s intelligent, courageous & shown to be a wise ruler who is deeply concerned for the welfare of her subjects.
So in the end, is this a face worth travelling across an ocean of time for? HELL YES!
And my number one favorite video game heroine is.....
1. Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy 7)
Cue the necrophilia jokes.
But seriously, I rank Aerith Gainsborough as my favourite gaming heroine. I have mentioned above characters that have won me over through looks, personality or a sense of mystique – but with Aerith, all of these elements come together to produce a compelling whole.
I think the most compelling aspect of the flower girl is that she is built on the idea of gentleness. A gentleness that is evident with her personality and her character design. Sure it may make her eventual fate all the more emotionally despairing but I honestly find the idea of gentleness a welcome one. In video gaming, we see female characters who are either sexed up, packing big guns, militaristic feminist or just being unable to do anything until the player character shows up. So in my mind, having a female character of a gentle nature is in a way refreshing.
The gentleness is pretty much in her design and Aerith looks nothing short of beautiful. She may not look like much in the original FF7 PS1 graphics but what she has gets enhanced tremendously in Advent Children and she looks wonderful. The hair looks great, the pink dress looks great and special mention must go to the most memorable aspect of Aerith: Her eyes. As indicated in the image above, she has the finest eyes CGI has ever produced.
Her multi-faceted personality is also a delight: Aerith accomplishes a lot in her time, through being a lonely soul, a positive influence, a source of cheerfulness, a courageous fighter, a damsel in distress, before being the only one who can make Cloud smile. She exhibits various emotions from angry, happy, witty, flirty, encouraging and brave. It is also interesting to see how a flower girl in the slums eventually becomes the key to saving the world. The healing-based limit breaks were also helpful too!
Okay so yes she may have a big hole in her chest (and may also be a bit wet) but Aerith certainly has a lot going for her – enough to secure her the number position in my list of favourite video game heroines.
It’s just a shame that she’s dead.
As well as being a fictional character. XD
Anyho, I hope you enjoyed this list of gaming heroines I like and how they made an impression on me. We all have our tastes - you just now know mine.
And no, you can't have the time spent reading this post back *maniacal laughter*
But I don’t buy to any of that rubbish. I prefer to see things not in black and white but in shades of grey. So today, I present a list of gaming heroines who for some reason or another left an impression on me. All of these heroines I like but for different reasons: Some look gorgeous and some have strength of character whilst others, in my eyes, set benchmarks for other heroines to follow.
Furthermore, I want to set a personal challenge: Make a list of gaming heroines without mentioning the star of the Tomb Raider games (Geez, you think she was the only gaming heroine in town).
So let’s get going: This is my favourite gaming heroines.
11. Jill Valentine (Resident Evil series)
When you’re running from a zombie horde you’d most certainly want someone watching your back. Someone who’s hardened from experience and knows exactly what to do. And looking good whilst doing it doesn’t hurt either.
I have enjoyed Jill’s progression throughout the Resident Evil series, seeing her go from a rookie police officer and becoming more battle hardened with each encounter. She displays some noble virtues (as befit her profession) as well as confidence, intelligence, the usage of handguns and concern for the welfare of the people around her.
But I can’t pretend: As Resident Evil 3 pointed out, Jill has the looks to kill. Sure some people may hold up Tomb Raider as being an inspiration for this but Jill has a degree of drop-dead gorgeousness all her own. How she manages to survive such a nasty situation whilst in a tube top, mini skirt and knee high boots is beyond me. Maybe the clothes give her zombie resistant powers? I don't know.
But taste in clothes aside, if you ever wanted someone to watch your back in a zombie apocalypse, I will take Jill any day. And if many female gamers can find inspiration in this character then something must have worked.
10. Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers series)
I have a soft spot for Morrigan: If anything, she was the first crush I had on a fictional character. In a stunning example of sex selling, I played the arcade game and selected her character through that her presence in the attract sequence that lingers longer than what one would consider to be healthy (keep in mind I was thirteen at the time).
And how could one refuse? Morrigan is a triumph in character design, boasting a figure to die for, anime eyes and hair, and sexiness oozing from every pore. A succubus by nature, her intentions are made clear right from the start that you’d have to wonder why you’d want to resist.
However, once you reach adulthood, you realise that once upon a time you were young and dumb: You see, I realised that once you get past Morrigan’s figure there’s really not much to her. Her character is quite unremarkable coming across more as a bratty teenager, eschewing responsibility in favour of going out and having fun (I thought about inserting a Paris Hilton joke here but felt it too obvious). For this reason, Morrigan has been regulated to the bottom end of this list.
But there’s no denying it: In terms of sexy characters, Morrigan comes out on top – I mean why settle for natural beauty when unnatural/demonic beauty has so much to offer?
9. Mrs Pacman (Mrs Pacman)
This may seem an unusual choice in this list. Sure Mrs Pacman may not have much going on in the looks department but she more than makes up for it in the strength of her character – a flipside to Morrigan if you will. Indeed, there is a lot to admire in Mrs Pacman’s character with her being a devoted wife, a loving mother and being courageous enough to head into areas more dangerous than the one’s her husband visited. Such noble qualities certainly don’t appear often in female characters in more recent games – but maybe they don’t need to because Mrs. Pacman got it right the first time around. She was the first icon the female gamers could cheer for and a true inspiration – even to the point of using her status to promote breast cancer awareness.
8. Samus Aran (Metroid series)
The courageous bounty hunter herself. She may not be as sexualised as a lot of her contemporaries but in my eyes that makes her all the better for it.
Strong and independent with a sense of adventure and a degree of compassion strong enough to compel her to rescue yellow rodents that shoot out electrical bolts (if Super Smash Brothers Brawl is to be believed). Much like Jill, Samus is definitely someone who you’d want watching your back. But, unlike Jill, Samus has a more practical dress sense. And a gun for an arm - How can you see no to that?!
But the reason I like Samus is that she provides a connection: Playing Super Metroid, the sense of atmosphere provides a sense that you, the player, are all alone on a planet that is trying to stop this intruder called Samus. You really feel that you want to survive this hostile environment. You really feel you want to find the next upgrade that will open new places to explore. You really want Samus to find the Metroid and stop Ridley, and get off this freaky planet!
And all of this accomplished without showing an inch of bare skin! See? It can be done!
7. Ada Wong (Resident Evil series)
Much like Morrigan, Ada certainly has the sexiness down pat. And like Jill, she maintains the RE tradition of having a female character who can look great and kick some serious arse whilst doing so. Aside from the whole temptress thing she has going, what endeared me to Ada was her rather compelling characterization: When introduced in RE2, she teams up with Leon Kennedy - only to be revealed to be a spy trying to claim the G4 virus. She gets shot but manages to survive to make a return in RE4. Therein she again crosses paths with Leon whilst pursuing her own agenda, and subsequently alternates between being an ally and a potential adversary. Indeed, it is unfortunate that RE4 ended the way it did becuase I for one would like see what happens to her in the future and whether or not she will cross paths with Leon again....
Ultimately, I really Ada becuase she is courageous, independent and not afraid to back down from danger - yet such strengths are balanced out with a questionable honesty, a sense of loyalty that tends to change like the weather and instances where she needs to be rescued by Leon. Yep, a well-realized character who has the looks to match. Good for her!
Plus, how she is able to run from the zombies in those high heels is an achievement in itself.
6. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
Okay so I’m cheating a bit seeing as Commander Shepard can be a male character as well but ultimately I prefer Femshep. So why does she get the nod? Three reasons:1. The beauty of Commander Shepard is seeing the evolution of a character: Throughout the course of the game(s) Commander Shepard is faced with various choices: Some may alter the course of the narrative whilst others reveal Shepard’s preferred way of solving problems. Such choices help define the character and it’s indeed pleasing to see the pay-off later in the game – whether through altering the universe permanently or seeing how the other characters react to Shepard’s reputation.
2. Unlike her male counterpart, there is something refreshing about seeing a woman don the power armour and having a go at saving the universe. Seeing as space marines in gaming are usually defined by scowling meataxes, usually with more balls than brains, it is a welcome change to see a woman step into the field. And strangely enough, where as the males would their actions written off as macho, the woman, who is doing the same things, suddenly comes across as more heroic and courageous. For this reason Femshep is special.
3. And a sterling performance from voice actor Jennifer Hale doesn’t hurt either.
5. Freya Crescent (Final Fantasy 9)
And here we have the very first Final Fantasy heroine to this list (but not the last I can assure you). Yep, when it comes to finding out compelling female heroines, you can't go past the Final Fantasy series. Sure some of the heroines throughout the series may come across as being helpless and unable to do things until the protagonist shows his mug but when Final Fantasy decides to present a heroine who does things differently, you can't help but sit up and take notice.
Which brings me to Freya. She may be an unusual choice to this list - she is after all a six foot rat - but appearances aside, she has to be, perhaps, the most well-realised heroine in the entire series. When other FF heroines/love interests seemed to following the same template, Freya represented a watershed: She is independent in spirit but noble in heart. She is efficient in combat but holds an aura of tragedy. She never needs rescuing but is seeking her lost lover. She is in love but never shows such interest in Zidane. She eventually finds her man but things don't look that good for the future. So I tip my hat off to Square for putting such a lot of thought into the character - it is such attention to detail that places Freya as my favorite knight in the entire series.
And if that isn't enough when I played FF9, I used Freya a lot due to her annoying habit of saving the day in the battles - seriously, I lost count how many times she dealt the killing blow when things were at their bleakest! In any case, you can't do better than that.
4. Jahiera (Baldur's Gate series)
So far in this list I have mentioned some faces that may come across as familiar to lists like these. So the inclusion of Jahiera from Baldur’s Gate may come across as something of a surprise. So why Jahiera? Well, much like Freya, it is little do with appearances but instead the way her character was realised through the progression of the game. I will admit that when I was first introduced to Jahiera in Baldur’s Gate 1, I was unimpressed. To me she came across as a crabby, anti-authority crank who was just fighting for the sake of it. Additionally, she had an unusual choice of husband with Khalid who seemed far too timid to be hanging around Jahiera, let alone married to! (Maybe it was her acid-tongue that made him so jumpy?)
All of that changes however with the sequel: She is one of the first companions you come across but even then, the change is immediately evident: Through her voice, Jahiera, whilst still retaining the sexy Russian accent, now comes across as being a lot more mellow. But it isn’t long afterward that it is revealed that Khalid is dead – and thus begins a long journey where Jahiera has to overcome the death of her husband and gradually move on. It is through the romantic sub-plot that we see an emotional vulnerability hiding behind the brash exterior – and seeing as Jahiera’s romantic sub-plot is the longest and most complex of the three potential sub-plots, it thus becomes the most satisfying of them all. Indeed, it is compelling to see a grouch, slowly but surely, open up to reveal an emotional side one never thought possible.
That and anyone who can heal my warrior and transform into a bear in combat is fine by me.
3. Yuna (Final Fantasy X)
The face of Final Fantasy X also happens to be one of my favorite heroines. First impressions reveal a character who shows a lot of thoughtfulness going into her design: Her clothes are simple (when compared to the other people of Spira) but the white and blue kimono thing she has going is nice – I particularly love the subtle details like the floral design on the dress, the bead structure/earring and the chain beads that hang from her waist – coloured in a way that mirror the crystals from Final Fantasy 1. Also, I liked her different coloured eyes and I thought her short hair made her stand out from other gaming heroines. Whilst Yuna looks great, her real strength comes from, once again, a well-realised complexity to her character. Indeed, when I was playing through FFX, it was indeed interesting to see Yuna, the driving force of nearly all of the game, through the eyes of someone else (that someone else being Tidus). As such, it made for a great perspective to see the character of Yuna evolve in the manner akin to a character study and more is gradually revealed of her as the game continues to moves forward. Who is Yuna? Why is she going on this pilgrimage? Indeed, it is that sense of mystique and the need to find out more that urges the player onward.
As the game progresses Yuna grows through a lot of personal growth, displaying a wide range of emotions – all of which is conveyed whilst hiding a dark side of her eventual fate and the acceptance of its inevitability. Indeed, it is credit to the game designers to have a character go through so much over such a long period of time and subsequently build up a substantial connection with the player.
So yes, Yuna may have won me over with the looks, but it was her personal growth that endeared me to her. And let us not forget, she does have a really good singing voice.
Also, having a powerful magic stat and the ability to summon aeons doesn’t hurt either.
2. Princess Zelda (Legend of Zelda series)
Perhaps the most enigmatic candidate in this list: She was introduced in the first Legend of Zelda game as a MacGuffin: It was her name appearing in the title and she only appeared at the very end of the game, but everything else happening in the game resting on Link’s stalwart shoulders. So what is the appeal of Princess Zelda when it’s Link’s fate that’s being guided by the player?
Easy: It’s what we don’t know.
Right from the beginning, Princess Zelda is established as being important to the game: It is her name in the title and she is a princess who has been captured by the persistent baddie Ganon/Ganondorf. Strangely enough, that is all the player needs to know: Zelda is important and there’s good enough reason to go rescue her. Aside from that, not much else is established about the princess but there’s no need. Indeed, it is the aura of mystery that the Princess herself holds that certainly makes the challenge of rescuing her one worth rising up to. One could say they want to rescue just because they want to know more about her! And as the series has progressed, that sense of mystery has manifested in interesting ways with Zelda being the embodiment of Triforce of Wisdom and the introduction of her alter ego Shiek. Indeed, the mystique is such a strong idea that a Zelda game without Zelda just …well……wouldn’t be Zelda.
In addition, there is indeed a lot to like about Princess Zelda: She looks gorgeous (particularly in her Wii incarnations), she is of royalty, she is powerful in magic as well as capable in using the sword and bow, and she’s intelligent, courageous & shown to be a wise ruler who is deeply concerned for the welfare of her subjects.
So in the end, is this a face worth travelling across an ocean of time for? HELL YES!
And my number one favorite video game heroine is.....
1. Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy 7)
Cue the necrophilia jokes.
But seriously, I rank Aerith Gainsborough as my favourite gaming heroine. I have mentioned above characters that have won me over through looks, personality or a sense of mystique – but with Aerith, all of these elements come together to produce a compelling whole.
I think the most compelling aspect of the flower girl is that she is built on the idea of gentleness. A gentleness that is evident with her personality and her character design. Sure it may make her eventual fate all the more emotionally despairing but I honestly find the idea of gentleness a welcome one. In video gaming, we see female characters who are either sexed up, packing big guns, militaristic feminist or just being unable to do anything until the player character shows up. So in my mind, having a female character of a gentle nature is in a way refreshing.
The gentleness is pretty much in her design and Aerith looks nothing short of beautiful. She may not look like much in the original FF7 PS1 graphics but what she has gets enhanced tremendously in Advent Children and she looks wonderful. The hair looks great, the pink dress looks great and special mention must go to the most memorable aspect of Aerith: Her eyes. As indicated in the image above, she has the finest eyes CGI has ever produced.
Her multi-faceted personality is also a delight: Aerith accomplishes a lot in her time, through being a lonely soul, a positive influence, a source of cheerfulness, a courageous fighter, a damsel in distress, before being the only one who can make Cloud smile. She exhibits various emotions from angry, happy, witty, flirty, encouraging and brave. It is also interesting to see how a flower girl in the slums eventually becomes the key to saving the world. The healing-based limit breaks were also helpful too!
Okay so yes she may have a big hole in her chest (and may also be a bit wet) but Aerith certainly has a lot going for her – enough to secure her the number position in my list of favourite video game heroines.
It’s just a shame that she’s dead.
As well as being a fictional character. XD
Anyho, I hope you enjoyed this list of gaming heroines I like and how they made an impression on me. We all have our tastes - you just now know mine.
And no, you can't have the time spent reading this post back *maniacal laughter*
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