This week I’ve been playing a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles.
Yes after some bafflement at it’s selective releasing, I finally have my claws on Xenoblade Chronicles. It may have cost me an arm and a leg but there is enough curiosity to justify such an investment. The reinvention that JRPGs were in dire need of? The last gasp of the Wii? A shining beacon in amongst a barren RPG-starved platform? A game that was so good that it was only released once in Australia? And before the US for that matter? Well that’s enough for me.
So what do I think about Xenoblade Chronicles? Well I’m six hours in and so far it’s looking good. Now I’ve played numerous Final Fantasy games so that will ultimately influence my perception of JRPGs in general – indeed, when playing other JRPGs I’ve found it very hard not to notice the fingerprints of Final Fantasy abound. That being said, I’m so far finding that Xenoblade Chronicles is doing a lot of things differently: I’m enjoying the combat and the necessity for being mobile on the battlefield. I like how the time cycles work and the difference in day/night environments. The random encounters are handled great through being in purely optional manner. The mecha designs are pretty good and I’ve enjoyed the vast array of subquests. The environments are very beautiful too and the graphics are incredible to a point that I never thought possible on the aging Wii. I’m also enjoying the British Accents throughout the game and the fact that the PC, Shulk, isn’t an incompetent, whiny, little bitch.
Of course this only the beginning – whether this welcome will last or fall flat on it’s face is only matter of time. I find the subquest completion system a bit odd (you do certain quests and they’re automatically done? No return for confirmation? O….K….) and this being part of the Xeno series I strongly suspect there’ll be some heavy handed condemnations of the Catholic church (as JRPGs are wont to do).
But ultimately I can see the claims that Xenoblade Chronicles does things differently have weight – and going against the grain is indeed something that should be championed. Indeed, I’ve been playing this after a long absence from JRPGs and it is great to finally be having some fun again.
Indeed, it would be interesting to see, as I progress deeper into this game, if this pace can be kept up…
Showing posts with label Wii. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wii. Show all posts
Friday, May 17, 2013
Friday, September 23, 2011
Green Eyed Monster
Being the massive Rock Band fan I am, I recently picked up Green Day Rock Band. I remember when I was teenager I listened to Green Day, and Dookie in particular, a lot so buying this expansion was a real no-brainer.
Of course, there are some questionable absences (where's Walking Contradiction? Waiting? Maria? Stuck With me?), and there are moments to suggest the game being a copy of Beatles Rock Band but the opportunity to include Dookie into my Music Library is still pretty sweet.
But for some reason I don't like the character models. I have mentioned before that I preferred the cartoonish models in RB2 than those in RB3 and it's the same here. In Green Day Rock band, the avatars for Billy Joe, Mike and Tre look hideous and off-putting.
Having said that it does make an interesting counterpoint to Beatles Rock Band. Now whilst I've been playing GDRB on the 360, I have however played through BRB on the Wii. And on the latter, I actually found the models far more pleasing to the eye. Maybe it was the art design or the graphical limitations of the Wii, but I really enjoyed the avatars for John, Paul, George and Ringo and prefer them to those in GDRB.
I guess this proves that the more Harmonix strives for this 'realistic' approach to their graphics, the more off-putting the finished product ends up.
Of course, there are some questionable absences (where's Walking Contradiction? Waiting? Maria? Stuck With me?), and there are moments to suggest the game being a copy of Beatles Rock Band but the opportunity to include Dookie into my Music Library is still pretty sweet.
But for some reason I don't like the character models. I have mentioned before that I preferred the cartoonish models in RB2 than those in RB3 and it's the same here. In Green Day Rock band, the avatars for Billy Joe, Mike and Tre look hideous and off-putting.
Having said that it does make an interesting counterpoint to Beatles Rock Band. Now whilst I've been playing GDRB on the 360, I have however played through BRB on the Wii. And on the latter, I actually found the models far more pleasing to the eye. Maybe it was the art design or the graphical limitations of the Wii, but I really enjoyed the avatars for John, Paul, George and Ringo and prefer them to those in GDRB.
I guess this proves that the more Harmonix strives for this 'realistic' approach to their graphics, the more off-putting the finished product ends up.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Rock n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
Those who have been following my posts on the Rock Band series may suspect that I have RB on both the Wii and the Xbox 360. And I can confirm this: yes I have RB2 for the Wii and Rock Band 1+2+3 for the Xbox 360.
Why the same game on multiple system? Well, it was more accident than design (thankfully). In 2009, I attended an EB Games con in Melbourne where they had live Rock Band on stage, offered to anyone willing to go up and have a go. A promise of a prize was on offer to anyonewilling to make an arse of themselves who rocked out. I went up dressed as a Cloud from Final Fantasy 7 and performed a blistering performance of Jet's Are You Gonna Be My Girl. And I won a prize. I told the people running the event I had a Wii as it was the only current-gen console I had at the time. I had no idea what the prize in question will be but I certainly wasn't expecting a complete RB set with game, mike, guitar and drumkit! (yes I've told this story before but what the hell - It's one I'll never tire of telling!)
But eventually a problem arose: the Wii didn't offer backwards compatibility/exportation with any of the other RB titles. Sure I had some DLC to show for it but it also meant missing out on some other cool songs. So when RB3 came around, I got all three of the titles for the 360.
Looking back, I'm not sure if this was a wise move. Sure the graphics on the 360 make it difficult to go back to the Wii but there is also the troubling thought that I would need to go back and download all my favored songs all over again. Sure I have my exportation feature but the Wii can let anyone pick up an instrument and play - without any of the profile building nonsense that can delay the fun.
Indeed, I have a whole lotta dead money on my wii and going through the DLC again means a whole lot more money going up in smoke.
Still, would this be a surprise to any gamer? just think twenty years ago, people were playing a LOT of money for SNES/Megadrive games, whereas now you can pick them up for a few dollars. Makes you wonder if the DLC for Rock Band will be any good some five/ten and a number of sequels later....
Why the same game on multiple system? Well, it was more accident than design (thankfully). In 2009, I attended an EB Games con in Melbourne where they had live Rock Band on stage, offered to anyone willing to go up and have a go. A promise of a prize was on offer to anyone
But eventually a problem arose: the Wii didn't offer backwards compatibility/exportation with any of the other RB titles. Sure I had some DLC to show for it but it also meant missing out on some other cool songs. So when RB3 came around, I got all three of the titles for the 360.
Looking back, I'm not sure if this was a wise move. Sure the graphics on the 360 make it difficult to go back to the Wii but there is also the troubling thought that I would need to go back and download all my favored songs all over again. Sure I have my exportation feature but the Wii can let anyone pick up an instrument and play - without any of the profile building nonsense that can delay the fun.
Indeed, I have a whole lotta dead money on my wii and going through the DLC again means a whole lot more money going up in smoke.
Still, would this be a surprise to any gamer? just think twenty years ago, people were playing a LOT of money for SNES/Megadrive games, whereas now you can pick them up for a few dollars. Makes you wonder if the DLC for Rock Band will be any good some five/ten and a number of sequels later....
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wii can do it 2!
Apparently it's official: Nintendo have a successor to the Wii heading our way: Project Cafe Thus I present some thoughts on the matter:
- With a new console (reportedly more powerful than the 360), it's fair to say that the eighth generation of consoles is on the horizon. After all, it's been five years which, as history has proven, is the usual time for a new one. Strangely, I thought this current one would be lasting longer than before: We have HD, we have awesome visuals that probably aren't going to get any better, we have stacks of games available and we have embraced the potential of downloaded material. Where can we possibly go from here?
- I must admit I was surprised by the announcement of a successor: I would've figured that Nintendo would abandon the console concept altogether in favor of putting all their weight behind the 3DS. But it would appear not...
- Backwards compatibility is fine with Wii software but is that it? What about the Gamecube games i have? What about the Virtual Console titles I downloaded (of which they've been plenty)? I like how the 360 is arranged with profiles and how it recalls everything downloaded to the hard drive. This system it seems set to be implemented into the new Xbox (when/if it comes...) without too much trouble.
So how would Project Cafe this effect my DLC for my Wii?
- And while we're talking about the Virtual Console, how about expanding the concept? I want to see Saturn titles appear. Nintendo can't really deny (as much as they'd like to) that the VC has been a key asset in the Wii's success and there's no reason to discontinue it. Indeed with the competition catching up, in the form of the PSN and XBLA, Nintendo would be a fool to abandon this idea.
- And if the Wii is starting on the way out, does this mean we'll finally see a drop in price for Super Mario Galaxy? >:(
Ultimately though it's too early to form an opinion on Nintendo's new beast so most of this is speculation. And I doubt such a large corporation would pay any attention to grumpy bloggers like myself.
Oh well....
- With a new console (reportedly more powerful than the 360), it's fair to say that the eighth generation of consoles is on the horizon. After all, it's been five years which, as history has proven, is the usual time for a new one. Strangely, I thought this current one would be lasting longer than before: We have HD, we have awesome visuals that probably aren't going to get any better, we have stacks of games available and we have embraced the potential of downloaded material. Where can we possibly go from here?
- I must admit I was surprised by the announcement of a successor: I would've figured that Nintendo would abandon the console concept altogether in favor of putting all their weight behind the 3DS. But it would appear not...
- Backwards compatibility is fine with Wii software but is that it? What about the Gamecube games i have? What about the Virtual Console titles I downloaded (of which they've been plenty)? I like how the 360 is arranged with profiles and how it recalls everything downloaded to the hard drive. This system it seems set to be implemented into the new Xbox (when/if it comes...) without too much trouble.
So how would Project Cafe this effect my DLC for my Wii?
- And while we're talking about the Virtual Console, how about expanding the concept? I want to see Saturn titles appear. Nintendo can't really deny (as much as they'd like to) that the VC has been a key asset in the Wii's success and there's no reason to discontinue it. Indeed with the competition catching up, in the form of the PSN and XBLA, Nintendo would be a fool to abandon this idea.
- And if the Wii is starting on the way out, does this mean we'll finally see a drop in price for Super Mario Galaxy? >:(
Ultimately though it's too early to form an opinion on Nintendo's new beast so most of this is speculation. And I doubt such a large corporation would pay any attention to grumpy bloggers like myself.
Oh well....
Monday, February 21, 2011
Showing one's age
I use my Wii almost exclusively for the Virtual Console (and I swear I'm not the only one who does so). For me, it is the means of catching up on stuff that I missed out on the first time around - Indeed adulthood certainly makes way for a whole lot more freedom than one's teen years.
However, it is interesting to note that looking back, some games that may have seemed ace at the time haven't really aged well. The greatest offender here is Super Mario 64. Now, I've played Super Mario 64 many times and actually find it quite enjoyable. I recall when it was released it was universally praised and many people crediting it (and even now) as being the game that took the then new technology of 3d environments and made it fun. HOWEVER! Looking back at it now, the problem of the crummy camera functions are glaringly obvious - Indeed, this has been such a problem you have to wonder how Nintendo, who have prided themselves in game design, could have gotten away with it. And how many people can overlook this problem to, then and now, dub Super Mario 64, the Greatest Game EVAH.
Indeed, it is interesting to consider how many games can be loved on their initial release only to be condemned (with venom) years later. The backlash is interesting indeed, exhibit the kind of betrayal one would think they are dealing with Marcus Brutus, Benedict Arnold or Judas. Sure nostalgia may play it's part but I don't buy that: Nostalgia only provides a positive experience that people are trying to find every since but as such an experience is a unique one, such a quest is a doomed mission. And if the first few games one plays had such an important part in one's perspective I'd be playing the Commodore 64 version of Double Dragon over Beatles Rock Band but this is not the case.
It is interesting to note how many games have staying power within an industry where everything moves so quickly: Technological advancements get developed quickly and, as such, gamer's attention is quite limited and fickle. I still enjoy games from obsolete consoles (give me Secret of Mana over any recent JRPG any day) and for good reason: They work. They have great ideas, attention to detail, efficient design and a technical spark that makes the game enjoy a lifespan far longer than it's parent console.
It makes me wonder what people ten or fifteen years from now are going to think of the games going around at the present time. Compare Super Mario Galaxy to Super Mario World: they may look like they've come from different planets (pun most certainly intended) but that's fifteen years of technological advancement right there. So when you consider Gears of War 2 you have to wonder what things are going to look like in in 2025.....
However, it is interesting to note that looking back, some games that may have seemed ace at the time haven't really aged well. The greatest offender here is Super Mario 64. Now, I've played Super Mario 64 many times and actually find it quite enjoyable. I recall when it was released it was universally praised and many people crediting it (and even now) as being the game that took the then new technology of 3d environments and made it fun. HOWEVER! Looking back at it now, the problem of the crummy camera functions are glaringly obvious - Indeed, this has been such a problem you have to wonder how Nintendo, who have prided themselves in game design, could have gotten away with it. And how many people can overlook this problem to, then and now, dub Super Mario 64, the Greatest Game EVAH.
Indeed, it is interesting to consider how many games can be loved on their initial release only to be condemned (with venom) years later. The backlash is interesting indeed, exhibit the kind of betrayal one would think they are dealing with Marcus Brutus, Benedict Arnold or Judas. Sure nostalgia may play it's part but I don't buy that: Nostalgia only provides a positive experience that people are trying to find every since but as such an experience is a unique one, such a quest is a doomed mission. And if the first few games one plays had such an important part in one's perspective I'd be playing the Commodore 64 version of Double Dragon over Beatles Rock Band but this is not the case.
It is interesting to note how many games have staying power within an industry where everything moves so quickly: Technological advancements get developed quickly and, as such, gamer's attention is quite limited and fickle. I still enjoy games from obsolete consoles (give me Secret of Mana over any recent JRPG any day) and for good reason: They work. They have great ideas, attention to detail, efficient design and a technical spark that makes the game enjoy a lifespan far longer than it's parent console.
It makes me wonder what people ten or fifteen years from now are going to think of the games going around at the present time. Compare Super Mario Galaxy to Super Mario World: they may look like they've come from different planets (pun most certainly intended) but that's fifteen years of technological advancement right there. So when you consider Gears of War 2 you have to wonder what things are going to look like in in 2025.....
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wii Keep the Pace
I haven't had much to say this week: I've been on a Mass Effect 2 binge - brought about by obtaining all the DLC available and getting access to a High-Def TV.
Anyway, I recently heard that Nintendo's profits have taken a turn for the worse. Yep, the company that wrote the rulebook on gaming, traveled with many gamers from childhood and beyond is now in a rather uncomfortable position - the type of which is quite surprising considering the near untouchable nature Nintendo has enjoyed.
Sure the Wii has sold well and done a lot to introduce people to games, but what Nintendo do now is indeed a good question. With regards to the Wii, Xbox and Playstation have now embraced Motion Controllers, the console itself is being outclassed by it's technological superior rivals, first-party games like Super Mario Galaxy and Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess have yet to drop in price, many of the 'hardcore' crowd are unimpressed and defecting to Microsoft and Sony, and one potential ace-in-the-hole, I am of course referring to the Virtual Console, seems to have been abandoned.
I do admire that Nintendo were trying to come up with new ways to play games than compete in the technological race. I give credit to the efforts Nintendo put in to grab attention of people who don't normally play games. However these two feats may have ended up working against Nintendo. The problem I find with Motion controls is that it essentially removes the connection between player and console. People play games as a leisure activity - you know, to relax - and incorporating motion controls takes that away through demanding the player to be off their seat and active.
Also, whilst I despise the distinction between the 'casual' and 'hardcore' gaming, I must grudgingly admit that it's inescapable with the Wii. Sure it may have tied up the casual crowd nicely, it has however lost a lot of the hardcore crowd to the PS3 and Xbox 360 - many of whom would've been weaned on the NES, SNES and N64.
Another problem with the Wii is the Virtual Console. One of it's major selling points, I myself was one of many sold over, it now seems to have been abandoned by Nintendo. No updates have appeared in a while and many longed-for titles have yet to show their face. I myself have championed the Virtual Console for the longest time and felt it was a real advantage for Nintendo. It's just a shame the idea wasn't taken to it's full extent. I would like to see more previously exclusive titles appear on the Virtual Console (Chrono Trigger for example) and more from obsolete consoles (I can think of more than a few Sega Saturn titles I would like to see dusted off). Come on Nintendo, it's not too late to turn around!
At the end of the day, the Wii may have managed to keep Nintendo financially stable, but ultimately, I'm not willing to deem it a successful console. Call it a combination of ideas not pushed to their full extent, ideas that just didn't work and being outpaced by Nintendo's rivals.
So what can Nintendo do from here? Company survival may well be the order of the day. Whilst Nintendo may have been unstoppable in the past, in recent years things have taken a rather uneasy turn. Indeed, one too many wrong moves can prove fatal in this business - just ask Sega. Of course, now Nintendo are investing a lot into the DS and it's successor - does this mean they're giving up on the home console business altogether? Abandoning what they've built a business around?
But, as history has a tendency to repeat itself, one would think that Nintendo may do what Sega did all those years ago: Introduce a new console thus inspiring a new generation just to remain ahead.
Anyway, I recently heard that Nintendo's profits have taken a turn for the worse. Yep, the company that wrote the rulebook on gaming, traveled with many gamers from childhood and beyond is now in a rather uncomfortable position - the type of which is quite surprising considering the near untouchable nature Nintendo has enjoyed.
Sure the Wii has sold well and done a lot to introduce people to games, but what Nintendo do now is indeed a good question. With regards to the Wii, Xbox and Playstation have now embraced Motion Controllers, the console itself is being outclassed by it's technological superior rivals, first-party games like Super Mario Galaxy and Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess have yet to drop in price, many of the 'hardcore' crowd are unimpressed and defecting to Microsoft and Sony, and one potential ace-in-the-hole, I am of course referring to the Virtual Console, seems to have been abandoned.
I do admire that Nintendo were trying to come up with new ways to play games than compete in the technological race. I give credit to the efforts Nintendo put in to grab attention of people who don't normally play games. However these two feats may have ended up working against Nintendo. The problem I find with Motion controls is that it essentially removes the connection between player and console. People play games as a leisure activity - you know, to relax - and incorporating motion controls takes that away through demanding the player to be off their seat and active.
Also, whilst I despise the distinction between the 'casual' and 'hardcore' gaming, I must grudgingly admit that it's inescapable with the Wii. Sure it may have tied up the casual crowd nicely, it has however lost a lot of the hardcore crowd to the PS3 and Xbox 360 - many of whom would've been weaned on the NES, SNES and N64.
Another problem with the Wii is the Virtual Console. One of it's major selling points, I myself was one of many sold over, it now seems to have been abandoned by Nintendo. No updates have appeared in a while and many longed-for titles have yet to show their face. I myself have championed the Virtual Console for the longest time and felt it was a real advantage for Nintendo. It's just a shame the idea wasn't taken to it's full extent. I would like to see more previously exclusive titles appear on the Virtual Console (Chrono Trigger for example) and more from obsolete consoles (I can think of more than a few Sega Saturn titles I would like to see dusted off). Come on Nintendo, it's not too late to turn around!
At the end of the day, the Wii may have managed to keep Nintendo financially stable, but ultimately, I'm not willing to deem it a successful console. Call it a combination of ideas not pushed to their full extent, ideas that just didn't work and being outpaced by Nintendo's rivals.
So what can Nintendo do from here? Company survival may well be the order of the day. Whilst Nintendo may have been unstoppable in the past, in recent years things have taken a rather uneasy turn. Indeed, one too many wrong moves can prove fatal in this business - just ask Sega. Of course, now Nintendo are investing a lot into the DS and it's successor - does this mean they're giving up on the home console business altogether? Abandoning what they've built a business around?
But, as history has a tendency to repeat itself, one would think that Nintendo may do what Sega did all those years ago: Introduce a new console thus inspiring a new generation just to remain ahead.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Golden Goose
Last week I talked about remakes so today I’d talk about it some more.
Recently, Goldeneye 007 has touched down on the Wii. Billed as a remake of the classic Goldeneye 64 for the N64, this was indeed a surprise when it was originally announced and no doubt had more than a few Nintendo devotees both alarmed and angered. But on paper, the idea of remaking Goldeneye 64 has a lot going for it: 1) With Nintendo and Rare parted ways there’s no way we’ll ever see the original turn up on the Virtual Console, 2) there’s no denying that Goldeneye 64, despite its importance to console FPS’s, hasn’t aged too well and 3) the opportunity for online play would be welcome addition.
So in this case, a remake could be a good idea - But at the same time, any good idea/intent can fall flat on it’s face.
I was talking to a friend recently –he’d just picked up this remake and he seemed disappointed with the finished product. Unsurprisingly, he dismissed the game as not being a patch on the original.
So is it impossible then? Impossible to recapture the spark that made the original work so well? Or isn’t it far more easier to dismiss a bold idea without giving it a chance?
Personally my money’s on the latter. But, I can’t draw my own conclusions about he remake without playing it– and that will have to wait until Christmas.
Stay tuned….
Recently, Goldeneye 007 has touched down on the Wii. Billed as a remake of the classic Goldeneye 64 for the N64, this was indeed a surprise when it was originally announced and no doubt had more than a few Nintendo devotees both alarmed and angered. But on paper, the idea of remaking Goldeneye 64 has a lot going for it: 1) With Nintendo and Rare parted ways there’s no way we’ll ever see the original turn up on the Virtual Console, 2) there’s no denying that Goldeneye 64, despite its importance to console FPS’s, hasn’t aged too well and 3) the opportunity for online play would be welcome addition.
So in this case, a remake could be a good idea - But at the same time, any good idea/intent can fall flat on it’s face.
I was talking to a friend recently –he’d just picked up this remake and he seemed disappointed with the finished product. Unsurprisingly, he dismissed the game as not being a patch on the original.
So is it impossible then? Impossible to recapture the spark that made the original work so well? Or isn’t it far more easier to dismiss a bold idea without giving it a chance?
Personally my money’s on the latter. But, I can’t draw my own conclusions about he remake without playing it– and that will have to wait until Christmas.
Stay tuned….
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wii are one but Wii are many
I was expecting a tonne of nasty comments to my last post but none such came. No matter: Guess I'll keep rambling on in the vain hope that someone else is listening.
Anyway, I've noticed there seems to be a lot of contempt for the Wii. It is indeed strange considering that, so far, the Wii has outsold both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. What, didn't the console wars end? I thought they were over now that many gamers these days own more than one console and many gamers waking up to the fact that ignoring a particular console may result in missing out on something good.
But I'd be a fool to think such puerile nonsense.
I find it kind of strange that people are turning on Nintendo with such venom. This are the people who pretty much broke out from the Post-Atari crash with the NES, wrote the rulebook for game design, and gave us such iconic characters such as Mario, Link, Samus and Donkey Kong. It begs the question, what went wrong? Why the sudden change of heart? I do recall Nintendo's fanbase being quite passionate during the early/mid-nineties to the point of ruthlessly mocking the Sega fanboys (like myself) but it is interesting to see such passion turn against the seemingly untouchable Nintendo.
Some would say that Nintendo's fanbase has grown up and moved onto pastures new. I beg to differ: I use my Wii for the Virtual Console and many games I recall from my childhood still hold up pretty well. Even games I never played manage to maintain my interest - which of course, goes to show that a well-designed game can still weave it's magic when the console it appears on has long since gone obsolete.
Some are unimpressed with the motion controller. I read that Nintendo aren't interested in competing against Microsoft and Sony in the technological department so, instead, they are looking for new ways to play games. It may sound like a good idea in theory but really, what is going to achieved via taking away the tenuous link between gamer and console? Taking it away kinda defeats the purpose of games being a fun way to relax.
True I can understand the contempt between motion controller but I'll give Nintendo credit: At least they're trying something new. It may not be a successful idea but at least they realise that graphics aren't going to get any better so a new approach could well be necessary.
Some are cross that the Wii is attracting the unlikeliest of gamers with pensioners and mothers. I never understood the distinction between casual and hardcore gamers. People are just playing games! Who gives two shits HOW they go about it? If anything the distinction exists just for snobbery and elitism. The way I see it, people playing games is a way to connect with people in social situations and make friends. Isn't that how people bond - over a common interest? Who cares if people take different approaches to the same task? Again, this is the case of doing something for fun and how much time can be spared.
Some are annoyed by the lack of quality software for the Wii. I personally never have this problem as I'm far too busy using my Wii for a virtual console. True, some people may be annoyed that people like me may be encouraging Nintendo to rely on past glories instead of inspiring development of something new but, again, if a game is well-designed it can, and will, be played for many years afterward.
But I must admit, some of these factors, however supposed, against Nintendo aren't very promising: A console outdone by more powerful rivals? A catalog of games that comes across as underwhelming? Franchises that are milked to a point where consumers are left unimpressed? A game developer focusing on the glory days when it's clear are those days are lost in a bygone era?
Didn't all these things happen to Sega?
Anyway, I've noticed there seems to be a lot of contempt for the Wii. It is indeed strange considering that, so far, the Wii has outsold both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. What, didn't the console wars end? I thought they were over now that many gamers these days own more than one console and many gamers waking up to the fact that ignoring a particular console may result in missing out on something good.
But I'd be a fool to think such puerile nonsense.
I find it kind of strange that people are turning on Nintendo with such venom. This are the people who pretty much broke out from the Post-Atari crash with the NES, wrote the rulebook for game design, and gave us such iconic characters such as Mario, Link, Samus and Donkey Kong. It begs the question, what went wrong? Why the sudden change of heart? I do recall Nintendo's fanbase being quite passionate during the early/mid-nineties to the point of ruthlessly mocking the Sega fanboys (like myself) but it is interesting to see such passion turn against the seemingly untouchable Nintendo.
Some would say that Nintendo's fanbase has grown up and moved onto pastures new. I beg to differ: I use my Wii for the Virtual Console and many games I recall from my childhood still hold up pretty well. Even games I never played manage to maintain my interest - which of course, goes to show that a well-designed game can still weave it's magic when the console it appears on has long since gone obsolete.
Some are unimpressed with the motion controller. I read that Nintendo aren't interested in competing against Microsoft and Sony in the technological department so, instead, they are looking for new ways to play games. It may sound like a good idea in theory but really, what is going to achieved via taking away the tenuous link between gamer and console? Taking it away kinda defeats the purpose of games being a fun way to relax.
True I can understand the contempt between motion controller but I'll give Nintendo credit: At least they're trying something new. It may not be a successful idea but at least they realise that graphics aren't going to get any better so a new approach could well be necessary.
Some are cross that the Wii is attracting the unlikeliest of gamers with pensioners and mothers. I never understood the distinction between casual and hardcore gamers. People are just playing games! Who gives two shits HOW they go about it? If anything the distinction exists just for snobbery and elitism. The way I see it, people playing games is a way to connect with people in social situations and make friends. Isn't that how people bond - over a common interest? Who cares if people take different approaches to the same task? Again, this is the case of doing something for fun and how much time can be spared.
Some are annoyed by the lack of quality software for the Wii. I personally never have this problem as I'm far too busy using my Wii for a virtual console. True, some people may be annoyed that people like me may be encouraging Nintendo to rely on past glories instead of inspiring development of something new but, again, if a game is well-designed it can, and will, be played for many years afterward.
But I must admit, some of these factors, however supposed, against Nintendo aren't very promising: A console outdone by more powerful rivals? A catalog of games that comes across as underwhelming? Franchises that are milked to a point where consumers are left unimpressed? A game developer focusing on the glory days when it's clear are those days are lost in a bygone era?
Didn't all these things happen to Sega?
Friday, November 12, 2010
....since I Rock n Rolled uh-huh
I've been playing a lot of Rock Band lately - only this time it's on a completely different system. Whereas previously I've been playing it on the Wii, now I've moved onto the Xbox.
In hindsight, it seems daft to play Rock Band on the Wii when the Xbox/PS3 offers backward compatibility and proper hard-drives to store music on but in my defense this was more accident than design: At the Melbourne EGames expo 2009, they had a stage set up where punters could go up and play Rock Band 2 - with prizes for those who "rocked out". I went up, in a Cloud Strife cosplay and performed Are You Gonna be My Girl with gusto and won. As I only had a Wii at the time, I told the Harmonix people so in order for them to send my game - But whereas I was expecting the Game (I should stress that RB2 was never released in this country) I was sent the whole entire band kit!
So yay me. Do I regret getting RB2 for the Wii? I see no reason to (getting something for nothing is perfectly fine by me). Sure it means I won't have a proper music library like the PS3 or Xbox but, as long as I can use the Wii for Beatles Rock Band, it isn't a total waste.
Of course, jumping over to a new system will mean I'll have to download all the DLC I did for the Wii all over again and make new avatars to rebuild my band (is it kinda weird that I have some kind of attachment to the characters I created for a fictitious band in a fictitious universe dreamt up by Harmonix?). But hey, it's still good fun. After all, that's what drew me to Rock Band in the first place.
In hindsight, it seems daft to play Rock Band on the Wii when the Xbox/PS3 offers backward compatibility and proper hard-drives to store music on but in my defense this was more accident than design: At the Melbourne EGames expo 2009, they had a stage set up where punters could go up and play Rock Band 2 - with prizes for those who "rocked out". I went up, in a Cloud Strife cosplay and performed Are You Gonna be My Girl with gusto and won. As I only had a Wii at the time, I told the Harmonix people so in order for them to send my game - But whereas I was expecting the Game (I should stress that RB2 was never released in this country) I was sent the whole entire band kit!
So yay me. Do I regret getting RB2 for the Wii? I see no reason to (getting something for nothing is perfectly fine by me). Sure it means I won't have a proper music library like the PS3 or Xbox but, as long as I can use the Wii for Beatles Rock Band, it isn't a total waste.
Of course, jumping over to a new system will mean I'll have to download all the DLC I did for the Wii all over again and make new avatars to rebuild my band (is it kinda weird that I have some kind of attachment to the characters I created for a fictitious band in a fictitious universe dreamt up by Harmonix?). But hey, it's still good fun. After all, that's what drew me to Rock Band in the first place.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Shoot the Runner
I have mixed feelings towards the TV show Good Game (for the uninitiated it's a gaming show on Australian TV). I watch it yes but only becuase it's the only gaming show on TV. As such, the show frequently comes across as a mixture of rubbish and information - indeed, it is a chore to sit through the former just to get to the latter. I look forward to the day that the proposed Game Damage gets the green light but until then, Good Game is all we've got.
Still I'll give Good Game credit: I saw them give a glowing review to the WiiWare game Bit.Trip Runner. Intrigued, I downloaded, had a go at it and found it very much to my liking. It may seem quite daft, in that resembles an Atari 2600 game but the idea of collecting power-ups to build a tune is a strong one and here it works great. Sure some of the jumping may be frustrating (particularly when it sends you back to the beginning of the level!) but Bit.Trip Runner certainly has a lot going for it.
So yes - Bit.Trip Runner is a good game (for lack of a better choice of words).
Still I'll give Good Game credit: I saw them give a glowing review to the WiiWare game Bit.Trip Runner. Intrigued, I downloaded, had a go at it and found it very much to my liking. It may seem quite daft, in that resembles an Atari 2600 game but the idea of collecting power-ups to build a tune is a strong one and here it works great. Sure some of the jumping may be frustrating (particularly when it sends you back to the beginning of the level!) but Bit.Trip Runner certainly has a lot going for it.
So yes - Bit.Trip Runner is a good game (for lack of a better choice of words).
Monday, August 16, 2010
Smash it up
Recently I have been using my Wii for a Wii game (shock! horror!) - the game in question being Super Smash Bros Brawl. Good lord, has there ever been a game that has split opinion? Everyone was excited by it's arrival but, since then, the hype has died down and now many Nintendo fanboys are quick to dismiss it as the bastard offspring of a distinguished lineage. Still, there's no denying that it certainly is a crowd pleaser when you have a group of people around.
Anywho, I've returned to Super Smash Bros Brawl after a long absence. Reason being, I have discovered there is a lot of things I have left unlocked and should be worth making an effort into rectifying this.
But this is Super Smash Bros we're talking about.
Where such an undertaking is easier said than done.
To be honest I have played numerous fighting games but the Super Smash Bros series didn't really do much for me. Why? Becuase I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing! True I may be button mashing but for a reason: it works. Thus, when it comes to the challenges, I am staggered in disbelief as whether such a thing is possible. So to unlock Captain Falcon in the original Super Smash Bros, you need to beat it in under 20 minutes?! Are you SERIOUS?!?!? Can such a thing be possible?!
And it continues in Super Smash Bros Brawl, where even more achievements are on offer but it takes an effort that seems superhuman. I mean I COULD take the time to master the game but to me it undermines the 'Casual' appeal that makes Super Smash Bros Brawl worthwhile.
But then again, a Nintendo game wouldn't a Nintendo game if it didn't keep you on your feet and make you challenge the way you play.
Anywho, I've returned to Super Smash Bros Brawl after a long absence. Reason being, I have discovered there is a lot of things I have left unlocked and should be worth making an effort into rectifying this.
But this is Super Smash Bros we're talking about.
Where such an undertaking is easier said than done.
To be honest I have played numerous fighting games but the Super Smash Bros series didn't really do much for me. Why? Becuase I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing! True I may be button mashing but for a reason: it works. Thus, when it comes to the challenges, I am staggered in disbelief as whether such a thing is possible. So to unlock Captain Falcon in the original Super Smash Bros, you need to beat it in under 20 minutes?! Are you SERIOUS?!?!? Can such a thing be possible?!
And it continues in Super Smash Bros Brawl, where even more achievements are on offer but it takes an effort that seems superhuman. I mean I COULD take the time to master the game but to me it undermines the 'Casual' appeal that makes Super Smash Bros Brawl worthwhile.
But then again, a Nintendo game wouldn't a Nintendo game if it didn't keep you on your feet and make you challenge the way you play.
Monday, June 21, 2010
End of a Legend
Following on from an earlier post, I managed to level up a singular character in Soul Calibur Legends in order to take on Barbarossa. Using one of my SC favorites Sophitia nearly exclusively, along with another favorite Mitsurugi, I leveled Sophitia all the way and ready to pound Barbarossa into the dust.
Only to fail like before.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if this plan of mine made any difference whatsoever....
Oh well, I suppose I wouldn't be gamer if I didn't spend so much time doing something completely pointless.
Only to fail like before.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if this plan of mine made any difference whatsoever....
Oh well, I suppose I wouldn't be gamer if I didn't spend so much time doing something completely pointless.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Party at my place
On Friday I celebrated my twenty-eighth birthday. One of the presents I received was Soul Calibur Legends. Dismissed by critics, I actually found it not bad a game. Repetitive maybe, straining on the arm with use the Wii-mote perhaps, annoying lock on system glaring, but all in all, it's been a fun little diversion.
Yet I noticed, as I went further and further, that the computer keeps track of my use of the characters with a progress bar showing their usage with the completion of a quest. In a way, it seemed expected of me to use one or two characters almost exclusively, thus creating a 'super' character, capable of wiping the floor with the opposition within minutes.
But I don't play like that: I like to invest time and effort with the characters in my control, building up a well-oiled machine capable of taking any challenge head on. When given a group of characters, I expect them to function as a unit and for each of them to contribute something that the others cannot - and, in some cases, provide a back up for someone else's talents.
It is a good philosophy: like any true army commander, being all too aware of getting the best out of the most seemingly ordinary underling. I think this philosophy is best utilized in the customization process of Final Fantasy X. Now you often hear RPG's being criticized for having useless characters and the FF series is no exception. Yet, I really enjoyed FFX's party customization and with some clever use of the Sphere Grid, as well as the ability to switch combatants in the middle of battles, I made sure Tidus, Yuna, Auron, Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri and Rikku each had a role to fill and brought something to the table. And indeed, this varied approach sure provided a fresh perspective on the game.
But that is only one game: Some times this philosophy doesn't work. I've building up all the characters handed to me in SCL, in this quest to have no useless characters, but in the end it's a fairly useless exercise as, the game appears to want me to produce a singular, crush-anything super-dude. Well that's nice the game thinks that way but then what's the point of handing me all these other people then? If I can only bring two characters into a battle (in particular the confrontation with the enormous Barbaros) why should I bother with the other four?
It should be also noted that I encountered the same problem with the Chronicles of the Sword feature in Soul Calibur 3.
So sorry Namco for my preferred way of solving a problem not being the way that you want me to
Yet I noticed, as I went further and further, that the computer keeps track of my use of the characters with a progress bar showing their usage with the completion of a quest. In a way, it seemed expected of me to use one or two characters almost exclusively, thus creating a 'super' character, capable of wiping the floor with the opposition within minutes.
But I don't play like that: I like to invest time and effort with the characters in my control, building up a well-oiled machine capable of taking any challenge head on. When given a group of characters, I expect them to function as a unit and for each of them to contribute something that the others cannot - and, in some cases, provide a back up for someone else's talents.
It is a good philosophy: like any true army commander, being all too aware of getting the best out of the most seemingly ordinary underling. I think this philosophy is best utilized in the customization process of Final Fantasy X. Now you often hear RPG's being criticized for having useless characters and the FF series is no exception. Yet, I really enjoyed FFX's party customization and with some clever use of the Sphere Grid, as well as the ability to switch combatants in the middle of battles, I made sure Tidus, Yuna, Auron, Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri and Rikku each had a role to fill and brought something to the table. And indeed, this varied approach sure provided a fresh perspective on the game.
But that is only one game: Some times this philosophy doesn't work. I've building up all the characters handed to me in SCL, in this quest to have no useless characters, but in the end it's a fairly useless exercise as, the game appears to want me to produce a singular, crush-anything super-dude. Well that's nice the game thinks that way but then what's the point of handing me all these other people then? If I can only bring two characters into a battle (in particular the confrontation with the enormous Barbaros) why should I bother with the other four?
It should be also noted that I encountered the same problem with the Chronicles of the Sword feature in Soul Calibur 3.
So sorry Namco for my preferred way of solving a problem not being the way that you want me to
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The tale of a Rock Band: Demon Flower
Demon Flower - The most exciting band currently on the face of the Earth, this band has burst out of nowhere from the city of Seattle ready to take on the world. They’ve torn their way from one end of the US to the other, delivering some rocking music and building up a growing legion of fans in their wake. Known for their exciting live shows, talented musicmanship and five distinct personalities, Demon Flower have come so far and accomplished so much – but the story of how they got there is as just as fascinating as the music the band produce.
I. The Boss
This where it all started: with a maverick guitarist named Spike. Born on the 11th of June 1982 in Seattle USA, Spike was the youngest child in a middle-class family. His musical education came from his family, being raised on a diet of melodic guitar pop and, through his brother, a love for loud, crunching guitar riffs. It was during Spike’s childhood that Seattle became legendary for Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the birthplace of the early nineties grunge/alternative rock explosion. Having come from a city holding a distinguished place in the history rock and roll music, it didn’t take much for Spike to realise that he wanted to form a band and spend his life playing music and winning fans the world over. Wanting to merge his love for loud guitars and his understanding for melodic pop songs, Spike picked up a guitar and proceeded to learn all he could about playing.
As his skill with the guitar evolved, Spike eventually service within a number of bands. He tried his hand playing with some of them but nothing really worked out – One such band was a metal band called the Manhatten Project which boasted other members named James Squire, Bingo Handjob and Mike Rotch.
It didn't take Spike long before he realised that the bands he played with were populated by people who regarded him as a hired gun and played little recognition to his ideas. Nevertheless, this experience taught Spike about the music business and made him build up a large network of contacts.
With a frustration with being confined grown steadily, Spike eventually decided to set out on his own and form his own band. It was during this time as a ‘hired gun’ that Spike made an important contact: A talented bass player named Aurora Mazda.
II. The Siren
Born on the November 13th 1987, Aurora was the daughter of a hippy and a mechanic. From an early age, Aurora showed a keen interest in singing, a love that would be with her for the rest of her life. During her middle-school years, Aurora would increase her musical ability, learning guitar and bass. But it was her singing that bowled many people over, with the gorgeous voice and understanding of various styles of music.
However, it was also in this time that she developed a rebellious phase, indulging in punk music (Sex Pistols and Joan Jett being particular favourites) and becoming embodied in the goth culture, buying an entirely new wardrobe in the process.
With her musical talents, taste in clothing and generally cute disposition, Aurora found herself growing attached to a number of college bands and playing whenever and wherever she could. Within time, she eventually met Spike - there they bonded over similar tastes in music and the two became fast friends.
And so it was, that when Spike formed his own band, Aurora was the first person he contacted for a position. After placing some ads around for other members, two more musicians came into the band. One was giant metal head named Rock Granite and the other was a young man with dashing good looks called John Boston. Taking up the role of drummer and singer respectively, the band was complete. Aurora took up the bass and Spike assumed the roles of guitarist.
He even came up with their name: Demon Flower.
From humble beginnings in Seattle, Demon Flower showed promise. Gigging constantly proved quite beneficial: With each performance, the band grew tighter as a unit, the personalities within the band came to the forefront and the fans constantly grew in number. John in particular showed real stage performance and won over the audiences with his boundless charm. Aurora was also proved to be a charismatic presence. This proved a contrast between Spike and Rock who subsequently let themselves be known through their playing alone.
From the beginning Spike fulfilled the role of leader: He selected the material to be played, he was the spokesperson alongside Aurora, he made the decisions and made sure all those in the band were giving their all, and taking the job of being in a band seriously.
Within time, the hard work began to pay off: With each show, the Tension Heads found themselves playing to bigger crowds and bigger venues. Their first breakthrough came in a trip to San Francisco where winning a band competition yielded a tour bus. From there, the band traveled to Los Angeles, Austin and Chicago, their fanbase, and bank accounts, increasing with every show performed. With this success, Spike used the funds to establish their own rehearsal studio and band headquarters, which he dubbed the Planet of Sound.
Eventually, Demon Flower drew enough attention to go tour the East Coast of the US. But before the tour could happen, the band suffered a blow: John, inspired by the success and adulation the band was receiving, decided to leave for a solo career. Departing on good terms John left the band, who now set to work in finding a hole left by their comrade. Aurora volunteered to step up as the lead singer. Now seeking a new bass player, Spike dipped into his network of contacts and within time, he had found a suitable replacement: Robin Banks.
III. The Ice Maiden
Born July 27th 1986, Robin is the daughter of a single mother: Her father, disappeared when Robin was at a young age and has never been seen since. As such, her childhood has been fraught with feeling different to the others around her and building up resentment. During high school, she built up a reputation for being difficult to work with amongst students and teachers alike, even to the point of being dubbed ‘The Ice Queen’. Eventually dropping out of school, Robin entered a rebellious phase where she became a goth, bought clothing to match her nickname, and listened to The Cure, Joy Division and Nick Cave. Inspired by this music, Robin got her act together and applied for a proper musical education - studying the ins and out of musical theory. Eventually, Robin coming out the other side a talented multi-instrumentalist, proficient in guitar, bass and keyboard. In time, she caught the attention of Spike and invited to join Demon Flower. Since then, Robin and Spike became good friends – even to the point of becoming drinking buddies.
Robin made her debut when Demon Flower made their first East Coast tour. At first the fans were perplexed by this change but it didn’t take long before Robin showed her prowess as a musician. With the skills and the looks to match, the new edition to Demon Flower was welcomed with open arms. Aurora too, was well-received, with her singing ability, her clothing and her showmanship (drawing inspiration in equal amounts, from her punk rock heroes). With her ability to sing angelic one minute and scream with rage the next; her dress sense and her willingness to jump around on stage, Aurora was quickly becoming quite popular among audiences.
Indeed, it was in this time that the two ladies were becoming focal points for the band both with their unique personality: Aurora was charismatic, fun-loving and seemed genuinely pleased to the in a band. Robin was laid-back and softly spoken, but still quite willing to kick out cameramen during a live performance.
Demon Flower played shows in New York, Boston and even Montreal, becoming more popular with every show they played. Inspired by the success, Spike decided to lessen his role as leader: After coming so far under his guidance, Spike was and keen to try new things and welcomed ideas and contributions from the other members. Robin was the first, applying a firm understanding of song craftsmanship as well as her music skills. Aurora also picked up the guitar, both in rehearsal and on stage, and also stepped aside for the occasional vocal performance from Robin and Spike.
However, with success comes its own share of problems. Whilst Demon Flower had gone from strength to strength, it was only a matter of time before cracks started appearing. The first one came in the form of Rock. Success had gone to his head and he spent many hours getting drunk and engaging in unruly behaviour. On stage, Rock’s performance faltered and was nowhere near as good as he previously was. Critics noted Rock now looked uncomfortable in performance thus prompting Spike to fire him.
But Rock wasn’t the only casualty: Aurora was gaining a fair amount of publicity with her good looks, impeccable dress sense and stage presence. This led to her partying many hours of the night, often at the expense of the rest of the band. Feeling that she was placing her commitment to the band as a lesser priority, Spike confronted Aurora and insisted she stick to business. This led to a rather heated conflict that the media picked up on and subsequently sensationalized. The unwanted media attention led to Aurora to walk out on the band at a time when their popularity was its biggest yet. Angered by this departure, the fans got angry, with some accusing Spike of being a fool and many walking out on the band.
IV. The Stallion
Hit by this nasty blow, and with their status in jeopardy, Spike and Robin retreated to recover their losses. They both decided to start again through hiring new members and tour across the US, building back their reputation through constant gigging.
The first step was to find some new members. After several auditions, they eventually came across two people: One named Sam Brooker and the other Evan Williams.
Born September 27th 1986, Sam was born and raised in New York. At first, he was a well-mannered lad from a good family, with a decent education, handsome looks, overflowing charisma and many admirers. Things however took a nasty turn when his father died when he was in high school. This put Sam on the path of delinquency he skipped school and joined a gang of troublemakers, engaging in gang violence and property destruction. It was during this time that he discovered Metal. Inspired, Sam decided to clean up his act and commit his time to learning a guitar. He went back to school to learn all he could about the guitar - and when he was done, he moved onto the bass. He would later credit metal as saving his life.
By the time he came to Spike’s attention, Sam had become a talented musician. With his skills and dashing good looks to match, he was welcomed into the ranks of Demon Flower. However, it didn’t take long before Spike figured that his presence would be better off suited up front entertaining the crowds. Now with a singer, this opened up a slot for Evan to fill.
V. The Quiet One
Born in July 18th 1986, Evan is something of an enigma. Little is known about his past – what is known however, is that he grew up in a rough neighbourhood of the Bronx. His family, however, moved out of there and relocated to Austin. Yet the time spent there left an impression on Evan: He fell in love with hip-hop and eventually found work as a DJ. In time, however, he wanted to expand his musical range and try something new – so he took up learning the drums in his spare time. This brought him to the attention of Spike who offered him a position in Demon Flower. With his shaved head and sunglasses the size of a TV set (which he insists shield him from being blinded by the bright lights of fame), Evan wasn’t much to look at but he succeeded on musicianship alone.
And so, Spike, Robin, Sam and Evan returned to touring. Travelling from one end of the US to the other, Demon Flower gradually built back their reputation. Sam proved himself be a welcome addition along with his singing, his guitar playing and ability to work the crowd up. Similarly, Evan showed talent in both his drumming and musical ideas.
Again, through constant gigging and delivering impressive live performances, Demon Flower built up more fans than ever before, achieved financial success and eventually regained a lot of credibility. They performed in both music videos and private venues, winning back a lot of fans who’d previously given up on them and attracting new fans as well.
However, there was one piece of the puzzle missing: Regretful over his spite with his former comrade in arms, Spike sought to contact Aurora. Feeling bad that they had achieved success and she wasn’t a part of it, Spike reconciled with his former bandmate and offered her role back in the band. Aurora accepted and was welcomed back by both Spike and Robin, and also made new friends in Evan and Sam.
And so Demon Flower swelled their membership to five with Aurora resuming her role as singer, thus forming a tag-team with Sam.
VI. Today Europe, Tomorrow the World
Aurora’s return came just in time to perform a large show in Boston. And it was then that Demon Flower, forged with experience but invigorated, delivered their best show ever. And the fruits of their labour? Their own private jet, ready to take them across the Atlantic.
And with that, Demon Flower had conquered the US. Spike, Sam, Robin, Evan and Aurora had come so far and achieved so much. They had overcome adversity and came out on top. And from here, Europe, and the world, were waiting for them…..
Since then, the band has grown from strength to strength. They delivered a monumental show in Shanghai and have taken up going around the world, playing in Moscow, Istanbul and even Australia.
The band is been functioning quite happily as a unit and a stable one at that.
Spike is still churning out ideas and still quite keen to deliver a blistering solo.
Aurora has eased her way back into the band – much to the delight of fans. As well as singing, she has also returned to the role of bass player.
Robin has now been freed to fulfill the dual role of rhythm guitarist and keyboard player. She also continues to bring along her understanding of musical theory into the band, thus becoming a musical director, formulating Spike’s ideas into music.
Sam is quite happy to sing, thus winning the crowds over in the process, as well as providing some additional guitar. He is also quite willing to play the role of diplomat when disputes arise.
And Evan, something of a private person, has been quite happy to disappear into the background favouring instead to concentrate on his drumming. Willing to DJ whenever his free time allows it, this has kept him free of the usual trappings of the fame game (although he has recently become accustomed to go out partying with Aurora to, if anything, keep her out of trouble.).
For the moment however, there is still much Demon Flower can deliver to the world and, for now, the story continues......
----------------------------------
As some of you may know I’ve been playing Rock Band 2 a lot and, as you have guessed by now, I’ve just described the history of my band. It may have started out as something silly (the naming system may have been a dead giveaway), but I have spent a lot of time with these characters I’ve created. It’s been fun watching them develop with their own clothes and instruments, watching some fall out of favour and how my efforts as a gamer have brought them super-stardom. Sure they may be a set of one’s and zero’s but I have spent so much time with these characters that I have become quite attached to them. Needless to say, the game career is only half done and much more is waiting for Demon Flower. Sure what I’ve written may have chronicled career developments in a purely fictionalised manner but I’m keen to see what will happen next to this band.
And hey, what’s good enough for Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett is good enough for me.
And having said that, and typed all this out, I can safely say that I need to get out more…..XD
I. The Boss
This where it all started: with a maverick guitarist named Spike. Born on the 11th of June 1982 in Seattle USA, Spike was the youngest child in a middle-class family. His musical education came from his family, being raised on a diet of melodic guitar pop and, through his brother, a love for loud, crunching guitar riffs. It was during Spike’s childhood that Seattle became legendary for Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the birthplace of the early nineties grunge/alternative rock explosion. Having come from a city holding a distinguished place in the history rock and roll music, it didn’t take much for Spike to realise that he wanted to form a band and spend his life playing music and winning fans the world over. Wanting to merge his love for loud guitars and his understanding for melodic pop songs, Spike picked up a guitar and proceeded to learn all he could about playing.
As his skill with the guitar evolved, Spike eventually service within a number of bands. He tried his hand playing with some of them but nothing really worked out – One such band was a metal band called the Manhatten Project which boasted other members named James Squire, Bingo Handjob and Mike Rotch.
It didn't take Spike long before he realised that the bands he played with were populated by people who regarded him as a hired gun and played little recognition to his ideas. Nevertheless, this experience taught Spike about the music business and made him build up a large network of contacts.
With a frustration with being confined grown steadily, Spike eventually decided to set out on his own and form his own band. It was during this time as a ‘hired gun’ that Spike made an important contact: A talented bass player named Aurora Mazda.
II. The Siren
Born on the November 13th 1987, Aurora was the daughter of a hippy and a mechanic. From an early age, Aurora showed a keen interest in singing, a love that would be with her for the rest of her life. During her middle-school years, Aurora would increase her musical ability, learning guitar and bass. But it was her singing that bowled many people over, with the gorgeous voice and understanding of various styles of music.
However, it was also in this time that she developed a rebellious phase, indulging in punk music (Sex Pistols and Joan Jett being particular favourites) and becoming embodied in the goth culture, buying an entirely new wardrobe in the process.
With her musical talents, taste in clothing and generally cute disposition, Aurora found herself growing attached to a number of college bands and playing whenever and wherever she could. Within time, she eventually met Spike - there they bonded over similar tastes in music and the two became fast friends.
And so it was, that when Spike formed his own band, Aurora was the first person he contacted for a position. After placing some ads around for other members, two more musicians came into the band. One was giant metal head named Rock Granite and the other was a young man with dashing good looks called John Boston. Taking up the role of drummer and singer respectively, the band was complete. Aurora took up the bass and Spike assumed the roles of guitarist.
He even came up with their name: Demon Flower.
From humble beginnings in Seattle, Demon Flower showed promise. Gigging constantly proved quite beneficial: With each performance, the band grew tighter as a unit, the personalities within the band came to the forefront and the fans constantly grew in number. John in particular showed real stage performance and won over the audiences with his boundless charm. Aurora was also proved to be a charismatic presence. This proved a contrast between Spike and Rock who subsequently let themselves be known through their playing alone.
From the beginning Spike fulfilled the role of leader: He selected the material to be played, he was the spokesperson alongside Aurora, he made the decisions and made sure all those in the band were giving their all, and taking the job of being in a band seriously.
Within time, the hard work began to pay off: With each show, the Tension Heads found themselves playing to bigger crowds and bigger venues. Their first breakthrough came in a trip to San Francisco where winning a band competition yielded a tour bus. From there, the band traveled to Los Angeles, Austin and Chicago, their fanbase, and bank accounts, increasing with every show performed. With this success, Spike used the funds to establish their own rehearsal studio and band headquarters, which he dubbed the Planet of Sound.
Eventually, Demon Flower drew enough attention to go tour the East Coast of the US. But before the tour could happen, the band suffered a blow: John, inspired by the success and adulation the band was receiving, decided to leave for a solo career. Departing on good terms John left the band, who now set to work in finding a hole left by their comrade. Aurora volunteered to step up as the lead singer. Now seeking a new bass player, Spike dipped into his network of contacts and within time, he had found a suitable replacement: Robin Banks.
III. The Ice Maiden
Born July 27th 1986, Robin is the daughter of a single mother: Her father, disappeared when Robin was at a young age and has never been seen since. As such, her childhood has been fraught with feeling different to the others around her and building up resentment. During high school, she built up a reputation for being difficult to work with amongst students and teachers alike, even to the point of being dubbed ‘The Ice Queen’. Eventually dropping out of school, Robin entered a rebellious phase where she became a goth, bought clothing to match her nickname, and listened to The Cure, Joy Division and Nick Cave. Inspired by this music, Robin got her act together and applied for a proper musical education - studying the ins and out of musical theory. Eventually, Robin coming out the other side a talented multi-instrumentalist, proficient in guitar, bass and keyboard. In time, she caught the attention of Spike and invited to join Demon Flower. Since then, Robin and Spike became good friends – even to the point of becoming drinking buddies.
Robin made her debut when Demon Flower made their first East Coast tour. At first the fans were perplexed by this change but it didn’t take long before Robin showed her prowess as a musician. With the skills and the looks to match, the new edition to Demon Flower was welcomed with open arms. Aurora too, was well-received, with her singing ability, her clothing and her showmanship (drawing inspiration in equal amounts, from her punk rock heroes). With her ability to sing angelic one minute and scream with rage the next; her dress sense and her willingness to jump around on stage, Aurora was quickly becoming quite popular among audiences.
Indeed, it was in this time that the two ladies were becoming focal points for the band both with their unique personality: Aurora was charismatic, fun-loving and seemed genuinely pleased to the in a band. Robin was laid-back and softly spoken, but still quite willing to kick out cameramen during a live performance.
Demon Flower played shows in New York, Boston and even Montreal, becoming more popular with every show they played. Inspired by the success, Spike decided to lessen his role as leader: After coming so far under his guidance, Spike was and keen to try new things and welcomed ideas and contributions from the other members. Robin was the first, applying a firm understanding of song craftsmanship as well as her music skills. Aurora also picked up the guitar, both in rehearsal and on stage, and also stepped aside for the occasional vocal performance from Robin and Spike.
However, with success comes its own share of problems. Whilst Demon Flower had gone from strength to strength, it was only a matter of time before cracks started appearing. The first one came in the form of Rock. Success had gone to his head and he spent many hours getting drunk and engaging in unruly behaviour. On stage, Rock’s performance faltered and was nowhere near as good as he previously was. Critics noted Rock now looked uncomfortable in performance thus prompting Spike to fire him.
But Rock wasn’t the only casualty: Aurora was gaining a fair amount of publicity with her good looks, impeccable dress sense and stage presence. This led to her partying many hours of the night, often at the expense of the rest of the band. Feeling that she was placing her commitment to the band as a lesser priority, Spike confronted Aurora and insisted she stick to business. This led to a rather heated conflict that the media picked up on and subsequently sensationalized. The unwanted media attention led to Aurora to walk out on the band at a time when their popularity was its biggest yet. Angered by this departure, the fans got angry, with some accusing Spike of being a fool and many walking out on the band.
IV. The Stallion
Hit by this nasty blow, and with their status in jeopardy, Spike and Robin retreated to recover their losses. They both decided to start again through hiring new members and tour across the US, building back their reputation through constant gigging.
The first step was to find some new members. After several auditions, they eventually came across two people: One named Sam Brooker and the other Evan Williams.
Born September 27th 1986, Sam was born and raised in New York. At first, he was a well-mannered lad from a good family, with a decent education, handsome looks, overflowing charisma and many admirers. Things however took a nasty turn when his father died when he was in high school. This put Sam on the path of delinquency he skipped school and joined a gang of troublemakers, engaging in gang violence and property destruction. It was during this time that he discovered Metal. Inspired, Sam decided to clean up his act and commit his time to learning a guitar. He went back to school to learn all he could about the guitar - and when he was done, he moved onto the bass. He would later credit metal as saving his life.
By the time he came to Spike’s attention, Sam had become a talented musician. With his skills and dashing good looks to match, he was welcomed into the ranks of Demon Flower. However, it didn’t take long before Spike figured that his presence would be better off suited up front entertaining the crowds. Now with a singer, this opened up a slot for Evan to fill.
V. The Quiet One
Born in July 18th 1986, Evan is something of an enigma. Little is known about his past – what is known however, is that he grew up in a rough neighbourhood of the Bronx. His family, however, moved out of there and relocated to Austin. Yet the time spent there left an impression on Evan: He fell in love with hip-hop and eventually found work as a DJ. In time, however, he wanted to expand his musical range and try something new – so he took up learning the drums in his spare time. This brought him to the attention of Spike who offered him a position in Demon Flower. With his shaved head and sunglasses the size of a TV set (which he insists shield him from being blinded by the bright lights of fame), Evan wasn’t much to look at but he succeeded on musicianship alone.
And so, Spike, Robin, Sam and Evan returned to touring. Travelling from one end of the US to the other, Demon Flower gradually built back their reputation. Sam proved himself be a welcome addition along with his singing, his guitar playing and ability to work the crowd up. Similarly, Evan showed talent in both his drumming and musical ideas.
Again, through constant gigging and delivering impressive live performances, Demon Flower built up more fans than ever before, achieved financial success and eventually regained a lot of credibility. They performed in both music videos and private venues, winning back a lot of fans who’d previously given up on them and attracting new fans as well.
However, there was one piece of the puzzle missing: Regretful over his spite with his former comrade in arms, Spike sought to contact Aurora. Feeling bad that they had achieved success and she wasn’t a part of it, Spike reconciled with his former bandmate and offered her role back in the band. Aurora accepted and was welcomed back by both Spike and Robin, and also made new friends in Evan and Sam.
And so Demon Flower swelled their membership to five with Aurora resuming her role as singer, thus forming a tag-team with Sam.
VI. Today Europe, Tomorrow the World
Aurora’s return came just in time to perform a large show in Boston. And it was then that Demon Flower, forged with experience but invigorated, delivered their best show ever. And the fruits of their labour? Their own private jet, ready to take them across the Atlantic.
And with that, Demon Flower had conquered the US. Spike, Sam, Robin, Evan and Aurora had come so far and achieved so much. They had overcome adversity and came out on top. And from here, Europe, and the world, were waiting for them…..
Since then, the band has grown from strength to strength. They delivered a monumental show in Shanghai and have taken up going around the world, playing in Moscow, Istanbul and even Australia.
The band is been functioning quite happily as a unit and a stable one at that.
Spike is still churning out ideas and still quite keen to deliver a blistering solo.
Aurora has eased her way back into the band – much to the delight of fans. As well as singing, she has also returned to the role of bass player.
Robin has now been freed to fulfill the dual role of rhythm guitarist and keyboard player. She also continues to bring along her understanding of musical theory into the band, thus becoming a musical director, formulating Spike’s ideas into music.
Sam is quite happy to sing, thus winning the crowds over in the process, as well as providing some additional guitar. He is also quite willing to play the role of diplomat when disputes arise.
And Evan, something of a private person, has been quite happy to disappear into the background favouring instead to concentrate on his drumming. Willing to DJ whenever his free time allows it, this has kept him free of the usual trappings of the fame game (although he has recently become accustomed to go out partying with Aurora to, if anything, keep her out of trouble.).
For the moment however, there is still much Demon Flower can deliver to the world and, for now, the story continues......
----------------------------------
As some of you may know I’ve been playing Rock Band 2 a lot and, as you have guessed by now, I’ve just described the history of my band. It may have started out as something silly (the naming system may have been a dead giveaway), but I have spent a lot of time with these characters I’ve created. It’s been fun watching them develop with their own clothes and instruments, watching some fall out of favour and how my efforts as a gamer have brought them super-stardom. Sure they may be a set of one’s and zero’s but I have spent so much time with these characters that I have become quite attached to them. Needless to say, the game career is only half done and much more is waiting for Demon Flower. Sure what I’ve written may have chronicled career developments in a purely fictionalised manner but I’m keen to see what will happen next to this band.
And hey, what’s good enough for Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett is good enough for me.
And having said that, and typed all this out, I can safely say that I need to get out more…..XD
Monday, May 31, 2010
What I've been playing (no.1)
So what I've been playing recently?
Rock Band 2
Sure I made it to the Immortals induction and unlocked the Endless Setlist but this game is far from over: My band Demon Flower is now going back over previous locations to achieve a five star score over places which I may have missed the first time around. And as long as there continue to be opportunities to take advantage of the DLC then I doubt I'll be getting tired of RB2 any time soon.
(Shackler's Revenge is still a bitch though)
Final Fantasy 1
Downloaded to the Virtual Console, this game looks weird, when one is more used to it's dazzling offspring. But, it is interesting to play it from a pioneering perspective: There are some really good ideas at work here and it's interesting to see which ideas have lasted throughout the series in various incarnations.
That and the fact that's a really fun game to play.
Super Mario World
Another gem from the Virtual Console. I remember playing this as a kid and it's still as fun as it ever was - Although some of criteria to access the secret levels are fiendish. "You expect me to do WHAT!?!"
Rock Band 2
Sure I made it to the Immortals induction and unlocked the Endless Setlist but this game is far from over: My band Demon Flower is now going back over previous locations to achieve a five star score over places which I may have missed the first time around. And as long as there continue to be opportunities to take advantage of the DLC then I doubt I'll be getting tired of RB2 any time soon.
(Shackler's Revenge is still a bitch though)
Final Fantasy 1
Downloaded to the Virtual Console, this game looks weird, when one is more used to it's dazzling offspring. But, it is interesting to play it from a pioneering perspective: There are some really good ideas at work here and it's interesting to see which ideas have lasted throughout the series in various incarnations.
That and the fact that's a really fun game to play.
Super Mario World
Another gem from the Virtual Console. I remember playing this as a kid and it's still as fun as it ever was - Although some of criteria to access the secret levels are fiendish. "You expect me to do WHAT!?!"
Monday, May 24, 2010
How many games?
To further my credentials as gamer, here's a list of what games I own:
Xbox:
Burnout 3: Takedown
Halo
Ninja Gaiden Black
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Silent Hill 2
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Wii:
Beatles Rock Band
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metroid Prime (GC)
Rock Band 2
Star Wars Rogue Leader (GC)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wii Sports
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Playstation:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
Doom
Final Fantasy Anthology (4+5)
Final Fantasy 6
Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 9
Ghost in the Shell
Loaded
Metal Gear Solid
Return Fire
the Raiden Project
Theme Park
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Wipeout 3
PS2:
Final Fantasy X
God of War
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
Grand Theft Auto 3
Guitar Hero 2
Guitar Hero Metallica
Hyper Street Fighter 2
Ico
Madden NFL 2004
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Okami
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Resident Evil 4
SEGA Megadrive Collection
Shadow of the Colossus
Sonic Gems Collection
Sonic Mega Collection Plus
Soulcalibur 3
Spyhunter
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse
Virtual Console:
Actraiser
Adventures of Lolo
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Bubble Bobble
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
F-Zero
Final Fantasy 1
Galaga
Gunstar Heroes
Legend of Zelda
Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Mega Man 2
Paper Mario
Phantasy Star
Pilotwings
Punch-Out!
Secret of Mana
Shining Force 2
Streetfighter 2
Streets of Rage 2
Super Mario Bros
Super Mario Bros 3
Super Mario Bros World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG
Super Metroid
Super Smash Bros.
Waverace 64
Wonderboy
Wonderboy 3: Dragon's Trap
....And this is only the console games....
Xbox:
Burnout 3: Takedown
Halo
Ninja Gaiden Black
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Silent Hill 2
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Wii:
Beatles Rock Band
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metroid Prime (GC)
Rock Band 2
Star Wars Rogue Leader (GC)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wii Sports
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Playstation:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
Doom
Final Fantasy Anthology (4+5)
Final Fantasy 6
Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 9
Ghost in the Shell
Loaded
Metal Gear Solid
Return Fire
the Raiden Project
Theme Park
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Wipeout 3
PS2:
Final Fantasy X
God of War
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
Grand Theft Auto 3
Guitar Hero 2
Guitar Hero Metallica
Hyper Street Fighter 2
Ico
Madden NFL 2004
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Okami
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Resident Evil 4
SEGA Megadrive Collection
Shadow of the Colossus
Sonic Gems Collection
Sonic Mega Collection Plus
Soulcalibur 3
Spyhunter
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse
Virtual Console:
Actraiser
Adventures of Lolo
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Bubble Bobble
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
F-Zero
Final Fantasy 1
Galaga
Gunstar Heroes
Legend of Zelda
Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Mega Man 2
Paper Mario
Phantasy Star
Pilotwings
Punch-Out!
Secret of Mana
Shining Force 2
Streetfighter 2
Streets of Rage 2
Super Mario Bros
Super Mario Bros 3
Super Mario Bros World
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG
Super Metroid
Super Smash Bros.
Waverace 64
Wonderboy
Wonderboy 3: Dragon's Trap
....And this is only the console games....
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