Save the Colossi

Gaming Novellas

2010-09-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

In case you don't follow my other blog, I'm currently between jobs at the moment. As a result though, I've been able to finally start weeding through my backlog of videogames, or my "pile of shame" as I affectionately call it. These games run the gamut from DS to Playstation 2, from RPG to platformer, and unfortunately, there are a lot of them.

Playing all these games however is showing me that the medium is really at its finest in a shorter form.

When I was still a student in high school and community college (i.e. when I had lots of free time), I devoured huge RPGs like Final Fantasy X, Tales of Symphonia, and Kingdom Hearts like they were M&Ms. Spending $50 on a game that was going to keep me entertained for 40+ hours was a deal. But although you're receiving a lot of entertainment for your money, longer games carry certain disadvantages that actually hurt their long-term value.

The biggest issue is replayability. I'm sure all of us have a few games that we rank among our all-time favorites, much like we do with movies and books. And because they're so treasured, I sometimes like to experience them over again and remember why I love them. With a movie, it takes a few hours; with a movie, it might take a few days. Videogames though can take anywhere from an afternoon or a few days to weeks or even months to finish, depending on how long they are. For a long game like Tales of Symphonia - which took me over 80 hours to finish - this just isn't conducive to a second or third play though. Although I've attempted to restart this game multiple times, I never get more than a few hours in.

Ocarina of Time is probably one of the few longer games
I've replayed multiple times

It's not just the length, however, that keeps me from replaying these longer titles; it's the pacing. An epic RPG like Tales of Symphonia or Kingdom Hearts often takes hours just to get out of the tutorial or introductory phase of the plot. By the time the game as a whole gets really good, ten hours might have been spent. In that same amount of time, I could be halfway through an RPG like Chrono Trigger or Dragon Quest V, and I could have played Portal, Mechinarium, or Shadow of the Colossus from start to finish. It's not just that these games are shorter in length, they have better pacing: they get the story and gameplay moving sooner and quicker. This is true in movies and books as well: for years I simply skipped the first chapter of Harry Potter because it was so slow. Chapter two is when the story takes off.

The storyline is part of the thread that pulls us into and through the game. Without occasional progress in the story, we don't feel like our actions are making any progress in the game. And the best games for this, I'm finding, are shorter in length. The Mario & Luigi RPGs, for example, have excellent pacing and tend to only be 10-20 hours in length. Their storylines moves along at a nice clip, and even visually I feel like I'm making progress. Bowser's Inside Story, despite being only about 18 hours long, suffers from poor pacing at the end. The final dungeon felt like it was a quarter of the overall game; both narratively and visually, my feeling of progress slowed down almost to a halt, and I had to stop playing several times purely because of fatigue. The first game in the series, Superstar Saga, only took me about 12 hours to complete, and didn't leave me with any such fatigue.

Portal is the perfect "pleasure game." It takes 2-3 hours to finish,
and it's always a satisfying experience.

I still have a love for longer games - Dragon Quest IX did, after all, consume two months and 100 hours of my life this summer - but I love when I can whimsically decide to play a game like Portal and finish it within a few hours or days. That's what I think of as "pleasure gaming."

All's Fair in Love and Mario Bros.

2010-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

This last weekend was Valentine's Day, and like most other people in relationships, I was celebrating the day in the usual fashion. My girlfriend and I exchanged cards, small gifts, had a romantic dinner at home, and even watched a fun romantic-comedy ("Hitch," at my suggestion). But while our Valentine's day likely mimicked many others around the country, there was one thing that made our evening unique:

We faced-off against Bowser.

We knew we would have to face him eventually. Well, at least I did. My girlfriend, never having seen a Mario game before this one, was less familiar with the typical tropes. The two of us enter Bowser's lair, well-stocked with extra lives and power-ups. They'll do us no good in the end, as this final dungeon would challenge us more than any other before it. We die again and again: sometimes lasting longer than before, but more often not.

Eventually, through our sheer determination, we reach New Super Mario Bros. equivalent to an oasis in the desert: a checkpoint. Behind a pair of ominous doors awaits our final challenge. We've beaten his minions, his dungeons, and even his children, but now it's time to face Big Daddy himself. It's been a long road for the two of us, but the end is finally in sight.

My girlfriend and I have spent our last few visits together plugging away at New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Appropriately, it was a game I received from her this Christmas: an almost last minute gift idea chosen because the two of us could play together. My girlfriend, although not much of a gamer herself, has often watched me while I'm playing videogames. Although this has made many of my single-player games into multiplayer experiences, I could see that she desperately wanted to play and share these experiences with me. If she could, my girlfriend would much rather be running through Hyrule at my side, cutting down plants and hording rupees, than sitting on the couch giving me orders like a general. We needed cooperative multiplayer, and NSMBW delivered it to us in spades. This is the reason the game went from completely off my radar to being my favorite game of 2009.

The reason New Super Mario Bros. has been such a standout game though isn't simply because it has a good multiplayer mode; it's because playing with another person feels so fundamental to the enjoyment of the game. When it was first announced as a four player cooperative game, I and many others assumed the worse: that the multiplayer was simply a feature tacked on to appeal to the "expanded" audience Nintendo has had so much success with. What's more, expectations were low concerning complexity of design. If this was indeed a game for the casual audience, it would make sense that the level design would be significantly simplified so as not to overwhelm less experienced gamers. Neither of these ended up being true, and in some ways, I almost feel like the game is more accessible - nay, easier - with the extra players.

With King Koopa in pursuit, my girlfriend makes a critical decision: she "bubbles" her character. This temporarily takes her out of the game, allowing me to move forward without worrying about her. Bowser is gaining on us, and perhaps she suspects that she's slowing us down. Whatever her reasons, I sit back and let my experience take over.

Having played through most of the Mario platformers growing, I can safely say that this is one of the most difficult Mario games in the series. Surprisingly so! Despite my experience with previous Mario titles, both my girlfriend and I were struggling in the beginning as we came to grips with the game's mechanics: she with the general physics as well as techniques for running and jumping, and I with the subtleties of wall-jumping, among others. And the design of the levels themselves are anything but simple. For instance, three collectible Star Coins are hidden in each level, and finding them all - not to mention collecting them - can often be a matter of observation, perseverance, and even blind luck.

Coordination is also key in New Super Mario Bros. As a game built with multiplayer in mind, it goads the players to talk with each other. Very rarely were my girlfriend and I not conversing about the game, with the possible exception being during certain difficult sections that required heavy concentration. More often than not, however, we were interacting. Sometimes it took the form of suggestions or even orders concerning what to do in a level. Sometimes it was encouragement when one or both of us hit a rough patch. Sometimes it even took the form of scolding, when one of us - usually me - had inadvertently caused the other person's death. And although it may be frustrating at times, the conversations were always in the lightest of spirits. The two of us were having fun, so what did it matter why we died. We'll just play through the level again.

But more than the interaction the game sparks, I love that Nintendo created a game that players of all skill levels can play and enjoy, and the multiplayer is a huge reason for that. Some of the level in NSMBW are so difficult that I can imagine a less-experienced gamer like my girlfriend becoming too frustrated and giving up. But because she has me playing with her, she can simply let me take over during a hard section and then pop back into the game when it's over. Similarly, death has less impact when multiple people are playing, becoming more akin to FPS spawning than the traditional death state typical of Mario games. Rather than have that hard death-state, as long as another player stay alive in the level, it's only a matter of seconds before the dead player re-spawns and can continue playing. So even if she's dying a lot, my girlfriend still has an opportunity to improve her abilities without waiting for me to die or finish the level.

I'm quickly learning why multiplayer is such a selling point for a lot of games. For many years, I undervalued it because my limited experience hadn't been too compelling. In the last couple of years though, I've had many opportunities to experience what multiplayer games have to offer, be they Team Fortress 2 or Marvel vs. Capcom. The ability to share gaming experiences, which can often be very individual, with not only friends and other gamers, but family and loved ones is not something I can put a price on. I might not recommend it for couple counseling, but it certainly has brought me and my girlfriend closer together.

In the end, we defeated Bowser together. And as I saw Mario once again get the girl (with Luigi, as my girlfriend pointed out - getting totally shafted), I couldn't help but see some parallels with my life. After all, I got the girl too; I just didn't need to save her from a gang of spiky turtles.

Looking Back on 2009

2010-01-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

I often feel like I'm in an odd position when it comes to writing about videogames. Primarily, this has to do with my lack of Xbox 360 or PS3 (or even a decent gaming PC) to play some of the higher profile game releases. When everyone on the net is weighing in on the merits of a game like Uncharted 2, for instance, I am forced to sit out on the discussion. My personal talking points are frustratingly limited to games available on the Wii, DS, iPhone/iPod Touch, a little PC, and the Playstation 2 if I feel like revisiting an older game. Nowhere is this limitation more frustrating than when discussing the "best" games of the past year.

But despite my inability to play the Assassin's Creeds of the world, 2009 still felt like a very full year for my personal gaming. Although my gaming was limited by my final year in college, when I was gaming it seemed like there were a wealth of quality titles to choose from.

Portable games in particular had a good year, with the iPhone maturing into a decent gaming platform. Hookchamp by far is my favorite game released on the iPhone this year, and each update has delivered more characters, upgrades, levels, and miscellaneous extras that keep the experience fresh and engaging. It's still one of the few games that I'll play just for fun during my downtime, as the main gameplay mechanic - grappling - is perfectly executed and just plain fun. Additionally, games like Rolando 2, Flight Control, Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, and particularly Spider all round out my favorite iPhone games of the year, and I'm excited to see where iPhone gaming goes in 2010.

Similarly, the DS had a string of great releases, many of which I neglected to play last year (GTA: Chinatown Wars tops this list). Retro Game Challenge, for instance, is a truly inspired game that distills the best elements from many classic NES and Famicom titles (Dragon Quest, Ninja Gaiden, etc.) into a collection of fake retro games, creating a package that gamers of all ages - but particularly the older set - can enjoy. Best of all, the "retro" games in this collection aren't the tough-as-nails style of 8-bit games you remember from your youth. My favorite DS game this year though was Rhythm Heaven. I know my enjoyment of Rhythm Heaven is in large part due to my inherent talent with rhythm games (I all but completed Elite Beat Agents on its highest difficulty setting within a matter of weeks); but more than that, the game has a style and - pardon the pun - a rhythm all its own. The simplicity and short length of each level encourages that "one more time" mentality, which in turn give Rhythm Heaven amazing pacing. Unless a stage really stumps you, you'll be progressing through the game at a nice clip. And although I haven't finished these games, Dragon Quest V, Devil Survivor, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks all deserve mention as some of the best on the DS in 2009.

The Wii had another fairly good year, with many of the games I played not produced by the House of Mario. Madworld was a pure indulgence for me. As a fan of action movies like 300 and Sin City, I enjoyed playing a game that emulated these movies and comic books in both style and content. Although I wouldn't say that Madworld had much depth in terms of story or gameplay, the entire package is what makes the game great. In particular, the ongoing color-commentary from announcers Howard and Kreese had me rolling at times. It's often said that games have a hard time making people laugh, but Madworld is certainly an exception to this maxim. Muramasa: The Demon Blade was another Wii game that captured my interest this year, although I would have liked a bit more in terms of depth when it came to character growth and combat.

But honestly, when it came down to deciding what my favorite game from 2009 was, I had a hard time making a decision. And then I received a videogame for Christmas from my girlfriend: a little game for the Wii titled New Super Mario Bros. Wii. I intend to write more intensively on it soon, but needless to say this game is meant to be played with multiple people, and I suspect would not be even 1/10th as fun solo.

Because This One Goes to 11

2009-12-31T16:00:00.000-08:00

So here we are at the end of another decade. For my personal gaming life, the "aughts" have been particularly significant, as I spent most of the 90s forced to play videogames at the houses of friends and relatives until I got a Nintendo 64 in 1998. Even then though, I bought a total of ten games during my entire time with the system (which in retrospect isn't that bad considering how small the 64's library was compared to the Playstation). It wasn't until 2001, with the release of the Game Boy Advance, that videogames began to infect my very existence (a la Akira).

And it's been a good decade for games. 3D graphics have come into their own and story-telling in games is becoming increasing sophisticated. We have, for the most part, moved beyond the simple "save the princess from the bad guy" scenario. We've also seen a diverging philosophy for game design, with some games trying to do everything and others stripping gameplay down to a single mechanic. Bleeding-edge technology is still in vogue, but gamer nostalgia for times long past has given rise to retro-styled games that simulate old technology.

It's hard to say what the next decade will hold for videogames, but it's worth looking back at eleven games that help get us here.

Katamari Damacy

I can remember reading about Katamari Damacy in EGM back when it was freshly-released in Japan. At the time, I just assumed it was just another silly Japanese game like Cho Aniki destined to remain overseas. I mean, look at the Japanese TV commercial: it's bizarre! You can imagine my shock when Katamari was not only released stateside, but started selling pretty well (so well, in fact, that there have been four sequels on various systems). It's a strange success story, but one not without its merits. Katamari Damacy is simple, quirky, and above all incredibly fun. It's one of the few games that doesn't involve special peripherals that almost anyone can pick-up and play and enjoy themselves. It has a satisfying sense of progression, as the more objects you accumulate in your katamari, the larger the objects that can be rolled up.

And although I prefer its sequel, We Love Katamari, to the original, I can't deny the how enjoyable or how important Katamari Damacy is to the current state of videogames, especially the indie game scene. The Onion A.V. Club might have put it best, stating that "there’s a good argument for pegging Katamari Damacy as the catalyst that helped usher in the new wave of low-fi, handmade games."

Half-Life 2

I came late to the Half-Life party, never being much of a PC gamer or really having a PC capable of playing any of the Half-Life games when they were originally released. It wasn't until the Orange Box that I got my first taste of Valve's dystopian action game, and what a taste it was! While perhaps not as revolutionary as its predecessor was, Half-Life 2 delivers an interesting story, told with excellent pacing, and delivers enough gameplay variety to fill two or three games. And then, of course, there's Ravenholm. While somewhat out of place compared to the rest of the game, the Ravenholm section delivers genuine scares and tension akin to the best survival horror games. The characteristic rattle of a poison headcrab is enough to send chills down the spines of many a gamer, making Ravenhom perhaps the most memorable area in the entire game.

Half-Life 2 typifies the kind of linear story-telling that videogames have thus far excelled at, particularly in the JRPG genre. But whereas Japanese role-playing games are like epic fantasy or sci-fi novels, Half-Life 2 is like an action film (and a thoughtful one at that). It's a roller coaster ride: you strap yourself in, shoot some aliens, get fed some exposition, and ultimately emerge victorious. Your actions don't affect the ultimate outcome of the game; there are no Bioware-style dialogue trees. This may be a problem for those who prefer "non-linear" games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, but for gamers like myself it makes for one thrilling experience.

And besides, the Gravity Gun is REALLY fun!

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

It's hard to deny how important the Grand Theft Auto 3 is to the heritage of videogames during the last decade. Sandbox games were the "it" thing for awhile, with everyone from Spiderman to Tony Hawk getting in on the action. I also suspect the popularity of GTA3 is the reason Shadow the Hedgehog was got a handgun when he was given his own game (thankfully Mario will "never start shooting hookers"). But the games with the GTA3 lineage are definitely unlike any other. When I play a game, I want to finish it: I want to see how the story plays out; I want to know about the characters; I want to empathize with the protagonist. But that's not how I play Grand Theft Auto games. I jump into that sandbox, I create some mayhem, and then I turn off the game. I don't care about missions; I care about cheat codes. I've never even bought a GTA game because my entire enjoyment can be gained from 20 minutes of play at someone else's house. It's an aberration in my gaming behavior.

But for me, Vice City is where the series really came together. Where Liberty City was drab and boring, Vice City was bright and seemingly bustling with activity. Setting the game in the 1980s was the real masterstroke though, capitalizing and a resurgence of interest in 80s music and pop culture.

Resident Evil 4

The sniping section inside the castle sucks, but that's about the only bad thing I can say about Resident Evil 4. Having dipped my toe into the Resident Evil waters with the Gamecube remake of the original game, I knew how busted the old control setup had become and how stale the game mechanics were. The simple act of turning around was a fight in and of itself (more challenging than most of the zombie encounters) and vital puzzle solving keys were spread across the entirety of the map. Resident Evil 4 not only fixed most of the problems with the series, but it's use of the over-the-shoulder camera angle has been an inspiration for many games since, such as Infamous.

The definitive experience is on the Wii, where the improved aiming mechanic transformed this game from one I liked to one that I loved.

World of Goo

World of Goo was my favorite game of 2008, and my love for it has yet to wane. To be honest, it was a tough fight between this game and PopCap's ever-addictive Peggle franchise, but in the end, I had to give recognition to the two-man team over at 2D Boy. Whether on the Wii or PC, the physics-based, structure-building puzzle gameplay is incredibly challenging, but simultaneously it allows gamers the freedom to try out different strategies in a way that other puzzle games seem to lack. This is complimented by Burton-esque aesthetics and storytelling. All these elements come together to form a package that, for my money, is much more enjoyable than the other indie darling, Braid.

Shadow of the Colossus

Sixteen colossi. One dead girl. A boy and his horse. An expansive world to explore. These are the elements that comprise Shadow of the Colossus, the game that is this blog's namesake. But Shadow of the Colossus is more than just the sum of its parts.

The game tells a story that is largely left up to the player to interpret, but the basics are that a young man enters into a forbidden land with nothing but his horse, a sword, and the body of a dead girl. He is tasked by a disembodied voice to slay the colossi that roam the land, with the promise that the girl would be revived. The rest is open to interpretation. Questions concerning the identity of the dead girl and the nature of the colossi are just a couple a the questions that players have asked themselves during the course of the game. And the minimalist narrative is even evocative of "Princess Mononoke" at times, with the titular colossi seeming more like a part of nature than stone beasts.

It's hard to really place a finger on why Shadow of the Colossus is so captivating to play. There's almost no dialogue to speak of, and yet we can't help but empathize with the hero or feel an equal sense of companionship with his horse, Agro. Videogames are slowly evolving in terms of story-telling, and the minimalist style of Shadow of the Colossus seems pivotal in this ongoing process.

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy is one of those games that just fills me with an almost child-like wonder. It's not only an absolutely gorgeous games (especially for the Wii), but there's a profound sense of pure joy every time I play the game that it's hard not to smile. Maybe it's all the planets that fill each galaxy, acting as mini-stages and really allowing the designers to be imaginative with the level design. Some of these areas are so surreal, even for a Mario game, that they have an almost dream-like quality to them. Running along the surface of an apple and moving to the next one via a bridge that is actually a worm: what other game has images like this?

Maybe it's because you don't need a hat to feel like your flying anymore. Mario is constantly flung across the galaxy, spreading his arms as if they were wings prolonging his flight. Flying is the ultimate videogame wish-fulfillment, and Super Mario Galaxy delivers it in spades. Even the gravity mechanics of each planet can create that sense of flying, as you can literally fling yourself into orbit around a planet with a well-placed jump.

It could be the fact that Mario games (real Mario games, not just sports and racing spin-offs) are a rarity, with a new one appearing once a console cycle these days. Unlike other platformers like Ratchet or Jak, we often wait years for the next Mario platform game, and this scarcity makes each one feel special.

But really, I think the reason Super Mario Galaxy feels so special is because it is special.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

I've already written at length about MGS3 before, but let me summarize: the game made me cry and seriously think about eating birds. Do I really need to say any more?

Portal

It's not just a game, it's a pop-culture phenomena. "The cake is a lie" and the companion cube are cemented into the gamer lexicon. Portal got so popular that it even had a backlash of people claiming that it wasn't as good as everyone made it out to be.

But I'm here to tell you they're wrong.

Portal is a very short game, maybe 3-5 hours long at best, but that's hardly a detriment to its quality. The game's simple mechanics (create portals to solve puzzles) is made increasing complex thanks to a robust physics engine. But the second half of the game is where things really get interesting, featuring puzzles that make the entire first half of the game feel like a glorified tutorial. And GLaDOS, the ever-present and always chatty antagonist, is easily one of the most memorable videogame characters ever created. If nothing else, the game is remarkable for one of the best ending credit sequences ever.

Okami

For many years, I had considered The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to be my absolute favorite game, and indeed, the game is widely considered a classic. However, the existence of Okami forces me again and again to question this appraisal.

Okami is a work of art, and I don't just say that because of its water-color aesthetic. The talented minds at the now-defunct Clover Studios (who also created the awesome Viewtiful Joe series) delivered a true labor of love with Okami. The world is not only beautifully rendered, but it's filled to the brim with interesting characters and enemies, many of which have their roots in Japanese and Shinto mythology. It also takes the Zelda formula and gives it a unique spin, courtesy of the celestial brush mechanic the serves as the main tool for solving puzzles and often factors in to enemy and boss encounters. The music, which uses traditional Japanese instruments, creates a soundtrack unlike anything I've heard before or since, and one that I gladly went out and purchased. Finally, the storyline is as robust and sentimental as some of the best Japanese RPGs, which for some might be a mark against Okami, but I for one loved every moment. Okami truly feels unique, and I'm almost disappointed that it's receiving a sequel on the Nintendo DS.
Metroid Prime

They say you always remember your first. Well, when I finally bought my Gamecube, the first game I bought for the console was Metroid Prime. I also neglected to buy a memory card right away (I had been playing cartridge-based games up to that point), so I always had to start over from the beginning whenever I wanted to play it. By the time I had bought myself a memory card, I had pretty much perfected my run through the derelict space station that opens the game.

Metroid Prime is pretty much the Ocarina of Time of the Metroid series. The folks at Nintendo and Retro Studios really nailed bringing Metroid into the third dimension, creating an entirely new genre - First-Person Adventure - along the way. And while that alone might have been enough to secure its place in gaming history, it's the little things that truly make the original Prime stand out. The music, for instance, always feels more like atmospheric noise than actual compositions, even though many of the tunes are remixes of older Metroid themes. And seeing steam fog up Samus' visor is just one more thing that immerses you deeper into the role.

Playing Metroid Prime again on the recently released Trilogy compilation only cemented in my mind how truly flawless the game is.

Majora: Party of Two

2009-08-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've been spending the last month playing The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask as part of the Brainy Gamer's Vintage Game Club. Although I have not been as big of a contributor on the forums as I would have liked, playing through this oft-neglected Nintendo 64 game has really been enlightening. This will be the first of hopefully several posts on my experiences with the game.

I originally played through The Legend of Zelda when it was originally released on the Nintendo 64 back in 2000, so my recent trip back to the land of Termina was somewhat familiar. Not only could I vaguely remember the setting, people, and tasks from the game, but my surroundings as I played were very reminiscent of those when I was 13, even if they weren't quite the same themselves. Sure, I was playing the game on the Wii instead of the Nintendo 64 and with a Gamecube controller, but overall the experience was largely the same as it was and has been for the last decade: in my room, on my bed, playing games by myself.

That all changed when my girlfriend came back from work.

She had known for a while that I was a gamer, but she had never been around when I was playing games, aside from a few casual games on my iPod Touch. I started to turn off the Wii because I didn't figure she'd be interested in watching me play, not being a gamer herself, but to my surprise she took great interest in the game.

Naturally, at first she didn't quite understand the game. I was bombarded with questions regarding what I was doing and what was going on. "What are those green bloby guys?" "Why are you following those monkeys?" "Why are you cutting all those plants?" This was only natural I suppose: she not only missed the introductory segment of the game, but she wasn't well-versed in the language of Zelda and videogames in general. I half-expected her to grow frustrated and leave me to my playing, since to someone unfamiliar with the language of videogames, watching someone play can be an exercise in tedium and torture. To mmy surprise though, she stuck around and not only watched me as I played, but began actively participating in my adventure.

It started out small, with commands like "grab that heart!" and "kill that plant!", but the longer she was around me, the more involved she got with her participation. She'd let me know when I was beginning to run low on hearts, as often in an intense battle I would ignore those icons at the top of the screen. She'd provide commentary on events in the game, such as expressing sadness when the giant Goron protecting Snowhead fell to his apparent death (a thought that would have never occurred to me otherwise). What's more, she actually helped me progress in the game several times by suggesting actions that hadn't crossed my mind. For instance, while working on the Wedding Couple side quest, I got stumped after the postman delivered his letter to Kafei. I rushed back to Anju, but she was no help. I was about ready to give up on the quest for a while until my girlfriend finally suggested that I go into the door that Kafei entered.

"I've tried that before," I said. "It's locked."

"Just try it again."

Unconvinced, I went to the door, positive that it wouldn't open. Imagine my astonishment when the door was now in fact unlocked, and I was able to progress forward in the quest.

"You give up too easy," she informed me.

And perhaps she's right, but perhaps the issue in situations like these isn't simply that we as gamers sometimes need that second pair of eyes to help analyze in-game problems. I can think of many instances in my past when I've grown so frustrated with a puzzle in a game that I simply give up for a time or resort to walkthroughs via sites like GameFAQs. Our hobby is often thought of as a solitary past time, and although there are multiplayer and co-op games out there, the majority of players - I would wager - are playing their games alone. Nintendo made an effort with Super Mario Galaxy to add multiplayer components to a largely single player game, and perhaps I'll see whether this effort was successful now that I have a dedicated co-pilot. I've found it interesting though that there are ways for non-players to actively participate in games like Majora's Mask that are only designed with one player in mind.

Not only that, but adventuring through Termina this time was infinitely more fun this time because I had a companion to travel with me.

Shadow of the Colossus: Coming to a Theater Near You?

2009-04-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Shadow of the Colossus is one of greatest videogames I've ever had the pleasure to play. It's beautiful, atmospheric, and - among other things - features a poignant ending the likes of which I've not seen before or since. In many ways, it's like a mainstream art game; similar to Tale of Tales The Path, but much more refined.

It's also this blog's namesake, if you hadn't figured that out.

But color me a tad surprised by the news that Sony Pictures is developing a film adaptation of Colossus. This is according to Variety's The Cut Scene blog. It never struck me particularly as ripe for Hollywood treatment. The storyline is sparse, for instance, with the major events consisting mostly of slaying each of the 16 colossi. It's also a very interpretive game, which was always part of Colossus' brilliance for me personally. Variety describes the filmmaker's intentions to make the film "a "Lord of the Rings"-style fantasy tentpole," but while that may sound good on paper, the steps necessary to create such a film could potentially destroy any future interpretations of the game. As a player, I decided for myself what the main character's relationship was to the female lead. It was I that formed an emotional bond with Agro, my equine companion. And it was I who determined what exactly the titular colossi really were, and what killing each of them might symbolically represent.

I suspect, however, that a movie adaptation would completely remove most if not all of these elements. Colossus will cease to be an open, interpretive experience and simply become one person's interpretation of the source material. Wander - the main character - will have a voice and a clearly defined backstory. In fact, everything will be well-defined; ambiguity be damned! Plus, videogame-based movies don't exactly have the best track-record. If this movie does make it to theaters though, I'm hopeful that it'll be treated well by those involved.

In a related story: I'm developing a strong desire to replay Shadow of the Colossus.

Finding our Voice

2009-03-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

We have reached a transitional period in videogame analysis. Perhaps some of you have noticed it. Several years ago, it seemed enough to simply review a game based on the quality of its audio and visuals and whether or not the gameplay mechanics functioned correctly and consistently. Plot, if a game even had one, was never a major concern. Instead, enjoyment was paramount.

However, as voice acting and cutscenes started to be incorporated more and more into the presentation of videogames, many videogame writers began to view games as analogous to movies. At the time, it made sense: games are audiovisual experiences that – by and large – attempt to tell stories to the players. Increasingly though, we are finding that this is the wrong approach.

For one thing, treating videogames as simply movie analogues completely ignores the interactive aspect of the medium. I know I’m not the first one to make this observation, but it bears repeating. Movies are a static medium, meaning that the experience is essentially fixed from viewing to viewing. And while each person might view a film differently (e.g. seeing different meanings in the story), the action on screen is completely fixed. This is where videogames differ. Each player will experience the game differently, not only because of the different choices a player can make but because each player’s skill level is different. A game like Resident Evil 5, for example, might be decried by experienced players as too easy and therefore not particularly scary. However, the experience of these players gives them “expert bias.” A relatively inexperienced gamer might find the game very challenging, and that challenge will only heighten their sense of fear (as it does for me when playing Resident Evil 4 on anything but the Wii).

The limitations of this approach also come to light when we try to discuss “games as art.” More often than not, the games we try to lift up to “art” status are those that simply well-produced stories with copious cutscenes and voice-acting. The Metal Gear Solid series – though I love the games dearly – is quite frequently brought up in this context. The games are laced with messages and themes related to the danger of nuclear proliferation, personal identity, and nature vs. nurture, among others. However, the Metal Gear Solid games are primarily “games imitating film,” which should be considered its own category in this discussion. Very rarely do these games use the strength of their medium – interactivity – to further the themes of the game. The only time we are aware of these themes is in lengthy cutscenes, meaning that these storylines could just as easily be portrayed in a movie. And hence, because the games are so highly regarded, the idea of games as movie analogues has proliferated.

I do not mean to downplay the impact or importance of games like Metal Gear Solid; as I’ve said, I thoroughly enjoy them, in part because of their cinematic and cerebral storylines. However, the medium is capable of so much more.

I do not profess to have the answer, but I, like many others, are working to find that perfect approach to true game analysis. Film-based criticism still has its merits at times, given the audiovisual nature of videogames. One of my favorite games bloggers - Leigh Alexander - advocated using music as analogues, because of the subjective nature of both. Additionally, we need to focus more on the experience as a whole: how the audio, visual, interactive, and thematic elements coalesce. At least, that is how I intend to approach videogame analysis on this blog.

Consider this my charter for Save the Colossi.

The Addictive Power of Pokemon

2009-03-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

There must be something in the water!

I won't deny that I enjoy playing the Pokemon videogames for the Game Boy and now the DS. They're fun little RPGs that call to mind "my salad days, when I was green in judgment." And while I still believe that Gold and Silver were the pinnacle of the series, I still buy each iteration when they're released. Hence, I have a copy of Diamond sitting on my shelf, unfinished but not unloved.

However, I'm beginning to think that Nintendo's beloved pocket monster RPGs are emitting mind-altering waves. Why else would I read this Penny Arcade strip today and think "Y'know, I should probably go buy Platinum." No! No I shouldn't! I bought the game two years ago... when it was called Diamond.

Perhaps I was simply in a nostalgic mood, but that feeling - however brief - gave me pause.

The Pantheon of Japanese RPGs

2009-01-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

Japanese RPGs are one of my favorite genres of videogames, though certainly it's not a taste that everyone enjoys. JRPGs have certain gameplay and storyline conventions that many people I've known would label "limiting" or "linear." I don't disagree with these appraisal per se, I also don't think there's anything particularly wrong with directed story-telling or streamlined character customization.

Over at The Brainy Gamer, Michael Abbott has opened up nominations for his Vintage Game Club, a collection of games that the community believes are classics and, therefore, worthy of our time and thoughts. One of the leading nominees for the fourth VGC game is Chrono Trigger, considered by many to be one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. As I've been playing through the game (for the first time, I might add), I'm finding myself hard-pressed to disagree with that appraisal (I'll delve into this further on a later blog). But Chrono Trigger's much-lauded status begs the question: what other JRPGs are significant/worthy enough to be considered part of the "Pantheon of Great JRPGs"?

I've started with a short list of JRPGs that seem to be the most significant for their system or era. The list is obviously not exhaustive, and I welcome any suggestions you might have - particularly for the Sony and Sega consoles, which are not my strong suit. I'm also trying to stick with pre-Playstation 2 consoles, as otherwise the games might not be old enough to accurately judge.

I appreciate any help you might be able to provide, as I hope to make this into a larger project in the future.

NES:
Dragon Quest
Final Fantasy 1

SNES:
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VI
Dragon Quest V
Earthbound
Chrono Trigger
Secret of Mana
Super Mario RPG

Genesis:
Phantasy Star 1
Phantasy Star 2
Lunar

Playstation:
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy Tactics

Dreamcast:
Skies of Arcadia

Gameboy:
Pokemon Red/Blue

Where Have All the Heroes Gone?

2009-01-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I revisited my unfinished copy of No More Heroes for the Wii. My interest in the game was rekindled after seeing several journalist list it among their favorite games of the year. I also needed something to break up the monotony of Persona 3 and 4 (which, although I love them, are both 80 hour epics), so it was win/win.

From the outset of the game, I found myself strangely drawn to the character Travis Touchdown. I'd even say that I identified with Travis more than most other videogame character I've previous encountered. In large part, this is because, like him, I too am an anime fan, owning not only DVDs and and manga, but also figures much like those seen in Travis' motel room. It was refreshing to see a character who not only shared these interests, but was also the protagonist and not just a weepy sidekick (sorry, Otacon).

The deeper I got into No More Heroes however, the more I was repulsed by Travis. He isn't heroisc, despite his status as the protagonist; in fact, Travis is a loser and a pretty terrible human being. He's approximately 30 years old (based on information from cutscenes), lives in a motel, has no "real" job, really only ever thinks about sex, and his closest friend seems to be a video store clerk. What's more, he earns money primarily by doing odd jobs like mowing lawns and pumping gas. In essence, Travis is far from the picture of success, even by Santa Destroy standards.

Travis' occupation as an assassin is also problematic. In the context of popular media, being an assassin isn't necessarily a bad thing; they're even glorified at times. However, in these instances the character in question has a noble reason for killing others, making them a sort of anti-hero the player or audience can rally behind. Travis' motivations though are anything but noble; they're rather base in fact. He states in the opening moments of the game that he's aiming to be the #1 ranked assassin in the United States for two reasons: to earn money and get laid. I find this information rather nauseating, truth be told.

What's interesting is that Travis doesn't finds people like himself just as disgusting as I find him. Before he fights Bad Girl, the #2 ranked assassin, Travis confronts her about what he views as disgusting behavior. "You're no assassin. You're just a perverted killing maniac." "In essence," she replies, "they're the same." It's obvious through this exchange that Travis doesn't realize that he and Bad Girl are more alike than different, although she certainly does. The boss battle itself seems tailored to let the player come to this conclusion as well. Bad Girl is the hardest and most time-consuming boss in the game. There's no real trick to beating her; it is simply a matter of endurance. Even Travis himself admits that he had a hard time defeating her. In many ways, this fight and the events surrounding it act as the turning point in the game, and for me personally it precipitated my change of view towards Travis. This was not a character I liked and it disgusted me to think that we had similarities.

I wanted Travis to have some sort of redemption by the end of the game, perhaps a sign of hope for the future. Unfortunately, Travis is the same loser at the end of the game as he is in the beginning. Although I enjoyed the game immensely, I'm still rather troubled by the message Suda 51 (the game's director) may be trying to send, but even that is hard to parse. No More Heroes is unapolegetically a parody of modern videogames, complete with fourth-wall breaking references to the "player," so Suda may not actually be saying anything about gamers through Travis' character. It's possible that Travis is only caricature of how outsiders (like the mainstream media) view gamers.

Mega Man 9 Gets An Official Trailer

2008-07-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

I posted some leaked footage of Mega Man 9 the other day, but Capcom has released an official trailer for the game (posted below). No American release date is announced, but now we know that the game will be available for PSN and XBLA, in addition to WiiWare.

Thus far, it seems that the sound design, if nothing else, will be on par with the earlier Mega Man titles on NES. The level design, at least from what's been shown, looks to be a sort of "greatest hits" of design elements. I'm especially excited to see the bubble platforming from Mega Man 5's Wave Man stage has returned. We'll have to wait and see whether the entire levels look as good as the small pieces we're being shown now.

The one element that still seems lacking is the story. Considering the progress more recent Mega Man titles have made, I'm a bit disappointed that the setup for MM9 is sparse at best, and nigh-indistinguishable from the NES games of yore. I've been spoiled by modern videogame storytelling. I don't want an epic, but I want a plot setup that doesn't seem so... contrived for once, Capcom.

Overall though, I'm still totally psyched for this game!

Mega Man 9 Price Revealed

2008-07-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

According to Ars Technica, who in turn received their info from Famitsu, it won't cost gamers an arm, leg, or kidney to experience the Blue Bomber's 8-bit revival. Mega Man 9 is set for release on WiiWare for the low price of $10, which is equivalent to the price of a Nintendo 64 game on the Virtual Console. From the website:

How much would you pay for a brand-new, 8-bit Mega Man game? Back in the new day an NES cart would've run you at least $50, but today Nintendo is charging just $5 for NES games on the Virtual Console. So where does that leave Mega Man 9?

According to the latest issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu, Capcom has found somewhat of a middle ground and will be charging 1,000 Wii Points for the game, or $10.

The news article then states that Downloadable Content, or DLC, is also planned for Mega Man 9, although no one - this author included - is really sure what this could entail. Alternate costumes/characters maybe?

Finally, Ars posted a short opinion yesterday focusing on Mega Man's return to NES-style graphics and why it's significant. It's worth a read for those interested in the game.

$80 for an Artbook?! You've got to be kidding me!

2008-07-09T22:59:00.000-07:00

Today, I learned from Penny Arcade that Capcom is releasing a Street Fighter Tribute artbook in celebration of the series' 20th Anniversary. The book compiles art from many (relatively) well-known artists of characters from the games, including Penny Arcade's own Gabe. The catch? Capcom is charging $80 (plus $20 for shipping) for the artbook on their website. A quick search on Amazon turns up the same book for $40 MSRP, on sale for ~$26. The only difference between these two books is that Amazon only sells the paperback version of the artbook, whereas Capcom is seeling a limited edition hardcover. I'm not sure a hardcover is worth the extra $75 however.

In a related story, I also discovered the existence of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Complete Collection," which Amazon has listed at $60 (on sale for ~$42). I'm still not sure how to respond to this discovery, considering that I paid $65 for the first volume upon release last summer. On the otherhand, the copious amounts of money I spent also earned my lots of Haruhi-related goodies, as well as a very nice box to store all my DVDs. Overall though, this has me questioning the value of buying individual Anime DVD releases, like my current Lucky Star investment. With the impending release of Hayate no Gotoku stateside, I'll have to decide whether I'm willing to pay for 12 DVD volumes (which will likely cost $20+ each).

Persona 4 Coming to the US this Winter

2008-07-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

It's official! According to Siliconera, who attended Anime Expo this past weekend, Atlus will release the latest game in the Shin Megami Tensei series, Persona 4, this holiday season. As frequent readers of this blog will know, I'm infatuated with Persona 3 and FES and have made a couple of posts detailing my progress in the game. Given my recent gaming habits though, I wasn't sure that I would be buying Persona 4; that was until I found out that Chihiro (one of the side characters in P3) would be making an appearance in the game. It seems that the P4 characters take a trip to Gekkoukan two years after the events of P3, so who knows what other cameos we may see.

On a related note, the opening movie is very cool: perhaps better than the movie from Persona 3.

Mega Man 9: First Footage (Short, but Sweet)

2008-07-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

It's not long, but for old-school Mega Man fans this clip only adds to our excitement. Just listen to that 8-bit music. It's lovely!

Chrono Trigger DS: It's Finally Coming!

2008-07-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

As someone who has only been able to play Chrono Trigger in emulation, I can hardly express how happy I am after reading this news. Chrono Trigger is coming to the Nintendo DS, after much clamoring from fans across the world. In addition to a leaked scan from the upcoming Jump Magazine, Square-Enix has also launched a countdown site, although no one can say for sure when the countdown will end (there are no real indicators; it seems to just be a clock).

Regardless, this "announcement" has me very excited for the coming year, which shall also be filled with multiple Dragon Quest releases on the DS.

Sonic Unleashed, or How I Got It Right!

2008-06-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

The video below is the latest gameplay trailer for Sega's upcoming "Sonic Unleashed," which is set to hit just about every system under the sun. The game, in my opinion looks super fun, and a return to form for the blue hedgehog.

When I watch these videos though, I'm remind of a blog post I made back in March of 2006 on the subject:

Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's beloved mascot from the Genesis days and beyond, has been in a bit of a slump lately on the consoles, and even that is putting it lightly. This downward trend can be traced back to one drastic change to the Sonic formula: the transition from 2D to 3D. For some reason, Sonic has not been able to make the final leap to 3D graphics like other franchises. Mario, Zelda, Metroid: they may all be Nintendo franchises, but this trio also stand as an example of 2D franchises transitioning well (and at times exceeding predecessors) into the third dimension. RPGs also transitioned rather well into this new dimension. Sonic the Hedgehog is not alone in this struggle, as Konami's Castlevania franchise has also struggled with this transition; however, I would argue that Sonic's failure is perhaps a bit more saddening.

What I aim to do now is not so much point out what Sega has been doing wrong with the Sonic franchise but what they've done right, as well as the things that still can be done to restore the blue hedgehog to his former glory.

Why Portable Sonic Worked!
If any of you own a Gameboy Advance or the Nintendo DS, do yourself a favor a pick up one or more of the Sonic games on these systems. On the GBA side, there is Sonic Advance 1-3, while the DS has Sonic Rush. While Sega's blue mascot has been struggling on current consoles, his handheld adventures are flourishing, with Rush and Advance 3 being must-haves for their respective systems. But why is that? Sure, they bring sonic back to his native 2D mechanics, but I'm sure there is more to it.

First off, there are the graphics. Looking back at the original Sonic titles (using Sonic Mega Collection as reference), the current models used for consoles are a logical evolution. However, the handheld graphics are quite a different beast. They ashew the old style and instead aim at the more "animated" look we're used to on current sprite-based games, such as the Guilty Gear series. Even with Sonic Rush, which ditched the sprites in favor of 3D polygon models, the style remained thanks to cel-shading. I can't see why this hasn't carried over to the console games, since to me they better capture Sonic and his crew than the more "realistic" models. Sometimes a cartoony look is just what the franchise is about. The Mario series, in all its offshoots, has embraced the style (though not with cel-shading) even though the power of the Gamecube could easily make Mario more of a real person (graphics wise). Besides, with the popular Sonic X cartoon, the cel-shaded graphics just make sense as a possible tie-in of styles.

There's also the aspect of Navigation. To my knowledge, the recent console Sonic games have all used a free-roaming world to explore and find the next area. This is all well and good, but often it just isn't that fun. Sonic doesn't have the moveset to make these sort of areas compelling. Even in two-dimensions, when Sonic Advance 3 added an explorable hub for each Zone World, the navigation got tedious. The only advantage it offered was the occasional extra bonus stage and possibly teaching players a new mechanic that would be used in stages. With Sonic Rush was released, it featured a much more user-friendly option: a simple world map (I believe this has been done before in earlier Sonic games as well). It is my belief that this is how Sonic games should navigate from now on. It has worked for many other franchises, from Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World, to the more recent Klonoa games on both the GBA and PS2. It may not be as graphically impressive, but sometimes streamlining an experience goes a long way.

Finally, there is the classic 2D mechanic inherent in these games. Sonic the Hedgehog works best when confined to a single direction, and speed is a key element in his former (and current handheld) success. Sega even has a timer built into the interface so that players no how long it took them to finish a stage or even to try and best that time. When Sonic and his friends run around in a console game, they lack the sense of speed that's present in 2D. Some might suggest it's due to an inability to portray speed in 3D, but I don't believe it. Achieving a sense of high speed has been easy, even for Sega. When they developed F-Zero GX for Nintendo, their game engine made players feel like they were on a white-knuckle ride. No, speed alone is not the problem; it's that Sonic can never go too fast in 3D while still being able to perform the platforming aspects from the 2D adventures. It is too easy to overshoot a landing or pass by a crucial area when moving at high speeds through a 3D landscape. Sonic just wasn't made for a free-roaming, 3D environment.

How Sonic the Hedgehog should be!
or how I learned to love Rails!

While contemplating Sonic's future, two other games come to mind that face a similar dilemma: Klonoa and Kirby. Kirby's gameplay mechanics were built around the 2D engine and would have been difficult to translate in 3D environments. Klonoa's basic gameplay, like Kirby, simply would not have worked as well in a 3D. With this in mind, their respective developers opted for what has been dubbed as 2.5D, or using 3D environments with characters moving along a 2D plane. In other words, these characters have their paths mapped out for them and are essentially on rails. The engine for this type of game would need changing for Sonic (we still want an exploration aspect after all), I believe this is the direction Sonic must be taken. Sega has already flirted with the style in Sonic Rush, using polygon models in 2D environments and featuring boss battles strikingly similar in gameplay to those of Klonoa 2 for the PS2. It might take a few years to iron out the specifics, but I can definitely see Sonic the Hedgehog producing some great titles if Sonic Team switched to a 2.5D engine.

Sega's mascot needs his glory back. Some of the recent console games are fun, but if Shadow the Hedgehog showed us ANYTHING, it's that Sega is struggling to make Sonic relavant to the current generation of gamers. Between cel-shaded graphics (maybe a possible Sonic X tie-in), a simple world map, and a revamped engine for 2.5D graphics, Sonic the Hedgehog might once again stand among the great platformers of our time.

This last part is key: if you didn't notice in the video, Sonic Unleashed is a heavily modified 2.5D game, just as I described it over two years ago. Thus far, Sega has taken the elements perfected in the handheld games (namely Rush) and mixed them together with those of Sonic and the Secret Rings, last year's Sonic game for the Wii. I'm hoping the game will be as good as it looks, not just because I want a restoration of Sonic to his former glory, but because how often do you really get to say "I called it"? =P

Afterthoughts: Metal Gear Solid 3

2008-06-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

I was skimming through an old personal gaming blog I used to run over on 1up, and this post in particular seemed worthy of reposting. I think my statements at the time still hold up today. Here are the highlights of my review:

25 hours, 5 minutes, and 23 seconds.

That's what Metal Gear Solid 3 took out of my life (and then some, since I restarted parts a few times) and what it will probably take several times over in the coming months and years. There are games that I can play through and revisit on a rainy day (or so I tell myself), and then there are games that demand to be played again and again. Final Fantasy X, Zelda Ocarina of Time, Metroid Fusion, Tales of Symphonia; where MGS Twin Snakes once stood among these games, now Snake Eater stands proud. It shines as an example of perfect packaging (particularly with Subsistence) of gameplay, graphics, sound, ambiance, and storyline. This is what videogames are all about.

The storyline, while maybe not thematically as great as the original MGS, still draws me in like few others have. I'm not afraid to admit that the final cutscenes, in which you learn the truth about your mission, drove me to tears. Call me a sissy if you want (my girlfriend certainly had no problem), but it truly is a tragic tale. The characters were definitely a highlight of the whole experience. Between the bonding of Snake and Sigint; Para-Medic's constant movie talk (which actually made me want to watch some of the movies mentioned); The Boss's devotion both to her mission, Country, and Snake; and Ocelot's foibles: there was never a dull moment. In fact, I'd have to say that Snake Eater is one of the funniest and heart-wrenching tales ever told on a videogame.

While Metal Gear Solid had some outstanding gameplay (more so with the Gamecube remake), Snake Eater ups the ante considerably. The game doesn't make getting through the mission simple, which is something I really appreciated. Very infrequently would it directly give you a needed item (like the Scientist uniform), so exploration was a necessity in a title that, on the surface, discourages such behavior. However, it's the non-linearity of the gameplay that's really appealing. Choices concerning how to tackle a given situation is left up to the player entirely. Kill every guard you come across if you want, tranquilize them to make speaking by simpler, be completely stealthy without the use of guns, or tranquilize guards and then knife them to death. These are but a few options given to the player, and we haven't even touched upon the new additions to MGS3.

I'd also like to add that because of the ambiance of Snake Eater, I may never again look at birds, snakes, rabbits, and the great outdoors again the same way. Just today, I was outside and saw a bird in a tree. I'm not joking that I thought about how it would taste if I shot it (and I don't even have a gun). Thanks a bunch Kojima.

A New 8-bit Mega Man?! I Must Be Dreaming!

2008-06-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

I had planned to post last week about the rumored existence of Mega Man 9, which was reported by Siliconera almost two weeks ago. Apparently, a foreign ratings board rated Mega Man, which no one even knew existed. The platform was listed as "multiplatform," leading most (myself included) to suspect a download service. I personally was hoping for a WiiWare release because (1) Mega Man games seem to perform best on Nintendo consoles (see: the recent Mega Man PSP games), and (2) I don't own a PS3 or 360. Whatever platform it landed on, I think everyone was expecting a 2.5D in the style of Mega Man Powered Up.

Well, now it's official: Mega Man 9 does exist, and it's coming to WiiWare...

..as an 8-bit title! (Screenshot below)

Now, I make my love of Mega Man no secret. I grew up playing the classic NES cartridges which starred the Blue Bomber, and replaying these games on the Mega Man Anniversary Collection never fails to bring a smile to my face. And though I've enjoyed the later titles in the series - namely Mega Man 8, Mega Man X, and Mega Man Zero - I always felt that the 8-bit titles got something right that was never quite replicated later on. That said, I can't express how excited this news has me. I'm eagerly awaiting to see what Inafune has in store for this 8-bit revival. Capcom seems to be reviving many of its classic franchises in a big way this year (see: Street Fighter IV, Bionic Commando Rearmed), but this title by far has me all atwitter with anticipation.

... Now where's Megaman Legends 3?!

News and Image VIA Siliconera

Another MGS Post?! I Know; I'm Sorry...

2008-06-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

This should be the last one until I start playing the game. I just felt like I should comment on something, namely the Penny Arcade strip that was posted on Friday:I could not agree more with the sentiments expressed in this comic strip. As of late, I've been very frustrated by the videogame journalism. Most of the time, it stems from the always ridiculous 100 point scale that websites like IGN insist on using, or habit of watermarking the crap out of any media posted on their site, despite that fact that the website does not, in fact, own the art assests, screenshots, and videos which they watermark. However, the review in question was fair, as near as I can tell, and 9.3 is a perfectly legitimate score. Note to the fanbase: as much as we all love Metal Gear, we must admit that the series has its flaws.

I've been disappointed with review scores in the past as well. I've always felt that Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube was underrated by Electronic Gaming Monthly when it was released, and the following the game has garnered since its release only reinforces this notion. But it didn't begrudge EGM for it. In the long run, what matters is whether you yourself enjoy a game, and not whether it earned a perfect score on a gaming website. Lighten up, gamers!

Also, fans of Metal Gear Solid 2 should give this analysis a careful read. It's a very intriguing take on the controversal and often convoluted plot of MGS2.

MGS4: The Unboxing

2008-06-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

It arrived today! I am now officially the proud owner of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Why am I sitting at my laptop instead of playing the greatly anticipated game? Well, as I noted last time, MGS4 is a videogame that I am completely unable to play, due to my lack of Playstation 3. The important thing though is that my collection of Metal Gear games is nearing completion. All I need now is to possibly grab a used copy of Metal Gear Solid 1 from the recently released collection. I'd really love to play the original PS1 version of Metal Gear Solid to complement my copy of The Twin Snakes.

Below are some pictures of unwrapping of MGS4, along with the preorder goodies and my MGS collection.

MGS4 + the Pre-order Goodies

From the artbook: A short synopsis of the MGS plot thus far

Looks like there's also nice content to read in the artbook

From the artbook: the Beauties/Beasts

The open blu-ray case: showing the disc and manual

From the manual: How to play MGS4 (told through comic panels)

The two Metal Gear Saga bonus DVDS (the first came with MGS3: Subsistence)

My Metal Gear Collection: Possibly Incomplete?

Metal Gear Sucker

2008-06-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well, today I pre-ordered a game for a game console that I don't own and probably won't own for two years. Yes, I'm talking about Metal Gear Solid 4: the final chapter in a game series I've been hopelessly following for years. Why did I spend money on a game I won't be able to play. The answer in four-fold:

1) My local Gamestop had the pre-order bonus DVD: Metal Gear Saga, Vol. 2
2) I was promised an art book with my copy of the game when it arrives on the 12th.
3) I had spent the morning watching a retrospective (courtesy of GameTrailers) on the entire Metal Gear franchise.
4) I'm an effing GEEK!

I was powerless to resist; really, I was! I went to the counter to ask whether they still had copies of the DVD. I honestly believed they would not - other stores had long since sold out. I would have left then, but the clerks told me that yes, they did have a couple copies left. They pulled one out and set it on the counter. Still I faltered. Then two words crossed their collective lips that rendered me unable to resist: art book. Before I knew it, my wallet was in one hand, the special DVD was in the other, and - left with no third hand - the receipt was sandwiched firmly between my lips. I felt like a dog, heeling to the call of my master: Hideo Kojima.

On the bright side though, I'm getting Metal Gear Solid 4 on Thursday. ^_^

My Life @ Gekkokan: A Coincidence?

2008-05-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm about a month further along in Persona 3 FES and it's finals time. The funny thing is that it's finals time for me as well. I'm going to be spending the rest of the week studying and taking tests, so I likely won't be able to play FES until next week sometime (T-T). Oh well: it can't be helped.

My Life @ Gekkokan: Diving into Persona 3 FES

2008-05-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I bought an RPG buy the name of Persona 3. I may have even blogged about it at the time, but I don't remember. I played the Playstation 2 title quite a bit that August, but once school started back up, I fell out of habit and never could quite pick the game back up. Plus, there was always the possibility that Atlus (the developer) would release P3 FES: an upgraded version of the original game. Well, last month they did, and in the last few weeks I've been playing it a considerable amount. This won't be a review (I'll like write one later), but more like thoughts I had while playing the game.

The Three Month Mark

Last time, I only played about 3 months worth of the game (Persona 3 takes place over a 12-month school year), so my first goal was to reach my old point in the game. Tonight I reached this goal.

FES lets you import some of the data from the original game when you start, including your Persona compendium and personal stats like Charm, Courage, and Academics. I was over half way leveled with these three skills in Persona 3, so as a result I've managed to max out two of them already.
Leveling up your social links is different the second time through. I've been playing much more efficiently. I'm likely going to have one of my relationahips maxed-out by the end of the month (in the game).
I love the dating aspect of the game. Currently, I'm dating the School Treasurer, but I've also got the Track Team coach fawning over me. I understand that there's a funny event later in the game if you level up multiple relationships with girls, so I'm working hard to earn it.
Atlus (the developer) nerfed a couple aspects of the game that irritated me at first. For example, you can no longer power-level in the main dungeon the night before the full moon. (Typically, you are forced to quit because your party gets fatigued; in P3, this didn't happen the night before a full moon.) Also, There's less insentive to level up academics by donating to the local shinto shrine. These haven't proved too detrimental however.
Being told that I needed to be a badass (see image above) was one of the funniest things I've seen in a game (note: "Badass" is the highest rank for the Courage stat).
The music is still AWESOME!
Similarly, Bebe - a French exchange student who speaks with an accent (e.g., the = "ze") and randomly speaks Japanese - is still one of my favorite characters.
I sometimes wish I wasn't playing an RPG and that instead the social aspect of Persona 3 was the entire game. It's very addictive.

I'll update more after I delve further into the game.

King of Fighters XI is on the Way!

2007-11-18T23:31:00.000-08:00

You've all heard my rave about King of Fighters XI before and how much I went through to play it. Well, now SNK has released the title in America for a mere fraction (see: $15) of what I paid originally. Oh but that's not all: sucker that I am, I've ordered this version off of Amazon and it is in the mail as we speak. It should arrive sometime this week. Why would I buy a videogame I already own simply because it's now in English? Well (1) it's in English, (2) the Developer SNK needs to know they have fans and support in the States, and (3) I am that effing HARDCORE!

In Addition:

Capcom is releasing a version of Okami on the Wii. I own it for the PS2, but I'll be getting this version too. I don't even own a Wii yet!

Persona 3 FES is rumored to be coming Stateside. I haven't even finished the regular, vanilla version of Persona 3, but I'm grabbing FES for sure.

On Internet Watermarking...

2007-08-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

As I was watching some videos on my Laptop the other night, I started thinking about a common practice on the internet with regards to media: watermarking. Many websites (especially video game sites) watermark any video or screen-shot on their site, and at times I don't mind. If the editors are posting a video or image that they themselves have captured during a playtest or what have you, that fine in my book; after all, they spent effort to create this media, and they should have the right to claim some ownership of it. However, I'm much less forgiving when the media in question is provided by the game publisher/developer themselves, such as a trailer. How can someone reasonably claim ownership of something that's freely distributed online? They did not create this media, so it makes little sense to plaster your logo all over it simply because it's on your site.

Maybe I should start watermarking all the images I post on my blog. That way, anyone who saves an image will always know where it came from. It's not like these watermarks are eyesores. Oh wait...

What's the plural of "Persona"?

2007-08-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

I came for the teenage-suicide mechanic, but stayed for the dating simulator...

The above words could not describe my feelings about the Playstation 2 "Persona 3" any better. When the game was originally announced for Japan over a year ago, I was more than intrigued by the game's battle system; specifically, the method in which you summon your Personae (creatures that act as the game's magic system), i.e. shooting themselves in the head with a gun. Sure, they call it an "evoker" and it doesn't actually fire any ammunition; however, when the damn thing looks like a gun and all the characters (all teenagers, I might add) are pointing the muzzle against their temple/mouth/between the eyes, it's hard not to suspect that a little controversy is bound to follow this game to America. After a good 17 hours of play, I'm finding so much more to enjoy about this game.

There are many things that keep me playing Persona 3, but the biggest reason is what has been dubbed by some as the "dating-sim" portion. Essentially, when you're not fighting through the game's main dungeon, you attend school and form relationships with other people, including trying to score yourself a girlfriend. Right now I'm working on winning over the bookish Chihiro. What can I say? Guys make passes at girls who wear glasses :P

I should also note that the music is FANTASTIC! I got a copy of the soundtrack (part of it anyway) just for buying the game, and I'm so glad I did. This is the type of stuff I want on my iPod, and it's a relief to to have to look for a copy online.

Updates to follow in the coming days/weeks.

Ja ne!

Mom on Garou MotW

2007-07-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

"Your game sounds like little kids torturing each other."

Garou MotW > King of Fighters XI

2007-07-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

I've sung the praises of King of Fighters XI before, but today I feel that King of 2D Fighting Games, in my estimation, has been dethroned by my recent adventure into the library of SNK. What game could possibly accomplish this feat? Why, none other 1999's Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

About a month ago, I noticed that a version of the old Dreamcast game was soon to be available of the PS2 in Japan via Play-Asia, and having heard that it was one of the best 2D fighting games around, I figured for $30 I could hardly go wrong with importing it. Besides, it featured my favorite character from KoFXI, B. Jenet, which was practically enough to seal the deal. So last Wednesday the game arrived in the mail and I quickly booted up the disc for a quick play session after work. My impressions during that initial play session were less than favorable compared to KoFXI, mainly because I could no longer control characters via the analog stick, as I am wont to do after a year of playing the aforesaid game. Being forced to use the d-pad presented a bit of a learning curve at first, one which somewhat negated my familiarity with the controls and moveset of B. Jenet (who was my obvious choice when selecting a fighter in story mode). I found that I could hardly move beyond the first challenger without losing, which I suppose contributed to my negative first impressions. However, I resolves to overcome these difficulties given the overwhelming positive reception the game received from reviewers.

So this past weekend I invited my friend and fellow fighting game fan Hector over for a play session. We had previously enjoyed the likes of Super Smash Bros. Melee, Naruto Clash of Ninja, Soul Calibur 2, and (of course) King of Fighter XI. We popped the game in my PS2 and started playing, and it was then that I learned why Garou MotW is so highly praised in the fighting game community. Besides the excellent balance between fighters, the game is easy to play, challenging to master, and fun as hell. I say it's easy to play because Hector, who had not yet learned of the "quarter turn," was still able to best me at several rounds in the game. We discovered together the purpose of the TOP set bar, how to pull of specials (both light and strong types), adjusting the handicap to maximize play time, and just how catchy that old-school level select music is. The more we played, the better we each got, and though he lost more often than not, he was still holding his own and maintaining a relative status quo compared to my progress. I think if we make these play sessions a habit, we both could easily become fairly high-level players. I've already noticed marked improvement in my own skills (thanks in part to a mastery of the d-pad setup) when playing the single player mode.

As much as I enjoy King of Fighters XI, I'll readily admit that certain aspects of the design make it a bit complicated for a beginner, especially one who doesn't own the game themselves (like my friend Hector). For starters, the 3-character team setup really hinders novice play. It take time to find a character that suits your play style and master their moveset, let alone three. It took me at least a month to finalize my standard team if KoF, and that was only after many play sessions and many team combinations. With Garou, Hector was able to cycle through the small cast of fighters and find one he found enjoyable, then proceeding to learn his moveset. The process was no more complicated than that, and in the end it helped keep the two of us on a fairly equal level of skill. Admittedly, the graphics and audio in Garou aren't near as polished as in KoFXI, but they hardly detract from the experience. If I need to play something with some extra depth and style, I can play KoF, but if I've got a friend over and want a simpler experience, Garou MotW is definitely the way to go.

The one thing I've learned from playing these SNK fighting games though is that now I really require more depth from the controls in a fighting title. Whereas I used to thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of Naruto Clash of Ninja, I now find it to basic. They aren't really a game of skill, but rather an exercise in button-mashing. There are no combos to speak of, and the lack of control depth is ultimately frustrating in the face of Garou or KoF or even other 3D fighters like Soul Calibur or Virtua Fighter. I've also learned that Fighting games are one of my favorite genre's of video games (along with Rhythm, Action, and RPG). I hope it sees a revival in the near future, as aside from the big name franchises there aren't many available on the US market currently.

Retrospective: King of Fighters XI

2007-02-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

Five years ago, when I was still a fledgling member on the internet gaming community, the idea of importing games directly from Japan seemed like a practice reserved only for the hardest of hardcore gamers. At that time, I only knew one person who imported games, but he was a huge Bemani fan so it made sense for him. Maybe times were different back then, but as I got older the practice seemed to become more prevalent. By the time Nintendo released the original DS, websites like (the now defunct) Lik Sang had become common knowledge among gamers I knew. Still, the thought of importing a game was not one I considered often, what with the risks.

That was before King of Fighters XI though.

Gaming Blog Kotaku had just posted an article and interview with SNK character designer Falcoon about the future of the company and the King of Fighters series. Of course, I had heard of KoF, but being a child of Street Fighter 2 I never really paid much attention to SNK's offering. Well, for whatever reason, the article prompted me to look into the series. The more I read, the more interested I became and the more I wanted to play a KoF title. Low and Behold, a couple months prior SNK Playmore had released a PS2 port of arcade hit King of Fighters XI. I considered waiting for an American release, but upon further investigation come to the conclusion that such a release was unlikely. That left only one option left: importing. At the time, I was understandably reticent:

The problem is, word has it that this most recent title is unlikely to reach American shores. If the last few games were any example, this will probably be true (KoF 2003 arrived here in 2005, I believe). With this in mind, I'm considering (seriously) importing these titles and modding my PS2 to play them (via Swap Magic).

I'm still debating the whole issue, since right now the $100 endeavor (which includes the cost of the game) is essentially for a single fighting title. However, I should also consider that I don't know what other games from Japan I'll want down the road. Something like Ikaruga (Gamecube) probably shouldn't have ever been released in the States, so who knows what other niche titles may come along. For now, my plan is to get the opinion of a couple other people, and then thoroughly think about the subject this weekend. If by Monday it still sounds like a good idea, I'll do it.

And by Monday, the idea still sounded good, so I purchased the game and the necessary equipment. Six months later, I've never been happier with my decision. KoF XI turned out to be better than I could have ever hoped. The 2D graphics, while not as detailed or fluid as Guilty Gear, are still very attractive and have a very classic look in my opinion. The character roster is numerous and varied. Best of all tough, the fighting system is so finely-tuned that it's difficult sometimes to play other fighting games. As enjoyable as something like the Naruto Clash of Ninja series is, the games lack the depth and require less skill than KoF, which makes them boring to play for extended periods.

SNK announced this past Fall that they're working hard on King of Fighters XII, which among other things will include completely redrawn sprites (for the first time in ages). I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really excited. At this moment, there is absolutely no information, screenshots, or release date for the title, but hopefully soon some info will come to light.
Until then, if you haven't ever seen KoF in action, be sure to watch to YouTube video below and see what American gamers are missing out on.

Rez and the Forty Dollar Dilemma

2007-02-20T23:00:00.000-08:00

A few games hold coveted status among the hardest of hardcore gamers. Rez, the Rhythm-Action-
Shooter game from Sega, is one such title. Best summarized as a visual, audio, and tactile explosion in videogame form, Rez is a game so unlike anything else available on consoles that it inspired its own vibrator. Last July, I bought the game at my local GameStop, and here were my impressions of the whole situation:

This last Wednesday, I picked up a copy of Rez for the PS2. After hearing good things for months, and seeing it featured in G4's Gamemakers episode "Music Games," I decided a trip to Gamestop was in order. Sure enough, they had a copy, but it was $40 in the Used section. Against better judgment, I decided to buy it.

Now, I can certainly see why this game is critically acclaimed. The audio-visual experience is above and beyond anything I've ever played before. However, given the price and fairly short experience, to say I have buyer's-remorse is an understatement. Put simply, the challenge isn't there to keep me playing. Sure, I haven't unlocked everything, but in less than 5 play sessions I have unlocked all the areas. It's very disappointing.

On the upside, I have recourse for taking the game back for a refund. As long as I go back to Gamestop by Tuesday, They'll give me a refund if there is something wrong with the game. Now, it's not a huge deal, but Rez is supposed to feature vibration elements, and my copy refuses to activate these settings. So I think that's what I'm gonna use to get my money back. Even if they don't give me cash (I doubt they will), I can still put that forty-some odd dollars towards a more lasting experience, like Disgaea 2.

Over six months later, I stand by this statement. I think my largest problem with them game wasn't the short length, but low difficulty. Once I got the hang of the game mechanics, I was able to breeze through all the levels in about an hour. Ikaruga only takes about an hour to finish, put the steep difficulty makes actually accomplishing this tough as all hell. Best hour of my life? Probably not.