09.20.12 |
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The Verge‘s Andrew Webster:
In order for the Wii U to truly succeed, Nintendo needs to create experiences that could only be possible with the GamePad, and that are good enough to make people want to buy the console. Speaking to the New York Times, Fils-Aime said that the GamePad “allows us to create content that shows different ways to play together but have fundamentally different experiences.” Now Nintendo needs a game that exemplifies that philosophy.
Exactly. Mark my words: the idea of selling a cheaper version of the Wii U without pack in software is a huge, huge mistake.
09.20.12 |
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Kyle Orland makes the case for Terry Cavanagh’s (developer of cult platformer VVVVV) retro, trippy arcade game. I agree with him; it is often frustrating, but it’s addictive as hell. Perfect way to kill 30 seconds between subway stops.
09.12.12 |
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Really enjoyable article on the influential gaming company Valve, best known for the Half-Life series and Steam gaming service. I liked the insights here on their very unorthodox management structure (there effectively is none) and distributed work ethic. If you’re into gaming or just interesting in learning about a shaken up company hierarchy, it’s a good read.
08.31.12 |
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I originally discovered this on Kotaku. It’s a screenshot heavy look at why Wind Waker, a game released almost a decade ago, still holds up fairly well from a graphics standpoint.
08.24.12 |
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Writer/designer Craig Grannell:
I’m not of the opinion Nintendo should throw in its lot with Apple and other third parties, effectively becoming another Sega—yet. This is because Nintendo still has the potential to out-Apple Apple in the gaming space, through making games and hardware. This, note, is what Apple proponents rightly say sets Apple apart from much of the competition—it makes devices and operating systems, and so can mesh those things together far better than other companies. But Apple doesn’t do this in gaming.
An excellent point. More recently I had the opinion Nintendo should go the Sega route but I’m starting to move in Craig’s direction.
(Small logistical note: This is my last post before I head off to vacation through September 3rd. I’ll try to drop in with a few minor link posts, but expect content to slow during this period.)
08.21.12 |
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The consistently excellent Tom Bissell, writing for Grantland:
I have my qualms about the story this game tells, but then I always do. At the same time, I’m aware that BioWare’s writers have had to juggle the individual and — depending on player action — often highly variable fates of several dozen characters throughout something like 150 cumulative hours of in-game narrative time…In light of that, the story’s occasional failure to make sense is forgivable. Slightly less forgivable is the fact that Commander Shepard, Mass Effect’s indomitable hero, seems to meet the same two dozen people in every Mass Effect game. Is this the smallest galaxy ever imagined? It seems like it. There’s a point at which fan service becomes narrative prostitution.
I couldn’t agree more. As I noted in an earlier editorial the constant “coincidental” bump ins with past characters from the Mass Effect universe got pretty grating. This could have been handled a more gracefully if some aspects of this were just directly written in the plot (e.g. Shepard is asked to directly assemble his old team.)
08.20.12 |
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Film Crit Hulk on the the ending to Mass Effect 3 (game spoilers will follow):
To be honest, hulk thought it was one of the best video game endings that Hulk has ever seen. It went for a brief, beautiful articulation of everything it ever needed to say about its central, driving theme. But even if it didn’t do it for you in that same emotional way as it did for hulk, there is no denying that the ending is a single, economic thought and pure expression of the creators.
Hulk argues well here. It’s probably the best defense of Bioware’s original intention I’ve read. Yet like many (most?) of those that have finished the game, I remain disappointed by Mass Effect 3‘s ending. It fails on several levels – it’s length (there were early side mission cut scenes that ran longer) and its failure to account for decisions made earlier in the game, a hallmark of the Mass Effect series. Yet for me the biggest shortcoming was less plot and more user interface; that “walk to one of three options” final choice on the Crucible was flat out confusing.
08.13.12 |
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Gamer Hazzen on Ouya, the red hot Kickstarter funded gaming console:
I could go on and look at the other realities of this project, but I won’t. I don’t even care if the thing succeeds or not. I’m just sick of the breathless enthusiasm for a complete unknown in an exceedingly difficult industry.
Agreed. Hazzen goes on to rip apart the economics of this new gaming platform. Be it for big releases or even indie hits, the financial implications don’t seem sound. I don’t see this taking off. I’d expect a more integrated Mac/PC/iOS to TV gaming solution as a much more viable option.
08.09.12 |
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Gamer Pete Davison argues PC gaming is strong:
There is no other platform on which you can have such diverse experiences as the PC. iOS certainly has a good go, but as days go on it’s abundantly clear that the mobile market is shifting very much in favour of “freemium” social games rather than truly inventive experiences. On the PC, meanwhile, the fact that it is such a free market out there — and easy to develop for (relatively speaking) — means that if you can imagine an experience you want to have, you can probably do so on PC.
Pete’s makes a strong point here against consoles. As I pointed out on last week’s post on Mass Effect 3, there’s a void in terms of indie releases and originality in current-gen consoles; just compare what’s out on Steam versus the XBox Live Marketplace or PSN. Yet I think he short changes the iOS and mobile market. There’s a lot of crap, but there are some great ideas out there, and its price and distribution constitute a threat to the PC market.
Don’t count consoles out either; we’ve got a good year before Microsoft and Sony unveil their next generation devices. With the right approach, they could really bounce back against mobile and PC competition.
08.03.12 |
Gaming |
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Lately I’ve been playing the popular sci-fi action/RPG Mass Effect 3 on my PS3. Overall it’s a blast, yet the game feels rushed, even a bit played out. It makes me wary of AAA console gaming for the next console generation. But is it the game? Or a reflection of a gamer in his 30s who’s been console gaming too long?
The best parts of ME3 hit me early. The core gameplay formula – a balance of straightforward combat and dialogue heavy cut scenes – remains intact. The graphics got a nice bump compared to the previous Mass Effect, especially in the facial animations. The extra fidelity adds a lot of depth to chats your character encounters on his journey. And the Mass Effect setting gives a better sense of space and presence than virtually any gaming series.
However, cracks in the ME3 facade emerge around the ten hour mark. The game has the budget of your average summer blockbuster and sadly, about as much care went into the writing. You get your obligatory sequel fan service of poorly written, coincidental bump ins with old teammates (“Grunt? What you doing here?”), halfhearted attempts at real emotion (Shepard has interactive, slo-mo flashbacks of a child lost in an early attack on Earth) and well worn, cliched lines between fighters (“It doesn’t get any better, does it?”).
Then there’s that sense that I’ve been down this road far too many times. Combat is sped up and adds grenades (thanks, Call of Duty sales!) but in the process, it becomes harder to distinguish from other third person shooters. Walks through larger non combat areas can stretch on for too long. Your combat partners still act fairly stupid; they often march straight into gunfire.
In short, there’s a general lack of evolution here, something I’ve also noticed in most AAA games I’ve played this year. In many ways, big budget console gaming parallels the Hollywood studio machine during the summer: repetitive genre works with proven plot lines aimed at a progressively younger audience.
Luckily, summer flicks have exceptions to the rule: strong counter programming (e.g. Magic Mike, Killer Joe) and blockbusters that exceed critical expectations (The Avengers). This happens in console gaming as well, but I’d argue we’re seeing those gaming exceptions further and further apart as current-gen consoles trudge on.
Nevertheless, when I contrast this with recent experiences on other platforms, I’ve got a lot of hope for gaming overall. I played the indie puzzle games Braid and Limbo on my Mac back-to-back, and it was, without exaggeration, a total joy. My iPhone also has been a nice match for casual gaming on the subway. Admittedly most iOS games are pretty poor, but a few times a year there is a game comes along that hooks me.
So where does that leave consoles? Digital distribution, combined with a thriving indie game scene, is key. I want a console that’s the home equivalent of the film scene in New York or LA: a blend of both big budget heavyweights and little indies, both readily available.