My disappointment in the gaming industry really seems to be growing at an alarming rate.
The Christmas season is soon approaching and this generally means that developers are pushing their precious, baby games into the big bad world to be reviewed, bought and discussed by the public. But trips to my local EB Games, GAME and JB HI-FI don’t seem to harbour these plastic cases of time wasters.
Walking into EB, I make straight for the Xbox 360 corner of the store. I browse the shelves and I sigh to myself, “I wonder if GAME will have anything different”, and walk out.
Sadly, this isn’t the case. The process appears to repeat itself no matter where I wander in my quest for game-age.
The problem with games these days is that they’re just repeating the same stuff. Sequel after sequel after sequel and none of them good. Call of Duty: Black Ops just came out and all the reviews I’ve read or heard say that the story line is horrible, and I’m in the same boat as many. I won’t buy a game that has “awesome” status, simply because of the multi-player game. And any games that have come out require a peripheral I'm not buying yet (See: Kinect), or I have no interest in. The last game I did buy was Grand Theft Auto IV because it was $35 and I'd finished it before.
What bothers me even more is that game developers and publishers can't seem to produce consistent, interesting content throughout the year. Even if they only produced one game and released DLC through the year,* it would still be better than the sludge of games being released now.
Le sigh...
Hopefully there will be an onslaught of fantastic games before Christmas, and the gamer in will be satisfied. Although, the likelyhood of that happening isn't high.
* (Remind me to write a rant about XBL DLC and how it should be free on a later date.)
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Two steps forward, 50 steps back.
Living in Australia comes with its perks; Beaches, sun, attractive people. It also comes with its disadvantages; backwards politicians who can take two very positive steps forward, then turn around, get in a fast car and drive way past the starting line.
Earlier this year, the Australian Government released a discussion paper on the non-existent R 18+ rating for video games. The response was fantastic. With petitions from EB Games and GAME retailers, the word was out about this and 59,678 responses were retrieved. An overwhelming 86 percent of respondents were in favour of an adult rating.
Well, that’s where we went wrong. According to those in charge, further research needs to be done before they can even start discussing the idea. Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Conner tends to agree because of “interest groups” who had made submissions. These interest groups include 34 community churches.
Censoring games doesn’t make themes disappear and it doesn’t make games more “playable” for young people. It’s probably doing more harm than good. Censoring what isn’t good for the kiddies, doesn’t take away the themes implied.
I even wrote a letter to Michael Atkinson (when he was in power) saying that the adult rating was needed more than ever. A well researched, well written and quite logical argument was sent off to his desk. He sent me back the same form letter that was given to everyone who wrote to him.
In an election year, something that could sway thousands, if not millions, of votes, is probably not something you want to take too long thinking about.
Earlier this year, the Australian Government released a discussion paper on the non-existent R 18+ rating for video games. The response was fantastic. With petitions from EB Games and GAME retailers, the word was out about this and 59,678 responses were retrieved. An overwhelming 86 percent of respondents were in favour of an adult rating.
Well, that’s where we went wrong. According to those in charge, further research needs to be done before they can even start discussing the idea. Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Conner tends to agree because of “interest groups” who had made submissions. These interest groups include 34 community churches.
Censoring games doesn’t make themes disappear and it doesn’t make games more “playable” for young people. It’s probably doing more harm than good. Censoring what isn’t good for the kiddies, doesn’t take away the themes implied.
I even wrote a letter to Michael Atkinson (when he was in power) saying that the adult rating was needed more than ever. A well researched, well written and quite logical argument was sent off to his desk. He sent me back the same form letter that was given to everyone who wrote to him.
In an election year, something that could sway thousands, if not millions, of votes, is probably not something you want to take too long thinking about.
Friday, May 7, 2010
OMG GRRL ON TEH INTERWEBS!!!!oneone!111
According to The Internet, I don’t exist. I am a figment of your imagination. Hi, my name is Adelaide, and I play videogames.
I wonder how the whole thing got started. I mean, who decided that girls don’t play games? Or that we don’t play games as well as boys. I could quite easily stand my ground against some blokes in Halo or L4D and do it regularly.
I’ll admit this “stereotype” isn’t really true. Most of my male friends just go along with it to annoy me, to which I shoot them in the back with a sticky grenade. But there are some (See Xbox Live) who quite ignorantly announce it and will do anything to muscle out a girl, especially when she’s 15 points ahead on Halo 3.
I pin it on jealously, and after being beaten by a girl, the emasculated feeling. As Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory once said, “She must be cheating. No girl can be that attractive and that good at videogames.”
I wonder how the whole thing got started. I mean, who decided that girls don’t play games? Or that we don’t play games as well as boys. I could quite easily stand my ground against some blokes in Halo or L4D and do it regularly.
I’ll admit this “stereotype” isn’t really true. Most of my male friends just go along with it to annoy me, to which I shoot them in the back with a sticky grenade. But there are some (See Xbox Live) who quite ignorantly announce it and will do anything to muscle out a girl, especially when she’s 15 points ahead on Halo 3.
I pin it on jealously, and after being beaten by a girl, the emasculated feeling. As Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory once said, “She must be cheating. No girl can be that attractive and that good at videogames.”
Friday, April 30, 2010
Digital Date Night
Date night is a night most girls love because, it’s a great occasion to get dressed up, go out to the movies and dinner to spend time with their special person. But, as much as I love going out with my boyfriend, I don’t like doing it frequently. It’s expensive and labour intensive. I mean, there is a process. Shower, make-up, hair, dress, shoes. It can take 30 minutes, or 2 hours depending on who you are.
Date night in my eyes is staying inside, get into some comfy PJ’s and pick up a controller and play games with my Yoshi. (That’s right, my boyfriend has a gaming nickname.) We get the same satisfaction out of playing games together, even if he does have a horrible taste in first person shooters and it’s far less expensive because we can eat in, we save gas because only one of us has to drive to the others house, and we don’t spend $20 on movie tickets. Still, I’m a little worried. It sounds romantic in some ways, if you strip it down it starts sounding like we’re just two mates hanging out. People who don’t really know us have pointed it out. But because of our financial situation, we’re doing the best we can -- we love our digital date night.
Date night in my eyes is staying inside, get into some comfy PJ’s and pick up a controller and play games with my Yoshi. (That’s right, my boyfriend has a gaming nickname.) We get the same satisfaction out of playing games together, even if he does have a horrible taste in first person shooters and it’s far less expensive because we can eat in, we save gas because only one of us has to drive to the others house, and we don’t spend $20 on movie tickets. Still, I’m a little worried. It sounds romantic in some ways, if you strip it down it starts sounding like we’re just two mates hanging out. People who don’t really know us have pointed it out. But because of our financial situation, we’re doing the best we can -- we love our digital date night.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Which zombie is worth more?
I’m in for a long weekend...
On Thursday 22nd, Valve released new DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 known as The Passing. This includes a new campaign which is hard as concrete, an in-game blog and a new game type called “Mutation.” Mutation cycles different game types such as realism verses which combines the difficulty of realism with the interesting concept of Verses (which I’m still not sold on) or Chainsaw Massacre where you just run around with chainsaws.
This new DLC irritates me a little bit. While I’m a great fan of the original Left 4 Dead, and still believe that Left 4 Dead 2 probably could have just been added as DLC to L4D, I’m wondering just what Valve are doing at their development studios. Portal 2 is set to release very soon, all new DLC for a game that was released a year after the original (it shows in the feel of the game) but the game a lot of people have been waiting for isn’t set to be released this year or anytime in the future. The game I’m talking about is Half Life 2: Episode 3.
I thought the idea of episodic gaming was to get games released quicker. But Valve seems to subscribe to the well known Valve Time timetable and that doesn’t sit well with Valve supporters. I would rather be fighting Headcrab zombies than Boomers, Smokers and Jockey’s right about now.
On Thursday 22nd, Valve released new DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 known as The Passing. This includes a new campaign which is hard as concrete, an in-game blog and a new game type called “Mutation.” Mutation cycles different game types such as realism verses which combines the difficulty of realism with the interesting concept of Verses (which I’m still not sold on) or Chainsaw Massacre where you just run around with chainsaws.
This new DLC irritates me a little bit. While I’m a great fan of the original Left 4 Dead, and still believe that Left 4 Dead 2 probably could have just been added as DLC to L4D, I’m wondering just what Valve are doing at their development studios. Portal 2 is set to release very soon, all new DLC for a game that was released a year after the original (it shows in the feel of the game) but the game a lot of people have been waiting for isn’t set to be released this year or anytime in the future. The game I’m talking about is Half Life 2: Episode 3.
I thought the idea of episodic gaming was to get games released quicker. But Valve seems to subscribe to the well known Valve Time timetable and that doesn’t sit well with Valve supporters. I would rather be fighting Headcrab zombies than Boomers, Smokers and Jockey’s right about now.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
My friend steals my xbox, and then becomes a convert.
"Addie, you love me right?"
"May be, why?"
"Can I borrow the Sexbawks for a little while?"
"Why?"
"'cause..."
This is a conversation with my friend, who I’ll call Jerkface to protect his identity. He is on school holidays and has decided this week would be the week that he’d steal my beloved Xbox and play Assassin’s Creed 2.
What’s interesting about this is he’s a PC gamer, and by rights would be my enemy if the platform wars ever decided to break free of the internet. Also, I know he’s got money to buy the game. You know, he probably would if Ubisoft didn’t have that silly “Permanent connection to internet” DRM that’s been rubbing people the wrong way.
Anyway, I think I’m starting to slowly turn him towards way of thinking about console! He even thought about buying an Elite. Not that he’ll ever admit it. If he keeps following my lead, he’ll be swooning like a lady whenever Nathan Fillon is on Castle.
"May be, why?"
"Can I borrow the Sexbawks for a little while?"
"Why?"
"'cause..."
This is a conversation with my friend, who I’ll call Jerkface to protect his identity. He is on school holidays and has decided this week would be the week that he’d steal my beloved Xbox and play Assassin’s Creed 2.
What’s interesting about this is he’s a PC gamer, and by rights would be my enemy if the platform wars ever decided to break free of the internet. Also, I know he’s got money to buy the game. You know, he probably would if Ubisoft didn’t have that silly “Permanent connection to internet” DRM that’s been rubbing people the wrong way.
Anyway, I think I’m starting to slowly turn him towards way of thinking about console! He even thought about buying an Elite. Not that he’ll ever admit it. If he keeps following my lead, he’ll be swooning like a lady whenever Nathan Fillon is on Castle.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
But our princess is in another castle!
This week I started Pokémon Heart Gold a re-release of what is said to be one of the best Pokémon games. This got me thinking about Nintendo and the company. Even more than that, it got me asking myself, “Where did the Nintendo ingenuity that made them a household name go?”
Nintendo has released a new coloured Wii to attract a different demographic, Super Mario Brother Wii is almost the same as other Super Mario games, the new DS XL, which is the 4th redesign of the DS and the re-release of Heart Gold and Soul Silver.
What troubles me about Nintendo’s new design philosophy is that I haven’t noticed any new series’ that are worth the money it cost to develop them. Anecdotal evidence suggests that even though the Wii is winning the pissing contest between Sony and Microsoft, people buy the Wii and soon move on from the novelty of motion control and the gimmicks wear off quite soon after. And the DS isn’t much better. With games varying from Barbie Fashion Show to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Mobilised, the handheld device can’t decide if it wants to accessorise humanity or blast it to hell.
I’m starting to think that if Nintendo can’t release anything that isn’t in the same league as games from the glory days of the late eighties and early nineties, they might be looking at the beginning of the end and in ten or so years, Nintendo might only be a memory.
Nintendo has released a new coloured Wii to attract a different demographic, Super Mario Brother Wii is almost the same as other Super Mario games, the new DS XL, which is the 4th redesign of the DS and the re-release of Heart Gold and Soul Silver.
What troubles me about Nintendo’s new design philosophy is that I haven’t noticed any new series’ that are worth the money it cost to develop them. Anecdotal evidence suggests that even though the Wii is winning the pissing contest between Sony and Microsoft, people buy the Wii and soon move on from the novelty of motion control and the gimmicks wear off quite soon after. And the DS isn’t much better. With games varying from Barbie Fashion Show to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Mobilised, the handheld device can’t decide if it wants to accessorise humanity or blast it to hell.
I’m starting to think that if Nintendo can’t release anything that isn’t in the same league as games from the glory days of the late eighties and early nineties, they might be looking at the beginning of the end and in ten or so years, Nintendo might only be a memory.
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