Archive for the ‘Commentary’ Category:
Escapist Article: If Only
Five assassinations in, and I was done. I didn’t care that my remarkably animated hero was capable of superhuman feats. It didn’t matter that the citizens of beautifully-rendered ancient cities needed saving. The conspiratorial malefactors that terrorized the kingdom would be spared. I was finished. I slipped Assassin’s Creed back into its prepaid rental return envelope and found myself thinking, once again, if only.
If only Ubisoft had injected a little variety into my hero’s tasks, instead of requiring him to repeat the same cookie-cutter “investigations” over and over again. I would have happily finished the game.
If only. While the internet explodes with countless numbered lists announcing the best and worst of last years’ offerings, I look back on 2007 and those two words keep echoing in my head.
(read the rest of this article over at The Escapist.)
GameSpot and the Gerstmann Firing
By now I’ve heard and read enough about Gerstmann’s firing, on and off the record, to be worried about where GameStop’s headed.
I’ve never considered GameStop a key source of cutting-edge game critique, but for years they’ve done a reliable job of picking apart games and exposing their flaws. In terms of providing consumers with detailed buyer’s-guide review content, they’ve done an excellent job. I wonder if that will continue to be the case.
I started worrying about GameSpot back when they disclosed that they sold key front page space to their ad clients. In other words, decisions about which games were featured prominently on the page were driven by publisher dollars. Even though GameSpot claimed their editorial department remained completely independent, it was still troubling.
The bottom line is that I’m now even less sure I can count on GameSpot to come down hard on games that are uninspired, underdeveloped, and poorly made. I’m sure there’s more to the Gerstmann firing than one Kane and Lynch review, and we’ll probably never know the entire story, but in the end I’ll be eyeing their content with a great deal more skepticism.
Playing For the Reward
![06[1].jpg](http://lowspec.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/06%5B1%5D.jpg)
I’m occasionally perplexed by my own gaming habits. During the past few years I’ve found myself setting aside or even foregoing certain games I’ve had every reason to enjoy. Even worse, I’ve occasionally spent hours on games that would normally bore me. It wasn’t until the Call of Duty 4 multiplayer beta that I could put my finger on what was up.
I wasn’t overly excited when I received a COD 4 multiplayer beta invite last month. Though I’m an Infinity Ward enthusiast, and I thoroughly enjoyed the single-player campaigns of both Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2, the series’ multiplayer components never drew me in. The beta languished on my 360’s hard drive for nearly a week before I checked it out. But once I started playing, I couldn’t stop.
(Read the rest of this article over at The Escapist)
Money Talks, Art Walks
Pardon me while I invoke the name of Roger Ebert in a discussion of videogames and art. I know, I know: Ebert and his disparaging views of gaming have nearly been done to death. Which happens to be my point.
Ebert fired his latest salvo in what gamers have come to view as a full frontal assault on their beloved hobby a couple of weeks ago, in response to Clive Barker’s recent comments over at GamesIndustry.biz. I wasn’t all that interested in Ebert’s remarks, but I took notice when Newsweek’s N’gai Croal jumped into the fray. Croal refutes Ebert’s arguments with an even-keeled alacrity wholly absent from the film critic’s snide missive, and Ebert ultimately comes off as unqualified to talk about games, and perhaps even art.
I’m glad to see a respected game journalist like Croal rising to the games-as-art defense. Still, I wonder how relevant these debates really are.
(read the rest of this article over at The Escapist)
In Defense of Previews
In recent years, it’s been fashionable to criticize the press for the emotional trauma previews engender, and often for good reason. Previews rarely offer measured critiques of upcoming games, and even when they do, they usually undermine their concerns with unbridled optimism. In the worst scenarios, previews merely regurgitate the carefully crafted, gushing content generated by industry representatives.
And yet, we love the stuff. Read why over at The Escapist.
The Price Is Not Right
Let’s look at current generation console prices to date, in U.S. dollars. Nintendo’s Wii rings up at about $250. Microsoft’s Xbox 360’s three flavors include the $300 Core pack, the $400 Premium edition, and the $480 Elite. Sony’s PlayStation 3 is available in $500 and $600 options. All other things being equal, the Wii’s price is obviously the most attractive, which might explain why it’s outselling the 360 by about 2-to-1, and the PS3 by about 4-to-1.
(As usual, you can find the rest of this article over at The Escapist).
Parents, Gaming, and Unspoken Fears
My 7-year-old daughter is, I expect, a typical child of a gamer parent. On a rainy afternoon she’s as inclined to curl up with a DS and Animal Crossing as she is to switch on the television. She’s equally pleased when playing with Play-Dough or sculpting virtual landscapes in Viva Pinata. And she’s just as likely to fire up a Reader Rabbit title on the PC as she is to read a book.
I monitor her gaming habits, of course. Gears of War stays on the top shelf of the entertainment center, and I’m quick to turn her attention elsewhere before her play sessions reach marathon lengths. But otherwise, I’ve got few qualms about her pursuit of the same hobby I enjoy. In fact, I’m thrilled we have this interest in common. And I’ll admit I’ve encouraged it.
I’ve recently learned this makes me something of a pariah among non-gaming parents. Read why in the full article, published over at the Escapist Daily.
Converting the Masses
Shigeru Miyamoto recently spoke about converting non-gamers into “those who can not live without video games.” Got me thinking. The article’s over at the Escapist Daily.
Skate or Fail
I love Project 8, but I can’t shake the feeling that Neversoft’s entire Tony Hawk franchise is somehow frustratingly anti-skateboarding. Read why over at The Escapist Daily.
E3 2006 Wrapped Up
Now that I’ve reached the latter stages of post-E3 recovery and collected my thoughts, I think I’m ready to sum up the experience.
First, the previous coverage: all of my game-related commentary can be found sprinkled throughout the unwieldy, comprehensive tome that is GWJ’s E3 2006 Compiled Coverage. And GWJ also has my thoughts what really impressed me about the event—the warmth and enthusiasm of so many of the people I met.
This year, the crowds were lighter, there were less booth models, and overall there was a notable shift in focus towards actual hardware and software instead of nebulous concepts and empty hype. I’m hesitant to repeat what’s been covered ad nauseum elsewhere in terms of overall impressions, except to note that, like most attendees, I came away with the feeling that Microsoft made a very strong showing, Nintendo generated the most interest, and Sony appears to be poised to wage a bit of an uphill battle (at least in the initial years of the new console generation).
There was a very brief time period, near the release date of the 360, when I imagined that the offerings of the new console generation would largely negate any interest I might have in ever upgrading my PC again. The undeniable allure of the PC’s upcoming gaming possibilities has completely ruined that little fantasy. So I’m committed to a major PC upgrade, probably to coincide with the release of Vista next year. And the rest of my major gaming purchases are probably decided as well. In all likelihood, I will be buying a Wii at launch. I can’t imagine that I will be purchasing a PS3 until years after its release. And while a DS Lite is definitely in my future, I’ll probably never buy a PSP. So it looks like my money’s headed for Microsoft and Nintendo.
There were a lot of great looking games this year, far more than I was able to see myself. And a lot of new IPs as well. I won’t bother discussing the AAA titles that are getting the lion’s share of the attention, like Crysis, The Twilight Princess, Gears of War, Spore, Bioshock, etc. I do want to mention a few games, though, that seem more likely to be overlooked: The Witcher, a dark, mature, carefully envisioned, and lovingly crafted RPG for the PC; Okami, the Zelda-esqe and visually stunning PS2 title by Clover Studios; Contact, SUDA-51’s quirky, conceptually deep RPG/adventure for the DS; and Paraworld, a beautiful, unusual, and extremely elegant strategy PC title from Sunflowers. I’ve got every reason to believe that if any of these deliver on their potential, they’ll be fantastic.