Death of the Press

I was listening to the Player One Podcast, and they had an interesting discussion about the death of video game press, namely print publications.

I think we can all be honest.  Let us be real.  We’re all friends here.  Right?  Okay.

Print media is dying.  Newspapers and magazines are archaic in a world where blogs, podcasts, and online news dominate.  With mobile devices offering more functionality such as the iPhone, print media becomes more and more unnecessary, obsolete, and even cumbersome.

When is the last time you sat down and read a magazine?  Really.  Seriously.  I bet you’d say at a doctor’s office or even waiting to get a mediocre hair cut at your local Great Clips.  I bet confidently that most of you would say your bathroom.  Let’s be real people.  How many magazines are littered in your bathroom?  We all need something to read while we court the porcelain throne.

I remember years ago, before the internet really took off, the good old days of the ’90’s.  Back then, the video game industry was just breaking out of its childish 16-bit shell and growing into a more mature 32-bit shell.  The industry was experiencing a reboot or a revolution that would change its course forever. The hardcore followed such events with intense interest and excitement through the only media available at the time: magazines.  The video game industry hadn’t really penetrated other forms of media at the time beyond the occasional TV commercial.

Gamers got their news through publications such as Game Players, Game Informers, Game Pro, EGM, etc.  I remember my bedroom being littered with such magazines.  I would wait with bated breath for each new issue.  I remember how excited I was when I got a new issue of one of my favorite video game magazine.   Times are different now.  With a simple click of a button, the latest news feed is available instantly.  The latest gossip, reviews, and discussions are more readily available now more than ever before.

The death of print press is inevitable.  Its obsolescence is evident as digital media dominates our information-hungry society.  However, print is not the only victim of the digital age.  Video game journalism as a whole is dying.  What makes video game journalism notorious is how much pressure developers and publishers place on reviews and even previews.  There has been a constant battle to keep complete objectivity in a world where companies bribe you with goodies or threaten you with ad pulling or blacklisting.

The truth is, since print media was the only real source for gamers to get their information, they are imbued with power, leverage, and influence.  Game companies put so much pressure on the print press because a game could die or thrive on a single review.  The community was so tight knit back then that word of a bad review could taint the waters for a particular title.  It’s no wonder that these companies are anxious as they are with the print media.

However, times are changing.  Game companies no longer need game journalist to sell their games.  More and more companies are luring gamers to their own websites, blogs, and even their own podcasts.  You want the latest news on a new title?  Why not drop by the official website and get the latest directly from the source?

With the growth of the industry and the evolution of digital media, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that saturation of video game content is at an all time high.  Small time, gaming enthusiasts (e.g., E.G.) are appearing in larger numbers on the web.  Fan sites such as Kotaku and Joystiq are becoming more and more revelant in our industry while established video game journalism is losing the spotlight.  Companies have more options to get their product in the collective consciousness of the gaming community.  No longer are they restricted to just print media.

This shift in media domination can be seen as a good and bad thing.  One can argue that objectivity is lost as video game journalism dies in our industry.  However, one can counter argue that objectivity truly does not exist in any medium whatsoever.  I would be one to counter argue such a point.

Personally, I think it a welcome change to have more and more amateur sites getting into the “game.”  No longer will companies have to go through journalist to pass along information; they can skip the middle man and go directly to the consumer.  A good example would be the PAX held recently in Seattle.

Regular gamers have an opportunity to speak with developers, play their wares, and offer feedback directly to them.  The expo was born from a site of enthusiast and now has grown into a formidable force in the video game industry.  PAX is a good example of where we are heading.  Its growth in recent years show how much power that the regular joe gamer has in the industry now.  PAX is a expo created for gamers and created by gamers.

Another good example would be the slow death of E3.  E3 is for the press and not the consumer or joe gamer.  As stated before, our industry has changed to the point where gigantic booths, loud music, and thousands of dollars spent is no longer a wise investment.  After all that effort and capital invested at E3, how much is your message is being sent to your target audience?  Since it’s filtered through the press, the answer is not completely.  This is why PAX is the wiser decision.

It should be noted that I am not against the mainstream press.  I still surf the regular sites such as 1Up, IGN, etc.  However, it is nice to see that regular joe gamer having his voice heard.  It’s nice to hear an opinion that isn’t professional.  It’s nice to hear what regular gamers are talking about.  It’s nice to know I have a place to voice my opinions.

-E.G.

E.G. Podcast 003: Portable Gaming

This week, we talk all about portable gaming - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Games: The Last Guy, Siren - Blood Curse, Half Life, Half Life 2, Disgaia 3, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Advance Wars, God of War:  CoO, Final Fantasty Tactics, Loco Roco….

Portable gaming systems:

Gameboy, GB Pocket, GBA, DS, DS Lite, PSP, Nomad, Lynx, NGage, Turbo Graphix 16, Wonder Swan, Neo Geo Pocket, Game Gear, etc.

E.G. Podcast 002: Indy Gaming

This week, we talk about what makes indy games to great and what separates them from bigger name titles.

Games: Soul Calibur 4, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, No More Heroes, Tales of Symphonia, Resident Evil 5, and…..

available on consoles (psn, xbla, etc):

Braid

Roo Goo

Pixel Junk Eden

N+
alien hominid
lost winds
every extend
flow
echochrome
de blob

available on pc:
cave story
gish
echoes
break quest
armadillo run
penumbra
warning forever
mr. robot
chalk
darwinia
yume nikki
kingdom of loathing
sam & max season 1
ben ‘yahtzee’ croshaw’s adventure games - 5 days a stranger, etc
visit
- also check out “escape the room” games (particularly http://neutralxe.net/esc/vision.html)

Pilot Episode of the E.G. Podcast

In this pilot episode, we talk about the best of the best video game consoles and touch upon what makes a really great game.

Comments and questions are welcomed.

Existential Gamer Analysis #7: Soul Calibur 4

Originally, I wanted to do an official review of Soul Calibur 4.  However, I realized how much I hate doing reviews.  Instead, let’s dive deep into the meaning of Soul Calibur 4.

It’s amusing when you think about the origins of this fighting franchise.  Originally, Namco wanted to create a video game that would trump the popularity of PS1’s first 3D fighter, Toshinden.  Namco bravely stated that they could create a new weapons-based fighting game that could eclipse Toshinden.  It would be safe to say that Namco delivered on such promises.  Looking back at it now, over a decade later, not only does Toshinden not hold up well to today’s standards, Soul Edge was by far the superior title.

Most veterans would argue that, although Soul Edge was very solid and deep, it was not what it could be; I would be one of those in that camp.  Like others, I feel that the series debut on the Sega Dreamcast under the new moniker, Soul Calibur, was its shining moment.  The controls were finely tuned, the fighting system was deep but accessible to even newbies, and it was beautifully wrapped in Dreamcast visuals.  The game was nearly perfect, an example of what the series could accomplish.

Since then, the series had yet to top itself, and it’s easy to see why; it is hard to improve on what was already nearly perfect.  Just adding new characters wouldn’t be enough to keep the series fresh.  Some bold, innovative additions had to be made to reinvigorate the series.  I am happy to report that Namco manages top itself this iteration of Soul Calibur.

I think Namco felt the same thing the fans were feeling: the series’ deterioration.  SC2 was a good game but didn’t bring much new to the party.  SC3 seemed a little missplaced and demonstrated the staleness of the series.  Namco answered the criticisms with a bunch of new additions to the game that add depth and energy to the series.  I won’t both listing them all here but I will say that the series feels fresh like it did almost ten years ago.

One addition I wanted to mention would be the Character Creation.  On the surface, it seems pretty supercifical: change the outside appearance of the characters.  However, it is much deeper than it looks.  All armor offer different stat pointsthat change the character in different ways.  A hat may give you an attack points that allow you buy attack attributes for your character.  A belt my give you status points that allow you buy status boosts for your character.  Mix and match equipment to build points in different categories in order to buy different types of attributes and boosts that make your character stronger, faster, and more badass.

What I like about SC4 is the interplay between different modes of the game.  For instance, The Tower of the Lost Souls is a single player mode that pits you versus a mass of opponents with different attribute and stat boosts.  This mode allows you to win all sorts of equipment that can be used in Character Creation mode.  Likewise, you can these acquired equipment to boost your character and help you win more battles in the Tower.  Your boosted character can also be utilized in versus mode and online mode.  This interplay of modes makes the game feel more complete and well rounded.

Although I understand what makes this game so much fun, I have pondered what space in my gaming world it fits in.  I think it can be summed in this manner: “Art of Fighting.”

On one hand, SC4 is deep and technical fighter that satisfies the martial art nut in my head.  There are so many characters with different strengths and weaknesses that it will keep me busy for months to come.  Even though I have been playing this series for over a decade now, I still find new strategies for my chosen characters.

Another part that SC4 fulfills is the art of the fight.  For me, I see battles as an art form.  Remember Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?  Remember how artful the battles were?  That is how I see martial arts.  I think SC4 fulfills that part of my head that lust for artfulness in my fighting games.  There is a sort of gracefulness in all of the characters that really add to its artful beauty.  On top of that, the game offers me the chance to utilize my creativity to create a character that I envision for the battlefield.

Simply put, SC4 is a fighting game full of beauty, inner and outter.  There is a space in our gaming world for a fighter that is both technical and artful.  And SC4 is that game.

-E.G.

Occam’s Razor Says Hello

I have noticed a similarity between games and humanity: growth.  As humanity evolved, people have become more complex.  As a child grows into an adult, the simple life becomes more complex.  The same can be said of video gaming.  Over the years, gaming has evolved from its simple origins of Pong to overly complex gaming experiences offered by titles such as MGS4.  Want proof?  Just look at your current generation console controller.   In about two decades, from NES to XBOX360, the number of buttons had increase from 2 to a whopping 13 buttons.

Is this evolution really a bad thing?

Personally, I think so.  Over the past couple of years, I have become less entralled by gaming.  Every year, the games get flashier and louder but that doesn’t mean they become more fun.  In fact, I feel games have become less like games and more like other mediums such as film (see previous entry, “The Lines Blur”).  In this manner, I feel most developers are concentrating more on the aesthetics than on actual gameplay.

Over the years, the gaming industry has been in an arms race for the best graphics and visuals.  The problem is that graphics can only improve so much for every generation.  Think of it as the Law of Diminishing Returns.  The jump in visuals from the 16-bit era to PS1 era was huge.  The jump from PS1 to PS2 was also huge.  However, the jump from last generation to the current generation is not as huge.  To be honest, most current generation games only look marginally better than the best of what last generation had to offer.  The point is that millions of dollars are being spent every year on graphic engines for a marginal increase in visual prowess.

The money should be spent else where.  I feel Nintendo had the right idea.  Nintendo already foresaw the Law of Diminishing Returns affecting the industry.  Instead of joining the arms race with Microsoft and Sony, they decided to spend their money on new forms of gameplay; thus, the Wii was born.  Unfortunately, I feel Nintendo has not fully realized the potential of their little system.  Only a handful of titles so far really make unique and fun use of Wii’s capabilities.  Hopefully, more and more companies will be more inventive with the system and release truly imaginative games in the future.

However, all is not lost.  With the introduction of digital distribution in current generation systems comes a new way for indie game developers to show off their wares to the gaming public.  Indie developers have the benefit of being independent and smaller than the big guns of the industry.  Without the constrains of being a major corporation, indie developers are free to be more creative and design games they would want to play.  Furthermore, being a smaller company, indie developers have less capital to spend on development.  This is good because it forces the company to be resourceful and creative with what they have.  They’re not consumed with creating a flashy graphics engine because they simply cannot afford to.  Instead, they concentrate on what should be focused on:  gameplay.

The problem with gaming nowadays is that gameplay has taken a backseat to flashier aesthetics.  It’s as if the industry has forgotten its roots; they have forgotten how to have fun.  Have you ever noticed that you rarely see an unhappy kid?  Children seem to have more fun than adults, and that is no accident.  Children are simple creatures.  They are not bogged down with complexities that plague adulthood.  The same should be with gaming.

The most fun games are the simple ones.  I have noticed lately that I have more fun with the indie games than the blockbuster titles released on current generation systems.  XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare are havens for indie developed games to flourish and really expose themselves to the general public.  As of late, I have played some very fun indie games on these networks that were far more entertaining than some big budget titles.

On PSN, I recently downloaded Pixel Junk Eden.  You control a simple creature that can jump and swing.  That’s it.  This creature helps create more plants to traverse on in search of simple markers.  The game is beautiful in its minimalist presentation and same can be said of the music.  Simple and yet very engaging is PJE.

On XBLA, I played and, in a previous entry of E.G., talked about Roogoo.  The game cannot be more simple; you fit shapes into corresponding holes.  That’s it.  Believe me, the game is very fun despite its pre-school aesthetics.  Another game I played recently would be Go! Go! Break Steady.  How do I explain this game? It’s a music puzzle game.  You tap a series of buttons in rhythm with the music after which you place music markers in a ring to create puzzle-like combos.  The game is quite simple and very engaging.

I find myself playing more and more of these indie games because of their focus on simple gameplay.  For the most part, these games are not concerned with being the prettiest girl on the block or the loudest DJ on the street.  They have an anthem, borrowed from Miss Cyndi Lauper: “Games just want to have fun.”  Its a message that I can really dig.

Existential Gamer Tangent #2: The Dark Knight

“Why so serious?”

Those words and the laughter that comes after that still ring in my head.  A movie that can leave an impression on you is a movie worth noting.  Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is that movie.

Let me start this review by discussing Tim Burton’s “Batman” from nearly two decades ago.  Burton’s ”Batman” did many things right with the Batman mythos but with a couple missteps.  Let’s start with what ”Batman” did right.

1. Atmosphere - Above all else, Burton’s Batman established the mood of the series quite well.  One word sums it up nicely:  gothic.  The music, the cinematography, and design set up a stylish, yet dark atmosphere that compliments Batman’s world.
2. Complexity - As Bruce tells Vicky Vale in the film, Bruce’s life is complex.  Bruce Wayne is a tortured soul, forever afflicted with the memory of his parents’ death.  Burton does a good job protraying just how tortured Bruce is but never really dives into his immensely deep psyche.  Nolan picks up where Burton left off in this respect.
3. Joker - I feel Jack Nicholson did a very good Joker.  He was a little maniacal, a little funny, and a little scary.  However, that is where the problem lies: little.  Nicholson never really tapped into depth of Joker’s character.  Ledge, on the other hand, hit it out of the park.

I loved Burton’s vision of Batman.  However, I always felt that it wasn’t what it could be.  A feeling of want was left everytime I watched the film, and believe me, I watched this film quite a few times.  Instead of listing what “Batman” did wrong, I think it might be better to discuss what “The Dark Knight” did right.

As usual, spoilers ahead……

True Alter Ego

The common misconception is that Batman is the alter ego of Bruce Wayne.  The truth is, its the other way around.  Just because he puts the mask on, doesn’t mean that he is playing a role that is not him.  The true person lies in Batman and not Bruce Wayne.  In “The Dark Knight,” Bale plays an extragant, billionaire with an attitude.  The reality is that he’s a compassionate person who seeks justice for all.  That true personality is portrayed by the man in the mask.  Bruce Wayne is just a role he plays on the outside in order to protect his true identity and those close to him.

Bale does an excellent job separating Batman from Bruce.  To be honest, Bale did such a good job that I think another person was playing Batman instead of Bruce.  It was actually hard for me to place Bruce Wayne under the mask since the personalities were so different.  Speaking of which, part of what I like about the Batman mythos is that it’s the most psychological comic in history I feel.  My theory is that Batman was the creation of a true personality, split from the weaker, less real personality that was Bruce.  In traumatology, multiple personalities are created to fill roles that a person who has experienced a traumatic event needs at the time.  Batman was needed to protect Gotham and of course, Bruce Wayne.  Rachel correctly comments in the film, “I don’t know when the day will come when you won’t need Batman.”

“You complete me.”

Let’s start with Joker.  Joker is complex in that he is many different things rolled into one.  He is the very definition of chaos.  How so?  He’s unpredictable.  He’s all over the place.  He is a man without a plan as he claims in the film.  He embodies traits that are so different and irreconcilable:  he’s funny yet scarry, spontaneous yet decisive, crazy yet clear headed.

The praise laid upon Ledger’s performance was not pre-mature nor was it hyperbole.  Watch the film and tell me the man doesn’t deserve an Oscar.  I dare you. All the complexities I describe above for the Joker was perfectly executed by Ledger.  It was a performance that will live on for years and be remembered forever.  It’s one thing to be able to spit out dialogue in a believable fashion; that is what is called acting.  But its another live the role as if it is your own.  From the way he walks to the way he talks, Ledger really makes us believe he is the embodiment of chaos.  Even the small things such facial ticks make us take notice of the brilliance of Ledger’s acting.  When he says, “Let’s put a smile on that face,” I can’t help but cringe with fear but watch with anticipation and excitement.

Going back to the actual character, Joker is the complete opposite of Batman.  While he’s the chaos incarnate, Batman is unified Justice in a mask.  There is an undeniable relationship between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Mayhem.  Joker correctly states in the film, “You complete me.”  It is a sort of Yin/Yang relationship that Batman and Joker share.  Their lives are forever linked because of who they are: opposites attract.  “The Dark Knight” correctly portrays this relationship unlike previous installments of the film series.  In the film, Joker proposes, “You see, to them…you’re just a freak…like me.”  Joker accurately sees the relationship between himself and the Dark Knight.  As Batman tries to interrogate him, Joker states, “Don’t talk like them, because you’re not.”  At the end of the film, the complex relationship between the two is summed up by the Joker: “An unstoppable force meets an immovable object.”

Two Sides of the Same Coin

There is a debate on whether or not Two Face should have made an appearance or even had as big as a role in the film as he should have.  I personally would have liked Two Face to have a movie of his own, but Nolan clearly knew what he was doing when he did this film.  Two Face in the “The Dark Knight” is a just a tool of the Joker.  He is the product of humanity gone awry and a message from the Joker about the fraility of human life.  In this capacity, Two Face is a nice fit in the film.  However, much like ”Batman Forever,” the character of Two Face had been reduced to a tool of a bigger villain when he is an important enough character to star in his own film.

Two Face, much like the Joker, is a complex character.  He is an embodiment of a constant war between his humanity and the monster that lurks within.  Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, in the film is a perfect example of this.  Dent is the side of the personality that strives for justice, not unlike the Caped Crusader.  But unlike Batman, there is a line that he’s willing to cross.  Eckhart perfect shows the kinks in the White Armor of Gotham’s “White Knight.”  There is a scene where the monster temporarily takes over during an interrogation.  It is here that we see the darker side of Harvey Dent, a side that will consume him later in the film.

There is a special relationship between Batman and Two Face.  There is more than just the “White Knight” and “Dark Knight” paradigm to consider.  To put it simply, they are both two faces.  Far beyond the superficial, the relationship between the two is also emotional.  Two Face is the embodiment of one of Batman’s greatest failures and a testament to his imperfection as a human being.  Batman couldn’t save everyone and Two Face is a constant reminder of that limitedness.

It’s All About the Choices We Make

I wouldn’t be an E.G. if I didn’t talk about the choices made in the film.  Simply put, we are what we choose.  We are defined by the choices that we make.  Joker’s message was simple: people are animals; thus, their choices will reflect an animalistic need for survival regardless of humanity.  Joker’s choices to blow things up, kill people, and disrupt order reflects his embodiment of chaos.  To show that ”normal” people are not much different from him, he placed people in a situation that would have them kill others to save themselves.  What is more important:  your life or your humanity?  Joker was betting that people will choose to live out of an animalistic urge to survive.  Fortunately, neither group killed each other; the people chose to be people, human beings.  Batman correctly surmised, “What were you trying to prove?  That people are as ugly as you?”  However, Joker was right about one thing:  we are what we choose.

The Other, Little Things…

There are small things that I noticed about the film that I thought made the movie that much more enjoyable.  After all, isn’t it all about the small things in life?

1. Similarities with “The Matrix” - Yes, “The Matrix”.  First, “The Matrix” was filmed with a green tint.  “The Dark Knight” was filmed in blue for reasons I do not understand….yet.  Also, “The Dark Knight” had a scene that was reminiscent of scene in “Reloaded” with the Architect.  Finally, as stated before, “The Dark Knight” was existential in its presentation about choices.  The same can be said of “The Matrix.”
2. Homages to Burton’s “Batman” - First, the scene where Joker taunts Batman to “hit me” as Batman speeds toward him on his cycle is an homage to Burton’s version where Joker taunts Batman as Batman speeds toward him in his jet.  Another homage would be at the end where Joker falls from the building.  This is very similar to Burton’s vision where Joker falls from the top of a church.  Only this time around, Batman chooses to let Joker live.  He is what he chooses after all - an immovable object.
3. Anytime Joker appears in ”The Dark Knight,” there is a strange, monotone, ringing sound.  This sound accentuates the craziness that is Joker and makes things that much creepier.  Next time you watch the film and I know you will, pay attention to this sound.

A True Masterpiece of Comic Filmdom

The film is not worth seeing because it was the last for the late Heath Ledger.  It’s not worth seeing simply because its another super hero movie.  It’s worth seeing because it is one of the best films to come out in a long time.  The writing is deep but not heavy handed.  The action sequences were fun to watch and not extraneous.  The acting is a new water mark for future films in the genre or any other.  It is a super hero movie that is both deep and engaging, something you do not see ever.  It is an instant classic that will leave an impression on you for years to come.  When I look back at this film and think about the Joker saying, “Let’s put a smile on that face,” I can’t help but oblige.

-E.G.

Media Interfusion - The Lines Blur

The introduction of cd media in gaming have birth to new possibilities.  Larger storage capacities gave developers the freedom to create more vivid worlds, constrained not by the limited nature of the archaic cartrige medium.

Freed from such contrains, developers were given a chance to tell more intricate stories via video; thus, the cut scene was birthed.  The cut scene has grown over the years, and like any other child, has become increasingly more unruly and testing boundaries to see how far it can go.  Nowadays, cut scenes have taken more of the center stage in story delivery.  Take a look at MGS4 and you will understand what I am saying; 45 minute cut scenes are the norm in this case.

So what happened to interactivity?  More and more it seems that video gaming has become more of a passive experience.  The ratio of playing to watching has slowly but surely crawled to watching’s favor.  As storage capacities increase, some developers are utilizing such space for longer and more intricate cut scenes that the experience becomes more and more similar to watching a movie than playing a game.

Games are slowly becoming more like movies.  Movies, likewise, are becoming more like games.  Don’t believe me?

Take the recent Indiana Jones movie.  As I watched it, I couldn’t help but notice how much like a video game the film was.  I’m not the only one who feels this way.  Check out 1Up Yours a few weeks back for an indepth discussion on Indy’s video game like experience: the jumping chasms were akin to platforming,   the crystal skulls multitasking nature is similar to the gravity gun in Half Life, etc.

Even the recently released “Wanted” reminded me of a video game, specifically Grand Theft Auto.  I’ll try not to spoil anything, but there are instances in the film where the main character is a given a name of a hit and must figure out how to finish the mission.  Even at the end of the film, it felt like the character was fighting through bosses to get to the finish of the “game.”

No doubt there is fusion among the two media; thus bluring the lines between what is film and what is game.  What does this mean?  Controllers installed into your movie seat?  Believe me, that is not out of the question.  Remember in an episode of Futurama where the crew went to the movies?  Do you remember that the movie gave the audience a chance to determine how the movie went?  Interactivity is bound to arrive to films.

Gaming for me personally meant a chance to live in worlds that cannot exist in real life.  RPG’s especially game me the opportunity to live out fantasies through interactivity in virtual worlds.  Gaming, in this way, has become less like itself.  Gaming is morphing itself into a more passive experience akin to film; thus, taking the interactivity away from the virtual worlds.  Sad, this makes me.

At its core, gaming is meant to provide entertainment to its consumer through interactivity.  If you take away the interactivity, the game is no longer a game.  Likewise, movies, at its core, are meant to provide stories through a visual medium, a passive experience.  How true is a story if people can manipulate its ending?

I would like to think I am more open minded about changes.  I hope games stay more like games and less like movies.  With the way things are going, future games may not even need a controller.  I hope that day never comes.

-E.G.

Existential Gamer Analysis #6: Chrono Trigger

Although this can be argued forever, for me personally, I feel the 16-bit era was truly the Golden Age of Gaming.  What am I using in support of this declaration?  When I think about my most favorite games, by far, most of them are from the 16-bit era.  Here are just a few:  Legend of Zelda - Link to the Past, FFVI, Super Metroid, Mega Man X, Sonic 2, Super Castlevania IV, and countless others.

I would say the best of what the Golden Age of Gaming had to offer would be none of other than Square’s timeless masterpiece, Chrono Trigger.

When I think of Chrono Trigger, I think of a game with timeless magic.  CT is just one of those games with that certain something that makes it special.  Sure, we can talk about the graphics, sound, and gameplay but even then we cannot fully explain what makes it wonderful.  But I suppose we should start somewhere…

Spritefully Beautiful

CT featured visuals that are arguably the best the SNES had to offer.  Before the age of polygons, games were crafted with colorful sprites.  The SNES provided an excellent platform for delivering a visual experience unparalleled at the time and unavailable on any other system, especially the Sega Genesis.

But just because you have an excellent canvas to create on, does not mean artful beauty is guaranteed.  The design itself is important.  CT featured character designs that were clever and original thanks to the efforts of anime legend, Akira Toriyama.  From Crono’s bright red hair to Marle’s brilliant blond locks and white outfit to Lucca’s goofy glasses, Toriyama’s designs are easily recognizable and a perfect fit for CT’s world.

Although the game’s visual beauty may seem like its greatest aesthetic asset, I feel its music is what truly makes the game magically timeless.

Ambrosia in the Form of Sound

What makes me think fondly of this particular game above all else would no doubt be the music.  Yasunori Mitsuda is the mastermind behind the amazing musical score of CT.  Mitsuda is a talented composer that has worked on various games and even has released personal albums.  Despite his impressive resume, Mitsuda still holds a special place for CT, his video game musical debut.  According to a recent interview in Famitsu Weekly, Mitsuda had stated that he is looking forward to overseeing the music of the new DS iteration of the SNES classic.  Furthermore, he admits that working on CT was a memorable experience that left him in tears in viewing of the ending of the game with all of the CT staff:

“But when the entire staff gathered around to watch the ending, I wound up crying anyway (a lot of other staffers were just as deeply moved). I think all of us put a lot of our emotion into the game.”

Mr. Mitsuda, I feel the same way.

What is the music like?  It’s hard to explain really.  Very melodic, angelic at times, deeply moving, jazzy, rock-like, with Celtic sensibilities sprinkled all over.  It must be heard to truly understand how great the music truly is.  Mitsuda had a certain touch that made the game that more engaging.  The music was the type that would accentuate the gameplay experience.  More impressively, the music is moving enough to stand by itself with the ability to conjure up fond memories of the game itself or other emotional visions.  Music that can do that is truly rare, greatness uncomparable.

But is it Fun to Play?

Hell yes.  I personally feel JRPG’s haven’t been this fun ever.  The problem is that most RPG’s are too bogged down in the details that it can become too cumbersome to play.  Overly complex menus and even more complex storylines defocuses the player at times and what should have been an engaging adventure becomes an exercise in micromanaging tedium.

CT is different.  Very different.  It was a welcome change in a world of bloated RPG’s.  Here’s condensed list of its gameplay assets:

1. No random battles.  You see the enemy and you can choose whether or not to engage in battle.  No forced encounters that could really cost you.
2. Unique characters with unique powers.  All the characters have something special about them, both strengths and weaknesses.  Also, the roster is well balanced.  You can mix and match the characters to create a right team for the right situation.
3. Double and Triple Techs.  The characters are very likeable and unique.  The ability to mix their unique powers via Double Techs (two people) and Triple Techs (three people) make the gameplay interesting.  I remember how exciting it was when a new tech was learned.  It was like a box of chocolates - you never know what you were going to get.
4. New Game + feature.  It is nearly impossible to get all techs learned in one play.  Thankfully, CT introduced the New Game + feature that allowed the player to continue the game with all stats and tech learned from the previous game.  Makes for an interesting second play through.  Add the fact that you can get multiple ending depending on how you play makes multiple play throughs fun worth the time.

As an E.G., I must ask what is the value or meaning of CT.  On one hand, it can be seen as simply another RPG - a fantastic RPG, but an RPG nonetheless.  In close analysis, CT seems to exist to be the game that all RPG’s should hope to aspire.  CT is the product of the best and brightest from both Square and Enix coming together as the “Dream Team.”  It’s awesomeness, as I stated before, cannot be fully explained through words.  When I say it is an experience like non-other, you can be assured I say so without emploring hyperbole.

Not everything can be explained through reason.  CT proves its worth despite its enigmatic wonderment.  And that’s acceptable to me.  It exists to put a smile on my face.  It’s all the reason it needs to exist in my world.

-E.G.

Cyber Bullying - the end of civilization?

I am an avid listener to the 1Up Yours Podcast, and this week, they had the infamous Dennis Dyack of Silicon Knights on the show to talk about the impact of message boards and forums on the industry as a whole.

I know of not one game that has generated as much drama as Too Human….and the game hasn’t even been released yet.  In the midst of all this drama, one thing is sure:  Too Human will be big due to all of this publicity whether it be good or bad.

I have respect for the Dyack for his insistence for objectivity and defense of his baby, Too Human.  To say the Dyack is opinionated and well-informed in his insistence would be an understatement.  With that said, I cannot say that I agree with everything he preaches.

Here are two points I would like to counterpoint:

1. Previews should be objective.
2. Message Boarding as it stands currently hurt the industry as a whole.

In a previous entry entitled, “Objectivity Nonexistence,” I explain how complete objectivity is impossible in gaming journalism.  In fact, I personally feel its impossible to be completely objective in any field.  In order to approach journalism in complete objectivity would require a tabula rasa approach, but if that is the case, you wouldn’t be informed of the topic you are supposed to be writing about anyway.  What is the point then?

People approach anything with pre-determined opinions formed by previous experiences, similar, dissimilar, or exactly alike.  It’s a pipe dream to want previews to be completely objective.  As 1up says regularly, “it’s nice to want things.”

The July 4th edition of 1Up Yours was a platform for the Dyack to preach his gospel of message boards and the damnation of the industry they bring.  The Dyack feels the current state of message boards create an environment of cynical ignorance, assumptive criticism, and a negative environment as similar to a cesspool of schadenfreude.

The Dyack feels very strongly about reforming the current state of message boards in order to create a more equal, fair, objective union of video gaming.  It’s nice to want things, Mr. Dyack.  We all have dreams.

I think the problem is that the Dyack presents his case by citing various authors and literary points that would confuse the masses.  Garnett Lee, the host of 1Up Yours, freely admits that he was lost in many areas of the complex conversation, and he’s not unintelligent in the slightest.  Personally, I think most of the bile found in message boards are from ignorami that have not the mental capacity to gestate the message the Dyack was trying to deliver.  The more intelligent, coherent, rational people his message would be understood by are the ones who agree with him already; in other words, he’s “preaching to the choir.”

Now I understand that intelligent does not necessarily mean nice.  Nettiquette is not a natual skill possessed by all web surfers.  Nettiquette is a natural evolution of socially accepted  mannerisms taught while you were young to prepare you for person to person interaction.  The net has necessitated an evolution of this type of ettiqutte to address interactions in an online world.  My point is this:  if you weren’t taught basic ettiquette in real life, chances are you are an asshole online.

In a previous entry of the E.G., I talk about the evolution of social interaction.  I use the play ground as an example of how children learn interactivity with others and social ettiquette.  With children wired as much as they are, real interactions are lessened and, as a result, manners and politeness are not learned and not used as much either.

In a perfect Cyber World, people would be good to each other.  People would respect each other.  People would not rush to judgment and give the benefit of the doubt.  People would be fair.

I’m not trying to be cynical, but such a perfect world may not be possible anytime soon.

The nature of the net allows people more levels of anonymity that can’t be offered in real life.  People can act like barbarians without any real consequence.  People will throw verbal bombs and runaway under pseudonyms to terrorize another day.  The internet has created a society of charlatans and cowardice.  To create a net world unlike its current state would require a mass push for reform from the net and its users itself. Not impossible but a huge hill to overcome for sure.

The good news is that this push for massive social net reform has already started.  I have already seen commericals that address the issue of cyber bullying.  One commercial had a girl spewing all this bile against a girl in the same room without filter or remorse.  Then this tagline appeared: “If you wouldn’t say it in person, why would you do it online?”  Good point, but they do it because they can.  At least, the war on cyber bullying is already being waged.  I just hope it’s not as hopeless as the war on drugs.

-E.G.