• 22Apr 13

  You suck, but don't get mad i told you so!

  Wauw...
  
  So GameSpot just put up an article (depending on which time you read this) - http://us.gamespot.com/news/just-cause-dev-story-driven-aaa-games-make-no-business-sense-6407319
  
  
  Basically it's about how stories in games, aren't really that important, and won't be a dominating factor in the future.
  
  I disagree, because consumers are afraid of change - especially core gamers (well those who love to call themselves that, i still don't after 19 years of gaming, i just like games that are fun, be it on my 2,500 dollar gaming computer, or my cellphone).
  
  That's basically it. What is sold, is gonna be sold in heavier amounts. So story driven games are continue to roll out untill devs say "hey, this is madness, why are we using so much money on scripts and storywriting when we're creating racing game  or a puzzler", and i do believe that that attitude will be seen at some point.
  
  See to me games have never been about the story, some love it and i do too if their good - the stories that is. But the thing is, a lot of games doesn't have good stories. They might have entertaining stories, but just like American Pie has never exactly been oscar worthy (politics they say!), i can still very much enjoy it! Heck the story might even make sense, trompet to ass IS fun, and outrageous, just like the movie wants you to think /sarcasm sarcasm sarcasm... or is it sarcasm?
  
  
  
  See movies like American Pie doesn't want to be taken seriously, and that's why we don't presume it's a masterpeice, we just like it for what it is. But again: we are presented with this, we're TOLD IT'S SILLY.. What if we were told something was not silly, but very serious, and to be considered adult and intelligent perhaps. 
  
  Look at Tomb Raider, the reboot. Here's a game i really enjoyed. Game mechanics were nice, abit repetetive, but the graphics made up for what might have been abit stale, it was rewarding for me to explore, and in the end i got through the game never feeling dragged. It had a nice pace so to speak. The story? Well what a piece of shallow idiocy. I will refer you to biggest_looser who made a nice analysis of the game, with abit of focus on the story and it's presentation.
  
  http://us.gamespot.com/users/biggest_loser/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-26017865
  
  See we're told this game was adult and serious! But who are we to know. I don't blame you for being a bad critic, you might not have a need to be negative or pessimistic, you're just looking for a good time, and a good time you had overlooking basically every fault, which ultimately makes for a poor story as a whole...
  
  See THIS ^^^ is allowed. When you play a game, you want your moneys worth, but stop being afraid of the truth, the only way stories are gonna be better, or not flushed down the toilet and gone with, is if you give them feedback, show them every mistake they made, and make them aware that the next time, it just can't be like that! Plotholes are everywhere these days, and people seem to just overlook it because it's easiest thing to do.
  
  Recently i played through Bioshock Infinite, i enjoyed my playthrough, the gameplay was abit off for me, and some things weren't really explained that well, see i was newbie to the franchise, i had never had time or interrest in Bioshock. Now the first installment was a great game, or so they said, and i do believe them - "them" being everybody. People said  the story was godlike, and i thought "damn straight, i'll give the franchise a chance with Infinite coming up!". I bought the game, played it through, was excited after i finished it, and then... well then i was grounded, and i was sort of disappointed(?). I can't go into too much detail, 'cause i don't want to spoil anything, but basically EVERYTHING is possible in the Bioshock universe, people who has played through the game will know why. This - this is bullshit. This basically covers every plothole within the game. This is weak storywriting at it's best. It's like saying "it was all a dream". You're covering yourself from anything that might have been badly written, and i don't like that, not at all! It's a bigger discussion, but if you have played it through, think it over for a second.
  
  Saying this does in fact stirr up quite a lot of emotion with gamers. A lot of people consider themselves George Orwell's and they think they know what's good because they enjoyed it. Are you gonna say a Whopper is THE SHIT because it's **** tasty? You know it's bad, all of it, it's sodium and calories mushed together for your enjoyment, and it does taste good, but it can't ever hide from it's quality, which is shitty - just like most games.
  
  
  
  There are games out there that have decent stories. Heck the 90's and early 00's had loads of great RPG's with stories that were bookworthy! But they were basically books! This is now coming back with Torment: Tides of Numenera, which is in my opinion awesome! Games like Mass Effect and Skyrim are considered RPG's, but in honesty they have little to no options, and people will play through them the statistically best way possible - see that's actually still the most important thing: that you're able to defeat enemies and bosses, not with words of talk, but with weapons and spells! Not to RPGish in my book, but whatever, i can accept it.
  
  Still, i tried taking up the discussion in a forum, and of course i was met with hostility, people think Assassins Creed is great story writing. The themes are awesome, and elements of the story is exciting, but the story itself... it's the weakest writing i have seen in years! They actually tried to flesh it out with Revelations, and the 3rd, but it ultimately resulted in them butchering the previous games and their storyline. Now their trying to flesh out the 3rd one with ANOTHER installment.
  
  This is very much the same with Gears of War, God of War, Halo, etc. etc. the story isn't great. Parts of it might be, but they really aren't anything special, and you think it is because you DON'T THINK IT IS. You don't care, you accept what you're presented with, and you don't ask any questions. You're satisfied as long as they tell you to be. But why do you think stories are even made today? You don't think an earth invasion could be told in one game? It takes 4 GEARS OF WARS, A PREQUEL EVEN, to tell you this? Same goes for God of War. We already knew the story in the first one, and how it would end, but they needed prequels and PSP versions and what not.
  
  I don't mind all of that, but when developers claim that it's to "flesh out the story and lore" you should ask yourself "how **** stupid am i?" - cause you're really stupid. You think you like the story, but that's only because you don't have to work with it, it's predictable, easy, shallow and uninspired. You're working with an established imagination, and it's yours. It's not that you're a great writer, and that's you're a common observer. It's all clichés and you have learned to notice these clichés, and this is why the stories seem average or good: because you know it, and you feel awesome knowing it! You think you're intelligent, but what you are is just a consumer, and they are playing you. 
  
  While all of that is going on, you're not even noticing the shitty gameplay. It's basically the same you have been playing for 10 years, but with a different atmosphere, and a different story (or voice actors, the stories are so basic and alike that name switching and a coat of new colour is all it needs to convince you it's original).
  
  COME ON! Be better, you deserve it, we deserve it!  

  • Posted Apr 22, 2013 11:11 am GMT
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• 8Feb 13

  Ubisoft Go Home, You're Drunk! - a story about Rayman Legends.

  Now i might not have bought my Wii U for Rayman Legends, but i was looking forward to that game! It was the first game i saw on the Wii U, at 2012's E3 and i was impressed! It looked to be one of the best 2D sidescrolling platformers i had ever seen, so naturally i had it in mind. I didn't ever play Origins, only on the 3DS (which was a good version by the way), but i had always wanted that game, and knew it was praised by many, even though the sales wasn't too great.
  
  So came the first delay of Legends... i figured waiting till february was okay, especially if it's about making the game as good as possible, that's something we can all forgive, at least when we sit with the game in our hands, knowing that several bugs could've occured or we could've missed out on content (that could later have been DLC, 'cause we all love DLC...).
  
  Then something funny blew up on the internet's gaming sites and forums.
  
  Ubisoft announced that Legends would no more be a Wii U exclusive and instead would go multiplatform. Now that's all well and good, i'm not one to complain about such things, in fact i hope more people get to experience the same games, so we can all discuss them, and come up with future improvements together, and hand over some feedback to developers - that usually goes a long way, if developers actually listen to their fans.
  
  But this was a special case. It was 2 weeks prior to the Wii U release, which is weird in the sense that the succes of Legends should have logically deemed this move a rational one. I mean think about it, what if Rayman Legends released on the Wii u to a score of 6 or below. The sales would obviously be cut, and i doubt many PS3 and Xbox 360 owners would be as intrigued as they originally were. That's of course talking in a hypothetical manner, but i think most of us can agree.

  Secondly you would look at the sales. If it didn't sell at least 500.000 copies on the existing 3,x million Wii U units, would this move be good? Rayman Legends probably wouldn't sell a million copies, but i could see it sell an easy 400-800.000 units at least, seeing as it was one of the first and most impressive Wii U titles shown so far, and it was right around the corner! Wii U owners like niche games. We don't rely heavily on story, i mean we like it - a good story is a good story - but we love gameplay first and foremost, so Rayman Legends would've been up our alley with it's quirky style and classic gameplay. The demos i tried were solid, so i would guess so!
  
  Yet Ubisoft did something else instead. They kicked the Wii U owners square in the nuts, and said: "remember how you have waited the extra months, and now we're mere weeks away from release? Yeah... about that... how about you wait 7 months, so we can share a good release together! Everybody! Because if there's one thing Wii U, PS3, and Xbox 360 owners are good at, it's holding eachothers hand, singing songs by the fire!" - 
  
  After several attemtps of explaining the situation over the past days, Ubisoft finally stated that this was a business decission, and that the game was done for Wii U, but because of marketing, it would be easier to release all the versions one time. This would make for greater sales.... Even the developers said that they thought this was a bad move from higher up in the system, and that the industry is: "just this shi**y!".
  
  Normally i would be really mad. Well at least slightly annoyed. And i am. I am kind of annoyed. And i feel sorry for the developers, but not because of what's happened, but what will happen. 
  
  It's true when you give the finger to the consumers, it won't result in a boycott, because too many people are forgiving, and in the end they don't care about anything but themselves, rarely believe in higher causes (even though several petitions, even outcries like this from the PS3 and Xbox 360 crowd - be it with a profit in mind for Ubisoft, and just basic rage, they can all result in changes from the industry leading to new releases, or changes like the Resident Evil 6 patch). So they will obviously buy Rayman Legends when it actually releases and GOOD FOR YOU. 
  
  But here's where i laugh. The release is now 7 months ahead. 7!
  
  March
  April
  May
  June
  July
  August
  SEPTEMBER
  
  Origin didn't sell well. Bringing out your game next to GTA IV.
  
  Ubisoft. Go home, you're drunk.
  
   

  • Posted Feb 8, 2013 6:43 am GMT
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• 31Jan 13

  Nintendo And The Relateable Story - But Not For You!

  I'll start this blog out by telling you i'm no fanboy of any sorts. I enjoy my PS2 as much as my PC, Gameboy Colour, heck i can even enjoy a good iPhone game or maybe my grandma's Game and Watch that she has lying in the drawer. I've owned basically everything except a Dreamcast (my cousin had it though, so i've wasted my hours on that platform too!). To me gaming isn't about brands. It's not about franchises, or pretty pictures. To me games is about the feeling you get WHILE gaming whatever it may be. To me it's about the sheer fun and entertainment! If i sit down with a game, and feel an urge to continue, to not put it down, then it's won me over! I don't dismiss any game based on reviews or opinions, i got with what my inner voice tells me (yeah funny guy, go ahead with the jokes!  )
  What it comes down to is what it's all about: take me away from the sheer boredom of reality!
  
  Now there's a lot of companies out there that makes sure that this fun is delievered. One company that truly has delievered all through it's existence, with only a few flaws, is a company called Nintendo! Yeah i won't even bother, i'm sure you're familiar with it!
  
  To me, Nintendo has never lost it's focus on what makes gaming great! It's all about bringing the new experiences to gamers! Letting us percieve new perspectives within gaming! Let us inspire them, by inspiring us! Nintendo has always been the 'friendly' company! They listen to their costumors, and they evolve with the customers! Well that's at least what we all thought.
  
  In 2004 the Nintendo DS was revealed to the world. 2x3 inch dual screen machine, with astounding graphics on a handheld for it's time! Many fans went insane about the upcoming platform! Some were confused by the concept, but still excited! Seeing a re-release of Super Mario 64 with improved graphics was something fans loved too! This became one of the best sellings platforms ever, with one of the greatest libraries ever, maybe even exceeded by the PS2's GIGANTIC one.
  
  
  This was the best thing ever. Period!
  
  
  Rumors of the GameCube succesor suddenly began flourishing. 'Revolution' it was called. I remember being around 13 when i first read about it. It was very hard for me to understand how fast technology was developing, and like many others, the 'Revolution' - or Wii as it became - sounded like a f**king dream! I constantly read up on new information, tried to contain myself, but much like Eric Cartman, i couldn't wait for the life of me!
  
  Already with an Xbox 360, a next gen console shouldn't be so important, but the fact that motion controls were the dominating part of the machine, that just had me going crazy! "I MUST OWN IT!" were my thoughts back then... i even think i yelled it by accident in my room once. When it finally released i wasn't the only one excited. My brother, mother and father all had to try it out! They didn't know about it at first, but slowly towards the launch i had made sure to fill their heads with all the information i had contained over the years. 
  
  This was the happiest day of my life! This machine was a REVOLUTION! (Believe me i wish they had kept that name too!).
  The months went by, and i started getting tired of the whole arm swinging and what not. Graphics weren't up to par, and to be honest, the games weren't many and it kind of stood in the shadows of the rain of releases on the Xbox and PS3 (well there weren't much on the PS3 to begin with, but even at that Killzone 2 and Heavy Rain were some of the games that simply smashed the Wii only by showing it's graphics).
  
  I sort of grew tired of the Wii and it sat in the dust for years.
  
  Years later, and with very few games bought for the Wii (Super Smash Bro, Galaxy 2, you know the essentiel ones!), Nintendo were beginning to get into trouble. Not that the sales were bad, in fact they were the best (wether or not that's because it was half the price of the others are up for debate... i'd like to think so.. plus it appeals to kids and parents alike, those who became 'casuals' later). See Nintendo stood proud of their succes, and for years nobody but the haters were hating on the Wii. Haters were ironically most consisting of what was once Nintendo fanboys who had prioritized the Wii instead of getting an Xbox or PS3. They had been betrayed, or so they thought, because Nintendo had no 3rd party support, no HD, no stabile online support, and a boring virtual console... nothing added up. Nintendo had lost it's loyal ones, those like me, who had been spewing all sorts of facts about "HOW GREAT NINTENDO IS AND YOU SHOULD TOTALLY BUY THE WII BECAUSE IT'S MOTION F**KING CONTROLS, AND FUTURE AND STUFF LIKE THAT!"
  
  

  This was unbelievable the first time! Then it turned out to be a DVD-looking system... without DVD.
  
  Nobody who actually had interrest and a passion for gaming liked Nintendo anymore, maybe they still had love for the DS, or 3DS, but nobody had intentions of getting back on the Wii-saddle. Well that is to say very few at least. One of the few ones were me. For years i had felt betrayed by Nintendo, even though i had technically been responsible for buying an inferior product (but i don't like making mistakes, especially if it involves me throwing money at something, so it MUST HAVE BEEN Nintendo's fault... cough*sarcasm*cough).
  
  Xenoblade, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower were announced for EU releases. At first i thought "yeah yeah whatever!", but as i read up on the games, i began getting tempted... i chose to see what had been released on the Wii since my abandonment many years before. It occured to me how many great titles i had missed like Donkey Kong Country Returns, Muramasa, Disaster Day of Crisis, Monster Hunter 3, Final Fantasy (yeah the Wii actually has all the good Final Fantasy games believe it or not!).
  
  

  Even without the full HD experience, Xenoblade offered a feeling like no other. Such massive landscapes to explore, and so beautiful at the same time. It showed us that even though the tech of Wii was lacking, beauty was still an option. Go watch Monolith Soft's trailer for their upcoming Wii U game, it's gonna be something else! 

  
  I totally found love for Nintendo again, and i understood that i had actually been looking at it in a wrong way for many years. Nintendo did in fact deliever an inferior product, but they made sure we had the best of experiences! Wether you want to believe it or not, sitting down and playing games like Super Mario Galaxy and Xenoblade will quickly make you understand why Nintendo is such a beloved company. You push buttons like any other games, but unlike most other games, you always get a fresh looking experience with fun and enjoyable mechanics. The solid titles rarely contain shallow moments, and is made with the same love that has been left out of the gaming industry for a long time! Nintendo and it's dev companies (even 3rd parties) build games for the machine as if the first goal was fun THEN profit, and that's a thing you can't say about many games today.
  
  This is exactly why i bought the Wii U. I have bought a damn Wii U and i'm not regretting it now, and not regretting it later. I probably won't have 10 games thrown at me each months, but at least i know that whenever Nintendo is throwing something at me, it will be a game! Not a close-to-movies experience, not a damn simulator or anything like that, but a fun game that passes the time and feels ever so nostalgic, yet fresh and modern, because this is what Nintendo does best!

  

  ^ A good reason why most of your favourite games exists today, this man inspired the devs behind them.

  
  
  Rehash characters? Okay so maybe you don't love Mario or Link, that's understandable, but to tell me that the franchises haven't developed is a lie and you know it! Once again Nintendo does what it does best! They make sure that gamers know the core of the franchise installments, the basics and what it's about (mushrooms, saving princesses, beating badguys, all while jumping, pummeling, slashing and so on and so forth! Temples, dungeons and funny colourful things!).
  
  Let's look at it this way: 25 years of Zelda has produced 16 games.
  6 years of Assassins Creed has produced.. yeah.. a lot of games!
  10 years of CoD has produced... yeah a lot of games!
  
  A game that may truly be 'rehashing the same content' is Pokémon, but even that is getting a make-over in October, and has always delievered new areas of exploration, new features and new Pokémons!
  
  Thing to me is this: You might not like Nintendo for being a step behind always, for some reason this pisses you off, to see a weakling still standing, but i assure you there's a reason: solid games! Hardware can be impressive and beyond, but software is still the thign that sells, and while i agree the Xbox and Ps3 has great games (own both myself), Nintendo has always been unique, and instead of battling or eventually becoming it's competitors, they have taken a sidestep and done their own thing. This might have resulted in confusion and loss of money, but please, if you don't have a Wii U, if you don't want a Wii U, stay away from the Wii U forums or at least keep your mouth shut. I cannot understand the attraction, when people feel the need to openly badmouth anything a loyal and truthful company does!
  
  Nintendo is by far the most innovative gaming company, and even the most passionate one too! It's about gaming, not graphics, not sound, not story, all of that is for later and for improving, but at it's core, it's all about making you pass your time in a way that doesn't feel wasted. Pong, Pac-Man and Tetris can still do that for many people today, and for good reason: it's what it is, and it's what it does that's so fantastic! it has a goal! It's not a chore, but entertainment! Stop trying to win prices or making records, and love the fact that so many companies out there try to make THEIR best effort to make you happy with everything! You are previlieged yet you spit on those you deem inferior, and what does that tell about you?
  
  Dismissing the Wii U is and will be your greatest regret, 'cause it's a machine that not only runs the Wii games (tons of great titles there), but it's a machine with the potential for so much, yet lack of positive talk will surely result in less focus from the 3rd party world. In a world of brown wasteland shooters, are you really that ignorant to just shy away of TRUE creativity and passion! It's a shame you can't be more friendly.
  
  
  
  "Wii is for kids! And Wii U is already a fail!" - i'm sure we all heard that. Yet i love the sentence for it's paradox. You call it a kids console based on very little experience with it. You trash it, without having played a lot of it's great titles, and with the Wii U, the wave of angry ignorant gamers seem to be greater than ever! "LOOK THE GAMES DOESN'T LOOK ANY GOOD! STUPID!"... yeah a Darksiders or Batman Port (which both look great by the way) MUST be all the Wii U has to offer. I mean look at Perfect Dark Zero.. that game was art! - and by art i mean the kind of  "s**t-thrown-at-a-wall"-art.
  
  Ps: i might be fanboying abit, but i just don't want to see a company go to the cra**er when it's products are solid, but the community has gotten so spoiled that it thinks THEY somehow owe us something. You pay, you feel regret, and unless their totally shy of releases, there's nobody to complain to but yourself. 
  
  
  
   

  • Posted Jan 31, 2013 8:34 am GMT
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