Show and Tell

It is getting to that point in Winter Break where everyone else in the family is leaving for school or work again, and I've only a little over a week before I head out myself. I feel too guilty spending my time playing games all day, and wrestling with mySQL (the grizzly bear of software) for my work study job gets aggravating after about four hours. So what's a procrastinator to do? Take pictures of random stuff and post them here (can you tell I'm bored?)

A picture from outside my home. We had a lot of snow in the last few days, and while it has caused everyone a lot of grief, it also looks rather pretty.

I recieved a small sum of money this christmas, money I planned on saving at first - it was enough to cover at least a new textbook for the coming semester. Then it appeared that I would be making dean's list after my toughest semester yet. So I decided to splurge and by something completely unecessary.

Behold the Street Fighter 15th anniversary arcade stick. I don't know if it will make me any better at fighting games, but the artwork alone makes it a very nice showcase.

Turns out I missed Dean's List by about .032 though. Guess its karma biting me in the butt for not going for the textbook.

Finally, it seems my boredom managed to create something productive. With the help of a handy internet guide I managed to tinker with my original, broken Dreamcast a little. While I need to test it with some real games, I think I just might have fixed it. Of course once it came back to life it had to take care of some business.

Owned.

2006

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Extra Awards

Biggest dissapointment 2005: Nintendo Gamecube

I hate to dish this award out, but sadly the Cube was at its weakest in 2005. It missed out on some good multiplatform releases (Burnout Revenge, Psychonauts), and had no good exclusives. When Nintendo's best 1st party games are 3d versions of Fire Emblem and Advance Wars that play almost the same as their 2d counterparts, you know you're in trouble. Even its greatest assest, Resident Evil 4 could be played on another console.

Nintendo is lucky that their fans are so loyal. We know the Revolution should bring some great new things to gaming, and we know that Twilight Princess will be better off thanks to the delay. But in return Gamecube fans were left high and dry this year, so much so that I could no longer rely on it as my primary console for this generation. Let's hope things speed up in 2006.

Biggest Surprise 2005: Nnitendo DS

And in the blue corner we have Nintendo again, this time with the DS. I have been harsh on the handheld since it was announced way back when, but this Christmas I finally got my hands on one for an extended period of time. The system is really well designed; it is sturdy in construction, has plenty of buttons, and the touch screen is very well implemented. The wireless setup is simple but very robust, and the menu systems have a very slick design. Oh, and it had a staggering list of original and entertaining games this holiday season. The PSP may have have the horsepower and the gizmos, but the DS manages to provide a fun, sturdy system for a great price.

The Christian Eats Crow Award: Slim Playstation 2

I've bashed the PS2 more than anything this generation. Everything from snide remarks to outright loathing. But when I had some extra money at the start of the summer, I passed over both and iPod and an Xbox in order to pick up a Slimline PS2. While I don't think I would have been dissapointed with the other items, I think I made the right choice.

First there is the size. The slim model is easily one of my favorite console designs ever. It fits perfectly between my phone and TV, and is incredibly portable. Plus it has the network adapter built in, and the console is finally toploading. Sure it allegedly has some hardware issues, but so does the regular PS2 and the Xbox and the Xbox 360. It is practically the norm these days...

Then there are the games. I've already got 16 of them by year's end, with more to pick up in 2006. I still believe that Sony broke the rules of competition with the PS2 (by making gaming a war of "just good enough" rather than "the best"), and that a great deal of its library is junk. But with a sharp eye and an open mind you can find some knockout titles. I finally managed to complete my fighting game collection, and found Metal Gear Solid 3, Ico, Beyond Good and Evil, Burnout 3 and Devil May Cry all for $20 or less. Plus all three of my game nominees can be played on the console. You're still a rat bastard Sony, but I think now I can live with you around.

Best game I played not from 2005: Ico

It is the spiritual predecessor of Shadow, which alone puts it in high esteem. But Ico manages to stand on its own two feet as an addictive platformer that is both surreal and emotional. It is a completly different beast than its brother, but one that is just as worth playing.



Game that needs to go away (at least for a little while): Katamari Damacy

I feel bad giving this award to Katamari Damacy. It really didn't do anything bad. I actually like the game a lot, and I'm glad that to this day people are still discovering it. The problem is that people just won't shut up about the damn game. It is always the same thing; some otaku stumbles across the game, finds the unique concept to be fun, and the quirky japanese style to be so kawaii. After that they continuously proclaim that it is the best game ever, that nothing else is as original, that the music is so amazing, and those who haven't played it are some form of gaming slug. Katamari quickly destroys any internet debate dealing with innovation or game design, and I've literally seen people break out into the game's theme song at every chance they get. Yet half the time they can't even explain why they like it beyond the reason of "its so wierd and cool." One of the best games of last year also happens to be perfect otaku bait.

I understand you all like the game, but there is plenty of other good stuff out there. No it isn't all wierd and Japanese, but that shouldn't matter. And no, you aren't some wisened sage of gaming lore because you stumbled upon the one under the radar game that actually managed to garner a lot of press time. Why don't you spend some of that energy looking at the import scene? I promise you'll find lots of other good titles, and it just might convince some studios to release more Japanese games over here.

Worst of all, the fans are beating the horse dead. One Katamari sequel is fine. One main sequel and two handheld games in a little over a year is overkill. If they all start complaining that their favorite series has "sold out", they won't have anyone else to blame. In five years, when the PS3 is beginning to get a bit old, I would love to see another Katamri style game. But right now I think it could use a little break.


So there you have it everyone. The first Gaming Retrospective is over, and I hope you found it enjoyable. If not, well, I didn't mean to offend anyone either (not even the Katamari fans. I think they just need to calm down a bit). Have a great New Year's celebration, and I'll see you in 2006.

Gaming Retrospective 2005 finale

And now for the end of the Gaming Retrospective. The time to dish out some silly awards and choose just what was my favorite game of 2005. I guess it is appropriate to have the final segment be posted on the final day of the year. Let's conclude....

Favorite Game of the Year:

To be honest, it isn't easy to pick one game that I enjoyed above all else. All three of the nominees (as well as a few unmentioned titles) were a joy to play, and gave me a lot to think about the nature of game design. If you choose to pick up any three of them I personally believe you will be more than satisfied. Still, if I had to choose just one that stood out the most as a shining example of the medium, it would most definitely be Shadow of the Colossus.
It is said that during E3 2005, Shigeru Miyamoto stood with Shadow's director Fumito Ueda, watching the game in action for a while. Not long after, Miyamoto made his announcement that Zelda: Twilight Princess would be the last traditional entry in the series for quite some time. After finishing the game, I (as well as many others) believe that Shadow had some part in that decision. It is not obvious at first, but SOTC invokes the spirit of the original Legend of Zelda better than even the Zelda sequels. Games like Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time are about the classic Zelda dungeons (with their classic Zelda puzzles), expanding your arsenal of tools, and progressing the story. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing (otherwise OOT wouldn't be my second favorite game), but after Minish Cap and Wind Waker, perhaps the formula is getting a little old. Nintendo can put the same puzzle in every new iteration and say "it doesn't matter; its Zelda and you like it", and we fan(boy?)s will happily nod our heads and play through it.

But Shadow reminded me (and perhaps Miyamoto) that the original Zelda was a completely different beast. Yes, you cleared dungeons, and yes you geared up. But the focus was on something completely different. It was all about exploration, and growing as a character. Link has little to no assistance in his journey, save for clever quips like "dodongo hates fire". You don't know where do go, or where anything is. When you encountered a dungeon, you didn't even know if you had the tools to explore it! The Legend of Zelda is a cold, lonely world, and the player is supposed to feel a little bit scared and overwhelmed. But they are also supposed to feel determined to succeed, no matter what the cost. And so they will explore the land of Hyrule, and slowly but surely they will find new weapons and new strength. They will solve every puzzle and defeat every boss. Finally Hyrule isn't so big and intimidating anymore. Link has climbed the mountain, and now he is master of his domain. And yet even the most diligent players will surely find more secrets to uncover and places to explore.

It is the same in Shadow of the Colossus. Every boss is a dungeon distilled into an intense battle. The world is a multitude of lakes, forests, plains and deserts. And even after all sixteen beasts are slain, there are countless corners to search and new things to uncover.
In the absence of a new 3d Zelda game this year, Shadow was more than a worthy replacement. It has captured the soul of one of the most famous games in history and inspired the master to go back to his shop. It reminded me of the unlimited potential of the videogame medium. And that is the best praise I can possibly give.

Part 3

Dragon Quest 8 : Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)

Okay, so this is the one game on the nominee list that I haven't actually managed to finish. Considering it is a 80+ hour RPG, I hope you can excuse me (and I'm already about 40 hours in, meaning I've still played it for longer than a lot of other games this year).

If you know me well, it may seem odd to find a Square Enix game being nominated for favorite game of 2005. But remember: the company is Square Enix now, and this happens to come from the Enix side of business (along with Level 5, the developers behind the whimsical Dark Cloud 2). The result is a perfect blend of old and new designs that reminded me of just what makes this genre worthwhile. Forget Final Fantasy: this is the game that will save role playing.
Dragon Quest 8 is a game that is unashamedly old fashioned. You travel the overworld, fight random battles against classic DQ monsters, and level up. You can only rest in save in a village, and you just might have to do some level grinding to conquer that dungeon. The story is the simple tale of a boy and his friends on a journey to stop an evil mage and aid his king. It is the textbook example of how to make a Japanese RPG, but the game feels far from generic. Dragon Quest director Yuji Hori has been making this type of game for twenty years now. He knows what works and what doesn't, and as a result, Dragon Quest 8 tastes like a finely aged whisky (pardon the bad analogy) rather than really old saki. Battles are quick, status ailments work, and there is room for both strategy and "mash x till they die" styles of play. It feels old, but it feels right. I'd much rather play a proven, battle tested combat system like this than the hit or miss flavors that mark every Final Fantasy.

As great as Dragon Quest's foundation is, it still isn't enough to push the title out of the realm of "fans only", where the series has rested all these years (on American shores that is). What pushes it over the edge is its ability to join the old with some new and very refreshing design choices. The biggest of these is the overworld which, as you can judge by the screenshot, actually is an overworld. It has forests, mountains, lakes and valleys, and it is all yours to explore. It is also large without being massive (*cough*Morrowind*cough*) . The level grinding that is famous in this series is practically transparent thanks to the huge overworld. By the time you've explored a new region, you'll find yourself more than prepared for the next area. It just works so well; the aggravations of old style RPG overworlds are gone, and the genre is better for it.

Then there are the graphics. Dark Cloud 2 proved that Level 5 can do cel shading as well as anyone else in the industry. Couple this with the character designs of Akira Toriyama, and you have an incredibly beautiful game, the closest thing to an interactive anime without all the annoying anime cliches.

Rounding out the whole package are all the little things that add some polish to DQ 8's new coat of paint. The skill point system adds deep customization with little hassle. The alchemy pot allows those power gamers out there to create strong weapons and armor far before they are supposed to gain them. There is a plethora of extra things to do, everything from uncovering chests to cleaning out the casino to completing the Monster Arena, which is almost complex enough to stand as a separate game. And of course the American version has been given unorthodox (but entertaining) British voice actors, and a fully orchestrated score to replace the midis of the Japanese original. Square Enix wanted this game to do well across the pond, and their hard work shows.

Ever since Final Fantasy VII and the Playstation Generation, Japanese RPGs have gone down a path much different than the one they started on. They are often pretentious, always crammed with overly long cutscenes and story sequences, and are based on some of the worst stereotypes of anime (ie. angsty villain with a flowing coat and silver hair) . They also come with convoluted and often inane combat/magic systems that are either easily broken or not fun to play. Dragon Quest 8 throws this all out of the window, in an attempt to bring the genre back to its roots, all the while trying to push the state of the art. It is a simple and rollicking adventure, one that manages to be epic without forgetting to be fun. There are very, very few jRPGs I enjoy, but this has given me hope for the genre. Square Enix, forget about Final Fantasy, and cut out the crap with Kingdom Hearts. You've got the best thing you've made in years right here, and I can't wait for the next one.

Part 2

Shadow of the Colossus(PS2)

No minions to fight. No moves to learn. No coins to collect or gates to open. Just a horse, your bow and arrow, and sixteen boss battles to be fought in a huge, beautiful world. The concept behind Shadow of the Colossus is as minimalist and unorthodox as you can get. Everything is there to set up an "interesting but failed experiment" kind of game. But Shadow does not fail, not in the slightest. Nor is it in any way perfect (no game is). What we have here is one of the most unique and emotionally powerful pieces of interactive entertainment I have ever witnessed.

Despite what seems to be a rather low polygon count, the landscape in Shadow is gorgeous. Every plain, every lake, every forest grove and hill seems so natural. It really feels like a virtual world, rather than the artificial microcosm of a videogame. It beckons the player to explore, to strike out on their own and find their foes. Hyrule Field is officially out of date, and so is every bump mapped corridor in every Sci Fi FPS that reminds me more of a Disney World attraction than a space station.

And yet the world is only half of the equation. The magnificent Colossi that inhabit it make up the rest. Simply put, the thrill of facing these giant beasts is incomparable in the gaming world. Some are no bigger than a bull, while others are the size of a small mountain. The objective is always the same; find its weak spot, find a way on it, and give it a taste of your sword (or bow). Completing these steps, however, is never quite the same. There is always a strategy to each battle, always a clue to help you out, and then of course there is the matter of executing it all. It is part puzzle, part platformer, part action game, and it is always thrilling. Just watching the noble beasts roam the land is a sight to behold. Then you find yourself launching your attack and climbing across their bodies, jumping from limb to limb and holding on for dear life as they try to shake you off like a pestilent flea. Finally you get a chance to strike, and they will scream and they will bleed. SOTC makes you feel truly small and humble in the wake of these powerful creatures. When you finally defeat them, you feel as if you are on top of the world, as if you could conquer it all. Yet this feeling is only fleeting once you witness the slain Colossi fall to its death. Suffice to say, it is a sad and sobering moment. I personally couldn't defeat more than one of them a day, so powerful was each encounter.

But the game will continue, as will your quest. Pay attention, and you will learn more about the nature of your quest, and about the consequences of your actions. Eventually you may question the morality of what you are doing, and yet you, like the hero, won't stop. The rollicking adventure changes into something far different, and when the ending finally comes you may not know what to feel. But when it is all over, you will have felt something, and that is far more than I can say about a great many games.

This is certainly not a game for everyone, but for those that can understand it, Shadow of the Colossus transcends being just a videogame, and becomes an experience, one that every gamer should at the very least see with their own eyes. I've seen friends become enthralled just watching me play it, and I know that I personally enjoyed every second of it. Games can be art, and yes, there is hope for innovation and originality. Shadow is proof positive of it.

Gaming Retrospective 2005

Aye, it figures that as soon as I created that new banner image,the server that LC1201 is hosted on goes kerplunk. And since I won't be back at school for a little while, I don't know when it will be back on. As a result, the 2005 Gaming Retrospective will be posted here, on the blog (which is probably for the best, since it is so darn easy). Let's begin.

Awarding a Game of the Year is a tricky thing. Just what is it that makes one game stand out above all others? Is it the most fun? That's a very subjective thing to base a selection on. Is it the most impressive on technical levels? An achievement to be sure, but that doesn't seem to be enough. Maybe it is the one game that the largest possible audience can enjoy. If that is the case, then the Game of the Year isn't all that special.

Actually, that last point is the one that I think we can all agree on; no one really cares about the GOTY outside of fanboys and marketing execs. I can't even remember when or why they began in the first place, which goes to show how unimportant they are in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, while I don't have a choice for Game of the Year, I certainly have a choice for my favorite game from 2005. The one title that, on a whole, provided the single best experience. One that reminded me of exactly why I love this hobby. It pushed the right buttons, and did the right things. I don't expect everyone to agree, or to even understand. But maybe I can give you some insight into what I think are some of the year's true treasures. I'll be listing the nominees in individual posts, as soon as I finish each of them. Here we go:

Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube, PS2)

The Resident Evil series has been accused in recent years for being stale and uninspired. This is of course due to the fact that Capcom can never let a popular thing go away, but I'd like to think there's more to it than that. I thought back to all of the older entries, all games which I have loved despite the criticism. I came to the conclusion that Resident Evil 4 is the culmination of the lessons learned in every RE game before it. Every entry since the original had really been a playground for creator Shinji Mikami, a chance for him to experiment with new, small ideas in a relatively safe and successful franchise that retained its core gameplay throughout.

Longtime fans will remember just how much bigger and more epic RE2 was compared to the first. In the third game we were introduced to constantly respawning enemies, a very handy dodge maneuver, and the ability to create your own ammunition (which in turn made your weapons more poweful). Code Veronica changed things up with a fully 3d world and an even greater focus on action than even 3 had. The REmake showed us just what kind of graphical splendor the current generation could bring, and Resident Evil Zero introduced the concept of managing two characters at once (clunky as it may have been).

All of this can be found in RE4 in one form or another. The staggering mix of (fully 3d) environments takes the game far away from its roots in an old American mansion (aside from the one part that does take place in a mansion....). Our hero, Leon S. Kennedy, is armed with the most robust control scheme this series has ever seen, one that makes it so that you can't blame the game anymore when you screw up. You can always see what is in front of you in the thanks to a camera system that is even more conservative Ocarina of Time's. Inventory is restricted but generous; you actually have control over it this time. The weapon selection is large and varied, and they can all be upgraded as the game progresses, thanks to the "ph4t l00t" you can acquire throughout. Before Resident Evil 4 I never would have thought it possible that I could be followed around by a helpless teenage girl in a videogame and not have it get in my way. Thanks for proving me wrong Capcom.

Now all of these things are great. They all help bring the experience together into a very good game. What makes Resident Evil 4 rise to the level of greatness is how it is always throwing something new at you. You will take on an entire village, and later return to said village only to find a new batch of villagers and bear traps on the ground. As soon as you grow tired of blasting away at large crowds of villagers, they begin to mutate. Once you learn to handle the mutations, the villagers are replaced with an entirely new set of enemies. The game will throw chainsaw wielding maniacs at you. It will throw trucks at you. You will fight a boss early in the game, and fight two of the same creature later on as if it was nothing. You will engage in sniper battles and take on a small army with an attack chopper as backup. Oh, and you will never look at mine cart levels the same way. Resident Evil 4 is a twenty hour roller coaster ride featuring some of the most varied and interesting action gameplay ever crafted.

All of this, and I haven't even mentioned the graphics engine which, even a year later, makes RE4 one of the best looking games out there. The story is still cheesy, and the game is surprisingly not scary, but as an action game Resident Evil 4 has few equals. Greg Kasavin from Gamespot put it best by saying that he never expected such an incredibly fulfilling experience from any game this generation. Personally I have seen my own copy be played no less than ten times through by myself and friends, and that doesn't even include the unlockable minigames. A year later, some of them still want to go back to it. It is that fun.

Hands down the best Gamecube game this year, and one that sits right up there with Metroid Prime for best game on the console.