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update :: tis the season
latest comic :: 14 November 2008 :: "Tis the season"
Little Big Planet is for me the at-time-of-writing highlight of the pre-Christmas glut. This is the time when us gamers gorge ourselves on the tasty gaming treats until we are fat and happy. Before too long we\'ll suffer the belly-ache of post-Christmas drought, but in the meantime we may be happy, we may dance, we may laugh, we may cavort in glee.
Speaking of glee, as previously stated, LBP has been a highlight for me so far. Its appeal is universal, with everyone from my 8 year old son to one of the guys at work who only plays FIFA remarking on how good it is. It\'s not just looks either. Like a swimwear model completing a PhD in Applied Science it has surprising depth for something so gosh darn pretty. Whether it\'s the start of a revolution in User Generated Content (by comparison to Spore, which sucked) remains to be seen, but there is certainly a lot of potential for the game to be a long term thing, rather than the short lifespan of most platform games.
It will be interesting to see how much "stuff" is made available on the PlayStation Store for the game. Already a few free and very cheap clothing items are available, though I have to say I'm not going to fork out $8.50 for a virtual t-shirt. I'd rather eat the gelati at the Coogee Bay Hotel.
Speaking of shit-eating grins, Mirror's Edge has also made me smile a happy smile. I've been interested in this one for a while, as it seemed to have a nice concept. But the idea and the implementation don't always share the same bed. Sometimes they have separate rooms because the idea just doesn't feel like there's any intimacy left, and the implementation says "Well, how can we get it back when you won't let me near you?!" and the idea doesn't have a response, but the implementation still goes off to the other room.
Sorry, breakup flashback.
Mirror's Edge has been promoted pretty thoroughly by EA and with good reason. In a sales season dominated by heavily armoured space marines fighting against impossible odds in a gritty battle for survival (Gears 2 and Resistance 2 I'm looking at you and my frowny face is on) Mirror's Edge leaps over all cliches and slides nimbly under the mediocrity. Just like Barack Obama, it looks different to what's come before, especially in the colouring and its smooth and slick style are a nice change, but time will tell whether it\'s a disappointment or really offers anything new. And surprisingly it's nice to see a game that's not about violence. The idea of free running has been well implemented in Mirror's Edge, as proven by the demo on XBL and PSN, and it needs only two things to be a winner - variety of gameplay and a decent story. More on that when we get the full version.
Then, of course, there's Wrath of the Lich King.
11 million people are now playing World of Warcraft. If even half of them upgrade to Wrath that's a surge of cash so big Activision execs must be permanently staining $5000 suits. My relationship with WoW is a strange one, like my relationship with women, but without all the restraining orders. In general I like it, and I have to say that of its type it's probably the best realised game, but sometimes it really feels like work to play, and there's no reward to it for someone as parsimonious with his time as I am. But I'm looking forwards to getting new stuff, seeing new things, levelling. The expansion will add something back in that's missing from endgame play - fun.
These games pile on top of the existing... pile. Our house currently contains Guitar Hero: World Tour (getting a lot of playtime), Fable II, Far Cry 2, Little Big Planet (also getting flogged) and there are other games that don't interest me at all such as Gears of War 2 which some would put on the WOWEE! list. There's more to play than there is time to play them, so expect some pretty spaced out reviews.
It's strange that so many big titles are coming out now and then so little. After mid-November about the only things coming out are Sonic Unleashed and Prince of Persia. PoP looks good, but I seem to be the only person who doesn't think it looks like Final Fantasy. Meh. I like Final Fantasy. Sonic Unleashed on the other hand fills me with fear. I want to like it and I want it to be good. It looks like it could have the potential for some fun. But you'd think it would be hard to fuck up the Sonic formula, and Sega have proven they can do that pretty consistently.
"Oh I know what will revive sonic! Make him a were-hedgehog!"
"Yeah! That's what people are crying out for, certainly not the speed and colour that made the original so popular!"
Speaking of Sega's mistakes, Valkyria Chronicles.
I'm not going to criticise it. In fact I think it looks really good. It's a PS3 exclusive, and a beautifully realised game with a unique and effective art style. I also like the semi-realtime 3d turn based combat system. I think it works well. I like it.
It seems like the sort of game I'd like, and I'd like to play.
So why the hell did Sega release it NOW?! Coming out in the same pond as titles like LittleBigPlanet, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Fable II and FarCry 2 won't help this title, and a great game will be left in the shadows of bigger fish.
I can't help wondering why Sega didn't hold onto it and release it after Christmas, when it could really shine. I also can't help wondering why Sony haven\'t been pimping the hell out of it. They don't exactly have a lot of exclusives, and every one counts.
In any case, fast forward to next year and things are looking mighty slim. So enjoy it while it lasts. Fill up your gaming bellies and get gaming fat to prepare for the gaming hibernation to follow.
And if you journey to eGames for your gaming feast then come up and say hello!
Speaking of glee, as previously stated, LBP has been a highlight for me so far. Its appeal is universal, with everyone from my 8 year old son to one of the guys at work who only plays FIFA remarking on how good it is. It\'s not just looks either. Like a swimwear model completing a PhD in Applied Science it has surprising depth for something so gosh darn pretty. Whether it\'s the start of a revolution in User Generated Content (by comparison to Spore, which sucked) remains to be seen, but there is certainly a lot of potential for the game to be a long term thing, rather than the short lifespan of most platform games.
It will be interesting to see how much "stuff" is made available on the PlayStation Store for the game. Already a few free and very cheap clothing items are available, though I have to say I'm not going to fork out $8.50 for a virtual t-shirt. I'd rather eat the gelati at the Coogee Bay Hotel.
Speaking of shit-eating grins, Mirror's Edge has also made me smile a happy smile. I've been interested in this one for a while, as it seemed to have a nice concept. But the idea and the implementation don't always share the same bed. Sometimes they have separate rooms because the idea just doesn't feel like there's any intimacy left, and the implementation says "Well, how can we get it back when you won't let me near you?!" and the idea doesn't have a response, but the implementation still goes off to the other room.
Sorry, breakup flashback.
Mirror's Edge has been promoted pretty thoroughly by EA and with good reason. In a sales season dominated by heavily armoured space marines fighting against impossible odds in a gritty battle for survival (Gears 2 and Resistance 2 I'm looking at you and my frowny face is on) Mirror's Edge leaps over all cliches and slides nimbly under the mediocrity. Just like Barack Obama, it looks different to what's come before, especially in the colouring and its smooth and slick style are a nice change, but time will tell whether it\'s a disappointment or really offers anything new. And surprisingly it's nice to see a game that's not about violence. The idea of free running has been well implemented in Mirror's Edge, as proven by the demo on XBL and PSN, and it needs only two things to be a winner - variety of gameplay and a decent story. More on that when we get the full version.
Then, of course, there's Wrath of the Lich King.
11 million people are now playing World of Warcraft. If even half of them upgrade to Wrath that's a surge of cash so big Activision execs must be permanently staining $5000 suits. My relationship with WoW is a strange one, like my relationship with women, but without all the restraining orders. In general I like it, and I have to say that of its type it's probably the best realised game, but sometimes it really feels like work to play, and there's no reward to it for someone as parsimonious with his time as I am. But I'm looking forwards to getting new stuff, seeing new things, levelling. The expansion will add something back in that's missing from endgame play - fun.
These games pile on top of the existing... pile. Our house currently contains Guitar Hero: World Tour (getting a lot of playtime), Fable II, Far Cry 2, Little Big Planet (also getting flogged) and there are other games that don't interest me at all such as Gears of War 2 which some would put on the WOWEE! list. There's more to play than there is time to play them, so expect some pretty spaced out reviews.
It's strange that so many big titles are coming out now and then so little. After mid-November about the only things coming out are Sonic Unleashed and Prince of Persia. PoP looks good, but I seem to be the only person who doesn't think it looks like Final Fantasy. Meh. I like Final Fantasy. Sonic Unleashed on the other hand fills me with fear. I want to like it and I want it to be good. It looks like it could have the potential for some fun. But you'd think it would be hard to fuck up the Sonic formula, and Sega have proven they can do that pretty consistently.
"Oh I know what will revive sonic! Make him a were-hedgehog!"
"Yeah! That's what people are crying out for, certainly not the speed and colour that made the original so popular!"
Speaking of Sega's mistakes, Valkyria Chronicles.
I'm not going to criticise it. In fact I think it looks really good. It's a PS3 exclusive, and a beautifully realised game with a unique and effective art style. I also like the semi-realtime 3d turn based combat system. I think it works well. I like it.
It seems like the sort of game I'd like, and I'd like to play.
So why the hell did Sega release it NOW?! Coming out in the same pond as titles like LittleBigPlanet, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Fable II and FarCry 2 won't help this title, and a great game will be left in the shadows of bigger fish.
I can't help wondering why Sega didn't hold onto it and release it after Christmas, when it could really shine. I also can't help wondering why Sony haven\'t been pimping the hell out of it. They don't exactly have a lot of exclusives, and every one counts.
In any case, fast forward to next year and things are looking mighty slim. So enjoy it while it lasts. Fill up your gaming bellies and get gaming fat to prepare for the gaming hibernation to follow.
And if you journey to eGames for your gaming feast then come up and say hello!
