Gotta Catch Them All… …but why? That’s a question that has been bothering me since Pokemon was introduced. Pokemon has been around for quite some time, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Early on, skeptics dismissed it as a passing fad that would soon disappear into obscurity much like pet rocks, Cabbage [...]
I’m a much more sophisticated gamer than I was a few years ago. Blame the diminished time I have to play games or my heightened expectations born of having sought out and experienced so many top notch (triple-A as well as indie) titles in the past half decade. Nowadays I demand much more of a [...]
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] This week, we talk games as art, creation games, good level design, improvisation in gaming, problems with Tekken, more impressions on FF13, western RPGs vs JRPGs. Games: Sleep as Death, Little Big Planet, Action Castle, Wet, Tekken 6, FFXIII, Fallout 3.
What makes an RPG “J” or “Japanese”? Is it the random enemy encounters? Although it is a common trait, random battles aren’t a good indicator of JRPGs. Is it oddly emo young teenagers with something to prove? Nope. How about effeminate yet masculine main characters with uncomfortable large weapons? Not really. The defining element of JRPGs [...]
My interest in critical dialogue about games began several years ago while I was studying to be a professional ethicist. Games, in my opinion, are an untapped goldmine for ethical inquiry because they are the only real space in which we can “practice” morality. Books and films are static. Though we may be able to [...]
Hi EG readers. It’s me, Bones. Yes I can write the words sometimes. You may know that I’m a somewhat responsible adult these days and that means that I don’t get to play too many video games. Picking which games to play and which to pass on completely is a difficult choice that I don’t [...]
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] This week, we talk immersion and 1st person perspective, illogical puzzles, repetition in gaming, creativity, allure of Pokemon, slow burns in games, Pax East. Games: Far Cry 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Heavy Rain, The Taxidermist, Just Cause 2, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, Legend of Zelda: Spirit [...]
Here’s a confession: I never really liked Splinter Cell. In fact, I hated the series. I always felt Sam Fisher moved like a tank. Furthermore, the series focused so much on stealth and infiltration that, when the shit hits the fan, you’re limited combat movements and options will screw you over. Aiming was terrible and [...]
