12-31-08

2008 Kind of Sucked for Gamers

So it’s New Year’s Eve, and right on cue my annual bout of gamer’s retrospection is kicking in.  This is normally the part where I look back on all the games that came out during the year and reflect on how awesome the year in gaming has been.  But as 2008 comes to a close, I’m left feeling more disappointed than affectionate over this past year’s offerings.  And I’ve come to a somewhat alarming realization: 2008 kind of sucked for gamers.

2008 was supposed to be “the year for gamers” right?  But what did that really mean?  For the video game industry (well, except perhaps Sony) it meant huge sales figures and overhyped sold-out game launches, despite the failing economy.  (What recession?)

But for us gamers, 2008 was mostly a year of sequels and rehashes that we gladly lined up and shelled out big bucks for–again.  Blockbuster titles like Grand Theft Auto IV, Fallout 3, Fable 2, Gears of War 2… Noticing a pattern here?  Where was the originality and innovation in 2008?  And I’m not just talking about killer graphics–that’s something none of these games were short on.  I’m talking about the gameplay itself.  Riveting and unpredictable storylines, amazing characters, truly immersive worlds you can spend hours getting lost in–where were these things?  The games of 2008 seemed to be all style over substance, more hype and high-tech than moving and memorable.  Brittany Vincent over at TGR sums up my feeling exactly.  Where is the heart?

What was this year’s big “it” game?  GTA IV, according to Spike TV who awarded it Game of the Year.  Seriously?  I wonder how dead the horse has to be before the game companies stop beating it.  I don’t think I could bear another Call of Final Grand Theft of War 5 release.  I don’t care how realistic a game looks if that’s the only thing worth playing it for.  I don’t care if I can pick up and throw every object I see.

What I do care about is “that feeling” and I’m sure you know the one I mean–that euphoric feeling that can only come from playing a really amazing video game.  And that’s something 2008 hasn’t given me.

12-16-08

Awesome RPG Openings

It wasn’t so long ago that RPGs were simple affairs involving a few different-colored pixels with a sword roaming over an endlessly similar landscape fighting other different-colored pixels to mind-numbingly repetitive music (I’m looking at you, Dragon Warrior).

But over the years, as game consoles have evolved, so too has the gameplay and the immersive experience we’ve come to expect from RPGs.  With plots and characters that completely suck us in as we journey alongside our hero, RPGs have been elevated to the level of storytelling art.  And one of the best ways RPGs plunge us into these vast worlds of might and magic is through the game’s opening sequence.

Here are a few of my favorites from systems past and present:

Lunar Silver Star Story Complete

Platform: Playstation
Year: 1998

A re-make of the original Lunar (Sega CD), Silver Star Story’s opening features a great original song that introduces our hero, Alex, and his love interest Luna, while giving us a glimpse of all the party characters we’ll meet along the way in our quest to become a Dragonmaster and defeat the evil Ghaleon.

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue

Platform: Sega CD
Year: 1995

Okay, so I may be a little biased putting both Lunar games on my list, but this opening for the original Lunar 2: Eternal Blue was pretty impressive for its time, considering the depth of its storytelling and the Sega CD’s limitations.  A lengthy introduction that combines both story and credits, we see Lucia’s awakening on the Blue Star one thousand years after the first game’s events to her ominous premonition for the world of Lunar.  Beautiful music and atmospheric visuals, Lunar 2 remains my favorite RPG of all time.

Wild Arms

Platform: Playstation
Year: 1996

The Wild Arms opening introduces Rudy, Jack, and Cecelia, three unlikely heroes whose destinies intertwine to take up ARMs and save the land of Filgaia.  A beautiful intro to an amazing game.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Year:  1996

Emporer Uriel Septim speaks his dying words with a little help from Patrick Stewart.  Does it get much more epic than this? A fitting intro for one of the most epic RPGs ever made.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Platform: Wii
Year: 2006

An understated but effective intro that sets the mood for the entire game, the opening for Twilight Princess harkens back to The Ocarina of Time with Link riding his faithful Epona through the twilight-shrouded landscape of Hyrule.

12-12-08

Sony PS3 Sales Slip, Not Surprisingly

Today CNN Money reports that sales of Sony’s PS3 have plummeted 19% from last year’s figures and the console is literally “dying on the shelves.”  Meanwhile, Xbox 360’s 2008 sales have improved over 2007 and Nintendo’s Wii continues to be a sellout since its launch.

So why am I not surprised?

Huge Pricetag

When it launched in November 2006, the PS3 cost $500 for a 40G model, and $600 for a 60G model.  And that price only included one controller and no games.  Who could afford to spend that kind of money on a bare-bones video game console?  Certainly not me, and I’m a single adult in the 18-35 demo with a great job who loves video games–their target market.  So I can’t even imagine how parents struggled to afford this price-bloated piece of plastic plus a $60 game game or two, trying to give their kid a merry Christmas.

But even though the console’s price has dropped several times and there’s now a wider range of models to choose from, the still-pricey PS3 continues to struggle.  If Sony’s console sales hadn’t been disappointing since launch, I might chalk it up to the recession, but that’s not easy to do when nearly every other game company seems to be thriving despite the economy’s current hard knocks.

Console Competition

When it comes to video games, Sony is a relative newcomer to the scene compared to Nintendo who has maintained a huge following since the original NES ignited a love for video games in many of our hearts as kids in the 80s.  And over the years, Nintendo has always put out quality systems (I like to pretend VirtualBoy never existed) with great libraries of games that have been fun and innovative.  The Wii, despite its silly name, was destined to be just as successful.  So why did Sony think it was a good idea to choose a launch date for PS3 so close to the Wii’s?  This is where I think they really underestimated the competition.

The PS3 also launched at a time when the Xbox 360 had been out for a year already.  But Microsoft had been quietly biding its time improving the 360’s hardware, building up a solid library of games, and winning players over with its Xbox Live experience.  If Sony was expecting 360 owners to buy a PS3 as well, they certainly didn’t have much of anything new to offer.  I’m willing to bet that most people who already owned 360s went out and bought Wiis instead.

Nothing New to Offer

Sure the PS3 has “amazing graphics”, which has been its main selling point.  But is that all that really matters to gamers?  Sony’s sales have indicated otherwise.  Other than improved graphics and offering a Blu-Ray player at a time when most people didn’t even know what Blue-Ray was, what else did the PS3 offer?  Certainly not an impressive library of games or innovative design over its predecessors.  Even the PS3’s controller design was more of the same.

Disappointing Game Library

The PS3 launched with a pretty underwhelming selction of games that either nobody heard of, or titles that had already been out a long time on the 360.  Compare that to Nintendo Wii, whose launch titles included mega hits like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.  Sony should have offset the console’s huge pricetag by at least offering more compelling titles, especially at launch.  If a console has great games, gamers tend to overlook the price, no matter how ridiculous.  After all, what good is a technologically superior video game system if it doesn’t have good games?   Like many, instead of buying a PS3, I waited to see if any titles would launch later on that compelled me enough to purchase this system.  Two years later, I’m still waiting.

It will be interesting to see what Sony does to try to win over gamers and dig itself out of its hole.  CNN suggests deep price discounts–that would certainly help.  I guess.  My advice to Sony: count your losses and just focus on Playstation 4.

12-06-08

10 Gifts for Geeks for $10 or Less

With Christmas right around the corner, I thought it would be fun (and hopefully helpful) to put together a list of inexpensive gift ideas for geeks, all for under $10. (And I’m not going to cheat and mention $10 gift cards, either!)

Pocket LED Flashlight

Every geek needs a good flashlight, and even better if it fits in our pocket!  Great for wrangling with hard-to-see computer connections or venturing behind our A/V systems to connect new gear, a bright LED flashlight is a must-have.  X-treme Geek sells a nice mini LED flashlight for just $9.99.

Batteries

If there is one universal truth, it’s that geeks can ALWAYS use more batteries.  Between our wireless keyboards, wireless mouses, digital cameras, wireless game controllers, A/V remotes, Nintendo DSs, PSPs, laser pointers, gizmos, gadgets–wait, what was I saying?  Oh right: MOAR BATTERIES!  You can’t go wrong giving geeks a nice big pack of AA or AAA batteries.  A tad impersonal, but extremely practical and definitely appreciated–particularly during those moments we realize our battery supply is critically low and we dread thought of actually getting up to change the channel.

Sharpies

We love our Sharpies.  They’re great for everything from labeling the latest disc of pirated legally downloadable software you burned to Sharpie-ing perverse things all over your friend’s face when he falls asleep drunk on your couch. (Don’t ask.)  From Ultra Fine Points to Sharpie Minis to good ‘ol Original, there’s a Sharpie product in a wide range of colors for every geek’s Sharpie fetish.

Blizzard Authenticator

Over 11 million people play World of Warcraft.  Odds are you know at least one of them, and have no idea what to get them for Christmas.  The Blizzard Authenticator is a must-have accessory for anyone that plays WoW.  It protects their account from keyloggers, trojans, and other malicious attacks.  It’s a great gift and for just $6.50, it’s also super inexpensive.

Moleskine Pocket Journals

The “legendary notebook used for the past two centuries” (if you believe their marketing bull), Moleskine brand notebooks are a favorite low-tech vice of writers, artists, and geeks to ceremoniously commit our thoughts and sketches to paper.  Though the full-size notebooks are a bit pricey, you can score a pack of 3 cashier pocket Moleskines for about $8, blank or lined.  These pocket-sized journals are perfect for keeping in your pocket (shocker) to make quick lists or register random ideas on the fly.

Dice Set

For the D&D nerds, Magic players, and board game geeks on your list, a set of shiny new dice makes for a very thoughtful and useful gift.  What’s your geek’s favorite color?  Odds are you can find a cool-looking set of dice to match.  Board Game Central has a great selection of 6-sided and d20 dice sets all for under $10.

Caffeine

Whether it’s in the form of coffee, chai tea, energy drinks, or soda, most of us geeks require an endless supply of caffeine to help us through our late night coding projects, marathon gaming sessions, and the abysmal work day that follows.  Though cases of the really good stuff like Bawls and Jolt are on the pricey side, for less than $10 you can still give your geek a smaller-serving caffeinated shot in the arm.  How about gifting a sampler of 20 oz. energy drinks, or a trio of coffees or teas?   Also try Pacific Chai, Monster Energy, and there’s always Red Bull.

Comic Books

Comic books have evolved so much over the years, it’s perhaps more appropriate to think of them as readable works of art than the humble colorful distractions they used to be.  As the quality has gone up, so has the price, but you can still walk into any comic shop and pick up some great new issues with that glorious new comic smell for less than $10.  And with so many different titles to choose from, you’re sure to find something for everyone.  Who knows, you might even get your geek hooked on an awesome new series.  There’s also manga for the Japanophile on your list.

Thinker Toys

Between writing, brainstorming, troubleshooting, or figuring out why our damn program isn’t working, geeks need some kind of immediate stress reliever/creativity spark by our side.  Give your geek some inexpensive “thinker toys” for his or her desk.  Try some Silly Putty, Play Doh, Koosh balls, or perhaps a “thinky Slinky”?  Or go for the classic Rubik’s Cube (though it may cause more stress than it alleviates).  Anything goes, as long as it’s small, mildly entertaining, and keeps our hands and minds momentarily busy.

Computer Cleaning Products

Geeks love their computers and gadgets but it can be a neverending battle to keep them clean.  Crumbs in the keyboard, fingerprints on the laptop screen; these are our perpetual annoyances.  Which is why any geek can appreciate a little help to keep our LCD monitors and iPhone touchscreens sparkly clean.  Staples sells a nice little keyboard brush for less than $5 and a mini screen cleaner for under $10.

Hope I’ve given you some good ideas for the geeks on your Christmas shopping list!

12-04-08

New Documentary for Disgruntled Star Wars Fanboys (and Fangirls)

I have a love/hate relationship with George Lucas.  I suspect we all do.  On the love side he has given us masterpieces like the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, and on the hate side he’s shit out things like Jar Jar Binks and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

So naturally my interest was peaked when I heard about upcoming documentary film The People vs. George Lucas, that “explores the unique, ambivalent, and sometimes conflicted relationship that Star Wars fans, for the past thirty years, continue to enjoy with the Star Wars franchise and its creator, George Lucas.”

I don’t know if “enjoy” is the right word, but “conflicted” is true enough.  Haven’t we all had those moments of quiet reflection upon our 85th re-watch of The Empire Strikes Back where we think to ourselves how life was somehow better in the days before George “perfected” his vision?  Anyone?

The documentary will voice opinions from fans on both sides of the Lucas love/hate dichotomy, and is currently soliciting contributions–in the form of self-interview video submissions–from Star Wars fans around the globe.  Some lucky fans may even end up starring in the film–how cool is that?  The film’s website has a link to a detailed submission guidelines PDF (and of course a release form).

So if you’re an opinionated Star Wars fan, now’s your chance to grab a video camera and air your complaints and grievances and/or undying love for George Lucas.

12-03-08

The Twilight Effect: A Followup

A few days ago I wrote about a curious phenomenon I’m calling The Twilight Effect, or in other words, how a movie and book series full of mediocrity and unintentional hilarity aimed at 15-year-old girls has managed to completely captivate thousands of otherwise sensible grown women with (usually) good taste.

Exhibit A

Since my boyfriend would sooner light himself on fire than be caught dead seeing Twilight, I dragged three of my girlfriends–who were complete Twilight virgins–out to the theater on a cold, snowy Friday night.  On my left was Joanna, who I can always count on to embrace the cheesiness of any dorky phase I happen to be going through.  She thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and bless her, had no problem admitting that.

Exhibit B

And on Joanna’s other side sat my much snarkier friends Julie and Stephanie, who spent most of the movie making fun of it (”OMFG GLITTER VAMPIRES!?”). Which is precisely why I find these emails hilarious:

Finally, and most alarmingly–

Exhibit C

My 70-something year old Grandmother asked to borrow my books.  (And she loved them.)

12-02-08

Fantasy Movies in Production Limbo

The Power of the Dark Crystal

If you were a kid raised on The Muppet Show in the 1970s and early 80s, it was inevitable that you saw The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson and Brian Froud’s epic 1982 fantasy movie. Although many kids were admittedly terrified by it, there were some, like me, who loved The Dark Crystal and to this day have a special place in our hearts for movies starring puppets. So when it was announced back in 2005 that there would be a sequel, Froudian fans everywhere rejoiced, reliving our fondest Gelfling memories.

But going on four years later with very few official updates, we’re starting to get pretty apprehensive. The latest official word from The Jim Henson Company came in January 2008, assuring us the movie was “deep in development” and that they’re “committed to it as ever.” However, there has since been major plot changes, a constant turnover of directors, and little to no official promotion. I and every other fan will be shocked if this movie makes it out by 2009.

 

 

Ender’s Game

Somewhat of a joke amongst book nerds and science fiction fans, the Ender’s Game movie has become pretty much analogous to hell freezing over. Plagued by complications from the start, the film adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s awe-inspiring 1977 novel Ender’s Game has undergone several major screenplay rewrites, director changes, and financing issues. Indeed, screenplay rights have been abandoned by Warner Bros. and withheld from Fox as well as several major directors, whose visions Card did not agree with. Apart from the pre-production setbacks, the film must also contend with the inevitable (and expensive) problems of featuring a huge amount of special effects, sophisticated child actors, and of course, living up to all the fans’ extremely high expectations.

At the time of this writing, no studios have yet picked up the rights. But Card remains optimistic the film will find the right studio and director, and refuses to compromise his vision. That’s both good and bad news for us fans of the Enderverse, who will ultimately be rewarded with a much better quality film, but must wait a long, long time for it.

 

Alice

A movie based on a computer game based on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? Sounds convoluted, but there are plenty of fans and gamers anxiously awaiting this film adaptation of popular PC game Alice, the dark and somewhat twisted re-invention of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from creative game designer American McGee.

Unfortunately for us fans, production on this movie has come to a grinding halt. After changes at Universal, Marcus Nispel no longer directing, and Sarah Michelle Gellar no longer playing Alice, producer Scott Faye is back to square one, and a new script is in the works. Gellar has chalked it up to being “the victim of regime change in the studio.”  But one has to wonder if this film project isn’t already overshadowed by the announcement that Tim Burton will make an eerily similar grown-up vision of Alice in Wonderland himself (naturally starring Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter)? As a huge fan of Lewis Carroll’s original book, I’m of course excited by the prospect of either movie, but it doesn’t look as though American McGee’s version will happen anytime soon.

 

Artemis Fowl

Poor Artemis Fowl fans.  They’ve been awaiting this movie for years now, after it was originally announced way back in 2001.  Numerous reasons are speculated to have caused the serious delay, particularly  a series of conflicts between Disney and Miramax over rights ownership.  How serious has the delay been?  Serious enough for IMDB to completely remove Artemis Fowl from its listings (go ahead, try to find it).

But supposedly the dispute has since been resolved, and author Eoin Colfer is said to have finished the movie’s script, which will be a combination of the first two books in the series.  Yet official updates on the film’s status have been few and far between at best.  Will fans have to wait until 2010 (or beyond) to see Artemis Fowl on the big screen?

The Subtle Knife

This one absolutely breaks my heart, but I’m afraid The Subtle Knife, the second book of Philip Pullman’s amazing His Dark Materials trilogy, won’t be hitting theaters anytime soon, if ever.

When the movie adaptation of Pullman’s first book, The Golden Compass, failed to meet U.S. box office expectations despite its generally positive critical reception, studio execs effectively pulled the plug on its sequel.  Perhaps The Golden Compass’ $180 million price tag (the most expensive New Line Cinema film ever) had more to do with its failure than actual box office returns–worldwide, The Golden Compass took in over $380 million.  But New Line had already washed its hands of the U.S. commercial flop by the time its success was realized.

 

So where does that leave the fate of The Subtle Knife?  Despite producer Deborah Forte’s desire to continue making these films, so much time has already passed, it is difficult to imagine a sequel involving the same cast (especially child actress Dakota Blue Richards, who did an amazing job as Lyra Belaqua).  Not to mention how hard it would be to keep the production visually consistent if taken on by another studio.  That’s too bad for us fans of the books, as well as everyone who never read the book and were left feeling confused as hell by the first film’s ending.