It’s also the single most valuable learning experience I’ve had since I began playing SimCity, and part of the reason I keep coming back week after week, update after update: to prod a little deeper into the tangle I created and see if I can unwind it a bit more than I did the last time I logged in.

Self-Made Messes

SimCity is not a game intended to let you create a pretty, peaceful, smooth-running city you only load up when you want to watch Simoleans pour in. It’s a bit like the TARDIS in Doctor Who: it bangs about, throwing you around from console to console as you try to balance four or five crises at once. Cities are inherently designed to take chaos and funnel them in specific directions for certain desired outcomes, but they’re never going to fully tame the chaos which they are, in large part, responsible for creating.

I renamed my casino city Lost Vegas after it hit the 100,000 population mark because at the time I felt like it was a lost cause. The traffic nightmares made it impossible to keep my RCI tamed because workers weren’t getting to where they needed to be, the casinos were steep in the red because tourists had the same problems, and my budget was only afloat because I siphoned it money from my nearby mining and refining city.

While part of that was due to widely-covered issues with SimCity‘s traffic AI and other issues that Maxis tried to address with their recent game updates, I also recognized that a big part of the problem lay between my keyboard and my office chair. I’d made decisions which resulted in traffic jams, unsustainable budgets, and a bloated population sheet full of unhappy Sims. The biggest question for me, though, was what was I going to do about it?

Back from the Brink

Two things helped me the most in my quest for Sim-urban renewal: the SimCity forums (believe it or not) and the ongoing Maxis dev blogs describing how the underlying systems in SimCity actually work.

The first led me to people who had the same problems I did: their regional entrances were clogged, their casinos weren’t earning money, their utilities weren’t getting where they needed to be. For every three or four posts from unhappy players demanding Maxis and EA “fix” the game, I found people who actually dug into why their cities weren’t working as intended and how they could address it. Those posts helped me identify some serious problems, such as how I’d placed my high-wealth Sims (the least likely to use transit) right at the entrance to my city, which created a massive influx of traffic each rush hour. I also learned to embrace the curve after people pointed out grid cities tend to have more stoplights or stop signs, and stopped traffic is backed up traffic.

The Maxis dev blogs also helped me understand some of the underlying actions of my Sims were taking, and how I could predict what would happen if I made certain decisions. For instance, an article on streetcars showed me how street cars made the decisions to stop or skip a pickup point, which helped me troubleshoot where my tourists were clustered and how I could spread them out to make the most efficient trips possible between my train station and ferry docks and the casinos I so desperately wanted them to reach.

Maxis was also busy at the same time I was, and rolled out two big updates that addressed other underlying issues. The most noticeable change for me was tourist behavior; before the updates my casinos stopped being profitable the moment I added a second one to the city, no matter how many attractions I added to try and lure more people to my one-armed bandits. After the update and my traffic improvements, I sat back and watched casino profits start to soar again. I was able to start adding more casinos and upgrade my Casino HQ while I continued to keep an eye on how much it affected traffic across my city.

Harsh Lessons

There’s another reason why I continue to poke and prod at Lost Vegas every now and then: it’s made all my other cities and regions that much better. I built another casino and landmark city that saw incredible profits because I had a vastly-improved transit plan that I prioritized from the moment I claimed the city. My other cities also benefited from smarter placement of utilities and services, better traffic layouts, and an overall more focused design.

I’m sometimes accused of doing things the hard way, of trying to lower the water instead of raising the bridge. For better or worse, that attitude is what keeps me coming back to SimCity despite the continued barrage of negativity toward EA, Maxis, and the game from critics. I’m learning something new every time I create a city, fix a road, or build a building, and that’s more that can be said for other games which I’ve solved, put away, and never turned on again.

Those are my reasons; what about yours? Are you still playing SimCity, or another game that you “should” have put down a long time ago because of perceived flaws? Tell us why in the comments!

The post Chaos Theory: Why I’m Still Playing ‘SimCity’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

While the reaction on Twitter ranged from excitement for all of the new features to disappointment at the lack of time devoted to games, the VGW staff took our time to carefully crafted our own reactions to the big Xbox One reveal. Check out our thoughts on Microsoft’s big day, and if you have thoughts of your own, leave them for us in the comments!

Brian Shea // Editor-in-Chief

The main question asked at the beginning of the press conference was “Can we take what you love and make it better?” Over the course of the many presenters who were brought on stage to show off different features of the Xbox One, those watching got the sense that what Microsoft thought we loved the most was television and sports. Luckily, for those concerned about the lack of time that Microsoft spent on actual games, E3 2013 is right around the corner, which should bring us a much more game-centric presentation for Xbox One.

The new dashboard looks slick, especially with the instantaneously-reacting Kinect voice and gesture-based commands. I loved the fact that it can switch to live TV with a simple command, and then right back to whatever you were doing beforehand. Also exciting for me was the Snapmode functionality, which will allow for users to have multiple apps or tasks open and on-screen simultaneously. The ESPN fantasy integration was also a cool way to work the ever-popular fantasy leagues into the live TV equation.

The specs are impressive, but 500GB seems a little low in this day and age.

While I was perfectly content to leave the Kinect behind in the current generation, it seems as it’s here to stay, as Xbox One looks to utilize the more sophisticated Kinect sensor to an incredible extent. The sensor will always be listening for anything resembling you saying “Xbox On” or “Live TV” so that it can react accordingly.

As far as Xbox Live’s overhaul for Xbox One, I’m relieved, if not unsurprised, that my current Xbox Live membership, as well as my achievements will carry over to Xbox One. It also sounds as though Microsoft gave Xbox Live a significant upgrade for its next console, announcing that 300,000 servers will be used to power the service. I’m not so psyched, however, about the lack of backwards compatibility. While the PlayStation 4 isn’t offering this either, it’s not a realistic expectation for gamers to have to keep so many consoles when the manufacturers are touting “all-in-one capabilities.” The console makers should have known that backwards compatibility would be a big selling point going in, so the exclusion of that feature is baffling (unless they try to sell the games players already own as “classic” titles to push profits). That said, players will undoubtedly love the native game DVR that will allow for them to capture footage and upload it to the cloud, and I really want to hear more about the dynamic achievements system that was briefly touched on.

The improved D-Pad was a must.

Once EA took the stage, we were given many buzz words and pretty shots of cutscenes, but none of the footage shown was anything that couldn’t be accomplished on this generation of hardware. I wanted to see gameplay, and we didn’t get a whole lot of that in any part of this presentation. That said, it’s more and more looking likeNBA Live will finally emerge after a several year hiatus, and that EA’s acquisition of the UFC license will finally be put to use.

The EA Ignite engine sounds intriguing as well, as it looks to enable a more lively environment and much more realistic scenarios where players will have to make judgment calls based on several new artificial intelligence-based factors. Characters on screen will now make 4x as many calculations per second, in addition to having a greater field of vision and adaptive, human-like intelligence that makes calls based on “awareness, anticipation, and context.” The engine will also allow for 10x more animation depth and the True Play Emotion sounds like it will change the way that some situations will unfold in games.

Microsoft Games Studio was perhaps the biggest winner today, as it announced that it will have over 15 exclusive games for Xbox One in the first year, eight of which are new franchises or IPs. According to the presentation, that is more titles in development by the studio than any other time in Xbox history. This tells me that Microsoft has learned from the mistakes made by Nintendo in its Wii U launch.

Going back to TV, the Halo TV series announcement was an interesting surprise. Steven Spielberg’s involvement gives me hope, but it will be hard for it to live up to the greatness of Forward Unto Dawn. Add to that the newly-announced NFL partnership, which will likely put a strain on the NFL’s current relationship with Sony, as well as the presentation of Call of Duty: Ghosts, and there’s no denying that Microsoft did a good job of presenting its new console to a mainstream audience.

By showcasing more casual features involving the Xbox One as an entertainment hub rather than simply a dedicated gaming device, the Xbox Reveal hit the audience that Microsoft was going for: the more casual market. This should be further evident by the games that it chose to show off: Madden, Forza 5, and Call of Duty: Ghosts. With this major reveal, and all of the non-gaming features out of the way, I fully expect Microsoft’s E3 presentation to focus less on casual features and more on the games themselves. I’ll excuse Microsoft for one press conference, but if the E3 conference lacks any heavy hitters in the games department, there could be trouble in the Xbox One camp.

Anne Lee // Senior Associate Editor

Since the Xbox presentation was scheduled to begin at the ripe hour of 3 am here in Australia, I decided to hedge my bets that there wouldn’t be much I’d be missing out on and got some much-needed sleep instead of tuning in. After waking up to a bitter Twitter feed and witnessing the mess Microsoft has gotten itself into trying to clarify heated issues such as whether or not the Xbox One will be always-online or have a block on used games, I think I made the right decision.

From the get-go, I knew whatever new Xbox was up Microsoft’s sleeve, I wasn’t going to be part of their target audience, so with that in mind I didn’t feel any disappointment from the standpoint of someone who was actually looking forward to what they’d unveil today.They’ve certainly gone down the expected route of attempting to be the “all-in-one” living room entertainment center, but I have a hard time believing that’s what the majority of the industry wants or needs when nearly everyone already has Netflix and Hulu accounts and can Skype on virtually every device with a power plug. In addition, I’m extremely skeptical about the decision to include the Kinect with all units, making the janky peripheral integral to any home entertainment setup that incorporates an Xbox One.

Of course, much of the vitriol regarding the Xbox One announcement coming out of the gaming community has been regarding the notable lack of games shown at the reveal. I’ve always been a “show me the games” kind of gal, but I already knew that the next-gen Xbox wasn’t going to have anything for me: that’s why I’ve never owned a Microsoft console. Not only was there a considerably small percentage of game-related talk compared to everything else, but Microsoft’s big selling point, Live TV, will not even be available in Australia at launch. Oh, and did I mention that a press release following the event clarifies that the all-in-one Xbox One will actually require a second box for Live TV functionality?

Funny how something you knew wouldn’t appeal to you in the first place can still be quite irritating, isn’t it?

Russell Jones // Associate Editor

Today’s reveal of the Xbox One shows that Microsoft is serious about extending their Xbox brand to more than just video games; they want to take over your entire living room. They want their box the “one” thing you use to consume entertainment, whether it be movies, music, games, live TV, or the internet.

The challenge they’re going to run into is that the Xbox was built on gamers, and many of those gamers felt like they were sidelined today so more attention could be paid to Microsoft’s partnerships with ESPN and the NFL. I think we collectively forgave them when they announced Steven Spielberg would be doing a live-action TV show, but maybe that was just me.

The point is, today wasn’t about games: it was about Xbox and the strategy behind it as a full entertainment console. There will be plenty of time at E3 to talk about games, including the 15 exclusives and eight new IPs teased in today’s reveal. We got some tastes today, but the Microsoft event in a few weeks will really be the time for them to make their case to gamers.

Until that time, we have some serious things to consider. Several important details were reported after the press conference and later confirmed on a Microsoft Q&A; the console will require an internet check-in to function, developers are being encouraged to use Microsoft’s cloud architecture to make always-online required games, and games will be fully installed off the disc and unable to be played on other accounts unless you pay the full price for another license.

Those are the details which will be on gamers’ minds as we approach E3, but the biggest question is whether or not Microsoft needs those gamers to buy their console anymore. With the other entertainment abilities the Xbox One has, just how core are gamers and their desires to Microsoft going forward?

Stu Strock // Staff Writer

After watching Microsoft’s presentation today, I was left more than a little disappointed. Not because the Xbox One looks like a bad console, but because it’s almost definitely something I don’t need to or want to own. Based on today’s events, the Xbox One is first and foremost a living room media device, and secondarily a gaming platform.

The majority of today’s focus was on Kinect integration, apps like Skype, and features like live TV. Don’t get me wrong, these features look like they function well (at least during a planned demonstration), they’re just not what I use a home console for. Waving my hand to move menus around is neat for a while, but it’s not a selling point. After the 15th time I make a very deliberate hand motion, I’m going to prefer the speed of rapidly clicking through menus. Likewise, I’m going to get fed up with voice commands quickly, especially when the utterance of the word Xbox pauses whatever I’m doing.

On the app front, I have literally never used a console to stream music, Skype, or watch live TV, and I don’t see that changing in the future. Why? Because I have a perfectly good computer with which I do all of those things. Not everyone does, and I’m sure plenty of people will gladly use their Xbox One to do exactly that. My question here, though, is why? Why do we need another multi-hundred dollar device for any of these things? We already have desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones to do all of these things for us.

On the games front, today was on the light side, but Microsoft has already said E3 will be primarily about the games. I have no reason to believe the console will have a lack of software. My disappointment on this front lies in the information cropping up regarding used games. If these stories are to be believed, Xbox One discs are good for only one thing: game installation. Beyond that, a code locks the game to one console. If the disc is to be used again (say, if you want to let a friend borrow a game), they have to download a code allowing them to install the game onto their console. The catch here is that they’ll have to pay the price of the game to do get this code. This begs the question, what’s even the point?

Apparently, we’ll be able to trade our games online, which will remove the game from our hard drive and net us a trade-in value, likely to be determined by Microsoft itself. This, as far as I’ve been able to gather, is what is meant when they repeatedly assure us that used games will still be an option on the Xbox One. I’m sure this will all be clarified soon, as it raises too many questions for my liking.

Ultimately, I learned today that I’m no longer included in the group of people being marketed to for this upcoming console. That’s OK with me, though; I’ll still get loads of development from my the combined efforts of my PC, and the PS4 I’ll be buying at the end of the year.

Sam Cline // Staff Writer

I was pretty impressed with what Microsoft showed off. I’m a huge fan of its all-in-one approach, as well as the Kinect. The videos they showed looked great and the snap mode will be incredible if it works like the demonstration. That said, the console does look like a slick VCR (meh), and Microsoft didn’t show any true gameplay (which is why we buy game consoles).

However, the leaps in tech for Kinect were astounding and I can’t wait for E3 to show off the full power of what the Xbox One can do!

Was the Xbox One reveal better than the PlayStation 4 reveal? Check out VGW’s reactions to Sony’s event here.

The post Xbox One: VGW reacts to Microsoft’s reveal appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Developed by Gazillion Entertainment, Marvel Heroes resembles a cross between Diablo and an arcade beat-em-up. Considering Gazillion President and COO David Brevik founded Blizzard North, the game’s clicky-looty core should come as no real surprise. There’s also a pretty sizeable roster of heroes, each with their own set of powers and costumes, and plenty of ways for you to lose both an afternoon and possibly a portion of your paycheck to the Marvel megalith.

The game launches June 4th and just wrapped up its first open beta weekend. I’ve been in the closed beta, as well, and while it’s been a decent romp, I’ve also come out of it concerned about the game’s long-term staying power… although that might have something to do with the fact that I haven’t seen a single sign of the Sorceror Supreme, Doctor Stephen Strange. Not that I play favorites or anything.

Iron Man and Rocket Racoon: a match made in fanboy heaven.

Avengers, Guardians, and X-men, oh my!

The most exciting aspect of the game at first glance is the stable of Marvel heroes players have to pick from. The game’s website has 36 slots on its roster page, with only 26 filled in so far. These include heavy hitters from the recent Marvel films like Captain America and Thor, as well as heroes slated for more screen time like Rocket Racoon and Deadpool. Like any free-to-play game, though, everything has a price. Players start with one of only five heroes: Scarlet Witch, Daredevil, Thing, Hawkeye, or Storm. If you want more, you’ll have to purchase them using real money or acquire them through the game as rewards.

While I never saw any new heroes drop during my time playing through two betas, I did buy a few using some of the provided beta currency. The starting heroes were available cheapest, of course, while popular characters like Iron Man topped the price charts. All of that is subject to change, since this was a beta, but I doubt it will significantly at this stage in the rollout.

Heroes also have multiple costumes that can either be purchased for a premium or crafted. It’s currently the only way you can change their appearance, since acquiring new gear doesn’t change any visuals for your character as far as I experienced. There are also crafting options to add enhancements to your favorite costume, helping you beef up your chosen hero’s stats.

During the beta I spent the most time with Daredevil, Thor, Black Widow, and Jean Grey/Phoenix. Each of their powersets felt comfortably close to what I’d expect out of the heroes: Daredevil is a close-range meleer who could hurl his sticks and worked off avoidance, while Thor is a beefier brawler with lightning powers which could either AOE the entire world or help make him more mobile. Black Widow, on the other hand, works as a medium- or long-range character with a grenade cone and her pistols, while Jean Grey alternates between targeted and AOE psychic effects before switching into Phoenix mode and burning everything near her to a crisp.

Because Steve isn’t sneaky, Stark doesn’t have to be.

Power Players

Marvel Heroes’ combat and leveling systems are where the Diablo comparisons really hit home. Players have two abilities mapped to the left and right mouse buttons, and a short action bar to add items or abilities to. You start with one ability which costs nothing to use, and a second which costs a mana-like resource. Leveling up provides power points that can be spent on active and passive upgrades arranged in three talent trees. Some gear in the game can also provide ranks in powers, so it’s possible to try a power out just by strapping on a new pair of boots.

While many people will sample a little of all the talent trees, you’ll be able to respect and focus once you find a build you like. For instance, Black Widow can either focus on long-range attacks down one tree or closer-range grenades and gadgets down a separate tree. Jean Grey’s Phoenix form fills an entire tree with different abilities that only work when she’s in the Phoenix state, while others focus on telepathic debuffs or telekinetic missiles and waves. Which build you pick can help specialize and separate you from the 20 other Things and Wolverines running around the map and help you fill certain roles such as support or tanking in larger groups.

In Hell’s Kitchen, it’s shoot or be shot. Unless your Deadpool, in which case burrito is also an option.

Combat is fast, furious, and free-for-all. Once you’re in maps like The Raft or Hell’s Kitchen it’s anything goes, with heroes rubbing shoulders and slugging bad guys as they pursue mission objectives provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents such as Nick Fury, Mariah Hill, and Agent Coulson (voiced by Clark Gregg, no less!). Side missions and objectives pop up as you advance through the chaos and may have you protecting cops from a gang of arsonists or breaking up an arms deal between mafia types.

Some of these are actual missions with objectives you have to hunt down, others are just notes that pop up with some extra XP when you beat a certain group of enemies or blow up a piece of equipment. It’s a quick and free-flowing system that I found added a little something extra to those repetitive waves of faceless thugs you wind up mowing down over and over again on your way to the stage’s boss.

Jean Grey’s Phoenix form boosts her attack and health, and certain powers can only be accessed while she’s en fuego.

Broad, but shallow

That repetitive grind is what worries me most about Marvel Heroes’ overall design. It has a lot of heroes, all with power sets that seem quick to pick up but feel watered-down when compared to the deep systems of Diablo III or even Torchlight. The key is going to be in the flavor of the power sets, making sure that even if they crossover mechanically in a few places they’re still unique enough to make each hero feel like a completely different experience for dozens of levels.

Players will almost certainly wind up with a broad array of heroes to pick from, especially considering Gazillion and Marvel are pushing big-ticket Founder Packs of heroes in the run-up to the game’s launch, and you’ll have to level each one of them up individually if you want to be effective later on. Just switching between the heroes I had during the beta was tedious, however, and the thought of having to do it for six or more wasn’t appealing.

There are ways around that, though. Waypoints unlocked as you progress through maps are also unlocked for all your other characters, and an NPC lets you reset mission progress so you can clear level-appropriate content if you get a new hero you want to try. The free-form nature of combat also means higher-level players can help lowbies clear their way through upper level zones with ease, but survivability is definitely an issue.

There are still some big mechanical changes coming down the pipe, though. David Brevik said in a recent blog post that Gazillion is still working on Ultimate powers for every hero on the roster, which unlock when the characters finish the main story (around level 30). These Ultimate powers can be upgraded over time, including when you pick up a hero you already own as a loot drop. Brevik also hinted at a wish list of features they’re working on that won’t make it into launch, but could be seen shortly afterward, including new heroes, PVE modes, and PVP modes.

No, Hulk’s talent tree doesn’t just say SMASH over and over again. Which is too bad.

The Bottom Line

The biggest obstacle in free-to-play games are the ones developers put in place to make you spend money. Marvel Heroes seems to avoid that by leaving all its content open and only asking for players to pay for the hero they want to experience it with. That makes it hard not to recommend giving the game a shot, especially if you’re an impulse player fresh from seeing Iron Man 3 and just looking to have a good time busting punks with claws, repulsor blasts, or godly lightning.

Marvel Heroes launches June 4th. Early Access starts May 28th for those who purchase an Ultimate Pack from the game store.

The post Free-to-play gets super-powered: Hands on with the ‘Marvel Heroes’ beta appeared first on Video Game Writers.

One looming issue for Sony and Microsoft, however, isn’t each other: it’s that PC gaming, which was seemingly on life support just a decade ago, has made a resurgent comeback. Many PC gamers already own rigs which outclass the rumored specs for the PS4 and the next Xbox, which led some analysts to predict this next console generation will truly expose the flaws of consoles versus PCs.

To solve this, the makers of these two futuristic consoles might consider looking to past gaming tech in order to get a leg up on their competition.

Nintendo saw outdated technology as a potential problem when it created the Nintendo 64, so it included a port which allowed them to later boost their console’s power. While the Expansion Pak increased the N64′s RAM from 4MB to 8MB, it was only required for two first-party games - The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and Donkey Kong 64. It did improve resolution, increase frame rate, and allow for expanded multiplayer for several other games on the platform, but latency issues cropped up when the N64 attempted to access the device and caused the 8MB of RAM to feel like less of an upgrade than it really was. This, combined with poor sales and a lack of third-party support, ultimately doomed the Expansion Pak as another failed add-on for the Nintendo 64.

Could Sony or Microsoft take this idea and develop it into something that could help its next console stay relevant for longer? Instead of simply adding RAM to the machine like the N64′s Expansion Pak did, Sony or Microsoft could potentially add other upgradeable components to the systems through plug-and-play ports. For instance, the hypothetical Crysis 4 could play on your stock PlayStation 4, but in order to play it at settings rivaling a top-end gaming PC’s performance you’d have to purchase a proprietary graphics card. It would be easily swapped out by anyone with no working knowledge of a PC’s components, much like the Xbox 360′s hard drive is today.

The inside of a PC can be complex, but imagine the rewards of exploring a PCs interior without the requirement of knowledge.

By having several easily-accessible ports with plug-and-play upgrades, developers could allow for owners of the base unit to enjoy the experience but still allow for better performance or certain technologically-demanding features to be accessible. It would, in essence, serve as a gaming PC with the accessibility and approachability of a console.

But can that failed venture by Nintendo give future consoles the weapon they need in the ongoing struggle to keep up with PC gaming tech? Industry analyst Michael Pachter doesn’t believe so.

“I don’t expect an expansion port, since that would mean that different consoles have different capabilities, and would make development hard,” he says. “The console model works in general because everyone programs to the lowest common denominator, and if all consoles are the same, the denominator is the same. Changing that formula would corrupt the business model.”

Altering the plug-and-play accessibility would, as Pachter points out, corrupt the business model, but would it give developers extra leeway to develop games that perform at a higher level than games that would typically run on a several-year-old console? If Sony and Microsoft introduced more enhanced graphics cards, RAM, or processors that can be easily plugged into a stock console well after launch, developers could revel in the freedom to make console games be more representative of the original vision, as well as more on-par with its PC counterparts.

More importantly, it could give developers and publishers one more thing to get gamers upset at them about. Imagine the outrage if a game is released with features requiring the proprietary hardware upgrades, only for it to be revealed that the system would have been fully able to handle said features if the team spent more time optimizing. The outrage would likely rival what happened when files for post-launch DLC were found on-disc for several Capcom games, and could be a risk that a publisher is unwilling to take.

Just like this… kind of. Not really.

The expansion port idea is a long-shot, but with gaming PCs rapidly improving specs it could be one option to help the console cycle stay relevant for even longer. While it is something that could suffer backlash from fans who view it as another reason to charge money for peripherals, in the long run it could provide more PC-like features those fans have been clamoring for.

It’s not a feature expected to be revealed when we finally know everything about the PlayStation 4 and next Xbox, but rather an interesting idea that could help change the minds of those who view PCs as so vastly superior. The question is whether console developers are worried enough about their PC gaming competition to take the risk it would entail.

The post The Future of Gaming: Return of the Expansion Pak? appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Today, however, it was revealed that Nintendo will begin claiming ad revenue from videos such as these, meaning that the devoted followings that these LPers have built will be unprofitable for the players going forward.

“As part of our on-going push to ensure Nintendo content is shared across social media channels in an appropriate and safe way, we became a Youtube partner and as such in February 2013 we registered our copyright content in the Youtube database. For most fan videos this will not result in any changes, however, for those videos featuring Nintendo-owned content, such as images or audio of a certain length, adverts will now appear at the beginning, next to or at the end of the clips. We continually want our fans to enjoy sharing Nintendo content on Youtube, and that is why, unlike other entertainment companies, we have chosen not to block people using our intellectual property.”
- Nintendo statement to GameFront

The initial claim is sound; Nintendo owns the likenesses of Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Samus, and Link, so why should people be able to profit off of playthroughs of Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Metroid, or The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? Clearly, if someone posts all of the tracks from a Foo Fighters’ album, they shouldn’t be allowed to collect ad revenue from the hits it gets on YouTube, so how is posting gameplay footage any different?

Prominent YouTube LPers like Zack Scott have stated their opposition of the new Content ID implementation registration by Nintendo.

The difference lies in what a “Let’s Play” video accomplishes when compared to a simple fan-posted music video, or a full-length episode of a television show. Unlike a music video that simply regurgitates officially released content, “Let’s Play” and other gameplay videos usually contain special commentary that make it so that they are almost like a podcast that is accompanying gameplay. With that original content being the main draw of the video, the justification for monetization by the uploader is clearly established.

Even without the commentary, gameplay videos differ from music videos and television shows in that they are unscripted and interactive, meaning that the player/uploader is driving the experience as much as the game itself is. Watching how one of the top players in the world approaches a dungeon in A Link to the Past is much more interesting than watching a Nintendo representative play through it. Learning tips and tricks from the pros and hardcore players is the main draw. It’s why sites like GameFAQs.com have sustained popularity for so long, even without videos. People want to learn from the best. By taking the ad revenue from the players posting on YouTube, Nintendo discourages the community that has formed around learning from the best.

In addition to greatly hindering growth within that community, Nintendo is also running a serious risk of alienating the most hardcore evangelists of its games. It’s no secret that Nintendo hasn’t been as dominant in the industry as it has been in the past, but the devoted fans that do back the company through thick and thin are a rabidly supportive group. These fans travel to New York City to buy the latest console from Reggie Fils-Aime and rebuy the same games over and over again on various platforms as each iteration of the Virtual Console launches, but, most of all, they’re a group of players that form a tight-knit community. This community houses the majority of these individuals that upload these videos to YouTube. By taking that revenue from these Nintendo faithfuls, Nintendo runs the risk of giving the fans of the company one less reason to vehemently defend and support it — something it simply cannot afford at this juncture.

The bewildering part of this move is that Nintendo is seemingly willing to destroy the free publicity that it’s receiving on YouTube. With millions of people seeking out and eagerly viewing these videos each day, Nintendo receives far more quality impressions through this medium than any paid advertising campaign could ever provide. It would seem from the move that Nintendo is heavily focused on the short-term payout that will come from existing videos, with no focus on the long-term effects that could come with fewer videos featuring its games uploaded to YouTube.

Nintendo has every right to collect ad revenue from videos of its games posted on YouTube, but this drastic implementation of that power looks as though it could do more harm than good. While the short-term gains will look good on paper, the long-term damage could potentially plunder the company into further trouble. As fewer and fewer LPers post what essentially amounts to free commercials for Nintendo on YouTube, the publicity and alienation that it’s currently risking could have a very real effect on sales numbers, as well as its public image among the most hardcore gamers that support the legendary gaming company. With the Wii U still failing to carve a strong following, Nintendo needs to get entertaining gameplay footage of Wii U games in front of as many eyes as possible. Cutting down on the free publicity found on YouTube is not the way to accomplish that goal.

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What does 99 cents mean when the price of entry is nothing?

Burning with rage at my inability to commit to the transaction, but unwilling to accept defeat, I halt. What am I doing? Their game is apparent. I have maneuvered myself into the very pitfall that the developers of this game expect me to be caught in. Placing my tablet back in the bag, I push the device away to avoid sucumbing to the temptations of “just one more level.”

The game is apparent, and while I have saved myself from the siren call of easier gameplay this time, I know this will not be the last. After all, we’re only talking about 99 cents. Free-to-play titles are an exercise in cognitive dissonance. The developers are looking to create an extreme discomfort in the player via checkpoints, gates, and hurdles. These obstacles come in the form of paywalls, respawn timers, and requiring the “help” of a certain number of friends that are linked to the same game as the player.

Through these hurdles, the developer is hoping to break the will of the player. At this point, microtransactions come to the rescue, offering in-game aid, extended time, and the ability to skip barriers or levels entirely. From Candy Crush Saga‘s limited number of re-tries available to The Simpsons Tapped Out‘s lengthy cooldown timers on constructing buildings, microtransactions are becoming more and more commonplace.

Image Source: SteamGames.com

Due to the frustration I experienced in trying to overcome these obstacles, I had no choice but to spend money on each of these games. The great frustration is that I was aware all along of the game at hand. I muttered to myself that I would remain privy to their scheme. With Jedi-like calmness, I would proceed to play and not fall to the dark side. Five failed games later in Candy Crush Saga and I found myself hitting the “Refill Your Lives?” button furiously. I would not allow myself to be beaten by the system. I would show these developers that they could not break my spirit!

Ten dollars in microtransactions later, I reflected on my  fugue state created by the internal conflict. I felt nothing but disgust for myself. How could I allow myself to fall for such a cheap, transparent grift? I began to internally blame this shortcoming on the new direction of gaming. I immediately placed the blame squarely on casual gamers. The games of my youth in the arcades of the 90s were truely the salad days. Gaming is now a soulless monster meant to be nothing more than one payment after another.

Candy Crush Saga: Next Evolution of the Arcade Game?

I reflected on these thoughts, mainly about the time of the arcade game. I realized at that moment that the arcades of my youth were no better than the free-to-play titles that I sourly refer to now. Ramping difficulty meant to enrage the gamer? Check. Pay barriers and microtransactions meant to make the player think nothing of the small amount of funds they are spending? Check. A game engine and design philosophy designed to be nothing more than a vehicle for rapid and successive replays? Big check.

The end goal of the two types of gaming share a similar end game: the high score. A majority of free-to-play titles have an emphasis on getting the highest score in your collective group, whether that is your Facebook friends or other players within the vicinity.

Likewise, the holy grail of arcade game domination was scoring high enough that the player’s initials stood atop the leader board. Two styles of gaming, both created to maximize profit and create tension between players.

After coming to this conclusion, I wondered if my nostalgia for the golden days of the arcade were clouding my mind in regards to the quality of the games I revered.

Beat-em-ups such as TMNT: Turtles In Time, The Punisher, and Double Dragon have not aged gracefully, fighters like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat have required a complete transformation in order to remain relevant, and Light Gun games have all but disappeared, minus a select few revivals on the Wii. Are the titles of my youth really any different from the likes of Real Racing 3 and Farmville? At a fundamental level, no. The desired end result for developers of both styles has been and will continue to be maximizing the profits of a cheaply made game.

Should this realization shatter my fond memories of these titles? Of course not. Just because Turtles In Time might be just as shallow as Candy Crush Saga doesn’t ruin my memory of that time I beat the entire game by myself with only a dollar. Nostalgia and great gaming memories do not have to be retroactively destroyed for the sake of hating the newest or worst gaming trends. This too shall pass.

After all, it was only a few dollars then, and it’s only a few dollars now. What’s 99 cents worth in regards to memories?

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Check out what we’re most looking forward to this month and let us know what you’re excited about!

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon | Ubisoft Montreal | May 1

Following the success of Far Cry 3, Ubisoft decided to go a less traditional route to provide users with unique post-launch content. Rather than simply offering DLC to capitalize upon the popularity of the game, Ubisoft decided to release a standalone adventure for players to enjoy.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is not your normal post-launch content, however. With a decidedly 80’s action movie tone, Blood Dragon takes all of the over-the-top activities you can participate in during Far Cry 3’s campaign and puts them into an equally over-the-top environment. Also, you can shoot neon dinosaurs. That’s right, you heard me: neon dinosaurs.

Metro: Last Light | 4A Games | May 14

Following up from the cult hit Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light takes everything found in its predecessor a step forward. With stunning graphical upgrades and an all-star voice cast, Metro: Last Light looks like everything Metro 2033 hoped to be.

Surviving under the ruins of post-apocalyptic Moscow will prove to be no easy task, as mutated humans, animals, and insects will prove to be quite the challenge to eliminate. Add to that an enormous civil war that is tearing apart the surviving humans, and one of Deep Silver’s IPs acquired from the THQ auction could very well be one of the publisher’s main attractions of 2013.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D | Monster Games | May 24

In 2010, Donkey Kong Country Returns did for the Donkey Kong Country franchise what New Super Mario Bros. did for the Super Mario Bros. franchise by delivering a nostalgia-laden experience that used new technology to make it appeal to gamers both old and new.

The original game was criticized by many Wii owners for being too difficult, however, so Monster Games added a mode to allow more casual gamers to experience the entire title and make it easier for on-the-go play. Add to that the all-new 3DS-exclusive world, and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is much more than simply a re-release of a Wii game to Nintendo’s flagship handheld.

Grid 2 | Codemasters Southam | May 28

Grid carved its niche in the racing community back in 2008, but with Grid 2, Codemasters hopes to expand that audience to help the Grid franchise become one of the major players in the racing genre. The game will feature a strong selection of cars spanning several decades, as well as several real-world locations to race through.

By implementing a new engine, Codemasters is attempting to effectively blur the line between arcade and simulation-style racing games to create an accessible, yet realistic racing experience. Grid 2 will also allow players to explore an online campaign that is completely separate from its single-player campaign to give players the most bang for their buck.

Fuse | Insomniac Games | May 28

Following the success of the Ratchet & Clank and Resistance franchises exclusively on Sony’s platforms, Insomniac Games has decided to branch out by releasing its new IP on the Xbox 360 as well. Fuse, which allows for four-player cooperative play, looks to introduce the publisher’s work to an entire new platform’s audience.

The game will feature fast-paced action, with each character possessing specialized skills and progression trees. In addition to the title featuring cover-based third-person shooting, Fuse will also feature a mode that resembles one of Gears of War‘s most popular modes, Horde, which will be sure to appeal to the Xbox 360 owners experiencing the work of Insomniac Games for the first time.

What are your most anticipated May 2013 video game releases?

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Japanese import games aren’t always easily or cheaply acquired, however. Until very recently, the only way to get that random release you’d been coveting was either by traveling to Japan in person or ordering it online at an exorbitant price. Luckily, publishers like GungHo Online Entertainment America have branched into the realm of Japanese imports, enabling quick and easy access to obscure Japanese games for language learners and fans alike. To date, they’ve released three batches of six PSone Classics on the PlayStation Network since December 2012. Unfortunately, aside from very brief descriptions of each game, the titles have no English explanations whatsoever, making it difficult to determine the level of Japanese proficiency required.

That’s where this guide comes in. GungHo has clearly taken varying Japanese language abilities into consideration in selecting their PSone Classic import titles, and in order to do each game in their second batch of releases justice, I’ve provided a summary of each and rated them on a scale of “beginner,” “intermediate,” or “advanced” in terms of Japanese language skill level recommended. Those with no Japanese knowledge can also use this guide to see which titles will be best for them. So, what are you waiting for? 日本語の勉強頑張ってください！

Trump Shiyouyo! Fukkoku-ban

Japanese Proficiency: Beginner

The most straightforward of the GungHo import releases, Trump Shiyouyo! Fukkoku-ban is a collection of card games that can be played with zero knowledge of Japanese. The games available include: Shichi-narabe, Daifugou, Page One, Dobon, Seven Bridge, Speed, Baba-nuki, Poker, Blackjack, and Shinkei-suijyaku. While many of the games should be familiar to most westerners, a quick Google search is all that’s needed to get the basic rules of the Japanese games. For those interested in exercising their Japanese, this entry-level title will have you navigating menus and tweaking options like a pro in no time.

Mahjong Uranai Fortuna ~Tsuki no Megami Tachi~

Japanese Proficiency: Beginner

Who doesn’t like a good game of Mahjong? Mahjong Uranai Fortuna ~Tsuki no Megami Tachi~ shakes up the traditional Mahjong formula by adding six cute girls and fortune-telling to the mix. If you’re looking for a quirky import game that doesn’t necessarily require an understanding of Japanese to play and have a penchant for Mahjong, this game might be right up your alley. Those with advanced beginner-to-intermediate knowledge of Japanese, however, will have fun listening to the commentary of their opponents and translating their fortune read at the end of the match. The fortunes themselves are nothing revolutionary (though the inclusion of unlockable images is a nice bonus), however, so those who have no interest in Mahjong should give this one a pass.

Sentimental Graffiti

Japanese Proficiency: Intermediate

Sentimental Graffiti is one of the more famous games GungHo has brought over. As a dating sim originally released for the Sega Saturn in 1998, the game spawned numerous spin-offs, including an anime and radio drama, and is generally considered to be one of the founding games of the genre along with Tokimeki Memorial. Since the protagonist changed schools frequently throughout middle school, when he receives a message from someone from his past saying “I want to see you,” he embarks on a journey across Japan to find out who sent him the letter. Over the course of the game, players can choose from 12 different girls from the protagonist’s past to interact and eventually form relationships with, all on a tight deadline.

Since Sentimental Graffiti takes place in a real-world setting, none of the terminology is particularly difficult, and all of the female characters are voiced, as well. Dating sims are a great place for intermediate Japanese learners to hone their skills, as the mix of colloquial phrases and everyday scenarios makes for a great way to build on an already-existing knowledge of rudimentary Japanese. For those that need an extra hand, a helpful English guide to the game’s various events and the requirements that need to be met in order to trigger them can be found here.

Oz no Mahoutsukai ~Another World~ RungRung

Japanese Proficiency: Intermediate

Oz no Mahoutsukai -Another World- RungRung may be based on The Wizard of Oz, but it’s not quite the same tale you and I grew up with. This re-imagining takes the form of a quirky action-adventure title that sees Dorothy and her companion Toto finding and combining a variety of magical items to find their way home to Kansas. While Oz no Mahoutsukai features the most dynamic gameplay of the titles mentioned so far, it’s a good pick for intermediate Japanese learners as it doesn’t use many complicated kanji. It isn’t, however, a game that can easily be blundered through without a good understanding of what’s going on in the dialogue, as it’s often not clear what to do next from gameplay alone. As such, I’d only recommend this game to players who are dedicated to reading (and listening – some of the dialogue is voiced as well) carefully rather than skimming through quickly to get the gist of things, as it’s easy to miss instructions and get stuck with no idea how to proceed, particularly early on in the game. Those who stick with it, however, will find a fun, satisfying game that you don’t need to be fluent at Japanese to complete.

Favorite Dear ~Enkan no Monogatari~

Japanese Proficiency: Advanced

While Favorite Dear ~Enkan no Monogatari~ features some similar simulation elements to Sentimental Graffiti, it ramps up the difficulty a notch by throwing a fantasy world and RPG systems into the mix, making it the perfect next step for those who feel they’ve outgrown the dating sim genre. Favorite Dear has players take on the role of a guardian angel who is tasked with raising a hero who can save the world from destruction in a mere 10 years, and it is up to you to manage your resources and seek out potential courageous candidates with the help of your fairy aids. Once you’ve found your hero, it’s off to battle! 

There are many different systems at work in Favorite Dear, making it a difficult game to get an understanding of, but once you fall into a routine, it becomes fairly straightforward. For this reason, it’s a great pick for intermediate Japanese learners looking for a challenge that isn’t quite as daunting as a full-fledged RPG with an in-depth storyline.

First Queen IV

Japanese Proficiency: Advanced

The First Queen real-time strategy RPG series has never made it outside of Japan despite the fact that it features character designs of acclaimed Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano. The games feature a number of unique characteristics such as the fusion of traditional RPG-gameplay such as town exploration, talking with NPCs, and leveling up, with solider recruitment and strategic warfare. The games also feature a unique system where many characters battle it out on the screen in real-time, with the player controlling one character and the rest controlled by AI. First Queen IV, however, departs from many of the RPG staples of the previous installments to instead focus more on the strategic movement of troops and acquisition of new bases.

It’s hard to recommend First Queen IV to all but the most dedicated players and advanced Japanese learners,. Not only is it the oldest title out of this batch of imports (it originally appeared on the PC-98), but it features the most complex systems, as well. Luckily, the actual real-time gameplay is fairly straightforward, but getting there is slow-going without a good command of Japanese. It’s not a very approachable game, but die-hard obscure JRPG enthusiasts may want to use First Queen IV as motivation to push their Japanese skills further.

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I’ve also had a great time. The graphics are snazzy, the action is snappy and fun, and there’s just enough of a D&D wrapper on the controls and character design to make it feel like a pleasant homage to the tabletop game’s 4th Edition ruleset, which I’m very familiar with. Though there still isn’t an official launch date, they’re using the open beta as a “soft launch” to get all the server bugs ironed out before officially throwing the gates open.

As a DM and player for 15 years, I’ve delved into a lot of dungeons and slain quite a few dragons, both in digital and plastic miniature form. How does Neverwinter, one of VGW’s most anticipated MMO releases, stack up for this hardened D&D player? Read on to find out.

The Devoted Cleric can both harm and heal, often at the same time.

Rolling Deep

As with any D&D video game, there has to be a line between what makes a good tabletop RPG and what makes a good video game. Different designers will draw said line in different places, either ignoring most of the tabletop conventions (Demon Stone) or embracing them passionately (Baldur’s Gate). Neverwinter sits somewhere in the middle: the flavor and story are very solidly D&D, but the designers have made several significant changes to facilitate smooth gameplay.

Character creation is faithful, with individual races adhering closely to the Player’s Handbook in terms of attributes and special abilities. Your starting ability scores can also be “rolled,” though from my experience it looks like the game cycles through pre-set stat allocations based off the standard arrays found in the tabletop game. Classes are also flavored to feel like their pen-and-paper counterparts, i.e. “control” wizards or “guardian” fighters. Anyone who hasn’t played the tabletop game, however, may not understand that those description are based off specific fighter or wizard builds, at least until Cryptic starts releasing additional builds later in the game’s life.

“Rolling” stats is actually cycling through a number of standard sets of ability scores.

How the classes play in-game is also an interesting translation of the tabletop mechanics. In the pen-and-paper game, players have two or three abilities they can use “at will,” a few “encounter” abilities they can use once per fight, and show-stopping “daily” powers which require a good night’s rest before they can be used again. In Neverwinter, at will powers can be spammed or channeled and represent your basic attacks. Encounter abilities come with short cooldowns, and you can equip three different ones at a time; some also allow you to cast them multiple times, such as the cleric’s Healing Word, but have a larger cooldown.

Dailies require the character to charge up their “action point” meter, which is shaped like a D20 smack in the middle of your hotbar. Different classes charge theirs different ways, but exactly how wasn’t that clear in the time I had to play. In practice, it’s a pretty good parallel to the tabletop game: encounters and dailies get used less often, spaced out to when it’s situationally appropriate or for balance, while at-wills fill in between larger attacks for reliable damage or other attacks.

Health doesn’t regenerate out of combat, you have to find a campfire or use healing magic and potions.

Class Warfare

During the betas I spent the most time with the Devoted Cleric and Control Wizard. Both played competently, with the cleric being my personal favorite so far…. at least, until they add Warlords.

The big departure in 4E’s Cleric was its ability to heal others while also making attacks. Neverwinter keeps this design, giving the cleric several double-duty powers. The second at-will players obtain is Astral Seal, which puts a ticking DoT on your target and rewards anyone who attacks it with healing. Your first encounter, Daunting Light, does a close burst of holy power around the cleric while also healing the player. Since healing in Neverwinter is limited to potions and campfires, these are pretty useful and powerful spells to have while soloing.

Because really, who doesn’t like having a Divine Guardian to curb-stomp bad guys with?

In comparison, the Control Wizard seemed a little lackluster coming out of the gate. It’s designed to hinder enemies, much like its pen-and-paper counterpart is intended to give “battlefield control,” but its early abilities don’t deliver that up-front. Ice Ray can be channeled to slow and eventually freeze an enemy in place, but takes several seconds to achieve full frostiness and doesn’t slow enemies down enough at this point to be effective. I’m sure things will improve as players level up and Cryptic checks feedback from the beta events, especially considering crowd control is usually slowly rolled out for balance reasons (especially PVP balance), but for now the wizard feels underpowered when compared to the cleric.

Each class also has a unique ability that can be activated using tab, such as the cleric’s Channel Divinity and the wizard’s Arcane Mastery. These give players new at-will abilities and power up other abilities, adding effects or damage for short-term boosts. The cleric’s Lance of Faith and Astral Seal turn into Punishing Light and Soothing Light, both channeled abilities that can heal or harm depending on which is used. The mechanic is very similar to the actual pen-and-paper Channel Divinity, since you can only use it a handful of times each adventure, and is an interesting resource to have.

Ye olde job board, the in-game location of Foundry missions.

Choose Your Own Adventure

I also got a chance to play through some player-created Foundry content, checking out the featured “Secrets of the Dweomerkeeper.” It’s the first entry into an eight-part story, according to its in-game description, and takes players to an abandoned wayhouse built to serve the followers of Mystra, the now-deceased deity of magic. Heavy on lore (and drow), the mission deserves high marks for having a ton of Forgotten Realms flavor. While it seems short, once the other modules are added I’m sure it’ll make for a nice string of missions for those looking to enjoy a lot of classic D&D.

Foundry missions and other events are also highlighted throughout the day and change every hour or so. There are three small banners that poke out from your minimap to tease you about upcoming content, reminding you of opportunities to earn extra currency or XP. While players can access this extra content through the UI, you can also stop by job boards in the world or talk to harpers, innkeepers or barmaids. It’s a nice little tool for immersion, and a way to keep reminding players about the extra content that’s out there.

The game’s Skirmishes are also easy-to-pick-up events which can help break the monotony of questing. These don’t require the same balance of a full dungeon delve, and have so far been mostly gauntlets that require you to mow down groups of bad guys without a lot of coordination, which, let’s be honest, is the best kind of mission you can hope for with some random strangers.

I’ve yet to experience a full delve, but after seeing the work done on the individual mission dungeons, I’m definitely looking forward to them. The mini-dungeons I’ve run on low-level quests have included secret passages, hidden treasures, simple puzzles, and some some very, very lethal traps. There’s a room early on that’s a veritable deathtrap, with blades coming out of the ground and spiders that ambush you after you attempt to open what you think is just a simple chest that turns out to be a trap placed by a cunning tribe of kobolds.

… I’ll admit that made the Dungeon Master in me smile as I picked my way back into the dungeon from the graveyard.

This is a trap. Do not stand in front of it. Lesson learned.

Final Thoughts

I’m familiar with Star Trek Online, other Cryptic’s other big MMO, so it didn’t come as a surprise to find many free-to-play trappings and elements from that game in Neverwinter. There’s a daily currency, Astral Diamonds, which can be earned by completing in-game events, daily quests, and other special milestones, and players can refine a limited number of diamonds per day (in the tens of thousands), or buy Zen (the cash currency used by all MMOs from publisher Perfect World) to purchase Astral Diamonds and other goodies from the cash shop. There’s also an Astral Diamond exchange where players can turn those diamonds into Zen and vice-versa, meaning it is possible to get items from the cash shop without spending cash if you’re willing to put the time in.

At the end of the day, Neverwinter is a nice, action MMO with enough D&D flavor to keep a d20 jockey like myself coming back for more. The fact that it’s free to play means I’ll be able to put it down and focus on other things without that nagging urge in the back of my head to “get your subscription’s worth,” which is always a bonus. I might even be convinced to create some custom missions to show players how a real Dungeon Master does things.

Trust me. You’ll want to bring someone who’s good at finding traps.

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Jen: BioShock Infinite has come and gone for both of us and I think we both agree it’s clearly a GoTY candidate, right?

Max: I can understand if people and outlets don’t choose it for GotY, but I can’t see anyone excluding it from the running completely. Ken Levine and company carried out a grandiose plan that aims higher than 99% of games that see the light of day. Is it a perfect game? It’s far from it (and what is?), but it transcends the typical gaming narrative, and for that it deserves gaming’s highest honor of GotY. You think it should be at least a candidate, right?

Jen: Yes, I do. I mean, despite my misgivings with it, I have to admit that it’s still a solid game with fun mechanics. I’m sure we’ll go into this more in depth later, but the mechanics are basically BioShock 3 and that’s not a totally bad thing. I giggled like a crazy person with the Murder of Crows vigor and the sky hook mechanic was out of this world fun. The game was fun and the story did attempt some lofty things. In fact, if pushed right now, I’m not sure it wouldn’t be my GoTY from what we’ve seen in 2013.

Max: That’s kind of funny because the gameplay is generally the biggest complaint I’ve seen, from reviews and impressions anyway. I enjoyed the gameplay, too. It was odd having an aim-down-sight mechanic in a BioShock game, but mixing up vigors and gunplay was a lot of fun for me.

I didn’t like the size of the arsenal in Infinite compared to the earlier BioShocks. A large arsenal, especially when the game only lets you carry two weapons, makes it difficult for me to find a weapon combo I’m comfortable with.

At least we agree on the glee that the sky hook brings. I saw a writer complain about its controls. I don’t know how Irrational could’ve made them any more intuitive.

Jen: Well, let’s say that I’m quite puzzled about the gameplay complaints. I’ve seen everything from people complaining that it was a shooter to abhorring the violence. To which I say: Did you play the first BioShock? Really? I mean, it wasn’t revolutionary, but it was fun and that was good enough for me when discussing a sequel. I can’t understand complaints about the sky hook. It was occasionally irksome to have to find a good point to grab onto the line, but that’s not a huge complaint.

Most of my complaints really lay with the story and characters (this extends to enemies). Let’s start with the enemies. Pre-release, a lot was made about the heavy hitters: the Handymen, Sirens, Boys of Silence and Mechanical George Washington. We saw the George Washington/Abraham Lincolns a lot and the Handymen appeared a decent amount of time, but the Siren was contained down to one character and the Boys of Silence were not quite as was initially described. It felt like a lot of missed opportunity to me.

Max: The shooting mechanics weren’t revolutionary, but the mechanics of Elizabeth as a partner were. This is probably the first time in my semi-long life of gaming where an escort mission didn’t end in frustration. She got out of the way when she needed to, and lent a hand when I needed her. That was some impressive tech and was worth the delays.

I agree with you about the enemies to a point. The Boys of Silence were haphazardly thrown in there with virtually no explanation. The only reason I knew about them was because of the early marketing materials. They weren’t explained, and I’m not sure how they expected someone who went into the game blind to understand who they were and what their purpose was. They could’ve even added some dialog from Elizabeth about them. Instead, they just appear without any explanation in the final chapter. It was just bizarre to me.

Washingtons and Lincolns were minor inconveniences throughout my journey and Handymen weren’t much more menacing. Infinite really lacked a Big Daddy substitute. The build-up to facing a Big Daddy was nerve racking in BioShock. You could see it lumbering along with the prize of the little sister at his side. I remember making sure all of my weapons were reloaded and that I had plenty of hypos at the ready before taking the initial shot. That was a big part of my BioShock experience. I’m not saying I wanted a carbon copy of that in Infinite, but something in its place would have been nice.

This discussion is still in its early stages and I’ve already rattled off a list of complaints. The fact that I cited these complaints and still think Infinite is a GotY front-runner says a lot about my opinion of the game’s story.

Jen: Elizabeth’s mechanics were quite lovely. She ducked, she provided commentary without going overboard and more importantly, she was useful. When she threw me a sniper rifle in one fight, I wanted to propose to her. Having a useful companion like that was such a breath of fresh air. In fact, I hope future games which decide to force a companion on us take a note from Elizabeth.

You’re right about the Boys of Silence. They really expected you to understand what was going on and as much as I’d like to give the developers the benefit of the doubt and say they trusted us as gamers, it felt more like a hasty rewrite. Marketing — not just early marketing, we’re talking about public trailers — showed them as the alarms of the city, deafening all around them with terrible sound. Now they’re, like, summoners?

You are correct the game did lack a Big Daddy-type enemy which was a shame. The Big Daddy was a constant presence that represented real danger throughout the first game and I didn’t feel that here in this game. I think the Songbird was supposed to be that, but this brings me to my first major gripe

I guess I expected him to be this lurking foe, kind of like Nemesis from Resident Evil (Oh, God, Irrational, I promise I will never make comparisons to RE ever again). I expected Songbird to be a real danger from whom Booker and Elizabeth would need to hide and evade. I thought this because all promotional materials and trailers told us this. Instead, he is woefully underused. We see him when you bust Elizabeth out of hoc, once later when it’s convenient, and then at the end. We are constantly told that he and Elizabeth have a complex relationship, but we’re never shown that.

In BioShock we are constantly shown the strong, dynamic relationship between Big Daddy and the Little Sisters. In fact, we’re only told once about the relationship, everything else is shown to us. It makes it so powerful, I was disappointed that Elizabeth and the Songbird is handled like a footnote. When Elizabeth kills him at the end, it felt so callous and casual that I actually found it upsetting as a story enthusiast. I know I was supposed to be moved and saddened, but instead, it made me question her character and the point of his.

Max: Now we start to disagree! I had no problem with how Songbird was used. In fact, I’ll even say I loved it! He didn’t hijack the narrative. He was the looming danger in the world, which made the player think that the game was building towards a final boss battle. Then, the devs destroyed that classic gaming trope, and the Songbird becomes your friend. I prefered being surprised rather than getting what I expected.

You felt nothing at Songbird’s death?! Heartless! The relationship between Elizabeth and Songbird was vague, but I prefered it that way. It allows the player to fill in some of the blanks there. I’ve said this before: ambiguity is one of the most powerful tools in storytelling.

To me, the Songbird was a combination of father figure and best buddy. They really only had each other in Columbia. Songbird’s whole life was taking orders from Comstock and watching over Elizabeth. They genuinely trusted each other. Elizabeth was never really afraid of the wrath of Songbird. She just didn’t want him to take her back to the tower. Even as he’s about to obliterate Booker with his claw-fist, he listens to Elizabeth’s request to spare him. Booker is literally destroying Columbia in the events leading to that point, and Songbird has the opportunity to end it He stops because Elizabeth asks him to. Then she kills him! What was his crime? It makes me misty as I type this. It’s a heartbreaking betrayal from a generally innocent character. I was moved.

Jen: Ah but you’re just taking all of that at face value. Elizabeth tells you, so it must be so? Exposition fairies never equal our own experiences. And he was never a looming danger. He appears twice before the end. Once as a genuine danger, and then as a plot convenience. I don’t like people telling me I should feel scared of a character without validating that fear. There’s a difference between ambiguity and leaving shit on the cutting room floor, hoping your audience will just take your word for it.

What was his crime, indeed? Again, since we never saw this unique relationship and were just told about it, when he dies it’s like “Why the %$#@?” It’s sad, but it’s not that heart wrenching moment I think they intended it to be. Which brings me to missed opportunity with Elizabeth…

Before I played the game, I was worried I already knew the end because they referred to Elizabeth as the Lamb of Columbia and we all know our bible enough to get that, right? Indeed, in the beginning, we see all of these precautions surrounding her such as quarantines and other hints that she is a dangerous creature. Later in the game, when Booker says he won’t allow her to kill Comstock, she opens a tear with a tornado nearby and asks Booker if he thought he could stop her. This is very telling about her character and lends a dangerous edge to her.

When she kills Songbird, it comes across as very callous. I think gamers can try to infer that perhaps Elizabeth really did become the lion — that she was something to be feared after all, but it’s quickly cast aside so we can throw out some self-congratulating fan service. See what we did? See what we did? IT’S CONNECTED TO BIOSHOCK, Y’ALL!

Max: But Songbird did validate that fear just by reducing structures to rubbles, and producing that wretched screech. It’s possible to be fearful of something in a game even if it doesn’t inflict damage to your character. I sure was frightened!

Her character absolutely has a dangerous edge, which brings us nicely to the subject of alternate timelines. She should be feared, but that level of danger depends on which timeline we’re talking about. There’s the timeline where Booker fails to rescue her, and she rains hell on New York City. There’s a lion for ya. Looking back on that timeline after the fact shows that Elizabeth really can become the true evil of Columbia, but it doesn’t have to turn out like that.

I love the Songbird death/Rapture scene just because there is so much stuff going on at that point. I was just staring at the screen, trying to process what Elizabeth was saying, and trying to digest what the hell was going on. That last 20 minutes is a  rollercoaster ride. It doesn’t spoonfeed. It reveals its remaining hand on the table whether you’re keeping up or not..

I’ll admit, in Rapture when Booker says, “A city at the bottom of the ocean? Ridiculous,” my eyes rolled so far back in my head I could see my skull.

While we’re on the topic of digesting stuff, I’ll readily admit that after careful examination I still have no idea what was going on with Lady Comstock.

Jen: Lady Comstock also felt like missed opportunity. When Comstock was unable to produce a child on his own, he had the Luteces bring forth Elizabeth from an alternate timeline. It was interesting to hear her anger and hatred toward the child — that’d definitely be an affront to a woman. I get that she was angry because of the whole “my husband had me murdered” thing, but I felt as though they wanted to show more of her vs. Elizabeth and either didn’t have the desire or the time.

And thus you run into my biggest gripe with the game. By and large, I have never been a fan of alternate timelines. Never. Comics have been doing them for decades and they always feel cheap to me because you can say or do whatever you want because, hey, alternate timeline!

Through the early stages of the game, Elizabeth appeared to be altering the current timeline to achieve her goals, rather than an alternate timeline. For instance: in the beginning you need to rescue Chun, but he’s dead, right? So she tears them to an alternate timeline where he’s alive, but several details have changed to make it so. He’s now married to a white woman, and there are other minor tweaks for him to be alive. Okay, that’s interesting and makes sense in a “self-correcting timeline” kind of way.

Then they go to get his tools which are locked up, right? So Elizabeth opens a tear and boom! The tools are where they need to be! Pump the effing brakes. How did she know the tools weren’t there because they had gone back to the original timeline where Chun was dead? How did she know they weren’t there because in this timeline, Chun is loyal to Comstock and refuses to help the Vox Populi? How does she know they weren’t there because in this timeline, Chun decided to be a baker?

There are too many leaps of faith there for me. In a self-correcting timeline, it would make sense that they merely changed things to ensure their needed outcome, but alternate timelines? No. You’re asking me to suspend disbelief way too much. I will always say that if you need to resort to alternate timelines to explain your plot, you need to turn the ship around.

Also, with alternate timelines, it’s physically impossible to drown Booker and erase all of the timelines because it’s impossible to draw a single starting point. That’s not how alternate timelines work. I mean, we see that at the end when we see a Booker at his desk that this shit’s not over, but all the dramatic disappearing Elizabeths? No.

Max: In response to your first paragraph about the Lady Comstock: I understand that part, but why/how is she a ghost and how did Comstock know that she’d be a ghost/fly off the handle? Does everyone become a ghost in this universe, and if so, why should I care if anyone dies?

Yes, alternate timelines always cause either glaring plot holes or cop-out answers to explain those glaring plot holes. Either way, its an act in futility to accurately try to explain anything that happens within a story that allows alternate timelines. It always ends up with someone saying, “It’s best not to think about it too hard.” I wouldn’t say I hate them for that reason. Oddly enough, I actually enjoy the conversations stories of that ilk spark. Hey, it brought us here, didn’t it?

To answer your Chun question, that’s explained in a few lines of dialogue. The jist of it says that the timelines don’t have major differences. It just has small variations, like having tea for breakfast instead of toast. For example, in our alternate timeline I’m still writing a debate about BioShock Infinite, but maybe I hate the game in that universe, or maybe I didn’t even finish the game and I’m just acting like I did. Is it a cop out? Yeah sure, but that’s the nature of the story. Just like using “the force” as an excuse for everything that happens in the Star Wars universe.

Now to answer your “Booker” point… I don’t have an answer because you’re absolutely right, and that went through my mind as it was happening. There are an infinite (hey, that’s the name of the game) number of timelines, and therefore an infinite number of Bookers. If you’re telling me that somehow all of those Bookers decided to drown themselves at the same time, well you’re crazier than a plot with alternate timelines. The main Booker, our Booker, wouldn’t erase all of the Elizabeths (Elizabi?). He’s just one Booker and since he was is the father of Elizabeth, he wouldn’t even erase his own Elizabeth from his own timeline. A suicide doesn’t erase the existence of that person’s child!

Now that the dust has settled and BioShock Infinite’s honeymoon stage is over, I’m not sure I think it’s better than the first BioShock. I went back and revisited the original to jog my memory and it has held up so very well. The opening ten minutes of that game will be in my memory hopefully forever. It’s utter perfection.

The jury is still out on the final decision of BioShock superiority. You’ll have to ask me in a year. The comparison gets difficult because of how different they are. They’re barely sequels. I give Infinite credit for swinging for the fences and giving us something that is still very special regardless of the Dr. Steinman-esque surgery we’ve performed on it in this piece. It executed a story about alternate timelines that is as airtight as that kind of story can be, while being a social commentary about American history, and getting very meta about the games industry. It’s still a smart game created by smart people.

Jen: Well, now, see, they “explained” Lady Comstock in a few lines of dialog, too. They were able to bring a version of her through to their timeline via Elizabeth. (I’d say she may not be dead in an alternate timeline, but it’s clear she’s pissed about Comstock having her killed so… best suspend that disbelief!) Remember they say that the reason she is going crazy and is angry is because many of her emotions are as Elizabeth would imagine them. I took it kind of like that book, Solaris, where people “return” but they return as their loved ones remember them. In BioShock, that entire thing is head scratching and requires a lot of trust on the player’s part.

And NO. I refuse to accept the lines of dialog about Chun. You have to think of what tiny differences can have huge impacts on your life, no matter your timeline. It’s called the Butterfly Effect (no, not the sh***y Ashton Kutcher movie) or Chaos Theory. BioShock Infinite failed to captivate me enough that I was willing to to accept cop-out answers because I expected far better of Irrational.

I don’t want to sound like I didn’t like the game. I did. I enjoyed it and it was fun. But it wasn’t as great as it could have been. (If you want proof of this, check out the art book. All of the cast-aside ideas make for a sad read)  For me, the game’s just not as good as BioShock, by any measure. Maybe that’s unfair because we’re talking about a game that is, almost unarguably, considered to be one of the greatest games of this generation, if not the past decade.

For me, this was a game best played, enjoyed, and then cast from mind because now I’ve picked it apart to where I sound like I didn’t enjoy it at all. Now that I really think about it, I might even be okay saying I enjoyed the gameplay but the story left me very cold. This me. Maybe me in an alternate timeline never stopped reading X-Men and Batman comics and that me loooooves alternate timelines and thinks this game is a-friggin’-mazing. Who knows?

Max: Yep, that pretty much encapsulates the BioShock Infinite experience. It’s a great game, but putting it under the microscope like so many have, and like we’re doing right now, exposes clear problems with the story and gameplay structure. If it were given the same treatment as 99.9% of games that come out, e.g. game gets released -> game gets reviewed -> game gets forgotten, it would’ve been better off. It was treated a tad unfairly in that regard.

So at the end of it all, do I still like the game? Of course. I’ll go as far to say that I love it. It’s still a special game to me, but it’s far from perfect. But what game is?

The post He Said/She Said: Narrative in ‘BioShock Infinite’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

While tons of games have local multiplayer, there are a select few that stick out as the ones that defined the concept for me. Some of these experiences were cooperative, while others were competitive, but the common denominator with all of these games is that they brought people together to interact in ways no other medium can.

Pong | Arcade | 1972

In the 1970s, the video game industry was in its infancy, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t provide us with one of the most iconic local multiplayer experiences in its history. The concept of the game was one that was perfected over the previous 100 years through the game of table tennis; the trick was translating that familiar, tried-and-true experience to the new concept of video games in an addictive manner that was achievable through the technology at the time.

By giving each player a dial to control vertical movement, Pong provided an intuitive gameplay experience that nearly anybody could pick up and play. For what the industry was at the time, the easily grasped, simple control scheme was a way that Atari could grab the attention of the public and help forge the then-niche video games consumer base. Pong remains one of the most beloved and nostalgic titles in gaming, and for anyone who’s ever picked up any controller, it’s nearly impossible to see Pong on an illuminated screen and not challenge their buddy to a match.

Tetris | Multiplatform | 1984

The Russian-born brick-laying puzzle game became a system seller when it made its debut on the Game Boy in 1989, but prior to that, it was well known for its addictiveness and intense multiplayer. Once it made its way to the Game Boy, however, it became a staple of the platform by not only being included as a pack-in game with new Game Boy sales, but also for making the Game Boy Link Cable a widely-used accessory.

The multiplayer experience was one that lulled the player into a false sense of security, just as the single player tended to do. The simple mechanics of stacking bricks together in conjunction with how they are shaped seemed easy and accessible, but once the lines started getting higher and the tetrominos started falling faster, it was simply a matter of survival for even the most seasoned puzzlers. That intensity only increased through mulitplayer, and whether the players were side-by-side in the arcades, or sitting on different chairs using the Game Boy Link Cable, bragging rights were always on the table.

Contra | NES | 1987

As one of the defining experiences on the NES, Contra helped revolutionize the cooperative multiplayer experience. The game was a different breed that not only brought players together to battle invading alien forces, but to also work to overcome all odds in one of the toughest, most popular side-scrolling shooters there was. It’s so difficult it’s biggest claim to fame is featuring the most well known code of all-time, which was a necessity for most people to beat it.

Working in tandem to combat the seemingly endless waves of enemies could prove to be one of the most rewarding experiences in NES gaming… or it could totally tear your relationship apart. Think playing a frustrating game by yourself makes you want to throw your controller? Think about how it feels to have your friend play not carry his weight, all the while taking all of the power ups. Yes, playing Contra together was a dangerous wager indeed.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time | Arcade/SNES | 1991

In the last 80s/early 90s, the Ninja Turtles franchise was the go-to franchise for millions of youth across the globe. From the comics to the live action movies, and from the popular Saturday morning cartoon to the constantly-selling-out action figures, it’s safe to say that my childhood was squarely focused on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. That’s why when the shelled foursome made its way to my favorite medium, video games, it was a match made in heaven.

While Turtles in Time‘s predecessor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project on NES, provided more than adequate single and cooperative multiplayer experiences, Turtles in Time for arcades and Super NES completely raised the bar. By delivering an engaging romp through the many locales of the Ninja Turtles universe, and setting up many a face-off between the Turtles and their vast array of iconic nemeses, Turtles in Time was one of the most memorable side-scrolling multiplayer titles of my early gaming years.

NBA Jam | Multiplatform | 1993

Boom Shakalaka! Is there anything more that could be said about the experience of playing NBA Jam next to your friend? The pure bliss that came from taking off from the free throw line and stuffing the ball down in your opponent’s face is nearly unrivaled in the video game industry.

Then it happens. As your third shot in a row sinks, and Tim Kitzrow gleefully shouts “He’s on fire!” The unstoppable feeling of having a player on fire only escalated the tension in the room as your opponent squirms in his/her seat while trying to do anything allowable in the game to stop the hot streak. The rubber band AI only made the ends of games that much more intense as nearly every game came down to the wire. NBA Jam‘s success went on to help establish several arcade sports franchises like NFL Blitz, NHL Hitz and NBA Hangtime. While each of those series found an audience, none quite matched what NBA Jam was able to accomplish in the local multiplayer realm.

Mortal Kombat II | Multiplatform | 1993

Anyone who’s played Mortal Kombat II while standing next to their opponent knows why this made the list. Whether you’re skewering foes with Scorpion, or freezing them as Sub-Zero, the over-the-top violence and gore is enough to spark the most vicious trash talk in even the most mild-mannered individuals.

And God help your opponent if you beat him and were able to successfully pull off a Fatality. The earful you would give them as they helplessly watched their character’s heart get ripped from his/her chest was almost as brutal as the on-screen action. Sure, Street Fighter II made the fighting genre one of the kings of local multiplayer, but Mortal Kombat II took things to the next level.

Donkey Kong Country | SNES | 1994

Cooperative multiplayer is a mainstay in today’s industry, but few have mastered it like Rare did with Donkey Kong Country. By combining the simple 2D platforming formula with complex level designs and the ability to have a friend continue the level after you slip up, Donkey Kong Country has a rightful spot atop the SNES mountain of iconic games.

Whether you’re riding through a minecart with your buddy or trying to plow through “Stop and Go Station,” the camaraderie that comes with sitting there and cheering on your co-op partner is one that sticks with you over the years. Even with the game nearing its 20th anniversary, Donkey Kong Country remains one of the greatest cooperative multiplayer games of all-time.

GoldenEye 007 | Nintendo 64 | 1997

GoldenEye 007 is one of those games that’s synonymous with the genre it belongs to. Joining Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Halo as the most influential first-person shooters in the game industry’s history, GoldenEye 007 pioneered four player splitscreen multiplayer for not only the genre, but for the industry as a whole. By being able to fully customize each match,GoldenEye 007 brought a unique angle to local multiplayer.

In addition, nothing was more intense than slowly walking around a corner, only to see an opposing player waiting for you there. Sure, that still happens online, but the moment felt so much more suspenseful when your enemy was sitting right next to you. Just please, don’t look at your opponent’s screen. Oh, and no Oddjob. Seriously.

Super Smash Bros. | Nintendo 64 | 1999

As a match made in heaven, Nintendo put out the ultimate crossover game in Super Smash Bros. The series has become renowned for its insane multiplayer that has existed in each of its three entries, but it was 1999′s original entry that gripped players mercilessly.

As the first Nintendo console to feature four controller ports, the Nintendo 64 was the perfect system to house Super Smash Bros. Having four player multiplayer madness without needing the split up the screen like in GoldenEye 007 made for some extremely fun times, particularly with all of the game variants that could be implemented at the whim of the players. With customizable multiplayer modes and some of the most over-the-top action to ever feature such iconic characters, Super Smash Bros. easily established itself as one of Nintendo’s top franchises.

Wii Sports | Wii | 2006

Who would’ve thought you’d ever seen Grandma playing Nintendo with you? Well, whenWii Sports released in 2006, it successfully bridged the generational gap and invited every member of the family to join in. Even if it was just bowling or golf, there was something kind of special about being able to have your grandparents join in on the fun, as well as any younger siblings who had been too uncoordinated to play in the past.

The accessibility of Wii Sports was precisely what made the Wii the most popular gaming platform for several years. With innovative motion controls and a plethora of easy-to-pick-up mini-games centered around familiar sports, Wii Sports was the perfect bundle-in software to make the Wii take off like it did.

Rock Band | Multiplatform | 2007

While the DLC may be ending soon, getting the band together time and time again rarely loses its luster. Whether you’re the singer who thinks he’s Freddie Mercury after only two drinks, or the guitarist who thinks he’s too cool for the group because he totally nailed that Hendrix solo, the dynamics of a being in a real band come out in less extreme manners when players join a recurring Rock Band group.

The brilliance of the Rock Band formula is that it brings people together to share a common love of music. And if they don’t share that common love of the same music when they started, chances are there will be one or two new artists that will resonate with each player, causing them to adopt new favorite musicians. By bringing an industry such as music, which, thanks to the iPod, has become a very single-participant experience, and making it not only a joint experience again, but also interactive, Rock Band‘s multiplayer accomplished more than that of nearly any other experience.

What did we miss?

Of course, there are plenty of games, such as Star Fox 64, Mario Party and Mario Kart, we wish we could put on here, but the column dictates that only eleven items make the list, so now it’s up to you to tell us what we missed!

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The story mode, which is the meatiest part of the single-player portion of Injustice, is just as engaging as the one found in Mortal Kombat. Since DC characters are involved, however, NetherRealm had to take extra care to make sure the experience and story is authentic. Though the plot was ultimately written by NetherRealm, the team collaborated with several DC Comics writers to craft the most faithful, yet unique, story possible.

Outside of the story, which is arguably the easiest way to separate Injustice from Mortal Kombat, the developers went to great lengths to ensure the authenticity that fans crave with characters such as these was preserved. The top-notch voice acting cast features the likes of Kevin Conroy, Troy Baker, Adam Baldwin, Phil LaMarr, Jennifer Hale, and many more. In addition, the costumes were designed to appeal to the classic looks that fans wanted.

“These characters are well-known, but they’re represented in so many different ways that we wanted to give that choice to the player. Like, ‘I like God Fall Superman,’ or ‘I like Red Sun Superman,’ or ‘I like New 52 Superman,’ so that’s kind of a cool option for this fan-base, who are so particular about their timelines and which ones they like.”
- Hector Sanchez, Producer at NetherRealm Studios

The innovations from the MK9 formula go beyond simply just making the game an authentic addition to the DC Universe, however. NetherRealm also added a several tweaks here and there to make the game feel more like an epic battle between super-powered rivals rather than simply a brawl between two mortal foes. The most noticeable change from the traditional Mortal Kombat rule set is that health actually transfers over from round to round. Now, characters are given two bars that deplete over the course of the number of rounds necessary to end the battle instead of the usual single bar that resets at the beginning of each round. This makes the game feel less like a fighting tournament and more like a brutal, seamless battle that ends when one side is no longer able to stand.

While the power-based super-moves do tend to feel like simple re-skins of the Mortal Kombat X-Ray moves, the chance-based wager moves, where characters dart from opposite ends of the screen for a momentum-changing clash in the middle, and the environmental-based moves do a great job of further distancing Injustice from the Mortal Kombat franchise. By allowing characters to interact with background items in ways specific to that particular character’s strength and agility ratings, Injustice takes the feeling of having two god-like characters duking it out to the next level. The seamless integration of these objects into each level makes executing such moves feel all the more satisfying.

“We want to establish Injustice as it’s own IP, with its own kind of gameplay style. We wouldn’t want to bring the MK style into this or bring this style into MK, because that would kind of throw it all off.”
- Hector Sanchez, Producer at NetherRealm Studios

While Mortal Kombat is known for its ladder-style single-player mode, Injustice does a good job of adding small scenario-based twists to this formula. By introducing Challenge Tower-esque gameplay modifiers in addition to the typical ladder-style single-player offerings, Injustice is able to add a loose narrative to the normally plot-less single-player mode. The multiplayer portion also push the genre forward with modes like the spectator-driven King of the Hill mode that allows players to join a lobby and watch the champion fight off all challengers until it’s the player’s turn to try and take down the the King.

Injustice: Gods Among Us demonstrates the correct way to build off the past by using previous successes as a template, rather than a crutch. It would have been easy for NetherRealm to simply swap out Scorpion for Batman and Johnny Cage for Superman and call it a day, but by taking extra care to ensure the authenticity and uniqueness of the experience, NetherRealm has accomplished its mission of establishing Injustice: Gods Among Us as its own IP, rather than merely a spin-off from the Mortal Kombat franchise.

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Phil Fish, creator of Fez

It’s no secret that gamers are an opinionated lot. Over the years, we’ve perfected the art of looking critically at developers, publishers, and the games they produce. Of these entities, more criticism tends to end up at the feet of those behind the games, rather than the games themselves; after all, a game is bad because it was created or published poorly, right? As it turns out, this isn’t always the case.

Phil Fish is a French-Canadian indie game developer, known for his game Fez, which many expected to become vaporware after its release date was repeatedly pushed back. Fish has gained a certain notoriety in the gaming community for being a contentious guy, particularly after he was featured in the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, which outlines his difficulties in getting Fez to the development finish line. If you’ve seen the documentary, then you know that Phil Fish isn’t afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to responding to his critics.

He’s also known for saying nice things. Image credit: Kotaku

Fish’s propensity for public venting and controversial remarks (like when he said that modern Japanese games “just suck”) has landed him on many a gamer’s sh*t list. It doesn’t help when some of those gamers write for news websites and headline their stories with unflattering photos that serve only to make him look even more contentious. Fez, a commercial and critical success, is catching fire because the man behind it is perceived to be a jerk.

At the time of this writing, Fez is set to release on Steam tomorrow morning, and it’s been doing very well in regards to pre-order sales. With this in mind, Fish took to the Steam forums and commented on a thread calling for a boycott of Fez: ”…it’s #1 on Steam right now and it’s not even out yet. you should boycott harder, nerds… [sic]” Personally, I think it may not have been in Fish’s best interest to poke at the wasps’ nest, but I also think it’s pretty funny at the same time. When it really comes down to it, what is anyone accomplishing by boycotting Fez?

The short answer is not much.

Even “jerks” can make beautiful things worthy of appreciation.

Typically, the purpose of a boycott is solidarity: we boycott those who provide goods or services when their business practices are morally corrupt, or when they express harmful or problematic views. This shows that we don’t support them or their practices, and shows those wronged that others stand together with them. Sure, nothing’s stopping you from boycotting someone you think is a jerk, but when that’s the only reason, all you’re doing is potentially missing out on a good product. On top of that, you’re not just harming Phil Fish by boycotting, you’re hurting the other guys who worked on Fez, too.

While Fish had creative control and is the generally the face of Fez, guys like Renaud Bédard (the game’s programmer) and Rich Vreeland (the composer) had just as much to do with the game making it to completion. Ultimately, this is a small group of developers who worked on a labor of love, and their efforts are only rewarded through sales of the finished product. This brings me back to my overarching point, which is that Fez is a good game that most definitely deserves your $10 ($9 if you pre-ordered it).

Hating a band for their front man severely limits your listening options. The same applies here.

For context, consider companies like EA or Activision, who are champions of business at the expense of the consumer. When I mention DRM, day-one DLC, micro-transaction, and online-only, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Get where I’m going with this? Now give me a list of indie titles that you can attach to any of the aforementioned concepts. Not much of a list, right?

Put simply, AAA game companies are burdened by the need to monetize and meet sales goals so they can churn out sequels and stay in business. Indie devs just want to make the best games they can, be it for the sense of accomplishment, to provide entertainment, or a combination of these and other factors. Some of us may be convinced that Phil Fish is just an antagonistic egomaniac, but fewer are willing to consider that he’s just an outspoken guy whose pride in his work leads him to take offense as his defense.

Why doesn’t anyone call for a boycott of this shameless trend?

Fish is prone to lashing out against his critics — lots of us are — but Fez shouldn’t be held accountable for that. It’s a beautiful little game, and it owes its life to more than just Phil Fish. Sure, it has its share of problems, and those should be taken into consideration when formulating our opinions of it, but a deliberate boycott of the game just seems like a waste of energy. Gamers would do better to focus our outrage on the companies and games that perpetuate harm and extortion of us as consumers. Let’s boycott the big titles bogged down with DRM and harmful stereotypes, the companies that bleed us dry with micro-transactions and superfluous DLC, and the publishers who flood the market with shiny new versions of games we’re already playing every 6-12 months.

I’ll bet you the $10 it costs to buy Fez on Steam that this would be a better use of our time, and we’d all be a lot happier.

The post ‘Fez,’ Phil Fish, and judging a game by its creator appeared first on Video Game Writers.

A free-to-play, browser-based entry into the longrunning Anno series, Anno Online does come with some of the hallmarks of browser games, notably long waits for resources which can be reduced or skipped entirely by purchasing an in-game currency. It also provides a civilization-building experience very close to previous Anno games in a convenient, simple package you can access anywhere you have a browser which can play flash.

Just don’t expect to rebuild the Notre Dame cathedral in an afternoon.

Many buildings influence those around them; the bigger the building, the bigger the range of influence.

I started my colonial endeavor with a simple harbor and a few advisors pushing me to get to work. Every good civilization is based around one all-powerful need: shopping. Homes must be built within the influence range of a Marketplace, and the bigger the Marketplace the more homes you can fit around it. As they improve over time homes will pick up other needs, such as certain types of food and improvements from skilled tradesmen. Each new tier will also require specialized resources, from wood to stone and beyond.

That means planning out your settlements is a pretty important step. At first settlements are best clumped around an anchoring Marketplaces, but as you progress and stretch your wings you’ll start having to figure out where to place churches, farmyards, dairies, storehouses and more to keep up with your needy, needy colonists. The game is designed so you won’t be able to easily provide them with everything, which is where the online component comes in. Players can friend others and trade resources, and grow their colonies big enough to support shipyards which will help find and colonize new islands to expand your empire.

SHIPS AHOY!

While all that sounds fun and interesting, it’s also a very long road to reach that point. I’ve been able to check in on the game twice a day, and after the initial spurt of missions which provide you with all the resources necessary to advance through the “tutorial” phase I’ve really seen my progress slow down. An important part of your planning is just how much storage space you have, because your workers will gather resources even while you’re logged off. If they hit the cap they stop working, and productivity lost while you’re logged off means even less productivity when you log back in. You can always purchase Rubies, the in-game cash currency, to buy resources or other items which will help skip those long waits, but the danger with putting such a time hurdle in early in the game is turning off players before they get invested enough to actually invest in the game.

Building placement and efficiency is also important, and not thoroughly explained at the early parts of the beta. If you plop a woodcutter’s hut down in an open field it’ll take them forever just to find one tree worth cutting down, whereas dropping them in the middle of the woods will have you swimming in wood quicker than singing the opening verse to “I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay,” so if you find yourself missing resources check the efficiency bar on their info panel and look for ways to beef it up.

Farms need fields built near them to raise crops, animals, or other resources efficiently.

For a game that’s in beta state, though, it’s extremely stable and good-looking. People more familiar with the Anno series commented on the game’s forums that graphically it lines up with the series’ medieval roots very well, and it’s certainly a quick loader when I pop in to check on it. The only real tweaks needed seem to be game systems such as trading and shipbuilding, which is a good sign after other, unnamed simulation games faced massive stability issues at launch.

The post Hands-on with the ‘Anno Online’ closed beta appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Game development isn’t a cheap business to be in. Creating today’s triple-A titles can cost a studio over $20 million dollars, which means the studio needs to sell at least 333,333 copies of a game just to break even (assuming a $60 price point, as well as assuming no other costs, such as marketing, review units, etc.). Unfortunately, many game studios end up going bankrupt due to these extreme costs of doing business. It seems that a handful of major development shops end up closing each year, which is a troubling trend for the industry that has so many adoring fans. These closures do nothing but harm the growth of video game development, which leads to less new IPs being created, and more sequels being released year after year.

The high costs of developing modern games are one reason developers struggle these days, but what ultimately led to the implementation of an always-online model is the rampant piracy of digital games. It has become far too easy for games of this nature to be stolen online through the numerous forums and sites dedicated to distributing stolen digital goods. Gamers don’t even have to be professional hackers to steal video games anymore. All it takes is a simple Google search, mixed with a little PC know-how, to find a seedy forum that is posting the source code of hot games that the public is clamoring to play. Many times leaks like this happen before a major video game is released, which will certainly lower sales numbers to an extent. The math is simple; developers just can’t survive in this type of environment, which is why many companies have turned to a form of DRM protection.

This model ensures that a game can only be played if the gamer’s device is connected to the internet. Checking into a particular studio or publisher’s server ensures that only paying customers will be able to play the game. While this is a valid reason to use this model, publishers and developers who implement this type of piracy protection need to do a better job using it, as Diablo III and SimCity have so aptly demonstrated. At its core, it’s a useful model to help protect the hard work that game developers pour into their titles, but it’s not perfect yet. It’s a solid way to protect software, but it makes no sense when it comes to hardware, which takes us back to the argument that Microsoft would be foolish for using it on their next console.

Knowing that always-online is meant to protect software sales how would implementing it in a piece of hardware benefit Microsoft? The concept, when applied to a game console just seems ridiculous, and it’s a great way to ensure that a majority of gamers won’t buy a company’s new wares. Maybe the tech gurus in Microsoft’s R&D department have become so used to working and living with cutting edge technology that they forgot that a good portion of the world is still not online reliably. America is a world superpower, yet there are large sections of the country that do not have access to a high-speed internet connection. Even if you live in an area that does have broadband access, the cost of using it could be high enough that it falls out of your monthly budget. If Microsoft actually enforces its new console to be connected to the Internet just to play a disc-based game, which was bought from a retail store, it will effectively limit the next Xbox’s install base, and ensure that they lose the next console war.

Backlash became so fierce on this topic that Adam Orth, Creative Director of Microsoft’s Xbox Division, lost his job due to some unfortunate tweets on the subject in early April.

Nobody wants the Xbox platform to fail, but that’s the only foreseeable result if the always-online rumor is true. One can only hope that the gaming world’s reaction to the “next Xbox always-on” leak has caused Microsoft to rethink its strategy. Even if a majority of those who have taken to forums to bash this rumor are just doing it to be trolls, there’s still a strong argument to be made for those consumers who live in rural areas where high-speed Internet isn’t a possibility. Microsoft should leave this inflammatory subject for publishers and developers to figure out, because it doesn’t make fiscal sense for them to use an always-online model for a piece of gaming hardware.

The post Is Microsoft crazy enough to release an always-online console? appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Brian Shea, Editor-in-Chief

My gaming time is fairly limited due to having a lot of work on my plate at the moment, but I did manage to steal some time away on Friday night to play BioShock Infinite, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Contra, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Yeah… it was a pretty eclectic evening. Saturday night, I’ll be delving deeper into BioShock and continuing my rediscovery of XCOM, but I also have a few things to do in Injustice: Gods Among Us, and I still need to find a co-op partner for the campaign of Gears of War: Judgment.

Jen Bosier, Managing Editor

I picked up Don’t Starve on a whim, mostly because it was on sale on Steam and it received such buzz at PAX East. I am pleasantly surprised I did. The challenge and lack of hand-holding means it’s not for everyone, but it calls to mind perfectly the Monkey Island/Gabriel Knight vein of 90s adventure games. I keep dying in 10-day increments, though. It’s like once I hit day 10 and then day 20, I get cocky and the world says “LOL NOPE!”

Anne Lee, Copy Editor

Always on the lookout for more to play on my PS Vita, I downloaded the recent Soul Sacrifice demo. Not only is it the first chapter of game, but save data from the demo will transfer into the full version, making it a very meaty demo that I could easily see myself sinking a lot of time into… Unfortunately, my first impressions aren’t all that positive, as I struggle to see the same depth of combat in Soul Sacrifice that can be found in Monster Hunter (a game it is often compared to), and, seeing as “cute” is my middle name, the dark atmosphere hasn’t really won me over. I’ve just unlocked the ability to access the four-player online missions, however, which is where I hear the real meat of the game is, so I plan to put some serious time into that before they shut down the demo servers when the full game launches on the 30th.

Russell Jones, Staff Writer

I’m slowly learning the ropes in Anno Online‘s closed beta. While its browser game accessibility is nice, the slow pace is proving to be… interesting. Especially after I got my beloved Cheetah Speed back in SimCity and got used to seeing skyscrapers shoot up out of nowhere.

I also picked up a Steam deal; Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition for EIGHT DOLLARS. I never played this on PC, just Xbox, so I’m looking forward to the comparisons and finishing Witch Hunt, the DLC I never completed because I lost my original save file.

Stu Strock, Staff Writer

I’ve pre-ordered Fez and I can’t wait to get in some time with it, but until it comes out I’ve started playing Antichamber. It’s an intriguing game that I’ve had my eye on for some time, and I can’t help but describe it as beautifully confusing. Its use of color is not only a shock to the senses, it’s actually a gameplay mechanic. Add to this a fondness for non-euclidean level architecture, and you end up with a playable Escher piece, navigable in the first-person.

Now just imagine a mod to make it an FPS.

Dylan Garner, Contributor

Some buddies of mine and I organized a fighting game tournament this weekend, featuring a few different games and some casual setups. I’m hoping to do fairly well in Super Street Fighter IV, but really I’m just interested to see how many people at school play these games. At the very least, Smash should have a nice crowd. I’ve mainly been playing Injustice: Gods Among Us trying to perfect my Catwoman skills. I’ll get a chance to test her out today.

The post Unifinished Business: 4/27/2013 – Something for Everyone appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Guacamelee! | Drinkbox Studios | April 9th

From Tales of Space: About a Blob to its sequel Mutant Blobs Attack!!!, Drinkbox Studios has impressed critics and gamers alike with their unique style and fun, fresh platforming gameplay. It turns out that their newest release, the Mexican-themed Guacamelee!, is no different. Guacamelee! would be easiest described as a Metroidvania-style game, as it combines 2D platforming with strong combat mechanics, but it sets itself apart by both acknowledging its predecessors and knowing how to poke fun at them. Guacamelee! is also hip with the times, citing a number of famous memes such as Grumpy Cat, making it the perfect combination of endearing humor and spot-on gameplay. As an added bonus, purchasing the PS3 version will net players a free copy of the Vita version, and vice-versa, so it can be played on both the big screen and that much-neglected Vita.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers | Atlus | April 16th

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers may win the award for “most cumbersome niche game title” of the month, but it also wins major points for being the highly-anticipated remake of the 1997 SEGA Saturn title by the same name that was never released in English. Luckily, the localization gods have smiled on us, bringing yet another solid JRPG to the Nintendo 3DS. Soul Hackers may be a Shin Megami Tensei spinoff, but it features the occult themes and demon recruitment system that fans of the mainline series know and love. In an interesting twist, Soul Hackers sports a decidedly cyberpunk vibe, with players controlling a member of a group of hackers known as the “Spookies.” Updates for the 3DS version include voiced dialogue, improved animations, an adjustable difficulty setting, and an all-new animated opening. Fans of hardcore dungeon crawlers should snap this one up before it goes out of print!

Pandora’s Tower | Ganbarion | April 16th

I can’t understate how happy I am to finally be able to include Pandora’s Tower on my monthly niche game roundup! Pandora’s Tower may very well earn its place as the last retail Wii game release, but it has so many other reasons to be remembered. Featuring Zelda-like gameplay, a moving soundtrack, and a poignant story that doesn’t rely on dozens of characters and convoluted plotlines to tell its tale, Pandora’s Tower remains one of  my favorite Wii games to date and is a must-play for any Wii, or even Wii U, owner. XSEED Games may have taken a gamble by releasing a Wii title after the release of the Wii U, but those interested in Japanese games or action-RPGs will find plenty to like in Pandora’s Tower. You can read my full review of the PAL version here.

Zeno Clash II | ACE Team | April 30th

The original Zeno Clash, released in 2009, made an impression with its unique visual and first-person fighting gameplay, and now, four years later, the sequel will once again place players in the shoes of protagonist Ghat. To describe Zeno Clash II as surreal is an understatement – players will encounter manner of weird and whacky characters such as an old man with a palette for a mouth, and gameplay consists of beating the living daylights out of… birdmen? Zeno Clash II is one of those games that words simply doesn’t do justice, so I highly suggest checking out this trailer if you haven’t already. As an added bonus, the game is available for pre-order on Steam at 10% off retail price and includes a free copy of the original Zeno Clash, so you can catch up on the events leading up to Zeno Clash II.

Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut | Access Games | April 30th

The original Deadly Premonition proved to be one of the most divisive games of this generation, with critics panning it for its atrocious gameplay and fans praising its suspenseful story and Twin Peaks-inspired atmosphere.  Unfortunately, though the game saw both a PS3 and Xbox 360 release in Japan, the PS3 version never made it to western shores… until now. Not only will PS3 owners finally get to play Deadly Premonition, but the release will be a full-fledged Director’s Cut, complete with improved graphics, reworked controls, a new scenario, and DLC, making it the definitive version of the game. If you haven’t yet had a chance to play Deadly Premonition, now’s your chance, and fans of the game will most certainly want to see the updated systems and content the director’s cut has to offer.

What will you be picking up this month? Did I miss the game at the top of your list? Let me know in the comments!

The post Best of Niche Gaming: Top Picks for April 2013 appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Brian Shea, Editor-in-Chief

This week has been all about Injustice, so why should this weekend be any different?  I’ve already knocked out the story, so any time with the game over the weekend will be singleplayer Battles and multiplayer on Xbox Live. That said, I have a ton of stuff I need to take care of this weekend, so my gaming time will be limited.

Going into next week, however, I do want to find time to return to BioShock Infinite and maybe even finish it! It just all depends on how much time I find, honestly. I’m loving the game so far, so I’m really looking forward to getting back into it. I just don’t get why it has to be so violent (Just kidding).

Russell Jones, Staff Writer

I’m playing “spot the poison ivy” during a backpacking trip this weekend, which comes at a good time because I’m caught up with my backlog of games.

In the meantime, Injustice is quite fun. I burned through the story in one sitting, and promptly downloaded the iPad version, which I didn’t even know existed but is also fun in a tap-and-swipe-combat way.

Also, WBID? Really? Like I need another service to sign up for. I do need another Flash skin, though..

Stu Strock, Staff Writer

This weekend going to be pretty hectic for me, which sadly means I won’t be playing many games. Earlier this week I played through the Walking Dead games, and I have to say those may be the most emotionally powerful games I have ever played. I fully intend to play them again in a different way. Over the next couple days, however, I’d like to finally start a game I’ve been dying to try: Darksiders II.

Ever since I played the first Darksiders, with it’s brilliant blend of Legend of Zelda format and Devil May Cry combat, I’ve pined for a sequel. When one finally came out, I was financially unstable and couldn’t afford it. Now that I own a copy, I’m ready to dive right in. It got great reviews, so I expect good things.

Casino Games for Xbox

The post Unifinished Business: 4/20/2013 – Balancing Justice with ‘Injustice’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

I’m referring to the PS4’s ability to remote control, or shadow another gamer’s session on the fly from any location that has internet access. Just think of what achievements and trophies did for this console generation: all sorts of websites entered the ether to vie for user clicks to figure out how to nab those pesky in-game rewards. Sites like Xbox 360 Achievements and its sister site, PS3 Trophies, have thrived throughout this generation of gaming. They have a rabid following and a dedicated user base, all due to the invention of ultimately meaningless in-game rewards.

Now, just imagine the types of websites that will spring up to take advantage of the PS4’s shadow play function. On paper this feature should allow skilled gamers the ability to sell their services to other gamers who may not possess the skills needed to conquer a tough section in a game, or don’t want to spend the time required to nab every achievement or trophy that a game has to offer. You may balk at this thought, but we all know at least one gamer who takes the idea of completing a video game to a level that could lead to paying for a little bit of assistance to obtain perfection.

The PS4′s shadow play feature will only expand the market of achievement hunting and trophy guides to the point where gamers could pay a “pro” for their services. These highly skilled gamers for hire could be called upon to complete a difficult challenge for other players that may yield previously unobtainable achievements/trophies that the customer would not have been able to unlock on their own.

Shadow play pros could also be hired to complete sections of a game that give their customers fits to the point of wanting to quit the game for good. We’ve all experienced moments like this throughout our gaming careers, and while I pride myself on conquering the challenges that video games throw at me, it would be comforting to know that I could save myself a mental breakdown by hiring a more skilled gamer to help me out.

Obviously this new feature of being able to hire outside assistance will present all sorts of moral and ethical conflicts for gamers. It’s essentially cheating, when you really think about it. It’s not like cheating on your taxes, or a test, because in the end we’re talking about video games, but if you don’t actually complete the entire experience by yourself, did you really conquer the game? Would you be able to brag to your friends about your conquest when deep down you knew that you weren’t the gamer you were making yourself out to be? It’s definitely a dilemma to think about in regards to the future of online gaming, and the potential of the PS4’s shadow play feature.

I believe hardcore gamers who take pride in their video game accomplishments will be less likely to pay for outside assistance, and they’d be the first to tell you that you’re a cheat for using a paid service. At the same time you have the casual crowd who probably wouldn’t think twice about paying for a little extra help so they can enjoy the entire experience that they paid upwards of $60 for. The idea of this type of service for gamers is definitely a double-edged sword, so it’ll be interesting to see if it gets turned into a new business model in the near future.

Could this be a new tool to help pay rent?

The invention of achievements and trophies and the plethora of sites that sprung up to support them this generation only leads me to believe that the same trend will take place with the PS4’s shadow play feature. I imagine a world where a gamer can go online and pay a small fee to a service provider who, in turn, would hook the customer up with a pro to help them with their gaming needs.

Regardless of the moral dilemma this service presents, I applaud Sony for thinking outside of the proverbial box, and providing innovative network features like the PS4’s ability to be remotely controlled by gamers not seated in the same play space. It’s a service that could revolutionize how gamers play video games with their friends, as well as one that could enable more skilled cyber athletes to make a living from their passion for video games. In the end, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making a living doing something you love, so if the PS4’s shadow play feature can provide this for just a few gamers, I would consider it to be a success.

The post The Future of Gaming: PlayStation 4 Pros appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Unfortunately, it seems as though we’ll also be getting a re-release of Ninja Gaiden 3, which, when it was released in 2012, was critically bashed by this site and many others. Aside from that, though, it’s a very solid month full of great games that you should definitely check out. Here are the five games we’re most excited about this month:

Defiance | Trion Worlds | April 2

When games tie in to television shows and movies, the results aren’t traditionally great. Defiance looks to be one of those rare exceptions, as critics have already come out in support of the Trion Worlds MMO. The game shares several elements with the popular MMO Rift, including dynamic events that can lead to the player(s) receiving serious loot for completing dangerous tasks that appear spontaneously.

The game acts as one of the few console MMOs to receive positive reviews, thanks in part to its third-person shooting controls, which help the game feel at home on consoles. If you’re still wary about playing an MMO on a console, there’s always the PC version, as well.

Injustice: Gods Among Us | NetherRealm Studios | April 16

The team that brought us VGW’s two-time Fighting Game of the Year (2011′s Mortal Kombat and 2012′s Mortal Kombat Vita) may be seeing a three-peat this year with their fresh twist on the same successful formula. Rather than featuring Scorpion and Sub-Zero, however, NetherRealm Studios’ latest fighter will feature the heroes and villains of the DC Comic Universe.

With Injustice: Gods Among Us, players will be treated to a slightly modified version of the engine, feature-set, and mechanics seen in NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat. With a story mode, Challenge Tower-esque mode, and superpower moves replacing the X-Ray attacks, Injustice: Gods Among Us looks to carry on the successes of its predecessors. Check out our full preview here.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen | Capcom | April 23

As the expansion to one the most under-appreciated games of 2012, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen looks to bring loads of new content at a value price of $39.99. With over 100 pieces of new equipment, new weapons, new augments and new types of enhancements, Dark Arisen is just what players looking for a reason to dive back into the world of Dragon’s Dogma need.

In addition to the new items on the Dark Arisen disc, the improvements will automatically retrofit the original Dragon’s Dogma, increasing the replayability of the first title in the franchise.

Dead Island: Riptide | Techland | April 23

As a spin-off to the hit zombie-survival game Dead Island, Dead Island: Riptide tells the story of the five survivors that arrive on another island that plays house to – you guessed it – zombies. With a stronger emphasis on survival as well as a host of new gameplay mechanics, Riptide looks to fix many of the issues the first entry in the series had.

The story will pick up just after the end of the first game, which will allow for those who finished Dead Island to learn more about the franchise’s universe. The same frantic cooperative multiplayer will be appearing in this iteration, so those who can’t get enough of fending off the zombie hordes will see their needs met with Dead Island: Riptide.

Soul Sacrifice | Marvelous AQL | April 30

Players wanting something new for the Vita may finally get just that this month with Soul Sacrifice, the latest from acclaimed designer Keiji Inafune. The combat system in Soul Sacrifice combines third-person action with class-based combat in a rich RPG setting to provide a unique gameplay experience for the handheld device.

In addition, the game looks to appeal to fans of gaming’s other “Souls“ franchise (consisting of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls) and a certain little monster-slaying series by the name of Monster Hunter. While Soul Sacrifice is not a part of either franchise, it combines similar elements, such as unforgiving gameplay and an overall dark feel, making it one of the most highly anticipated Vita releases in a very long time.

What are your most anticipated April 2013 video game releases?

The post Essential Gaming: Top Five April 2013 Video Game Releases appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Many people have returned to or joined BioWare’s ambitious MMO since it launched its free-to-play option last year. This year at the Game Developers Conference, director James Ohlen said subscription numbers are rising and actually made SWTOR the second-largest subscription MMO in the western market at one point. Two million new accounts came online in the months after the change, and the new real-money Cartel Market is so popular it’s leading microtransaction sales for parent company EA.

So where is The Old Republic going from here, and more importantly, where should you go once you first log in to your level 50 character? While there is a new Operation and a new planet full of missions to try, BioWare is also giving players reasons to go back to planets they spent so much time on when they first started leveling.

Moving Forward, Looking Back

The first place level 50 players are likely going to want to visit is Makeb, a planet currently in the grip of the Hutt Cartel’s forces. Those who qualify will get a notification to visit the holoterminal in their ship, which will give them a mission to proceed to Makeb and take part in their factions’ efforts on the occupied planet. There are also helpful reminders which pop up as tooltips when you log in, and in-game mail that announced the change also tells you where to go.

Makeb’s holonet profile says it has been a stubbornly independent planet in spite of overtures by both the Republic and Sith. A strong mining consortium and access to a rare and valuable isotope gives them the credits to employ a mercenary army strong enough to make taking the planet by force a costly endeavor; that is, until the Hutts swooped in. Now, some of the planet’s former leaders want the Republic to help take back their world in exchange for their allegiance, while the Sith have their own machinations for the planet and its resources.

Makeb does not introduce new class missions for players, which is a bit of a disappointment, but it does give a new set of story missions for advancing with your respective faction, as well as other side missions. Players on the Public Test Server reported that these missions can take you about as far as level 53 or 54, depending on how aggressively you pursue them. If you prefer to take your time, earning a good chunk of Rested status and possibly purchasing some XP boosts from the Cartel Market or Galactic Trade Network (the game’s auction house) will definitely increase those gains.

Meanwhile, there are two other new systems to get players leveling and exploring: macrobinoculars and seeker droids (possible spoilers in those links, so be warned). Both have a series of missions attached to them that get players to revisit lower-level planets to search for hidden treasures and secrets. The macrobinoculars send players across the galaxy in search of signs leading to The Shroud, a mysterious figure both the Republic and Imperial forces are worried about. Using them puts players in a first-person perspective to look around for hints of The Shroud’s activities and hidden Espionage Droids tied to a galaxy-spanning achievement.

The seeker droids are given to players in a mission to find and stop a plot by the Dread Masters, a group of uber-evil rogue Sith who’ve been antagonists for both factions in previous content patches. Once players are in an area which the droid can scan, it’s just a matter of activating it and following colored indicators to locate the hidden objects left by the Dread Masters. It’s similar to part of the galaxy-spanning scavenger hunt players had to go on in order to find parts for the new companion HK-51, but the official website’s introduction makes it look like they’ve added indicators that  will make it easier for players to tell where they should go next.

Also recently added in the 2.0 patch which went live last week is a new Operation called Legions of Scum and Villainy for level 55 players. It continues the hunt for the Dread Masters after the Terror from Beyond operation, this time leading players to a world called Darvannis where the Hutt Cartel is assembling an army of mercenaries. There are also new Hard Modes added for level 55 players to run for the Flashpoints Athiss, Cademimu, Hammer Station, and the Mandalorian Raiders, as well as Legacy achievements which players can pursue once they’ve maxed out one of their characters and are itching to check out another class.

Stocking Up

So what should you be doing if you have a level 50 character and want to get the biggest bang for your buck? As I mentioned above, consider getting some XP Boosts using either in-game credits on the GTM or buying them through the Cartel Market. If you want to possibly take advantage of the rush on these items and sell on the GTM, remember that any Cartel items come with a multi-day cooldown before they can be traded, so you can’t immediately turn Cartel purchases around on the galactic market.

On that same note, having a nice stash of credits going into the expansion will definitely help with training costs, new skill costs, and other expenses players may come across. If the Market’s not your thing, running dailies can net you a lot of credits in a hurry, if you’re willing to put in the grind. Cartel purchases can also be a way to build cash quickly if you hadn’t been stocking up prior to the expansion’s launch. I sold a rare lightsaber crystal from a random pack for about 150,000 credits pre-expansion, and some of the very rare vehicles like the Luxury Skiffs can go for 2 million credits or more at a pop (and aren’t going to depreciate like stat items, which are no longer top-tier). Before spending any actual money, though, I’d take a quick peek at your server’s GTM to see where things in the market stand; it’s likely going to be in flux over the next few weeks or months, and that can mean opportunity for savvy auctioneers.

You could also spend some Cartel Coins or credits upgrading Legacy Experience boosts, but keep in mind the Class Mission boosts will not apply to any missions on Makeb. The same goes for any Class Mission boost consumables you may have or earn. However, Exploration boosts and Flashpoint boosts certainly can’t hurt as you make the push from level 50 to 55.

You may also want to join a guild. Even if you don’t plan on using the guild to run Operations or Warzones, you will earn 5 percent more XP just by belonging to a guild. It’s one way BioWare is encouraging people to stop playing as loners and get more involved in the community, which can be seen one of two ways. The bright side is that by joining a guild you’re more likely to take part in extra content you wouldn’t have participated in before, thus making more friends and getting more enjoyment out of the game. A cynic, however, might say that people in a guild are on the whole less likely to up and quit because peer pressure’s involved, even if it’s not overt. I know the reason I stuck around WoW for as long as I did was because of my attachment to my guild. I’m glad I did, but I also recognize that it’s good business for an MMO if those attachments keep you spending money on their game.

May The Force Be With You

Whatever your situation, now is definitely a good time to be playing SWTOR. Free players can still access the core story of the game and upgrade features with minimal investment, while subscribers get a slew of benefits that make the experience even better.

My personal recommendation if you’re just starting out is to buy a $5 set of Cartel Coins, then purchase a leveling boost pack or a race unlock for the one you really want to play and see where things take you. If, on the other hand, you’re like me and played to the max level before putting the game down for a while, it’s a fantastic time to jump back in and experience more of the story. There are a galaxy’s worth of conveniences in the game today that didn’t exist before, and it’s made the game that much better as a result.

The post Returning to ‘SWTOR’ for “Rise of the Hutt Cartel” appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Billed as “a short story of adventure video games evolution,” Evoland has more in common with an interactive exhibit than an actual game. As you progress, you’ll unlock “advancements” like improved textures and sound, as well as new combat styles and narrative tropes. This unique mechanism is simultaneously a boon and a bane for Evoland. As a tool for illustrating the genre’s progression, it’s brilliant. As the experience goes on, however, the exhibit tries to become a game itself, and suffers in the process.

Witnessing evolution at work

In the beginning, Evoland takes us back to 8-bit black and white pixelated nostalgia. After progressing through a few screens, much like the original Zelda, we find several treasure chests that, when opened, unlock sound effects, music, and color pixels. This trend continues for the first hour or so, until we’re controlling a full 3D hero with high definition textures, accompanied by 16-bit sound. Beyond that point, changes to play are rare and, sadly, almost always temporary.

Watching these transformations is a joy.

Pacing during the early stages is good, with changes coming frequently enough to keep pulling me forward. It truly feels like a journey through history, with plenty of silly jokes thrown in to coax laughs out of experienced players. The plot is minimal and tends only to surface in order to deliver a quick joke or introduce another narrative trope, but during this time that’s all part of the fun, as the simplicity serves to provided a gateway for me to take a step back to chuckle at how simple and predictable my old favorites were.

Unfortunately, problems arise after the first hour or so, when the experience shifts away from progressive change and becomes about finishing a half-hearted game made of nothing but clichés.

Wait, I’m not having fun anymore…

Part of the fun in finding chests to unlock new changes is that the game jokes about each new change. These jokes hit home with those who are no strangers to the old days of RPGs and adventure games. As the game goes on and the chests contain fewer game changes, however, it gets progressively farther away from the relatable premise established over the first hour of play. There are plenty of other chests in the game, but they contain collectibles that have little to no impact on the actual experience. Getting these collectibles simply isn’t worth the hassle of finding them.

You’ll be choosing the Quit command by the 100th time you see these guys.

When the changes stop happening, players are let loose on the incredibly tiny world map and offered the ability to return to previous destinations to pick up anything that might’ve been missed. Along the way, there’s only one thing to look forward to: random encounters. Poll a broad spectrum of RPG fans, and you’ll find an almost universal hatred for random encounters. Evoland even jokes about this, and then has the gall to make it the default combat style. What’s more, the only redeeming quality of grinding through random encounters in traditional RPGs, leveling up and obtaining flashy new abilities, is completely absent. In Evoland, gaining levels results in little more than slightly increased HP.

When actually in a dungeon or other location, the default system is the top-down slash-and-run style of gameplay from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and any benefits from leveling up in random encounters are rendered useless. Instead, these areas are played through with a sword and four hearts ad nauseum.

Evoland is a game that introduces an intriguing concept, then lets it atrophy over the next few hours until it has throughly overstayed its welcome.

Fooled by a trailer, and at what cost?

I’ll be honest and say that I feel somewhat cheated when I reflect on my purchase of Evoland. I watched the game’s trailer and thought, “What an interesting concept!” After playing the game for an hour, I learned that the trailer was the entire game. Everything (except one short sequence designed as an homage to Diablo) in the trailer is unlocked shortly after beginning the game, and what follows is quiet monotony, punctuated by a finale ripped straight out of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Seriously, pick any of these other options.

This frustration would actually be forgivable, if not expected, if the game were either free or close to free. Instead, Evoland clocks in at $10. In the end, I was left thinking I could’ve (and have) bought three superior indie titles for the same amount of cash. It’s a sad thought that such a relatively small price difference can make one feel so strongly, but I simply can’t justify a $10 price tag for what’s on offer here.

You may notice that this critique has progressed from optimism to disappointment, and even further to bitter outrage. Like Evoland‘s concept, this is a clear progression over time. The difference between Evoland and my critique of Evoland, however, is that I have the good sense to stop when I’ve nothing more to say.

The post ‘Evoland’ and how the survivors aren’t always the fittest appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Brian Shea, Editor-in-Chief

I’m away for the weekend, but I’ve brought my Xbox 360 and Vita, so my gaming will continue even though I’m away from my main collection. My Vita is all digital, so I have my entire library with me there (including my free games from being a PlayStation Plus subscriber), but whenever I turn it on, I seem to always go straight for MLB 13: The Show or Street Fighter X Tekken.

My Xbox 360 is a lot less digital, which I hope to change with the next generation (already going fully digital with my Wii U), so while I have games like Sleeping Dogs and Fable II on my hard drive, I also brought physical copies of BioShock Infinite, Gears of War: Judgment, Rock Band 3, and The Beatles: Rock Band. I’ve also taken some time getting back into some of my favorite Xbox Live Arcade games from the past like ilomilo, Splosion Man, and Rock Band Blitz.

Jen Bosier, Managing Editor

Unfortunately, my game is under embargo. I can say it’s definitely a game, and I am playing it. I finished BioShock Infinite last weekend and am currently writing a piece with Max Parker about it!

Anne Lee, Copy Editor

I’m still 120% addicted to Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, but I don’t want to bore anyone with the details with my latest hunt. With all the intense planning and concentration that goes into Monster Hunter battles, I figure it’d be wise to have something a little more… mindless to keep things fresh. That’s where Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon comes in.

For the unfamiliar, the Earth Defense Force is camp at its finest; it’s literally a third-person arcade-style sci-fi shooter that pits you up against giant bugs. What better way to relieve some steam?! Sure, it may not have flashy graphics or the polish of a AAA title, but it delivers what counts: hordes of insects to maul down and a city that crumbles around you as you do so. Did I mention one of the playable characters has a jet pack? Needless to say I’m looking very forward to putting some serious co-op hours into this one with my husband in between hunting monsters.

Jake Baldino, Staff Writer

This weekend I’ll be playing Guacamelee on PS3. I’ve heard nothing but good things, and the hints of references to other games/pop culture I’ve seen so far have me pleased. It’s a seemingly simple game, and after the complexity of some of the bigger titles lately, I could use a bit of a light play.

I’ll also be spending a little more time with the lights off replaying the recently released indie PC horror game Slender: The Arrival. I’m working on not only terrifying myself, but figuring out just how and why the scares really work. It’s an impressive feat, and I can’t wait to write about it.

Russell Jones, Staff Writer

After a sufficiently-shameful amount of time, I finished my first playthrough of Bastion this week. I know. Please don’t make me turn in my gamer card. I use it to mark my place in books. I’m probably going to start up a Story-plus mode playthrough this weekend and subject myself to as many Temple multipliers as I can pile on, just because it’s been that kind of a week.

I’m also still getting ready for the Star Wars: The Old Republic‘s expansion launch on Tuesday. The new Macrobinocular missions sounds really interesting, like a galaxy-wide scavenger hunt, and is likely what I’ll tackle on my level 50 Jedi Knight once he finishes Makeb’s missions. I still haven’t found a guild that’s a good fit for me yet, so I’m not in a hurry to get geared up for Operations, which means I can play a little more relaxed than back in my WoW raiding days.

Also, Neverwinter beta weekend! I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen so far, and will hopefully be able to share more about that experience after this weekend. The team has made some tweaks to give players more customization and control, such as letting them choose which skills to train in as they level up. I’m very much looking forward to this free-to-play title going live.

Stu Strock, Staff Writer

After my disappointment with Evoland (expect my critique on that soon), I decided to retreat to a known positive, and bought the Walking Dead Telltale collection during this week’s Steam sale. Once upon a time, I reviewed the series’ first chapter, and loved it. Sadly, I never got the chance to play the remaining episodes, despite hearing they continued to be great. Well, now I’m catching up.

As with last week, I’m still working on Max Payne 3, and it’s still great. I have to say, the game is a lot longer than I expected a shooter to be, but by no means is that a bad thing. Speaking of shooters, my activity on the internet lately has been reminiscent of walking on eggshells, since I don’t want to find out the ending to the new Bioshock before I get a chance to play it. C’mon, Steam, gimme a sale already!

The post Unfinished Business: 4/12/2013 – A lot of video games appeared first on Video Game Writers.

1. Hwoarang

Hwoarang has had a great deal of potential since the game first came out. His Tekken chains were some of the first to be widely used because of their nice frame advantage and extreme high-low threat. He has also always been able to deal damage through both air and ground and cause headaches with his pressure.

Prepare for Hwoarang to explode online and in tournaments once players figure out exactly how good he is.

His changes for version 2013 put him over the edge. He now has a useful, comboable divekick and an even better advantage on some of his attacks. However, his biggest addition came in the form of the roll nerf. Hwoarang is arguably the most mobile character in the game, with the ability to traverse forward and backward with extreme speed through cancels and special dashes other characters lack. Being knocked down by Hwoarang means you have little to no chance of escaping pressure, as a well-seasoned player will be able to react quick enough to throw you out. It doesn’t help that the ideal ender for all of his combos, the Hunting Hawk, leaves his opponents in a state where they are unable to get up quickly, allowing Hwoarang to charge up a counter hit through Street Fighter X Tekken‘s special charge system or find the perfect angle of entry for his next attack.

The only thing he really lacks is damage. Taking into consideration how the game works, other characters, and gem selection, this is a nice problem to have. It’s also important to understand that just because he might not hit as hard as Kuma or Hugo, it doesn’t make him a slouch. The damage he gets off a combo may be average, but what you are getting out of him is anything but.

Players to watch: EMP Dieminion, EG Justin Wong, Noxcy

2. Jin

In the truest sense, Jin has it all. Wherever you are on the screen, Jin has a way to make you feel uneasy. Jin applies pressure on opposing characters like nobody’s business. All of his safe specials will frustrate his opponents into making a mistake, as it is very difficult to tell when you have a chance to move.

Once Jin gets that hit in, great damage follows quickly. Any starting hit should lead to a 400-health combo, especially if he’s able to get a hit off his jumping roundhouse, which features one of more frustrating hitboxes in the game.

His only real downside is that he’s one of the more technical characters in the game. Mastery of the Tekken wavedash motion is an absolute necessity for Jin players. Without dedicating time to training mode, expect frequent combo drops that could cost you a round.

Players to watch: Wolfkrone, KS Jibbo, Infiltration

3. Chun-Li

Veterans of Street Fighter IV undoubtedly scratched their heads when they first saw what happened to Chun-Li in Street Fighter X Tekken. In Street Fighter, she was established as a zoning character with a very limited selection of offensive tools, but Street Fighter X Tekken threw out that model and gave Chun-Li a headache-inducing offense.

Her poking game gets absurd at times, as she has comboable or chainable punches that literally reach halfway across the screen. Proper use of her Lightning Legs makes the move completely safe, meaning that she can do almost an endless loop of normals and Lightning Legs unless the opponent uses a reversal or Cross Cancels. You’re not going to do massive damage with Chun-Li, but a proper pairing or gem selection can fix this small flaw easily.

Players to watch: EG Justin Wong, EG Ricky Ortiz

4. Dudley

Considering the characters and techniques I’ve named thus far, the trend seems to be that offensive pressure is the key. Dudley also falls into this category.

Dudley’s best move is his overhead punch. It’s safe on block, meaning that you can throw it out whenever you want, and you can combo out of it with proper timing. This makes Dudley a threat that can knock players out with only a couple good decisions. Machine Gun Blow, much like Ken’s Hurricane Kick, has the perfect properties you want in a tag-in move: namely, it keeps the other characters still and grounded, allowing the next character to get a full jump-in combo.

Dudley will be best in the hands of those who have mastered Street Fighter IV-style link combos, as it will maximize his damage potential greatly.

Players to watch: EG PR Balrog

Click here to view the embedded video.

5. Law

At one point, I was convinced Law was the best character in the game. He has the reach to beat just about any whiff in the game incredibly hard from a good distance, and he performs brilliantly with very little effort.

Law fell down slightly on my list because he lacks a lot of options against zoning characters. His only move that goes through projectiles is very punishable if it misses, and his movement options aren’t exactly the best. However, this setback won’t hinder the best Law players, because once he gets in, there’s almost nothing you can do to stop the relentless pressure and damage Law dishes out.

Law’s most interesting move is his Fury Fist Rush. The EX version of this move is arguably the best reversal in the game — it will beat everything. A Law player with even one bar to use incredibly scary to attack knowing he can throw out that move whenever he wants. Both the normal and EX versions of Fury Fist Rush have an interesting property which, if timed correctly, can let a tagged-in character charge up a full super for no meter cost due to the large amount of time it takes for the move to complete. This setup leads to one of the most damaging combos in the game, regardless of who the second character is.

Players to watch: Level|Up Alex Valle, Yung_Ice31, KS|CORN Sethlolol

Honorable Mentions

Lili, Kazuya, Guy, Nina, Steve

Version 2013 is still in its infancy, but the quality of play coming out of the best online and tournament players is growing at an astounding rate. It will be interesting to see if the characters I’ve selected end up dominating the scene, or if tech with other characters grows to the point where they take over. Since tier lists like these should always be up for debate, who do you think is the best? Is it a character you use or one that frustrates you? Let us know in the comments below.

The post The top five best characters in ‘Street Fighter X Tekken’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

The Revolutionary Ambitions of Rock Band

The foundation of Rock Band was based on a much more ambitious idea than simply giving players an alternate way to experience music, however. “Alex [Rigopulos, CEO of Harmonix] firmly believes, and he sold MTV Games on the idea, that [...] this was going to be a music platform and that people were going to consume their music here and find new bands and spend more money,” John Drake, Director of Communications and Brand Management at Harmonix, says. “And I didn’t think it was a bad idea, I just thought ‘there’s no way we can sustain this.’ Every week, six to ten songs? But they did, and I don’t want to say I didn’t believe it, I just thought we would do it for a couple of months and then maybe we’d do a sequel, then another couple of months and it’d be on and off.”

The DLC continued beyond the first few months, and because of that, Harmonix became a trailblazer for its take on console game development cycles. “A lot of game companies work for two or three years and have one release and maybe a DLC pack or two afterwards, and our team, it was every week that we would be submitting new content to the first parties,” says Drake. “I think for game developers, there’s not enough recognition for how crazy that is, especially for people who haven’t done that much DLC. Like, we broke the Microsoft Store, we broke the Sony Store. These are things that actually had to be redone because of how much stuff we were putting into it, but I think our intention was to say ‘Hey, we know we can’t get every song you like onto the discs, and we know we can’t get every genre you like onto the discs, so [...] just like you shouldn’t only buy punk records, you should be able to buy whatever you want, and we try to offer it. Rock is so broad that we felt we really needed to offer DLC to cover it.”

“I can’t believe we didn’t miss a week. So many near misses!”
- John Drake

And cover it Harmonix did. For over five years, Harmonix released weekly DLC, completely innovating post-launch content delivery for console gaming. “You want people to repeat their gaming. You don’t want people to pick up your title for three weeks and then put it down,” Drake says. “I play a lot of games with narratives and I love games with stories, but then I’m kind of done with those games and I have a little trophy shelf of all the games I’ve beaten, but I don’t go back and play them every week because there’s not a reason to. With Rock Band and Dance Central, once you play those songs, they’re a little more consumable. There’s a mastery element, and I don’t want to discount that [...] but for a casual player, once you play a song a couple of times, you want to play new songs. Offering people the ability to continue playing our game, and justifying to them purchasing all of this hardware, and new hardware, and iterations of hardware; That’s a big investment, and if we don’t deliver on content, people feel a bit cheated, so it’s important for us to have [thousands] of songs for people to choose from. Doing it in the way we did it was crazy, but I think it all worked out in the end.”

Such a commitment required Harmonix to bring together a large team to support the release schedule. “We had dozens of people working full-time in 2007 and 2008 making DLC. They were also working on disc games, so not exclusively DLC, but the song authoring team was like 30 plus strong, plus producers, plus submitters, plus other parties, and it wound down to probably the end of this year to being like between ten and twenty. There were fewer songs, so we didn’t need as many people.”

Fans on the RockBand.com forums and the Rock Band Facebook page immediately took notice of Harmonix’s commitment to DLC, and began requesting (and in some cases, demanding)that  their favorite artists enter the game’s library. “[The community can be] sometimes unreasonably [rabid about band choices],” Drake says. “It became a thing where we’d be like ‘Hey, we know you want this, but we can’t get it, so maybe drop it?’ [...] It’s dialogue and we’re listening as people tell us what they want. It’s when people insinuate that we haven’t heard them or that we’re not listening that it becomes frustrating for us. Especially on the community side, if you put in a request, [...] it doesn’t automatically unlock the content you request. It’s not only based on how many people requested it, it comes down to the label or the publisher or the band. But we’ve used those numbers in presentations to the bands, where it’s like ‘Here’s how many people have requested you,’ and we put a rush on it. [...] The fans telling us what they want is important and I hope they continue to do so. The ones who are reasonable and nice about it are always way more compelling to listen to from our side and way more motivating for us to hustle and go to try and get what they want than the people who are screaming about it.”

Bringing Two Sides Together

The licensing process proved to be an arduous one, however, as Harmonix was required to play it by ear as the company explored previously uncharted territory in the game industry. “We made mistakes because no one had ever done it before,” Drake says. “That’s a weird situation to be in, where you can make a mistake because you literally have to guess because there’s no way to look at what other people have done and base your moves off of them. [...] You don’t know, but you take a stab and you see what happens. [...] There are about 40 parties that have to sign off for big bands like [Black Sabbath or The Rolling Stones], so the artist probably said ‘yes,’ then they were waiting to hear back from people and we were waiting to hear back from other people, and we took that to mean that we were good. We learned that you should always be patient and wait for someone to approve it, because for a variety of reasons, some people don’t want to have their music in a game.”

Despite being in such a difficult situation, Harmonix was able to leverage its talent to create amazing stories within the industry, such as the fact that they were the first medium to officially debut the first track from Guns N’ Roses’ oft-delayed album, Chinese Democracy. Those stories, John Drake explains, were instrumental in the licensing process. “Sometimes there were things that would happen where it would be a really good story for us to tell, which is important for us as far as Rock Band as a cultural institution, as well as for working with labels and partners so we could be like ‘This is what we do. We want to be a place where we break new music, where you find new favorite bands, and not just a place where you re-purpose you’re old content and we’ll give you a trickle charge of licensing. We want to be partners, not just publishers of content.’ And the ‘Shackler’s Revenge’ thing was great! It was shocking that we got it.”

While Drake couldn’t speak on the specifics of the Guns N’ Roses negotiations, he did elaborate that sometimes Harmonix wouldn’t have the final say in what songs appeared in the Rock Band franchise. “It’s usually a pretty back-and-forth process, but we don’t usually get unfettered access to tell them what we want,” he says. “And that’s how we sometimes end up with songs that don’t always seem like the most natural choices, like not having ‘Flagpole Sitta’ and having a different Harvey Danger song instead. [...] But things like that are sort of the more interesting stories to me, like the week-to-week licensing. Stuff was always up in the air! Things were being added and subtracted from the spreadsheet. There are bands that I can’t even talk about that were on that spreadsheet for two years where [they] had permissions, [they were] looking for the masters, and it just never happened. [...] When we get new content from bands that have great classic albums, we do it in hopes of forming a partnership and getting classic albums. If we had Chinese Democracy, we would hope to have Appetite for Destruction or Use Your Illusion. These are humongous records that of course we would want to have in the game. And I think that with that first step, it was a big music story for us and we would get access to those things and we didn’t get access. [...] That would’ve been great, but it didn’t work out.”

Harmonix was also able to utilize its own popularity to gain access to bands it wanted in the game. “Back in the day, like 2007 and 2008, we would do favors for labels to try to get other bands in the game,” Drake says. “There would be songs where I would be like ‘Why are we putting this out? Literally nobody is going to buy this!’ [...] and there would be these incredibly [complex] relationships. [...] Putting a band in Rock Band was our currency. And then we came out with Rock Band Network, which became the most convenient excuse of ‘No, no! You can do it yourself now! Go right ahead, solve your own problems!’”

“[Music licensing] sucks. The people who do it are great and they work really hard. When I say ‘It sucks,’ I don’t mean that it’s bad, it’s just really difficult work. It’s a lot of really difficult relationship work, and there’s a lot of ‘This could fall apart at any minute’ for totally reasonable reasons. [...] But we have a crack team that has been working on Rock Band since 2007, and they know everybody and they’re hugely helpful.”
- John Drake

While Harmonix’s credibility from the Guitar Hero franchise helped with licensing music for Rock Band, the partnership with MTV Games while Harmonix was owned by Viacom proved to be particularly helpful in the process as well. “I think that [partnering with MTV and Viacom] helped lend some more credibility to us,” Drake says. “I think Guitar Hero was a big enough phenomenon at that point that people were already taking note in the music industry, [but] MTV was a little more credible. They had existing relationships with those people and they were a trusted party. [...] MTV is what made The Beatles [Rock Band] possible. Dhani Harrison really liked Guitar Hero and really liked Rock Band 1, but if it wasn’t for MTV, I’m not sure if we would have been able to get everyone on the same page. They made the funding of all the instruments possible. They made getting almost all original masters possible, and they were a really great company partner. [...] We didn’t always see eye-to-eye and it wasn’t always a perfect relationship, obviously they have their objectives and we have ours and sometimes they weren’t perfectly aligned, but we were owned wholly, so it was their call most of the time. The music team there was really strong and they knew how to get the best deals and they knew how to get people excited. [MTV] got some pretty big artists to come in and they got the Beatles to do a video game, which is still incredible and crazy to me and I don’t know how we pulled it off.”

The Beatles and Beyond

When Harmonix released The Beatles: Rock Band, however, it was unable have its tracks exported to the main series, a move that was seen by some as contradictory to the original platform vision of the franchise. “We just don’t have the rights to [export The Beatles: Rock Band to the main platform],” says Drake. “I think there’s also a lot of really great custom stuff in The Beatles that makes it more fun to play it in there. The animations, The Beatles themselves playing the songs… that’s so much better than your avatar playing the music. While I totally get that the disc-swapping kind of sucks, I think that The Beatles: Rock Band being a cloistered game is kind of important to it feeling as good as it feels. We want it to feel like The Beatles, and Rock Band‘s not that. With Rock Band, it’s kind of dingy arcade venue or like a Russian stadium. That might work for ‘Back in the USSR,’ so you could be funny for one song, but if you’re playing ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ in front of a cheering, jumping crowd, especially those studio records, which they were not for live performance, they were made for these innovative studio techniques. I wanted [to export the songs too] in the abstract, but thinking about the practicalities of it, it would offer a pretty watered-down experience when compared to what The Beatles: Rock Band actually was, which was potent.”

With The Beatles: Rock Band, Harmonix attracted the attention of other big name groups that wanted the single-band game treatment as well. Most notably, U2 came out saying they would consider doing a full band game.”We would’ve loved to [do a full game devoted to U2],” John Drake says. “It never came together, but we definitely saw those quotes. That was one of those bands that we were always in conversations with, but it never came to be for… I don’t know what the exact reasons were. Love U2 or not, they’re a humongous band that’s had #1 hits across three decades.”

“People like cool entertainment that feels like pop culture, and we can deliver that in a way that most people can’t.”
- John Drake

Harmonix also pursued what John Drake called “the white whale:” Led Zeppelin. “Led Zeppelin would be a game-breaking experience. It would change the game,” he says. “It just wasn’t the right time for them. It was either ‘We can’t get approval from this person right now’ or ‘They’re busy and they can’t get back to us’ or ‘The band’s not sure this is where they want to go with their music.’ It wasn’t like the band hates Rock Band, it was ‘Now’s not the right time and let’s revisit it in the future.’ We’re hoping to keep that relationship open. I mean, Rock Band‘s not dead. It’s just not being made. We own the IP. We hope to come back to it in the not-too-distant future. And we want to make sure that we have the ability to talk to Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones and The Beatles [...] again when we decide to come back to it, because the fans are still going to say ‘Where’s Appetite for Destruction?’ ‘Where’s Led Zeppelin?’ [...T]hey had their reasons, and hopefully those reasons will change in the future and we’ll have them in the game so everyone can rock out and have a good time.”

What did come together, however, was Green Day: Rock Band, a game that took the concept of The Beatles: Rock Band, and applied it to a modern band. “It was different,” Drake says. “I think that The Beatles: Rock Band was a game that our studio turned 100% to and we had our entire studio working on that game. Like, of the 200 people working at Harmonix, maybe 150 of them were working on The Beatles: Rock Band, while the other 50 were working on Rock Band 3 and Dance Central. But Green Day was a smaller project. [...] They’re a very different band. They came to fame in the 90s and the 2000s, and they’re a band where we have footage of them playing, where we could reference and make it feel more like a live experience, where with The Beatles, there were entire records that they didn’t play live for, so what do we do? So these are just studio albums, so do we have them just sitting around Abbey Road the whole song? No, we did something crazy and artistic and there’s just so much great art. [...] Personal preference is a big deal in music, and I think Harmonix just wanted to get a big recent band that was just topping the charts every month with a new song in our game and do something special with it. [...] With a lot of these bigger bands, it’s not a money thing. [...] It’s usually just like ‘Hey we’re a really big band. What can we do that’s special to make it about us and about our music and about our fans?’ and that was one of the driving forces behind The Beatles: Rock Band and Green Day: Rock Band.”

Another advantage that came with the MTV partnership was that it made the transition to using master tracks easier. “[Having master tracks] is a better experience,” Drake says. “It’s better to hear the song you want than the song that we’re faking. There are some really weird implications with doing sound-alikes. At the point where you’re trying to convey the feeling of the original recording, we’re just going to try to get the original recording, and if we can’t, then maybe it’s just not the right song for the game. Once we got MTV access, we had a good pipeline for it, we knew all the guys at the publishing houses and studios, and it got to become kind of a machine. We just didn’t need to do sound-alikes anymore. [...] The audience made it clear that they preferred original recordings over covers.”

The partnership between Harmonix and MTV Games ended when Viacom sold the Boston-based developers in 2010. “By the time we left MTV, we had good enough relationships with all of our partners that it was no longer about access. We have access to anyone we want to talk to, we’re trusted, people know who we are,” Drake says. “Looking back, I think we’re a more nimble studio because of [the sale]. Alex [Rigopulous] used the metaphor that Viacom is like a really big ship and the thing about really big ships is that they’re incredibly powerful and have a ton of great stuff on them and they’re impressive machines, but they’re harder to turn than a smaller boat. It’s just a bigger radius to turn on. So now we can turn a little bit faster, but we have a little less oomph behind us. And that’s okay! I think we’re actually good with that. The games we’re making now fit better with an independent Harmonix than if we were owned by MTV.”

“When we’re left to do our own thing, we end up delivering good games and I think [our owners] get that.”
- John Drake

The End of an Era

Unfortunately, every great run must come to an end. More than five years following the release of the original Rock Band, Harmonix ended its streak of 281 straight weeks of DLC. “We were very careful to build a rhythm of how this was going to happen. We didn’t want them to feel like we ripped it out from under them and surprise them,” Drake says. “For better or for worse, we saw how Guitar Hero wound down their content — and we liked Guitar Hero and I actually bought a bunch of Guitar Hero DLC and I liked playing it; I had a good time playing it. I didn’t want to see them go, but they did. It was really sad, and obviously it was a little nerve-wracking on our side of the equation because not only was there another big brand not making games anymore, but the way they handled it and the messaging to their community, things just got turned off very quickly and there didn’t seem to be a ramp to it at all. I feel like they lost a lot of people and their forums descended into complete utter spam madness directly after that. We wanted to say ‘Hey look, we care. We’re just moving on to a different place, and we want to give you notice and gently let you down.’ I think Aaron [Trites] and [Eric] Pope and the entire community team did a great job of saying ‘Let’s be realistic about how much content we’re going to be making.’ [...] Our community is much more understanding than most people on the internet, let alone video game fans, of ‘We can’t, we want to, we aren’t. Let’s all move on together and celebrate how great it’s been rather than whine about what we don’t get.’”

The sales of DLC had slowed dramatically since the rhythm genre’s boom in 2007 and 2008, but Drake doesn’t attribute that to a lack of dedication in the fan-base. “I think the community has actually supported us about the same all the way through because we have great fans who are really focused and smart and love what they love about Rock Band. I think the community just revealed to not be as large as we thought it was. [...] I think people [in the mainstream] just sort of tuned it out. It not like ‘I hate rhythm games’ now, it was more like ‘I’m interested in all of this stuff happening over here, whereas those games are pretty similar to the way they were last year.’ [...] It was more about putting it on mute than lighting it on fire and throwing it out the window. [...] Having four games from other franchises competing with us didn’t help. Certainly the oversaturation of the market made it more difficult for retailers to care about putting guitars on shelves, [...] but now that we’re sunsetting it pretty gracefully two years after our last core Rock Band release, I feel pretty good about how we handled ourselves.”

The Start of Something New

Five and a half years later, Harmonix is getting ready to announce its newest project, which Drake is very excited about. “We have so many new games and they’re so good,” he says. “There’s at least three console games in pretty full development. That doesn’t mean they’re close to being done, but these are games with staff on them. These are games we haven’t announced yet. There’s at least three of those and there’s a couple more in the hopper for console, PC and mobile stuff. We’re working on all of these platforms because first and foremost, Harmonix is a studio of ideas. We want to make music something that people frame their gameplay with and that’s a pretty powerful story if we can get all of those games done, they’re pretty awesome games. There’s just a lot of them.”

“Our next game that we’re announcing, hopefully in the next month or two, is going to be a game that might not immediately seem like it’s a ‘Harmonix game,’ but when you think about it, it’s a game that only Harmonix could make.”
- John Drake

When Drake mentioned that the studio would be continuing to frame its gameplay experiences in music, I probed a bit deeper for what that meant for future projects. “I think the degree to which [gameplay] is based around licensed music is totally up for jostling and shaking up, but [...] I think we’ll always have products that have licensed music in them because people love playing music they know,” he explains. “I’m going to use this term, but it doesn’t mean we’re making a game like Amplitude or Frequency, but based around rhythm action in some way — like it’s based on timing and hitting certain beats and things like that. [...] Music can play a very powerful role in a game that’s not just beatmatch or not just dancing [and still deliver] what you could call a Harmonix-y experience.”

Regardless of the outcome of the new projects, Drake cannot stress enough the importance of exploring new ideas. “It was just time for the studio to try something new. Trying something new is what brought us Guitar Hero, trying something new is what brought us Rock Band, trying something new brought us Dance Central. We feel pretty confident that at least a few of these things we’re working on will be really big things that the communities that love Rock Band and Dance Central will love, but maybe some communities that don’t love games at all yet will fall in love with and enjoy. That’s our hope”

A Farewell to an Old Friend

On Tuesday, April 2, 2013, Rock Band released its final scheduled downloadable song, Don McLean’s “American Pie;” a fitting tune to wrap up the amazing DLC feat achieved by the team at Harmonix. To thank the fans, the studio also put together a video entitled “The Story of Rock Band,” which is told by several members of the Harmonix team, all set to “American Pie.” For those who already know the story, the video serves as a bittersweet “thank you” from the team at Harmonix, as it plays out the last notes of its Rock Band encore.

The end of weekly Rock Band DLC means the end of an incredible run, but it represents so much more than that. This is the end of an era for a franchise that defined the way an entire generation of games have been supported post-launch. With Harmonix finally breaking free from the Rock Band song production commitment, the studio is now free to try to wow fans in new and exciting ways. Harmonix’s philosophy, as stated in its Rock Band 2 announcement, is to “innovate, then perfect.” Now, as Harmonix temporarily closes the curtains on its most successful franchise to date, it is more able than ever to pursue its vision thanks to the doors the Rock Band franchise opened.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tommy Wall from RockBandAide.com assisted with the editing of this article.

The post How Harmonix sparked the DLC revolution with ‘Rock Band’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

The problem with PAX East is that there are so many great titles being shown off that we can’t hit them all, even with three of us on the show floor for three full days. Even so, our staff saw a diverse array of the games on display at PAX East and have compiled our collaborative “Best of PAX East 2013″ lists. Check out who took home our prizes and if you made the show, feel free to chime in down at the comments section!

Best in Show: Transistor

It was difficult to go anywhere on the PAX show floor without hearing some kind of buzz surrounding Supergiant Games’ recently announced spiritual successor to Bastion. Transistor’s demo was an experience that gave PAX-goers a glimpse into what a emotional storylines will be explored, and what innovative gameplay mechanics will be implemented. If you’d like to learn more about the first indie game to win a VGW “Best in Show” award at any convention, check out our full preview.

Best Console Game: The Last of Us

The tense, action-packed experience that Naughty Dog will be bringing us this coming June not only captured our attention with its elaborate booth setup, but had our hearts racing as we did everything in our power to sneak past Clickers and quietly take out Runners. Combine that with the promise of a deep storyline that establishes an emotional bond between the player and the characters, and The Last of Us looks to continue the run of amazing releases we’ve seen as of late. Check out our full preview for more on The Last of Us.

Best PC Game: Don’t Starve

Don’t Starve, the latest from Klei Entertainment, the studio that brought us Mark of the Ninja, takes the old school philosophy of putting the player into a an area with minimal assistance and seeing how well that player can survive. With no guidance other than “It’s getting dark, you should build a fire,” players will guide the main character as he explores the region and attempts to survive the elements. Once the player gets into a rhythm of survivability, however, Klei throws a curveball, as new challenges will present themselves by way of hallucinations and unknown creatures. With deep crafting, untold exploration and a quirky story about an inept scientist, Don’t Starve could prove to be a sleeper hit of 2013.

Best Indie Game: Transistor

For the first time since VGW was founded, an indie game took home our “Best in Show” award for a major convention, so it’s only fitting that the winning game also take home “Best Indie Game.” Transistor by Supergiant Games looks to bring everything people adored about Bastion (including the same close-knit team) and combine it with new gameplay elements, luscious visuals and a strong female protagonist. This year’s PAX East was ruled by indies, and at the top of that mountain was Supergiant’s Transistor. Check out our preview here.

Best Playable Game: Transistor

In the most decorated game of our PAX East 2013 “Best of” awards, Transistor, the first time we saw for ourselves how good the transition from real-time combat to turn-based combat felt, we couldn’t help but have a smile grow across our faces. It’s not just the gameplay that made Transistor take home our “Best Playable Game” award, however. The presentation, the overall feel and all of the story elements worked together to provide the most complete playable experience on the PAX East show floor.

Best Video Demo: Splinter Cell: Blacklist

While many longtime fans were upset with the overall direction of Splinter Cell: Conviction, Splinter Cell: Blacklist looks to find that middle ground between action and stealth. By bringing a few new twists to the storyline, the team is able to bring a solid mix of stealth and action, as well as vast improvements to the gameplay. Also, no genre of games is more mesmerizing to watch than an action stealth game played by someone who knows what they’re doing, and that’s what we saw at Ubisoft’s impressive Splinter Cell: Blacklist video demo.

Most Anticipated Sequel: Metro: Last Light

2010′s Metro 2033 was written off by many as a “Fallout clone,” but those who actually took the time to play it found themselves completely immersed in an atmospheric experience that brought unique ideas and implemented them into gameplay. With Metro: Last Light, 4A Games is bringing those elements a step further with new physics and lighting technology to make the ambiance that much more haunting.

Most Anticipated New IP: Remember Me

Remember Me, a fresh new IP from Capcom, has done nothing but impress us leading up to PAX East 2013, and everything from the trailer shown at the “World of Capcom” panel, to our hands-on time with the game continued to raise our expectations. The storyline has a ton of potential to bring the medium into new narrative territory, and the combat looks to be a strong combination of past successful titles. Check out our full preview here.

Best Action Game: Saints Row IV

After Saints Row: The Third released as one of our favorite titles of 2011, Volition has made some lofty promises with Saints Row IV. Luckily, the notion of going bigger and more ridiculous looks like it will pay off, as we not can’t wait to use our character’s new-found superpowers and the awesomely cool dubstep gun. The game looks like an extension of everything that was done in Saints Row: The Third, which, in our eyes, is not a bad thing at all.

Best Platforming Game: Contrast

The puzzle platformer Contrast by Compulsion Games was one of the most interesting ideas found at the Indie Megabooth, but the execution is what allowed it to take home the “Best Platforming Game” award. The concept takes a simple 3D platformer and combines it with 2D elements by allowing the protagonist to run along the shadows that are cast onto the walls. With dynamic lighting casting the gameplay-centric and various Portal-inspired elements, Contrast will be one to watch when it launches later this year.

Best RPG: Marvel Heroes

Saying that any game is “Diablo, but with [blank]” is a tall order, but when your company has the pedigree of David Brevik, creator of the first two Diablo games, your company has a bit more credibility in that claim. Marvel Heroes feels just like Diablo featuring heroes from the Marvel universe, and when the MMO component is added in, new gameplay opportunities are made available, helping this free-to-play MMO have the potential to be one of the biggest PC launches of the year. Check out our full preview here.

Best Strategy Game: Anomaly 2

When Gears of War 3 launched with Horde 2.0 and Beast Mode presented as completely separate modes, the cries of “Why can’t you combine those modes for one awesome experience?” began flooding the internet. Just as Gears of War: Judgment rectified that problem with its Overrun mode, Anomaly 2 will rectify a similar issue that was found in the tower offense game, Anomaly: Warzone Earth. The new player vs. player mode will enable tower offense vs. tower defense, presenting players with a new, innovative way to experience the genre. The biggest surprise isn’t that the developers thought of this mode, but rather that it works so well.

Best Digital Release: Secret Ponchos

This Spaghetti Western captured the hearts of Jake Baldino and Jen Bosier when they had the chance to play it at the show. Players can create their own outlaw and then take him out to complete in duels against other human players. Based on your successes and failures in one-on-one or gang-style duels, your character’s reputation will increase or decrease accordingly. The endearing art-style and the innovative concept made this one of the ones that we’ll be watching as more information is revealed about the title.

Best Booth Setup: PopCap

Photo: PopCap Blog

The story behind the PopCap booth is an interesting one. The team was set to show off Plants vs. Zombies 2, but when it was passed down that the team would not be able to show off its upcoming sequel, the team decided that it already paid for the booth space, so it might as well put on a show for the fans. Complete with zombie kissing booth and carnival games centered around the Plants vs. Zombies franchise, PopCap found themselves giving nods to its fan base through the entirety of PAX East 2013.

Biggest Crowd: League of Legends

It was nearly impossible to walk by the League of Legends booth without hearing the screaming of the legions of fans who were constantly being riled up by the emcees on stage. While Twitch.TV and Magic: The Gathering had comparable crowds, nothing compared to the one found at the League of Legends stage. The screaming was so loud at one point that I actually had interviewees for other games pause in the middle of a sentence to wait out an enthused scream by the hundreds at the League of Legends stage.

Publisher of the Show: Capcom

Deep Silver and Ubisoft probably had the best triple-A lineups at PAX East 2013, but the “World of Capcom” panel had the right amounts of service to fans and brand new information. While hints at new Mega Man and Street Fighter IV games were dropped and trailers for Lost Planet 3 and Remember Me were shown, nothing whipped the attendees into a frenzy more than the announcement of DuckTales Remastered. The debut trailer, complete with a bouncing ball singalong, remains one of the defining moments of PAX East 2013. Plus, c’mon, they even unintentionally paid homage to their lack of copy editing by misspelling “Language” in the Lost Planet 3 trailer.

Biggest Surprise No-Show: Rockstar Games

Rockstar has been at PAX East for the past three years showing off Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire and Max Payne 3, so it was a little odd to see the team missing in action with its flagship franchise releasing a new title this year. While it could be argued that Grand Theft Auto V will sell ridiculously well without any additional press, it’s always a nice boost when the media can get some time with the game, and the fans in attendance can get their hands on some swag.

The post PAX East 2013: VGW’s “Best of” Awards appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Brian Shea, Editor-in-Chief

I’m still playing BioShock Infinite whenever I have the time (which isn’t often). I’m thoroughly enjoying the game, which is both unsurprising (given the critical reception) and surprising (given that I still haven’t finished the original BioShock due to lack of interest). I’m also playing MLB 13: The Show on my Vita, partly because of it being a pretty good game, but mostly because I enjoy playing my Vita, which rarely happens.

Anne Lee, Copy Editor

I’m still playing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate! [Ed. Note: With how addicting the Monster Hunter series is, we'll excuse her one sentence entry... this time.]

Russell Jones, Staff Writer

I’m back in the Star Wars: The Old Republic groove as we get closer to the game’s first digital expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel. Has anyone else noticed a lot of “rise-ing” among media titles in recent years? Rise of the Guardians? The Dark Knight Rises? Come to think of it, running Flashpoints with the DKR‘s booming soundtrack in the background might be a lot of fun.

I’m slowly growing on the concept of cash-shop item packs, probably because everyone’s comparing them now to CCG card packs, and I used to buy the heck out of Magic and the old Star Wars CCG by Decipher. There’s something about getting that pack, hesitating to open it as you imagine all the possible rares which could show up, then ripping it open and seeing what you got. I’m getting a bit of the same feeling with Cartel packs, and seeing the other in-game stuff like reputation vendors with nifty cosmetic gear is another good incentive to drop a bit of Cartel Coinage on them. There’s also the added bonus that stuff you get can be turned around after a day’s cooldown and sold on the Galactic Market, which kind of lets you turn money into credits depending on market volatility. I got a rare purple lightsaber crystal in a pack, and since its stats aren’t exactly what I wanted I’ll probably toss it up for a cool 100K credits.

Unless I get a luxury skiff. No way I’d sell a luxury skiff.

Stu Strock, Staff Writer

May Payne 3 has been rocking my socks off, so far. I sorely missed Max’s grimy noir narrative from the first game, and the joys of slowing down time to take out an entire group of armed thugs while I slowly fly down a flight of stairs. I’ve always thought it was awesome that Max doesn’t patch himself up or try to heal his wounds, but that he instead just shoves some painkillers down his throat and keeps on truckin’. It also helps that I think the characters and interactions in this game are well executed and believable, even if the characters themselves are dirt bags.

On the indie front, Super Meat Boy is a game I never thought I would get into, but after watching Indie Game: The Movie, my mind was made up that the people behind this frantic platformer deserved my business. The game, as those of you who’ve played it know, is a hyper-difficult old school platforming rush, coupled with an endearingly grotesque art style along the lines of Invader Zim. I think it’s pure genius to show the player’s every attempt on the level at once during the replay. After close to 30 tries at one level, I never once got frustrated; I just kept thinking, “this replay is going to look nuts when I finally get it.”

I was originally going to include Braid in with this mix, but I’ve come to the conclusion that Braid is pretentious and lacks accessibility. Sure, it melds puzzle-solving with VCR-esque time manipulation, but using these mechanics in the puzzles provided just isn’t intuitive most of the time. I find myself repeatedly knowing what to do, but lacking the timing (forward, backward, fast or slow timing) to accomplish what needs to be done. Maybe if I was a Time Lord, I’d be better at it.

The post Unfinished Business: 4/5/2013 – Back to the Backlogs appeared first on Video Game Writers.

These days developers seem compelled to work quick time events into even the most mundane of scenarios. What once was used only for cut scenes, or finishers, has now been implemented into simple tasks such as opening a door, or prying into a chest full of loot. It’s as if “QTEs 101” has been added to the curriculum of every game design school in the world.  Gamers can’t escape them, and developers can’t help but include them. They’re everywhere, and quite frankly they’re becoming a distraction in modern video game design.

There’s no doubt that at one point in time QTEs were a value added experience in an action platformer such as God of War. They’re what made that bloody affair stand out from the pack, and most gamers found it to be a thrilling and innovative way to stay connected to the experience at all times. When used in the right situations, QTEs can definitely offer a sense of immersion with the game world, but there are also numerous cases where the mechanic has been shoehorned in.

A recent example of this troublesome trend rears its ugly head in the new Tomb Raider, which is a superbly crafted video game. Regardless, the fact that gamers have to incessantly mash buttons just to open doors, or to turn puzzle related cranks, does hamper the otherwise excellent gameplay experience. What value does this gimmick add to the game?  These types of QTEs just prolong inconsequential sections of an otherwise action-packed tomb-raiding experience.

Tomb Raider isn’t the only offender in 2013. Dead Space 3 is packed with mundane QTEs as well. I guess the inhabitants of Tau Volantis didn’t believe in routine door maintenance, because it seems like Isaac has to hack his way through more doors than any one Rambo-like engineer should have to suffer through. What’s worse is that most of these door hacking quick time events had no real penalty for failure. It’s not like a horde of rabid necromorphs would begin tearing at your flesh if you failed at opening a locked down door. The scenario just resets, so there’s truly no use for it other than to make the task of opening doors a chore.

Despite this recent flood of the mechanic, quick time events do have a place in modern gameplay design. When implemented correctly, they truly can heighten the tension of the action taking place on screen. When it’s a life or death situation for the lead character, these types of meta games make sense. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and God of War: Ascension are both current games that still implement QTEs that ultimately matter. It’s not fun to battle a tough boss only to muff an on-screen button prompt that leads to your character’s demise, but at least the fear of doing so adds to the overall challenge of the game.

At one point in time, the now-infamous quick time event gameplay mechanic seemed like a new and refreshing addition to modern video game design. The next generation of gaming is upon us, and developers will continue to search for new ways to add QTEs to the experience. One can only hope that the trend of using this gimmick to perform arbitrary in-game actions eventually subsides. There are probably some of us that wouldn’t mind seeing them go the way of the dinosaur either. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to experience the fruits of your boss-beating labor without the need to take your focus off of the punishing action to see which button prompts appear on screen?

Quick time events had their heyday, but it’s time for a new gameplay innovation to be ushered in with the next generation of consoles and video games. The question now remains as to what that innovation could be.

Matt Heywood appears courtesy of EntertainmentBuddha.com.

The post The Future of Gaming: The Evolution of Quick Time Events appeared first on Video Game Writers.

That’s right. I’m going to be kicking open every door, knocking over table, and shooting this whole place up with BioShock Infinite spoilers. If you were looking for a Spoiler Vigor to swill, or possibly a Spoiler Plasmid to inject directly into your wrist, then look no further.

I’ll be diving into the meat of Ken Levine’s mind-bending story and picking apart that 17-minute roller-coaster ride of an ending that left me and a whole lot of other people speechless. Abandon hope of remaining unspoiled, ye who enter here.

The rest of you? Do what I suggested in my previous piece and go play BioShock Infinite.

REALLY. WE MEAN IT.

Starting at the Beginning

To be honest, the overall shape of the story was spoiled the moment I read the first words that greet players when they begin BioShock Infinite:

“The mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create memories where none exist…” – R. Lutece, Barriers to Trans-Dimensional Travel, 1989

Sitting in the boat ride to the lighthouse, you’re treated to further dialogue from the (at that point anonymous) Lutece “twins,” who probably have the best lines in the game. They debate the entire “thought exercise” of why Robert Lutece is the only one rowing, including this exchange:

Robert: “What about him [Booker]?”

Rosalind: “He doesn’t row.”

Robert: “What do you mean, he doesn’t row?”

Rosalind: “No, he doesn’t row.”

Robert: “Ah, I get your meaning.”

This, coupled with the previous quote, gives fans of Fringe or The Gunslinger series by Stephen King all that’s needed to realize what’s really going on. Quantum mechanics, alternate realities, and more are very much at play in this city in the sky.

We know already that Booker doesn’t row the boat to the lighthouse, which is among other hints in their conversation that this trip has happened before, is happening, and will happen again. The same thing occurs whenever the Luteces show up, such as with a questionable coin toss and a chalkboard showing more than a hundred results for “heads,” later with a pair of brooches for Elizabeth to choose from, and then again when Booker and Elizabeth are given the clue they need to bring a Chinese weaponsmith back from the dead using Elizabeth’s unique ability to rip open the fabric between worlds.

The Untrustworthy Narrator

The fact that Booker seems almost as confused as you are at the beginning of the game confirms that there’s something rotten in the state of Columbia. It also happens to be just the right kind of tone to start this game with, since the player has tons of questions and only one vague directive: “Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt.” This easily lets players slip into Booker’s mindset, since they’re both on a quest for answers and a girl locked in a tower.

As you both explore Columbia, Booker starts to remember more and more. The grainy flashbacks to his office get more detailed and start to include Elizabeth for reasons that are unclear at the time. The deeper the mystery gets, the more damning the truths uncovered. When Booker and Comstock finally meet before the game’s climax, the Prophet accuses Dewitt of being responsible for Elizabeth’s severed finger. Booker reacts so violently to the revelation that he beats the elderly man to death on a marble basin. Is the truth so bad that Booker would do just about anything to suppress it?

There’s also the problem of Booker’s death (or in my case, deaths) at the hands of Columbia’s defenders and aggressors. If he falls while Elizabeth’s around, she brings him back with some questionable field medicine, but if Booker’s alone, he sees a hazy view of his office door back in New York before stepping through it and back into the fight. My wife commented after my third failure to beat a particularly brutal Handyman that I better stop, or else Elizabeth would run out of alternate realities to steal a living “me” from.

I paused the game, thought about it for a long time, then shuddered and continued on.

The End…

Which brings us to the biggest mystery, that brain-melting ending after you order Songbird to destroy Elizabeth’s tower and the Siphon inside, which is suppressing her full abilities. Booker drops the flute that controls the beast, and it charges toward them before Elizabeth opens a tear…

… into 1960′s Rapture.

We knew going into the game that the lighthouse scene at the beginning was a nod to the one seen at the beginning of the first BioShock, but here it’s spelled out that it’s a literal connector. The lighthouses represent doorways into other worlds, not just Rapture and Columbia. Elizabeth leads Booker past hundreds of other lighthouses, which open to hundreds of other realities, but all of them have the same thing in common:

“There’s always a man, a city, and a lighthouse.” – Elizabeth

Commonalities existing between realities that anchor them to each other is a common theme in alternate universe narratives. Through the lighthouse anchor, Booker and Columbia are tied to both Rapture and Jack, as well as other groups of Bookers and Jacks and other Columbias. Because of this, the thought of living Bookers being yanked from other realities to replace dying ones is frighteningly possible.

After this revelation, things start to get really nuts. Elizabeth shows Booker the baptism he rejected after the Battle of Wounded Knee, then leads him back to his office. We learn “Anna,” the name he keeps repeating, is actually Booker’s daughter, and that Lutece bought her to take to Comstock through a tear. Booker’s forced to relive the harrowing moment where Anna’s fingertip gets sliced off as he tries to pull her back through the closing tear.

This is when Booker hatches a desperate plan: use the tears to go back and kill Comstock before he’s even born to stop the madness. Elizabeth warns him not to, but he forges ahead to the most damning truth of the entire game:

Booker is Comstock. The False Shepherd and the Prophet are two sides of the same coin, the same as Rosalind and Robert Luteche, Anna and Elizabeth.

The baptism after Wounded Knee is the fulcrum around which both realities depend on. In half of them, Booker denies the rite, has a daughter, and turns to drink and gambling. In the other half, Booker accepts baptism and takes the name Zachary Comstock to reflect his new self, much like Saul becomes Paul in the New Testament. He uses the Lutece’s tears to see the future, steal his own daughter from another reality, and hold Columbia in thrall.

In order to stop Comstock from ever coming into being, Booker must end his own life. And he does, all the while surrounded by other versions of Elizabeth from all the realities Comstock existed in. Comstock dies, the quantumly-empowered Elizabeth never comes into being, and Columbia never exists.

… Or Is It?

That ending, however, is not necessarily the end of Booker Dewitt. A post-credits scene puts players back in the same grimy New York office they’ve been in multiple times before to find a surprised Booker awakening from sleep. He rushes to the side door and cries out for Anna, and the screen goes black just as the crib comes into view. Empty, full, we’re not sure: like Schroedinger’s Cat, her fate is ultimately left in quantum flux.

It indicates that the realities where Booker sells his daughter to Robert Lutece are now removed from the Columbia loop created by that awful act. It also leads me to believe that we’re not going to see any more of that particular reality in upcoming DLC. Anna will grow up normally since she wasn’t exposed to Columbia’s tears and Booker may not even remember dealing with Columbia and likely won’t ever have to again. Their story ends with BioShock Infinite.

What’s left is the rich, complex world of Columbia and its people, which are prime candidates for additional stories. Perhaps we’ll follow Booker the martyr through the reality in which he kicks off the Vox Populi revolution, or maybe even Daisy Fitzroy’s story after she kicks Booker off the First Lady airship and continues her struggle to topple Comstock and his cronies. There’s even the possibility, however remote, of playing as one of the alternate versions of Elizabeth we saw in the game’s final scenes. Maybe there will be a portion dedicated to Songbird, similar to how players took the role of a Big Daddy in BioShock 2, which would be particularly apt considering one critique from reviews of BioShock Infinite has been that the creature seemed like too much of a background figure instead of an ever-present threat.

There are also other mysteries left to consider, including one that stands out over all others: who is Anna/Elizabeth’s real mother? It’s never revealed during the course of the game, and her identity has the possibility to throw another quantum curve ball into the whole story.

Until then, we’re left to think, ask, contemplate, and then do it all over again. That’s the hallmark of a fantastically-executed story.

The post Questions still remain after the ‘BioShock Infinite’ credits roll appeared first on Video Game Writers.

“Imagine 25 or 30 people running around a Diablo II level playing as the Marvel superheroes.” That’s how David Brevik, creator of Diablo and Diablo II, describes his vision for Marvel Heroes. ”[My initial vision was] very similar to where we ended up,” he said. “You’re playing as the Marvel superheroes in random levels, getting back to my Diablo roots and making an action RPG, and then taking action RPGs to what I consider to be the next level — the next evolution of the action RPG, which is getting lots of people to play together in public areas and doing cooperative events. That’s where we’ve ended up and I’m really pleased.”

Seeing as how the game has been described in the most simplistic terms as “Diablo with characters from the Marvel universe,” the notion of such a potential blockbuster being free-to-play caught me off-guard. “When we designed the game from the ground up, it has always been free-to-play since the very initial design,” Brevik says. “The objective is to get as many people in enjoying the game as possible. If we can create a great community, then I think we win. That’s the lure to get everyone in to play.”

This free-to-play-from-day-one model that Brevik describes makes a bigger difference than one might think. “Even though [former subscription-based MMOs] convert to free-to-play, it’s just not the same experience because the game itself isn’t designed to be that way,” Brevik said. “With Marvel Heroes, we’re able to break a lot of the rules with MMOs, like MMOs where it takes a year to grind up to level cap, we can break that rule [because we're free-to-play]. They had that rule because they had subscription games, so the longer it took you to level up, the longer you were subscribing, but we’re free, so we don’t have to adhere to that rule if we don’t want to. We can break the traditional rules of an MMO, so it’s really exciting when we were designing this game because the shackles were off. It was something new and different.”

I’ve never been a huge fan of games that are so focused on loot, and the constant clicking style of gameplay can grow old for me quickly, but I found myself greatly enjoying my time with Marvel Heroes. Playing as beloved characters certainly adds to the enjoyment, seeing as how I’m a fan of many of the storylines of the Marvel universe, but the gameplay just feels engaging in a way that most loot-based dungeon crawlers don’t.

The ability to change characters on the fly acted as an extra way to keep me engaged in the gameplay, as each character has very different abilities mapped to different buttons. “At any point in the game, you have the option to change the hero that you are, so if you’re running around as Hulk, smashing things with your face, and you decide you want to do something different, you can change your hero,” said Leo Olebe, Vice President of Marketing at Gazillion. “We’ll have 22 characters when we launch. Almost every character plays like its own character class.”

Each character will possess a deep development tree as well, giving further incentive to continue play. “We have a complex talent tree,” Olebe said. “You can make characters that are all about melee, all about range, all about defense, or you can spread it out. We have devices that drop in the game that allow you to re-spec your character. It’s a full, deep MMO depending on how much you want to [develop your character].”

Authenticity was a huge part of the equation, as characters not only sound as they should, but they behave as they should and interact with one another in appropriate manners. “The story is written by Brian Michael Bendis, we call him the ‘Marvel Super Scribe,’” Olebe said. “Brian has decided to pay homage to a lot of the very classic Marvel storylines, and you’ll get to relive those great moments. [...] That’s what makes [Marvel Heroes] different from other games; you are playing as the heroes, so you really get to take on their roles and personalities. There’s a lot of these really great VO lines between the heroes themselves. They’ll talk to each other, Deadpool will break the fourth wall — We just recently announced that Nolan North is Deadpool, Steve Blum is Wolverine, Fred Tatasciore is the Hulk, Keith David plays Nick Fury. We’ve got a really high quality voice cast. All of the Marvel authenticity is alive and well in this product.”

The team could not praise the cooperation on Marvel’s part enough. “It’s been great to work with Marvel and have access to everything,” Brevik said. “A couple of years ago, Marvel comes to us and says ‘you’ve got to put Rocket Raccoon in the game,’ and we’re like ‘Rocket Raccoon? Really? I mean, I love the Guardians of the Galaxy stuff, but that’s a pretty obscure character,’ and they were like ‘No, it’s going to be huge, trust us!’ So we put him in the game, and then they’re going to make a Guardians of the Galaxy movie now! Having the close ties with Marvel has just been amazing.”

Brevik’s loot-based past is back in full force in Marvel Heroes. “We have a very deep loot and inventory system,” said Olebe. “It’s all random and all of the loot that drops is only for you, so there’s no loot stealing, there’s no competition for loot. We’ve also got what David calls it the Horadric Cube 2.0 crafting system.”

With recent server-based debacles involving other online titles like Diablo III (which Brevik did not have a part in) and SimCity, Brevik is quite confident in his servers’ ability to be stable throughout launch. “Our server infrastructure is really amazing. We’ve got tens and tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of people that we need to host on a server that needs to run updates on all the enemies on the screen, pathing around, and all that kind of stuff, 20 to 30 times a second, and the technology behind that and the way we organize that is something that we could’ve only achieved having done the other games and learned the lessons that we learned.”

As for Brevik, he knows that his future work will always be compared to his past work with the Diablo franchise, but he embraces that fact. “There’s nothing I can do to stop them,” he exclaimed with a chuckle. “And you know, I kind of encourage it! It’s not like I’m hiding the fact that I made Diablo and Diablo II, I talk about it all the time. I’m very proud about what I did there. It’s not just me, it’s a team effort. There’s a lot of people who worked on those, and a lot of those people are working on [Marvel Heroes]. So it’s really nice to be able to be working with a lot of the people who helped make those games successful, and we all have different talents and abilities that really shine when we’re making these games. That’s why I feel great working with the people that I work with.”

Whether you’re a big fan of Diablo-style of gameplay, or just looking for a game that will allow you to loot a randomized world as some familiar superheroes, Marvel Heroes is one to keep an eye out for. The game will be enter an early access period beginning May 28, with a full release coming June 4. If you would like to purchase any of participating packs for the recently-announced Founder’s Program, you can do so at MarvelHeroes.com.

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Finishers are as brutal as you’d expect.

Ascension’s 8-player competitive multiplayer is initially presented in an odd, but undeniably charming way. The player’s imprisoned customizable character encounters Kratos mid-battle and prays to the heavens. The respective god the player prays to is how their “allegiance” is chosen: magic abilities and bonuses are unique to each. There’s a nice amount of character customization, and different weapons allow for different play styles. The systems in place are simple but effective, and the way different weapon classes effectively cancel each other out is like the gaming equivalent of rock-paper-scissors.

Game modes include the standard deathmatch and point capture modes, but with a decidedly God of War flair. Killing is usually the main focus, and Ascension‘s multiplayer provides that in brutal droves.

Weapon classes provide a variety of combat situations.

Gameplay is absolutely chaotic, and oftentimes it’s hard to figure out what exactly is going on. But out of chaos comes a frenetic, brutal button-masher that can prove hard to put down when a good match is going. All the ruthless juggle combos and finishing moves you expect in single player are present here, and manage to feel even more satisfying knowing you’re bashing someone from the other side of the world.

Level design is spot-on, boasting wide open, multi-tiered arena style maps riddled with power ups and player-activated booby traps. Fans of the series will be happy to see the return of some classic locations, riddled with nods to series staples throughout the maps.

Expect a few instances like this.

God of War: Ascension‘s multiplayer is a love letter to fans of the series. Instead of being a thoughtless, last-minute addition, Ascension’s multiplayer feels like a AAA extension of  the series with nothing lost in translation. Kratos’ absence dissipates entirely thanks to ridiculous, arena combat as brutal as any of his adventures. This addition to the God of War series has proved mostly successful and busting with potential. I can’t wait to see where Sony Santa Monica takes its multiplayer next.

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That’s the most important thing which is going to come out of the tens of thousands of words which have been written, are being written, and will be written about this latest masterpiece from Ken Levine and his crew at Irrational Games. There will be fawning over its grandiose story, arguments about its fractured and mind-blowing ending and criticism about the quality of its combat. However, the simplest and most pertinent thing which can be said about the game is this:

You really won’t get it unless you’ve played it. So, here’s a few more reasons why you should.

BioShock Infinite – High-flying ambition

Bioshock Infinite accomplishes exactly what I hoped it would when the title was announced and the first previews were shown: it raises the bar for the rest of the gaming industry in terms of what can be accomplished through interactive storytelling, compelling visual artistry and a willingness to take the time to get it right.

It wasn’t easy getting here, though. Irrational Games walked a rocky path with delays and departures to finally reach the promised land. Those delays are even referenced in-game, when Elizabeth comes across the “Flawless Flintlock – Duke and Dimwit” interactive puppet show in an arcade. “I’ve read all about this,” she gushes, “It’s the latest in the series. I heard it was delayed three times!”

Mechanically, Irrational’s ambitions for Elizabeth as an AI companion definitely paid off. Though half the game could be considered a bit of an escort mission you never feel as if she’s a burden; her help comes when it’s needed most, but depending on the difficulty you play at she’s definitely not an easy-mode safety net. The ‘tears’ she opens provide you with enough options to fight as you like, either summoning a turret to help keep enemies occupied or possibly creating a cache of health bags you can run to when necessary. Levine said they wanted to make Elizabeth a companion the players latch onto and bond with, and though it didn’t reach the same level of attachment I’ve had in other franchises (Companion Cubes, HK-47) they definitely upped the ante for anyone else who wants to program an NPC companion in future games.

The biggest sticking point mechanically for me were the Skylines, though. The roller-coaster tracks give you another option in combat, a path to quickly leap onto an airship and fight enemies up-close or zip to higher ground elsewhere in the stage. Though I’m not the kind of person who gets motion sick, it seemed a little too zippy to really control well. Go too slow as you try to line up a shot, and you’ll get nailed by every enemy in sight; go too fast, and you’ll either waste a lot of ammo or miss your target completely. There were also points where time seemed to dilate to help me out, but I couldn’t figure out how to trigger those moments and take advantage of them; the bullets are simply flying too fast to really give you the opportunity to learn it. Some will get the hang of it for sure, but I found myself pounding the ground far more often than leaping into the clouds, like was shown in demo videos.

About that story…

The game’s greatest ambition is definitely its story, which starts full of questions and continues to ratchet up the intensity until you reach the final resolution, a climax more than 15 minutes long which left my mouth literally hanging open (my wife, who looked up the ending, took pictures of my flabbergasted state as she watched me finish the game). While those who are familiar with sci-fi quantum shenanigans, such as on the TV show Fringe, might have guessed some of the central points of the story, it still won’t fully prepare you for the final chapter.

Played, Playing, Will Play

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Check out what our staff is playing this weekend, and chime in with your gaming plans for the weekend!

Brian Shea, Editor-in-Chief

This weekend, I will be playing a game that is very similar to Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing called “Brian transcribes all of his interviews from PAX East 2013.” I probably have close to eight more hours of raw audio to sort through, most of which are for indie games, so I’m still very excited to catch anything I missed the first time, but that also means that I will be going through the torture of having BioShock Infinite sitting in my Xbox 360 disc tray completely unplayed.

I’m sure it won’t make the entire weekend without being played, but I probably won’t get around to touching it until Saturday evening when I go to take a break from the transcribing. If I find any time to play online, however, that time will belong to Gears of War: Judgment, which I bought just prior to PAX East 2013, and will be continuing to explore and familiarize myself with in coming weeks.

Anne Lee, Copy Editor

Any and all gaming that I’ll be doing this weekend outside of the titles I’m currently working on critical responses for (that’s a whole other kettle of fish) will be dedicated to one game, and one game only: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. That’s right, I’ve taken the dive and am now on my way to becoming a full-fledged hunter. As this is my first official foray into the Monster Hunter universe, I can’t say it’s been easy, but playing through the tutorial quests, slowly learning the ropes, and getting in touch with my pro hunter friends for tips when necessary has been, so far, a great experience. While the Monster Hunter series has been notoriously difficult to get into for newcomers, the recent release of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate makes this the best time to join the hunt if you’ve been on the fence. The community is great – head to Twitter or Monster Hunter forums and it quickly becomes clear that everyone is eager to help, and in a game that touts four player cooperative play, a strong community is everything.

I’m playing on a 3DS XL without a Circle Pad Pro or a Wii U, so I won’t be going online anytime soon, but I’ve been having a blast tackling it solo so far. With any luck, I’ll be good enough to hunt with the big boys by the time I have access to online cooperative play!

Stu Strock, Staff Writer

While everyone spends their weekend talking about how great Bioshock Infinite is, I’ll be choking back jealousy, and playing more of my ever-expanding library of indie titles. This week, I’ve acquired Hotline: Miami, Amnesia The Dark Descent, To The Moon, and Darklight. Of these, I imagine I’ll start with Hotline and To The Moon.

I kept hearing everyone talk about Hotline: Miami, and I realized I had no idea what it was, so I decided to watch a trailer. At first, I wasn’t too impressed, until I noticed the pacing and heard the swanky soundtrack. A frantic shoot-em-up might be just what I want this weekend, but I may end up getting hooked for the music.

To The Moon appealed to my artsy, indie-loving side. It puts players in a world of pixels reminiscent of Chrono Trigger‘s graphics, and depicts a world in which dying people can undergo a procedure to “re-live” their lives in order to change something they regret. How  that plays, I couldn’t tell you, but when I saw a review quote that said to explain why the game is so good, one would need to spoil it. I’m a sucker like that.

Darklight was a game I meant to play when it first launched, as was Amnesia. I’ll probably save the latter for last, though… not because I’m scared or anything.

Russell Jones, Staff Writer

I’m still chewing through BioShock Infinite like it’s a thick, meaty steak dinner. There’s a ton of good stuff to think about in this game, and it’s so visually packed that I just know I’m missing little bits and pieces here and there. I’m hearing rumblings about its ending, and I have a pretty good idea of what’s ahead due to the nature of the game’s central conceit (the Luteces? CALLED IT!), but so far I’m spoiler-free and loving it.

Some of the best moments have come from my wife, who normally thinks watching someone else playing a video game is the definition of boring (she’d rather be playing herself), but really enjoys watching me play BioShock because it’s such a rich, cinematic game. She made some very astute observations about Booker’s nature which I won’t mention here, but probably will when I write about the game next week. She’s also a music buff, and loves hearing the unique renditions of songs like the “Fortunate Son” spiritual and “God Only Knows” as a barbershop quartet.

After I finish that it’s back to Mass Effect 3, where I’m in the middle of the liberation of Omega. I’ve played through the Leviathan and Citadel DLCs already, and enjoyed both immensely. They absolutely fulfill the potential of DLC, providing thick slices of compelling content which add onto the existing game rather than detracting from it as a souped-up side mission. I wasn’t happy finding Wrex and Javik preparing to shoot up the bar in my brand-new apartment, but I have spent way too much time in the arcade and Armax Arena on the Citadel strip.

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Shortly after that, NetherRealm released Batman: Arkham City Lockdown for iOS, but it always seemed as though more would be coming down the pipeline for the studio. When the team finally announced that it would be taking the DC Universe license and applying it to the engine used to power the latest Mortal Kombat, fans had something new to be excited about.

While watching the videos could tell anyone that this experience will be very close to what fans experienced in the latest Mortal Kombat title, Injustice: Gods Among Us has several nuances that differentiate it from the famously gory franchise. “We built off the engine of Mortal Kombat, but we made a few changes to make it feel like a new, fresh experience,” said Hector Sanchez, Producer at NetherRealm Studios. “We reduced the number of attack buttons, so now it’s only ‘light,’ ‘medium’ and ‘hard,’ and added a character power button. [...] There are also background interact-ables in the levels. When you get close to one, a prompt will pop up, and if you hit the prompt, you’ll be able [to interact with that object]. We also have these big stage transitions.”

I noticed that, while most of my skills I developed playing Mortal Kombat transferred over to Injustice, Hector was able to easily do away with me by utilizing the stage interact-ables, as well as the Character Superpowers, which are dictated by a Super Meter at the bottom of the screen, much like the X-Ray moves seen in Mortal Kombat. Once Hector explained those mechanics to me, I was a bit more prepared for battle, and I was able to pose a slightly more formidable challenge to him.

The finalized game will feature several single player modes, which look to mirror many of the modes found in the feature-rich Mortal Kombat. While my time was restricted to Practice and the Single Fight modes, the full game will feature a deep Story mode, a Battles mode, which is comparable to the ladder-based Arcade mode in Mortal Kombat, and a Tutorial mode. In addition, NetherRealm will be bringing the popular Challenge Tower to Injustice in a rebranded, reworked manner.

“Star Labs is like the Challenge Tower of Injustice. There are 240 missions that go all the way across. They’re broken up to ten missions each by character chapter [...] and they’re all connected, they all tell a story. In the first mission, it will kind of tell you a background of what all the missions are, then in the end, you’ll do kind of the big boss mission.”
- Hector Sanchez, Producer

The game plays extremely smoothly, and there’s something gloriously satisfying about connecting with The Joker’s Superpower, which involves pie, a crowbar and a gunshot to the face at pointblank range. Watching the Superpowers, Character Powers and environmental interact-ables being utilized gives the impression that this game does have a few new things to offer, but make no mistake, at its core, the mechanics are very much the same as Mortal Kombat‘s. That’s not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, seeing as how it won VGW’s “Fighting Game of the Year” in 2011 for the console versions, as well as 2012 for the Vita port.

Despite the team’s success with Mortal Kombat‘s transition to Vita, Sanchez states that the team’s current focus isn’t on the handheld. “We don’t really have that big of a team, so we kind of have to focus on the main consoles, because Vita for Mortal Kombat came out after the main game came out, so we’ll probably look at that in the future,” he said. “It just depends. During this development, we focused on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U. We don’t have the bandwidth to try and fit in that other one. But maybe in the future! Obviously, anything’s possible, and we’re going to look to expand to other platforms, and Vita makes sense because we have experience there.”

The Mortal Kombat influence is noticeable whether you’re looking at screenshots or playing the game.

Sanchez acknowledges that having team members who, while still a part of Midway, worked on Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe helped the transition back to 2D for Mortal Kombat, and now Injustice. “During MKDC, we kind of went to a 2.5D, it wasn’t all the way set on a 3D plane,” he said. “A lot of the gameplay elements in that were very 2D-esque, so when we made the decision to go 2D, it was a lot easier to kind of go back to it and that’s where the traditional studio is from anyway, that’s kind of where it started. It was nice to go back to that and it was a fresh change.”

Despite the crossover fever that exists in the fighting genre at the moment, and the fact that NetherRealm now works on games involving both Mortal Kombat and DC Universe, Sanchez wouldn’t expect to see a new Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe game anytime soon. “I wouldn’t really bet on [another MK vs. DC game],” he said. “One of the things that we really learned in MKDC was that when you put ‘Mortal Kombat‘ in a title, there’s definitely an expectation of the gore and the fight style and stuff like that. I think we want to establish Injustice as it’s own IP, with its own kind of gameplay style. We wouldn’t want to bring the MK style into this or bring this style into MK, because that would kind of throw it all off.”

At the moment, the team is focused on building the Injustice name into its own, distinctive IP. “DC has been around for so many years and they have their own lore and they’ve built their characters to be a certain way, and we wouldn’t be so arrogant as to make Batman kill someone for the first time,” he said. “That’s not who we are, and that’s why Injustice works well in its own world, and MK works well in its own world. I think we’re going to try to keep them separate from each other so we can continue to make more things unique to each franchise.”

The various powers each character possesses will prove enjoyable to play around with when the game releases.

In working with Injustice, the team was able to take some artistic liberties with the characters and environments, all while remaining loyal to the source material. “We got pretty creative with [the characters]. It’s Batman, it’s Superman, it’s Aquaman; it’s the characters that you know, but we’ve put our own twist on it,” Sanchez explained. “You can see it in the character design and in their personality designs as well when you play through story mode. We have Superman doing things that he’s never done in comics before, and I think DC fans are really gravitating towards that. [...] I think it’s a refreshing take on the characters, the arenas, the stages. Sure, it’s Atlantis, but it’s NetherRealm’s version of Atlantis; it’s NetherRealm’s version of Metropolis, which is a little bit darker and grimier.”

“We created our own kind of versions of [the characters] first, then after that, we picked the ones we thought we cool. Obviously Arkham City Batman is very, very cool, Nightwing Batman is very, very cool. These characters are so cool and they’re represented in so many different ways, we wanted to give that choice to the player. That’s a cool option for this fan-base because they’re so particular about their timelines and which versions they like.”
- Hector Sanchez, Producer

Injustice: Gods Among Us hits stores on April 16, and if the time I spent with the game is any indication, it looks as though NetherRealm could again show why it is so loved by fans of the fighting genre. Luckily, you will be able to get your hands on the title before it releases, as a demo will hit PlayStation Network and Xbox Live the first week of April.

The post Building off past successes with ‘Injustice: Gods Among Us’ appeared first on Video Game Writers.

I owe a lot to my wife; not only did she rescue me from a life of microwave dinners and spending way too much money every night at the bar, she showed me that the problem solving and critical thinking skills we use in video games can sometimes seamlessly translate into real world relationships. How did we ever find this out?

I wouldn’t consider Julia a “hardcore” gamer. She doesn’t keep tabs on every game that comes out or keep up on a lot of gaming news outside of what’s being talked about on Twitter or a particular game that she is quite interested in. Still, she has a video game knowledge that many of my close male friends don’t have.

Our tale of gaming together started back when we were first dating. It was one of the first times she stopped by my apartment. My Star Wars figures were proudly displayed throughout my place, my framed Goonies poster freshly dusted, and my game collection out for all to see. I made no secret that I was a child of the 80s. After noticing my Xbox games, she mentioned she used to play a lot of Halo 2, so one night we popped in Halo: Reach and fired up some co-op. A few dates later, we had gone through the entire campaign. Everything just evolved from there.

We spent endless hours collecting loot in Borderlands. Minecraft ate our souls from the inside out, and continues to do so to this very day. Warcraft showed us how rad of a couple a Blood Elf and Tauren could really be if society would just open their hearts and minds… And here we are now; happily married, trading iron ore for some coal for torches. It’s a beautiful thing.

Both Julia and I have addictive personalities. Our media obsessions change from week to week. One month is a Battlestar Galactica marathon and the next few weeks are spent leveling up with some buddies in Guild Wars. Sure, there are times when our media obsessions hit a lull where we don’t know what to watch and we seem to have played all our games. This is bound to happen. Living in a frigid New England city, you have to plan out your winters. Going outdoors stops being an option around November and then picks up again come the end of March. So, during these bleak winter days, it becomes a balancing act of Game of Thrones and Black Ops II. But, more often than not, we both know exactly what to do when we come home from a hard day of work:

“What do you want to do tonight?”

“Dexter?”

“Yup.”

Pretty simple. No fuss, no muss. Shows are watched, games are played, and never-ending discussions about who the last Cylon is commence on our deck while we take breaks to smoke butts and hypothesize. I don’t care how “Lifetime movie” it sounds, when we share these experiences, it brings us closer together. Even a AAA action game like Modern Warfare 3 can be used as a team-builder. We would stalk the corners of Bakaara, calling out enemies to each other and running to provide cover fire when needed. The communication that we developed during our play sessions not only kept us alive (sometimes…), but also helped tackle projects around the house together. Portal 2 put our collective problem-solving and critical thinking skills to the test.

Instead of, “I really think we should sit down and have a conversation on the balancing of the checkbook and other adult things you hate,” it’s “I really think if we shoot my portal on this glowing bridge and drop the orange gel, you can shoot yours on that wall and get to that cube!”

Why spend unknown amounts of money on couple’s therapy when you can grab your Portal guns together and feel the satisfaction of finally getting through Chamber 4?

Now, while it may seem like I’m just writing a loving missive about my wife, gaming doesn’t solve ALL of our problems. We are still two regular people dealing with real life problems. Firing up a game of Far Cry isn’t going to magically end an argument or help clean the apartment, but what these games can do is help us communicate better about an issue and perhaps come up with a solid resolution. And those who are or have been in a relationship know that communication is the cornerstone of a trusting and understanding partnership. Plus, after laying down the last rail on our roller coaster in Minecraft, all the other problems in life don’t seem so insurmountable.

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What’s immediately going to catch the eye of most players is the look and art style of the game. Remember Me had a tendency to look like an incredibly detailed cyberpunk concept art come to life. It’s dark, it’s detailed, it’s gloomy- but it’s fun to look at, and manages to stray away from the gray/brown color palette we see far too often this generation. The gritty slum level juxtaposes perfectly with the futuristic tech-look of interfaces and gadgets, and we’re given a brief look at the seedy underbelly of futuristic Paris. We’re even given a glimpse at (what’s left of) the Arc de Triomphe, the famous Paris landmark, in what is sure to be the first of many sightings.

With the demo serving as a tutorial level, Nilin’s basic moves and abilities are presented. She runs, jumps and climbs with moves not unlike Uncharted’s Nathan Drake, but nowhere near as smoothly. In combat, Nilin is faced with fighting ‘Seeker’ adversaries resembling zombie-like Mass Effect husks. They came off incredibly dumb and generic, but easy to practice fighting combos with.

Remember Me‘s combat will undoubtedly be compared to Batman: Arkham‘s, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. Nilin has 2 buttons dedicated to free-form heavy and light attacks, as well as cartwheel dodges and countering. It feels very Batman inspired, but unfortunately not as smooth or fun to watch. That being said, Nilin has a bevy of combat upgrades and moves and combos to learn, so we’re really just scratching the surface of a combat system that could be surprisingly deep.

Nilin herself is undeniably cool, and the short bit of cutscenes shown were presented in a cinematic and exciting manner. The world of Paris in 2048 is an exciting one- a cyberpunk/sci-fi enthusiast’s dream come to life, begging to be explored. This is where Remember Me will certainly find success.

Despite issues with controls and combat, Remember Me has a lot of charm at this stage, and we still haven’t seen the whole package. There’s still deeper combat to delve into, memory-puzzles to fry people’s brains, and story elements and characters yet to be seen.

Despite needing some tuning-up, Remember Me is an intriguing title oozing with potential. We’ll get to see the entirety of Nilin’s adventure when the game launches June 4 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

The post ‘Remember Me’ is a cyberpunk dream come true appeared first on Video Game Writers.

Welcome to the world of international gaming fandom.

It should come as no surprise that games are released in multiple locations all over the world, and thus have fans from all over the world, as well. But these games are not always in just Japanese and/or English; many games are translated and/or localized into other languages, much like any other form of entertainment.

Video Game Translation vs. Video Game Localization

Translation and localization are two different, though related, processes. Translation is the act of taking content written in one language and writing it in another with minimal loss of meaning. However, this can lead to awkward phrasing, and there are instances when the target language does not possess the same syntax or terms of the original language. One common example of this is the informal/formal distinction in Romance languages and lack thereof in English; English has shades of informality and formality, but there is no specific formal world for “you” or “them” as there might be in Spanish or French. In translating from Japanese, there are even more issues, ranging from formality grades, “missing” pronouns, honorifics, and character usage its three-part writing system that can also complicate translations.

On the flip side, localization takes into consideration elements that may not have existed in the original game, such as cultural and historical references, that help convey to the target audience certain important elements such as allusions in dialogue or character-establishing moments. For example, in the Ace Attorney series, the main defense attorney is called Phoenix Wright in English and Naruhodo Ryuuichi in Japanese (using Japanese name order of last name first). Even the title of the series, “Ace Attorney,” is different than the Japanese wording: the Japanese title “Gyakuten Saiban,” would more accurately be translated to “Reversal Courtroom.” These examples may not seem that impressive, but throughout the games, characters have unique quirks such as speaking in l33t or liking hamburgers (instead of ramen in the original). In fact, I still swear that I saw several U2 references in the script of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, the fourth game in the series, and I can guarantee those weren’t in the original.

Phoenix Wright’s famous catchphrase

The International Gaming Community

Localization specialists do not necessarily have to know Japanese, or any other language except their native one, for that matter. The skills required are also just as technical as having a wide knowledge of cultural trivia ranging from literature to TV shows (you also have to be an Excel expert and even know character encoding sets, in some cases).

Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation is known as Assassin’s Creed III: Lady Liberty in Japan

But localization is not simply limited to titles from Japan. AAA titles also see multiple localizations. Assassin’s Creed has been localized into various languages, which generally includes extensive dialogue voice-overs. EVE Online has language options for German, Russian, and Japanese in the main client. Steam always lists all translations a game has, allowing players to change their favorite title to the language of their choice at the click of a button. There are international fans, and fans that know multiple languages as well – a Norwegian may play the German release of a game just as readily as an English release. A player from South Korea might be playing the same game as an American player, but laugh at different references, or be baffled by the lack of attention given to the Korean player base.

In these days of social media, player bases can range from Japan to Chile, and if a game is only available in a certain region or country, complaints can also be heard on those same social media networks. As far as games have come from the “all your base are belong to us”-type lines, there is still a lot of work to be done in the fields of translation and localization. There are still many players waiting for certain titles to be sold in their region. There are still many others who do not know what games are out there for them, waiting for them, if only those games reached out to them with a bow, handshake, or even a “nice to meet you” in their own language.

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I turn the corner and immediately spot Greg Kasavin, a man whose work at GameSpot from the mid-90s to mid-00s helped influence my eventual pursuit of games journalism. Kasavin acted as Creative Director of Bastion, a role which he will reprise for Transistor. Also at the booth are Amir Rao, Studio Director and co-founder of Supergiant Games, Darren Korb, Audio Director, and Logan Cunningham, the man behind both the voice of the Bastion narrator and the title character in Transistor.

After I check in, Greg leads me to the station where I will be demoing the game. “Should I leave one earphone off so you can walk me through the demo?” I ask in an exchange my voice recorder picks up.

“No,” he says. “I want you to be able to experience the game by itself.”

He pushes a button on the demo station and I immediately realize exactly what he meant. The song that plays at the title/intro screen, entitled “We All Become” by Ashley Barrett, who also performed on the Bastion soundtrack, is both heartbreaking and beautiful and fits perfectly with the tone of Transistor‘s story. The sense of audio immersion is intense, and I immediately felt Darren Korb’s signature touch permeating through every note played on the soundtrack.

The game represents a more focused effort from Supergiant than Bastion, as the team is now more familiar with one other. “When Supergiant was formed, we never thought Bastion was the one and only idea we have and that’s all that we can do,” Greg Kasavin said. “So it’s almost like it’s our own challenge to ourselves to see if we can do this another time, especially now that we have the full team from the first day. A number of us joined the team while Bastion was already in development, so we wanted to take that team and go through the process from start-to-finish of making a whole new world, this time with a take on science fiction, just as Bastion was our take on fantasy.”

Transistor feels like a spiritual successor to Bastion thanks to its isometric 3D plane, but once I ventured past the first couple of minutes where the story and basic gameplay mechanics were laid out to me, the game throws a serious twist in the combat engine. “It’s a much more deliberate combat system,” said Amir Rao. “It’s all about getting the pacing and the drama that happens in a turn-based game, but into a more immediate context. It takes place in a different world with a different tone and a different atmosphere.”

This turn-based mode, which can be activated at any time during any real-time conflict, will allow for more strategic planning and diversity in the game’s combat, which, beyond this particular mechanic, feels very close to an upgraded version of Bastion. “Basically what we wanted was a deep-feeling combat system where you could develop an idea and [...] where you develop your plan and then you pull the trigger on it, but you’re not sure exactly how it’s going to succeed,” said Kasavin. “We found that by creating sort of an ebb and flow to the combat, that it gave it its own distinct character that we really enjoyed on the team, and when we created this strategic planning mode, we found that different members of the team used it very differently, and that’s when we felt that we were onto something. [...] It was cool to us to see the kind of flexibility that afforded.”

“We make games based upon the preoccupations of people on the team. A lot of the people on the team were interested in trying something that was a little bit more tactical, because they’re big fans of Valkyria Chronicles, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Fallout 1 and 2. We wanted to try and bring those pleasures into sort of a faster and more immediate context.”
- Amir Rao

The turn-based mode felt completely natural, as I was able to activate it with a push of a button and plot out my next few moves until my energy bar was depleted. After executing those moves I found myself unable to attack until I recharged, which didn’t take long, but it was just enough to cause a rise in anxiety due to persistent enemy types. Rao asserts that this is a result of the liberties the turn-based mechanic allows the designers. “Because we have this strategic planning mode, it means we can really turn the enemies up and make them very, very smart and very, very aggressive and very, very challenging,” he said.

“With Bastion, we tried to explore the action RPG genre because we felt there was a lot of room there to do different stuff, but even after finishing that game, we felt there was still more that we could try both narratively and gameplay-wise.”
- Greg Kasavin

Transistor continues the mission that Supergiant Games laid out with Bastion, which was to create an engrossing world with an engaging narrative that would create a strong emotional attachment between the player and the characters. As I put down the controller, digital fact sheet rolling across my demo station’s screen, I could already feel that emotional connection to the narrative. It’s something that so few developers are able to accomplish, but with Transistor, it seems that Supergiant may be on the right track to step out of the shadow of Bastion and, once again, achieve something truly special.

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If you’re like me, then this behavior is exactly why the fun has been sucked out of online play, and as a cis, straight, white male, I’m not even the typical target of these insults. For a better example of how hurtful and pointed this behavior can be, check out Fat, Ugly, or Slutty. While this site deals primarily with sexism in the online community, racism and homophobia are equally prevalent.

Enter Gamers Against Bigotry, an organization founded by social justice advocate Sam Killermann. With the ultimate goal of creating a community where gamers of all identities are welcomed, GAB has a multi-faceted strategy for improving the conditions within the gaming community.

Phase 1: A Show of Force

The first step in GAB’s master plan is a good ol’ fashion roundup, a digital show of hands, an electronic all-in-favor. A portion of GAB’s site is dedicated to a simple pledge:

As a gamer, I realize I contribute to an incredibly diverse social network of gamers around the world, and that my actions have the ability to impact others. In effort to make a positive impact, and to create a community that is welcoming to all, I pledge to not use bigoted language while gaming, online and otherwise.

This count of solidarity does two things right off the bat. It shows those who believe in the cause that they are not alone in their desire for change, and it initiates an act of leadership for each pledge. “I’d really like to emphasize that when people sign this pledge they are leading by example in their community,” Director of PR James Buckley writes. “Part of that is to stand up against bigoted language when they see it or hear it online.”

In quantifying the community’s desire for inclusiveness, we can raise awareness for the cause and lay the foundation for the next step.

Phase 2: The Powers That Be

Devs like EA have the power to set inclusive trends.

As patrons of interactive entertainment, we look to the publishers, developers, and artists for our continued enjoyment. These entities are the powers that be in our community, and it’s toward them that GAB’s next step is aimed. Using its growing number of pledges as a basis, GAB intends to begin a dialogue with developers on behalf of the community in order to encourage the reevaluation and reformation of the methods currently in place for keeping our games hate-free  (or, rather, the lack thereof).

Currently, most gaming services allow users to mute other users, but these “opt out” systems do little to address the actual problem. Instead, they allow game chat to fill with hate speech by default, which players can only then selectively cut out when they’re inevitably annoyed or offended by it. As a result, players continue to take this offensive language as simply the gaming community’s brand of competitive trash talk and perpetuate it in order to fit in without fully realizing the harm these words cause.

Phase 3: Qualitative Change

By partnering with developers and other organizations, GAB hopes to help implement improved tools for keeping hate out of games. In the GAB Action Plan, this means “providing incentives for those who deserve them, and taking away communication privileges from trolls who only use them to abuse.” Online communication is indeed a privilege, and the trolls among us are a minority, albeit a loud one. These are the obnoxious people who privately message someone only to call them hateful slurs or demean them for their sex or perceived sexual preference.

It’s important to keep in mind that GAB isn’t out to censor anyone. They’re not on a witch hunt to punish anyone who’s ever called their opponent a “fag,” or claimed they “raped” their opposition; they simply want players to take a moment to consider who we’re hurting when we use that type of language and reconsider its use in the future. After all, the first step to creating an inclusive environment is to stop perpetuating exclusivity.

While we do our part to affect positive change on the consumer side of the community, GAB also has plans for change on the production side.

Making games as diverse as ourselves

It’s not hard to see that video games have a dearth of meaningful characters outside the usual straight white men, and it seriously narrows the scope of the experiences available to players. One of the biggest draws of video games is that they allow you to step into the shoes of someone else, making them incredibly powerful tools for developing empathy. Understandably, GAB would like to see this power applied to characters as diverse as the people playing them. Doing so, however, requires a degree of delicacy.

Sam Killermann, founder of Gamers Against Bigotry.

“It seems like every day now I’m reading an article on Kotaku, The Mary Sue, or Polygon about ‘diversity’ in games,” Sam tells me. “But diversity is a shape-shifty type word, so we’d like to help nail it down. Our goal is to provide a concrete set of examples folks can look to as they try to make their games more representative and appealing to gamers of all identities.

“Video games are an incredibly young entertainment/artistic medium, but they have more potential than any other medium there is – we want to help video games reach that potential. Complex characters and inclusive story lines will be a great start.”

As Sam points out, this is a process. Diversity is far deeper than just adding in more women or characters of color; it’s about the respectful treatment and representation of people from all walks of life, and doing so takes much more than a list of principles.

“Our inclusivity document is still a work in progress, so we’d rather not talk specifics. We’ll be working with game developers and other industry folks to ensure the final product, and our eventual suggestions, are meaningful, reasonable, and implementable. Going out on a limb now with a premature idea we have might do more harm than good.”

The virtues of negative attention

Though still quite young, Gamers Against Bigotry has already received significant attention, and not all of it good. Only days after GAB’s original site first launched, it was bombarded by DDOS attacks and hackers who defaced its pages to display disgusting images and racial slurs. Even more damaging, however, was that attackers managed to repeatedly wipe the pledge counter back to zero, clearing well over 1500 pledges. To take it a step further, Sam’s personal blog and portfolio sites were also targeted.

Sadly, these types of attacks are relatively common in the online community. Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency was similarly attacked after the launch of her Kickstarter, which aimed to raise funds for the extended video series Tropes vs Women in Video Games. But however heinous these occurrences are, they thankfully can have a silver lining. There’s a reason why the saying “there’s no such thing as bad press” exists.

Anita Sarkeesian received death threats after launching her Kickstarter campaign.

Negative actions as these attacks tend to get the attackers exactly what they want: attention. Most of the time, however, this attention paints them as the bullies they are. In addition, the circulating news gains the targeted parties the attention they need, and they tend to subsequently see a spike in support. After the attacks on Anita Sarkeesian, for example, her Kickstarter finished out with more than double the asked funding.

The attacks on GAB’s site have received their fair share of press, and GAB’s cause has been strengthened through developing relationships with organizations like GaymerConnect and AbleGamers. In the future, Sam hopes GAB can work together with industry giant EA. “What they did at the Full Spectrum event a few weeks ago left us all incredibly moved. It was a huge leap forward for the industry, and made it clear to us that they are ready and pushing for our brand of change — it’d be great to help them in their efforts.”

Active advocacy and how you can help

GAB practices a brand of advocacy James likes to call “active” advocacy, in which each and every one of us can participate. By taking the Gamers Against Bigotry pledge, we’re doing more than just signing a petition in hopes of raising awareness; it encourages us to speak out against hate.

Rather than spending all our time standing on a soap box trying to yell the loudest, we have the potential to do a great deal of good simply by speaking up on an individual basis. When someone makes hurtful remarks or tasteless jokes in online chat they expect their peers to chuckle along, but by calling them on their behavior and asking them to stop, you cast the spotlight on the negative implications of their behavior. With just a few simple words, everyone will think about what they just heard, and you’ll have provided them with a real-life example of who the words hurt.

Speaking out like this can be hard — there’s a lot of social pressure not to make waves — but it’s also an extremely effective way of standing up to insensitivity. Consider that a large number of people who use hurtful slang don’t actually believe they’re hurting anyone; these people are much more likely to change their behavior if they’re proven wrong. Now consider that these people very likely outnumber the people who actually mean to be hurtful. By getting the people who mean no harm to stop using bigoted terms, we can begin to shift social pressure to fit that trend. More often than not, even bullies will bow to social pressure, and that means a lot less hate speech in our games.

Of course, this brand of advocacy won’t sway everyone, which is why GAB seeks to partner with developers to help put better systems for negative reinforcement against outspoken bigotry into place. To do this, it helps to have the community at their back, and to this end GAB has an entire page filled with ways you can help them in their quest. The organization is looking for volunteers for everything from spreading the word on social media, programmers and artists to help enhance their web presence — they’re even willing to help you get college credit for your help!

If there’s one thing you take away from this, it’s that it’s within your power to make our community a better place. Take the pledge, stand up for inclusiveness, and show the community that haters are gonna hate, but we don’t have to let them keep the megaphone. Fun isn’t exclusive, so why are we?

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