You Tell Too Much

Adapting their work from movies, comic books, TV shows and even other games, it's interesting to see how many stones Telltale Games won't leave unturned. Telltale was still a smooth running machine years back when they released Jurassic Park and Back to the Future but it wasn't until their interpretation of The Walking Dead in 2012 when the machine went into maximum overdrive. Now we've got the developer working on all sorts of projects in a manner that both draws my interest and raises some red flags. It's great that they want to try their hand at so many franchises but there's a point where you can spread yourself too thin. Assassin's Creed has fallen prey to this overeager marketing strategy and have found themselves shooting out constant yearly releases.

That's all well and good but how much is too much? Surely this could be solved by splitting the labour fairly amongst the developer so each project gets a fair amount of development. Again, like Assassin's Creed, these games will probably all be well and functional but it's still entirely possible to suffer "Telltale Burnout". A lot of the Assassin's Creed games aren't that bad but there's just so many of them. Look at Lego and their excitement to stick their fingers in all the pies. (Although if Lego want to make their own Game of Thrones video game I would totally be up for that.)

I am intrigued but proceeding with caution. Am I buying the first episodes of Game of Thrones and Tales From the Borderlands when I get the chance? Of course, so Telltale have already done their bit selling me on this. When we play so many of these games though, it's easy to grow tired of the typical Telltale issues such as awkward choices and sticky action sequences. Perhaps like platformers, military shooters and music rhythm games, the genre of interactive story drama will become the new popular thing to sell (which isn't a particularly bad idea). It'd be nice to see some competition against Telltale actually - before anyone mentions David Cage, I meant "good" interactive story dramas.

Top Ten Games of The Seventh Generation: Part 1

'Sup.

It looks like this blog was neglected and sunk to the bottom of a sea of endless, unimportant opinions. Oh, the many ideas I had for this little corner of the internet. It may not be large or grand but I always find myself wanting a sounding board to absorb my deranged rants. Shall we kick this horse back onto the racing track and have another go at this? Is that even a phrase? Probably not, what kind of asshole kicks horses?

So yeah…top ten list.

I’m kind of giddy at the thought of doing this; top ten lists are awesome. Maybe it’s the exciting countdown or the tense anticipation to whatever the number one choice is. Maybe it’s the fact that people will always shit on whatever the number one choice is in a hilariously barbarian manner. Maybe it’s a lot of things…but it’s most definitely the latter. If you read my last post a million years ago regarding the new console releases you may be surprised to know that I still haven’t bought either console. In fact, there hasn't been much time in my life for gaming which makes me a sad panda. Life sort of got in the way, causing me to move to a new city without room for a TV or a big ass black box. Let’s not mention the fact that a lot of new releases don’t even strike my interest all that much. While a forced break from gaming may be slightly difficult, it is kind of nice to miss out on the mind boggling controversy that is Gamergate. If you want me to quickly summarize my limited knowledge on the subject, here it is: 1. I can’t be arsed to give a shit. 2. Stop adding the word “gate” to everything that is mildly scandalous – it’s fucking annoying.

So let’s reminisce, my dear readers. Or dear reader….are people even reading this? Whatever, I’d like to countdown my favourite games of my time with the 7^th Generation as I feel like I might not be gaming much for a while. This generation was special to me; while I have fond memories of playing Sega’s Megadrive and Sony’s older consoles, the 7^th Generation was when I became completely absorbed in the world of gaming. It was when I learned about the history of the medium and its potential for epic storytelling. Of course, this is a double edged sword because it also exposed me to message boards and Youtube’s comment sections but hey, you've got to take the rough with the smooth.

Quick point before we get started – I'm not a professional journalist or credible media figure and I haven’t been able to play every game out there so don’t be upset if I haven’t included Super Robo Dinosaur Exorcist 3: The Reckoning. Countdowns are extremely subjective and this one is no different, so let’s play nice.

10. Enslaved



A lot of people have forgotten about this game which grinds my figurative gears. Not only was it released as a new IP in the fourth quarter but I remember people kept confusing the developer “Ninja Theory” with “Team Ninja”. Quick rundown: Team Ninja were responsible for turning beloved heroine Samus Aran into a whiny, frail thumb sucker and made Dead Or Alive (Also known as Boobs, Boobs, Boobs). Ninja Theory were the guys that made Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, a post-apocalyptic tale that features two disparate characters coming together to make their way across a hopeless dystopia and whether or not they are able to escape the terrors of what lies beyond their safe habitats. It’s not hard to see how it can be compared to the story of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic tale that features two morally disparate characters coming together to make their way across a hopeless dyst-yadda yadda yadda.

There are differences of course, Enslaved has more robots while The Last of Us has more zombies (and bearded people). What was so engaging about Enslaved was its story. Yes, it can lose points for missing the original aim of adapting the old Chinese novel (Are Chinese monks usually hot redheads?) but the two lead characters shared a rich chemistry that was hard to dismiss and easy to become enamoured with. The lack of supporting characters helped heighten the loneliness of the world established and the need for these two to have one another. Not to mention it had giant robot scorpions which was pretty kick ass. The overgrown flora covering buildings and skyscrapers crafted a colourful dystopia that gave a new meaning to the term “Concrete Jungle” and was a much needed fresh breath of air from the endless sea of brown, dull colour palettes that exhausted many post-apocalyptic stories at that time. The story and visual aspects carried this game home for the most part. Gameplay wise, it was fun to mash the X button and beat the shit out of mindless robots. That approach could only go on for so long before it grew very repetitive towards the end. Also, the end wasn’t great but it wasn't about the destination - It was all about the...giant ass mechanical scorpions.

Oh, and the journey was pretty rad too.

9. Saints Row 4



This was another game that didn't gather a lot of hype at the time of its release. Not only was it going up against the colossal monster that was Grand Theft Auto 5 but it looked and felt a lot like Saints Row: The Third. Why is Saints Row 4 on my list then? It could easily be placed on here for the sheer amount of fun that was had with this game. The introduction of super powers and aliens into an already quirky crime sandbox was reason enough to make a purchase but there was always a sense of underlying maturity to me. Maturity in a game that lets you bludgeon people to death with giant dildos? It might be difficult to explain or perhaps I’ve read too much into it. While it is easy to see why so many people wanted GTA V, I fell out with the series after the ungodly angst ridden bore that was GTA IV. The series had shed so much of its initial, colourful nature to tell a more serious tale. The only problem was that it didn't do it very well but this isn't the time to go into that. The point is you don’t have to be super serious to be a respected piece of work. Saints Row 4 wasn't serious, it tells the story of the Third Street Saints taking down alien invaders in a sci fi war that includes pop culture referencing and drug induced superpower battles. It could be described as completely “off its tits” if the tits weren’t chopped off, stuffed with silly string and shot out of a cannon.

Saints Row 4 referenced aspects of gaming culture not only for childish giggles but with a cheeky satire reminiscent of Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs. The vapid sex interactions with your crew members can show how ridiculous and impertinent these relationship features can be – not just in Mass Effect but in gaming as a whole. You can dress up as a big breasted, thong clad stripper yet the game liberates both genders more than the majority of Triple A games out there. The Third Street Saints features female characters that are more than just “The girl”. They have quirks, flaws, story arcs that gave them the chance to grow. You didn’t have to be a macho, angry jerk who scowls while holding a big gun. It didn't pander to pre-determined stereotypes and embraces the true nature of player choice - Be whoever you want and fuck whoever you want. The game didn't borrow tropes from Mass Effect just to get a laugh out of the player but used Bioware’s story telling advantages to make the Third Street Saints a varied and likeable crew.  It does not aim to criticize gaming, only to roast our culture and have a bloody good time.

8. The Walking Dead: Season One



We’ve gone from “Bloody Good Time” to a bloody fucking nightmare. Good lord, what a morbid game this was. Yet it still sits comfortably on this list for how damn great it was at ripping out our heart strings and choking us with them. The Walking Dead video game might be my favourite interpretation of the popular zombie franchise, which is notable for establishing that zombie fiction itself is rather old hat and instead uses the setting as a backdrop for a survival drama between increasingly amoral human beings. This game’s appeal rests solely on its story and interactions between the characters. Moral choices in games are very rarely pulled off well as they are mostly split between being a morally clean do gooder or a batshit nutter who gets off on the tears of children. It can be argued what the right choices were in the Walking Dead, as it questions the player on whether life should be the battle between right and wrong or the obvious choice of doing anything to survive. Player choice was necessary to drive the story forward and the outcomes of said choices were never really satisfying or rewarding which slightly soured my opinion of the game when I first finished it.

Perhaps Telltale didn’t want us to feel like an accomplished hero at the end of this story. At the end of every episode I was exhausted, frustrated but always hoping to find a silver lining to keep me going to see the end. This made me see the viewpoint of characters like Rick Grimes, Lee Everett or even Batman. These characters who are trying to make a difference in a hopeless setting in what seems like an endless struggle. Everything you do pisses someone off because that’s what it’s like in this world. You’re not going to please everyone and not everyone is out to please you. So what do you do? This game helped us understand the importance of interactive storytelling and the potential of what video games can be. It didn’t boast big graphics and fancy effects because it didn’t need any of that. The heart wrenching plot and intriguing characters captured our hearts, only to take a massive shit on them because fuck our feelings.

7. inFamous 2

Sucker Punch’s follow up to their 2009 hit inFamous was everything that a sequel needed to be. We live in a time where sandbox games are a dime a dozen but we have to consider what makes or breaks a sandbox game. Yes, it’s great to have a bunch of toys in a box with lots of side activities to do. Something that the developers miss at times is the actual point of why you should do these activities. While it is fun to take part in a simple task when exploring the game’s world it’s hard to carry on when there’s no real rhyme, reward or reason. It’s there, it’s something to do but why should I do it? We’re gamers, we want some kind of useful reward that helps us in the main campaign. You’re not putting a carrot at the end of the stick, you’re just taping a stick to my head and making me look like a nobhead. Should ancillary side activities that can easily be neglected even be there? Some people can be kind of sort of responsible for this practice. I won’t say who they are but they rhyme with “booby-soft”. Even Red Dead Redemption was guilty of this.

So yeah, inFamous 2 totally didn’t do that stuff and then some. The sandbox features all provided relevance and necessity for upgrading Cole McGrath in order to succeed in the game. Not only was it relevant but it was also, you know….fun. Sprawling around the city of New Marais was exhilarating and provided many opportunities to zap your adversaries in the balls. If you’re a comic book geek like me, it’s easy to become absorbed into the game’s superhero inhabited world and ultimately fall in love with it. While the Conduit prejudice may have borrowed a little too much from Marvel’s X Men, the story showed us characters with surprisingly endearing story arcs and struggles. The city that these characters live in was also an extremely welcomed change to the constant barrage of New York inspired locales. The charm of New Marais shone bright from the bustling, Jazzy town centre to the dangerous swamps and the tragedy stricken ghettoes. All of this ultimately distracted me away from inFamous’ shaky moral choices which always lied at the heart of this franchise. Too bad New Orleans doesn’t have superheroes, although I imagine there are people to zap in the balls.

6. Mass Effect 2



Don’t hate me for making fun of Mass Effect’s relationship choices – I put the second instalment on this list didn't I? We’re cool now, OK? Good. Let’s continue. Now I never actually beat the first Mass Effect game…

Oh, you hate me again, don’t you?

So yeah, I never actually got around to finishing it and going back to Mass Effect after playing the other two games always felt kind of uneasy to me. Bioware’s sequel into the Mass Effect franchise featured many tweaks and trims, mainly dropping the vehicle sections and character customization. Cutting these features out entirely instead of refining and improving may not be the best method to go about things yet it never bothered me because the shining light of Mass Effect is the strength in Bioware’s ability to construct a detailed, elaborate and captivating universe. The Iain M. Banks-esque lore filled with aliens, planets and intergalactic war raised Mass Effect’s tale to a level of epic proportions. Following the story of Commander Shepard, the universe is basically your oyster to explore and there sure is a lot of that to do. Hours upon hours of side missions help flesh out the worlds that these characters live in, rich with history and back story that places the game’s status above many others in terms of world building. Even acclaimed films and books could have trouble matching the profound depth that Mass Effect reached.

Mass Effect 2 gives you the chance to feel like Bill Adama, Mal Reynolds or Jeffrey Sinclair. A leader of your own vessel, allowing you to roam the corridors and grow to love or hate your crew members. It was like a sci fi geek’s wet dream. Mass Effect 1 loses me due to my inability to enjoy the gameplay and drive the Mako which felt as stable as a soggy cardboard box. Also, it had Kaidan Alenko (who I swear to God is based off of Matthew Broderick in that Godzilla movie) and Ashley Williams who was as culturally open to aliens as Nigel Farage is to people who dare to not be born white.  Mass Effect 3 was good too but while I didn't hate the ending, it certainly wasn't the super spectacular smackdown that we were all expecting. Mass Effect 2 (in my opinion) has the most likable cast of characters with their own unique personalities, traits and back stories. Helping them with their issues and quests really makes you feel like an accomplished commander which is an experience that is hard to find in other games. It’s a game with depth, presence, complexity and a journey that is unique to each player because nobody’s Commander Shepard is exactly the same.

Halfway through - you're excited, right? The next post will feature the top 5 games of the last generation filled with perpetual, geeky gushing because I really have nothing better to do on a Saturday night.