The simplest thing

I love Kotaku. It's my one stop gaming fix for everything video games. Anyway, I thought I'd bring that up because while browsing the site, I found this picture. Such a brilliant picture



After seeing this picture, it gave me a couple of ideas. Well actually only one: that despite the manner in which the painter depicted Donkey Kong, I could still recognise it as the game, even if there wasn't a head line to inform me. Look, you can still make out the platforms, the ladders and the hammer. Like most pieces of art, there is a certain drive to analyse, deconstruct and find a message behind the artwork. I have that drive right now.

Looking at the artwork again, it is obvious from first impressions that the artwork is extremely simple. The platforms and support are merely painted lines, the barrels are simple splotches of paint and donkey kong is a brown blob with a dash of blue to represent his loins. Even Princess Peach is painted with little effort!

Yet we are still able to recognise these images as iconic gaming figures within the Donkey Kong game. Though simplistic in nature, this painting brings back memories of an iconic game way back in the 1980s.

Which brings me to my main point. No matter how simple or complicated, games will always be games. Whether we're playing (god forbid) Modern Warfare 2 or the latest incarnation of peggle, the common denominator between the two is that they are a game with a goal, and most importantly, they're fun. Strip a game of it's amazing graphics, superb audio and deep story, and it's still a game. So just like that painting above, we can still recognise games for what they are, russian or no russian.

Happy New Year!

My heart be aching

I would like to draw your attention to this picture which I found on the facebook. Hahaha! Oh the hilarity! (if you find it funny that is...)



Which brings me to my short rant today. I love Silent Hill (not the town, the game) but in the past few years it's experienced a decline in quality. Not like the Sonic games thats for sure, but a decline nontheless. Having played Silent Hill 0rigins (which was ok, but it failed to grip me), then hearing of how 'meh' Silent Hill: Homecoming was, it kinda breaks my heart to see that a gaming franchise that was once so revered is now becoming yesterday's news. In fact, after buying a magazine today which said that the Silent Hill Franchise should be put to rest, along with sonic, pokemon and a whole lot of other stuff.

Where am I going with this? I honestly don't know, but in the future I'd like developers to have a little more respect to the games that they make, and not offload it to some other developer where it becomes an afterthought, rather than a first grade title. Who am I to speak? I'm one fan, but I'm sure a whole lot of other fans share the same sentiment. I miss Silent Hill.

Top 10 games - #10

This was officially my first series of gaming related things. It was nice to gain feedback from the facebook community, but I figured that it would be suitable to post it here too! So here it is, my top ten games of all time!

10. Rock Band/ Guitar Hero series.



Coming in at number 10 are both Rhythm based games that have sucked so many hours out of my life, it might just come close to the amount of hours I've slept in my lifetime. However, I must mention that Konami were the first to produce a whole line of rhythm based games, with Guitar Freaks and DrumMania. Having said that, Guitar Hero/Rock Band appeals to me because both series use such a simple format that has worked for so many other games. Simple to learn, hard to master. Knowing that you have to press different coloured fret buttons on your guitar that correspond with the colours on the screen, simple enough. Now try putting that into practice, and I guarantee that you will be hooked for hours on end, trying to perfect 'Slow Ride' on expert. Another major selling point of both series is the song selection. I've always dreamt of singing 'Obstacle 1' successfully, playing 'Maps' on drums without fault or ripping a solo in 'Cliffs of Dover'. Unfortunately, in the real world, I suck at all three, so when both series give me a chance to do this (albeit in a virtual world) it's quite rewarding and why I think both RB/GH deserves a place in my top 10 list.

Uncharted 2 review

This was a review I wrote in my spare time about a month ago. I was meant to post it in facebook but, as lame as it sounds, I couldn't be bothered. Anyway enjoy!



Uncharted 2: Among Thieves begins with wounded hero Nathan Drake hanging on for dear life off a train on a cliff somewhere in the Himalayas. As he fights for survival, the train is fast deteriorating and 'Nate' must summon every ounce of strength he has left to make it out in one piece. And really, that's the epitome of this PS3 exclusive: Pure, edge of your seat action you wouldn't be hard pressed to find in your run of the mill summer blockbuster film.

That's not to say that the tag 'Run of the mill summer blockbuster film' isn't a bad thing though. Because Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is really an amazing game.

As the game flashes backwards to four months before the aforementioned scene, the player really gets the feeling that they are watching a movie. No stilted dialogue or bad voice acting heard in other games, it's clear that there's been an effort made to really engage the player, through the smooth and believable banter of Nate as he discusses with fellow treasure hunters Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer about the legend of Marco Polo and his fleet. As the game progresses, there is never a feeling that these characters were programmed to say their lines, but rather they are true, experienced actors. As an example, Nate and Harry attempt to break into an Istanbul museum and steal an oil lamp that can reveal the secrets of Marco Polo's fleet, they continually exchange lines that bring a smile to the face of the player, because the deliverance is so natural, and as a result, really brings the experience alive.

When all is said and done, it's amazing to be reminded that Uncharted 2 is still a game, and a damn good one at that. Even if the effort hadn't been strong in the acting department (ok I'll stop harping on about it), gameplay is balanced superbly. The player never gets the feeling that a particular section is dragging on, because of how well paced the game is. When climbing the buildings and street signs of Nepal starts to feel samey, a large shoot out involving a whole heap of cover and gas containers (Naughty Dogs version of red barrels) will be thrust upon the player. When running between cover, engaging in a fist fight and finishing off the stragglers with a well paced grenade starts to grind on the nerves, it'll throw up a puzzle that might induce some head scratching/chin stroking, but won't bring the game to an utter halt.

However, it's the action that really elevates Uncharted 2 to classic gaming status. As Nate, you'll be thrown into a variety of locales and scenarios that ultimately, make the gamer's jaw drop. Take the scene where the player is chased by an SUV down the streets of Nepal, as he attempts to gun it down, while the camera is perfectly positioned in front of Nate to give that element of a life threatening chase. Or the train sequence, in which a helicopter continually pursues Nate, firing wave after wave of rockets...until he gains access to a turret and the odds are evened up. It's hard not to spoil the other sequences, because each one is crafted with one aim in mind: to wow the player. And it definitely succeeds. Cover shooting is also well designed here, as Nate can easily slip in and out of cover, as well as move from cover to cover through the intuitive system, in which a simple lean of the stick and circle is required. The only gripe here is that some enemies seem a bit tough, and often require a whole heap of ammo to take down. That coupled with some big shotgun wielding henchmen who have the ability to take Drake out in a few hits, can induce some frustrating moments. However it's lost in the big picture, and ultimately, the action sequences are really a treat, and in the end it really achieves that status of 'summer blockbuster film'.

'Run of the mill summer blockbuster film' is what makes Uncharted 2 so unique though. It’s the perfect antithesis for this game, because it is littered to the core with all the elements that make up a 'summer blockbuster film', but also what makes the game so unique. You've got your explosions, your breathtaking scenery and your wisecracking, likeable hero. More importantly, you've got your great dialogue and your amazing voice acting, which brings alive the experience of Uncharted 2. So while it may be your 'Run of the mill summer blockbuster film', it certainly isn't your run of the mill action video game; it's actually one of the best games of the year.

First Impressions: Assassin's Creed 2

Whenever I get a new game, I'll post up my initial thoughts of it, and will reflect on it by the time I finish the game. Will my opinion of the game change? Who knows.

Assassin's Creed II
Having played a bit of the original, I wasn't really much of a fan. Perhaps it was the onset of the flu that affected my judgment, or I just didn't see what was so interesting about Altair.

Anyway, flu or no flu, Assassin's Creed 2 is a lot of fun! There's nothing better setting up that assassination, waiting, waiting, and then waiting some more until the opportunity is right. Ok so I killed an innocent woman instead of my intended target first time around, but still, it's bucketloads of fun! The side missions are also kinda fun, but I hope for some more variety as the game progresses. Other than that, there really isn't much to say after playing it for a day. Hopefully it maintains the fun all the way till the end! Ciao!

‘Why be hatin’ for?’ said the middle aged mum to her Modern Warfare 2 obsessed teenage son

So it’s Christmas day, celebrating the festive day at my Uncle’s house. Two guitar hero guitars, one awesome drum kit (that doubles as a real drum machine) and one mic. Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero and The Beatles Rock Band: all sitting there, waiting to be popped into the Xbox 360 disc drive. It didn’t matter if we played on ‘expert’ or not, there was plenty of fun to be had. ‘Any Way You Want It’ by Journey is chosen as the song to play, and we all have an absolute blast. The perfect way to bring gamers and non gamers together. Isn’t this a wonderful sight?

Or so it seems. For some gamers today, the word ‘casual’ sends their blood boiling and the sight of a waggletastic wii game sends them puking to the nearest EB. It was once believed that ‘gaming’ was only for those who could appreciate it, for those who would spend countless hours, perfecting those button sequences, and mastering the art of ‘micro management’. For anyone who forgot to reload their rocket launcher in Halo, they were immediately branded ‘noob’ and were told to scurry off to whatever hole they came from. Gaming was, and is still believed by some, to only be for the hardcore, and the onset of these new casual games, that anyone from child to grandma can enjoy, has bred contempt amongst the gaming community.

But the reality is, that nothing is ever exempt from ‘change’, not even video gaming. There was once a time where gamers were branded ‘nerds and geeks’, and it were once believed that gaming was only for those who had amazing hand eye coordination, and were able to comprehend those complex images on the screen. But the times, they are a changin! As the years went by, people started to realise that a profit could be made from video games, and that someone didn’t have to be gifted with superhuman reflexes. The face of gaming was changing, and many began to see it as a social activity, rather than something seen as only for the ‘nerds and geeks’. We can thank the Wii for advertising the notion of gaming for ‘anyone and everyone’, with the Wiimote, giving anyone who can manipulate their limbs, a chance to play. Then the onset of games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, allowed families and couch potatoes alike, to transform into a fully fledged band. Even in the most socially awkward situations, can people still be brought together by the mere sight of ‘Band Hero’ or ‘Wii Sports’.


Yet there are some who still have the idea that gaming is only for the hardcore, and the mere sight of ‘casual’ sends them puking to the nearest EB (have I said this before?). But why? Why be so close minded for? If games can bring anyone and everyone together, why be hatin for? If games are to be truly taken seriously in today’s society, then the gamers must be open minded to new ideas and most importantly, ‘change’. Or else, how can they expect anyone else to be understanding of games? Like it or not, games are appealing to the masses now, and even if the latest incarnation of ‘Miley Cyrus sing along’ is full of waggletastic glory, be glad that somebody, who doesn’t have the necessary skills to compete in the final of the world championships of Starcraft, can still enjoy gaming as much as you and I. Be lovin’, not hatin’.

My gaming life...so far

Well before I made my entry into the human world, video games already had already consumed countless hours of my siblings lives. They would always tell me of how they had a family computer (aka Famicom, aka NES) and how they spent their free time playing games like beewings and circus charlie. They also always tell me of how hard the games were back in the eighties, and how games nowadays are so much easier, so I'm not as hardcore as them.

Anyway, the Super Nintendo was pretty much my fourth sibling for a good part of my early life, and I was exposed to some true classics like Street Fighter II, Turtles in time and of course, Super Mario World. I've gotta give credit to my cousins though, as they were kind enough to offload all their SNES games to us when they got their Playstation 1 (or so my sister tells me). So during the early nineties it was SNES or nothing for me, and years later I can still remember those days of trying to perform a hadouken with ryu, only to perform a heavy punch. Boo! Oh, and my sister reciting the codes to unlock 'cool stuff', 'cooler stuff' and then 'scott stuff' on Mortal Kombat 3. Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, A, B, A

Then the Playstation 1 came along, and my earliest memory of it was when my brother popped in the demo disc that came with it, and started playing Abe's Oddysee. That game gave me the creeps back then, as I remember Abe beckoning the player to get him outta that factory, and the sight of him being shredded to pieces by that weird creature with the gun, just made me feel like an utter failure, I was unable to save him!

While our PS1 collection wasn't 'classic', I'd say they were definitely more fun than a Virtual Boy. Bust A Groove helped me develop a sense of beats, and bushido blade taught me that being hit by a broadsword won't reduce my life bar, but is definitely more likely to send my pixelated blood flying across the screen while I make my final death rattle. Soul Blade (or Soul Edge) also made my PS1 life enjoyable, but I was never allowed to try master mode, as my brother and sister thought I was a dangerous risk of saving over one of their save files. Along with Lemmings, Psychic Force amongst other titles, my PS1 life had been quite fulfilling.

Then the Playstation 2 came, and suddenly everything on the PS1 looked so primitive. Dynasty Warriors 2 was button mashing goodness, Metal Gear Solid 2 was amazingly deep (even though I was too young to realise) and Simpsons Skateboarding taught me a valuable lesson in licensed titles: they all suck. Purchasing an Xbox, Halo 1: Combat Evolved was my first real foray into the FPS Genre, and it was tonnes of fun.

As the years went by, my knowledge and thirst of video games grew and grew. Throughout the years, I began to realise that 'newer' didn't always mean 'better'. My brother came home with Metal Gear Solid 1 on the PS1 one day and although too young to realise at first, I found out that despite it's old status, it was really quite an enriching experience.

Which I guess brings me to the end of this decade. It's a good time to be a gamer at the moment, as developers are realising the ability video games have to amaze the audience, and consequently, are harnessing the untapped potential. As technology grows and grows, we can only expect people to take games more seriously, and who knows, maybe even one day this medium can stand side by side with film and music.

Throughout my short gaming life, I've played plenty of awesome games but the standout games would have to be Metal Gear Solid 4 and Silent Hill 2. Both games very very very deep, and really forces the player to think beyond what they play, and try to interpret the message that developers are trying to depict.

So there's my gaming life in a nutshell. Hope you enjoy this blog!

Hi all!

Blogs, blogs, blogs. What to write in a blog...GAMING!

Yes well this is my blog that has anything and everything to do with the wonderful world of video gaming. Letsa Go! (best said in an italian plumber's accent)