EPISODE EVEnt 2

This is the 2nd episode of my webcam show concerning random thoughts and discussions about the video game industry and culture.

EE2 is about the importance and reliance on internet access.

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EPISODE EVEnt 1

This is the first episode of my webcam show concerning random thoughts and discussions about the video game industry and culture.

EE1 is about current game development/design trends.

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The Rock Man Conspiracy!

Wow.

Last week it was reported that a 16-year-old boy got a Nintendo DS box full of rocks in lieu of the real DS his mom intended to buy him. To make it even weirder/funnier, the rocks were wrapped in Chinese newspaper. This was an unexpected incident following his parent's first prank of buying him Guitar Hero: On Tour (without having a DS to play it). We at P2 like happy endings, so good thing Wal-mart actually refunded the price after originally denying them credit!

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Hot on the heels of that incident, came rolling another boulder of a blunder. A guy in Texas buys an Apple MacBook at Best Buy for $2000, but gets home to find out his new computer bricked, literally! Instead of his MacBook, he was sold a paving stone! Now, this customer's situation is yet to be resolved and we're sure it'll be done soon. Or someones gonna get stoned.

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These unprecedented duo of events, sparked my proprietary "theory sensor". I have a hunch that there is a conspiring "Rock Man", not to be confused with the Japanese "Mega Man" (perchance this guy/gal is Chinese). Instead of a hero fighting forces of evil, he's a mineral loving tech-villain, hellbent on replacing the world's game/computer systems with varied forms of rocks. Now I just have to investigate to discover if it's for practical jokes or a greater plan threatening the well-being of mankind. Doesn't sound too crazy I think.

*gets pulled away and constrained in a straitjacket*

PixelJunk Contest: Name the next Q-Games game!

Q-Games' PixelJunk franchise on the PSN evolved from modest beginnings to innovative "gimmies". Racers, Monsters, Eden...now get ready for...Wait what's the name? You want me to propose one?

That's right, fans get the chance to name the game in a contest! Details and link in the pic:

And if that's not cool enough, check out the actual debut game play! Sweeter than sweet.

E3 and Hype From the Big 3

E3 is about 70-80% back to its roots in 2009. And to celebrate Sony, Microsoft, and...Capcom (you thought I was going to say Nintendo huh?) are all hyping the expo to be one of the biggest ever. Along with that are promises and vague clues:

- Sony: "...this will be one of the larger E3's in terms of software and just discussion"

- Microsoft: "...will completely transform how people think about home entertainment"

- Capcom (paraphrase): "Saving some surprises. 2 new game announcements at the event"

Color me more excited than every previous year this generation! I didn't mention Ninty because I haven't read or heard anything on the show front. We all know they're gonna make a comeback *crosses fingers for Ravi Drums encore*.

I say though, according to the comments, MS has the most to lose if they don't deliver. Capcom is a chip-shot for 3rd party of the year, and Sony is being Sony. Except this time they're modest.

Bionic Commando Multi Swings to XBL

The Bionic Commando multiplayer demo is now available on XBL marketplace. I loved me some Rearmed, so this remake has me more intrigued on checking out this new installment. Now I just have to go check it out myself.

I heard there's a glitch that allows you to exploit the hero's dread's as a swinging apparatus./sarcasm

New Lost Planet 2 Game Play

LP2 seems to be one of the few high-profile 360 exclusives releasing this year. According to Capcom's Jun Takeuchi, work is currently underway only on 360. And looking at this new trailer it, well, looks good. Too bad there's no more snow so we can't compare it to Uncharted 2 like fanboys...I also wonder what's the need for heat packs if there's no snow? Enjoy.

Black Protagonists in Gaming: A Black History Month Special

Introduction
February 1^st is the start of a Great American Tradition: SuperBowl XLIII (43). But an even greater American tradition commenced on this day is Black History Month. It also happens to be home of some of this year’s most anticipated games, a number of which will be the center of discussion within the next twenty-eight days.

This February, Prime Player is proud to present four articles involving and dedicated to the individuals with African ancestry and/or subject matter directly related to the respective heritage, be it factual or fictional, under the lifestyle-umbrella which is the game industry and community.

Each of the four articles will be posted on every Sunday of the month, consisting of opinionated editorials in addition to objective outlooks. Now, let’s have fun in celebrating and discussing some gaming cultural history!

Special
Black characters in video games aren’t difficult to find if you look hard enough. But to some extent, a rare gem to discover is the well-rounded and positive black protagonist. Characters within entertainment are generally a means of identification and more creatively, personas that enhance one’s experience on various social fronts. Social–in this case racial–awareness in the game industry hasn’t quite reached the level of say, the movie industry, and that is understandable, seeing how it is a younger business in comparison. My concern is this: black characters in games habitually range from stereotypical to non-existent. In addition, black gamers consume a great deal of the medium and are a vastly growing and contributing demographic in the community. Why not create and implement characters that are actually relatable or who boast innovative societal behaviors?

Now, as a black gamer, I don’t want to single myself out in saying that creative black characters should entirely cater to representing me in whatever fashion. Nor do I exclusively desire to experience the personage of the black-American. What’s even more imperative is the element of portrayal, seen through the eyes and respective thought processes of all gamers. This unfortunately, is most commonly based on worldwide mainstream media and/or simple unfamiliarity. It’s no secret that the game industry–in the Western hemisphere–is mostly populated by white males, be they designers, artists, programmers, public relations executives, etc. Fairly and honestly, those in creative positions will more than not, imagine and implement characters in their likeness. The same can be said in the Eastern world of development, though what they are more successful at in doing is designing the white male character, and they do it often.

Particularly, the Japanese’s portrayal of black characters has been poor as a whole. Not singularly poor, but also lacking in lead roles. Take Barrett from ‘Final Fantasy VII’ (7), a likeable Mr. T-esque, though stereotypical character with his loud and potty-mouthed antics to his short tempered and defensive attitude. In addition, he has a gun permanently attached to his arm which can invoke even more faulty ideas/perceptions. It doesn’t end there within the worlds of this legendary franchise; Fran (pic here) of ‘Final Fantasy XII’ (12) is an attractive, philosophical black female sub-lead character. Though one problem remains: she and her entire race of black characters–exclusively women–, possess actual bunny ears in lieu of real ones. What? It can be called creative from an artistic viewpoint, but they are seemingly the only black characters in the game.

Finally, what does the future of the series’ interpretation hold for black characters? What’s that you say about ‘Final Fantasy XIII’ (13)? There’s a 1970’s inspired black guy named Sazh Katzroy who has an afro and a pet baby Chocobo (fictional take on chicken/ostrich)? Not only that, it’s reported that Sazh's afro is exploited as a ‘nest’ of sorts for his feathered friend. From recent Famitsu magazine scans it has been divulged that he is the “wise” mentor like sub-lead, which honestly sounds great on paper. Let’s just hope he doesn’t speak jive and hit on women (which from the article’s pictures seem likely). This could either turn out bad or good, I’m hoping for the latter.

It seems as if a black character depicted by Japanese minds must possess some form of gimmick. This even extends into other entertainment mediums such as anime which hold a myriad of similarities to Japanese games - be it hair, clothes, or media-induced personality. In addition to the correlating characters above, another prime example of this is ‘Dead or Alive’s’ Zack (pic here), a Dennis Rodman-looking, money and fame hungry, goofy, womanizing Muay Thai expert. ‘DOA’ is a game in the fighter genre, so every character can be considered a protagonist one way or another, but up until the latest installment, the lone black character in the game was this dude? He’s not identifiable or relatable to 99% of black gamers (unless Dennis Rodman's family and friends play DOA).

‘Metal Gear Solid 4’ introduced a fresh face to laugh at in Drebin. He is a Sisqo look-a-like (video here) who speaks with a dialect and vocabulary that is loosely derived from American “jive” slang. Oh, and did I mention he has a pet hairless monkey that loves to drink soda? I do admit his personality and character grew on me during the progression of the game’s story, as he isn’t one dimensional, but the inspiration can not be discounted. Japanese anime and games commonly have weird characters, however black characters are substantially goofier–for lack of a better term–and caricatures of cultural ignorance. It’s often laughed off as the Japanese are not nearly as diverse a culture as most in the west, but it would be exponentially nice to see their perceptions and design of black characters expand from outdated and defective archetypes.

Before we depart from exploring examples of black characters from Japanese developers, I’ll commend Capcom in their creation of Sheva Alomar, who stars in ‘Resident Evil 5’. As an African protagonist the player controls, she can easily be considered a role-model for any young black girl and even a model of design for other developers as well. Seemingly, she is a tough, well-educated, and attractive woman with no external gimmickry of any kind. Her visual design, dialogue, and behavior are even authentic to her portrayed background and not reliant on media perceptions. Considering that ‘Resident Evil 5’ is set in Africa, it was a natural and smart decision to include a playable character from that geographical region. If there were one thing I’d alter, it would be that the player had the option to choose to play with her or the main protagonist Chris Redfield (who is white) at anytime. I have no issue with his ethnicity, but Sheva is only controllable for the second player, otherwise Chris is the default for single play. Nevertheless, thank you Capcom, this is a component of the future that I envision for black characters in games.

Now back to America and the western world of game design and marketing. Like I stated previously, a creator of whatever medium will more likely than not, design aspects of their product around his/her vision and likeness. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but a reality no doubt. This is a key reason as to why we see the white, grizzled space marine male all too often in games. It isn’t the sole motivation though; marketing that image is easier and takes less creative effort as well. Since games sales numbers are progressively passing those of even the movie industry, it may seem to some, a moot point to change anything as the demand is climbing. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, right? Not exactly.

To evolve and explore social and cultural ideas benefits the narratives to the reception of games as a maturing medium. Mending the creative facets of development will only promote more creativity and growth. And seeing how the audience doesn’t remain the same, should our games remain the same? As an evolving industry, pulling your audience’s emotional, social, and mental triggers are vital to potentially greater fiscal and critical success. Video games, however, have a certain advantage that other forms of entertainment don’t: interactivity, the physical realm of stimulation. Honestly, in comparison to movies which have more or less peaked as far as social commentary goes, games are considered child’s play, and rightfully so. That’s where the impending growth lies, coupled with gaming’s unique interpretation and execution.

In its embryonic timeline, movies have come from black faced-painted white men, to blaxploitation, to genuinely talented black actors starring in films and winning awards. All forms of commentary have been explored, some exclusive to the black communities worldwide to roles that aren’t your typical “black role”. Take 2007’s ‘I Am Legend’ for example, Will Smith presumed the identity of a lone scientist surviving on post-apocalyptic earth. This was the third iteration of the source material, whereas the former two used white actors to take on the character.

Imagining ‘I Am Legend’s’ script on paper, one could commonly assume that the role would be offered to a white actor, yet this wasn’t the case. Affix the key word: scientist to the notion and you can truly understand where I’m coming from. Robert Neville, Smith’s character, is a complex individual with a traumatic background which further affects his dilemma of loneliness. I won’t delve into spoiler territory, but it’s evident he is a strong-willed and loving genius. He is the sole protagonist and human character the viewer can relate to. This drives home a stark realization from imagery to execution because it’s not something one would normally envision a black character representing, especially since there’s no form of socially trite dialogue or objects. Furthermore, where do characters and narratives akin to this concept exist in gaming?

Let me continue by saying that I entirely admire two characters that PC developer Valve crafted for their critically acclaimed game ‘Half-Life 2’: Dr. Eli Vance and his daughter, Alyx Vance. Dr. Vance is a black-American scientist, who mentors the game’s playable protagonist–and fellow scientist–, Gordon Freeman. Going by ‘Half-Life 2’s’ unique story-telling, Eli presumably had an interracial marriage with an Asian woman (pic here) and thus his daughter Alyx was born. Alyx, who isn’t dissimilar to Sheva’s description above, is a charismatic sub-protagonist, and close friend to Gordon. The killer here is that she is not playable, whereas the silent hero, Gordon Freeman is.

As much of an esteemed character he is, I wonder what the barrier to him originally being black was. Note that Gordon has no personality or dialogue, so unfamiliarity or lack of sampling remains a non-factor. Perchance it was favorable to market a soulless white male on the box art? Regardless, kudos to Valve’s implementation of believable, intricate social experiences, even if it doesn’t completely get to what game design should aspire to. Their implementation is undoubtedly much more respectable and inspired than say, inserting characters for diversity’s sake.

Augustus “Cole Train” Cole: a former sports superstar who is the loud and obnoxious, comic relief character of Epic Game’s ‘Gears of War’ franchise. Gotta love ‘em. With no further knowledge, and having read that description, you would already know that he’s “black”. It seems like Epic went to the length of creating a diverse set of characters, but shot “creativity” in the head once ingenuity and research came into play. Cole is a sub-protagonist accompanied by other stereotypical ethnic characters (which I won’t get into). Set in an alternate universe, this futuristic action game takes place on an originally imagined planet named “Sera”. However, his personality shows resemblances of outmoded “urban-American” behavior, you know, a country that’s on Earth.

Personally, I’d be keen on experiencing some inventive social comportment sprouted by the culture of the alternate world the characters live in. In addition, Cole’s favorite taglines include: “Bring it on, sucka!” and “This my kinda shit!” If that wasn’t bad enough, the end credits to ‘Gears of War’ comprises of a nice musical (if you could call it that) number containing various “Cole Train” quotes laid over a hip-hopish beat (video here; starts around 1:00). Well, I won’t criticize in excess because he is an entertaining character, in all of his antics and exploits. Whereas Augustus lacks depth concerning his relative narrative and individuality, there’s one particularly infamous character that doesn’t.

‘Grand Theft Auto’ as a franchise is not alien to controversy, but 2004’s ‘Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ took it to new territories. The game takes place in fictional cities strictly inspired by the 1990’s American west coast “gangsta” era. First and foremost, I’m appreciative that such a mainstream title is piloted by a creatively complex African-American male. Conversely, I’m distraught behind the notion that this game unquestionably summons ill-impressions based on an existing American ethos. ‘San Andreas’ only playable character and protagonist, Carl “CJ” Johnson, is a young member of one of his hometown gangs. The story and social interactions present in San Andreas is definitely a fresh experience for game narratives. And to developer Rockstar Games’ credit, CJ is a multifaceted character enthralled into an intriguing chronicle that echoes likenesses to American film classics such as ‘Boyz N the Hood’ and “Menace II Society”. A key difference is that the game remains within video game-standard fantasy and doesn’t solely spin around the axis of “black on black” crime.

A plethora of gamers have played through previous ‘Grand Theft Auto’ narratives which explored numerous Mafioso stereotypes. Formerly, Italian-Americans and mobsters were one in the same, though that widespread perception and media obsession died with the 1940’s. The dilemmas that African-Americans face is a grim parallel, as an alarming number of people worldwide still associate gangster lifestyles–amongst other labels–to them as a whole. Visualize if the game industry was as advanced as it is today in America’s prohibition era. If ‘Mafia’, a game whose plot revolves around 1930’s mob life, were to see release, its reception would range from vindictive criticism, reinforced “fears”, and outcries of victimization. A similar situation ‘San Andreas’ and African-American’s are positioned in today’s world.

To further complicate my outlook of this game, CJ is somewhat identifiable as a young black man, “trapped” in American life’s harsher realities, whatever the degree may be. What makes him relatable to an interactive extent is the game’s role-playing elements. The player can maintain CJ’s health, appearance, relationships, and even purchase houses. This modifies the quality of his virtual life and affects the player’s experience, allowing a sense of ownership and promoting increased interest in him as a character. Rockstar has put the first foot for black protagonists with artistic narratives into mainstream gaming’s door. The question is, was the best foot first? More important than character creations of the past are character creations of the future.

The current generation of gaming is introducing more and more player-created avatars as it progresses. Developers let the player totally customize their character’s gender, skin tone, and features such as hair and eyes. Allowing the protagonist of a game to be made into each and every player’s likeness is a clever way of reaching the widest audience possible. The developer created personas of these heroes can be silent types, like in ‘Fallout 3’, where the character doesn’t speak at all and possesses limited-to-no personality. Or identical to BioWare’s ‘Mass Effect’, where the protagonist is given a persona and voice molded around an archetype amiable for all gamers.

Some may inquire, “How do you market such a protagonist?” In most cases, games that have customizable heroes don’t need promotion on the character front, because they focus on advertising the title’s game play feature-set and plot. When it comes to an image of a character that aides the sell, ‘Mass Effect’ was handled perfectly. During promotion, “Commander *player given name here* Shepard” was a generic male figure sharing facial traits of several ethnic groups. He can easily be supposed as black, white, or Hispanic. In numerous promo-screenshots, it was rumored that BioWare even modeled him as a black male. Though when the game released, gamers everywhere customized him to how they saw fit, some even into a her. Having this option available in games is also enjoyable, as we at Prime Player can attest to that:

Site admin Darius White’s hero gets down with some girls in Mass Effect.

After my investigation and discussion on a broad array of characters, developers, and issues, many questions and desires linger. What hurdles do developers face in evolving a game’s social outlook or premise? Moreover, is it the lack of diverse talent or does the industry not want to boldly break from a tried and true mold? In time of those queries being answered, what we should desire is less ignorance and more endeavors in the artistic extensions of ourselves and game narrative. As gamers grow and mature, the industry must too. And as the community becomes more diverse, the industry should respond by providing more diverse content. After all, we gamers are what drive the industry, even if it’s monetarily superficial.

Communities are capable of materializing into tide-changing voices, especially with the resources and communicative knowledge gamers control. I don’t suggest petitioning games that are ethnically challenged; in fact I expect and wish the opposite. We are a social bunch you and I, rummaging about message boards, playing online with and against one another. If our games provided more socially imaginative avenues of inspiration, we would welcome them with open arms. Thus, this subject matter isn’t an exclusive concern to the population of black individuals, real or fictional. Much of this topic is left untouched, and we’d like to see your opinions and discussion in the comment section, or anywhere on the net.

Props and Flops // Jan. 11-17

Props

• Halo Wedding: Steven Totilo of MTV Multiplayer reports that a Halo themed wedding successfully took place starring bride Desirai Labrada and groom John Henry.
  
  

  "The bride entered to the “Halo 3″ menu music. The backdrop of the ceremony was a basic recreation of the “Halo” map Ivory Tower. The groom had his “Halo” emblem on his tie; hers was on her dress sleeves. Their wedding favors were made to look like plasma grenades. And instead of being pronounced “man and wife,” Desirai and John were declared “teammates for life.”"
  

  
  Congrats to the teamates and may they have a prosperous and fun life together!
  
  
• Incognito's meeting with Sony goes "great": Incognito Entertainment's (Warhawk, Twisted Metal) Dylan Jobe can rest peacefully after having what he called a "great" presentation to the Sony overlords. Seems like they're working on a new game and it may be a story-heavy single-player experience. Interesting. Other than that, they're farther away from the guillotine during Sony's tough times. Good for them and gamers.

• Capcom's awesome Resident Evil 5 CE: After announcing the cool collectors edition for upcoming Street Fighter IV, Capcom has followed up with another. The CE for RE5 will include (aside from the awesome game) a Tricell messenger bag, Chris Redfield figurine, BSAA patch, Kijuju-inspired pendant, and a bonus disc.
  
  If there's one thing I like more than extra stuff, its extra-stuff I'll never use. Though the price seems good on this one and the African pendant is a plus.
  
  
• Nintendo sets new sales records in Europe: Numbers are pretty self-explanatory. And Nintendo does a lot of them. In 2008 they sold upwards to 8.3 million Wiis in Europe, a 58% increase over 2007. The console now has an installed based of over 14.7 million.
  
  The money train doesn't stop there though, as the DS sold 11.2 million (31 million overall) units last year, which now settles in as the most annual sales for a game system ever.
  
  Remember, this is only Europe folks, and its taking over like the Chimera in Resistance: Fall of Man. Man, I wish I invested in Nintendo stock during the GameCube era.

Flops

• Forbes editor claims that Rock Band copied Guitar Hero: Coupled with the ass-kissing of Activision founder Bobby Kotick, the writer makes an ignorant remark regarding the music/rhythm genre war.
  
  

  "EA also teamed with MTV to sell Rock Band, a shameless knockoff of Guitar Hero that added drums, bass and a microphone to the world of make-believe rock stars. EA says it is returning to an "auteur model" of designing games, taking bigger chances on fewer ideas."
  

  
  Someone needs to tell this dude that most of the Rock Band team (Harmonix) created Guitar Hero in the first place. Not only that, they innovated by first implementing multiple intruments. I don't give all the creadit to them though, since Konami basically fathered the genre. But that's another story for another day.
  
  
• Madden 09 fails to calculate SuperBowl contenders: The guys at EndSights held two simulation playoff games for the AFC and NFC championship bouts . According to Madden, the Philadelphia Eagles will defeat the Arizona Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens will barely edge out the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  
  See, I wanted Philly to go because McNabb is due for a ring, but the Cards "shocked the world" and will be representing the NFC in the SuperBowl. Steelers were a favorite for the AFC game and Joe Wacco's saftey net (B-more's defense) seemed exhausted.
  
  So, Madden, good job at failed stat simulation. Hopefully you can get the SuperBowl right.
  
  
• Teacher faces jail for sending lewd texts to minor via WoW: Lynn Wells, 42, is a teacher in the UK. She's also a World of Warcraft player and a level 60 pedo-mage. Not really, but she did send (wish I could read it) sexual messages to an underaged schoolboy while on WoW and is facing possible jail time for her "wicked" acts.
  
  

  "She then sent the boy, from London, a series of graphic texts in November 2007 which outlined what she intended to do with him if they met.
  

  She was caught out when his father read them."

  
  This one might be a prop if she was...you know...hot. But she's more lilke Judy Dench than than Cate Blanchett from the movie Notes on a Scandal.
  

Hybrids

• Killzone 2 press kit sells for $589: If you didn't know Sony has sent review copies of KZ2 to journalists worldwide. One of these guys/gals put it on eBay for auction.  It was soon taken down due to site policies, but subsequently popped-up again for sale. The kit then sold for 400 euros (approx. $589). Wow.
  Props for the journalist's hustle. Flops for the buyer's patience.
  
  
• Metroid Prime port headed to Wii: Why? First Resident Evil 4, then REmake, now Metroid Prime. Metroid Prime (not because of the name!) is a classic and should be left alone to marinate in all its nostalgic glory. But then again, the more people who play this AMAZING game, the better.
  
  The port will offer the signature wii-mote and nunchuck control scheme identacal to Prime 3, true widescreen, and "finer textures". Though right now there are only plans for a Japan release. Man, I'm torn on what to think about this one.
  
  
• Killzone 2 exclusive demo hoopla: It was reported earlier this month that GameStop would have an exclusive demo promotion for KZ2 via a necessary pre-order. My first impression was: cool, I'm going to pre-order it anyway. But then it occured to me that it won't be available to those who don't plan on or can't get the game. Isn't that what demos are for?
  
  So Sony responds by stating that the intents of this move will promote more pre-orders and visibility. We'll see how this unique take on grass-roots advertising works.
  
  What I'm pleased to hear is that the demo will be available to those who won't pre-order...the day before the game comes out. Pretty smart to an extent, because those are mostly the folks who aren't sold on it. But for those who just don't have the money and want some KZ2 goodness, you'll have to wait.

Honey, I'm Home. Or Am I?

Home, sweet home (cliché, I know). Sony’s robust social app has finally made it, but still in beta form. Many claimed that it would propel PSN ahead (or equal to) XBL in the service race, some seemed mildly intrigued, while others ignored it from the start. I’m sure you’ve already heard what’s currently available regarding the service so I’ll save you the trouble reading another checklist. To put it simply: Home isn’t quite what we expected it would be, but it’s definitely the worst it will ever be. Does that make any sense?

What’s most interesting is what lies beyond the horizon. Home is a persistent environment that seems to have a very dedicated community team and even fan base. Many of the game involving/affecting features are in development, as are substantial 1^st/3^rd party content. Home’s success is contingent upon user interaction/activity as well as Sony’s response to it. If they can consistently update and add worthwhile features for the majority of users, then it could very well be a home run (lame pun intended).

As for now, its limited, though fairly fun, depending on your level of interaction and interest. Home definitely adds to the PSN’s encompassing package of services, not available on other consoles. Even so, this social venture isn’t for everyone—yet at least—and can get boring rather quickly. The good thing is: it’s free, with much on horizon. So until then, dance, dance, dance you dancing machines…or ignore it until the next big update is available.

Editor’s note: I didn’t discuss the reported and ridiculed harassment issues prevalent in Home because this problem/comic relief isn’t exclusive to this community. Most social networks (online games included) are riddled with identical behaviors and dialogue. Online culture never ceases to amuse.

Dead Space Review

Reserved Space

Fallout 3 Review

Game play: It literally doesn’t get any better than this. V.A.T.S. is a unique game play mechanic that makes combat more strategic and diverse. This allows the user to select various enemy body parts very similar to a turn based system. The shooting mechanics are fun and satisfying considering this is an RPG. The enemy AI is neither spectacular or horrible, but does more than get the job done.

The perk system is a fantastic way to level your character. Though few of them may be useless, for the most part perks is an essential and calculated design for the growth of your character. The Pipboy menu is very cool and allows nicely organized micromanagement. Raiding is somewhat repetitive yet extremely satisfying.

Having an AI companion is fun and deteriorates the feeling of loneliness. They are also GREAT for carrying your big guns that you can't/don't wish to carry. Co-op is the only thing I could really think that would improve the game enough to excel is beyond remarkable. Thankfully the amount of content and depth excuses this.

Graphics: Fallout 3 looks surprisingly beautiful considering the expansive open world. Character models are well detailed while the gore is probably the most gruesome in any game to date (and funny). While impressive, the Capital wasteland has some repetitive level design that is very prevalent in the underground tunnels systems. Minor animation quirks, bugs, and frame rate issues prevent this from being the best it can.

Sound: What you would expect from a Bethesda game – high quality VO. Previously hired voice talent returns and a new Hollywood actor joins the cast (I won’t spoil it). The sound effects are varied and fitting for each item/weapon. There are slight ambience transition issues. The soundtrack is epic and chilling depending on location of battle. The old school jazz tracks aired via Pipboy radio fit the drab wasteland much better than you would expect. Three Dog is annoying at times, but his implementation is quite unique as one of the last radio DJ’s.

Longevity: Long. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. The main campaign is pretty short, but you’d get sidetrack almost easier than ever with well implemented side quests. The Level 20 cap is reached rather early, but it really inspires you to create another character in order to acquire new perks, weapon schematics, and of course - be evil. The world is huge. It may be smaller in total miles than Oblivion’s Cyrodil, but many locales and underground transit systems are crammed within the total area. It may feel overwhelming at first, but exploration is well rewarded.

Fanboyism: While there are very minor setbacks, the entire package is remarkable. The things I don’t like are heavily outweighed by the sheer amount of content and depth. I feel Bethesda has gone to great lengths to make Fallout 3 a fun, profound, and rewarding experience. It really feels like the super RPG that Bethesda is known for. While I’ve never played an original Fallout game (and I sympathize for fans of previous installments) I highly recommend F3 to any RPG fan.

Killzone 2 Demo

Dreaming of playing Killzone 2 24 days early? If so, your wishes have come to light now that Gamespot is giving out demo access to those who pre-order the highly anticipated shooter.

Here's the explanation on their site:

The demo window apparently begins February 3rd. This grants more than enough time for PS3 owners to prepare for a preemptive Helghast holocaust.

Gamestop.com

Editorial: Love and Video Games

Here's an unforgettable story about how love and video games blissfully (check back at a later date for disastrously) entwine. First, I'll tell you how lucky of a guy I am. Second, I'll tell you how awesome of a girlfriend she is!

About three weeks before the launch of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Konami and Kojima Productions announced that Hideo Kojima would attend the launch event of the game and sign copies (along with a virtual actress from the game) at the Virgin Mega Store in Manhattan. During this same time, my girlfriend had just moved to New York to pursue her master's degree, having left Atlanta and me behind.

Well, one day–about a week before the launch–we were talking on the phone while she was in the Virgin store, then I told her about the event and how people were going to camp out for it. Now, she knows how dedicated and serious of a gamer I am (playing, industry, culture) and she isn't a gamer herself, but she definitely respects the medium and is increasingly interested in it. Out of nowhere she says: "I'll do it for you!" WTF? My jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?" I said. "Yeah, why not!", she replied. It was definitely an awe-filled and exciting shock. And honestly, before she said it, I was so unconscious to the idea. The only thing I've ever camped out for is a Nintendo Wii.

So when July 11^th arrived she bought a folding chair, some snacks, and brought some books. Headed to the Virgin store between the hours of 5-6 PM, and camped out in line. During the wait she befriended HipHopGamer (shout out to him), of the HipHopGamer show –a popular internet video blog about gaming and hiphop–and his girlfriend. During the 6+ hour wait she was interviewed for the show. Here's her segment (@ 3:43):

Eventually, by midnight they bought their copies of the game and she also got me a strategy guide (they sold out of posters)! When it was her turn for the signatures, she took pics of the Man himself: Kojima-san! She even over-nighted the entire package to me! And what's great about it all, she said that it was an experience of a lifetime and fun and exciting. (I think she'll even want to camp out with me in the future :) ).

Now, you may be thinking, as I have contemplated. How the hell am I going to repay her or display my love in an extreme (positively) fashion? Well, that's for me to know, and her to find out soon (I'm still stumped)! And if you read this Sega (nickname). Thank you :). I couldn't imagine my life without you.

SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation-al Review

Socom Confrontation is an online only iteration of the popular shooting franchise that Zipper fathered during the PS2 era. Though this time it’s handled by PSP devs Slant 6, who also made Fire Team Bravo on Sony’s handheld. Like Warhawk, GT5: Prologue, and Burnout Paradise, Confrontation is available for purchase via downloading on PSN or any game-carrying brick and mortar store. The retail SKU, however, is bundled with Sony’s official Bluetooth headset. First thing you’ll experience with Confrontation’s is the mandatory install of about 2 gigs. After that waits a game update. Before heading into gameplay you can customize multiple characters with facial/voice features, a primary and secondary firearm, special explosive, accessories, and camo. Even though there exists slots for many custom soldiers, the option to select between them during matches isn’t possible.

Once you get past the pesky installs you’re seemingly free of any trouble. Not so, for many players, as connecting to matches are troublesome and getting kicked from games is common. Though with my experience with Socom thus far, I’ve had no interferences such as this whatsoever. Lucky me! Another deficiency to note is the missing tournament calendar and trophy support. These absent features—along with more stable servers— are promised by Slant 6 in the near future. I won’t go into detail about the graphics since they are self-explanatorily subpar. They get the job done, and quickly you won’t notice the visual shortcomings. It’s not all bad though.

Aside from the negatives, Socom delivers in other factors important to online gaming. Enjoyment, teamwork, and great maps. What stands out the most is the sound design. It’s proximity based and realistic in the sense that the closer you are to an ally, the better you hear them. Audio traits are also projected by the volume of your voice. You can realistically hear chatter though walls and even hear enemies speak (and vice versa) if they are naïve enough to strategize near you. There is also the option to communicate with your entire team by pressing a specific button. The impressive sound isn’t exclusive to the voice chat though; gunshots and grenades are extremely satisfying and carry properties of volume variance according to distance, and the subtle mood-setting music is nice.

What takes you’re mind off of annoyances the most is the natural teamwork associated with the franchise and fun factor of the game. The level design plays a large role in this as well. Through the flow of strategizing with friends and mastery of the maps, intense firefights and good times await. But one thing that irks me the most is environment hit detection. Sometimes if you have the jump on an enemy your shot may go straight into a wall or car (while behind cover) directly in front of you. Aside from that problem the cover system remains intuitive and helpful. Hopefully it’s fixed soon.

Socom’s outing on the PS3 is a fun, strategic, though sometimes vexing experience. Worthy of the purchase if you’re a Socom fan and worth a try if you just like shooters (especially for the sweet headset bundle). Firmware updates are likely to cure most problems as does all online games.