Losing My Souls

So I'm kind of a masochist. Not in that Fifty Shades of Stupid(witty, right?) sort of way, however; which might be unfortunate for my blog, since apparently vivid descriptions of torturous sex acts bring the readers in droves - who knew? Nope, sorry dear readers we're sticking to talking about video games here. You'll just have to borrow that certain trilogy from your neighbor or mom or whatever. Moving on...

Freaking Dark Souls! And on top of that... freaking Demon's Souls! Both games make me clench my jaw as well as other muscles that I don't regularly clench. They make me sweat, and sometimes cry (inside only - I mustn't outwardly show my weakness to the Souls games, lest they cleave me in two). And sometimes, only sometimes, they make me want to quit playing video games altogether because: they crush my spirit, and make me feel completely inadequate, like I'm Uwe Boll attempting to team up with Quentin Tarantino for my next film, only to find that by the second day I... well, I'm Uwe Boll, enough said. But, on the flipside, each time I finish off a mini boss, or an actual boss boss, the feeling of joy and accomplishment is so great that I can't imagine any other game giving me that kind of rush I feel when conquering even a small part of one of the Souls games. So what happens when I actually complete one? Will it be such a grand and fulfilling experience that the prospect of Half-Life 3 and a new Deus Ex will merely bring a shrug of the shoulders and a "meh" tumbling from my lips?
Okay, so the answer is "no"; and while much of this is hyperbole, some of it does ring true. When it comes to games, I am quite the masochist, and the Souls games whip it real good in the places that count, baby. But there's another layer to my history with these damn games, one that stretches beyond mere gameplay, but is inexorably tied to at the same time. *Queue dramatic music*

Basically, I think I'm slightly cursed when it comes to playing Dark & Demon's Souls. I purchased Demon's Souls the December after its release, fully aware of the experience I was about to embark on, and loved the crap out of it. Not pleased with my first character, I started a new one and began kicking some ass. I was maybe halfway through the game, when my PS3 decided to quit loading games and any other disc-based media. I was pissed, and scared that all my game saves were trapped forever. After three months of weighing my options regarding various fixes found on Youtube, I went with the wrong one. Of course. I ended up erasing and reformatting the entire harddrive, losing all of my saves. On the bright side, my PS3 was functional again and I began another new game of Demon's Souls. Did I back up my harddrive then, you ask? Pfft! Hell, no! I set off like Mister Magoo and began stumbling my way through the game from the beginning again.

After a period, I actually had about 80-90 percent of the game behind me, and then my PS3 died. Completely this time. Wouldn't even turn on. I tried dismantling it and cleaning the innards out, but it required more work to fix than I felt like putting forth. So, I bought a new one ('cuz I'm rich, like that), with a squeaky clean 120 GB harddrive just waiting for yet another of my Demon's Souls saves.
I began Demon's Souls once again with fervor, because on top of having a new Playstation that surely wouldn't poop out on me, I was now playing on a beautiful 70inch LED TV that really has no business being in my house. The game was prettier, and I had at least two years of off and on experience to throw behind yet another character. This one was special though, this one was to be my last. The one I beat the game with. He would triumph where others had been struck down by acts of God and other random calamities. But...

Don't fret, oh readers! For he is still alive, and safe on my now year-old PS3's harddrive. But he got pushed aside for now, because my curiosity was too great not to purchase Dark Souls for my PC.

And here's the much less tragic, yet still somewhat annoying second-half to my Souls games story.

I knew I wanted Dark Souls when it released for PS3 and 360, yet I waited. I had to complete Demon's Souls first, I told myself. But then Dark Souls released, with DLC included, for forty dollars and I couldn't wait any longer.

So, how awesome! PC versions are always better than their console counterparts, right? Better graphics, and settings for fine tuning performance? Well, after purchasing I perused the Steam forums to see what people were saying and found that. lo and behold, Dark Souls for PC was considered one of the worst console ports ever made. And I suppose that's true, but really, if you have the machine to run it, you still get the same experience as the console version with a slightly more stable framerate. Slightly. Very slightly.

Here's the rub: my machine just couldn't hack it. I had a dual-core processor from six years ago and a low-end video card. Still, I was stubborn. I persevered through the 10 to 20 fps for many hours, until I realized that my eyes were beginning to hurt. Yes, Dark Souls for PC caused me physical pain. Okay, not to whine, but it was still uncomfortable. So I quit. As I quit, was forced to quit, Demon's Souls many times before. Oh woe is me, and all that.

So now, months after purchasing Dark Souls, I finally have a PC that can run the damn thing - even with Durante's amazing fixes enabled. And it looks great. It plays, well, as great as it can play. Which is fine. I'm happy, and blazing forward once again until something comes along to either distract me or breaks my game saves. Wait, Dark Souls II was just announced at this year's VGA's??? Here we go again, dammit!

Even the Ents are bastards

On Being a Patient Gamer. And Kind of a Cheap-Ass.

I buy a lot of video games.  A lot.  However, my purchases have become much more frugal over the years as I've learned that saving money is actually a good thing (who knew?).  In my late teens and early twenties, when the cruel hand of inevitability thrust me out into the real world and my parents stopped buying me games for my birthdays and Christmas, I threw all kinds of green at the game industry.  The excitement of being "free" for the first time consumed me and I did everything I had always wanted to do.  I made some bad decisions and some sort of okay decisions; but my focus here is that I purchased every game that caught my fancy, and bought them brand-new at that (90 percent of them anyway). I was in nerd heaven, and showing some financial support to my favorite game developers along the way.

Fast forward a bit (nevermind you how long) and I now tend to shy away from the day-one, sixty dollar game purchases. I have my exceptions - Elder Scrolls and Portal 2 to name a couple - that I simply cannot wait to play when released. However, I've found that, for the most part, I can wait to play any game I'm looking forward to. Sure, after the hype has died down it seems less exciting to finally purchase and play a game that's been out for a year or two - but, not really. After the logos pass by, and main menu loads up with whatever theme music has been chosen for the game, I find myself just as eager to play as I would have been on day one. And my reward for waiting all this time? The same game or games for a fraction of the cost, which means more money in my savings, in my gas tank, in my belly, and sure, sometimes into another long-overdue but now wildly cheaper game.  Case in point: last year I purchased Halo 3, ODST, and Halo Reach for around sixty dollars, give or take. Three games for the price of one. I also just purchased the fantastic Uncharted 3 for a mere twenty dollars. Patience rocks.

                                                   Yup. Ass Reed II for $19.99

Okay, so what about the online component of all of these Halo games - I've missed out on years of Halo multiplayer! For some, this would be unspeakable, but hey, I'm not in the online FPS camp. I played through story mode on each game, jumped into multiplayer a bit on each one, and they now adorn my game shelf until I feel the need for some more Halo campaign. If I were more of a multiplayer enthusiast, I'd of course shell out full price for these games. Playing with strangers just doesn't do much for me. So... Yeah...

Let's wrangle this ramble down and get to my focal point - if you've missed out on a game and all the hype has passed, do yourself a favor and shell out your chump-change for what may be an inexpensive, but still fun as hell game.  Also, if you have a decent PC, budget gaming should be your bread and butter. Check out all those digital game distributors online for crying out loud - gog.com, Desura, and the mighty Steam to name a few. The sales on these sites are absolutely insane - like, "Hi, I'm Crazy Larry better come lock me up" insane. Also, let's give a nod to a plethora of discounted older PC titles, and the bustling Indie scene made even more bustlinger(?) by Steam's Greenlight program.

So what if you're short of cash, or just don't feel like spending sixty dollars for something new and shiny. You can still game it up like Grandmasta Puff n' Game* if you know where to look and can wait patiently while prices drop. Now, like I said, I just picked up Uncharted 3 for twenty dollars, so if you'll excuse me...

*Yeah, he's not real. Yet.

Still Alive

Good golly it's been ages since I posted anything on the Ol' Rambler.  I was getting some good view numbers for a while there and then I'm pretty sure all my readers perished at the same time in their Game Rambler fan bus - shame I would've signed autographs.  Anyway, after ho-humming about lack of views I focused my writing time on fiction - which I still am.  It's a busy life, and with a full-time job and many hobbies I find myself spread pretty dang thin.  No fear, reader, I plan on returning to ramble a bit more regular-like in the coming month.  There are games to be played, and lines of text to write about the games being played, and other stuff, I think.  So pop in, won't you, in a few weeks' time, and let the Ol' Rambler tell you a story...

What the Crap Have I Been Doing?

Just thought I'd update a bit as to what I've been doing.  Well, playing games, of course!  Also I've been toiling away at my book.  It's a story about a cat who journeys across the country to find his master.  And I have to admit I'm pretty excited about it.  It began with my mother constantly nagging suggesting that I write a childrens' book.  At the time I was trying to focus on my other project, a large medieval fantasy novel that was fun to work on but also definitely kicking my ass.  I know what I want it to be, but it's a huge project and I decided what I needed was more practice.  And so was born the "childrens'" book.  It has a title, though I'd rather not speak of it right now.  Also, I wanted to forgo the whole "picture book" idea my mom had in mind, so I'm instead writing it as a YA book - or, Young Adult book.  Other YA books would include The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, etc.  So I wanted to write something that was appealing to both kids and adults, perhaps explore some more mature themes and whatnot.  Anyway, it's turning out to be quite the adventure and I can't wait to find a publisher for it.  I can dream, anyway...

On My Wii

So I'm a little perterbed.  My mostly thankless job managed to deposit a nice bonus in my bank account; and so, being the big nerd I am I immediately went to the local game store and purchased a Wii.  That's right, Ye Old Rambler hasn't had a Wii to his name until now.  Why buy one so late in the console's life span, you ask(let's be honest, it's pretty much shuffling around with a walker and forgetting to take its pills by now)?  Well, I like games, and wanted to catch up on my Zelda's, Mario's and Metroid's, that's why.  Also, the part of me that absolutely couldn't let Xenoblade Chronicles pass me by kept tugging at the hem of my shirt like some annoying kid - I had to give in.


So why the perterbation(I think that's a word)?  The new Wii model doesn't support Gamecube games!  Okay, so I wanted a Wii to play Wii games, but this really sank my heart.  I have a small but fun Gamecube library, and part of the excitement of getting a Wii was to play them with progressive scan turned on - better picture quality, yay and all that stuff.  Not anymore, I guess.  Unless I decide to buy a cheap, refurbished Wii(I really don't see that happening), it's fuzzy Metroid Prime and Resident Evil Zero from here on out.

That said, I picked up Metroid Prime 2:Echoes along with the third Prime, which is exclusive to the Wii.  I played the first Prime years ago and then lost contact with the series as my Gamecube was buried by 360 and PS3 games.  It's great to finally get back into the series.  I'm currently about 35% through Echoes, and while the Gamecube's lack of definition and fuzzy textures was off-putting at first, the game is so fun that I've stopped sobbing over my Wii's handicap - at least that one will be in 480p.


What strikes me most about the Metroid Prime games is how tight the gameplay is.  Even the odd control scheme begins to feel second nature after a small amount of time.  I'm excited to move on to the third entry and see how well the motion controls work compared to the Gamecube titles.  As for Other M... not sure I want to sully my experience with Team Ninja's vision.


All in all, I'm glad to finally have a Wii, as lackluster as it may be.  Twilight Princess is just as great as I've heard it was, No More Heroes is a fresh blast of crude, bloody air, and Mario hasn't lost his appeal after all these years.  Thankfully, the list of must-have Wii games is slim, so it shouldn't take too long to catch up on Nintendo's best before the Wii U comes out.


P.S., Nintendo:  Here's your time to shine a little above Microsoft and Sony - ship your next console with either a component or HDMI cable!  I'm pretty sure the future has already happened, and it's a shame such a seminal company is having to play catch-up.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night PSone Review

Castlevania holds a special place in my gaming heart.  Back in the NES days, I spent many an hour fighting evil in the first Castlevania, solving the puzzles of Simon's Quest, and enjoying the branching paths of the third entry.  The series has had its ups and downs since then; and I certainly haven't played every title in the series, but I've managed to fight my way through most of them.  None, however, completely captures my attention and respect more than Symphony of the Night does.  It is the ultimate Castlevania title, and it will be a special day when (and if) Konami can trump this masterpiece.

The earlier entries in the series were some solid and fun action/platformers (with a sprig of RPG thanks to Simon's Quest), but it was cozying up to the Metroid formula that gave the series the edge it needed to make a more lasting impression.  Recently, as I began playing through it once again, I was a little apprehensive that the pixelated visuals would get in the way of the classic fun I remembered.  However, after chopping through some zombies and getting my equipment yoinked by Death himself, I was ready to scour the depths, heights and in-betweens of Dracula's castle.

Castlevania's music is always the first thing that grabs my attention when I begin a new installment, and going back to this old title was still an aural treat.  It's a curious mix of metal, stringed orchestral, and even dirge-like themes sung by solemn choirs.  Each main area of the castle has its own tune, and even the least memorable of the mix is still a standout tune.  I would definitley enjoy listening to the soundtrack even when not playing the game itself - I like it that much.

As I said above, I was a little afraid the aged visuals wouldn't appeal to me quite as much as they used to; however, unlike most PSone era games that have aged very poorly, this title still holds that nostalgic feel that old 8-bit and 16-bit games hold.  As a matter of fact, I made a point to turn off the smoothing option on my PS3 just to enjoy all those pixels.  It's surprising how much detail and animation can be conveyed by all those little colored boxes when they're arranged just right.  That said, the interior and the few exterior areas of the castle are still a joy to look at after all these years.  You'll find your view sometimes obstructed by a creeping mist, and climbing to the heights of the castle rewards you with a view of clouds zipping by at breakneck speed (it's an odd effect, but still awesome to see).  If you find yourself playing through this gem, be sure to look closely at the backgrounds - these are talented artists and level designers, so there's a lot of detail that a speedy gamer may miss.

Not only is it still nice to look at in that retro sort of way, but the game is fun as crap to play.  On top, it's your straight-up action/platformer - attack, jump, block, it's all pretty standard.  The game deviates from mere simplicity, however, by letting the player turn into either mist, a bat, or a wolf.  Taking things up even another notch, the player can also cast magic spells that heal, throw fireballs, etc., by inputting combos with the d-pad a la Street Fighter.  While it was nice to have magic at my disposal, I often found myself hacking away with the standard attack and utilizing the classic Castlevania secondary weapons (dagger, holy water, axe).  Not to say the spellcasting didn't work or wasn't useful, it's just a matter of personal preference.  Of course, I'd be doing the game a disservice by not mentioning the familiars you can obtain.  In my playthrough I found a fairy, a skull, a small demon(my favorite), and a bat.  I'd be hardpressed to say they're extremely useful; however, my fairy found a few secret areas, and my demon... well, he would stab things and yell "Die!", which I dare anyone to say isn't awesome.

Of course, this yummy cake of a game wouldn't be complete without character leveling and more items than you can shake a whip at (a weapon that is sadly omitted from this entry, by the way).  There's just something inherently satisfying as you see those words, "Level Up", flash across the screen, and then picking up an item you've never seen before.  And speaking of the latter, the game hands out new weapons and armor like candy.  I was constantly going into my inventory to examine a new item, weighing the benefits of one attribute over another for the sake of more power or more defense.  Honestly, after collecting so many different items, it did seem a bit like overkill as many pieces were similar in appearance and attributes; although, the useful pieces were always awesome and I enjoyed being able to customize my character to that extent.

If you haven't noticed, I really liked this game.  The fact that the gameplay is still so enjoyable today is a testament to its stellar design; in fact, I'd venture to say this game is a timeless classic and can only pray that an eventual remake doesn't sully the experience for those new to the series.  If you haven't tried this game, check it out on PSN and Xbox Live, or locate the original PSone disc for that true old-school feel.  If a mix of platforming, action, and vampires named Shaft sounds appealing to you, this a great place to introduce yourself to one of gamings great franchises.

Why Horror Games Don't Need to be Scary

After many an hour spent in Silent Hill through its various iterations, as well as other horror titles, I have a fairly high bar for what I believe makes a good horror game.  Lately, though, I have come to realize that the bar either needs lowered, or that I need another bar for different types of horror games.  I've come to realize that only very rarely will my standard for "supremely poo-producing" titles be met.  Basically, I've come to realize that not all horror games need to be scary.

Let's start at the beginning (mine, anyway).  The first Resident Evil genuinely scared me.  It had creepy music, zombies, and it was freaking three dimensional!  The fact that the game eventually turned into an action game much further in was overshadowed by the fact that I hadn't experienced anything like it before.  It was all fresh, and it was all scary.  The second and third entries in this series were still a little nerve-wracking, though the novelty was beginning to wear off.

Then along came a game called Silent Hill.  A friend of mine was playing it one evening, and I was blown away by the flashlight mechanic.  I soon picked up a copy for myself and knew there was something special going on there.  It was the first time I actually began to view the game environment as a character in itself.  The disturbing music, the Jacob's Ladder inspired empty wheelchairs and rust-covered walls, the sound effects... they all joined together to create a ubiquitous evil that followed poor Harry everywhere he (I) ran.  The following two entries in the series were just as satisfying to me.

Of course, new Resident Evil games were popping up in the form of Code Veronica, the Gamecube remake of the original, the prequel Resident Evil Zero - the list goes on.  I always became excited at a new RE announcement, and played each new entry happily; but something was missing.  Didn't Resident Evil used to scare me?  Because it surely didn't any longer.  I'll admit, the first village in RE4 was a revelation in horror gaming for me.  The sheer number of enemies, the decrepit houses, and let's not forget Leatherface, gave me chills I'd never had before while gaming.  But once this opening sequence was past and I had fought scores of infected, the repetition of shoot, turn and run, turn and shoot and so on had taken most of the scare out of the game.

I should have seen it coming, though.  Think about it: Up until Resident Evil 4, technology just didn't allow for too many bombastic moments, but the premise certainly hinted at a future full of spectacle.  It began on a small scale - a mansion, claustrophobic underground laboratories, a small group of people slowly unraveling the various evils of the massive Umbrella Corporation.  Isn't it only natural that a group of people bent on taking down such a corporation have a future full of explosions and, well, action?  Umbrella isn't some unknown evil seething through every crack in the wall and gaping maw that used to be a street (ahem, Silent Hill).  Umbrella is a tangible thing, run by someone, with an army infected henchmen ready to blow up, shoot, and sometimes bite anyone willing to stand against them.  And with current technology, Chris and the gang can traverse larger environments and blow up whatever the hell they please.  The great spectacle that will surely ensue once Umbrella gets taken down is now possible.  Kudos to Capcom for all the creepy enemies and jump scares, but Resident Evil will likely always be more action than horror from here on out.

This isn't a criticism of the franchise, because I still love the hell out of these games, but more of an acceptance that good horror can still be derived from action-based games.  This concept really hit me when I completed Dead Space 2 recently.  I have heard many people complain that Dead Space 1 and 2 (as well as RE 4 and 5) just aren't scary.  This is the camp that usually loves the Silent Hill games, and also the more recent Amnesia for PC.  I'll be honest here - this is my camp, sort of.

Like I stated above, though, my recent revelation hit just after completing Dead Space 2.  You know what happened right before the credits rolled?  I laughed out loud, and was genuinely satisfied with the experience I just had.  If you've played Dead Space 1 and 2, you'll know why I laughed at the end.  I won't ruin it for anyone else.  What I'd like to get across here, is that while these games certainly have a killer atmosphere and creepy enemies, the sense of impending doom I feel when playing Silent Hill 2 and Amnesia just isn't there; and I'm okay with that.  While Amnesia delivers crushing melancholy and despair, Dead Space delivers quick thrills and a frantic struggle to stay alive.

It's the difference between your Eraserheads/Jacob's Ladders and Alien/Halloweens.  All of those could be considered horror movies, though they deliver very different types of horror.  Sure, I prefer the "smarter", slower-paced horror games; but I can't expect every horror experience to make me feel the same way.  What we have, instead of "true" horror games and games that "just aren't scary", is variety - and I'm not about to complain about that.

A Quick Ramble...

Greetings Ramblees... er, people who read my blog (over a thousand views now by the way)!

Apparently Frictional Games (the geniuses behind the bestest horror title ever, Amnesia) have graciously let thechineseroom (the geniuses behind the bestest art/stroll-taking/tear-jerker of a title ever, Dear Esther) develop the follow-up to Amnesia; and are set to release it into our nightmares before Halloween this year!  If you've played both studios' latest titles you should understand why this is (or isn't, depending on your point of view) such an exciting project.  And if you haven't played both Amnesia and Dear Esther, then you really need to.  Really.  Need.  To.  Seriously.

I for one would like to see more developers do this kind of thing, and perhaps even do some crossovers.  For the heck of it, here are some ideas that will probably never happen.

Naughty Dog and Insomniac -    Clank and Daxter: Smaller is Better,  OR, 
                                                  Ratchet and Jak: Meaner Than They Look

Bethesda Softworks and Nintendo -   The Plumber Scrolls I: Super Mariowind

All FPS developers -   Battle-Cry of Half Resistance: Fear the Halo-Call of HonorZone

*I didn't say they'd be GOOD ideas

My Humble Attempt at Supporting Art.....Buy "Dear Esther"!

...or not.  I mean, you don't have to do anything you don't want to.  But, really, you should support this amazing project.  Please, do read on...

I just booted up my Steam client to find that Dear Esther, originally a Half-Life 2 mod, is now finally to be released this valentine's day - tomorrow.  I'll be honest, I didn't play all the way through the mod solely because I knew a superior treatment was being developed.  In my short time with the mod, however, I was extremely impressed with the lone man's voice-overs and thought the music complemented the eerie setting and morose, but touching dialogue.  Without question, I knew the "official" version would be worth the wait.  And here it is.

For all you gamers out there, Dear Esther is basically an interactive walk through a mysterious island.  By interactive, I basically mean you are able to walk around, and look around...and, well, I suppose that's about it.  The exciting thing about this project isn't the gameplay, though.  Come to Dear Esther looking for this: a dark, ambiguous narrative expertly told, and total immersion thanks to great graphics and a soundtrack that will have you weeping like mom during her "stories".  Come to Dear Esther looking for this, and you won't be disappointed.  Shadow of the Colossus, Flower and others have bore the "games as art" title proudly before - but Dear Esther is undoubtedly the closest I've seen to being more art than game, and this is just fine with me.

Just a note - all of my opinions are based on time with the mod and recent trailers and reviews I've read for Dear Esther.  I haven't played it yet, so this isn't really a review.  But, I think it's safe to say I know what's in store for me when I finally boot it up.  If not, hey, I'll post a complete review and let you all know that I, Ye Old Game Rambler, was wrong.

Here are some links so you can judge for yourself, and perhaps you'll find it in your heart to support brave developers like this by purchasing a copy.

Developer website: Dear Esther
Game Informer review: Dear Esther Review

We Need a Trophy Room

Imagine yourself a professional bowler for a moment. You've been bowling for many years now and have built up quite a collection of trophies, as well as a handsome sum of money. While the money has either been spent or put away for Junior's bowling lessons, you have each and every one of your trophies displayed in a room built special for this purpose. You love your room. You love the trophies within this room. You may not go in there every day, but when you do it's nice to reminisce about the moments each trophy represents. Now imagine that, after earning so much money from winning tournaments, you had the opportunity to move into a much bigger, more attractive house. Your family wants to move, your friends and family want you to move - you basically have no choice but to move on. Unfortunately, for no other reason than "just because", you cannot take your beloved trophies with you. They must remain in your old house, into which no one will ever move. You can go back and visit them if you want, but the drive is a long one, and no one will be there to dust them off regularly. Basically, you'll probably never go back to visit them, despite all the work you put into earning them.

Okay, now step back into your own shoes - sorry, your pro-bowling days are gone now - and think about the above situation. It's a little silly, right? Why shouldn't the bowler be able to take his prized trophies to his new house? Simply put, he should.

Can all three of you readers see where I'm going with this? Sure you can! But I'll spell it out anyway: What happens to our achievements/trophies once the next generation of consoles releases? Should we even care?
Sure, not every gamer cares about these extra, perhaps meaningless, virtual trinkets; but many do, and I can see the possibility of losing these as a hot debate point for many gamers in the next year or so.

For my part, in the grand gaming scheme they really are worthless, and I would certainly still play and enjoy games withouth them. However, I still enjoy having something to take out of each game I play as a sort of reminder of what I did. Also, they offer their own unique challenges and actually change the way I play a lot of games now. I find myself being pushed harder to complete that FPS on veteran difficulty, complete more of the side quests in certain RPG's, and even pay more scrutiny to the levels as I search for that last collectable item - and all of these are due to the added replay value trophies/achievements add to games, which in the end means I'm getting more for my money.  This alone makes tro&chi's (which heretoforth shall be my word for you-know-what's) worth having around.  And, you know what?  I think I would be a little upset if I had to leave them all behind once the next generation of consoles land on store shelves.
I don't expect the next Playstation or Xbox to be backwards compatible (though I would prefer them to be), but I think some sort of consistency is reasonable.  And by this I mean being able to carry over our gamertags/PSN accounts, our tro&chi's, and perhaps even our downloadable games/DLC - the latter of which some of us have paid mightily for.

Here's what would make me happy:  Let us carry over our accounts to the new systems (which I think is highly likely, anyway), and offer some space on the dashboard for a sort of library/trophy room for our past played games.  It doesn't seem like much to ask - just as it may not seem like much to worry about one way or the other; but, hey, I earned those little digital bastards, and I wanna keep 'em!

Personally, I think this is really the only way to go if Sony and Microsoft let us keep our tro&chi's, as an ever-growing gamerscore would get a little out of hand in some cases, and (I don't know about anyone else) I'd rather start as a level 1 gamer once the PS4 is upon us - it just seems like the right thing to do.

Actually, now that I think about it, here's an even better suggestion for Sony and Microsoft: Gamerscores 30,000 and above net the player a year of free Xbox Live on the new system; and for Sony, gamers level 12 and above get a free year of Playstation Plus on the PS4.  Get on it, ladies and gents!

Review Quickie: Crysis 2 (PS3)

I've been drooling at screenshots of this for awhile, and as always, seeing it in motion is even more impressive.  Most everything about the PS3 version of this game looks great, but most striking is the realistic lighting - sunspots and lens flares are like candy for the eyes.  Later in the game, when the setting turns to night, is (pun intended) when the lighting effects really shine.  The story is thankfully decent and intelligently written for a FPS (we need more of that, please).  Set in a crumbling New York City, the game tries to feel somewhat open, and only succeeds mildly before ushering you into a building and down various hallways.  This is only mildly disappointing, since the gunplay and suit powers are extremely good and always entertaining (I beat the game in ten hours and started again right away).  Enemy types are few, but once again fun to take down.  My biggest gripe is that I wish the game was a bit longer, and that there was a hulking, mean alien beast for a final boss instead of four, invisible and annoying grunts to take down before the credits rolled.  Do yourself a favor: put down Modern Warfare for a day and play through Crysis 2's single player campaign.

Review Quickie: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Just a note: I'll probably do more of these quickies, so think of them as long twitters or whatever. Just want to get a few quick thoughts out there for the hell of it. Here we go:

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

I first thought this would be yet another God of War clone. Nope, folks, not really. First, it's lengthy. Second, its combat becomes deep and satisfying once played long enough - similar to God of War, but I actually enjoyed this title much more than GoW III. Graphics are stellar. Music is gorgeous. Platforming segments can be tedious thanks to strange camera angles, but this is a small complaint. Play this game to kill monsters and you won't be disappointed. Also, the ending packs quite a surprise and I can't wait to see what comes next. A brave move forward for Castelvania, and let's hope the next installment sets it apart from the GoW clone-isms.

No Gerfect Pame

I've played a lot of video games over the years, and despite my overall fascination with the medium there has always been a downside. Call them what you will: bugs, glitches, hilarious; they are present in nearly all game releases, be they AAA or indie titles, yet we keep supporting these games and will continue to do so. I had to ask myself recently - why? Why keep spending money on imperfect products?

If I went out today and purchased The Lord of the Rings on blu-ray and found that the Balrog morphed into a seizuring hippopotamous in a tu-tu halfway through the battle with Gandolf, I might be inclined to spout a few curse words at Peter Jackson and his "let's do things half-ass because people will still buy our crap" crew. Okay, first I'd probably laugh, exclaim how awesome it was, post it on Youtube, and then let the wounded consumer in me have his way with bashing such a shoddy product. Still, any lack of polish in a triple-A movie would more than likely be caught and fixed before being released for mass consumption. So why aren't the vast majority of people who bought... oh, let's just say... Skyrim for the heck of it - why aren't these consumers crying from the mountain-tops and steering everyone they know away from this flawed product? (Not to single out Skyrim, but at the time of this writing it's pretty much the elephant in the room. Am I wrong?)

It would be interesting to go on a roadtrip and interview thousands of gamers on their particular opinions regarding this matter; but as my job doesn't allow for much distance between me and the time clock, and even when at home I feel the presence of some fell barrier keeping me from such a frivolous pursuit, we'll have to settle for what I've surmised and/or made up from trolling online and talking to my very small handful of acquaintances who game. Excited? Let's go!

Seriously though, Skyrim is an amazing experience and I can't recommend it more to anyone who considers him/herself a gamer - and this leads me to my first discussion point. I have been an unwavering fan of Bethesda since Morrowind released for XBox and PC. I've learned that, in a console-heavy environment with numerous mindless FPS's, third-person cover-based shooters, the Wii's unfortunate shovel-ware, I can always find a rich, immersive, satisfying experience within The Elder Scrolls. So, in my case at least, I've come to accept, even expect, the flaws found within these games because I think the trade-off is worth it. I enjoy Gears of War and Call of Duty very much as well; but I tire of them both, and games of their ilk, quickly because shootin' dudes just isn't as satisfying as the personal link I eventually feel with my Elder Scrolls (or any other solid RPG) characters. And if Dammit the Dark Elf wants to get stuck in between some rocks every once in a while then so be it - I suppose.

So, while long-time fans of the series have come to expect the occasional glitch, what about those who are just discovering the series?  Why do they put up with the glitches? Surely, some don't; and are likely some of the people posting complaints on Steam's and Bethesda's forums, demanding their money back or some other form of restitution. So here's a "but" for you... But, considering the millions of copies of Skyrim that have sold so far, I'd be willing to bet a large chunk of money that most of those millions are not voicing their frustrations on forums or via angry emails. In fact, most of those millions probably do the same thing I do: grumble about glitch, keep playing, grumble about glitch to gamer-friend next day, smile when turning on Skyrim after a day at work, rinse, repeat.

Here's an analogy: Games (games being: glitchy, but still beloved to certain gamers) are like a rich, adventurous friend who likes to take us places and pays for everything. Unfortunately, this friend likes to pick his nose and eat the results. He doesn't do it on every outing; but enough that you wish he would just freaking stop it. Just when you think you've had enough, and are about to tell him, "Dude, I made other plans for the weekend," he calls you up and offers to take you to a Tool concert on the back of a T-Rex (yes, a real T-Rex) and that afterward you'd both be raiding a town he had custom-built for the sole purpose of tearing it down Rampage-style with your choice of either a real T-Rex or a really big monkey. And you say to hell with it, he can pick his nose all he wants.

I don't think there's a definitive answer as to why we accept our favorite games' incessant nose-picking; but it's become increasingly obvious to me over the years that the majority of the time it's a case of tolerance - tolerance for two reasons: We tolerate the bad because, in some cases, the good far outweighs it; and also because we've been indirectly conditioned to the point that we're just used to it. Think of your favorite NES-era games and what happened when the on-screen action got a bit too busy... we had moments of massive slow-down, not to mention flashing/disappearing sprites. We got used to it back then, and now we just accept it when NPC's fall through floors and dragon bones drop out of the sky.

I suppose an appropriate way to end this post is with a question then: Should we, who pay top dollar for one of the most expensive hobbies out there, continue to just accept these flaws? Or are some of us tired to the point that our spending should become more discriminating? Would you rather purchase the next glitchy installment of the Elder Scrolls, or a game you know you may enjoy less but that is guaranteed glitch-free?
As someone who likes to have fun, I'll choose the option that provides the fun as long as there aren't any game-breaking glitches. I'm just hoping that, as the medium ages more over the years, developers can more easily clean up their code and/or amp up their QA efforts to provide the product exactly as we see it advertised - engaging, beautiful, and perfect enough to pay the sixty-dollar entry fee.

*PS: Traffic on my blog has been surprisingly good the past couple of months. So, go me! Anyway, if you're not stumbling by here on accident and actually read my posts, don't hesitate to comment on something. There is a Comment Fairy. She is real. And she'll tuck a dollar under your pillow when you're sleeping tonight. Her dollars are very small, however, so good luck finding it - but it'll be there, I swear!