Up late talking games & writing? You're...

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Games: Although it's not exactly a new thing, two games I've played recently have included vocal NPCs tagging along with the player-- and I love it. Specifically, the titles I'm referring to are Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood and Ghostbusters.
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In Juarez, the player selects either Thomas or Ray McCall at the beginning of each level, and the AI plays the role of the other. Although the adventure is heavily scripted in nearly every aspect, their constant company provides ample opportunity for dialogue between the characters. These conversations help build a sense of familiarity with the characters, and it's very welcome to play a game where I don't feel like a lone soldier fighting a war all by myself. Honestly, the back-and-forth between the brothers is the best aspect of the entire game.
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In Ghostbusters (I'm still really early in the game) but the first section featured constant chatter between the player and the main characters from the films.
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With the exception of two or three extremely brief segments when separated from the rest of the Bustin’ crew, the game was very much about a team atmosphere. As a fan, I was extremely thrilled to hear that all of the original actors reprise their roles, but aside from that fact, it was quite enjoyable to (again) not feel like that solo character taking on the world.
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I think there's definitely a lot of room for game developers to explore this avenue. After all, gamers have spent so many years being the one who saves the girl/city/planet/universe that I think a title or two putting players in a team, secondary or supporting role would be quite welcome change of pace. The key difference would be the amount of constant interaction the NPCs had, as well as the copious amounts of dialogue. By simply exposing the player's character to the presence of other characters, an entirely new quality begins to emerge thanks to the fact that the talking isn't limited to between-level cut scenes or two talking heads speaking via bubbles.
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Oh, here are a couple of quick links:
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The latest GameCritics Podcast, Episode 18: Wii Hate Nintendo and my Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament review. Feedback on either/both is always welcome.
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TV: The wife and I just caught up with SyFy’s new series, Warehouse 13.
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(And by the way, I personally think that the change to this new ‘SyFy’ moniker is a completely stupid and pointless decision pandering to the wrong sort of thinking. Anyway…)
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It actually wasn't too bad. The basic premise is that the government operates a giant warehouse out in the middle of nowhere that stores dangerous and mystical artifacts. Two Secret Service agents are free to go out into the field, and I assume that each episode will likely center around a new magical doodad or cursed trinket. (It reminds me a bit of the old Friday the 13th TV series, but hey... there's nothing new under the sun.)
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The characters were likable enough with the casting rules being a bit reversed; the male character was sensitive and feely while the female took charge and was more gruff. Although the first episode was a bit predictable, there's definitely potential here and we both decided that we would be tuning in for the next few episodes, at the very least.
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Also in SyFy (bleagh) news, I'm glad to report that recent commercials have advertised the upcoming second season of Sanctuary. Although I can't say that I know of anyone besides us that actually watched it, I like the first arc enough to watch every episode and am looking forward to its return.
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There have got to be at least a few other fans of the show out there, right? Right??
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(And hey, does anybody know if Krod Mandoon is coming back? LOVED that show…)
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Games: Contrary to popular rumor, the Best of Community feature I've been plinking away at is still alive and kicking. I had to shelve it for a little while for various reasons, but I have two reviews that need to be posted tonight, and once those are in the can then I'm going to focus my full attention on getting the first installment of BoC up and running.
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In other news, I never saw this one coming but the PSP's Phantasy Star Portable has been getting the majority of my playtime lately.
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One reason is that I've been on the go much more than usual lately, so the ‘portable’ aspect has a lot to do with it. That aside, it's been a while since I played a good level-grinding loot-fest, so this one is fitting the bill. It's not one of the genre's best and it's certainly not as good as it could be, but it definitely has a certain charm. I'm not going to do a review due to time constraints, but here’s a quick breakdown after getting about 3/4ths of the way through the story mode:
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Pros-
>surprisingly deep character creator
>fits in well with the established Phantasy Star series’ recent entries
>levels are relatively brief and easy to digest in short sessions
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Cons-
>gameplay is very simple with no variation
>not enough crazy weapons and clothing/armor
>story is on the weak side
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I assume that people interested in a grinding hack-and-slash/shoot-fest in the first place probably won't mind the repetition or weak story, but the relatively slow trickle of fancy weapons and appearance-changing outfits is a little bit of a bummer. Even so, I'm still having a good time with the game and I'm glad I took a chance on it despite being disappointed in the past few Phantasy Star efforts.
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It would never fly in its current state as a console game, but on the PSP it works.
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Food: Recently I've seen quite a few ads for a new (and allegedly healthy) snack bar called SoyJoy. I often have need of something that I can grab and eat on the go and I'm also a big fan of soy, so this seemed like something that would interest me.
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As luck would have it, I ran into some people downtown who were giving away free samples, so I happily snapped up four or five different flavors. I ate the first one without giving it much thought and I have to say that it wasn't nearly as tasty as I thought it would be. Surprisingly dry and dense, it was almost like a small biscotti, and I'm not sure I mean that in a positive way.
I still had several left over so I figured I would just eat the rest of the samples and never worry about it again, but I started checking the nutritional facts label and I was a little bit shocked at what I found.
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For starters, the fat content was much higher than something I would tolerate from a ‘health’ bar. The average seems to be about 6ish grams of total fat, and 2-4 grams of saturated. The fact that there is saturated fat at all in it was fairly troubling, but then I went down to the list of ingredients and I could hardly believe my eyes.
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Butter, eggs, butter oil, and… Parmesan Cheese?!? This is stuff that I avoid in general, and none of it is something that I want in a bar being heavily promoted as soy-based. I really don't understand the rationale here, since people who will be attracted by a soy product are probably making efforts to avoid dairy, and with a significant fat content, it's hardly suitable for people who might be on a diet. Even worse, the bars taste like crap so it's not like they have some delicious flavor to keep me coming back.
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SoyJoy: Fail.
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TV: So the wife and I have been following Harper’s Island since it started, and the series ended with a two-hour finale this past Saturday.
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For those who aren't familiar, the premise was that the show would be a finite program with a clearly defined beginning and end, similar to the way many shows are structured overseas, particularly in Europe. In this particular case, a group of attractive late twentysomethings travel to a fictional island to celebrate a wedding, and at least one person was murdered each episode. The attraction, of course, was knowing that the mystery would be completely unraveled by the time the season was over.
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This series was a bold move for CBS not only thanks to the unusual-for-America pre-planned endpoint, but also because it was skewed towards younger viewers and built on a Horror/Suspense theme… not exactly what you'd expect from a network known for having its base made up of mostly senior citizens.
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The writing wasn't the best, it was sometimes hard to keep the characters straight (the cast had to start large since the body count was upped each episode) and the first four or five installments just sort of ambled along-- but I have to admit that by the time Harper’s Island passed the halfway point, we were looking forward to it each week.
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So, the ending…
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SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
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The way things were tied up at the end, it almost made sense… however, it missed the mark just enough to feel less-than-satisfying. (And the following few paragraphs will probably make NO sense at all if you haven’t been watching the show. Apologies in advance!)
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Events were muddied by the fact that the suspected murderer (Wakefield) was presumed dead at the start of the show and then later revealed to still be alive. This in itself would have been fine, save for the fact that this “I’m not really dead!” person wasn't the true spiritual culprit.
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When the biggest psycho on the show (Henry) was revealed for what was (I assume) supposed to be a big ‘A-HA!’ moment, his motive just didn't feel completely dialed-in. If he was as sociopathic as he was portrayed to be, it seems to me like there were plenty of ways he could have gotten what he wanted without going through all the hoops and trouble of murdering one person a week, not to mention the fact that his cooperation with Wakefield felt far-fetched.
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I mean, when you get right down to the nitty-gritty, what happened was Henry met Wakefield, felt a “connection” with him (totally aside from the fact that they have a father/son blood relationship, if he was to be believed) then they team up to lure everyone back to the island under the pretense of Henry’s marriage. This already feels dangerously shaky to me, but then you add in the fact that their motives were unclear; if Wakefield wanted revenge for something that had happened to him in the past, it seems as though at least 3/4ths of the victims on the show weren't responsible in any way. Why go to the trouble of killing them all?
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It was also mentioned that Henry was getting revenge as well (with Wakefield presumably assisting him past any drive from his own motives) , though at the end it was really about Henry wanting to have a delusional relationship with someone who ends up being his half-sister.
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This thread was the sickest, and would have been the most satisfying if it had been strengthened. My impression was that Henry’s true plan was basically to kidnap his sister and then murder every single person who knew either of them so that they could live together in peace. Pretty bizarre and twisted, but it seemed a little doltish for someone allegedly smart enough to pull off such a complicated plan and execute it flawlessly over the number of years required to put all the pieces in place beforehand. I mean, has he never heard of the path of least resistance?
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END SPOILERS
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Although I can't say that the series ended as strong as I would've liked it to, it was a huge checkmark in the ‘plus’ column that the series ended. Seriously, half the reason we hung in was because we knew we would be getting a complete story in a reasonable amount of time and I certainly support the concept of finite series. I mean, how many programs have started off with a bang, only to finish much weaker, and usually further afield than the writers ever intended? It's a natural consequence of finding success and being strongly encouraged by a network to keep a show going past any logical endpoint for the sake of continued profit.
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For example, I'm not a Lost fan but I tried to get into the series in the beginning and felt like the writers lost their way once they realized they had a hit that wasn't ending on their hands. They may have gotten their mojo back, but they lost me a while ago and I'm not about to jump back on the bandwagon now that they’ve actually announced when the show will be over-- but if they had announced the endpoint from the start, I very well may have hung in there.
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Another example of a series that could really have benefited from an endpoint is Heroes. The first season was literal must-see TV at my house, each episode keeping us on the edges of our seat every week. Once the first season’s story arc ended, it became painfully obvious that the writers had no idea where to go or what to do, but the networks weren't about to let such a monster hit go away. As a consequence, the show has only gotten progressively worse with the creative team struggling to present compelling narrative that demands closure and failing to deliver it since the show must go on. Although I could write an entire series of blog posts about what's wrong with Heroes, I really don't think there's any question that having a discrete beginning, middle and end would have been better for this program than letting it metastasize into the drawn-out comedy of errors it’s become.
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Getting back to Harper’s Island, it seems as though the series did not garner the kind of ratings that would ensure a second season next year, and that's really too bad. I think the basic premise was good, there are essentially infinite stories that could be told using the same ‘kill one person a week’ framework, and I really do think that America would see the value of finite storytelling if given the chance. If Harper’s Island doesn't make significant headway in this area, I hope another series will take a cue and keep this concept going.
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Games: Still working on Call of Juarez. I'm sort of split on it.
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I like Westerns and this one is certainly a great deal better than the first in the series. I have a fondness for the characters, as well… the voice work is good and they fit snugly into the niche that cowboys and outlaws occupy in my mind.
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On the other hand, the gameplay just isn't that exciting, and although I have an enjoyable time while actually in the act of, as soon as I turn the console off and step away, it's as though the game has never existed for me. It instantly vanishes from my mind, and I feel no draw whatsoever to get back to it apart from the knowledge that I have a review due.
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In other game news, I needed something to play on the PSP since I knew I'd have some time to kill. Scanning the shelves of used titles (and trying not to imagine a future where this is no longer a reality) I found myself strangely attracted to Phantasy Star Portable.
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Although I enjoyed a couple of the original PS games back on the Genesis and spent some time with PS Online, I can't really claim to be a huge fan of the series in its various incarnations. The more recent titles have been especially lacking in my opinion, and although Phantasy Star sorta paved the way for online console MMOing, the developers don't really seem able to keep pace with current trends for various reasons.
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At this point you're probably wondering why the hell I was even considering PS Portable, and the answer to that is: I have no idea. It just sounded good.
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Chalk it up to a hormone imbalance, or malnutrition, or some other random thought-altering physiological state. Cosmic rays, perhaps. The lunar cycle? Anyway, I walked out of the store with it and put an hour or two into it.
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I don't have a lot of thoughts on it just yet, although I will say that the character creator system is surprisingly robust. Featuring a lot more options than I would have expected, I spent a good deal of time tweaking my character and if nothing else, I give Sega huge props for A) including the option to create a plus-sized woman, and B) giving this female form a normal weight distribution instead of applying male body shape to a female character model. (Yes, it's true... not every male gamer finds the skinny-minnie Eastern quasi-jailbait archetype attractive.)
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Oh, and the camera control and lock-on system seem to completely blow, although I'm not quite sure I've completely mastered the controls yet.
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Books: Picked up a copy of Joe R. Lansdale’s Lost Echoes. Haven't had a chance to crack it yet, but I'm really, really looking forward to it.
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If you've never read a Lansdale book, you owe it to yourself to check one out. Joe has inspired and influenced me more than any other author, and his books have informed me as to what sort of writing I most enjoy, and what sort I like to write. If I ever turn out a volume that's even a third as good as some of the things that Joe has done, I'll call that a complete success.
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There are certainly many authors that I enjoy, and there are authors that I respect, but although I can appreciate them all, no one even comes close to touching the kind of stuff that Joe crafts. Simple, yet nuanced… straightforward, yet complex… lean, yet full of action and energy. His talent for intertwining humor and horror seems effortless, and his characters pop. The guy is the total package, and although some of his books are better than others, even his worst ones are head and shoulders above what a lot of so-called bestsellers achieve.
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Anyway, like I said... if you're not familiar with Joe's work, then you owe it to yourself to get in touch with some of the best writing that's been happening in the past few decades. The man's a genius.
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Man, it's been a crazy couple of weeks…
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First of all, apologies to everyone who follows the posts here. I try to make an effort and blog at least every other day, but with everything going on lately it's been nearly impossible to get any time to do writing or reading of any sort.
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After the in-laws left, I thought for sure that yesterday would be my day to catch up on everything.
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How does that line go about mice and plans...?
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About fifteen minutes into my efforts I got called away on a last-minute emergency thing that ended up lasting the entire night. By the time all was said and done, the sun was up and I could barely keep my eyes open… it sort of goes without saying that most of today was a bleary-eyed wash, but I've had about eight cups of coffee and I'm feeling fine for the moment, so I'm going with it.
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Writing: I made note of this on the sidebar, but for those of you who've asked, the current work-in-progress is on hiatus until probably the third week of July. There have been so many legitimately important things popping up lately that I just haven't had the time, and unless I figure out some way to add a few more hours in the day, I decided to put the book on hold so I can stop feeling guilty about not working on the book. I'm really looking forward to getting back to it, though… my co-author and I have hammered out nearly all of the details we need to finish, and I'm feeling pretty good about it.
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Reading: Read a couple of fantastic short stories and I really wanted to get the word out on them.
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The first is called “The Right Way to Eat a Bagel” by my good friend and generally brilliant writer Marshall Moore. You can check it out for free HERE. I can't really say much about it without spoiling the story, so just trust me when I say that it's absolutely worth the read and it's short enough that the average person will be able to get through it in one sitting. I’ve read a number of Marshall’s stories, and while they’re all good, this one was especially visceral-- I had to take a deep breath at the end. (Not to be a Twitter whore, but you can follow Mr. Moore at @articulateink)
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The second story is called “The Bikes of New York” by Cheeseburger Brown (@cheeseburgerb) , and it's available HERE. This tale is about a quasi-dystopian future, and what a Frenchman will do to survive. If the first chapter doesn't grab you, hang in there … it takes a number of unexpected directions, and if nothing else, Brown’s mastery of the language is certainly worth absorbing. Thanks to @merileefaber for recommending!
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Haven't had much time or focus for reading full-length books lately, but both of these stories really stuck to my ribs and re-ignited my fire for the short form.
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Games: This is probably old news, but here’s the latest PODCAST over at GameCritics in case you missed it.
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I'm completely behind schedule in terms of reviews which is a little embarrassing since I pride myself on being an industrious, high-output kind of guy, but I'm making the effort and slowly getting back up to speed. At the moment I’m still chugging through Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood on PS3.
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Although it didn't start off very well, the later chapters pick up and I can say that I'm enjoying it a lot more than I was initially-- though it's not that the gameplay is especially entertaining, but I get a lot of mileage out of the Western setting and the main characters are keeping my interest.
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Their voice work is actually fairly well done so that definitely helps, and it was a smart move on the part of the developers to keep the two playable brothers together regardless of which is chosen since it gives plenty of opportunities for dialogue and storytelling, not to mention the fact that having a buddy along during the game builds an appreciable sense of camaraderie. If it wasn't for the characters (and to a lesser degree, the plot) I would have mentally checked out by now.
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Finally, I did have a chance to put a few hours into Lemmings on PSP. Although I finished Lemmings 3D on PSone, I've never actually played the original Lemmings for more than a few minutes.
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The developers did a good job of smoothing it out and making it look pretty, but I think its core identity needed a little more work.
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Don't get me wrong-the formula and concept are still good, but it was pretty frustrating to get into some of the more difficult puzzles and not be able to zoom in enough for a sufficient level of precision when activating some of the special powers, not to mention that when a lot of lemmings get into a small area, it's basically impossible to pick the exact one you want out of the massed herd.
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Since so much of the game is about being very exact in terms of placement and timing rather than simply figuring out what to do, my frustration level crept up quicker than I expected and I ended up putting it aside with about half the content left untouched. This kind of imprecise control combined with stringent victory strategies might have been all right back in the day, but it doesn't fly anymore. I'm glad to have it in the archive, but I think I’ll be content to leave it as a footnote rather than a personal conquest.
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It feels like a million years since I've been in my regular groove (and I'm not quite back just yet) but things are partially normalizing—at the very least, I'm in front of my computer and not passed out in bed, so that's something. At this point I'm quite all right with small steps.
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Writing: Got my pre-conference critiques back for Speaking in Forked Tongues, and the feedback was pretty good. The only thing that I had a hard time digesting was that one of the reviewers said that my pacing was “breathless, but uneventful.”
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Honestly, I'm not even sure what that means.
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It moved quickly and kept her glued, but… nothing happened? If nothing happened, then how could it really be ‘breathless’? I mean, I sort of associate that word with being a fairly positive, fast-paced thing, so maybe this person means it a different way than I take it? Not sure, and since the critiques are anonymous, I can’t go back and ask for clarification.
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That particular issue aside, I really can't complain about the rest of the comments. They all seem in line with what I was hoping for, and that's definitely a good thing.
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Games: I’ve barely had time to play anything between work and the in-laws, but I finally completed Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament on PSP, and it's one of those games that really should be a hell of a lot better than it is. I mean, nearly every aspect of it made me say ‘wow, this is cool, BUT…’ and those buts ended up being pretty significant.
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I wanted to like it a lot more than I did and it was so close to being worthy and that it was painful, but I'm afraid to say that the review won't be very positive. I haven’t started writing it yet, but I've got a feeling it will be a quick one.
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In the meantime, I've got to get back to Magic and Garou: Mark of the Wolves on Live, in addition to Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood on PS3 before the next round of must-reviews comes in.
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Need a few more hours in the day, please.
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Family: The in-laws are still here and my ability to get stuff done is still in la toilette... Gonna try to do a proper update ASAP, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet. Check back in another day or so... Apologies for the lack of content!
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