No Lives Left

        Yay! Looks like all the new systems have finally launched! It's always exciting when new systems launch. This launch is even more exciting when you factor in that the launch of the PlayStation 4 and the XBoxOne will usher in the era of: ...yeah (don't have to thank me on the art). But really that's what this is all about. Why else would people get a new system? As gamers, we are compelled to see the new technical horizon. To see what game developers can do with new and updated specifications. As consumers, we are prone to buy the next new and shiny thing. A lot of people just want to be the first to have it and to show it off. We somehow have been taught to want something new when we have no reason to. At least when a game is announced and the trailer comes out, you can say to yourself, "Hey, that looks real fun! I think I'm going to get that!" With a system, you can't say the same thing. They are pieces of equipment for  playing games, bu...

What is a Non-Game?      Good question! If I had to sum it up,a non-game is basically a  video game with little to no gameplay. The player is limited in what he or she can do within the virtual environment. For example, the player can move their avatar but do little much else. Instead of player interactivity, you have this sense of player observance. It's difficult to pinpoint the reason why non-games are made. Maybe it's because video games are the perfect media to deliver a an emotional message. Even if the player is moderately involved in the plot of the game, the control of characters and plot progression may allow the player to become more involved with the character and the story than if they were to watch a movie.       So what are some examples? Well, there are quite a few examples of non-games. Remember to not get them confused with simulators. Sometimes simulators feel like they have no gameplay, but it's only because the game...

    Ramadan has come and gone. I had some great times during that month, but it's another 300 and some odd days before I can experience it again. Though I did do a lot of spiritual reflection, I did still manage to sneak in some video game time. One of the biggest questions on my mind was what game in recent memory starred a Muslim protagonist?     I did a bit of research and I don't think Islam was ever touched upon by video game developers in a meaningful or thoughtful way. I understand though religion is a  very sensitive topic. I just don't see how video games can't help educate  people about a certain religion or point of view. People don't necessarily have to agree or convert to the perspective, it's better just to know the more accurate truth. In times like these, where Islam is under the microscope, I think it's crucial that the principles of Islam should be clarified through all forms of media. The problem is how we communicate those principles...

So Ramadan is in full swing again this year. As most readers know, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the Islamic calender. Muslims who observe the month are required to fast from before sunrise to sunset, avoiding food and drink as well as adhering to some other restrictions. While most of the world focuses on the lack of food, what people don't know is that Ramadan is also time to fast your eyes and ears as well. It's a month of reflection on oneself as much as it is a month of intense religious worship. In my personal opinion, I view Ramadan as a cleanse. We take all the bad habits and try to break them or, better yet, turn them into good ones. But one thing that kinda popped into my head these past couple of weeks is how much Ramadan can be played like a game. It sounds a bit blasphemous but just hear me out. Let's take a typical Japanese Role Playing Game (JRPG), for example. You have your characters, your quests and, more importantly, the battles. Usual...

   I've always been a 90's kid. When I was growing up, I never had the luxury of playing the original Atari or the Odyssey. The only reason I was able to ever play the Super Nintendo was due to the generosity of my aunt who got it for my oldest sister. I used to love to watch the Saturday morning line-up lying stomach down on the floor, four inches away from the huge CRT Television in the living room (funny thing is we still have and use that TV today). I watched Sonic the Hedgehog, Batman: The Animated Series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Biker Mice From Mars, Power Ranger, and whole mess of other shows.   I recently recovered my past when I found my first system I ever had the privilege of calling my own: My Game Boy Color. I never had ownership of our NES or Super Nintendo systems since they belonged to my older siblings. I was looking for it because the Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages came out on the virtual console for the Nintendo 3DS. I remember playi...

 Spec Ops: The Line isn't a very long game. Just like any other typical shooter, the campaign is about six hours long and can easily be beaten in a lazy weekend. The gameplay works, but is nothing to write home about. The graphics are good, but not exceptional. But the story, plot, and message it gets across is done so well, everything else can be overlooked.   In Spec Ops: The Line, you play as Captain Walker with his two squad mates, Lugo and Adams. You are ordered to go to Dubai to help citizens evacuate the sandstorm-stricken city. The game starts off with a foreshadowing set piece where you fend off your helicopter from other enemy helicopters before making a crash landing. It flashes back to the beginning of the whole scenario with a trek through the desert sand before arriving at an almost post-apocalyptic Dubai. Though the damage was expected, the sight was still a surprise. After realizing that there were dead American soldiers littered about the streets, Walke...

I always love how discussions of “realism” in games come down to graphics and physics. I ultimately think that neither of those factors ever made a game more "real." Sure, when a trailer plays for the new Call of Duty or Final Fantasy, the graphics do look amazing. The facial features and lighting are very life-like, and the voice dubbing is top notch. But just because something looks real, doesn't make it feel real. There is nothing in those games that pulls at something inside you. A good game may make you feel different emotions: anger, love, sadness, or joy—but not futility or helplessness. And I understand that it's not supposed to. Most games just use the graphics as an immersion factor, but the ultimate point of the video game is just for entertainment. But still, people want their graphics real and it always cracks me up. Look at dem in-game graphics! It's so real! And if it's not graphics, people harp about the physics. The way a gun shoots or t...

     I don't know what it is about me, but I have a bittersweet fascination with terrible crafted video games. I don't think its a small feat to develop any type of software. So when a game comes out that fails in most levels of execution and entertainment, I get confuzzled. Sometimes the games are laughable and provide fond memories (i.e. Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing). Others are lazily done and hurt an already established fan-base (Duke Nukem Forever). But the worst games are so mind-numbingly  boring that some how they take a mind of steel to complete. There is nothing inherently wrong with the game, it's just bad. It's not fun, it's stupid, and doesn't have any compelling factors to it. There are a lot of games that I could bring up: The Nancy Drew video games, Evolution Worlds, and even some of the licensed Wolverine games. But the story I'd like to share this week is a very special game. This game was actually "gifted" to me on a Steam sale...