Borderlands 2 Review

...A horse made of diamonds.

When the first Borderlands came out in 2009 it was a surprisingly different kind of game to many shooter fans. The focus on the millions of possible guns, the addictive co-op play, the unique art style and charm. Everything about the game felt refreshingly different, so much so that most forgave it for it's rather bare bones feeling. When Borderlands 2 was announced, many of us wondered exactly what Gearbox had in store for us. In the end the approach to a second go around on Pandora was simple: improve on every single part of the game, while sticking to the formula of the original. The result is perhaps one of the greatest shooter experiences in quite some time.

Despite all the improvements, Borderlands 2 isn't much different from it's predecessor as far as the core experience goes. This game is still all about hunting down as much loot as you can find, and then filling anything that so much as moves with lead. Guns are still the main focus of the loot you'll encounter. The weapons you'll find are visually impressive, and I can't count how many times the little quirks of a new gun I had found made it feel unique to me. There are millions of possible guns you can find, which sounds daunting at first to a new player, but for the most part each class of gun operates the way it should. It's the stats of the various guns that really make each gun unique, and the possibilities are complex enough that it really does feel like there are millions of weapons to find. However, there are plenty of other bits of loot to hunt down. Ammo, grenade mods, character and vehicle skins, class mods, and relics. You will spend most of your time searching for anything shiny and new.


The game world itself is both familiar, and wonderfully different. The games feel is much the same from the quirky humour to the cel shaded graphics. The places you'll visit won't remind you much of the places that you visited when you last were on Pandora though. The environments you'll visit are much more varied than the vast desert that the majority of the first Borderlands took place in. There are frozen wastes, snowy valleys, grassy hills, and even a wildlife preserve to explore and loot thoroughly. The characters too are much improved time around. They aren't just static quest givers now, they engage in combat at times, and have more fleshed out personalities that are supported by excellent voice acting. Several of the characters, particularly the main villain Handsome Jack, rank among the most memorable of recent memory. In fact, some of the dialogue is so hilarious, it can be disappointing when sections runs over each other on occasion. Nevertheless, it almost feels like a whole new world entirely, but  also a more lively and engaging one.

Nowhere are the improvements in Borderlands 2 more apparent though than the story. Borderlands had an interesting idea for a story at the start, but it never really took off. It never seemed like it was going in any one direction and characters felt rather lifeless and dulled overall. Borderlands 2 fixes this by giving the games narrative a much needed dose of direction. The story isn't anything all that different from the norm, and plenty of the plot points have been hit thousands of times before, but the game still tells a story filled with energy and emotion. In fact the story sometimes dips into territory that puts it at odds with the games humour, sometimes making you feel a bit uncomfortable. There was one section in particular where one of the characters is cracking jokes not half a minute after one of the most emotional moments of the entire game. The writing is outstanding for the most part though, especially in the side quests. While the main story missions are good, the side quests are where the games humour and smart script really shine, even if the quests themselves don't deviate much from the standard "go kill this" and "go get me that" formulas.


Creating a character in Borderlands 2 functions much the same as it did in Borderlands. There are four different characters you can choose for your character, and each has a unique skill they can use in combat. Sirens have the phaselock ability that can lock opponents in place for a few seconds, Gunzerkers have the ability to dual wield any two weapons in the game for a short period of time, Assassins can cloak and unleash a surprise attack, and Commandos can set up a turret that can help support your team. The ability trees this time around add some greater depth to how you can utilize your powers, and how you can build your character. Even within the same skill tree, there are options, and they allow you to really tailor your character to your playstyle. You don't even really need to worry about screwing up your class build because you can respec your class for a hardly noticeable amount of money. This really gives you the freedom to experiment and try things out if your not sure about them.

There is yet another component to building your character though. The Badass Rating system. It is a a list of all kinds of challenges for you to take one while your playing the game. Most revolve around things you'll be doing anyway, such as killing enemies with a certain gun, or killing the same kind of enemy so many times. After you complete a challenge, you'll get Badass points and after you quire enough points, you'll earn a token that can be spent on improving your character with a tiny boost to things such as weapon damage, accuracy, max health, shield capacity, reload speed, and others. These boosts aren't huge, but as you accumulate more tokens and add to your boosts, there is definitely a noticeable benefit to them. The best part is, these boosts are essentially unlimited, and benefit every character you create. You can turn the system off if you don't want the boosts, which is a nice touch too.

The gameplay is excellent all around for the most part. The guns all handle great and feel snappy and are just a lot of fun to use. There is a very good mix of enemies to take on with lots of variety in how they fight, whether it's psychos trying to bash you in the face up close, or a nomad with a huge shield. While there's plenty of canon fodder to take out, there are also plenty of enemies that will give you a good fight, and more than a few that will frustrate you to no end. It makes the game feel challenging without ever making it feel completely overwhelming. This makes firefights feel much more intense than they did in the original. The driving component of the game is still not strong enough though. Aside from a few missions that require it's use, they are largely just a means of transportation. That's a shame because the vehicles could be used to really change the flow of gameplay by throwing in a well designed vehicle based section now and again.

While the game does let you play on your own if you want to, Borderlands 2 is built to be experienced with others. Boss battles can often become a real chore on your own, and having backup can give you that extra support to turn a fight around. The combos and tactics that smart players can use to tackle enemy encounters make the game a lot less frustrating than when you are going it alone. It's also just plain fun to slaughter a horde of bandits with your pals.The second wind system that allows you to be revived by others, or to finish an enemy off to get back up, can't be utilized to it's fullest on your own either, and twice I was forced to bleed out because there were no enemies left to kill. There is a matchmaking system if your in a hurry to get into a group but you'll get the most out of co-op if you can team up with friends, that way you can communicate better and divide loot up properly instead of having everyone rush every piece of loot that drops.

Borderlands 2 is everything a sequel should be. It takes the formula that it's predecessor laid down and refines it, keeping all the things that made us fall in love with the original while simultaneously improving on all the things that needed to be improved. The gameplay is still amazing, but small tweaks have made gunfights downright thrilling at times, smarter writing has really fleshed out the world of Pandora and the people who live there, and the overall presentation gives the game a much more complete feeling. It's too easy to get lost for hours and hours wandering around, blasting through areas of enemies on a search for that next bit of loot, and the game offers enough incentive to keep coming back even without the soon-to-come DLC. Whether your looking for a great shooter game, or your looking for a great game to play with friends, Borderlands 2 delivers a great gaming experience.


Extremely Fluffy
Fluff Choice!

What Borderlands 2 Does Well

+ Perfect co-op title
+ Fun to explore and hunt down new guns and skins
+ Great gameplay mechanics
+ Well written and memorable characters and story
+ Plenty of reasons to keep playing

Where Borderlands 2 Fell Flat

- Single player can be very unfriendly
- Vehicles aren't utilized well
- Dialogue sections sometimes overrun each other

Information
Systems: PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: Gearbox
Publisher: 2K Games
Rating: M / PEGI 18



Image sources:
#1 - http://www.saint-ism.com/2012/05/collectors-editions-for-borderlands-2-announced/
#2 - http://daxgamer.com/2012/04/new-borderlands-2-screenshots-released/
#3 - http://i1.cdnds.net/12/28/618x347/gaming_borderlands_2_screenshot_8.jpg
#4 - http://4logpc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/borderlands2-2.png

My Seven Most Memorable Gaming Moments

This was originally going to go up on Sakurahana's blog section that I do work for but they have a character limit over there and I hit it. Worked to hard on this and put too much of myself into it to just cut it down or scrap it so it's going up here. If you read my stuff there, I'll get something else up later. If you read my stuff here, then lucky you I actually posted something! 

No offence to the many "most memorable moments in gaming" lists out there, but I rarely see games and memories that impacted me personally. Maybe that means I have really bad taste in games, or maybe that just means I am impressed by weird things. Either way, I like sharing the parts of gaming that make me happy to keep playing games, and I figure, what better way then to talk about the moments that just forced me to glue myself to a chair for hours on end. Why seven instead of a nice round number like ten or five? Because ten seemed to high and there's too many for me to narrow down to just five. That seems criminal. So seven it is. 

Oh and uh, *ahem*, there are a few ---> SPOILERS
You can't say I didn't warn you now.

7. Your Dog Dies (Fable II)

Fable II was a solid game, if a little disappointing. One of the features of the game was your dog. Though he was supposed to be so much more of a feature than he was, I still enjoyed having the dog around. The dog is with you from the start of the game, you and your sister rescue him from bullies in the opening hour of the game. From that point on he stays with you for most of the game as your loyal companion. So what better way to up the ante near the end of the story than for your dog to take a bullet for you? 

After all of your adventures, your dog saves your life because it's your best friend. From the opening moments of the game, your dog is by your side whenever possible. He fights alongside you, interacts with people you interact with, he even helps you find treasure. While the main villain, Lord Lucien, already took my sister from me at the start of the game. He followed that up by working hundreds of people to death building The Spire, a large tower that Lucien believes will grant him untold power. But when he killed my dog, I had nothing but the thought of killing that sick bastard. When the ending came around my vengeance felt hollow. The ending didn't give me the great battle I sought, nor did it allow me to really kill Lucien myself. But the second the three "epilouge choices" came up, I immediately picked the one that brought my dog back. I may not have saved the thousand or so people Lucien's evil killed, but I got my best friend back. 

6. Walking Out Of Vault 101 (Fallout 3)

Bethesda has, in my mind, become the master of drawing you into a game world. Many games have better openings, but few suck me in the way Bethesda's games do. But of all of the memorable "first steps" I've taken, this is the one that never gets old to me. In Fallout 3, your character has spent his (or her) entire life in the subterranean Vault 101, one of the last places human life survives on Earth. Or so you're taught anyhow. You see in Vault 101, no one enters, no one leaves. You live in the vault and you die in the vault. You spend the tutorial section of the game growing up in the vault with your father. Then one day he simply disappears, leaving all sorts of trouble in his wake. Though he tells you not to follow him, it becomes apparent rather quickly that you have little choice in the matter. 

After battling your way to the entrance, you finally reach the door to the outside world. A place you have been told is uninhabitable. As you emerge, the sun's brightness blinds you. After all, you have spent your whole life prior to this moment underground with artificial lighting. Then your eyes adjust, and you find yourself looking out over the wasteland that was once Washington DC. Your dad is out there somewhere, but you have no idea where. You've only just stepped foot in a whole new world (to you.) Where oh where might I head first...


5. Wandering New Mombasa Alone (Halo 3: ODST)

A great game? Not really, and probably the worst overall out of all the Halo titles. And yet, it's the one that I felt had the most potential out of all of them save the first. The reason I think that comes from the experience I had wandering the streets of the city of New Mombasa alone. Your character, simply called "The Rookie," is a member of an elite unit of marines whose job is to be be dropped from a planets orbit into the middle of a firefight. Kind of like the future's version of an airbourne division. You get dropped into the middle of a huge battle between the attacking alien species, The Covenant, and humanity. Your drop suddenly goes wrong when one of the Covenant's ships leaves the battle and sends out a shock wave that flings your drop pod off course and into the city. A few hours later you wake up, alone in the middle of the city which is now largely abandoned except for roaming enemy patrols. Your job is to simply find your squad and get out of the city. 

That experience is the part of this game that just blew me away. Taking on a large enemy patrol, sneaking by enemies when out of ammo, and just trying to survive. Something about the city itself really immersed me in the game, and the ever present sense of danger meant you could never let your guard down. The other parts of the game where you have to play as your other squad mates felt unnecessary and were more in line with the traditional Halo experience. But when I was in control of the Rookie, the game felt fresh and new. The feeling of being alone in a giant city filled with enemies was something I had never quite had before. 


4. Stalingrad (Call of Duty)

Whenever someone asks me why I used to love Call of Duty, this is the moment that pops up immediately. Back before the series was all just over the top set pieces and anger inducing multiplayer, the original Call of Duty has a simple World War II shooter that attempted to bring you into the many different fronts of the war, whether it was the Americans on D-Day, the British trying to covertly blow up a Nazi ship, or the Soviets fighting in the intense Russian winter. The missions in said Russian winter were about the most intense parts of a game I have played. When your first arrive in Stalingrad your taking a nice boat ride. Well as nice as a boat ride can be with German artillery trying to blow you up and you superior officers shooting any survivors trying to swim back to shore. Just as you reach the dock, you step off and then get knocked over as everyone else on your boat gets blown up by an artillery round. You are then shafted by the military supply officer, who gives you a single cartridge of ammo...and no gun to even fire it with. 

You spend the next fifteen minutes acting as bait for a sniper to take out targets and generally trying to do as much as you can without a weapon to defend yourself with. The battle itself is spectacular, as you watch wave after wave of Soviet troops try to over run the German position in the city. As tense as the Normandy landings have been in other shooters, the first few Soviet missions in Call of Duty tops them ever so slightly. 

3. The View of Palaven (Mass Effect 3) 

That shot right there is one of the most chillingly beautiful shots I have ever seen in a game. In the Mass Effect universe, a sentient race of machines called the Reapers comes through the galaxy every 50,000 years or so and harvests all space faring life in the galaxy. The first to games are about Commander Shepherd, the main character, first learning of the threat, and then trying to prepare for it even as the major forces in the galaxy all call the threat a myth. The third and final game of the trilogy is about the war with the Reapers itself. Though watching Earth become overrun with Reaper forces in the first hour of the game was a chilling moment in and of itself, something about seeing the war from an up close and personal perspective really brought it home for me. When your journey brings you to this battlefront, you really get a solid understanding of just how bad things are going. 

Seeing all those fires burning on the surface of the planet, and looking around on the moon and seeing all of the enemies ships and forces just drives home how one sided this war is, and how much life is at stake. I always felt like I was Commander Shepherd, but that moment gave me an insight into how much this war must weigh on him (or her) knowing all those lives are riding on him (or her.) 

2. John Marston's Death (Red Dead Redemption)

It's not my favourite game of all time, but Red Dead Redemption was an amazing game nonetheless. The characters were varied and felt real, the gameworld was fun to explore, and the story was absolutely gripping (when I got around to playing it). And having a character with a story, yet having the control of who he ultimately is was great. While some people played Mr. Marston as a criminal outlaw, and others played him as an impartial man who cared nothing for the events of the world, I played him as a man truly seeking nothing more than the freedom to live his life away from the sins of his past. Whether he regretted the actions of his past didn't matter. By tracking down and killing his former partners in crime one by one, Marston was cutting himself off from his past, in order to have a future, even if he was being forced to do it. 

After he finally kills his former gang leader, John is finally released from his service to the US government and allowed to go home...until the same men who forced him to kill all of his former gang show up with 20 officers to finish the job. It was the saddest and hopeless moment I have ever played. No matter how many of them you take with you, there's no running from his fate. For some this moment was nothing more than Marston getting what was coming to him, but for me it was a shocking and sudden end to a man who truly wished nothing more than to go home and give his family a better life than he had. Through his death, he was redeemed, and gave his family that chance (though the "epilouge" shows it was probably all or naught.) There have been some shocking deaths in gaming, but nothing reduced me to tears the way John Marston's did. 


1. Choosing My First Pokemon (Pokemon Games)

Come on, did you expect anything less coming from me? While choosing my first pokemon was a moment in and of itself, I always have the same feeling every time I start up a new game. Some people cast off their starters if they have others they want to bring in from a previous game through trades, but I always reserve a spot for my starting pokemon. No matter how bad things get, and no matter how many others I catch, my starter is my partner in the world of Pokemon. It can be either my first one out, or my ace pokemon, who turns a tough battle around. I don;t really know how better to put it. 


These are just my moments though. Obviously we are all influenced by what we play. Obviously there is a lack of some JRPG's on my list, but that'because I was raised on western titles, and that's the bulk of where the games I play today come from. That doesn't mean any other moment is any less significant. I'm curious as to what moments everyone else will never forget, just because it's interesting to see how different games and experiences impact people. 

Note: Not sure how this white stuff got here, honest. 

RIP Neil Armstrong

One of the most important men of our era passed away today at 82 years old. He may not be a gaming figure but he is, in my opinion, one of the most iconic men to have lived and is deserving of what meagre praise I can offer. Neil was an expert pilot, who served the US Navy during the Korean war, flying 78 missions, and tested planes afterwards. He was married twice and had three children However, Armstrong will forever be remembered for being the first man to set foot on another body of our solar system besides Earth. His words, "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," mark one of the most important moments of human history. Obama that he is "among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time." I personally feel that he is so much more than that. He is one of the men who will be remembered long into the future. When the first person sets foot on Mars it will be another large step of human history. When we live among the stars and travel vast distances to see worlds beyond our wildest imaginations we will remember the man who took the first step on that journey. Perhaps it speaks levels of his desire to help us continue that journey when two years ago, at the age of 80, Armstrong said he would gladly offer his services as commander of a mission to Mars if he were asked.


RIP Neil Armstrong
August 5th 1930
to
August 25th 2012

News: Getting Back Into The Swing of Things, Dragon Age III Rumors

...It's been awhile

Well after a few months of, well, basically nothing, I finally have a new laptop, and I finally am ready to get back to blogging. If you have come back to continue reading after my long absence, thanks. If your new to Marshmallow Fluff!, then thanks for taking some time to check out my blog, and I hope you'll keep coming back. I plan to keep this more updated with news and rumors as well as my usual brand of more serious and interesting, and occasionally funny articles about the industry and about games themselves.

Without further adieu, let's get back to it.


Dragon Age III Rumors

A few posters from the Bioware Social page are reporting that they recently took part in a survey about key design elements for Dragon Age III. NeoGaf has also gotten in contact with one poster who says his survey was slightly different than the one that's already making the rounds on the net.

The story, as reported by Stratagey Informer, seems to center around the civil war between the mages and templars that sparked near the end of Dragon Age II. The game appears to take place in Orlais, with once such description reading:

"A portal between the worlds unleashes hords [SIC] of demons in the land, civil wars rip apart nations and the corruption is limitless. Someone is behind the shadows, drawing the threads which destroy the world. Time has come for the Inquisition.

Take the Inquisitor's cloak and lead the only force able of bringing light into the darkness. Choose the direct method and gather your armies, send spies into the shadows or engage in a political war, make friends and use your connections indirectly: it is up to you how you lead the inquisition. But you'll have to take lead of it from the beginning. Make your player a rogue, warrior or mage and set up your crew from up to ten (!) complex companions to lead them against those who attack you by systematically spying on, revealing and destroying them."

 The survey also seems to have had concept art of possible companions, as well as several possible game titles. There was also a Dragon Age III logo floating around but it appears that that is a fan made logo. NeoGaf's forums seem to be rather hesitant to think Dragon Age III could be any better than Dragon Age II, and are criticising the focus on the mages and templars, mostly because of how it has been handled. As for me, I think it's an attempt at a different approach, and if true, it's a familiar formula, all be it with a bit of a new twist. EA has been contacted by other sites for confirmation.

NeoGaf Forums Discussion
Bioware Social Forums Discussion
Kotaku - Report: More Dragon Age III Info - UPDATED 

What We Know About Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

Teach us Professor Oak

We're a little more than a month away from the release of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 in Japan, and then at some point this fall, the games will drop here in North America and Europe. While these games do take place in the same region as Pokemon Black and White, and share a lot of similarities, there are some notable changes coming. While there still isn't a whole lot of information available yet, there's enough to already be excited about. So lets go over what we already know about the newest entries into the Pokemon series.

Oh just one note, I'm going to assume Nintendo of America will rename a lot of this new stuff when the localize the game over this summer, so just keep in mind most of the new city and character names will not be staying the same.

The Region

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 will be taking place in the Unova region, same as the first pair of games, and you will visit many of the places you've already been to. However there are some changes to the are this time around. A significant portion of the areas you visited in the first Black and White, including the first few starting towns, are now covered with glacial ice. So a new section of Unova in the southwest has been added as the new starting area. The starting town is a place called Hiougi City, and unlike the past starting areas it's a fairly sizable place. It even has a Pokemon Center and an area where you can look out over the mountains in the distance. Not much else has been revealed about the other new areas, though there have been some screenshots out, one of which shows an underwater tunnel covered with glass that allows you to look at Mantine as they swim by. Some of the existing areas have also been updated as well. The area that was under construction along Route 4 has been completed, and Driftveil City appears to have undergone major changes as well. An interesting thing to note is that the Pokemon League area is part of the chunk of the map covered in ice, and there doesn't appear to be a replacement for it. This could mean that the story of the game will involve saving the areas covered in ice, or perhaps we're in the dark about something else (a distinct possibility.)

Characters

Obviously we'll be introduced to a host of characters both new and old in Black 2 and White 2. There is a new rival and protagonist, with the usual options for both. There is also a new professor, Akuroma. Aside from those new faces there are also several new gym leaders, including Homika, a punk rock looking girl who specializes in poison type Pokemon, and Shizui who is a new water type gym leader. Returning characters so far include Bianca, who is now an aide for Professor Juniper, who gives you your first Pokemon. Cheren also returns as the first gym leader you face. He will specialize in normal type Pokemon. Alder will also be reappearing, though to what extent isn't known yet. While very little else is confirmed, you can expect a fair few other familiar faces to pop up (more on that later).

Pokemon

Obviously at the core of any Pokemon game are the Pokemon themselves. The entire Unova region pokedex will obviously be returning, there will also be some of the older Pokemon in the game this time around. If you don't remember, Pokemon Black and White did not have any of the previous 493 Pokemon in it's regions, except for a few areas unlocked after you beat the game. This time around, while not every Pokemon will be available for capture, there will be more than enough to mix things up a bit. Flaffy, Metagross, Psyduck, and Lucario are among the confirmed Pokemon you can catch this time around. There are two new legendary Pokemon coming as well, Keledo and Melotta. Keledo is associated with the trio of Virizion, Cobalion, and Terrakion. There are also the two new version mascots, Black Kyurem and White Kyurem. It is unclear whether these are two distinct Pokemon, or if they are simply two new forms for Kyurem, or if it is a form for Reshiram and Zekrom. The roaming trio from Black and White are also getting new forms called Sacred Beast Forme. These can only be caught in the Pokemon AR game coming this summer in Japan (with good chances of being released elsewhere later.)

Story

This is the one area that has been pretty sparse in information. Apart from the things I've already mentioned, there is little else that has been revealed. Nobody knows what has become of N, but that's really the only thing we have heard thus far. So....basically we don't know much.

Other Things

Replacing the Pokemon Musicals is Pokewood, a place where you can go and make a movie of some sort with your Pokemon. There aren't any details on what this is like, or if it's a mini game of some sort, but it sounds pretty interesting. Pokemon Global Link is also returning, along with the Dream World. There will be new areas for you to explore there, though that's about all we know as of now. There is also now something called the Pokemon World Tournament. In this area you can battle gym leaders and elite four members from previous games, which is really cool. Because of the wide variety of possible combatants, this is assumed to be something unlocked after you beat the game, but you know what they say about assumptions...

So that's about all we know. Not a whole lot, but plenty to already have me excited, and you should be too. Post some comments, and lets hear what you think about the changes coming or what you'd like to see. Don't be shy, even if I know you do it anyway!

Image Sources:
#1. http://www.pocketmonsters.net/images/episodes/1354/segments/4f6230564df98.jpeg
#2. http://media1.gameinformer.com/imagefeed/featured/nintendo/pokemon/black-and-white/2/pokemonbw2jap__610.jpg
#3. http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/04/pokemon414.jpg
#4. http://media.nintendo-gamer.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pokemon.jpg
#5. http://geek.pikimal.com/files/2012/05/When-Pokemon-contests-finally-jump-the-shark-its-Pokewood-time.png

You Should Be Worried About The Elder Scrolls MMO

...Don't stab me with my own sword!

It was a rumor for months, but a leak of the next issue of Game Informer has finally confirmed it: The Elder Scrolls is going to be getting the MMO treatment. Initially the hope for this games online prospects has been high, after all Bethesda have created some fine RPG's, so surely the new ZeniMax Online studio will work closely with them and make it as close to the experience we've come to know and love right? Well, you may want to sit down for this, because this is going to sting...

This may be the worst decision ZeniMax has made with one of it's franchises. Ever.

Now to be fair, there are some parts of this first batch of information that caught my eye. First off the story. The game is set a millennium before Skyrim, which gives us a chance to see the lad of Tamriel in a whole new way. The fact that you will be able to travel between different provinces is also fairly appealing, as the past three Elder Scrolls titles have kept you more or less within the boundaries of the province the game is set in. There are caves and dungeons that aren't instances and are simply part of the game world. It also seems like player factions will be able to have a bit of power in the game, so much so that the faction that controls the Imperial City will be able to name a player the Emperor. 

If you've already read the Game Informer article then you know the details but for those who haven't the first few pages detail the approach the developers are taking, and that approach sounds extremely familiar. ZeniMax Online's Paul Sage says early in the article, "...it needs to be comfortable for people who are coming from a typical massively multiplayer game that has the same control mechanisms, but it also has to appeal to Skyrim player." Okay, sounds fair to me, your trying to pull in a new market while trying to keep the old one. So how are they doing this? Okay, stop me if this sounds like something you've heard before: You play the game in third person, the combat system orients around skills on a hotbar, and your attacks have a cooldown rate. What game does that sound like? Oh, World of Warcraft (among others). No surprise since they literally called them "World of Warcraft mechanics."


Well at least it'll be free roam right? Nope. Just like dozens of other MMO's before it, regions are locked off until you've progressed to certain level. Oh and some areas are going to stay locked off so the can be included after release as expansion content. NPC's won't run on the life bustling schedules they do in the RPG's, and you won't be able to be a home owner because it's "too hard to implement in an MMO." 

Am I the only one who read that and grew a little concerned over it? 


When the news first broke, and I got my hands on the article, I was excited. After reading it and seeing the developers plans I am worried and now fear I may soon have to add The Elder Scrolls to the list of franchises I loved that got run straight into the ground. This is an opportunity to take an already deep and expansive world, and open it's floodgates so that players could enjoy the world with each other. The Elder Scrolls is, perhaps, the most popular Western RPG in the world. The series has millions of fans, and millions more have discovered the franchise thanks to Skyrim's critical, commercial, and public success. As long as ZeniMax Online stays true to the Elder Scrolls formula, it could be new ground for the MMO experience. Except it appears they won't be. 


The two biggest things that make Elder Scrolls the franchise it is are the free roam free roam, and it's first person perspective. The first person perspective isn't unique to RPG's, but it is very rare, and it is one of the qualities that has always set Bethesda's RPG's apart from others. It's not the most important part of the game, but it provides a greater sense of being there, and adds to the immersion factor. It is breathtaking to climb to High Hrothgar then stare off into the horizon, or to duel a dragon as it breaths fire in your face, or to gaze up in wonder at the bizarre, but gorgeous evening sky in the Shivering Isles. Even more important though is the free roam. The Elder Scrolls series has always been about going where you want, doing what you want, whenever you feel like it. Your never forced to follow through the story, and you never told to approach the game a certain way to be successful. You can roam around and search for quests, or you can go dungeon diving. You can sign up with a guild, or go rooting through the woods for alchemy ingredients. Even if the game suggests you not do it, you can still do it. Hell, in Morrowind you could actually break the games story by killing plot-essential characters.This quality has always been integral to the Elder Scrolls formula.

As it stands right now, it seems that the Elder Scrolls MMO won't be keeping much in common with the experience we have come to love up to this point. The free roam seems like it will be restricted to more traditional MMO wanderings, which takes away one of the most identifiable parts of the Elder Scrolls experience. Then there's games third person perspective. That's not different. I have seen that in every single MMORPG since I can't remember when. I don't think that the Elder Scrolls MMO needs to be strictly adherent to what the series has done up to this point, but it does need to be recognizable, playstyle wise, as the Elder Scrolls. Then there's the first few screenshots of the game. Now the awkward character models are hardly perfect, but Elder Scrolls has an art style all it's own, something that is also somewhat recognizable. I actually had to double check and make sure I was reading the right article when I looked at the screens. The games visual style reminded me a bit too much of World of Warcraft, or if you want a more recent title, Kingdoms of Amalur. Not one of the handful of screenshot reminded me of any part of the realm of Tamriel. At least not the one I've been show up to this point. 


The direction ZeniMax Online seems to be taking isn't bold, it's predictable. This is just another fantasy MMO with very few qualities that make it stand out. It seems as if they're just like several other franchises that want a piece of the massively online pie. There is always debate about why no MMO has ever been able to duplicate the success of World of Warcraft. That's because most of the competitors don't try to be different, they try to use the mechanics that made WoW such a ground breaking experience. However, first impressions are everything, and the first impression of The Elder Scrolls MMO doesn't inspire a lot of hope that this will be anything to really get excited about. 

I will still wait to really judge my feelings on the game once E3 is over and we've gotten an actual look at what ZeniMax Online is up to, but the initial impression has left me very disappointed in the developers vision for this game. As a huge fan of The Elder Scrolls, I had high hopes that this game could really distinguish itself from the traditional MMO experience. Instead, I am concerned that ZeniMax isn't going to stay true to the spirit of the Elder Scrolls. This shouldn't be just another run of the mill fantasy MMO, this should be the reason millions of people disappear from the planet for months.


Image Sources:
#1. http://dominat3.com/files/2012/05/ES_0000.jpg
#2. http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2012/0443-skyrim/12453889-3-eng-US/0443-skyrim_full_600.jpg
#3. http://rampantgames.com/blog/uploaded_images/morrowind2-724901.jpg
#4. http://manatank.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-lake-vista.jpg

Newsbrief: No Time to Split

...I use my time unwisely.

It's Monday, and it's also been a week since the last time I posted, so I thought it would be appropriate to discus what's going on right now. Before we get into that, I wanted to update a few things. First off, I'm on Twitter now. Well I guess it would be more appropriate to say I am using my Twitter now. I had created a while back but pretty much forgot about it the second I signed up. If you feel like stalking me, or just want to be one of my followers, there's now a link to it in my links section on the sidebar. Secondly, I'm still trying to increase site traffic so if anyone has any ideas on how I can promote this place, send a comment to me at the end of this post. I already use Facebook and Twitter now so I need something other than that. I'm thinking of doing a giveaway as well, so keep your eyes peeled for more info on that too. Lastly, I'm also now writing for the Sakurahana Anime Network's blog too. I haven't done a whole lot there yet, but there's a good mix of stuff both anime and gaming related there, as well as some other miscellaneous things, so go check them out too!

Alright on to the news.

Timesplitters 4 Not In Development

Dashing the hopes of many fans, Crytek UK confirmed on Sunday that they are not currently developing Timesplitters 4. The development team has reportedly spent all it's money on monkeys (though they did clarify to say the game was not in development.) For the past few years teaser art has leaked here and there, and there were rumors in 2010 that developers were talking with publishers about getting the game released. It's a real shame too, because Timesplitters has a reputation has one of the finest first person shooter franchises from the last generation of consoles. However the series has not been seen on this batch of consoles, and it now seems as if the franchise may be in danger of disappearing altogether.

Bethesda Announces First Skyrim DLC

Bethesda announced, alongside their release of Kinect functionality, the first downloadable content for Elder Scrolls V:: Skyrim. Dawnbreaker will release at some point this summer, and is a timed exclusive to the Xbox  360. Details are scarce as of now, Bethsda only confirmed the DLC and announced that more details will come at E3. Given that Bethesda has said that the DLC for Skyrim will be more like expansion packs, this could be a fairly sizable chunk of new content headed our way. Some leaked files have pointed to snow elves and crossbows, but for now it seems we will have to do a little more waiting to see what Bethesda is up to.

Black Ops 2 Confirmed

The UK site for Call of Duty has confirmed the newest installment in the franchise is Black Ops II. The site says the game will "Push the boundaries of what fans have come to expect from the record setting franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops II propels players into a near future, 21st Century Cold war, where technology and weapons have converged to create a new generation of warfare." A trailer and screenshots are listed as "coming soon" on the site.

Nvida Announces New $999 Flagship Card

Last week, Nvidia teased a coming announcement. Now we know what they were hiding. Nvidia peeled off the covers on their new flagship graphics card, the GeForce GTX 690. The sleek new card is touted to have the performance of two GTX 680's tied together. The performance chart that Kotaku shared boasted some extremely impressive FPS stats. The card will be released on May 3rd and can be yours for the low low price of $999.


Image sources:
#1. http://nexus404.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads2/2012/04/TimeSplitters-4-logo.jpg
#2. http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17lazeg6svbvejpg/original.jpg
#3. http://cdn4.spong.com/news/c/a/callofduty368739l/_-Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-II-Website-Launches-Release-Date-Confirmed-_.jpg
#4. http://www.gamersdailynews.com/userfiles/image/2012/April/GeForceGTX690.jpg

Adam Sessler Out At G4

It's the end of an era really. Adam Sessler, a longtime key gaming personality, is no longer a part of G4 TV network. He has been with the network since 1998, back when it was ZDTV, and was the only member of the network to stay on from it's first incarnation, then the transition to TechTV, and then the change to G4. He has hosted the show X-Play since it was originally aired as Gamespot TV, and appeared semi-regularly on Attack of the Show as a gaming correspondent. This announcement was rumored last week, but there was no sufficient evidence to the claim. Sessler is leaving due to a contractual dispute with the G4 network, and they are not parting amicably.

A G4 representative has confirmed that Adam is no longer with G4.

It is a real shame to see this is how Sesslers tenure with G4 ends. I have been watching his shows and webcasts for a very long time. He'll move on to something much bigger and better though, and I can not wait to see where his career will go next. Good luck to you good sir!


Image Source: http://www.dailyernebraskan.com/img/photo_illustrations/Adam_SesslerRetouched_Headshot_35931.jpg

Info Source: http://kotaku.com/5905119/adam-sessler-out-at-g4

Marshmallow Fluff! Reviews: Skullgirls

These days it is very rare to see a brand new fighting game emerge onto the scene, especially when the genre is dominated by the top tier titles like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. It is even harder to try and carve out a place for a new fighting game to succeed, again because of the iron grip the major series in the genre have.

Enter Skullgirls, a 2D fighting game that blends a unique art style with a serious approach to the fighting game model. Don't let the downloadable game tag fool you: if you are a fighting game veteran you will feel right at home here. The game was developed with it's genre's community in mind. It was tested by the community and has been revised several times based on their feedback. The result is an excellent 2D fighter with a lot of potential to become something even greater.

Skullgirls story revolves around the eight playable characters in the game fighting for control over the Skull Heart, a mysterious artifact with the ability to grant a girls wish. The catch is that if the girl is impure of heart, the Skull Heart transforms the user into the Skullgirl, a monster that can unleash total devastation on the world. The world the game is set in is filled to the brim with criminal organization, strife, and conflict. At the start of the games story mode a new Skullgirl has emerged, causing the paths of a few young women to cross.

The games fights can be carried out in different matchups ranging 1v1's to 3v3's including any mix in between. The game is a little light on modes, There's a training mode, a short story mode for each of the eight characters, a randomized arcade ladder, and offline/online multiplayer. While there's not a whole lot to do, the basics are there.

The fighting mechanics themselves are excellent. The controls and set up are reminiscent of games like Marvel vs. Capcom, and the game plays fluidly with a quick pace to match. There are plenty of combos and strategies to be found, and the system really has been designed with the thought that the game can be played competitively in tournaments. Not that surprising given that long time tournament fighter Mike Zaimont served as the games project lead and lead designer. The games roster of wacky characters is incredibly diverse, covering all sorts of play styles, and each characters personality just as distinct. The options extend even further when you get into picking your team. You can pick from one to three characters to play with, and when bringing multiple characters in you will be able to perform assist attacks with the ones sitting on the sidelines. These attacks are customizable as well, which offers even more strategic options. Skullgirls will also automatically balance larger teams against stronger ones so that the fights are never one sided. The games online multiplayer is also a lot of fun, and runs really smoothly. You will certainly want to head online with this game.

The games system is not without issues though. This is not a very friendly game for newcomers. The AI unleashes relentless combos and attacks even on the lowest difficulty, and their aggression will quickly frustrate new players. There are also no move lists or references to be found anywhere (though Reverge has stated that all the characters move sets will be on their website soon.) That omission also robs new players of an aid that can help them learn, and even forces veterans to do a little learning. The games arcade ladder mode is also a bit funky, sometimes matching you with nearly identical teams back to back, something that can get a bit boring in a mode that is supposed to be about quick, fun, no nonsense, fights. There are also a few bugs that crop up once in awhile, something that will probably fixed through patches later, but still a problem as of now.

This game is defiantly a fun fighter. However, a big part of this games appeal is it's aesthetics. The animations are absolutely stunning for 2D fighter, and the art is superb. Hand drawn characters rarely look this good. The game is extremely funny as well, with great one-liners, and it deliberately pokes fun at some of gaming's in-jokes. That said, this game can feel a little over sexualized. This game features an (as of now) all girl cast, and the designers took full advantage of this. The characters undergarments are visible quite frequently, and some of their combos and moves could give a few fan service heavy anime a run for their money. It's not a downside per-say, but it is a noticeable element that could bother some people. All that aside though, this games art style is certainly a stand out, and really catches the eye, and has a unique charm.

Skullgirls is a wonderful surprise. It's refreshing to see a western development team tackle this genre. It's a downloadable title, but it certainly could hold it's own against the big titles in the genre. Skullgirls has a lot of promise it can build on in the future, and the potential for a large community to build up around this game is possible. While it has it's faults, and it's a little content light, this is defiantly a game worth playing, and will give veteran fighting game fans something new to enjoy.


Gameplay

Skullgirls mechanics are solid, and the balanced and varied, albeit small,  character roster make this game a blast to play. It is a little harsh on newcomers.

Sound

The characters are all well voiced and varied. The music sets the mood, matching the art style well, but it doesn't really standout.

Story/Writing

Small story, but solid enough to get you at least a little interested. The hilarious lines the characters yell in combat will give you laugh or two, and the game has a great sense of humor.

Graphics and Design 

The art direction is remarkable, with a very nice art deco feel, and the setting for each battle area is wonderfully presented. The character designs are impeccable, although the amount of fan service could turn a few people off this one.

Lasting Appeal 

While the game itself is a lot of fun, the lack of modes holds this game back. The online multiplayer is great, but also suffers from a lack of choices in what to do.

Final Verdict!

Very Fluffy

Avalible on Xbox Live and PSN Network for $15.00 MSRP
Developed by Reverge Games



Image Sources:
#1. http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2011/02/xlarge_skullgirls.jpg
#2. http://shoryuken.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/skullgirls-bloodymarie.png
#3. http://www.theaveragegamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/skullgirls_gamescom_parasoul_screens_02.jpg
#4. http://storage.siliconera.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/skullgirls_pt_03_thumb.jpg

CISPA: A Warning

Hello readers.

I promise later today to have something nicer up for you all to read, but right now we need to talk.

If you'll recall earlier this year, two bills were put before congress, SOPA and PIPA. These two bills were supposed to help combat piracy but instead they more or less offered the US Government unheard of power over the internet, and the vague definitions would have made the internet a very scary place to be, where freedom of speech couldn't be guaranteed and an entire site could be shut down because of elements out of their control. Thankfully both bills were stopped by an outpouring of support from people across all over the world.

Unfortunately, our rights are under attack once again by a bill that could be even more intimidating.

CISPA, or The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act is a bill that would allow the US government to effectively "spy" on citizens. It has intentionally vague wording that essentially allows corporations the ability to share just about any type of information with the federal government. There are limitations on what kinds of information may be shared, but broad language makes those limitations a moot point. E-mails and private messages through social networks are fair game under this bill. And unlike other cybersecurity bills, nothing in CISPA forces the removal of personally identifiable details. To sum it up, this bill allows private companies the ability to share almost any of your information as long as it pertains to a "cyber threat" which has a broad definition under this bill. It also allows the government to use the information for something other than cyber security. Internet Service Providers could monitor private communication on the internet as well.  This bill is a huge invasion of privacy and puts too much faith in private corporations to safeguard their sensitive user data from intrusion by the government. The government has a wide array of ways to pressure these corporations into sharing large volumes of their users information. There is also no requirement for a company to alert affect users whatsoever.

While, like SOPA, this is a bill with good intentions at it's heart, it is ultimately much more harmful than helpful, the two bills have almost nothing in common, save that they affect the internet.

The problem we face is that this bill has gone largely unopposed up to this point, and it will be going to vote on Thursday, with a decision no later than Friday afternoon. If we don't act quick, CISPA WILL pass. Here's what you can do to stop this harmful legislation from passing:

• Contact your congressman. Call them and let them know what you think. If you don't know how to contact your states congress members by going here:  http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
• Sign the Avaaz petition.  https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_cispa/?slideshow
• Signup for this service that will ship postcards with a message to congress on it. It may be a bit late but you never know.  http://sincerely.com/cause/cispa
• Spread the word immediately, and get as many people as you can to help protest as well.  
• Even if you don't live in the US, this bill will hurt you too. You can help every bit as much as I can. 

We are short on time with this one. But we on the internet could move a mountain if we wanted to. Get on this quickly, and we can stop CISPA from passing. 

Image Sources: 

#1. http://peoplealliance.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/CISPA.png

#2. http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17j92b2rmyov3jpg/medium.jpg

Mid Week News: Leaking All Over The Place

...We're going to need a plumber.

It's Wednesday, and that means we've still got two days until the weekend. However, given what we've seen happen already this week, this could be a busy weekend. Quite a few of games are getting teased and leaked right now, so here's a few of the big ones.

Black Ops 2 Info Coming May?

Kotaku obtained a picture of a poster today that hints at the first details of the next Call of Duty title possibly coming on May 2nd. While the next Call of Duty title hasn't been confirmed to be a follow up to Black Ops, Activision recently acquired the blackops2.com domain name, and an Amazon listing in France had the game listed. The poster also looks somewhat similar to the cover art from Black Ops, though it's too blurry to be sure.


Turns Out Bethesda Doesn't Just Make Elder Scrolls

A few days ago, a screenshot surfaced from Bethesda surfaced with the caption "Tomorrow." Many immediately thought the screenshot was referring to upcoming DLC for Elder Scrolls V. Turns out, as Bethesda public relations man Pete Hines put it, "We (Bethesda) do make other games." Instead we got our first trailer of Dishonored. Make no mistake though, this game is shaping up to be one of the premier titles of 2012. The game is set in a massive steampunk-style city called Dunwall, and the gameplay is stealth-based action goodness. Defiantly have this game on your radar.


Halo 4 Dropping on Election Day/ First Gameplay Footage On Conan

343 Studious has announced that Halo 4 will be releasing on November 6th, 2012. For those of us in the US, that is better known as election day. I have a feeling quite a few votes will be left uncast because of this decision. Also yesterday evening, the first look at gameplay from Halo 4 was on Conan O'Brian. It lasted all of nine seconds and didn't really show off the game in any significant way, but still it's something. Am I the only one that wouldn't want Conan's voice as my Spartan's?


Crysis 3 Announced

After being accidentally leaked by EA's Origin service last week, EA has now officially announced Crysis 3. The game will once again be set in New York City, although you might not recognize it. Through the power of the Cell Corporation Nanodrome, New York City has been transformed into a city covered in rainforest, swamp, and other various types of environments that are segmented into seven distinct areas. Oh, and you'll also be able to use a bow. The game is set for release sometime in 2013, but you can already preorder the game through Origin. EA even has preorder bonuses lined up! Oh joy!


Thats all the news I've got for now. I'd also like to say whoever made that Best Buy photoshop picture about Half-Life 2: Episode 3 is incurring a lot of wrath around the web right now. What did you think was going to happen? Silly troll...


Image sources:
#1. http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17jzkqos96mw2jpg/original.jpg
#2. http://attackofthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dishonored.jpg
#3. http://cdn.wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/halo-4.jpg
#4. http://img.tgdaily.com/sites/default/files/stock/450teaser/crysis3.jpg

Dust 514 - More Than Your Average Shooter

...Could use a good dusting.

Since 2008, CCP Games has been showing brief flashes of it's upcoming MMOFPS, Dust 514. For those unfamiliar, CCP Games is the developer behind the MMO EVE Online, one of the most ridiculously in depth games around. EVE Online was first released in 2003, and through a lot of hard work, CCP has been able to keep the game around through the past decade or so. Dust 514 will be only the second game ever developed by the Iceland based company. That in and of itself is noteworthy. However, Dust 514 is on the precipice of doing something groundbreaking. You see, Dust 514 is set in the EVE universe. The battles you fight in the game will be waged on the same planets that you can find in EVE Online.

That's only the half of it though.

The events that occur in Dust 514 will have direct and far reaching consequences to the players of EVE Online. Control over planets can be determined from the battles waged in Dust 514. The players in the game are treated as mercenaries, though nothing as of now is stopping you from fighting for your corporation or alliance if you play EVE Online. This opens up the possibility of alliances or corporations putting out a call for help if they think they are about to lose a planet. The groups that control worlds through Dust 514 can even build infrastructures on the planets they, or their corporations, control though it isn't really clear what purpose this will serve yet.

The first brilliant thing about this is that you don't have to be an EVE Online player, to play Dust 514 and vice versa. The second, and much more impressive, is that the players of these two different games will essentially be able to coexist, despite not playing the same game. For the first time ever, two radically different games players can have an effect on each others experience. The relationship between these two games and their players could set the stage for a radically different approach to bringing players together. It goes beyond just multiplayer between two different gaming platforms. It bridges two entirely different genres of gaming, which is arguably a much bigger challenge.

One of the biggest problems facing player connectivity is the fact that we don't all play the same games and systems. A few games have tangled the idea of bridging the players of one game on multiple systems, but none have done so with a whole lot of success, and given the way the big three console developers handle business with each other I doubt that we'll be seeing any real solid games with such a feature for a while. A few games have started toying with social networks which can introduce you to other players and services like Call of Duty ELITE and Battlelog offer lots of extra features for the people subscribed to their services. The problem with the game-specific social networks is that they are more or less devoted to a single game franchise. Breaking down the walls surrounding certain parts of the gaming community so that it's players can share an experience is a bold move towards creating a game world where players can all experience the same world from radically different perspectives and situations. I myself, am not a big MMO person. Never have been. I just don't like them and the way they are presented to me and the way some of them feels more like a chore than something to be enjoyed. One of my friends loves MMOs. He plays at least three of them at any one given time. While he doesn't have a dislike for first person shooters. they are defiantly not his favourite genre. The relationship between EVE Online and Dust 514 offers the opportunity for two players with different likes and dislikes to share the same world.

But it's deeper than that.

In response to the obvious question: How could I not? 

This could be the very model that can finally end the debate of casual versus hardcore gaming, by bringing us all together. What if a casual game could be used to give hardcore gamers support in their games? Would you turn down the extra help? Of course not, and it could be the perfect way to introduce someone to a gaming universe, without forcing it to be from one perspective. Instead of forcing your girlfriend to sit there and play World of Warcraft, she could instead play a casual game that could produce equipment for your character.

It might take years to nail down exactly how this could work, I mean the mechanics behind this sort of thing are just now being explored as possibilities. However, Dust 514 may very well be the revolutionary first title to explore the idea of bringing players together, even if they aren't playing the same game.
_________________________________________________________________________________

It's been awhile since my last post. The real world catches up to you fast when your not paying attention to it. That said, I'm going to be taking a bit of a different approach to things here over the next month or so. We'll see how that goes (as usual.)

As always, please share this as much as possible, keep reading, and thanks for reading.

Until next time.


Idea Came From Here: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/transgaming
Image References:
#1. http://download.gamezone.com/uploads/image/data/1010573/Dust-514-concept-art-characters.jpg
#2. http://canv.as/ugc/processed/b3f647e34b467e29597997f025ad8d59b9869f3c.jpeg

Mass Hysteria

...The Elcor will likely be next.

After nearly an entire month of angry rants, charity drives, and cupcake making, the hysterical reaction to the ending of Mass Effect 3 is finally winding down, with most of the major groups claiming victor after Ray Muzyaka stated that Bioware has been listening and will be doing something with what they have heard.

This is no victory, and it depresses me greatly that people are thinking of it as such. To be fair, I think it's another sign of just what the gaming community is capable of when it wants to get something done. A lot of people could learn a thing or two from how we do things, and that part of this makes me ecstatic that we once again are showing our stuff.

But the entire idea of this bothers me. A lot of people have spent a lot of time trying to get across the idea that games are in fact art. So much so that there is a temporary exhibit in The Smithsonian currently on display about that very idea. It has taken us a while to get to this point, and there are plenty of people who still aren't convinced. If video games are art, then they are the creative work of others. The entire campaign to change Mass Effect 3's ending is not only refuting the idea that games are works of art, it is supporting the idea that games are a product. Games can be changed yes, but the line that we are crossing is where we are demanding that a creative decision be reversed to fit our desires. Regardless of how that decision was made, it should only be changed if the developers feel it needs to be.

Being a fan of a game is like being a fan of a band. A band needs fans to survive, but the band is the one in control of the music they ultimately  For example, take Green Day. They spent a good decade or so playing solid punk music. Then they decide to go in a bold new direction with their album American Idiot, doing a rock opera of sorts that still has it's roots in classic punk. The reaction was very mixed, Green Day became a much bigger band, but many long time fans accused them of selling out and demanded that they go back to their old style. Yes they should at least listen, but ultimately the band creates the music. They are the ones who decide what they should do creatively. The fans can give input, but they can not demand things of the band. Once the band releases it's music, it's released and any changes to it are the bands business. If you created a song, and were happy with it, would you change it based on what other people think? Same thing with game designers and production teams most of the time. Bioware does a better job than a lot of companies at listening to fans and reworking their next game based on that feedback. Hell, they pretty much are starting off with fan comments and ideas on where to go with the next Dragon Age title. But once a developer has decided they are happy with the game as it is, we can not demand they change it for us. They are not obligated to give us exactly what we want from them.

There is truth in the idea that Bioware did not deliver on it's promises, but most games don't in some fashion or another. The idea that we should take a developers word as a written code or commandment is absurd. Developers are people too, and they make changes about their decisions. You don't have to like them, and you are welcome to be angry about them. I am by no means saying that people don't have the right to be upset by Mass Effect 3, but there are lines that are being crossed that bring to mind a lot of somewhat difficult to answer questions. You deserve a quality experience, but does that mean that you are a consumer of art or of a product? Can it be both? Is it the developers responsibility to craft an experience for fans, or to take creative risk?

At the end of the day, Bioware is a creative company. They made creative decisions, and regardless of the way it has been handled and what they told us we were getting, they should not feel obligated to change the ending, or any part of their game for that matter, based on what we think. They have final say as storytellers, and that right needs to be respected. You may hate it with every fiber of your being, but you need to respect the idea that this is the way they wanted to tell their story.

That said, again, I applaud the people who took a stand in a respectful way and simply told Bioware and EA their thoughts, and were not forceful about it. Moving mountains is awesome, and the idea of changing the way companies like EA do business (which really seems to be at the core of the issue) is certainly worth it, but we need to be very cautious of how we approach the issue. Sacrificing creative choice for us to be somewhat happy is not in anyone's best interest.

Now that Bioware has made their decision though, we will wait and see if we end up truly happy, or if we end up in an even worse place than before...



As always please share, post this where ever you can. Comments are always appreciated, any at all. They make me happy.

Until next time!

Image Sources:
#1. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincgdQ96Kvcj5NFCApCBVZTq5P5x5nW06-G3xh0TYAZQ6fA0jIvtDdOPSmrbsMeeCqZg2cU-VhLz75HuAOj7HjJhsAU5AiNW0HEOFZCYXwU0bzmUIRA5ZNeDCVj2ZcyjLwKNKzTmOiDSY6/s1600/SHEEN-WINNINGMUSTACHE.jpg
#2. http://fourplayer.wpr.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mass_effect3_review1.jpg