Welcome back, we’re another week removed from the Destiny launch and people still haven’t made up their minds on if like they game or not, but fear not I’ve got you covered.
This week I’ll be taking a look at why we should be preserving Final Fantasy VII and not let it become more of a cash grab than it already has. Then there are a few notes on Destiny and how it is not entirely a bad game, only it’s one we’ve played before. And finally there is Microsoft backing out of this week’s China release of the Xbox One, and trouble with the home market as companies resist market trends.
And as always, here’s to another week. Cheers.
Well, That Was Interesting
We don’t need a new version of Final Fantasy 7
You see what I did here?
As someone who feels that Final Fantasy VII was the lesser of the PlayStation One trilogy, I’ve often been perplexed by the nostalgia pedestal that it’s held up on. Sure I loved it - and in some sense still do – but I don’t know why there isn’t more adoration for Final Fantasy IX or any for VIII, the forgotten game. I understand that it was the first entry into the RPG genre and videogames for a lot of fans and that is definitely something special. But let’s not revive it as a walking zombie that at a distance can pass off as Final Fantasy VII but isn’t.
Remember the Star Wars updates, E.T, or even when Ted Turner went back and added color to classic black and white films? The updates radically changed what the original films were, and it cheapened the experience as art and made it more a cash grab. Videogames are no exception, and Final Fantasy VII should always look boxy and have horribly pre-rendered backgrounds. The addition of voice acting would also cheapen the individual characters that evolved their personalities through text rather than speech patterns. This helped create a unique experience for each of us as our minds filled in the voices that we thought should be there.
So I put to those who hold FFVII high and implore you to try out other RPGs from the era. Games like Suikoden II, Breath of Fire IV, The Secret of Mana, and even Final Fantasy VI. If you’re one whose played any or all of those games, help spread the word. Those of you who love FFVII should be fighting to keep the experience as it is and not have it cheapened in a cash grab like all of the spin offs that have come out of that lore.
Plus there is always Final Fantasy XII, which when you think about, was trying to invoke some of Final Fantasy VII’s motifs and characters.
Notes on Destiny
“Destiny is a ‘well designed’ game in the way a chair might be well designed or a lampshade might be well designed. It is the IKEA Billy bookshelf of videogames: safe, sturdy, inoffensive; as a Billy bookshelf does a very competent job of being a bookshelf in the most generic, conventional sense so that there is not a home that a Billy bookshelf would look strange in, Destiny is a very competent game in the most generic, conventional sense.”
Halolands!
Had Bungie released Destiny in a vacuum it may have well been an amazing experience, one that would be remembered for ages to come. Unfortunately for Bungie, they already made Halo and Gearbox’s Borderlands is already scratching an itch that Destiny was looking to fill. Sure it’s fun to play, but it’s nothing new and is more or less something we’ve all seen before in one form or the other. Destiny is safe and populated with generic lore. Though it looks great, it’s nothing out-of-this-world great.
I tell you what, if I was 2K games, I would be more than nervous about their upcoming Borderlands Pre-Sequel. Hell, if I was anyone but Call of Duty I would be worried about any upcoming first person shooter that was in development as there is an apparent shooter fatigue that has set in. The genre has become stale and predictable since there’s been little innovation since Call of Duty overhauled the multiplayer experience. Most of these games are walking into an area and “left triggering, right triggering” your way through any baddies or players that stand in your way.
This is not at all to say that Destiny is a bad game, it’s only a game we’ve all played before and one that most of us have grown tired of. It had a long development cycle and perhaps Bungie was too far in to be able to react to the market trends of the genre, but they appear to have been caught on the bad foot. However, there is also an apparent disconnect between the media and fans about Destiny but that is a topic for another day.
Read up on “Notes on Destiny” from Brendan Keogh as his thoughts are not as hyper critical as most reviews have been. “Destiny is a good game, just not one that we’ll be talking about a year from now,” sums it up.
Microsoft Delays Xbox One’s China Launch Without Explanation
China’s moratorium on videogame consoles over the last 30 years had been a thorn in Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo’s side as there was no legal way to sell their product in one of the largest markets in the world. Computer games and PC’s have enjoyed a monopoly on the home videogame experience for the people of China, and those who were determined to find a console could as they were famously sold on the black market. But the times have changed, and the doors have been opened in the People’s Republic, and Microsoft had worked up a deal to be the first one to the party.
Unfortunately, something has gone awry in the whole process, and mere days before the scheduled release of the Xbox One Microsoft announced that they would be delaying the release for a few more months. Not that I’m here to pile up on the anti-Microsoft bandwagon here – believe me they are circling the camp – but it has been one public blunder after another for the company and we need them to recover. Gaming culture benefits from strong competition and as of now the home market is largely dominated by Sony.
Sure Nintendo has their niche market perfectly carved out, and with a slate of big first party games coming out for them they’re sure to do fine within their niche. But Microsoft is not faring as well within their market, and with Steam slowly creeping into the homes of every gamer, it’s almost panic time for Xbox fans.
Almost.
China is potentially worth billions to the videogame industry – as they are to the film industry – and Microsoft seems to still be ahead of the competition with their partners and plans for a Chinese release that should still happen.
But as an Xbox fan, when is it appropriate to hit the panic switch?
Snake moves with the times, Lara doesn’t
“Lara’s been led astray. Far from signifying a return to the bad old days, the Tomb Raider deal is just the last, ugly gasp of a dying era.”
The industry has undergone a rapid change, and once where there was a multitude of publishers – both mid-level and larger – there now exist a few lumbering giants who desperately cling to the ways. Some have had more success with continuing the outdated business practices of the gaming industry – acquiring developers, massive marketing campaigns, and funding multiple large projects that expect huge sales numbers. But in recent years many others have fallen as the cost of developing games has gone up and they didn’t shift their development cycles.
There used to be room for mid-level games like Ratchet and Clank, Banjo Kazooie, and Sly Cooper (and many more), all of whom were not trying to be blockbuster experiences. These games didn’t so much focus on graphics so much as they focused on visuals and gameplay elements, and they were developed with reasonable sales goals. Look at this year’s releases and you’ll see a noticeable gap from the larger publishers and developers, most of us have had to fill the void with indie developers who have gone on to create some of the best games in recent memory.
A modern day example of a mid-level game is From Softwares’ Souls series that never strives to blow you away with its graphics (although they have some stunning visuals), and instead focused on creating a valued experience that has since propelled the franchise into the pantheon of gaming legend. From Software developed the Souls games with reasonable goals and cost associated with that, larger developers should consider taking a look back at this model.
I wonder what will come of Bloodborne as it appears that From Software is taking the game into the AAA level of development and the hype surrounding it is real.
Visual Stimuli
The Elder Scrolls VI
Groot Is the Greatest Hero of the 21st Century
Lords of the Fallen
Did You Know Gaming? Mass Effect
Around the Net
Well fall is starting and you know what that means… Blizzcon! Yes, one of the biggest Starcraft 2 tournaments will be taking place at the convention and we’re in the lead up month for player qualifications and standings. The Red Bull Battlegrounds have been huge this year, and veteran Polt has been drawing some much deserved attention. “Polt: ’70 percent’ chance to advance at Red Bull Battlegrounds”
With the exceptionally bad summer of releases behind us, boy was it a long drought. With it being fall there appears to be a stacked slate of Oscar-Bait movies set to come out in a short few weeks. The Atlantic compiled a list of them with trailers and it is a great one stop shop if you are behind the times. (like me) “Fall Movie Preview: 21 Buzzy Awards-Season Contenders”
Next week the world leaders will be meeting in New York City to discuss a potential course of action for their individual countries in regards to climate change. In an effort to be heard and raise awareness to the summit, there will be a march in Central Park today. Read up on what has been going on here in the city and get involved. “Bringing the Noise on Climate Change”
Brian Kale
@brianwkale
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