A while ago I read this article (WARNING! SPOILERS IN THE ARTICLE!!!). It's about a critics reasoning behind the score that she gave to The Last of Us. In the article, she discusses the topic of choice, and how it was taken away from her in that moment. Though, I think that she's wrong to complain about that.
Characters in video games are just that: characters. They have motives, thoughts, feelings, and actions that they perform based on their CHARACTER. The way that this reviewer tried to act in that last scene, contradicted the character of Joel. Joel is not a good person. He kills anyone, or anything that stands in his way. Kind of a Joseph Stalin approach to life. In that last scene, player has to fight through a battalion of soldiers before they can make it to Ellie. The game really doesn't make stealth or pacifism an option here, as there are just too many guards. After making your way through all of them, not stopping until every single one is dead, you finally end up in the OR where Ellie is sedated lying on the operating table. One of the surgeons grabs a scalpel in an act of defense to stop Joel from taking Ellie, the hope for all mankind. This reviewer tried to go around it, while I on the other hand, straight up shot the guy like Indiana Jones in The Raiders of The Lost Ark. After all of the things that Joel had done up until that point, do you think that he would just walk on by someone who was a threat, and who stood in his way?
I feel like to try and do something that is out of character in a video game kind of breaks the immersion of the game. I like to play in a different way than most others. I used to be in theater, and let me tell you, being on stage is the most euphoric experience that you ever will have. To me, video games with story and character are kind of similar to a play. The writers of the game put so much into the game to create this world and the characters that inhabit it. I feel it kind of insults the writers when players roll around and screw with the world during what is supposed to be a dramatic, or story moment.
That's just my thoughts on it. Perhaps I'm overreacting, but I feel like when one of the characters is trying to talk to the player, and the player is trying to see if they can glitch to an area where they're not supposed to be, it kind of breaks the moment. How do you feel about this?
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Violence as a Tool
Video games are violent. More often than not, we see video games get called out by the media for being just that. Violent. Though, no one really seems to take the context of the violence into consideration when discussing this issue.
Hotline Miami is an independent game that come from Dennation games. The game is fast, frantic, and absolutely brutal. The game is in a 16 bit graphical style, which leaves the details of the deaths up to your imagination. There's lots of blood and violence to be had here, but what's the point? Hotline Miami takes that into consideration. You take control of a nameless, faceless man who receives anonymous messages on his phone's answering machines that leave addresses for him to go to and straight up murder everyone inside the building.The game plays up the whole "glorification of violence" even more with the scoring system. Players are rewarded for being, brutally efficient. The more effective the player is, and how quickly they do it nabs them a high score. This is what makes the game fun: its pacing. The game moves so quickly that death doesn't phase the player, but makes them retry over and over again, employing different tactics to beat the level. If the player fails, it's their fault, and not the game. But, why? Why do this? What is the point? Who are these people? Are they bad? Are they good? Who am I? How does my character play into any of this? Hotline Miami takes these questions and runs with them at a hundred miles per hour. Then at the end of each level, the game forces players to walk all the way through the level, past the corpses they've made, back to their car. The quiet of the each level, after the murder and the killer soundtrack, provides an opportunity to reflect upon just what they had done.
Spec Ops: The Line
At first glance, Spec Ops: The Line is an average, ordinary, 3rd person action shooter game with cover and squad based gameplay. The game follows a team of soldiers that are sent to Dubai to save the day and escort all of the civilians and refugees out of the city to safety and get any remaining US soldiers out as well. However, the whole thing gets turned on its head when everyone in the city has going crazy. Nobody is willing to reason, so the situation comes down to shoot first and ask questions later. In the end, the soldiers that were sent to save the city, end up doing more harm than good. Killing thousands of soldiers and refugees alike. The game puts players through some pretty traumatic stuff. Spec Ops uses brutality to cement the evils of violence and why no good comes of war and fighting. The gameplay of Spec Ops the line satirizes the industry and its constant pumping out of violent video games. Every headshot that the player lands is emphasized with a moment of slow down to hold it right up to the players nose. The game made me feel like a terrible person after all of the things that the game had me do. The game does provide the opportunities for "moral choice" but they all end badly. I still highly recommend this game, and that you do the same and recommend it to everyone you know.
The Last of Us
The Last of Us is definitely one of my favorite games of 2013. The game follows the two characters Joel and Ellie as they try and survive in the mad world that they live in. In the year 2013, humanity was wracked by the cordyceps fungus, which is normally found in species of insects that have become over populated. The Last of Us has a distinct way in which it uses violence. Every fight is a fight for survival, and Joel and Ellie have to survive. Both of them use whatever means necessary to ensure that they are able to make it to tomorrow. Supplies are scarce and players have to be more resourceful to ensure that they make it to the other side. Vicious blows to the head with blunt objects and gunshots that tear through flesh fill the screen. Each encounter with other survivors is tense and dramatic. The Last of Us does a good job to give a sense that the people that you are killing are just trying to survive as well. They make sure that their group stays alive and that they make it to tomorrow. This equality between the two parties gives a sorrow to taking them out. You kind of feel bad for them, but then you quickly move on when you realize that it was either him or you, or that you've been spotted by his friend. Every hit, every shot, every action is made with the intent to kill. Joel is a bitter, violent person, who doesn't hold back when it comes to dealing with the enemy. Contrast to him, is Ellie, who is an optimistic light in the darkness. I tried playing to where she wouldn't see as much of the violence, to protect her, but it was all for not. Ellie evolves into a survivor of this world. It has changed her, and how she acts. When the game gives players control of Ellie, it becomes crystal clear the effects of being around Joel, and the terrible violence.
Violence is often looked at as a gameplay mechanic, and approached casually. Yet, it's a big thing to take another persons life. The terrible ways that people die in these games are truly horrific, and cringe worthy. The difference between these games and others is that they have context that evoke emotion and remorse for pulling the trigger. Violence is not a good thing. It's never the right thing to do. If anything, it should be used as a last resort. Too often games use violence willy nilly, and make a farce of the gravitas of the act of killing.
Please note that I do not condone violence, this post is to explore how game developers use violence as a story telling, rather than just a gameplay mechanic.
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami is an independent game that come from Dennation games. The game is fast, frantic, and absolutely brutal. The game is in a 16 bit graphical style, which leaves the details of the deaths up to your imagination. There's lots of blood and violence to be had here, but what's the point? Hotline Miami takes that into consideration. You take control of a nameless, faceless man who receives anonymous messages on his phone's answering machines that leave addresses for him to go to and straight up murder everyone inside the building.The game plays up the whole "glorification of violence" even more with the scoring system. Players are rewarded for being, brutally efficient. The more effective the player is, and how quickly they do it nabs them a high score. This is what makes the game fun: its pacing. The game moves so quickly that death doesn't phase the player, but makes them retry over and over again, employing different tactics to beat the level. If the player fails, it's their fault, and not the game. But, why? Why do this? What is the point? Who are these people? Are they bad? Are they good? Who am I? How does my character play into any of this? Hotline Miami takes these questions and runs with them at a hundred miles per hour. Then at the end of each level, the game forces players to walk all the way through the level, past the corpses they've made, back to their car. The quiet of the each level, after the murder and the killer soundtrack, provides an opportunity to reflect upon just what they had done.
Spec Ops: The Line
At first glance, Spec Ops: The Line is an average, ordinary, 3rd person action shooter game with cover and squad based gameplay. The game follows a team of soldiers that are sent to Dubai to save the day and escort all of the civilians and refugees out of the city to safety and get any remaining US soldiers out as well. However, the whole thing gets turned on its head when everyone in the city has going crazy. Nobody is willing to reason, so the situation comes down to shoot first and ask questions later. In the end, the soldiers that were sent to save the city, end up doing more harm than good. Killing thousands of soldiers and refugees alike. The game puts players through some pretty traumatic stuff. Spec Ops uses brutality to cement the evils of violence and why no good comes of war and fighting. The gameplay of Spec Ops the line satirizes the industry and its constant pumping out of violent video games. Every headshot that the player lands is emphasized with a moment of slow down to hold it right up to the players nose. The game made me feel like a terrible person after all of the things that the game had me do. The game does provide the opportunities for "moral choice" but they all end badly. I still highly recommend this game, and that you do the same and recommend it to everyone you know.
The Last of Us
The Last of Us is definitely one of my favorite games of 2013. The game follows the two characters Joel and Ellie as they try and survive in the mad world that they live in. In the year 2013, humanity was wracked by the cordyceps fungus, which is normally found in species of insects that have become over populated. The Last of Us has a distinct way in which it uses violence. Every fight is a fight for survival, and Joel and Ellie have to survive. Both of them use whatever means necessary to ensure that they are able to make it to tomorrow. Supplies are scarce and players have to be more resourceful to ensure that they make it to the other side. Vicious blows to the head with blunt objects and gunshots that tear through flesh fill the screen. Each encounter with other survivors is tense and dramatic. The Last of Us does a good job to give a sense that the people that you are killing are just trying to survive as well. They make sure that their group stays alive and that they make it to tomorrow. This equality between the two parties gives a sorrow to taking them out. You kind of feel bad for them, but then you quickly move on when you realize that it was either him or you, or that you've been spotted by his friend. Every hit, every shot, every action is made with the intent to kill. Joel is a bitter, violent person, who doesn't hold back when it comes to dealing with the enemy. Contrast to him, is Ellie, who is an optimistic light in the darkness. I tried playing to where she wouldn't see as much of the violence, to protect her, but it was all for not. Ellie evolves into a survivor of this world. It has changed her, and how she acts. When the game gives players control of Ellie, it becomes crystal clear the effects of being around Joel, and the terrible violence.
Violence is often looked at as a gameplay mechanic, and approached casually. Yet, it's a big thing to take another persons life. The terrible ways that people die in these games are truly horrific, and cringe worthy. The difference between these games and others is that they have context that evoke emotion and remorse for pulling the trigger. Violence is not a good thing. It's never the right thing to do. If anything, it should be used as a last resort. Too often games use violence willy nilly, and make a farce of the gravitas of the act of killing.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
TOP 5 LICENSED VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACKS!
I play a lot of video games. I mean a lot. They're kind of my only window to the outside world and what the goings on are with things other than video games. In fact, a lot of the music that I listen to I heard from one video game or another. So, without further ado, here is my list of my TOP 5 LICENSED VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACKS!
In case you didn't get that from the title.
Rules: No music games. So nothing like Amplitude, Rockband, etc. Also, the soundtracks of the game are entirely licensed songs, not just a few songs like the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack, which I love so much.
5. Burnout 3
Among the symphony of crashing cars and twisting metal, there is a fantastically high paced and high quality soundtrack to play among the carnage. Featuring top hits of the day such as "I'm not OK" by My Chemical Romance, "This Fire" by Franz Ferdinand, "My Favorite Accident" by Motion City Soundtrack, and many others. This is a great soundtrack that compliments the energy and speed of the game. Though, to be honest, it doesn't really seem to fit while listening to it in my car while I'm obeying traffic laws...
4. Project Gotham Racing 2
It's really good when your soundtrack includes variety, even more so when said variety is from multiple countries. PGR2 has an amazingly wide selection of music to choose from, and you can completely customize it by creating your own mixtape. There is so much different music to choose from, it's a marathon to get through it all. Tracks including, but not limited to "Fight Test" by The Flaming Lips, "Automatic" by The Androids, "Tango Shoes" by Bif Naked, "Maschine" by Unheilig and so, so many more.
3. Need for Speed: Underground
Ok, so I play a lot of racing games. I guess I have that need for speed. Say, speaking of which.... Need for Speed has a really great soundtrack for a game that was the first of its kind. What with all the customization and the tuning of the cars. The release of NFS Underground coincided with the release of the movie The Fast and the Furious, a movie all about illegal street racing, over the top modifications of cars, and lots of homoerotic undertones, bro. The soundtrack to NFS Underground had a solid mix of rock, electronic, hip-hop, and Little Jon and the East Side Boys. Each time that you start up NFS Underground the song "Get Low" by Little Jon and his East Side Boys will play every time, so that you get that a cappella "badumdumdum..."
2. SSX 3
This is one of the greatest licensed soundtracks of all time. Seriously. The music in this game fits so perfectly with the insane stunts and the eccentric characters of this game, they couldn't have done a better job. Even the radio's DJ Atomika gets in on the action and brings his own slice of personality to the table. SSX 3 is filled with so much character and personality that it's only fitting that the soundtrack do the same.
1. FIFA 13
A sports game? Yes. A sports game. EA Sports games have surprisingly good soundtracks. You'd think that having music that plays only during the menu screens would defeat the purpose, but it just works so well for FIFA 13. Reason being, is that the amazing soundtrack plays during the incredibly addicting and helpful training games and during the waiting periods in between games in the tournament and career screens. This incredible soundtrack includes "Searching" by Matisyahu, "Top of The World" by Imagine Dragons, "Club Foot" by Kasabian, and so many great other great songs. Sometimes, I don't even play the game, I just turn the TV up really loud and let the music play while I do other things around the house.
In case you didn't get that from the title.
Rules: No music games. So nothing like Amplitude, Rockband, etc. Also, the soundtracks of the game are entirely licensed songs, not just a few songs like the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack, which I love so much.
5. Burnout 3
Among the symphony of crashing cars and twisting metal, there is a fantastically high paced and high quality soundtrack to play among the carnage. Featuring top hits of the day such as "I'm not OK" by My Chemical Romance, "This Fire" by Franz Ferdinand, "My Favorite Accident" by Motion City Soundtrack, and many others. This is a great soundtrack that compliments the energy and speed of the game. Though, to be honest, it doesn't really seem to fit while listening to it in my car while I'm obeying traffic laws...
4. Project Gotham Racing 2
It's really good when your soundtrack includes variety, even more so when said variety is from multiple countries. PGR2 has an amazingly wide selection of music to choose from, and you can completely customize it by creating your own mixtape. There is so much different music to choose from, it's a marathon to get through it all. Tracks including, but not limited to "Fight Test" by The Flaming Lips, "Automatic" by The Androids, "Tango Shoes" by Bif Naked, "Maschine" by Unheilig and so, so many more.
3. Need for Speed: Underground
Ok, so I play a lot of racing games. I guess I have that need for speed. Say, speaking of which.... Need for Speed has a really great soundtrack for a game that was the first of its kind. What with all the customization and the tuning of the cars. The release of NFS Underground coincided with the release of the movie The Fast and the Furious, a movie all about illegal street racing, over the top modifications of cars, and lots of homoerotic undertones, bro. The soundtrack to NFS Underground had a solid mix of rock, electronic, hip-hop, and Little Jon and the East Side Boys. Each time that you start up NFS Underground the song "Get Low" by Little Jon and his East Side Boys will play every time, so that you get that a cappella "badumdumdum..."
2. SSX 3
This is one of the greatest licensed soundtracks of all time. Seriously. The music in this game fits so perfectly with the insane stunts and the eccentric characters of this game, they couldn't have done a better job. Even the radio's DJ Atomika gets in on the action and brings his own slice of personality to the table. SSX 3 is filled with so much character and personality that it's only fitting that the soundtrack do the same.
1. FIFA 13
A sports game? Yes. A sports game. EA Sports games have surprisingly good soundtracks. You'd think that having music that plays only during the menu screens would defeat the purpose, but it just works so well for FIFA 13. Reason being, is that the amazing soundtrack plays during the incredibly addicting and helpful training games and during the waiting periods in between games in the tournament and career screens. This incredible soundtrack includes "Searching" by Matisyahu, "Top of The World" by Imagine Dragons, "Club Foot" by Kasabian, and so many great other great songs. Sometimes, I don't even play the game, I just turn the TV up really loud and let the music play while I do other things around the house.
Friday, June 7, 2013
It's OK to be Happy
You know what? I'm having a damn good day. I finally got paid from my job, and I'm feeling like everything's going to be ok. People always tell you it's ok to be sad, well you know what? That's true. But I don't often hear people talk about being happy. I think it's kind of become a child like concept to a majority of "adults", just because you're old and have responsibilities doesn't mean you can't feel happy. So smile every once in a while.
What does this have to do with video games? Because some video games put a smile on my face.
Super Mario Sunshine
Man, that video is old. Back when the Gamecube was still identified as the "Dolphin". Anyhow... LOOK AT THIS GAME!!!! How can you not smile when you see those graphics!!!! Those bright, vivid colors, those weird creatures, that beech! Oh... So, good....
Mario Kart 64
Ok, this is purely for the nostalgia factor, but do you remember how much fun it was to play this game? It was just fun. Good, old fashioned, pure fun. Do you remember sitting down with a friend to take on a grand prix together, and you both had to finish in the top two, otherwise it wasn't a true victory. Let's not forget the battle mode. Block Fort. 'nuff said.
Jet Grind Radio
I could not leave out my favorite game of all time in the list of games that put a smile on my face. It's my favorite game for that reason. I've geeked out about this game enough for you to know why I love this game. But I can always geek out a bit more.. THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!!!
The Last of Us
I'm sure that when I play this game, I will have a look of terror and trauma across my face, but this is one of the few games that has gotten my excited in a long while. I will so be there at midnight to pick it up next Friday, June 14. Mark your calendar.
What does this have to do with video games? Because some video games put a smile on my face.
Super Mario Sunshine
Man, that video is old. Back when the Gamecube was still identified as the "Dolphin". Anyhow... LOOK AT THIS GAME!!!! How can you not smile when you see those graphics!!!! Those bright, vivid colors, those weird creatures, that beech! Oh... So, good....
Mario Kart 64
Ok, this is purely for the nostalgia factor, but do you remember how much fun it was to play this game? It was just fun. Good, old fashioned, pure fun. Do you remember sitting down with a friend to take on a grand prix together, and you both had to finish in the top two, otherwise it wasn't a true victory. Let's not forget the battle mode. Block Fort. 'nuff said.
Jet Grind Radio
I could not leave out my favorite game of all time in the list of games that put a smile on my face. It's my favorite game for that reason. I've geeked out about this game enough for you to know why I love this game. But I can always geek out a bit more.. THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!!!
The Last of Us
I'm sure that when I play this game, I will have a look of terror and trauma across my face, but this is one of the few games that has gotten my excited in a long while. I will so be there at midnight to pick it up next Friday, June 14. Mark your calendar.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Top 5 Video Game Title Screens
Video game title screens? Yeah. Video game title screens. They may not be the most important part of the game, but they do leave a lasting impression. Though, a lot of work still goes into making them. So, here are my top 5 video game title screens.
5: Wave Race 64
Wave Race 64 was one of the first of two games I owned for the N64 that my brother and I saved up for. Needless to say, it was one of the most amazing experiences ever. 3D graphics, y’all! After years and years of only having the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the Nintendo 64 blew us away with polygons. Wave Race 64 is an amazing intro, not just for its 3D graphics and its place in my heart, but because of its presentation. The sound of the beach calls out as the camera races over clear water to quick cuts of the racers on their jetski. The speed, the colors, that music -- it all combines to set the stage for the entire game. Sure, it’s just a racing game, but there’s a lot of personality to it that makes it one of the best.
4. Metroid Prime
The Nintendo Gamecube was always something of a mystery to me. Its clean, almost alien, design intrigued me, and the thin light at the close of the lid made it look like some of the awesome power within was escaping. The title screen to Metroid Prime only served to reinforce these notions of its alien design. The first sounds that are heard sound like electricity through the cracking of thin ice on a lake crossed with the reception of a foreign transmission. Followed by the thunderous drums that lead into the almost Doctor Whovian high pitched whistle, this song sets the eerie tone for Metroid Prime. As you navigate through the menus, it becomes clear that the camera is swimming through the fluids inside of a Metroid, the iconic creature for which the series is named.
3. Halo
Halo made the Xbox. This is the game that you had to have, otherwise your Xbox was just a box. Halo had the most amazing multiplayer that could make for the best nights. Halo also had signature music that even my mom recognizes. Composed by Marty O’Donnel, the music from Halo went in a different direction than one might expect from a sci-fi action game. O’Donnel wanted to create a contrast between what the player was seeing and what the player was hearing. The style of Gregorian chant may not have been what most would have thought to work; yet it became the most iconic thirty seconds of turning on your Xbox.
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker
The Windwaker has always been one of my favorite Zelda games, mostly because it was overlooked by most people, and vastly underappreciated. It also had a wonderful intro theme. The intro sets the tone for Windwaker; opening up with a shot of the bright sun, then sweeping into little Outset Island where our journey begins. Quickly, it cuts to our hero, Link, standing atop a cliff, looking out into the vast endlessness of the ocean. The camera follows his gaze and sets down perfectly to make like the title is floating on the water, waiting for you to climb aboard.
1. Mega Man II
This is one of the most iconic video game themes of all time. Setting the stage with an establishing shot of the future, and describing the events of the previous games, this theme sets up the players for the events to come. The song starts out with a peaceful, yet somber, tone as the game sets the stage in text. The score picks up in pace and energy as the camera begins to climb, symbolizing the champion that will rise to the challenge of Dr. Wily and his evil robot masters. Then suddenly, FLASH! MEGA MAN II appears on screen and there atop the skyscraper stands Mega Man, with his hair heroically blowing in the wind as he overlooks the future and what is at stake. This is Mega Man II, and you understand it from just the intro theme. Plus, it’s just darn catchy.
There you have it. My top 5 video game title screens. I had fun writing this and putting the list together. Tell me in the comments what your favorite video game title screen is.
5: Wave Race 64
Wave Race 64 was one of the first of two games I owned for the N64 that my brother and I saved up for. Needless to say, it was one of the most amazing experiences ever. 3D graphics, y’all! After years and years of only having the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the Nintendo 64 blew us away with polygons. Wave Race 64 is an amazing intro, not just for its 3D graphics and its place in my heart, but because of its presentation. The sound of the beach calls out as the camera races over clear water to quick cuts of the racers on their jetski. The speed, the colors, that music -- it all combines to set the stage for the entire game. Sure, it’s just a racing game, but there’s a lot of personality to it that makes it one of the best.
4. Metroid Prime
The Nintendo Gamecube was always something of a mystery to me. Its clean, almost alien, design intrigued me, and the thin light at the close of the lid made it look like some of the awesome power within was escaping. The title screen to Metroid Prime only served to reinforce these notions of its alien design. The first sounds that are heard sound like electricity through the cracking of thin ice on a lake crossed with the reception of a foreign transmission. Followed by the thunderous drums that lead into the almost Doctor Whovian high pitched whistle, this song sets the eerie tone for Metroid Prime. As you navigate through the menus, it becomes clear that the camera is swimming through the fluids inside of a Metroid, the iconic creature for which the series is named.
3. Halo
Halo made the Xbox. This is the game that you had to have, otherwise your Xbox was just a box. Halo had the most amazing multiplayer that could make for the best nights. Halo also had signature music that even my mom recognizes. Composed by Marty O’Donnel, the music from Halo went in a different direction than one might expect from a sci-fi action game. O’Donnel wanted to create a contrast between what the player was seeing and what the player was hearing. The style of Gregorian chant may not have been what most would have thought to work; yet it became the most iconic thirty seconds of turning on your Xbox.
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker
The Windwaker has always been one of my favorite Zelda games, mostly because it was overlooked by most people, and vastly underappreciated. It also had a wonderful intro theme. The intro sets the tone for Windwaker; opening up with a shot of the bright sun, then sweeping into little Outset Island where our journey begins. Quickly, it cuts to our hero, Link, standing atop a cliff, looking out into the vast endlessness of the ocean. The camera follows his gaze and sets down perfectly to make like the title is floating on the water, waiting for you to climb aboard.
1. Mega Man II
This is one of the most iconic video game themes of all time. Setting the stage with an establishing shot of the future, and describing the events of the previous games, this theme sets up the players for the events to come. The song starts out with a peaceful, yet somber, tone as the game sets the stage in text. The score picks up in pace and energy as the camera begins to climb, symbolizing the champion that will rise to the challenge of Dr. Wily and his evil robot masters. Then suddenly, FLASH! MEGA MAN II appears on screen and there atop the skyscraper stands Mega Man, with his hair heroically blowing in the wind as he overlooks the future and what is at stake. This is Mega Man II, and you understand it from just the intro theme. Plus, it’s just darn catchy.
There you have it. My top 5 video game title screens. I had fun writing this and putting the list together. Tell me in the comments what your favorite video game title screen is.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Boy, it's a nice day... I'll play some video games
I genuinely do like nice weather. I like when the sun is out, and it's not too hot, and there's a gentle breeze flowing in my window. But, I don't have any money or a bike, so I'll just stay in and play some games that give me the sensation of going outside. So here are my Top 6 Games that make me want to go outside, but keep me inside because they are too fun to put down [Working title].
1. Flower
Flower is an absolutely gorgeous "stop and smell the roses"(HA!), take your time and relax kind of game. The graphics of Flower are simplistic yet beautifully vibrant. Every color compliments one another and creates a wonderful pallet of visually sunning canvases that you paint on. There is a certain charm to Flower and other games by That Game Company that only they can capture.
2. skate.
I love this game. I play it whenever I'm bored and don't really feel like playing anything in particular. It is great to just roll around(That's another one!) in and chill out. The sun is always shining in the world of skate. and it makes me feel somewhat social when I see another group of skaters tricking off of a spot and I join in and have a bit of fun myself. Sometimes I find an abandoned plaza and trick off of whatever is there for about an hour or two.
3. Red Dead Redemption
I don't really want to visit New Austin, it looks too hot, but thanks to Red Dead Redemption I can go there whenever I want and just watch the sunrise. Red Dead Redemption is one of my favorite games because of its story, characters, and graphics which are just so darn good looking. So good looking in fact that once when I was on my way to do something important, I noticed that the sun was rising. I stopped there in the middle of the road and watched as the sun rose and painted the sky with purples and golds. It was truly amazing. Then I realized that I was playing a video game, but a great one at that.
4. Wave Race 64
This was one of the first video games that I ever owned and I still play it even to this day, original cartridge and all. Nintendo builds their stuff to last. Wave Race 64 is great, not just for the nostalgia factor, but also because it's a great game. The controls are tight, the physics aren't exactly spot on to the real life, but they are fun to play around with. The bright color pallet is eye popping and makes everything just seem more happy. It's always a nice day at Wave Race 64
5. Super Mario 64
There is something about Nintendo 64 games and their bright color pallet that just makes me want to go outside and take in the sunlit earth, but I won't, because I'm playing video games. My favorite part about Super Mario 64 is it's aesthetic, and use of color. Especially the wooden textures that they use on some of the set pieces. The simplistic shapes and vibrant colors remind me of the 90s, but that's ok. A little bit of nostalgia never hurt anybody.
6. Shadow of the Colossus
This game is great for so many reasons. One of which is the big, glorious open world that the player can wander through and enjoy. There is so much to the big open area, from sprawling green fields, to a nearly endless desert, to the cliffs at the ocean, and even that completely pointless forest that I always get lost in. Every inch of that place is simply gorgeous. What makes this open world even more great is the mystery that is left behind by the ancient society and the ruins that the colossi inhabit. To make everything even better is the incredible soundtrack that goes along with the game that picks up whenever you fight a colossus. Whether it's the somber tones of the theme of the sea snake colossus, or the sweeping overtures from the bird colossus. Shadow of the Colossus has one of the greatest original soundtrack of all time. Believe that.
Well, 6 is a rather strange number to have a list of, but it's all I got. See you next time folks!
1. Flower
Flower is an absolutely gorgeous "stop and smell the roses"(HA!), take your time and relax kind of game. The graphics of Flower are simplistic yet beautifully vibrant. Every color compliments one another and creates a wonderful pallet of visually sunning canvases that you paint on. There is a certain charm to Flower and other games by That Game Company that only they can capture.
2. skate.
I love this game. I play it whenever I'm bored and don't really feel like playing anything in particular. It is great to just roll around(That's another one!) in and chill out. The sun is always shining in the world of skate. and it makes me feel somewhat social when I see another group of skaters tricking off of a spot and I join in and have a bit of fun myself. Sometimes I find an abandoned plaza and trick off of whatever is there for about an hour or two.
3. Red Dead Redemption
I don't really want to visit New Austin, it looks too hot, but thanks to Red Dead Redemption I can go there whenever I want and just watch the sunrise. Red Dead Redemption is one of my favorite games because of its story, characters, and graphics which are just so darn good looking. So good looking in fact that once when I was on my way to do something important, I noticed that the sun was rising. I stopped there in the middle of the road and watched as the sun rose and painted the sky with purples and golds. It was truly amazing. Then I realized that I was playing a video game, but a great one at that.
4. Wave Race 64
This was one of the first video games that I ever owned and I still play it even to this day, original cartridge and all. Nintendo builds their stuff to last. Wave Race 64 is great, not just for the nostalgia factor, but also because it's a great game. The controls are tight, the physics aren't exactly spot on to the real life, but they are fun to play around with. The bright color pallet is eye popping and makes everything just seem more happy. It's always a nice day at Wave Race 64
5. Super Mario 64
There is something about Nintendo 64 games and their bright color pallet that just makes me want to go outside and take in the sunlit earth, but I won't, because I'm playing video games. My favorite part about Super Mario 64 is it's aesthetic, and use of color. Especially the wooden textures that they use on some of the set pieces. The simplistic shapes and vibrant colors remind me of the 90s, but that's ok. A little bit of nostalgia never hurt anybody.
6. Shadow of the Colossus
This game is great for so many reasons. One of which is the big, glorious open world that the player can wander through and enjoy. There is so much to the big open area, from sprawling green fields, to a nearly endless desert, to the cliffs at the ocean, and even that completely pointless forest that I always get lost in. Every inch of that place is simply gorgeous. What makes this open world even more great is the mystery that is left behind by the ancient society and the ruins that the colossi inhabit. To make everything even better is the incredible soundtrack that goes along with the game that picks up whenever you fight a colossus. Whether it's the somber tones of the theme of the sea snake colossus, or the sweeping overtures from the bird colossus. Shadow of the Colossus has one of the greatest original soundtrack of all time. Believe that.
Well, 6 is a rather strange number to have a list of, but it's all I got. See you next time folks!
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