So, this weekend I'm going on a mens retreat with other members of my church to a conference in Indiana, that is all about being a man. This is a really cool thing, and it will help me, not only to be more of a man, but also help me with my walk with God.
See, I'm a Christian man, and I try to do the right thing, to be an honorable man, and a respectable man. I also take in a lot of media. Video games, movies, television, and the like. Al of them depict what it is to be a man. What constitutes being a man? Is is physical strength, getting all the girl, beating up the bad guy, being a tough guy, driving the girls crazy, having lots of sex, being wealthy, having fine clothes, living in a nice place, owning it all? There's a lot of mixed messages out there, but being raised Christian, I have a code of my own that I follow.
Lately, there have been a few good pieces of media that have really stuck with me in portraying what it means to be a man. One of which being Captain America: The First Avenger starring Chris Evans. Comic books aren't really my forte, but Cap really stuck with me as a great character. I really like how he was a good guy first, and a man of action second. He did the right thing, always, no matter what was at risk or how dangerous it was.
Another depiction of manhood was John Marston in Red Dead Redemption. Sure, he may be a character in a game by Rockstar, which entails a lot of murder. However, John represented something noble in the lawless west, and stood out as a character, not only in video games, but also media in general. One of his major characteristics was his respect towards his wife. John Marston has the opportunity to get with many a lady of the night, but doesn't, because he's loyal to his wife.One other thing that I think is just the coolest thing about Red Dead Redemption, and John Marston, is the fact that there is an action button to say hello to passers by on the street. He's friendly to people that are on the street. Sure, he could murder them at any moment, as he is an outlaw after all, but he doesn't because it isn't in his character to do so. Murderous rampages are the norm for a Rockstar game, but it just feels out of place with Red Dead Redemption, and John Marston. John Marston can tear through an entire camp of bandits all on his own with unwavering accuracy and not feel a thing for the people he's killed, but he knows that he's killing the bad guys. He fights on their terms. John Marston isn't the best example of what it means to be a man, but he gets the job done, and he stands up for what he believes in, just like Steve Rogers.
I'm really looking forward to this retreat coming up. I plan to look over some of the media mentioned, as well as a few others to take a look at what I've built up in my mind as what it means to be a man, and then compare that to how God wants me to act as a man.
What are some manly characters that stuck out in your mind as something that was more than just machismo?
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Monday, November 4, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Updates and apologies
Well, it looks like it's been over a week since I last updated. Sorry about that, I've been working a lot. Also, I've compiled my backlog of video games that I haven't beaten. Some games I haven't even touched.
That's quite a lot of games. In fact, here's the whole list of games, in no particular order:
Bayonetta
Dragon age II
Deus Ex: human revolution
L.A. Noire
Pikmin 2
Second sight
Killer 7
Viewtiful joe
Eternal darkness
Beyond good and evil
Mercenaries
Splinter cell chaos theory
Ninja gaiden
Shenmue 2
Kotor 2
Sly 2 band of thieves
Final fantasy X (Not Pictured because it's in my PS2)
We heart katamari
Jak x combat racing
The Simpsons game
Skies of Arcadia
Tom clancy's rainbow six
Super magnetic neo
Ecco the dolphin
Mdk 2
Toy commander
God of war. All of them
3d dot game heroes
Shadows of the damned
Ico
Lego pirates
Ratchet and clank: a crack in time
Ratchet and clank: future weapons
Ratchet and clank: up your arsenal
Catherine
Naruto shipuden: ultimate ninja storm 2
Fall out new Vegas
Zelda: the phantom hourglass
Advance wars: dual strike
Phoenix wright: trials and tribulations
Donkey kong 64
Jet force Gemini
Star Wars: shadows of the empire
Paper Mario
Aerofighters: assault
Winback
Banjo kazooie
That's not counting the downloaded titles from PSN, XBLA, or Steam. I've got a lot of games to keep me for a while.
I've decided to start with Final Fantasy X, that's why it isn't in my gigantic stack of games. Reason being: is that I haven't said some nice things about Final Fantasy in the past, and I want to give Final Fantasy (and other JRPGs) another shot. So far, though, Final Fantasy is really good. I want to write a review of it for all of you.
Taking out my backlog of games, and actually playing through them is really refreshing, and not even in a nostalgic sort of way. Some of these games I bought just to have in my collection because they were heralded as masterpieces, and it turns out they are. I just sunk thirteen hours in Final Fantasy X, and I know that I'm no where near finished. My first thought was, "Normal games would be done by now." and not the fact that I had spent half a day playing a video game. Most games that I play end in about twelve to fourteen hours. That's modern game design, and that's not necessarily a good thing. For some games it works, others are cut far too short, most likely as a result of trying to hit a release date. Perhaps that's a topic for another time. Anyhow, I'm really enjoying Final Fantasy X, and am looking forward to writing a review of it. Apologies for the delay in updates.
However...
Exciting announcement to come soon!
Said announcement will be a really big deal, and is the next step that I need to take to advance my career in video game journalism. It's always been my dream to be in the video game journalism industry, and all my friends and family have been extremely supportive of my drive and talent towards that goal. A friend of mine that I'm partnering up with will play a big part in this upcoming announcement, and it's going to be really big. I'm super excited, and I hope that all of you folks are as well.Here's hoping that everything goes well.
Fingers Crossed!
That's quite a lot of games. In fact, here's the whole list of games, in no particular order:
Bayonetta
Dragon age II
Deus Ex: human revolution
L.A. Noire
Pikmin 2
Second sight
Killer 7
Viewtiful joe
Eternal darkness
Beyond good and evil
Mercenaries
Splinter cell chaos theory
Ninja gaiden
Shenmue 2
Kotor 2
Sly 2 band of thieves
Final fantasy X (Not Pictured because it's in my PS2)
We heart katamari
Jak x combat racing
The Simpsons game
Skies of Arcadia
Tom clancy's rainbow six
Super magnetic neo
Ecco the dolphin
Mdk 2
Toy commander
God of war. All of them
3d dot game heroes
Shadows of the damned
Ico
Lego pirates
Ratchet and clank: a crack in time
Ratchet and clank: future weapons
Ratchet and clank: up your arsenal
Catherine
Naruto shipuden: ultimate ninja storm 2
Fall out new Vegas
Zelda: the phantom hourglass
Advance wars: dual strike
Phoenix wright: trials and tribulations
Donkey kong 64
Jet force Gemini
Star Wars: shadows of the empire
Paper Mario
Aerofighters: assault
Winback
Banjo kazooie
That's not counting the downloaded titles from PSN, XBLA, or Steam. I've got a lot of games to keep me for a while.
I've decided to start with Final Fantasy X, that's why it isn't in my gigantic stack of games. Reason being: is that I haven't said some nice things about Final Fantasy in the past, and I want to give Final Fantasy (and other JRPGs) another shot. So far, though, Final Fantasy is really good. I want to write a review of it for all of you.
Taking out my backlog of games, and actually playing through them is really refreshing, and not even in a nostalgic sort of way. Some of these games I bought just to have in my collection because they were heralded as masterpieces, and it turns out they are. I just sunk thirteen hours in Final Fantasy X, and I know that I'm no where near finished. My first thought was, "Normal games would be done by now." and not the fact that I had spent half a day playing a video game. Most games that I play end in about twelve to fourteen hours. That's modern game design, and that's not necessarily a good thing. For some games it works, others are cut far too short, most likely as a result of trying to hit a release date. Perhaps that's a topic for another time. Anyhow, I'm really enjoying Final Fantasy X, and am looking forward to writing a review of it. Apologies for the delay in updates.
However...
Exciting announcement to come soon!
Said announcement will be a really big deal, and is the next step that I need to take to advance my career in video game journalism. It's always been my dream to be in the video game journalism industry, and all my friends and family have been extremely supportive of my drive and talent towards that goal. A friend of mine that I'm partnering up with will play a big part in this upcoming announcement, and it's going to be really big. I'm super excited, and I hope that all of you folks are as well.Here's hoping that everything goes well.
Fingers Crossed!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
All the Virtual World's a Stage...
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?
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?
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.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Games need to be quotable.
He doesn't like you.
I'm sorry
I don't like you either. You best watch yourself! I have the death sentence on twelve different systems!
I'll be careful.
You'll be dead!
Quotes are what movies memorable. Some quotes are so memorable that some interactions with our friends are just quotes from movies.I think that video games are getting to the point where they have the potential to be as quotable as movies.
There are quotes from video games that are pretty popular, but they're all one-liners and exist in a popular fashion that is congruent with internet memes. They aren't that clever, or as fun to quote. They're just kind of there, and they're kind of ridiculous. They're more punchlines than interactions between the characters.
All your base are belong to us.
I've got balls of steel.
Though, some games have fantastic dialogue. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, The Mass Effect Series, Borderlands 2, and Red Dead Redemption are games that are well written, have clever dialogue, amazing characters, and great interaction between said characters. Uncharted 2 is my favorite game to quote. It's because the characters interact in a way that is unlike any other game that I've seen come before it. The characters are so well voice acted and captured that they transcend the video game and become human. They may exist in crazy-impossible situations, but retain their human element that make them great characters. Uncharted 2 has great characters that play off each other, and the thing is, a couple of the characters are female. The thing with female characters, is that writers need to write them as humans, and not from their perspective of women, but that's a post for another time.
Mass Effect has some really well written dialogue, though it's all kind of hit or miss. There wasn't any particular line that I remember exactly. I remember the dialogue painting the picture of the characters and their history and cultures, but there wasn't any kind of exchange that I just, remember.
Have you ever gone to a movie and remembered some really awesome line, or scene that was just the dialogue or the clever quips that were said during some scene? In The Avengers movie there was a quick dialogue between Black Widow and Hawkeye,
"Just like Budapest!" said Black Widow as she squeezes off a few rounds from her pistol.
"You and I remember Budapest very differently" as Hawkeye lets loose another arrow into the face of a Chitari warrior.
There's a lot going on in this scene. Part of it is Joss Whedon and his ability to create characters that leave a lasting impression and bring with them their presence and color wherever they go. Another thing is that when watching movies we tend to think about the things that are said and the things that we see. Whereas with video games, we focus on the gameplay.
Video games are not famous for their writing and dialogue. Games are known for how they play. If a game plays well, it's good. Likewise, if a movie is well written it succeeds as the box office. That may not always be the case, but movies that are well written tend to get a good amount of recognition.
I feel that games need to be more quotable because it would make it more easy to talk about. Whenever I hear two gamers discussing video games, it's always critical. They analyze every aspect of the game, including the writing and characters. There's no real discussion, or geeking out, about the characters of the story. It's all about the game, how it plays, the enemy AI, the bossfights, the quality of this or that. If there is any discussion about what the player experienced, it's always an awkward, clunky, description of playstyle and stats. "I love Bioshock! That game is so great! I remember this one time when I was playing: I shocked a bad guy with the electric plasmid so I could stun him, Then I lined up my crosshairs and pulled off a sweet headshot." Why was he attacking the bad guy? Why was the bad guy attacking him? What's going on in Bioshock? Where does it take place? Who are the characters? What are their motivations? What's the point?
"I love Star Wars! It's a fantastic movie about an average kid who finds his destiny as a Jedi. Jedi are like space knights! Did I mention that this movie takes place in outer space? Well, it totally does, and it's awesome! There's this huge empire that's trying to take over the galaxy, but there's the rebels who are fighting back because the empire is really bad. The Jedi were wiped out by the empire, and they're trying to regain their foothold in the galaxy and restore peace because that's what they do. Luke is the main character, and joins up with the rebels to fight the empire and rescue the princess who's been captured by the empire and holds some major important information about the Death Star, a huge space station that's the size of a moon!"
There's so much more enthusiasm about movies, books, or even television shows than there are with video games. So, maybe it's not that video games need to be more quotable, so much as they need to be better written, and we as gamers just need to be more enthusiastic about the games we play rather than be so analytical. Video games are an art, and we can totally geek out about them if we want to. It's ok. Not everyone has to be a critic.
I'm sorry
I don't like you either. You best watch yourself! I have the death sentence on twelve different systems!
I'll be careful.
You'll be dead!
Quotes are what movies memorable. Some quotes are so memorable that some interactions with our friends are just quotes from movies.I think that video games are getting to the point where they have the potential to be as quotable as movies.
There are quotes from video games that are pretty popular, but they're all one-liners and exist in a popular fashion that is congruent with internet memes. They aren't that clever, or as fun to quote. They're just kind of there, and they're kind of ridiculous. They're more punchlines than interactions between the characters.
All your base are belong to us.
I've got balls of steel.
Though, some games have fantastic dialogue. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, The Mass Effect Series, Borderlands 2, and Red Dead Redemption are games that are well written, have clever dialogue, amazing characters, and great interaction between said characters. Uncharted 2 is my favorite game to quote. It's because the characters interact in a way that is unlike any other game that I've seen come before it. The characters are so well voice acted and captured that they transcend the video game and become human. They may exist in crazy-impossible situations, but retain their human element that make them great characters. Uncharted 2 has great characters that play off each other, and the thing is, a couple of the characters are female. The thing with female characters, is that writers need to write them as humans, and not from their perspective of women, but that's a post for another time.
Mass Effect has some really well written dialogue, though it's all kind of hit or miss. There wasn't any particular line that I remember exactly. I remember the dialogue painting the picture of the characters and their history and cultures, but there wasn't any kind of exchange that I just, remember.
Have you ever gone to a movie and remembered some really awesome line, or scene that was just the dialogue or the clever quips that were said during some scene? In The Avengers movie there was a quick dialogue between Black Widow and Hawkeye,
"Just like Budapest!" said Black Widow as she squeezes off a few rounds from her pistol.
"You and I remember Budapest very differently" as Hawkeye lets loose another arrow into the face of a Chitari warrior.
There's a lot going on in this scene. Part of it is Joss Whedon and his ability to create characters that leave a lasting impression and bring with them their presence and color wherever they go. Another thing is that when watching movies we tend to think about the things that are said and the things that we see. Whereas with video games, we focus on the gameplay.
Video games are not famous for their writing and dialogue. Games are known for how they play. If a game plays well, it's good. Likewise, if a movie is well written it succeeds as the box office. That may not always be the case, but movies that are well written tend to get a good amount of recognition.
I feel that games need to be more quotable because it would make it more easy to talk about. Whenever I hear two gamers discussing video games, it's always critical. They analyze every aspect of the game, including the writing and characters. There's no real discussion, or geeking out, about the characters of the story. It's all about the game, how it plays, the enemy AI, the bossfights, the quality of this or that. If there is any discussion about what the player experienced, it's always an awkward, clunky, description of playstyle and stats. "I love Bioshock! That game is so great! I remember this one time when I was playing: I shocked a bad guy with the electric plasmid so I could stun him, Then I lined up my crosshairs and pulled off a sweet headshot." Why was he attacking the bad guy? Why was the bad guy attacking him? What's going on in Bioshock? Where does it take place? Who are the characters? What are their motivations? What's the point?
"I love Star Wars! It's a fantastic movie about an average kid who finds his destiny as a Jedi. Jedi are like space knights! Did I mention that this movie takes place in outer space? Well, it totally does, and it's awesome! There's this huge empire that's trying to take over the galaxy, but there's the rebels who are fighting back because the empire is really bad. The Jedi were wiped out by the empire, and they're trying to regain their foothold in the galaxy and restore peace because that's what they do. Luke is the main character, and joins up with the rebels to fight the empire and rescue the princess who's been captured by the empire and holds some major important information about the Death Star, a huge space station that's the size of a moon!"
There's so much more enthusiasm about movies, books, or even television shows than there are with video games. So, maybe it's not that video games need to be more quotable, so much as they need to be better written, and we as gamers just need to be more enthusiastic about the games we play rather than be so analytical. Video games are an art, and we can totally geek out about them if we want to. It's ok. Not everyone has to be a critic.
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