E3 Press Conference Breakdown: Microsoft

It is apparently Game Journalism tradition to rate everything, including press conferences put on during E3. Not being one to break tradition, but still finding the whole thing completely arbitrary and inane, I'll take a swing at it. Being that this is my blog, and I can say whatever I please, this review of the press conferences are going to be a bit bias. I'll break down each press conference by pointing out the games that they showed off and whether or not I would play them. So, let's get to it. First up we have Microsoft and the Xbox One.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - Sledgehammer Games


I've haven't played a new Call of Duty game since Modern Warfare 2. It looks as though I will continue that tradition with the upcoming Call of Duty game. Sure it has Kevin Spacey, but that doesn't interest me much at all. This is the preview that was shown at the press conference, and I had no idea what was going on. Who was the enemy? How did they get such weaponry? Where are we? What kind of person reloads after only firing four shots to kill one guy? Can I use the jet pack all the time, or only when the game tells me I can?
A cool feature of the game, is that it looked as though the gun can swap modes. That, or I blinked when the player switched guns and all of the weapons look the same. The grenades have different modes to choose from, though it looks like the "smart" mode would be the choice to go with all the time.

Would I play this game? No.

Forza Horizon 2 - Playground Games


I didn't play the first Forza Horizon game because, as much as I like racing games, the whole open world thing doesn't jive with me. Putting cars in an open world environment where you can go anywhere doesn't make much sense, because you remain in that car forever, and can't do anything. It's like trying to create a dramatic world with only using Hotwheels. It's like putting characters from a fighting game in a hack n' slash game: it just doesn't quite work. Racing games belong on a track. On the other hand, the game does look very pretty, and the dynamic weather makes it a technological feat.

Would I play this game? No.

Evolve - Turtlerock Studios


You've probably seen this preview enough times on your YouTube videos that you don't need to watch the above one. Anyhow, this game concept is very exciting. Four players take on one player in a very interesting game. The four players hunt down the one who is in control of a giant monster which can evolve into a bigger and better one. The monster player has to kill the various wildlife running about the landscape, at the cost of making a bunch of noise and leaving a trail for the four hunters to go after him.
Would I play this game? Yes. Very yes!

Assassin's Creed: Unity - Ubisoft


Assassin's Creed has now become a yearly release title, and this one looks to be even better than all the others. What makes it different, other than the setting, is the ability to play with others. There are Co-Op missions in this new game of Assassin's Creed. With proper communication and coordination, players can expertly complete their missions. Assassin's Creed has always been one for detail and nuance, which means that in this state of political unrest in France, players can kill a few choice guards, and will trigger the raucous citizens to revolt and fight back. The Assassins can definitely use this mechanic as slight of hand and a good distraction to get away from pursuers if they aren't in the mood to fight.

Would I play this game? Yes.

Side Note: All ready there has been some controversy over this, and another Ubisoft game, which I will be getting around to reviewing later to day when I rewatch the Ubisoft press conference, and that is the lack of playable female characters. Ubisoft claims that there has been too much of a work load to bother with the animation of playable female characters. I, like many other people out there, am calling bullshit on this one. While I am no game designer, and don't understand the complexities of making a video game, let alone one for this new generation of consoles and technology, Ubisoft is a company that has the most employees in the video game industry. Also, this is an Assassin's Creed game, which means that there are probably seven different branches of Ubisoft studios working on the title. There should be no reason as to why you couldn't have included at least one playable female character. From what I've read, it's that players will be consistently playing as the main character Arno, but the gameplay preview above proves otherwise. Just sayin'.

Dragon Age: Inquisition - Bioware


The fantasy genre is not my jam, however, I do love me some Dragon Age. The characters and story are engaging enough to keep me interested despite there not being any guns, jetpacks, giant robots, flying cars, or electric guitars. Dragon Age Inquistion seems to go back to the photorealistic, or just plain good graphics, of the first Dragon Age game, but maintains the culture of the second. I'd very much like to play this game, though I should probably beat number two before I jump in. It's the principle of the thing.

Would I play this game? Yes.

Sunset Overdive - Insomniac Games


Rock and fucking roll. Coming from Insomniac games, creators of the Ratched and Clank games, they're getting back to their roots of making over the top and just plain fun games. This game is rock and roll and I just am in love with it. Incredibly stylized, and super fluid gameplay make this Xbox One exclusive a damn good reason to get the console.

Would I play this game? Hell yeah!

Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha (it's DLC)


This is DLC for a game that went off the book, and decided to make a serious game for a not so serious franchise. This is DLC that brings it back to the Dead Rising that we know and love, but takes it up to 11.
Would I buy this DLC? No, because this is "Would I play this game?" NOT "Would I buy this DLC" GET OUTTA HERE!

Dance Central: Spotlight - Harmonix


I like Dance Central games. Being that this is going to be on the Xbox One with the improved Kinect, this is definitely worth playing. Dance Central made the Kinect fun to play with, and it will do the same for this one. Had I an Xbox One with a Kinect, then I sure get this game. Until then, I can only dance.
Would I play this game? Yes

Fantasia: Music Evolved - Harmonix


Interesting. Harmonix is a group of musicians first, and game developers second. They made the original Guitar Hero games by covering all of the songs that were featured, and then made them playable. This seems to be in the same fashion with the different genres of music that players can choose from. Each song has select versions to choose from, and it won't just be classical orchestra.
Would I play this game? Yes, though probably only for a few nights over a rental

Fable: Legends - Lionhead Studios


Fable has eluded me over the years. The only experience that I've really had with the series is Fable III, which I had to review. I, along with everyone else who played it, universally agree that it was a bad game. This new Fable game looks like a pretty standard fantasy setting third person action title with cooperative multiplayer elements and over talkative characters. Ripping a page straight out of the design book from Evolve, this game is also about the 4 v 1 mode. Fable Legends lets one player be the villain, as they can design the dungeons which other players will delve into. By setting traps and arranging enemy placement, the villain can control the battlefield while the other players fight back.
Would I play this game? No. I'd rather play Evolve.

Project Spark 


This looks to be a very ambitious title that will allow players to create their own game. With both fantasy and science fiction settings to choose from, players will have full control over the kind of game they want to make. Side scrolling platformers, hack and slash, adventure games, puzzle games, board games, first person shooters third person shooters, RPGs, strategy games, racers, if you can think it up, you can make it. Creativity is not my strong suit, and looking through all of the different custom games made in Little Big Planet two was a confusing and somewhat frightening affair. If the tutorial is comprehensive, and the showcase system is well organized, then this might make something very special out of the Xbox One. Maybe we might see some great game developers come from this. What if games are made exclusively using this game? What if this becomes a sub platform of the Xbox One? Who knows? There is a lot of potential for this game.
Oh, and also Conker. Maybe you can put him back in a go-kart where he belongs...
Would I play this game? Yes.

Ori and the Blind Forest - Moon Studios

This game looks like it's going to make me cry.

Would I play this game? Yes

Halo: The Master Chief Collection - 343 Industries

Ten years after Halo 2, they are finally making an HD remake. Oh, and they're also including the original Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3, and Halo 4. Each one of these games are running with the original game engines, which means that each one will play and feel exactly as they did when you played them for the first time. This is absolutely fantastic news as I spent countless hours playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live so many years ago. The Master Chief Collection also includes a beta for Halo 5 multiplayer, but who cares? Halo 2 multiplayer!
Would I play this game? Yes.

Side Note: During the press conference, the presenter made a point to mention that the game will have 4000 gamerscore of achievements. Who cares?


ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED 5G: Too Many Videos
WOO HOO!

Inside - Playdead Studios


This game comes to us from the same studio that made LIMBO. What is with these guys and putting small boys in dangerous situations? I really liked LIMBO, the dark atmosphere and grim setting made it worth playing through. This one has a bit more color to it and a much more dystopian setting.
Would I play this game? Yes.... eventually. Look, it took me a while to get around to LIMBO, it'll probably be the same for this.

ID@XBOX

This is a new program from Xbox that wants to bring indie titles into the spotlight. I'm all for this. So, because so many games where showcased, and I don't want to overextend this post with a bunch of videos, I'll just list all of the ones that were shown during the conference trailer.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime - Yes
Plague Inc. Evolved - No
Below - Yes
White Night - Yes
Aztez - Yes
Knight Squad - No
Earth Lock - No
Cup Head - Yes
Hyper Light Drifter - Yes
Slash Dash - Yes
Lifeless Planet - No
Mighty No. 9 - Yes
Grave - No
Threes - No (It's a mobile game, play it on your phone not your Xbox home console)
Fru - No
Fenix Rage - No
Woolfe - No
Hell Raid - No

Rise of the Tomb Raider - Crystal Dynamics


I've never played a Tomb Raider game in my life. However, with the recent reboot of the franchise, making Laura Croft a more mature character, with a story that is engrossing and realistic, perhaps I should change my stance on the franchise. It looks like it's a lot more than Uncharted with a lady lead.
Would I play this game? Yes

Witcher III - CD Projekt


I have yet to get around to the Witcher franchise. I'm pretty sure that I could dive into this one here, and be fine, but having never played the other two it wouldn't feel right. This game looks totally boss, and worth playing, so I'll give it a yes, but only after playing at least the second game, which is what everyone else recommends.
Also, this game is made by the same studio that has made the other games: CD Projekt. These people are crazy about delivering a true RPG experience. Which means that players will have to think about their next moves. As you see in the trailer above, the demonstrator prepares before jumping right into the hunt for the griffin. I'm not so good at thinking ahead when it comes to those things...
Would I play this game? Yes

Phantom Dust HD Remake - Microsoft Studios


Awesome. I never played Phantom Dust for the original Xbox, but it was apparently a cult classic. I like cult classics, and I like the idea of HD remakes as they revitalize older games that were overlooked. Let's hope that this remake gets its time to shine once again, and hopefully make a splash.
Would I play this game? Yes.

Tom Clancy's The Division - Ubisoft


Ubisoft has a thing for its team based tactical shooters, and it likes to show them off with people who are unrealistically cooperative, patient, and friendly. That being said, The Division looks sick (HA! that's a pun, because the game takes place in a world where everyone died from a virus). Open world co-op is a great idea, and the setting is really cool. I would love to slink down the streets of this desolate New York with my crew as we take back society and rebuild.
Would I play this game? Yes

Scalebound - Platinum Games


From the creators of Bayonetta comes this gem. Players look like they take control of a dude who has a dragon for a friend and a sword that can absorb enemy attributes. Plus, he's got a pair of sweet headphones, that he actually uses. I was afraid they would be just an aesthetic choice. Players look like they will be taking on some insanely large beasts that look as though they were ripped straight out of Magic: The Gathering. At the end of the trailer, there were other dragon mounted dudes flying towards the hydra. Could that mean Co-Op action? I hope so.
Would I play this game? Yes

Crackdown


Crackdown is a game about super powered cops in a city that has been overrun with gangs. To be honest, I didn't really like Crackdown, and I heard that Crackdown 2 was rather mediocre. This looks to be about the same was as the others, with the possibility of destructible environments. For now, all we have is the trailer.
Would I play this game? No

That was everything that was shown at the Microsoft E3 2014 press conference.
Total Score: 22/37

What are your thoughts on this years E3?

Tomodachi Stink

Recently, Nintendo received some flak over Tomodachi Life over not including same sex relationships in the game. Now, maybe people are taking this a bit too far than it needs to, as people tend to do. However, there is something to this.




I watched this video recently, and it brought to light a few things that I found to be unnerving. I'm not gay, nor do I claim to speak for those who identify as being so. I do, however, wish for equal representation, especially when it comes to video games.

I think that one of the more important things that video games offers is the ability to create and customize their own characters. In a small way, this allows players to express themselves. Whether it is changing the color of the outfit, or putting a silly hat on that character, the player has made their mark. Video games are a sort of escapism, and the option to create pr customize a character within a mythical universe, thereby making it our own is a pretty radical idea. More and more games are offering up customization, not just in the items or color pallets that characters wear, but whom they can romance.

"Romance Options" is a rather demeaning, and sterile title given to characters that players can engage in relationships with in a video game. Games like Mass Effect, and Dragon Age are what comes to mind when hearing Romance Options. Bioware is a company that is in full support of its diverse fanbase, and has adjusted their games accordingly. Mass Effect 3 allowed for Homosexual relationships, while the previous games had no problem offering up Lesbian options. Dragon Age II made more characters Bisexual so that players would be able to romance characters that they liked. Bioware has most certainly received complaints in regards to such things, as most would expect, and they stood their ground. Again, I'm not Homosexual, but I do think that equal representation in the sense that players can have the freedom to do whatever they want within the game is a cool idea.

I think that it's important all media, not just video games, to offer up this kind of representation. It's not a way of life, it's just who you like. By restricting players to not be able to pursue certain characters in a romantic sense, you've also restricted the freedom in that game. That is where Tomodachi Life falls short. The game is supposed to be a game where players can "vacation" to and live out a fantasy life. If players are restricted, it holds them back from living out their fantasies.

Games are art, and they are a kind of art the likes of which are unmatched by other media. Games allow players their own creative freedom, and they impact us in ways more powerful than just letting us watch. By letting us play, explore, and adventure in the worlds that are created in video games, we are captivated by them. We grow within those worlds, and we form friendships with the characters in those worlds. People are weird, and confusing things, and sometimes we just have to escape from reality. If our escapes are telling us that we can't be who we want to be because someone, somewhere, that we don't know said that we couldn't, well... that just isn't fair.

Oh The Places You'll Go....

Environments in video games are just as integral as the gameplay and story. If a game environment is uninteresting, then that seriously affects the game. Games should transport players to mystical, or at least believable, places that the players want to spend time in.

Journey is a game that takes place in a desert, but I've played through the game multiple times just to spend time in the world that it creates. The game may only be two hours, but it's a worth while experience. The art direction of Journey is distinctly that of That Game Company, and the environment plays a part in the story as much as it is its own character. The landscape is populated by the occasional ruin or bit of magical fabric. This creates a certain element of symbolism. Journey is just another tale of "the hero's tale" but it's done in a minimalist approach. For example, the dark part of Journey where the cloaked figure falls down into the depths, can represent the fall of the hero. Where the hero has gone through much, and has fallen because he or she has grown weak. This darkness, this depression, is marked by the dimly lit environments, and the architecture of the ruins that seem to reach over the player. Like a hand about to slam down on an insect to crush it. This section also makes use of lighting in a very specific way, with only a few shafts of light beaming down from the ceiling, symbolizing hope. Then there is the final section of the game, which is all about upward motion and momentum.

The final section of journey is the antithesis of the depths that the player went through earlier. The top of the mountain is brightly lit, and purely white. The player is happy to be at the end of his or her journey, and the game emphasizes this with stunning visuals and level design that creates flow for the character to move through swiftly. The environment is important, not only as something that players want to spend time in, but also playing a role in setting the tone.

My favorite game of all time Jet Grind Radio has character in spades. Each one of the environments of the three districts of Tokyo-To emanate with personality. Shibuya, Benten, and Kogane are all easily recognizable by their look, color scheme, gangs, and even the bystanders that are littered about each level. Music is an integral part to completing the experience of Jet Grind Radio, and each level has its very own set of songs that play. That's why when listening to a select song on the soundtrack for the game, my mind goes immediately to the level in which that song was played.  Shibuya is the shopping and social district, Benten is the district of the night with bright neon lights and tall buildings, and Kogane is the residential district, which has a laid back and relaxed vibe to it, which abruptly disturbed when the cops show up on the scene with attack helicopters.

A well designed environment can help to craft an engaging story by having one of its own. Such as in The Last of Us, when the world is nearly at its end, and human civilization has fallen. All of the places that Joel and Ellie go through have undergone some traumatic events and are dilapidated and deserted. There is a sense of sorrow from these places. Finding the letters of friends telling stories to one another or reports of what had happened right up until the end. The environment can have a story in its own right, and become a character.

Video games like to pride themselves on their memorable characters that players will come across, but scarcely boast about the environments that they travel through. Environments are important to the overall experience of the game. All too often they are written off as hallways that lead to the next objective. If you take a look at some of the rooms in the Metroid: Prime games, or the multiplayer maps of Halo, there is a story there. Environments need to have character, because it plunges the players deeper and deeper into the world of whatever video game they are playing. So, next time you play a game, stop and smell the roses, or at least look at them because they are digital and you can't smell them because then you would be smelling your TV and you would just look silly doing something like that.

Summertime (Fangirling over Nintendo)

This past weekend I went on vacation to visit family and just spend time with them. I had a lot of fun, and made a few memories. One such memory was playing the Nintendo Wii with my mom. It brought back memories of when my family fist got the Wii. How we all stayed up to 5 in the morning playing Wii Sports Bowling. Playing Wii Bowling with my mom also brought back memories of when my family would gather around the N64 and play games like Mario Party and Mario Kart. Nintendo games just make me feel good. Use of bright colors and a warm aesthetic brings me back to better days of spending time with the old 64 and just playing games.

Playing the Wii over the weekend made we want to bust out a few other Nintendo games. Unfortunately these were games that my cousins did not have. The games I wanted to play were all by Nintendo, because their games have a certain feel about them that is distinctly Nintendo. Those games being: Super Smash Bros. Brawl, because I wanted to tear it up as mah gurl Zero Suit Samus, Super Mario Galaxy, because that game is totally awesome and grandiose, Pikmin, because I could look at it for hours, I also wanted to play Metroid II: Return of Samus, and Zelda The Twilight Princess. All right, so not all of those were Wii games, but they're Nintendo games none the less. Something about Nintendo games just reminds me of being a kid again. They're fun, and sometimes that's all a game needs to be about.

There's something that is genuinely serene and calming about dedicating an entire day to playing old video games. A lot of it is nostalgia, but most of those old games still are a lot of fun to play. The N64 for has become quite foreign to me over the years, as I don't recall it being that small. I digress. Nintendo games remind me of being a kid, with no responsibilities or cares in the world. Just to sit there and enjoy the game that I was playing, to beat the next level, to get the next star, to delve deeper into the unknown. Games made up my childhood, and Nintendo was right there with me.

Nintendo is still with me, as their games still have that same feel to them. The feeling of having fun, and being a kid still exists in Nintendo games. We still need Nintendo, and we still need fun. Games today are so dark and gritty and adult. I just want a summer day like I did when I was a kid.

Think of the Children!!!

I like the idea of growing old with the heroes of my youth, but I'm not in control over how they age. I too have noticed not only gritty reboots, but just the grit that is everywhere on game shelves. Perhaps I'm just being nostalgic, but when I played games they weren't so gosh darn dark. I feel bad for the kids of this generation as the games that are being made today are being made by people who want the the heroes of their youths to age with them. There is no love for the younger generation as far as original games goes. Instead, they are left with cash-ins and money grabbers that suck parents wallets dry. Games of my youth were fun, challenging, and most importantly: original. I may not have played all of the games of my generation, especially since I managed to skip out on the SNES somehow. Even still, there was a lot to offer for a kid back in the day.

Every time that I look at store shelves in the game section, I can't find anything that I would deem playable for a child. Nothing seems challenging, or engaging, and not in the least original. Originality is important because it breeds imagination. Games for kids these days don't have that anymore. I don't even have to play these games to know that the poor kid who plays these games will be treated like a kid. The game will take them by the hand, and not let them take control until every single piece of the tutorial rhetoric has been given to them. Kids can be smart if you let them prove themselves. Though, this is coming from someone who is not a parent.

When I do become a parent, eventually, I will hand down my old video game systems to my children. They will play the games that I did when I was their age. They might not understand a cartridge or why the graphics don't look as good, but I will teach them to see past those things. Games are important, not only to children but to society as a whole. They are a new art form, and there should be some kind of responsibility for them. I most definitely look forward to the day when I can race my kids in Mario Kart 64, or play them in a game of Mario Party. I will be their sensei and teach them the ways of the blade with Soulcalibur, or show them the awesomeness of Jet Grind Radio. Games are still the coolest thing ever, it's just... Nobody seems to care about the kids anymore.

Some People........

I like video games. Sometimes I like taking my video games online and playing with other gamers. Though, that notion is quickly snubbed out by the people who play video games. I don't know why, but gamers aren't very kind towards their fellow gamer. Now, it's always frustrating when the people on the other team continue to merciless you kill you again and again and not let you move two feet before you get killed again. Though, it's always made worse when you hear their voice spewing profanities and insults at you.

Xbox Live is where the dregs of human society seem to congregate, and they seem to wear that image with aggressive apathy. What I mean by that is, if someone like myself were to tell them to clean up their act, they would respond with an "I don't care" attitude and sling even more harsh insults at me. The thing is, that these gamers have anonymity with their gamer handles. While these handles are not completely infallible, as their location can be traced via their IP address, those who hide behind them figure that it gives them the ability to say whatever they feel. As this is America, we as Americans have the right of free speech. Though, while your right to free speech enables you to say whatever you please, there is also a thing called manners. Perhaps there should be a mutual respect for the people who play the same video game that you are right now?

However, none of this is helped by the general consensus of society who has deemed video games to be a waste of time. The average portrayal of a gamer is an anti-social, non-hygienic, moutbreathing neckbeard guy who still lives in his parents basement and doesn't know anything of the outside world. What have we as gamers done to deserve this image? What are we as gamers doing to change that images? Not all that much. Not only are gamers though of as losers, but also foul-mouthed thirteen year olds who know far too many bad words than they should at that age. There are a lot of reasons as to why both of these images are inaccurate portrayals of what a gamer is. Stereotypes will always exist, and there isn't anything that anybody of any kind of group can do about that.

Though, to make matters worse, games don't like gamers. Recently I was playing X-Com: Enemy Unkown, and I came across a bit where my squad of alien killing soldiers found some kind of laser light show that the aliens had in their ship. The game labeled it as "alien entertainment", then one of the COs chimed in with "This is what the aliens are doing with their free time? Oh well, at least they aren't playing computer games." Now hang on just one gosh darned minute! Here I am, trying to promote the positivity of games, and your game is saying that games are a waste of time? You make video games, and yet you still declare them as wastes of time? Are you not proud of the things which you create? Why would you even take the time to put that into your game. Sure it may just be a joke, but there is some truth to every joke. Turns out that not only do gamers have to be okay with playing video games, but also the people who make video games have to be okay with playing video games.

This is some kind of twisted paradox. We play video games regularly, religiously, fanatically, and yet we don't feel good about what we are doing with ourselves. If everyone around us is telling us that video games are a waste of time, how are we not to feel bad? Sure, we may be able to spout stats at those who say that video games are just no good, but what good does that do for us? What ground does that gain for us? I once read a quote that said something to the extent of, "Most people use statistics to support their argument, in the same way that a drunkard uses a lamp post for illumination" Statistics do not help. Reports that say that "Research has shown..." do not help either. What we need to do, is band together, and be friendlier towards one another. Gamers need to stop isolating themselves with other gamers. Diversify! Look at other forms of entertainment, and get a frame of reference. Watch a TV show, read a book, go see a movie, and critically think about it. Games are great. I would play them all day if I could, but I've got other things to do in my life. I've got people who depend on me. People can not spend entire days devoted to something such as video games, or television, or books. In everything, moderation. There are nerds for everything in this world. There is someone who knows everything that there is to know about Star Trek, and there is someone else who knows everything there is to know about the Detroit Redwings sports franchise. Yet, their stereotypes still don't cast as much of a negative light on them as gamers do. We can no longer sit idly by, huddled in front of our screens, isolating ourselves to these video games. Do not let go of your gaming passion, nor should you give it up. All I am asking of you fellow gamers, is just to be more positive.

Do You Even Lift?

I hate the phrase "strong female character" it's so boring. Let's just call them what they are: women. To call them female seems so sterile and scientific. Like calling an animal by its scientific name. These "strong female characters" are so engaging to us because they are foreign to us. It's a hip new thing to have a woman lead. Women are people too, and as stupidly simple as that sounds, the masses seem to be blown away by this fact. We humans are a varied lot, and there are strong people from all different walks of life.

The gaming demographic tends to consist of, generally male, white, 14-28 year-olds with a penchant for murder. Games are constantly being marketed to them, and as a result we are left with poorly written characters, and stupid and repetitious gameplay. However, statistics have been showing as of late that a majority of the people who play video games, are in fact female. So, where's the love game developers? Somewhere tucked away in the trash along with original game ideas from major developers. Most women characters in video games are just straight up eye candy. All of their abilities, if they have any, could easily be transitioned to a male character. Yet, these characters exist to pander to the video game demographic of 14-28 year-old men. Fighting games are a staple in this portrayal of women.

The most infamous of fighting video games is Dead or Alive. Originally the series was headed by a man named Tomunobu Itagaki, whose design philosophy was that a work wasn't entertaining if there were not both elements of violence and sexuality. As a result, this drove Tecmo, and Itagaki's team to develop a fighting game with breast physics. Because those are important. As gaming technology progressed, so did the girls of the game. Sadly, these buxom ladies became the standard design choice for women characters in video games. However, during the development of Dead or Alive 5, Itagaki was not a part of the team behind the game, and the design of the female fighters was headed in a better direction. The girls were getting a breast reduction, among other things, and they were absolutely stunning to look at. The director of the game wanted to change the image of Dead or Alive, and to do a small amount of justice to women. However, the fan community of the game revolted in anguish and demanded that the ladies be impossibly proportioned once more. This is a stigma in the gaming community. I feel like what we need, is better written, and better designed lady characters.


The gaming industry, along with every single other kind of industry, needs good girl characters. Not necessarily the kind of characters that we have for men, that would be redundant. What we need are characters that are compelling. Characters that engage the audience, and draw forth emotions other than frustration and anger towards the writers of these characters. I like the character of Ripley, from Alien, as the gender of the character wasn't decided until after the script was finished. Because the fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter if the character is male or female, so long as it is a human story. Ripley, along with many other elements from the Alien movies, had heavy influences on one of my favorite game franchises of all time.

The Metroid franchise is one that has stood the test of time, and has gone through a few different iterations as of late. Though, there has been one thing that has remained a constant: Samus Aran. Samus Aran was the first ever major female character to be in a video game. The decision came midway through the development process. Samus never had that much of a character to begin with, though the fact that she was a female, made a bit of a splash of the community of gamers. Samus was a character that got the job done, much like Ripley. Fast, efficient, and not one to show remorse, Samus blasted her way through the trials that she faced. However, this is not the character that Nintendo officially releases to the public. Instead, gamers are presented with nothing more than a petty reward. Gamers who complete Metroid games with efficiency, and 100% completion get to see Samus without her power armor. In that, often times she is presented with nothing more than a skimpy bikini or something equally revealing. For the endings of both Metroid: Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission, both for the Gameboy Advance, Players can unlock a gallery of pictures. In Fusion, the pictures depict Samus having a day about town. For Zero Mission, Samus is posed in ways that make her out to be playful and fun. Now, I've never gone on many life threatening adventures, or fought and killed abominations of science, though I'm pretty sure the last thing I would want to do is go out. I think that Samus, given all that she has endured, would have some kind of PTSD. Though she has returned successful from each mission, those things that she had to fight would have some kind of affect on her psyche. It always bothers me that Samus is portrayed this way, as a sex object, by family-friendly Nintendo. In my head, I've always thought that Samus was more cold than what she's made out to be. In her origin story, she's infused with Chozo DNA, which effected her physical traits to accomplish things that are impossible by human limitations. I can't help but feel that her personality might have also been affected by this. The Chozo are bird-like humanoid creatures that are the guardians of wisdom and have lived for millenniums. Do you really think that someone who has spent time around these kinds of creatures would be the kind of fun-loving girl next door that her official art shows her being? Even in the game mechanics portray Samus as a cold, efficient killer, who analyzes the situation before making any kind of action. In Metroid Prime, produced by Retro Studios, there was a Scanner Visor that players used to gather information about the world, and the enemies that inhabited it. The very action of this, and how much of a help it is to the game, show how important information is to Samus. I still believe that Samus is an important character to the video game industry, not because she's a girl, but because she's a great character.

Though, I feel like I've talked about Samus enough on this blog before. There are other ladies of the virtual world who have made a strong case for the female gender. Specifically the ladies of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Chloe Frazer and Elena Fisher are two very capable women who kick ass. Uncharted is a game that takes the action genre, and ramps it up to 11. The action, gameplay, score, environments, graphics, gunplay, pacing, and writing all form the cohesive whole that is Uncharted 2. It's definitely one of the best video games of all time, because of how well everything works together. While most people will describe it as "cinematic", I feel like that does a bit of injustice to the game, though that's another topic for another time. What really stands out to me, was the quality of writing for the game. The story was kind of campy, but the characters and the dialogue between the characters was some of the best I've ever seen in a game before. Nathan Drake, the main character of the game and the one that the player takes control of, shoots off just as many clever quips as he does bullets. However, Drake would be nothing if not for his band of thieves. Chloe is the sexy and sassy lass with a lovely accent and looks that can kill. Chloe is introduced as the getaway driver to a heist early on in the game, and is also hailed with the title of "best in the business". In the heist, Chloe is also assigned to take out the lights on the tower so that the other members of the crew can gain access without detection. Chloe gets this job done right on time. She did her part of the job, she synced her watch, and she did what she needed to do. Now, it isn't Chloe's competency that makes her a good character. It's her clever dialogue, her ability to use her wits, her usefulness in a firefight, the way that she uses her damn fine looks to infiltrate and play the enemy. Chloe is constantly double and triple crossing to get to her own end. Chloe is a character that has motives and acts on them. Chloe plays the sassy one, but she can also be survivalist. There are several times when she gets mad at Nathan Drake for trying to play the hero. Chloe hates Drake's stupid selflessness. Unfortunately for her, Nathan Drake is some kind of demigod and is incredibly lucky.

The other femme-fatale is Elena Fisher. Well, she's more of the white-picket-fence-type, but she is tougher than she looks. Elena is a journalist that always seems to get herself mixed up in whatever harrowing events that Drake manages to get into trouble with. In Uncharted 2, Elena is investigating the whereabouts of Zorin Lasarovic, a war criminal who is killing countless innocence to find the lost temple of Shambala. Elena goes after this guy herself. Well, she brings along a camera man, but he dies in the first thirty minutes of meeting Drake. Elena fills the void of common sense that is left behind when Nathan gets separated from Chloe. While Elena certainly plays it safer than Chloe, she is still pretty handy in a firefight. Aside from her being willing to shoot at bad guys, but her ingenuity helps carry her alongside the likes of Drake without too much explosions or danger. Though, that doesn't stop her from leaping into the action alongside Drake. Elena may be but a simple journalist, but she isn't afraid of of anything. There is a saying: There are two kinds of people that run towards danger: the authorities, and journalists.

Lastly, I'd like to talk about Bayonetta. Stick with me now, she may be over-sexuallized, but hear me out. Bayonetta is a witch that punches, kicks, shoots, and summons demons of the underworld to fight angels. This lady knows exactly what she is doing when it comes to this kind of thing, on account of having amnesia and all. My favorite think about Bayonetta is exactly what others might not like about her. Bayonetta's character is sexy to the point of hilarity, though she uses it in the way that she fights. As though she embraces her sexuality, and her dominant nature to fight these insane creatures. Bayonetta ties up her enemies, kicks them down, and calls them very naughty, but it's all done with an air of extreme confidence. Bayonetta literally tears her enemies to shreds with her dark arts, and she has fun doing it. Flaunting off her figure with a skin tight suit, she's never too far away from a sucker to tease the boys with.  I wish that I had a fragment of her confidence. Not to flaunt my sexuality, but to be confident enough to take control of the situation. Bayonetta is merely expressing herself, and it's kind of silly. Keep doing your thing, Bayonetta, and continue to kick large amounts of ass.

Speaking of kicking ass, I cannot forget about my favorite lady: Commander Shepard. The Commander has definitely been one of my favorites for a while. Mass Effect gives players the option to play as either gender, and either gender will still get the same results. However, Ladyshep has to deal with a few more assholes than Gentlemanshep. I liked these touches, because they made me mad. Though, the disgust on the Commanders face illustrated that well enough on its own. Even though both characters go though mostly the same situations, I feel as though Ladyshep is more of a compelling and engaging character. Largely in part due because of Jennifer Hale's amazing voice work for the character. Also, I can't help but feel as though Ladyshep has better romance options as well. Garrus and Thane are far more interesting than Miranda Lawson or Ashley Williams. However, what's more important than romancing crew members, is the fact that the galaxy's further existence hangs in the balance of Commander Shepard's actions. When playing as Ladyshep, this becomes a bit more heavy. Not only are you the first Human Spectre, you're a woman. Misogynistic assholes will look down on you, and try to hold you back; but the brilliant part about Commander Shepard is that she don't take no guff. Commander Shepard may have a duality about her or either Paragon or Renegade, but either way she will get the job done. She will get the job done well, or however she sees fit. Paragon Ladyshep wants to do the right thing, and make sure that everything goes well, even though she knows that it probably wont. Paragon Ladyshep is kind of like a mother in this way. It makes her a compelling character. If you think about the crew of the Normandy being her family that she has to look out for, not only as her fellow soldiers. Renegade Ladyshep on the other hand only sees that the ends justify the means, and will make any sacrifices necessary to accomplish her goals. In this regard she can kind of be seen as something similar to the Illusive Man, the antagonist of the series. Though, Renegade Ladyshep still believes in doing the right thing, and will fight for it, but just in a more brutal way. The relationship between Renegade and her crew is that more of friends riding through the galaxy in an iron beast looking for badguys to shoot up, because each kill is another step towards ridding the galaxy of evil. Kind of a Chaotic Good kind of gal.

I love the ladies, and I have always thought that they have been under represented in video games. Growing up, I loved the game Soulcalibur, and I still do. Though, my mom would always walk in when I was playing, and it always seemed to be when I was matched up against Ivy. My mom would always comment on her outfit, and say that it wasn't very good for a fight. I would always agree with that statement, and I still believe that. I know that I've left out a few ladies in my list of ladies, like Alyx Vance of Half-Life 2 and Jade from Beyond Good & Evil. Though, I think that we just need better women characters. We need better characters in general. It doesn't really matter if they're male or female, because that's equality. Though, a few ladies couldn't hurt.