Here are the rest of my important games list in 2014. Like I said last time: They’re numbered, but this isn’t like a “Top games” list where #3 is supposedly objectively better than #7. Really, I just numbered the list so you have a sense of how far you are from the end.
Sort of. I dunno. I guess the last one is my favorite after all. Just resist the urge to haggle over the ordering, okay?
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Dénouement 2014: Part 3”
We’ve done synth sounds for the past couple of weeks. This time let’s try something more modern. We’ll take a shot at the Half-Life 2 soundtrack by Kelly Bailey.
Here are the distinguishing characteristics I came up with:
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Project Button Masher: Reroute Kanal”
Here is the first half of my list of important games in 2014. They’re numbered, but this isn’t like a “Top games” list where #3 is supposedly objectively better than #7. Really, I just numbered the list so you have a sense of how far you are from the end. (Un-numbered list articles always feel a little strange because the end feels kind of abrupt. “Oh? We’re done? Okay then.”)
Also I totally forgot about Thief. Like, I forgot the game existed. So it’s not on any list (bad or good) in any capacity.
This is a list with with room for games that maybe I appreciate professionally even if I didn’t totally dig them as a player. Also I might put titles here that I personally admired but might not 100% recommend. You folks know what you’re doing and I know you’re not here looking for a list attuned to the current fanboy zeitgeist. So let’s do this…
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Dénouement 2014: Part 2”
I don’t expect this column to go over very well. GTA fans are famous for throwing temper tantrums when the game is praised too lightly, much less criticized outright. Moreover, my specific criticism is too easily dismissed by “LOL get gud” sort of drive-by stupidity. With any luck, “This review is so biased!” will also make an appearance. I’m kind of hoping for that one. That one makes me giggle.
Anyway, fear of reflexive fan-rage is a terrible reason to give a game a pass for such a slapdash approach to design. And if someone really is inclined to react with outrage to this critique, then they probably aren’t going to like anything else I do, so it’s best to just shake them loose now.
The worst part is, I know Rockstar isn’t going to change. This game made $RIDICULOUS and so they have no reason to fix this.
But just between you and me? This is the best GTA game since… I dunno. This might actually be my favorite. I would still rather play Saints Row, but this game does a lot right. And I’m not just talking about the graphics. If people don’t freak out too hard over this column I might follow it up with an analysis of what worked.
First off, a bit of technology housekeeping: I’ve messed with the awful WordPress Podcasting system some more. If you follow the podcast via RSS, then check out this RSS feed. The one we’ve been using is maintained by listener ydant, and requires direct human input to update. This new one – assuming this works – should update automatically. Currently, it should show this podcast and the previous one. (I’m not going to go back and add tags to the previous 86 episodes. Sorry.) Please let me know if it works for you.
On with the show:
This was supposed to be our 2014 retrospective. But then half the cast didn’t show up, I was sleep-deprived, and none of us were feeling the magic. We decided not to do the show. Then we sat around talking about videogames for 45 minutes and realized we were once again pissing away a show’s worth of conversation. So we decided to tackle the mailbag, which has been overflowing lately. And then we only managed to answer a couple of questions.
Also – just to make things extra-fun – my internet connection was abominable. I was getting lag spikes of 15 to 30 seconds, which made it very hard for me to participate in the conversation in a sensible way. You’ll hear me seem to react to things long after they’re said and interrupt the other hosts most than usual. (Although I tried to smooth it out a bit in post production.) Oh well. The episode is unfocused, but we made up for it by also making it overlong.
Enjoy!
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Hosts: Shamus, Josh, and Chris.
Here are the questions we supposedly answered, but probably didn’t because we didn’t read the question carefully before we ran off on an unrelated tangent:
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Diecast #88: Mailbag”
You know what’s a great way to celebrate the new year? By looking back on the past and laughing at it with the feeling of smug superiority. With that in mind, I’ve gotten some wonderful full-color laminated user guides for the Netscape-driven internet of 1997. It’s like looking at the internet of some alien species. A species with impeccable spellingby the standards of Earth 2015 but ghastly taste in web design.
These have copyrights stamped in the corner and even have an ISBN number. This raises some interesting questions about the speed of copyright decay in this new millennium. As a technical guide, these things are perfectly worthless. Everything that isn’t obvious is completely obsolete. This is like the driver’s manual for a Ford Model S. The only value is historical, because anyone still using one is obviously a weirdo hobbyist who already knows how it works.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “The Future is Here!”
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Apologies to the people of Germany. The end credits music has blocked this video in your country. I realize this must be really irritating, but at least this has put an end to music piracy in your country. So you have that going for you.
And so it ends. Is it weird that our most positive season of Spoiler Warning is about a console exclusive that less than half of us have played? It feels weird to me.
And now I’m playing through it myself. There are a lot of little details you don’t get to see in our play-through, or by watching the cutscenes online. When you’re playing on your own you’re probably going at a slower pace, taking in the sights, and maybe even re-starting from checkpoints if things go sideways. Playing like this, I’m seeing little bits of dialog and little animations. Ellie in particular is good at looking busy without dropping into “blank-faced NPC idle” mode.
Since this is probably the last time we’re going to talk about the game, and since I’m finally getting around to playing it myself, I feel like I should say something about the gameplay. But I really hate to end on a down note. I dunno. It’s up to you. Stop here and bask in the happy ending of seeing a game successfully melting our blackened hearts, or read on and listen to me repeat gripes Josh and Chris covered weeks ago. This is it. Turn back now and leave with happy thoughts. I don’t mind. Thanks for watching.
Really. You don’t need to read the rest. It’s the rants of a whole season, distilled into a single post, written mostly while still angry. That can’t be good. Go in peace, and knowing that we really do love The Last of Us.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “The Last of Us EP35: The Last of The Last of Us”
Why is internet news so bad, why do people prefer celebrity fluff, and how could it be made better?
What is a skinner box, how does it interact with neurotransmitters, and what does it have to do with shooting people in the face for rare loot?
What was the problem with the Playstation 3 hardware and why did Sony build it that way?
Here is how I'd conquer the game-publishing business. (Hint: NOT by copying EA, 2K, Activision, Take-Two, or Ubisoft.)
A look back at Star Trek, from the Original Series to the Abrams Reboot.
This version of Silver Sable is poorly designed, horribly written, and placed in the game for all the wrong reasons.
Yeah, this game is a classic. But the story is idiotic, incoherent, thematically confused, and patronizing.
It's not a legend. It was real. There was a time before DLC. Before DRM. Before crappy ports. It was glorious.
Ever wondered what's in all those quest boxes you've never bothered to read? Get ready: They're more insane than you might expect.
A novel-sized analysis of the Mass Effect series that explains where it all went wrong. Spoiler: It was long before the ending.
T w e n t y S i d e d
