"Another one of these fucking things!?" says the reader, rolling his/her eyes in discontent. The reader must make a choice.

>Leave this page and go read something more important
>Start to read the blog anyways since they're here

Being the kind patron that the reader is, he/she goes with the second option. So lets get this show on the road shall we?

1) I'm still sorta new here

Only really been on Destructoid for a little more than a year, before that I mostly just lurked a lot. Eventually I started checking the site everyday and once the other site I frequented hit rock bottom I decided to come here. Apparently Dtoid isn't as good as it used to be though, so I guess I'm living in the shitty days? Regardless, I like it here, though I do wish I had more ways to get involved with the community.

2) I'm pretty lame

Seriously, I'm lame. Never really had many friends in my life, especially high school. Probably because I never did any of the exciting stuff. I don't really like parties. I've never taken drugs. I've never smoked a cigerette. I've drank alcohol about twice. Once in a tiny cup my dad gave me to try it. Tasted awful. The second time was on the verge of New Years last year. I mixed some type of alcoholic beverage with eggnog so I can make actual alcoholic eggnog. Worst idea ever. Tasted fucking awful. I know some of the Dtoid guys (like Swagathy) can drink like they don't have liver, so I'm curious what the hell you guys are drinking. Can't be the stuff I was drinking. Note: I have no idea what kind of alcohol it was.

Also I can't drive.

3) I was a Nintendo kid for far too long

I love video games, but I haven't really played many in my lifetime. Despite being born in 1992 my first console was an NES with Super Mario Bros and Kung Fu. Never beat either of those to this day. Then after that I was pushed straight to the N64 and stuck with the Nintendo cycle until I got a PSP for Christmas in 2006 (I never asked for this). This was before the PSP had content though, so I sold it in 6 months.

Until getting a PS2 in 2010 I was at Nintendo's beck and call. Even then I was stuck with a Wii until I got a PS3 at the end of the year. You can imagine there are a ton of games/series I haven't played. I feel like I'm lacking in gamer cred honestly.



4) I don't believe in western conquest

Since my past primarily exists of eastern developed games, I hadn't had much exposure to the western crowd until this generation. People keep saying the west is conquering the industry and how Japanese games "just suck", but I don't really see it when I look at games I've bought in the last year. Demon's Souls, Catherine, Disgaea 4, Shadows of the Damned, Zelda: Skyward Sword, Devil Survivor 2, mostly Japanese games. All of them great in one way or another. Phil Fish doesn't know what he's talking about. Even for this year I think the only western title I'm looking forward to is Bioshock Infinite, oh and Skullgirls. I forget that game is western.

I don't think the west is bad really, but I just lack the interest in a lot of the highly acclaimed western games. Didn't really care for any of the huge western games last Fall except for maybe Skyrim and Saints Row, but even they didn't seem worth $60. The Portal and Dead Space series are cool though, plus I play plenty of indies so the west isn't all bad to me.

I get that business wise the west is more successful (or at least in the west hurdur), but there are still plenty of quality games coming from the east.

5) I had to go to therapy for crying too much once

Everyone seems to have a random story from there childhood, so here's mine. When I was younger I cried a lot. People made fun of me for being fat, gay, bad at sports, stupid, the typical stuff. So yeah, I cried. A lot. What's weird is that I cried during serious situations. Like when I had to sit down with a teacher or counselor (had to go to a lot of counseling) and hear about something I always cried and assumed the worst. Maybe it was the stress, I don't know. Eventually I was told to go get therapy, so I had one session and that was it. Not sure what really happened aside from some guy asking me questions and me crying with my parents.

Maybe me having very few friends has to do with it. I never really had many friends back then, not ever during my life really. In every phase of my life I could probably count the amount of real life friends with one hand. I'm a huge introvert, in high school people have even asked if I hated people in general.



6) I have an obsessions with monsters of all kinds

Pokemon was probably the first game I played that struck a cord with me, it was amazing. Going around the world training all of these awesome monsters and fighting with them. It was the shit. Digimon was also present, great show. I idolized the the Digimon Emperor as a child because I was evil I guess. Weird. Then this obsession turned to Yugioh, wasted a lot of money on that game. Fast forward today and I'm a huge Shin Megami Tensei fan. Can't get enough of those penis and vagina monsters. Seems like as time went by my love for monsters became more grotesque too, which is probably why I can't get enough of characters like Shuma-Gorath and Double from Skullgirls.

I always make an effort to doodle my own creatures, but they always turn out kinda shit since I can't draw. I'm especially bad at drawing human like designs so I usually end up steering closer to animals. Animals that often have one eye, lack eyes, no eyes with a mouth, tentacles, extra limbs, and often traits of other animals. Maybe I'll post some on here one day.

7) I wish I was good at fighting games

Ever since Super Smash Bros I've liked fighting games. I kinda sucked at them though, even the casual ones like Smash Bros. Marvel vs Capcom 2 was my first real fighter and I only played it occasionally at arcades. I remember I only played with Megaman characters, commonly known Marvels (especially Venom), that cactus guy, and of course Shuma-Gorath. Fell in love with him and I still love him to this day.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is the only fighter I'm really good at these days. I run a mean Shuma-Gorath you know, maybe one of the best (as if there's much competition). Sounds smug, but overall I'm not great. I always go through this phase with a new fighting game, too, in which I imagine myself kicking butt and being a pro, but when I get it I end up being far from that. Maybe I'll be pro at Skullgirls. Maybe. At the least I can try my best to be.



8) Gender benders are the most enticing species

Maybe it's because I played a lot of Japanese games as a child, maybe I'm just weird, but I love androgynous people. They are indeed the most gorgeous people on the planet. I love it when I have to second guess myself on someone's gender. I just love it. I've become very good at deciphering the gender of androgynous folks, but often times I do get a curve ball thrown at me and that just makes me smile. Due to this my sexuality would probably fall into pansexuality, though I still use bisexuality pretty often. I've yet to come out in real life though, so I don't really talk about this outside the internet.

Also, Asians. Most of these people end up being Asian.

9) I AM A MYSTERY

I'm a very secretive and mysterious person. I don't post pictures of myself on the internet and have no plans on doing so in the near future. Outside the internet I tend to keep things secret too, mostly just stuff my parents would be weirded out by/possibly disown me for. I try to keep these lives separate to an extent, but I have a feeling they're gonna collide soon. Definitely one day.

10) I like to go on and on

Clearly. Let wrap this up. WRAP IT UP

When playing a video game we are always under the assumption that the protagonist is a righteous dude with little to no bad intentions. He just wants to save a princess, kick evil's butt, and help people. He's not a villain and shows no signs of being one, he is definitely a hero. It's only natural that games are made with the protagonist as a hero, everyone wants to be a hero in reality rather than a villain. The moral choice of being evil didn't arrive until just recently, up until now we've mostly played for the side of good. Why would it be any different, no one wants to be evil in the real world. We don't want our kids to be villains, so let them play as heroes! That was back then though, gaming has grown to the point where it's fun to be bad. Many people find it fun to jack cars, beat up random bystanders, or combat the police in a Grand Theft Auto game. I say it takes more than just doing bad things to be a villain, it takes a more nefarious motive.

The main characters of the Disgaea series aren't necessarily villains, but they all have villainous tendencies (baring Disgaea 2). The third Disgaea game, Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice, displays this best. Absence of Justice is about a young demon named Mao who is the son of an overlord, the most powerful demon in the Netherworld. He wished to take his title, so he attempts to attain the power of a hero in the hopes of defeating him. He comes to the conclusion that heroes always defeat villains after researching various manga. So he somehow steals the title of a hero for his own (Disgaea games don't make much sense) so he can defeat his father. He really doesn't act like a hero though, he merely carries the title. He doesn't really want to be a hero, he just wants to have the "power" of a hero so he can usurp his father. The hero title eventually proves useless and he tries to go into his heart to remove the title because it's useless to him now.

Mao is probably the most evil of all the Disgaea protagonist because even after the end of the game he remains a condescending, perverted mad scientist who mostly puts himself before others. He's changed to a degree, but for the most part I'd say that he's still evil. A lot of Disgaea fans hate Mao for sticking to his guns, but I like it. He's a jerk, but he's one who has now gained respect for his allies and a sense of justice. Even then he still puts up a false facade of disrespect and lies, but ultimately he has changed. Mao falls into the role of a hero (despite his attitude) by the game ends, so I can see how he could be considered more of an anti-hero.



Another game where you take the role of a villain is Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the first Mario game where Bowser as a playable character is an important plot point. Bowser is not the biggest threat in the game, but you still feel like the bad guy while playing as him simply because he's Bowser. Bowser has a long history of evil and I could never see him in any other light besides that of scoundrel. I'll admit, Bowser isn't the most evil guy because he is pretty silly and idiotic, but I have to respect the guy for being so consistent over the years.

The main villain of Bowser's Inside Story is Fawful, an evil little guy with fury who was Cackletta's right hand man in the first game in the Mario & Luigi RPG series, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Bowser wants to capture the Princess and rule over the Mushroom Kingdom, but Fawful is more of a big picture guy. He wants the entire world, and aims to get it even if it means unleashing an immense evil that wasn't meant to be released. He's more evil than Bowser due to how massive his goal is along with the fact that he only cares for himself. Unlike Bowser, he'd rather brainwash his servants rather than gain their loyalty because he only thinks of them as tools to conquest. Fawful is also very extravagant, he demands constant praise and has several monuments build in his image. Despite all that Bowser still comes on top in the end.

What makes Bowser great in this game is that he isn't trying to defeat Fawful to save the world, he just hates Fawful and wants to take back his position of power. He isn't driven by good intentions at all, through pure selfishness, jealousy, and hate he was able to defeat him by the end (with Mario and Luigi's help of course, but he doesn't know that). To me a character's intentions and the way the character acts on them is what determines if he or she is a villain, not the fact that the whole world hates your guts or the hero hates you. Yggdrasil from Tales of Symphonia, originally Mithos the hero, had primarily good. He fought for equal rights between all races, but went about it the wrong way. The intentions and how they are acted upon ultimately determine if a character is good or evil. So even if you're saving a woman from a burning building if you're doing it just so you can fuck her, then you're doing it wrong.

*HUGE Shadow of the ColossusSPOILERS below! Read at your own risk!*



As opposed to Bowser and Mao, you can have a hero driven by generally good intentions who eventually become villainous. The Wanderer in Shadow of the Colossus is a mysterious guy, he travels to this strange land with only a girl and his horse. The girl is assumed to be his lover who he wishes to save by defeating sixteen hulking monstrosities around the land known as colossi. Defeating all of them will have his wish granted, bringing her back to life so they can live happily ever after. That sound great, doesn't it? The Wanderer doesn't seem like a villain at all. The guy just wants to destroy some evil giants for the one he loves, is that so wrong? At the end of the game you find out it is, very wrong in fact. The sixteen colossus are actually just split parts of the evil god Dormin. Once all of the colossi are defeated, Dormin can become one once more. He possesses the Wanderer and begins his path of destruction with Lord Emon and his men, but is sealed once more by Emon himself. The Wanderer is sucked in along with him, but is revived as a new born child by the end.

It's debatable whether the Wanderer knew that what he was doing would summon an evil god bent on the destruction of the world, but I'll go with yes. I find him to be a much better character when I think of him as a fallen hero rather than a guy who was just screwed over by a demonic entity. Shadow of the Colossus is an ambiguous game, we really don't know who the Wanderer is so his personality is left for debate. I don't think he was a bad person though, just a guy with love so strong that nothing else mattered in comparison. Mono, his lover, was wrongfully sacrificed and I can imagine the Wanderer having an immense hatred for the world after she was taken away from him. So while he isn't necessary a villain, he's a fallen hero at the least who was unfortunately led astray by a string of fate.

More support for theory of the Wanderer being a villain is the slaying of the colossi themselves. Many of them want to murder you, in fact most of them will try very hard to to do so! I barely ever felt bad after killing them, there was only one that genuinely made me feel terrible which was Phalanx. Phalanx is the only colossus that will never attack you, regardless of what you do. During the whole fight all it does is fly and burrow beneath the sand in attempt to escape the player's attack. The Phalanx is one of the last colossus and displays just how far the Wanderer will go for love, you have to wonder if this is considered wrong. Phalanx is completely innocent, so naturally it will feel wrong. This just puts the final nail in the coffin on how I feel about the Wanderer. I don't know about you, but to me he is a villain.

While all of these are great examples of games where you play a villain, there has yet to be a full fledged game where you are undoubtedly the villain. A game where you aren't fighting against someone more of a dick than you, but a game in which you combat a hero by all definitions of the word. I want to burn villages and commit acts of terror all in the name of my selfish agenda. I don't even care if the villain is one whose ends justifies the means, thus being seen as a hero to some. Let me kill millions to save billions because in the end we know mass genocide might just be worth it.

For awhile Persona 4 has played second fiddle to Persona 3, while the previous Persona titles were mostly ignored. Persona 2: Innocent Sin is getting a remake now though, which improves it's status. Still, Persona 3 was Atlus's Final Fantasy VII due to it's sheer fame. It was released in the US in 2007 as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and then a new addition, known as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES, was released here in 2008. Later in 2010 we received Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable on the PSP. The Persona 3 festival just didn't know where to stop, we even got a mobile phone game based on the Love Hotel called Persona 3 Escape! Persona 4 just wasn't as liked as much in comparison, or so it seemed. Now it's Persona 4's time to shine though.

Early this year Persona 4: The Animation, an anime based on the JRPG of the same name, was announced and set to premiere this October, so things were looking up for Persona 4. Then the simultaneous announcement of Persona 4: The Golden, a port of the original game to the Playstation Vita, and Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena, a Persona 4 fighting game, emerged. I expected a Vita port of P4, but it did seem a bit soon in my opinion. I was really surprised by Mayonaka Arena though, a fighting game with the cast of Persona 4 developed by Arc System Works, the creators of the BlazBlue franchise. The game looks great, but I can't help but hold on to this small inkling of disappointment. I'm disappointed that the Persona 4 cast has this game all to themselves (aside from a Persona-wielding robot) despite the fact that the series holds so much more.

Due to the fame that Persona 3 and Persona 4 has garnered Atlus seems to have almost forgotten their older series that many (myself included) have not been able to partake in. Atlus has always been a developer who cares about their fans deeply, with money only being their second highest concern. The fans are sort of the problem here. On Destructoid whenever an article about Catherine came up I always saw at least one comment that wanted Atlus to move on to Persona 5, despite the unique experience Catherine was trying to offer. Catherine attracted a lot of negative comments when bits of gameplay were first shown because people continually convinced themselves that it was going to be a JRPG when it was stated from the beginning that it wasn't. It was even called a tech demo for Persona 5 by some, but in what way? I guess the graphics engine could be since it's Atlus's first HD game, but Atlus isn't even using the same engine for Persona 5. Catherine is pretty much it's own game and shouldn't be tied to Persona 5.



Anyone remember the DS game Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey that came out last year? Amazing game that was generally given high ratings by critics, but didn't seem to get much fan attention. The problem was that there was barely an audience for that game, old dungeon crawlers just aren't popular anymore. While the style is very different, it is similar to another game in the series called Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. Nocturne set the ground for Persona titles on the PS2 due to the fact that it includes most of the Persona models for the two games and an extremely similar battle system. Nocturne like Strange Journey had the qualities of a dungeon crawler as well, but was more so a traditional JRPG. It just seems like Atlus has forgotten Nocturne, as well as the fans. Persona 5 sounds good, but I'd much rather prefer another full fledged, pure Shin Megami Tensei title like Nocturne. The stories in the Persona games are great, but the dark themes of the pure titles in the SMT series are just so special. In Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne the world ends right at the beginning of the game annihilating all humans aside from a select few. The world is a mess ravaged by demons that must once again be remade, but this time it's creation depends on the main character. The characters aren't as focused upon as in Persona and there isn't nearly as much dialogue, but that is what makes it special.

The second most popular SMT subseries to Persona right now is the Devil Survivor series, which is a SRPG on the Nintendo DS. Devil Survivor is not very old, but it's become popular enough so that the original game released in 2008 was able to get an upgraded port on the 3DS this year called Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked. There is also a sequel on the DS called Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 which has already stepped foot in Japan and is set to release in the US early next year. Both of the games have different characters and plots, but share the fact that both games involve high school kids (and a few adults) stopping the destruction of Tokyo after 7 days. In the first game the cause is demons, in the second the cause is alien invaders. Like the Persona series it carries an anime flair to it along with the "kids saving the world" trend, which I think is what appeals so much to people. A lot of JRPG fans are anime fans so the anime inspiration these games have is what helps make them more popular than the darker games in the series such as Strange Journey. I could talk about how Persona sacrificed it's soul to go from a darker series about finding your true self to a more light hearted, but still dark, anime influenced series about finding yourself, but I have no right to speak of games I only know so much about.

This brings me to what I dislike the most about Mayonaka Arena, the fact that it is mostly Persona 4 characters. The game is a missed opportunity to embrace the entire series and put in characters like Demifiend, Black Frost, Lucifer, Metatron, the MC from Devil Survivor and Raidou Kuzonoha. The game could at least include a character from the upcoming Persona 2: Innocent Sin remake on the PSP. Maybe it will though, seeing as all the characters aren't announced yet (though the roster looks quite small) It just looks like the game is mostly focusing on Persona 4 and maybe a small bit on Persona 3. I know you love those games Atlus, and so do your fans, but you need to stop relying so much on their success and remember the other Shin Megami Tensei series. Yes, I know Persona is just called Persona in Japan without the SMT before it, but there are far too many things that tie it to the other games in the series such as demon/persona training, fusion, and others for me to think of it as anything besides a Shin Megami Tensei game.



In the end though my complaints give way to my excitement, the excitement of what these golden games hold. TGS this year was fantastic, a golden show if you will. Along with Persona there was a lot there that helped stimulate my libido and just plain excite me for the coming year of games. I'm worried that the over-saturation of the Persona games will result in their downfall, but I shouldn't be since this is Atlus were talking about. If anything, these games will drag in new fans to partake in reaching out to the truth. I just hope Atlus doesn't forget that there is more to the Shin Megami Tensei series than just Persona and promotes those games every once and awhile. I'd love a Nocturne port on the 3DS Atlus, you can call it Shin Megami Tensei 3DS!

Daily life is such a drag, whether it be going to school or work. You always have to deal with people you'd prefer not to deal with. I have to take the bus to and from school every day and I can't stand dealing with the loud people on the bus. Not just that, but the buses are always slow at getting to their destinations. Sure I'll be getting a car and probably my driver's license in the next two weeks, but for now I still have to put up with this. I look forward to the time when I can get home and just relax with a game or two. I just want to get away from everything because for me relaxation is something that can only be done in glorious solitude.

During this time I don't want to deal with people, no one else even exists besides me. Glorious solitude is my goal and I'll get it because I what I want. Simply playing a game doesn't cut it, I want to do it without being interrupted. I can't stand it when someone walks in on a cutscene and starts to wheeze out of their face holes. Leave me alone right now please, I'm not here. I may be here physically, but my mind is stuck in a battle in Fire Emblem. Did you know I'm Lord Eliwood's strategist? I don't have time for you, if we don't take that Wyvern Rider out right now he'll probably kill Lyn since she's badly wounded.

Many love to partake in multiplayer games to relax, but time alone with a game beats that for me. It's a great method of escapism that wipes away all of your troubles. I just enjoy getting really involved in a game and forgetting everything else for a short amount of time. Multiplayer games have too much competition, which for me equates to stress. I have a higher will to win in multiplayer games which is awesome, but I'm usually far from relaxed when playing them. There isn't any competition or struggle in a singleplayer game. I don't have those types of feelings towards the AI and probably never will, which is all fine and dandy. Now that I think about it though, I don't think there really is any specific game that captures this feeling of relaxation, but I think the JRPG genre in general does it well.



The JRPG genre is one of mostly well spun tales (when it comes to most that I've played) that have the ability to invite the player to another world and lets them enjoy someone else's story and hardships. While you may have a certain amount of control over the game, most of the time you're never in complete control of the story or character(s). This is alright though, while pasting yourself onto a blank slate is great having slight control over a character with a cemented personality is also good. Even in a game like Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 where the main character does not speak besides when you will him to the main character still retains a few personal quirks. He's a nice guy who cares about his friends, he'll always be the good guy. People want JRPGs to become more like WRPGs for the sake of more control over the main character's actions and personality, but I think we would be sacrificing too much if that became the standard for an RPG.

I did say I can't think of any specific game, but to grab a recent example I will go with the recently completed Final Fantasy IX. Final Fantasy IX's motley crew has probably become one of my favorites in a JRPG, all of them have their own story and play their part in the game. While playing I really felt like the genderless Qu Quina Quen. Despite all the serious events and awful tragedies going on around Quina, Quina was always in a good mood. Even during the destruction of Terra Quina just wanted eat, despite everyone else being in a panic to escape. Quina even goes so far as trying to eat a stone device that controls an elevator in Terra. It tastes bad though, so Quina walks (not runs) to the Invincible in order to escape the crumbling planet Terra. Like Quina I'm here for fun, even in the face of danger. Sure I did get a bit teary by the end of the game and have pity for Vivi's terrible fate as a Black Mage, but that is also part of getting into the game. It's just so easy to get relaxed and involved in a JRPG, that is why it's the best type of game to relax with to me. The game is just me and a varied cast of character, no problem with that.

I'd hate to sound so anti-social, but relaxing with a video game is just something meant to be done alone in my opinion. It is true that I'm not the most social person and perhaps even socially retarded at times (like when it comes to starting a conversation). Nonetheless, I think this is something that can be agreed upon. Getting away from everything with a game can be a great feeling sometimes because we all just need a break from life at times.

For the last five years the east has continually fallen in fame while the west has risen from its ashes. Now western video games have dominated the market, with titles like Mass Effect 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, and Saints Row: The Third on the rise. The market for 'hardcore' gamers in the US and EU is practically fueled by western properties, you rarely ever see a Japanese game in the top sales of the month here. The rare exceptions are from Nintendo, who's grasp on the handheld market seems to be slipping. Most people would rather buy Angry Birds than a $40 game on the 3DS that they won't even play that often.

Nintendo is trying to keep up with the times, but things just don't seem to be going their way lately. This especially goes for Capcom, who has seemingly abandoned the Blue Bomber since according to them he isn't very popular in the west. Japan's presence is falling at E3 also, even Square Enix admits it. Their western games from Eidos like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Hitman: Absolution are what saved them at E3. Most, if not all, of the heavy hitters at E3 this year were western games.

In a way this is all just an illusion though, Japanese gaming is still kicking. The problem is that they lack the influence that western games have now. There are plenty of Japanese games to go around, when it comes to the new releases this year I've stuck to mostly Japanese games. So far I've bought Marvel vs Capcom 3, Pokemon White, Shadows of the Damned, Catherine, and I've pre-ordered Disgaea 4. It's not like I dislike western games, I just like those from the other side of the world better. Even with my preference I've still managed to enjoy games like inFamous and Red Dead Redemption this year. Just look at the sales for some of these eastern games too, I say they've done well. Marvel vs Capcom 3 shipped over 2 million, while Pokemon White raked in over 11 million. Shadows of the Damned did not fare well, but Catherine is Atlus's most successful games in 20 years. So as you can see Japanese games are far from dead. Their influence may have deterred over time, but there are still great games coming from the east. The problem is that people would rather prefer a game similar to what they know of than something different.



It's natural that games made in North America will be more popular in North America, it is a matter of appealing to our culture. Bleak colors, a bit of realism, muscular men, and guns have conquered the industry here because this is what America likes. Japan on the other hand focuses more on fantasy, nonsense, art style, and of course tits (though we like those as well). Both have the potential to be fun, but I think it is obvious which sticks out more. You have to admit that games from the east can be a bit more um...different at times.

Some of the most peculiar ideas for games have come from Japan. A plumber who eats mushrooms to grow in size so that he may rescue his princess from a fire-breathing turtle? Pure madness. Not many ideas can compared to Mario I suppose, but Japan still spews out madness to this day. Just look at Catherine, a game about a guy who climbs blocks in his underwear every night with a bunch sheep because of relationship problems. It is an extremely creative and obscure game that isn't like most games on the market. On the other hand, western games are more than often bland and simple in theory. Just look at the majority of the shooters on the market, they really don't have much behind them. They have plots sure, but does anyone care about the plot in a Call of Duty game? Nope. Western ideas being very down to Earth is both a pro and a con. People can easily relate to the game, but in the process it may lose qualities that make it stand out on store shelves. Sadly most gamers in the west don't care about games like that, games like Catherine. They would rather buy the latest DLC for Fallout: New Vegas or simply spend their money on something else. Many people in the west simply refuse to accept weird, vibrant games. So many games are pinned as 'kiddy' by American gamers due to the lack of dark, realistic visuals or some other frivolous requirement. So I don't think the problem here is eastern games, but the western market and what it demands.

Even the JRPG genre still exist in my mind, despite the dominance of WRPGs in recent years. WRPGs have been said to be better than JRPGs because of the role playing elements, you are the main character and the world is at your finger tips. This isn't what the genre is though, the term 'role playing game' can easily be applied to a large amount of games. To be honest I don't think it applies to the genre at all in the current day and age, the title itself doesn't mean much of anything in my eyes. The genre was given this name long ago because we didn't have the technology for such choices and more than often the main character was silent. This didn't last for long, but there are still games that adopt this feature. In Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 you play as a silent protagonist who you're able to bond with over the course of the game. Even all of his 'spoken' dialogue is decided by the player. Your choices are limited, but I feel like I'm still able to step into his shoes. Complete freedom wouldn't work in a game like this and looking like the character doesn't seem necessary. He's no Commander Shepherd, but there is nothing wrong with that. The game is perfect as it is. The story is pretty linear, but so what? Linearity isn't a bad thing. I like a nice, streamline story. All this means is that RPGs from both sides of the globe are different and ultimately I prefer that of the east.



Final Fantasy XIII is often used as an example of the JRPG genre since it is the biggest one to come out in recent times, but it is not a good example. FFXIII only has exposure because it's a popular series, it doesn't represent the other JRPGs on the market. It does not represent Disgaea, Shin Megami Tensei, Tales, NIER, Valkyria Chronicles, Dragon Quest or any other JRPG series on the market that you may or may not have heard of. This is the problem with many great games from the east, as I have said they lack exposure and influence. Final Fantasy is one of the few JRPGs that still holds ground in the states due to its popularity. Besides Final Fantasy the JRPG genre has always been a bit niche. Japanese games in general are becoming more niche, is that a problem though? Besides itself, one of gaming's worst enemies is the media. Fox News, The Sun, and others constantly try to give video games a bad rap. I'm thankful a game like Catherine were not given enough exposure for Fox News to sniff it out and make a story about how it supports cheating. I'm not trying to over exaggerate things either, these events have become frequent occurrences. Remember when Fox News attacked Mass Effect 2 over a tiny sex scene? Or the Norway murders? Perhaps you recall when Bulletstorm was said to cause rape? It seems like the western media always wants to make a fuss about video games as if they were Lucifer's favorite past time.

Western video games may be conquering the industry on the outside, but east will always be the winner inside my heart. They are the past, present, and the unlikely future. Innovation and creativity is said to be lacking there now a days, but I don't believe that. When I look at sales in the US I usually see no better, if not worse in terms of creativity. If the future of video games lies in the west then I don't want to be part of this anymore. I'd rather die than live in a colorless world with video games created by sane human beings. On the other hand the west is still young right now though, it still has a chance to blossom. Just look at Skull Girls, a game with visuals eerily similar to a Japanese fighting game. In actuality the game is being made by Americans! That's incredible, but it also makes me afraid. I'm afraid that American developers will one day be able to do everything that Japanese ones can do, except better. If I had to pick a side here though I'm still siding with the east. Glorious Nippon won't die, it can't die and I won't let it. Right now is a rough time for them, but I'm sure the Land of the Rising Sun will manage to rise up and shine brightly once more.

First of all, yes, my first name is Daryl. Second, this post is quite late seeing as the beta ended about a week ago. Lastly, I have betrayed my moral code by playing the multiplayer beta for Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and enjoying it! How is this an act of deception on my part? Well before playing it I kinda disliked the Uncharted series. It seems like a very bland, boring series that had nothing interesting to offer in terms of gameplay. It had a heavy focus on cinematics like a movie opposed to it's video game origin. The gameplay really offered nothing special either, it's like if Indiana Jones was a game. Shoot guys, take treasure, nothing special. Despite that I had a good time with the multiplayer beta, for the short two weeks it was available for I played it for about 2 hours every day and ended up getting to level 26. The multiplayer contains the usual modes such as Team Deathmatch and Free For All, along with more unique modes such as Team Objective and Plunder. I especially enjoyed Co-op Adventure which was more story related. Every time I got Elena I was filled with joy, playing as a girl in a online multiplayer TPS is a rare sight these days is all. There is still nothing special about Uncharted though, it isn't unique at all. Yet the multiplayer still fascinated me, I really enjoyed it. It was fun and surprisingly fair (aside from the sniping on Yemen), I feel extremely conflicted over the game is all. The gameplay is fun, but there isn't really anything interesting about it aside from the usual.

See, I usually play crazy games about monsters, magic, kids saving the world, perverted otaku assassins, jumping plumbers, and overall games that indulge in drug inspired fantasy elements. Realism is something I don't like in a game, it shouldn't matter in a video game because it's a damn video game. Video games should be outrageous and try to be themselves instead of replicating other forms of media. There are definitely several games I enjoy that pride themselves on their narrative such as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 and Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright, but they do it in a way that involves the player. I'm not just watching the game like some sort of film, I'm heavily involved in it. Persona 4's protagonist is silent on his own, everything he says is on account of the player's choices. Phoenix Wright forces the player to constantly pay attention to what is happening and present your case through logic and evidence. These are not movies meant to be watched, these are games meant to be played and they demand your attention.

Then there is the fact that all games cannot be made in to movies or television shows, the transition just doesn't work a lot of the time. In between the cut scenes and story events you must play the game and work to progress through it. Sitting back and watching the game would not be the same, it would probably be boring for a lot of games. Imagine a Mario animated movie where he went through EVERY STAGE in Super Mario Galaxy? It would be accurate, but it wouldn't work nearly as well as the game. Compare that to video game movies and shows that completely change what happens in the original game. Whatever way you slice it both of those ways aren't great and show why many games can only be games.

So now look at the Uncharted series. Realistic games with movie like cutscenes that could probably be directly made into a film. You know what though? I'm ignorant. I've never played an Uncharted game so what do I know? This is a post based on what I know and what I've seen alright. I'm not saying it's a bad series and everyone should hate it. I'm saying it doesn't seem like a game, which is why I judge without playing it very much. The gameplay may be good, but it isn't the focus. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves didn't get several GOTY nominations in 2009 for nothing you know.

That's really all I have to say about it. I'm really just conflicted though, this game goes against everything I stand for and shouldn't be fun. But it is. I currently plan on buying the game once it is released in November, but I might change my mind. I guess until then I'll just have to wait and see how things turn out.