For a game to be successful it must respect the player’s time. As I get older I’m finding it increasingly difficult to invest my time in video games. I’m not a busy man, no, in fact I sometimes have sufficient time to game. What I lack is a certain sense of motivation. I’m still very much interested in video games and gaming culture, but I’m at a point in my life where I’m no longer willing to invest my time to games that take twenty, thirty, sixty, or hundred hours to complete. More recently this generation of indie games has saved my once dying heart, pumping fresh blood into a decaying body that was once at the brink of disinterest in the medium. Games like Journey, Closure, Braid, and many other highly, and not so highly, regarded games opened my eyes to the wonderful world of the “two hour” experience.



I’d like to compare the “two hour” experience to the literary world of short stories. My most admired short story is A Country Doctor by Franz Kafka. This four page story filled with long paragraph like sentences can be read in about 8 minutes. While the “completion” time is brief, the impact; however, is unlike anything I’ve ever read. The same goes with video games -- the most emotionally filled games I’ve ever experienced have been no longer than five hours. These so called “two hour” experiences are the future, and I couldn’t be happier.

The filler, fat, and love handles that infested so many games in the past is finally ending, yet most seem to be against the idea of short game. Most of it is due because of pricing. Yes, video games are expensive, but ask yourself this: How many games do you actually replay? Like books and films, the length is only a problem if the material is not up to par. Nothing is more disingenuous than a game that must meet some imagery time goal. If the game is good -- you’ll want to play it again -- just like films, books, comics, etc. The notion that a game’s length is determined by its price is something I find ludicrous. For instance, Journey is a game I’ve completed five times in a span of a month, it has taken me about two hours to complete the game. While some will say that the $15 price tag is too much for a two hour experience, what I get from it is far better than what most games offer. I’ve already invested ten hours in this two hour experience. Sniper Elite V2 can be complete in nine hours, very similar to Dead Space 2. The latter having perfect pacing is a testimony to its length. If Dead Space 2 was any longer (not including 100% completing the game) it would have ruined the overall flow making the game less enjoyable.



I’m not completely against long games. I sometimes love to immerse myself in a lengthy experience, but only if that experience is justified. Unfortunately most double digit games are filled with so much fat that it sometimes turns me off to the experience all together, which is why I get my money’s worth with the “two hour” experience -- I don't have to wait for the good stuff.

Yeah, I’m following the trend. So what! I think this is a great way to get to know our community members better and it also brings a bit of personality to the cblog underground dungeon of torture. Enough talking, let’s get this thing started!




1.) I play guitar!

I dated this girl in high school, we were in love and all that jazz, then it ended. Before it ended she gave me her guitar. I attempted to teach myself, but quickly gave up. It wasn't until she broke up with me that I decided to pick up the damn thing and spend hours of my free precious time learning how to play. Basically, I'm glad she broke up with me, 'cause if she didn't I would have never learned how to play the guitar... And yes, the first song I wrote was about her.


2.) I always wanted to be a filmmaker

What do you want to do when you grow up? I always answered this typical question with one word: movies! Ever since the 6th grade I always wanted to be a director. In fact, I would save up my money and buy DVD after DVD and watch them endlessly after school. I saw the movie Pi every day for an entire month, with and without commentary.

3.) The first album I bought was the... Backstreet Boys

Yes, before my love of Radiohead, Manu Chao, and The Smiths. My first true love was BSB. I was in the 5th grade and didn't know better. I now see the errors of my ways. Hey, it's better than a Limp Bizkit album! And yes, I Want It That Way is still an awesome song!


4.) I have exactly 607 songs in iTunes

Out of those 607 songs, 203 are in Spanish, 33 in French, 12 in Portuguese, 1 in Arabic, 10 in German.


5.) Favorite books

Some of my favorite books are Notes from Underground, A Country Doctor (short story), Philosophy in the Bedroom, The Stranger, and The Graveyard Book.


6.) I spend more money on clothing than games

I'm poor, and what little money I have I spend on clothes. I know I shouldn't. I'm addicted to shopping online, I know my exact size on certain sites so there never really is an issue with that. I just want more and more and more and more! Also, every piece of clothing I own is mostly black.

7.) I'm a heavy smoker

I've been smoking since I was 16. My teeth are starting to show some color and I don't have any plans to stop. Smoking just calms me down, keeps my head right. It's strange, I know. And I know the harm I'm doing to my body... I have to stop, but it is hard. :(

8.) I have a birthmark on my left hand



9.) I'm a literature major



The last thing I read was Doctor Faustus and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The former is a play about a man selling his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge, the latter is a poem about a Green Knight who seeks a great challenge.

10.) My nickname is Ozzy

My real name is Oswald, but everyone calls me Oz or Ozzy. I constantly get compliments on my name. I have yet to meet another person with that name.

EXTRA

I used to work at Urban Outfitters - Worse. Job. Ever!

What is gameplay? Debates about this very word have caused controversy in the last couple of years in the gaming community. More often than not the attacks have been aimed at games that proclaim themselves as being “artistic.” These art games made by indie developers are the pioneers of minimalistic gameplay. Most recently Dear Esther has spark up the conversation about what makes a game a game, and whether the game in question has any gameplay at all. The deep philosophical meaning (if any) of Dear Esther is not what I’m interested in. What I am interested is the definition of gameplay. A word that is universally known to gamers, but to the outside world needs dire annotations to be understood. An elementary definition of the word doesn’t do justice to the actual act of the word. What I’m trying to achieve is an understanding of what constitutes a videogame as a videogame.



Yes, Dear Esther is a videogame. It’s a game of the simplest kind, but that doesn’t hide the simple fact that it is in all intents and purposes a videogame. Like Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Dear Esther relies on a organic or natural non-combat gameplay. But, unlike Shatterd Memories, Dear Esther fails to invite the player into its world -- it’s still a game, but fails at the most fundamental goal of immersion through gameplay in which Shattered Memories triumphs. Dear Esther is, for the lack of a better word, an interactive audio book. This interactivity, no matter how sparse constitutes itself as a game. Shattered Memories, on the other hand, is game without the traditional combat gameplay done right, yet the masses still was hesitant to embrace this oddball of a game.

Besides running from demons, the main gameplay of Shattered Memories is walking, controlling the flashlight, and most importantly the phone. For instance, the world of Silent Hill is filled with random numbers graffitied on walls, or on billboards advertising stress relief. Every number in the game can be called and you’ll be sure to get some weird response back. This is gameplay -- the reaction you get from performing an action as simple as dialing a number.



Gameplay is all about the game’s mechanic. It’s the core actions the gamer is performing in order to play the game (doesn’t matter what genre it is). Everything else is a companion to enhance the core gaming mechanics. Game controls are split into two different aspects: play control and gameplay. Gameplay is the sequences you do in a game. Play control is how the character you play controls. It’s about the feeling you get when you move, use your sword/gun, jump, menu navigation, etc.

Let's take Devil Survivor, for example. Now, Devil Survivor doesn't have play control, it does; however, have gameplay. Devil Survivor is all about making clear, pin-point, linear strategic moves on a graphed battlefield. You use demons, magic, character placement, and leveling your characters to succeed in the game. Devil Survivor doesn't need play control, but a game like Dark Souls does. In Dark Souls if the feedback is not there, then the game fails.

In Dear Esther everything is automated for you, hence the feedback (play control) is virtually nonexistent. For instance, entering a cabin intuitively turns the flashlight on. This subtle, yet key feature is removed from the player and leaves the gamer disconnected from the world. However, In Shattered Memories the player is given full control of the flashlight. This simple play control of feeling like the player is discovering or just wondering around is a key feature in immersion. The immersion is killed when something as simple as turning a flashlight off or on is automated for you.



In Skyrim all I did for the majority of my playthrough was walk around, go into abandoned houses, look at all the details and find the many notes or books scattered around. This in fact was my favorite part of Skyrim, not the fighting or quests -- the exploration and subsequent notes and books I found because of the exploration was key to my enjoyment. This all relates back to Shattered Memories, exploration and finding a letter or anything that is interactive in the world is just as good as actually having a gun in your hand and shooting the head of a zombie right off. Dear Esther is a lost opportunity in which all you do is walk. This could have been something deeper if the developers gave the player the simple interaction of reading some of the books or dozens of scattered notes you see around; instead it’s all eye candy and results to nothing interesting.

Growing up I was never religious. While my mother is a devout Christian, she never once forced her beliefs on me. Because of this, I grew to be a bit sympathetic towards religion. I don't believe in god or angels, but I do find the “inspired” writings to be truly fascinating from a literature perspective. In other words, I find the stories in the bible to be entertaining. In fact, I hold the belief that the book of Revelations would make for a great blockbuster summer flick -- that’s how I see these writings; from purely an entertainment point of view.

The messages vary from verse to verse, book to book. Debates have been fired from both sides in interpretations of what if right and what is wrong -- I’m interested in none of that. What I am interested in is the romance, the action, the betrayal, the sex, the violence, the imagery. This, my lovely reader, is where El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron comes into play.



The game really doesn’t tell you much in terms of characters or story. In fact, the game is pretty ambiguous for the sake of being ambiguous. Random dialogues with names and words you’ve never heard of are echoed through every character’s mouth. Nonetheless, that was enough to inspire me to get my hands on the apocryphal Book of Enoch and do a little research of my own. The game’s story, like the art style, is a combination of abstract, crazy, silly, and awe-inspiring moments.

Much talk has been given about the art style in El Shaddai (done by Takeyasu Sawaki; the same man who did Ōkami). While the art style is a big focal point of the game (In fact, the game is worth playing on looks alone), much to my disappointment very little has been said about the story, characters, events, meaning, and overall message (if there is one). I’m not claiming to have all the answers (if any), but I am trying to shed some light to some confusing little facts about this polarizing, yet fascinating gem of a game.



Before I start, I must mention that the Book of Enoch is not biblical canon. Very few churches actually consider it Holy Scripture, it’s an apocryphal book. Even with that in mind, there are many references to actually scripture, it’s hard not to see this included in canon. It also must be said that, without going to deep into the subject, that many books of the bible were chosen by a committee. In fact, the book of Revelations was almost not included in the bible. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re a believer. Still, I’m looking at this not from a believer’s point of view, but from the eyes of a lover of all things (to me) good story telling.

First, let’s take a look of at the title: El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. El Shaddai is one of the Judaic names for god. It essentially translates to “God Almighty”. "Ascension", from a mystical/spiritual perspective, means when an individual reaches heaven without dying. "Metatron" is essentially an important angel focus on record keeping (It must be noted that the word "metatron" is not mentioned in scripture). This all adds up to our protagonist in the game, Enoch.



Enoch is essentially the perfect human being. So perfect, in fact, that god took him as one of his own and gave him a home in heaven. The game visually gives a nod to the word "metatron" by showing Enoch next to a mountain of books writing, besides that, nothing else is mentioned about what he does or his former life on earth.

The game is essentially a series of random events. You fight bosses many times with no way of winning. It’s there for you to lose. In fact, during the last 40 minutes of the game there’s an optional side-scrolling level. If you miss a platform, the credits start playing backwards with music being sped up to a ridiculous speed. Why is it there? Just to be weird and eccentric… Whether there is a meaning or not to everything in the game is irrelevant in the eyes of whoever is playing -- it’s about the feeling. The feeling of being in a world you’re not so familiar with, a world that gives you just enough information to draw some sort of abstract conclusion and maybe go out and do some research.

The story is simple; a gang of angels came down to earth and had sex with humans. In the Book of Enoch there are 10 fallen angels in total. The game only focuses on 3, even though 7 are mention in the beginning. The angels sole purpose was to have sex; as a result of this, the Nephilims are born. The Nephilims are giants who turned their backs to the human race and are now causing havoc on earth. Your mission is to bring the angles back to heaven for imprisonment. I do want to add a rather interesting quote by one of the angles in heaven talking to god about the panic happening on earth: You know everything before it happens. You know these things, and what has been done by them, yet you do not tell us what we are supposed to do about it? It is only when this is said that god finally decides to do something about it.



In the game the Nephilims are portrayed as some cute… thing. While they do cause havoc, their physical designs are rather adorable. Even the giant Nephilim boss is cute! This comes to a major point I want to make: comedy. The thing I love most about anime/Japanese developed games is the silly nature of it. While this game is serious for the most part, comedic elements are sprinkled throughout. For instance, you lose a piece of armor every time you get hit, similar to Ghosts n’ Goblins. The moment Enoch is naked is the moment one hit will kill him. Enoch, our savoir and holy man, wears designer skinny jeans, and your guide, Lucifer, talks to god on a cellular phone. I welcome the silly additions in that it adds more eccentricity to the already bizarre story.



God tells Enoch to travel to The Tower (this is where the game takes place); this Tower is the home to the fallen angels, each floor represents a different angel and a different art style. The game never looks the same. Each floor is a representation of the angles beliefs and doings in the world. For instance, one floor is literally a Tron inspired world, this floor represents the power of technology humans can achieve, epically with the help of that particular angel. Another is fame, represented by music and a stadium crowd, etc.



Enoch eventually meets a girl named Nanna in the The Tower who was raised by The Freeman; a group who is opposed to the angels doings on earth. She is a blind young girl who helps Enoch on his journey. No information is given on this girl whatsoever. Nanna (Also known as Sin) in Sumerian mythology is the god of the moon. In El Shaddia she helps Enoch on his journey, but also is friends with a Nephilim. Is she good? Is she Bad? Is she helping him out of her own agenda? None of those questions are answered. But as stated in the Book of Enoch, many angels had sex with humans, so she's most likely a Nephilim. Her servitude towards Enoch is impressive, though. At one point in the game, Enoch is frozen (literally and figuratively) and it takes 15 years for him to awaken -- she waits for him the entire time. This 15 year moment is a result of Enoch doubting his mission. This has to be the best part of the entire game.

The music is of interesting note, as well. The Tower has 7 floors, representing a different art style, with a different meaning (love, war, etc). The music is no different. The soundtrack is as diverse as the locales. One second you're listening to techno, the next you're listening a classical orchestrated piece, and so on and so forth. Music plays an important role in that it represents the constant hosh posh of events. The game is silly, and like Asura's Wrath, I champion this silly game for the simple reason that it's silly. I can see how this may upset people, and may even call this game style over substance, but for me, I found it exhilarating.



Everything in this game is essentially a question. Nothing makes much sense, but for me, I actually enjoyed the nonsense delivered. I enjoyed what little "story" and "meaning" there was. I admit, it's not for everyone, and I'm the first to admit that the game is not perfect, but the game does have a certain hold on me that I can't fully explain. What I'm trying to do is expand on some of the things I found interesting. El Shaddai is essentially an archaic platformer - it's very simple, and doesn't offer much variety in gameplay, but even with this fault I still very much enjoyed the game. I still found it fun.

The game is a simple platformer. In fact, it’s very similar to the Mario Galaxy games in that every level is an obstacle course. The combat is very simple, not bad as some people will lead you to believe. It’s a brawler; you essentially attack with one button. I don’t have much to say about the gameplay. Whether you like it or not is a matter of taste. It's simple, and for some people the gameplay may be too simple and that can be a deal breaker.

The ending is… just there. I have to be honest and say that the game lost steam towards the end and had an unsatisfactory conclusion. But in the end, I really was really touched by this little gem, a game that has gone completely forgotten by the gaming media and gamers alike. I may not have all the answers, but I do think if a game asked me to do some research into it, then it must’ve done something well. Even though I don’t fully understand what the whole game is about, or even if the game has any meaning at all is pretty much irrelevant. The experience alone is worth the price of admission. Visuals, music, and a strange story is something I find appealing, even if it's all nonsensical. As long as it has my attention, I'm going to love it.

Sorry about the small font on some of the pictures; I never used an editing program before.

Mass genocides have swallowed this earth in the name of ethnicity, race, religion, language, nationality, sex, and pretty much any significant detail that can be pointed to an individual who is different. Humans strive to be superior; we strive to be part of a group who is above the rest. This superiority complex that engulfs us all blinds us to the true meaning of acceptance. We are insecure, frighten, and small people who rather exacerbate a problem instead of accepting and embracing the weird, abstract, and even silly nature that is Japanese games… Yes, I’m talking about Japanese games!



Be it topics of religion, race, or sex, Japanese developers have never been scared to explore the deepest, darkest depths of the human psyche. I, as a gamer and a fan of anime, have always admired such acts. Unfortunately not everyone feels the same. While these topics are prevalent in many Japanese developed games and anime, the topic is typically laughed off by most western gamers. Most gamers will say Japan is simply stuck in the past and refuse to change; others hate their games for no reason at all. This almost universal dismissal for anime and Japanese developed games is typical talk around the gaming community, but I, on the other hand, champion the weird and abstract. I say let rules go, let the chips fall where they may. I say don’t be typical – strive to be different, corny, and ridiculous. I might even say that Asura’s Wrath is my most anticipated game of the year.


I got this this tweet 'cause I didn't like Rayman: Origins

I’ve been accused many times of hating every game imaginable -- even the popular ones (oh my). The fact of the matter is I never know what I will or will not like. I admit, my standards are a bit high and eccentric (Lost in Shadow is one of the greatest games ever made), but that doesn’t make my opinion on games to be “moot.” On the contrary, I find my views on games to be rather simple. Nevertheless, Asura’s Wrath is a game I never paid any attention to until last night when I played the demo. And what an impression it has set on me.



Asura’s Wrath represents everything I love about anime/Japanese games: the music, visuals, humor, gameplay, violence, dialogue, acting and everything else is nothing short of perfection. For instance, having a long sword (literally) impale a man from space down to the sands of earth and have that same sword stick out from the other side of our gentle planet while the man screams “I am you, and you are me” brought tears to my eyes. This is why I love Japan, the craziness and eccentric behavior they add to their characters and events are so ridiculous and out of left field I question how gamers can not love this!

Asura’s Wrath is a practice of the bizarre. Many people will hate it for its lack of gameplay (the game is not all QTEs) and will find the events ludicrous. I, on the other hand, see a masterpiece of ridiculousness. This is a game I can see myself getting lost in and actually re-playing. The game doesn’t bother with any romantics and gets straight to the point. It is completely aware of what it is and runs with it. While I’m only judging this game from the demo, the impression it made on me was so grand that I felt a need to express my thoughts about this (hopefully) masterpiece.



Two days ago I posted a silly question on reddit about anime. My question was simple: why you do you like anime? To my surprise I received almost 100 comments. Here are some interesting responses:


I love how diverse anime is. One day I can watch some hilariously silly show about high school students doing whatever, the next day I can watch some deep, dark, psychological thriller, and later on I can watch a show about Russian children using breast milk to fuel their superpowers. However, anime still has a sort of all-encompassing style that is a result of Japanese culture, and I love that as well.


Anime brings out emotion in me more than other mediums. I think it's because I feel like I'm able to relate to anime characters much more than characters from a live-action show, or some non-anime animation, or a book, etc. It's probably also because anime came to me during a low point in my life, where, though my friends would say I was just fine, I was extremely depressed and hateful of myself. Anime was a great escape from those feelings. Anime holds a special place in my heart as a result.


I like some shows because it makes me feel like a kid again and get excited for beating 'da bad guyz'


I love Japanese games because they usually cover more ideas than games developed elswhere , also they tend to be bolder and go to places other games won't go, and tackle things other games won't. - Kaggen.

If you want to read more, here’s the thread: http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/oasnd/simple_question_why_do_you_like_anime/

Hello, I’m Venus. I’ve been here for about a year now. It’s pretty late and I can’t sleep, so I thought I would quickly write down some random thoughts about myself, games, and stuff.

Dtoid and myself

Let’s start off with Dtoid. Like I said, I’ve been here for a year now and I can honestly say that Dtoid really is an amazing place. What else can I say -- I’ve met some really awesome people because of this website. In short, I just want to say thank you to everyone involved in this here blogging community. It’s been a great pleasure knowing, reading, and even skyping with some of you!

These past two weeks were pretty crazy. I had a slight pain in my stomach last week, but thought nothing of it. I went to the hospital yesterday and found out it was kidney stones. The pain I went through last night was something I've never experienced ever in my life. Basically, to get rid of the stones; you have to pee them out. I was peeing blood and the stones came out. I'm convinced I now know the pain women feel when they give birth. I thought I was going to pass out. Also, it wasn't a one time thing, either. It took about 5 hours, and a lot of water drinking. After that, I got a fever.

When it comes to myself, I really don’t have much to say: I’m boring, still in school, depressed, and pretty much killed every relationship I’ve had because of my insecurities. I’m a literature major which probably won’t surprise most of you since I love to quote my favorite authors all the time in my blogs. I pretty much stay to myself, but you know what, enough of this damn depression. I would like to quickly talk about some of the things I’ve read and played this year.

Shin Megami Tensei



Wavy, hypnotic colors invite you in. Religious imagery cover the walls. You’re asked to name demons: one is an imp, the other is a helpless soul crucified. A woman invites you to bath with her… Your mother wakes you up.

Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) I and II for the SNES are weird games. I can’t think of any other word to describe them. They’re so obtuse in its design, so complicated, and at times even annoying to play. But, even with these annoyances, the game offers something so refreshing, exciting, and eccentric that it puts modern games to shame.

SMT I and II are essentially broken games that in many aspects have not aged well at all. For instance, the games drop you off in a world without a clue as to what to do or where to go. You encounter the same dialogue from NPCs simply by walking; they just magically appear and tell you the same information they told you countless other times. Most of the locales look identical, and are only differentiate by color.

The stories, for the most part, are simple, but are filtered through this weird lens of abstraction. Adult humor is splattered all over the games, and at times, it doesn’t take itself too seriously with its ridiculous plot. Still, the fan translations of these Japan only SNES games should be played by anyone who loves a good story.

Skyrim



What can I say about a game that refuses to change? A game that’s so bugged that I was force to quit. Skyrim is what I like to call a hot mess. The game is beautiful, but, to be honest, I’m tired of the whole open world formula. Skyrim Is a game I’ve played countless other times for the past 4 years, and frankly it’s starting to bore me.

The main quest, unlike Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Oblivion, is forgettable. I have no idea what happened, and who is who when the whole thing ended. As for the bugs, I can’t seem to enter the city of Makarth. Every single time I step anywhere near the city the guards attack me… well, not exactly. They accuse me of murder and I’m given the choice to “submit” and go to jail, but that option doesn’t register with the game, if I leave the conversation, I get attacked by an army of guards. The game is essentially not fun to play. None of the quests are really grabbing me, and the whole exploration aspect died off pretty quickly. I really feel Bethesda has to make major changes to their formula with the next Elder Scrolls and Fallout games. If not, then I’m off the wagon.

Ulysses



This past semester I had to read what is quite possibly the most difficult book ever: James Joyce's Ulysses.

Ulysses interested me, not with its style, but with its commentary of what a man is. Bloom, our protagonist, is more womanly than manly, and questions what masculinity really is. This “womanly man,” as some will say, is the femininity of the male sex -- not in the sense of eroticism, but focused on the emotional aspect of femininity. Bloom, while still carrying many male traits such as being hyper sexual, is very sensitive -- he doesn’t act as the world’s view as how a man should act. We, the reader, are introduced to him cooking breakfast for his wife and cat; an act most commonly involved with a woman, not a man. There are many examples like these sprinkled throughout the novel that’s worth exploring. In fact, at one point Bloom gives birth to seven healthy children, and wishes he was a mother, not a father.

Gender roles in Ulysses is a topic I find interesting. I find it fascinating that Joyce presented such a weak man; both emotionally and sexually during the time period in which such subjects were taboo. Why is Bloom not a man? What does society see in men? Why is Bloom so feminine, why does his wife like this? Why is Bloom more suited in being a mother, not a father? I really wish I read this before I wrote my blog about Shattered Memories.