GITim Blog

Dig Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon's Music? Now Listen To This

2013-05-03T20:45:00Z

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is out and it's pretty great. The game oozes an '80s action movie aesthetic, complete with neon lights, ridiculous one-liners, and campy robot adversaries. One of the most important elements of selling that '80s feel comes from the talented Australian synth group Power Glove (not to be confused with the video game metal band, Powerglove). I've been listening to Power Glove for weeks now and developed an infatuation for heavily synthesized electronic music that apes classic '80s horror and action films. If you liked Blood Dragon's soundtrack and want more, I've got you covered.

Here's a quick link to an abridged Spotify playlist if you're short on time. It's missing some great stuff, but it's better than nothing. Otherwise, read/listen on!

First off there's the Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon OST itself. Go ahead and check that out on iTunes. It's a treat. Or better yet, if you haven't played the game check it out and fall in love that way. Buy it after that. Power Glove also has a handful of other tracks available on iTunes which are equally fun. I especially enjoy "Maximum Potential," which has a retro workout video feel complete with motivating Dolph Lundgren voice samples.

Next up is Carpenter Brut, which focuses on a John Carpenter-inspired, 80s horror synth vibe. "Le Perv" kicks off with a driving beat and haunting drone, then implements creepy strings and frantic melodies. The entire woefully brief EP is available on the cheap.

Judge b*tch (a band our profanity filter disapproves of) has a couple of albums available, Priors and Viper. Both are solid, but I'm a bigger fan of Viper. The intro track "Pacer" is evocative of Carpenter Brut. Fans of "Hobo with a Shotgun" may recognize the track from a video in the film's special features. In fact, following Jason Eisener, director of "Hobo with a Shotgun" (and a personal friend of Blood Dragon creative director Dean Evans), on twitter is where I've picked up on a lot of these musicians. His tumblr page is also a good time.

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Power Glove's "Hunters", previously heard in Hobo with a Shotgun

If you've begun to doubt the link between Blood Dragon and any of the bands I'm recommending, let Perturbator silence you. I Am The Night includes a song called "Technoir", which is the name of the trendy dance club Sarah Conner hides from Arnold in during The Terminator. James Cameron's legendary flick is a core inspiration for Blood Dragon. "Technoir" even begins by playing an answering machine message from the film. The rest of the tune is a tense, moody piece of electronic fun. Perturbator's other albums, Terror 404 and Night Driving Avenger are also worth a listen. It's worth noting Perturbator also has a couple tracks on the '80s-centric downloadable, Hotline Miami: "Vengeance" and "Miami Disco". While you're at it, check out the whole Hotline Miami soundtrack.

If you'd rather listen to a collection of retro synth music, Nightdriving Vol. 6 might be your best bet. This collection includes tracks by the previously mentioned Perturbator and Power Glove, along with some poppy songs with vocals that would be right at home in The Breakfast Club. Electric Youth's "The Best Thing" sounds like it could be from the soundtrack to Drive, which is no coincidence because the group teamed up with College for that film's song "A Real Hero". I'm also a big fan of Kavinsky's "Protovision" with its steady beat, moody guitar string bends, and warbling ambient notes. Kavinsky also wrote "Nightcall" for Drive. So yeah, go ahead and listen to the soundtrack for Drive while you're at it.

So check out all this good stuff, and be sure to dive down the rabbit holes of SoundCloud and Bandcamp to find more. I recommend searching tags like "retro electro", "80s", "vintage synth", and the like. If you find something awesome please give me a heads up on Twitter, I'm @timturi. Now download some tunes, slide on the Blue Blockers, and hop in the car for a night drive.

P.S. Nearing the end of writing this blog post I stumbled upon Danger, which so far sounds like lost tracks from Streets of Rage. That's a compliment.

How I Tried To Scare Myself Last Night

2013-04-09T20:28:00Z

I was in the mood for a good scare last night following my disappointment with Metal Gear Rising: Reveangeance. Don’t ask me why those two things are related. I turned to Amnesia: The Dark Descent’s Justine DLC, Lone Survivor, and the YouTube series Marble Hornets. I also share my thoughts on the new Evil Dead remake.

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Justine (pictured above): I put off this DLC for a long time, but after playing Redbarrel’s creepy Outlast, I was in the mood for more first-person scares. Amnesia: The Dark Descent’s free Justine DLC lasts a tight 30 minutes, but that’s if you survive. Dying in the game forces you to restart from the beginning, adding extra tension to the formula. Players control Justine as she sneaks through a twisted series of puzzle rooms, occasionally being stalked by blind abominations. Most of these instances require Justine to either solve a puzzle to save a torture victim, or kill them for an easy way out. You receive different endings following the game’s thrilling climax depending on who is alive by the end. This DLC delivered some of the most memorable scares I’ve experienced in Amnesia, and is a must-play for horror fans. At the very least it will hold you over until Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs comes out. Buy it here.

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Lone Survivor: I’ve read great things about this 2D, side-scrolling horror title from last year. At first I doubted the cutesy pixel art could evoke a sense of fear, but I was immediately proven wrong. The unsettling music and sound effects are clearly inspired by Silent Hill, and the effect is instant. There’s an omnipresent sense of dread throughout the game that few modern horror titles manage to nail. I also like how Lone Survivor’s mentally unstable protagonist hallucinates, forcing players to discern what’s real. I need to spend more time with it to be sure, but I’m certain Lone Survivor is worth a look.Check it out here.

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Marble Hornets: This one isn’t a video game, but its influence on indie horror title Slender is obvious. A college student is looking for his missing friend, and sifts through old video footage of a scrapped student film, Marble Hornets, to look for clues. Sometimes these brief videos contain nothing but mundane outtakes and audio distortion, other times you can spot a tall, well-dressed figure standing in the distance. Clicking through the 60-plus videos is like the horror equivalent of Pringles – once you pop, you can’t stop. The Slenderman series may be three years old at this point, but it’s still effective. Watch it alone, late at night, on your laptop with headphones on.

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Evil Dead: I also saw the new Evil Dead remake this past weekend. I loved Sam Raimi’s original trilogy, and the original film actually scared me quite a bit when I was younger. I heard good things about the remake but managed to keep my expectations in check. The first red-band trailer creeped me out with its cringe-inducing, unflinching shots of people being slowly lacerated. I walked away from this Raimi-produced remake happy. It’s not the scariest thing in the world, but it’s the kind of horror film that will make you cringe for a minute straight then chuckle to yourself at the obscene core. The over-the-top violence and potty-mouthed demons evoke the classic Evil Dead vibe, despite the unfamiliar faces in the film and higher budget. The possessed young lady plot point may be played out in modern horror films, but keep in mind this franchise helped the trope evolve. In short, Evil Dead is a gross, fun, and faithful homage to the original films that expands the story in worthwhile ways.

Anything scare you recently?

Mars Attacks The Transformers And More!

2013-01-31T01:00:00Z

Awhile back I visited The Source, our go-to comic book shop of the Twin Cities. The purpose of the visit was to catch up on Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man comics before this year's crossover, but I stumbled upon another new series: Mars Attacks. I loved the Tim Burton film, and this goofy new series was an instant buy for me. I was surprised to see a slew of Mars Attacks crossovers waiting for me today when I picked up my fresh batch. Publisher IDW has mashed up a series of one-off what-ifs with their biggest brands. The martians harass The Transformers, The Ghostbusters, and more.

I had to read through Mars Attacks The Transformers, which was particularly exciting for me following my new-found appreciation of the classic series. The book has a great sense of humor and isn't afraid to make self-deprecating jabs. The dubiously skilled human, Spike, is the butt of several jokes. I also liked seeing the Insecticons battling giant insects and Blaster and Soundwave uniting their auditory powers. It's short, dumb, and a lot of fun.

I can't wait to dig into the rest of the books. The full list of one-offs includes Mars Attacks Popeye, Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters, Mars Attacks KISS, Mars Attacks The Transformers, and Mars Attacks Robots Vs. Zombies. Don't worry about the chronology of the existing, standard Mars Attacks series, these are entirely independent from that storyline. All you have to understand is that its fun watching martians waging war on a bunch of cool stuff. I'm especially curious to see how The Ghostbusters pull their wait. Ghost martians? Spooky!

Check out all the rest of the entertaining covers here.

Should I Keep Playing Dragon Quest IX?

2012-12-07T22:05:00Z

The other day I was perusing my intimidating gaming backlog. I’m the proud owner of a new 3DS XL, and one game on my shelf stood out: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies. I have only ever play a bit of the first Dragon Quest in the Game Boy Color reboot, but I don’t feel it gave me a sense of the series. I heard fans pumped hundreds of hours into Dragon Quest IX, so it sounded like the perfect opportunity to experiment with the series. After investing about 5-6 hours, I’m looking for reasons to continue with it.

Before I continue, let me summarize my feelings on the game:

Like:

Art style
Music
Quirky writing
Funny enemies
JRPG nostalgia

Don’t Like:

Overly simplistic battle system
Unexciting battles
Generic, seemingly random party members
Micromanaging my party's equipment

For a sense of how far I am, I just recently filled up my party. However, the battles I’ve fought have been too easy to get a sense of how extra characters change the flow. So if I’m not impressed at this point, is there some greatness around the corner? I want to catch the Dragon Quest fever everyone seemed to come down with playing this title. I know there's a job system that's yet to be integrated, but is that a real deal-breaker?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

These Game Tunes Helped Me Finish My First Marathon

2012-10-10T20:00:00Z

I love video game music. Tracks from my favorite games get me pumped whether I'm playing them, driving around town, or hanging out with friends. Video game tunes are also make for amazing workout motivation. Last Sunday I ran in the annual Twin Cities Marathon, and I don't think I could've finished without a playlist of some of the most rousing, inspiring video game music I know.

The race started at 8:00am in crisp 30 degree weather. My knee has been bugging me on and off for the last month or so, which interfered with my training for the race. I was little apprehensive starting out those first few miles. Around mile five I settled into a steady pace and the kinks in my joints stopped creaking. For the first few miles of the race I kept my headphones out and music off because I was trying to meet up and run with a friend (texting and running is hard). I enjoyed the serenity of the run and the rhythmic thrum of the other runners' feet that I decided to hold off on music. Then I decided I was going to earn the privilage of music by waiting to pop in my earbuds until I hit a literal milestone. Prior to the race the furthest I had ever ran was 16 miles, and I was determined to hold out on music until mile 17.

I was excited upon seeing the mile 17 marker for several reason. One, I was excited to to tape a troublesome toe to stop an impending blister dead in its tracks. Two, I wanted to pop some Ibuprofen to trick my body into completing the final nine-mile stretch. Finally, I busted out the earbuds and tossed on a playlist I originally pulled together for furious ping pong matches against Game Informer video producer Ben Hanson. Each of these songs played a key role in helping me slog past the finish line:

"One-Winged Angel" - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

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"Pokémon Main Theme" - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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"Gourmet Race" - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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Duke Nukem Grabbag Theme

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"Sonic 2 Boss Music" - Sonic Generations

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"Main Theme" - Bionic Commando: Rearmed

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"Goldenaxe Battlefield" - Megadriver

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"Metal Gear Solid Theme" - Metal Gear Solid

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"Decisive Battle Remix" - Final Fantasy VI

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"Mike Tyson's Punch Out!" - Minibosses

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Castlevania Travel Demon Medley

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"Guile's Theme" - Super Street Figher II Turbo HD Remix

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"Ballad of Little Slugger" - Super Meat Boy

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Mega Man 2 - Wily Stage 1 Dynamic Remix

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Courtyard Remix - Mortal Kombat

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Special Stage Music - Sonic Colors DS

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"Battle Scene" - Final Fantasy I

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"Main Theme" - Terminator 2 (Technically not video game music, but it makes everything you do feel super important)

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"Opened Way" - Shadow of the Colossus

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I just want to note that this is the music I finished my first marathon to. It is easily some of the most dire, epic music that I have ever had the pleasure to murder my body to. If I'm ever stupid enough to attempt 26.2 miles again, I think I could listen to this on loop the entire time and beat everyone.

Super Hexagon Is An Addictive Aural Treat

2012-09-25T22:45:00Z

Mobile games don't grab me often. I probably poured 7-8 hours into Infinity Blade, and really enjoyed my time with the game. Game Dev Story absolutely dominated my existence during a trip to Japan last year, as I logged clear over 20 hours in the sim. A new iOS game, developer by VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh, has sunk its hooks into me, and it's Super Hexagon. The game blends infectious, beat-driven chip-tunes with simple yet challenging gameplay.

The concept is simple: Dodge stuff while listening to good music. Tapping left and right on your iPhone or iPad's screen causes a little cursor to rotate around a central polygon. You time your movement around the piece of geometry in order to dodge incoming shapes and patterns. The music doesn't intentionally sync with the gameplay, but it helps you fall into a euphoric trance.

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Super Hexagon handles challenge perfectly. Like Super Meat Boy, defeat is met with an near-instant reloading of the level, allowing you to get back to it immediately. The music's constant thrum continues despite death, and entices players to keep going. At first, you'll be lucky to survive more than 20 seconds in a given level, which makes lasting over a minute supremely satisfying. Battling with your friends on the leaderboards is just as enticing as composer Chipzel's terrific tunes.

The game is a trippy, intoxicating combination of kaleidoscopic visuals and entrancing music that shouldn't be missed, Be sure to put on a pair of beefy headphones first, or you'll be missing out. I actually just received a message from a friend that they've beaten one of my high scores, so if you'll excuse me...

Overblood 1 & 2 Inspired Two Indie Games

2012-07-04T22:00:00Z

Replay has been a part of Game Informer's video line-up for over two years, and we've been blessed with a dedicated viewership. Our fans are awesome. Not only do they watch us play through gaming's greatest titles, but they also endure the worst of the worst alongside us. The best examples are our Super Replays of Overblood and Overblood 2. Overblood is riddled with absurd deaths and awful puzzle design, and Overblood 2 sports one of the worst combat systems and most meandering quests we've ever seen. Out of all that hilariously awful rubbish, one Game Informer fan/aspiring video game developer has taken each game's more interesting mechanics and developed games around them.

I ran into GI user TheodoricFriede at E3 2012 this year. We got to talking about Overblood, Replay, and games in general. He revealed that he's studying game design, and that our Super Replays of Overblood actually inspired two of his school projects. His first game, Caveman: The First Adventure, was developed in just two weeks and borrows Overblood's temperature mechanic. Remember when Wienerless Steve froze to death in the cryostasis room? Caveman incorporates that feature, but the player warms up by building a fire as opposed to finding a fashionable vest. Metamorphosism, a puzzle game, repurposes Overblood 2's water freezing and evaporating system. The player must freeze water to stop deadly whirlpools and melt ice to access doorways.

Hats off to TheodoricFriede for getting something out of Overblood besides wry laughs and wasted time.

Take a look at the games in action below:

Caveman: The First Adventure -

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Metamorphosis -

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This Resident Evil Fan Art Is Neat

2012-06-28T21:02:00Z

Today the official Resident Evil Facebook page shared a link to some very impressive, cutesy fan art of the series' main characters and monsters. Check out the huge roster and pick out your favorite. Mine is Claire's Bandersnatch dodge seen above.

The piece is by artist animefuzz. Click here to check out the art, then come back and tell me your favorite. The other highlights for me include Forest Speyer getting pooped on by a crow, and Leon baiting the Garrador into a pit.

Help Me Raise Money For Sick Kids Via The Extra Life Gaming Marathon

2012-06-12T16:45:00Z

So one of our new Game Informer interns, Jack Gardner, recently brought Game Informer Online's involvement in the Extra Life charity to my attention. He told me I could help raise money for sick kids by just playing video games for 24-hours. I have chosen to do this thing, but I need your help.

I have a goal to raise $500, and you can help make this happen by supporting me. All proceeds go directly to sick kids. Read more about joining forces with us here. I've chosen to support Minnesota's Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare.

I'm really looking forward to this. I know it's not for a flashy Guinness marathon or anything, but it's in exchange for helping people and being to play anything besides Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Borderlands 2, Dishonored, and Resident Evil 6 will all be out in time! I know one fellow Game Informer comrade, Jason Oestreicher, will be joining me. We're working on recruiting even more.

Thanks in advance to anyone kind enough to help. If you can't help monetarily, please assist me by sending along a link to this blog post.

Dr. Robotnik Has A Better Mustache Than Wily

2012-05-14T16:23:00Z

The people have spoken. The results are in. Dr. Ivo Robotnik has edged out Dr. Albert Wily for the most impressive facial whiskers.

What does it all mean? Well, the Game Informer community is clearly impressed with the volume of Dr. Robotnik's 'stache. I'd have to agree. Sonic's nemesis was modeled after Teddy Roosevelt, after all, a man with very famous nose. Wily is just an old, gray madman with some under-groomed lip foliage.

Perhaps more interesting is the "other" category, which netted more votes than Dr. Wily. So I'm turning it over to you, GI community - who has the gaming's best mustache?

Attention 8- & 16-Bit Music Fans, Listen To The Legacy Music Hour

2012-04-25T17:50:00Z

Last year Minnesota Public Radio launched its fantastic Top Score podcast, a show that explores modern game soundtracks and their composers. The show offers a wonderful window into the world of modern game music, but I was always left a little hungry for 8- and 16-bit tunes. Then Top Score host Emily Reese invited comedian and video game music aficionado Brent Weinbach onto the show to chat about retro game music. That episode offers Top Score listeners a crash course on classic game music, but it also introduced me to The Legacy Music Hour. Hosted by Brent and Rob F., The Legacy Music Hour is the definitive old school video game music podcast, and you need to listen to it.

If you watched our Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse episode of Replay guest-starring Brent Weinbach, then you’ve already heard me recommend The Legacy Music Hour. I’m back to remind you that over 70 terrific episodes of in-depth classic game discussion await your eager ears. Tons of old favorites and new jams are ready to leap through your headphones and into your brain.

Rob and Brent offer a variety of show topics. For one of their composer focuses they invite Kinuyo Yamashita to talk about her work on Castlevania, Mega Man X3, and more. Other episodes focus solely on a game series, game genre, or even music genres such as Mega Man, racing games, and funk music, respectively. Every week offers something different.

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This week’s episode focuses on Sunsoft, developer and publisher of games like Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Super Spyhunter, and Batman: Return of the Joker. Not only to Brent and Rob play and chat about their favorite Sunsoft tracks, they also invite retro game music know-it-all Bucky on to explain why Sunsoft’s NES games sound so unique. As a result, I've also began checking out Bucky's Retro Game Audio tumblr page for tons of great info and videos about classic console's audio tech.

That’s enough from me. Be sure to check out The Legacy Music or subscribe on iTunes. You won’t regret it. I’m regularly knocking out two or three episodes a week, and I haven’t tired of the delicious chip-music yet.

Behold The Greatest Video Game Music Medley Ever

2012-04-19T16:25:00Z

I was sold on talented musician Fredde Gredde the moment I heard his astounding Mega Man 9 medley, and his stunning Wind Waker Unplugged sealed my appreciation of his diverse instrumental skill. Now he's gone and outdone himself by arranging, playing, and posting video of the most outstanding, comprehensive video game medley I've ever heard.

Everything is here, from Shenmue, to Cave Story, to Bubble Bobble. Turn up your headphones and settle into that custom butt indentation on your computer chair, because you're in for a treat.

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I adored the entire video, but like it always does, the Metal Gear Solid theme sent shivers down my spine. Which part did you enjoy the most?

My Missing Castlevania Link: Falling In Love With Kid Dracula

2012-04-09T17:30:00Z

Konami’s cutesy vampire platformer has always been on the peripheral of my gaming radar. I had made a loose connection between the publisher’s iconic monster-mashing action game, Castlevania, but the relation remained tenuous to me until co-worker Kyle Hilliard emerged from the Game Informer vault holding the bright purple Game Boy box for Kid Dracula.

Then Kyle began reading off the back of the box:

“The most fun you can have with your cape on! His pearly fangs drive the girls wild, while his dead-of-the-party sense of humor makes them scream. He’s Kid Dracula, star of the mythical Transylvania 92010, and the coolest living corpse ever to stake his claim on Game Boy. If you thought Mario had a way with magic, you should see junior jugular’s spellbinding powers, including the mesmerizing bat transformations. Poof! Nobody wings it better than Kid Drac.”

Mid-'90s high-school drama references? Jabs at Mario? Junior Jugular? I couldn’t fight a smile from spreading across my face as Kyle described the game. It was settled – I would finish up my “Ranking the Castlevania Bloodline” list then go home and check out the game.

After a bit of research I realized that the connection between Kid Dracula and Castlevania is closer than you might immediately think. In Japan, Castlevania is called Devil’s Castle Dracula. Kid Dracula was initially released in Japan with the title Devil’s Castle Dracula: Kid Dracula. So, it technically would be called Castlevania: Kid Dracula in the West. While he’s described as the Count’s son, I have no idea if Kid Dracula is supposed to be Alucard, but I discovered he’s awesome in an entirely different way.

I plugged the GB cart into my GBA SP and was immediately charmed. I love the game’s terrific sense of humor. It always amused me how Death himself is Dracula’s right-hand man throughout the whole series, but in Kid Dracula this lackey role is even more evident and hilarious. Kid Dracula’s carefree, dismissive demeanor and bumbling bat sidekicks had me chuckling.

Kid Dracula greets you with a dreadfully sweet, upbeat version of “Beginning” from Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. The happy version of this classic Castlevania track perfectly matches the whole game’s chibi spoof on Castlevania. Cartoonish zombies, bats, Frankenstein’s Monster, and all manner of other familiar enemies try to stand in your way. Thankfully Kid Dracula’s projectile-based attacks are lot easier to wield than the Belmont’s family whip.

The boss fights are particularly enjoyable. Kid Dracula faces off with a little ghost in one battle, who runs off to tell his dad after getting trounced. After beating the bigger daddy ghost, that specter also runs off to tell his dad. A bearded geriatric ghost hobbles out holding a cane. The old ghost simply hobbles across the screen once and collapses due to fatigue. Outside of Metal Gear Solid 3’s fight with The End, this is the only time I’ve won a boss fight due to an enemy’s old age. I loved it. Another terrific encounter has Kid Drac fighting Jason Voorhees himself. This is easily the most adorable version of Jason to date. The little killer struggles to pull his ax from a log and even resorts to firing a gun at Kid Drac.

There are some terrific platforming bits as well. One scenario tasks Kid Dracula with walking across vines above a deadly chasm. The player must shoot the vine’s cartoony head to make it uncoil, all while protecting the plant from owls. If an owl grabs the vine’s sunglassed head, the vine will wither and it’s game over. Toss in the fun abilities to transform into a bat or walk on ceilings, and you’ve got a game that was ahead of its time.

The main goal is to defeat Garamoth, an intergalactic dragon alien thing. This ended up being one of my favorite Game Boy boss fights. Dodging the big bad guy’s lightning attacks then attempting to launch a fireball into his open mouth was a welcome challenge. I also liked finally making the connection between Kid Dracula’s Garamoth and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’s Galamaoth (mistranslation). Check out the picture below for two very different looks at what is essentially the same battle.

Kid Dracula is a brief, light-hearted look into Konami’s self-parodying sense of humor. There is also a more colorful, challenging Famicom Kid Dracula, but that adventure will have to wait for another day. Until then, I recommend this game for anyone with an appetite for polished handheld gems and an alternate look at the Castlevania universe. I absolutely adored my time as Kid Drac.

My Thoughts On Mass Effect 3's Ending

2012-04-02T22:35:00Z

Last night around 2:00am I finished Mass Effect 3 after weeks of dodging spoilers. As the credits rolled I absorbed everything I had done in the final pivotal moments of the game. I also reflected on all the controversy and general hullabaloo that has been stirred up by petitioners and angry fans since the game’s release. I’ve finally caught up on all the drama, and I have to say I’m happy with the ending.

Note: This blog post contains Mass Effect 3 spoilers.

An uncharacteristic tone of gruffness and desperation snuck into Shepard’s voice nearing the end of the game. Clearly, things were getting worse for the galaxy by the minute, and the strain was starting to show. None of that steady escalation could prepare me for how I felt when the Harbinger’s beam nearly wiped out everyone during that final push towards the beam connecting Earth to the Citadel. I was reminded of Solid Snake’s arduous trek through the microwave corridor at the end of Metal Gear Solid 4, but with all the added emotional weight of the Mass Effect series’ remarkable story. Shepard was in rough shape, and watching the normally stoic commander so bloodied and battered stirred in me a fear that I had screwed something up and the galaxy would suffer because of it.

The Illusive Man’s appearance at the Crucible control panel was a bit of a surprise, but given the sneaky jerk knew the Citadel was the catalyst for the Crucible, I guess I was expecting him to show up at some point. The indoctrinated Cerberus boss pressed Shepard hard to make him see why controlling the Reapers was a better solution than destroying them, but I squeezed every last drop of paragon juice I’d been accumulating across three games to make that *** shoot himself in the head. The Illusive Man has stood as one the most stubborn, deluded characters in the Mass Effect universe since ME 2, and the fact that I had become so charismatic and persuasive that he committed suicide because of my words was a powerful feeling.

The introduction of the “god child” character at the very end of the game was a twist I didn’t see coming. The wispy image of the dead child that haunted Shepard did wonders for explaining the Reapers purpose to me, and what exactly my options were. I boarded the Citadel with the intent to finish off the Reapers, and I committed to achieving that goal despite the cost of destroying all synthetic life. I thought about Edi, Legion, and the entire Geth population before making this decision. It sucked, but it seemed like the best option. How long would Shepard be able to control the Reapers if I had went with the blue ending, and isn’t it unfair to push synthetic hybridization onto all sentient life? I understand that destroying synthetics may seem brutal, but let’s face it – they’re not alive. That’s how I rationalized it, anyway.

I enjoyed the rest of the end sequence as well, from Joker fleeing from the mass relay explosions to the enigmatic epilogue of an old man telling stories of “The Shepard” to his son. I love the prospect of the Normandy crew having to start over on a lush jungle planet. Joker, Garrus, Liara, and the rest of the crew are damned heroes, and would be fantastic leaders for a new civilization. And that’s just the Normandy crew – think of all the Quarians, Turians, Humans, and the rest stuck in our solar system. What will happen to them? Will they be able to nurture Earth back to health after the Reapers razed it? I love pondering the wealth of questions raised by the end of Mass Effect 3, and the implications it has for future games in the series.

That brings us to an inevitable point: there are many who are unhappy with these loose ends. I’m not here to try and discount those opinions, but I think we’ll be slipping into dangerous territory if Bioware changes too much of the ending with extra content or an update. Some of my favorite films and novels conclude in uncertainty, with outcomes that are open to interpretation. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Joel and Ethan Coen’s A Serious Man, and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks all come to mind. Would it be right to change those endings because a vocal crowd of dissenters didn’t dig them? Like Mass Effect 3, I enjoyed every moment I spent with these tales, and the experience was made even richer because of the discussions fostered by their ambiguity. I’m proud to see how carefully fans have nit-picked the conclusion, and I hope those dedicated folks found some joy while on their crusade to get things changed. Few video game universes are worthy of such investment, and analyzing them so closely can make you appreciate them even more.

An ending as polarizing and controversial as Mass Effect 3 has merit. How many other game endings have gotten so many people all talking at once? A good story is meant to evoke emotion. Sometimes that feeling is uncertainty or sadness. While those feelings are generally thought of negatively, an ending isn’t automatically bad because it made you feel them. Unhappy endings can be done well. I feel Bioware managed to evoke these feelings in an interesting, worthwhile way. I’m sad about Shepard and the vulnerable state of the galaxy, but I don’t feel cheated. Across three games I saved an entire species, led a flawless suicide mission, ended a long-running war in peace, and destroyed the Reapers. In my eyes, it’s been a damned fine adventure, and I wouldn’t trade my ending for anything.

Dodging Mass Effect 3 Spoilers At Game Informer

2012-03-30T21:48:00Z

Like many of you fine folks, I do everything I humanly can to keep up with all the awesome games continually vying for our attention. Most gamers find no trouble carving out hours upon hours of time to play awesome triple-A releases like Mass Effect 3. Heck, not more than a day passed before the first Mass Effect fans began crying out about the ending of the game. So what are gamers who’ve had a busy couple weeks supposed to do while the masses of gamers organize petitions and raise money in an effort to get Bioware to change the ending? We try to finish the damned thing as quickly as possible without getting anything spoiled. But that can be much easier said than done, especially when you’re me.

Note: This blog post contains no spoilers.

My job at Game Informer requires me to remain plugged in to social networks and keep an eye on the gaming news landscape. With a controversial game like Mass Effect 3 out in the wild, browsing /gaming on Reddit or reading a Tweet becomes a gamble. I’m left wondering how long it’s going to be until the first nugget of game-spoiling information is going to sully the suspense of my adventures as Commander Shepard.

As if this isn’t bad enough, every day someone new arrives at the Game Informer office wearing a big, shiny “I beat Mass Effect 3 last night” badge. I’ve already had to plug my ears and run out of the room screaming “ah la la la la!” like a dozen times, lest I find out Shepard ends up fighting Darth Revan on the back of a space dragon or something. Seriously, in my nearly three years at GI it’s never been this bad.

Now, I’ll admit that I’ve slipped up in this department, having accidentally spoiled the ending of Red Dead Redemption for Joe Juba. But I’ve learned an important lesson since then: don’t spoil crap. One should be hyper-sensitive when discussing a game plot around folks who may not have finished it yet. I don’t care if ME 3’s ending is such a hot topic right now, it’s been out less than a month. It’s not open season yet.

Instead, I’ve found the tables turning on me. I’ve become the target of some hostility in the office because I haven’t been able to pass the finish line yet. I don't want to name names, but I will: Jeff Cork. Yes, I wish I could spend more time seducing Miranda (I know, I should have stuck with Liara) and blasting away at Cerberus, but my playthrough was handicapped from the start having been at GDC the week of the game’s release.

Excuses, excuses, I know. But for the first time ever in my life, I’m being looked at as a villain for cutting spoilery conversations short. What is the world coming to? One day folks will be putting the kibosh on revealing conversations, then after finishing it the very same night will come into work the next day and roll their eyes at me when I try to do the same thing. Hypocrisy is running rampant here.

Anyway, I’m on course to finally finish the game this weekend. Under normal circumstances I’d say I’m most excited to see where this amazing series ends up, but all the hullabaloo surrounding the game’s finale has been hyped to a fever pitch, and I’m doubting it can live up to my expectations. I’m can’t wait to stop dodging spoilers.

In hindsight, I clearly should have just faked my death and finished up the game right away.

Phew, anyway, that was the most rant-tastic post I’ve ever fired up here, so congratulations to me, and to you for having read it.