The lights are on
Is it just me or does it seem ridiculous that to download a copy of a first run game costs just as much as a physical copy? I mean, with the physical copy part of the price is the box, the cost of shipping to your store, any included booklets, and even the cost of the materials of the disc iteslf.
As both a parent and long time gamer, I am starting to see the gaming world in a somewhat new light. And while this doesn't discourage me, it has made me reevaluate the games and systems I try to keep in my home. My son seems to idolize most of what I do and since I play A LOT of video games, naturally he wants to also. What I'm trying to get at, is that other than some arcade games and Cars the Game, which he loves, most of the games today are either inappropriate for a 4-year old or too complicated for him to get. And as a parent who wants his child to get the most out of something we can both enjoy, this kind of angers me. At one time I owned all three systems, and even the Wii doesn't have any kind of game that is garnered for maturing kids who want to play games with their parents. I found a couple back when for the PS2 but since then it seems like people think kids are born with a game control attached at the wrist. I fully encourage any parent who wants their kids to game because it does help build skills and can be educational while fun at the same time. Mainly I wish we could reach out to Publishers and Developers about the children out there with parents who don't let them do things like play Halo at 3. Make some games that people feel comfortable letting their impressionable child sit down with and enjoy, while possibly making it enjoyable for an adult ( who I believe personally should be present anytime a game is on for a younger gamer) to enjoy with them. If you take the time to read this, then I thank you for your time and candor. Feel free to comment if you have children who game as well.
With PSN releasing all the greatest Playstation One games as digital downloads, it makes me glad I kept up my collection all these years. Games that haven't made it out to the PSN yet like the Lunar games, Xenogears, and even my old playstation copy of Final Fantasy tactics. Not to mention Tekken 3, Metal Gear Solid, Parasite Eve and Resident Evil 2. I personally am pleased that I kept up with all those games because it seems that as the PS3 base grows they are focusing more on the past and less on getting all the new exclusives. And ironically that seems to be fine with Sony fans. Most of what I hear when I start talking about the PS3 is that everyone is waiting for either an emulator for the systems that lost backwards-compatibility, or PS2 games to come to the PSN so they can enjoy their favorite games of the past couple of years. All I can say is that for me this is a dream come true as my childhood in gaming is coming back to the next generation and closing that gap that separates us. Bravo for all the corporations and developers who are pushing for this renaissance of gaming that is taking us forward while building on gamings roots. Bravo indeed!
I know most of these have probably been covered elsewhere, but my major complaints with Video Gaming today are many. Here is a small list of what bothers me most.
I know in this day and age its all about online play and co-op its self is on the rise. But what I don't understand is why they offer less split-screen online and in most cases split-screen at all. My wife and I both enjoy a lot of the same games like World at War and COD4:MW and even some others like Halo 3. and so far only Halo has an online split-screen offering. I know that its probably a lot to ask but id even pay extra for it to be DLC like a map pack or something, as long as it means that I can share the games I love with the people I love without breaking myself trying to provide an extra tv, Xbox360, copy of the game, and all the assorted paraphernalia that would be required. We both pay for Xbox Live and we have our console, two controls and one copy of the game. Shouldn't that be enough for our mutual enjoyment? When will what used to be the norm come back and ease our financial pains in this rough economy?
It seems like they have started taking longer and longer between Final Fantasy games lately, and I can only wonder, "Is this time gonna be the one that puts the series back where it belongs? Is Final Fantasy 13 going to make me love the series all over again?". And personally I can't help but shudder slightly at the thought of them taking 5 years on this game only to have it disappoint me as bad as the last installment did. So far the graphics are beyond anything I've ever imagined; it looks more like the movies; but you cant carry a game on sweet graphics. As Square gets more ambitious and the price of games goes up, I as a father can't help but ask myself if this time I shouldn't wait and get the game till the price drops. But as a gamer and a true fan of the series, all of me screams pre-order and get the special edition if there is one, so we can finish the game as soon as possible, because it is a Final Fantasy and there is no way Square would bomb on you twice in row Right??? RIGHT?????? Petty desires and stresses, to say the least but this is what keeps me up when everything else goes away.
One thing I began to notice when I was a kid was how great it is everywhere late at night. Here where I am everything slows and gets quiet and the world seems almost peaceful. It helps quiet my mind and refresh my body like the sun never could. I suffer from imsomnia to begin with and just always wonder why it seems that the world would be better place if everyone else did too, just so they can enjoy the beauty of a late night. After all snuggles happen late at night better tv is usually on if you have cable, and you never have to wait in line at the grocery store cause not many people are out. I realize as I say this that if everyone was up at night it would take away what I cherish but it seems to me that if more people experienced what I do as I lie awake staring into infinity that maybe the people who need it would find something to bring a little bit more of what they are looking for into their lives.
Im happy that a site that actually has people who truly share my biggest interest now have a place free from myspace and the other social sites to come and voice our opinions and desires and complaints about what amounts to a passion for most here. I finally feel like I can reach out and connect to some sort of community that understands my driving force in life. And this blog here is a place where I can state what I am thinking and most who read it dont need to have my ideas explained to them with a powerpoint presentation and a copy of elmo goes to pc school. Thank god for small favors and great work GameInformer
How can they call it the Cartoon Network anymore when it is falling prey to live action and reality tv? I personally am partial to cartoons and hate reality television. But regardless when cartoon network aired it was a safe haven for children who loved animation, and now its turning into a haven for tweens and the aging generation it was created for back when and is shifting its paradigm to keep up with its changing tastes. What's next the evening news? Cops? God forbid, STAR TREK????? THE HUMANITY!!!!! Lets start seeing a little more truth in advertising and get back to what you where created for cartoon network, which is animation in all its glorious forms.
Why does it seem like hand-held gamers get snubbed when it comes to great releases? Most of the really great games for hand-helds are either re-releases of older console games or spin-offs of the same crop. Take most of the PSP's greatest games so far, Crisis Core (Final Fantasy 7), Gran Turismo, Ratchet & Clank, Castlevania Bloodlines, or even Killzone and Tomb Raider. The last one I mentioned isn't a re-release or spin-off but a cheaper release of a game meant for the home console that doesn't always have the same flash as the big brother games. I just wonder why it seems like Nintendo is one of the few that seem to grasp what to give to people who want something for a road trip or travel that can be original and fun to play. After all if nothing else it seems to me that handhelds could be the big testing ground for new IPs and groundbreaking genres since the games seem to be made cheaper if final price in the store is any indication. If this is the case I personally am all for a new handheld revolution that could lead to new and fresh ideas and perspectives for my home console experience. And best of all it means no more CAR BINGO on the way home for the holidays!
A lot of my real friends and even my family mock my friends from xbox live the PSN or even just the plain old internet but i don't get the stigma attached to having friends in a virtual space. Its not like we are crazy or even just mentally ill. I met my wife through a mutual friend on yahoo messenger. So why in this changing world are people who reach out and make a support network or people who never have to meet in person and usually have more in common than 90% of the people you know or meet in person with you treated the same way we still treat people who have things like auditory and visual hallucinations? This bugs me in quite a bad way and I think people, especially gamers who have made so many online communities, should take a stand and make the masses realize that just because you haven't seen someone doesn't meant that you don't have a friend!