Your experiences with Video Games: Ant Dahl

This week I'm back with another interview about experiences with video games!, I'm really happy with how this is going so far and have been pleased with the amount of people who wish to be involved. One of the first to ask to be included was Ant Dahl who is one of the hosts of one of my favourite podcasts The Fortuna Podcast. I think I first started speaking to Ant shortly after letting him know that I enjoyed the podcast that he and Marshall put together and from there we discovered we were both in to the same sort of things as well as big fans of flannel shirts.

Shortly after Ant and Marshall were kind enough to invite me on their podcast which I really enjoyed even if it does require me to be up pretty late/early. I've been on since which you can check out here!
I actually got the opportunity to meet them both when I went to California to attend Gamedays 2015 in Anaheim and we had a blast even if we didn't get to hang out for as long as I'd hoped it was just nice to meet someone you admire and shoot the shit a bit. 

Ant and Marshall both speak in depth about video games amongst other things on their podcast so I'm really pleased to be talking to one of the Yankee-doodle double threat this week and I hope you enjoy the interview!

What were your first experiences with video games?
Some of my first experiences with video games came from playing games with my Dad as a kid. It's odd really because I remember having both a Nintendo and a Super Nintendo at that age, but my memories come from the times I played games like Donkey Kong Country with my Dad. We used to sink a lot of time playing the Super Mario Bros All Star Pack for Super Nintendo as well. But I also have these memories of playing this weird coloring game for the NES, where you colored pictures of Dinosaurs. It was terrible but I used to spend so much time with it. I have a bunch of memories that I can’t place in the right spots.

When do you feel you got in to video games as a hobby?
You know, I'm not entirely sure. It probably stems from getting Pokemon Red and Blue for the Gameboy. So this was somewhere around 1998 I believe. I had never been so sucked into a video game at that point in my life. As an 8 year old I was constantly trying to figure how to finish things quicker than normal so I could soak more time into them. I started waking up for school an hour earlier so I could get ready and have an extra hour to try and catch a Pidgey or some bullshit. 

I played the playstation 2 all throughout Middle School (6^th- 8^th grade in the states). I fell out of video games throughout high school until I got a Wii my senior year specifically for Smash Bros Brawl. But other than that, I probably didn't start looking at games as a hobby until I got the Xbox 360 when I graduated high school. But Pokemon was definitely the jumping off point for me. 

What are some of your favourite games and why?
Two of my favourites really stand out to me because of their cinematic qualities. I absolutely love film and if a game has a cinematic quality, I can easily be drawn into it.

I'm a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series. Those games are brought up in every day discussions with me. They're just so dense with information and things to question that if I have a moment to talk to somebody about metal gear in depth, then I'm stoked. I think my favorite out of the series is Snake Eater. That was really the peak of the story for me, I think about the writing and the story constantly and how genius it was. Especially since it was a PS2 game.

The original Bioshock was one of the most immersive experiences I've ever had with a video game. I had never felt like I was so apart of a world before. There was so much to explore and the way it unfolded stories of characters that weren’t central to the plot really struck a chord for me. It helped that it incorporated a lot of horror elements into the game. I'm such a sucker for horror games even though I'm easily scared.

Another important favorite of mine is Pokemon Red and Blue. I got them as a gift from my grandmother very shortly before she passed away and they have always been some of the most sentimental games to me. Like I said earlier, I changed my life to revolve around those games and now whenever a new instalment comes out, I take the day off just to play it. When Pokemon X and Y came out, I put 12 hours into it on the day it came out.

Just to name a few other favorites Donkey Kong Country, Super Smash Bros, Red Dead Redemption, Hotline Miami, A Link Between Worlds, Bloodborne, and Mega Man X. I think some favorites that will surprise some people are Tony Hawks Undergound 2, and Parappa The Rapper. This by far was the most difficult question, because my favorites change so often. 

What game has the best soundtrack to you and why, do you feel music is important in a game? 
Hotline Miami had a soundtrack for a video game that changed the way I look at video game soundtracks. The Phantom Pain has an incredible collection of music in the game. The Tony Hawk series has always had a great soundtrack. Except the most recent one that one was shit in every way.

Most vivid video game memory?
I was in first grade when this happened. My dad once called a Necky in Donkey Kong Country a “fucking prick” and I asked him what that meant and his response was “that thing”. So I went to catholic school the next day and called some kid that annoyed me a “prick” and got in a ton of trouble over it. My dad and I still laugh about to this day.

What are you playing currently?
I generally try to play one game at a time because I absolutely hate starting a game and never finishing it. I kind of look at it like not finishing a movie or not finishing a book. Once I start something I have to finish it. But I'm in between semesters right now so I'm playing way too many games. 

I'm mostly focusing on Dark Souls II: Scholars of the First Sin, but I’m also playing Yoshi's Woolly World, Black Ops 2, Amplitude, and I'm slowly burning through Until Dawn.

What is the most obscure game or rarest game you own?
In terms of most obscure, I have this game called Incredible Crisis for the first PlayStation. I think its original name is Todemo Crisis. It's this super weird collection of these super difficult mini-games. Any time I bring it up to someone, the usual response is that they've never heard of it. It's a ton of fun though and it’s really funny. 

As far as rarest games, I don't have many, but I have a few. A while back I scored a copy of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for 20 bucks. I have a sealed copy of Super Empire Strikes Back. I don't think that game is rare by any means, but I've never taken it out of the box. I have an original copy of Manhunt before it was pulled from shelves and given an AO rating. 

Unfortunately I went through a period of my life where I sold a good portions of my games off, so I don't have a lot of the games that I used to own that would be considered rare and being a college student constantly leaves me broke. When I do have money, I often choose to put it towards traveling to meet up with friends or check out newer games.

What about video game memorabilia
I need to stop buying Amiibos.

Physical or digital?
Physical all the way. I can't believe there's actually debate about this. Even if I buy a game digitally I will make it an effort to get a physical copy down the road. I think with the most recent Konami scandal with P.T. it should showcase the risk of buying a digital copy of anything. You can own it one day and it could disappear the next. 

Was there ever a genre or series of games you were adamant you would not get in to but ended up enjoying?
I’m not entirely sure it’s a genre, but the “Souls” series was something that I thought would be the dumbest series of games, but I cant stop playing them. I’m not a huge fan of RPGs to begin with and the attitude that people carry about these games can be super annoying. But as of late, they are some of the most fulfilling games I’ve played.

What was the best co op experience you had?
Portal 2 had a co-op mode that was co-op in the truest sense of the word. I spend most of my time playing single player games so I haven’t played many co-op games. I played The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Adventures on my own and I’ve even played through most of Triforce Heroes on my own.

If you were to have kids would you want them to be in to video games and what would you have them start with?
I thought about this question before and I’m never sure of the answer. I think I’d like to take the approach that my dad did with me. We played so many great games together when we were younger and that was a stepping-stone for me to explore new games. But now a ton of games don’t include split screen co-op because games have become so technically advanced since the Super Nintendo. I think it would be super cool to have those bonding moments.

But on the other hand I’d want my kid to hate video games. I’m not trying to raise a loser or anything.

Do you feel you'll always be playing games in some form?
Unfortunately.

What's a game series you feel is under appreciated? 
Garrett Hunter from Mega64 talks about The Legacy of Kain series every so often and its always met with strange looks or it illicit the response of “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Soul Reaver and Blood Omen were such phenomenal games for the PS1 and PS2. I actually wish they would bring back that series. Soul Reaver 2 was also the first game that I played that had a long cut scene in the beginning of the game that I couldn’t skip and it sort of taught me that video games can be a great platform to tell stories.

Has there ever been a spin off of a series you've enjoyed more than the original series?
Technically Rock Band, but Metal Gear Rising takes the cake for sure on this one. It is so infuriating listening to people drone on about how much they hate Metal Gear Rising because “it ruined metal gear solid” or how “its not a stealth game this is bullshit”. All of that because they couldn’t read the games title to see that it wasn’t a Metal Gear Solid game. Of course its okay to dislike the game for valid reasons, but dismissing it for not being a “solid” game is bullshit. I don’t necessarily like Rising better than Solid, but that game is incredibly gratifying.

Now I know you're a big fan of Movies, Video Game movies have a bad wrap so is there any video game movie you actually enjoy, has there ever been a movie tie-in game you've enjoyed?
I actually have this really sick morbid curiosity when it comes to movie tie in games. Because I know those games have to be complete shit, but that cant be completely broken. I’ve actually had an idea for a series of videos based on movie tie in games that I eventually want to work on.

But to answer the question, there are tons of movie licensed in games and a ton of TV licensed games that I love. I think a lot of them come from the SNES era, but there are still some great ones. Toy Story 1 and 2 both have incredible games to accompany those films. There’s a Pagemaster game that I think is a ton of fun as well. You know, the movie where Macaulay Culkin gets sucked into a book by a wizard? The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie game was so much fun as well. Star Wars has several great games. I think movie tie in games have a bad reputation, but there are some solid ones there. 

What series are you connected with the most?
This is a weird split, but Metal Gear Solid (series) and Pokemon. Pokemon for the reasons I’ve already stated, but Metal Gear for how in depth those games are. Metal Gear Solid just hits me hard with the story and its game play. These games have actually taught me to be extremely patient in video games. I mean, certainly the story of the series has had its ups and downs, but I think the thread of MGS has always been there. The fact that I’m able to carry on hour-long conversations about different theories of what’s happening in these games, should say a lot about how connected I am with these games.

How do rhythm games fare since their resurgence?  
Rhythm games are one of my favorite genres of games. If you’re making a rhythm game, chances are you have to have a dope soundtrack, your game play requires you to think fast and put your hand to eye coordination to the test. Amplitude was just “rereleased” for the PS4 and that alone should show people that rhythm games don’t have to be clones of Rock Band. I love Rock Band, but in that whole 5-year span where everyone had their hand in the “plastic guitar rock music” pot, it became super saturated and boring. 

Now there are games like Crypt of the Necrodancer, Amplitude, Elite Beat Agents, Bit Trip, and even Guitar Hero has understood that these games need a drastic change or need to be drastically different from their competitors to stand alone. Rock Band really tapped into best of the genre and now others need to figure out how to make it their own.

I hope that now that they’re returning that it’s a regular genre of games. Playstation is testing waters to see if people have an interest in Parappa the Rapper by releasing the sequel for the PS4 (which I hope spawns a third game). I hope rhythm games are here to stay. I think they have a shot. Even some of the Tony Hawk games have felt like rhythm games to me at times.

I feel like you secretly knew I had an undying love for rhythm games, and that’s why this question is here. I like this question.

Are there any areas or stories you wish were explored more in games
Dark Souls and Bloodborne have such vast worlds to explore in games that I know I’ll never get to all of those areas. I wish I had more time to go back through Bloodborne and explore more of Cainhurst Castle or the Upper Cathedral Ward, maybe even some of the chalice dungeons. I just don’t have that much time to devote to completing games. Once I’m done with a story, I like to move on to the next.

What game are you most excited for in 2016
Dark Souls 3 for sure. That is hands down the most anticipated games for me this year. But I’m also really excited for The Legend of Zelda Wii U, Ratchet and Clank, hopefully Rise of the Tomb Raider hits PS4 this year, Yooka-Laylee, The Last Guardian, and I’m sure there will be a few more down the road.

How do you feel about video games currently?
I think we’re in a fine state of video games. I think a lot of people get wrapped up in the politics of games a bit too much. Some I find to be incredibly understandable, but then there’s shit like Gamergate where I’m ready to check out. There just seems to be such an incredible sense of entitlement to people who use the word “gamer” to describe themselves that just straight up grosses me out. And that falls on both ends of the spectrum as well. I totally understand and support people that want better things in their games, such as portrayal of women and minority characters. Certainly not all of that is done properly or the way that I would go about discussing it, but I would rather support that than support a group of man-children calling in death threats because a woman spoke ill of the a game they probably mildly like.

Games can be complete shit and handle things poorly, but those things get recognized for being piss poor and eventually get weeded out. At the end of the day the video games I’m playing are fucking fun as hell and if that has indication of the state of games, then I suppose that means we’re doing something right.

Where do you feel video games will go in the future?
I’m excited to see what people do with the VR that isn’t virtual porn games. I think since I’ve been playing video games since I was around 3 or 4 years old that games have only gotten better, that they can only get better. I think we’re on the right track to make that happen. I hope video games become more accessible to more people and that they become learning tools teach kids moral and life lessons. I hope that they become more cinematic and really showcase how powerful a story telling medium it can be, more so than it already has. I hope they become more inclusive to women and minorities. Other wise they belong in the trash. 

 

I just wanted to thank Ant for this in depth interview and also for his and Marshall's work in putting together a really entertaining podcast that you should totally check out! Fortuna podcast returns on Wednesday the 26th with episodes generally coming out every Wednesday, be sure to follow their Tumblr linked above for updates or Ant on Twitter.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt: Episode 1 (2015)

This week I thought I'd go back to Anime as Gundam has had a few releases I need to catch up on, it seems the franchise has been going at light speed recently with multiple Anime releases one after another and OVAs on the side every few months, It kind of worries me in some respects because while I have enjoyed each entry I have viewed so far back in the early to mid 90s the franchise had one series after another non stop and this generally fatigued audiences and made the last of these series, Gundam X suffer with a huge amount of episodes cut.

The latest entry is Gundam Thunderbolt in the format of a four part OVA series which will be released every few months. This entry is interesting as it was originally a Manga with the same name produced by Yasuo Ohtagaki in March of 2012. It's actually still going now which makes me wonder if this series will differ from the Manga or just go in its own direction. The first episode aired on the 25th of December 2015 and has been praised by many.

The series' plot is actually very similar if not the same to the original series as in many ways it is a retelling of that show. The year is again 0079 in the Universal Century and the war between Zeon and the Earth Federation has again been raging. This is the same war, the same factions and pretty much the same ideologies at play, but this is not set in the same universe as that show or any other it is very much its own self contained show.

There seems to be an attention to detail throughout the episode which I suppose is warranted as it is only a very short piece of animation compared to a usual OVA. The scenery is very dark and industrial as are the mobile suits themselves, it really shows that is a war and not a particularly nice one at that. The battlefield is not just dark because it's set in space it's full of the derbies of not only previous battles but of now uninhabited colonies.

This is a theme in the Universal Century where those living in space seem to suffer, the destruction of a colony is the destruction of all life in that sector so really hits home the nature of this war without actually showing you what happened. The amount of derbies really greys out the battlefield but has its uses in that it provides cover for snipers and also multiple objects to dodge when flying at high speed, this can of course be a negative or positive to the pilot but it does make for some interesting scenes.

As I mentioned this episode is only around seventeen or so minutes long, I don't really think this is a negative thing though, it keeps it concise and to the point, there was no scene that I felt was particularly unnecessary and no scene felt like it went longer than it needed to, the plot flowed pretty well although there was not really an in depth look at what was going on. I think what you need to bare in mind while watching this is it's more an advertisement for the Manga which is still ongoing, I don't really feel as though we're going to get some in depth plot as the show goes on for a further three episodes but I could be wrong.

This series generally feels like a war, everything is dark the scenarios and scenery are bleak, the conditions of the ships are super cramped much like in real life and the monotony of the suits launching is much like the almost cog-like format of real military vehicles rolling out. There seems to be nothing flashy about the way in which the suits launch (other than the Gundam) and I really like that, usually it's a big song and dance every time a suit launches in Gundam.

It's interesting as Zeon who is generally portrayed as the 'big bad' of much of the original series time line is so far portrayed as just another side of the coin in that they have suffered losses too, their conditions are much the same as the Federations and their side has dealt with a lot of tragedy from the start. I'd almost argue that Zeon seem more victimised this time around as the majority of the soldiers have artificial limbs from previous battles and they're the only ones who focus on the death of their comrades.

I suppose this series is an alternate take on the original story but so far there has been no focus on certain areas of the original series, the only mentions so far are the two factions, I like that though because in your head you can treat this as you like, you can have it as another battle during the original series if you'd like or just treat it as something totally unrelated and standalone.

I think a big stand out part of this episode was the music, it was only for a few short moments but the main character tends to listen to Jazz music, kind of like what you'd expect from Cowboy Bebop in some respects but much faster, now I've seen pretty much every Gundam series and I don't ever remember there being any Jazz or at least a focus on it to this degree. It's a nice change actually and it's become a part of Io's character as he informs his enemies that as soon as they hear Jazz they better run because he's coming for them.

Although there was only one proper battle scene within the episode I felt it was really entertaining, it focused on a number of Federation suits flying into a heavily littered debris field while trying to locate the enemy. What they didn't know was that the enemy consisted of snipers with high powered weaponry. Needless to say the federation suits were totally destroyed save for a few, almost effortlessly at that, it shows what was mentioned in the original series that the Federation were suffering.

Io as a character is quite fresh to the franchise. He is an utter daredevil as he seems to live for the thrill of the battle, he seems to speed through the battlefield with no regard for the debris around him that claimed the lives of some of his comrades during the battles. He's also very sarcastic and quite funny when insulting the music taste of the enemy when stealing their mobile suits. I like his attitude really he seems unafraid to die and almost quite sadistic in his methods, he honestly feels more like a villain at this point than a protagonist.

I think the use of Io flanking the entirety of Zeons forces and jacking a suit after headshoting the pilot with a standard pistol was brutal yet shows again that Io is not your squeaky clean protagonist and this is war, war is hell for every side.

I absolutely adore the designs of the mobile suits in this show, I had actually bought one of the model kits back when it was only Manga because of this. Generally this series just takes existing suits from the original series but tweaks them in such a way that they remain faithful to their classic look but also have these exaggerated features.

What I mean by this is the base of the suit is the same it looks pretty much the same as its original series counterpart but once you begin adding weapons to it it becomes this heightened version of itself, be it by having huge guns, multiple shields or beefy armour. I also like that this series makes the suits feel more like something belonging to the military rather than a kids robot show. the colours seem more akin to military aircraft or machinery and they also have relevant markings, decals and general wear and tear.

If you're familiar with the franchise as a whole you know they are trying to sell models, they always seem to tweak the original Gundams design ever so slightly in order to sell another model of their flagship suit. This time around the lead Gundam actually feels different enough to warrant a new model to me it's so far removed from what it is based on it's quite refreshing.

I think my favourite scene is when the Gundam first launches and we're treated to a first person point of view shot of the Zaku it absolutely decimates, this scene is really great at conveying the power of the Gundam as the way the zaku moves in first person is like a struggling unarmed person scared for their life, something that is never really done in Gundam.

I feel like this was a good entry in the series so far as it did enough differently in the short amount that it had to make it stand out, the soundtrack the animation and the mobile suit designs are all pretty unique to this show, especially in the way that they are matched. At this point however I feel as though this was a show to promote a Manga and some model kits that had already been out for a few years. This is fine but also bitter-sweet because I believe that even if the West gets this series I believe it will end on a cliffhanger for the Manga to finish.

With the Wests track record for bringing over Gundam Manga I feel that unless a group online begin to translate the Manga then Western fans of this series may never really have the experience of finishing this series without looking up a written synopsis online in a few years time, this kind of bums me out if it is indeed the case.

For someone who has never really watched Gundam I would say this series will probably be a nice easy ride to start with if the first episode is anything to go by, I say this because it's self contained while remaining true to the themes of the original series, beautifully animated and has so decently choreographed fight scenes so far.

The short length of this series' episodes is also a huge bonus to someone new to the franchise, it's only roughly 15 minutes an episode so it's not really much to sit yourself down for, this would make it pretty easy to make a decision on before you've used up too much of your time only to find that halfway through you don't enjoy it.

Overall I think this format has been quite beneficial so far, it's a story that usually would only be told in a Manga that the West would never get and perhaps a few models from the series would appear, but there are so many Manga side stories in this franchise, some quite good  and some downright bizzare but this series shows that they can be animated and used to sell more model kits even if they length of the show is quite short.

The thought of this is really exciting to me and I hope Sunrise and Bandai take advantage of this, it really wouldn't hurt them to do so and would be way better to me to have a short series rather than no animated representation at all. I wonder how this series will fare overall when it's over and I wonder if this will perhaps tip the balance for Sunrise and make them more open to trying new things with their franchise.

Your experiences with Video Games: Liam Gardner

This week I wanted to continue with the focus on experiences with video games as I had a lot of fun writing up that fucking essay of a post last time, however I thought about getting others involved in it so that I could get not only a more varied look at other peoples beginnings with video games but also to see how similar they may be to my own and who better to start with than my best friend and forever Co-op partner Liam (who some of you may have met at Gamedays last year!).

I think Liam has been my longest friend ever since we were around 13 years old in high school, I think we first started talking about video games and Dragonball when we met so we were probably a good match from the get go, I was more in to single player games at the time but he convinced me to get an Xbox 360 with Halo 3 and from there we'd play most multiplayer games together.

That's kind of died down a little now as we're both busier with work and things and I've began to focus more on the PS4 and single player games again but we always make time for Halo at the very least, he's probably more in to games than me currently but let's see why that is!

What were your first experiences with video games?

The first time I ever played a game was Alex Kidd in Miracle World on the master system, my memories of it are very vague other than I remember playing it, the first game I remember vividly enjoying and playing was Super Mario All Stars on the SNES the sounds the colours it was all so engrossing to me as a child, I didn't know it then but video games were going to become a major part of my life and I will always have Super Mario on SNES to thank/blame for that.

When do you feel you got in to video games as a hobby?

The cliché answer people seem to always give is that I was playing the game with my parents and it was a bonding experience that stuck with me for life. Its not a bad answer because it was playing games with my Father and Brother that really got me hooked on them, I'd say it was around about the time I got my very own Gameboy Color (lime green is best colour) along with a copy of Pokemon Blue (best version) the hours I spent on that game could no doubt have been used for something 'more productive' but to me as a 7 year old the best use of my time was Pokemon, you could go outside and climb a tree or spend your time recruiting weird new creatures and going on an adventure unmet with what I could achieve in reality.

My brother had a copy of Red which only increased the appeal this sibling competition continues to this day, from the Gameboy colour to the new generation and is a major component of why video games have stuck with me for so long.

What are some of your favourite games and why?

My all time favourite games is something that changes so frequently its hard to pin down.

I'll go ahead and make a list of the top 3 and give my reasons why.

1 : Ocarina of Time - About 10% nostalgia but this game is often labelled as one of if not the greatest of all time and with good reason, playing it again on 3ds  only solidified this choice, the sense of adventure is grand, the characters are all charming and unique and oh god that music, especially that of The Lost Woods.

2: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The perfect spy game

The perfect James Bond game

The perfect Metal Gear game

Have you ever eaten a tree frog?

3 : Halo 3

Two words, Custom Games.The reasons for why I love Halo 3 are covered in depth in Lewis' article on the Halo series so click here to find out my reasons in a lot more detail.

What game has the best soundtrack to you and why, do you feel music is important in a game? 

A special soundtrack to me will always be games like Ocarina or Mario 64, listening to the music fills me with a flood of nostalgia I mean how many other games have such great music at their file select screen?

Another song I really enjoy is Saria's song from Ocarina of Time, this song in particular is one track that no matter when I hear it makes me smile because its just such an upbeat track and I feel like Darunia every time I hear it.

Of course my love for Halo is obvious and the music is a huge reason for that the main theme for Halo is up there as one of the most iconic tracks in all of video games that Gregorian chant, the heavy thudding bass, the string section and the ever climbing urgency presented makes it a masterpiece.

Without music in games would people enjoy them as much? no its as simple as that, a good soundtrack doesn't so much as enhance a game it is a core integral part of that games identity 

Would Super Mario Bros be as fondly remembered without Koji Kondo's genius? probably not, you ask anyone to hum the Mario theme and chances are they can and that is proof itself of how important music is to the video game experience.

Most vivid video game memory?

Oh man I can't choose one, I've played too many games and have so many moments its impossible to choose any single occurrence. Some stand out moments for me include finding the hidden stages in Super Mario World, Becoming Adult Link in OoT, The ending D of NieR,Getting the vidmaster achievements with friends in Halo 3, Beating my brother with a single kick in Tekken (He never enjoyed fighters after this) or just the entirety of MGS1 which was a whirlwind of a game both story and game play wise, there are just too many moments to list here.

What are you playing currently?

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Halo 5

Senran Kagura Burst

They couldn't be 3 more different games...

What is the most obscure game or rarest game you own? 

Most obscure is probably the Japanese version of Lost Odyssey I had imported because its a beaut. The rarest game I own is either the boxed copy of Pokemon Stadium 2 or my signed copy of Super Mario 64 by Charles Martinet and MGS HD Collection signed by Hideo Kojima.

What about video game memorabilia

A full scale golden retro lancer from Gears of War 3

a jewel in my memorabilia collection...

Are you as in to video games as you once were ?

There was a period where I was kind of annoyed with the politics surrounding video games

I just wanted to enjoy the worlds people created, the adventures and wonders I could delve into but for a while the focus was on whether or not game X represented community Y appropriately 

I mean look at this shit!

Why focus on this tripe politics and dilute why we even play games in the first place.

Thankfully I tuned out the click-baiting social justice crowd and focused on what actually matters to me, the game.

Favourite game you never beat?

Probably The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past. I'm on the 3rd to last? dungeon of that game and I really need to revisit it.

Physical or digital? 

If it is available then I will always go physical but if I don't have any other option I'll get the digital version if only to support the franchises I enjoy, Such as the Ace Attorney franchise on the DS/3DS.

Was there ever a genre or series of games you were adamant you would not get in to but ended up enjoying?

For me it was Visual Novels. I had Never played a single one until the Nintendo DS and now I love the genre, the Hotel Dusk series is fantastic as is the Zero Escape series. The genre has such rich storytelling and phenomenal characters but are often overlooked by the mainstream which is a shame because they'll never experience the thrill of finding a paperclip...

How do you feel about video games currently?

I'm loving them at the moment, the games I've enjoyed the past year are going back to what made me love them to begin with, they're focusing on the game play and how to wow the player again. Of course there are still the soulless vessels that were once great like the Assassins Creed series to make a point but in general gaming has gotten much better at least for me personally.

Where do you feel video games will go in the future? 

Anywhere but away...

If you'd like to be interviewed for next time be sure to message me on Facebook or Twitter @ScatmanBegins 

Your experiences with Video Games: Lewis Jane

So this week I wanted to try something different, I wanted to speak about why I like video games and my experiences and history with them. I have always found it so interesting to listen to people discuss things they like in depth, even if I myself do not like the same thing. To hear someone so passionate about a certain thing is really great to listen to and I've been really inspired lately by people like Frank Howley and his podcast Neighbourhood Game Club (Which you need to check out!) and other people like the Video Game Historian. I think this may be one of the reasons I listen to so many podcasts because while I like just hearing people shoot the shit and I just love to hear people go in to a topic in depth and discuss it.

Speaking to people personally about games as much as possible has also been a boost, perhaps this will become a more regular thing if I can get others involved, however I am aware this may be slightly similar to other peoples work so I'll try and make it vary as much as I can. But I'm worried this may turn in to a wall of text sort of situation which is more suited to a recorded form of media... however I feel adding another podcast to the internet isn't really necessary at this time at least. I'd really like to know what you guys think though so feedback is appreciated and hey if you like it why not message me so you can be a part of it the next time!

What were your first experiences with video games?

I can't really remember my first memory of video games but I know the first game I played was Sonic 2 and to this day it still remains one of my favourite games and I cannot have been any older than two or three years old when I played it. My first console was the Sega Megadrive which was my dads, although I don't ever remember him playing it I don't know how I even knew how to work the thing but I can always remember putting in Sonic 2 and playing it as much as possible.

I remember I used to have a lot of trouble with the game once I got to Chemical Plant Zone Act 2 when the water rises, it was rare I ever got to the boss of that level as the sound of the drowning used to scare me so much I turned the console off. I remember even back then though I loved the music in that game and I could listen to it even now and feel a huge sense of nostalgia. 

It's quite funny that this console was my dads as he does not play video games at all, I remember getting the PS1 when I was around six or seven and my dad playing demo discs on that while I was way more interested in continuing to play the Megadrive until games like Spyro came out and diverted my attention helping me to move on to newer consoles.

When do you feel you got in to video games as a hobby?

I think I had always enjoyed playing them from the start but I feel around the time I got a Gameboy Pocket when I must have been around 5 or 6 my mum got me a copy of Pokemon Yellow one day as a surprise, I can't even remember why but I'd probably gone on about all the other kids had Blue and Red at the time or something, or maybe I'd done well in school?

I think finally having this game that everyone was talking about constantly and being able to play it wherever I took my Gameboy was fantastic, I remember it being the first game I couldn't put down and one that I would constantly restart once I had beaten the Elite Four. It's funny that game is almost a time capsule in itself now as I used to name all my Pokemon after things I liked so I've got a Pikachu called like 'Goku' and stuff.

I'd say that had to be the beginning of everything as a hobby for me, from then on I had both the Gameboy and Playstation and I'd always be borrowing games from friends at school and talking about them during our break time, I'd say it was a pretty decent time to get in to them with the amount of games aimed at my age group at the time. 
 
What would you class as your 'era' of video games?

I would probably say the last console generation more than any other because it's when I got in to Online gaming the most and played titles like Halo 3, which I mentioned in my Halo article had all these amazing online and multiplayer features like Forge and custom game types that kept the replayability, that coupled with befriending a load of other players from around the world and constantly playing with them that era became more of a social thing than anything.

It's odd because to me video games were usually a solitary thing as my sister was not in to them and neither were my parents so I'd be the only one in the house ever playing them, but with this generation of consoles the focus was more on going online and playing with friends so I think because of that I got in to way more games than I had before because friends were also getting them.

The social aspect went further than just playing the games as I also got in to watching E3 yearly with those friends and just either getting hyped for them together or hardcore taking the piss out of the whole process while eating pizza or something. I feel like there were a lot of stand out titles that helped the feeling of this era to me stick around and linger but I did eventually go off the whole online aspect as I rarely play multiplayer now but I think for the time this was probably the most fun I'd had during a generation.

What are some of your favourite games and why?

I have a few games I'd count as my favourites I can't just decide on one definite game because, much like music it depends what mood I'm in. Metal Gear Solid 3 will always remain one of my top games though, I'd been playing all the games for the first time and when I got to that game I just couldn't believe it was originally a PS2 game, there was just so much to it in terms of these little details added by Kojima, the music, the levels, the characters and even the radio conversations are all just so intricate and have this attention to detail from someone so passionate about their project that I find it hard to find any negatives about the game.

Halo 3 is another favourite of mine for the online and the experiences I'd mentioned in my Halo article where I would just stay up super late with friends playing forge and custom games. It was just a game that really brought me to the modern era of video games at the time and helped me get in to the multiplayer experience.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 used to be my literal favourite for years before I'd played any of the above and it still remains high on my list but I think a lot of that is due to nostalgia, this was my first game after all and is still a lot of fun to play even now, I still have my original cart for the sentimental value of it even though I own the game on like 3 consoles now. It's just a nice game to play for like half an hour if you've the time to kill.

Which is not to say I don't enjoy 1 or 3&K because I do but the latter I didn't even own as a kid and the former just felt lacking compared to 2. 2 just had this great level design where every level was vibrant and unique, coupled with the distinct and catchy music it was and still is an unforgettable experience that I hope I can make the time to do at least once a year.

What game has the best soundtrack to you and why, do you feel music is important in a game? 

Without a doubt I feel like the Megadrive/Genesis era of music was my favourite, I find myself humming tunes from Sonic, Streets of Rage and Super-Hang On almost daily. Although I never owned the SNES I believe if anything Sega had them beat in the music department, I'm not even that big a fan of like this funky kind of synth like music but I feel Sega makes extremely catch and memorable tunes, or at least they did.

This is probably why Streets of Rage 2 has one of my favourite soundtracks and certainly has some of the  most catchy music I've heard in a video game. I believe every level in this game stands out due to its music, much like the Sonic titles, it makes me really happy that UK based company Datadiscs are focusing on this era of games and releasing a lot of the soundtracks on Vinyl, which you can find at http://data-discs.com/ 

Overall though I feel there are a few stand out franchises with soundtracks I enjoy, the first being Halo, I go on about this series a lot but I've found the music in 3 to be so extremely memorable in the campaign with songs like 'Never Forget' giving you this feeling of triumph over beating the story but also sadness as you realise (at the time) that the Chief is done, he's finished the fight and is lost in space just waiting for his next adventure.

To have this song pop up a lot in the online lobby as you're chatting to your friends during what was the best online time of my life gives this song a special place in my heart because it always reminds me not only of that game and that time I spent with friends but also the person I was at that time and the things I did or was planning to do, the worries I had about school and my life in general. That's a pretty ridiculous thing to say maybe but I feel music is great because it has that ability, the soundtrack from LOST does this to me more than anything though!

The next franchise would be Metal Gear Solid, I don't think I'm alone in thinking these games had really great soundtracks, every title had something that really stood out whether it be a purely instrumental song, one with some sort of chanting or a full blown original song for the game such as Heaven Divide or Snake Eater. Each game had it's own style of music attributed to it but I feel like the first game had this really great isolated feel to it's music that really suited the dark and grey environments you found yourself in, Cavern is one of my favourite songs from that game particularly.

But then Snake Eater not only had this great James Bond type number of the same name but also had great suspenseful music like Virtuous Mission which not only fit with the setting but also helped convey this feeling of stealth and waiting which the games main mechanics are based around.

I think V is a special case, it had a great score which was expected but for the first time the games focused more on the licensed music of the time it was set in to help create the atmosphere of the game, it's so odd to be running through Afghanistan while listening to something like Kid's in America, but that sort of goofiness is what the series was about at times so it really fits.

Oddly my favourite song from the franchise at the moment is still Calling to the night, I say this is odd because it's from Portable Ops which as a game is fucking awful and not even considered 'canon' by many, I don't like it at all but I think it had some neat story concepts. I don't really know why I enjoy this so much I just feel the lyrics really fit the story of Big Boss and what he's gone through and will go through.

There are many more examples of decent video game music I could go on about but I think that's plenty for now as I don't want to create a whole essay based around that! I'd say some of my other favourites overall though come from titles like Chrono Trigger, Bayonetta and even Assassins Creed IV just for those catchy sea shantys.

Most vivid video game memory?

I remember getting the furthest I'd ever gotten in Sonic 2 as a kid which was probably Hill Top Zone and it just so happened to be when I was sick and off school, I was super excited to see what this level was all about and see how much further I could get. Then my mum walked in and gave the whole 'if you're too sick for school you're too sick for video games' and turned the console off. It's funny now I think about it but it always sticks out to me.

What are you playing currently?

I usually like to stick to one or two games until I've beaten them but I'm play quite a few at the moment... I bought Project X Zone on 3DS just before I went to California this year and I'm enjoying it but it's a really repetitive game that doesnt hold much variety after a few hours, however I'm a sucker for cross over games and this title having BandaiNamco, Capcom and Sega characters all in one place is pretty cool as a sequel to Namco X Capcom on Ps2.

I've been playing a super niche game on PS4 called Nobunagas Ambition which is a long running series from TecmoKoei and based on the Sengoku period of Japan. The games is a grand strategy type game which focuses on turn based role playing as you either try to unify Japan or take it over. It's definitely not a series I thought I would enjoy but since getting in to the Samurai Warriors series I got really into the history and thought this game would be worth it just for that aspect.

It definitely was but it s a really heavy game that will take a while to get the hang of so I've only beaten one campaign on easy at the moment. I'd say if this era interests you pick the game up as it's quite cheap (in the UK) and is the first in the series for a long time that has been released outside of Japan, it's always good to support the more niche titles!.

Lastly I'm playing Transformers Devastation which I picked up just before beginning this 'article', I picked it up because I love the mecha genre but mostly because it's a game developed by Platinum games, who are my favourite developers currently. I've been a fan of them since the original Bayonetta but must have picked up most of their titles since and enjoyed every single one of them, I think they do a fantastic job with action games such as Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising but they lack in other departments such as story.

So far I feel that same way about this game, the gameplay is really fun, but kind of feels like Bayonetta: Transformers Edition. This does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing because I love Bayonetta, but it just feels they could have moved away from more or less the exact same mechanics like dodging slows down time etc. However I will say the game looks like it has been pulled right out of the 80's TV show and the ability to collect weapons and edit your weapon set can be pretty fun.

What is the most obscure game or rarest game you own?

I think obscure wise it may be Gundam: Federation Vs Zeon on the Playstation 2 which is a game I have never seen in person since I bought it when I was around 10 years old, This was a game that was obviously set in the Gundam universe but actually focused only on the 1979 series, Not Gundam Wing which was the only show on in the UK in the late 90s on cartoon network.

The game to me was bizarre because it had nothing to do with what I thought was the only Gundam series, Wing. It was set during the first series and was basically you and a computer player on a small box shape level against the enemy in which you had to defeat them a number of times to win. I remember it being a totally clunky and slow and that had this really weird music and voice acting, I was not really fond of it back then but when I went back and played it a few years ago I realised it was perhaps one of the better Anime related games.

I say this because the game was extremely faithful to the series it was based off with a lengthy campaign for both sides and also 200 bonus missions to play after you were done, this odd music and voice acting was actually all music from the 1970 series with the dub from the American version, something almost unheard of in Anime games in the West. This clunky gameplay to me actually felt like it fit as the mobile suits back then were meant to be these almost basic mechs with clunky movements but great fire power.

To this day I till go back and play this game yet I still never see it in the UK, I believe it's not actually obscure in the USA because that Anime was on TV there but to me as a kid this was one of the most bizarre games I'd ever seen and I was super bummed out I couldn't play as Wing Zero...

Are you as in to video games as you once were ?

I'd say yes and no, yes because I have been playing a lot more varied genres of games the past few years as well as the vast number of consoles I play them on, it wasn't until a few years ago that I got more into RPG's like Chrono Trigger and that I decided to get more in to 'Japanese' games outside of just anime titles with rhythm games that took me back to when I played DJ MAX like the Hatune Miku games on Vita and also more in depth Japanese games like Nobunagas Ambition.

I honestly feel it's a shame because I could have got in to these kind of titles years ago but I'm still happy with the way things turned out, that sense of discovery in a hobby you already thought you were really deep in to is absolutely fantastic to me and I plan to continue trying titles and genres that are out of my comfort zone.

I feel like the past few years I've also gone back in time as I've been trying a lot more 'retro games' I either never played or did not have access to during their release, this is more so for NES and SNES games because I never actually owned either of those consoles but I've also got really in to buying old Megadrive carts off Ebay when I can to either relive titles or play something new.  I think the Virtual console as well as PSN and XBL are to thank for this as they make older titles really accessible to a new generations

But I'd say no because although I'm finally able to buy so many games and consoles as with most people around my ages who work full time it's really hard to find the time to actually play the games, I think that has eased up slightly for me as I work 12 hours a day for 4 days but then I get 4 days off after, so It's a lot easier for me now to sink in a lot of time to a game but somehow It still doesn't feel like it did when I was a kid.

I used to buy a game as a kid and literally play it non-stop until it was completed, now I can barely go over 3 hrs without wanting to take a break or something comes up which means I need to put it down for a while, that coupled with annoying install times puts me off playing before they've fully updated most of the time, I weep for those with slow internet. I will say this lack of time actually makes me appreciate a game a lot more which is great but it also makes me more selective in what I buy.

Favourite game you never beat?

I think that would have to be Chrono Trigger, I just love everything about this game, the story is really interesting with its use of time travel and using characters from across time itself. I think the music is some of the best of its time if not of all time with tracks like...   But more than anything I think I just like the character designs from Akira Toriyama, it's no secret I adore his work anyway but I think he works best when designing characters in a fantasy setting as well as mechs like Robo.

Now I've not beat this because RPG's just take so long for me to get around to, I was super in to the game but got stuck on a boss and know I need to grind to beat him, I cannot stand grinding in games and every time I got to play something else gets in the way, but I'll finish it at some point I swear to god!

Experiences with importing games

I got into importing games around the time I got a Playstation 3 because it was region free, I had always heard about a bunch of Gundam games one the system that were totally in Japanese but they all looked really fun. In fact I think import games are the main reason I actually got a PS3 in the first place, I've never actually been super into Sony exclusives so I remember buying a used fat PS3 during college around 5 or 6 years ago and even ordering some import titles before the console arrived.

I think the reason I started to import was also helped by the fact I had a modded PSP, so I'd download so many titles from Japan regardless of whether I knew what I was doing or not and get really in to some, I guess this is why the PSP and VITA succeeded more in Japan, because they had/have such a wider library of titles available to them then we get over here, it seems there is never any decent support.

I always like to support something I enjoy and feel pretty shitty about using a modded PSP back then to play most of my games, so I do like to take advantage of being able to actually play imported games now and owning them physically, although they are usually quite pricey on launch so I usually wait a while, however If it's anything from the Gundam Vs series I'll always pre order it!. 

I feel like Asia is getting wise to this and actually benefiting those who import by including English options for text in most of their games, at least on the new Gundam Vita title they are. I don't think you can really blame them, it can't be that much effort to do on titles that aren't text heavy and it really benefits both the seller and the buyer. I can only hope this sort of thing continues in the future. 

Physical or digital?

I think overall I prefer physical, I just like to actually own something and see my collection in front of me as it grows it just makes the shelf look nice. But it can create a problem of lacking space for everything I own. I feel like physical is more suited to home consoles and digital is much more suited to portable consoles as you never really want to take the carts everywhere with you like when you go on vacation.

I will say digital is fantastic for things like PS+ or just owning like virtual console games for cheap but I would prefer video games not to go totally digital any time soon, it's nice to have space but then I just feel like the games aren't really there and I don't really own them other than on an external hard drive somewhere.

Was there ever a genre or series of games you were adamant you would not get in to but ended up enjoying?

I think this is me and most RPG's. I just cannot stand turn based combat in games so I just stayed away from RPGs for most of my life other than Pokemon at least. I had a lot of friends who were really in to Final Fantasy and it did sounds interesting to me but I think I just have ADD and can't imagine myself sitting there for so long. However I did get in to Kingdom Hearts around the time of the second game and stopped being so ignorant about the genre.

I realised that RPGs didnt have to be turn based and could be really fun if I just took the time to actually get in to them, I even found myself enjoying Chrono Trigger's battle system more than anything and this was closer to the turn based style I'd initially written off! I have played quite a few Western and Japanese RPGs since this time but I do have to be in the right mindset and in a dry spell for releases as I know they can be quite time consuming.

I'm hoping once I've beaten Chrono Trigger I will give Suikoden a shot as it's been on my Vita for ages and I've heard such good things about the series! 

How do you feel about video games currently?

I find this a tough question because things are constantly changing for better and for worse
I think the opportunities to try new titles are increasing with things like PS+ and region free consoles, the main reason I got a Vita is because I had amassed a large number of games via PS+, the same was happening with PS4 titles too and because of this I got to try some really unique games. This is more true with the Vita itself as it had a lot of titles that focused on its touch screen features like Murasaki Baby and while this title was pretty shit I'm glad I got to make that decision without buying it outright and feeling as if I had wasted money.

I guess you could include remakes and HD collections in this too, I feel like there are a lot of them at the moment and I do feel like a lot of developers use a re-release as a means to bide more time until they finish the next instalment however I think this sort of thing is great for those who have never played the games. For example I had never played Zone of the Enders but thanks to the HD collection I found that I loved it, the same with the first Jak game too.

I still enjoy games a lot and it is like a great way to just lose yourself for a little while after a hard week at work or something but I've not been as hooked as I used to be, I feel this is just a part of growing up but I also feel there just aren't as many amazing titles as there used to be and even if there is one that looks like it will be great it comes out and it's glitchy or downright broken.

Last Xmas this seemed to be the trend with AAA titles being totally unfinished upon release, which is probably because developers are pushed to create yearly instalments as fast as possible and also because they have this sort of safety net where they can always just release a patch to attempt to fix their game. This is a giant headache to me, like think back to the PS2... this just did not happen, a game was generally finished before release, this annoys me more than anything.

I'm kind of sick of the 'Let's play' thing on Youtube, I mean I only actually watch two because of how funny the content creators can make them (Robbaz and Critical) but I use a lot of them as sort of mini podcasts, Specifically the Gamegrumps but I feel they are pretty hit or miss. I like that it can be background noise to me and at times create comedy because someone might be so shit at a game or encounter a humorous glitch in the game but I just feel we're over saturated with them like it seems to be the new thing to do as a side for content creators who are based in other areas.

We also live in a time where people want more equality in games, this is absolutely not a bad thing and I'm all for challenging the 'norm' and making video games more inclusive as the Wii and DS paved the way for, but with that it's brought a lot of unneeded negativity to a lot of people. I feel like some of the negativity is caused by legitimately bad things but I feel the community blows things so far out of proportion a lot of people don't even know what they're mad about.

Just enjoy video games and stop getting mad about it on the internet, I have generally switched off of so many things I used to enjoy because of their focus on this sort of thing it just gives me a headache that people can get so mad about something regardless of which side they're on, just shut up and play some video games.

Where do you feel video games will go in the future?

I don't really know, I feel like VR will really take off but I don't feel like I want to be a part of it. I have tried the Oculus Rift and it was a lot of fun but I just don't feel it's necessary for me at this time and I don't feel like it will enhance my experience any further. I suppose if I were in to like driving games or simulators It would be a benefit me a lot more.

I think in general though video games are just going to become more and more popular, I'm happy it's becoming more of an acceptable thing to enjoy and there isn't this stigma attached it, it's way more inclusive than it has ever been. I think because of this inclusion it's going to breed more ideas in people in years to come and we're going to see some truly great things coming out of both consoles and PC, I'm excited to see what it'll be like in around 20 years, but I hope I don't get to that point where 'modern' is now just too much for me.

So that's all I've got for this week, I'm sure if this does work I'll tweak it somewhat as it has become a bit of a wall of text, I'd like to talk to others about their experiences and I'd like some feedback too. It was fun to write this and think about this in a bit more detail about myself but I'm more interested in what you think about video games, so get involved!