Games have come a long way since the quaint, bygone days of Tetris and Asteroids. These days some attempt to challenge our thinking, others to make us laugh or cry.

Even with such a broad range of games, people often narrow the field to one possible future. For example: All games will become completely open-ended. Games will never tell stories effectively. And so on.

In reality though, unique genres have emerged in which all of these (and more) possibilities are being explored. The old FPS and RPG genres just don’t cut it anymore. Video games cover more ground than people realize, and these new game categories will eventually encompass games as distinct from one another as sculptures are from oil paintings.

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At 11 AM, I ventured to the Shrine Auditorium to attend Sony’s E3 Press Conference.

While a lot of the games shown were already known, or secrets leaked (PSP Go), it was an informative and interesting presentation. It’s safe to say that alternative controllers are the new fad among the big three.

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It seems like Collector’s Edition have been around forever. If you go back and count gold cartridge games on the NES, then this may be true.

But gamers might remember Collector’s Editions’ later proliferation, beginning somewhere around the mid- to late-PS2-era of video games as a sort of test market for a reestablished price point of $60 per game.

With the new price point in place for this generation, it’s only natural for collector’s edition eclipse this mark by another 10 dollars. If my math is correct, that would put a current-gen CE running for $70.

Wrong! Read More »

If you play video games, you’re probably are aware of the oodles of violence involved. Faceless enemy soldiers, splicers, countless aliens, zombies, mob bosses, hammer bros; we all partaking in our fair share of virtual killing.

Amongst all this digital slaying, there are undoubtably enemies who are more thrilling to kill than others. For example, ending the life a God of War cyclops is more thrilling than those pesky little harpies.

So, forget about all those boring enemies and let’s go over some of the most enjoyable enemies to slay. Read More »

Many of us are aware of the controversy behind Capcom’s Versus Mode for recent chart-topper Resident Evil 5. Between the fact that the content was finished prior to the games launch, that its mere 1.86 MB download was thought to simply unlock content already on the disc, and the fact that it costs $4.99 when fans already spent $60 a month earlier, gamers everywhere were in a rage.

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That pleasant-natured, black & white “M” on the front of your favorite video game means a lot of things.

It means you have a scapegoat at the ready should your violent antics ever land you in a court of law, judged by a jury of your peers. (Fortunately, recent evidence indicates your peers aren’t that stupid.)

It means selling the game to someone who only looks 18 can cost you your job.

Unfortunately, an “M” rating doesn’t mean that a game is, well… mature.

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Like any new form of artistic expression, video games have faced an uphill battle in gaining legitimacy as a story-telling medium. (This may have something to do with the fact most of the best selling games out there have more freakin’ sweet guns than emotionally compelling characters.)

Well, all of that’s about to change. Below is a video-game-themed play I’ve written, a potent treatise on the woeful human condition. Savvy gamers will notice each line of the play is quoted directly from a video game.

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Everybody’s seen “The Breakfast Club,” or at least the parody on that one episode of “Family Guy.” John Hughes’ film defined a generation of high school angst.

For those of you who haven’t seen it (or just don’t want to admit you have) “The Breakfast Club” finds five curiously stereotypical students — the Athlete, the Brain, The Criminal, The Princess, and the Basketcase –serving a Saturday detention together. Of course, they laugh and bond and discover hard-hitting truths about human nature than can only be explored in a drama about high school kids.

But, I’m afraid that tale was from a different time. Kids today need something more modern, something they can relate to.

So, here’s “The Breakfast Club” recast for a new millennium. It stars an ensemble of carefully picked video game characters, each with a brand new reason for being in detention. And for an added twist, the roles that were played by guys in the John Hughes’ version have been handed over to the ladies in mine, and vice versa.

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