So, its Saturday morning and I’m about to go on semi-regular my early morning jog. I feel good. I’m thinking about what’s ahead of me in the next few days. I’m excited. After the run I’m going to11 o’clock showing of Civil War. If it’s as good as everyone says, it’ll be a great week in movie watching. (IT WAS!!!!) I just saw The Revenant, and I’m still coming off the high of that beautifully visually orgasmic movie. I’m excited because on Tuesday Uncharted 4 is coming out. There are few games I get excited about, but this is one of them. Anything and everything that is artistic appeals to me, and Naughty dog is the shining example of art in video games.
I can’t wait! I say to myself, ,” I think I’m gonna play Uncharted 2 this weekend to warm up to the video game playing extravaganza that’s about to happen. With all my stretching done I’m all warmed up: TIME TO START RUNNING! You know what,” I thought, ” I think for my running playlist, I’ll cue up my video game playlist for my running music instead of my usual training mix.
So I start.
Song Number 1: UNCHARTED THEME SONG. Coincidence, maybe, but a relevant: A happy foreboding to the days ahead. I’m running and humming the song along with the track even adding words to the instrumental track in my head (Like most of do with all great instrumentals.
I can’t wait! I say to myself, ,” I think I’m gonna play Uncharted 2 this weekend to warm up to the video game playing extravaganza that’s about to happen. With all my stretching done I’m all warmed up: TIME TO START RUNNING! You know what,” I thought, ” I think for my running playlist, I’ll cue up my video game playlist for my running music instead of my usual training mix.
So I start.
Song Number 1: UNCHARTED THEME SONG. Coincidence, maybe, but a relevant: A happy foreboding to the days ahead. I’m running and humming the song along with the track even adding words to the instrumental track in my head (Like most of do with all great instrumentals.
Next: GOD OF WAR THEME SONG. I’m pulled back to memories of playing these games and the great couch moments that ensued. I’m like, “ Yeah, I need to go back and play God of War, (all of them) again, I really enjoyed those games. Hearing its music again reminded me that it felt like I was playing a movie. Not to mention that great opening intros in both GOW3 and GOW: Ascension.
The next song: KILLZONE 2 THEME. French horns, and BIG orchestral clashes I’m back on Helghast with my squad. Yelling,” GET SOME.. GET SOME BABY! Again I remember the feeling that I was taking part in an event that was bigger than me, and again, I was seduced by that opening intro and its grand orchestral movie –like score.
Almost stooping my stride, I started to suddenly realize something. I‘ve haven’t felt or been moved half as much from a video game THIS GENERATION as I was compared to the previous one. Outside of a few games, usually the ones I mentioned, and others who just continued into this generation, the newer stuff wasn’t as moving, and I began to give thought as of why.
So, as you probably surmised by now, I’m a gamer. Nowhere the level others are. (I’m not peeing into jars or going on 24-hour marathons of game playing). Truth be told, I’d say I’ve only finished half my games and I don’t even own as many games to date as I did with the previous generation. (We’ll get back to that). But, with that there’s no better way to pass the time when your files are being compressed or I just sent 105 files to Photoshop and they’re taking their time to open. Plus, I’m a person who likes being engaged in things. TV is ok, but it’s passive, and plus there’s nothing worth watching most of the time let alone give my attention to. At best, I leave it on the news (for information), and call it a workday. With video games however, I’m an active participant, and it at worst case keep the mind active while I sit here doing something that not only keeps my inside, but at a desk.
More importantly, I’m an artist. For me, both go hand in hand. Video games are another creative form of expression and should be treated as such. To anyone who says video games are just for kids and not art. I quickly recommend them to go play or watch The “Last of Us” cut scenes on YouTube, or play “Journey”: Then tell me that games are just for kids and/ or NOT forms of art.
So, as you probably surmised by now, I’m a gamer. Nowhere the level others are. (I’m not peeing into jars or going on 24-hour marathons of game playing). Truth be told, I’d say I’ve only finished half my games and I don’t even own as many games to date as I did with the previous generation. (We’ll get back to that). But, with that there’s no better way to pass the time when your files are being compressed or I just sent 105 files to Photoshop and they’re taking their time to open. Plus, I’m a person who likes being engaged in things. TV is ok, but it’s passive, and plus there’s nothing worth watching most of the time let alone give my attention to. At best, I leave it on the news (for information), and call it a workday. With video games however, I’m an active participant, and it at worst case keep the mind active while I sit here doing something that not only keeps my inside, but at a desk.
More importantly, I’m an artist. For me, both go hand in hand. Video games are another creative form of expression and should be treated as such. To anyone who says video games are just for kids and not art. I quickly recommend them to go play or watch The “Last of Us” cut scenes on YouTube, or play “Journey”: Then tell me that games are just for kids and/ or NOT forms of art.
Well, some games are for kids. Hell, a lot of them of them are,.. but in-between the Lego Star Wars and the Disney Infinity games….
There is something else.
So, what is happening? Video games have since passed budgets of movies with some even bring back record profits. That alone would make someone think they would go bigger on all fronts, right? Is that the goal set forth by these creators of these games or is it marketing? Is it capitalism at its’ finest, or creative license and artistic expression?
I prefer the latter……I NEED THE LATTER, but games seem to be feeding that fix less and lees nowadays. It that just me?
Let’s delve.
I grew up playing video games. My first system was a ColecoVision (which I still have), and through the years owned all the important video games system since. For the ones I didn’t have, I just played them at my buddy’s house.
So here’s the argument.
Sing the theme of the Flintstones in your head. Scooby Doo, Star Wars. Hell, the Oscar Meyer Commercial.
Ok, obviously Millennials, I’m not talking to you. For you, Power Rangers (yuck), or… I DUNNO, Adventure Time or something.
Now sing the Mario (Nintendo) Theme song. Donkey Kong. Too early, ok. How about the theme from Final Fantasy 7, Metal Gear Solid, Halo…I bet you could sing (or hum) these tunes, right?
Now name a game in the current generation that you can do that to. Even though we only a couple of years in, how any games can you say could you do that with. More importantly, how many games still have a dramatic score or an intro that makes you feel you are taking a part of something and just making it your own experience?
Don’t get me wrong making the game your own is great but it seems like something has gotten lost in the create your own experiences games and let’s not forget THE DREADED MULTIPLAYER. Those are the “New Trendies”
And in that, I haven’t see the thing that really got me excited about a game.. the introduction and the score. No, more than the score, a theme song.
Not a big fan of Call of Duty. As for shooter s go, I more a fan of the tactical shooter, but I GET its success. It has story, it has grandeur, and it is extremely immersive. The Vegas commercial… PRICELESS. I know people who didn’t play games want to play that after that commercial. If the trend were to be and have the COD success one would think that imitation would be the thing to do.
So where is it? I’ve seen the clones, I’ve seen the reinterpretations and incantations of it, but I haven’t seen the grandeur. So, here’s what I think it is. Here’s my shot in the dark.
Listening to my ghost, it fees like games took a step back. They started focusing on having fun, or in it’s case an experience. Games cut the fat. Anything that was unnecessary was eliminated.
In most cases the loss of excess if a good thing, but NOT in something that is meant to grab you and not let go. Think of the experiences you’ve gone through in pop culture. Whether it was movie, TV show or in this case video games. Were they quiet? Were they subtle? Did you enjoy your experience just to the point where you left satisfied, or were you BLOWN AWAY? We remember the big events (good or bad), and that’s no different in pop culture. In fact, the bigger it is the BETTER we remember it.
I have a friend who wasn’t and still isn’t a big video game fan. I remember him telling me that he was playing God of War (the original), and he was so caught up in it, he got a parking ticket for not moving his car. He didn’t forget to move it. He was aware he had to move it, but was so engrossed in the game, he didn’t want to put it down: EVEN THOUGH he could pause it.
Crazy, right? Well, I GUARANTEE “ that crazy” is what video game publishers want you to go through when you play their games. Hell, as good as I believe Sons of Fate to be, I don’t EVER see someone so enthralled in reading it, that they loose money doing so, but ..THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!
DISCLAIMER: Do not read anything I put out, including this article, at the neglect for something else. Be it, Sons of Fate, or whatever else I create down and go handle your business. It’ll be here when you return. But IF YOU DO…. Thanks a bunch!
END OF DISCLAIMER.
And here’s what hurts most about the current generation of games. We’ve finally hit the point where these games are hitting movie quality look and scale story, and greatness. (Good movies I mean.) But to that I haven’t see n the thing that grabbed me and won’t let go. Some have. Metal Gear, Bloodborne, to name a few. Killzone Shadow fall was good, but lost its great intro movies that got my hype to play. Batman: Arkham Knight DID IT RIGHT! I heard the Witcher 3 is good on those levels. Gotta check it out.
So in closing of the thing that helps my thing called creativity. The thing where those who create their thing can unleash their creativity, I say this. Go back to bigger. Some of us have noticed. Well, I can only speak for myself. I’m at the edge, and the little nudge will push me over. Start doing that again. As I fall to my demise into the abyss of your dynamic creative expressions, I went fulfilled.
Now, so far, not at much, not as often.
Impress me again.
Rant over.
Wait. I’ll eave you with this. This was by far the best into to games I’ve played thus far. It’s a little long, but EYE CANDY GALORE.
I apologize for the voice-over, but it was the best video I could find.
BTW.. the scroll part in the beginning was playable, not a cut scene. Enjoy.
There is something else.
So, what is happening? Video games have since passed budgets of movies with some even bring back record profits. That alone would make someone think they would go bigger on all fronts, right? Is that the goal set forth by these creators of these games or is it marketing? Is it capitalism at its’ finest, or creative license and artistic expression?
I prefer the latter……I NEED THE LATTER, but games seem to be feeding that fix less and lees nowadays. It that just me?
Let’s delve.
I grew up playing video games. My first system was a ColecoVision (which I still have), and through the years owned all the important video games system since. For the ones I didn’t have, I just played them at my buddy’s house.
So here’s the argument.
Sing the theme of the Flintstones in your head. Scooby Doo, Star Wars. Hell, the Oscar Meyer Commercial.
Ok, obviously Millennials, I’m not talking to you. For you, Power Rangers (yuck), or… I DUNNO, Adventure Time or something.
Now sing the Mario (Nintendo) Theme song. Donkey Kong. Too early, ok. How about the theme from Final Fantasy 7, Metal Gear Solid, Halo…I bet you could sing (or hum) these tunes, right?
Now name a game in the current generation that you can do that to. Even though we only a couple of years in, how any games can you say could you do that with. More importantly, how many games still have a dramatic score or an intro that makes you feel you are taking a part of something and just making it your own experience?
Don’t get me wrong making the game your own is great but it seems like something has gotten lost in the create your own experiences games and let’s not forget THE DREADED MULTIPLAYER. Those are the “New Trendies”
And in that, I haven’t see the thing that really got me excited about a game.. the introduction and the score. No, more than the score, a theme song.
Not a big fan of Call of Duty. As for shooter s go, I more a fan of the tactical shooter, but I GET its success. It has story, it has grandeur, and it is extremely immersive. The Vegas commercial… PRICELESS. I know people who didn’t play games want to play that after that commercial. If the trend were to be and have the COD success one would think that imitation would be the thing to do.
So where is it? I’ve seen the clones, I’ve seen the reinterpretations and incantations of it, but I haven’t seen the grandeur. So, here’s what I think it is. Here’s my shot in the dark.
Listening to my ghost, it fees like games took a step back. They started focusing on having fun, or in it’s case an experience. Games cut the fat. Anything that was unnecessary was eliminated.
In most cases the loss of excess if a good thing, but NOT in something that is meant to grab you and not let go. Think of the experiences you’ve gone through in pop culture. Whether it was movie, TV show or in this case video games. Were they quiet? Were they subtle? Did you enjoy your experience just to the point where you left satisfied, or were you BLOWN AWAY? We remember the big events (good or bad), and that’s no different in pop culture. In fact, the bigger it is the BETTER we remember it.
I have a friend who wasn’t and still isn’t a big video game fan. I remember him telling me that he was playing God of War (the original), and he was so caught up in it, he got a parking ticket for not moving his car. He didn’t forget to move it. He was aware he had to move it, but was so engrossed in the game, he didn’t want to put it down: EVEN THOUGH he could pause it.
Crazy, right? Well, I GUARANTEE “ that crazy” is what video game publishers want you to go through when you play their games. Hell, as good as I believe Sons of Fate to be, I don’t EVER see someone so enthralled in reading it, that they loose money doing so, but ..THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!
DISCLAIMER: Do not read anything I put out, including this article, at the neglect for something else. Be it, Sons of Fate, or whatever else I create down and go handle your business. It’ll be here when you return. But IF YOU DO…. Thanks a bunch!
END OF DISCLAIMER.
And here’s what hurts most about the current generation of games. We’ve finally hit the point where these games are hitting movie quality look and scale story, and greatness. (Good movies I mean.) But to that I haven’t see n the thing that grabbed me and won’t let go. Some have. Metal Gear, Bloodborne, to name a few. Killzone Shadow fall was good, but lost its great intro movies that got my hype to play. Batman: Arkham Knight DID IT RIGHT! I heard the Witcher 3 is good on those levels. Gotta check it out.
So in closing of the thing that helps my thing called creativity. The thing where those who create their thing can unleash their creativity, I say this. Go back to bigger. Some of us have noticed. Well, I can only speak for myself. I’m at the edge, and the little nudge will push me over. Start doing that again. As I fall to my demise into the abyss of your dynamic creative expressions, I went fulfilled.
Now, so far, not at much, not as often.
Impress me again.
Rant over.
Wait. I’ll eave you with this. This was by far the best into to games I’ve played thus far. It’s a little long, but EYE CANDY GALORE.
I apologize for the voice-over, but it was the best video I could find.
BTW.. the scroll part in the beginning was playable, not a cut scene. Enjoy.