Gaming That Doesn't Have To Make Sense

Gaming is a very different world than from "when I was a kid" times. Video gaming has for years now kicked the ass of every other form of entertainment, which included the once mighty music and movie industries.

But of course my parents made sure to tell me for years that v-idiot games (as they called them) were wastes of time. It was probably my most strongly developed skill as a child (living as an only child in the country with parents that didn't like to do much) and I should probably just give in and take a programming course to follow what should have been my dream all along... but I digress.

My main concern with the current world of video games is how it (and anything marketable, really) ends up becoming a bloated industry full of glossy shininess and ever increasing technological advances. But like Hollywood before it, the advances are in special effects, making things pretty, and ramping up the action in any way possible. Oh, and of course, give the people what they want.

So companies like Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, and EA aren't exactly on the cutting edge of new gameplay experiences. Blizzard has yet to release a game I don't love, but the also have yet to release a game that doesn't have Diablo, Warcraft or Starcraft in the name... well okay... way back in the day they did, but I can't find The Lost Vikings and Rock and Roll Racing on their website.


On my Wii, we've got some great games that include Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers, Zelda, Metroid... all stuff we've seen before. On other systems there's Grand Theft Auto 4, Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Resistance 2, Killzone 2.

The only sports game that has any kind of major innovation since the super nintendo is Pro Evolution on the Wii. Everyone is just relying on tweaks and graphical upgrades to existing franchises.

But I've ranted about how boring games are these days long enough... what is exciting now is that there's a new indie movement in games that is gaining speed through sources like Valve's Steam, Nintendo's Wiiware, and XBox Live and PS3's whatever thingie.

World of Goo is huge and amazing and everyone loves it. Its of course the magical story of the little game that could. But to me, its still just a puzzle game.


The Path. This is a game that has me intrigued. I haven't even gotten a chance to play it but from what I can get out of it, it is apparently kind of like playing through a David Lynch movie. Its more about mood and feeling than any kind of story whatsoever. It is all just discovery.


But maybe walking around as tainted red riding hood isn't your thing and you need some action. A game that I have gotten a chance to play is Zeno Clash.


The game begins with you having just killed your father-mother (note that it is a single hermaphroditic entity) and you have to puch your way through some of the most bizarre environments, enemies and plot points ever seen in a game.

That thing is a mom and a dad.

So while, like most people who write, my dream is to write either a novel or a screenplay... odds are video games are going to be the place of choice for tomorrows creative minds.