The Hell Was That?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Yb_Gpqoc1wQ

I liked it, I think. Wha?

Here's to 38 Studios and Big Huge Games. I'm enjoying Reckoning for what it is, and I really do hope everyone employed there lands on their feet.

Dragon's Lair

With the release of Dragon's Lair on XBLA, it's become clear that unless Bluth plans on riding his classic title into the sunset, it's time for the equally revered and despised series to get a Heavy Rain-ish makeover.

Imagine a new installment with gorgeous hand-and-computer-animated graphics that controls like an iteration of everyone's favorite current-gen choose-your-own-adventure Serial Killer tale.

I'm just saying, that'd be pretty sweet. Come on, people- I'm straight up giving these ideas away!

My Favorite Video Features Online

Podcasts are great background noise for making comics, but sometimes you want to look up. These are the best game-centered video features online...

Obviously, the kings of video game features online are clearly the guys at Giant Bomb. Four years and counting, they've kept me entertained. http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/

Replay is a feature that Game Informer has been running over two years now, and I sadly just discovered it a few months ago. There's a huge archive, and every episode is hilarious and entertaining. http://www.gameinformer.com/p/replay.aspx

Dodger, and her short video segment, Press Heart To Continue, is a great way to catch up on news in the industry that you may have missed. She's cute, smart, funny, engaging, and manages to bring a personal, succinct spin to what would other times be bland, uninteresting bits of information. http://www.youtube.com/user/PressHeartToContinue

While I often find myself disagreeing with the opinions of the hosts of Invisible Walls, I still value their insight as veterans of the industry who know a thing or two about a thing or two. http://www.gametrailers.com/show/invisible-walls

So there you go- tons of content to keep your eyes and ears occupied while writing, drawing, or whatever. Get to it.

Thoughts on the Future of Dragon Age

Bioware has announced that they're looking for monthly feedback on what people are looking for in a future installment of Dragon Age. Rather than get lost in a sea of fans crying out for answers about fill-in-the-blank, I thought I'd post here my thoughts as short and to the point as I could make them. Obviously, without going too in-depth, as I don't think it's a fan's job to do a creator's job (and, not to mention, I come up with ideas for a living, so call me, Bioware).

Ok, here we go...

As a fan of the series, here's what I'm looking for...

-Consistency. I was one of those that loved DA2 despite it's many flaws. One of the things I couldn't stand, however, was the vastly-different feel of the world and it's design as opposed to DA:O. The Kunari, the Darkspawn, etc... the entire look and design of the world seemed to have gotten a face-lift, with little to no explanation as to just how and why things had changed.

When world-building, you can show us more and let us discover further the how's and why's of a race or location, but what was established in the previous story has to remain true. The player shouldn't have to go digging through an obscure codex entry to understand why, for example, the Kunari "pulled a Klingons" between the first and second games. As great as the design work felt in part 2, so much of it seemed just wrong or contradictory to what had been established.

-Closure. I know it's EA's business to make and sell more games, but a franchise can live on while still bringing finality to a story. There are too many sloppy, dangling plot threads from the first two games for Bioware to repeat their mistakes with Mass Effect 3 when it comes to plot and resolution.

Without giving away spoilers, what happened after Witch Hunt, the war between the two sides in DA2, and Flemyth's ultimate plans and goals are all things that should be addressed. Also, as every character is someone's favorite, each and every one of them deserves their own "final sentence," so to speak. You don't need a party roster of 40 characters, but they each deserve better than what most characters in ME3 got.

-The best of both worlds. The Hero and The Champion. The meeting of these two, and the decisions they make together and separately, should be at the core of of DA3. And this should be reflected in the game itself.

DA3 should take the epic scope of the first game, the combat of the second, and hybridize them into something new and equally unique. A vast and epic tale that manages to retain the intimate, personal drama people have come to expect from the brand.

I doubt anyone from Bioware will actually ever see this, but regardless, I had thoughts I had to get written down. I really do love the studio, and everything they produce. I wish and hope for nothing but the best from this third installment of Dragon Age. Now get to work, guys!

This Shit Is Crazy

Aside from putting an entire state $75 million in the hole... potentially... this is horrible exposure for games. I hope 38 and the state are able to make an arrangement, and I also hope Amalur is able to start turning some kind of profit. It's not a mind-blowing title, but it's enjoyable none-the-less. May even end up on my GOTY list somewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BZ_6PkeO_g8#!

Best Thing I've Seen Today 5/15/12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ShP5xn9Tz90#!

I'm normally not one to get hyped by a cinematic trailer, but both that they've released so far for The Last Of Us are looking really incredible. Let's hope we get a look at actual game play soon, and that it lives up to the potential of these great trailers.

Back At It

So, I'm freelance again when it comes to talking about and reviewing games.

But, before we look ahead, I want to take a minute to link some of my favorite posts during my time at PN. It was a great experience, and I wish the best to all involved.

In the coming weeks and months, I'll be posting mostly editorials and reviews. My day job may get in the way from time to time, but I'll post as often as I'm able. Also, I'll spruce the look of the page up. Right now I just wanted to get something off the ground.

And now, on with the trip down memory lane...

One of my last editorials, and the one I got the most shit for. Gotta love keyboard courage: http://www.platformnation.com/2012/02/27/when-is-epic-too-epic/

My favorite time of the year was December, because I loved compiling my GOTY lists. Here's my 2010 and 2011 entries:
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/01/03/a-personal-best-of-the-year-list-2010-part-1/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/01/04/a-personal-best-of-the-year-list-2010-part-2/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/12/30/a-personal-best-of-the-year-list-2011-part-1/
http://www.platformnation.com/2012/01/02/a-personal-best-of-the-year-list-2011-part-2/

I handled a lot of reviews. Here are some of the better write-ups:
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/11/07/rocketbirds-hardboiled-chicken-review-psn/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/10/21/dark-souls-review-360/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/09/14/warhammer-40000-space-marine-review-360/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/09/09/bloodrayne-betrayal-review-psn/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/06/23/duke-nukem-forever-review-xbox-360/

The best thing about video games:
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/07/04/dude-video-games/

There were times I thought the loss of a person important to the entertainment industry should be mentioned, even if not strictly related to gaming:
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/02/22/a-voice-that-mattered/
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/08/26/a-place-where-life-and-all-its-joys-are-revered/
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/07/13/heres-our-guy/

An article I feel is still relevant, especially in today's climate where mid-tier releases are becoming extinct:
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/07/22/when-did-average-become-a-bad-thing/

My favorite type of editorial is one that sheds light on something that's lacking. It's sad that a lot of these are still applicable:
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/06/11/the-lost-art-of-instruction-manuals/
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/08/20/a-decline-in-horror/
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/11/02/pieces-of-a-whole/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/03/01/whos-that-masked-man/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/03/07/an-ode-to-jank/
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/07/25/needs-more-spy/

Thanks again for the good times, PN. And to those who are along for this new ride, thanks for hanging out. I'll do my best to make it entertaining.