Journey Review on COG

A little late, I know, but I'm posting a link to my glowing review of Journey for the Playstation 3. It's a phenomenal game that's been polished to perfection, and it's as beautiful as it is powerful and evocative.

Noby Noby Boy

It's difficult to describe in words what Noby Noby Boy is. It's something of a procedurally-generated sandbox game in which there are no goals or pressure to accomplish anything specific. Well, there are some lofty and far-away goals, but it's impossible to accomplish them alone, and they take a great deal of time. More on this later.

Upon hovering over the game's XMB icon, players are greeted with a seemingly hand-painted picture of a group of children climbing, sitting, playing, and generally just amusing themselves on, around, or about a steaming bowl of soup. Yes, a bowl of soup. While this image may seem unrepresentative of gameplay (it is), it's still representative of the playful nature of the game as a whole.

Like the portrait of the steaming playground of a bowl of soup, Noby Noby Boy is an eclectic amalgam of everything fun, carefree, and innocent. Noby Noby Boy makes you feel like a kid again.

Remember the simple joy of visiting an undiscovered play park for the first time, as a child? When you would scurry into a play structure for the first time, you would only want to explore, discover, and see what sorts of unique geometrical shapes the designers had put into the towering playground to amuse you.

The same feelings apply for the suspended aerial-island-plains of Noby Noby Boy. These islands in the sky are procedurally generated, which means you'll never visit the same island twice. Being simply dropped into a strange, colourfully diverse world that begins with just a hint of cohesiveness, your character - a sort of caterpillar-kid known simply as BOY - is free to walk around, explore, offer free rides to pedestrians, and more typically, cause havoc and break the gentle balance of the island's inhabitants.

This is done through an eccentric but intuitive control scheme, one that uses both analogue sticks to control both the front end of BOY's head, as well as his "tail". There are plenty of control quirks to learn, and the controls are as unique and silly as the game's creator, Keita Takahashi, the man behind the Katamari games.    Just as the Katamari games' strange and wonderful controls make the game very different and difficult to explain, so do Noby Noby Boy's.

Since both extremes of BOY's body are controlled by separate analogue sticks, it's possible to stretch him out into a longer form. When this is done, BOY's body changes to a randomly-chosen colour, and the longer length of his body usually means that he will be harder to manage and cause more havoc to the environments around him. "Havoc" is probably too strong a word, though. Yes, BOY knocks people out of their vehicles, eats them, and then excretes them out of his tail section. But despite all this, the game is never crude, violent, or abrasive in any way.

The only effect knocking around an island's denizens has is that the people will run away. The only acknowledgement of having eaten something is a slight bulge in BOY's body, and the way enemies are expelled from BOY's backside is neither crude nor off-putting. BOY's presence isn't even intended to be portrayed as a negative one, since inhabitants will often hitch an impromptu ride on Boy's back, and sometimes even hop onto the back of another rider. It's all completely unplanned, unscripted, and incomprehensible. It's also wonderful.

Equally wonderful is the unparalleled sense of progression this game offers. For all the lengths that BOY stretches, he adds a number to the global stretched length, which is reported by all players. When BOY visits the Sun, he can "donate" his length to a another character called GIRL, whose goal is to stretch out into the universe. Or something. If this all sounds completely crazy, it is. But all this really means that players from around the world contribute to GIRL's length, offering access to new planets with completely different looks, physics, and manifestations. At this point in time, GIRL has reached Uranus, and has yet to reach Neptune and Pluto. GIRL's length is also helped by users of the equally strange (but different) iOS version of the game, priced at 2.99$. Three years after the game's release, and with the added help of iOS users, players still haven't unveiled all the content that is on offer.

Despite all the praise, Noby Noby Boy's controls certainly take some getting used to, and the game's sense of random childhood whimsy and lack of objectives won't appeal to everyone. The game does have local multiplayer - added in an update - but the camera's almost totally manual SixAxis controls make it frustrating to play with any but the masters of the game's bizarre camera-control system.

These minor complaints aside, Noby Noby Boy's ridiculous visuals, relaxing atmosphere, and wholly unique gameplay make this one of the most singular and bizarre titles on the Playstation Network. To top that all off, it's only 5$.

New Blog Name!

I realized the other day that my blog a stupid name, and decided to change it. It's all rather shallow when you retrace my train of thought backwards, but I think it's at least a little clever.

It has to do with my overall (ironic) disinterest in the games industry. I think it sums up the fact that I can't stand most games, and that I spend more time thinking and writing about how games can be better and more immersive than they are than I really do spend playing them. I'm a little ashamed that I have such short patience with games, but I suppose I could say that I just have a critical eye. Perhaps I just have a short attention span. Anyway, that's the story behind the new name.

Lately, I've been taking in a lot of game news, writings, and podcasts, as well as previews, trailers, and the like, but I've played very few single games faithfully. It's as if I enjoy feeding my hype for a particular game or piece of hardware, but when it comes to actually playing whatever it was, I'm either more content to move on to something else, or pass the game on to someone else and watch casually. It's really too bad, because there are so many games with great ideas and brilliant stories that I want to experience, but every time I try, I fail to stay focused on that game and move on to something else.

Maybe it's only that I'm surrounded by a lot of children lately and I haven't much time to play too much beyond the violence level of Star Wars. That's sort of my excuse for not playing Skyrim, but that game has failed to immerse me anyway.

Recentlly, I've been playing and watching (more of the latter, actually) a lot of Bastion, and I'm loving the game's narration and beautiful visuals. There's a lot of feeling put into this game, and that feeling comes across perfectly through the narration and writing. Actually, this is a game that impressed me both with writing and voice acting talent. With one trivial exception, every bit of character dialogue is heard through the voice of an omnipresent narrator. That's not all you'll hear out of this narrator, though. He constantly comments on actions taken by the player, as well as dropping small story cues throughout the adventure. In this way, the narration brings together gameplay and story in a truly novel way. The way the story is told makes one notice the little things that The Kid(your in-game playable character) does, rather than simply all of his great accomplishments that push the plot forward. The way the narrator comments on the weapons you choose, conversations made, and even events like falling off the edge of the level give a certain subtlety  and meaning to all your actions. This subtlety would be annoying and rather aimless without the witty writing behind the narrator, and his frequent use of metaphor and dry humour bring a lightness to everything the character does.

As much praise as I have for Bastion, I recognize that it's not a perfect game, but it draws me in in a way few games ever do. I enjoyed my time with the game so much that I will likely replay it soon, and probably write a review soon. Then again, I tend to say these things, and they don't happen...

Actually, on a more important note, I want to write an article for the Escapist, but I need to find an interesting topic that hasn't been done already. I was going to write about my disappointment in Skyrim, but that's already been covered, I've discovered. I need a unique approach to gaming that I can write about...

TNT Racers: A Brief Review

This is my very short review of TNT Racers I wrote on Gamespot, seeing as it had a low user score and no written user reviews. I think it's a great, fun little game.

TNT Racers is a little-known arcade racer with fun, simple gameplay and a pleasant presentation. Although the content is accessible to gamers of all ages, the game hides some impressive challenge beneath the surface, mainly with its smart and difficult AI opponents.

You are greeted with a clear menu and nice, cheerful jazz music upon first entering the game, and you have the option of taking challenges or quick races against computer-controlled opponents or other players. There aren't any fancy bonus or mini-game modes, but this game isn't about presentational flairs or peripheral game modes, it's about fun, straightforward racing.

And what fun it is! The environments are colourful and diverse, complete with white and chilly-looking snowy tracks, lush green jungles, and bright and wide canyons. Powerups are plentiful and exciting, from the black oil slicks to the time-warp to the large hammer that causes the earth to shake. Controls feel tight, and plenty of varied terrain makes it enough of a challenge to stay on the track that you're always kept on your toes.

The first set of challenges should be none at all, but after you've cleared the first few, you start to realise that the game's AI is particularly skilled, usually exceeding your own skill level. It is refreshing to see a game offer some challenge, while still remaining accessible to younger audiences.

If the challenges prove too difficult, or you're simply looking for a change of pace, you could always try playing with a friend. The online play, as other reviews have stated, is quite dead, so counting on this aspect is unwise. However, the game does have a local multiplayer mode that works great. There are even some badges(accomplishments) and bonus cars to unlock by playing multiplayer races, and there is no lag or issues with Ad-Hoc play or Online play.

TNT Racers offers plenty of simple, unadulterated fun for all ages. It's a throwback to classic cart-racing games like so many others, but it's the one that rises above the others, hopefully ushering in a new generation of powerup-fueled racers.

Things I Hate About Skyrim

I woke up this morning feeling like writing something, and here I am. I suppose that's a good impulse, but I'm not really burdened with a good topic to write about. Although, I suppose that, if I want to keep blogging, simply writing is the key.

Since it's been quite some time since my last blog, I guess I should mention that I'm now living in Nova Scotia, and going to a new school. Amherst, Nova Scotia is a nice place - nicer than Hawkesbury in all respects, and the school is a notable improvement(in terms of drug use and profanity), but I do very much miss the company of my best friends from my old church in Hawkesbury, and no amount of improved quality of life(it wasn't that bad, really) can quite replace the relationships I had in Hawkesbury.

In gaming news, there is little to report. I am becoming increasingly bored with modern games, notably in the lack of meaning in most games. I've been playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim of late, and while I'm enjoying the game, there are many things that bother me about it.

The repetitive and mundane speech from many of the citizens of the towns is boring me. I love the level of detail in most things in the game, but the dialogue in the game is a weak point, in my opinion. While many critics praise the use of more voice actors(Oblivion is infamous for reusing the same few voice actors for almost every voice in the game), I feel that there is still much reuse of voice talent, and the accents from the different towns feel forced and fall flat. In particular, I find that all of the town guards sound like they are doing poor impersonations of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Another thing about the guards is their total lack of any character development. While most citizens in Skyrim are portrayed as real people with lives and backgrounds(something commendable for this game), the guards are totally modular in design. While there are different uniforms for guards from different towns and cities, there are no variations in the guards besides the distinction between male and female guards(who share the same awful accents). Lines of dialogue are reused between the genders and all guards throughout Skyrim, which has led to the famous creation of a famous new meme(language warning for the images section at the bottom of the page) that pokes fun at one of the guard's lines, "I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow in the knee.".

I thought I would thoroughly enjoy staying in the game's towns, but the reused dialogue has broken the immersion enough that I usually prefer exploring the games immense environments. Even this, though, has its problems. Every time I try to make my way to a new quest objective or explore a new area, I'm attacked by sundry enemies. Now, I'm not against the occasional surprise attack by a thief or two or a pack of wolves, but when most human enemies encountered in the wilderness are malignant individuals trying to steal your money or food, I'm a little jarred by the contrast between the barbaric nature of the wilderness and the civilised, polite nature of most of the citizens of towns.

While Fallout 3 was plagued with similar bandits and mercenaries, at least the game has a good reason for this. Fallout 3 uses a post-apocalyptic setting, and the world of this game is supposed to be devoid of humanity; hence, the game's world is largely populated with people trying to kill or pillage to make a living.

Skyrim is presented as a beautiful world, and though there are many dangerous creatures, we get the sense that it is a much more civilized world than that of Fallout 3's. Fallout 3 has bandits and murderers who have reasons to kill and pillage, but Skyrim's world is so rich with wild-life and beauty that it feels disjointed to have the whole land populated by thieves and murderers. There are, of course, many thieves and murderers in our world, but they are all driven by certain motives, and generally, most only do so out of necessity. Skyrim seems a world so full of opportunity to the player, therefore, I question why there are so many evil people in the game who seem to have chosen a life of isolation and corruption rather than to be a member of a society or pursue quests for the countless citizens who need messages delivered, swords to be found, dragons to be killed, or governments overthrown.

Again, while many of the citizens of Skyrim are well-developed and feel real, most of the humans in the game really only serve fodder for your weapons to kill. While the game has been commended on the fact that targets of your assassinations feel very human, most of the bandits and witches in the game don't seem to have reasons to kill you; they just try to. In effect, most of these generic characters, like the guards, feel hollow and empty, they only serve a purpose for the gameplay, either as practice dummies for you to kill, or as enforcers of the law. Would not players be more hesitant to break the law or kill off entire towns if every guard had a personality and a little character development?

Anyway, all in all, I find the game does a better job than most games at character realism, and this is quite a feat, considering the scope of the game. I do enjoy playing the game, mostly for the expansive world and the fact the everything you see in the game is real. If you see a mountain, you can climb it. If you see a river, you can swim in it. If you see a distant abandoned castle on a far-off peak, you can be assured that that is a real location in the game and there most likely treasure to be found inside.

I've recently started a little game called "To the Moon" I've only just started the game, but I've heard that it tells an incredible tale about regret and relationships, and it really sets new standards for storytelling in games. It has a unique soundtrack and a story that actually means something. Don't be fooled by the graphics, it's no JRPG.

I think that's enough random ramblings for one blog post. My Independant Study Unit essay/presentation in English Class will cover the topic of  "Games as Art", so I will try to post that(the essay) on my blog when I finish it. I'm also reading the book "The Art of Videogames" by Grant Tavinor for this essay. It's interesting so far, though it's long and wordy(reminds me of myself!), and very philosophical.

What Will I Create?

I've been thinking lately about what kind of  material I've been writing, and although I know I haven't been writing a lot lately, it's been all factual reporting. I know there's nothing wrong with journalism and opinion writing-I love it- but the truth is, it's easy. It's a lot easier to simply write your opinions as they develop, and to report on what's already there.

It's too easy. It's been bothering me lately, I need to truly create something new. I had a lot of fun making my short story, Heavy Rain, but besides that, I haven't really dabbled in creative writing for a long time. But writing that story showed me what I'm capable of. It pushed me to try something new, and it let me see that I have enough imagination to create a story with some significance. I really want to do more, but at this point, I don't know what I want. All I know is that I want to create.

Short stories are fun, often more powerful than novels, and are an easier way to express quick thoughts. I could write an episodic novel, releasing chapters one-by-one. I could even write a full-length novel and try to get it published, but I doubt I'm ready for that yet. Then there is always the question of what kind of world to create. I guess that's really the biggest question for me, and one of more awesome things about writing. There's really nothing like creating your own world, your own characters, and your own storyline, and it's a scary thought to think that you are the one who has to figure out how much to borrow from real life and how much is going to be pure fantasy.

I could write a story about real-life, or it could any kind of science-fiction, or anything in between. I  have to choose what will happen, how it will happen, where, and who wil be involved. It's a daunting task, but it's great fun. The question is whether I have the imagination to come up with a story. I've never thought of myself as someone who has a whole lot of imagination, but once I get past the initial writer's block, I find I can come up with a lot more than I would have expected of myself. But writing like this is easy, and it's too easy to get stuck in a rut of what's familiar, so I need to launch myself into a project that requires more than simply reporting on games or typing down thoughts.

I'm going to draw inspiration from somewhere; I don't believe anyone really creates something from scratch without having read anything before, and even if the material seems very original, it's been inspired by someone or something, however subliminal that influence maybe. Who would my influences be? I'd have to say C.S. Lewis and Chris Walley, author of The Lamb Among The Stars series have both had a profound influence on me, not visible in my writing yet, but I'm really thinking of creating something along the lines of The Lamb Among The Stars trilogy, probably my favorite books. It's a perfect blend of fantasy and science-fiction, with the suspense of a horror novel. I could go on with the interesting utopian setting, but I'd be gettting distracted.

Just as school starts, though, with University-level english and the school newspaper, I wonder if I'll have the time to write much. I haven't really taken advantage of the summer, I've wasted a lot of my time watching 24 and gaming, and I could have written on them, and I didn't. I need to get myself back on track for the school year, and I hope by being more organized I can also spend more free time writing and less gaming.

There's also a correspondance-based creative writing course at school, something I'm considering to replace my spare next semester. But having a free period could be good for studying or writing a book, even simply blogging. I'm thinking going for the course could be benificial in the long run if I plan on writing, so I'm leaning toward that.

At this point another thing I need is a base of readers. I know there's a few people that read my blog, but I'd appreciate it if you guys showed some signs of life! Blogging is, I'm afraid, becoming less popular. People seem to enjoy watching a video review or movie instead of reading a written work. Or, more likely, they just want to be entertained. I'm no less guilty of that myself, I just wish people would read what I'm blogging.

Hacking=Piracy?

I've been staying active on the GameSpot PSP forums lately, and like many PSP forums, GameSpot tries to be ethical by prohibiting discussion of Custom Firmwares, backup loaders, and homebrew. Some agree, saying that these things are illegal and unethical, but the truth is, none of the things for which GameSpot disallows discussion are inherently illegal in and of themselves.


Custom Firmware simply allows the execution of unsigned code. Basically, this means code that Sony wouldn't want you to run. It might sound illegal, but Sony is not the law, and what they don't want you to do doesn't necessarily match up to what's illegal.


Now, unsigned code is anything that Sony either didn't make, or what they didn't approve of. Homebrew software is, simply put, unsigned homemade code. So homebrew allows you to do things with your PSP that you couldn't previously do. For example, I've turned my PSP into a universal remote, used it as a gamepad, controlled  PC(remote-play style), and I've even used it with a palm wireless keyboard. Another popular and controversial activity is to play legacy games using emulation. This can also be a legal and legitimate thing to do, if it is done right.


Probably more controversial than emulators or homebrew, backup loaders are what lets pirates download and play games illegally. It's also what lets legitimate game owners play all their games on their memory stick, while their UMD is safely tucked away somewhere. It's completely legal to have one copy of your game as a backup, which on paper, means to ensure your original copy isn't lost or damaged, but in the real world this offers more portability and faster load times. None of this is illegal, as long as you have only one extra copy besides your original, and as long as you don't give copies to others, you can enjoy the benefits without a guilty conscience.


I know that custom firmware is a touchy subject for many gamers, and simply hearing the word 'hacking' brings thoughts of online cheaters and pirates who want free games. But having a 'hacked' console of any type doesn't necessarily make you a bad person(although it would make piracy and illegal activities much easier), it only lets you do things you previously couldn't. Custom firmware unleashes the full power of your PSP, and while some might wrongfully say that's illegal, I think the end-user has the right to do what he wants with his console, and it's only fair, since Sony decides to restrict homebrew software and limit the PSP's potential.


But keep in mind, custom firmware is powerful. Perhaps too powerful. While this power can be used for good, it is too often used for what's illegal and unfair. I'm not condoning piracy, I'm only endorsing custom firmware, and trying to get across the point that piracy isn't the fault of the people behind the custom firmwares, it's the fault of pirates that take advantage of the system used for backup loaders.