My industry is the video games industry – but I am absolutely certain that what follows (an attempt to flog things masked in heavy-handed irony) occurs in all sorts of other industries. This particular piece of flogging comes from that bastion of marketing dedication, The Guinness World Records.

Let me begin with a quote from the press release that accompanies this incredible image of lovely being used to flog the Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer’s Edition:

“Suggested Photo Caption: Iowa’s Elizabeth Bolinger, AKA Kitty McScratch, where she earned the title for ‘Most Prolific Dancing Game High Scorer’ with top scores in over 85 songs spanning across the Dance Central and Just Dance franchises. She’s featured in the Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer’s Edition out now. (Photo Credit Ryan Shude/Guinness World Records)”.

That is correct, it’s a suggested photo caption to be used in the event that you’re really, really incredibly lazy as well as brain dead enough to run an actual story about the kind of book that does indeed introduce to the world a record for…

“Most Prolific Dancing Game High Scorer”

Yes, if you ever need to be able to win a discussion of things that are not only not needed ever, by anyone, ever and which in fact take goodness, energy, honesty and hope out of the world, you can just say:

“Iowa’s Elizabeth Bolinger, AKA Kitty McScratch, who is ‘long-time fan of the Guinness World Records books’ and who ‘was first introduced to video games in the early 90’s by her father, who was immersed in the world of casual PC gaming.’

Don’t thank me. Thank Kitty McScratch and the  Guinness World Records.

 

 

“Three is the magic number”, the hippies used to say, and in many respects this is true of Shadows of the Damned. Grasshopper Manufacture’s recent action horror title is the product of the combined pedigree of Goichi “Suda51″ Suda (Killer7, No More Heroes), Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil 4, God Hand) and Akira Yamaoka (Snatcher, Silent Hill 2).

When three individuals with such strong artistic visions come together, there’s always the danger that the final product can be less than the sum of its parts. One only has to look at the world of popular music and see the long and rather wretched line of heavyweight collaborations that fail to live up to billing. Fortunately, I’m pleased to say that this veritable supergroup of developers manages, on the most part, to deliver; each one’s contribution is unmistakably their own, yet everything fits together to form a cohesive end product.

Suda 51’s videogames-as-punk-rock aesthetic is borne out through the main protagonist, Garcia Hotspur, a hard as nails, leather clad demon hunter, and even more prominently by the puerile humour, ghost-train horror narrative and irreverent script, which has an Evil Dead goofiness to it rather than any psychological horror aspirations. It’s a rescue the girl caper as Garcia heads off into a deranged underworld accompanied by Johnson, a floating skull with an upper-class English accent, to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend from the malevolent demon-lord, Fleming. As Garcia and Johnson make their way through this warped reimagining of hell, they must battle a plethora of demons. Fortunately Johnson has the ability to change into a variety of weapons that can be used to stem the never-ending tide of hellish denizens.

The combat is where Mikami’s influence and the game’s Resident Evil 4 DNA are plain to see, with Shadows of the Damned sharing Resi 4’s over the shoulder view point and control scheme. Unfortunately, it lacks its esteemed predecessor’s polish, with the controls at times being needlessly awkward and frustrating. Occasional control issues aside, it’s still a lot of fun. Pulling off headshots is particularly satisfying; slowing the action down and zooming the camera in on the visceral consequences of your sharp-shooting. Other hints at the game’s lineage include Christopher, the yokel demon salesman who recalls Resi 4’s fondly remembered Merchant. His intermittent appearances offer brief respite and a chance to upgrade Johnson’s firepower.

The pulping of demons is broken up with the occasional puzzle and basic strategic play. The latter is focussed predominantly on Johnson’s light shot ability, which can momentarily freeze players and also comes in handy when the game throws “The Darkness” into the mix. This crepuscular mechanic drains Garcia’s health and can only be stopped by using the light-shot to shoot the golden goat heads scattered around the landscape. Although the use of The Darkness and infrequent puzzle elements add nothing groundbreaking, they add a nice variation to the gameplay.

The minute-to-minute action is broken up further by several sections that involve manoeuvring a paper cut-out of Garcia through rudimentary 2D landscapes. From a gameplay perspective they will not show your average gamer anything new, but they are executed with the playful charm that permeates the game. Also shaking things up are the obligatory boss battles the player will face. This is where the game arguably most disappoints. As whilst being memorable from a visual perspective, they lack wit and invention in challenging the player to defeat them. The key to defeating the majority being a simple case of shooting garishly obvious weak spots – a little passé in 2011.

To this reviewer, the true hero of Shadows of the Damned is Akira Yamaoka. His soundtrack is simply stunning, showing off his knack for flitting between styles with a dizzying proficiency. Whilst it doesn’t hit the lofty heights of his haunting Silent Hill 2 soundtrack –still in my mind the greatest video game soundtrack of all time – Yamaoka manages to conjure forth chilly electronica, raucous punk-rock and playful latino guitar riffs, all masterfully capturing the essence of the game and the characters which inhabit it.

It’s the game’s lack of anything particularly fresh or groundbreaking, and at times awkward controls, which stopsShadows of the Damned being a truly great title. The personnel involved in creating this title undoubtedly give the game a distinct charm and personality. However, it also raises gamers’ expectations. Having produced some of the most influential games of the last ten years, I don’t think it would be amiss to want and indeed expect the developers to raise the bar higher. It would of course be unfair to dismiss the game purely because it’s not the next great evolutionary step in the art of video game development. Ultimately, Shadows of the Damned is a fresh IP that’s an enjoyably entertaining roller –coaster ride, featuring a memorable protagonist and supporting cast. If you can forgive the rough edges, this is a game well worth further investigation.

Oh, and what a soundtrack.

This piece originally appeared over at http://game-bit.net/

When it’s out, as a flash game… for web browsers… one day… maybe.

Not now, of course, but one day. Probably in about 100 years time or something.

Also… look at this:

So, hands up who bought a 3DS. Go on, all the way up. Okay, you can carry on with what you’re doing. This here article is for those of you still living the 2D dream, those of you looking for some RPG action with an Eastern flavour for that trusty little DS of yours. You interested? Yeah? Okay, gather ‘round…

Now some people will say that the JRPG is dead. And some people will say there have been no decent JRPGs this generation. Both of these statements are, I’m happy to point out, utter bilge. Admittedly, it’s a genre with what we can politely call idiosyncrasies and quirks that may put some off. Foibles that can send even those blessed with Zen like calm into fits of rage. I mean, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve screamed into the nearest pillow after being kicked – KICKED HARD – by the hoary old JRPG.

Anyway, as I was saying…

That whole “JRPG is dead” thing is a fallacy. They’re not dead, they just chose new pastures from which to entertain us.  Yeah, that’s right. It’s the handheld where this much maligned genre has found succour. The reasons for this? Well, I can think of two main reasons. Firstly, from a financial point of view it’s relatively cheap. As technology evolves and becomes ever more sophisticated, the cost of development spirals accordingly. Producing big budget JRPGs full of the cinematic bombast we’ve become accustomed to is simply not commercially viable. Unless you’re a big hitter such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest or Shin Megami Tensei you’re going to find it hard to shift the units to recoup those millions upon millions of Yen you’ve burned in development.

Other than commercial viability another factor that springs to mind is simply the lay of the land. Gamers’ tastes have changed regarding what they play on the consoles sat under their tellies. The high-end consoles, namely the Xbox 360 and PS3 are capable of handling the gargantuan Western role-players formerly exclusive to PC gamers. The likes of BioWare and Bethesda have been able to steal the hearts of console RPG fans with their sophisticated wares. This is compounded by the fact that on the whole the genre has failed to evolve. Whilst the WRPG still feels fresh to your average console gamer, the evolutionary paralysis that grips most Japanese RPG developers dictates that creaking mechanics of a bygone era still reign supreme – something gamers, in the West at least, have had a bellyful of.

Woh, there. This is treading into epitaphic waters. I know, I know, this is supposed to be a positive piece. Before I started chewing the fat over the state of the genre I was telling you that the JRPG is alive and mostly well on the handheld console. Below are the four DS titles I think most worthy of checking out if you haven’t already.

Chrono Trigger DS
Okay, this is technically an old game. I was finishing my GCSEs when it appeared on the SNES back in March 1995. I didn’t see a copy until later that Autumn as the North American release didn’t appear until that summer and back then it was trickier to get hold of games from overseas. That’s right, this never got a Euro release – either on SNES or on the PlayStation port that appeared four years later.

Now anyone who was fortunate enough to have played this back when it first appeared will tell you that this was a high watermark for the genre. Developed by Square, whose staff were at the peak of their creative powers, Chrono Trigger has everything; an epic narrative that spans thousands of years and several dimensions, a varied cast of characters you actually care about, a fun combat system and multiple endings. The game follows the exploits of Crono and his band of companions as they endeavour to save the world from the evil Lavos. As mentioned, the story takes the adventurers across many centuries and alternate dimensions, each with their own separate story arc that cleverly ties into the bigger picture. The DS version is arguably the definitive version in that it adds a New Game + mode and several new quests. If you haven’t played Chrono Trigger I implore you to do so. The game has stood the test of time well and will provide a rewarding experience that many, more modern titles struggle to match.

Dragon Quest IX
No one needs an introduction to Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky. Nintendo did a pretty good job, via slightly creepy X-Factor berks “Jedward”, of ramming the game down our throats. At the time I derided Nintendo’s cynical marketing campaign. The idea of “The Jedward” grinding an old-school JRPG for 70 plus hours seemed frankly ridiculous. In hindsight, however, I applaud them. You see, they managed to get one of the DS’s most hardcore titles into millions of homes.

Level-5’s second Dragon Quest title (following the stunning VIII on the PS2) is essentially a series of vignettes sewn together by a tale of a (literally) fallen angel charged with collecting a number of celestial fruit. The fruit has fallen into mortal hands, wreaking havoc in the many locales your hero travels to. Although not the greatest narrative in relation to other Dragon Quests, the varied cast of NPCs and locations in which they are found keep things engaging. Anyway, you’ll get most of your enjoyment from building up your team, each member having a vocation which grants them unique skills.

Make no bones about it, Dragon Quest IX is a beast, a veritable leviathan of a game. It’s absolutely massive. There are hundreds upon hundreds of hours of gameplay on offer here. Firstly, the main game itself can take upward of seventy hours to finish. Not only that, the game includes a plethora of treasure maps which require some serious levelling to best their dungeons’ bosses. Then there are the various vocations on offer to the player and his squad, each requiring a good degree of grinding to take full advantage of. To top it off, once you’ve finished with the single player experience you can even take the game online to play with others. Seriously, this game is massive – and tough too. The game will happily punish poor player preparation, removing half your stash of total gold and sending you back to the beginning of a dungeon. Definitely do not be fooled by the cutesy art-direction and playfully colloquial localisation!

Radiant Historia
Developed by Atlus, of Shin Megami Tensei fame, Radiant Historia arrived on DS in the US earlier this year. The game follows the exploits of special agent, Stocke and his friends who become embroiled in the battle between their native country and their bitter enemy, neighbours Granorg. Radiant Historia riffs on Chrono Trigger’s time travel mechanic superbly. The plot crsiss-crosses between two main timelines, with the player having to dart backwards and forwards with the aid of a mysterious tome, resolving plot points that enable progress at later points in both timelines. In addition to the wonderfully dizzying plot, the game’s combat is also superb. The enemies appear on a 3×3 grid with the player having to cue attacks. The longer the chain of attacks the quicker enemies are dispensed with and the more XP is awarded at the end of battle. This adds an almost puzzle element to the game and stringing a big combo together is extremely satisfying.

Unfortunately, the game hasn’t had a European release.  This is probably because Atlus don’t have a European presence, with a lot of their games being published in this region by the likes of British publisher Ghostlight. Fortunately, importing games is a lot easier these days and with the DS being region-free, playing this game should be relatively hassle free. There are a number of reputable North American sites who will happily ship to our shores so you’ve got no excuse not to play this excellent title.

Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver
Okay, for a lot of gamers in their twenties, a new Pokémon game is a no questions asked day one purchase. They were at the right age in the mid-nineties to form an emotional attachment with the franchise. Pokémon’s surge in popularity at the time was part of their childhood; the cartoon, the lunchbox and of course, the original Game Boy title. In contrast there are a lot of older gamers who view Pokémon games as childish fare, simply that videogame of that annoying cartoon that used to be on years ago. Now, I don’t mind admitting that until about a year ago I was one of the latter – and how wrong I was. Pokémon may be chock full of cute, nonsensical beasts with equally nonsensical names but don’t let that fool you, as like Dragon Quest IX this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Yes, under the fluffy surface Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver is a brutally addictive collect ‘em up fused with a deceptively deep RPG.

The aim of the game is to become the best Pokémon trainer in the land. To do this the player must battle other Pokémon trainers as they traverse the large game world. Along the way your trainer collects wild Pokémon which can be trained to fight in your team of four. Unlike other JRPGs the player does not level up, each individual Pokémon does, and at certain levels, your Pokémon will evolve, granting them a wider selection of special moves. The battles are essentially rock-paper-scissor affairs and the skill is to create a balanced team to go into battle with. The sheer number of Pokémon you are able to collect means that hundreds of hours can be spent collecting, training and organising your team. And of course, once the collecting bug bites it’s really easy to find yourself saying; “I gotta catch ‘em all”.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the Pokéwalker, a pedometer like device that comes with the game. You can transfer a single Pokémon to the Pokéwalker and fight and capture random Pokémon on your travels and discover random items too. The more steps you take the better the Pokémon you can attempt to snare and the better the items there are to discover. That’s not all. Each time you transfer a Pokémon to the device and then back to the DS it will level up by one level. That means you can continue to cultivate your collection of Pokémon even when you don’t have your DS with you. Neat.

Honourable mentions:

The World Ends With You – Set in contemporary Japan, this Square Enix title is a feast of Japanese pop culture and makes full use of the DS’s touch controls.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey – A sci-fi dungeon crawler in which the player has the somewhat novel option of negotiating with the demons they encounter.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time & Bowser’s Inside Story – The Mario and Luigi RPGs are all of a high standard, with Superstar Saga being one of the GBA’s best titles. The DS games or of a similar standard; full of playful humour and typical Mario charm. The battle system in both games is particularly satisfying, utilising a clever rhythm action based mechanic.

This piece originally appeared over at http://game-bit.net/

Okay, before I start this review I need to come clean. I’m a massive Level-5 fanboy. There I’ve said it. Why? Let me explain.

To most people Level-5 will be known as the people who gave the world the charming Professor Layton games. They need no introduction of course, they’re pretty much a global phenomenon. I mean, Nintendo were trying to con housewives into buying the last Zelda – yes, that gaming juggernaut – by cynically comparing it to Level-5’s opus. It’s THAT big now.

The thing is there’s more to Level-5 than the Layton games. Since 2000 the developer has been producing some of the most charming (a word I use a lot when referring to Level-5 games) console role-players on the market. On PS2 they gave us the wonderful Dark Chronicle and Rogue Galaxy, as well as revitalising the Dragon Quest IP with the gorgeous DQVIII on PS2 and DQIX on DS. Incidentally, if you haven’t picked up the latter do so. It’s done as much for the genre as the recent and much lauded Xenoblade Chronicles has. Anyway, there’s a bit of back story for you and I’m sure you’ll now appreciate why I was excited to hear that Level-5 were bringing over Inazuma Eleven, until now an unobtainable piece of Japanese exotica.

Inazuma Eleven is a console RPG that follows the exploits of Mark Evans, a football obsessed goalkeeper in the city of Inazuma hoping to take his school team to glory. He’s aided by his dead Grandfather’s book of football skills, along with a variety of characters including the enigmatic centre-forward, Axel Blaze and somewhat begrudgingly by the other members of the school’s team, the Raimon Eleven.

The team starts off as being close to closure, with Mark’s first tasks being to fend off the team’s dissolution and then to recruit new members. As the game progresses the plot thickens, becoming much more than a tale of a footballing minnow blossoming into champions elect. I won’t divulge anything else as the plot is one of the game’s strongest aspects. It’s a joy to see the Raimon Eleven journey from near extinction to contenders. And as other, darker plot elements are brought in, the air of mystery and expert drip-feeding of narrative turning points keeps the player wanting to play on.

The excellent story is complimented by the large and varied cast of characters. The Raimon Eleven are a loveable bunch of losers and slackers, cajoled into action by the ever-positive Mark Evans. Additionally, the Raimon Eleven’s opponents are a colourful bunch; as much quasi-superbaddies and wry parodies as they are football teams.

The game’s core mechanics are split into two distinct parts. Mark traverses the world using the JRPG’s tried and tested formula of field and world maps. The world map is comprised of various sections of Inazuma that Mark is asked to visit, whilst the field map is full of NPCs who, as the genre dictates, provide useful tips and conversation that flesh out the game’s lore. The other main component of the game comprises the matches against the other teams the Raimon Eleven come up against, and the random “battles” Mark faces – challenges from other Raimon School students which come in a number of guises that allow Mark to level up his team.

Ever since I first heard about Inazuma Eleven the element of the game I was most intrigued about was the actual football. I mean, it’s a JRPG where you don’t battle monsters and pantomime villains. You play football, how do you give the player a battle mechanic that’s based around a sport and not besting beasties?!

I’m pleased to report that the football/battle mechanic is brilliantly implemented. In the full matches the player controls a full eleven-a-side game, directing players on and off the ball with routes drawn with the stylus. When shots or tackles need to be taken the play pauses and the player is presented with a number of options; either to take a standard shot, dribble or tackling manoeuvre depending on the player’s situation. In addition to this the player has a number of special moves which can be used depending on the amount of TP (essentially magic points) the team member has at his disposal. The player also has the chance to freeze play to plan ahead. This is to be taken advantage of as play moves quickly and any player, however good, has only a little time on the ball.

In battle situations, the random encounters that occur intermittently, the player controls three members of the Raimon Eleven squad and is asked to meet each encounter’s requirements; whether it be score first, get possession of the ball or a similar bite-sized task. Stringing moves together and finding the onion bag in both battle and match scenarios is immensely satisfying and Level-5 should be applauded for giving gamers a new way to experience football in a videogame.

Okay, so far Inazuma Eleven sounds like a bona fide classic. Yes, all of the game’s elements I’ve described in this review are excellently executed. However, there’s a big but. If you’re an experienced gamer you’ll find Inazuma Eleven far from challenging. The game has two genuinely tough matches and that’s your lot. Once you’ve started levelling your team up, allocating special moves to each of your players, you’ll find it easier and easier the further you progress.

Another aspect of the game that stops this game from being Champions’ League material is that the RPG elements are fairly lightweight. Exploration is minimal as the world map is relatively small and an omnipresent blue arrow keeps the player locked to the correct path.

It’s a shame as there’s a lot to love about Inazuma Eleven. This is a game with a compelling story, charming cast and unique take on football in a videogame context. There’s depth too in that you can recruit a plethora of players, each with their own personality and special powers to the Raimon Eleven cause. Although superfluous to progression it adds a Pokémon-esque, collect ‘em up facet to gameplay that increases the games longevity. This is a game that I heartily recommend to young gamers who are either fans of the Inazuma Eleven cartoon currently airing or those in need of a “my first JRPG” experience. Unfortunately, the more experienced gamer may want to look elsewhere unless they are a hardcore JRPG fan.

This review originally appeared over at http://game-bit.net/

A good song, sort of about video games. Never?!

This has a great spooky vibe…

I don’t usually go in for award ceremonies, whatever the medium. Corporate back-slapping is pretty repugnant in my book. To me, awards ceremonies are just cynical unit shifting propaganda. Events aimed more at lining shareholders’ pockets than recognising true talent and the hard work of people in whichever industry the awards supposedly represent. I could be wrong of course. I may just be someone jaded by each year’s god-awful Brits, TV awards and the myriad other award ceremonies beamed into our living rooms. Rightly or wrongly I never get involved in award polls – until this year anyway.

Earlier today I noticed a tweet by games journalist Scott Munro, retweeting Rising Star notifying followers that their cult title, Deadly Premonition is up for a Golden Joystick Award. If you’re not aware, the Golden Joysticks are the videogame industry’s Oscars. Sort of.

The fact that Deadly Premonition is up for an award in the best action/adventure game category is fairly remarkable. It’s not a title that was exactly lauded by the mainstream videogame press. In fact it wasn’t even intended for release in PAL regions at all at one point. The title’s relative success was born from the vocal support of a small cult following. As word of mouth spread more and more gamers looking for something a bit different decided to check Deadly Premonition out. The game is now a bona fide cult classic – and deservedly so. It’s a game that’s ambition is greater than its execution. Genuinely ugly to look at and archaic to play, it charms the player with compelling narrative and memorable characters. Leaving the player unable to help but admire creator SWERY’s vision of an open-world survival horror just about realised.

As you can see, I’m a fan. Deadly Premonition is genuinely one of the most compelling games I’ve ever played. Oh, and utterly hilarious too. With this in mind I thought; “what the heck” and registered my vote for Deadly Premonition as the best action/adventure game of 2011. Out of curiosity I thought I’d check out the other categories, voting in a few of them – I mean, I LOVE the PSP remake of Tactics Ogre so felt obliged to vote in that category for a start. After making my way through all the categories I came to the final selection, the nominations for the “One to Watch” category. To my disappointment all the titles are either sequels or games relating to hard-hitting licences. Now I’m aware that the whole “too many sequels” thing is a hoary old chestnut so I’m not going to bleat about that. What it did make me think however, is that are the curators of these awards missing a trick?

Earlier I mentioned that my feelings towards award ceremonies are pretty negative. My main gripe being that they are a cynical device to shift units. In the videogame industry the likes of Call of Duty, etc don’t need this sort of shot in the arm. Such franchises are huge cash cows. Huge cash cows with red raw udders from over-milking it must be said – but that’s an adenoidal whine for another day. The games that would really benefit from a little Golden Joystick Award Winner sticker on the case are the new IP that are struggling to make an impression. I can think of a number of games from the past twelve months that deserve better commercial success; Enslaved, Child of Eden and Shadows of the Damned to name but three. In my opinion a category such as “Ones to Watch” should be akin to the ubiquitous “Best Newcomers” award at music industry ceremonies. A chance for new, otherwise off radar games to have the spotlight. Credit where credit is due, all three of the titles I mention are up for awards. As are a number of other titles I wouldn’t exactly describe as commercial juggernauts. My feeling is simply that they would also benefit from a category all of their own.

Now I don’t know who chooses the nominees. I asked the hive-mind that is Twitter and all I got was Patrick Moore. “Thanks” Campfire Burning. Anyway, whoever it is, I really think they need to look at how they can support those that need and deserve it in what is a super competitive market. I hope you agree,  as ultimately it’s us as gamers who will benefit the most.

Press Release: LONDON JUNE 21 2011
UK developer, GasheadAuGrrr Games, is proud and excited to announce the exciting news that Zombie Dragon Skirt Ball War of Duty is now in development for all major gaming platforms.

An innovative mix of volleyball, the Koreastahn War and Dragon fighting, for the first time ever, Dragon Skirt Ball War of Duty brings Zombies into the fray.

A family is washed ashore during the first Koreastani War and finds themselves set upon by [please name them properly in the press release] Enemy Insurgents riding in infected dragons. The familiy’s only hope of escape is the play volleyball at high speed and with few clothes.

“We are excited to bring this platforming, FPS, RPG, MMORPG breakwatershed moment in modern video gaming to [insert platforms that we've signed up to] history going forward. We feel it’s a flagpost marquee moment for all stakeholders,” commented deputy vice president in charge of Gamification Studios at GasheadAUGrrr, Mr Gregg Arnie Stokcton Head.

Dragon Skirt Ball War of Duty is due for release in Fall 2012.

Sometimes people just don’t seem to understand this whole “Communications” aspect of PR/Marketing. Take this example that happened to me this morning regarding a news story and a video game. Aaaw, what a fun phone call:

Them:”Pull that story or we won’t pay up!”
Me: “Pay what? We don’t take money for editorial and that includes news.”
Them: “Pull that story!!”
Me: “Why?”
Them: “Because we made a mistake… so, pull it!!”
Me: “Erm… is the information true? It was in a press release.”
Them: “Well, yes it is true but you have to pull it or else! Or get the info from Wikipedia but you can’t quote the press release or else! You have to pull it!”
Me: “I don’t think I do, you know.”
Them: “Then we won’t pay that sum!!”
Me: “What sum?”
Them: “That we told you we’d pay!! Pull it!”
Me: “Erm, no you didn’t. And if you had, we would have called it advertorial and signed an agreement. What you mean is that you sent something out by mistake, and have now been told to firefight and are doing so by threat.”
Them: “I’ll send you an email!”

Good times, eh?

Everybody has their own gaming habits. Personally, I like to have a fair few games on the go at any one time. It means it takes me an age to finish anything, especially considering what limited time I have available to dedicate to my hobby. It also means I am hardly ever on the bleeding edge, tending to be months behind my Xbox Live friends when it comes to playing the latest titles. However, this habit does have its merits –the major one being that things stay fresh and varied.

A good example of this is my experience with Ninja Theory’s sci-fi adventure, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. The detractors accuse the game of having a repetitive combat system that becomes tedious by the latter stages of the game. In contrast, fans of the game laud the narrative, the vivid game world and the warmth of the characters within it. Fortunately for me my habit of flitting between games, playing bite-sized pieces at a time has meant that I’ve been able to side-step any issues regarding repetitive gameplay mechanics, and been able to revel in the game’s wonderful story, world and characters.

I could probably use the previous two paragraphs as a means to launch into a ham-fisted and downright amateurish review of Enslaved, but instead I decided that this should be a plea of sorts. A plea to those gamers enamoured of narrative’s role within videogames who haven’t played Enslaved to go out and do so.

My reasons? Well firstly and to repeat what I mentioned earlier, the narrative is excellent; a sci-fi spin on the 16^th century classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West. The player takes on the role of Monkey, the reluctant companion of Trip, a fellow survivor of a crashed slave ship. Together they journey towards salvation, avoiding the ever-present threat of mechs which prowl the post-apocalyptic landscape, itself a treacherous foe.

A good narrative is nothing without characters that you can warm to and Enslaved wholly succeeds on this front. The relationship between Monkey and his captor/travelling companion is one of the main themes of the game, and it is a joy to watch how the characters’ relationship changes over the course of the game. Credit for this success must go to both the excellent script and the fantastically emotive character animation. The combination of the two encourages the player to empathise with the main protagonists and the other characters they meet.

I said this isn‚Äôt a review didn‚Äôt I? So let me stop there before it becomes just that. The other reason I implore you to buy this game is not that it‚Äôs simply a good story-driven game, but that it‚Äôs a new IP. A new IP that hasn’t been particularly successful commercially.¬†I‚Äôm pretty sure I‚Äôm not alone in thinking that it‚Äôs important for the games industry to keep providing its audience with new titles, new ideas and new stories to tell. For that to keep happening people need to buy these games when they come out. If not, the men in suits who worship at the altar of THE BOTTOM LINE see less and less credence in ¬†allowing developers to take chances on new IP and new ideas. So please, take a chance on Enslaved. It‚Äôs a wonderful game developed by people who want to tell us a new and different story. We need new and different stories.