August video games highlights
Recap and thoughts on the industry news for the month
Penny Arcade's expo came to the home of grunge and Frasier in late August and all the big boys of the industry came out to play and tout their various wares.
As with most of the events over the past year, this span of time is not one focused on new IP's, a disappointment I've aired before. Obviously, the only logical conclusion is to take matters into my own hands and write a strongly worded letter filled with expletives to vent my frustration.
The game I was interested in beyond all others was the discussion on Dragon Age III. The second game was met with some disdain and I was one of the people who shared that, feeling as if the developers' had taken a step backwards and fell down a mineshaft.
Dragon Age II did take a risk, and one that perhaps was needed in its genesis. One of the most prominent criticisms of the first game was that its battle system lacked the tenacity in which western-based console RPG players expect. While this aspect was certainly improved in their latest offering, many felt it lacked the overall depth of the first, the most glaring of all its closed and recyclable settings.
So in an attempt to right previous 'wrongs' in players minds, the devs have looked to 'us', the gamers, in how to improve their next offering. This type of open developmental approach is a double-edged blade as your average Joe isn't a game designer. To put it in perspective, it can come across like a fanboy telling George Lucas how he should've written Star Wars. While player input is of course valuable, a wish list is not always the definitive way to go about reconstructing a game as there are too many variables to account for.
One part that came across as interesting in the discussion was how players wanted to have control over their companions armour sets. Aesthetics, unsurprisingly play a large part of RPGs in particular as the whole premise is that 'you' are the character. In practically every game where we can customise our avatar, it in some way conforms to our own sense of 'cool'. In terms of DAIII, I personally would like to see a marrying of both purchasable armour and companions own unique style because dress sense; though purely aesthetic is ultimately a reflection of character.
As mentioned above, scope was also an issue and one that was addressed, notably by scaling through the now larger and hopefully improved areas and the crowd seemed to love it, like when you jingle keys in front of an infant. This however, seems like a problem that can be easily remedied and one that is progressing. However, I'd be lying if I didn't say I look fondly on the next instalment.
Obviously, you want to create a good game, any dev does. However, you don't want the situation to turn itself into a game version of the film Misery where a demented Cathy Bates threatens, then subsequently breaks your legs for not creating the game how they see fit.
And with August officially over (if you trust calendars), we now look fondly towards September with expected highs of "Dead Island". Also, to a lesser extent, "Bus and Cable Car Simulator: San Francisco" which, if the title is anything to go by, should provide me with an experience that shakes the very foundations of my fragile being to the core.
Happy gaming.
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