Open World Comfort.

Open world games are my preferred means of gaming escapism. There’s nothing as riveting as a fully explorable environment, that can be interacted with at your leisure, without your personal liberation’s being negated by the restrictions of being ordained as the world’s obligatory saviour. Running errands that supplement my deficient finances and my proficiency in stealing anything that isn’t nailed down. Commodities that can be sold off for a modest price, to merchants with a curious business strategy of trading my worthless goods for coin, with an exchange rate that would cripple most businesses that seek to make profit. Refining my wanting aptitude for combat, as I engage with a low level enemy, thrusting my blunted sword into its knees repeatedly, forgetting all of the advice listed in the tutorial, that would have allowed me to dispatched this enemy in half the time.

Ever since I discovered the premise of an open world game as a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the conceit. Though the pervasive intrusion of senility obscures much of my formative recollections of playing my first open world title – though it was probably Pokemon Yellow – I do know that it was GTA: Vice City that I played most. Navigating those drug trafficked, money laundering, pedestrian splattered streets, as I profligate capitalism is as fresh to me now as it was 20 years ago. Replete in all the nostalgic whimsy that allows what is a rather conservative sized city, to evoke an inflated recollection of its diversity in my mind. Despite it’s age and subsequent progression of the series since, it’s devilishly stylised setting and enduring soundtrack makes Vice City as anarchic as any of its follow ups. Though its concerning how much better I am at traversing a fictional city, than I am my own!

Every open world offers something different. GTA depicts an ambience with a more sardonic tone, volatile environment and fluent personal autonomy than say the limited, carefully sanitised lands in the Pokemon series. Some games have a vast and diverse ecology, with an expansive mythology and disputed lore that can be theorised independent from the game. Much like Skyrim. A game that revels in the deviations of player prerogative. And that also still amuses me with the cavalier patrols, that regard the sudden death of one of their own with such indifference. With the exalted virulence of the wind being an amusing stooge for my veiled assassinations. And yet despite the comparative themes, comprehensive mythology and similar setting, Skyrim is a completely different experience to another Fantasy dominant game in the Witcher 3.

But that’s the beauty of them really – the uniqueness. Some have better combat. A more engaging story. But if the environment is rich and compelling, many of these other elements that are necessary for the majority of linear standard experiences, are kind of perfunctory.

Why I Still Interact With Games As If I Were A Child.

You’d think that age would breed maturity. That becoming a father, being approved a mortgage and the general congestion of adult life would inform how you’d maturely perceive the world. Don’t be silly! If a fart noise escapes from a rear end, you’d better believe I’ll be there giggling next to a 7 year old. Especially if it’s one of those elongated ones that squeaks out like trumpet. As the old Chinese proverb says “If an old lady trips over her pomeranian and I’m the only one around to see it, will I still laugh?”. Yes. Yes I would. Embarrassingly loud! I’m actually chuckling to myself right now thinking about it. The point being that even in my thirties I can still tap into that juvenile part of myself that perceives things from a peculiar, yet inquisitive perspective. One of my most enduring beliefs is whether or not characters in games interact with one another when I’m not playing. As ridiculous as that sounds, I still firmly believe that there’s a fully functioning society, socialising discreetly while the game is idle. Here they’re not bound by scripted diologue or preprogrammed paths, but free to explore their virtual surroundings unmolested by my incompetent manipulation.

To this day I still adhere to these infantile fantasies that give substance to the inatimate. Games still stimulate those esoteric curiosities I used to have. The seemingly pressing questions about a games systemic constructs that are still so important. Usually its concerning the most arbitrary and benign observations. For instance, where do residents in the Pokemon games go to the toilet? Seriously, every commercial or residential building seems to lack this most basic facility. Many of these properties are usually inhabited by pets that are presumably expelling regularly quantities of Poke poo. So where does that go? I certainly don’t see any kind of waste disposal outside where such deposits could be disposed of. And as much as I respect the protagonists “fourth wall” breaking perogative to own the same games console that I’m currently playing the game on, surely a onsight latrine is a much more valuable resource. This isn’t the only architectural omission that I’ve questioned in this world.

I’ve often found it curious that residences in Pokemon, particularly the main protagonists humble abode is frankly a little too humble. The house itself is usually two story, consisting of a living room, kitchen and dining room, with a bedroom on the second floor occupied by a desk, bookshelf, Television, Games console and a bed. Which begs the question: does your mother sleep with your character? Do they have an oedipus complex? Is that why the mother is often so cavalier about her child’s sudden departure to become the very best? Because she no longer has to endure the unrecipricated advances of their offspring? Or perhaps one of them slept on the sofa, I don’t know.

I could go on questioning other logistical inaccuracies that fascinate me in games, but I think I’d bore even myself. Whether it’s characters adventuring with enough equipment to stock a small supermarket without being encumbered, nor displaying a perceptible means of hoarding so much baggage. Or a characters indelible aversion to permanent death, these are the kind of questions I’d always ask myself, and seemingly still do. Imaging that these npc’s interact with one another while I’m away, for some strange reason is a comforting notion. Especially as they’re more than likely wondering where they can poop!

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Are there any strange observations you’ve made while playing a game that you’d like the answer too? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers.

Are Less Pokemon A Problem?

The Pokemon series isn’t especially renowned for being progressive. I think its fair to say its glacial like innovation is the equivalent speed of an asthmatic sloth shuffling home to fill in some tax returns. Moreover its always been a rather stubborn brand, anxious to make even the most minute alterations. Its reluctance to evolve as it were can largely be attributed to GameFreaks obsessive need to preserve. Their “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach has been an especially lucrative adage. With Pokemon being the second best selling series for Nintendo, having sold in excess of 300 million copies worldwide, only surpassed by Mario, its easy to understand GameFreaks reluctance to innovate. The proliferating success of the series has seemingly been suppressed by the frequency at which the games are released. With the exception of a few peripheral advances, most notably the introduction of a day and night cycle and a visible experience meter in gen 2, the former of which was actually removed from the proceeding game, the series obstinate adherence to commercial prevelance has always been Pokemons greatest weakness. That an the insidiously antiquated system that only permits one save file per game!? So with the announcement that “Pokemon Sword and Shield” will purposely omit many established Pokemon, I can’t say I’m really that surprised.

The ubiquitous “Gotta catch em all” slogan hasn’t really been a pervasive incentive for quite some time. With over 800 fictional species to collect, tame and battle, over the course of 7 widely fluctuating generations, its almost farcical to expect anyone to accomplish this thankless, arduous task. Having a redacted level of creatures to compile streamlines the adventure, enabling GameFreak to provide a greater emphasis on story. Unlikely as that seems considering Pokemons well established reluctance to change from the numerous derivatives of a young trainer exploring a region, gaining notoriety through battling Gyms and crippling a criminal gang seeking world domination. Perhaps there’s a degree of comfort from the familiarity, that the games rather simplistic nature simply doesn’t necessitate overly complicated themes or mature elements. I disagree though. There doesn’t need to be a drastic topical adaptation, perhaps a subplot concerning ecological unrest or the ethical implications of capturing Pokemon for the purposes of inciting violence. Something? But I digress. The point is…well, I’ve forgotten that too.

GameFreak limiting the number of formative species was inevitable. When the series next “creative” measure is introducing mineral and dairy based Pokemon as an actual logical development, then of course you’re going to limit the visibility of more interesting Pokemon. Though I’ll admit that an Ice cream Pokemon could have some rather devastating, super effective moves against a lactose intolerant Pokemon. Of course a diminishing roster of Pokemon isn’t the only controversy, as there’s also been prevalent speculation that GameFreak have been using 3d models from past games, to cut down on production, which GameFreak have vigerously refuted. This is a far less desirable revelation that can’t be defended, if the alleged allegations are indeed true of course.

What I’ve seen of Sword and Shield so far however is promising, if mildly concerning. I’ve been waiting the better part of a decade for a mainline Pokemon game that I can play on a home console, and I just don’t want it messed up. For the moment I’m edging on the side of pragmatism, hoping that any pessimism I have will be dismissed when Sword and Shield delivers on my lofty childhood expectations. No pressure!

Happy 30th Birthday To The Game Boy!

In the corner of my living room, displayed in certain Swedish furniture retailers glass cabinet, that required a small team of inexperienced 30 somethings to erect, almost ending decades worth of friendship in the process lives my original Game Boy. Reclining nonchalantly against a box containing its more advanced portable beneficiary the “Game Boy Advanced”, its exposed backing exhibiting years of battery corrosion, this abused and sadly crippled device is sad reflection of my own callous adolescent conduct towards the things that provided so much joy as a child. Though it doesn’t function, is missing its battery guard and is encrusted with years of discoloured blemishes I could never throw it away. Each and every smear, bump and scratch that has afflicted my Game Boy is evidence of just how much I played and adored this grey and bulky console. And what kind of Game Boy enthusiast would I be if I didn’t celebrate its 30th Birthday?

This iconic device deserves recognition as Nintendo’s most successful games console, and arguably its most influential. While it’s competitors were obsessed with expensive, battery draining devices, the Game Boy relied on its more modest monochrome LCD visual output, and thrived. It’s remarkable to think that hardware of such conservative capabilities became the dominant force in handheld consoles. It was the gaming equivalent of Rocky beating Apollo Creed. Kids these days won’t appreciate the purity of such a bulky, low resolution hardware. The sheer number of hours invested in trying to clear as many lines of blocks in Tetris or defeating Shredder and the foot clan in TMNT’s: Fall Of The Footclan, not to mention the ineffable joy of receiving AA batteries as a birthday present. Glorious! Of course it was its portability that was its greatest asset.

Finding the perfect position where external light didn’t reflect off the screen or impair your vision was a constant malady, but once you were in position then your day was set. With the Game Boy’s mobility you weren’t restricted to one room, subjected to the mercy of your parents whim who’d tell you that you’d played enough of the Mega drive or SNES. You’d just retreat to another room and continue to indulge with a healthy 12 hour session on Pokemon Yellow. And if that didn’t work, arrange to meet a friend at their house and play there! Some of my most cherished childhood memories come courtesy of this arcane hardware.

Me and my best friend Andy (he couldn’t stand it when I called him “Andrew”) were obsessed with the Pokemon series. With the release of Pokemon Gold and Silver we set off to claim our respective copies as if we were on some religious pilgrimage. We ambled through the high street like proud soldiers returning from some far-flung war, parading by captivated spectators that had no notion of what was stimulating our grandiose strides. We returned to his house, knowing full well that we would be the only occupants for most of the day. With his newly acquired Game Boy Colour and my ageing original version we dedicated the entire day to the acquisition of Pokemon, barely interacting with one another, apart from a few succinct enquiries into the others progress. I think this demonstrates the longevity of this system, when you consider Pokemon Gold and Silver were released here in the UK back in 2001, with the Game Boy initially released back in 1989. That’s 12 years!

So on its 30th anniversary we don’t just commemorate this antiquated application as simply a forgotten relic that younger generations feel compelled to acknowledge, but to express an indebted appreciation for this immensely successful machine. The Game Boy wasn’t simply a games console, one bound by the restrictions of idleness or shackled by wires, this is the console that changed everything. The Game Boy, to me at least is the most important games console there has ever been.

Happy Birthday, you eternally spry friend! Don’t you ever change.

Pokemon Sword And Shield. Because We’ve Run Out Of Colours.

Yesterday was naturally Pokemon direct, a commemorative event to celebrate 23 years since the launch of the original Pokemon games on the Gameboy. Originators of the now monolithic series that I’m both proud and a little depressed to admit I purchased all those years ago. The event was also an opportunity to flaunt upcoming projects that will continue the series extensive success. And with the announcement of a new mainline Pokemon game on the Nintendo Switch, Gamefreak really couldn’t make any more money if they were printing it themselves!

Announced by Nintendo Companies president and CEO Tsnuekazu Ishihara, with a canny out of sync American accent, Pokemon Sword” and “Pokemon Shield”, because colours, letters, minerals, the phonetic alphabet, constellations and types of soil have been totally exhausted by this point, will be the first primary titles released for the hybrid console, and as such the first in the mainline series that can be played on home console as well as on the move. There’s no confirmation as to how many features used in last year’s experimental Switch entry “Pokemon Let’s Go” will be consolidated into Sword and Shield, if any, but expect to see some overlapping properties. Which will no doubt infuriate some hardcore purists who want the series to change but at the same time remain exactly the same.

What we can ascertain from the brief Gameplay shown and from the “not actual game footage” footage is that there will be a new, surprisingly quaint Victorian setting to explore, evil cultists hell-bent on passively taking over the world and new exotic creatures to imprison, train a force into combat against other equally submissive convicts. Huh, when you put it like that, it makes you want it even more! Check out the reveal trailer below. Cheers.