Yawn! - That's my feeling last night while turning on my TV to get my game on. I look at a stack of recently released games and can't decide which mediocre title to sink my teeth into. Halo 3? I can't believe I'm typing this but I've burned myself out on it. I've already logged a ton of time in multiplayer and with my brother in Australia (long story) I have no one to trudge through co-op with. PGR 4? Solid title, don't get me wrong, but something about it isn't quite right. It just doesn't have the allure of its predecessor and can't keep my attention. After those two titles the stack starts to look worse, filled with time killers or Achievement Point-only titles. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, NBA 2K8, NBA Live 08, NHL 2K8, NHL Live 2K8, Stranglehold, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, FIFA 08, Skate, Medal of Honor: Airborne, Blue Dragon, Lair. I'm supposed to get excited about these games? This leads me to another question - has the gaming industry lost its creativity?
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As gaming searches for household recognition along the lines of the big three (music, TV and movies) its shooting itself in the foot with tons of lackluster titles. For every Halo 3, there seems to be 50 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence games. This is exactly what makes the movie industry such a bore. The last time I saw a movie was in August, and I love movies. Am I missing out on a good flick? Yeah, probably. Gone Baby Gone looks pretty good and so does We Own the Night but I won't see them, I've been burned too many times that I won't take a chance. Gaming has put me in the same boat. There are so many releases every month its almost impossible to pick the game that's worth my time and money. Plowing through the games listed above just leaves me with a "Ehh, I guess I can play this game but I'll probably be left wanting" feeling. Who wants to be left feeling like that? I want to feel excited about a game, not blah.
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So what's the solution? Believe it or not, fewer games. Every week about 10-20 games are released across every format. ATTENTION GAME PUBLISHERS AND DEVELOPERS: Cut that in half and focus on the quality of games, not the quanitity. Every gamer knows you guys need to make a buck, it makes sense, but if this mess isn't cleaned up quick gaming won't rival movies, TV and music - it'll be its neglected half step-brother left to clean up after your mess while singing to birds and mice, hoping Princess Charming will recognize what a good guy he is despite being a poor schlub with third-hand clothes who drives a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba.
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Another possible solution? One console to rule them all. That's right, at some point, gamers need one clearcut choice. There are just way too many formats. Its a mess for everyone in the industry (multiple formats to program for which is a bigger problem than anyone will admit, console exclusivity or no console exclusivity, varying release dates and content, simplifying games for hand helds, way too many suits to keep happy, etc., etc.) but most importantly its a pain in the ass for gamers. Imagine if music came in other forms besides CD's. You can make an argument that digital music is a different form, and in many ways it is, but it works with digital music not against it. I can take my CD and put it on my digital music player. I can't take my 360 game and play it on my PS3. The iPod's dominance of digital music makes it more streamlined. This isn't the case with games.
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The Blu-ray/HD debate is another example. Consumers aren't willing to commit to either right now because it just doesn't make sense, even the movie studios switch sides. In the meantime Sony and Toshiba blow tons of money waiting for a new movie format no one is ready for or in a hurry to sink money into. In fact, the whole experience might be so frustrating that consumers might not accept either. Say hello to the new Betamax player! Why not take all of that time and energy and join forces to make one console? As you would expect money is the answer to that question, but a day when Nintendo and Sony hook up and make one console and force Microsoft out of the business might be what's best for gamers.
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No more rhymes now I mean it! - Just in time for Christmas, it appears the long awaited Xbox 360 Pro Bundle with Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Forza 2 is now available. There has been no official announcement from Microsoft but multiple online sources have stated they have seen it in stores.
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Anybody want a peanut? - Or Cracker Jacks for that matter? Somehow, someway the gods continue to smile upon me as I managed to acquire 2 tickets to Sunday's World Series game four. The Mrs. and I are heading up Sunday afternoon and meeting up with my brother-in-law Dan before the game. Dannyboy is from Peabody, MA and talks just like Mayor Diamond Joe Quimby. He and 2 other friends have tickets for game five, and I'll be busting his chops about flying out here for nothing if the Sox win game 3 today. In my efforts to expand this blog into "Gaming with some other stuff", look for a post with pics sometime Monday on the game 4 experience.
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