Topics: Programming, Video Games
Adventure: noun An unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.
Those who know me very well know that I have a great passion for video games, programming and storytelling. Therefore, it is no great secret that I've been trying to reconcile these three activities. While it would be pretty obvious to simply make a video game in order to convey a story, anyone who has dabbled in that medium knows it is no easy task; video games are still not quite accepted as a veritable and serious art form, and trying to tell a story while keeping the player interested is no easy task, though it has been done in the past.
The text-based adventure has been of interest to me lately. Most budding programmers with an interest in video games and a pinch of creativity dabbles into this guilty pleasure of generally bad design and simplified game mechanics. Many historically-important games were text-based adventures which are still played today. Other games take advantage of the graphical simplicity to create complicated gameplay.
I remember the first game I created. It was based on a fantasy setting I've been working on since June 2003 (and I just realized that the setting in question along with the multiverse I built around it will be 10 years old in a little over a month holy shit) and consisted mostly of some limited exploration and combat, with a small engine to procedurally generate weapons and armour.
The idea of creating a text-based video game where I could tell my stories was abandoned for a time. However, it has been coming back recently. I wondered how I could make not only a deep game story, but how I could make it accessible to the general public. I would like this engine to be available to many other players, who would be able to create their own stories without too much hassle.
I am still designing this system, which will be an interpreter for various "story" files. The goal is to create an easy-to-use system for people who are not programmers to create their own narrative-based video games. What do you think?
Stay frosty,
Snowman
Monday, April 22, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Asserted Review: Bioshock Infinite
Topic: Video Game Review
Play: noun a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
Hey kiddies, just a quick note before I get into the bulk of the review. I'm still new at writing reviews, and I might be doing more in the future based on your feedback, so please comment to give me any ideas/hints/advice! Also, I know I said I would write a review of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, but I wanted to write this one first. Thanks, and enjoy!
- Snowman
So, Bioshock Infinite. Where do I begin? I bought this game when it came out last week, thinking to give another chance at the Bioshock series. I was mildly entertained by the first game, but quickly got fet up; I found that it got repetitive and bland fairly quickly. When the second game came out, I again purchased it to see how they managed to keep the franchise fresh (despite it taking place in a sunken, rotten city at the bottom of the ocean). While the story was a notch above the first game, it wasn't different enough to merit more than a glance on my part. So why, then, would I risk my money and time again for the new entry in the series?
Well, I'm a sucker for second chances, and the game got good reviews, so why not? I decided to once more plunge into the world of Bioshock.
I'm so glad I did.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
The story begins at a lighthouse, where you travel to the sunken city of Rapture — –
Well, not quite. As you may know, Bioshock Infinite takes place in Columbia, a gigantic (and I mean mother loving gigantic) floating city ripe with crazy fanaticism, fantastic racism and American dreams all over the place. The game is set in 1912 in the midst of the American exceptionalism period; very early on you are immersed in this great world which you know will be going to hell soon enough.
You play the role of Booker DeWitt, protagonist/asshole sent to Columbia to bring back a woman in order to settle an undisclosed debt (the arc words "give us the girl and wipe away the debt" are all but shoved down your throat throughout the game). Surprisingly enough, the task is more complicated than it first appeared (</sarcasm>). You are soon treated as a villain in this world and attacked on every side.
Vague enough for you? Well there's more where that came from!
A Novel In A Movie In A Game
Seriously, it's hard to write this review, and I will tell you why. This game has an amazing story. Not "really really good", but amazing. You will be amazed. The characters are believable, the setting is perfect for the story it is trying to convey, and the game keeps you stringing along the plot. At no point during the game do you forget your goals or motivations. But most importantly, the game does an extremely good job at making the player want to finish the story. You get attached to the protagonists and you begin hating the antagonists. Every single character is well crafted, with a very extensive, if only hinted at, backstory. Nothing in this world feels flat or shallow.
The reason it is hard to write this review is because the story is just so damn good, and anything I say about the story would be a spoiler. If you play on getting this game, do not look up any information online. The whole reason to get this game is to experience its story, and ruining it would also ruin your experience.
Story-Driven Gameplay
So, other than the story, what else is good? Well, for starters the gameplay is very solid. It follows the same Bioshock formula of using magic powers (now called vigors) along with weapons in various combinations in order to solve problems (read: shoot them in the face). The game somehow manages to do this better than its predecessors; the combat does not feel as repetitive as the previous games. It is fast-paced, and the rhythm at which combat is present in the game is just perfect. Longer combat segments are usually in larger areas, providing a variety of different strategies to employ, while shorter segments are fast and brutal.
The environment is gorgeous, and while you never leave Columbia, it somehow never gets old. The world changes along with the story, and every little detail helps convey the sense of panic and urgency which permeates the later parts of the game. The soundtrack also features a wide range of music, from fast-paced sounds for combat to pleasurable church choirs for the more religious bits.
Overall, it's hard to break away from the story as everything in this game contributes to it. You are constantly reminded of what needs to be done, and the game does this amazingly. You will be walking on a pier, enjoying the sights, for a moment forgetting that your life is in danger, when suddenly Elizabeth will comment on the beautiful skies. Suddenly, you are reminded of her presence, of your mission, and of the grave peril you are in. It sounds like nothing, but it is small, subtle reminders like that which drive you forward. It doesn't give you a pop-up saying "SAVE TEH GURL NAO" every second. It doesn't blatantly say "let's not wait here too long" like many games. It simply strings you along peacefully.
Conclusion
There are some games which you play and then forget about once you put down the controller. Then there are games which stick with you for a few weeks as you play them again and again until you have explored every facet the game has to offer. Then there are games like these, which let you experience a story that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Stay frosty,
Snowman
Play: noun a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
Hey kiddies, just a quick note before I get into the bulk of the review. I'm still new at writing reviews, and I might be doing more in the future based on your feedback, so please comment to give me any ideas/hints/advice! Also, I know I said I would write a review of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, but I wanted to write this one first. Thanks, and enjoy!
- Snowman
So, Bioshock Infinite. Where do I begin? I bought this game when it came out last week, thinking to give another chance at the Bioshock series. I was mildly entertained by the first game, but quickly got fet up; I found that it got repetitive and bland fairly quickly. When the second game came out, I again purchased it to see how they managed to keep the franchise fresh (despite it taking place in a sunken, rotten city at the bottom of the ocean). While the story was a notch above the first game, it wasn't different enough to merit more than a glance on my part. So why, then, would I risk my money and time again for the new entry in the series?
Well, I'm a sucker for second chances, and the game got good reviews, so why not? I decided to once more plunge into the world of Bioshock.
I'm so glad I did.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
The story begins at a lighthouse, where you travel to the sunken city of Rapture — –
Well, not quite. As you may know, Bioshock Infinite takes place in Columbia, a gigantic (and I mean mother loving gigantic) floating city ripe with crazy fanaticism, fantastic racism and American dreams all over the place. The game is set in 1912 in the midst of the American exceptionalism period; very early on you are immersed in this great world which you know will be going to hell soon enough.
| "Come one, come all, and see the amazing Handiman! Get it? 'Cause he has big hands?" |  |
You play the role of Booker DeWitt, protagonist/asshole sent to Columbia to bring back a woman in order to settle an undisclosed debt (the arc words "give us the girl and wipe away the debt" are all but shoved down your throat throughout the game). Surprisingly enough, the task is more complicated than it first appeared (</sarcasm>). You are soon treated as a villain in this world and attacked on every side.
Vague enough for you? Well there's more where that came from!
A Novel In A Movie In A Game
Seriously, it's hard to write this review, and I will tell you why. This game has an amazing story. Not "really really good", but amazing. You will be amazed. The characters are believable, the setting is perfect for the story it is trying to convey, and the game keeps you stringing along the plot. At no point during the game do you forget your goals or motivations. But most importantly, the game does an extremely good job at making the player want to finish the story. You get attached to the protagonists and you begin hating the antagonists. Every single character is well crafted, with a very extensive, if only hinted at, backstory. Nothing in this world feels flat or shallow.
The reason it is hard to write this review is because the story is just so damn good, and anything I say about the story would be a spoiler. If you play on getting this game, do not look up any information online. The whole reason to get this game is to experience its story, and ruining it would also ruin your experience.
Story-Driven Gameplay
So, other than the story, what else is good? Well, for starters the gameplay is very solid. It follows the same Bioshock formula of using magic powers (now called vigors) along with weapons in various combinations in order to solve problems (read: shoot them in the face). The game somehow manages to do this better than its predecessors; the combat does not feel as repetitive as the previous games. It is fast-paced, and the rhythm at which combat is present in the game is just perfect. Longer combat segments are usually in larger areas, providing a variety of different strategies to employ, while shorter segments are fast and brutal.
 |
Our lovely deuteragonist, Elizabeth. You accompany her throughout most parts of the game. Don't get confused; you don't have to protect her. She can take care of herself. |
The environment is gorgeous, and while you never leave Columbia, it somehow never gets old. The world changes along with the story, and every little detail helps convey the sense of panic and urgency which permeates the later parts of the game. The soundtrack also features a wide range of music, from fast-paced sounds for combat to pleasurable church choirs for the more religious bits.
Overall, it's hard to break away from the story as everything in this game contributes to it. You are constantly reminded of what needs to be done, and the game does this amazingly. You will be walking on a pier, enjoying the sights, for a moment forgetting that your life is in danger, when suddenly Elizabeth will comment on the beautiful skies. Suddenly, you are reminded of her presence, of your mission, and of the grave peril you are in. It sounds like nothing, but it is small, subtle reminders like that which drive you forward. It doesn't give you a pop-up saying "SAVE TEH GURL NAO" every second. It doesn't blatantly say "let's not wait here too long" like many games. It simply strings you along peacefully.
Conclusion
| STORY: | 11 | The best story in a video game I have seen in a very long time, and the main reason to buy this game. |
| VISUALS: | 10 | Amazing environment, beautiful landscapes. |
| SOUNDTRACK: | 10 | Great context-appropriate music, awesome musical score. |
| ATMOSPHERE: | 10 | If there was one thing Bioshock always did well, it's atmosphere. |
| CONTROLS: | 10 | Controls are very intuitive and easy to learn. |
| MULTIPLAYER: | N/A | The game does not offer multiplayer. |
| LENGTH: | 9 | Short game to play through, but justified; adding to the time would probably have added useless, dry segments to an otherwise active game. |
| OVERALL: | 10/10 |
There are some games which you play and then forget about once you put down the controller. Then there are games which stick with you for a few weeks as you play them again and again until you have explored every facet the game has to offer. Then there are games like these, which let you experience a story that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Stay frosty,
Snowman
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