E3 2014 - Quick Thoughts

I’m long past being orgasmically excited over the Electronic Entertainment Expo as a whole, but individual games and sometimes entire companies threaten to try to bring back that feeling. I find the whole thing a big over-dramatized marketing blitz, but at least the gamers tend to win in that they get a glimpse of a bunch of great games that are likely coming their way.

It’s always a big deal between who “won” the big three conferences – Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony. I’m slightly biased, of course, because I’m a huge Sony fan, so you can’t take anything I say here seriously. But, ultimately, I’m a fan of games, but only certain types of games.

Microsoft certainly brought the games, there is no doubt about that. And, frankly, I think this year’s E3 was Microsoft’s best showing in years. Unfortunately for them, their exclusive games – you know, the ones that are there to try to get me to buy their Xbox One – don’t really appeal to me. The multi-plats (Tomb Raider 2, Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Witcher 3, etc.) are great, but they don’t give me a reason to buy an Xbox One if I already own either a PS4 or a decent gaming PC – which I do, in both cases.

While this may have been Microsoft’s best E3 conference in years, it still doesn’t beat the Sony of E3 2013 and it doesn’t beat the Sony of this year, either. They are just killing it with their focus on indie games that look amazing, some rock-solid exclusives that look better than any exclusive Microsoft showed (hello, Uncharted 4 and The Order: 1886), PlayStation Now (which might not be impressive enough right now, but the potential is huge and amazing if Sony handles it correctly) and more.

A cool guy I follow on Twitter (@kotowari) put it very well when he tweeted after the Sony conference, “I like that the Sony presser features games that are more beautiful than violent”. This seems to be Sony’s MO for years now, and it remains true this year, and that is an awesome way to look at it.

So, exclusives come into play here, a bit, as I’m much more interested in Uncharted 4, LittleBigPlanet 3 and The Order: 1886 than I am with any of Microsoft’s stuff. Sorry Xbox, not this year.

Nintendo actually did pretty well this year, aside from the lackluster Wii U sales across the board. A new Star Fox and Zelda? Gold mine. Mario Party and new SSB info was on point, as well. Unfortunately, I’m not really a Nintendo person and have no plans to buy a Wii U. Although, announcements like Fantasy Life for the 3DS is a pretty awesome thing.

I also, of course, enjoyed the EA presser because, well, Mass Effect (and, by extension, basically anything BioWare). Need I say more?

Mass Effect 1 - Seven Years Later

Because I’m either not highly impressed with current gen offerings at this point or either can’t justify the price tag for new current gen games (see: Watch_Dogs), I’ve realized there are plenty games that either I already own or are dirt cheap by current gen standards that I still need to play or want to play again.

One of those games (or franchises, if you will) is Mass Effect. I haven’t played the original game in the trilogy since about a year after it first came out on the Xbox 360. It was one of the games I originally bought a 360 to play. Some things really stood out to me as I played it again. While nothing really changes how awesome this game and the entire trilogy is, there are a couple things that make me wonder what on Earth the devs were thinking.

[There are a few story spoilers here for Mass Effect 1, but if you haven’t played the game after seven years, don’t blame me if you get spoiled.]

Elevator rides: This has been a running joke about the first Mass Effect game since it came out. The elevator rides (on board the Citadel especially) are ridiculously long. At first, back in the day, I thought they were to give the player something to watch while the next area loads. So, I assumed they were glorified loading screens. However, when you load from the Normandy onto the Citadel or any other area, the loading screens aren’t that long, especially playing on the PC. So, that can’t be why the elevator rides take the better half of forever. No, it was someone’s bright idea to put “flavor dialog” into the elevator rides in the form of either a news alert or the team chatting among themselves.

Thankfully, in later games, these things were available to happen at any time while the team was running around an area and not just during elevator rides, so that means of transport was significantly quicker. It’s likely the Citadel elevators were…redesigned…after the attack at the end of Mass Effect 1. Also, you find funny little references to the jokes surrounding these lengthy ventures in subsequent games, signifying that BioWare actually has a sense of humor about it all.

Driving the MAKO: People complain about the battle mechanics of ME1 vs. ME3, but the real stinker of ME1 was that god-awful MAKO. Who’s bright idea was it to require its use on EVERY SINGLE planetary exploration side mission and probably 75% of the main story missions? I mean, really. This thing is horrible. The physics used to make that thing move and bounce around like a kid in a bouncy castle are a bane on the world of gaming.

While the exploration is a great idea as far as checking out various anomalies on planets go, having that bouncy tank with horrible controls and physics be required for it all really puts a damper on that aspect of the game.

Inventory management: For a while after ME2 came out, in which they stripped out many of the RPG-centric elements of the first game, I was really disappointed, even though I enjoyed ME2 the most. However, now that a lot of time has passed and I’m playing ME1 through again, the whole 150 item limit and omni-gel system just really got to me; having to clear my inventory after every couple missions (or one long story mission) and convert tons of stuff to omni-gel or sell stuff was just ridiculous. I’m glad they nixed inventory management in subsequent games.

Longer main story missions, but fewer of them: I hadn’t realized it before, but there really are only a handful of main story missions in ME1. The major missions are as follows: Eden Prime (prologue), Find Liara, Novaria, Feros, Virmire, Ilos, the end.

Granted, all of those have multiple parts and some (especially Novaria and Feros) seem horribly long by ME2/3 standards, but those are the major story missions. There are also three segments that have you at the Citadel for the main story. One right after Eden Prime, one right before Ilos, and one when you take The Conduit from Ilos to the Citadel at the end of the game, but these are fairly small parts of the game overall and the last one is really attached to the Ilos mission in general. This leads me to my next point…

Shortest of the three games: ME1 has to be by far the shortest of the three ME games. I did every single combat-related side mission, as well as, obviously, all the main missions, and a decent amount of exploration (both from the Normandy surveying worlds and checking out stuff on planet surfaces via the MAKO), and only logged in just under 24 hours of play time by time I finished. I’m pretty sure when I played through ME2 and ME3 previously, it was at least twice that, if not more, when attempting the same feat (all side missions complete).

(Side note: As I was writing this up, I’ve moved on to Mass Effect 2, and have logged about 24 hours in it and still have the majority of side assignments, loyalty missions, two dossiers and a couple large main story mission chunks to complete, not to mention three rather extensive DLC missions – this is going to be a 50+ hour play-through, at the very least.)

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since most people these days just want to rush through ME1 and get to the better combat opportunities in ME2 and ME3, but it seems kind of odd for the more RPG-heavy of the three games to be the shortest.

Overall, the game still really holds up, especially the main story missions and combat environments. You do notice some rather lame repeating textures and environments when you get into landing on non-story planets and doing the side missions, but that’s both to be expected and not a bad thing for a game released in 2007. I realize the gamplay itself evolved over the course of the three games and some things got arguably better, but you can’t deny how great a game Mass Effect was, and still is. It’s probably one of my favorite game franchises of all time.

I'm a Fickle Geek

I’ve come to the realization that I’m very fickle when it comes to what I do and when with my time now, especially during the week. I tend to work 10-hour days. Sometimes this affords me the luxury of having a three-day weekend by taking Friday off completely. Mostly I’m just working in the mornings on Friday. But, Monday through Thursday, when I get home, I’m beat.

It used to be that I’d come home and play games for a few hours. Now I just want to come home, watch some TV (our current obsession is going through the entire Stargate franchise once more), then go to bed by 10pm.

Last night was a good example. I’ve been playing through the Mass Effect games again, starting from the beginning. I got the urge to play for an hour or so last night, but then I was like, “Well...meh…I just don’t feel like playing it unless I have time to sink into it.” So, I went back and watched another episode of Stargate, then hit the sack.

So, for the most part, I’m feeling that Monday through Thursday are my “watch all the things” days – days that I just veg out on the sofa after work and watch whatever I need to to catch up with my shows or whatever. On the weekends, when I have a bit more time, that’s when I’ll probably get my gaming in.

Because of this downward spiral into middle-age, I’ve yet to complete a lot of games I otherwise would have knocked out within short order, such as Final Fantasy X-HD, Child of Light and Transistor. That, among other things, is also why I really can’t justify launch day price tags on big games that I actually want to play like Watch_Dogs. I just can’t do it, because I know it will sit there for days or weeks without being touched. No, I won’t play it until it’s been on sale on Amazon and no one is talking about it anymore.

Finally, all this leads to me being horrible at updating this blog. Trust me, I have tons of stuff half-way written, but actually getting it done, formatted, edited and posted is another thing entirely. I want to do nothing but veg out during the week and play games on the weekends. #geekproblems, right?

American Craft Beer Week - 2014

So, it's American Craft Beer Week 2014, and I figured what better way to take part in this yearly event (other than, you know, drinking craft beer) is to talk about a few of my favorite craft beers as of late. These aren’t necessarily my favorites of all time or my favorite breweries (although all of them are very solid), but it’s just a few craft beers that I’ve enjoyed recently.

(In case anyone wants to know, I'm writing this while drinking a Green Flash Road Warrior Imperial Rye IPA...mmmm.)

Fresh Squeezed IPA | IPA | Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon

I’m a huge fan of flavorful, citrus-focused IPAs. While the more potent varieties do have their place, this is one of the better IPAs available recently. It used to be a seasonal release, but they've recently extended it's availability to the year 'round variety, which is good news! It’s very smooth, has very potent citrus flavors and just tastes fresh (Fresh Squeezed…fresh…get it?). Definitely pick up a six pack (or more) if you find it. I’ve purchased several over the last few months. It’s even better on tap, if you can imagine that.

CynicAle | Saison | Surly Brewing Company, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota

I really enjoy saisons in general, but if at all possible, this one should be on your “must drink” list, it’s probably one of the best saison-style beers I’ve had. It’s tough to get in many areas, but if you’re ever in Chicagoland or anywhere in its home state, it should be pretty easy to find. It’s just tart enough, with a nice fruity backbone, which makes it easy to drink yet deceptively complex. Definitely one to check out.

The old can art is, sadly, a thing of the past. :(

Mechahopzilla | Double IPA | NOLA Brewing, New Orleans, Louisiana

Not only is the name awesome, but it’s a very flavorful, yet easy to drink, double IPA at that. It’s aroma will permeate your brain, but it isn’t as hoppy as it smells, but the subtle sweetness of your typical IPA comes out on the back end. Not the most potent DIPA I’ve had, but certainly very good if you’re passing through the deep south and want to pick yourself up some local beer.

(Note: NOLA Brewing Company was sued by the people who own Godzilla and they had to rename it. I'm not sure what they renamed it because the beer - a double IPA - is nowhere on their site. Hopefully they didn't get rid of it altogether.)

Black to the Future | Black IPA | Kalona Brewing Company, Kalona, Iowa

This is the first of two very local brews I’m listing here that may be difficult to find outside the state, but it deserves a mention for a very special reason. Aside from possibly Stone’s Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA, I have never found a black IPA that I liked. A lot of them feel a bit chalky and don’t strike the right balance between the roasted and caramel flavors and the hop character of an IPA. This one actually does. I think it’s because the hops and the malt flavors are more subdued and it feels easier to drink, but there is still a lot of subtle complexity there. As the first beer I had from this brewery, I’m compelled to try out their other offerings.

PseudoSue | Pale Ale | Toppling Goliath Brewing, Decorah, Iowa

Another local beer that only distributes to a small area in Iowa and Wisconsin, but this pale ale is literally one of the best beers of its style you’ll ever drink. It has a very forward grapefruit and orange profile, plenty of hops (although not overpowering) and is just very tasty. It has also been rated on a few sites as one of the best pale ales in the country, so there’s that.

Three Philosophers | Belgian Quadrupel Ale | Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, New York

First off, I love Belgian Quads. It’s one of my favorite styles of beer. Secondly, this beer is available year-‘round. It’s a great sipper and one of the best example of the style from an American brewery, in my opinion. Find it in both 22 oz. bombers and four-packs. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for something very robust and flavorful.

There are many "runners up", but I didn't want to double-up on style (although, as you can tell, my personal tastes lean toward the hoppy).

As I tell everyone who isn’t a craft beer drinker but just drinks the typical macro brewery sludge – just give it a chance. Chances are there’s a craft beer out there that you will like. While my tastes tend to lean more toward the potent, flavorful end of the spectrum, there definitely are a fair share of lighter pilsners and lagers out there from some very talented craft brewers that should be right up the alley of anyone who has an open mind and wants to test the waters for the first time.

Just remember, a fridge full of a craft beer (regardless of style) looks a whole lot classier than a case of Bud Light. ;)

Final Fantasy X Re-master - Throwback to One of the Greats

Like most RPG fans in the 90s, I was pretty heavily into Final Fantasy. While that inner desire to like the FF games in general hasn’t changed, FFX was the last main-line, non-sequel Final Fantasy title I played before I really became an “adult”. It was back in my bachelor days, spending hours on end locked in my room pouring through RPGs like crazy.

When FFX originally came out, I took an entire week off work and didn’t do much of anything except play that game. That’s how dedicated I was back then, and how much I enjoyed the game.

Fast forward to this year, and we get a full HD re-master of both FFX and its divisive sequel, FFX-2. I’ve nearly completed a play-through of FFX at this point, so I’ll talk a little about how I feel toward this re-master.

I’ll get this out of the way first: There are always things that could have been done better, or re-worked a bit for a re-release. I’m still not a big fan of the laughing scene right before our heroes leave Luca for the first time. That is one of the corniest things I’ve ever seen in a Final Fantasy game, and I’ve played them all. So, there are things we just have to live with, and may not really affect my opinion one way or another.

This is, for all intents and purposes, the definitive version of this game. It includes the special “International” content that was never released in North America until now, which is nice for those who wish to delve deeply into their characters and min/maxing things along the way. In fact, I would have gladly jumped head first into that content had this been 14 years ago. Alas, I don’t have the time nor the gumption to be bothered with it now.

My goal was to play through the game as quickly as possible while doing as many side quests as I could and still feel that I was progressing. Sitting there playing Blitzball for hours on end – while possibly enjoyable even now – just doesn’t do it for me because I lose that sense of progression, and I have too many other games to play to bother with that. (Seriously, my backlog is ridiculous, folks.)

So, while the extra content is great, I think I’ll just stick to the base game, do a few things here and there and enjoy the story.

Yes, I'm a Yuna fan. Don't judge me.

What impressed me the most was the improvement on the textures, especially those of the environment and the main characters. Lulu and Yuna are vastly improved, and the others are noticeably enhanced. The environments look equally as awesome, especially earlier in the game (Besaid and Kilika, for example). While this is a FMV, the iconic scene where Yuna is sending the fallen after the Kilika Sin attack brings chills to my spine each time I watch it in glorious HD.

At the same time, some of the side characters – even those with major parts in the story – seem to have been left out of receiving improved textures. I can understand the “stand ins”, the one-off characters that are just seen quickly or in the background, but you have characters like Brother, Cid, the Aurochs team, Maester Micah, etc. that hardly have any improvements to them at all. Even a character such as Jecht seems relatively untouched and still has that blocky “PS2 sheen” to him. Fortunately, our great villain, Seymour, has also benefited from some texture touch-ups. It just makes him look even creepier.

Overall, though, this is the same great experience it was 14 years ago, and, if you haven’t played it since you were a “kid”, so to speak, it’s worth taking another trip through Spira to relive the sights, sounds and emotions and see how they compare to what you saw, heard and felt all those years ago. It’s sort of like a vertical tasting, the general recipe might be the same, but there is most certainly some differences between then and now. Your gaming palate may have improved since then and there may be things you didn’t pick up on then that you would be able to experience now.

It’s also a great way to get your own kids or significant others into the awesome world of Japanese RPGs, from back when the Final Fantasy franchise actually meant something great. (I still enjoy the Final Fantasy games, don’t tar and feather me. But let’s be honest with ourselves, the franchise doesn’t mean what it once meant.)

And...we're back!

Today is a special day. Why, you ask? Because I have decided to go down the dark road to try to start writing again. I used to write online a lot, and I worked for the better part of four years writing in the video game industry, expressing myself through that medium.

I got out of it not because I got tired of writing, but – among a conflux of other things – the fact that I wasn’t enjoying my hobby any longer, that of playing video games.

I've been playing video games for the vast majority of my life. Just recently (and by "recent", I mean in the few years) that hobby has crossed paths with my desire to experience as many different craft brews as possible.

Often times I'm found sitting in front of my TV or PC with a beer in one hand and a controller in the other. While some of my best childhood gaming memories are me with a bag of Doritos and a Mt. Dew nearby, some of my best recent gaming memories have been paired with great craft beer (or not so great, occasionally).

In addition to my life-long hobby as a video game aficionado and my more recent adventure in craft beer, I’m in to many other geeky things – sci-fi, anime, technology, comics, super heroes and more.

This is a blog to document my journey with this mash-up of interests. I will eventually have posts here documenting a wide variety of things, interests and basically just “me”.

So, if you're interested in any of the above, I welcome you to pop open a craft beer and stay a while.