The final days of 2011 were rather low-key, thank God. Not sure about everyone else, but last year was seriously the worst. Even more so than 2002 (which was the year I became “homeless”),
Anyhow, I basically decided to take the past week or so “off”, which was sorely needed, even if the lack of work does hurt my bottom line. At least I got to take care of some much needed Attract Mode related got squared away at last; the long-awaited relaunch is almost here, and I guarantee everyone that it will be well worth the wait!
Aside from that, the definite highlight from the past week or so was the much anticipated return of Hilary for the holidays; I was her first stop in NYC. Naturally, i took her out to Hagi for dinner, were we exchanged Xmas presents and tales of what’s been going on in our respective ends for the past couple of months. Among other things, I brought up the upcoming Metal Gear zine that I’ll be doing with Cory, and was delighted to discover that she too has an emotional bond with Solid Snake! That and how she’s officially the first outside contributor to the thing. Was nice, re-living the “good old days” (which, to be honest, was not that long ago, since she’s only been in LA for less than a year). Which meant overdosing on Japanese spirits, anime, and assorted other fruits of pleasure, well into the night.
A few days later, got to play catch up with even more peeps, at Zach Gage‘s NYE bash in Chelsea. His apartment was a who’s who gathering of super cool, indie game folks (many of whom were out of towners, who were crashing on Zach’s 15 or couches). Here we have myself and Phil, both drinking Jack, straight-up. Except he has a glass and I have a plastic up, cuz Phil?s far classier than me?
And here we have Brandon and Mathew, enjoying some time off from IGF responsibilities and working on Sounds Shapes?
The highlight was getting to finally meet in person a chap that had beef with me on the internet, once upon a time. Remember kids; be mindful of what you say to someone online (like threatening to kill them), cuz you never know when you’ll cross paths in the real world! Anyhow, it finally came time to make the trek to Brooklyn, to my second destination of the evening, where chiptunes superstars glomag and minusbaby reside, in Park Slope. Here I am with Chris?
I was happy, once again, to provide entertainment for the evening, but sharing tales of when I used to be the assistant manager of Medieval Times. Like how I’d kick Blackwolf the Dungeonmaster out of the store whenever he’d show up to bless the swords and entertain customers, or how’d the falconer would get high before the mid afternoon, weekday shows (for school field trips and the like), and blow pot smoke into his bird’s face. Which led to it swooping dangerously close to kids and uncontrollable diarrhea. Among other things.
There came a certain point in which I figured that it would be where I’d spend the rest of my evening, but I kept getting texts from Gabe, member of the Denim Club, where his roommates Pete and Dave were throwing another one of their Four Loko fueled gatherings. By 3:30, things had begun to wind down in Park Slope, so I asked Gabe if it was too late to head on over to Williamsburg. Which was a silly question since their parties always go on till 8am, minimum.
But when I finally arrived, no one was answering the buzzer. After sending off some text, Pete finally responded with “Dude, are you the guy buzzing our door? Sorry man, but the party was over.” And I thought he was joking, or perhaps that things had died down, and everyone was simply chilling by eating left over pizza, watching Netflix, or playing Demon Souls (which apparently is the one thing everyone’s playing there these days).
Much to my shock, when I was finally let in (I claimed that I really had to go upstairs, cuz I really had to take a piss), I discovered that the party WAS over. It was pitch black and folks were sleeping on couches. And both Pete and Dave were asleep as well, till I woke them up. Oops; would later discover that, during the time in which I was heading over, some weirdos showed up and totally caused trouble for their neighbors, which necessitated the plug getting pulled.
Yet I was still in the mood to party! Unfortunately no one was around, and I was so bored that I actually went on over to Barcade (my favorite place on Earth), which was closing up shop by this point. Never before had I been so disappointed in Billyburg. Even worse was how the one thing to salvage the evening, a Venezuelan sandwich in my neck of the woods, was not available! Well, it was New Year’s after-all, guess the shop owners were entitled to a break.
As for the first few days of 2012, they too have been mostly chill, and once again, thank goodness. Only real highlight thus far was seeing Hilary one last time, before returning to LA; here’s a pic of the omamori she received the day prior…
So I’ve finally discovered the true benefits of Instagram; it helps to spiffy up almost any photo, especially ones that are blurry. BTW, for those who want to know more about Japanese New Years customs, Danny Choo is here to help!
But yeah, and I can’t reiterate this enough: 2011 sucked the big one. Though I guess I shouldn’t complain too much since last year pretty much blew for virtually every single person I know of.
Granted, it wasn’t completely doom and gloom; I did actually very well for myself, career-wise, and became aquatinted with some awesome new folks, while also growing closer to a few long time friends. Yet I also lost a bunch of pals as well, either due to relocation or other forms of forms of “circumstances.”
A lot went down in the year prior, so one of the rules I lived by throughout 2011 was to simply avoid situations that I just knew was going to lead to headaches, even if it meant isolating myself to a certain extent. Which ultimately worked out for the best; I ended up far saner than if I had pursed battles that I would have otherwise been more inclined to keep up with (then again, the fact that I had to totally focus on my paying my damn rent, since I had to pay twice as much all of a sudden, played a large part… will explain why in just a sec).
One of the funniest things was how many of the forces that had given me such agita from 2010 all got together, to form a super villain team of sorts. With the best part being how previously these parties almost wanted nothing to do with each other, but finally found common ground. I’m not egotistical enough to believe that said focus was to work against me, though I do believe there is merit in looking at life as if you were some Marvel Comics character.
Anyway, the following highlights the best of times, and worst of times, from the past twelve months…
- 2011 kicked off with a bang, when I became an official member of Ice T’s Twitter posse. And that was pretty neat.
- My cable access Tumblr got a good deal of attention, mostly from those that make up that world. Am now pals with a giant rabbit, and hoping to rekindle my relationship with Long Island’s resident Vulcan with an affinity for R&B cover bands.
- Assisted the New York Times in their reporting of the last days, and rebirth, of Chinatown Fair. Which in turn led to all kinds of wacky drama, the details of which is best left unsaid, but still makes me lol when I think about it.
- Compared to 2010, I pretty much fell off the map as it pertains to being involved in art shows and the like. But I did art direct two of the three Attract Mode prints that were included in Giant Robot’s Game Over show!
- Also passed on both MoCCA and SPX, but made my debut at TCAF. And even though it wasn’t super financially successful, it helped to sow some seeds for later this year! Stayed tuned for more on that.
- 2011 was the first year in which every cent made was from writing and other purely creative endeavors. Up until, I’ve always supplemented my income with “real jobs” or unemployment. So that right there was fairly big.
- Speaking of work, became the resident video game reporter for an up and coming men’s entertainment portal, aka Guyism. Where I’ve managed to make a name for myself reporting on the convergence of games and porn, among other things.
- I also landed the job of my dreams and became a full-time editor for GameSetWatch. Was a real thrill, and honor, being able to basically do what I do around here but for a wider audience (much to the chagrin to some). Too bad the plug was pulled only six months into “GSW 2.0″.
- At least another relaunch from last year is going strong: Attract Mode upgraded itself to version 2.0 as well. And the new partnership with Fangamer has also led to all sorts of awesome things, like me finally become a podcaster!
- On the zine front, had a wildly successful Kickstarter to raise funds/awareness for FORT90ZINE4ANSWER! Which? I was unable to deliver, as promised. Mortified and embarrassed doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel about dropping the ball..
- The fort90forums 3.0 was officially launched. It’s somewhat of a work in progress, but hey, any chance for myself and others to post Hermoine pics is a good thing.
- Held another art contest, this time centered on the lovely ladies of No More Heroes. Turned out really awesome!
- Was unable to make any progress as it pertains to tracking down a copy of Canzo Empyrean. Basically, given that I haven’t had a chance to publish my fourth fort90zine, it somewhat makes sense that I haven’t had a chance to consult the Bronx voodoo priestess that is supposedly “the next step”.
- And finally, my girlfriend of 4 plus years, the woman who I considered my soul mate, and whom I thought I was going to eventually marry, broke up with me. That was pretty f’n rough.
… Well, like I said, I’m hoping that 2012′s waters are far less choppy. And it’s already starting off on a real positive note: I got a new job today! Which I’d love to spill the beans about, but the entire process that led to me getting it was quite an ordeal, and almost still can’t believe I finally nabbed it, so I’m almost afraid of jinxing things. So until all the details are formalized, let’s just say that I start a new writing gig later this month, on the 17th.
Also, today marks the 16-year mark of me being a New Yorker! As much as the Big Apple drives me nuts sometimes, I honestly wouldn’t be any other place. I mean, where else on earth can you get a new job and make $200 from having one’s brainwave monitored from watching over an hours worth of guns and frogs? Which is a long story, perhaps saved for another time. But first, let’s talk about…
________________________________________________________________________________
So the most recent episode of the Fangamer podcast is a look back at the year that was in gaming, contained everyone’s picks for best of 2011. Including mine, though I’m here to elaborate upon my choices, plus make note of several other releases from the past twelve months. First thing’s first…
Quite Simply, The Top Five Games Of 2011:
5. Ghost Trick (DS)
It’s fitting that the same person who gave the DS its first truly great title, or at least the one thing that forced me to finally get the system, that being Shu Takumi, creator of Phoenix Wright, is the one responsible for its last hurrah before the 3DS finally hit the scene. Aside from the jaw-dropping visuals, which does more to advocate the power of pixels more than any other game this year (with the sole exception being my choice for game of 2011 #4), it’s simply one of the best examples of interactive fiction of the past year, period. Wonderful characterizations, a sharply crafted narrative, head spinning gameplay, and that dash of originality that’s you just don’t see that often, is why my go to portable game machine of choice is still the DS.
4. Sword & Sworcery (iOS)
And yet I’ve got an iOS game at #4. The thing is, I mostly play iPhone games these days, but it’s purely for convenience’s sake. And while I try to sick to the good stuff (hence why I don’t bother with Angry Bird, no thank you), even the best games are hardly perfect. And neither is S&S, yet it manages to deliver such an otherworldly experience, the degree of which cannot be found on even “real deal” game machines, that its faults are easily dismissed. The astonishing visuals work in tandem with an equally magical soundtrack, to evoke moments that are genuinely spine tingling and awe-inspiring. It’s also one of the few indie darlings that managed to lived up to its own self-generated hype machine (and I speak of the one driven by the overall indie gaming scene, not than the actual game’s makers in this case; everyone at Capy and Craig Adams are totally humble and chill).
3. Daytona USA (XBL/PSN)
2011 might be the best year in gaming, pound for pound. For me, that realization came when, after all these years, I was able to experience a truly arcade perfect port of one of all time my favorite games at home at last. I’m well aware of how reception among non old-school Sega diehards has been nonexistent to put it mildly. Sorry, but this is a textbook example quality over quantity. Yes it doesn’t have as many cars as, say, Gran Turismo. But it has the only one you’ll ever need, the venerable Hornet Gallop classic, number 41! And sure the number of tracks, only three, pales in comparison to the thirtysomething served by Forza. But every single twist and turn is such a joy to head face first, at 100 mph (yes they’re not based upon real life courses, but guess what, real life sucks). The only complaint is how I only wish the Saturn soundtrack was included, but that’s about it. I also almost considered acknowledging the XBLA port of Radiant Silvergun instead, but it features several omissions and changes that makes the game not as fun as it could have been, yet I’m still very much appreciative of simply having one.
2. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Believe the hype. It’s the best Zelda ever (yes, even Link To The Past). It’s also a real shame that it took this long for there to be a second game, after Wii Sports, to truly legitimize the Wii and motion controls as a whole. I don’t even know where to begin, but the fact that it’s every Zelda fanboy/girl’s dream come true is a start. As the official first chapter of the Zelda saga, it does an incredible job establishing canon and explaining things we’ve all taken for granted (like the birds that have always been on Link’s shields). It literally has it all, borrowing gameplay elements and motifs from every single past adventure, making it a Zelda mix-tape of sorts; your favorite part from whichever installment can be found within, almost guaranteed. The pacing and overall cohesiveness, meanwhile, is in a class of its own, accentuated by that fact that Link and Zelda have never been more compelling or finely crafted. It’s fairly obvious the influence that Shadow of the Colossus (one of my other all-time faves, btw) had over Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, the men behind Zelda.
Everyone knows the story, I’m sure: when they first encountered Fumito Ueda’s masterpiece at E3, both were overheard saying to themselves how, once Twilight Princess was finished, they’d to step up their game and how the next Zelda would have do things differently. Playing around with Link’s stamina is an obvious nod, but the bond between the game’s leads actually surpasses the bar set by both Wander and Mono, even Ico and Yora, in terms of sophistication and pure emotion. Just as beautifully crafted are the ethereal-like visuals; it’s practically a fantasy painting come to life. Plus you have greatest soundtrack of any Zelda game, without question (which is saying a lot, I realize). As for how it plays, as already noted, its use of motion controls is brilliantly conceived, absurdly intuitive, and never frustrating (seriously). The long-standing staple of the series, the dungeons, have quite honestly never been more enjoyable. There’s always been parts of past installments (particularly Wind Waker and Twilight Princess) that were just too obtuse at times, but not here.
I just love how Skyward Sword deftly forces you to use every trick in your bag at all times, so no longer is one acquired tool being used for just one instance and that’s it. God, I could go on and on. It’s without a doubt one Nintendo’s true crowning achievements, one of the best games of this year, and one of the best games of all time, period. Yet there was one other game that grabbed ahold of me, even more so?
1. Mortal Kombat (PS3/Xbox 360)
Yup. First off, I love comeback stories; up until very recently, the entire Mortal Kombat franchise, which had once given Street Fighter a run for its money, was at the brink of extinction. So rarely these days do game makers actually get their sh*t together and listen to what the players wanted (and even more so is how the fans were dead correct in this instance), which was to take things back to its roots, to shed all the baggage that had been acquired in Mortal Kombats 4-8, to dial it back to Moral Kombats 2-3. But to then build upon that foundation, intelligently and passionately. The end result is a game that is? and I know that everyone will hate me for saying this? blows Street Fighter 4 out of the water on every single level imaginable. Okay, so the characters look rather goofy, I’ll give you that. But that’s part of the charm! Besides, I like anime babes in my fighting games as much as the next Japanophile, but it’s nice to have a change every once in a while. Plus I’ll take anyone on MK9′s roster over the fat oily guy from SF4. At least there is no denying that they animate beautifully, and the environments are top-notch; honestly, when was the last time you noticed the backgrounds in a Capcom fighter, other than to see if there’s any Mega Man references?
But the most important part is its accessibility; a major problem with SF4 and Capcom’s offerings in general is how they have to constantly crank up the complexity quotient, to appease the never satisfied hardcore fanbase. That’s fine and all, but what about the rest of us, who simply don’t have the time nor interest to memorize a bunch of arcane button inputs or figure out what the 14 or bars on the screen are supposed to signify? MK9 is easily the most approachable modern fighter today; Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has mechanisms in place to help newbies out, but the entire MK formula needs no such band-aids. The best part is all the little tweeks and improvements that completely does away with all the frustrations that were previously associated with Mortal Kombat; even though all the specials are easy to understand, they can be easily referred to? even during the moment of truth, aka when it’s time perform a fatality. Yes, you can actually pause the game during that window of time, plus the game is a bit more forgiving as a whole, meaning you’ll actually get to pull them off! Another thing going for it (and which Capcom could learn from, with their DLC-crazy tendencies) is how it’s truly worth your hard earned cash; I simply can’t think of another game that offers so much right from the get-go.
First you have the story mode, a sweeping narrative that has you assuming the role of various fighters at different spots in a single story. Not only is it ambitious (no one thus far has tried such a thing, which is pretty odd when you think of it), it’s actually interesting to boot. We’re not talking James Joyce caliber writing here, but it’s just plain, goofy fun, what Mortal Kombat is all about. Then you have the challenge tower that presents a series of objectives to deal with, and this is where the designers’ creativity and senses of humor truly shine. Other games have the game thing, but it’s nowhere near as natural and simply fun. But my personal favorite part would have to be the mode that presents all kinds of randomized game modifiers, that asks you to defeat a random opponent while? not being able to to jump? with your arms ripped from your body, meaning no punches? the lights blinking, like it’s a rave or something. Test Your Luck alone ensures a game that will be played endlessly for years to come, either when one is bored or needs a quick fix, or simply want to entertain friends over, preferably those who aren’t into video games as much anymore (and who could give a rat’s ass about how amazing Modern Warfare 3 looks, compared to what they were playing as kids).
Again, can discuss MK for hours. Actually have; for a while, the new Mortal Kombat was all I could talk about at parties and the such. Skyward Sword might actually be the better game, if we really strip them down and draw comparisons. But at the end of the day, I’ve simply enjoyed one more than the other, and when all is said and done, I’ll be playing one more than the other as well. Hence why choice for game of 2011.
? But wait, there’s more! Other noteworthy games of this year includes?
Game Franchise That Finally Turned A Corner For Me:
Assassin’s Creed (PS3/Xbox 360)
I don’t know why, but it finally took Revelations for me to go “you know, the whole idea of some bartender who is kidnapped by Freemasons and forced to relieve the past, as one of his ancestors, who happened to be a bad ass killer, and has to kill Da Vinci or Toulouse-Lautrec, some silly sh*t like that, ain’t half bad!” And naturally, this latest one is the entry in which all the longtime fans have given up on. Oh well!
Game That Everyone Loves To Death, But I Just Couldn?t Get Into:
Minecraft (PC)
Sorry, I tried giving it my best shot, multiple times, but it’s just not for me I guess. I certainly don’t begrudge anyone else enjoying, since many of my pals are WAY into it (and was a huge fan of Legos as a kid, in case anyone was wondering). I guess I enjoying watching videos of all the wacky stuff being built, more so than putting the effort forward to do it myself. I know this sounds snotty, but I agree with Adam: after spending most of my days being creative, when it comes to playing games, I don’t mind flexing my mental muscles to solve puzzles, but otherwise, I just want to blow stuff up.
Game That Allowed Me To Enjoy Battlefield/Call Of Duty Without Actually Having To Play Them:
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (PS3/Xbox 360)
Here’s the deal: I’m actually into military simulation, but 99% of them are pretty much unplayable to me. Aside from the fact that I can’t deal with first person shooters, just running around, getting shot at from all sides, just doesn’t sound like much fun. Instead, I’d rather be up in the skies, playing with hardware! But the Ace Combat series, despite being arcade-like, has never jelled with me. You see a bad guy far away, you spend all this time getting close to them, and they zip past you. So the latest entry, which is second to Mortal Kombat for best reboot of the year, is my kind of game, Ace Combat haters be damned. The dogfight mode not only works brilliantly but is just so goddamn pretty to behold.
Game That I’m Tired Of Hearing About:
Catherine (PS3/Xbox 360)
Yes, it has their really mature tale of a man torn between two women that really pushes the boundaries of video games as a vehicle to explore love and lust and blah, blah, blah, so are you going to telling me how the actual game part is? Oh, it’s not nearly as interesting? lol.
Game That I Never Tire Hearing About (Or Looking At Screenshots For):
Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena (Arcade/PS3/Xbox 360)
Not gonna lie: every time new screenshots or video arrives, I get an erection. Even when it’s the dude characters.
Game(s) That Made Me Not Mind HD Re-Releases As Much:
Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection and Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PS3)
Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fans of HD rehashes. I actually enjoy the chugging frame rates in the original SotC, it demonstrates how the creators of the game really pushed the hardware to its limits. Though my biggest issue is how they’re not as fully realized as they could be; my attitude is, if you’re going to bother to port something, go all the way and upgrade everything. Those amazing textures in Snake Eater simply don’t seem as impressive when the visuals are crystal clear.
Certainly not helping is how one company is responsible for every single PS3 HD re-release. But all that being said, it is nice to be able to play Peace Walker on a TV (as well Kojima and company tried, that PSP is still not the most fun thing to play around with). And Team Ico’s games look AMAZING in 3D (provided that you have a set that accommodates).
Game That Should Be Happy That It Bombed:
Duke Nukem Forever (PC/PS3/Xbox 360)
You know, it’s a good thing that the thing tanked that it did, that word of it being so horrible spread fast enough to prevent many folks from picking it up (and that it was so poorly pieced together that those that did could not advance very far). Because if that had not been the case, the entirety of the National Organization for Women and like groups would have called for everyone’s heads involved on pike, and I wouldn’t have blamed them.
You see, I actually did get very far, despite it being a FPS (making the game extra hellish for myself), only because I heard the later parts were awfully similar to some of my sexual perversions. That being how the action took place on an alien ship filled with captive women, all naked and covered in slime. Well, aside from the fact that you actually witness them being sexually assaulted, which was a downer, you have to kill them. And the manner in which Duke carries himself during this (I’m not even going to waste time by quoting the stuff he says) is flat out disgusting. Never before has a game driven home the fact that it’s a man’s world and I’ve never felt as guilt about it.
Game That Proves That The Music Genre Is Not Dead:
Groove Coaster (iOS)
Even though Harmonix has managed to re-invent itself with Dance Central, the old ways to tapping a button to the beat of the music is alive and well? albeit, you’re tapping an iPhone screen instead. The follow-up by the team of Space Invaders Infinity Gene pretty much has it all: tight Japanese pop and techno, a cool look that does a better job of looking like Rez 2 than the actual thing, and may actually be a better iPhone game than Sword & Sworcery since you can play it in short spurts, and even while standing up, with just one hand, on a crowded subway. At the very least, it’s a billion times better than Angry Birds. But back to Rez?
Game That Disappointed The Most:
Child of Eden (PS3/Xbox 360)
I had planned on reviewing Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s follow up to his masterpiece, Rez, a game that perhaps had a deeper impact on me than any other game, upon it’s initial release. But I simply couldn’t get through it. And that’s because it’s pure sh*t. So here’s all that needs to be said: the one thing that truly kills the game is its lack of confidence, in itself and the formula that that was established in its predecessor. Sure Rez was short, you could breeze through its five levels without breaking a sweat (well, at least I could), but it willingly offered what it had because Rez was less a game and more an experience (cheesy, I realize). One that it was proud of, and wanted to share with everyone and anyone.
Meanwhile, it’s impossible to make any progress in Eden due to its insistence on completely transparent, game stretching nonsense. Which brings up the fact that it plays horribly; enemy placement in Rez was intelligent, logical. Things were somewhat sparse, but every element had a purpose, a reason for being there. Meanwhile, there’s all this crap all over the screen in Eden, that’s meant to impress, and it’s just confusing, annoying, and off-putting. There’s so much to handle that two different means to directly attacking obstacles are given, with the second feeling like a total after-thought, and which completely disrupts the flow further. All of which makes fulfilling the flat-out arbitrary requirements to unlock stages all the more infuriating.
As for how it looks and sounds, I’m actually glad it wasn’t just flat shaded polygons once again (as much as I love them to death), that the visuals had evolved. But again, so much is happening at once, plus the camera moves are far too much (the new first person perspective, btw, doesn’t work), that one can’t help but go “gee, it’s nothing but globs of goo flying around”. Eden doesn’t work in the same way as Rez did, in terms of being connected to the music, which is fine, because the soundtrack this time is a real snoozer. Where’s Ken Ishii when you need him? As for the overall presentation, the star of the show, the girl who was chosen clearly because she’s not quite white/not quite Asian/not quite [INSERT NATIONALITY HERE], and who fits into the We Are The World/Kumbaya vibe the game is going for? it feels more like a commercial for tampons than an actual game.
As before, I can’t shut up about how lame the game is, mostly with pals who actually like the game. Like with Cory, who’s only response to my tirade via Google Chat as to why I think it blows was simply this?
Though this somewhat explains the reaction above?
Game Related Trend From The Past 12 Months That I Found Most Depressing:
Less And Less Of My Friends Are Playing Games
This is somewhat along the lines of what I’ll be covering next time, but basically, it’s mostly pals of mine my own age. And it’s a fact of life; once you hit your thirties, your life changes and you simply have more responsibilities on your plate, and less time for games, less reason to keep abreast and interested, plus less incentive to give new stuff a shot. Which is especially depressing since, again, 2011 was one of the best years ever for games. There was something for everyone, but not everyone was playing.
But I can’t begrudge anyone when they’re busy being married and raising children. Whereas I’ve been able to play more than most, especially I became single earlier this year? hooray for being a bachelor! Though what really gets me is how pals who are younger and have responsibilities, they’re not playing as much either, and that’s something I really don’t understand.
Game Related Piece Of Cinema That I’m Most Looking Forward To The Most:
The Platform Master
Huh? Here’s the deal again: there’s a TON of game related documentaries and the such coming out in 2012 and, quite honestly, they all look kinda rubbish. I obviously need to hold my tongue till I actually see them, but a great deal seem to follow the Michael Moore-rule of documentary filmmaking. And that’s to have a very specific point of view from the on-set, plus capturing (and editing out) whatever elements that prescribes to one’s intended narrative, period.
Basically, I object to the abundance of navel gazing and lack of objectivity from what I’m seeing. With the sole exception being the upcoming Minecraft documentary, but because I’m pals with 2 Player Productions, I’m naturally going to be biased towards it.
Listen I get the whole need to “set the story straight” and all that jazz, but it’s like my attitude towards those who still obsess over video games being considered art: if you act like a victim, you will be treated as such. I’ll also save my dissertation of how silly game people’s need to seek validation from the world of cinema, and how the upcoming wave of documentaries fulfills those ambitions, for another time. Anyway, aside from The Story of Mojang, the one video game doc that I cannot wait to see is The Story of Ulillillia?
… Thanks to Joe for introducing me to such a wonderful, wonderful thing. UPDATE: And as a pal of mine just noted on Twitter: “Holy shit ulililia is the bubsy3D guy! Hoooooooly shiiiiiit.”
Anyhow, I usually wrap things up by passing along my picks for best YouTube videos of the past year, but to be completely honest, I’m feeling pretty lazy right about now (plus I think it’s about time I really wrap this up). But for those interested, I suggest simply going through the archive of my Repository of Random. Perhaps I’ll pick a few for my next big Tumblr dump, which I’m somewhat long overdue.
Actually, a bonus clip, and wish for all of us, for the next 12 months, courtesy of my pal Chad…
