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I don't think FPS games like Halo(and FPS games in general) exemplify the point you're trying to make, as many people who play 'em see the single player campaigns as throw away, might beat it for the achievements, then head straight into multiplayer slayer matches and never touch it again. It's true that games are a new thing and so much more can be done in terms of narrative(I for one love a damned good narrative, but let's face it, if there were no Halo novels to expand the universe, the plot would be stuck in generic land and only serve as a means to push you forward), but nothing changes the fact that when you buy a game, you want it to be fun first and foremost(ideally). A great presentation, score, narrative, etc. have to be secondary due to this fact regardless of how much attention is given to each. Why did people hate Metal Gear Solid 2? Because while it had a pretty great narrative(that got rather convoluted after awhile), it sucked you out of the actual game. If I wanted that sort of experience, I would have read a book instead. Shadow of The Colossus IS a work of art(so is Ico), but this is within the context of narrative, setting, art direction, AND gameplay. If it wasn't a fun game, nobody would want to touch it. Final Fantasy VI deals with stuff like mass genocide of innocent people, men, women and children alike, not to mention leaving the flora and fauna of a world in decay and having you play through that desolation. It deals with teen pregnancy, suicide, racism, etc. But none of that would matter to me if I didn't find the game fun to play as I'd shut off the game and never experience any of that. And I'm really sorry to say, but you guys are giving WAY too much credit to the general gaming audience. Not that there isn't a significant amount of people who do appreciate everything you're promoting(I'm one of them), but they're hardly the majority. Put on your headsets and just listen to the people you run into in online game sessions. The fact of the matter is that Halo or Gears of War or Modern Warfare 2 ARE viewed by the general masses who shop at Walmart as the video game equivalent of The Fast and The Furious and whatever the hell else kids today watch.

I too say the Saturn.

This is true, but you can't deny the first point in that games are first and foremost pieces of interactive entertainment. I probably wouldn't buy Six Days in Fallujah to learn about the experience. No, I'd buy it 'cause I want to play another (hopefully)good FPS. The message it's trying to convey is, and given the nature of the medium probably should remain, secondary. I could see if you're a history buff and enjoy FPS games, you'd probably buy Fallujah for both reasons, just like I bought Eternal Sonata because it hit all the right RPG notes AND had a very music-oriented setting which I appreciate personally. In your example I'd be in the 5%. And if we're talking about just 5% who would appreciate it, are we really underestimating the audience? Going back to my Heavy Rain example, the game is probably going to have an amazing story, but I'm probably not gonna buy it. Why? It doesn't seem "gamey" enough to me. This industry is first and foremost about making enjoyable gameplay experiences. To me, games like Fire Emblem: Path To Radiance and Eternal Sonata prove you can have mature hard-hitting and thought provoking subject matter and also have great experiences. If we're gonna hit maturity in games, it has to be done tastefully and the audience needs to be able to appreciate it for what it is. Anyway, this is more on topic with a previous video and I'm probably rambling on incoherently at this point. I do agree with the major point in the video: Criticism and controversy should be taken head on with integrity and without meekly backing down on what you were setting out to achieve.

Ok gang, sell me on this game. I'm a fan of dark fantasy(and fantasy in general), but the only familiarity I have with BioWare RPGs is Mass Effect and to be totally honest, it didn't do a thing for me in retrospect. Combat struck me as dull although I appreciated that it leaned more on the active side, the plot seemed far too dry and cliched as was the world and characters, and all in all I just couldn't get into it again after going through it once. I saw it for the PC and I'm not a fan of that fugly WoW HUD and action bar(although I imagine they'd let you switch that out). I'm also big on active battle systems, and it looks like there are far too many breaks in the action, although I like the spell combos and interactions one can do. I dunno. I'm interested, but not sure if I'm $60 interested. Man... Games really need to go down in price...

I agree with this. The primary function of games is entertainment. A documentary is first and foremost a piece meant to inform people, and there is a specific audience who watches them. If Six Days in Fallujah had ever come out, you'd never hear talk about "I think the struggle that these soldiers went through was pretty grim and hard" throughout most video game internet forums. No, you'd hear "Holy crap how I shot M16!?" Regardless of whether video games are or aren't seen as toys, we still have a long way to go before the audiences' maturity catches up to what most developers want to express in their medium. Another problem within the industry itself is that when touching a "disturbing" topic, one needs to take great care to make sure the essence of what he or she is trying to create isn't lost. In Mass Effect, not only did I find the "sex" scene kind of awkward and the whole love interest angle totally unappealing, but I felt that any sense of sophistication was lost once I heard that *ding* "achievement unlocked" go off. I'm really keeping my eye on Heavy Rain to see how it performs both critically and commercially, because it looks like David Cage and his team are really trying to hit the hard issues in a tasteful, mature way, but we'll see how it goes after that.

I want this game so hard now. Grabbin' it on Black Friday. I just hope the retail version isn't as laggy...

I can confirm it for K-Mart at least. I get notified whenever a retailer puts up a black Friday ad. I don't remember ODST being on the list, but L4D2 was. I also agree about the "grit and serious" tone. L4D2 is fun don't get me wrong, but it doesn't have that same sharp edge to it that the first one had, but we only got to play 2 chapters of one campaign so who knows? I just hope it's there. The weapons are dramatically different(except for the carryovers) from eachother. There are plenty of differences in range, accuracy, spread, piercing, (stopping)power, reload time, firing rate and clip sizes. Like someone mentioned before, the AK is pretty damned powerful, but has shit accuracy. You're more likely to hit your targets in small bursts or single shots, but the new assault rifle? It's on. 3-burst shot, relatively accurate, awesome range, etc. The M16 is still the standard high tier goodness, but those two outclass it in different categories. We now have a full team of sniper rifle whores thanks to the new(awesome) semi-auto with a 30 round clip size. Holy crap if I didn't love this gun.

Music and the performance of music are both services and any service should receive compensation, unless of course the person doing the creating/performing doesn't actually want to charge anything. That being said if a person wants to charge for something, it damn well better be good.

I'm on a laptop, so the most I can do right now before I buy a new one(in the undetermined future) is upgrade the RAM to 2 gigs instead of just one. I'm running an old Core Duo 1.6 ghz with a mobility X1400 with 256 ram right now. I THINK I could run the first, but not sure about L4D2, I'd friggin' love to make the switch to the PC though since I've always preferred it for FPS games and user mods. Just can't make the big jump right now.

It sounds like you guys are just trying to rationalize your way out of seeming foolish for not wanting to buy L4D2. If you don't wanna put down the 60 bucks for it, don't. Nobody here is gonna call you a jerk for it. Don't however come up with bullshit. Take it from me, I was a big naysayer on the game 'til I actually got to play this demo(which is excellent).

So... Is it now the "in" thing to not have mics when playing Left 4 Dead on the 360 now?

Maybe they could give "The New Class" some lessons on personality.

You guys are forgetting that this thing is heavy and huge, which are the antithesis of portable gaming. You're not gonna want to buy this. Your mom would want to buy this. This isn't for you. Either keep your DS Lite or buy/upgrade to a regular DSi.

Their argument is that it'll be for older people who can't see the screen all that well... I don't know that many 70-year-olds that play videogames, but I guess I can see the logic. From what I've been reading it looks like the game images are stretched out quite a bit, which to me is a bad thing personally. Either way, I'm happy with my blue DSi.

Oh I'm totally getting into FFXIV, no question. A more streamlined version of FFXI with HD graphics? Can I have it?

I played solo in WoW because I couldn't FIND the community. Other than spambots, nobody was ever around.

the moral of the story, children, is that people come in all shapes and sizes. Too bad they're mostly retarded, and that goes double on the internet.

To be totally fair, noobs can be pretty retarded and pushy as well. I'm the kind of guy that likes to offer help when I can, but while playing Final Fantasy XI, I'd run into some retarded ass people from time to time... I couldn't help but lose my patience with a lot of them.

This. It's not hard to balance work, life, and play, unless you suck at it.

Final Fantasy: The Search For More Money.

...As long as it doesn't suck I guess? I dunno, it's all very subjective. I'm gonna try to sound like a douche as little as possible, but as far as the full OCRemix albums go I think I've only liked Blood on The Asphalt, and even then it comes down to about 7 or so tracks. Everything else has been pretty awful in my opinion. In terms of what I look for in music, I want to listen to something that makes me feel a certain way, whether it be anger, joy, sadness, excitement, whatever, or even if it reminds me of something, I want the theme to carry a mood or setting that speaks to me. I also like complexity and creativity in my music.

Because people on these boards have actual social skills and for the most part are quite amicable human beings(I'd imagine anyway... I haven't met any of you crazies in person). Also, that analogy doesn't work because as opposed to WoW, Ocarina of Time is actually fun. And what you seem to be saying here Ram, is that WoW is a game for dumb people. People who I personally would never want to run into while playing videogames, which incidentally is one of the reasons I never actually engage in in-game chatting on XBL. I applaud Blizzard for making a game that's accessible(I guess), but give them a harsh wag of the finger for making a game that's pretty boring, both gameplay and presentation-wise. Also, unless you pirate your games, playing MMOs save you cash in the long run. Easier to spend 12 bucks a month(we can argue the reasoning for a monthly fee all day long) on a persistent game that will ALWAYS have something to do that you can play with friends than plopping down 60 bucks for a new triple-A blockbuster that won't last you more than 20 hours at a time every two weeks or even just monthly.

Surprise surprise.

Were you expecting a nice conversation about the intricacies of the online gaming medium over a cup of black tea with your local MMO community and forum members? Welcome to the socially reclusive/inept and/or 13 year-old infested internet, my friend. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Nevar Forget.