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Deadspace : a lesson in good game design

EA at its best?


So obviously as you can see from the previous post we here at Finish Them aren't the biggest fans of EA. I could go into further reasons why but I thought I'd talking about one thing EA did right, and why they need to keep doing this like this to help improve their image.
      The thing they did right? Making Deadspace. I don't mean the fact that they made the game, I mean the decisions they made in the design of Deadspace that resulted in perhaps the best survival horror game I've played in a long long time.

With great power...

So EA's got this new thing. Perhaps you've heard. Soon, in order to play their sports games online (as well as access downloadable content), you'll need to enter an access code that will come with the game. The CEO of EA, John Riccitiello, claims this is a "positive consumer experience", essentially because the consumer is getting more content they otherwise wouldn't get.

Personally, I wish these game companies would cut the crap. I've got a rant about downloadable content I'll save for another day, but as far as this goes, this is not an attempt to do something great for the consumer. It's an attempt to destroy the used game market, period. See, game companies get nothing off of used games. The theory is that anyone who buys a used game surely would have bought a brand new game if the used game wasn't there! Ignoring the problems with that idea, there are tons of potential problems with this business model. For starters, say goodbye to rentals! I know many people who have tried a game via rental or Gamefly and ended up buying them...I myself have. Not anymore, folks, because you won't be able to even try the online without paying extra! As for this extra content thing, the content would have been there anyway. There just would have been a fee specifically for it (as opposed to a fee for using the online at all). And there might still be; nothing guarantees the downloadable content will be free, simply available.

Plus, this is a slippery slope. Sure, NOW it's to use online for a sports game. What happens when it's online for every game? Then it's only a matter of time before you can't even play a game without a special access code included in the game. And what do you suppose happens when you have to replace your hard drive? Or how about when your system dies and needs to be replaced? You guys may have heard, that happens to the 360 every now and then. To which I suppose, they'll say you can tie it to your gamertag, but if you've ever tried to deal with X-Box downloadable content, it's shaky at best. And don't even think about borrowing a friends game. And hey, remember when you'd bring a game over to a friends house and play all night (and there's another rant for another time...)? No more!

These are serious problems. Companies are getting greedier. Don't get me wrong, it's always been about money to an extent, but it was also about the games. There are plenty of great games out there, but more and more we're seeing companies look for ways to take even more money from those who support them, figuring the bottom line of slightly increased short term revenue is more beneficial than a larger, more supportive customer base. That's sad to me, and to be honest, some of the practices coming into effect make me concerned for the future of video games. How long until games are only in the hands of the privileged few, rather than the masses? We've been seeing the signs for awhile. Games made for online (which require a high speed internet connection at the very least), $600 systems at launch, controllers that cost as much as a new game, very expensive downloadable content (I'm looking at you, Call of Duty). This is another step.

I digress, though. The bottom line is there are tons of problems with EA's new online system that are not being addressed. But hey, it's being done for the sake of the consumers, right? Give me a break.

3D Dot Game Heroes next week!

I'll let the video speak for iteself, but do not miss this game next week! Like most Atlus game it will probably be in short supply.

Preaching to the Converted

What do you do when you've made a game, it becomes a hit and you are a red hot property of the highest proportions?

Sell out your fans, thats what.

At this point there should be a big red button with DON'T PANIC written on it somewhere in your vacinity. There is sound business sense involved here, that you will no doubt have experienced before in other entertainment mediums.

Now, I'm not a member of the gaming press fraternity, and I'm not afraid to tell people that the truth of the matter is: You don't matter. Companies want to make money, and thats it.

Gone are the days of bedroom programmers... happy, be-spectacled fellows hunched over a Commodore 64 at 2am eating a pizza and creating the next Duck Hunt. Companies control the gaming scene now, and they want money, stocks, shares and huge CEO bonuses each year.

Again - DON'T PANIC!

7th Dragon- The one that got away

Super Nintendo Era part 2?


Remember back in the 90s there were all kinds of Japanese games, RPG or otherwise that we gaming fans were denied from enjoying? Yeah, I had thought those days were mostly behind us. I mean we got freaking Dragon Quest ROCKET SLIME of all games, and most the Japanese games we've been missing out on haven't exactly been amazing, or in some cases its clear there is no market for them in the U.S. Shining Force Feather looks neat for example, but is anyone really losing sleep over missing out on that game?
       Well, all this was the case until some evil person (more likely persons) decided 7th Dragon didn't deserve a release outside of Japan.

Why Super Street Fighter 4 is worth your 40 bucks

No there wont be as many versions as Street Fighter 2


        Being a huge Street Fighter fan, Street Fighter 4 was an absolute blast to play,and after such a long wait between 3 and 4 (ironically I never got into 3) it seemed like they picked the right time to bring the franchise back. Though using 3D graphics obviously, they successful kept the old school look with probably the best cell shaded type graphics I've ever seen.
       So, as great as it was, why would you buy the game again is the question. Normally I'd be totally against this, but Super Street Fighter 4 is more than just a repackaging.