I think it was the summer between my sophomore and junior year in college when I played my first Bioware game, Knights of the Old Republic, and little did I know how much that game would affect me in the long run.
First of all at that time I hated RPGs and it was mainly out of ignorance more than anything else. Let me start at the beginning. As a kid I rented a PSOne from Box Office Video to play FFVII because the graphics were unbelievable in the tv commercials (not realizing they were the cinematics from the game and not actual gameplay). I still remember the tag line: "If you fail, you can always hit the reset button." I thought that was awesome! I rented the PSOne and the game. Put the disc in and started it up. What did I get? Totally let down. The graphics were atrocious (mind you I was expecting the graphics from the commercial and up until that time the best system I had was still a Genisis) and why can't I swing my sword?! He's right there!!! HIT HIM!!! WHY ARE YOU LETTING YOURSELF GET HIT?!?! DO SOMETHING!!!!
I shut the game off and was totally upset. I didn't get why the game was a big deal and vowed never to be sucked in by anything Final Fantasy ever again! EVER!
So out comes this neat looking Star Wars game for the XBOX and I bite. I take what little money I have and buy it. I put it in the tray start it up. Looks epic. Start playing. How do I fight? Why can't I shoot my gun?! He's right there!!! HIT HIM!!! WHY ARE YOU LETTING
YOURSELF GET HIT?!?! DO SOMETHING!!!!
Pissed off and disappointed don't describe my feelings, but since I had plopped down 50 bones I kept at it and was rewarded with the greatest game I had ever played up until then. I was changed. I appreciated a slower game. Walking around and exploring a living breathing world. I didn't even know what leveling up was before then. Looting. Building relationships with NPCs. Changing the world I was playing in and taking a direct part in the lives of my squad and whether they lived or died. I gained an entirely new perspective on a medium from one game.
Nobody builds up a character like Bioware. Nobody. Take Shale from Dragon Age for example. Shale is a giant golem that was frozen as a statue for almost 30 years. He'll fight anyone, is my most powerful squad member and is afraid of nothing...except birds. He's terrified of birds because they landed and pooped on him for 30 years. How friggin hilarious and well thought out is that for building a character?
Since KOTOR I've played Jade Empire (phenomenal), Mass Effect 1 and 2 (words can't describe my love for this series) and now I'm playing Dragon Age (a super awesome game in the vein of KOTOR). Every one of these games is an absolute delight to play and never fails to thrill me.
Thank you Bioware for changing my perspective on gaming from video games are a lot of fun to viewing them as their own form of art and a credible medium for story telling while still being a blast to play.
Sorry Kojima...you just don't thrill me...at all.
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You make a strong argument indeed, BUT..I wont hear a bad word about Kojima San, while i was reading your post and i read "nobody builds characters like Bioware", i instantly thought of Kojima...i guess it's just a matter of opinion and what type of games grip you more than others. I for one am a huge Metal Gear fan always have been from my PS1 days...and i'd say i owe alot to Kojima for illustrating to me, personally anyways, how to tell an epic story with depth and a level of complexity that keeps you wanting more. i still dont believe any game series comes close to it in terms of story, setting and characters...there's some contenders (Half Life, Mass Effect, Bioshock has the potential - wait and see wat i make of #2) just my opinion anyway. On a side note we all know Solid Snake would take Commander Shepard in a duel anyday!
ReplyDeleteI have also always been disappointed by the lack of vigor most RPGs have. I have always felt that turn-based games were probably only created because the combat and action the designers probably wanted to employ just didn't exist. The creation of the action RPG has to be one of the biggest steps in the game industry, and could almost be responsible for what many analysts see as a genre blending market. (I've heard Borderlands referred to as a Role Playing Shooter - what the heck is that?)
ReplyDeleteKojima is an old school snob, and it really hurts the franchise. Metal Gear Solid gave us something in spades that we had rarely seen in games before (at least not to this level) - cutscenes. The reward for our hard work as players, paid off in a mini movie. Awesome - in 1998. The gameplay for the current MGS series is virtually unchanged, just shinier and longer. What the hell is a game doing with 8 hours of cut scenes? No would watch an 8 hour movie, what's it doing in my game?
In my opinion, the story in Metal Gear isn't worth the effort. Check out the MGS digital graphic novel if you want those character moments, at least that's an interesting medium for an interesting story.
Am I the only one confused on how we went from Bioware vs the FF series to Bioware vs Kojima and MGS?
ReplyDeleteIf I'm missing something, please correct me.
All great games... and as fun as action/RPGS or shooter/RPGS or whatever the heck people want to call games like Mass Effect and Borderlands, it can be nice to go back to a slower, more strategy focused RPG like Dragon Age or KOTOR.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of which, I traded in my PC version of Dragon Age and hope to get the 360 version soon on Goozex... I guess I like achievements too much... :P
To me, the discussion was always about games with effective gameplay and stories vs. the ineffective ones.
ReplyDeleteI am completely 100% the opposite of this entire topic.
ReplyDeleteMazen: So Bioware damaged gaming for you?
ReplyDeleteNo, Kojima changed his life.
ReplyDeleteKojima is a master of the medium, but I'd be lying if I said he didn't get a little self indulgent with his storytelling.
ReplyDeleteThere's obviously a market for his games, but they're beyond my tastes. Too...melodramatic and soap opera(y).
I was just never able to get into Bioware games, or wRPGs in general for some reason. They never appealed to me. I did give Oblivion and Fallout an honest chance... I just couldn't do it.
ReplyDeleteBLASPHEMY!
ReplyDeleteHaha, jk... everybody has different tastes...
Seriously though, I've never met someone more passionate about Kojima than Mazen.
ReplyDelete