L.A. NOIRE and the Story That Wasn't There
Hank Quinlan: “Come on, read my future for me.”
In some ways, a game based on Film Noir would be the anti-GTA. Ah, the GTA series! The pursuit of the American Dream! To fight that good fight requires a great deal of optimist, no? The optimist believes the future is within his grasp.
Tanya: “You haven’t got any.”
Noir Films, however, are filled with pessimists who already know that the game they are playing is futile. That what they are playing is actually a poker game of death.
“What do you mean?”
The world is merciless. It’s unforgiving. We are already doomed no matter what we do. In the search of the American Dream, the fall from glory is a surprise; in Film Noir, the surprise would be not to fall from glory.
L.A. Noire isn’t the anti-GTA. It certainly isn’t the gaming equivalent to L.A. Confidential… or Double Indemnity …or even Who Framed Roger Rabbit. L.A. Noire may be many things – but it certainly isn’t Noir.
“Your future is all used up.”
L.A. NOIRE and the Story That Wasn't There
Hank Quinlan: “Come on, read my future for me.”
In some ways, a game based on Film Noir would be the anti-GTA. Ah, the GTA series! The pursuit of the American Dream! To fight that good fight requires a great deal of optimist, no? The optimist believes the future is within his grasp.
Tanya: “You haven’t got any.”
Noir Films, however, are filled with pessimists who already know that the game they are playing is futile. That what they are playing is actually a poker game of death.
“What do you mean?”
The world is merciless. It’s unforgiving. We are already doomed no matter what we do. In the search of the American Dream, the fall from glory is a surprise; in Film Noir, the surprise would be not to fall from glory.
L.A. Noire isn’t the anti-GTA. It certainly isn’t the gaming equivalent to L.A. Confidential… or Double Indemnity …or even Who Framed Roger Rabbit. L.A. Noire may be many things – but it certainly isn’t Noir.
“Your future is all used up.”
Final Fantasy Versus XIII lives and has cutscenes galore
In an interview with Famitsu, Tetsuya Nomura confirms that Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still in the works. Apparently it’s looking pretty damn good too, better than the trailer shown at last year’s conference due to advances in real time
Final Fantasy Versus XIII lives and has cutscenes galore
In an interview with Famitsu, Tetsuya Nomura confirms that Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still in the works. Apparently it’s looking pretty damn good too, better than the trailer shown at last year’s conference due to advances in real time
After pressing start: Final Fantasy VI and VII
(After Pressing Start is a new series running on Nightmare Mode every Friday by resident narrative guru Tom Auxier. It focuses on beginning, on the stories that happen directly after pressing start, and how those stories influence the arcs of
After pressing start: Final Fantasy VI and VII
(After Pressing Start is a new series running on Nightmare Mode every Friday by resident narrative guru Tom Auxier. It focuses on beginning, on the stories that happen directly after pressing start, and how those stories influence the arcs of
Time and Eternity features hand drawn animations [UPDATE]
RPGs with anime-inspired visuals are to Japan what brown shooters are to Americans, so on its surface Namco Bandai’s Time and Eternity doesn’t look like anything new. Games like Ni no Kuni and the recent Naruto fighting games seem to have already reached the pinnacle of what anime would look like in a 3D space, but what sets Time and Eternity apart is developer Imageepoch’s choice to actually use hand drawn character animations in 3D environments. This includes walking around outside of battle.
Time and Eternity features hand drawn animations [UPDATE]
RPGs with anime-inspired visuals are to Japan what brown shooters are to Americans, so on its surface Namco Bandai’s Time and Eternity doesn’t look like anything new. Games like Ni no Kuni and the recent Naruto fighting games seem to have already reached the pinnacle of what anime would look like in a 3D space, but what sets Time and Eternity apart is developer Imageepoch’s choice to actually use hand drawn character animations in 3D environments. This includes walking around outside of battle.
Building Worlds: The Silent Sisters of Dragon Age
[Building Worlds is a series where Dan Cox examines one facet in a video game and shows you how, from that one angle, an entire society is reflected.] “Don’t take it personally,” says Farinden. She is speaking for the dwarf
Building Worlds: The Silent Sisters of Dragon Age
[Building Worlds is a series where Dan Cox examines one facet in a video game and shows you how, from that one angle, an entire society is reflected.] “Don’t take it personally,” says Farinden. She is speaking for the dwarf
Straight lines: Final Fantasy XIII and inefficiency
In the end, Final Fantasy XIII will join II, V, and IX as the only Final Fantasy games I’ve never beaten. It’s a title that experienced perhaps the quickest, most profound slingshot between its reviews (largely positive) and its criticism
Straight lines: Final Fantasy XIII and inefficiency
In the end, Final Fantasy XIII will join II, V, and IX as the only Final Fantasy games I’ve never beaten. It’s a title that experienced perhaps the quickest, most profound slingshot between its reviews (largely positive) and its criticism
Jonas' Year 2011 In Retrospect
Ah, and so another Christmas season has passed. We have entered a new year as the sky exploded with fireworks: 2012! Doesn’t it sound wonderfully futuristic? Like we should be getting flying cars and androids? For the moment,
Jonas' Year 2011 In Retrospect
Ah, and so another Christmas season has passed. We have entered a new year as the sky exploded with fireworks: 2012! Doesn’t it sound wonderfully futuristic? Like we should be getting flying cars and androids? For the moment,
World of Warcraft: The Austrian Paradise
When the caucus results came out in Iowa, Ron Paul declared that we we’re all Austrians now. What he meant was that his followers were supporters of the Austrian School of Economics. A school of thought that was championed by
World of Warcraft: The Austrian Paradise
When the caucus results came out in Iowa, Ron Paul declared that we we’re all Austrians now. What he meant was that his followers were supporters of the Austrian School of Economics. A school of thought that was championed by
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Demo Impressions
Although I ultimately could not finish Final Fantasy XIII, I saw a lot of potential in its world and characters who I was actually starting to like right when the game became too frustrating for me. That’s why I was actually excited to try out the sequel for myself to see if the improvements were enough for me to revisit Cocoon and its surrounding territories.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Demo Impressions
Although I ultimately could not finish Final Fantasy XIII, I saw a lot of potential in its world and characters who I was actually starting to like right when the game became too frustrating for me. That’s why I was actually excited to try out the sequel for myself to see if the improvements were enough for me to revisit Cocoon and its surrounding territories.
Mystery and mechanics in Dark Souls and Skyrim
Over the past few days I’ve been reading this summary of the plots, characters, and places of Demon’s Souls. I’m amazed at one thing in particular: how everything in the world has a cause. How everything has a story behind
Mystery and mechanics in Dark Souls and Skyrim
Over the past few days I’ve been reading this summary of the plots, characters, and places of Demon’s Souls. I’m amazed at one thing in particular: how everything in the world has a cause. How everything has a story behind