Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Sega The Pioneer
By: Patrick "TheLaw" Morris
Innovators are
almost never the market leaders and often times are unable to capitalize on
their own innovations at all. This happens in every industry, ideas and
concepts are introduced by one party then iterated on by almost everyone else
until naturally one or two market leaders rise. It's a natural occurrence in a
capitalist market and a direct result of competition but very rarely does
lightning strike twice. Sega was a titan when it came to innovation in the
hardware space, foreseeing the forthcoming of the connected video game
experience and the lucrative subscription service model; but just like most
other innovators Sega was to much to soon and despite their ingenuity were
forced out of the hardware market entirely.
Welcome welcome
welcome everyone welcome back to LegalSpeak a ColdNorth Production. I'm
TheLawMorris and this is the video essay series in which I get to talk about
the games I've been playing and what I think of the medium as a whole. Don’t
forget to check out everything we do including both of our podcasts all in one
spot over at ColdNorthPro.com. This week we'll be discussing two separate times
that Sega introduced something that can easily be called a game changer to the
video game industry before it was ready. Lets talk about Sega Channel and
Seganet.
For almost two
decades internet connectivity has been an integral part of almost every single
video game to come to market. Whether those be multiplayer games in which
players use the internet to connect to other players and play together or
single player games where developers can patch out bugs and deliver new content
an internet connection has become an absolute must for owning a console in
2019. PC players were connected to the internet and using these features long
before console players but that was in a time when the two markets were so
separated that people still widely referred to console games as video games and
PC games as computer games. Sega saw the two markets converging and becoming
much more competitive platforms before most people did and as a result with the
introduction of the Dreamcast in 1999 they sought to bring the connected nature
of a PC to the console market.
Seganet was Sega's
online service that connected Dreamcast players to one another over the
internet. Through an optional modem add on for the Dreamcast players had the
capability to connect to Seganet and play games head to head or cooperatively
online. Popular games like NFL 2K, Jet Set Radio, and Phantasy Star Online are
fondly remembered as the pinnacle of Seganet. In the years since its demise and
Sega's exiting the hardware space the Dreamcast has become somewhat of a cult
classic console with many people still swearing by it as the best console of
all time, even today. And in a sense those people are right. Despite being
discontinued in March of 2001 the Dreamcast was extremely forward thinking and
later that year Microsoft would enter the market with the original Xbox
sporting a built in modem for internet connectivity.
A connected console
is something that is so commonplace in today's market that the vast majority of
the consumer base doesn’t even think of it as a feature its become something
that's simply expected. When pressed to tell you who started the connected console
movement that vast majority of consumers would probably respond with Microsoft
for their Xbox live service that launched in 2002, or maybe they're one of the
two dozen or so people that played Socom online and they would tell you the PS2
was the first connected console. While both Sony and Microsoft have gone on to
refine the idea and benefits of a connected console it was Sega that paved the
way for their success. Sega brought an internet service for console gaming to
market in the mid 90's on the Saturn and made it much more widely accessible in
1999 with the Dreamcast but even then it was still just ahead of it's time and
while Sega was preparing for and building the console of the future the
consumers were more interested in the console of right now and both the Saturn
and Dreamcast lacked games and major third party support when compared to Sony
and Nintendo.
While the connected
console is something Sega saw coming a couple years ahead of the rest of the
market there was something else that we have all hailed as a monumental
achievement in pushing the delivery of video games to new heights that Sega
predicted not only years but decades before it would take the world by storm.
Sega Channel was a
very strange concept that starting in 1994 allowed users to order the
capability to download as many games as they wanted from the list of games
included with the service and play those games for as long as they wanted. The
service was delivered through cable TV providers who would send a tech to
customers houses with a specialized Genesis cartridge that sported a coaxial
input to connect to the cable provider. Sega Channel was operational from 1994
to 1998 for $13 per month and when adjusted for inflation that comes out to
about $22 per month in 2019. A bit more than two times $9.99…
The potential of
unlimited access to games from a set list for a flat monthly fee has been a
holy grail of sorts that the industry has been chasing for decades now and it
all started with Sega Channel. The idea has ben attempted by many others
including third parties that aren't in the video game industry but the retail
industry. The closest any company has ever gotten to realizing that vision
prior to 2017 for me personally was actually Blockbuster. In 2003 Blockbuster,
rest in peace, introduced in what is undoubtedly the worst bit of branding of
all time the Unlimited Game Rental Freedom Pass for $14.99 per month or $20.87
per month in 2019 dollars. The freedom pass allowed subscribers to hold one
game out for as long as they wanted and swap it out for any other game as many
times as they liked, effectively making the only limiting factor be what
blockbuster happened to have in stock at the time. In 2017 Microsoft announced
their new program called Gamepass, at the start of the eighth generation of consoles
Sony acquired Gaikai for their streaming technology and now offer PSnow, EA
offers EA access, and Ubisoft just announced Uplay+. Starting in 2017 a whole
23 years after Sega Channel the idea of an all you can play subscription buffet
is a wildly popular one, another part of the gaming industry pioneered by Sega.
When most people
(myself included prior to writing this) look back on Sega's time as a hardware
developer they picture the glory days of the Genesis and the tailspin that was
the Saturn. But Sega is almost never remembered for the incredible innovations they
brought to market before the market was ready for said innovations. In a very
strange way without Sega we definitely would have gotten to the connected
console world and the subscription service model we have today but it could
have potentially taken much longer than it did. Sega opened the door on two of
the biggest most revolutionary concepts in video game history and while they're
still out there publishing software like Alien Isolation (great game) and Sonic
Forces (a less than great game) I think we should all take a moment to pour one
out for their hardware division.
What are some of the
major game changers that you think changed the industry either for better or
for worse? Let me know in the comments down below. And if you had any
experience with either Seganet or Sega Channel please let me know about it
while you're down there!
If you liked what
you heard don’t forget to subscribe for new videos and two new podcasts every
week. Just one more reminder that you can see everything we do all in one spot
over at ColdNorthPro.com. I will be back next week talking about Gears 3 so until
then just go play some games.
Link's Awakening
By: Patrick "TheLaw" Morris
There was something
magical about the Gameboy Advance. Of the many handhelds that I've owned over
the years it's the one with which
I've spent by far the least amount of
time and yet it's one that nears the top of my list when it comes to naming my
all time favorites. Links Awakening was originally a Gameboy game that was
later enhanced on the Gameboy color and then laid dormant for nearly 21 years.
But now Link's Awakening has been remade for Switch and released alongside the
new miniaturized Switch Lite and despite having never been officially made for
the GBA the combination of Link's Awakening and the Switch Lite has ripped me
back to my days of angling my GBA just right in the third row of my parent's
Land Cruiser to be able to see those nearly Super Nintendo graphics on that
terrible screen. Conceptually I adore Links Awakening, its unique deviation
from the Zelda formula and obviously catered for handheld design language
combined with the nostalgic form factor of the
Switch Lite makes for the best Gameboy experience I've ever had and it's
not even on a Gameboy.
Welcome welcome
welcome everyone welcome back to LegalSpeak a ColdNorth Production. I'm
TheLawMorris and this is the video essay series in which I get to talk about
the game that I've been playing and what I think of the medium as a whole. I've
been playing a new to me Zelda adventure over the past couple weeks so lets
talk about that.
The Zelda series
started as a top down 2D adventure game in 1987 and for the first four entries
it would remain that way. In 1998 Zelda broke into the third dimension with
Ocarina of Time to massive critical acclaim, but just three years later the
franchise would go back to its 2D roots and contrary to traditional thinking
Nintendo has kept Zelda alive in both the second and third dimensions as
distinctly different but equally good variations of the same series. With well
over a dozen entries behind them Nintendo has continued to iterate and improve
upon the gameplay featured in both the 2D and 3D Zelda's. And after playing
though Link's Awakening on Switch It is easy to say that this is as good as 2D
Zelda has ever been.
Movement across
Koholint Island is pleasant and intricate with puzzles and item gates along the
way that lead to portions of the island being blocked off for the majority of
the game. There are secrets to be discovered almost everywhere and in many
cases even secrets within secrets offering even more to explore. Combat is
responsive and has finally overcome that silly feeling of having to offset Link
from his attackers in order to ensure contact with the swing of the sword in
all but the most extreme scenarios. The items that Link uses are enjoyable and
satisfying but a bit limited in number and scope. Where the hookshot is often
used as an option for stunning most enemies in other games it feels extremely
contextual in Link's Awakening offering the same functionality the Zelda
audience has come to expect but in a much more limited capacity. The Bow and
Arrow is really only utilized in a combat scenario in the ancient ruins and a
puzzle scenario in the face shrine whereas in other entries it’s a staple for
players to lean on heavily in ranged combat situations. The actual combat and
movement are an all time high for the 2D games but the game having been
designed originally for a two button interface feels as though it was designed
to not utilize items to nearly the same extent as A Link to the Past before it
and almost all subsequent games.
Overall the design
of the game is excellent. The overworld is charming and enthralling, while the
dungeons feel well plotted and for the most part logical. Koholint Island isnt
the biggest overworld of any Zelda game ever and in fact it's almost certainly
one of the smallest but where Koholint shines is in its density and complexity.
The developers used a winding path and varying levels of verticality to make
the world feel much larger than it actually is. Through clever map design the
player can both see where they need to go and be a three to four minute journey
from that point as they have to wind their way around the labyrinth that is
Koholint island to reach their destination. The island itself is a gigantic
puzzle that continues to leave the player wondering until after hours of play
time it can be completely mastered. From a design standpoint alone Koholint
Island is one of the biggest assets the game has to offer. Dungeon designs are
a bit less satisfying. Early on the dungeons are fine but as the game
progresses and the difficulty curve ramps up the developers leaned more and
more heavily on frustratingly unintuitive design choices to create an illusion
of difficulty.
Some particularly
frustrating points in the game occurred when the player is left not knowing
what to do with almost no hint pushing them in the right direction. As the game
continues this becomes increasingly common and left me with little choice than
to look up where to go just to be able to continue. Typically I try to not use
a guide as I think it makes for a fundamentally different experience than
figuring it out for yourself, not worse or any less valid just different. But
I'm also not willing to beat my head against a wall trying to figure something
out that I may have just missed or may be a result of a simple lapse in
cohesive game design so I am willing to turn to a guide when necessary. I've
played plenty of Zelda games and am well versed in their puzzle mechanics but
as I got further into the game I found myself having to refer to a guide more
frequently and when seeing the next step was left wondering how I was supposed
to know that. Essentially it feels as though for the sake of longevity the devs
created something that began to feel artificially long and not fully realized;
into the later dungeons and overworld exploration Link's Awakening starts to
feel distinctly like a Gameboy game in a bad way.
But while it may not
be the best designed Zelda game in the the last 30 plus years it is definitely
one of the best Zelda stories. As the player is forced to repeatedly back track
across the world and speak with all the inhabitants of the world learning about
them personally and seeing them in their own home environments they cant help
but fall in love with not only the people but their environment. Koholint
island is shockingly alive feeling compared to other Gameboy games and even
home console games of the era. There are constantly things happening across the
island that have nothing to do with the main story which contributes to the
feeling of this being a world that exists and raises the stakes of the main
quest. From the outset of the game Link and the player alike aren't given much
context as to why they're doing what they're doing but they press forward
regardless.
Early in the game
there are different things hinting at the twist ending but towards the end the
dungeon bosses blatantly tell both Link and the player that this is all just a
dream and if Link wakes the Wind Fish it will all be over. Having known the ending
of the game prior to playing this version every time one of the bosses warned
me about this it was a bit more heart breaking. Here I was moving throughout
these dungeons as though this was any other Zelda game but for the first time
in the series Link's actions have significant negative consequences. Operating
under the assumption that we are doing the right thing without taking the time
to look around at what we are doing can lead to grave mistakes and that’s what
Link's Awakening seemed to be and should have been all about. Link and the
player are the villain of this story and it just goes to show that even an
ignorant villain is still a villain regardless. Where I felt the story went off
the rails a bit was in trying to vilify the nightmares at the end. That story
beat wasn’t earned and just devalued the masterful story telling the game had
setup previously at the last minute in a feeble attempt to present Link as the
hero.
Conceptually I love
Link's Awakening. It’s a great 2D Zelda and the remake continues to shine an
already excellent gameplay experience. For better of worse it is undeniably and
unapologetically a remake of a Gameboy game from more than 20 years ago and that
shows. But despite its flaws the Switch version of this game offers up a
complete and enjoyable Zelda experience. Link's Awakening's deviation from the
typical Zelda story arc helps it stand out in my opinion as the second best
Zelda story with just a minor hiccup that is easily ignored at the end. It's
not my favorite Zelda in fact I'm not sure where it lands on the spectrum of
Zelda games for me but I can definitely see a case being made for it being in
the top five.
What are your
thoughts on this new old Zelda and which old Zelda would you like to see be new
next? Let me know in the comments down below. Also shout out to Bounty Hunter
115 thanks for your support I'd be glad to have you on the podcast sometime.
Don’t forget to
check out everything we do all in one spot over at ColdNorthPro.com. Ill be
back next week talking about something else…maybe sega but maybe something
Gears of War related I'm not sure yet so until then just go play some games!
Control
By: Patrick "TheLaw" Morris
Every now and then a
game comes along that completely obliterates all expectations, something that
fires on all cylinders from start to finish and leaves its audience both
extremely satisfied but ravenous for more. Control is one of those games.
Remedy's latest sci-fi/thriller offering absolutely nails down the fundamentals
of what make a great narrative based single player experience by executing to
perfection its story, characters, setting, gameplay, and atmosphere to make for
an unforgettable experience. From start to finish Control offers a thrill ride
that punches way above its weight in almost every way, the game left me in
complete disbelief and will not only be a big focus in game of the year
consideration but could also hold its own in any game of the generation
conversation.
Welcome welcome
welcome everyone welcome back to LegalSpeak a ColdNorth Production. I'm
TheLawMorris and this is the video essay series in which I get to talk about
the games ive been playing and what I think of the medium as a whole. You can
see everything we do including both of your podcasts all in one spot over at
ColdNorthPro.com. This week we got to kick off what is looking to be a packed
fall video game season with an absolute banger, this week we will be talking
about Control so lets get to it!
Creating an
atmosphere that contributes to the overall tone or message of a game is
something that can be a make or break element. Not to sound reductionist but
anyone can create a three dimensional space with the tools available today;
what turns that three dimensional environment into a living breathing world to
function as a complimentary setting for a story to occur in is atmosphere. For
Control, Remedy has crafted a completely fantastical setting that I never once
found to be even the least bit unbelievable and that level of believability was
achieved through an incredible and incredibly consistent atmosphere. The
Federal Bureau of Control feels like an office space where people work, and
have recently stopped working in a hurry. Desks are left untidy, papers have
been strewn about, and office supplies are left tipped over as though whoever
was here before left with a considerable amount of haste. The space is able to
feel organic and lived in while at the same feeling just a bit to perfect giving
the player a sense of discomfort like this isn't a normal office building.
Everything about the
FBC is consistent. The architecture, furniture, uniform, and technology are
what gives the player their best idea as to when the game takes place. A
midcentury modern aesthetic throughout the game gives the player the sense that
they are the alien here not any of the characters that inhabit the FBC which
inherently allows the player to connect on a deeper level with Jesse by giving
them something in common; both the player and Jesse are the ones that don’t
belong. The sounds heard throughout the game, the low ambient music that when
actually listened to is somewhat neutral but still somehow instills a feeling
of dread when listened to passively, the bright whites and deep reds, and the
obvious immaculate state the entire building was in just hours prior to Jesse's
arrival, and the stunning usage of lighting all contribute to building a
cohesive sense of space and make the FBC not just a 3D space but a real setting
for the player to explore.
But it's not all
perfect, the unbelievable visuals of such a perfectly crafted setting put a
massive strain on the PS4 version of the game. Constant performance issues
plague the game from a noticeable stutter for about five seconds after every
time the game is paused, to not loading in the actual image of the map just the
location names, to the visuals completely freezing for 15-30 seconds after the
completion of nearly every mission Control struggles to maintain a steady 30
frames per second at 1080P even on the PS4 pro. And to make matters worse in
the late game when combat really ramps up everything slows down mid fight from
time to time no doubt due to the particle effects, harsh lighting, and insane
number of enemies having to be rendered on screen all at once mega man style. I
absolutely adored this game and early on was willing to completely overlook the
technical issues of the port (which from what I hear is exclusive to the PS4
version of the game) and justify it by saying that it’s a smaller more double A
type game not coming from one of the major triple A publishers but as the game
progressed so did the technical issues. Not that these technical issues are at
all a reason to not play the game but just a word of warning if you have the
ability to play on either an Xbox One X or a PC you would probably be better
off on those platforms.
In discussing
Control with a friend he called it the "Death Stranding that nobody is
talking about" in the sense that it is a very mysterious sci-fi story that
seems to have been put together extremely well and has revealed almost no major
story beats throughout its marketing campaign. And thank god it didn’t! The
story of Control is a completely absurd engagement that had me on the edge of
my seat from the moment I met the Ahti the janitor. Early on the developers
establish an understanding that the player isn't going to be able to guess what
happens because literally anything happen. And while this is without a doubt
personal preference I love stories where I am intentionally kept in the dark
chasing anything that looks even remotely like a shadow. The most obvious
comparison for me as I played was to liken it to the Phillip K Dick short
stories I read in high school, more of a sci-fi thriller than a sci-fi fantasy.
Jesse's personal
connection and motivation throughout the story remain at the forefront of her
mind just as she arrived at the FBC with a personal goal in mind. Her
relentless seventeen year long search for her brother is mentioned in the
opening minutes and hooks the audience in a really fun way similar to a really
good episode from the early seasons of the X-Files. And that theme of
consistent and understandable motivation applies to all the characters, they
all have their reasons for doing what they do and even the minor characters in
the side quest type activities demonstrate a remarkably human reaction to their
circumstances, a welcome attention to detail not often seen in big budget games
these days. Some parts of Control are truly scary and almost all of Control is
eerie or off-putting and the player isn't the only one that feels that way.
At the outset of the
game the employees of the FBC have scattered. Some lucky ones have made it into
the lockdown shelters placed strategically throughout the building, some were
able to hunker down and keep quiet, and the rest were taken by the Hiss the
hostile other dimensional entity attempting to invade our world. Initially I
resented the supporting cast of characters for adding an unwelcome sense of
comfort breaking the tension that builds with each new room the player enters
into. But at the conclusion of the game the characters are all utilized well
and never become to common or intrusive allowing some time to regroup and add
narrative and exposition to the story as well as make both Jesse and the player
uncomfortable with their immediate respect and understanding of Jesse's new
position as director. Trench, Ahti, Emily, Marshall, and Dylan all make up an
excellent cast of characters that I was hesistant to trust all the way up to
the very end but none of those were the most interesting relationship dynamic
the game has to offer.
Throughout the
opening hour of the game Jesse's internal monologue kept referring to herself
as "I" or "me" then would quickly correct herself and say
"we." After hearing this a handful of times it dawned on me that this
wasn’t just Jesse's inner monologue that I'm listening into, this was Jesse
having a conversation with me. A fourth wall break that added to the story in
such a profoundly unique way that anytime Jesse addressed me was the time I was
most invested in what was going on. Eventually Jesse names the player Polaris
and begins to understand and embrace her relationship with the player more
openly. The player acting as Polaris and Jesse working together makes for an
astounding pair of main characters to experience the story and feels genuinely
innovative and compelling in a medium that has been more plagued with
stagnation than any other before it.
Control is nothing
short of pure excellence. From start to finish the game gives off a sense of
being something truly magical and haunting and easily stands out amongst the
ever growing crowd of science fiction. 2019 has been a slow year up until the
last few weeks and looks as though all the heavy hitters will come in the last
quarter, but when it comes time to discuss game of the year I personally will
absolutely not be forgetting about Control.
Did you play
control? What did you think of it and are you like me going to go back and play
Alan Wake now? Let me know in the comments down below.
Sorry it's been so
long since ive made a video I've had a lot going on and this is something that
regrettably fell onto a back burner. But if you stuck around and youre still
with me thank you, im going to get back to releasing videos once per week and don’t
forget you can see everything we do all in one spot over at coldnorthpro.com.
Ill be back next week talking about Links Awakening so until then just go play
some games.
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