Tagged: Playstation 2
Silent Hill 1 & 2, locked doors and videogames as a unique medium.
This post came about thanks to an argument with my partner over writing about videogames. Is there a way to speak about games that takes into account its uniqueness as a medium and doesn’t rely on ways of analysing films and books? Previously on this blog I’ve written about Ocarina of Time, and its links with The Arabian Nights and Disney’s Aladdin, but in doing so I was forced to ignore the gameplay of Ocarina of Time, which is by far the dominant way players experience the game. So how can we talk about games as games and not as anything else?
The first two Silent Hill games I see as two major milestones in gaming. Many critics, reviews and fans compare Silent Hill games to films: Jacob’s Ladder and David Lynch films are perhaps the most frequent examples. And they’re not wrong – there are definite links and influences being passed on. But at the same time no film can be seriously compared to Silent Hill (not even the Silent Hill films).
Combo Review: Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 & 3 (Playstation 1 & 2)
Dear Mr Hawks,
Damn Tony you make really good games. I love the half-pipes, flip-tricks and mad-grinds especially. But I don’t like your friends that much, they’re dumb. Why did you have to let that Jackass Bam Margera guy in the game anyway? Did he bully you like he bullies his dad? You’re rich though! You could have hired bouncers or something. Also what happened to you? Your games used to be all popular but then you had that dumb Ride thing and then did you fall off a cliff or what? When you come back from Skateistan can you make a good game please.
Warm regards from your biggest fan,
Very Very Gaming
OK, OK, I didn’t actually send that, and anyway it’s just a first draft. Someday though I might send him my hand drawn map of his head done from the “folicle’s eye view”, or overhead view (pun INTENDED). Continue reading
Gunbird Special Edition (PS2) review
There’s an unusual theme in the latest Very Very Gaming arrivals – two budget Playstation 2 titles, exclusive to the PAL territories and Japan. It’s not common, but neither Gunbird Special Edition nor Gregory Horror Show saw the light of day in the US while they did see release in Europe. Seems to be more commonplace these days but we’re still talking about a handful of titles, let alone the smaller still subset of desirable titles. Let’s review Gunbird Special Edition on PS2 then, and perhaps we shall see whether the cocky Europeans have reason to gloat, or are they just sanctimonious pricks?
Very Very Gaming 