analysis

Things I learned From Skyrim

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Yes, Skyrim.  Elder Scrolls 5.  The latest chapter of the erratically long-running, ambitious series is out, and I'm playing my first Elder Scrolls game since "Daggerfall."

I know I'm not alone.  I see it talked about constantly, hear about it constantly, and my friends and co-workers discuss it.

Know what?  It's actually a really good game.  Sure it has some flaws and bugs, but I'm pretty impressed.  It's gorgeous, adventure-filled, fun, and has a serious wide-open sandbox feel that is crammed with a lot to do.  It's really an adventure "your" way, even if your way is to run around in your underwear amassing a cabbage collection.

But as this is an impressive, epic game, the kind of game a lot of games promised to be and weren't, it's also got me thinking.  What does Skyrim "mean" for gaming – in short, what's the progeeky impact?  What can we learn if we're in gaming?

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Musings on Media Cycles: The Rich And The Distilled

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So, why do so many horror films, well . . . turn out not only kind of bad but are really just pseudo-snuff films?

This question came up on Twitter, and I responded with my theory – that when the killers of the slasher genre became stars, franchises, it meant horror turned into a body count factory.  Once the killer is just there to pile up bodies, yet is a star, there's not much to do.  Perhaps the ultimate distillation of this is the FInal Destination series where people who avoid death die creatively at the hands of a kind of "force of fate."

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So Just What Is Nintendo Up To?

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So, remember when everyone figured Nintendo was on their last legs?  Constantly recycling things by releasing a new DS every five minutes?  Showing no new ideas and obviously doomed?

If you don't remember, then you've probably blanked it from your mind.  I certainly admit that until not to long ago, I figured Nintendo was lost and aimless.  I know I had company – OK I hope I had company because I feel rather stupid at this point.

All of us who thought Nintendo was lost in a haze remember E3 2011.  We remember the Wii U demo, with the tablet-like controller, and the interesting controls.  We remember the doubt vanishing almost instantly as people were enchanted with this new machine and it's oddball control options.

It was like watching the Wii come out all over again.

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