Inspiration Comes Standard

I have many goals in my life. Some goals I can achieve with very little effort, some I can achieve by putting work into them, while some seem too lofty that if I pour my heart and soul into them it almost seems like a waste to have done so if things don’t pan out. A quote has always stuck into my mind for quite some time and it’s one from Rainer Maria Rilke, a beloved German poet and it is stated as so:

"No one can advise or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots to the depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write."

This is something that I have taken to heart and I think about what I must do every day. Do I have the passion to do the tasks that I must complete that day? Do I have the passion to live on and achieve the goals that I have laid before me? This quote pertains to writing; however, it can be applied to almost everything you do on a day-to-day basis. People make choices every day and each choice leads them on a different path. While most tasks we take on daily are banausic and unwanted, we still do them because that is what we are expected to do. People who are uninspired live life day by day until they die. It’s like a friend of mine once eloquently put: “Some of us have never had to survive, we just keep waking up until we die.” Those who live life day to day miss out completely on what life is about. To me, we are alive so that one day we can achieve greatness. Maybe not on a national level, but on a level that puts people in a league of their own.

In today’s world, people are becoming more and more conscious of fame and notoriety. With the internet, film and television industries coming to a pinnacle of production, people begin to feel as if they must carve their niche somewhere on that grand chalk board. Everyone wants to be famous, but they seem to have a delusional sense of what fame is. People that strive for fame are different from people who strive for greatness. The ones who want to be considered more than just a passing fad permeate sweat and pour out frustration to reach their goals.

Those who want the fame, just want attention, or have an ulterior motive. Money, power and all things golden under the sun are the treasures they want out of life. They don’t do what they absolutely love doing. People are always out there looking for the “big break” and most of the time, that break never comes. In the end, their lives are full of disarray and desolation.

So how does one know if they are truly passionate about what they are doing? Well, that is why that quote from Rilke is so important to read over and take in. It is imperative that anyone embarking on some endeavor to really absorb the meaning of that quote. It’s one that imparts inspiration on anyone who takes the time to stop and understand it. Quotes like these are like taking a walk through a garden full of vibrant colors and smells. These places of serenity can be experienced if one just stops and tries to comprehend what they have been told. The answers lie hidden in life. Very seldom are things blatantly revealed so that one can complete his/her journey to complete life. The answers in life are like messages hidden in an old tome of a different language. One should not just let the answers come to them; one must take the time to figure things out, to delve into the unknown and find the answers themselves.

Now you, the reader, may be wondering, so when is Daniel going to get into the part where he talks about video games and such? Slow down, I’m getting there. If that is what you are thinking, then I suggest you re-read the first part of this article. For the rest, I’ll share with you my aspirations.

It’s been a while since I have written for Nisute and I have to say that it is a breath of fresh air. I started writing around this time last year sharing my musings on E3. Jim Power saw some talent in my writing ability and I felt that this would be a great outlet for me. Around August I took a bit of a hiatus, (actually I performed a bit of a disappearing act, my apologies to Maikel and the rest of Nisute.) but now I am back and as I write this, I feel like I’m taking in a breath of crisp mountain air. I would say I’m on the verge of feeling liberated, but even I would say that’s a bit much. I’m finding out again why I fell in love with writing. It is a creative outlet and almost therapeutical; sort of like rubbing a vapor rub under my nostrils and being able to breath again. (thank you Vicks 44)

I’ve been thinking of my love for the video game industry and I must admit painfully, that for a while I became lackadaisical about my efforts. Not that I have fallen completely off the grid, but enough that I’ve become aware of my situation.

This summer I had an idea for a video game, about a man who comes home from work to his loving family. The night takes its usual course and in the morning the man wakes up to find his family dead. For some reason he feels some type of urge, and like a professional hit man, he makes the house “clean.” He rips out the carpet, cleans the blood and burns the bodies of his family in a dumpster in some alley-way in some unnamed city. After he’s done this, he comes to his senses fully and realizes what he has done. He’s in complete shock of the entire situation. A dark silhouette appears from a doorway near him and the man makes an effort to run away fearing that a witness has just seen what he’s done. Before he can escape, he’s rendered unconscious (from a sort of stun gun) and from here he’s found in a type of surgical facility. He’s strapped to a chair and a man is sitting at the end of the room, his identity still hidden. He explains to you that you have a special purpose to fulfill; he tells you that you are an experiment to further advance the studies on creating the ultimate form of guerilla warfare. He hands something to a guard standing at his side. The guard walks to you and puts a small parchment of paper in your pocket. The man at the other side of the room tells you that the names on that piece of paper are important and that what is done next is up to you. He walks out of the room and once again the screen blacks out.

Basically what this game is about is that you, the player, is taking part in an experiment put on by terrorists to create an army of ordinary people to carry out assassinations and acts of terror. These people are captured; brain washed and then trained to become killers. Once this is done they are hypnotized (a la Manchurian Candidate) and sent into the world as normal people. They are provided jobs and a lively hood and often, they are not called upon until several years later. However, the mind control is still there and deep within their psyche they are kept in physical condition. When the terrorists see fit, they create a series of events that put the subject back into their killer state. The public views these people as normal and would never suspect them to be capable of such acts.

This story is not far at all in terms of development but I feel that it could be a compelling story once I work everything out and tie it all together. The player is at a moral stand-off between doing what he his meant to do, or doing what he believes is right. There are two paths and the player must walk a fine line between doing what he is told or else if he strays too far off, he can be killed at any moment. However, at some point the player can choose right or wrong in a definite way and complete the game in that manner.

The video game industry has been a focus all my life and I feel like it is something that I can feel comfortable working in. Names like Sakaguchi, Dyak, Molyneux, Miyamoto and Kojima have been imbedded into my brain as names that I would like to be mentioned amongst. I want to be seen as an innovator in this industry, not because I want the fame and the fortune, but just because I want to feel honored. This is what drives me to do this. I love this.

The Grand Takeover

I have found out that the life of a rookie in the world of journalism is not an easy one. At the beginning of the week I felt all wild eyed, like a baby chick freshly hatched from its egg. I was excited to tackle this article and show what type of prowess I had with writing. My excitement soon turned to dread when I realized that I didn’t know what the hell I was going to write about. The world of gaming is a large one, but when I wanted to come in and show people what I’ve got I realized that I can’t just pick any thing to write about. I had to search for a topic that was compelling and worth my time to write about. I soon discovered the perfect topic. That topic is the bull-shit rating that IGN gave Kingdom Hearts 2.

Actually, I’m just kidding about that idea. While it is true that IGN was a little rough in grading the game play aspect, my true concern is the inclusion of advertisements in gaming. It all started innocently enough with billboards in Gran Turismo, and Sobe machines in Splinter Cell. Somehow that opened a door to advertisers to the idea that they can influence gamers to buy their product. The idea seems so preposterous and unbelievable that it makes you say explicatives out loud without realizing it.

IGN held an interview with First Person Plural’s Alex Dulude and the prospect of advertisers sending their influence into the gaming Medium. What this basically means is that Advertisers pay money to the development company and in return, their ads are included in the game and once that ad is clicked, the company is informed and you are given a “Thank You” gift. A person is playing through this particular game and you come across a can of Mountain Dew. You drink the soda and it turns out that it is a power-up for their character. If they click on an ad for Mountain dew, three days later a 6 pack appears at their door with offers attached to it. The game isn’t filled with pointless product placement because gamers choose what they want in the game. When they first install the game they are presented with a sort of survey with a couple questions that ask them what type of person they are. Questions are as follows: Are you male or female? Where are you from? What type of music do you listen to? It’s simple and you are presented with ads that appeal to you, but it almost seems like something like this could become very invasive.

A couple good points were brought by Mr. Dulude. The advertisement money would cover some of the development cost and would end up lowering the price of games. Another point is that gamers are presented with very good offers. Mostly it’s to help the big corporations. It doesn’t make life easier; it just puts more money into big business. Money is what makes the world go ‘round and it’s only natural to make the transition to the next big medium. The video game industry is a nine billion dollar cash cow and there are millions of gamers around the world. Something like this was bound to happen, as grim of a reality that is, it’s just meant to be. However, I don’t like this at all for the fact that advertisers will want more and more control. They will do it so subtly that people will not notice the takeover. Game play will not be interrupted by advertisements, but eventually it will happen.

All I am saying is that big corporations are letting their foot in the door now, but eventually they will want the whole pie. I think that games will become mediocre because of the advertisements, because that is where the emphasis will lie; getting the product out there. I’m not shocked because of these events, but I am agitated. Gamers rely on video games as an escape from the world and when the world tries to invade that privacy, the gamers will cry foul and actions will be taken. Ads in games are good for business but bad for the people who devote their time to games.

Gaming Through the Eyes of a Convert

With the recent article from Dominik Erbsland, I have made the decision to explain why Microsoft has been able to pry me from being one of the biggest Playstation fan boys ever. Ever since the release of the Xbox I always regretted purchasing the PS2. Yes it is a fun system and as much as I loved games from Capcom, SquareEnix, and Electronic Arts, I always felt like something was missing. The graphics for the Playstation were fine. Other than the fact that it couldn’t process textures worth crap, the animations were always fluid and the colors were vibrant. However, even the most beautiful games had smears and imperfections. If you want to look at video games at an artistic stand point, then you must give that to the Xbox. It’s been able to pull off graphics that have rivaled any computer on the market, (save for the custom computers that people with waaaaaay too much time make.) The Xbox amazed me for the first time when I saw how it could pull of textures that just made games “pop” out of the screen. While yes, there have been shoddy games that have been made for the system; the companies that really put their hearts into it make absolute gems. The Xbox was the complete package and I envied it.

I’m not saying that the Playstation was a bad system, but the Xbox has been clearly superior in every way. The Xbox is the complete package for all people that are gamers and are proud of it. Microsoft has taken the system seriously and they take their gamers seriously. They know that gamers are smart and they’re not going to allow lackluster service. Microsoft hit the bulls-eye perfectly with Xbox Live. It’s the perfect online gaming service and every game runs on the same service. The Playstation 2 relied on the individual companies to set up their own servers and there was no gaming community to speak of. The Playstation 2 was a system for those who just wanted to play by themselves, or for those who only played with other people locally. When I had my PS2 I never played on-line. Now that I’ve attained an Xbox 360 (and a 12-month XBOX LIVE subscription) you couldn’t even pay me to go offline. At first I thought XBOX LIVE was just a scam and I did my share of scoffing, but now that I’ve seen how it works, I’m completely sold. I’m sure that if anyone is given an hour with an Xbox and it’s repertoire of out-standing games, they would be sold as well. It’s a system that flat-out works, because you can create a buddy list that shows who’s online and offline. Not only that, but it shows you what game they are playing in real-time. If one would want to play, they would insert that game and be on their way.

With the coming of XBOX LIVE 360, that concept has been expanded on and improved in every way. The XBOX LIVE Market place is actually very intuitive. With game demos, gamer pictures, themes and videos it’s a great feature that works. Yes, you have to buy Microsoft points for some features; most of the very useful ones are completely free. One example is game demos. This is by far the most useful aspect of the XBOX LIVE Marketplace. Want to form your own opinion on a game that got screwed by IGN? Then download it, play around two or three levels and form your own opinion. You’re your own person, you never know a games worth until you try it. XBOX LIVE Arcade is another great feature. Got twenty minutes before you have to attend a meeting, but you must satisfy that “gamer’s itch?” Go to the arcade and play trial versions of very addicting games On-Demand or spend a couple hundred Microsoft Points for the full version. You can create a friends list, send messages or engage in voice chats. It’s all about being in a community, and true gamers belong on XBOX LIVE. It’s perfection in a box, plain and simple.

The one aspect that the Playstation wins over the Xbox is the design of the controller and the playability of all the games. The Playstation’s controller, while small for American’s hands, was designed perfectly so that every finger had a button to push. You didn’t have to rely on your thumbs for everything. With four trigger buttons, it took a lot of the anxiety of remembering where buttons were. The Xbox controller was a monstrosity when it first came out. It’s obscenely large size and the addition of the “black” and “white” buttons, made playing with it cumbersome at best. However, third party companies fixed this problem by releasing smaller versions, but the black and white buttons still irked gamers.

The Playstation 2 was a revolutionary console for its time, but perhaps it was released too soon. The Xbox and the Game Cube learned from what the PS2 was doing and they improved upon it. The Xbox was just the complete gaming experience because any game could easily be played on it. The graphics were very solid and truly “Next Gen” for the time. For people who didn’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on a custom PC, the Xbox was easily a great alternative. It delivered in every possible way. The world should thank Microsoft for creating such an experience.

Music and Games: Their Need for Each Other

Music is something that is as common in every day life as air is. Music is everywhere and it is constantly flowing. Music for me is something that is a part of my life every day. When I wake up, I listen to music. Music is present when I shower, when I drive, when I create it and when I go to sleep. I am a musician and music is something that I treasure every day. If I were to go deaf, I don’t know how I would be able to manage.
Music is important to everyone. I would consider it impossible to find someone who doesn’t like music of any form. If there’s something that everyone has in common, it’s an appreciation for any type of music. All cultures have different music; what sounds strange to one culture, the other finds it to be very enjoyable.

Video games have always had some form of music. I can recall back in the 8-bit days, hearing synthesized themes that were clever and catchy. Nearly anyone can remember songs from games like Mario or Zelda. Even those who occasionally play video games can call out “MARIO!” when they hear that game’s theme. For some reason, when one hears it their eyes seem to light up. I’ve noticed this before when I’ve played that music. Some people may call out the title, while others may seem to mask their enthusiasm. I can still notice that they recognize the theme because for a second, their interest is piqued. I don’t know how something like this is possible. It is a very simple tune, no complexities. It is straight forward, cheery and just easily recognizable. Maybe that is why so many people can recognize it because the song is simple.

In the old days of the Atari and the Commodore 64, few games featured music. If they did contain music, there would be a small sample at the beginning of the level. As Nintendo came along with the NES, nearly all games featured music. While it was not the best music in the world, it still worked for the game and it drove the game play at a fast pace. Many games would just loop a 30 second sample of music through out the entire game, but the music was catchy enough that it didn’t get annoying. A game that comes to mind here is TECMO Super Bowl. This American football game featured the same song when plays were commencing. It was a frantic, fast paced song though because it captured what it would be like being on the football field. When one is focused enough, they may not notice the music during the game, but the music grabs hold of the player and it gets their blood pumping.

As games became more sophisticated, music seemed to follow suite. Technological advances allowed digital music to be played during games and more complex songs could be composed. When Lucas Arts created the “X-Wing” and “Tie Fighter” series for the PC, players could hear the all too familiar “Star Wars” theme when they booted up the game. Not only that, but actual music from the movies was included and was featured during the missions. Hearing these timeless pieces in their entirety really evoked emotion in gamers. The Tony Hawk skateboarding series were the first that I can remember to feature licensed music. Punk rock dominated at the time the game came out and it helped get a lot of bands noticed. The next game to feature licensed music was Madden NFL 2003. The first song heard when the game started was Andrew W.K.’s “Party Hard.” It was a driving, punk rock anthem that really made you prepared to take on anything.

After Madden 2003, EA started featuring licensed music in nearly all their games. This worked two fold, because it allowed CD quality music to be featured in games and it also allowed small bands to get noticed. Bands like: JET, OK GO, Good Charlotte and Avenged Sevenfold all owe part of their success to the Madden franchise. For some reason, one could become pumped up hearing this music blare over the PA system during a game. EA Trax was something that just simply worked well.

Games from the Tom Clancy franchise also featured music. The music was often instrumental and very patriotic. During a fire fight or a crucial part in the game, the horns would come in with that patriotic music and made the player more focused during the missions. I don’t know how this is all possible, but music just does something to people. Music evokes emotion and it brings back memories. It is a part of every day life and it affects all people of all walks of life.

E306 in Review

Reflecting on the entire week of E3 led me to the conclusion that the only way to survive in the gaming world is to unify. It seems as if all three companies: Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have figured out that concept. There’s really no loser that emerged from E3. All three companies had their own ideas on how to bring gamers together. Microsoft showed that Xbox live will be going strong and tons of original first-party titles will keep the games going. Nintendo emphasized its quest to unify gamers of all backgrounds and skill levels. Sony, well there really wasn’t a lot of room for more inventive features for its system. While it is clear that Sony took ideas from Xbox and Nintendo, there really was no other choice. I will explain later, but first let me break down, in detail, what all three companies brought to the table.

I will begin with Nintendo since they were a bit under the gun pre-E3 06. Last year Nintendo revealed a “revolution” in gaming, bringing a whole new way to play video games. When they first revealed the motion sensitive remote, the public was a little dumbfounded by the whole concept. Our interests were piqued but we just didn’t know what to make of it. We had an idea of the concept that Nintendo was trying to pitch at us, but with the lack of specific game titles, we just didn’t know what to expect. About two weeks before E3 Nintendo finally revealed the name of their new system, the Wii. As small and innocent as the name is, it sent a shock wave across the world of gamers that might have been on par with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ok, maybe not quite on par but we could in fact be talking bogey with it. (A little golf terminology if you haven’t caught on yet.) While most of the close minded crowd shunned Nintendo for using such a name that would get it made fun of by pre-schoolers; the other half looked at it as a concept that made sense, and truly embodied the idea of Next-Gen gaming. Wii is a name that will bring gamers together and I truly think it will. I could definitely see this as a system that could bring an entire family together. The controls are fun and simple and there are plenty of family friendly games planned with the release of the system. While most gamers would scoff at this, I see it as an opportunity to make games acceptable in the public eye. Too many people see video games as mindless, bloody entertainment and Nintendo wants to change that. Gaming at its very core is competitive fun for every one. No matter what, boy or girl, young or old; the Wii is for every one.

Gamers have reached a diva-like status and it is a fact. A majority of gamers believe that the only good game is one that comes with a big, fat “M” on the cover explaining that this game is for mature audiences only; they horde over these games like they are the only things that matter and that they are somehow entitled to sole ownership of gaming. It is sad to say, but too many gamers are not open to the idea of fun without violence, profanity and all other evils that can pollute the mind. There are many legendary and classic games that have been developed without the inclusion of violence. The average gamer doesn’t have to look too hard to find them. Go to any gaming store and peruse the aisles and you can see great games such as: Super Monkey Ball, Lumines, Tetris, Super Mario Sunshine, and various sports titles from EA and 2K games, just to name a few.

If I had to describe Nintendo’s showing at E3 06 in one word, that word would be, diversity. Plenty of different games are being developed for the Wii and none will disappoint. Tony Hawk will bring his classic franchise back, but this time with a down-hill racing twist. Link will look better than ever with “Twilight Princess,” and as always, Mario will be back with his solo effort. To entertain those hard core gamers, Red Steel, from Ubisoft will take full advantage of the Wii Remote with an intuitive approach to the First-Person Shooter genre. With the unveiling of the Wii, the future of Nintendo looks very bright.

Microsoft came out looking strong after a seemingly disappointing launch for their new system. If it weren’t for such strong titles, Microsoft would seriously be re-thinking the release of the Xbox 360. Current games such as Call of Duty 2, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Burnout Revenge, and Oblivion have given the 360 a legitimate chance at establishing itself at the top of the heap. The corner stone of the Xbox 360 is Xbox LIVE. There is not a better online gaming service anywhere, period. With the addition of Xbox LIVE Arcade, the experience has become even better. The big story for Microsoft was Gears of War, which is promising to be a killer app for the 360. Along with that will come the long awaited “Too Human” trilogy from Silicon Knights. This game will truly break the boundaries between fun game play and brilliant story telling. This will push the envelop for gaming. It is something special when you can take a seemingly “mindless” hack and slash and fuse it with an intriguing take on Norse mythology and giving it a sci-fi twist.

Now, we move on to Sony, the misunderstood company that everyone had mistaken for a cat burglar. It is true that they never really revolutionized anything with their presentation. The Cell technology seems very gimmicky to tell you the truth, but I wasn’t at the show so I couldn’t really claim whether or not it is truly something powerful. All I can go by is what I saw from videos I saw from the internet; and quite frankly, it is nothing that the Xbox 360 can’t handle. The 500 – 600 dollar price tag is very iffy, and this is a system that will have to prove itself come the holiday season. I think everyone was a little too rough on Sony, and I will be the first to admit that. When I heard of their online capabilities and the 6 degree motion sensitive controller, I called foul quicker than an NFL referee on a pass interference. Now that I’ve thought about it a little longer, Sony had to do it to stay alive in this market. Sony has not been performing extraordinarily well as a company and they are really banking on this system to do well. It is quite the gamble for this company but this Cell Technology and Blue Ray is the difference between greatness and mediocrity for this company. Sony in no way wants to taste the bitterness of obscurity.

PC Gamers Rejoice: Your Rennaisance is Upon You

If there is anyone who should be happier than Nintendo fan boys right now, it would have to be PC gamers. No one has any idea how absolutely dominating Microsoft had been at E3 06. I consider myself a console gamer through and through, it just suits me better. However, at this time I could almost be envious of those loyal to PC gaming. Microsoft dropped a bomb shell at E3 that seemed to go largely unnoticed. With the Console wars heating up, Microsoft slipped a little ace from its sleeve by announcing Games for Windows on Windows Vista. This is a completely new iteration for Games for Windows and this time Microsoft is dead serious about reviving the once thought dead industry. Windows Vista will finally offer a gamer friendly environment that will suit them nicely. With organization and a lay out to make even the most OCD person feel disorganized, Vista will cater nicely to gamers.

Microsoft also announced that for the first time ever, PC gamers and console gamers will be able to unite under one flag: Live Anywhere. Now the bridge will be gapped between those two demographics and they will be able to compete to find out truly who the best gamers are. Since PC’s and the Xbox 360 run on similar hardware, it is easier now than ever to unify for the total gaming experience. PC users will now be able to keep their gamer card right on their desktop. Think of it as the gamer’s equivalent to MSN Messenger. They will be able to see what games their friends are playing and will be able to join in on the action.

Along with Live Anywhere, Microsoft announced the release of DirectX 10. This new installment will feature even more graphical muscle than what was thought possible. This became very apparent when those watching the conference got to experience Crysis. The people at Crytek have outdone themselves with this new graphics engine. The demo starts out on a damaged aircraft carrier out in the middle of the ocean. The environment is very dark, but the darkness is illuminated by the raging fires caused by the damage. Even though there is little light, the graphics are still detailed and animations are fluid. The player makes their way outside on the deck where utter chaos ensues. It is almost pitch black outside due to the smoke caused by the fires. There is a moment of silence, aside from orders being given by deck personnel. A moment later a large mechanical beast breaks through the smoke and at this point I’m thinking, METAL GEAR!!!!! In a way it is somewhat similar to Metal Gear Ray, but that is completely beside the point. The beast lets out a giant roar and begins its advance. You are instructed to find a rocket launcher, and when you do, the entire deck unleashes hell’s fury on the titan war machine. Moments later the machine retreats back into the water and all seems safe. A chopper radios in for you and you are instructed to board it. Needless to say, it was a stunning demo and I only wish I could have been there to see it.

Shadowrun will be the first game to bring the Xbox and PC crowds together for fragging goodness. Shadowrun is a first person shooter that actually started out as a pen and paper based RPG. There were several video game adaptations developed for it but they never really reached that top celebrity status in the industry. A trailer was shown at E3 that showed potential for good game play. The game has come under some scrutiny lately due to its “Xbox 1 quality of graphics.” I have looked at several screens of actual game play and I think they did some nice lighting and textural work. The point that many people are missing with this next generation of gaming is that developers will not be able to tap into the full potential of the Xbox 360. I recall back when the PS2 came out; the graphics were less than stunning. The only reason they did seem that way was because the gap between 64 bits and 128 bits is quite immense. There were several games that really made the graphics of the PS2 stand out and showed what the system was truly capable of.

I feel as if I’m straying from the main point however, so now I shall get back on track. PC gaming has always had its struggles; it is very expensive to get into and technology always seems to become obsolete. At this point, I believe that the life cycles of technology have lengthened quite a bit. AMD released its very powerful 64-bit processor; Also, ATI and NVIDIA have been great trailblazers for the development of motherboards and GPUs. However, to create a powerful gaming computer, gamers often have to get the right components and put everything together themselves. That has all changed now that the industry is starting to recognize its loyal fan base. Dell’s XPS series offers great technology for an intense gaming experience. Dell recently acquired Alienware Inc. and with this type of merger, I smell pure, raw, power. Also, buying a gaming PC has become cheaper than ever with Ibuypower.com. This is a custom computer manufacturer that takes all the latest components and puts it all together in a slick package for a price that would surprise everyone.

PC gaming is quite possibly the Cinderella story of the year. Yes, Nintendo did impress with the Wii, but Nintendo has never really been in trouble, not the type of trouble that plagued PC gamers. PC gamers have dealt with a surplus of crappy to mediocre games, and now it is time for a well deserved change.

Silent Hill: Video Game to Cinematic Gold

After attending the movie “Silent Hill,” I have concluded that I must be the only person in the world who has played “Silent Hill.” With the weeks leading up to the day that I would see this movie; I got a chance to peruse around the internet and read reviews that several “respected” movie critics had written. I started by reading what Roger Ebert (of Siskel and Ebert) thought of the film. He made a very good point that the film was cinematic goodness, save for bad dialogue. He also went on to state that unless one has played this game, average movie goers will not have any idea what the hell is going on. Other sites had stated the same thing, but as I came across sites like IGN, the movie was absolutely ripped upon. IGN said that the movie is boring, long and confusing, plus the dialogue was terrible. Now this strikes me as strange because should not IGN have some type of understanding of Silent Hill? Silent Hill has never been known for its eloquent dialogue, so with that the director did not have a whole lot to work with.

The director did a marvelous job with the film. He hit everything spot on, from the actual music from the game, to clever camera angles that brought back great memories. At the beginning when Rose enters the town she follows her daughter into an under-ground passage way. From there the darkness approaches and the familiar sound of the warning sirens blare through the theatre. This brought chills up my spine, I loved it and the siren was a great touch. All goes black for a moment, and then rose illuminates the darkness with the faint glow from her lighter. She follows the corridors and suddenly I’m reminded of the alley way at the beginning of Silent Hill 1. The director does some great work with the camera by taking it overhead with exact shot placement from the game. Rose gets to a dead end and discovers a figure strapped to a fence by barbed wire, just like in the game. Creatures suddenly come from all over and attack Rose. They over-take her then suddenly disintegrate into ash, and Rose wakes up in a diner and the darkness is gone.

That was my favorite scene from the movie simply because the director hit everything spot on. He did a great job with the camera work, the sound and the overall feeling of fear and claustrophobia. You could hear the same eerie sounds from the game, that background music which sounds like metal being banged frantically. He sets a great mood with this scene and sets the pace for the rest of the movie. The Actress who played Rose’s daughter was also brilliant. She portrayed an innocent, yet troubled child perfectly. She could go from playing innocent to playing the dark form of herself without any trouble at all. This girl has amazing range and she has a bright future ahead of her.

Silent Hill is an underrated movie simply for the fact that it is not very scary at all. This is forgivable simply because it’s nothing I have not seen from the game itself. The director was trying to show what the game would be like in cinematic form. The story is great and well thought of. The ending is also worth the price of admission simply because it is a constant and satisfying blood bath. I didn’t think this movie was boring at all. It kept a good and constant pace and was never bogged down by pointless dialogue. This movie is definitely not for someone who takes movies painfully seriously. This film is for those who have beat Silent Hill, (The first and second ones, the third and fourth are pretty irrelevant) or those who have very open minds and appreciate movies for as they are. This movie is as faithful as possible to the first Silent Hill. Perhaps that is what the movie’s downfall was. The story is too complex for today’s movie goers and too canon for today’s gamers. The director was simply taking everything that Silent Hill was and making it into a fantastic, visual feast. People who saw this movie can not say that they weren’t impressed when the movie made the transition from normalcy and into the darkness. Perhaps a better alternative would have been to use the story line from Silent Hill 2. It would basically be all the Silent Hill goodness, without confusing the audience with the involvement of the occult. Who can say for certain what would have made this movie “great.” Perhaps people need to stop judging every movie like it is up for an Academy Award, and just start enjoying the show.