Epic Fail - Post and Rant

My diligence has not been strong right now. Thesis work and independent studies have consumed too much of my time and I am really feeling a bit burned out, thus I have not been doing updates. However, a recent excursion with my new Gameinfo magazine has led me to today's slightly hypocritical post: sequel mania.

One of the main articles in the magazine feature the top 50 games to premiere at E3. While many of them will likely be stunning titles, I couldn't help noticing that nearly all of the games are simply sequels, remakes, or extensions of previous games. Where was the host of new IPs that are not simply motion sensor gimmicks? Now, I am a bit biased, being a total Shin Megami Tensei fanboy, but even I must ask where the hell are all of the new games without the guaranteed series backing. This fits into a much larger discussion of the distinct hole plaguing many artistic venues, as it seems that there is an initiative in place that stifles and/or discourages any active movement toward risky new properties.

I have watched this phenomenon develop throughout the course of the horror movie genre, which has only shown a few moments of punctuated equilibrium, characterized by radical shifts in the genre. During the rest of the time, one can find hundreds of imitations and copies that simply do not take any risks or cash in on a prevalent trope without any useful exploration.

While I will likely partake in a few of the titles, I will simply hold out for the next new, innovative title, or Persona 4 Portable...

Lost, But Not Forgotten...

It has been awhile since I have posted, but that is mainly due to post-semester depression and reorientation for the summer months. I have a few updates and a preview of my new Friday segment, "Game Nostalgia Fridays."

Updates
I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday wrapping up a little post-semester business, but my primary engagement was...Warhammer 40k. The roomie took me out to watch his epic game with two other friends and I spent the better part of eight hours witnessing the carnage and bloodshed. This experiment was mostly designed to see if I really wanted to assemble my own army in the fall, and the answer is.................Plague Marines!!!! Yes, I will yet again put disposable income into a hobby that I will likely drop again in the future. On the bright side, once the minis get painted, I can always display the nicer ones.

Summer gaming is adrift in a sea of uncertainty, as I don't know what the plans are at this point. Hopefully, Exalted will start up again, which I hope to discuss in blog entries, pursuant to GM's permission. If that doesn't pan out, I have supers on the brain, so I can probably pull a group together and start running M&M.

Tomorrow: Game Nostalgia Friday
Tomorrow will mark the first entry in a series of discussion about console, computer, tabletop, and other gaming. Brace yourself for my endless ramblings about my experiences and advice for those seeking or considering these games.

Tomorrow's game shall be........................Persona PSP



See you then.