Almost two months of my year without buying games have passed, and it's already getting a bit uncomfortable as I fight urges to buy new games and gaming gear. 10 months left to go!? This is going to be tough.

The Sly Collection kept me busy throughout January and half of February, but now I'm having a hard time really getting into the next game. I've been playing StarCraft II mostly, and it's pretty impressive, but I'm not totally sucked into it. I'm not totally sucked into Puzzle Quest 2, P.B. Winterbottom, Super Meat Boy, or Bit.Trip Beat either. I think each of these games is great, but maybe it's just not the right time for me to be playing them. I'm not in the right mood or something.

This leads me to think about my main criteria for what I consider to be an awesome game (as opposed to just a great game, or less). For me, an awesome game doesn't have to be of a particular genre or attain a particular level of technical accomplishment. It just needs to suck me in for the full length of time that I play it. It needs to get me to buy into its world and not lose interest until beyond the game's end. Having smooth, unobtrusive, responsive controls facilitates this, but isn't always 100% necessary if something else in the game compensates. I know I'm playing an awesome game when I spend the time that I am not playing it thinking about playing it, planning my next moves, searching forums and FAQs, and so on.

This can lead to some surprising choices in awesome games vs. great games, even to myself.

For example, by the above criterion, I thought The Sly Collection was awesome. Even though it was easy, sometimes silly and unsophisticated. I still couldn't wait to play it every evening. I also thought Plants vs. Zombies was awesome. I thought Critter Crunch was awesome. I thought Dante's Inferno was awesome.

But then there are games I was completely expecting to find awesome, but am only finding to be great at best. Like Half-Life 2. I haven't even finished HL2 yet, although I started it last Fall. And, so far, StarCraft II. And Torchlight. And Flower. I want to like Flower more, but I don't. (Although, in Flower's case, I think I'd like it more if I could use the analog stick instead of the tilt sensor. That tilt sensor drives me a bit nuts.)

When I am playing an awesome game, I don't feel the need to buy new games, because I am happy with what I have; however, when I play less than awesome games, that's when the desire to buy new games really starts to kick in. I guess I just need to start thinking one of my current games is awesome fast, or else these next 10 months are really going to suck.

This weekend, I finally finished the third and final game in The Sly Collection. I've been playing the collection pretty much exclusively since the New Year, and I've enjoyed the whole ride. It's definitely been fun, albeit a bit easy. The first game was a fairly straightforward platformer with some stealth elements and the occasional mini-game. The second game is definitely the series' showpiece, introducing larger, more complex heists, involving the whole Cooper gang and a fine balance of gameplay experiences (and two episodes taking place in Canada!). The third game spreads itself a bit too thin with the excessive focus on mini-games and multiple characters, few of whom get enough time in the spotlight, but it's still a good time.

I was surprisingly drawn in by the game's characters, particularly Bentley and Murray. I've developed a real fondness for the two of them. The games' stories had enough hooks to hold my interest. And I was impressed to see a wheelchair-bound protagonist in the third game. You don't see that often.

And the collection was a total trophy-stravaganza. More than 100 trophies, including 3 platinums, were enough to rocket me from level 10 all the way to level 12 once all was said and done. The first Platinum was a total cakewalk. The second was just as easy, only it took much longer. The third was slightly trickier, as you had to complete a series of master challenges in addition to the main story mode, but not nearly as challenging as I had been expecting after reading the forums. If you can handle the God of War challenges, for example, the Sly Challenges should be no problem.

So, three Sly Cooper games later and I'm already a month and a half into my year without buying games. This collection definitely helped me get a head start on 2011. I'll need to think of where I want to go from here. Should I keep going with the PS3 and clean up some old games and trophies? I have 3D Dot Game Heroes, Castle Crashers and a few PSN titles to 100%. Should I delve into StarCraft II (and possibly not resurface until next year)? Should I brave more of the impossible insanity of Super Meat Boy, now that I can use my PS3 controller on my PC? Or should I focus on some of my smaller PC titles, like P.B. Winterbottom, Bit.Trip Beat, and Puzzle Quest 2? I'm open to suggestions; otherwise, I'll see what pulls me in first.

Happy continued gaming!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[breath]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

[collapse]

I wants them both.

I've already entered 2011, my year without buying games, with a list of titles I would have bought had I been buying. Instead, I will watch these games be released, and wait patiently until 2012 before snapping them up. (Assuming I still want them. What if The Last Guardian turns out to be awful? Could you imagine?) And, with any luck, these will all undergo price drops by the time I buy them. If I were buying games in 2011, I would buy:

• Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (PSN)
• Portal 2 (PS3 & PC)
• ICO / Shadow of the Colossus Collection (PS3)
• Batman: Arkham City (PS3)
• Angry Birds (PSP Minis)
• Beyond Good and Evil HD (PSN)
• Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS3)
• The Last Guardian (PS3)

I still think I can do this. It's already the end of January and I'm still going strong with The Sly Collection. However, if any of the following games are suddenly announced for release in 2011, I might not have the willpower to wait (Note: The following games have not been announced. I only wish they had.):

• Okami HD (PS3)
• Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (PS3)
• A new WipEout or WipEout HD DLC (PS3)

I don't want to want a PSP2, but if they make a WipEout game for it, I don't see how I'll be able to resist. And although I certainly could wait before buying Dante's Inferno 2, I'd still like it to be announced.

• OMG! If you buy Portal 2 for PS3, you get the PC/Mac version on Steam free! And you will be able to link your PSN and Steam accounts to share save files and such via Steamcloud?! This is the first time this year that I am majorly kicking myself for choosing to go the whole year without buying games. I now know the first thing I am buying January 1, 2012.
• Over the weekend, I finished the first game in The Sly Collection. I think it was called Sly Cooper and the… Platinum Trophy Cakewalk. It was a very easy Platinum. (I've worked longer and harder for bronze trophies.) Trophies just kept coming at me for everything I did, including: starting the game. Srsly.
• The 8 trophies for the Sly mini-games were even easier. You get 4 for playing each game. Then you get 4 more for attaining very easily attainable scores. Again, cakewalk.
• But thanks to this onslaught of easy trophies, I have reached Level 11 on PSN. Woot! Leveleven!
• Seriously, though, Sly 1 was a relatively good 3D platformer. Sly 2 is shaping up to be much better though. And I think one of the levels takes place in Canada. Nice.
• I'm currently reading Replay: The History of Video Games by Tristan Donovan. Interesting stuff so far, but I'm still in the early days of games like Pong and Tank.

When I decided to go a year without buying games, I put some thought into how I could approach that year. How could I best make it through 365 days, knowing that I would not allow myself to buy a new game if I wanted one? These were the possible approaches I thought of:

• Play (and attempt to master) only one game: One of my PS3 friends plays Super Street Fighter IV. And nothing else. I admire that level of devotion, but I don't think I could handle it. I go through cycles where sometimes I want instant action, sometimes I want a great, drawn-out story, sometimes I want a fun puzzle. My preferences change, so I don't think I could restrict myself to one game without growing restless.
• Play only games I already own: Often, I grow tired of games I own sooner than I would like. I could resolve to finish every game I start and every game I own, but if I'm not really enjoying a game at a given moment, then why am I playing it?
• Play a different game each day/week/month: This idea came to me when GamesRadar published an article about 365 free PC games. A new game each day would increase my exposure to games out there, and force me try new things, but it would prevent from really getting into any one game, and I might have to play a lot of games I don't like. I also thought about a new game each week or each month, but there's no telling how long any particular game will hold my interest. One week would not be enough for StarCraft 2. A month would probably be too long for, say, Flower.
• Aim for 100% trophies/achievements on all my games: Trying to get Platinum on WipEout HD alone would probably get me through the rest of the year and, possibly, the rest of my life.
• Play only games for change: I thought about combining my interests in video games and in being nice by playing only 'games for change' for a full year. But, to be honest, I have not yet played enough games of this genre to know how well they work as actual games.
• Play free indie and flash games: I'm sure there's enough stuff on Newgrounds and Kongregate and elsewhere to keep anyone busy for ages. I could combine this with the stats and mission on GameGround for added incentive. Maybe I haven't played the right games, but I find Flash games aren't always meaty enough for my game cravings.
• Find free promotional games: This would be tricky, because you never know when and where promotional games will pop up. However, last year alone, I got Bejeweled 2, Mirror's Edge (PC), Portal, and Beneath a Steel Sky free. Game sites are always running contests for free stuff just for posting comments. Trying to get free games could even become a game in itself.
• Play free-to-play games (without buying anything): I just have to find a F2P game I enjoy. I tried Legends of Zork (as part of a GameStop promotion) but found it wholly unsatisfying.
• Play abandonware: Despite tons of abandonware titles out there, I find I get tired of old stuff quickly, and I long for new things.
• Borrow games from friends, family, the library: I will resort to this if nothing else works out for me this year.
• [Resort to piracy:] Although piracy is technically an option, it is not for me. I find gaming to be an affordable pastime, and I want to support the industry.

From this list, I have formulated my ultimate plan of attack for this year, which is this:

1. See how much mileage I can get out of the games I got over the holidays
2. After that, go back to my older games I have not yet completed
3. After that, clean up some leftover trophies/achievements
4. All the while, I will keep my eyes and ears open for free games and contests/promotions
5. If, before the end of the year, I get bored and desperate, I will start borrowing games from friends and the library
6. If I still can't make it through the year without buying a game, then I am totally weak

My son just turned two. I've been a dad for two years, and I have managed, somehow, to remain a gamer.

Actually, not a lot has changed since my son was born. The biggest difference is when I play games. I used to play games whenever I felt like it. Now, the only time I can really play games is after my son has gone to bed (and the house has been cleaned). But this is all right. I still get enough game time in, and I don't have to worry that I'm neglecting my son or missing any of his childhood to play video games.

As for my son, he recently tried his first games! He likes my DJ Hero controller. He likes to spin the platter back and forth and go 'wocka-wocka-wocka' as I have taught him. So, I tried to get him going with some Daft Punk vs. Queen at beginner difficulty. He didn't seem to be able to connect the on-screen action with the controller though, so I really don't feel like he 'played' DJ Hero.

More recently, I let him try Bit.Trip Beat, and I think this is the first time he truly played a video game. I think it's fitting that his first game is a reimagining of one of the first video games ever, Pong. It was clear that he had the sense that he was controlling the bat and trying to hit the balls. Whenever he missed too many balls and the screen turned black and white to indicate the threat of game over, he would want me to take over. When the screen turned back to colour, he would want to continue playing.

He seemed to like it enough at the time, but he hasn't asked me to play it again since. This surprises me, as he usually insistently begs me to do things again and again after the first time. Is this a sign that he isn't destined to be quite the gamer his dad is? Or was he not interested because the game wasn't Call of Duty? Probably still too early to tell.

Either way, it will be fine. Either I'll have a co-op partner, or I'll have the PS3 all to myself. Talk about win-win! ;)

I have finally levelled the playing field on Super Meat Boy. Neither my keyboard nor my Saitek P990 controller were giving me the reliable, unobtrusive control I needed to navigate through the unforgiving levels of the game.

But now that has changed.

I've located drivers that enable me to use my Dualshock 3, wirelessly, on my laptop. The drivers can even emulate Xbox 360 controls for games that require this. Like Super Meat Boy.

Now there are no more excuses. No more handicaps. It's me, Dualshock 3, and Meat Boy ready to save some Bandage Girl.

I mentioned some posts ago that, in 2011, my resolution is not to buy any games for the entire year. I have a few reasons for this resolution:

1. To save a bit of money
2. To give some time for the 2011 games I want to drop in price so I can get them cheaper in 2012
3. To spend more time fully enjoying the growing collection of games I already own
4. To encourage myself to check out some of the great, free games that are out there
5. To see if I can do it (part of me really enjoys a bit of self-denial)
6. To give myself something a bit out of the ordinary to blog about for a year

I've set a few rules to go with this resolution:

• For the entire year, I am not to spend any money on games or anything game-related, including controllers and peripherals, game books and magazines, or even game-branded merchandise.
• I will let friends and family know that I am doing this and ask them not to buy me any games for my birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, or other present-worthy occasions. (For Christmas 2011, I cannot ask people to buy me games and wait until 2012 to give them to me.)
• If, by some fluke, someone does buy me a game, I will not be a total jerk and refuse it. Instead, I will graciously accept it and then store it until 2012.
• I can download and play as many free games as I want to, but they must be legitimately free. No piracy.
• I cannot cheat by pre-ordering 2011 games in 2010. The last day I can buy games is December 31, 2010, and that only includes games that have been released by that date. After that, I must wait until January 1, 2012 to buy my next game.

I haven't thought of any penalty if I break my own rules. I guess I don't expect to, but maybe I overestimate myself. If you have any good ideas, let me know.

So, here I go for my year without buying games. Wish me luck.

Written The Week Before A Year Without Buying Games

Knowing that 2011 is my year without buying games, I thought it prudent to stock up on a few new titles in December. For Christmas, I got The Sly Collection (PS3) and StarCraft II (PC). I also took advantage of Steam's Holiday sale. I bought four games and two expansion packs for less than $25! I love Steam. I got:

• Super Meat Boy
• VVVVVV
• BIT.TRIP BEAT
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
• Puzzle Quest 2
• Magic: The Gathering – Duels of The Planeswalkers Expansions 2 and 3

Awesome.

I've also had to deny myself the purchase of a couple of PSN games (already!). I was going to get Pac Man Champion Edition DX and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time HD, but due to poor planning and timing, I kinda screwed myself over.

See, on December 23, I left home, and my PS3, to spend the holidays with my in-laws. I was gone until January 1, 2011, by which time it was too late for me to buy any more games on PSN. I originally figured I would transfer funds to my PSN wallet from my in-laws', and then use those funds to get the two games mentioned above when I returned home. However, when I thought more about it, I decided that it was against the spirit of my own rules. No games in 2011 means NO GAMES IN 2011. So, Pac Man and Prince of Persia will have to wait another year. More accurately, I will have to wait another year for Pac Man and Prince of Persia.

But maybe that will give me just enough time to get past the second world in Super Meat Boy. That game is hard!

And awesome.

And hard.

VVVVVV

The last game I played (and completed) in 2010 was VVVVVV. It was 2 hours of minimalistic action-adventure awesome. I'm loving this trend of games that reduce gameplay to a single ingenious mechanic that is then exploited fully through the course of the game. Braid did it with the manipulation of time. Portal did it with the manipulation of space. Now VVVVVV does it with the manipulation of gravity. Captain Viridian can't jump over a knee-high obstacle, but he can flip his own gravity field so that now he is sliding smoothly along the floor, and now he is safely on the ceiling overpassing both the obstacle and one of the game's hundreds of pits of V-shaped spikes.

I love the game's simple look, gameplay, characters, and story. The level of challenge was perfect. It was hard (I died 766 times in 2 hours), but not Super Meat Boy hard. It's fantastic proof, if it is still in doubt, that a game does not need to look cutting edge to be cutting edge.

I got the game for $2.49 during Steam's winter sale. I've still got some collectables and unlockables to finish scrounging up, and I'm sure I'll play the game through at least once more. Even for a 2-hour game, I feel that VVVVVV was awesome value and a spectacular way to end another great year of gaming.

A lot of our games are about heroes doing heroic things. (To be fair, a lot of our games are also about anti-heroes and outright villains doing very, very evil things. Heck, some are just about oddly-shaped blocks with absolutely no moral leanings whatsoever.) Often these heroic games are about a single character or small group single-handedly taking on an entire gaming-world's worth of enemies and problems using an assortment of impressive weapons and abilities. And that's what makes them heroes.

But what about in real life? What does it take to be a hero in real life? While some of us might first leap to ideas of saving nations, going to war, excelling in professional sports, or just generally being larger than life, the Heroic Imagination Project (http://heroicimagination.org/) contends that heroism can be something much more mundane, and attainable by anyone. A large part of heroism, it maintains, simply requires awareness, courage, and a commitment to the well-being of others.

The Project offers two small first steps we can take to develop the heroic capacities within ourselves. One, we can take the Hero Pledge, a straightforward affirmation to develop our heroic traits. Second, we can take the Hero Challenge, a four-week online course with four bite-sized lessons to raise our awareness of what it really takes to be a hero. Both of these can be accessed from: http://heroicimagination.org/take-action/. I would encourage anyone reading this, who is interested in being a positive force in the world, to check it out.

To everyone on GameSpot: Much Love.