Al Gonzalez (ed N.Richardson)

Italia 90 for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) was my first experience playing a sports video game.I fondly remember cutting down the opposition with unpunished tackles that would make Real

Madrid’s Pepe look like a FIFA Fair Play Award candidate, rejoicing as I thrashed the Computer AI 20 – 0 and looking forward to the same single screen shot each time a player scored.

Since then I have played quite an extensive list of sports game franchises, from F1 to NBA2K most of which release an annual instalment. Over the last 25 years they have all made leaps and bounds in gameplay and graphics, yet if you analyse this progress on an annual basis you soon realize that major advancements are seldom made from one release to another. Perhaps for this reason sports games would benefit both fans and developers if they released new titles every other year supplementing these with DLC to update kits and transfers for the year following

Take Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) for instance. Konami recently decided to overhaul its sports franchise and PES benefited from a transition to the Fox Engine. The same engine that would be used to develop Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, was to be the force that drove PES 2014. That seemed very exciting at the time but the game ended up being rushed and lacking in lots of areas, essentially delivering a game that had taken a step back from the previous offering losing a number of fans to their biggest rival in the process.

At the time Konami said that this was a move in the right direction and that future PES games would benefit from the ground work set by PES 2014. This was to be true and a year later, although still lacking in certain areas, PES 2015 made a tremendous improvement and won plaudits from many gaming critics. In essence what fans got was a beta version in 2014 and a full release in 2015 yet both games had to be purchased at full price. Konami could have skipped the 2014 release to offer players a more polished game in 2015 that would have benefitted from nearly two years of development and could have softened the blow by offering DLC for PES 2013 updating kits, transfers and stats.

Part of the reason we buy sports games year in and year out is because of the very nature of the beast the video game is simulating. Sports teams and institutions are very well oiled business machines that have to turn in millions to keep running. In part they do this by updating their team rosters and releasing new kits for supporters to buy annually. This In turn affects the need for developers to release updates to their respective games to keep in line with the ever changing face of the professional sports teams represented in their titles. Ultimately what could be a low cost update with all the changes the new sporting season brings, ends up being a full title release with minor tweaks to gameplay that do little to entice us but with a new aesthetic to hook and lure us in.

Ultimately we are caught in a vicious cycle, we buy annual releases because the games are made and the games are made annually because we buy them. Therefore the companies that offer titles on an annual basis might think it unwise to release every other year and lose money on what is a proven formula, yet it might benefit developers to think outside the box. Several updates could be released in the gap years between games with each costing both the developer and consumer a fraction of the cost of a full game. This in turn might also encourage those who would rather wait a few years in-between purchasing their games to pay for updated content on their current title.

Alternatively a subscription fee could be put in place where players would pay a monthly fee amounting to the cost of a full game. Very much like an MMO this could allow the developers to keep working on the game organically and release minor updates throughout the year culminating in a bigger expansion at the beginning of a new season. This kind of thinking in itself could lead to developers adding a greater variety of game modes to the ones already available.

As seen in this year’s NBA2k16 game sports games do not have to follow the same archaic methods. NBA2K have included a single player story mode to a sports game which is the first to any franchise. You begin as a young player who dreams of making it in the NBA and play your way through high school and college before you can make your way to the top. Enhanced by hours of cut scenes developed by Spike Lee, they have shone a new light on sports games that may even appeal to gamers that are not necessarily inclined to play this kind of genre. I for one will probably be picking a copy up after nearly 10 years without having played a NBA game. Adding this kind of a more personalised game experience to an MMO environment could see you create your own player and level him in a world where matches could be comprised of teams featuring other online players. This could make the difference to players that would be on the fence about paying a subscription fee, or could even be offered as an extra supplement to the normal game.

Sports franchise games are dominated by a few companies namely EA due to the fact that no one offers anything new to the experience, therefore it is essential for any developer wanting to break into this market to bring new ideas to the table, a biennial release schedule would most probably benefit these newcomers the most as it would be a way for them to stand out from the crowd.

Do you buy your favourite sports games year after year or do you wait a few years in between purchases? Would you rather developers released games biennially? would a sports MMO game interest you? what modes would you like to see in future instalments? Get involved in the comments section below.

(Artwork by N.Richardson)

One of the many aspects that I enjoy about video gaming is the soundtrack, which if used correctly becomes an integral part in creating the atmosphere and setting, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.

When well executed the soundtrack sits above the storyline like a puppeteer pulling at the strings of our emotions causing us to shed tears over the deaths of characters we love, smile at them overcoming their challenges or even driving us to hate and a sense of revenge or regret, hope or despair. As with movies and television series the soundtrack can prove to be the difference between captivating and delivering your emotions into a climax, or delivering the moment with the finesse of Kanye’s child naming skills.

In addition to its use as means of creating atmosphere and playing at our emotions, music in videogames is also regularly used as a device to communicate important information to the player in an artistic form. Completing a level, breaking a top score, game over, loss of a life, impending doom or oncoming ecstasy are all messages that games have delivered to the player via music, some of which have become as memorable as the games itself. In this way players know what to expect as the music gives us our cues to play out our part in the experience.

Game soundtracks and music in general have been responsible for some of my greatest ever moments in gaming, making me shed tears like an England Fan at the prospect of a penalty shootout, or smiling more than a hobbit at the sound of breakfast.

Here’s my top 3 games in which the music or soundtrack has played me like a fiddle: (You can visit our youtube page here to listen to all the tracks discussed below.)

Number 3 - Red Dead Redemption ***SPOILER ALERT***

Red Dead Redemption showed not only how music, but how at times the distinct lack of music is of vital importance to truly engaging the gamer as we can see with John’s death scene where the gameplay upto this pivotal point is accompanied by “Trigonometry,” only to culminate in silence as John emerges from the barn to meet his fate.

Chiefly composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, the soundtrack consists of over fourteen hours of music which accompany the missions adding an exhilarating film like ambience to the game that Red Dead Redemption is rich in, like when you spur your horse to give chase and the tempo seemingly accelerates to match your horse’s galloping hooves.

The game takes place in three major locations - New Austin, Mexico and, further North into the US, West Elizabeth each with its own musical score setting a distinct feel in line with the story providing a sense of peacefulness with whistles, violins and harmonicas, or creating tension with horns and drums.

The majority of songs on the soundtrack are instrumental with four tracks making use of vocals for emotional effect. "Far Away", when arriving in Mexico, "Compass", "Deadman's Gun", and the prayer like "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie" which plays when we see John's grave which still smacks me with nostalgia and the feeling of utter disbelief I felt at this twist in the story.

This soundtrack really made me feel like I was the protagonist in a western and listening to the tracks whilst writing this has made me long for a prequel even more!

Number 2 - Final Fantasy VII ***SPOILER ALERT***

Aside from holding a place amongst my favourite games ever, Final Fantasy VII’s soundtrack composed by Nobuo Uematsu, was a work of genius covering a wide variety of musical genres from rock and techno to orchestral masterpieces.

From pumping me full of adrenaline with the boss battle music “Still More Fighting” reminiscent of Metallica’s “For Whom the Bells Toll,” to shedding tears of sadness for the first time in a videogame at Aerith’s death scene, FFVII’s soundtrack played havoc with my feelings sending me whirling through a roller-coaster of emotions. This was the first time where I can remember being completely immersed in a videogame story, where I cared for certain characters and sought revenge on others, and I genuinely believe that the game’s soundtrack played an indispensable role in this.

Even today, 18 years later “Aerith’s Theme” still brings a tear to my eye and tracks like “Flowers Blooming in the Church” and “Words Drowned by Fireworks,” fill me with an overwhelming sense of happiness and nostalgia which I look forward to revisiting with the upcoming FFVII remake.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ***SPOILER ALERT***

This was a tight call between The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, but if I had to pick just the one Zelda game’s soundtrack it would have to be the Wind Waker. The truth is that this list could have easily been compiled with LOZ games as they take the use of music beyond setting the scene and is used to move the player not only emotionally, but also physically. Through music the player also changes the wind from east to west, day to night, sunshine to rainstorm to solve puzzles, access new areas and even move through time itself. Much like with OOT, the use of music is important enough for the instruments to lend their names to the game’s titles.

Composed by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, and Koji Kondo the music further enhances the experience of the Wind Waker through the use of orchestral sounds that play as Link swings his sword, rolls out of harm’s way or connects with a well-timed counter attack adding to the game’s light-hearted nature.

One of the standout tracks for me is Outset Island’s theme whose overall feel reminds me a little of Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits” from the LOTR soundtrack. Much like Concerning Hobbits, Outset Island’s theme invokes a playful peaceful setting the story before the world as you know it is shaken up and you are led on an adventure.

Other worthy mentions are:

- the “Great Sea Theme” that plays whilst you sail reflects the game’s adventurous and heroic nature through the swelling surge of the orchestra led by a victorious trumpet that lends a sense of grandeur making the often long sailing segments far more enjoyable than they should be.

- Grandma’s Theme which plays when you first say goodbye and leave Outset Island and then again when she is sick and needs your help. This one in particular still chokes me up.

- The Legendary Hero a medieval themed version of the classical LOZ theme song which plays during the game’s prologue

- Dragon Roost Island theme in contrast to the others this piece seems to be more influenced by Andean or Incan music, relying heavily on pan flute and guitar and variations on the soundtrack such as this really give the world a diverse feel making it seem larger than it actually is.

----------------------

What game soundtracks have moved you? Share below and remember that this list is based on my opinion and that it is unlikely I will have the same list as all of you. Just because a game didn’t make it onto my top 3 list doesn’t mean that I don’t love it.

You can visit our youtube page here to listen to all the tracks discussed above.

Whilst the internet gaming scene churns out rumours on Nintendo’s NX faster than Charlie Harper could spread an STD , I have come up with a wishlist of must have features that the NX should have in order for me to become a day one adopter.

1. Drop the Wii branding!

Ok so this one is not so much of a feature, but after the confusion the Wii U created, I think it’s best for Nintendo to end the Wii branding with this ill-fated console which should be quite plausible considering its poor record. I quite like the name NX, though something tells me this won’t be the final name…

2. Amiibo Support

I think that this one will be a definite for sure! However, I want a greater incentive and reward for collecting Amiibo beyond unlocking a costume for your Mii.

I’m thinking more along the lines of how Link was a playable character in Soul Calibur or how you could use Nintendo characters on NBA Street, but limit these sort of cameos to those people who have purchased the amiibos. Imagine the thrill of taking on Messi and Co. with a Nintendo All Star dream team in FIFA / Pro Evo, or playing as your favorite character on an online death match on COD or Battlefield with character specific power-ups. Of course, I wouldn’t expect this to be available for every Amiibo or in every NX game as the licensing and programming could prove to be a nightmare, but the idea of a greater reward for collecting Amiibo would certainly have more appeal.

3. Physical Purchases

Although there are a number of arguments for both digital and physical purchases, I personally prefer to have a physical copy as when you buy a game digitally there’s little feeling of ownership as you have no box or cd to gaze at lovingly whilst your game loads up, plus you’ll have something to show for all the money you’ve spent and you can share your games with your friends and family.

If the rumours resulting from Nintendo’s patents for a disc less console prove true I hope that at least their titles are still offered in a physical form such as on a cartridge or SD / 3DS type card for those of us who like to get physical.

4. Improved online experience

It’s no secret that I’m not a massive fan of online multiplayer, however I do occasionally get an itch to test my mettle against fellow gamers. My experiences with both the 3DS and Wii U have been incredibly disappointing with match making taking so long that I have had to give up and either play against the Com or change games all together. In this day and age, a new console must have an effective and efficient online infrastructure and should allow us to communicate freely without having to resort to a selection of predetermined phrases.

Considering that I quite happily pay for Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus I wouldn’t be opposed to Nintendo offering and charging for a premium online service and throwing in access to a handful of games each year.

Alternatively, my vision for this would be for Nintendo to offer Stars for unlocking achievements which could then be redeemed on the eStore in exchange for exclusive DLC or Virtual Console games.

If we take into account that both Sony and Microsoft have been giving their users free games with Gold and PlayStation + for a number of years now, this could work in Nintendo’s favor, as although they will be coming to the party late, they will be bringing something new to the table. The prospect of unlocking exclusive DLC or games on the Virtual Console would certainly give me an incentive to collect all items or discover all secrets beyond the satisfaction of a 100% completion or racking up a few gamer points.

5. Futureproof

Nintendo has demonstrated for some time now that they have no intention of trying to compete with Sony and Microsoft in terms of processing and graphical power. Instead they have made their hardware suit its own game ideas.

The Wii, Wii U, DS and 3DS have shown that even in today’s graphics obsessed culture games can still be great if they are fun and immersive to play. However the NX would need to be future proof and run smoothly at 60FPS and 1080p as standard if it is to be considered a worthwhile purchase if released midway into the PS4 and XBONE's cycle.

6. Handheld / Home Console Hybrid

This is the rumour that has tickled my intrigue the most and Nintendo may have hinted at this with the Wii U which let us play our games on the gamepad as long as we within the range of the console.

It’s worth noting that Nintendo has done things similar to this before with the SNES Game Boy adapter and GameCube Game Boy Advance adapter, however, what I would want is a HD system that you could play on your TV and take on the go. Like a 3DS style handheld, with sharper screens and more power, which could be connected into a dock-like console hooked up to your TV so that you could continue playing your game on the big screen with a separate controller.

7. Games

Arguably the most important thing I would want from a new Nintendo console is a great and appealing launch line up of titles. We have to look back to the Gamecube for the last time Nintendo tempted me with an appetising line up, featuring Luigi’s Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, Wave Race Blue Storm and StarWars Rogue Leader to name a few.

The Wii, Wii U and 3DS launch line-ups have been lacklustre and uninspiring. If Nintendo would launch with a new Luigi’s Mansionesque title, fresh 3D Mario a-la-Sunshine or maximize the impact of a possible handheld / home hybrid and launch with a new 3D Pokémon or Animal Crossing with MMO elements,I would have Al Gore all over me as the sea level would dramatically rise from the tears of joy pouring down my face.

Well that’s all folks, thats my wish list for the NX. What features or games would the NX need to have to seduce you into her arms?

My first experience with games whilst growing up was playing on the commodore 64. As is well documented its loading times were about as fast as a tortoise trying to negotiate its way through a minefield. I remember i used to leave the game loading and go have lunch, only to discover that when i came back it hadn't loaded properly due to errors requiring me to begin the process again. It's no wonder kids used to play outside more often in those days.

Fast forward to 2015 and game loading times have shrunk to the point where you are barely given time to read the small tip that pops up on screen. The faster technology becomes the faster we want it to go, whether it be downloading, installing or simply loading a game. Gone are the days of repeatedly pressing the start button whilst a game loaded, in the hopes that your impatient frenzy would speed things up.

With so many games to play, not being bogged down by endless load screens and installation times is crucial because In the words of a certain YouTube phenomenon, " ain't nobody got time for that." When it comes to buying games though, faster is not always better.

Early access to games has existed for a long time, perhaps not exactly in the way we refer to it today, but in the form of playable game demos and beta versions of multiplayer modes. This practice, in my opinion, serves a valuable purpose allowing consumers to test portions of games before committing to buying them. In this form there is usually a very small time frame between a game's demo and its full launch, which is reflected by the quality offered in the demo, where only minor tweaks and polishing are added to the final release. More often than not early access today takes on a different meaning altogether and at times can be detrimental to both consumers and game developers.

My first experience of this new form of early access was when my brother introduced me to Minecraft. After he explained the concept i was curious as to how much it cost and he explained that it was $15 for an alpha version but If i waited for the full release it would cost me double. Unknowingly i went on to purchase my first early access game, and Minecraft, as is well known, went to sell millions, eventually releasing as a full game. However, It could have been a very different story.

After Minecraft's success, more and more indie developers started to adopt the same business model. Cubeworld's early access is an example of a different story. When I first saw the game I was immediately sold on the idea of a multiplayer open world RPG, set in a pixelated world with class systems, leveling and lots of exploring. I closely followed development and when early access to the alpha released on July 2013 i didn't hesitate. After all for $20 what could go wrong? The answer to that very naïve question would be "everything".

Soon after the alpha version the developers dropped a few more updates and then suddenly disappeared altogether. No more official statements, blog posts or game patches were released. Two years later they claim that the game is still under development but the damage has already been done with many fans moving on. In this instance my money went from being a good investment into a game I could play whilst it develops, to the equivalent of paying $20 for a demo whose full version I will possibly never see.

These are just two personal examples on the pros and cons of adopting games early in development. In both cases the developer made money even though one of them never delivered what was promised. However, its not always the consumer that is at risk of loosing out. Many developers release early builds in order to fund game production, and even if the initial response to a game might be positive, playing a half boiled version of it, having saved files continuously wiped and getting game mechanics changed over and over may become tiresome. As a result fans might loose interest and stop playing without ever experiencing the final product which may in turn affect any future project the developer might pursue.

I have backed quite a few early access projects and even though some are still in development, i am not currently playing or closely following any of them. My impatience to play these games early got the better of me, now i have learned not to be too quick to jump on board with an idea just because it sounds good. The truth is that in many cases you end up paying for just that, a good idea with a nice pitch. In some cases developers even charge almost full price for a game that is just in development, with no assurances that it will ever be complete.

The game development scene has changed a lot since the dawn of early access games. Nowadays It might be the case that you are as excited for an indie release as much as for a AAA game. This at the end of the day is the single most important contribution crowd funded games have made to the gaming community. Lots of good games have seen the light of day that otherwise might have been cursed to a life in the shadows were it not for early backers that believed in the project they were funding.

As consumers this gives us great power to decide what trends we want games to follow. If you decide to adopt early make sure to be patient and remember that you are not only paying to play before anyone else. You are supporting a project and its developers, and are acting as a play tester and bug reporter. The chances are that you won't be playing a complete game as soon as you pay for it.

If like me you much rather play a finished product, consider funding the game if you truly believe in the project and patiently wait for it to be complete so that you can experience the game in its final state rather than run the risk of getting bored whilst play testing.

What are your views on early access?

Al Gonzalez

Although I was born in the decade of spandex, shell-suits and hair metal, the 80s was also home to the rebirth and boom of the video games console. As a result I have owned many consoles, and had the chance to play many others. Video gaming was as large a part of my childhood as was winding cassette tapes with a pencil or having angel delight for desert, and to this day it continues to play a large part in my life.

Despite having spent my childhood playing video games, it was the N64 which really swept me off my feet in a way that my previous consoles or the competition at the time could not. Not only did the N64 introduce me properly to the likes of Mario, Zelda etc… but it made me compelled to go back and see what I had been missing, and needless to say although I felt I had been missing out, at the same time I was excited at the prospect of playing an enormous back catalogue of games. This was great at a time where video gaming was considerably more expensive than today and where annual AAA must-buy title releases were rare as a glimpse of Bigfoot dancing to La Macarena.

My love for Nintendo continued to blossom as the Gamecube served up some of my favourite ever games in the form of Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, Pikmin, The Windwaker and the original Super Monkey Ball, despite the fact that it looked like it should have had a Fisherprice logo slapped on the side.

Somewhat ironically it was Nintendo’s most successful home console that made me seek the comfort of another’s arms on a more regular basis. Having hyped myself up throughout the build up to the launch for what was promised to be a revolutionary way of playing video games I was a day one adapter of the Wii. My excitement soon withered and I felt short-changed as we ended up getting a control scheme that never really worked as advertised and although this was later enhanced with the motion plus, most games were frustrating to control and the library of games was over saturated with mini-game collections that had you waving your wrists around with the ferocity of a pubescent boy.

It was a lack of great games that saw me spending more and more time with the 360 and PS3 and although Nintendo did release some great games later on I had already grown tired of the ever expanding catalogue of mini-games and left the Wii and Nintendo for dead.

I spent the following years flirting with both the PS3 and 360, and whilst I enjoyed my time with them there was no spark. Although there was an ever expanding catalogue of games to keep me occupied, their heavy focus on online modes, improved graphics and annual rehashes of the same titles began to bore me with video games altogether.

With the current gen I decided to initially go with the XBONE, however after the initial charms of owning a new system wore off I once again found myself questioning whether I was actually enjoying what I was playing or whether I was just going through the motions and following the herd.

Though many of the games are good, I find myself not caring for another vast open world or shooter that takes itself too seriously, installations, day one release critical updates, annual sports sims or another online focused game. At the end of the day I played video games for fun and the initial excitement these games give me are short lived as I realise that time again I fall for the hype and questionable review scores.

My interest in video gaming was renewed by the 3DS and Wii U despite following the Wii’s footsteps and touting a revolutionary game feature which has ultimately become as integral to the gaming experience as socks are to wearing sandals.

Yet despite these underused and underwhelming gimmicks, I have found the 3DS and Wii U to have a great catalogue of first party games that not only bring me away from my other consoles and PC, but have to some extent kept me from them altogether. Every game I own on both these consoles are exclusives, and although there is a lack of third party support they provide more hours of gaming entertainment than I actually have available. In contrast all but two of my XBONE games are 3rd party titles which I could play elsewhere, and as for the PS4…well there still hasn’t been an exclusive which has compelled me to purchase the console.

As technology has grown, our patience and attention span has shrunk with so many competing devices, media and social networks all fighting for our attention. Additionally video gaming has never been cheaper. Where I live games have always been around the £40-49 mark and £40 twenty years ago was worth a lot more then than today.

This coupled with such a large number of games released every year, over generous review scores, dramatic hype, wikis and online guides to help you when stuck, Achievement Points and Trophies have pushed us unwittingly into a gaming rat race where the focus is more on who has played the most games or gained more points or trophies, of which you are reminded each time you fire up the console.

Nintendo has taken a different approach and whilst it stands accused of not having fully come into the 21st Century with its discernible lack of online gaming and communication options, scoring system and volume of games, I for one find it refreshing. I no longer have the time or the energy to play for several hours every day, frantically improving my skills to beat a friend’s score or stand a chance at lasting longer than a minute online before moving onto another game next week / month. This rat is dropping out of the Video Games Rat Race...I like to take my time to fully experience what games have to offer before moving on so the “shortage” of games does not bother me and when I want to compete with some friends how better to do that than on the same couch sharing some beers and a pizza on a console that dares to be different and promotes the now rarely seen local multiplayer.