I understand Twin Snakes not being in the HD Collection because Kojima didn't direct its cinematics- but I really wish they'd do a digital version that you could get on PSN or XBL. It was pretty cool, even if the FPS aiming made the Ocelot boss fight a total joke.
Today I basically maxed out my 32gb Vita memory card by adding MGS: HD Collection to it. I am a prime example of a gamer who is willing to shell out the bucks for deeper portable experiences than my iPhone offers. I was shocked that there was no 3DS-lite announcement and that games like Killzone Vita were entirely absent from E3.
I actually think the James Gunn team-up on LCS is the most fitting thing that could've happened.
Gunn is a former Troma director; but his more recent movies (Slither and Super) are far more polished than Troma films. At the same time, they retain a lot of Troma's spirit: over the top violence, dark humour, comically bad acting (though much more specifically targeted in the Nathan Fillion "Holy Avenger" tv show sequences) and specifically cheesy dialogue. Suda51s games have all of those traits (based on the ones I've played - No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned and now Lollipop Chainsaw). I would argue that Suda's game play more like interactive Troma films that exploit the video game medium (coins falling out of dead enemies, and other obvious "gameplay"-isms over immersive experience) the way Troma movies exploit the film medium (watch "Terror Firmer" to know exactly what I mean).
I am the only who thinks that this whole studio could be saved by throwing Raccoon City back into development for another six months, fixing all the problems and releasing a director's cut that doesn't suck?
My point was that while I disagree with Tom to a certain degree, I see the validity of his points. It is possible to be on one side of a debate while seeing the merits of the other- and I think most people on this thread are being too hard on Tom because they are TOTALLY disregarding the validity of his viewpoint. There is a reason why I mentioned being a serving member of the military and a player of military FPS games. It states my potential bias and gives all the rest of you some context of my perspective. Tom's perspective is one of a gaming journalist, who doesn't agree with the way realistic war is portrayed in an unrealistic way in modern FPS games. That IS a valid point, and I do not disagree. However I still find games like Modern Warfare and Battlefield 3 fun. If I have a point of my own, it is that this issue is complicated and it was nice to see a developer and a journalist addressing it, but I think they both could've done a better job of understanding the opposing argument.
I think a lot of you guys are being pretty hard on Tom. I'll start by pointing out that I am in the military and also very much enjoy military shooters (unrealistic as they are, they are definitely entertaining). At the same time I would not discredit any of Tom's views, because he does make a valid point. I think that the argument becomes difficult when the danger close/EA representative has to keep on thinking ways of saying "dude... we're trying to compete with Call of Duty, not with Arma... I'm sorry but we're EA and we need to make money. 12 year olds don't want an experience that simulates the terrifying nature of being in a real firefight. They want to get headshots, gain experience, unlock perks and blow off their homework" without actually saying it. I think he wisely chose to shift the argument about how the game IS authentic toward the storyline and characters. You can tell a meaningful story in a game that doesn't have realistic gameplay, and that story (as well as its presentation) can still be authentic. I do think Tom should have noticed that the distinction was being made between narrative authenticity and gameplay realism, and as a seasoned video game journalist, known exactly why EA's multi-million dollar AAA action game would skew that way. Instead of nitpicking over the semantics, I think it would've been a better call to ask if gamespot could see their "hardcore" mode sometime soon, so that he may revise his opinion. That being said, Tom is entitled to his opinion and his heart is in the right place.
This does look pretty awesome. let's just hope 20 years from now Lucas doesn't create an update that insert characters screaming "NOOOO!!!" in situations where it is completely unnecessary.
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