May The Power of Gaming Compel You

With Gamescom wrapping up, it’s acted as a nice reminder that gaming has still retained some of it’s old Je ne sais quoi that larger gaming conventions use to apologetically remind us about.


Truly priceless moments you just couldn’t slap a dollar value on

Which is ridiculous in and of itself, as unlike years in my own past where I was able to physically cover an event like E3 on multiple occasions,this time I had to take a backseat and wait for the news to be reported like everyone else not having been at Gamescom myself. I always wanted to go, and even got invites to the event when I was working as an Editor-in-Chief back in the day, but Germany is a lot further than California when you live in the US.


If only there were a cheaper way of travel

And from reading many articles about opening night, the overlook of the entire event, and the write-ups of both the games on display and the culture that was surrounding them, I got a sense of whimsy about the industry, which is a refreshing feeling after a crushing year of layoffs impacting the industry in a brutal way. With as cut throat as the video game industry can be, and any protections that have been put in place and *still* need to be put in place to make sure the workers have stability to make the games people want to play, news coming out of Gamescom seemed to have a genuine sense of a breath of fresh air in celebrating all of the positive aspects of our favorite hobby.


Unless you were a Monster Hunter fan, apparently. Hope you had
someone to hold your spot to go to the bathroom for that 10 hour long wait

In terms of some of the things that interested me, was that inspite of the horrendous timing involving the movie totally bombing, the Borderlands 4 teaser trailer still has me excited about the prospects of the next follow up to the acclaimed looter shooter franchise. Will they finally expand the scope of the game and have a larger player cap to go on adventures at once? Say perhaps maybe like like an 8 person party system all adventuring and looting and shooting together? Whatever route Gearbox takes, and as solid as the original trilogy was, I think it’s about time the Borderlands series tries something new, and pushes into unfamiliar territory to really up the ante in making 4 feel bigger and bolder in a fresh way, without losing it’s atmosphere or sense of humor about it.


They definitely have a good idea of what not to do, in anycase

While I have a tendency to get down on Peter Molyneux for his history of talking shit about upcoming games, I am still genuinely interested in Masters of Albion, in whatever form it is going to take. I have absolutely no doubts the man is going to fall prey to his old habits once again and completely over promise on just how much the game is going to offer, but MoA still has a good shot at being something of note, as Molyneux’s team does look to be sticking to their strong suits and focusing on a core experience that falls comfortably within their wheelhouse. I think that a reasonable budget and a refined focus with a smaller scope intact, and Masters of Albion may be one of the first games Molyneux has been involved with in more than a decade that may actually be worth a damn.


One would argue that after rock bottom, the only place left
to go is up in any case.

Though Black Myth: Wukong seemingly came out of absolutely nowhere during Gamescom, winning both hearts and minds (as well as awards) during the show, the title in reality has been in development for years in the capable hands of a previously unknown developer known as Game Science. Looking at both the impressive Steam stats of the immense popularity of the title in such a short time, in combination with ridiculous sales numbers of it’s launch in the past week, and it looks as if there may be a new industry darling on our hands. With both fast paced action oriented gameplay and slick visuals, Wukong has everyone in the industry talking with intense fervor about the souls-like formula from a Chinese perspective. Will the success of Wukong help expand the boundaries of the relevancy of the Chinese gaming market in the AAA space, and is this a sheer sign that souls-like titles are here to stay? With both this and the smashing success of the recently released expansion of Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree, I think the gaming public has spoken.


Gamers: give it to us hard and fast

Another interesting point of note, which I even questioned myself on when I originally posted about it, going back and forth on the article as a possible non-gaming news piece(?), only to be vindicated in the following days with others following suit with further thoughts on the matter, was the announcement that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was coming to the PS5, which seemed shocking to some. The decision does continue to signal that Microsoft is wanting to branch out in setting new precedents within the gaming industry. With major acquisitions in the past few years in the form of Activision and Bethesda, two massive publishers with some of gamings biggest franchises in tow, it’s hard to imagine Microsoft leaving so much money on the table by keeping their games an Xbox only exclusive. Though, it leaves one to ponder on whether or not between both the success of Gamepass, having access to such a stable of impressive IP’s, and the continually evolving technological landscape of the gaming industry as a whole, is this the beginning of a slow pivot by Microsoft to go more into a software predominant position ala SEGA, but with the added benefit of having the PC market in their corner and massive publishers on their side? Only time will tell.


Pictured: A dramatization of Microsoft’s business strategy
in the coming years

Truth be told, keeping up with Gamescom was delightfully exhausting this week, as opposed to the regular kinds of tried I have been from just working my day job and playing the games I already have. With so much content announced in such a short period of time, I’m still slogging through it all, as there are still plenty of games to check out that debuted at Gamescom, which is the best kind of problem to have. I’m sure we will all still have even more info to look forward to about the slew of titles that showcased this year in Germany, even after the convention hall has officially closed it’s doors tomorrow night.

~Pashford

Bazillion Gun Salute

Between taking strolls down memory lane, and trying to treat myself better instead of beating myself up as of late, I’ve been absolutely stunned at the amount on my plate I’ve had to deal with.


Pictured: Attendants at an RFK JR. campaign utterly
dismayed at him not following through on the promises
he’s made on the campaign trail.

Which is probably why I did a staggeringly shit job at preparing to cover the news coming out of Gamescom, the largest gaming convention that occurs every year. E3 and TGS certainly seem like they draw more attention for various reasons, but Gamescom by sheer numbers usually does gangbuster attendance. Opening night happened in the past day (it takes place in Germany), and it looks as if, predictably so, there was a buttload of new games announced, among which was a teaser trailer for the new Borderlands game.


Presumably not starring Cate Blanchett for obvious
reasons

Outside of the hilarious irony this teaser follows the epic box office bomb that was the film, the trailer still looks miles more interesting, even if the teaser was about as teasery as a trailer gets, with very little outside of the info that Borderlands 4 is indeed coming out next year. As a fan of the series, I have mixed feelings, as the Borderlands games fall into a weird, haunted spot of terror for me. There have been a slew of games over the years that range in quality, but have largely been relegated to multiplayer only experiences in terms of my enjoyment of them. As in, I harvest no sense of glee actually playing them by my lonesome, inspite of their quality. Diablo 2 was one such title, which is crazy on some level, cause that game is of legendary caliber, it just did absolutely nothing for me when I played it by my lonesome.

What I always looked like while the Tristram theme
played in the pregame lobby before a game of Diablo 2
started when my friends were late in logging on

There is a master list in some abstract sense somewhere of which games fit this description, and one would think I would just be able to you know, think it aloud or transmute it into words on a fucking screen or some such nonsense, but I’m a freak on a leash in this rare hour, so that’s not going to happen right now. In any case, I know Borderlands is among the titles that would qualify for said list, as I absolutely lament the thought of ever playing it by myself, but have had an absolute blast with the games with friends in some legendary co-op experiences. And though I am no man of superstition, I am quite weary of the thought of the 4th one coming out to grace us with it’s cursed presence, as the three major co-op buddies I went through the original trilogy with are all of them, no longer apart of my life for one reason or another. I’m not legit paranoid that it’s not a door we totally shouldn’t open again…


…but maybe we shouldn’t open it again

So yeah, some consternation plagues me involving the titles release, and I will have to think thoroughly about the mighty urge to jump in with a friend once again to risk it all for a silly little loot and shootin. Time will make fools of us all, I fear.

~Pashford

Ruminating on Reminiscence

Last time, on Active Time Event Z!(?)


Guys, my post about hell related activities was two posts ago…

My intent in breaking down a flashback/retrospective into multiple parts mid-story was not entirely hellish in motivation, but is exactly the kind of nonsense anime would in fact pull. I want to say Naruto did it so infamously, I seem to recall them referencing the very same episode they were still in *with a fucking flashback*.


Anyone want to break the news to him?

Having a healthy sense of self-awareness is key in the creative process I find, and I didn’t mind splitting my reflections between two different posts. Firstly, because I was already happy with the amount of content I got out of part one, but secondly, I did in fact wait too long between writing the piece, and editing and formatting it yesterday, finding me essentially running out of time to get the post up before midnight. The whole thing worked out in the end, but let it never be said that sometimes, no amount of crunch is going to help you finish the fight in time.


*Sets alarm to go off for three years later*

So I push on into part two of reflecting on further extrapolation involving recent gaming fumblings and writing endeavors abound.

Next up on the list was a piece entitled “Rhythm and Flow“, and like many articles I’ve “keyed”, the final product in no way, shape, or form resembled what I had set out to do. My introduction and very title of the article itself was suppose to be a ramp up and direct reference to my time with Necrodancer, which I will be getting to here shortly. While I did touch upon Multiversus again (I’ll spare you the indignities of smut related Scooby Doo photos this time around), I more or less just discussed writing about games…in my writing about games, the article not really focusing on anything but itself and the process. Kind of a self-referential nothingness that made up the core backbone of the concept at hand.


That something of nothingness, as it were

Which is fine enough, as I love talking shop and the behind the scenes involving the process…and beyond the very ideas of the games themselves. I guess my only surprise is the articles I have written this year, which have kind of more or less detailed the process of writing about games, and the personalization of the matter through a more active voice in the process, have ended up being more popular, which comes as a pleasant surprise. I think even outside the insanely twisted world of narcissistic intent or the demented trappings that may drive an egoist, one still remains keen on hearing their work is of worthwhile pursuit, or at the very least of some relevantly entertaining quality.


Which doesn’t always turn out to be the case, I hear

Which finally does bring me to my thoughts on Necrodancer, which definitely were amongst some of my more complex imaginations involving my recent gaming musings. I haven’t played a game in a grand while which kind of had me rethinking the very essence of my being, in a sense, which is downright mad in some ways, as the game isn’t really intended to be a thinking man’s gaming. Not to say it’s a dumb experience at all, I gave the title props overall for it’s sense of solid decency in paying tribute to the gaming giants of yore that had inspired it. Necrodancer is just a very gamey game, in a sense. You really have to feel it instead of think it, the title possessing a strong sense of what I refer to as “finger feel”. If you’re familiar with the idea of “mouth feel” and how that relates to one’s personal experience, you get a sense of what I’m alluding to.


Though I understand why the phrasing may evoke more illicit
connotations for some

All of that and more is why I felt utterly compelled to discuss the game at greater length, as I was just so baffled at how a game, which I accredit as possessing what I feel has an objective kind of quality about it, ends up being one I am seemingly not particularly fond of, but then felt the need to play for over a hundred hours across the last five months. So many mixed messages, and to what point and purpose am I so perplexedly wrapped up in this paradoxical web Necrodancer has so superbly crafted with which to ensnare me?


Tootsie pop levels of existentialist dread is what we are
confronted with here

I’m still not entirely sure how to distill the essence of my issues involving Necrodancer down to their finer elements, but I was lucky enough to happen upon a passage from Being and Nothingness that helped in assisting me make sense of it all. The tome in question details many thoughts relating to existentialism from philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, and the example he gives that relates to Necrodancer and I is essentially a process of becoming: the self continually having the freedom in how it will define itself, and that is through the essence of moments and projects one could even consider a mission of sorts. Nearly a compartmentalization involving a process akin to self-actualizing, which I quite like. Cause whether it be a concept like Necrodancer, or a sentient entity like a me, we aren’t ever all good or bad at any given moment, but we are always becoming more of the what-we-end-up-being, which is indeed a continued intensification of the greyest variety.

Though, such an abstract take away likely wouldn’t fly for what would be in consideration as a “legitimate” game review, let alone a fetching splash quote you emblazon on the metaphysical back of the box with.


“The ideal experience for any gamer who wasn’t sure whether
or not they were.” ~Pashford Murano

I realized I’m speaking about a couple of different articles here interchangeably, so apologies for the confusion. My series of articles entitled “Fire in the Disco“, “Existential Elegy“, and “Radical Hyrule Rhythm” all kind of represent distinct structural attempts in terms of writing approach, in making up some faux trilogy of Necrodancer inspired thoughts. “Disco” being my usual ranty off the cuff Op-Ed where the goal is improvisationally charged, gonzo fueled deconstructionist madness, “Elegy” being a more straight faced dressing down of analytical nature, and “Radical” being the most basically structured piece of traditional gaming journalism. I realize “Radical” is indeed detailing Cadence of Hyrule and not Necrodancer itself, but you can see the relation as to why something with so much rizz was included in the grand scheme of things.

That screenshot is not even from the right Zelda game!
Who’s editing this?

I did also write a buffer segway entitled “Legend of Being Tired“, which was a result of me genuinely not knowing if I wanted to publish “Elegy” without any jokes or attempts of humor imbued in the piece what so ever, as I really had never done so before (intentionally) with any of my other writing. I therefore had to write a quickie in order to meet my currently working quota of a write up a day, without spoiling the idea of finalizing an article without the need to crutch on jokes, and see if the piece stood by itself sans punchlines or visual gags. The final pieces all help to flesh out some great ideas in a fashionably multi-dimensional kind of way, so I remain happy at the execution there after.


A surprisingly common happening when the Legend of Zelda
is involved

While I am not done discussing the complex inner turmoil Necrodancer has spawned within me, we will put the matter to bed for the present time and forge on to other recent reminiscences. Some of my last write ups were of a briefer nature; my quickie on The First Descendant underscored just how blatantly uninspired GaaS experiences can be, with the barest of bones bog standard looter shooter title that wants you to cough up dough on it’s fugly design and mind-numbing tedium without giving you absolutely any motivation to do so. I was wondering if I would even summon the energy to force myself into justifying another moment of energy wasted on the ill-conceived monstrosity, but considering I basically struggled to make it through even the first hour of gameplay upon my initial test drive, I think this flop is as good as parked.


Pictured: Somehow related

I did originally report on a new trailer for a Doom 1+2 bundle that was showcased at Quakecon recently as having a load of new features being available, including a new chapter: Legacy of Rust. I was operating under the impression all of this was going to be retroactively patched into other versions of Doom 1 and 2 ports already available, but I may have been incorrect about that assessment, as my digital copies of both remain unaltered. I will happily purchase the bundle if need be, as there are few delights in gaming life that match the splendor and smell of fresh hell to liven up the morning.


These guys know what I’m talking about

Wrapping up, I did indeed provide another update on my thoughts involving Multiversus, but I feel as if we’ve covered the topic as extensively as need be and or as much as anyone would want…outside of the sickened machinations and indignities involved with the perversity of the Scooby Doo fandom.


Scooby, Don’t

Leaving us with my last article I wrote that we can reflect on, entitled Reflecting on Reflection…


(Kidding)

~Pashford