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The real conversation is not about violence and video games

With the increase in violent shootings in the U.S., I’m sure many people have heard of President Trump’s eagerness to place blame on violent video games as the root of all of their problems.

Here’s the thing: over and over again, you hear the same argument regarding the link between video games and violence. This is not a new story, but it is unfortunately one that we continue to come back to again and again.

Even when several sources of academic research are pitted against the supposed link of school shootings and video games, politicians are always quick to point their fingers. One of the most blamed video games for this is Call of Duty, but I am first-hand experience that Call of Duty did not for a second make me into a troubled, violent youth.

I cite my own blog when it comes to video games used as a way to bond with family, meet and be inspired by amazing new friends and mentors, find love and even host and showcase amazing talent. However, Games for Change, a non-profit organization that focuses on the use of games and technology for social activism, goes one step further.

By showcasing many of the most recent and popular games of our time, Games for Change provides us with 88 seconds of breath-taking and joyous video game scenery in light of the White House’s video depicting video games as gateways to violent thoughts shaping young people’s minds.

Susanna Pollack, president of Games for Change, told Polygon in an interview,

“On one side we are happy that because video games have grown into a mass form of entertainment like film and television, they are enjoyed by people of all ages around the world. But somehow video games fall into the black-and-white argument around whether games are ‘good or bad.’ Like every art form, video games are nuanced and there are experiences of all sorts that can move us, entertain us, teach us and sometimes disturb us.”

Video games as a medium have grown so much into something that fosters creativity, imagination and expression. Of course, there are going to be games that are more violent than others, but this too can be said for other entertainment forms such as film and television as well. And while the bad always seems to overshadow the good, we need to remember that the creation of video games comes from a place of good – of fun and excitement in the shared experiences we receive when we play a beloved game solo or with a friend.

To echo the message that Games for Change showed the world in their video, thank you to all the game creators and players out there, and #GameOn.

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I didn’t level up my character, but I leveled up myself at Breakout Con

The week after EGLX, I went to Breakout Con, a convention centred on tabletop gaming, where I learned all about creating tabletop games and RPGs (roleplaying games).

Aside from a very quick and eventually abandoned session of Dungeons and Dragons, I had never gotten into tabletop RPGs before. Of course, I had played board games previously, but it was only something I did when my friends and I would go to the Riddle Room or other board and card game-related cafes.

“Gaming” in this sense had never really occurred to me, much less pondering the process of how one would be able to create such a game and bring it to life. That’s why GMs, or game masters, are always incredibly impressive – and the most crucial part of a tabletop RPG – when it comes to leading and keeping each game experience new and engaging.

During Breakout, I was fortunate enough to play a round of Dungeon World with GM Patrick Keenan of Dundas West Games fame. At the table, I also got to explore the “Tower of Pyrus” with Lauren and two other young adventurers, whose ideas (and violent techniques!) blew me away. Communication was key, especially when it came to co-operating with the skills that each character brought to the table (I was an elf ranger who ended up providing information to my party using my owl companion while Lauren healed us when we were wounded and down) and listening for the clues that Patrick dropped for us through the story was an important part of learning how to be aware of your surroundings and using your resources efficiently.

My character sheet from playing the story 'The Tower of Pyrus' at Breakout Con.

This is probably old news for people who are veterans of tabletop games such as Dungeons and Dragons, but communications as a social skill is rarely – if at all – taught in school, but it is something that is asked for around the work place all the time. It’s amazing that there is a community of gamers out there that are able to teach these particular soft skills in a way that hardly seems like learning at all. Not only are you invested in the development of your own character and the story surrounding them, but you indirectly invest in your own development and education as well.

This is what the amazing people at Dundas West Games, Patrick, as well as Daniel Kwan (who was how I learned about Breakout Con to begin with), are doing with tabletop gaming that I have never seen anyone else do before: use tabletop RPGs to create an engaging as well as educational experience that can be used in the classroom setting. Ross Rifles, their first game that they’re currently developing, teaches players about the first World War and highlights “the struggles and sacrifices made by Canadians of all background to the war effort.” They’re also working on “Zany Zoo” which, you’ve guessed it, is a game that will focus on animals escaping from the zoo.

I’m a little late to the tabletop RPG craze, but I’m hoping that the exposure to the scene (which was incredibly friendly, welcoming and inclusive) will lead to more games that I can grow, learn from and have loads of fun with in the near future!

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Is animation still just for kids? Part two: animation as an effective promotional tool in branding.

Last post, I talked about how animation, particularly anime, was used in the promotion of tourism. I wanted to follow up with how it was being used in other aspects as well, particularly in the promotion of company brands.

Possibly the most famous animated campaign currently is the one produced by Studio Colorido for McDonald’s Japan’s Join the Crew campaign titled “The Future Me” (未来のワタシ), which was used to attract millennials to become part-time restaurant staff members at McDonald’s in 2016.

The video depicts the coming-of-age of main character Sumire as she goes from being a new employee at McDonald’s to becoming a veteran with the help of her senior, Hoshino.

Of course, what makes this commercial especially endearing is the expressive and gorgeous animation coupled with the simple and relatable story of being a newbie at an unfamiliar work place and the relationships you build along the way.

Another contributing and interesting factor was the inclusion of the voice acting roles done by nationally famous idol group AKB48, which was started in 2015 and has since expanded to having over 130 members. The voices were cast from the main group, AKB48, and one of their subgroups. AKB48 Team 8, to create 10 different regional variations of the same commercial to be aired all across Japan.

In terms of how successful this commercial was, it was so successful that Studio Colorido was contracted to create a sequel that was released a year later in 2017.

While I doubt this type of commercial may work for a North American McDonald’s due to the differing reputation it has here of being more of a fast-food restaurant and less of an eat-in, customer service-oriented location, it would be interesting to see more animation used to promote other company brands and values to audiences here.

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Is animation still just for kids? Part one: animation as an effective promotional tool in tourism.

Lately, I’ve noticed that there are certain places in the West that are picking up on a promotional technique that’s been around in Japan for quite some time now: using stunningly beautiful animation as a way to attract people to their product. For the first part of this post, I wanted to talk specifically about the use of animation in tourism as a means to attract more visitors.

In the winter of 2017, Destination Canada hired director Makoto Shinkai and studio CoMix Wave of Your Name fame, the highest-grossing anime and Japanese film of all time, to create a promotional campaign to attract Japanese tourists to the True North. It features Canadian attractions such as Niagara Falls, the Canadian Rockies, Banff Lake, Abraham Lake, as well was major cities Vancouver and Toronto. For 31 gorgeous seconds, you can picture yourself traveling in the midst of Canadian winter looking at the wonderful sights of pure white snow, gleaming icicles and clear skies – instead of trudging through the melting slush and mud and the reality of getting frostbite on your toes.

(I kid, of course. As a Canadian I love my country and while it does go below freezing a lot of the time, the snowy season is a sight that not many other countries get to experience!)

Approximately a month later, the state of Oregon released their own animated promotional video produced by local agency Widen + Kennedy, with animation by Psyop and Sun Creatures Studio and music by Oregon Symphony. While it isn’t in what would be known as Japanese animation or “anime” style exactly, many have compared it to famous Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghlibi for its whimsical take that is “Only Slightly Exaggerated.”

Even in film, the inclusion of famous landmarks that attract tourists, such as London in Harry Potter, Hobbiton in New Zealand, Times Square in New York City, or Cloud Gate “the Bean” in Chicago, is not uncommon. Yet, many see it as more authentic than when the same technique is used in animation.

It’s the opposite in Japan. In 2016, it was announced that 88 places in Japan were going to be designated as “animation spots” to attract tourists to a “Cool Japan.” Since 2015, fans of the anime Free! have been flocking to Australia’s Russell Hotel that was featured in one of their episodes, with the specific room shown as having bookings up to a year in advance. Most recently, a tourism campaign centred around the international hit Yuri!!! On Ice will begin its third round in the town of Karatsu, which was the inspiration for the main character’s fictional home town of Hasetsu. There will be a museum dedicated to the series opening up for a limited time in the small town, as well as a “Hasetsu Passport” that will be given out with tickets so that you are able to see all the sights that were featured in the anime.

Image taken from the Daily Mail.

Hasetsu vs. Karatsu. Image taken from Crunchyroll.

I dug up the numbers for Canada’s tourism for 2017. Unfortunately, it looks like tourism rose up in every region except Japan, which is unfortunate because the promotional video was incredibly breath-taking. Destination Canada’s report stated that this may have been because of the strength of the Japanese Yen compared to the Canadian dollar at the time, so we’ll see if the new year will show us the power of animation yet.

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I went to EGLX and Toronto’s gaming community blew me away

Last month I went to EGLX, or the Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, which happened from March 9 to 11 at the International Centre in Mississauga. On their website, they claim to be Canada’s largest video game expo and their mission is to bring people together to be “united by gaming.”

Unfortunately, due to schedule restrictions (I’m looking at you, school), I was only able to attend EGLX on Saturday and Sunday – both of which were completely different and awesome experiences.

The four grand stages at EGLX for competitive games Hearthstone, Super Smash Bros. and a rotation of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, fighting games and Halo 5.

Saturday

On Saturday, I went alone to check out what EGLX had to offer, having never been there previously. Their website boosted highlights such as an indie games and virtual reality (VR) showcase, big name exhibitors and local artist corner, industry panels, competitive gaming, a cosplay lounge and even a nerf battle.

My first order of business was, of course, to take a picture with the mascot, Mr. Destructoid of game-focused media site Destructoid fame.

Would it be appropriate to make a Mr. Roboto pun here?

Once I entered the main hall, I was met with a larger than life version of Settlers of Catan, where guests were free to jump in and play as long as there was a free spot available. I was super tempted to make that my first stop, but Catan can potentially take hours and there was still so much more to see!

When I first arrived, the giant Catan board was currently open for play as the previous game had just ended, but I had to resist temptation!

Beyond the Catan booth, there were rows of VR games displayed. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to indulge in any of the games due to being a spectacled being, but that just means I need to remember to bring my contacts the next time there are VR booths involved at an event.

My favourite set up was one by VR Star Games for Furious Seas, a to be released pirate VR adventure that was displayed next to a palm tree, a realistic looking cannon and of course, a pile of treasure.

I wonder if you can find One Piece in this game. Any anime fans amongst my readers?

What blew me away the most and what I ended up spending the most time on with my trip to EGLX was the indie games corner, which featured primarily student-made games from Sheridan College’s gaming program. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any photos of the games themselves due to my excitement, but here’s a quick list of the ones I got to play and loved:

The Blobs Fight: The first game I tried was probably the most simple of all the games I was able to play, but also one of my favourite ones at EGLX! Developed by Skypyre Studios, the premise is exactly what you’d expect it to be: animated blobs fighting each other to the death. You can play up to eight (eight!!) customizable blobs at a time in different arenas, where you try to knock off pieces from other blobs until they become small enough to disappear so you can collect the pieces and become a mega blob or be the last one standing.

Head Rush: It took me a while to get that the game was literally about trying to affect the emotions of someone’s brain in an arcade style, time-trial game where you go really fast (head… rush… get it? Just me? Okay). Once I understood the concept, the rest of the gameplay flowed easily to me, though I still found the first level quite hard! The music is quirky and fits super well with the game design and I really loved the choice of colours! Sort of reminds me of the final level of Starfox, but just the first part of it and includes less impending doom. It’s developed by Jellyware Games, which you should definitely give a follow to!

Wanderfall: Developed by Grabby Thing Games, Wanderfall is a speed run sort of game – one where you glide smoothly along landscapes and jump across beautifully rendered ledges and hidden paths in order to collect as many crystals as you can. It was, unfortunately, also the game I struggled with the most because I’m definitely more of an “explore every nook and cranny” sort of gamer instead of a speed runner! Still, I enjoyed playing Wanderfall and did eventually play it again later on after they polished it up even more (though my friends laughed at me struggling to play it both times).

Godsend: Godsend, created by Patchwork Games, is a game that I find myself being able to play for hours. You play as a shapeshifter who is able to “shift your soul into other creatures,” therefore using their powers to accomplish the objectives and beat the level. But only being able to play a couple of minutes and try out a few of the many abilities and creatures that you could become simply wasn’t enough time! The backgrounds were gorgeous and I was really intrigued with the puzzles presented in this platformer, so I will be coming back to play this game (which you can download on Itch.io) in the future! Shoutouts to Coley who dealt with me dying a million times the first time I played.

Super Random Heroes and Bag Box: Both developed by OddBird Studios who has, since the writing of this blog, won both the pitch competition at EGLX as well as Best Game at Level Up Showcase, Super Random Heroes and Bag Box are two of their latest games after their flagship game, Arrow Heads (which I still need to play!), was released. Bag Box is a very simple two player game using just one controller – which is simply genius – where you try to knock out your rival in a boxing match and see who depletes the others’ health first. It’s very easy to pick up, has very clean and simple graphics and I definitely recommend giving it a download to play against a friend. I played against one of the developers and lost (I suspect some foul play) and I’m hoping for a rematch one day!

Following OddBird’s distinct style of clean, colourful and vibrant characters and stories, Super Random Heroes is the newest game that they’re working on featuring an angry pedestrian who ended up with super hero powers that he didn’t want and is now on a mission to get rid of them. In addition to having super hero powers, one of the game mechanics also lets you stack and modify the powers that you have in order to keep your play through unique and exciting. It’s a great, crazy twist on the usual brand of super hero video games and I can’t wait to play the full version when it’s complete!

Fossil Hunters: Lastly, let’s talk about Fossil Hunters by Reptoid Games. A fun solo or multiplayer game that has you playing quirky characters digging up bones and putting them back together while salamanders try to throw you off the platform, rocks fall down onto your party and you and your friends get separated by immovable boulders along the way. I actually kept running around the convention and coming back to this game multiple times, but every time I was there, it was preoccupied by other gamers who wanted in on the digging action. Once I got my hands on it, I loved it – I’m a huge sucker for a good puzzle game – and the art is so endearing! It’s currently out on Steam, but I’m waiting for that sweet Nintendo Switch release.

Sunday

Surprise! Can you guess which one I am? (Hint: I'm the green one.)

Here’s a surprise if you’ve made it this far: I cosplay! This convention isn’t my first rodeo, but it is my first video game exclusive convention. I had such a fun day meeting friends new and old yesterday, but wanted to use Sunday as a way to de-stress and talk to other cosplayers that I knew who were going to EGLX, as well as drag a few of my own friends into cosplaying Nintendo characters with me. The Nintendo booth had fun with us.

Conclusion

A vast majority of the exhibition hall occupied by the hum and lights of desktop computers running games such as Fortnite, PUBG, Rocket League, etc.

After doing some research, I was informed that this was EGLX’s second year running, but last year wasn’t their first. Apparently, EGLX premiered during 2016 with very little fanfare, so the organizers took the show backstage and polished it up so that it would receive the attention it deserved when it came back in 2018. That being said, the whole event was planned out and put together within about a month or so and while I had a great time there, there were a few things that I wondered about.

The schedule had a Nintendo event listed for Saturday that I spent a good 15 minutes looking for, but that no staff could tell me about.

While there were many excellent exhibitors displayed at the con, I wondered why some groups that I assumed would also be there, weren’t. Was it a matter of time or availability on both or part of the parties? Toronto Gaymers, one of the largest gaming groups in the city, as well as George Brown and other colleges with prominent game development programs seemed to be absent.

There was a thing? I’m not too sure. And I wonder if it was worth bringing up on the Twitter page.

The advertising for the event seemed very much for the general public, but the only ones who seemed to really use their time to the fullest or had a voice at the convention seemed to be those involved in the game industry.

The division of the space inside the exhibition hall was extremely varied. Competitive gaming had the largest space, with everything else having just enough in order to function by, but it usually ended up crowded.

Though there were a decent amount of cosplay guests, I noticed most cosplayers stuck to the cosplay lounge, which was a small square in the middle of the exhibition hall and was generally overcrowded. I wonder if it would have been better to combine the cosplay lounge with the board game/rest area that was set up next to the registration hall instead.

The website sometimes had different pages with different information on it, making it difficult to find the information you needed depending on what page you were on at the time.

Don’t get me wrong – I had a blast! And I’m so excited to go again next year. It was amazing to see some very big triple A game companies next to smaller studios and all the different ways that so many different people play games.

So, whether it is for competitive reasons, friends and family, solo, or even VR and board games – EGLX had a little bit of everything for everyone and I can’t wait to see what they have planned next year!

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I went to my friend's New Year's Eve wedding, but not in the way you're thinking

On New Years Eve, I did what any normal person would do: attend my friend's wedding in an online game.

R and A's Lalafell characters being lowered into the chapel. Image © J. He.

Through mutual hobbies, my friend R actually ended up meeting his boyfriend on Instagram a little more than a year ago. One message led to another, and soon enough A was traveling from his home in Australia to visit R for the first time in Canada.

I've seen relationships formed online both end positively and negatively once the couple is able to meet face-to-face for the first time and luckily, their story is a happy one. They did, however, have to part ways and continue their long distance relationship for the time being, turning to video games as a way to help each other stay connected and bond even when they were far away.

Though both of them do play games, they don't play games to the point that they would call themselves gamers and they certainly don't play a few hours every day. But for them, trying out and eventually playing Final Fantasy XIV daily was a way of exploring the world together and even playing with other friends who owned copies.

For us, it wasn’t a surprise that they would end up tying the knot through the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding.

The ceremony, though of course less intensive than planning a real wedding, is achieved after you and your loved one complete a special quest called "The Ties that Bind" and provides several options for the couple to customize their big day. You can choose certain décor and colour schemes for the décor, create cut scene sequences and ceremony styles, select your officiant, and even provide ceremony favours for your attending guests. Though getting married is free, there is a gold and platinum option available if you want to add additional decorations or options.

There is a lot of negative stigma behind online gaming and making friends over the internet, especially when they’re so far away that the chances of you meeting are slim to none. Still, there are many stories about how, under a variety of circumstances, unlikely connections are formed through the numerous amounts of hours dedicated to quests and adventures together via games such as World of Warcraft, Ragnarok Online (still my favourite MMORPG to this day), and most recently Final Fantasy XIV.

As R and A have also proved, gaming is another way to keep in touch and lessen the distance between friends and lovers by creating bonds spent together completing missions and achieving personal in-game goals. I've personally met people online that I was surprised to find out lived in a different country that I ended up visiting and meeting in person later on, or even realizing that the archer that I play with constantly actually lived in the same city as me.

Final Fantasy XIV has had a rough start – another post for another time – but they currently have approximately 550,00 active players all over the world and the game is only growing with every passing month.

To R and A, a belated congratulations and happy anniversary to you both! And I hope gaming continues to keep you both together for years to come.

Happy wedding! R, A and all the invited guests taking a group photo after the ceremony. Image © J. He.

To learn more about the MMORPGs mentioned in this post, please see below for more information: Final Fantasy XIV World of Warcraft Ragnarok Online

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Let’s talk about the #GirlsBehindTheGames

In celebration of #InternationalWomensDay today, I wanted to take the time to talk about a hashtag that has popped up over the last month in the gaming industry: #GirlsBehindTheGames.

Girls Behind The Games is a campaign started up by Runaway, a studio that takes pride in creating beautiful games inspired by the natural world and ensuring they embrace inclusion, mentorship and female leadership as an integral part of their studio. The hashtag picked up huge momentum overnight on Twitter and has been running strong up to International Women’s Day with women sharing their experiences working in gaming, playing games, and even those who are looking to start out in gaming (like me!).

During the past year – and even the past few months, we have seen movements such as #MeToo go global and the Women’s March of 2017 break the record of largest single-day protest in U.S. history. The entertainment industry and political groups worldwide especially have taken a stand to voice the issues against the imbalance of power between genders, under representation and sexual harassment and assault. The gaming industry, so rooted in the tech industry and in Silicon Valley, is no exception from these issues and I am so happy to see intelligent and strong women making their voices heard at last.

So today, I wanted to take the time to give recognition and thank the women in the game industry that have made me feel so welcome and who have done amazing work in (what I hope will be) my local game developer community since the beginning of my journey to start working with games.

Tanya Kan: Founder of Vivid Foundry, Tanya is an all-around powerhouse, working as game dev director, 2D and 3D artist and also as a writer! She is currently working on a 3D visual novel called Solace State and I can’t wait to see what she does with new media and interactive experiences.

Kathleen Cassidy: Kathleen is one half of the proudly independent Queen Bee Games, located in Prince Edward Island. I first encountered her through her and co-founder Steven Cassidy’s first game, Onion Force (which I wrote about here), and I’m so excited that they’re on their way to releasing their second game, Spinch soon!

Gabby DaRienzo: One half of Laundry Bear, a Toronto-based game studio who created one of the best indie games of 2017, A Mortician’s Tale, Gabby was one of the first people I met in the local game community. She has been nothing but supportive to anyone looking for information and resources on how to get started with the game industry and I couldn’t be more grateful meeting her! She also hosts a podcast about death used in gaming, Play Dead.

Stephanie Herdman: Funny enough, I met Steph during a marketing for indie games workshop hosted by Gabby – though maybe met isn’t quite the right word. She provided such insightful marketing knowledge during the workshop that I wanted to introduce myself and discuss the topic more, but wasn’t able to do so until we connected on Twitter. She’s a finalist in EGLX’s pitch competition this weekend, and if you have the time to check it out, I highly encourage going to see her and the rest of the finalists as well!

Jean Leggett: Jean is part of another pair that founded both One More Story Games and StoryStylus, an engine and studio that helps game devs create narrative games. She is a keynote and TEDx speaker, super supportive and positive, and has done so much to help game developers everywhere (here’s a list!).

MC Bourdua: MC is a producer for indie games who also has experience with PR and marketing, who I actually have not gotten the chance to speak with yet (but want to soon!), but who I have been recommended to and have seen do incredible things for the game dev community in Montreal – and by extension, Toronto as well. Check out her interview on production, management, and community here!

For easy organization, here’s a list of links to everything I’ve talked about here:

Campaign #InternationalWomensDay Girls Behind The Games (Twitter, hashtag)

Studios Runaway Vivid Foundry Queen Bee Games Laundry Bear One More Story Games

Games Onion Force Spinch A Mortician’s Tale

Etc. Play Dead podcast StoryStylus EGLX

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Can a toy teach us how to become a more empathetic world?

Imagine trying to describe a common day object to someone. Now imagine trying to describe the same object to someone who is visually impaired.

On January 11, 2018, I attended my first Leadership Institute at Seneca College where I had the opportunity to go to a workshop for something that I had never heard of previously: The Empathy Toy.

I was told to sit at a table with three other workshop attendees and presented with a box that contained a few wooden arrow- and gear-shaped objects that had little slots, soft foam parts in different colours, some metal bumps on the surfaces, and… two blindfolds?

A wooden box storing The Empathy Toy: a few arrow- and gear-shaped pieces with a colourful manual and blindfold inside.

The Empathy Toy was created by Ilana Ben-Ari, an industrial design student at the time who was tasked with designing a navigational aid for the visually impaired. This resulted in The Empathy Toy, a game that could be played with either visually impaired or sighted people in order to foster a greater understanding of the need for communication, teamwork, and creativity.

Collectively, the workshop watched a demonstration of the game being played before we got to experience The Empathy Toy ourselves. The participants familiarized themselves with the items before the blindfolds went on, then tried their best to explain the fully formed object in front of them for the other to replicate with spare parts.

Throughout the demonstration, the feeling of frustration was easy to sense. A task that was normally easy to complete with the use of your eyesight suddenly felt like navigating in a completely different world, where things that are a given suddenly became things that could be barriers of misunderstanding instead. 

Two of the workshop attendees trying to figure out how they could possibly help each other out with their goal blindfolded.

When it was my table’s turn, we learned from watching the demonstrators that we had to formalize a clear communication plan of key words and phrases first before we began to start building. This enabled us to work together much more smoothly and quickly during the second half of the workshop. Because we learned to empathize with each other and strived to reach a common ground of understanding, we were able to succeed with the task assigned to us.

This may be cliché, but after playing with The Empathy Toy, I felt a sense of teamwork and trust for the people that I had worked with that I know I would not have gained otherwise. This is a powerful lesson to everyone, but especially to those of us who are looking to connect with the rest of the world. In a society that is rapidly changing, where technology is creating a rift between people and a lack of personal touch, it is important to take the time to understand and form a narrative in order to create a better way of collaborating and understanding each other.

But could this really be done with the use of a simple toy? And why a toy? “Because toys can teach what textbooks can’t: creativity, collaboration, and most importantly – empathy,” states Twenty One Toys’ website. And I couldn’t agree more.

The second Seneca Leadership Institute is happening February 27 and 28! Click here to learn more.

And if you’d like to learn more or purchase The Empathy Toy, click here.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like #IndieXmas: my review of Onion Force

I’m writing this post belatedly, but #IndieXmas (soon to be #IndieBreakout) is still going on and I want to bring as much attention as I can to this wonderful event!

Just before Christmas, I stumbled upon a tweet from @IndieGamerChick talking about something called #IndieXmas. To sum it up: #IndieXmas is an event that lets indie game developers provide copies of their games for free in the spirit of the holiday season. The only thing that they ask for is that the gamers who redeem their codes take to their social media accounts and provide full feedback, both positive and negative, for the developers to help with improving their games.

#IndieXmas rules -It's not a contest. Ask for the game being offered, get it -Use the code immediately -Play the game ASAP, do not put off doing so. Grace period is 4 days -Talk about the game on the #IndieXmas tag, positives/negatives -Give full feedback to the dev Not that hard

— Indie Gamer Chick, First of Her Name, #IndieXmas (@IndieGamerChick)

December 20, 2017

I've created a moment that contains all the games I still have as part of #IndieXmas. Let's get these out today. #IndieBreakout is Feb 2 - 4. Developers interested, contact me. Ask developers involved in #IndieXmas how they found it. ⚡️ “#IndieXmas”https://t.co/goK5dKmMyY

— Indie Gamer Chick, First of Her Name, #IndieXmas (@IndieGamerChick)

January 1, 2018

Games? For FREE? And all I had to do was talk about stuff that I normally do for fun in order to gain more fun?! I couldn’t believe such an event like this existed! Obviously, I had to join in.

I typically try to stay away from game reviews on my blog, simply because we don’t need Yet Another Game Review Blog ™ about the latest triple A hit, but exceptional games and exceptional events call for it. My gift from #IndieXmas was Onion Force by Queen Bee Games (which is currently 50% off on Steam!).

If you’d like to read my condensed review on Twitter, feel free to check it out here, as well as the stream of my gameplay here (I die a lot), but I definitely think this game deserves more than that.

To start off, I had minimal knowledge going into Onion Force beforehand. What got me interested at first glance was the fact that it was a game studio based out of Prince Edward Island and that the studio was run by only two people! I think it’s hard enough trying to face off against big companies that employ hundreds of people, but to do that on the smallest province in all of Canada with such a small staff blew my mind, and I have to give Queen Bee Games every sort of props that I can for it.

When I started up the game, what got my attention right off the bat was the soundtrack (there’s a link to purchase the soundtrack if you would like) – the main menu theme was pleasant to listen to and set up a soothing mood that made me think that I was heading into a game that I could relax with. How wrong I was.

Me playing level 10 of Onion Force for a solid 10 minutes. Thanks for rubbing it in.

Onion Force was described to me as a tower defense game, but it’s so much more than that. As their website describes, it is also an action/adventure hybrid that lets you take control of three different hero classes which you can level and power up throughout the story in order to protect the last king from his impending doom. In classic tower defense style, you also need to build and level up amenities in order to help you knock back the enemies coming your way.

As a strategy game lover, I do like to play tower defense games from time to time, but I admit that it gets boring waiting for my troops to get to the other side or waiting to see if my defeat is imminent. It was the ability to actively be able to invest in a character that could attack the enemies that really kept me involved with the game. As an added plus, you are able to zoom in and out to change the feel and point of view of the game from your typical RPG style battle to a full view of the map so that you can strategize and plan your next moves.

Zooming in and out of your gameplay was definitely a neat feature to have to change up your game!

You can also interact with your environment, which changes from map layout to weather (yes the weather does matter), to get extra loot!

Being able to interact with your environment BLEW MY MIND.

In terms of characters, I ended up favouring the warrior the most, which was a surprise to me as I tend to prefer playing ranged classes. I couldn’t resist slamming into enemies and knocking them out with my sword, though! I also found the wizard’s attacks to be a bit slower than I liked, which led to my reluctance to play her as much as the other two classes. Overall, the controls were very smooth and the level of difficulty was just right. It wasn’t too hard that I felt like giving up and not easy enough that I got bored.

The story was well-paced too, and I loved the sassiness of the fairy, Lady D, that guides you through the game. The graphics were crisp and charming. I loved the medieval yet cartoon-y feel of the art! Onion Force definitely utilized a lot of successful elements that kept me engaged with the game and going deeper than I expected to go during my first play through.

Two things that I would note was the inability to play the game full screen, but I understand that this is a problem that many PC games unfortunately face. I also felt that the graphics were a bit fuzzy when you played zoomed in compared to how they look zoomed out, but the game honestly still looked great regardless. I found myself typically playing zoomed out all the way to see the full map anyway.

Over all, would I play it again? Yes, and after writing this review, I’m itching to get at the game again already.

Gameplay: ★★★★ Story: ★★★ Creativity: ★★★★★ Graphics: ★★★★ Music: ★★★★ Onion factor: 🌰🌰 🌰🌰🌰

You can purchase Onion Force on Steam, iOS, or Google Play.

[aisicle]

Why my pick of game console will always be Nintendo

It’s my dad’s birthday today! And with the coming holiday season, I figured I would share a personal story so readers could learn more about how I came to be as a gamer. Of course, it involves the person who ended up encouraging and influencing me the most: my dad.

Dad has clocked in more hours on Breath of the Wild than I have, over 200!

Whenever my family went on outings to visit relatives or friends when I was younger, I would remember playing the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES or playing Secret of Mana on the SNES. I think my dad noticed how much fun I had playing video games, even if it came in an 8-bit variety, and he eventually bought me my own gaming system and the game that would change my life: a Nintendo 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

To say that I had fun would be an understatement. I loved playing Zelda. I loved the story, the characters, and the puzzles that wracked my brain throughout each dungeon I explored. The funny thing is that I remember being too scared to play Zelda at first because of the dark colours and the scary monsters that would jump out at me, and I would always get my dad to sit with me and beat the bosses.

Eventually my game collection grew and through it all, my dad would play every game with me. He would help me beat the scary stages I didn’t want to play alone, and I would read the text that he struggled with reading in English so we could advance the story. Of course, I would play with my friends and cousins when they came over, but ultimately it was my dad who would come home after a long day of work, pick up a controller, and play with me late into the night.

With the exception of the Gamecube, we’ve owned every Nintendo system and Legend of Zelda game since (and I did eventually end up buying the Zelda Gamecube game for my WiiU).

The thing that I love the most about Nintendo, and what evidently keeps me coming back to them, is that almost all of their games can be played alone or together with your friends or family. The power to get people to play together, whether it is strangers or best friends, young or old, is a unique experience Nintendo provides and that I don’t feel I can get with any other console. I remember this more than ever during the festive season when I bring out my game system and everyone gathers around as I talk about the latest game that I’m playing.

It’s through games that I’ve created my strongest bonds and friendship, and it’s also through games that I have found a common ground with others despite not having anything in common previously. My fondest memories of playing video games is going over to a friend’s to race in Mario Kart, collecting and battling Pokémon, playing Super Smash Bros., and even being able to work together in Snipperclips as recently as this holiday season.

Of course, my fondest memory of all will always be opening my present on Christmas day years back, and being ecstatic in a way only a nine year old could truly be when they find out that they now have a whole new world to explore with their dad for years to come.

So, on December 20 2017, I celebrate my dad’s birthday playing the newest installment of our favourite game together, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, on Nintendo’s newest system, the Nintendo Switch. I hope that you, the reader, are enjoying your holidays with people you care for, and I hope that this post inspired you to do it with video games too.

Watching my dad take down a Lynel, which even I have troubles with.

To purchase any of the games mentioned in this post, please see below for more information: Super Mario Bros. Secret of Mana The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Super Smash Bros. Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

[aisicle]

From guinea pig to soldier: Call of Duty and the political climate of America

I didn’t mean to achieve traitor status less than five minutes into the game, but in my defense, that other guy looked at me funny. (Youtube clip)

Back in September, I signed up for a university study that was focused on the way video games affect cognitive functions of the brain.  It involved coming in for an interview, playing some basic memory games, and me leaving with a copy of Call of Duty 2 that I was instructed to play over the next few weeks. (I also left a couple bucks richer, but I swear this post isn’t sponsored.)

Despite Call of Duty (CoD) being one of the massive leading franchises of the gaming world, I had never touched CoD before in my life. Probably the main reason was that I never had the system to play the first game on, which led to me completely missing the hype, but I’ve also never been big on first person shooter (FPS) type games or the subject matters it mainly focused on.

Call of Duty 2, in short, is about World War II. You play as four soldiers: one from the “Red Army” (Soviet Armed Forces), one from the US Army, and two from the British Army.

My instructions for the video game study were to play one to three hours a week max and to record the first and last five minutes of my gameplay each session. Spoiler alert: I ended up dropping out of the study. Here’s why:

Call me weak, but after my first hour of CoD2, I experienced immense bouts of motion sickness. This isn’t that uncommon when it comes to FPS games, though it is hardly talked about, but it did surprise me as I had never experienced this before in all my years of video gaming. I wanted to tough it out and finish the study though. People were relying on me for data! There was a war to be won! And if I’m being honest, I just didn’t want to admit that there was a video game that had bested me – I especially didn’t want it to have been Call of Duty at that.

But the more I played it, the harder it became to swallow and move on. The game is filled with loud noises; gunfire, explosions, and people yelling. It was hard to tell who was on my side and I had more than one incident where I had to restart because I shot the wrong person. Sometimes I didn’t even remember whose side I was supposed to be on. I had to take longer breaks in between my play sessions to digest the game.

I wondered a lot if this was how it felt to be in a real war.

More and more, you see games being criticized for the messages they send out: Games are too violent. Games shouldn’t be talking about politics. Games are just for fun.

But games are a medium in which stories can be told, a place approaching fantastical realism that we can get lost in, and in our current political climate, I believe that they are one of the most effective ways to tell stories that need to be heard the most.

These are not “fine people.” #NoMoreNazis #Wolf2 pic.twitter.com/rT5zVDaU1E

— Wolfenstein (@wolfenstein) October 25, 2017

It may be a coincidence that both Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and the new Call of Duty: WWII were released this year following the political incidents that have been occurring all over the United States, but it doesn’t makes their message – and any previously produced game with the same stance – any less important.

"It's telling the story so it doesn't happen again, that is important. Telling the story because the people that went to fight for our cause are no longer telling it, that's still important." -- Michael Condrey, co-founder of Sledgehammer, the developer of Call of Duty: WWII

What ultimately made me decide to put CoD2 down and back out of the study wasn’t because of my simulation sickness or because I disliked the game, but because the brief missions that I ended up completing in the game taught me enough about a history that I hope to never know during my life time, and the importance of video games as a powerful narrative tool that we should all take heed and start paying attention to.

To Sarah and Sam, thanks for the opportunity to play Call of Duty 2 and I hope the rest of your study goes smoothly!

To purchase any of the games mentioned in this post, please see below for more information: Call of Duty 2 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Call of Duty: WWII