Monthly Archives: October 2014

Game File, Games and Software

Alex’s Top 5 Horror Games

For the past month or so, I have been on a huge horror-game kick. I’ve been seeking out all the titles I missed out on, simply because either I was too scared to play them or too confused by the control schemes. This has led me to buy some of the  classics: Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Silent Hill 2, and Dino Crisis. Even though I haven’t beaten any of these yet, I’m having the best time playing them.

Playing this genre piqued my interest in the history of survival horror games. Turns out, much of the survival horror genre can be accredited to Shinji Mikami, one of the minds behind the original Resident Evil. This guy defined a whole genre. Soon after Resident Evil’s success, not only were there sequels, but other games followed that style and control scheme. Developers started pushing the genre, creating terrifying games like Silent Hill and Fatal Frame.

"The lighting in this room is lovely. We'll take the house!"

Now Mikami is back with a vengeance. With Tango Gameworks and Bethesda, he has probably created another masterpiece known as Evil Within. Judging by the trailers, screenshots, and what little I have played of the game, I can already tell that this game is going to be awesome.

In honor of this release (but mostly because I’m on this kick), let me share with you my personal Top 5 Horror Games. Know that I haven’t played everything and that I’ve avoided the genre for a while now, but these are the titles that stand out to me.

Armies of dolls that cast magic? Nope. Just nope.

Final Fantasy IX (PlayStation)

Don’t question it, just follow me on this. As a child, I was afraid of most horror monsters, mostly vampires. However, there is one particular ’90s movie monster who disturbed me to no end, Chucky. It’s not like I’ve actually seen the movies, but the trailers that played while my dad watched wrestling were traumatizing. Since then, I’ve had a fear of dolls, which leads me to why my favorite Final Fantasy game also scared the crap out of me.

Not long after the forest scene, the party arrivs at a simple mountain town. Zidane and his pals soon discover a dark secret. Turns out, the Queen of Alexandria is making an army of black mages. They look like fat scarecrows that throw fire magic around, but they are described as dolls. The narrative leading up to this moment is creepy. There are sounds coming from the only well in the village and then Vivi vanishes. Towards the end of the dungeon, I found an assembly line of the things being created. That’s when I turned off my PlayStation, crawled into bed, and proceeded to have nightmares.

It took a few days, and daylight, before I could play it again.

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House of the Dead 3 (Xbox)

This title is mostly just a fun little arcade game. There are few scares in it, but there is a hefty amount of gore. Players use a lightgun to blast away zombies and monsters, all while having to put up with terrible voice acting. Seriously, it’s like after Resident Evil came out, all horror games had to have bad voice acting too. Granted it’s hilarious, so at least there’s that. I remember playing this game with a friend on his Xbox. We hooked up two gun controllers and shot up a staggering pile of zombies. The best part is having infinite lives. That, and after he got bored of playing, he handed me the other gun.

Dual-wielding light guns, while yelling because the moment is so awesome, will forever be ingrained into my memory.

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P.T.

The pure genius behind the idea of P.T. is astounding. Not only was it a complete mystery, but Hideo Kojima published it under a fake studio name. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the millions who was purely surprised. I learned about this game from my favorite YouTube gaming show Game Grumps. Yet, when I finally sat down to play it, the horror was real.

Ever since Amnesia became a hit, several horror games have chosen to have the player completely defenseless. P.T. uses that helplessness to pull true fear from their players. It is less of a game and more of an interactive short film. Most players don’t know how they “beat” this game, even more, I assume, stopped playing due to the many heart attacks I’m sure they experienced. Me, I share this game with friends and film it for my YouTube show, Forever Classic.

What’s even better than a short, focused horror experience? The fact that this game was a secret teaser for an upcoming revival of the Silent Hill franchise. The amount of talent behind this project is amazing. Not only will Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid) be behind the wheel, but also Guillermo Del Toro (Pacific Rim) and Norman Reedus (Walking Dead).

I can’t wait for Silent Hills’ release, but to be honest I’ll probably never finish it. I’d never thought I would look forward to wearing Depends. . .
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BioShock

Speaking of demos, I first learned of BioShock through Xbox Live. The demo was essentially the first bit of the game. Those who have played it know that this one grabs you by the jewels from the first scene. I remember my friends teasing me about it, saying that the game wasn’t scary. I love media of all types, so I have a tendency to suspend my disbelief for everything. Some people will look at a horror game and say, look how silly the monster is, but I become that character and the fear is real.

One of BioShock’s biggest strengths was definitely its atmosphere. Rapture holds a lot of dark secrets, making the player want to discover them, but these same secrets are often morally puzzling and disturbing. Players have to choose to save or kill the Little Sisters, gaming’s most adorable evil. Also, the player is alone. There are no shop keepers or other characters to help you out, it’s kill or be killed.

Even to this day, I consider the first BioShock to be the best in the franchise. It drew me in and consumed me for a week or so. I’ve always wanted that same feeling, but few games have done that since.

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Resident Evil 4

If I hadn’t borrowed Resident Evil 4, and if it hadn’t been seriously recommended by a friend, I never would’ve played horror games. For me, this is the absolute peak of the genre and anyone looking for a place to start may as well start with the best. I have played this game more times than I can count. I know all the secrets, all the weapons, and all the history. While I may know less than I boast, I love learning everything about it.

Resident Evil 4 is a third person survival horror game, which originally appeared on the GameCube. Yep, the same purple box that had Super Mario Sunshine and Animal Crossing was the first to have the newest Resident Evil of the time. I actually didn’t get to play it until it came out on PS2. The mission is simple, save the President’s brain-dead daughter from a grisly fate at the hands of cultists infected with bio weapons.

Even though the main character, Leon, gets to use powerful weaponry, ammo is scarce and placing shots well becomes a key way to survive. He uses these guns to put down angry Spanish farmers, Tolkien-esque trolls, and ugly fish. Several of the later enemies proved to scare me the most, like the Regenerators and the Verdugos. However, one moment in particular made me quit playing for a while.

As my friend suggested, I played this game exclusively at night with the volume cranked up. I was doing fine at first; I only died once or twice, usually to quick time events. Eventually, I was tasked with getting a key to a church. Getting the key wasn’t too bad, but coming back was awful. It started to rain, obscuring poor Leon’s vision. I walked across the rickety bridge with no obstruction, where before there had been farmers. Just before reaching the church, I came across a dog.

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Fans of Resident Evil 4 will know that you can save a dog from a bear trap that will later help you in a boss fight. I wasn’t that afraid of dogs up until this point.

A low growl sounded from the dog. At first I was glad to see my puppy friend, but then it leaped at me. I watched as the beast tore at Leon’s throat in horror. After the initial shock I frantically tried to push it back by mashing the onscreen commands. It stood there afterwards, staring at me. I emptied a full clip of my sub-machine gun into the thing, having little to no effect. Ripping out of the beast’s back were tentacles that struck out at me. This depleted my health and Leon fell with a sigh.

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This moment not only scared me half to death, but forced me to quit for the night. Since then, if I come across a dog in a horror game, I shoot first and ask questions later. Resident Evil 4 will always be one of my favorite games of all time.

There’s a reason I chose to make this list a Top 5 instead of a Top 10. I simply haven’t played that many horror games. That’s why you should leave your favorite horror game in the comments below. Who knows, you may see an article here at Giga or a video on Forever Classic. Either way, I love this genre, so lead me on a path to discover the best.

If you like to watch other people get scared, check out my latest video on Forever Classic.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI3V4WKN21A&w=640&h=360]

Otaku, Random Giga

Giga At Tsubasacon 2014: Eien Strife

There are two things that I look forward to in October: my birthday and Tsubasacon. Lucky for me those two things happen on the same weekend. It’s probably the only anime convention in West Virginia and it is becoming one of my favorites. Last year I got to hang with David Vincent, the voice of Grimjow from Bleach. He even said some things as his characters for Forever Classic. That was a great weekend.

This time around, I lacked a video camera. So, instead of my usual Youtube coverage, I wanted to at least give you a peek at what you missed this year.

Out of spontaneous curiosity, I stuck around the main event room for a concert that I had no idea about. Eien Strife was set to perform, headlining the music for the weekend. I saw the band earlier that day, cosplaying original characters. I didn’t think much of it, but I did like the neon colored strings on their instruments. When I stepped into that concert, though, I was blown away.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOHRJO2kMqY&w=640&h=360]

Eien Strife is a group of four adventurers who hail from the land of Terina. The heroes come from different walks of life, but they work together to bring down monsters, explore new places, and gain experience. Each concert is one of their side quests. This concert had the heroes pursue a Sacred Ring of Fire to keep the evil Phoenix from breaking its seal and destroying the forests.

Their music reminds me a lot of Paramore, if they sang songs written for Dragonforce with a little Rise Against mixed in. It’s fast paced with complicated notes and a driving rhythm. On stage, they sometimes perform a Team Attack, usually between the bassist and guitarist. For one song, they stood side by side, guitars crossed and made each other’s chords while the other played. Their second attack formed a tower of power as the bassist sat on the guitarist’s shoulders. These were extremely cool to watch and the band seemed to be having a blast.
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Speaking of fun, Eien Strife also does special segments in between songs. A video was projected onto a screen that the band members would duck behind. Each act was a sprite animation, complete with guest appearances by Nathan Explosion and Megaman. While I couldn’t see all of the action, I found these breaks to be hilarious. Eien Strife also boasted that each side quest was tailored to the event.

I also hope that they eventually record their cover of Still Alive, one of gaming’s most famous songs. Their version is amazing.

I went in not knowing who these cosplayers were, but I left wanting their music. I’m pretty sure I was one of the first to buy a sweet wooden thumb drive loaded with their songs. Never have I seen a band that has as much fun or energy as Eien Strife. 1981969_685480128160648_6853774634298305467_n The band also created a few panels. Being me, I went to the Retro Video Game Challenge. It was here that I got to talk to the band personally. They’re all great people to be around; however, they’re also evil because they made me play Ninja Gaiden 3 on the NES with three people on one controller. We made it to the boss at least.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-lXYorHGIg&w=640&h=360]

If you ever get a chance to see Eien Strife in concert, don’t be a fool, go and have a blast. Check them out Twitter and Facebook!

Comics 101, Indie Pennant

Suicide 5: A Dark Tale with a Scary Comment

Last month I learned of a comic book convention happening in Morgantown, WV. Needless to say, I’m always psyched about these sorts of things being close to home, so I paid the ten dollars to attend WV Pop Culture Con 2014. There were tons of awesome comic book writers and artists—over the next few months I’ll be digging through my spoils—but a few of these folks decided to give me some free comics. Most of these artists and writers are obscure or just starting out in an industry that’s dominated by Marvel, so I hope to give them some much needed spotlight. Granted, I was given these gracious gifts a month ago, but sometimes I have to stew on my thoughts before I can process them into words. The first comic I pulled off my shelf was an indie comic funded by Kickstarter: Suicide 5, written by Jason Pell and illustrated by Ryan Howe.

Even though I read this a while back, I’m still deeply disturbed by this comic in the best possible way. Honestly, the day I started it, I couldn’t put it down until I was done. From the first couple pages, it felt like I had been grabbed into the story and the conflict. It’s like a good horror novel: the goal isn’t to make you feel bad or scared; it’s to make you think about a serious issue. Just how Frankenstein is partly about fearing electricity, Suicide 5 is about the fear of Youtube.

Maybe that’s oversimplifying things. The plot is about a group of friends who discover another friend has killed himself during a social gathering, while filming on YouTube. No one in the room notices for hours, while the video continues to broadcast. The friends are of course distraught, but the fact that he streamed it for people to watch interested them even more.

This moment ignites the events of Suicide 5.
This moment ignites the events of Suicide 5.

This group then decides that they can do better. They make a pact to kill themselves with the last person giving each of them a score based on certain parameters. What unfolds is a drama with a ticking clock in the background and the sadness of having to witness these terrible deaths. The characters continue their lives, but their imminent suicide is always right around the corner.

On the surface, the story is deranged and deeply terrifying. Unfortunately, many will avoid this comic due to its harsh themes. Yes, suicide is a hard subject to talk about let alone to have in entertainment; however, just as Dante had to do, one must go through Hell to get to Heaven. We have to experience the darkness before we can be enlightened.

The language of the comic is also interesting. Characters casually talk about killing themselves. They design elaborate ways for them to die to an artistic level while sharing coffee. Each of them boasts that they will have the higher score. This combined with the art style, gives Suicide 5 an eerie level of familiarity and depth.

Beneath the surface, though, is a darker demon.
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Immortal, internet fame is what these kids seek. It drives them to levels of insanity that ignores their self-preservation. With the popularity of YouTube, everyone has a chance to become know globally. The drive for channel owners to get views, subscribers, and comments can be a consuming phenomenon. Believe me, I sometimes feel myself getting a little crazy with my small gaming channel. Pewdiepie, the most subscribed to person of YouTube ever, actually disabled comments because they were a constant problem and started to consume him.

The things people will do for this sort of attention is astounding. That’s why we constantly stumble upon videos of people getting hurt, girls shaking their booties, or cats being cats.

Suicide 5 merely extends the idea.

Probably a good way to start wrapping up my thoughts...
Probably a good way to start wrapping up my thoughts…

At the end of the day, I’m a huge fan of this comic. It’s engaging throughout and self-contained. It resonates with the reader, long after the last page is turned. The art style is solid and the plot moves quickly enough to keep one engrossed in every word. Honestly, it made me take a slightly different approach to my online endeavors.

Hopefully, Jason Pell and Ryan Howe will continue this sort of work.

Suicide 5 is an excellent addition to any comic collection and can be the subject of scholarly thought. It left an impression on me that I doubt I’ll forget.

Comics 101

Learning to ‘Treadwater’: A Review of ‘TRDWTR, Part 1’

A poster for the TRDWTR franchise, which includes a graphic novel series, a video game, and a live-action TV series. (Image courtesy of Darkrose Studios).
A poster for the TRDWTR franchise, which includes a graphic novel series, a video game, and a live-action TV series. (Image courtesy of Darkrose Studios).

After raising $150,000 on Kickstarter and other sources, Morgan Rosenblum has launched not only a graphic novel saga, but a new media franchise “combining the style and tone of The Dark Knight” and “the traditional mix-and-match group of character archetypes that makes ‘X-Men’ so successful.” What at first glance might seem like a by-the-numbers science fiction comic proves to be much more.

In the wake of a global economic meltdown, chaos erupts and the world’s safety is jeopardized by a new wave of crime and terror. A privately funded team of hi-tech special operatives is assembled, known as TREADWATER, the only force standing between anarchy and hope.

TRDWTR, Part 1 written by Morgan Rosenblum & Don Macnab-Stark and illustrated by Ray Dillon is the first publication by the newly-formed Darkrose Studios. The book is described as “a serious and realistic approach to the superhero genre.” I found this to be a bit of misnomer. Only one character, the enigmatic Wraith, has any of the vestiges of a superhero, such as a fancy costume and superpowers. Instead, the operatives for TRDWTR (which stands for Technological Research and Development Working Toward a Resolution) have more in common with G.I. Joe: a special forces team with advanced weaponry battling terrorist threats around the world. In fact, the aforementioned Wraith is much like the silent and deadly Snake Eyes. Regardless, both do have some shades of superheroes in them.

TRDWTR is intended to be a 30-part series, so this first volume plays out much like the pilot episode of a TV show. Most of it is setup, and being a science fiction story, it must quickly establish its characters, world and premise. The latter two is done quite well, presenting a frighteningly plausible future where Europe is in shambles, with many of its countries controlled by dictators. The characters—what the graphic novel prides itself on—take more time. With an ensemble cast and eclectic characters, some are more developed than others in this first outing, which is common practice in most ensemble series like this.

The primary focus in Part 1 is the team leader, Lucky Joe, a widower who joined the team so that its financier would provide his injured daughter with medical treatment. Since her injuries—and his wife’s death—happened in a car accident while he was driving, he blames himself for her plight and carries that guilt with him into missions, often endangering the rest of the team. His is a heart-wrenching story and I have nothing but sympathy for him. Unfortunately, the narrative fails to mention some key information that is found in character profiles in the back of the book. The most important is Lucky Joe got his name because he wears a rabbit’s foot with a magnetic device that repulses all metal objects within a six-foot radius, including bullets. That’s something that should be established within the story itself, but it’s a minor issue.

Part 1 also acts as an origin story for the German defector, Wolfgang, an assassin who once served Gen. Kirklau, the dictator of Germany. He joins the team so they will rescue the general’s son. This subplot runs throughout the graphic novel and clashes with the main plot toward the end.

The rest of the characters are distinct and have strong characterization: Dom is the foulmouthed muscle from New York, Sylvie is the token femme fatale with a crush on Joe, Jerry is the Jamaican pilot and comic relief and Kiyoshi is the cybernetic assassin. The most intriguing, however, is the mysterious Wraith. He appears only a few times and has strange and frightening powers. He emits purple mist from his Iron Man-esque armor and extends razor-wires from his fingers. The most perplexing thing about him is the circular meter on his chest, which, according to his profile in the back of the book, seems to be counting down to something. To what? I have a few theories.

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TRDWTR certainly has a modern style. There are no narrative captions, and some pages have few if any voice or thought balloons. The artwork is allowed to tell the story, and the silence creates either brisk pacing or pulse-pounding suspense, depending on the scene. However, there are a few pages crowded with voice balloons, making it difficult to determine who is speaking. In rare instances, the balloons don’t even point to a character, so the speaker must be determined by the balloons’ proximity.

Part 1 is a solid start to a series that is full of excitement and intrigue, but don’t go into it thinking you’ll get everything promised in the promotional materials. Only one of the several advertised villains makes a substantial appearance in this volume, for example, but they will return later. This is a big world, after all, so all of it can’t be crammed into every graphic novel.

Ambition is the series’ greatest asset. The graphic novel is just part of an extensive franchise Darkrose Studios is launching. There will also be a 10-episode live action TV series, a video game and a feature film. Its website includes loads of interactive content, much of which must be unlocked by taking an entrance exam to become a TRDWTR operative. In other words, the story doesn’t end with the comics.

I can’t wait for more!

Final Grade: B+

Purchase the book on Amazon.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvDVOiGybD8]