Gaming...

To me games are much more than a visual story, or time fillers. I believe being good at gaming is much more than quick reactions and a sharp mind for strategy and problem solving. Just as with most other 'creative arts' I believe gaming can be used to express, inspire, and captivate, but I believe most of all this is not appreciated by most people playing games today.

There was a time when if you had any skill with video games you would have been considered a 'nerd' (before it became popular to be one) and be shunned from most social circles. Since the early days of the next gen consoles being a gamer has turned into something almost completely opposite. These days having stand out skills at any game earns you respect from your peers and in some cases fame and even fortune. I refuse to believe its due to more than more accessible on-line gaming that being a gamer now has such different connotations to just 3 or 4 years ago.

I've played games since I was 3 years old, throughout my life the people I've considered my best friends have always shared my love for video games, growing up finding peers with the same passion for games was difficult, but I probably wouldn't have realised just how difficult if not for the release of the original Modern Warfare. Since its release Modern Warfare has been the introduction to not just multi player gaming, but gaming as a whole to allot of people who now consider themselves gaming.





Just as in the music and film industry, a healthy portion of true gamers (those who have been gaming way before Xbox Live and the Playstation network) find themselves frustrated thanks to the wave of 'commercial' gamers that now shape what video game creators are doing, to ensure they meet there targets and stay in their jobs, rather than trying to create unique and memorable games. Thus creating games that some see as of a lower quality to appeal to the masses. At the same time without the recent increase in interest in gaming, us 'old skool' guys would still be considered undesirable and throw ourselves into our gaming even more, supporting the stereotype so many of us struggled with, in particular during school years.

This is a topic that has no obvious opinion, if any at all. Not many people I try to discuss this with have a strong opinion, which I find quite unnerving, especially when I'm looking for the views from people I know have been gaming hard the majority of their lives. Id hate to see gaming turn into something like film or music, that it can only be dominated by a handful of creators, regardless of the quality of what they output. Perhaps the climb in social status of gamers has blinded many to how gaming is changing?

Infinity Blade

So I got an iPad, and being a gamer I had to try Infinity Blade, I have never before getting the device even looked into gaming on an iPad, but still had heard good things about this game, and for once it wasn't just nice visuals that created the buzz about it. I was a bit sceptical heading into the game, it would be the first Ipad title I've tried since getting the tablet, I don't even like touch screen only phones let alone touch screen only gaming devices (I know the pad is not a gaming device, but bear with me for the purpose of the review... thanks). I find it difficult to build muscle memory when using touch screens for anything, but getting used to the controls here was no a problem after I had found the option to adjust the size of the buttons.

Its clear that the game isn't trying to be too complex, I'd say it's just a little above simple but the stunning visuals, which rival some console titles, make up for this. The aim is to beat several middle earth/fantasy styled enemies in one on one duals using your handheld weapons. Use left, right or central buttons to dodge or block in the prospective directions, and the rest is just poking and slashing at the screen in a fruit ninja fashion to swing your sword about or cast spells. Time and direct your slashes correctly to parry enemy attacks sometimes leaving them open for multiple attacks and stabs. Plenty of weapons, armour and magic upgrades to keep you going, but not so much that it turns into a violent dress up game. I managed to complete main the objective of the game (will explain why I didn't just say finish in just a mo) without even viewing the stats of around 70% of the items, let alone try them all, there are multiple courses through the game also. Plot wise... NOTHING! Your just some guy out to seek revenge for his fathers defeat.... even if your father won.

Now hacking up the last boss isn't the end of the game with Infinity Blade, once you've done this you'll just be back at the start playing as your previous characters son but you keep all your upgrades and stats from the previous game, this also happens if you lose to him, which could be why there is no major sense of completion. The final boss is level 50 and I managed to beat him for the first time on level 15 and it took me about 3 hours including breaks, to   do this.

Its a pretty easy game, once you've seen all of the enemies attacks a couple of times you'll know exactly when and where to dodge, block or parry, strangely though it doesn't get boring. There's a menacing satisfaction in attacking wildly, pulling off the harder hitting attacks, or dodging a full string of attacks perfectly. The climax of the game leaves you wanting more, not because you must know what happens next, but because you just want to keep slashing away, but by now you should want a bit more of a challenge. Luckily Infinity Blade II does not disappoint!