I have this thing for objects that become characters, or that we come to see as characters, in movies and games certainly, but also in life. I love how my little boy can get lost in a conversation with one of his beloved stuffed animals while I’m voicing it. That willing suspension of disbelief always came easy to me — I remember as a child totally going along with my dad when he wanted to pretend his Fiat X1/9 was an X-wing on our way home after seeing you-know-what — and I’m happy to see my son shares this.
But stuffed animals and pets are easy. I like it when something that doesn’t normally have personality — a truck, a weapon, a tire — feels like a character. Maybe it’s having watched the excellent and weird Rubber again while working up my end-of-the-year list for the movie podcast that’s influencing me, but this week’s level, Super ball deluxe, hits that spot for me. Part of it is the physical design: the ball plays like it has weight and texture, say the heft of a bocce ball with the slipperiness of a bowling ball spinning down its lane. It’s more than that though. It’s got personality, and as Jules observes in Pulp Fiction, personality goes a long way.
This happens about once a week, when just about every free minute of the day is spent in gaming bliss. It’s not easy to find and you never know what day it will happen. This week, it happens on Thursday.
After the jump, sweet sweetness so sweet you’ll sweat sweet sugar Continue reading →
You can’t very well talk videogames right now without some serious RPG talk. Particularly with this week’s guest. Jeff, who posts as Sapper Gopher, is a bona fide JPRG enthusiast with the credentials necessary to talk about the Final Fantasy XIII-2 demo. You’ll also hear a bit about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Diablo III, Payday: The Heist, and various other games where you level up. Such as Dungeons and Dragons. Jeff also casts what is by far the most memorable vote in the ongoing zombies vs. SWAT debate.
For our posts of the week, Tom picked this defense of Diablo III, Jason picked this guarded defense of the Kingdoms of Amalur demo, and Jeff picked this riff on Skyrim written by someone using a familiar moniker.
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Ancient relics? Monterey Jack knows ancient relics, even if they’re guarded by a high priest. He’s got his cigarettes and his two magic books. Lighting up and reading a page from The Nameless Cults, he rolls the dice.
After the jump, Yahtzee! Continue reading →
