This particular TSAian never used to send anything in to TSA. We waited and waited and nothing. Then, one day, he sent loads of things! We couldn’t keep up. But, we’re doing our best and so we present another Guest Writer article from Foxhound_Solid: A nice look at the PS3’s journey so far.
Games are like Buses.
Ah, the early days of PS3 were somewhat limited yet still very much predictable. I mean we only had two options, the well crafted Resistance: Fall of Man, or the blisteringly slick Motorstorm, which were both cracking games if a little underwhelming for some? In many ways we as PS3 Fanatics enjoyed them, but used them as shields when the incoming attacks came from crazed Fan Boy/Girl types. Yes, I see you also remember. These were testing times and left us sometimes mumbling to ourselves during an attack – ‘Come on Sony, we can do better than this?’ This thought has been something that I wanted to share and so thanks to the platform that is TSA – here we go.
Lately I have been squeezing each day of every minute with things becoming ever more busy. Work takes up 11 hours of my day, that’s before travelling. The gym plays a part and eats away at the hours [this happened when I quit smoking, a swap if you will] as well as the other daily tasks that rear their time consuming, chomping heads. If I had my way and a huge lottery win I would be with my Girlfriend constantly with occasional spots at the gym and PS3 [as previously mentioned 99% GF – 1% PS3]. Sadly, the system won’t let this happen and as a result things have somewhat changed.
Now I enjoy my games and would consider myself a veteran. Being a gamer for many a year and enjoying not only playing them but completing them and really pulling a game apart. Currently I feel as though I am being crushed by quality and quantity which is something my Mother/Teacher/Tutor was adamant couldn’t exist in the same Galaxy, let alone hobby. I am being enticed as there are so many ‘big boomers’ coming through like a horde of upset Chimera – thick and fast, I mean there is an honest part of me that is kind of glad Gran Turismo 5 has been further delayed. I have a pile of games racking up, crying out to be completed which is getting so vast I can almost hear them ‘tutting’ at me every time I walk past them.
I think the PS3, in the beginning at least, had a slow feed of good games and because of this I became accustomed to completing a game over a month or so, whilst gently dissecting the game and enjoying them at my pace. Now, the PS3 has for me a great library with titles pinging out almost as fast as Jordan and Kerry Katona are at pinging out brats – yes, that fast.
To let you know where I am with my Gaming I recently finished Heavy Rain, but I keep going back as I want to know more, admittedly I am being a little obsessed but it’s just so intriguing. I was trying to warm up for God of War 3 with Dante’s Inferno to no avail, I have yet to get through Uncharted 1 (I want the trophies), apologies but I haven’t done this again since the patch. LittleBigPlanet needs my attention as it’s an awesome game but time is scarce and this game is like a little pet, a pet that requires quality time as opposed to ten minutes whilst I wait for the iron to start beeping in a morning. Arkham Asylum deserves some more attention as does Street Fighter 4. Uncharted 2 could do with another play through as one completion is simply the tip of the iceberg. Whilst I would like to be able to level up and open more on Killzone 2 online, and discover more on Assassins Creed 2 – which, may I add, is all kinds of awesome. Not to mention that Infamous is something I want to concentrate on; I want to lock down all of the city and fall back into my pillows with glee as my Final Trophy ‘CHIMES’ through. As you can see my gaming is in need of some minor organisation – but I am learning to juggle it quite well. The list of games I have managed to clock on the hop is more impressive compared to the list I am currently fudging through.
Now I must make sure I am not being taken as being ungrateful for the PS3 becoming a success, for I am as happy as a Pig with several piles of Poo to wade in. The ‘Games Division’ of my house is now an awe inspiring sight to behold. The PS3 is a reflection of this as when you stop and digest the amount of amazingly delicious games out there, it’s hard to really remember there was a time when we flicked from Resistance: Fall of Man to Motorstorm and that was pretty much that.
What with 2009 being the defining year of PS3, 2010 is shaping up to be the Wallet Smasher for PS3 owners: Heavy Rain, God of War 3, Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo 5, Bad Company 2, Playstation Move, Super Street Fighter 4, and Dante’s Inferno to name a tiny amount of what is on offer, it feels like the PS3 has not only hit its stride but it took enough time to do so enabling it to really maintain its momentum. I think that this is a feeling amongst everyone really and it’s a great thing to be involved with.
Sony seems to get things right if you give them chance to explain their vision. I mean Move wasn’t doing it for me. However, since seeing it, the games and ideas and the way this is an addition to the PS3 experience as opposed to a completely new direction, it’s just a great way to spread the PS3 across the gaming styles and preferences. I am interested and to be honest I am looking forward to trying out that HD Move fighting game, whilst dreaming about Metal Gear Solid: Move.
People now, more than ever, are beginning to ‘get’ PS3 and use the features and understand how they interact. When I look at my Friends List there are time when everyone is doing different things but all using their PS3. Some are gaming, others browsing, some watching a Blu-ray, others shopping, some listening to music using VidZone, some listening to music from an iPod on PS3. Obviously this isn’t something you can see on every occasion, but I am lucky enough to actually know most of the people on my Friends List so I use, you know, old school methods of communication such as actually talking to them.
Looking over my shoulder is something that I enjoy; Flicking through the Pre-owned Section and finding games you never got to enjoy when they first arrived. Titles such as Mirror’s Edge and Bioshock are games that I missed the first time around. To offer a metaphor these games are like indirect buses, several arrive, they are kind of going in the right direction if not just outside your desired location – this is what they are like to me. I will get them, I must as I love games and want to enjoy a wide range of them. Obviously mentioning that I have yet to play Bioshock is met with a look of disgust and in some cases a swift duck from me to avoid attempted slaps for being a ‘None Believer’ – don’t hate the player, hate the game springs to mind and for once is agreeable.
I find that my pile is now a mixture of Blu-rays and Games which have gaps in them. I have Hellboy 2 but no Hellboy. I have The Dark Knight and have settled that fizzing nerve of OCD with the recent purchase of Batman Begins. Again a sign of what the PS3 is about – it erm, without sounding like I bathe in Dairylea, ‘it does everything!’
Games in many ways are totally like buses as you hang around for one [which I did last in 2004] and a thousand turn up at once [well normally about 850 buses at once, sorry for the exaggeration] – I have never been busier as a gamer then I am now.
Today’s Gamer has evolved and we are having to tackle several games at one, which in many ways matches the evolved consoles. Gone are the times of one-at-a-time gaming and it has become the smorgasbord of consumption to keep up with the rate of releases, and I like it. I can stand tall amongst the Lady Populated Scene and quietly announce, whilst being enthused that I have found an area in which I can – yes you’ve guessed it – Multi Task!
With that final thought in mind I would like to leave this on a high. Gaming, now more than ever, has become a way of life with us all seeking out thrills and trophies in a variable manner. Now where is my copy of Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm – I fancy a trip down Memory Lane…