Why?

Now there is no more hope. I stumbled on some 1,5 months old preview of Fallout 3 on IGN.com and have officially fallen into despair. Why? Here's why:

"In fact, Fallout 3 is very much Oblivion in a post-apocalyptic world. So if you didn't like that game, or the series for that matter, then ignore everything I've said thus far and go read something else. If, however, you spent 200+ hours in Cyrodiil like I did, or just love western-style RPGs, then you should keep going -- because your next big adventure is just over the next hill."

I guess then that you should go back to your beloved Cyrodiil and spend the next 200+ years of your life playing hide 'n go-fuck-yourself. And then die.

I'm still buying it though.

Performance gaming

Achievements have ruined me and my gaming.

Two of my favourite XO games at the moment, GTA IV and Burnout Paradise, are something they call "free roaming" games. So I supposedly should enjoy all kinds of random tomfoolery without having the pressure of earning points or completing any kinds of goals.

Yes, supposedly.

So how is it that I've spent the last three days in activities such as walking around Liberty city with a pigeon map in the one hand and a 30 hour timer in the other? I know I'd strongly prefer to blow up hot dog stands, drive drunk with a motorcycle or shoot civilians with a police helicopter. Wearing a suit, of course. All these would be etertaining activities, like we all know. But immediately when I realize that my gamerscore isn't going up, I quit all the fun activities. I become a performer, I get serious, I stop playing and start WORKING. Wasn't gaming supposed to be against all that? Is this why I bought an XO? To WORK all day and night?

In the end the question is, am I playing these games less for personal pleasure and more for some kind of social pressure? Recently, I've become more and more closer to the last option. It's not really about the points. It's about proving your worth to rise up from the mass of nerds and ascend to the elite of gaming.
I was also playing Fight night round 3 just an hour ago. I have two achievements to get and it might be the only reason I'm still playing it in single player mode. It still is the ultimate white-knuckle, stiff-upper-lip multiplayer beatdown ever, but because I'm still not over nine thousand (hardy fuckin' har) in my general GS, I need to keep on shaving off achievements from games like this. I'm screwed.

Of Animal Crossing And The Sorts

You're trying to come up with stuff to do to kill time in Animal Crossing: Wild World. That's when you snap back to your senses. You're like: If I'm bored out of my mind with this game, why can't I play something more inspiring? And I'm like: That's what's up, son.

I've been using AC:WW to fill in the blank moments between more meaningful activities. These kind of games are good for that purpose - like smoking a cigarette in a public place just to keep your hands from groping random females. But when you try to actually give the game some time, you see the pointlessness of it all. There's nothing to keep you playing, just mundane tasks one after another crammed into a charming package. You can make this realization with every game that falls under this curse: Harvest Moon, Oblivion, World of Warcraft...

Just recently I completed Kirby Super Star (again) and had another moment of clarity. This is why we play games. Not to collect butterflys and catch little fishies to grind your wallet up the ass, but to stop the destruction of your home planet by slaughtering the evil giant warlock that manipulated the sun and the moon to clash in a hellish battle that would've ultimately ended in the fiery death of the entire star system. And you get to be a fuckin' ninja.

Bacon and Oppression

Greetings. We bid you welcome.

I think I should now tell you what this new blog is all about. I could say it will be a mixed bag of games, movies, comics and music related writings. And in a way that's true. But that doesn't really tell us the whole story.

First of all, there are two writers. For an unknown reason, we both think there is a reason for all this. For some reason we think there is a need for a website like this. What kind of a website you ask? Well let me tell you.

This is a window to the lives of two fine young warriors. We will become heroes to many, enemies to others. We will inspire you, we will excite you. We will show you a better way. Simply put, we rock, you suck, and if you think that someday you are going to stop sucking, the first step to deliverance is the subscription to this blog.

Ok, now that my mouth stopped foaming, I still have time to get it all straight: If you want to experience the gaming blog equivalent of molten steel ejaculations, then start subscribing. You might even learn something.

If not, you can always go back to stroke your genitals with your copy of Final Fantasy VII. Skies of Arcadia will also do.

-Bacon and Oppression