Thoughts on Video Games, PewDiePie, the Assassin's Creed Movie and More

Welcome to the Weekend!

While I continue working on getting a video channel up and running to go along with the podcast, I figured I would sit down on Fridays and give a few of my thoughts as they relate to some of the news from the week in video games. In the near future, I will be following a more stringent schedule to bring written, audio and visual content on a more regular basis. As of right now (and while I power....or whimper....through a thumb injury which has taken my ability to play for a short time), I have a little bit of time to work on the writing aspect of the site.

So here are some of my thoughts on the week:

Destiny 2 Hype

It straight up kills me that:

1) My thumb is stitched up and I am not allowed to move it, limiting my gameplay to basically nothing.

2) I don't own Destiny 2 yet.

3) Even if I did own Destiny 2, I'd completely suck at it.

The game looks fun. That community is strong. However, I get the feeling that, unlike with games like Overwatch and Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare, if you're not good at it, you're toast and it wouldn't be as fun.

But, man, does it look good. And that's while I'll rent it when my thumb is healed. Stupid thumb.

iOS 11 Kills Flappy Bird

As you may have seen, Apple is updating their operating systems for iPhones, iPads and other iThings. The new OS will only run as a 64-bit system, killing any apps that only run at 32-bit unless the publisher updates. Dong Nguyen, creator of Flappy Bird, has indicated that he is done with the program and, as such, it will meet its demise to the dismay of thousands.

I never played the game but firmly believe it will always have its place in gaming lore as the game who mastered simplicity in the same vein Tetris did for the NES and GameBoy systems.

For an excellent history lesson on the game, check out this piece from Mashable's Christina Warren.

Time for PewDiePie to Go Away

Jackass.

Seriously. Just leave.


I don't necessarily have a problem with PewDiePie or what he does. I have a problem with what he says and how it relates to his audience. Many of us older gamers aren't necessarily into video content as much but our kids most certainly are.

All content creators have an obligation to know who their audience is and a responsibility to act accordingly. My kid views YouTubers like PewDiePie and Tommy999 in the same way I viewed Mario Lemieux, Michael Jordan or Harrison Ford when I was his age. Dropping n-words or being a generally despicable person and calling it "comedy" is not something they would ever do in the public eye.

Defending him is worse.

So go away, PewDiePie. Give yourself a timeout. Even if just for a while.

Obsidian Entertainment Would Like to Make Another Fallout Title

Yes, please.

The Assassin's Creed Movie Isn't That Bad

Last December's Assassin's Creed movie - based on UbiSoft's popular parkour/history/murder franchise - largely got panned by ..... well ..... everybody so I never made an effort to go see it. That changed this week when I rented it for an evening to see just how bad it really was.

The wife wants to dress up as Maria
for Halloween now? That's odd. 

Maybe my opinion is a result of me fitting comfortably between super-fan and completely clueless as far as Creed lore goes, but it wasn't bad at all. Particularly so when considering it against "video game movie standards." I certainly don't agree with RottenTomato's 18% Certified Rotten score or their description calling the film "a joylessly overplotted slog." Neither did my wife, whose appreciation for video games is virtually non-existent and went into the movie with a "bite the bullet only because he's my husband" enthusiasm but confessed to enjoy the movie.

It presented its own story reflective of many of the themes found in the entries that I've played. And I appreciated both the fact that it did. Sure, the movie could have been better but so what. It's an entertaining film as long as you're willing to ease up on comparing it to what you would have expected with hypothetical unlimited budgets, time and technological prowess.

Satoru Iwata Lives on in the Switch

Raise your hand if you still do ball flight
sound effects from Golf.

This week, data miners hacked into the Nintendo Switch and made a pretty awesome discovery. Buried deep within the coding is an unlockable emulator, named Flog, that is only accessible if the console believes it is July 11th, the date of Iwata's 2015 death. Once activated (there is more to unlocking it than just the date), users of the console will be able to play Golf, an NES title programmed by Iwata himself.

Despite their supply chain issues, Nintendo does a lot of things right by gamers. This, to me, takes the cake. Iwata is a legend and his death was a loss to the entire gaming community. For them to immortalize him in this way is an incredible gesture to all involved in the industry.

California Gamin'

That's going to be it for today but I'll be getting some retro gaming in this weekend, despite my thumb injury, with California Games for the NES. It'll be retro in a gaming sense and in a personal injury sense which I'll explain when I get that video up.

Have a great weekend.