Serial Gaming: Fighting Games

This article can also be found on One Hit Pixel, here.

I’ve loved fighting games for a long time. I’ve never been great at them – most of the time I’m not even good at them – but they bring about such excitement and tension. The kind of hollering at the screen you can only manage when it’s about a toe-to-toe duel with larger than life attacks. I’m an ardent pacifist in real life, but in King of Fighters, I’ll stain my hands with your blood.

That said, until very recently, I didn’t quite appreciate how games within the genre have such important differences. At the moment I’m playing Persona 4 Arena, Skullgirls, and Tekken Tag Tournament 2; but I admit that I approach them all mentally in a rather similar fashion.

At their core, all fighting games (the good ones, anyway) follow some basic tenets: movement and spacing, the attack/block/throw strategic triangle, and even how the HUD should look. The other differences feel aesthetic, maybe even inconsequential.

Then I discovered Salty Bet.


13:1 odds for Chun-Li
For the uninitiated, Salty Bet is a perpetually running stream of MUGEN, an open-source fighting game engine where users can create characters. Fighters from the history of the genre, popular or obscure, have been rendered in the engine, along with bizarre and imbalanced custom creations.

Characters are selected out of a roster of hundreds, and fight it out while controlled by AI. Viewers gamble on the results with play money, with the payouts depending on which way people have voted.
It’s a rather dystopian form of entertainment, but it very quickly becomes inexplicably compelling to watch. For fighting game enthusiasts, it’s a nostalgic mash-up of favourite characters, obscure series, and bizarre custom creations.

I witnessed a rather tense match between Clark Steel from King of Fighters (A burly military man with a penchant for wrestling) against Robo-Ky from Guilty Gear (A surprisingly sassy robot filled with missiles).

The ground-based combo heavy system of King of Fighters was an odd match against the high-speed aerial manoeuvres of Guilty Gear. It was a tense match, and not just because I went all-in on Robo-Ky. Sadly though, Clark won out.

When universes collide
In the same way that taking the Blue Falcon for a spin around Mario Circuit sounds like a fun idea, but logistically silly – Salty Bet makes it clear that the minutiae that sets games in a genre apart are differences worth respecting.

The problem is, crossovers between series are the dreams of obsessive neckbeards the world over. In the same way that superhero comic fans lust for a fight between say, Captain America and Superman, fighting game fans can’t turn down a fight between Ryu and Kyo Kusanagi.

Official crossovers of that nature do indeed exist, with Capcom vs SNK 2 and Street Fighter x Tekken being the most famous examples. However, in both games, the attempt to bring disparate fighting systems together was a tricky process.

CvS2 actually takes about 8 different fighting game series from the two publishers, and takes at least one mechanic from them all! A ‘groove’ type you select at the start of each battle determines what gameplay style you use. It was a good game (and the game where I first tried to learn how to play instead of just mashing buttons), but the complexity resulted in matches playing out similar to those bizarre 3D chess sets while simultaneously trying to land an aeroplane. That’s caught fire.

SFxT went a slightly different route to blend its host series. Making a 3D fighting (and largely projectile-free) system like Tekken work in a Street Fighter format is an obvious conundrum, but mostly the game uses entirely original mechanics, including the ‘Pandora Mode’ desperation move and the infamous Gem System. The resulting experience felt gimmicky and awkward. While the Gems provided handicaps for less skilled players, their use didn’t help said players understand the quirks of the game any better.

The Birth of New Series
Because CvS2 is so inaccessible, and SFxT was largely a hot mess, it’s difficult to call those crossover games a total success – but experiments like those titles have definitely formed the latest generation of fighting games.

Since we’re no longer in an era where Street Fighter is the genre baseline, new fighting games don’t need to intentionally come up with new mechanics to set themselves apart – we have a complex library of games systems, ripe for remixing into something new.

Skullgirls, which has recently become available on Steam, is a prime example. Although it doesn’t look like it on the surface, the game is packed to the brim with bits and pieces from other fighter series the developers had close to their hearts.

However, because it’s not overtly trying to mash different games together, the experience as a whole is very unified and smooth. It’s been described as the missing link between Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Guilty Gear, and I can definitely feel that when I play.

Yatagarasu is another indie fighter that only very recently completed a crowdsourced fundraiser to become a more robust, multi-platform release. Its lead developer was heavily involved with the development of several King of Fighters titles, but it aims to be something far beyond that. Most notably, it features an easy-to-use parry system (which most famously showed up in Street Fighter III) for some very technical battles.

As a final, kind of silly example, did you know that there’s a League of Legends fighting game in development? It’s fan made, but it’s been given the all-clear by Riot. Because they want it to be accessible to players who aren’t used the execution requirements of fighting games, they’re actually taking cues from Super Smash Bros. for how special moves work. I wait for more information about it with apprehensive curiosity.

Review: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

This review can also be found on One Hit Pixel, here.

I had fallen out of love with action RPGs. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance played well, but is obsessed with its own terrible plot, and the less said about what I think of Dark Souls, the better. It was a genre that didn’t feel fun any more; then I played Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. It managed to do something I hadn’t seen in the genre for a few years – not take itself seriously, but remain in top form mechanically. If you’re a Monster Hunter veteran, you already know this – but this review isn’t so much for you (reinforcing your opinions aside). Those of you who are cautious newcomers, please read on.

Plot is very light; the tropical settlement of Moga Village has been ravaged by earthquakes and lightning-spewing leviathans. You, a Hunter, are tasked with showing such beasts the business, and reviving the community while you’re at it. As such, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is two games: A more fluid version of Phantasy Star 0 and a menu-based Harvest Moon. Both are compelling, but are even better combined.

As you set out to smack overgrown lizards silly, you’ll find that almost everything gives you items and resources; carved from your kills and foraged from the surroundings. Upon returning to base, you use those items to farm, fish, or best of all make new equipment.

Every weapon and armour piece is made from the skulls you’ve just caved in. It’s a kind of ridiculous joy to come back with a fresh corpse and see what you can turn it into. Giant butterfly-beetles? Now a sweet top hat. Armour-plated bear? Now some giant cymbals. The game is kind enough to give you the base versions of the 12 weapon types, and experimenting with them to find your favourite will push you to explore upgrade paths. The moment I found I could commit monster genocide using a huge metal bagpipe, I was sold.

That’s not to say the combat is easy. God, no. Each weapon type has its own quirks, generally in terms of attack ranges and animation length. Every move will leave you vulnerable in some way, and looking for openings and not committing to risky attacks is key to survival. Once you start fighting boss monsters, you’ll become an instant strategist, calculating but desperate. For those who can no longer get it up unless you’re putting bullet to brain-pan, there’s a set of ranged weapons (Bows and Light and Heavy Bowguns) that work in their own special way, along with armour sets that can only be worn by gunners.

However, despite the daunting nature of larger hunts, death is not swift, nor is it time-consuming. While success takes skill, early on it takes a few solid hits before your health starts getting low. This is a nice way to ease new players in – there’s a whole lot to learn, but the basics are fully explained and you’re given a lot of breathing room to figure things out. Blind and sudden failure is enjoyable only to masochists and those with too much free time.

The hunting locations are wonderfully diverse; forests, deserts, swamps, tundra, and implausibly safe volcanoes. Each comes with a pleasant musical sting upon entry, and then you’re left to the sounds of the wilderness – until you come across larger monsters, at which point satisfyingly tribal beats kick in. This sound design makes Moga Village’s non-stop jaunty tunes a touch grating.

Multiplayer is a major aspect of the experience. Some are happy to hunt on their lonesome (with AI buddies if need be), but after a while, repeating hunts to grind materials became less exciting when I could clear them consistently. However, with other people playing with you, nearly every mission becomes a thrill. Coordinating a hunt with each player taking on a different role (my Hunting Horn is great for this, the music the weapon type plays gives party-wide buffs) is incredibly satisfying.

A warning, though. The 3DS version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate only allows for local multiplayer. If you want online, the Wii U version is required. The games are cross-compatible – as are the save files – but if you don’t have other like-minded hunters near you, bear this in mind.

The Monster Hunter experience isn’t for everyone, as cult series tend to be. Some resent resource management. Some see repeating missions as grinding (and the main story goes quickly if you only play required missions). Some prefer a more forgiving combat system. And that’s entirely okay – the long-time Monster Hunter players will fondly remember the moment the game ‘clicked’ for them, but no one is going to blame you for being hesitant to roll with the die-hards.

As for me, outstripping any concerns over grinding and resources, I got to be a sartorial king. A skirt made from sea monsters, a top made from shrieking tropical birds, and a cello made from creepy crawlies. Fabulous.

Obscurity: I've finally Gotcha Force - A Mad Pursuit for Miniature Robots

This article is a Destructoid Blogger's Request, and can be found here.

The majority of my games purchases in the last 5 years have been second-hand games. Industry suffering be damned - I have a collector's obsession, and the pre-owned racks in GAME and Computer Exchange have been more than good to me. Last generation I was a Gamecube guy, and I didn't get a PS2 until way, way later (If I remember correctly, around the time Psychonauts was released). I was aware there was much of the PS2 library - mostly JRPGs - that I needed to track down and experience. However, now that era is over and done with, its worked out that the Gamecube games I missed have ended up being much much harder to track down.

One of the games on my list was Gotcha Force. A low-key release by Capcom, that mirrored elements of Custom Robo and Virtual On. The premise was the kind of thing you'd expect from a shounen animé - feisty preteen Kou encounters a action figure-sized robot from outer space called G-Red. G-Red is apparently a Gotcha Borg, who came to Earth to combat evil action figure aliens called the Death Force and --

Okay, so the story is incredibly stupid. But the review magazines at the time gave it solid praise, and I made a mental note to get myself a copy. Except, I never did. A mixture of being under 18 and overly-fretting about the Internet, I never considered the idea of purchasing a copy On-line; and Gotcha Force wasn't turning up in my local game stores. The only time it did, I had no money on me; a cruel joke that I'm sure I'm not the only person to experience.

Cut to maybe 4 years later. I have a Wii, the homebrew scene is booming, and I've been made aware of just how easy it is to pirate games on the Wii. It was tempting. An Internet friend had already got a Gamecube Backup Loader running, and I could hear him playing Gotcha Force in the background over Skype. The smug bastard. In the end, I ended up not following suit. Not because I couldn't get the Gamecube emulation to work, you understand, but because I have strict moral integrity and hate piracy. Yes.

Start making a lot of "pew pew pew" and "swoosh" noises out loud. That's Gotcha Force.

Then skip forward to... possibly last year. I was in a phase where I still thought media expos and conventions contained pleasant, conversational people with good hygiene and a shared hobby. Blissful ignorance. There was a stall selling old and rare video games. Gotcha Force was sitting there... for £30. Granted in this day and age, new games costing £30 would be a great deal; but compared to the overwhelming stacks of used PS2 games I had obtained over the years, precious few exceeding £15; my hand was hesitant to reach for my wallet. I passed it up, went home, and had the clarity of mind to check eBay. Turned out £30 was a steal. Upon patiently - and begrudgingly - waiting for the next MCM Media Expo, I found that they'd jacked up the price to £40. Goddamn.

At that point, I had largely resigned to the idea of buying a copy. I had enough unfinished titles in my backlog to keep me going into, like, my 30s. In time I was sure to forget about that silly robot-fighting game I so desperately wanted when I was 14.

Then, this summer arrived. As part of not dying of boredom between years of university, I went to visit a friend in Manchester. I'm a total urbanite, and Manchester sounded like a great city - a ton of dedicated nerd hangouts, and some great nightlife. He showed me Afflecks Arcade, this 5-floor building that was like Camden Market built vertically - a haphazard mash-up of vintage clothing store, gothic lolita and cosplay junk, record stores selling grunge and metal bands I'd never heard of. At the very top was The Retro Games Shop. Rows of glass cabinets of some very rare (and some very overpriced) games from NES to now. Glancing in one cabinet, I see Kingdom Hearts 2 being sold for £20, and I scoff. There's no way they can get away with selling old games for this much, even if they are rare! I move one case down and see it.

That's Afflecks on the left, Camden Market on the right.

Wedged in a stack along with other Gamecube games that time forgot (and sometimes with very good reason) - Gotcha Force. I blink and hesitate for a bit. I've found it again? It's sitting right there, but I resigned to never finding it ages ago. Do I still want it? Damn straight I do; but what's the price? I glance at the peeling yellow price tag. £30.

I have a momentary flashback to the expo, prepared to bail; but then I recall what the general going price is, and reach into my pocket for my wallet.

The game was in perfect condition with the manual; excellent. But after all of that searching, how does the game actually play?

Honestly, not half bad. The flow of the gameplay is incredibly basic - there's a battle every 3 minutes interspersed with some meaningless and poorly-written character babble, and the controls are simple enough for the 12 year olds it's aimed at to play without issues. However, there's some serious charm there; an essence that embodies all those shitty Saturday morning animé shows I watched as a kid - from Pokémon to Beyblade to Medabots (the latter of which I still unironically love, please don't judge me) - right down so some... very impressive voice acting.

This show is one of many reasons why I want an AI/Robot buddy. And why I'm sad I'll never have one.

The robots you fight with are all goofily Japanese and touch all the archetypes you'd expect (There's a whole robot type/class consisting of ninjas. Christ.), but they all play differently - even with the simple control scheme. There's a 'bot entirely dedicated to setting up neon-pink snare traps that root some poor sucker to an anchor point. Or anchor points. Which can be suspended in the air. Setting up a team of Borgs that work the strategy you want, but can still vary wildly between them appeals to me in the same way that Pokémon and trading card games do. It's a tried-and-tested mechanic, but it works, and I definitely find it captivating.

Was Gotcha Force worth my £30? Possibly not. That said, it hits my nostalgia in a way that no other games I've played recently has done. I know my 14 year old self would have loved this game to no end; and making my past-self proud has no price.

Now to see if I can ever find a copy of Amplitude. And Aggressive Inline. And Klonoa 2...

Games and Fan Participation

This article can also be found at the Yorker and PixelxCore.

 

Video games as a medium have an advantage other media very rarely get - fan participation. Every so often - and especially in the current age of gaming where developers are increasingly open about their game design processes - fans of a game series or a publishing company will be called upon to offer their voice. It's a smart move on paper - it means developers can cater even more exclusively to a target audience, and almost guarantee a base number of sales. But there are many circumstances where it all goes wrong...

 

For a great example of Fan Participation gone awfully wrong, look no further than Capcom's Megaman Legends 3 project. While the Legends series are some of the most low-key entries in Megaman's history, the previous PS1 games had a gigantic following. So when Capcom announced that a sequel would be part of the 3DS' download service, the hype was intense. The main hook was that development staff asking for input from fans every step of the way - from character design, to side quests and Easter eggs.

However, Capcom had behind-the-scenes difficulties, and everything went downhill. The demo for Megaman Legends 3 was nowhere to be seen when the 3DS eShop went live, and new information on the development process was becoming more and more sparse; until one day an announcement was made that the project had been scrapped entirely. The blow to the fans was twofold - not only were they excited for a long-awaited sequel, by this point they had become emotionally invested in its design process. Some fans felt that it was as much 'their' game as it was Capcom's. When Capcom refused to give a statement in regards to why the project got shut down, things got a little heated. Some of the public shrugged their shoulders and moved on; but others still insist on making their voice heard, and are still trying to appeal to Capcom; a number of which are suffering from what can only be described as Fan Entitlement.

I'm sure this occurs in fans of other media types also; but video game enthusiasts can get down right nasty when they feel like, as the end user, they know better than the companies supplying them with media to consume. Some of the punters, jaded by the closure of the Megaman Legends 3 project closure have decided that they're boycotting Capcom as a whole, resolving to not giving the company a single penny until they get the game release they deserve, dammit.

'Operation Rainfall' is a campaign built entirely around Fan Entitlement. As Nintendo's Wii U slowly approaches, the number of big-name titles for the Wii is starting to decline. Three Japanese RPG titles - The Last Story, Pandora's Tower, and Xenoblade - had no plans for a US release, and project leader Chris Ward was not standing for that. He arranged a mass-mail session, getting Nintendo fans to write letters to Nintendo of America (NoA), pressing them for release details on these titles. The project caused quite a stir, and prompted NoA to sent letters in reply to the participants, but there is still no sign of NoA releasing these games stateside.

From a UK point of view, foreign games being delayed or outright cancelled for an EU release is absolutely nothing new. Atlus, one of the biggest-name Japanese-to-English publishers has a long list of games that were translated and released in the US, but did not see a UK release. Nintendo have been surprisingly kind about EU releases in the last few years, titles Disaster: Day of Crisis and Another Code R are Wii titles with an EU release, but no US one. In fact, Xenoblade, one of Operation Rainfall's target games was announced an EU release as far back as May! Not getting an anticipated title is annoying, but ultimately the decision is down to a publisher's sales team.

Nintendo, Capcom, and other games publishers are businesses first and foremost, and have to make difficult choices in deciding which titles will sell well enough to make a profit in a region. If the answer points to "no", then that is unfortunately that. Operation Rainfall has a large amount of numbers (8,126 on their Facebook page at time of writing; though not a patch on the 40,901 for Megaman Legends 3), but that may not be enough for Nintendo's sales figures.

Operation Rainfall's popularity (though not its success) has sparked other parties to start up their own Fan Participation projects, including the similarly-named Operation Moonfall – a petition to get Nintendo to release the N64 title Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for 3DS.

Fan Participation can even affect advertising decisions. Recently, Bioware held a Facbook poll to decide the look for the protagonist of Mass Effect 3, Shepard. In the previous games, a male version of Shepard was used in the advertising and merchandise (The gender and looks of the protagonist is decided by the player), and Mass Effect 3 would be the first title to prominently feature the fairer sex foremost. There is some contention over the most popular choice being the blond haired, blue eyed option, when there were less common and ethic options present, but the attempt at inclusiveness at all is a step in the right direction.

Fan Participation is one of the best methods for companies to gauge the interest of consumers; and in situations where companies are doing something reprehensible, a fan voice can do wonders to put them on track. But it's a matter of trust – we trust in games companies and developers to not squander fan interest, and it's the responsibility of the fans to act like sensible adults and not whining children if we disagree with a decision.

My Favourite Setting

This was done as the Day 19 Entry to the VG Resource's 30 Days of Gaming.

I spend way too much time on the computer. It’s an undeniable fact, and a little sad. Yes, the advent of social networking, and the ability to deal with work via my computer makes my addiction look a little less suspect, but I can’t avoid just how anti-social it makes me look. So when there’s a game series that’s entirely based around absolutely everyone using computers and the internet as if their life depended on it, it’ll strike a chord with me. And that would be the MegaMan Battle Network series.


What’s more, in this imagining, the complete and entire devotion to the Computer doesn’t result in a dystopian, Neuromancer-esque vibe. This is MegaMan we’re talking about here; a series typically dealing with grisly robot destruction with smiley faces and bright colours. According to Capcom, the future is a bright one, where hooking everything up to the internet seems like a perfectly sensible idea; from your washing machine to trees. It sounds foolish, but having your fridge notify you when it needs cleaning, or your garden twittering about the health of your flowers has useful applications.

And then there’s how they deal with A.I. In a concept shift that’s been somewhat divisive for Mega fans, MegaMan isn’t a Super Fighting Robot, but instead a computer program. For some, it feels like a bit of a jump to go from the concept of death-dealing android to a desktop buddy, but even the classic Mega Man started out as a cleaning assistant for Dr. Light. MegaMan.exe and his operator, Lan are tasked with deleting viruses and other malicious Network Navigators (Netnavis), which becomes a gargantuan task when you realise that with almost everything Online, a virus or hacker could cause major problems. In-game this is taken to some rather silly extremes, like the occurrence of rainstorms and earthquakes being computer-generated, but in a more realistic context, a hacker having a degree of social control is very real. The public response to Sony’s Playstation Network servers being hacked was impressive, and has made people think hard about the consequences of having so much of themselves accessible over the Internet.

But just think for a moment – what if Netnavis were thrown into the equation? We would all have a more overt level of protection; smarter and more adaptive than your regular anti-virus. By being a personality more than a tool, we would pay more attention to the safety and maintenance of our data. Tech-savvy members of the family would breathe a sigh of the relief when they’re no longer called on for trivial computer issues. With a few minutes of setup and explanation, grandma could be deleting viruses and surfing the Internet with the best of them, maybe even better than you.

Though, what I like most of all about this setting (and it embarrasses me a little to say this), having a digital friend to call your own is incredibly charming. While obviously not a substitute for a flesh-and-blood human, no one need ever feel alone as long as they had their Personal Terminal to hand. Think of the practical applications for therapy and social conditioning. Give up smoking! Have a (non-corporeal) shoulder to cry on! Never forget another deadline or birthday again!

While the Battle Network series does have its ridiculous moments, treating science as a magical phenomenon has its charm. I’m slack-jawed at how a virus can make an oven start spitting fire, or why a meteorology team would build a facility 30,000 feet in the air, powered by rockets (with no hand rails!), and then I also see how everyone’s quality of life has been improved by better and smarter computers; how their internet community is more polite and unified; how the digital age has been whole-heartedly accepted as a progression for society, and my heart is warmed.

So Now, You're a Crossing Gate: Ghost Trick

When video games as a general rule have the player character avoiding death (or inflicting it); it's an unusual thing when a game starts with the Player Character dead from the get-go. You play as Sissel, a reawakened amnesiac spirit in a junkyard accompanied by only a red-suited corpse, a female detective with a bizarre hairdo, and a blue-skinned assassin in a suit, hefting a large golden shotgun. The detective seems to know something about how and why you died, but meets an untimely death. Fortunately you gain the power of the 'Ghost Trick'; the ability to possess and manipulate small objects, and the ability to rewind time to the 4 minutes before someone else's death. If you can save the detective, maybe you'll get some clues about your past...

 

Ghost Trick was directed by Shu Takumi, the same director behind the Ace Attorney series, and by God that legacy shines through in this work. That series was packed to the brim with over-the-top memorable characters, great storytelling, and an episodic feel that made it easy to pick-up and play. These design philosophies have been expertly transported into Ghost Trick; Sissel's musings are sarcastic and likeable, Detective Lynne is still worth rescuing every time she meets her end (even after the gunman in the junkyard, she has troubles staying alive), and storyline chapters are just the right length for you to finish one on the train, or before you go to bed.

However, the Ace Attorney series has stagnated over time. The initial three DS releases are actually re-released Japanese-only Game Boy Advance games - and replaying them now, the age shows a little. The more recent games rely mostly on the success of - and cameos from - the previous instalments; and while I am pretty damn excited for Ace Attorney Investigations 2, it won't offer anything in the way of a fresh experience. Ghost Trick is that breath of fresh air, both in terms of how it looks and how it plays.

Game play reminds me of a Rube Goldberg Machine. When rewinding someone's death, you have to manipulate items scattered around the room to alter the path of those in peril. A victim can't hear the assassin approaching due her headphones? Knock them into the nearby fish tank. Large wrecking ball suspended by a fragile clamp? Get the clamp to open, and watch havoc unfold. If you spend too long, or accidentally put the victim in even more danger, you can go back to the start of the 4 minutes at any time, with no penalty. The puzzles are logical and encourage you to tinker around with the pieces for happy successes, and the occasional hilarious failure.

The style of the game is also extremely noteworthy. Where Ace Attorney mostly used mugshots and still images to tell its story, Ghost Trick is an animated wonder. Stylised 3D models waltz across the 2D set with a whole lot of energy and flair. For character Detective Cabanela, just walking downstairs or answering the phone can be turned into a performance. The design of the locations has the gritty Film Noir aesthetic, but rendered in bold colours and anachronistic technology. The same goes for the funky soundtrack - mysterious grooves with an electronic flair.

The story is a gripping one, but it's filled with so many twists, I'd feel bad for sharing it and spoiling the experience. The ending is open enough to have a sequel if Capcom wants more money; and in a way they're fully justified. Ghost Trick is a total gem of a game, and is one of the best Story-Driven puzzlers on the DS to date. And that's no Trick.

A demo of Ghost Trick can be played for free online here! Awesome!

 This article has been hosted on The Yorker, and can be found here.

Article Catchup: York Vision Issue 205

Now that I'd managed to get an entire page published on my own, it was time to step up my game. Issue 204 looked good (at least to me), but there were flaws. Although the page looked good on the screen, a lot of the images came out blurry and at a low resolution. The circuit board background was light enough to have the text above it readable, but it could still have done with tweaking.

I took these flaws on board, and corrected them with Issue 205. As a result, this one is probably my favourite in terms of layout. With the old format established by the previous Editor kicked to the curb, I was free to go for column articles, and features of varying lengths. The banner and background adapted to a different colour completely flawlessly. Changing the colours cheme was as easy as cake, and made the page look brand new each time.

This issue was to feature a guest writer, and has since been the only issue to do so. His original request was to do a review (Bioshock 2) which would have been an incredible help; I didn't have easy access to an Xbox 360 or a PS3 at the time, so he could appeal to an audience I could not. However, it turned out that he canceled on this idea at the last moment, and instead submitted AtmosFEAR. The article was fine (if wordy); but it left me in a hard-pressed position to come up with a review.

Therefore, the Ace Attourney Investigations review didn't arrive in best condition, and actually made print with a few bad typos still intact. It was all horribly embrassing.

The Co-Op gaming article was much better. The 5 games were thought up between me and the (mostly) lovely members of The Spriters Resource Community. Playing with a friend is quite possibly the greatest joy in gaming for me, and this article reflected that.