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As of my freshman year, I will be posting content centered around a certain topic. You can expect my blog posts to feature well-written sentences.
Brady Bryan
Super Mario, the most popular video game franchise in the history of the world, let alone gaming has recently released another iteration of its beloved Mario Kart franchise: Mario Kart Tour. Garnering hype up to its release, this game may very well become the next mobile craze that Pokemon Go once was. The app is available to both iPhone and Android users for free (a given, if you ask me). The game is locked to a vertical aspect, which sucks because the original games are played in a horizontal aspect. The vertical aspect lock is nonsensical and hinders performance potential. Despite that, the game retains the same bright-colored, cartoony look that fans of the Mario Kart series are familiar with, most closely resembling Mario Kart 7 graphics. The exact replicas of the courses from the main Kart games with the addition of a few original courses add a sense of nostalgia which is always welcome. The old courses even retain their music from their original games which overcame me with memories of when I played Mario Kart Wii seven years ago. While others take issue with the controls, the controls are simple, yet effective. The blame probably comes from the stupid disorienting vertical aspect lock. Since the speed stays the same, the skill ceiling for this game feels capped beyond swiping left and right. Since the way to play feels so limited, I just can't seem to play the game past fifteen minutes or unless I'm procrastinating because of its simplicity. I suppose its easy controls make it easier for younger kids to pick and play the game, which is the target demographic (at least, that's the audience it appeals to the most). In conclusion, Mario Kart Tour, with its easy controls and inherent competitive nature may just become the new Pokemon Go craze with friends wanting to race you all the time. Good times with friends are imminent with this pocket Mario Kart, which is why I give this game 4/5 stars. Recap:
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Brady Bryan
Up until recent years, DLC has always been treated as additional content to a game that simply provides the player with an alternate experience that would not have normally happened in accordance to game being played. It was more of a means to expand upon the features of a game with numerous events and missions that can often provide the player with better skills, items, or weapons, giving them the upper edge when it comes to facing off against other players. However, DLC nowadays either give the player skills that make the player far too overpowered than the should, or included content that should have been in the base game upon release. Regarding the statement that DLC "breaks the game" by adding skills or items that give the user the upper edge, most online multiplayer PvP (player vs player) games recently are extremely guilty of this. For those who are unable to purchase the DLC (which is arguably more expensive than it should be), playing against others is a nightmare as they can defeat you nine times out of ten. This is also known as making the metagame "unbalanced" as the game is no longer fair. One game criminally guilty of this is Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. If one were to click on any video to learn about what the best skills are in the game, to their dismay they would quickly discover that most, if not all of the skills discussed are DLC. When I first played the game, I was appalled to discover that the game was borderline unwinnable, let alone unplayable without certain DLC skills. However, as numerous patches to the game were released, the developers adjusted the skills to be less powerful and adjusted the base game skills to be more effective, thus bringing back some sense of balance to the game. Unfortunately, this is a rare occurrence among game developers as they will either do a halfhearted job at balancing skills where they cause the initially overpowered move to become exceptionally ineffective and nonviable, or they simply do not adjust the move. As for DLC that should have been in the base game, there are too many modern examples of games that do this, and it is blatant that the developers did this to earn a quick buck. Certain games of a franchise will choose to add a character that was integral to the plot as one of the arcs of the franchise's plot revolved solely around them as DLC. An example of this can be found in Jump Force, a 3d anime arena brawler. Recently, the creators announced that Madara Uchiha, the main antagonist of Naruto, would be arriving in December as DLC, which angered fans. The players argued that he should have been in the main game all things considered, and claimed that he was replaced by an obscure antagonist instead. They were quick to claim that this was a cash-grab, further deterring its player base from playing the game. DLC used to be more event-focused, and rewarded those who purchased it with interesting skills and equipment that made the transaction worth it. However, the times have changed, along with business decisions in which the interests of the players were once important to the developers. Clearly the integrity of the players have been substituted with stealing money from the pockets of gullible children due to their ease of financial exploitation. Recap:
Brady Bryan
As digital entertainment becomes more and more popular through movies, TV shows, video streaming, and social media, the populous becomes increasingly attached to them due to their ease of access and mainstream appeal. Through these mediums, the consumer forms a bond to their devices as it provides them with the content that appeals to their demographic, whether it be comical, somber, informative, or horrifying. As such, the consumer will openly share their love of a certain digital medium with others, praising it as the best form of current content, more often than not, leading into a debate with others that feel differently. However, as of recently, the one form of digital entertainment that is receiving the most hate from enthusiasts of other digital mediums are video games. Ever since its creation, controversy has always plagued video games due to over-exaggeration and irrational claims that could easily be applied to other forms of media, digital or physical. Such misconceptions cause consumers to inaccurately depict games as a bacteria that rots the brain, insinuates thoughts of violence, and destroys one's social life. When considering such bold accusations, one must also wonder if such claims apply to their own preferred form of media. It is common knowledge that preforming any task repeatedly without taking any breaks is detrimental to all three aspects of one's life. Therefore, not only does that same logic apply to video games, but to movies, TV shows, video streaming, and social media. On the contrary, an argument that the average consumer (particularly the younger generation) spends more time on social media than playing video game can be made as social media can be accessed from anytime, anywhere whereas most games are limited to remaining stationary, as well as consoles being too large to fit in one's pocket for convenience. The same claim about being the source of violence and hindering one's social skills can be applied to other forms of media as well. Video games offer the same, if not, more experiences than other forms of media due to its flexibility and ability to incorporate several emotional appeals into one cohesive narrative. Comedy, horror, heartbreak, action, and psychology can all be found in one single game. So to those who immediately criticize and condemn video games: When being critical about a form of media, be sure to hold the same set of standards to a preferred form of media. Recap:
Brady Bryan
The history of games date back way before the common era. Different cultures around the world invented their own games for entertainment purposes, as well as to teach life lessons such as India's Moksha Patam which not only was used to teach about Hindu philosophy, but was also the origin of modern-day snakes and ladders. Since games weren't just played by kids, but were also played by adults, people of every social role had the experience. As one could probably imagine, games had their place in the military when it came to planning strategies. Therefore, as an ancient Roman solider, playing certain games for my military benefit (especially with the games at our disposal nowadays) would increase my performance, adaptability, and free-thinking. Such games I would play include For Honor, League of Legends, Battleship, Calculi, and Latrunculi. League of Legends is a game where communication definitively determines victory for either side, which is ideal in a war setting where orders are given based on the situation. For Honor is another beneficial game as some of the playable characters are Roman such as the Gladiator and Centurion. While their attacks may not be as accurate as they are to their real-life counterpart, it would serve as basic, entry-level knowledge as to how to utilize each weapon properly. Battleship, Calculi, and Latrunculi (both of which are similar to checkers and chess) are games where the player(s) formulate a plan before even playing the game: that's how tactical the games are. In these games, the player has to predict the opponents next moves, as well as consider how current actions will impact future actions. War is not just a game of strength and attrition, but is psychological, and that idea is accurately expressed in those three games. Simulations are the best way to prepare oneself for the real event, and games (especially nowadays) do an excellent job of that through developing games to be as realistic as possible via graphics and sound quality. However, in terms of benefiting an ancient soldier, one should prioritize games that emphasize strategy and psychology. Recap:
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AuthorBrady Bryan is quite familiar with blogs since he had to frequently post on his blog in 6th grade. Although its been a long time since then, he still knows what a proper blog should look like. Archives
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