Adventuring Through Sexuality Part 1: Excitement

Sexuality, i.e. the depiction of sex, nudity and sexual themes, has long been a hot topic when it comes to videogames.  I'm going to take a look at the past, the present, and the future of sexuality in video games in this three-part series of articles.

Leisure Suit Larry box art (Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leisure_Suit_Larry_Collection_Series.jpg)

Leisure Suit Larry, released in 1987, is one of the earliest, and arguably the most famous, examples of a video game that featured sexual innuendo and sexual humour, albeit no actual sex.  It was very much a heterocentric game (nothing wrong with it), and featured detailed portraits of the various attractive women that Larry met, who often had their boobs prominently displayed.  It clearly didn't try to portray sex in any meaningful or explicit way, and instead treated the topic with (often adolescent) humour.  The game was subject to a fair amount of controversy upon its release, with much clutching of pearls from the media and religious "watchdogs" alike.  It wasn't a particularly special game, either in terms of mechanics or visuals, but its content was still fairly novel (if slightly greasy and creepy at times).

Screenshot from Dōkyūsei (The Visual Novel Database, https://s.vndb.org/st/79/17179.jpg)

The depiction of sexual content and sexuality took a leap forward in 1992, with the release of Dōkyūsei in 1992, which was one of the first, if not the first, "dating sims". As the genre name implies, the game revolves around learning where various girls will be in a town, and then choosing which virtual girl(s) you want to date. This is one of the games that arguably may have contributed to many straight/bi male gamers viewing women as rewards for doing well, or objectives to be reached.

Publishers such as SEGA had already implemented their own (voluntary) ratings systems prior to this, but due to the threat of federal regulations regarding the growing number of sexually-themed games and games containing sexual content, a group of publishers, including Acclaim Entertainment and Electronic Arts, formed a political trade group called the Interactive Digital Software Associaton in 1994. Things reached a boiling point later that year, with the formation of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), which was partially in response to the growing number of games that contained sexual content. The ESRB's ratings system is fundamentally flawed, as it puts the depiction of sex and nudity on the same level as that of violence and swearing, when, in fact, sex should not even be a factor in a game's age rating, unless rape, molestation, pedophilia, bestiality, and other harmful sexual activities are depicted. But that is a topic I will delve into later in this series of articles. Please look forward to these installments, and feel free to leave your comments on this topic.

Adventuring Through Consent With Hurt Me Plenty

There aren't many games brave enough to explore the issue of consent and rough-play, especially with partial nudity and sexual overtones involved.  Hurt Me Plenty is one of those games.

The game started me off by shaking the hand of a man with my mouse as a means of introduction.  It used the speed and frequency of my virtual handshake as factors in determining how hard I was allowed to spank this virtual guy's buttocks, as well as giving me a randomly-generated safeword which the guy would use when he'd had enough.

Once those things were out of the way, the actual action began.  I was required to spank by moving the mouse up and down.  Unfortunately, I did so rather too vigorously and ended up causing the guy to cry out in pain and shout the safeword multiple times.  Once the action halted, I felt strangely guilty because of how downcast and resentful this virtual being seemed, and the accusatory language he used whilst discussing what I put him through.  It really resonated with my prior life experiences regarding consent and consideration for others.  Consent is one of the most important factors in relationships and emotional and physical interactions with others, and it's great to see a video-game tackle the subject, even if it's in a rather surreal and perhaps clumsy way.  It may not have a set narrative per se, but it forms a convincing, if fairly succinct, narrative between the game, the player, and the guy who gets spanked, depending on the player's actions.

Hurt Me Plenty can be downloaded (for free, or for a donation of your choice) at its page on itch.io.

Five Awesome Story-Rich JRPGs

There is an almost overwhelming abundance of JRPGs with great narratives out there, but I'm going to list off five really memorable/worthwhile ones (in no particular order):

The Legend of Heroes:  Trails in the Sky



A modern classic, with cheerful, jazzy music, and a narrative that burns slowly at the start, but soon builds up the tension and drama.  It also has enough difficulty options (e.g. retry offset) for players of all skill levels.  Buy it from GOG.com

Shin Megami Tensei IV



A dark, somewhat brutal game, but with a fascinating, choice driven narrative of Law, Chaos and Neutrality, set against a post-apocalyptic background, and buttressed with addictive demon negotiation and fusion mechanics.  Buy it from the Nintendo eShop

Final Fantasy X



A somewhat divisive installment in the Final Fantasy series, perhaps, due to its linearity and occasionally cringeworthy acting, but still a very worthwhile JRPG experience, with a deep Sphere Grid system for character customisation, and an engaging narrative centred around faith, doubt, and duty.  Get it from the PlayStation Store (Note:  US PlayStation Store link provided)

Persona 3 Portable



A slightly stripped down, but still very worthwhile, PSP port of Persona 3, with refined game mechanics and the option of playing as a female main character, which opens up new Social Links.  A narrative themed around facing death and making the most of life is enhanced by compelling characters and a sense of urgency.  This article goes into the game's narrative a bit further.  Buy it from the PlayStation Store

Costume Quest



Technically not a JRPG in terms of its origins, but certainly in terms of its battle mechanics and overworld.  Cute and charming as all getout (how can you not love those costumes?), and doesn't take itself seriously at all.  Plus, collecting all the Creepy Treats cards is a rabbit hole into addiction.  Buy it from GOG.com

Feel free to comment below - give your thoughts on my choices, or even your picks for great JRPGs.

Five Great Modern Adventure Games on GOG.com

The adventure genre has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the past few years, even if the adventure games of today are quite different compared to those from the '80s and '90s. Here are five titles that are especially great for people new to the adventure genre.

To The Moon

It's a short, sweet indie adventure with a narrative and beautiful music that will likely have you reaching for tissues to wipe away salty tears.

To The Moon on GOG.com

Broken Sword 5 -  The Serpent's Curse

This entry in the Broken Sword series is a return to form, in terms of the 2D graphical style and the series' humour and characterisation.

Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse on GOG.com

The Walking Dead:  Season One

This is a streamlined take on the adventure genre, and is based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic series.  Plenty of tense situations, tough choices and heart-wrenching moments to be had.

The Walking Dead: Season One on GOG.com

The Wolf Among Us

Another adventure with Telltale's signature gameplay (i.e. lots of Quick-Time Events and the occasional impactful choice).  It's a well-written, engrossing prequel to the Fable comics.

The Wolf Among Us on GOG.com

Gone Home

This title's lack of overblown action sequences and direct character interaction have led many to deride it as a walking simulator.  However, I enjoyed the way it let me discover the story based around love and family at my own pace.

Gone Home on GOG.com

Adventuring Through Friendship

As I type this, my hands shake with barely restrained emotion, and my heart aches with bittersweet memories.

The memories of my friend and I are one of strongest sources of joy and strength for me. Allow me to recount a few...

I remember watching him play DOTA, and later DOTA 2, with curiosity, even though I never really got into it myself. I enjoyed learning about the terminology and techniques through him, and celebrating his victories with him.

I remember him and my other friends ribbing me about my taste in games. However, it can't be said that I never ribbed them in return. ;)

I remember hopping onto the hype train with him about various upcoming titles (especially from the Fallout series!). He even got me hyped for titles that I might never have given a second thought, e.g. Don't Starve.

I remember sitting with him, watching a game being streamed, but not really focusing on it because I was focused on how thin and weak he seemed.

I remember playing through some of The Walking Dead Season 1 for him because he struggled to play it himself with the cancer ravaging his body...

I remember, after his passing, missing him desperately, even as I still miss him and our many wild and wonderful discussions.

But most of all, I remember our friendship, from the start of the adventure to the end.

Sale at GOG.com

GOG.com has some promising titles on sale, including Trine 3 and Shadowrun:  Hong Kong.   Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun:  Dragonfall are both excellent, polished RPGs with tactical combat, and Shadowrun:  Hong Kong looks to improve on them in every respect.

You can check out the titles on sale here.

Walking A Mile In Another's Shoes

It is rare that I come across a game that actually encourages me to examine my own beliefs and principles, and challenges me with multiple perspectives on situations that I would probably never experience in real life.  Unrest is one such game.

From the start, I was put into the shoes of someone in a difficult situation - a peasant girl whose parents had arranged a marriage for her.  There were various ways of dealing with the expectations and attitudes of her parents, relatives and friends - violent, accepting, defiant or even sometimes light-hearted.  No single choice or approach was ever really pushed over the others, although violence carried more risks than the other approaches.

One thing that kept sticking out in certain dialogues and situations was the difficulty of deciding which approach or choice was the most appropriate.  Was it better to defiantly assert her individual rights and risk alienating her friends and/or family in the process?  Or was it wiser to simply accept her lot in life and sacrifice some of her individual freedoms and happiness?

Other characters, with equally challenging circumstances, were presented:  a priest working at a local temple in the city to feed his family, a Naga (snake-like mythical creature) diplomat sent to negotiate on behalf of their empire, a princess whose parents are murdered in a brutal coup, a mercenary working for the perpetrators of the coup.

Questions of faith, loyalty, economic status and racism/speciesism are raised.  The priest is faced with the challenge of whether to keep working at the temple even as uncomfortable questions regarding his superiors and their activities arise.  The Naga must deal with near-constant racism/speciesism and xenophobia directed at their species and empire.  The princess is forced to flee for her life and must decide how she will deal with the people who murdered her parents, as well as how to take back power.  The mercenary has to grapple with the knowledge of what he supported and what his employers have perpetrated in order to gain power.

There was no "perfect", neat, happy ending.  No triumphant fanfare or celebrations.  Only more uncertainty and unrest.

You can get Unrest from GOG.com here.

Screen Recording Suite Is Great For Recording Gameplay

Screen Recording Suite is a great program for recording PC gameplay.  It has a simple, clean interface and plenty of options for audio and video input and output, as well as things like screen resolution. http://www.screenrecord.net 

Dreamfall Chapters Book Three Playthrough

I've uploaded some snippets of Dreamfall Chapters Book Three footage.

Part 1:



Part 2:



 

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series – Review-in-Progress

Developer:  Telltale Games

Publisher:  Telltale Games

Platform:  Microsoft Windows

 

Introduction

You probably saw this game coming if you are a GoT and/or Telltale Games fan – an episodic fantasy adventure based on the bestselling books and TV adaptation, developed by one of the most well-known, and perhaps most popular, adventure game developers.  This review will cover all of the episodes released to date, and will be updated as new episodes are released.

Visuals

The characters and their animations are on par for a Telltale game, particularly Cersei and Tyrion, who are impeccably rendered and animated.  Sadly, the environments and backgrounds are somewhat marred by a sort of weird, blurry filter which makes it look as though you’re viewing them through a warped mirror.  The opening sequence is cleverly and slickly done.

Audio

The music is nothing particularly memorable, but is always thematically appropriate to the environments and on-screen events.  All of the voice acting is excellently done, especially that of Cersei, Tyrion and Margaery.

Plot

The game’s plot follows the path of House Forrester and their interactions with some of the major players in the Game of Thrones world.  It does a good job of providing the intrigue and shocking moments that Game of Thrones is known for, although choices made don’t always seem to result in any significant plot changes.  Some of the game’s original characters seem to mirror those in the show in and the books, perhaps too blatantly, e.g. Lady Elissa Forrester and Catelyn Stark.  This makes the game sometimes seem as though it is copycatting the show and book’s characters and plot, rather than attempting to present more unique character archetypes and plot developments.  The plot’s pacing does pick up by the time Episode 4 rolls around, though, and new insights on existing characters and events from the books and show reveal themselves through the course of the later episodes.

Gameplay

The gameplay and interface are pretty Telltale standard fare:  simple environmental interaction and dialogue sprinkled with Quick Time Events.  I would have liked to have seen more nuance, even if it was just in the form of using your in-game inventory for puzzles.  It doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of seeing where the story leads, though.

 

WAIT FOR A SALE - even if you're a diehard Game of Thrones fan.

 

 

The Most Fabulous Games Ever

Gay and LGBT themes have existed in games for at least twenty or so years. So, to celebrate marriage equality winning in America, I thought I'd compile a Top 5 of the most fabulous (i.e. gay/trans friendly) games of all time!

No. 5:  Persona 2:  Innocent Sin - gives you the option of actually declaring your love for another guy, PLUS the other characters are super supportive!

No. 4:  Dragon Age:  Origins - includes various characters who can be romanced by the someone of the same gender, including my personal husbando, Alistair. <3 <3

No. 3:  Shin Megami Tensei:  Persona 4 - includes a guy who is at the very least bi-curious and also loves knitting and crafting, plus a girl who indulges in crossdressing. Oh, and a crossdressing competition. I present Marilyn Monroe (Drag Version Deluxe)!



No. 2:  Jade Empire - not only does this have two bi characters and one gay character, it also lets you have a ménage à trois with them, ooh la la!

No. 1:  Dys4ia - takes the top position because it is a deeply personal autobiographical interactive experience based on Anna Anthropy's struggles with transitioning to another gender. You owe it to yourself to play through this game, if only to develop a deeper sense of empathy with transgender people and the issues they face.

Burning My Dread

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 3 PORTABLE

Having just finished my second playthrough of Persona 3 Portable, I was prompted to think about my life - what I dread and what I hope for.

I dread many things: death, the afterlife, being alone forever, hurting and alienating the people I love, never reviving my dreams, never feeling any genuine joy or happiness ever again...

But I realised one thing: those fears are only as real as I make them. If I don't give them credence or believe in them, they cease to exist. Of course, the issues are there. But why should I live in fear?

I remember that one pivotal scene, amongst many others, in P3P, where Mitsuru Kirijo's father dies abruptly and without much buildup. The sheer emotion contained in that scene, especially coming from someone as seeming reserved and aloof as Mitsuru, is just overwhelming. I still cry when I think about it sometimes. But Mitsuru is a great example of how strong the will to live can be - to me, she's more than just a video game character, she is almost like a living, breathing person and if there was one cameo I would love to see in future Persona instalments, it would be her.

I only have one thing left to say: I will burn my dread.

PS:  You can buy Persona 3 Portable here.

Summer Sale on Now at GOG.com

GOG.com is holding a 2015 DRM-Free Summer Sale. The LucasArts bundle is especially good, as it contains seven classic adventure games. Click here for more details.

To The Moon - Quality Over Quantity

So many games these days are expected to deliver dozens or even hundreds of hours of gameplay. It's expected, sometimes even demanded by many gamers, a lot of whom profess themselves to be "hardcore gamers". There's nothing necessarily wrong with a lengthy experience, as long as its filled with worthwhile content and it's well paced.

However, there's also space for much shorter, and perhaps more poignant, games. Games that deliver a hefty emotional payload and multiple memorable moments. To The Moon is one of those games.

The gentle, twinkling opening theme eased me into the opening minutes, and soon I got to acquaint myself with the two protagonists, Dr Eva Rosalene and Dr Neil Watts. Their near-constant barbs and jabs at each other helped leaven the sometimes heavy emotional atmosphere of the story, even if they sometimes acted outlandishly. Ultimately, they stick with each other because of their shared determination to help an old man fulfil his wish of going to the moon (sort of). They remain loyal to each other because of their work relationship and their friendship, despite fighting along the way to their end goal.

As for the main story, it basically requires guiding the two protagonists backwards through the memories of the old man, Johnny, in order to find a way of fulfilling his dying wish. The things they find in those memories are extremely personal, sometimes disturbing, and often very moving. They end up seeing things they wish they hadn't, and having to make compromises they would rather not.

It's all worth it in the end, though. The final scene left a warm glow inside me, along with the enchanting twinkling of the piano and soaring vibrations of the violin. Many hard truths about the characters and about life were revealed in the game: being different is lonely, being ordinary can feel stifling and boring, sometimes sacrifices must be made for the sake of the ones you love, or for the sake of your passions. But some beautiful revelations were also offered: the importance of having family near you, appreciating the people who make you who and what you are, exercising compassion and empathy for all living beings, especially those who are different or are struggling inside.

To fail to be moved by anything the game showed me would have required a cold, barren heart. But move me it did, and left me with bittersweet feelings of melancholy, nostalgia, and hope.

You can buy To The Moon here.

How Broken Sword Started Me Off On A Lifetime Adventure

Please note that this post may contain some minor spoilers for the original version of Broken Sword:  Shadow of the Templars.

I remember seeing Broken Sword:  Shadow of the Templars bundled together with a host of other free games on discs, although I only had eyes for Broken Sword.  This was round about 1996, when my dad had just gotten a new PC.

I didn't know what to expect when I popped the disc into the PC's disc drive.  All I knew was that the imagery on the Broken Sword discs looked intriguing and full of exciting promise.  That promise was fulfilled.

The very first scene in which I took control of George Stobbart, the game's protagonist, is burned into my memory.  The lush backdrop of the city of Paris, with leaves blowing across the screen, and minor but wonderful details like post boxes, litter, and atmospheric sounds, together with some enchanting background music... All combined into an intoxicating mix that drove me forward to the conclusion of the game's plot.

The blend of humour and tension in the game's story is just right, and has not been matched by many other games, or even by any of the other Broken Sword games (not that they're not worth playing!). The game gives George and Nico (a French journalist who he meets fairly early on) more than enough space to breathe and play off each other, from exchanging gentle barbs, to helping each other through tense, explosive situations. I came to develop a genuine affection for both of them - for George's smart-ass, improvisational antics, and for Nico's sharp brain and sharper tongue. Even many of the side characters, such as Duane Henderson, are endearing in their own right, and have become recurring characters in the other Broken Sword titles.

The sweet satisfaction at the ending credits, made sweeter by the rousing music that accompanied it, still lingers. It makes me want to adventure onwards to other worthwhile tales, to meet memorable characters, and to explore new locations riddled with mystery and history.

Note:  One unfortunate caveat is that the original version may be difficult or impossible to find, at least through legal means.  GOG.com is one of the storefronts that sells the Director's Cut, which is obviously better than not having access to the game at all, although people who have played the original may feel that the Director's Cut has compromised too much on the visuals and some story elements. I would still recommend it, though, for anyone looking for an old-fashioned adventure game that feels like playing inside an interactive animated movie.  You can purchase the game at the GOG.com store page for Broken Sword: Director's Cut.