History Part 4 Personal Enquiry

Heroes And Heroines

Before I begin I feel I should explain what my aim is and explain what I'm looking into. In no way, shape or form do I think that the media industry is inherently trying to portray either gender badly or give people issues about how they are on purpose. I think people don't always address and investigate both sides of sexism and it's important to do so, otherwise we still have double standards. This is why I have chosen to look into sexism in video games. The point of this research was to look into the current and historical standards and ideals of the game industry and how this could be changing for the better, or what solutions could be implemented.

So let's begin with the basics of what defines a trope, what double standards are to explore what sexism in media really is. A trope is any recurring character, rhetorical device, satirical device, or cliché in creative works. There are many labelled types of tropes, such as straw feminist, and people view them in different levels of seriousness. Personally many tropes applied to women are pretty cliché and most audiences are aware that what they are watching is detached from reality... However male tropes are more subtle. Tropes are often the same sort of thing as an archetype.

A double standard is a set of rules or morals that is true for a group of people but different for another. This often occurs across genders. 

Let's start with the ladies and the most common examples of a frequent trope. Princess Peach from Nintendo's Mario, is a classic character and example of the damsel in distress. From concept to computer the Princess has always been kidnapped and rescued. Interestingly her design hasn't stayed the same throughout, starting life as an 8 bit red head in white, while currently she lives as a yellow maiden in frills and pink.

http://katyannjenkins95.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ms4-timeline-evolution-of-female-role.html

Clearly this isn't all of Peaches appearances over the years but it gives a good idea of how her design has changed to fit social schemers over the years.

For the most part the design is reasonable but very simple and clearly aimed at a younger audience. All the information we are getting visually is who the character is, female, royal, likely young and attractive. Which in itself isn't that bad but when it comes to Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS and her emotions being the source of her powers, one of which being her crying to overcome things, you start to question things more. 

The main issue with the damsel in distress is as a plot line it works well in games. It's extremely common to have the member of the opposite sex as what the character is seeking throughout the game and it's also common to win the game once the love interest has been rescued. If you replace the love interest with something else, even an object like let's say a large diamond, would the plot change much for the game? If Mario was getting back the kingdoms diamond which powers the mushroom kingdom and so the king said please everyone try and save us, would it change that much? I don't think so and that's what's really sad about the damsel trope, it's an easy option rather than more complex plots. Surely given modern graphics and cinematic games that have become so popular, it's disappointing to see such reliable but boring plots.

I personally believe Anita Sarkeesian is too critical and doesn't offer both sides of the story, however she has done a lot of very good research in the area of video games and tropes. There are lots of tropes out there and many are covered by Anita Sarkeesian.

http://clickamericana.com/media/advertisements/say-hello-to-ms-pac-man-1982-1983

Next we come on to another trope used mostly in video games but this time to identify. A lot of female versions of male characters have very few design changes so you can see it's the same thing but to show it's a female character it has a bow or it's pink or wears red lipstick and sometimes all three. For now we'll refer to it as the Ms Male trope. Let's start with a well know example of Pac-man, and his counter part Ms. Pac-man.

http://lawnmowerman.rotheblog.com/

                                         As you can see the only difference between the sprites is red lipstick a red bow and a beauty mark. In itself this is harmless and even good in some examples, however in a game like Pac-man where really gender was irrelevant why create a Ms. Pac-man? Well obviously this was a re-boot of Pac-man that needed to sell for more than just the 'four new mazes, added bonus fruit symbols that float freely through the maze, two new side exists that give four chances for getaway, and a unique cartoon series', as stated on the previous poster for the game. With all those changes it's almost a new game when you change the players character into a girl too. For the most part this was successful, after all people loved Pac-man and Ms. Pac-man was definitely meant as a step in the right direction.

http://www.androidtapp.com/giant-boulder-of-death/

However it left the door open for a truly ugly world of gender mattering in a none human character design. Why on earth it would occur to an alligator to wear bows or more importantly a rock? Giant Boulder of Death (2013). Although this is almost certainly a joke in some cases due to its over use, many novelty games follow in the foot steps of having a character and then adding a Ms Male character e.g. Allie from Where's My Water: Allie's Story (2013) Toadette from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2013) and A prime example is the Koopa Kids again from Nintendo, this time from Super Mario Bros. Each Koopaling is very different and has something they are good at or interested in. What makes Wendy O Koopa special? Well she acts spoilt and bratty and has mood swings...

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2009/12/07/big-boss-of-the-day-the-koopa-kids

However there are some games which don't rely on cliche, create interesting plots, rounded characters and become part of pop culture in more than just a gaming format, introducing Lara Croft. For all the sex appeal and interesting anatomy there's one thing that matters with these games and that's the plot and game play. The most important thing for the most recent reboot was to take out the over sexy and create a mind blowing game both visually and with a plot and story that could reveal more about the character and make it fun.

http://www.gamechup.com/evolution-of-lara-crofts-model-first-game-to-the-reboot/

As you would expect it's been very successful and will even have Square Enix take it onto the new PS4 and Xbox One. Simply put I feel that it's clear more effort went into the recent game in keeping it exciting and engaging rather than looking at how it will all tie up and motivate you to play.

Often tropes are used to quickly put you in a situation you understand and empathise with, for App novelty games this may be necessary because it's such a narrow platform. Even so you have to consider the amount of attention we pay to playing puzzle games. Personally I think it's more than people realise. The truth is the mobile game market should understand there are two things people love, puzzle games and films, games like Catherine from Atlus (2011) combine these elements perfectly and have been a massive success.

Next let us move on to the other gender. How are male characters affected by tropes and what tropes are out there? Well yes but there just aren't as many, it seems the male video game character is more narrowly set than their female counterparts. For instance there's the over masculine man. Prime examples of the over masculine man are in Halo Reach (2010) and Dante's Inferno (2010). Or there is dark past man and sometimes you get young looking for something man.

http://lounge.moviecodec.com/vs-forum/dante-dmc-vs-dante-dantes-inferno-316216/

Honestly there are more but it's not as broad as women and normally these interchange too. Male characters may be frequent, they may be more likely to be the main guy, it's likely they won't be shown in a negative light; isn't that as bad? Surely by having every man have no weakness, show no fear, show no humanity or realism, that's just as bad. Moreover we don't pick up on it because we expect our men to save the day, we don't have many versions of dude in distress, we have no Mr. Female. This is because many characters just aren't made to fit in with reality. They are escapism, no one wants to escape into a world where they're a hero with issues or fragility.

http://www.bagogames.com/official-box-art-bioshock-infinite-booker-dewitt-front-center/

One case that possibly looks into this changing is BioShock Infinite by Irrational Games (2013). Booker DeWitt is an over strong male however in Burial at Sea he is killed and becomes a sort of conscience for the heroine Elizabeth. This is very different and gives the power over from the male character who was punching down walls strong man, to the more fragile victim. Personally given how it fits in with the plot and game play and how it changes how you view both characters, I feel it's a subtle change for the better.

http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/03/17/the-last-of-us-has-sold-six-million-copies/

However full praise must go to the Last of Us by Naughty Dog (2013). The Last of Us is a game that pulls away from pure male strength and allows female help. Joel is often the one to save Ellie as they journey through a post apocalyptic world however many times Joel is put in terrible danger and Ellie comes over and saves him from his over heroism. There's a section where Joel's life is miraculously saved by Ellie and she looks after him, she struggles to help him and is alone, isolated and scared but Joel is human so when she's kidnapped she's hurt. Even though he eventually makes it in time it's an altogether more human approach to the situation and there's a heartbreaking sense of reality to Joel and Ellie which makes it such a breath taking game.

As a rule men are evenly affected by sexism in games, while there are less options when you're a bloke, you're limited to buff and invincible so it's not negative. However it's really bad for male self confidence as well as being unrealistic to what it actually is to be a man, while it's naff role modelling it's not as negative as being weak kneed and waiting for rescue.

On the other hand as women are starting to get new plots, become heroines more often, like Jodie from Naughty Dog's Beyond Two Souls (2013), and less and less being placed as props in mainstream games, there is a lot of changes that will come to their characters that may never touch upon men.

http://wall.alphacoders.com/by_sub_category.php?id=181121

At the moment male roles are often lead but is that really a good message for men? Given how we see gender bent mods for games like Zelda, where Link needs rescuing, are we fuelling the fire for strong women enough now and need to look into more in-depth male characters that have weak knees.

Looking back at games that have cult status or succeeded really well, I think it's obvious that we need more female roles and more passive men. Parasite Eve by Square, now Square Enix (1998), is an old game with a female protagonist and cult status. Looking further many gender optional games e.g. Pokemon Crystal by Game Freak (1994) or even Vampires Bloodlines: the masquerade by Troika Games (2004) also have cult status and are still played. These games have great representations for both genders as the game play doesn't change by changing gender. The ratio of loved and still played games with female leads to male isn't the same as the ratio released. If only around 10-15% of games have female leads I would imagine the game still played with female leads after 5 years would be more 50/50.

http://pokedream.com/games/crystal/preview.php

In all honesty I think that's the future for men and women characters; a solid plot, good representation for both genders and game play based endings. Mostly because the gender of a character shouldn't matter for the game, the personality shouldn't reflect on what gender is most appropriate, the gender should fit the player.

References

Coville (2014) The 6 Male Characters Women Never Get to See in Movies. [Online] Cracked. Available from: http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-6-male-characters-women-never-get-to-see-in-movies/ [Accessed 24/04/2014].

Lindsell (2014) Male Film Tropes You'll Never See. [Online] Huffington Post. Available from: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jonathan-lindsell/male-film-tropes-youll-never-see_b_4817708.htm [Accessed 24/04/2014].

McIntosh (2014) Playing with privilege: the invisible benefits of gaming while male. [Online] Dictionary Reference. Available from: http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/23/5640678/playing-with-privilege-the-invisible-benefits-of-gaming-while-male [Accessed 24/04/2014]

Anita Sarkeesian. (2013). Damsel in Distress: Part 1 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games [Online Video]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6p5AZp7r_Q [24/04/2014].

Schedeen (2014) Big Boss of the Day: The Koopa Kids. [Online] IGN. Available from: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2009/12/07/big-boss-of-the-day-the-koopa-kids [Accessed 24/04/2014]

History Task part 4, drafting ideas.

Many games have Sexism on both genders the worst being... which?

The aim here is to research the issues, come up with solutions and look into how the current games are changing, which are changing for the better and should how we currently show men and women, be on the forefront of a directors mind.

First let's ask some questions. Are women being sexualised in games to a point that does affect how they think and feel about themselves or are they so used to it, that it no longer changes how they view themselves, because it's so far away from reality that we just don't connect with it. Or are men, although shown strong and heroic, the ones being affected more? Do video games make the player escape into a world where they are invincible or do they make them feel that's how they should be in reality.

http://thenerdfightingfeminist.wordpress.com/tag/girl-darth-vader/

Everyone tells women not to listen to media, that they should feel beautiful, be independent but lose weight; most girls have an idea of how their morals should be and how they behave is sourced from different media to men. Men don't have media pressure from the same sources; men don't get told that a lot of work and editing goes into pictures of men in mags. They aren't reassured that they are ok, however there are less mixed messages. After talking to others on my course and looking further into the topic, I really think that many boys get their ideals from games. After all who doesn't want to be the hero of their own life.

What kind of games say be a big, strong, man so you can fight all the evil and know no fear. Well most first person shooters for starters, gangster based or even fantasy and not to forget all super hero based ones, as expected... However how many are to a fantasy point? How many are so beyond the physical truth but done so realistically?

http://hdimagesinfo.com/god-of-war-ascension/#.U17befldX58

Well how about... Gears of War (2006) God of War Ascension (2013) Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) Saints Row (2006) Bulletstorm (2011) Mortal Kombat: Series (1992-2012) Darksiders (2010) Dante's Inferno (2010) Devil May Cry (2013) Karateka (2012) do I really need to go on?

http://prototype.wikia.com/wiki/James_Heller

Not on that one front but yes, because it doesn't end there. It's not as simple as beefy men giving us complexes, it's more complex. Looking at 6 games now Asura's Wrath (2012), Outlaws (1997) Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (2007), Prototype 2 (2012), Inversion(2012)and Dishonored (2012). What do these have in common (other than the aforementioned beefy men?). They all have a trope know as women in refrigerators where the main plot line affecting act of the woman is to die, normally causing a reason for the hero to go and revenge her death. Furthermore in the case of all six of these games, she dies at the start so the men in question can save her daughter, which isn't even that noticeable in the grand scheme of things. However it does tell you as a man or woman where your place is, your job as a woman is to motivate your man and be saved; as a man you must be strong and seek out revenge and save all the women. Not fantastic messages really are they?

http://www.metroid-database.com/features/behind2.php

What if you want a game where you're a strong female and you go out and save the day. Are there games that do this? YES of course there are and it's so important to praise where due, firstly the Metroid series (1986-2010) with the fantastic Samus Aran. It's a true gem as not only is it a strong female lead but it has almost no effect on the game or its popularity. Arguably Samus is one of the first female leads in gaming, she does it so well as it's both a little shock when the helmet is off and gives her more mystery and plot depth. Lara Croft (1996-2013) is an awesome series too with such a strong character and recently is even made more realistic in her reboot. Adding a fresh face, less sex appeal and focus on story telling, the early years of Croft and how she became the woman of earlier games. Other notable titles are Beyond Two Souls and Parasite Eve.

However we'll never see Dinosaur Planet (circa 2000) which would have been a strong female lead but was replaced to be Star Fox Adventures (2002). Not only did Star Fox take the lead role but rescued the original heroine character from captivity; quite sad when you find out it was changed after comments about the female lead and jokes about changing it to Star Fox. Surprisingly I can't imagine the developers found it so amusing after near completion and 2 years of work.

http://nsider2.com/2012/06/15/look-back-review-super-princess-peach/

Or even looking at the interesting Super Princess Peach (2006) which has the worst of messages for its target market, crying is your super power girls! If that doesn't work why not throw a temper tantrum and get all fired up to get things done. To me this is quite sad because the concept of the game is role reversal and it could have been so good, having Princess Peach rip her dress and save her friends for once. Peach could have even remained delicate but made friends with nearby animals and had a magic wand, using her wits and kindness to win, something more based on her image at least. Instead it's a mood swing based game mechanic and aimed at young girls to play a version of Mario more... Suitable?

Why do companies stick to these clichés and archetypes? For starters it's cheap and easy to use tried and tested formulas and games aren't cheap to make. Although as companies make more story based games and critics judge more on plot and social stigmas, larger companies are changing the tone of character for the better. Of course games like the Guitar Hero series (2005-2010), Minecraft (2009), the ever popular Sims (2000- 2013) and the recent Last of Us (2013), prove gender isn't necessarily important. 

As far as I was made aware, if a man can choose to play as a woman in a game, 50% of the time he will. After all it's escapism, it doesn't connect with you, so you can even play a different gender for fun. Wasn't fun the point of video games?

http://omgpopforever.com/discussion/6258/name-three-things-about-the-person-above-you/p1

Anita Sarkeesian.(2013) Damsel in Distress: Part 2 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games [Online Video]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toa_vH6xGqs&feature=youtu.be [accessed 25/04/2014].

Anita Sarkeesian.(2013) Damsel in Distress: Part 3 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games [Online Video]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjImnqH_KwM&feature=youtu.be [accessed 25/04/2014].

Anita Sarkeesian.(2011)#2 Women in Refrigerators (Tropes vs. Women) [Online Video]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DInYaHVSLr8&list=PLBBDFEC9F5893C4AF [accessed 25/04/2014].

Hurley (2012) Look Back Review: Super Princess Peach [online] Nsider2 Available from: http://nsider2.com/2012/06/15/look-back-review-super-princess-peach/ [accessed 25/04/2014]

Art Direction

Natural Born Killers, Art Direction, looking into the future.
'The key lime is great, but it's an acquired taste.'

Aye there be spoilers in them passages matey!

ye've been warned

http://suntayea.wordpress.com/

Introduction

I choose to look at Natural Born Killers, a 1994 American crime action, which is a script by Quentin Tarantino but directed by Oliver Stone; this is very similar to how the game industry works, one person may have the plan and ideas but it’s passed on to others to work on.

The film follows two victims of parental abuse who rise against their tormentors and set themselves free by murdering Mallory, the heroine of tales parents. Mickey, the questionable hero, has already been to jail for a joyride charge and they commit over 50 murders together, becoming a media storm when interviewed and made popular in American crime worship culture. After being caught they plan to break free from jail while they are being transferred into a mental health facility by using vulture like media as cover. However the detective who caught them, Jack Scagnetti , is planning to kill them while they are being transferred. (Canavese)

Composition

http://iloveretro.tumblr.com/page/236

Colour is important in composition and here the white really stands out against the similar hues of green in the background. It draws attention to the way he holds the meat delivery, he cradles it like a child.

Edited by myself, original: http://iloveretro.tumblr.com/page/236

The door in between them also stands out against the colours. I think this Exaggerates the idea of them going outside to freedom together; this is also made clearer by the posture of the two figures, curved against each other like they are familiar.

To add to the intimacy of the scene the lamp creates a observer perspective, cutting us off from a full view and 

creating a frame to the image.

Shape & Form

Oliver Stone shows great attention to detail with the way he uses shape and form to add to the atmosphere and subtext of an image.

Looking at the slumped shape of the fathers posture, how it’s passive, bent over so he’s the victim now. Or looking at the triangles of her pose, the way they match the room and the angles reflect her dominance and strength over him. The shoes they are wearing even exaggerate this, with Mallory in army boots and him in slippers.

Edits by myself, original: http://cinemainmente.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/natural-born-killersdi-oliver-stone.html

Colour

The first images show how the red is shown to presence passion or anger; this technique is very unique to this film and bleaches over all the information and heightens the emotional response to the viewer. 

A) red image 1 http://rhettview.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/natural-born-killers-directors-cut-blu_18.html  B) red image 2 http://houseofgeekery.com/2013/01/25/tarantino-is-review-natural-born-killers/ C) green image 1 http://girlandgun.tumblr.com/page/2 D) green image 2 http://houseofgeekery.com/2013/01/25/tarantino-is-review-natural-born-killers/

The Green images however do the same thing but create confusion and disorientation it creates the heat of the moment atmosphere that you experience under extreme pressure.

I think this technique is under used and creates extreme tension without using that much visual effect it’s very simple for how effective it is.

Natural Born killers is no different to many other films in that the lighting is extremely well thought out.

 Lighting

Every setting has a reason for the choice of lighting; here soft lighting has given the halo effect cause by a small back light. It’s used to show the tenderness to the couple, it exaggerates the affection they have and allows the viewer to see a gentle nature to malicious characters.

A) http://imgfave.com/search/natural%20born%20killers B) http://capstuff.tumblr.com/page/4 C) http://jake-weird.blogspot.co.uk/2012_06_01_archive.html?m=0

The middle row in contrast looks at lighting that breaks the fourth wall; this lighting is used in moments where you've taken the place of the involved observer rather than a passive bystander. The lighting is in your direction, to me it’s reminiscence of paparazzi, sporadic, audacious, in your face and invasive. It creates an atmosphere of the discomfort that in front of the camera gives, yet all these scenes are spontaneous; using this emotional response to show how the involuntarily involved side character is feeling, without even displaying their face.

A) http://imagemoving.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/line-in-natural-born-killers.html B) http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/03/02/unsung-cinema-natural-born-killers-1994--2-1261694?lt_source=external,manual C) http://www.listal.com/viewimage/1672945

This last row is all about the drama, the examples here are the classic low key lighting used in photography, these images have one job and that is to evoke emotion. Whether it be aggression, passion or to allow the viewer to see the malevolent undertones of the ‘good guys’ like Jack Scagnetti. Here the director is looking for the few film stills to be proud of, those classic images that scream subtext, they haven’t failed to deliver this promise.

A) http://fashiongrunge.com/2013/09/26/throwback-thursday-natural-born-killers/  B) http://www.film.it/news/film/dettaglio/art/top-five-elementare-mr-downey-9069/ C) http://1001movieman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/873-natural-born-killers-1994.html

Mood

In this image the mood is intense, this is because of several aspects, foremost colour and lighting. The green behind Jack Scagnetti shows his envy of Micky and his wanting of Marloy, the red on his face reflects the cruel thoughts and lust he feels.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4081364992/ch0006756

The contrast of the lighting on his face paralleled to hers indicates he is the corrupted character and the pale softer light on Malroy confirms her to be the victim. Adding in the contorted figure of Malroy, writhing to bend away from her captor and the raw scratches on Scagnetti’s face emphasizing that he is a dangerous character; it’s clear how little details amplify and construct mood. Mastering the correct level of detail for an image is critical in understanding directing and becoming an artist.

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/natural-born-killers/

Why I like it

The credits really sum up the surreal yet satirical nature of the film, it’s a good combination of artistic and storytelling. Many cult classics have a balance of artistry and engaging plot line which make them so popular Natural Born Killers is no different, conversely the extreme use of techniques and just how enthralling the action is throughout put it ahead in my book. To me it’s a film that pushed the boundaries of what you can do with a mainstream film before it becomes too outlandish to keep up with the plot.

I would truly recommend it to anyone, although it comes with an 18 sticker for a reason, it’s not for the faint of heart.

Green images 1) http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews52/oliver_stone_collection_blu-ray.htm 2) http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/oliver-stone-natural-born-killers.html 3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1eq0ztXMiw 4) http://www.culturesnob.net/2007/04/how-sexy-am-i-now/
Wolf Among Us Images 1) http://www.gamespot.com/the-wolf-among-us/ 2) http://n0tanexpert.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/the-wolf-among-us-episode-2-smoke-mirrors-notanexpert-review/

New media and ideas for development

Given the supreme use of colour and mood in the film these are the aspects I would apply to games. Using the tense atmosphere that the green conjures fight scenes or confused atmospheres could be made more intense, just by the simple use of colour washed pallets (Above).

Colour in film is a lot more prominent with unique almost niche uses, because the script is like a book, it’s good to pull away from the colours we associate with and push them so the images become surreal and more interesting. Too far and the artistic level becomes editorial, too little and the films imagery is bland. This stands as important in games as in films, but sometimes this is forgotten in indie or more realistic titles.

Due to hyperrealism in 3D, many games like Call of Duty Ghosts, focus on the game play and creating visual effects that are stunning, but not always engaging in storytelling. For some, films like Oblivion, have too much stunning environment and not enough quality narrative; though concept and outcome are fantastic a fraction of the entertainment was lost. I think games are going to be at this risk too, although games like the last of us prove to be visually exquisite and captivate in plot, this could still be an issue in games to come.

Games that somewhat have started looking into this colour washing or hyper restrictive pallets are games like Rule of Rose, which has an end chapter of play in sepia. Nonetheless I’ve looked into the recent Wolf Among Us, intended to be a narrative based game and to have a combat system used as part of engrossing with that narrative, interestingly this system also is shaping the plot you receive.

Example of what I mean

Looking further into the Wolf Among Us, due to its already very restrictive pallet; to show what I mean, I've roughly drafted up how I would use the technique of colour washing (Above).

Green scene http://www.1080pness.com/post/3070329646/natural-born-kills-the-pness
 Wolf Among Us http://gameversevault.com/the-wolf-among-us-ep1-review/
edits by me.

I've overlaid green onto the fight scene. It’s clear which is more confusing and intense, but it doesn't take away from the visuals, if anything it enhances the focus only giving the emotional response of disorientation rather than an annoying mechanic.

I think it gives food for thought on how far we can push games, given the surreal nature of many video game plots, environments and contexts. Given the freedom of world we make in games why not experiment? It’s not something out of the blue or plucked from the sky that would only be an experiment after all, it’s an old approach on a new media. Much like Fritz Lang’s M, horror wasn't new, but a horror film certainly was.

http://www.ifi.ie/film/natural-born-killers-4/

Regardless of all this the film is wonderful, it's deep and thought through and well executed. It comes all together nicely from start to finish, I guess it deserves it's cult status as a classic. 

I think the film would translate into a game in its own right perfectly too, the idea of playing from different view to how the film presents is an interesting thought too. But nonetheless, thanks for reading, I hope you can appreciate the passion for this film I hold.

Canavese (2008) Natural Born Killers [Online] Groucho Reviews. Available from: http://grouchoreviews.com/reviews/3117 [Accessed 18/04/2014]

Natural Born Killers (1994) Film. Directed by Oliver Stone. USA Warner Bros.

Past Present and Future

2000 to Present

Part 3: Fighting Each Other

The Big 4

The big four is more than just a reference to metallica and co; to me it also sums up the consoles of the millennium.
These are the main competitors in the home gaming market, the company's that pulled through the crash of the 80's and are readying for battle, or at least readying you for battle against your friends.
So who are these horsemen four?

http://www.doseofmetal.com/2010/11/review-the-big-4-live-from-sofia-bulgaria-deluxe-box-set/

Let's start with the grandad, Sega.

Sega released a console called the Dreamcast in 1998 later released overseas in 1999. 
Although this was the last really popular machine Sega made for the overseas market the dreamcast was an on and off hit.Big games like Sonic adventure, a Sega made game, were massive hits along with Soul Calibur, another golden oldie from the 2000's(Birch, 2013)

http://sega.wikia.com/wiki/Dreamcast

My personal favourite has to be House of the Dead 2, an arcade game turned console, revived by Nintendo for the Wii. With some kind of loose but interesting plot you battle your way through houses, rooms and realistic environments, ones that seem to be of this world but against monsters that very much are not. The game, if you're gun happy enough, ends with the shocking discovery that some mad man has tried to wipe out mankind by releasing the hoards of zombies... shocking? not really but still a good laugh.

http://djboyali.weebly.com/the-house-of-the-dead-2.html

Is it a speaker? Is it a phone? No it's a PlayStation 2!

Sony's PlayStation 2 first appeared on the market in early 2000. The PS2 has a multitude of games, many cherished and vintage titles are still played today in the retro revival. Games like Metal Gear Solid, Grand Theft Auto and Street Fighter are still played today for the novelty or in cases like Fahrenheit, cult status (McCarthy, 2006).

http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/2013/01/28/how-playstation-2-changed-the-world/

My personal favourite is Shadow of the Colossus. You enter the world of Wander, a young boy who has carried an ex damsel in distress(Mono) to a cursed part of the world, a place where the colossi lurk. The forbidden lands are home to a shrine, where a disembodied voice, Dormin, promises to return the soul to the dead. Wander in outrage of Mono being sacrificed for having a cursed destiny, steals an ancient sword, the only sword capable of killing the colossi. With Dormin's instructions Wander starts his quest to destroy the 16 idols of the shrine via killing the colossi and the game begins. As you play however you realise a little too late that you are in fact not the good guy, Dormin is not a deity but a demon held chained by the innocent colossi and is using Wander. I think the game is fantastic as it makes the player question if they are the good guy, is their intention more important? It stretches how far the Psyche will push to do the right thing. The final battle being at least a 20 minute all out struggle; many players feel the exhaustion that Wander must go through as he scales the last nigh impossible hurdle. Adding the breath taking beauty and quality for its time, the addition of puzzle solving to create intense battle experience, it's truly a lesser known gem among vintage games (Pewdiepie,2012).

In the green corner tonight... Microsoft and the Xbox, 2001. 

http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/5-things-next-gen-systems-need/xbox-original-image/

After being pitched to Bill Gates, the project to launch a competitor to the PlayStation 2 began. With Nvidia supplying better hardware, adding a savable hard drive and refining the modem feature of the Sega Dreamcast; the Xbox was designed to not just have graphics to match and out perform the PS2 but to do something new. The world of gaming was about to go live, online gaming on consoles took flight in 2002.

All that was needed was games, enter Halo. A first person shooter meets Sci-Fi game perfect for the performance the Xbox could offer and potential for online play. Halo not only became a mass selling game for its time but the perfect exclusive for the Xbox's release allowing it to break into the European market more efficiently than the PS2. However the lack of Japanese titles and overwhelming amounts of American development on new games meant that it isolated the Asian market and in Japan the Xbox was a flop.

http://www.ilovebees.com/

However Xbox did a good job of campaigns, advertisement and buying into games for the console. I love bees being one of the first viral advertisements for a game(Dyer, 2011).

http://crashbandicoot.ucoz.ru/publ/characters/main/crash_bandicoot_novyj_perevod/2-1-0-32

Personally my favourite was Crash Bandicoot, a game not exclusive but with a bright colourful art direction, and fantastic style. Throughout the game a certain Aztec/ Tiki Tiki feel is consistently upheld and proves very immersive. It's a game that to me proves the strength of childhood connections, I know many people that still own and play the games at 20+. That's the kind of game I want to be part of, timeless and loved; something that ten years down the line you pick up and brush off the dust for another whirl.   

http://gamesworldbodmin.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=85

The time has come to announce my personal favourite, the underdog, the Nintendo Game cube.

http://giphy.com/search/gamecube/2

Nintendo released the Game cube in 2002, an update for the ancient console that was the 64 and it was fantastic.

The main franchise wasn't left out at all. Mario Cart was a gripping and still going spin off from the classic Mario and Legend of Zelda was soon to take over the hearts of many, especially one Robin Williams.

However for me these are small fry compared to the holy grail of Pokemon games, Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness. This was the second  in Nintendo's attempts to make a 3D RPG aimed to introduce more adult content for the ageing but loyal fans. As you look through a completely new 3D world where wild Pokemon are rare and you must STEAL other trainers "shadow" Pokemon for your team, you quickly catch on to the theme. You must purify the shadowed hearts of all the Pokemon and defeat the nasty bad men who have imprisoned and tortured innocent Pokemon. Well we all knew it was never going to be deep but it was more than enough for any Pokemon fan I can assure you, it sells for more now than before and hasn't lost value as a game, so it can't be all bad. Unfortunately it wasn't as successful as Colosseum and no further Wii or Wii U games on this concept have been made.

What about the modern gaming in 2014 or the recent history that is the Xbox360 and PS3? Well to me the PS3 and Xbox360 are both equal and very popular game consoles, each have notable series on them, each have good systems; the Xbox is a better online system but the PS3 has more games that appeal to an Asian market. In all honesty I find the current battle more interesting and it brings up new competitors.

Arcade to console to pc to phone.

1) http://www.arcaderestoration.com/Content/My+Current+Arcade.aspx 2) http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/desktop-pc/3412579/pc-specialist-vanquish-xt680-review/ 3) http://gigaom.com/2011/12/05/windows-phone-is-an-xbox-360-video-remote-control/

Many people have already stopped buying consoles and haven't updated to the new xbox one or PS4 so one has to question is the battle over? 
In the 80s arcade games were booming and the open market for creating and releasing a game was huge. But as the rise of the PC came so did the crash of the arcade; games of better quality started appearing on your home computer, so why pay 20p a pop for something over something with a one time cost?
Of course as computer games got bigger game consoles went from fiction to fact. Now not only could you play games but you could have them on your TV with all the family. However as more options were created less interest was given to each one. By the 80's companies had invented themselves into an early grave. Only the fittest survived. Now however we have a different clash of the titans; long gone are the days of arcade Vs home. Now the battle rages on with PC Vs Console... or does it?

Personally I think PC may have this round but not the war as many iPhone and android games outsell in mass and some even out profit triple A titles like GTA5. Angry Birds profits currently mount over most PC or console games. This may be just the new kid on the block but he's brought his super soaker to play with.

We're onto the next fight, tonight it's Home gaming Vs phone gaming, social and immersive Vs cheap and novelty. Only time will tell.

http://nameofsport.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/boxing-gloves.html

Birch (2013) The top 25 Sega Dreamcast games [online] Den of Geek. Available from: http://www.denofgeek.com/games/sega-dreamcast/25026/the-top-25-sega-dreamcast-games [accessed 02/04/2014]

Campbell (2012). Are Consols Dead. [online] IGN Available from: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/03/15/are-consoles-dead. [accessed 02/04/14]

Dyer, (2011) The Life and Death of the Original Xbox [online] IGN. Available from: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/11/23/the-life-and-death-of-the-original-xbox [accessed 02/04/14]

McCarthy (2006) The History of PlayStation 2 [online] gamesindustry.biz. Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20071011071905/http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=21241 [accessed 02/04/14]

Pewdiepie (2012)Shadow Of The Colossus - Playlist [online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYH8WvNV1YEnVyjMQbFXuYwxi0RazMBo0 [Accessed 02/04/14]