Censorship

The release of Xenoblade Chronicles X in the West is only a couple of days away and with that in mind lets talk about a controversial topic. Censorship.

First things first. I'm absolutely against any form of censorship. That means I am against altering a game or work of fiction and I'm against banning games or works of fiction from store shelves. Of course the second action is the right of every store owner. You can decide what you want to sell, but nonetheless I'm not to fond of shops doing this and probably won't shop there.

And yes I'm also against the censorship of controversial topics or offending depictions. First of all everyone deems different things ''offensive'', and secondly it just limits the creation of new stories.

Censorship is never good. In the best case it blurs the intention of the creator, but in the worst it absolutely butchers the story.

I'm especially against the censorship of Japanese games. I'm not the biggest fan of those games. Of course I'm a huge Nintendo Fan, but I wouldn't consider their games to be classical Japanese. But even as not a Fan I see censorship of these games as problematic. Why would you want to ''Westernize'' such games and destroy one of their biggest appeals.

Yes Fanservice is deeply ingrained into many of these games, but what so wrong about that. All of these outrage towards Fanservice and sexy depictions of women in games, stems from the wrong assumption that those deceptions have a real world influence. It's practically the same nonsense as the Violence debate from several years ago. It has been proven time and time again that violence in video games doesn't breed violence in real life. And I don't see why it should be any different with Sexism.

But let's talk about two recent acts of censorship in Nintendo games.

Fatal Frame (Project Zero) 5:

Here the lingerie outfits for the heroines, which were unlocked after you beat the game, have been replaced by Zero Suit Samus and a Princess Zelda outfit.

Now one might say that a lingerie outfit detracts from the idea of a horror game, but so does a skin tight latex suit, which leaves nothing to imagination. The Problem with this act of censorship is that it's completely unnecessary and doesn't change a thing. It only makes the people, knowing about it, furious. People will always focus on the things, which were taken away. Even if you give them something in return. If they just had added those two new costumes, everyone would be happy.

Because people offended by this:

will also be offended by this:

Source of both Pictures: Fatal Frame 5

Xenoblade Chronicles X:

While the Censorship of lingerie outfits was unnecessary the removal of the boob slider in Xenoblade is truly a stupid move.

In the Japanese Version, when creating a women, you have the possibility to change the breast size of your Avatar. This feature has been removed in the western release.

Now you may say, that this is a needles feature, which would only be abused by teenage boys. And while this is certainly right, it also limits the immersion.

Xenoblade Chronicles X has a massive character creation. And many players will certainly create an Avatar in their image. Be it dream or real. By locking the females to one standard breast size you essentially lock out women with small or big chests. Neither of them can create a version of themselves if they wish. With this Nintendo practically tells them, that they don't exist. At least on Mira. A Planet where even Panda People can exist.

Picture Source: Xenoblade Chronicles X

And of course the feature would have been abused to create huge bouncing Titty-Monsters. But what's so wrong about that? Games should still be allowed to create mindless fun. Let people create women with balloons for tits. Just because there is the possibility for a feature to be ''abused'' in such a way, shouldn't tempt you to remove it. Or we will be looking at a bleak and boring future for video games, where all characers are genderless, amorphous blobs.

In the end I can only say that I prefer this:

Picture Source: Dead or Alive Xtreme 3

over this:

Picture Source: Community

Still: Go Human Beings!

So please developers and publishers alike. Don't censor your games. Don't be afraid of the things you create. Be proud. Show them to the world.

And as always

thanks for reading

Linkle

Video Source: GameXplain/Nintendo

Congratulations to everyone who called her. Linkle finally got announced for Hyrule Warriors Legends on the 3DS. And I have good news for everyone owning the Wii-U Version. Nintendo announced that all characters from Legends will also become available there. The Stories of Linkle and Toon Link, however, will remain exclusive to the 3DS. I don't mind this, as long as I get to play the characters in adventure mode.

I'm still not to keen on Hyrule Warriors 1.5, but at least now I don't have to buy it to experience the new characters. Still I would have preferred an actual Toon Hyrule Warriors for the 3DS and not just this ''updated'' Version of the original game.

But enough of that for now. Today I'd like to talk about Linkle.

She looks awesome!

I have to admit, that her announcement got me pretty hyped. Last year, when her design first surfaced with the Hyrule Warriors artbook, I was pretty sure that we would see her as a DLC character for the game. And in a way I was right.

 Picture Source: Hyrule Warriors Artbook

Linkle looks like a Mid-Range Typ of fighter and a good addition to the rooster. Her crossbows look like interesting weapons and help distinguishing herself from other fighters. Especially the move, where you're shooting enemies, while sidestepping like in a 3^rd Person shooter, looks interesting. (Found at 0:53 in the video). From the looks she also seems like a more agile fighter. Of course she also takes inspiration from Links moveset, but that is to be expected. All in all I'm very happy with her addition and I'm looking forward to trying her out.

Picture Source: Nintendo

Now this was the part, where I talked about the character and her moves. Now comes the part surrounding her. Anyone not interested in Game Politics, Gamergate and things like that, can safely skip this part. Ok? Now then lets start.

Firstly I'll have to say, that, while in no way part of the Gamergate movement, I support their stated goals of more ethics and transparency in game journalism. What does this have to do with Linkle? Well after her announcement some outlets criticized Linkle for her appearance. In their Words she was just a female Version of Link and fitted the Ms. Male Character Trope. For anyone unfamiliar with this Trope, it basically describes a genderswapped Version of a established character. Or to put it into more internet friendly terms. Any rule 63.

Now, while describing Linkle as a Ms. Male, may seem justified at first glance, this does a huge disservice to the character and the people accusing her. Generally I'm not to keen on tropes, because often it simplifies the character, they have their right to exist. It's just that good characters can't be defined with one Trope and doing so proves your ignorance towards the character. Now I'm not saying that Linkle may have a great characterization, but breaking her down on just her visuals is a thing often criticized by the very people doing it. Describing her as genderswapped Link also ignores the snippets of information we already have about her.

When the Artbook for Hyrule Warriors released last year, it was revealed that the developers discussed Linkles relationship with Link. During that time she was considered as Links little Sister or maybe even daughter. Currently Nintendo describes her as a young Women from a certain Village that strives to be like the Hero.

Looking at these three possible backgrounds her attire make sense. If Link is her inspiration, her role model, it makes sense for her to copy his appearance. Even more so if she is his daughter or sister. But she is still her own character. Not acknowledging it and just dismissing her as a Ms. Male is ignorant and stupid. Of course she can end up being just that, but just generating outrage about her looks is ridiculous.

Let me say this. Breaking down a character into a single Trope and ignoring any other traits he, she or it has, is jut plain stupid and helps no one.

One other thing. Why is it that Bows, crossbows and such are suddenly ''Female Weapons''? Firing a Bow takes a lot of strength, but more importantly since when are weapons assigned to a specific gender? This I beyond stupid. Are MG-5 now female guns, while ''real'' men use the AK-47? Declaring weapons to be gender specific just narrows down possibilities. It forces us into predefined paths, when creating new characters.

''Oh no I can't have her using a Bow, because Bows are female weapons and I don't want her to fall into such stereotypes. Better give her a sword... Oh no, now she is a Ms. Male or Fighting Fucktoy...''

This thinking in tropes is harmful to creativity.

Oh and the crossbow critics ignore another important part about Hyrule Warriors.

Picture Source: Zelda.wikia.com

We also have a classic magi user (Lana), a Rapier wielding Queen (Zelda), whatever Rutos Fighting Style is and a girl, who uses giant beetles to squash her enemies (Agitha).

In the end I can only say that I don't understand the outrage against Linkle. It's a mindless reaction, defining everything that doesn't fit into a (very) narrow mindset as problematic, without knowing the circumstances.

Oh and if you want to hear me ranting about Women in Games some more:

http://dilliansthoughthub.blogspot.co.at/2015/04/women-in-games-bayonetta.html

http://dilliansthoughthub.blogspot.co.at/2014/09/female-characters-in-gaming.html

In the end I can only say that Linkle, judging from her trailer, looks like a fun character gameplay wise. As for her story? I can't say anything about this yet, but judging a book by it's cover is never a smart move.

And as always

thanks for reading

Nintendo Direct 12.11.15

Now that we had some days to calm down and look back at this direct without rose tinted Hype glasses, I have to say, that it was a pretty good direct. There was nothing that literally blew my mind and left me speechless, but it had the right amount of announcements and content to keep me satisfied. Of course the 3DS was once again the clear winner and if you like RPGs this Direct was probably the best one in years for you, but even as a more Wii-U centric gamer I didn't feel let down. We got some announcements for 2016 and some remainders for 2015. Yes I would have preferred Twilight Princess HD releasing this year to beef up their Christmas Line-Up, but the way it is, it will provide a good start into 2016 and the 30^th anniversary of Zelda.

We also got a short trailer for Star Fox Zero and a release date. I really like the way the game looks, even though the graphics are really nothing to brag about. But the different vehicles look interesting and should provide different gameplay approaches. And for me Gameplay always matters more than raw graphical horse power.

We also got the final confirmation that Nintendo intends to milk Amiibo for all that it's worth.

I don't want to go into too much detail, but all in all it was a pretty good direct and it ended with a high note. Hands up if you honestly thought that Cloud was a possibility for Smash Bros.

Yeah I thought so...

Anyone who hasn't seen the Direct can take a look at it here.

Amercian Direct:  

European (German) Direct:  

This post today is a little short, but expect a longer one about Linkle in the coming days.

And as always

thanks for reading  

Nintendo Direct 12.11.2015 - What do they have in store?

Picture Source: Nintendo Germany

The drought is finally over. Nintendo just announced a new Direct and the Hype is already skyrocketing. But this is not the time to lose our heads about hypothetical announcements of Twilight Princess HD, Zelda U Information, F-Zero, Metroid and the end of all wars. Already some Nintendo Fans are expecting the mother of all directs and, as a natural consequence, are setting themselves up for massive disappointment.

Let's be reasonable and not expect a second E3 out of this. The direct will likely have one, maybe two, bigger announcements, just like it has always been. Most likely they'll start and finish with a big announcement, while we get information about smaller games and the Ones that will release soon in between.

So with this in mind, here is my prediction for the Thursday direct:

I think they'll start with a first look at Pikmin 4. Miyamoto said that the game is close to completion, and this would a perfect opportunity to show it off. There are quite a lot of Pikmin Fans out there an the Third was great game.

Next they'll probably focus on the titles that are releasing soon. New trailers for Mario and Luige Paper Jam, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Mario Tennis and Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival.

After that some smaller announcements would fit. Maybe even the rumored Twilight Princess HD together with some E-Shop tittles.

Next they'll take a look at some upcoming titles, that are coming out in 2016. Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei, Metriod Prime: Federation Force, etc.

Then it's probably time for Star Fox. It's certain that we'll get new information. A new trailer to show the improved graphics and maybe the announcement of a Multiplayer.

And then it's finally time for Zelda U. It's been nearly a year since we last saw anything and Nintendo has to know that the Fans are starving for new information. It's finally time to show, or at least, hint their vision for an open world.

Also I don't think they'll do a huge tribute for Satoru Iwata. It's not really Nintendos Style. But I'll expect a ''dedicated to the Memory of Satoru Iwata'' message at the end. Or at least something similar, but I expect them to keep it simple.

So what are your thoughts and expectations for the upcoming direct?

And as always

Thanks for reading

Project Zero (Fatal Frame): Maiden of the Black Water Review

Overview:

Only one year after it's initial release in Japan Nintendo finally decided to bring Project Zero 5 (Fatal Frame for our american friends) to the west. After the Japan exclusive 4^th part and the remake of the second, which was only available in Japan and Europe, this is the first time that Nintendo players all around the world can experience the creepy series. But can Project Zeros approach at horror still shock gamers, after the rise of games like Outlast and Five Nights at Freddys?

Story:

The story follows three different characters, and revolves around the cursed Mt. Hikami. The mountain is widely known as suicide mountain, attracting many people, who wish to end their lives. This also turned it into a gathering place for countless evil spirits, which haunt the lonely forests and forsaken buildings of Mt. Hikami. Miu Hinasaki is a young girl searching for her mother. Ren Hojo is a writer, researching the mountain for his newest book, but he also tries to find the truth about a repressed memory, connecting him to the mountain. Finally Yuuri Kozukata is, what you could call, the main protagonist of this game. She has the ability to see ''shadows'' and bring back people and objects from the spirit world. She looks for her mentor Hisoka, who has gone missing on the mountain. The stories of these three characters are, of course, intertwined.

Gameplay:

Project Zero 5 was my first entry in this series, so for me it was all fresh and new, but if you're a veteran, you won't have to learn any new tricks. The core gameplay of the series hasn't been changed since the first part and number 5 follows this tradition. In the shoes of your characters you'll explore different locations on Mt. Hikami and battle it's evil spirits with the help of the Camera Obscura. This mystical Object not only allows you to see hidden objects and make them visible, it also allows you to combat ghosts and thus survive the mountain. It's an universal tool to solve puzzles and generally progress upwards on the cursed mountain.

Using the camera works via the Wii-U Gamepad. The screen of the pad serves as camera lens and by moving the controller you'll target ghosts, items and the boobs of your boss... It works very intuitive and, for me, marks one of the best uses of the Wii-U Gamepad so far. However some players may have problems playing for long periods, because after a while the weight of the Gamepad comes quite apparent.

The Camera itself works just like in previous entries, with the slight difference that you're now able to move, while taking pictures. This makes the battles a bit easier than in previous games.
Most ghosts take more than one hit, and taking a picture of them releases several ghost fragments which work as weak points. Capturing five focus points (Faces, ghost spheres) on one pictures buffs the damage of it quite significantly and awards you with a lot of points. Better pictures provide more points, which can be used to buy items and upgrade the Camera Obscura.

Of course the ghosts won't let you just vanquish them. They have several ways of attacking, teleport around and generally try to ambush you. If a Ghost manages to grab you, there is a small time window, where you're able to counter attack, saving you and giving you a small time frame to take pictures without any penalties.

Because normally there is a waiting time after taking a picture, which leaves you completely vulnerable to ghost attacks. This period differs with the film you use in your camera. The standard film, which is the weakest, but has infinite charges, takes the longest to reload. Then there are three stronger films, but their charges are limited and you should use them wisely. Especially when a boss comes up soon.

There are also several lenses which you can use with you Camera. Each lens provide a special ability, like stunning or shooting 4 pictures at once. Using these lenses wisely and combining them with the films provides essential in taking down stronger ghosts and especially the bosses.

These boss battles are a nerve-racking change from the slower approach the game normally has. They'll put you in a state of constant stress and therefore are a great refresher.

Generally speaking Project Zero is a little to easy on the lower difficulties. Before each chapter you can buy items to help you, but I never had to do this, because the amount you received automatically proved to be more than enough.

Now this are all things that veteran players are familiar with, so what new features does the game contain? Not too many, I'm afraid. Apart from the new controls for the Camera Obscura there are only two notable changes. First on your character now can run through the press of a button. This increases the mobility in fight situations, but still wont let you run away from your attacks. The always present water on Mt. Hikami will slow you down. This also ties directly into the other new feature. The Wetness gauge. Walking through water, under Waterfalls or just outside in the rain will make your character wet. This makes the more susceptible to the spirit world, increasing the damage they deal with the Camera Obscura, but also opens them up to ghostly attacks. Their defense is lowered and they'll encounter more ghosts on their way up the mountain.

The Wetness gauge can be cleared with a new item called the Purifying Flame. This item is also important to remove the ''Yomi Nure'' Status effect. Certain Ghosts can afflict you with this curse which will result in lowered defense, reduced vision and a gradual loss of health.

Presentation:

The Presentation of a Horror game is an important part of the experience, because it determines if the game is successful in building an atmosphere. First let me say that Project Zero does succeed, but also that the graphics are nothing to brag about. The character models are the only thing truly next gen about this game. They look great and extremely detailed. Koei Tecmo once again succeeds in designing beautiful protagonists. The game uses the same engine as Dead or Alive 5, which is obvious through the breast jiggling of the female heroines. Some people may find this distracting in a horror game, but for me it didn't do much. Neither in a positive nor negative sense. Still it should be pointed out that a lot of emphasis is put on showing the females off to the player.

The Ghosts sadly don't receive the same amount of detail. While some of the special ghosts are looking really good (Good in a spooky kind of way, of course) and detailed, the standard enemies often look like they haven't changed since the PS 2 days.

And while not as bad, the areas and surroundings are also not completely up to date. Many textures look blurry and modern things like Anti-Aliasing are also not present. But still the game creates an eerie and dark atmosphere. Especially when played in the dark.

Project Zero takes its time in building an atmosphere. Sound is used sparsely but effectively. The Set pieces are well designed and fit the overarching theme of water and death. Especially the abandoned shrines on Mt. Hikami filled me with an uneasy feeling that I couldn't shake off. However there was never a moment where I didn't want to progress further.

Lastly the voice acting in the game was sufficient. It was nothing memorable, but it didn't impact the game in any negative way, in both, the Japanese and English version.

Bonusround or the game after the game:

Spoiler Warning:

After finishing the game the first time around, you'll unlock nightmare mode. This new mode allows you to play the game again on a higher difficulty. Nightmare mode is quite challenging and if you didn't sweat much on your first play through it certainly will test your skills on this difficulty. Apart from nightmare mode, you'll also unlock the Zero Suit Samus and Princess Zelda outfits for your heroines. This outfits replace the lingerie costumes that you got in the Japanese version.

Lastly you'll unlock a bonus episode staring Ayane from Ninja Gaiden. The Kunochi enters Mt. Hikami to find a girl name Tsugumi Katashina.

Ayanes gameplay is radically different from the other characters in the main game. At the start Ayane get's injured, which takes away her normal movement capabilities. Also she has no way to fight the ghosts. This leads to a different approach in this bonus episode, because she has to rely on stealth. A cloaking spell through on of the Tattoos on her back, hiding her from the Ghosts perception. She also wields an item called the ''Spirit Stone Torch'', which allows her to knock back and stun ghosts.

Conclusion:

Project Zero is a nice change from other actual horror games, which often rely on putting the player in a state of constant terror. It takes it's time in building an eerie atmosphere and doesn't bombard the player with shock moments. Still it is the most action oriented entry into the series. You'll also only find real challenge in the unlockable nightmare mode, because healing items are available in ample amounts.

The graphics are, apart from the characters, not really up to date, with some ghosts looking like they still come from the PS 2 era. The set pieces and environments, while lacking some detail, still create an intense atmosphere and offer enough variety for the game to not become stale.

Some new additions, like the wetness gauge and the ability to run, shake the gameplay up a bit, and generally push the game towards the action route.

Lastly the integration of the Wii-U Gamepad is one of the best to date. It feels very intuitive and is easy to use, but some people may find it hard to hold Gamepad in front of them for longer periods of time.

Conclusion (One Sentence):

Project Zero is a slower and more classical approach to horror games, which will need some time to drag you in, but then reveals a good horror game, without to many innovations.  

Source of all Pictures: Nintendo