Flaming Tires and The Involuntary Guffaw

I just took a quick read of Clive Thompson’s mediation on the beauty of destruction (in, specifically, Burnout Paradise), and I instantly knew exactly what he was talking about. Back in the dark days when having a PS3 meant either watching Milla Jovovich’ Ultraviolet or playing Resistance Fall of Man, along came Motorstorm. Though it hardly delivered the system from its humiliating netherworld, it offered exactly the visceral thrill Thompson describes. From my youngest offspring to my parents, men and women alike, anyone present when I (very, very badly) played this game sounded a thundering howl of laughter as my vehicle careened off a cliff at absurd speed, gracefully disintegrating (in slo-mo, of course) into burning spare parts. Like Thompson, I’m not entirely convinced this is mere adolescent fixation or (the even more facile) typical male fetishization of violence. There is a beauty here, working on a very basic and subconscious level. For me, it’s the same response I’ve had whenever I’ve been faced with something truly, divinely beautiful: involuntary and wildly inappropriate laughter. 

How was my week?

Slow. Not much to do. How was yours? Oh, there was this one little thing I forgot about: flinging myself across the entire country for a week of the Game Developers Conference. I had an unspeakably good time, met several interesting and generous people, and came away much better for it. It was, in fact, both everything I hoped it would be and nothing I feared it would be. There isn’t much in life you can say that about. I plan to spend the next few days digging though large piles of business cards with hastily scribbled notes, writing follow-up messages, and regrouping my life in general. For the time being, though, thanks to everyone who took the time to chat with me, answer a question, engage in a good natured argument, or linger over a nourishing catered lunch. If you are one of the people I’ve met recently, I apologize that there isn’t much to see here just now; one of my other priorities is to edit and post a bunch of stuff that got back-burnered in favor of GDC. Have a look around and come back soon for more. 

Super Mario Galaxy? The Clone Army Gives it a Week

My in-house playtesters (8 y.o. Thing 1 and 6 y.o. Thing 2) shall render my (for now) final verdict on Super Mario Galaxy (as I am too immersed in Assassin’s Creed to do it myself): Meh. Though stoked about its arrival from Gamefly, they were urging me to send back for something else after only a week.Not sure what this says about the game (perhaps nothing), but it clearly failed to engage them. Truth is, they’re far more obsessed right now with the non-digital Munchkin than anything the video game lair has to offer.