Blog Archives
0 Now Playing… #4
Burnout Dominator, EA UK/Criterion
Some days, you just can’t go out for a stroll without bumping into idiots.
In related news, Burnout Dominator might be a serious case for crashing into idiots, along with being a case against genres. EA would like you to believe it’s a game about being highway psychopaths, and the game ostensibly does enforce the premise; the presentation might hesitate between WWF interludes and grunge visuals promoting 1999 edginess, but all else is clear. Driving recklessly is a mandate, not a cautionary tale. Which goes against what the game is actually about: rhythm.
0 Now Playing… #3
Sonic Generations (PC), Sonic Team/Devil’s Details
Generations, like other subtitles such as Gaiden or Densetsu, tends to create a needless sense of distance and is often used to placate children who refuse any sort of changes to their favorite games – even if those turn out to be more diverse or adventurous titles than their tepid continuity flag-bearers. It’s the kind of word that gets spreadsheet-loving executives free lunches since it’s marketable, safe and can describe just about anything – from Lego sets to Nintendo’s newfound love for grandmas, from the Rolling Stones to Pepsi.
But here, the context is that of a “members only” club. Here’s Sonic, the quintessential mascot of mascot games that, perhaps unlike any other, has illustrated its parent company’s history near flawlessly, from stardom to some murky depths, doing its best inviting yet conservative stance. Whatever feelings you nurture for the spiky bundle of action’s past games, Sega has you covered by condensing 20 years of Sonic into one single title. Everyone’s invited. For better or for worse.
