May17
Graphics are great, story??? Not so much.
Greetings my loyal subjects,
I see it's been a while since I've made a blog post. After enduring the stylish, yet predictable Silent Hill(s) homage called "THE PARK", I was reminded of a classic quote from Groucho Marx that epitomizes the chaotic way stories in many games & movies are plotted out these days. Here it is:
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Did you ever sit and ponder, as you walk along the strand,
that life's a bitter battle at the best.
And if you only knew it you would lend a helping hand,
then every man could meet the final test.
The world is but a stage, my friend, and life's but a game,
and how you play is all that matters in the end.
But whether a man is right or wrong, a woman gets the blame,
and your mother is your dog's best friend.
Then up came mighty Casey, and strode up to the bat,
and Sheridan was fifty miles away.
For it takes a heap of loving to make a home like that,
on the road to where the flying fishes play.
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Don't get me wrong, there are several good stories out there (Spec OPs: The Line), but many games & films (looking at you especially RIDE TO HELL and IT FOLLOWS) are just nonsense.
Were these writers begging for their lives in my acidic slime torture cells, they couldn't come up a convincing argument on why they should die, let alone why they should live. I couldn't find it in my cold black heart to offer mercy, as they showed none to us who paid hard earned cash for their offerings.
"THE PARK" created a nice atmosphere and reasonable visual offering, but went the poorly fleshed out, predictable story route. Honestly, I'd like to see a sequel, with a more powerful and nuanced story. They spent time creating what could have been a Porsche of a game environment, and stuck in a 60's VW Bug motor of a story.
A disappointment on many levels.
All Hail the Empire.
Gir Draxa