Wolf House Gaming

Super Smash Bros. Melee: Fifteen Years and Counting

Armada and Mango , two of the "Five Gods of Melee" and, arguably, the two greatest players of all time. Super Smash Bros. Mel...

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The Gothic in Games

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - One of the first truly 'Gothic' games. The term ‘Gothic’ conjures up many images; some thin...

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Better Late Than Never: Valkyria Chronicles

The PC port has breathed new life into an overlooked gem. It is worth mentioning that, before we get into what makes it an incredibly...

Warning: There are spoilers ahead.

One of the many examples of performance throughout the game.

Final Fantasy 9 is a game about self-discovery. The incredible cast of characters must overcome the odds and band together to save the world, while also finding out things about themselves along the way. Sounds like a Final Fantasy game alright, the usual tale of a rag-tag bunch of misfits setting off on an adventure together. Final Fantasy 9 is different though; it has a self-awareness. It is no coincidence that cast of characters is a theater term, as every character is knowingly playing a role.

Performance and masquerade feature heavily in Final Fantasy 9; they are so prevalent that it can be argued that they are, in fact, the central themes of the game. There are countless examples of theater terms used, countless nods to masquerade balls, and countless nods to disguise and acting; it is no coincident that the entire game's opening has a Shakespearean-esque fantasy feel.

Perhaps the biggest case for this argument is that all the events of Final Fantasy 9 are book-ended by theatrical performance; the game starts and ends with the fictional play I Want to be Your Canary.

Theater is consistently referenced throughout Final Fantasy 9.

I Want to be Your Canary tells the story between a noble and a peasant and is written by Lord Avon (an obvious reference to Shakespeare being known as the 'Bard of Avon'). Zidane, and the rest of Tantalus, perform the play as part of a plan to kidnap the Princess of Alexandria.

Zidane and Princess Garnet are both familiar with I Want to be Your Canary, Zidane must know the play in depth if he is able to perform multiple roles from it, and it is revealed that Garnet studied the play as a youth. It is no surprise that, with their expertise in theater, the leading man and lady are playing roles throughout Final Fantasy 9.

The first time Princess Garnet is encountered she is in disguise. She then changes her name to Dagger and alters her speech pattern in order to play the role of a commoner. And, like Zidane, it is eventually revealed that her true identity is not what was initially thought.

One of the many different guises Garnet takes during the game.

Every character in Final Fantasy 9 acts at a point. They either disguise themselves or put on a mask to cover deep seated emotional issues; each member of the main cast, from party members from antagonists do this, even many of the minor characters as well. In fact, Zidane seems like the only genuine one among them. He encourages his friends onward in the face of adversity, charges fearlessly into danger, he does all the things a traditional hero would...

Maybe, just maybe, he's playing a role too. The role of the hero.

It's already established that Zidane must have an in-depth knowledge of theater and acting, and his life as thief shows his silver tongue and ability to persuade. The player learns, towards the end of the game, that Zidane, much like Garnet, is not as he seems. What if he'd also been knowingly playing a role about all the way through the events of the game?

Was Blank the true hero of Final Fantasy 9?

In terms of heroic protagonists, Zidane hardly fits the bill. His motivations, before the events in Evil Forrest, are that of a ladies man and a thief; he's more Han Solo than Luke Skywalker. He even boasts to Blank how he's going to 'reel in' a Princess.

Blank - Sheez... You really dig her, huh?
Zidane - I can't sit around knowing a girl's in trouble. Goes against my nature.
Blank - Whatever. You're full of crap.
Zidane - Oh... I get it. You're jealous that I'm gonna get me a sweetie pie.

Blank then proceeds to give Zidane advice and medicine; both which prove to be of great help. Even with those things, and the help of Vivi and Steiner, Zidane still struggles to rescue the princess. It is only when Blank arrives, to save the day, that they are successful. He then saves Zidane's life, sacrificing himself in the process, before throwing him the map that would ensure the survival of the party.

It's not just his actions that argue for his place as true hero/protagonist. Although it is hard to gauge how Tantalus is ordered, he seems to have more seniority than Zidane. As well as being the Prima Vista's pilot, he is also trusted to helm the Blue Narciss later in the game. The single time he is a party member, he takes the primary slot, which is usually reserved for the party leader. He wields a sword, the traditional weapon of the hero. And, he fights in the struggle for Alexandria immediately after being unfrozen from petrification.

It is only after Blank is turned to stone and Zidane finds himself alone in the wilderness with a Princess, an oafish knight, and a child, that he takes on the role of the hero. He starts out playing one, but truly becomes one by the end of the game when he makes his own heroic sacrifice.

Black Waltz No.3 and the Cargo Ship.

The images of a masquerade ball come to mind when considering the the theatrical within Final Fantasy 9; the musical style of certain sections, the overarching themes of an outer facade masking inner truths, and specific character designs. Take the Black Waltz's for example, the name makes obvious sense because there are three of them, but it is no coincidence that they are named after the sort of dance that is performed at a ball.

In another nod to Shakespeare, the idea of the farce comes to mind when examining the series of events that eventually bring Beatrix and Steiner together. A love letter, intended for Zidane, falls into the hands of many characters before being dropped and subsequently found by Beatrix, believing it from Steiner. The same night, Steiner finds the same letter and, in turn, mistakes it being from Beatrix addressed to him. The whole thing takes place as an audience of characters watches from afar.

A Happy Ending

Final Fantasy 9 ends as it begins: with a performance of I Want to be Your Canary. As the first performance is interrupted, by the events of the game, the player is unaware of how the story concludes. It is only as the final performance plays out, at the end of the game, that the player experiences the entire story. The narrative of both the play and the game itself are intertwined, and it is no coincidence that once I Want to be Your Canary finally ends, the game does as well. Zidane finally throws off his final disguise, his last masquerade, and the performance is over.

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Final Fantasy 9: The Masquerade

Warning: There are spoilers ahead. One of the many examples of performance throughout the game. Final Fantasy 9 is a game about self...

Warning: Minor plot spoilers ahead.

"This is the choice of Steins Gate."

While playing through Steins;Gate for the first time, I wondered when I would have to make my first binary choice, as is often the case with even the best visual novels. I waited and waited for that dialogue option to pop up. Do you want to go to the maid cafe or the electronics store? Will you comfort Kurisu Makise or Mayuri Shiina? I waited and waited for that interaction, for that choice, but it never came. Then, in a moment of fridge brilliance, it clicked. I'd been making those choices all along without realizing it.

For a visual novel, Steins;Gate has the perfect gameplay system for its narrative. I'm not going to preach about ludonarrative dissonance or mechanics as metaphor, but Steins;Gate is worth a special mention. The central plot point is a simple one: What if you could send a message through time?

The 'Phone Trigger' System.

The 'Phone Trigger' system is at the core of Steins;Gate. Throughout the game you receive messages, e-mails and phone calls, and it is up to the player to decide how to respond. Or maybe you don't respond? Maybe you don't answer the phone? The interaction from the player is minimal but those small interactions have big narrative consequences, just like how a butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the world can cause hurricanes.

Time travel is a difficult literary device to implement and even some of the best examples, like the films Twelve Monkeys and Groundhog Day, do little to explain the phenomenon. Steins;Gate goes above and beyond in its approach, dedicating a large amount of time to explain multiple time travel theories. It is presented so well that a phone stuck onto the side of a microwave seems like a perfectly feasible time machine.

"99% science (reality), 1% fantasy."

The offbeat cast of characters is what gives Steins;Gate its emotional core, and at the center of that is self proclaimed mad scientist Okabe Rintaro. As the plot progresses, Rintaro transforms from an arrogant, and slightly useless, goofball into a responsible and mature adult. It is one of the best examples of character development in a videogame. Rintaro experienes horrific things as he leaps through time, over and over and over, trying to save the people he cares about, trying to undo all his mistakes. Rintaro, and the other Future Lab members, aren't perfect, they make mistakes. None of us are perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. If you could send a message to the past and undo those mistakes, would you? If you did, would you learn from those mistakes? Or is sending that message just another mistake you wish you could undo?

That is the choice of Steins;Gate.

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Steins;Gate and Ludonarrative Harmony

Warning: Minor plot spoilers ahead. "This is the choice of Steins Gate." While playing through Steins;Gate for the first t...

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Persona 3: The Importance of Narrative

Death is not a hunter unbeknownst to its prey. One is always aware that it lies in wait. Though life is merely a journey to the grave...

Big changes are afoot.

The Year of the Kraken is here and Hearthstone has undergone its biggest change yet; ranked mode is now split between 'Standard' and 'Wild'.

'Standard' mode will only allow players to play with decks containing cards from the "current and previous calendar year" and, of course, the basic and classic cards. This means that cards from 'Wild' will allow cards from any expansion. Similar to Magic the Gathering, a yearly change to the viable cards in 'Standard' play will ensure the meta doesn't stagnate. The Curse of Naxxramas adventure has also been removed; the cards are still available for crafting, but will only be playable in 'Wild' mode.

Curse of Naxxramas and Goblins vs Gnomes will not be part of Standard. When we release the first new Expansion each year, every set that wasn’t released in the same year or the year prior will cycle out and no longer be part of the Standard format.

A much needed nerf.

What does it all mean though?

This is essentially a way for Blizzard to remove the two expansions from competitive play without a huge community uproar. The release of the first expansions, Naxxramas and Goblins vs Gnomes, resulted in an irreversible shift away from how the game was played. The expansions have pushed Hearthstone into a fast paced, burst-based, aggressive direction that has defined the meta since its introduction. To put it simply, the expansion cards were far stronger than the basic/classic set and there was no clear way to slow the meta down. Everyone has experienced the turn seven Dr.Boom.

It is no coincidence that much of the Whispers of the Old Gods expansion is geared towards late game play with the nerfs to the burst combo of charge cards, late game removal, and silences.

Goodbye Druid Combo.

Only time will tell the impact that the Whispers of the Old Gods will have on the meta-game, but it is hard to argue against the new standard mode. It will ensure Hearthstone won't stagnate without the usual power creep associated with card games. Bring on the Year of the Kraken!

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Hearthstone: Whispers of the Old Gods and The Year of the Kraken

Big changes are afoot. The Year of the Kraken is here and Hearthstone has undergone its biggest change yet; ranked mode is now split be...

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Net Yaroze and the Forgotten PlayStation Classics

Read a similar article at Vice , another on the same topic over at Eurogamer and one at Gamasutra . The Net Yaroze development kit. T...

What do you say to a man who's seen too much?

Kid hasn't a clue...

But he says this:

We have to go...

Please...

Bastion sets out to tell a story, and it tells a damn good story. A story told by a husky voiced narrator, the sort of voice you imagine a seventy year old whiskey barrel has as it's teaching you the ways of the world. Bastion's narrative, in execution, is flawless and it succeeds in creating its own world and atmosphere, one that is heavily inspired by the southern U.S states and the old west.

Videogames have the ability to present a narrative unlike any other medium, and possibly in more various ways. Apart from long running television shows, videogames have an advantage over other mediums in the time that people are willing to invest in a game, and that means more time with the characters and the story. Bastion, for example, takes about seven/eight hours to complete the main story and it's a small independent title. Now that seven/eight hours is still more time than a film (or even a trilogy of films), longer than a season of Peep Show (or other similar comedy show here in the U.K) and longer than the time it takes to read a novella.

Morid, the coffee connoisseur from Final Fantasy 9.

In a long running, narrative driven series like Mass Effect or Final Fantasy a player will spend about sixty hours with a story. This means the emotional investment a player has with a videogame's characters is far more intense than another mediums, where less time has been spent with a character or environment. There is also the the interactive element of videogames to consider. The advantage and disadvantage to this, however, is that (most) games don't force all of the story upon you, Mass Effect has a fully fleshed out universe explained through the 'codex', but doesn't make a big deal of it being there; it's there if you want to learn more about the in-game history. The flip side, however, is that far more narrative content has to go into creating a game than a TV show or a film.

Bastion does a great job of turning a technical limitation into a strength, much like the fog of Silent Hill 2 masking the amount of background that could be rendered; that fog became an integral part of it's atmosphere. Bastion does this with the ground appearing underneath your feet as you move along the game world. At its core, Bastion is a linear dungeon crawler, but it's the way in which the world is presented and the few choices that the player makes that really creates a compelling game.

The Kid and Rucks.

The narrator is Bastion's biggest strength as it gives the player both the illusion of freedom and that they're creating their own story as they play, when they are in fact following a set path. The narrator responds to nearly everything you do creating a sense of almost unparalleled immersion. Linearity is usually a detracting point in most games, but Bastion makes it a strength. Similarly to Telltale's The Walking Dead, Bastion hides its mechanics with perfect artistic choices, creating a uniquely immersive narrative experience.

“I guess there's nothin' more to say...” - Rucks.

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Bastion and Videogame Narrative

What do you say to a man who's seen too much? Kid hasn't a clue... But he says this: We have to go... Please... ...

Warning: There are some vague spoilers ahead.

The Delita-ful cast...

Final Fantasy Tactics was released in Japan in 1997 and in the U.S. in 1998. It has only been officially available in Europe since 2007, a full ten years after its initial release. Even with the Final Fantasy name it was pretty easy to dismiss as Square's experimental take on the familiar turn based formula. Final Fantasy Tactics is well worth playing as it is, arguably, one of the best in the series.

The main draw of the Final Fantasy titles has always been the narrative, and Tactics has one of the strongest narratives of all the Final Fantasy games. It revolves around political intrigue and the differing sides during wartime. The story revolves around young Ramza Beoulve and his actions during the 'War Of The Lions'. Starting with the idea that history tends to be written by the winner and that, maybe, things should't always be taken at face value.

"Names don't matter. What's important is how you live your life." - Ramza Beoulve

Although the story is complex, it isn't convoluted. There are many different characters, but they drift in and out of Ramza's arc so it isn't too hard to keep on top of them all; there's even a description of every character encountered to refresh your memory if you get a little lost. Basically, anyone waiting for a true Game of Thrones game should play Final Fantasy Tactics as there are betrayals, power grabs, and deceptions. Ramza stands alone fighting for true justice, showing that although heroic actions may not be recognized they are necessary regardless of fame or reward.

Ramza grows over the events of the game, one of very few videogame protagonists to have an actual character arc. Rather than overcoming an ordeal, or uniting a group against evil, Ramza starts as an inexperienced squire oblivious to the world, but as each chapter passes he grows as the events around him shape his personality and influence his future actions (his character sprite changes multiple times to reflect this). Although he goes through many changes, he is one of the few characters to stay true to his ideals.

"You are still a child... a child who does not see the world for what it is. A man does not turn his back on truth. A man accepts it, and walks the path he must." - Goffard Gaffgarion

It is the characters' dialogue that sets Final Fantasy Tactics apart from its peers. Take this speech given by Wiegraff Folles:

"Governments falsify history only so it favours them. But you can't blame them. Because people always hope for a 'miracle'. Endlessly complaining, lazy, nuisances... that's what the masses really are. Governments give the people what they want... and history repeats itself. Governments might well have taken advantage of their insecurity... but then again, people are satisfied being used... 'God' is nothing but an image created out of their insecurity. It's their fault for knowing they're comfortably numb, and not doing anything about it."

Every piece of dialogue has a purpose, just as every action a character takes has a consequence. Again, take another line from Wiegraff as an example: "A small stone may only make a small ripple at first, but someday it will be a wave." There are countless examples of exceptionally written dialogue, but Ramza's interactions with Wiegraff are some of the best.

Ramza: Then you were a warrior who fought to make your dream reality. Now you are only a thrall of the Church.

Wiegraf: What troubled sleep have you known, to speak of my dreams? No matter how sweet, a dream left unrealized must fade into day.

Wiegraff Folles - The fallen hero.

The beauty of Final Fantasy Tactics' narrative is that it shows that there are multiple sides in war; each characters' actions have purpose and motive. Some are horrendous, some noble. Some are simple tales of revenge, others are complex gambits with many moving parts and deceptions. It shows that although there is good and evil, there's not just good and evil.

Final Fantasy Tactics is worth playing for any RPG, strategy, or Game of Thrones fan; it is quite simply the best game you probably never played.

It is available on GooglePlay, iTunes and PSP.

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Final Fantasy Tactics: The best RPG you probably never played.

Warning: There are some vague spoilers ahead. The Delita-ful cast... Final Fantasy Tactics was released in Japan in 1997 and in the U....

In my restless dreams, I see that town.
Silent Hill.
You promised you'd take me there again someday,
But you never did.
Well I'm alone there now...
In our "special place"...
Waiting for you...

Silent Hill 2 stands as one of the greatest games of the survival horror genre and, apart from the Resident Evil series, there are very few titles that elevated said genre to terrifying heights. Unlike the Resident Evil series, however, Silent Hill 2 acts as a perfect example in the 'games as art' debate. It features an intensely mature narrative revolving around characters' psychological traumas manifesting physically throughout a town.

Much has been said about the iconic atmosphere of Silent Hill 2, and the town's shifting geography. How the fog thematically reinforces the idea that all the answers are just out of view while also hiding the technical limitations of the PS2. The real brilliance of Silent Hill 2 is the way the town reflects James Sunderland's personal torment through its geography and monstrous inhabitants.

The creatures haunting the streets of Silent Hill.

The town of Silent Hill appears differently to each of the characters. Angela believes that she deserves to burn in hell so she sees fire everywhere. The geography changes as James gets closer and closer to the truth, reflecting his findings. Each character has a reason to be in town and none wish to leave until they find closure.

There are some fights you just can't win.

Just like Jame Sunderland you, the player, are compelled to continue onward. Unlike its survival horror contemporaries, Silent Hill 2 doesn't trap the protagonist in any physical way; James is free to get in his car and leave town at any time, just like you are free to turn off the game. But you don't, you keep going. Just like James. You just keep going until you arrive at one of the many possible endings.

"Silent Hill 2 is, ultimately, a tragedy about real human emotions." - Dan Whitehead

The various endings are representative of the way the player has acted throughout the game; there are no binary decisions though. The way you play is a reflection on James' state of mind, just like the town itself. If you play through consistently on low health, charge headfirst into groups of enemies, or keep looking at a kitchen knife you're given... Well, no spoilers, but you can't probably guess it doesn't end well. The game even registers if you listen to key pieces of dialogue in full and if you've been protective over other characters; almost everything you do has an impact on the conclusion.

Silent Hill 2 leaves you reeling after each play-through, forcing the player to confront their own emotional reactions to the events that unfold. It isn't about escapism, Silent Hill 2 forces you to look inwards and deal with real psychological horrors, and that is far more terrifying that a couple of first person perspective jump scares.

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Remembering Silent Hill 2

In my restless dreams, I see that town. Silent Hill. You promised you'd take me there again someday, But you never did. Well I'm ...

War never changes. Right?

More of the Same

And that's not a bad thing. Any fans of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas will feel right at home with Fallout 4. It looks and plays like you remember Fallout 3 playing that first time you booted it up, capturing the same magic, and giving you that initial purpose in the wasteland. On the other hand, those looking for a huge leap forward will probably be disappointed.

Fuck the Dog

Fuck off.

Seriously. It runs in front of the player all the time disrupting the menus, stands in doorways or behind counters getting in the way, and gives away the player's position while sneaking; there has been no positive to the dog so far and it's extremely tedious and difficult to leave it places. Bad design.

Not a Blank Slate

Fallout 4 is much harder to role play than previous titles; there is a much more structured story and rather than having a silent protagonist that the player shapes completely, the player character has a voice actor. The problem with voice acting, although well recorded and delivered, is that the subtle inflections of the actor can change how a phrase comes across. The freedom has been dialled back for storytelling purposes (certain NPC's can't be killed) which is not what is expected from a Fallout game; it doesn't ruin the experience, but does leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Spooky Ghouls

So well done compared to Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. The feral ghouls really sneak up on you, lying half visible in the wasteland until you disturb one and then four are on you without you realising and panic sets in. They're still relatively weak, but the speed with which you can become surrounded in tight areas makes them a real threat; nice to see Bethesda taking cues from some of the iconic zombie flicks.

Surprisingly scary.

Customisation

Initially, the amount of customisation seems like the biggest difference between Fallout 4 and previous titles, and it's a positive change. The weapon and armour customisation is a nice touch for those who really want to refine their style, and the way power armour is utilised is another welcome change. The settlements are the big one though, as players will end up pouring hours into shaping those sections of the game-world to their whim. Customising Sanctuary early on is the first indicator that Fallout 4 is not just a glossy looking version of Fallout 3.

The construction tool is a little clunky, but well executed.

Early impressions are positive, but the many great moments are interrupted by moments of frustration; only time will tell if those frustrating moments mount up and end up ruining the experience.

Keep an eye out for more Fallout 4 content as we continue exploring the commonwealth.

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Fallout 4: Early Impressions

War never changes. Right? More of the Same And that's not a bad thing. Any fans of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas will feel ...

With a new Star Wars film on the horizon, and the upcoming release of Star Wars: Battlefront, it seems like the perfect time to reflect on one of the greatest Star Wars games in recent memory: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Darth Malak and Darth Revan

Like most Bioware games, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's strength is its narrative; its sense of adventure and exploration. That's not to say the gameplay is bad, just a little dated by today's standards. Knights of the Old Republic captures the feeling of the Star Wars universe perfectly, giving fans of the original trilogy a sense of history that the prequels got so wrong. Along with a narrative twist worthy of those films, Knights of the Old Republic boasts a memorable cast of characters (Carth excluded) that wouldn't be out of place in any of the original movies, as well as carving its own identity. The force is central to the narrative experience, but rather than just looking at the light and dark, KOTOR plays with the shades of grey in-between.

HK-47

Like any great twist based narrative Knights of the Old Republic catches you completely off guard with its numerous revelations. But, on reflection, the entire game is filled with foreshadowing. From major plot points and cut-scenes, to the item descriptions within the game, almost everything that occurs is hinted at. The attention to detail in KOTOR more than makes up for its now outdated (and slightly wonky) gameplay; with nods to the original trilogy and extended universe, and the aforementioned foreshadowing, nothing feels rushed. It's hard to discuss KOTOR without falling into spoiler territory, but it's a title well worth playing if you're a fan of a strong narrative and exceptional game universe.

Zzzzap

Any fans of Star Wars will surely find something to enjoy here, just as any fans of the Mass Effect series or other non-fantasy based RPGs will. You can find Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on Steam. There are many performance issues on modern PCs, and possible game breaking bugs can crop up, so buyer beware. It's often on sale for about the same price as a sandwich, though, so well worth the risk for the price.

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