Nathan Grayson's Blog (4)

Each generation of consoles has made an advance in gaming unlike any other. For the N64/PS1 generation, it was the jump to 3D; for the Xbox/PS2/GC generation, it was online gameplay and sandbox games. But what about now? Aside from prettier graphics, micro-transactions, and (arguably) motion control, what has defined this generation of consoles? The answer: nothing. Yet. This year, however, that's going to change. 2008 will go down in gaming history as the year of user-created content's rise to… Continue

Note: This blog entry is a personal anecdote. Although it's fairly entertaining in my un-biased opinion, it also contributes nothing to any sort of discussion about gaming or games journalism. With that said, please read it anyway. It'd be much appreciated. I’m back, and I have stories! Back from where, you ask? Why, All-Con, of course. Oh wait, I guess I should go into further detail. See, a “Con,” is a convention and–oh, you wanted more details on All-Con? My mistake. All-Con is a con… Continue

How many games have we seen that open with an oily, grimy battle of Lord of the Rings proportions? Don’t strain your brain on this one — just know that the number will soon equal the number of combatants in such battles. The reason for this mass replication should be obvious; giant battle scenes are really freakin’ cool… Continue

Over the past few years, gaming has grown from a mostly-juvenile form of entertainment and escapism to a legitimate medium of artistic expression. Story and characters have evolved tremendously: whether you consider Bioshock’s Andrew Ryan, whose madness is chronicled through tape recordings placed conveniently throughout the failed utopia of Rapture, Half-Life 2’s (yes, Half-Life 2, specifically) Gordon Freeman, who never speaks a word, yet develops a near tangible bond with Alyx Vance, or Porta… Continue