Girl in the Machine

Farewell from these three.

2008-08-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

It's time to say goodbye, folks.

We've had a wonderful time blogging for you over the past year. PlasmaRit, Calabar, and I have really enjoyed exploring our own feminist ideas, love of video games, and everything in between on Girl in the Machine, but sadly it's time for us to go. The most pressing reason is time; classes are starting up again for two of us (we're tackling our senior year), and one of us is already ensconced in a professional career. We didn't want to abandon the blog for months at a time, so this is our formal farewell.

Blogging was sort of an experiment for the three of us. We started Girl in the Machine last year just to see if we could. We were bursting with things to say about video games and feminism, and we rapidly garnered a regular readership. We thank all of you for engaging in what we've had to say. However, we've come to discover that blogging is for a certain type of person -- someone who's truly dedicated to updating on a regular basis, who's always finding new and interesting things to say. It's a responsibility that we can't quite keep up with in both our busy lives and our individual mindsets.

The most important thing, though, is our audience. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting us, critiquing us, and following the updates during GitM's run. Thanks to Cerise Magazine for featuring us in an interview in their October 2007 issue. Thanks to all of the blogs who linked to us, the people who emailed us, and our regular commenters. We'll miss you guys.

Before I go, I'll leave you with some links to our favorite articles. I hope you enjoy them all over again, and thank you again for checking us out. We'll miss you.

Best of BomberGirl
What Little Girls are Made Of
The Grand Dominatrix Phenomenon
Trembling in your schoolgirl uniform.
Femininity: Whose Problem is It?
Live in Purity and then Die
A Strictly Female Affliction

Best of Calabar
Healers: A Female-Dominated Profession
Apologetic Heroines
Video Games As Literature
I Love Girls with Big Swords... Waitaminute
I'm Sure You've Got Plenty to Say

Best of PlasmaRit
Inevitable Femininity
Aggression Toward Video Games
Pseudoscience Strikes Again: It's Biological!
Colonization: Fun 'n Games
Women Worshipers
First Friday Drinking Games

The Scales
The Scale of RPG Heroines: Part I, II, III
The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Our First Posts
Hookers on Parade by BomberGirl
Graah! I'm Naked! by Calabar
Lara Croft's Ten Year Mam-Jam by PlasmaRit

Thank you.

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-08-01T19:53:00.001-04:00

If you're a dedicated FFDG player, you may find yourself wondering where the hell summer went--hard to believe August is already here! August means different things for different people--some are dreading the ever-approaching school year, some are desperately trying to find a new place to live after clinging to the last few days of their lease, while others are just happy to realize that there end of the blistering heat is in sight. If you belong to any or all of these groups, First Friday Drinking Game is right for you!

We've taken on Fighters in the past, and now it's time to zero in on the Soul Calibur series. Released just recently, Soul Calibur 4 is the perfect game to take your mind off your end-of-summer problems and just beat somebody up--follow these rules and you'll have the added bonus of being sloshed while doing so:

1 drink every time Nightmare says something particularly badass
2 drinks for "THE DAAHHKNESS"
1 drink every time the final boss makes you want to break your controller in half
1 drink every time you think it's about time for Maxi to come out of the closet
1 drink each time Kilik wields his staff in a suggestive manner (overcompensating much?)
1 drink every time Voldo enthusiastically performs a pelvic thrust
2 drinks if it's up close to the screen
1 (obligatory) drink each time breasts defy the law of physics
1 drink every time the game upskirts Sophitia
1 drink every time Raphael talks in SCII (what's up with his voice?)
1 drink each time Siegfried says something emo
1 drink for every interactive cutscene you screw up

And finally:

Finish your drink if you realize you've gotten used to the sight of Ivy's unrealistically YOOGE boobs (because it is a sad, sad day)

Warning: Excessive drinking during gameplay may result in delusions of being a large-breasted harbinger of the nastiest of beatdowns. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

Diversity and Mass Effect

2008-07-28T10:11:00.014-04:00

I've recently been replaying Mass Effect, Bioware's 2007 action RPG, and I'm totally in love. Though there's plenty of things I could babble on about, I want to discuss the first thing I noticed when I brought the game home back during the holidays.

Women and people of color. They aren't invisible . . . in fact, in this game, they're all over the place! Just like, you know, real life! Way too often, sci fi falls into the trap of showing us a universe where PoC and women have been sucked into a black hole or something and no longer exist. Mass Effect introduces a galaxy that's truly diverse, an experience we don't often get in video games.

An interesting facet of Mass Effect's immense cultural salad is the absence of racial tension among humans. Humanity's discovery of advanced Prothean artifacts is only quite recent; their technology jumps two hundred years, and thus all contact and interaction with alien races is relatively sudden. These aliens all look down on the human race and treat them as lesser beings. As the first human member of an elite agency called Spectre, the protagonist Shepard must combat prejudice and bigotry as well as your typical monsters and other foes.

Mass Effect pitches humanity into a situation where all racial tensions seem to vanish in order to unite against the prejudice of the alien races. Now, I realize that Bioware did not craft this game for the purpose of social commentary, so I don't blame it for not directly addressing human racial interaction along with the new problems presented by alien prejudice. It's a fascinating thought, though: could humanity put internal racism aside when all of us, collectively, face the same from an outside source?

Mass Effect's major hub of human-alien interaction is the Citadel, a massive space station in the Serpent Nebula. As Shepard, you're let loose there after the game's prologue, free to collect sidequests or continue the main storyline. Sidequests have always been my favorite part of role-playing games, and so I was thrilled to see the sheer variety of characters that seek your help. There's eldery crime boss Helena Blake, who sends you off to take out her competition. A mourning widower named Samesh Bhatia pleads you to retrieve the body of his wife, a marine who dies during the prologue. Reporter Emily Wong needs you to dig up some dirt on an organized crime syndicate. And there's many, many more.

So we have some pretty great diversity going on in this game -- with the special bonus of none it feeling forced or patronizing -- along with a springboard for racial discussion due to alien prejudice. However, Mass Effect takes things a step further.

It would have been easy to treat prejudice in a two-dimensional fashion with snarling, discriminative aliens and cowering humans, but many alien characters find such prejudice deplorable and many human characters despise aliens as a whole. Notably, two human members of Shepard's squad deal with their own race issues.

Ashley Williams begins the game with a deep mistrust of all alien races and often confesses to Shepard that she doesn't think the nonhuman squad members should go unsupervised. As Shepard, you can bring two squad members with you on your quests, and if you pick Ashley and a nonhuman member, such as Tali the quarian, they have some interesting conversations during the game's many elevator rides. In Tali's case, Ashley points out that the quarian's strange dress makes many humans think of the evil geth, and admits that she shares this opinion. As Tali answers her questions, Ashley displays a growing understanding of alien differences and slowly overcomes her prejudices.

Kaiden Alenko is a biotic (Mass Effect's "mage" class) who was subjected to Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training, or "Brain Camp," as a child to temper his powers. He describes the experience as particularly brutal, staffed only by aliens since humanity had yet to fully understand biotics. Kaiden had a violent run-in with one of his instructors, an ex-military turian named Vyrnnus who loathed humans. After tragedy strikes and all is said and done, Kaiden points out that Vyrnnus, though terrible, was just one turian, and not representative of an entire race. Despite his traumatizing experiences at the hands of this instructor, Kaiden does not allow them to slant his own views of an entire race.

Over all, Mass Effect does an exceptional job on many accounts. Women and people of color share important roles and characters tangle with race issues that are relevant to us in the real world. Though the game is far from perfect (expect a post about the asari Consort in the future), it's a solid effort from Bioware and addresses many topics that most games won't even touch.

Linkfest: Fat Princess Edition

2008-07-25T22:55:00.002-04:00

There's been a lot of talk about the new PSN game Fat Princess that had been announced at this year's E3. Check out these sites to read all about it:

Feministe - Well, that was bound to happen

Feminist Gamers - Fat Princess

Shakesville - I Write Letters

I especially like the alternative ideas Might Ponygirl and those in the comments have suggested to reduce the tiring stereotypes in the original game. What are your opinions?

Happy reading, and have a good weekend!

Expectations: Sheva Alomar

2008-07-21T10:00:00.013-04:00

There's been a veritable dry spell in survival horror games as of late, and I've definitely been suffering. Dementium: The Ward for the Nintendo DS was a huge disappointment, and Silent Hill: Origins left me with only a cynical apprehension for September's Homecoming. This year's E3 provided a smattering of goodies for gamers to ooh and aah over, and we were fortunate enough to get a preview of some sorely-needed survival horror titles. Probably the most notorious is Capcom's Resident Evil 5.

I enjoyed RE4, although I'm more of a Creep Around And Get Scared Oh Shit What Was That? kind of gal, as opposed to Mow Down Hundreds Of Zombies And Jump Through Windows action-star wannabe, so it wasn't entirely my cup of tea. It was a wonderful game regardless of my personal preferences, so Capcom is clearly sticking close to that formula for its sequel. Also part of the formula is the good old survival horror hallmark, the secondary character, this time in the form of a woman named Sheva Alomar.

I'm as shocked as anybody that not only is one of the main characters a person of color, but a woman of color, to boot. Sheva comes to protagonist Chris Redfield's aid as a member of the West African BSAA, or Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance. In another shocking twist, she's not a squealing, floundering idiot a la RE4's Ashley, but a competent, well-trained agent who does her share of the combat. Be still, my heart!

I have talked before about the differences between your average male and female survival horror protagonists, and while Leon and Ashley fit my observations quite snugly, Sheva appears to defy most of them. All I can do is speculate, of course, but look how badass she is with that gun! A woman? In a survival horror game? Who's got everything under control? Is well-equipped for the job and knows what she's doing? Now that's some shock and awe, and I'm very pleased.

I'm hoping Sheva is a step up from the ridiculous Ada Wong, whose exoticized Femme Fatale nature stands in entirely for personality. Every one of her scenes in RE4 had me rolling my eyes. Trussed up in an unwieldly Chinese dress, four-inch heels, and a fucking garter for a gun holster, she's just as easy to take seriously as squealy Ashley. Ada is simple pinup material, a Hot Asian Chick flourishing a gun, and with any luck Sheva will make me forget all about her.

Now, this game won't even be out until March 2009, so perhaps it's a bit early to celebrate too much. However, in the world of female video game characters, it's quite nice to have something positive on the horizon. Sheva's existence does not cancel out the ugly racism depicted in the RE5 trailer, and I am quite interested in seeing what the overall story and gameplay offer when I actually get the chance to play it.

The Resident Evil series has been around for a good twelve years now, and it's an obvious fact that its cast of playable characters is totally whitewashed. As diverse as the US's population is, every Umbrella-opposing RE protagonist has been sparkling white. It's unfortunate that it took a change of scenery to an African country for any people of color to share the spotlight -- and even then, it's Chris who's prominently featured in the trailers, screenshots, and previews, while Sheva takes up the support role. However, it looks like a step in the right direction, no matter how small, and I'll be sure to report back to you as soon as I get my hands on this game in early 2009.

(Go check out some more kickass pictures of Sheva at Gaygamer.net's E3 '08: Hands On With Resident Evil 5.)

Women Worshipers

2008-07-18T21:22:00.002-04:00

There are a lot of different flavors of sexism out there, and very much like garbage, they each have their own unique stench. Some are so obvious you can smell them from a mile away, while others you don't notice until you get right up close to them. There is a type of sexism that I liken to the smell of mold--perfumey sweet, with a curl of nausea about it. That would be the Women Worshipers.

To the untrained eye, Women Worshipers may not seem sexist at all. They proclaim their love for women, going so far as to say they're better than men, even if said Women Worshiper is a man himself (which many of them are). And while loving women isn't the problem, it's the reasons they have for loving women: because women are naturally so pure, so chaste and nurturing--so much better than violent, aggressive men. Women have a natural instinct for being caring, peaceful, and selfless, according to them.

Okay, some may ask, so what's wrong with that? Isn't it nice that people think of women as being so great? Women Worshipers think of women in such a way that it puts women on a pedestal from which we can't budge. It reduces women's humanity and turns us into an unrealistic symbol of All That is Right in the World. I see this attitude often when it comes to female characters in video games.

For example, when I was doing research for my article on the character Krystal from the Star Fox series, I came across a similar attitude toward her: many of Krystal's fans love her not only because she's a pretty blue fox, but also because she is "kind," and "caring." Which is all true: Krystal goes out of her way in both Star Fox Adventures and Assault to save planet Sauria. However, those same fans were dismayed about her character development in SF Command. In my article "There's Something About Krystal," I talked about how I love that Command revealed Krystal's stubborness and desire to get even after Fox unfairly breaks her heart; I love that it gives her flaws and makes her more than just a 2-D love interest and sex appeal for the Star Fox series. Those fans who were dismayed about Krystal's newly-revealed traits because she was no longer a perfect ambassador for peace and love. They were putting Krystal on a pedestal, unhappy that she was showing her selfish side. There are many more female video game characters treated this way by some fans, such as Shadow Hearts's Alice and Xenosaga's MOMO.

Women Worshipers can be trouble in many ways. For instance, because they expect women to be perfectly good and peaceful, if a woman displays aggression or selfishness, for example, she is being un-womanlike, and the Women Worshiper may be hostile toward her. However, one of the most troubling aspects about Women Worshipers revolves around the subject of sex. Women Worshipers tend to think of sex as a sinful thing--something a woman would never actively want and should protect herself from it, acting as a gatekeeper to men. If a woman does want to have sex, she is labeled a slut. Extreme Women Worshipers may take the Goddess Image of women to such an extreme that they justify rape and/or are turned on by it; after all, women are naturally chaste, so a "proper" woman who has sex before marriage is one that is raped, not one that consents. This keeps the woman pure while still making her sexually available.

I consider Women Worshipers to be one of the most dangerous kinds of sexism: they effectively dehumanize women and reduce them to symbols of virtue and objects to acquire. To make mistakes, to get angry, to have flaws is human, and those who want a woman who is flawless do not want a woman who is human.

Mrrow?

2008-07-14T10:10:00.007-04:00

I've always been a huge comics fan growing up. It's perhaps the geekiest part about me besides my love for video games. Not only did I happily collect Wonder Woman and Spider Girl, I obsessively followed a bunch of superhero cartoons as well, including Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, and Spider-Man. Ahh, the good old days.

Of course, when I heard about Midway's upcoming Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe fighter, I was thrilled right down to my toes. A chance to beat the crap out of Liu Kang with Wonder Woman? to watch the Flash run circles around Scorpian? to really kick some ass with Catwoman --

Catwoman?

Oh God, Selina Kyle, what have they done to you?!

This has become quite the chorus for me: shock and disgust followed by the sinking realization that I'm not at all surprised. This is how it's going to be for every fighting game ever in existence, isn't it? Just check out the newest crop of screens from the game. All of the dudes -- Batman, Flash, Shang Tsung, Scorpion -- are all badass and muscley and tearing shit up. However, Catwoman and Sonya Blade (complete with a very classy thong tan line) are flickering around hitting themselves in the eye with some fresh boob jobs. As usual.

Okay, I get it, video game designers. Boobs are going to keep inflating and costumes are going to keep shrinking with every new fighter that gets made. It seems I can't enjoy some good old-fashioned video game combat without staring down all the shameless nerd masturbatory material. Quite frankly, I don't know how many times I can complain about the objectification of female characters in these games, because it's the same old song and dance. There's nothing out there that's different, there's nothing out there that's fresh or inventive. There's simply new physics engines for boob movement and slavering fanboys waiting in the wings.

Here, as always, is the deal. This hypersexualization in such a gross majority of fighters is nothing less than flippant misogyny. The exaggerated appearances actively distance these caricatures from the possibility of female combat prowess. Rather than competent fighters, these women pout and thrust out their jubblies like porn stars. The character designers are laughing at the thought of an intimidating female fighter and churning out nothing but wank material. At this point, every fighter is starting to mimic Dead or Alive, and I'm sick of it.

It doesn't help that female superheroes / supervillains already have a bad rap in the comics universe. Now we have everything that's wrong with video games making things worse. Poor Selina Kyle. I mean, she's already in a freaking cat suit, and she already wields a freaking whip. What a disaster.

I'll just put it this way: at this point, I don't have high hopes for Wonder Woman's splashy new design.

(If you're a comics fan like me and you're interested in feminist commentary about superheroes, go check out Girl-Wonder.org.)

Chipping the Glass Ceiling

2008-07-11T13:37:00.006-04:00

One of the main issues in the gaming industry is that there are relatively few women in it. Many folks would claim that this discrepancy is because women just aren't interest in video games, but we've learned that the real culprit is the difficulty women face trying to break into such a male-dominated industry. Fortunately, there are scholarship programs out there that are designed to help even the odds--and two of them have just found winners.

2007's Game Career Guide shows that only 9% of game artists are women and make on average over less than $10,000 per year than male game artists. In light of this information, Notes on Game Dev started the Aspiring Women Game Artists Contest--a contest that was judged by such female leaders in game art and education as Heather Kelley, Sheri Graner Ray, and Christin McKee. Last week, the winners were announced: Amy McDonough Jones and Erin Robinson will receive a fully paid grant for the Accredited Game Art Certificate Program at Sessions Online School of Game Art, the right to use the NoGD Grand Place Award Winner digital seal in their future portfolio, a one-year membership to the International Game Developers Association, and a one-year subscription to Game Developers Magazine. Runners up Elise Motzny and Lesa Wilcox will also receive the right to use the NoGD Grand Place Award Winner digital seal and the Game Developers Magazine subscription.

Just a few days ago, Sony Online Entertainment announced the winner for their G. I. R. L. Game Design Competition. Contestants were asked to submit an in-game design, original concept art and two essays. Winner Julia Brasil will receive a $10, 000 tuition scholarship toward her education at The Art Institute of California -- San Francisco and a paid internship of up to 10 weeks at the Sony Online Entertainment studios of her choice in Austin, Denver, San Diego, or Seattle.

I hope programs like these can help women break into the gaming industry with a little more ease, but we still have a long way to go. Keep it up, everyone, and congratulations to the winners!

via Women Gamers

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-07-04T23:59:00.003-04:00

It's July, and it's gettin' hot--and we also have the benefit of this month's First Friday Drinking Game falling on the Fourth of July! And by the magic of the internet, I have ninja-posted this article on Friday before your very eyes! Whoooosh!

And to go along with all of that Independence Day-partyin', why not throw a little Guitar Hero in there? It goes great with ribs and beer, the likes of which will get your friends pumped up all the more while you rock out for them. Add a little twist to the party with this month's FFDG and your friends will proclaim you the Goddess of Rock before asking to crash on your couch for the night.

1 drink for every bad cover song you play
2 drinks if you couldn't tell the cover song was a cover
1 drink for every blatant corporate advertising you see
2 drinks if said corporate advertisement is on a dancer chick
1 drink if one of your friends tries to break out GH: On Tour
2 drinks if s/he tries to look cool while playing it
1 drink whenever your wrist starts hurting from all the badass jamming (to dull the pain)
1 drink each time Lou kicks your ass
2 drinks each time you attempt Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and the Flames"
1 drink each time one of your friends just then notices the animations were done by that Gorillaz dude
1 drink every time you fail to initiate your Star Power and end up just flinging your guitar around
1 drink for every song that has long periods of time without any guitar-playing
1 drink for each song you play that is sung by a woman (if you don't want to drink much)
1 drink for each song you play that is sung by a man (if you want to get smashed)

And finally:

Finish your drink for every song you play by a band/artist who isn't white--'cuz there ain't that many in GH

Warning: Excessive drinking during gameplay may result in wild guitar domination and impromptu mosh pits. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

How can Dissidia avoid a sausage fest?

2008-06-30T10:01:00.004-04:00

The Final Fantasy series has always been a favorite of mine, RPG enthusiast that I am, though my love for it has been waning over its last few iterations. What with an onslaught of truly terrible fanboy-baiting sequel/prequels and what can only be called the fanfiction-iest writing, and not to mention a million trillion ports and remakes, it's difficult to pull your ahead above the water sometimes and feel excited about yet another Final Fantasy. Square-Enix is intent on ten more years of the same schtick, so the best a girl can do is the usual -- grin and bear it, and hope for the best.

To say that I'm skeptical about the PSP all-FF slugfest that is Final Fantasy: Dissidia is an understatement. From the day that the first screenshots featuring FFIX's Zidane and Kuja duking it out were released to the public, I've been rolling my eyes and expecting the worst for Square's answer to Super Smash Bros. It's no question that Dissidia is indeed another desperate squirt of the Final Fantasy cash cow, what with a cast of characters that will get all the fanatics salivating:

Sephiroth arriving in a column of fire? Garland running amok with his badass armor all a-glint? Mopey Squall ready to cut up some fools with his gunblade? I want to like it, Square, and though I'm resigned to the inevitably terrible gameplay and giggle-inducing script, I'm as much a sucker for my favorite characters as anybody, and Square, there is a way for you to make the reception of this little gem a bit easier.

Toss a few more ladies into the mix, please.

Dissidia's whole juicy premise is that the protagonists and antagonists of the FF series all get together somehow to punch each other a lot and earn some XP. So we've got Zidane paired up with Kuja, a nameless Light Warrior versus Garland, and what I assume will be an Advent Children-trussed Cloud squaring off against Sephiroth for the bajillionth time. Now, the entire cast has not been announced yet, and there's promise of hidden characters and various other unlockables, but with what we've currently got it's painfully easy to see the lack of female characters starring in this series. Thankfully FFVIII's Ultimecia is a guarantee (kan't wait to hear the krazy accent on that one), but with many of the other games' combatants still unannounced, I'm on pins and needles of expectation.

I've already professed my tender and undying love for VI's Terra, and I'm hoping against all hope that she'll show up to face who I can only imagine will be Kefka. The identity of VI's true protagonist has always been on shaky ground, what with an enormous cast of characters and a rather reticular plot. It's just as likely that we'll be seeing Edgar or Locke in her place, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the series's first female protagonist claims her rightful spot with this game.

Similarly, XII's main character is also not quite cut-and-dried. Though the completely useless street urchin Vaan is sort of the de facto protagonist tying all of the characters together, there's been much debate that sky pirate Balthier is truly in the spotlight. However, I've always felt that the revenge-seeking princess Ashe drives much of the story along. This is probably just wishful thinking, but I can see her filling a role in Dissidia without much opposition.

As for the other gaps in the main series roster, it's a surefire thing we'll see IV's Cecil and Zemus as well as V's Bartz and Exdeath. III will probably go the route of I and feature the nameless dude you start off with, along with either the demon Xande or (I amusingly hope) the Cloud of Darkness. If XI makes an appearance, I'll be pleasantly surprised to see a female member of any race (probably hume) take the stage, although I cynically believe that won't happen.

So my hopes for a more lady-friendly cast are sort of dying on the vine here. Female characters in the FF series are so often relegated to support roles or useless love interests, but there may be hope yet in the form of hidden and unlockable characters. Even Yuffie showed up in the ill-fated Ehrgeiz, so perhaps I can one day fulfill my dream of stomping some faces with Aeris or IX's Dagger. And as much as it makes me flinch, it's likely we'll see a dual pistol-wielding Yuna join the fray as well.

With the game so far from release, all I can do is speculate. We'll see what the future holds, however, and maybe, just maybe, Square will surprise me for the first time in so many years.

Readers, what characters would you most like to see in Dissidia?

Colonization: Fun 'n Games

2008-06-27T20:47:00.003-04:00

Sid Meier's Civilization series comprises of turn-based strategy games with a focus on growing a budding nation. Begun in 1991, the games take place in a variety of eras--you can build an empire as far back as 4000 BCE and nurture it long enough to witness World War II. The series has proven to be very popular over the years, gaining a loyal fanbase and even winning a few awards along the way. In 1994, Sid Meier released a game called Colonization: Create a New Nation. Players choose from four European nations--England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands--and set sail for the Americas (or "The New World," as the game calls it). The object of the game is to foster a colony and eventually gain independence from its mother country. Sid Meier is preparing to rerelease this game in the form of a Civilization IV standalone expansion sometime in 2008.

I was a bit taken aback at the sight of a game about colonization, although I probably shouldn't have been surprised. The idea of a game about conquering other civilizations and stealing their land is pretty tasteless to me, but unfortunately many Americans don't view colonization that way. I found that most people tend to see it through an Elementary School History Lens--you know, when you were taught how the plucky, pure future Americans who could do no wrong went on a journey for freedom and were buddy-buddies with the Native Americans?

The original Colonization game handles Native Americans in a very interesting way. Players can choose to either befriend the natives (who in turn teach them skills and help defend the colony) or wipe them out entirely. Unlike other Civilization games, Colonization focuses on trade and community interaction rather than more militant aspects. If the player defeats a native community, they gain treasure and land; however, it also severely affects their final score. Players can also send peacemakers such as Ben Franklin or Pocahontas to native communities to further improve relations or gain recruits. Unfortunately, this recruiting typically involves converting said recruits to Christianity.

Each European country has different skills when it comes to interacting with the natives. For instance, France generates tension with native communities at a lower rate, while the Spanish have a 50% military bonus against them. The Spanish military bonus in particular is rooted in history: Spain's military was sent to colonize the Americas after the Reconquista, which left an eager military rearing for action. This ultimately lead to the destruction of many legendary Native American tribes.

Sid Meier helps to raise the issues with colonization by punishing the act of attacking native communities; however, there is an issue with being able to avoid doing this. By providing the option of being completely peaceful with the Native Americans, Colonization risks perpetuating the Elementary School History Syndrome associated with the colonising America--that we were all just good buddies with the natives. It conveniently sidesteps the cruelty and abuse Native Americans received at the hands of the colonists. The remake can and should address this issue, along with some sort of penalization to demonstrate the impact colonization had on Native Americans.

The Civilization series has been repeatedly criticized for its elitist nature. Historian and anthropologist Matthew Kappell published an essay entitled "Civilization and its Discontents: American Monomythic Structure as Historical Simulacrum" that spearheads this issue. In the essay, Kappel explains how the series uses American myths concerning colonization and domination of the Americas (such as the conquering of the frontier) as a foundation for its premise. Other critics have pointed out how Colonization in particular skirts the issues of slavery, particularly the Spanish hacienda system which forced many native tribes into slavery. Removing these aspects of the colonists further paints them with a monochrome coat of goodness and innocence.

It is reprehensible that colonists are so often portrayed as brave heroes earning what land is rightfully theirs--games such as Colonization only perpetuate this myth so common among Americans and Europeans. How about a game about colonization from the natives' perspective? Battle against an army of white folk claiming the land you've lived on for centuries to be theirs--now that's a game I'd play.

For another opinion on this game, check out The Cutscene--but avoid the comments if you want to stay in a good mood.

Musing over method.

2008-06-23T11:04:00.004-04:00

As a student and especially as an English major, I find myself critiquing things a lot. Throw a piece of fiction at me and I can analyze it like no tomorrow, complete with a hefty paper with a fresh bibliography and title page, no charge. It's no question that I've found myself unconsciously critiquing every video game I play in a similar manner that I would something for class (minus the hefty papers), and after a while the analyst's chair starts getting a little tiresome.

I'm one of those English majors that's also heavily into writing fiction. I take more of a creative approach to my schooling than academic. Oftentimes I find my writer's mind at odds with my critic's mind. Obviously, in fiction, many things that you write can be analyzed in ways you never predicted, with textual evidence from your very own story supporting some political or social viewpoint you never knew was there -- or don't even support. What do you do then?

When it comes to critiquing the various and sundry aspects of video games -- from character design to plot to advertising and all the gooey parts in between -- I've found that many people will respond, "Well, the designers didn't intend for that to be sexist," or "Why would anyone put racism in a game?" or the ever-popular "You're reading too much into it." The thing is, the job of the critic is to respond to things that are, indeed, there, whether or not they were intended.

In the flashy world of English academia, there's a form of literary criticism called New Criticism. It's also my very favorite way to write papers and, incidentally, blog posts. New Criticism values close reading (or playing, as the case may be) and a strict exclusion of extra-textual sources, including authorial intent. Which, as a writer, can sting just a bit, to be honest. However, it's a Take What You've Got approach to critiquing sources that just plain works.

Here's the deal. Authorial intent, designer intent, and everything else in between, don't mean squat when it comes to critique. And this is why a statement like this:

"In terms of the reaction, we're in the business of entertainment. We didn't set out to make a racist game or a political statement. We did feel there was a misunderstanding about the initial trailer."

. . . just doesn't cut it. In the above statement to Kotaku, Resident Evil 5 producer Jun Takeuchi takes a "It's not our problem, it's theirs" approach to the accusations of racism in the RE5 trailer. However, Takeuchi's intentions (nor the lack thereof) do not absolve the trailer's depiction of black people as inhuman savages getting mowed down by a sparkling white muscleman. The point of criticism is to espouse the themes and conventions inherent in human thought as produced in different media, and whining "But I didn't mean to do it!" simply cannot makes these themes -- either problematic or not -- disappear.

Which brings us back to my initial question: What's a writer / artist / video game designer to do when a critique reveals some important theme in her work that she neither foresaw nor intended? Getting defensive about it definitely won't help; it's out there, it's what it is. Absolutely everyone is prejudiced to some degree, including when it comes to race and sex. It's my firm belief that a lot of racism and sexism is actually subconscious, molded by our experiences of social conventions throughout our lives, and the first step to overcoming these prejudices is to recognize that they exist. You are not a Horrible, Awful, Terrible person for admitting you've done something prejudiced. The point is to see that it's there, and to do something about it; to fix it, to change how you think; to spread awareness to others.

This is the point of criticism. This is the goal of analysis: to find what's really there and encourage the good while establishing a method to change the bad. That's my approach to things, and I think that anyone can benefit from viewing things critically once in a while.

Prince of Persia: The Alabaster Sands of Time

2008-06-20T15:08:00.006-04:00

There are certain words and phrases we hear every now and then that immediately put us on alert--things like "fire" in a building, or "bomb" at the airport. I think we can all agree that "video game movie" is another one of these phrases. We learned the hard way with the Super Mario Bros. movie, but now we've come to expect the side of cheese that comes with our favorite video games adapted for the big screen. And thanks to directors like Uwe Boll, video game movies are pretty much expected to bomb in the box office.

Even now, I think back on some of those movies and shiver. Mario Bros.? Even as a young child, I regarded it with a mixture of fascination and horror. Final Fantasy? Pretty but hollow. Alone in the Dark? Horrifyingly bad. The Silent Hill movie stands head and shoulders over the rest in my book--a veritable best of the worst. Overall a long history ranging from meh to brain-snappingly horrible.

And now we've got a Prince of Persia movie coming along; scheduled to be released in 2009, it's currently being filmed in Morocco. When I first heard about Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time being in production, several thoughts flashed through my mind. First, of course, was whether or not ol' Uwe had gotten his hands on it. A quick Google search relieved my fears: Mike Newell is in the hotseat this time. Sure, he directed my least favorite Harry Potter movie, but anyone besides Uwe is a major step forward. Next came that little red flag that goes up whenever any video game movie comes out; that feeling that I shouldn't get too excited since it's more than likely going to suck.

Then I started thinking about it a little more, and I realized that Prince of Persia may be the first video game movie in the United States to feature a person of color as the main character (let me know in the comments if I'm mistaken). In an industry that features mostly white characters, I was happy to see Prince of Persia selected for its own movie. So, I went on my naive little way, looking forward to seeing the end product of this movie--until I got a load of who will be the leading actors.

First, let's take a look at these characters straight from the source, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for the Playstation 2:

That would be Prince Dastan, the noted Prince of Persia, and Princess Farah, the daughter of the Maharajah. Now let's see who will be playing them in the movie adaptation. First up is--

. . . lily-white actor Jake Gyllenhaal playing Prince Dastan. Okay, my bitter side is trying to reason that casting wanted a familiar face for the lead role, so the more minor role of the renamed Tarmina must at least look Indian--

--oh. It's lily-white actress Gemma Arterton. What the hell, movie?

Prince of Persia is a miss right from the get-go. They take one of the maybe two games in existence with a majority cast of people of color and they whitewash them until they're practically blinding us with their whiteness. I don't have anything against Gyllenhaal or Arterton, but the idea that these two are playing a Persian man and an Indian woman respectively makes me laugh and cry at the same time. There is waaay to much history behind white people playing people of color in movies for me to be okay with this decision. Get it together, people! Minority actors don't bite, and it's not going to kill you to find a lesser-known actor. This movie was a great chance to shine the spotlight on more actors of color, and I'm incredibly disappointed Disney didn't take the opportunity. Only time will tell if Prince of Persia can pull video games out of their crappy history, but it definitely hasn't pulled the movie history out of theirs.

S'up Dude?

2008-06-18T09:23:00.014-04:00

Masculinity in the High School Boys from Persona 3: FES

I recently exchanged books with a friend, and he lent me a copy of Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School. It was a fascinating read--I cringed throughout the book as it reminded me of the many cruelties of being a young man in high school. As the text mulled in my brain, those thoughts mingled with my longing to complete Persona 3: FES.

It's tough to speak for every character in the game, as I haven't been able to finish it while I've been away from my PS2 during my summer job. I can't want to speak for the main characters, but I'm comfortable with discussing a few of the social links that I've completed so far!

For some reason or another, I neglected to begin my relationship with Kenji Tomochika until after summer break (even though he's one of the first people with whom you can form a social link). He is represented by the Magician Arcana. Kenji's pretty much a typical high school guy. He’s got a thing for older "experienced" woman, slacks off when it comes to finals, and enjoys watching plenty of television during his free time. He usually comes to you for support and advice during the social link events--this guy needs constant validation! He reminds me of most of the youth I work with in my day job.

The Temperance Arcana, Andre “Bebe” Laurent Jean Geraux, had me worried when I first met him. This fan-wielding foreign exchange student with a passion for fashion seemed to be the perfect set-up for a big gay joke. I was pleased to discover that most of his eccentricities stemmed from being a rabid Japanophile. Still, his character design was given more traditionally "feminine" facial features, and his stance is curvier than that of the other males in the game. I can't help but wonder if the producers are trying to suggest something. I'll be optimistic, though, and assume that they wanted to include different body types, counterbalancing the poor Moon Arcana, Nozomi.

The first social link I cultivated was with Kazushi Miyamoto, the star from Sports Club. Aside from the Sun Arcana, Kazushi has remained my favorite since the beginning of the game. He is represented by the Chariot Arcana, and much like his card, he's a bad ass. He requires that you respond to his situation in a similarly bad ass way--Kazushi is focused on victory for his athletic club. Admittedly, part of his fervor comes from a deal he made with a younger nephew, but still, he won't let even a crippling knee injury prevent him from winning. When he’s down, responses like “Toughen up” are better than things like “Don’t overdo it.” When he’s injured, simply allowing him to lean on your shoulder is better than carrying him or going out to look for help. He has tremendous pride in himself, and he is slow to open up.

Based on what I've seen thus far, I praise Persona 3: FES for the variety of heterosexual Japanese males represented throughout the game, both in Gekkoukan High and out. I know that's specific, but I don't say it mockingly. Working within the context of a medium-sized Japanese port town, it's not terribly surprising that we don't see a mix of races. Still, they do show males in a variety of roles and positions, and none of the characters come off as a complete joke. Also, while those characters are presumptively straight (as no alternative is offered), folks like Bebe challenge the traditional perception of masculinity.

I also want to praise the game because the male social links are based on building relationships based on commonalities rather than tearing apart the differences of others. It would be heart wrenching if the game forced you to make a decision between athletic Kazushi and fey Bebe because the jocks refused to be around guys who can sew.

I look forward to seeing what Persona 4 has to offer in the future! I imagine that the social links system will be slightly reconfigured to become even more engaging. Any Persona fans have something in particular they'd love to see?

Note from PlasmaRit

2008-06-17T19:26:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! Sorry BomberGirl and I haven't updated--we've both been out of town, but Calabar should be here tomorrow with another great article. In the meantime, pop on over to Cerebelle and check out her great analysis of Guitar Hero's Judy Nails and Casey Lynch's clothing changes between GH II and III. You won't be sorry!

Plasma out.

Alice Elliot's Divinity

2008-06-11T09:38:00.004-04:00

The Messiah of Shadow Hearts

Out of all of the soft-spoken, kind heroines in role playing games, Alice Elliot may be my favorite. She supports Yuri in the first Shadow Hearts game, and she holds within her the powers of light that maniacs like Albert Simon need to dominate the world.

Messianic women aren't terribly unique in the role playing genre, but let's take a look at Alice's credibility.

To start with basic information from the storyline, we know from the beginning that Alice is the daughter of Father Morris Elliot. She began hearing otherworldly voices at a young age, and so she assisted her father with exorcisms. She has a natural connection to the spiritual world shared only by the powerful Koudelka herself. It is this kind of power, different from the dark-elemental mysticism tied to Koudelka, that makes Alice so valuable to Albert Simon.

In one of the game's most pivotal scenes, Alice enters the graveyard (the dark place in Yuri's mind from which his fusions originate) and sacrifices herself to the spirit Atman in order to protect his life. If we follow the canonical "sad ending" that leads to Shadow Hearts: Covenant, we know that she will fight Atman alone and lose to it; this act of martyrdom leads to rapid deterioration of her health and her death at the end of the game in order to save Yuri.

Her character's element is light, and she uses primarily healing class magic during battle. Her two attack spells, Blessed Light and Advent, are the only offensive light spells available outside of Yuri's fusions.

Her weapons are holy books. She begins the game with a small Bible, progressing trough other texts like the Tome of the Shooting Stars, the Tome of the Sun, and the Holy Book of Flesh. Her best armor is the Gold Thread Coat, "a long robe filled with the memories of martyrs past. The wearer feels as if she is wrapped in a warm light."

In addition, the game's cinema scenes often show her face cast in light. Back in the early days of the PS2, I know for some gamers it's tough to see past the now-deficient graphics, but the cinematic elements are there, and they carry over into Shadow Hearts: Covenant.

I don't know what it is about Alice that makes her stand out in my mind as such a successful divine heroine. Characters like Yuna and Colette sicken me with their blind devotion to their tasks, so I appreciate seeing how Alice is rounded out by her experiences from her beginnings fleeing Simon, struggling to save Yuri, and resolutely standing against her foes. I think it may be the single-minded determination of other characters like Yuna and Colette that make them so frustrating for me. To call them dynamic characters is to misuse the term.

I also find myself wondering when and where we see male characters that act in this way--not just the so-called knights in shining armor who come to save the day and rescue the girl, but quiet men who make a stand and are willing to lay their life down to protect others without turning into annoying bad asses. Can anyone think of someone?

Character Spotlight: Mitsuru Kirijo

2008-06-09T11:32:00.003-04:00

Summer 2007 brought the North American release of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, much to my Megaten fangirly delight. I had never played any of the Persona series before, so while I was eager to dive into an experience completely different from Nocturne or Digital Devil Saga, I was a tad apprehensive about the game's anime-heavy art and story. Like many people, I equate most anime with teeth-grinding cliches and predictable plotlines, but, aside from a few missteps, Persona 3 really impressed me. A character that specifically caught my eye was Mitsuru Kirijo.

In this world of demon-battling high school kids who shoot themselves in the head to summon monsters, Mitsuru is the leader of SEES, a special team dedicated to banishing the nefarious Shadows from Japan. She's tough, smart, and serious to a fault. She's so efficient and intelligent that she finds time to be president of student council, practice her fencing, and maintain her rank as valedictorian alongside her many SEES duties. I kind of fell in love with her during the course of the game.

Not only is it awesome to see a female character so independent and smart, it's also refreshing to see that she has great relationships with everyone. The Tough Girl character is often painted as a ballbuster or a bitch, but such is not the case here. Mitsuru's fellow students and SEES members all admire her, and even an NPC at the high school continuously confesses her undying love for our red-haired swordswoman throughout the game.

Tough Girls in many fictive media also find themselves being stripped of their strong exteriors, usually in a sexist attempt to put them in their place or make them dependent on stronger male characters. Mitsuru does not fall victim to this trope. Without spoiling too much (I want you to go out and play this wonderful game right now!), I'll just say that Mitsuru suffers a deep personal crisis that leaves her showing real weakness and insecurity. She even withdraws from the game for a couple weeks as she tries to make sense of it all. However, it's Yukari -- an often brash, outspoken character who doesn't always get along with Mitsuru -- who guides her back and convinces her to be strong again. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted to see a pair of women in a video game help each other through a tough situation . . . just because! No underlying motive or anything! No secret jealousies or bitchy competition! Flabbergasted.

Truly, the most interesting part of Persona 3 is the sheer number of female characters. Out of all the playable characters, half of them are women (and one of the "guys" is a dog). As you've seen in Calabar's posts on the game, the protagonist can end up in a relationship with three of the female characters in your party, but it's important to note that only a relationship with Yukari is ever even hinted at by the main plot. Mitsuru's Social Link is just a sidequest. While there's nothing inherently wrong with a tough female character finding love, it's a huge cliche for such a character to become dependent or seem "accessible" to male characters, while there is no such equivalent for men of the same caliber.

I was pleasantly surprised by a majority of the female characters (and male characters, to boot) of Persona 3. Doubtless, I'll write more about this game in the future, so I highly recommend you go pick up a copy of P3: FES right now and indulge in probably the best JRPG to come out since Final Fantasy XII.

First Friday Drinking Game--Late Night Edition

2008-06-06T22:36:00.006-04:00

June has finally arrived with the glorious summertime in tow. While schools have let out and vacations are drawing near, it is also getting unbelievably hot out--which is what makes the coolness of the night so darn inviting. Now is the perfect time to get some friends together for a little late-night First Friday Drinking (Game)!

The release of Metal Gear Sold IV is tantalizingly close, so this month we'll be raising our drinks to the entire Metal Gear series. Whether your playing a marathon or just dusting off MSG II, you can follow these simple rules with any combination of good ol' Metal Gear. Play long enough and you'll be Solid Snaking it in no time:

1 drink each time Snake has a smoke
1 drink for each cutscene that lasts longer than ten minutes
1 drink for each additional cutscene minute
1 drink every time Otacon cries
2 drinks every time Fortune whines about being invincible (we get it, already!)
1 drink for every cardboard box stealth mission
1 drink every time the sound of someone discovering you scares the bejesus out of you
1 drink whenever Psycho Mantis freaks you the fuck out
2 drinks whenever the Sorrow freaks you the fuck out
3 drinks if you find yourself missing Mei Ling
2 drinks for every torture scene
3 drinks if said torture scene involves at least partial nudity
1 drink each time Solid Snake stares at boobs (yes, posters and magazines count)
1 drink after Olga dies (make sure it's real vodka--RIP, girl)
2 drinks whenever you learn something about a character that makes you REALLY uncomfortable

And finally:

Finish your drink when you beat the game and still have no idea what's going on

Warning: Excessive drinking during gameplay may result in false notions of badassery to the point that you grow a snappy math teacher's mustache. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

GitM Turns One!

2008-06-04T12:00:00.002-04:00

Click for full-sized image

It's hard for us to believe, but it's been a whole year since BomberGirl, PlasmaRit, and I started Girl in the Machine.

Our very first article, Hookers on Parade came from BomberGirl. It was soon followed by my piece, Graaah! I'm Naked!, and PlasmaRit's Lara Croft's Ten-Year Mam Jam.

We want to thank all of our readers for sticking with us! Your questions and comments have motivated us to work harder and challenged our thinking.

If we have it our way, we hope to be around for quite a while! Here's to the next year!

Exploring androgyny in video games.

2008-06-02T14:28:00.007-04:00

The word "androgyny" comes from a combination of the Greek words "andros" and "gynaika," man and woman. "Androgynous" refers to the blending of male and female characteristics in a person, often to the point of indeterminate sex. In video games, many character designs achieve androgyny through the removal, concealment, or even a combination of sex signifiers, such as rounded hips or a lack of typical body fat. The degree of androgyny varies on a wide scale, and each stage as such achieves different goals.

The most common form of physical gender-blending I've observed is what I'll call Minor Androgyny. In this class are the Pretty Boys of many a Japanese RPG and action heroes such as Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 4, or Devil May Cry's Dante. It's fairly obvious that there's quite a smattering of feminine-looking men right across the boards in gaming, with silver-haired villains taking the lead (Ghaleon or Sephiroth, anyone?). The popularity of androgyny in Japanese culture has no doubt influenced many of these character design decisions, as seen in the gender-neutral aesthetics of Visual Kei (Japanese glam rock) and pretty boys in anime and manga.

However, this form of Minor Androgyny isn't always accepted. Metal Gear Solid 2's Raiden is probably one of the most notorious pretty boy leads. Metal Gear fans were crushed to discover that the protagonist of the game was not, in fact, the much-beloved and super macho Solid Snake, but that they were stuck playing the role of a stranger: the lithe and fair-haired Raiden. The series's creater, Hideo Kojima, intended for gamers both female and male to identify with Raiden's feminine and masculine appearance. However, the backlash against this feminine intruder was so great that Metal Gear Solid 3 parodied the fiasco with the flamingly gay Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov, whose identical appearance and similar name leave little to question about Kojima's intentions.

My next stage of androgyny is Major Androgyny. These characters effectively exhibit both male and female characteristics in a design that leaves sex indeterminate. Unfortunately, despite their convincing appearances, many Major Androgynes in video games are given sex-specific pronouns. Observe Lunar 2's main villain, Zophar:

Quite clearly lady on the bottom, with a more-or-less masculine face and a male chest (as seen in other states of, er, dress). However, Zophar is always a "he," and no character ever bats an eye at his androgynous appearance. Final Fantasy IX's Kuja (pictured at the top) is another great example. His features are arranged in much the same fashion: rounded hips, a flat chest, and flowing hair. Still, as always, this tiger-tailed Genome is forever a "he."

Curiously enough, the only character I've found whose sex has never been determined or assigned -- even by the game developers themselves -- is FFIX's Quina, who is referred to in-game as s/he.

Finally, we've come to our last stage: Neutrois. While Neutrois isn't actually a category of androgyny, it refers to a complete sexual neutrality in appearance and identity. Characters such as Homunculus in the 2001 Konami adventure game Shadow of Destiny or the titular NiGHTS from the popular Sega franchise exhibit zero sex signifiers in either the male or female direction. Takashi Iizuka of Sonic Team USA stated in a 2007 interview that NiGHTS "is a mirror of the child's personality, so when the children dream, they become him. So from a boy's point of view, NiGHTS will be a boy, from a girl's point of view, NiGHTS will be a girl." This view, that the player should be able to identify with the protagonist of the game no matter their gender identification, is similar to Hideo Kojima's but differs in some fundamental ways. NiGHTS's fantasy-oriented context allows for a true fluidity of gender in a way that the more (but admittedly not much more) realistic approach of Metal Gear Solid cannot. However, Kojima's self-parody with Major Raikov puts a sour spin on what should have been an admirable attempt at breaking social conventions. NiGHTS's appeal and popularity shows that video game protagonists don't have to be macho and male to appeal to gamers.

In the end, androgyny is truly no stranger to video games old and new. However, I'm sure that many of you have noticed a marked lack of "female-leaning" androgynes in this post. "Male" androgynes are far, far more common, and I can only wonder as to the reason why. My best hypothesis is that a long history of the sexualization and objectification of the female form has lended feminine characteristics with more aesthetic appeal than masculine, justifying more feminine men with soft beauty than your more masculine woman with strong features. Readers, are there any "female" androgynes out there that you can think of? Why do you feel that they're largely absent when their male counterparts are so popular?

Video Games: They're Coming for Your Man

2008-05-30T15:53:00.000-04:00

If there's one thing we're all aware of, it's how much the media hates video games. Sure, there is the occasional praise-worthy article, but these are merely small islands in a vast ocean of disdain. The media has portrayed video games as mind-rotting, youth-corrupting harbingers of the apocalypse, which I've covered in some detail in the past, but there is another threat that video games pose to humanity; yes, one that targets the very fiber of our being.

Video games tear relationships apart.

Do a simple Google search of the keywords "video games relationship," and you'll be faced with a wall of links deploring how the hubby won't get off the X-Box and ways to rescue him from the dark clutches of those "stupid games." Link after link, websites spread the tale of soul-sucking consoles and how, if you don't watch out, your husband will be next, chickie. Video games are the reason you can't spend time with your significant other, and it is your job to save him.

As with the old Harbingers of the Apocalypse deal, video games are nothing more than the most recent scapegoat in a long history of excuses--in this case, for poor relationships (see also: sporting events, other "male-centric" hobbies). Never is it that the husband must take responsibility for his neglect; rather, it's solely up to the wife to save him in some way and reunite the couple, whether it's seduction, force, or a healthy dose of If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em. After all, those poor men don't realize what they're doing, right? They should be taken care of.

Which: no. Hubby knows exactly what he's doing, just like when he spends all night at the bar or with his friends. The relationship is not faring well, and he's wanting out. If he doesn't want to stick around and make an effort himself to spent time with you, then it's time you jumped ship too.

This is exactly why Rachel Shukart's article at Salon.com is so very hard to read. The article depicts how Shukart's marriage has reached the darkest depths of despair--thanks in large part to her husband's love of video games. After her attempts to get his attention fail (which include screaming at and flashing him), there seems to be no hope to reconcile their relationship until Rock Band enters the scene. She plays it with him, and bam! Relationship all better.

"But Plasma!" you say, "you just spent three paragraphs saying the media blames video games for tearing people apart! Rock Band brought them together!" Yes, niggling voice, Shukart does thank Rock Band for saving her marriage. So what's the problem? Shukart joined her husband in an activity that he enjoys, rather than the both of them choosing a separate activity they both would. Granted, she did starting liking Rock Band when she played it, but women in our society are so often encouraged to get interested in their husband's hobbies rather than vice versa--or, heaven forbid, find something they both like. What's more, Rock Band can only be a bandage over the real relationship problems they're having, and without any active work from both of them, it's only a matter of time before they're fighting over the instrument controllers in divorce court.

I understand that a lot of this article was probably exaggerated for humor, but, and this may just be me, that tactic only works when the end result is funny. The end result in this article however, was a grand cornucopia of stereotypes--desperate, nagging woman reconciles relationship with slovenly man-child by chilling out and doing what he enjoys. And that leaves one hell of a bad taste in my mouth.

Plenty of feminist blogs have covered this article and why it rubs them the wrong way, too. Read what they have to say at Feministe, Feminist Gamers, and Pandagon. Each blog provides some great analysis, so check them out!

My Quest for Asexuality in Persona 3

2008-05-28T12:00:00.004-04:00

Update Number One

As you may recall, at the beginning of this month I decided to make it my business to get through Persona 3 without forming a romantic relationship with any of the characters.

So far I’m about sixty five hours into the game, and it’s almost the end of October. I’ve still got quite a bit to go until the end of the school year! Still, I’ve made some interesting observations.

With the opportunities for dating the female cast aside, there are a few moments in the game when the player has heteronormativity thrust upon hir. For me, the most awkward—yet unsurprising—of these has been the SEES group’s summer vacation to Yakushima.

“Operation Babe Hunt” is admittedly humorous, especially since the young men fail at most of their attempts to flirt with the women. They even hit on a transsexual for a while (their greatest success).

While the game didn’t give me the opportunity to avoid flirting with girls (or to flirt with a bunch of “beach dudes” instead), it did allow me to treat the occasion as a hassle and to foil the attempts of my peers at every turn. It ultimately didn’t make a difference in how everything turned out, as Persona 3 seems to be pretty linear so far… but I certainly felt better about it!

Yukari has also presented a few special challenges to me so far. Not only do you have the whole game seemingly structured to get you together with her (including a shower scene when fighting the “Lovers” Shadow), her Persona has the Lovers arcana. She’s also your contact for the Lovers social link.

I found that one out on accident! After being kind to her during a rough moment during the Yakushima event, I recoiled after my attempts to be nice were misconstrued as romantic. Later in the game, it turns out she wanted to talk about what happened. I was fine with her representing the Lovers arcana, but then the dialogue ended with something to the effect of “Yukari seems to think of you as someone you can talk to, but you’re still just friends.” I was forced to run the other way!

I’m a little worried, because I expect that Mitsuru, Fuuka, and Aigis all have S. Links associated with them as well. What a shame, as I suspect the men in my party do not have their own links.

So far my quest is hurting me in this game. As far as the storyline is concerned, it doesn’t seem to make any lasting difference. The S. Links are a significant power-up, though! At the very least, it seems that I’ll be missing four of them by the end of the game. Fortunately, I’ve got my other S. Links to carry me through the final chapters.

More to come as it is revealed!

Something to cheer about.

2008-05-27T11:15:00.004-04:00

I've been a long-time fan of the Castlevania series. From the humble days of Simon's first hunt to the slew of sequels today, Konami's vampire-slaying series has done 2-D sidescrollers right. Recently, a petite collection of screenshots for Castlevania's newest iteration, Order of Ecclesia, was released unto the masses along with a few juicy tidbits regarding the game's plot and gameplay.

What primarily caught my eye is OoE's protagonist. Our vampire hunter this time around doesn't just look like a woman, folks -- Castlevania finally has its very first bona fide lady lead.

Meet Shanoa, the champion of the Order of Ecclesia. She's sent to clean up the bloodsucking mess left by Richter Belmont after he goes missing from the vampire-hunting scene. Little beyond that is known about the story at the moment, but I imagine that there will be a host of supporting characters that will help out our heroine as well.

There have been, oh, about a million Castlevania games since the series's birth in the late eighties, and if there's anything a fan can depend on Konami's franchise it's repetition. Castlevania struck gold with Symphony of the Night for the original Playstation: rich, detailed locations, lavish music, a cast of interesting characters, and innovative RPG elements combined with real-time sidescrolling combat. The series experienced a revival with the Gameboy Advance's Circle of the Moon, and that game plus every one after it has stuck fast to SotN's formula.

Typically, we've had a rather rigid scenario: protagonist seeks revenge on Dracula / person trying to revive Dracula / other Dracula stand-in for the kidnapping of his lady love. The whole damsel-in-distress angle is pretty much a cornerstone of the Castlevania experience, but after twenty-four dame-rescuing titles to date, it's enough to make even the most loyal fan feel like she's been playing the same game over and over.

I'm pretty excited about Order of Ecclesia. Portrait of Ruin changed things up a little with a duo of protagonists, but OoE's Shanoa will be the very first woman ever to take the starring role of a Castlevania game. I'll be sure to snap up this title as soon as it's released, and I'll give my impressions then. In the meanwhile, I'm going to hope for the best that this is a trend that will continue to change one of my favorite game series for the better.

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-26T18:47:00.002-04:00

Hello everybody, and happy Memorial Day! Today in the midst of our festive barbecues and good old all-American clothing sales, let's take a moment or two to recognize the hard work of all soldiers and members of the armed forces from all respective countries across the world.

We here at Girl in the Machine have been on vacation over the past week, so I'd like to thank Calabar for holding down the fort for us. I'll be back after the holiday with a sparkly new post tomorrow -- that's right, tomorrow -- so I'll see you then. Thanks!

Women in the Industry: They Exist, Donchaknow

2008-05-23T15:24:00.000-04:00

Gamasutra has started a new feature on their website called the Gamasutra 20, a twenty-item list concerning any gaming-related subject they'd like to spotlight. They're starting out with an unranked list of twenty women in the gaming industry today. No, Jade Raymond isn't the only one out there, in spite of what the news might tell you.

This list is not some thrown-together nod to women in gaming, either. It's a twenty-one-paged article that features each woman in wonderful detail, including their job title, a career overview, major accomplishments, innovation (what new twist they've injected into the industry), and a few words about them from their peers. There are younger women and older women, those newer to the industry as well as veterans, and women working in a spectrum of gaming genres. The list features women who are currently making a significant impact on the face of gaming today.

The article also notes how difficult it was to compile the list--not for lack of candidates, but because there were so many women to choose from. The gaming community today would have one believe that gaming is a Boyz Only club, but the stereotype just isn't true. It's a little known fact that there are many women working in the gaming industry, and many of those women hold very important positions in their companies. What I really love about this article is that it does help dispel this Boyz Only myth; it presents a list of role models that other women and girls aspiring to enter the gaming industry can look up to and know they're not going in alone.

My only quibble is that, while the list is quite diverse, it seems awfully whitewashed; what a great opportunity this could have been to spotlight some women of color working in the gaming industry.

I encourage all of our readers to check out the article; it really is top-notch.

Sony, Hire New Staff

2008-05-21T11:30:00.002-04:00

What exactly are you selling?

I would be pretty surprised if you hadn’t heard of Sony’s latest advertisement for the PS3. I first saw it a little while back on GayGamer.net, but it’s also on other sites like Joystiq if you care to check out the NSFW disclosures of the whole image.

The advertisement was featured in an Austrian Playboy magazine and quickly spread across the net. In it, a mostly-nude young man is reclining in the dark, and his penis has been replaced with a thumb. The forgettable, small words “Playstation 3” are shoved into the lower left-hand corner of the page.

It makes me wonder what Sony is getting at. Their advertising company made some pretty interesting choices with this one:

1. The Thumb-Penis: Without a doubt, I can see that thumbs are relevant to gaming. I suppose it’s not revolutionary for advertisers to tie products to sex, but this is off-putting. It’s not exactly desirable. I’m curious what kind of image they might have created if they decided to apply the same sort of theme to a woman. That leads to:

2. The Niche: I’m sure there are lots of guys who subscribe to Playboy and play video games. I’m just surprised that Sony chose to use a nude male in an advertisement they placed in a pornographic publication for straight men.

I don’t think the subject stopped any straight guys from looking him over (either in curiosity or jealousy), but with the rather subtle photo editing that went on here, it’s hard to tell it’s a thumb instead of a penis. To be honest, I probably would’ve just thought he had a weird shape if I hadn’t read the accompanying article.

3. The Logo: The fact that this is an advertisement for the PS3 is pretty easy to miss—the words “Playstation 3” can’t be more than a size twelve font. Their placement underneath the guy also makes lookin' at his phalange pretty much unavoidable. The way the page is laid out, your eye naturally flows from the top to the bottom of the page, but the creepiness factor is definitely distracting. It leaves me with a bit of confusion about the product. What exactly am I being sold?

4. The Message: It doesn’t give me any positive feelings about the product. Think about other ads you’ve seen: “Wild-Duck Burgers will make you and your family deliriously happy as you enjoy a meal together without fighting for the first time in months,” or “With these shoes, you can play basketball like a star, run the 5K with ease, or crush mountains with your incredible sense of style.” In this ad, there doesn’t seem to be any psychological benefits attached to the system. If thumb-penis is what having a PS3 means, I’m pretty sure I can do without. I’d rather see the exciting times I’ll have playing all the sweet new games on the system!

Sony’s done some pretty strange things in its campaign to sell the PS3 (remember the baby commercial?), and it makes me wonder what horrors they’ve yet to unleash. I suppose the ad has done it’s job in a way, though. Folks everywhere are talking about the PS3. The problem is that I’m not sure Sony can distinguish between good and bad publicity.

At it’s very best, this ad could be an attempt to satirize sexualized video game advertisements that attach controllers to women or cover up their lady-parts with screen captures from games ("With graphics like these, you won't notice anything else!"). At it's worst, it's an exploitation of the male form. More than likely, however, it was the product of some loopy counselors who have no concept of how to make a relevant advertisement.

I’m Sure You’ve Got Plenty to Say

2008-05-16T19:26:00.002-04:00

Natan: …

(Sorry for the late post. I was experiencing some difficulties acquiring an internet connection this week)

Remember the good ol’ days after the first world war when European vampires still embarked on sabbaticals to the American south-west, cat-people ran Hollywood from behind the scenes, and cheeky teenage detectives could break into high-security compounds like Alcatraz without consequences?

Oh wait—that’s not real life. It’s Shadow Hearts: From the New World (thank goodness).

There’s something about this irreverent series that I find incredibly appealing, but sometimes it leaves me scratching my head. The way the developers choose to represent characters can be a little disingenuous. In particular, minority characters have their differences from the mainstream magnified one hundredfold. Whether it’s the swishy Magimel tailors or the so-Mexican-it-hurts mariachi singer Ricardo, everything is so overblown that it’s difficult to take it seriously.

While discussing the game with BomberGirl and PlasmaRit, we became interested in the “strong and silent” Native American character Natan. We wondered how much he actually had to say throughout the course of the game, and I honestly couldn’t recall. It’s been a while since I’ve played it.

To investigate our suspicions, I combed through one hundred and ten pages of the Shadow Hearts: From the New World script. From beginning to end, the script is 30,324 words long.

Natan says 768 words. Let’s break that down further.

Of those 768 words, about 573 of them are related to the storyline. The other 195 words are spoken during dungeon exploration when Natan offers suggestions on how to complete the puzzles.

Throughout the entire game, Natan is represented through a mere 2.5% of the dialogue. This number isn’t fully accurate, though, because the script I used doesn’t include the short snippets of conversation shared with party members during side quests, including Natan’s UMA side quests.

That doesn’t make it any less problematic in my eyes. Natan first appears when Shania is explaining the Malice to Johnny within the first hour of the game. He watches their entire conversation, including their decision to travel to Arkham University together, before introducing himself with a simple, “I am Natan. It is my honor.” We move through another two or three hours of gaming before he says, “We're wasting time. Let us go,” during Frank’s introduction scene.

This pattern continues all way through the entire game, with Natan’s voice entirely absent from a few chapters. On the one occasion that he speaks up and explains the source of Shania’s blind desire for revenge (eighty-eight words, or 11.4% of his total—the most he speaks at any one time in the game), she puts a cap on him with, “Well, aren't we in a talkative mood today...”

The treatment his character receives perpetuates the strong, silent Native American stereotype. At the very least, he’s not quite Tanto from The Lone Ranger. He rarely speaks, but he uses good grammar throughout the game, with one strange exception. After the party has been captured in the Caribbean, Natan lifts the gate from its hinges and says, “Long time no use... so gate was warped.”

The only quality of the Shadow Hearts series that makes this passably acceptable to me is that no one is safe. The developers must have had a Big Book of Stereotypes when they were drafting the characters. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, it’s not a game to take seriously.

Still, while there’s certainly nothing wrong with being quiet, I feel like a character who has been present for the whole game would have more to say.

I wanted to get some more insight into other Native American characters in video games, but I’m currently without reliable internet access. I invite all of our readers to comment and share their thoughts. Who are some of the other Native American faces and voices out there? How do they compare to one another?

The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, Part 5

2008-05-10T20:08:00.007-04:00

(Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of the scale!)

How it works: For the next few weeks, I'll be serving up two rankings every Monday. Since this is a scale, we'll be going from number 10 -- the absolutely least effective Survival Horror heroine out there -- all the way to number 1 -- the greatest of the great.

2. Heather Mason

Appears In: Silent Hill 3 (PS2, 2003)
Horror Effectiveness: Otherworldly
Adept
Rationale: When I was seventeen years old, my biggest problem was studying for a big Trigonometry test. Typical high school issues don't even apply to Heather, who, in a single day, finds herself targeted by a crazy cult, trapped in the Otherworld, fishing keys out of a grilled dog, and finally returning home only to find that her father has been disemboweled by a bloodthirsty demon lurking on their apartment roof. You can't get much more life-shattering than that, and yet it's only the beginning: Heather willingly, and with conviction, travels to the hell on Earth that is Silent Hill to seek her revenge.

If you've been reading just about any of my articles on this blog, you know how much I adore Heather. Faced with unearthly horrors far beyond her age, she fights her way to freedom with the bravery of professionals like Jill Valentine and without the constant knee-quivering and pants-wetting of the Fatal Frame ladies. However, I also dislike cold, two-dimensional badassery as well: Heather is human, and I cannot extol enough praise for her near-breakdown when she discovers her father's gruesome fate.

What's more, Heather grows and changes throughout Silent Hill 3's story. When she's first caught up in the Otherworld, she's just a high school kid in an extraordinary situation who's trying to find her way back home. When she finds that Claudia has ordered the slaughter of her father, she's enraged and swears revenge, traveling to Silent Hill for the sole purpose of killing the cult priestess. However, when she discovers that she's actually an incarnation of Cheryl and regains her old memories, she feels pity for Claudia and overcomes her hatred, enabling her to defeat the sinister cult god just as her father did before her.

The Bottom Line: If you were squelching around the flesh-covered halls of a hellborn hospital with her, just remember not to answer the phone ringing in the locker. It's not your birthday.

1. Alex Roivas

Appears In: Eternal Darkness
(Gamecube, 2002)
Horror Effectiveness: Godslayer Extra- ordinaire
Rationale: You're called at three in the morning by the New Hampshire police about an accident with your grandfather. You fly out immediately without giving them a chance to tell you what's wrong. You go to the creepy Roivas mansion and find that Grandpappy's suffered a pretty messy decapitation, and you can only identify him by the family ring on his finger. You want answers, and you tell the deadbeat cops that you're not leaving the mansion until someone finds out what's going on.

You discover a secret study in the mansion. You find a bible-sized tome bound in human flesh. And you read it. You start seeing things. Horrible things. You know you're going crazy. And yet, you stay in that damn mansion because you're going to solve this mystery if it's the last thing you do.

Congratulations, you're super-badass Alex Roivas.

You have to be pretty damned effective in a horror situation if you know you're losing your mind and yet you willingly stick it out to the end. Alex squares off against bodysnatching abominations, Lovecraftian gods, and her own mounting insanity with only a flesh-bound book as her guide. As the player, you experience her hallucinations firsthand, and if the sight of your TV spontaneously turning itself off is even mildly unsettling, it's easy to imagine what Alex is going through. The skin-crawling tales that our intrepid heroine finds in the Tome of Eternal Darkness provide what I can comfortably call the most disquieting experience in Survival Horror history.

Admittedly, I had a tough time choosing between Heather and Alex for my number one spot. Alex completely deserves to top the list, however. She faces perhaps the biggest challenge out of every heroine on the scale, and endures constant freakouts while maintaining a courageous and steadfast attitude. Though she's joined by her ancestors in spirit, she's completely and utterly alone in the mansion . . . if you ignore the flesh-reaving crimes against all that is good and holy who lurk in the shadows waiting to feast on the delicious sweetbreads of mankind.

In the end, Alex proves her worth and more. If she's pitched in any horror situation after battling the head-exploding madness of Xel'lotath or the growly brute strength of Chattur'gha, you can bet that it'll be just as easy as stepping out for the newspaper on a lazy Saturday morning.

The Bottom Line: If you were creeping around the cursed halls of the family mansion with her, you'd best avoid the upstairs bathroom and stick close to her because THIS ISN'T -- REALLY -- HAPPENING --!!

Well, looks like that's all for our illustrious Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale! Thanks for sticking with me all these weeks, and I hope you enjoyed my two cents about some of our best -- and worst -- ladies of Survival Horror. Please come on back, and I'll see you next Monday!

Quick Hit: Casual Games for the Cure

2008-05-09T14:23:00.005-04:00

The bastion of casual games Popcap is currently running a fundraiser in honor of Mother's Day this Sunday. Thirty percent of the price of each game sold on their website will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a major combatant in the fight against breast cancer. The fundraiser will continue through this Sunday, so if you're planning on getting some Popcap games, now's the time to do it! Get your mama hooked on some Bejeweled--it's the gift that keeps on giving.

If casual gaming's not your thing, feel free to donate directly to the foundation here.

An Experiment with Censorship

2008-05-07T23:59:00.004-04:00

My Mission for Persona 3: FES

I was recently directed to PortlyDyke’s article “Take My Arm, Love” thanks to Feministe. I was struck by her paragraph:

[The adjustments queers make to public displays of affection] are part of the enculturated self- censoring that most queers learn in order to assure their own safety in the world (and sometimes, their very survival). In fact, I had to "unlearn" many other, more rigid, tendencies to automatic hiding when I finally made the decision to be completely "out" as a lesbian.

It was a fascinating article that made me evaluate my own behaviors and the ways in which I regrettably closet myself in order to “pass” for my safety.

As the day continued, I was watching television when I saw a commercial for memory foam mattresses or some nonsense. The commercial portrayed a few white males and females and heterosexual white couples enjoying the best sleep they’ve ever had in their fabulous new beds. I was first intrigued that the commercial didn’t show any people of color, and I also wondered why a gay or lesbian couple couldn’t have been slipped in somewhere.

I commented to a friend, “What do you think it would be like if we never saw couples like that on TV and in commercials?”

She responded, “I guess it would be pretty weird, you know?”

“Yeah. That’s how I often see television and stuff. Lots of straight people and no gay couples,” I said.

Always overthinking things, I began to wonder how different forms of media would change if we simply removed heterosexual romantic pairings from the equation—that is, to make them as absent as queer relationships.

Without any other options readily available, I want to see how this experiment will play out in the PS2 RPG Persona 3: FES. I’m a little late playing it, yes, so don’t spoil it for me!

I want to see how fully I can develop my Social Links—a system in which interpersonal relationships strengthen the party—without developing a romantic relationship with a woman.

As is often the case in the Shin Megami Tensei series, the protagonist is a nameless, voiceless male. With the inability to choose a female avatar aside, this empty hero is meant to serve as the perfect vehicle for the player’s choices and goals. Unfortunately, the production company Atlus assumed that my intentions included hooking up with a girl.

Is it part of the “full gaming experience” for my boy to get with one of the girls? Or are their multiple roads to success, potentially ending in a platonic relationship and an S. Link rank of ten? I’ll have to wait a while to share my results, but I’ll post my findings as they’re revealed.

Author's Note, Saturday, May 10 @ 10:45PM: This post originally contained an image of Yukari that I had included in jest without considering its offensiveness. In hindsight I now see that it wouldn't really be appropriate for any intellectual discourse, and so I would like to apologize to our readers who were the victims of my poor taste.

The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, Part 4

2008-05-05T10:04:00.012-04:00

(Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the scale!)

How it works: For the next few weeks, I'll be serving up two rankings every Monday. Since this is a scale, we'll be going from number 10 -- the absolutely least effective Survival Horror heroine out there -- all the way to number 1 -- the greatest of the great.

4. Aya Brea

Appears In: Parasite Eve (PS1, 1998), Parasite Eve II (PS1, 2000)
Horror Effectiveness: Cool Under Fire
Rationale: So poor Aya's pretty much suffered through the Worst Christmas Ever. What's a girl to do when her mediocre date at Carnegie Hall is rudely interrupted by the spontaneous combustion of every member in the audience? Yank a handgun from her evening gown and kick some ass, of course!

Aya, a detective for the 17th Precinct of the NYPD, spends her six days of Christmas hell battling horribly deformed animals, navigating around wriggling burn victims, and chasing an Opera Singer Slash Mitochrondria Mutant Who Also Artificially Inseminates Herself With Super Sperm, all without breaking a sweat. Parasite Eve's kickass battle system succeeds where Koudelka fails: combining the best of RPG experienced-based leveling, hybrid turn-based / real time battles, and weapon customization with some serious Survival Horror atmosphere. When your game features one of the most disturbing cutscenes in PS1 history -- the mutating rat, anyone? -- you know you've got a winner.

Our half Caucasian, half Japanese heroine ends up playing One-Woman Army for the NYPD due to some special mitochondria that protects her from the immolating fun of antagonist Eve. Along the way, she's given a helping hand by her partner, Daniel Dollis, and a scientist named Kunihiko Maeda, both of whom ultimately must leave the fighting up to her. No worries, however -- Aya's not only tough enough to give Eve her due, she also single-handedly delivers a nuke and contends with the birth of the Ultimate Being, all with enough time to catch another opera when everything's said and done.

The Bottom Line: If you were stepping over the twitching bodies of the crispy dead with her, you'd best listen and put on some comfy shoes when she says the next stop is the Chrysler Building.

3. Jill Valentine

Appears In: The Resident Evil series
Horror Effectiveness: Undead-Erasing Expert
Rationale: Allow me to introduce the Queen of Zombie-Stomping, the Empress of Unlocking, the Czarina of Bomb Disposal, a woman who really needs no introduction, Survival Horror's most famous heroine, Jill Valentine. Ms. Valentine first avoided becoming a Jill Sandwich in 1996's Resident Evil, and her adventures continue today in the headshot-happy rail shooter, Umbrella Chronicles. She's also starred in three Horrifying For A Totally Different Reason feature length films, and is the most recognizable character besides the window-crashing zombie dogs of the RE series. Go, Jill!

Ah, so many good times to remember. Splattering zombie craniums in the Umbrella mansion. Fleeing from Nemesis in a miniskirt and tube top. Totally out-cooling Chris Redfield's scenario by finding the bazooka and then going to town on some Hunters, Rambo-style. The list goes on and on.

Many Survival Horror fans my age cut their teeth on the first Resident Evil. Despite the crippled difficulty level of Jill's scenario and her shared screen time with Chris, our Lady Zombie Killer Extraordinaire remains more recognizable -- and more popular -- than her male counterpart to this day. Specially trained in the US Delta Force, a natural crack-shot and lock-picking master, she's one hundred percent badass even with a goofy sweatshirt tied around her waist.

The Bottom Line: If you were staring down a scary-ass Crimson Head with her, you'd best just step back and let her trusty bazooka do the talking.

We're at the end of the line, folks! Stop by next Monday for the very last installment of our spooky scale, and meet my top two picks for the most effective heroines in all of Survival Horror!

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-05-02T19:20:00.004-04:00

May is finally here, with summer just around the corner. The release of Mario Kart Wii last weekend was the excuse we all needed to get to the summertime slackin'--even if we students still have a few finals left. The Mario Kart series has been a foundation of my gaming history since I was in preschool, and aside from the occasional spin-outs, it's only gotten better with age. In celebration of the new release, I've compiled a list of drinking game rules you can use on any Mario Kart game you want to drink to. Sure, drinking and driving is never a good idea, but it's totally worth playing Rainbow Road while you're sloshed.

1 drink for fucking up a shortcut jump
1 drink for attempting Super Mario Kart's Rainbow Road
1 additional drink for each fall on Rainbow Road
1 drink if you try to wrangle up 16 people for a grand prix in Double Dash
2 drinks when (not if) your online opponent signs out early in a race in MK DS
1 drink every time Toad talks with his Country Guy Voice in MK 64
2 drinks for Toad's Cracked-Out Voice in Double Dash
1 drink per collision with a cow/penguin/mole/other assorted animal
1 drink per fall into ice, chocolate, lava, water, or endless pit
2 drinks for accidentally using an item instead when you're trying to hold it behind you
3 drinks each time you trade an awesome item for a crappy green shell
1 drink if your online opponent snakes through and entire course in MK DS
1 drink if you get hit by a blue shell
2 drinks if you get hit by it on a jump

And finally:

Finish your drink if you decide to play Toad's Turnpike in Extra Mode while drunk--if you're going to "I'm cool to drive" through a course that involves semi trucks hurtling at you, you may as well go all-out

Warning: Excessive drinking during gameplay may result in severely-affected driving skills and an increased likelihood of getting fishooked by Lakitu. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

Moon Prism Pow--Wait, no, that's not it...

2008-04-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

Transformations in Jeanne D'Arc

To be brief, this semester has been regrettably busy for me. Mixing together a full-time internship and classes took a toll on my free time, but even after it ended near the beginning of this month, I was so worn out that I was quite lazy about coming back to GitM. Not much else to say besides “sorry.” Anyway, I’ve got my energy back, so here we go!

In the few opportunities I’ve had for gaming, I’ve been enjoying the tactical RPG Jeanne D’Arc for PSP. In terms of storyline, I wouldn’t call it mind numbingly original, but the two leading female characters keep surprising me. Jeanne is headstrong and zealous on the battlefield, and she doesn’t succumb to the patriarchy’s expectations for a woman. Her best friend Liane slid into the background early in the game, but near the middle she bursts forth with her own courage and insecurities that have kept the plot engaging.

In particular, I’d like to take a quick look at one of my favorite aspects of many games—the transformations. Jeanne and some of her allies are able to tap into ancient gems to unlock God’s power, and the first change is accompanied by an anime cut scene. The clip below contains the scene when Jeanne transforms for the first time by unknowingly activating the gem. For comparison, it also contains a scene where her ally Gilles purposefully activates his gem.

Thank goodness for a transformation scene that didn’t involve an upskirt or awkward close-up!

To me, the two transformations are essentially the same. There’s a little Sailor Moon-esque spinning, a ring of light moves from head to toe, some shiny glowing, and bam! Bad ass armor and weapons! Not bad, huh?

There’s still a small difference, though—did you catch it? Jeanne ends her transformation with her hip slightly popped in an America’s Next Top Model pose, whereas Gilles spins his ~~phallic~~ spear before striking an aggressive battle pose.

In the game’s defense, this is Jeanne’s first time using the gem, so she’s surely a little confused about what happened. After all, she didn’t even realize she was activating it! Gilles also has experience with the gems, so you could say he’s more likely to be ready for action.

Still, Jeanne had proven herself to be soldier material before she ever transformed. I would have imagined her immediately hefting her broadsword up and giving it a practice swing or two. She certainly didn’t hesitate to do so when the game resumed after the cut scene!

That certainly has been enough to ruin the game for me, though. While more serious, Jeanne D’Arc is about as historically accurate as a Shadow Hearts game and draws out frequent, unintended laughter. It's also got a solid battle system with nice optional stages. The skill synthesis can be a little unrewarding sometimes, but that's part of the fun. If you haven't checked it out yet and you're a fan the tactical RPG genre, you're definitely missing out!

The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, Part 3

2008-04-28T07:59:00.006-04:00

(Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the scale!)

How it works: For the next few weeks, I'll be serving up two rankings every Monday. Since this is a scale, we'll be going from number 10 -- the absolutely least effective Survival Horror heroine out there -- all the way to number 1 -- the greatest of the great.

6. Rebecca Chambers

Appears In: The Resident Evil series
Horror Effectiveness: Tolerably Adequate
Rationale: Poor Rebecca. She didn't ask to appear in her own game. And yet we have Resident Evil 0, a completely unneeded prequel that occurs simultaneously with the original RE (instead of, you know, providing us with any juicy information about the beginnings of Umbrella, if we still even care at this point). Ms. Chambers is a medic for STARS's inept Bravo team, and finds herself trapped on a train filled with hungry hungry zombies with only a convicted murderer named Billy Coen to help her out.

I would describe Rebecca's effectiveness in a Horror Situation with a simple "Ehh." Perhaps the only phenomenally stupid thing she does is conveniently forget to call for backup when the train is ravaged by hideous necrifying slugs, and instead opts to wander around on her own armed with a weeny little pistol and, uh, no medicine. Did I mention that she's a medic? Thank goodness for Billy Coen, the first muscley strongman on our scale that's required to rescue a heroine from carnivorous beasties every five minutes, not to mention the fact that Rebecca is, health-wise, the weakest protagonist of all the RE games . . . but, she is a medic, so for the sake of plot, I can dig it.

So Rebecca is just . . . okay. She's middling. She sits quite nicely at the center of our scale, since, despite briefly filling a Damsel In Distress role for Billy, she's at least active in her plot, and presumably trained to survive in said Horror Situation. She briefly appears in the original RE as well, and is actually one of the few supporting characters who survives . . . unless you decide not to save her. Then you find her headless body later in the game. Poor girl.

The Bottom Line: If you were fighting off squishy parasitic slugs in a train car with her, just chew an Herb mixture and heft your gun. You'll probably be fine.

5. Koudelka Iasant

Appears In: Koudelka (PS1, 2000), Shadow Hearts (PS2, 2001)
Horror Effectiveness: Cool and Collected
Rationale: So Koudelka the game is an interesting mix of Survival Horror and RPG -- and by interesting mix I mean a gorgeous, engaging game plagued by an unspeakably terrible and half-assed battle system. But the heroine of our story, Koudelka, the sardonic gypsy woman with psychic powers, outshines a nightmarish gameplay experience with pure sarcastic badassery. This is the part of the scale where things start looking up, folks, and I'm happy to usher in our first shining star.

Koudelka first travels to the Nemeton Monastery on the bidding of a mysterious voice in her head. On her way, she rescues the clueless Edward Plunkett from a monster, gaining a travel companion. She saves Edward's skin yet again when the two stay in the care of a seemingly friendly old couple who are also, you know, poisoning their guests' food. When she finds Bishop James O'Flaherty curled up in terror of a deadly plant monster in the monastery garden, her adventuring party is complete, and I found myself understandably shocked and awed that, in a two-man one-woman party, the lady is our fearless leader.

There's a lot to love about Koudelka. She actively explores the skin-crawling monastery with purpose instead of wandering around aimlessly. She keeps her cool in situations that have Edward and James whimpering, and even when she does show fear, she's . . . just allowed a spirit to communicate through her. I'll give you a sample of what the the spectral remnants of Nemeton Monastery have to say:

"Kill them. They cut off my fingers. They crushed my legs. They smashed my head, cut out my guts. They took everything from me. They locked me up and chopped up my body."

Spooky!

Also, it pleases me every time James tries to bully Koudelka for not being Christian, she's quick to return with a cutting remark. Sardonic gypsy woman with psychic powers doesn't need your patriarchy!

My only complaint about Koudelka is her presentation in the brilliant RPG follow-up Shadow Hearts. But I'll let you experience that for yourself.

The Bottom Line: If you were being menaced by the vengeful spirits of a blood-soaked monastery with her, just keep your cool and collect all the weapons you can before they break. She'll take care of the rest.

We're getting closer to the coveted top slots of our feature! Join me next Monday for Part 4 of the Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale!

Women's Gaming Community: Are We Being Heard?

2008-04-25T13:47:00.002-04:00

1up.com has a great article up that discusses how online forums influence game makers and marketers. The idea is that important gaming folk have been discovered combing through gaming message boards and forums online in order to learn how gamers feel about certain games, marketing ideas, and game developers themselves. The article talks about several interesting examples of this phenomenon, which had me thinking about our neck of the woods. If game developers read through the typical gaming message board, do they read feminist gaming blogs as well?

Fortunately, I've had first hand experienced with that: after I wrote an article about ICED, the computer game focusing on deportation in the United States, the game developers Breakthrough left a comment under it:

Hi, We just wanted to say that we greatly appreciate your positive post. Reading comments like yours in response to our game helps us continue to do our work in an environment that doesn't seem to see that immigration is a human rights and due process issue.
Thank you again!
-Breakthrough http://www.breakthrough.tv

I had not contacted Breakthrough before or after writing the article, which indicates to me that they were actively searching for internet activity surrounding their game. They may not have come across Girl in the Machine primarily to read about feminist issues, but there are wonderful implications about this phenomenon: Breakthrough read what a feminist blog had to say about their game.

Who's to say Breakthrough is alone in this respect? Other game developers are more than likely Googling their own games to discover the public's opinion about them. There are feminist and women's gaming blogs sprouting up and discussing popular video games every day, providing a widespread, powerful voice for women's issues in video games. The more we women blog about women's issues in games, the more likely game developers will come across them and--hopefully--take our opinions into account. This is our chance to tell them what they're doing right and what needs to be changed.

So blog on, women gamers.

--Iris Directory Logo from the Iris Gaming Network

A Note from PlasmaRit

2008-04-21T22:29:00.002-04:00

Sorry to those of you looking forward to the next installment of The Horror Effectiveness Scale--unfortunately, Bombergirl's come down with a pretty nasty bout of stomach flu, and she's unable to update this week. I'm still fit as a fiddle, so come on back this Friday for a new update by me.

Get well soon, Bombergirl!

Linkfest: The Good, the Bad and teh Awesome

2008-04-18T12:39:00.005-04:00

Hello, all! There's been interesting bits of info floating around the 'net, and when a bunch of them crop up, Linkfests are due. This week I've found links that can be easily placed in The Good, The Bad, and Teh Awesome categories. So while you're not busy with preparing for finals or spending time out in the blessed sun, give these links a click.

The Good: Crafty Rock Band

Etsy's a great place to go if you're shopping for any unique handmade items. Being a crafty gamer myself, I was delighted to see someone selling crocheted drum kit cozies for X-Box 360's Rock Band. Unfortunately, these in particular have been sold, but it's a great idea in itself: you can keep you drum kit in top quality and still play to your heart's content without driving your partner nuts from all the plastic-on-plastic drummin'. If you're crafty and a Rock Band drummer (or know someone who is), you can make your own. Imagine the possibilities! One-up mushroom drums, neon-pink drums, Metroic drums--okay, I don't even have Rock Band, and I want some Metroid drum cozies. Sweet.

The Bad: Head-Slicing or Man-Kissing?

GayGamer picked up a poll from WhatTheyPlay.com asking the question "As a parent, which would you find the most offensive in a video game?" The choices were "A graphically severed human head," "A man and woman having sex," "Multiple use of the F-word," and "Two men kissing." The most offensive was the man and woman sex with 37%, but guess which choice came next? Would it be the severed human head with the emphasis that said head was severed graphically? Sadly, no: 27% of parents answering the poll said "Two men kissing" was most offensive to them, while 26% chose the severed head. Really? Most of these parents would rather let their child watch someone's head get graphically cut off than the sight of two men kissing? They'd rather let their child watch and act of violence and hatred over and act of love and compassion (even if it's seen as immoral)? The mind, it boggles.

Teh Awesome: Frag Dolls Make World Record

Frag Dolls Kitt, Sarin, and Jam made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Longest continuous play of a single FPS." They played Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 for 24 hours straight, and others who participated in the marathon donated money to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Gaming marathon? World records? Money to charity? Breaking stereotypes? Smells like awesome to me.

Plasma out.

The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, Part 2

2008-04-14T08:01:00.015-04:00

(Check out Part 1 of the scale! Do it now!)

How it works: For the next few weeks, I'll be serving up two rankings every Monday. Since this is a scale, we'll be going from number 10 -- the absolutely least effective Survival Horror heroine out there -- all the way to number 1 -- the greatest of the great.

8. Alyssa Hamilton

Appears In: Clock Tower 3 (PS2, 2003)
Horror Effectiveness: Hysterically Inept
Rationale: It was difficult picking among the various and sundry Clock Tower protagonists, but in the end I felt that Ms. Hamilton was a little more deserving. Alyssa's stupidity may perhaps be best defined by her very first action of the game: while away at boarding school, she receives a letter from her mother warning her to stay away from the family mansion. Apparently, her mother's aim was to send her away until after her fifteenth birthday to keep her out of harm. Now that Mom's missing and it's mere days before Alyssa's fifteenth birthday, our plucky heroine decides it's time . . . to return to the family mansion. By herself. Days before her fifteenth birthday. Way to score those intelligence points, champ.

From there, Alyssa's time-traveling, ghost-pacifying, and Magical Girl archery exploits more than showcase what she's truly made of. A cornerstone of Clock Tower gameplay is squealingly running away from big dudes who want to kill you, and Alyssa does mostly this, and if she's so much as lightly breathed upon by one of her adversaries she undergoes Panic Mode. In this state of mind, our brave protagonist goes into utter hysterics, flailing about this way and that with blurry vision, stumbling all over the place on rubbery legs, and crashing into shit. It's a wonder she stays alive at all.

But stay alive she does. I have to give her credit here for being able to fight back. Her pursuers are about thirty times as incompetent as she is. You'd think charging around and hauling huge weapons of bloody annihilation would give them the edge, but, time and time again, this skinny little teenager bests them in what could be best described as wacky pranks. For example, there's a puddle on the ground. Alyssa flips a switch. A bumbling serial killer steps in said puddle and gets a nasty little shock. Congratulations, you're in a Looney Tunes short!

And while I'm glad that Alyssa can more or less hold her own in boss fights, the Magical Girl archery aspect of it leaves much to be desired.

The Bottom Line: If you were carousing through the bombed streets of London with her, you'd be better off wrestling the disgruntled ghosts with your bare hands.

7. Miku Hinasaki

Appears In: Fatal Frame (PS2, 2001), Fatal Frame III (PS2, 2005)
Horror Effectiveness: Understandably Petrified
Rationale: Due to the cookie-cutter nature of Fatal Frame protagonists, it's safe to say that Miku represents her fellow spectral photographers as a whole. The Fatal Frame series has been a favorite of mine for years now, and I still think that the first game ranks as one of the most terrifying gaming experiences of all time. Fatal Frame's success rests in its skin-crawling atmosphere, part of which owes a lot to protagonist Miku's scared-stiff countenance throughout. She's understandably petrified, navigating the bloody halls of the Himuro Mansion with nothing but a spectral camera to defend her, whimpering and trembling through every cutscene, and all the while as the player you know that, even though you're low on film and there's three ghosts chasing you and they have gouged-out eyes and they're screaming, "My eeeyeees, my eeeeyyeeees," you can't. Run. Away. The fuckers will chase you all over the mansion.

Ooh, goosebumps! That's the core of it, though. I like Miku. She has a lot going for her that many female horror protagonists don't: she went to the mansion intentionally to rescue her missing brother instead of just tripping upon it or getting kidnapped; despite being scared out of her wits she has the capability and the willpower to fight back; and she never crumbles in shuffling panic when things get out of hand.

Miku rounds off the "Incompetent to Not-as-Skilled" end of our scale quite nicely. Though she does fight back, she finds the Camera Obscura completely by accident, rendering her completely helpless if otherwise. And though she takes up much of her time in the game whimpering and quaking in her schoolgirl skirt, it feels realistic rather than comical and degrading (see also: Panic Mode).

The Bottom Line: If you were exploring the gory underbelly of a haunted old mansion with her, you'd best stick close and ask for doubles of the cool pictures she takes.

That's all for now! Please check back next Monday for part 3 of the Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale!

Asperger's and "Video Game Addiction"

2008-04-11T14:01:00.004-04:00

A recent study conducted has concluded that those players with signs of "video game addiction" have symptoms similar to those with Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism. This study comes to us from the psychology professors Drs. John Charlton and Ian Danforth, who presented their findings at the British Psychological Society's Annual conference on April 3, 2008. Naturally, I am skeptical of most studies conducted about video games, so it's important to get to the bare bones of each one that crops up. Why don't we filter this study through my patented GitM Study Bullshit Filter:

Who were the Subjects?
Charlton and Danforth used a total of 391 subjects, 86% of whom were male. They are also identified as "computer game players," but that's pretty much it. There is no indication of an age bracket or any other description of these people. While the size of the subject pool is better than a lot of studies I've seen concerning video games, it's still not large enough to justify any findings, in my opinion.

What was the Equipment?
None of the article's I've perused about this study mention any of the equipment Charlton and Danforth used. As far as I could tell, the study was either an interview or a survey, as the subjects were "questioned." There is also no mention of what those questions were, only that said questions were asked to determine whether these subjects showed any degree of "video game addiction," and the relationships between said addiction, "high engagement, and personality."

What was the Subjects' Task?
Considering this study was not an experiment but rather an interview/survey, the subjects only had to answer questions. As for how many, there's no way to tell in the article; it focuses much more of its attention on the results found rather than the process of the study itself.

What are the Results?
Charlton and Danforth claim that the data they found "supports the idea that people who are heavily involved in game playing may be nearer to autistic spectrum disorders than people who have no interest in gaming." They also note that those subjects found to have symptoms of "video game addiction" do not themselves have Asperger's, but that they share similar traits, such as "finding it easier to empathize with computer systems than other people."

What was the Point?
Honestly, there really doesn't seem to be--didn't we already know that people who spend a gross amount of time playing video games aren't socially savvy? First of all, the idea of "video game addiction" has not been accepted as a real disorder, so the basis of the study itself is unfounded. Second, Charlton and Danforth made no definitive link between video game addiction and Asperger's, even stating in the article itself that none of their subjects fit the criterion for diagnosis of Asperger's. The only reason for the existence of this study that I can see is to stigmatize video games even more now that other studies are dispelling the link between video games and violent behavior.

This study seems to imply that playing more video games will give you Asperger's. It doesn't even entertain the idea that, maybe, those people will Asperger's-like symptoms are attracted to not only video games but other forms of entertainment that don't involve direct human interaction. Overall, Charlton and Danforth's study told us nothing new about video games and sure as hell won't cause me to lose any sleep.

The Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, Part 1

2008-04-07T07:58:00.012-04:00

As I'm sure you all know, we here at Girl in the Machine frickin' love Survival Horror games. They've twisted our minds and given us goosebumps since the golden days of our youth, and in the end we just can't get enough. There's been a recent drought of Survival Horror on the consoles lately, and as we try to cope we've put together a handy dandy scale of our favorite (and most hated) ladies of horror. It's the Horror Heroine Effectiveness Scale, ranking the capability of female protagonists so you don't have to!

How it works: For the next few weeks, I'll be serving up two rankings every Monday. Since this is a scale, we'll be going from number 10 -- the absolutely least effective SH heroine out there -- all the way to number 1 -- the greatest of the great. I hope you all enjoy this little feature, and don't forget to check out our first scale, the Scale of RPG Heroines!

Let's begin!

10. Fiona Belli

Appears In: Haunting Ground (PS2, 2005)
Horror Effectiveness: Flailingly Useless
Rationale: I wish I could say I picked up Haunting Ground by mistake. Perhaps I was distracted by something shiny, or just aching for a horror fix, or maybe my eye was gushing blood and I desperately needed to slap something over it. In any case, not only is Haunting Ground a frustrating trainwreck of a game, its heroine, Fiona, just can't keep herself from pissing me off every five minutes. HG began as an iteration of the Clock Tower series, so its gameplay mechanics are pretty much the same: a big scary guy chases you, and you run like the motherfucking dickens. It doesn't help Fiona's case that she's trussed up in a shirt closely related to a sausage casing, or that the game developers lovingly animated her disproportionate pair of mams to go sproi-oi-oing every time she takes a step. I'm being perfectly serious here, by the way -- the boob physics are so over-the-top that she could be walking on a trampoline.

No wonder it's so difficult for her to get away. In every cutscene, Fiona whimpers and trips over her own feet and backs herself into every possible corner she can find, completely ignoring the ample radius of empty space surrounding her attacker. The smartest character in the game is her German Shepherd companion, Hewie, who could probably qualify for MENSA compared to Fiona's squealy panic and overwhelming idiocy.

The Bottom Line: If you were trapped in an abandoned castle with her, you'd be better off getting help from a blobby patch of green mold stuck to the wall.

9. Jennifer

Appears In: Rule of Rose (PS2, 2006)
Horror Effectiveness: Pitifully Incompetent
Rationale: Rule of Rose is a horrible, awful, terrible game, but it has a lot of style and the plot is deliciously insane. As far as its protagonist goes, I think this picture of Jennifer pretty much sums it up. Our heroine spends basically all of the game hunched over in numbed horror, knees knocking, her eyebrows drawn up as if they're being tugged by fishing line. The lightest of blows nearly cripples her, causing her to stagger back in a recoil that takes, oh, about five minutes. Ah, but Jennifer fights back! Yes, armed with her deadly dessert fork, she throws an arm over her eyes and stabs blindly at the air, hoping against hope that she'll maybe nick something just a little bit. Don't worry, though -- she soon upgrades to a fruit knife!

Okay, so eventually she gets her trembling hands on a magnum, but, as far as aim goes, you'd be better off trying to throw a basketball through a horseshoe, not to mention the gun can only hold one bullet at a time. And our poor unlucky heroine just can't get a break, what with fainting like a delicate Victorian noblewoman every other cutscene. Like Fiona, she's accompanied by an intelligent canine pal (this time a Labrador Retriever named Brown), and I have a sneaking suspicion that the dog is probably better off on his own.

The Bottom Line: If you were trapped with her on a flying zeppelin full of little demon girls, you'd be better off ditching her for the dog and saving all of the biscuits for yourself.

That's it for today! Stop on by next Monday for Part 2 of the Horror Heroine Effectniveness Scale!

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-04-04T12:39:00.005-04:00

Oookay, folks--April is here! The weather's finally getting warmer and the end of the school year is fast approaching for us student-types. Unfortunately, these warmer days are divided by sad bouts of anti-cavorting rain. What to do on days like these? Why, have a round of First Friday Drinking game of course!

Thanks to its ten-year anniversary, Final Fantasy VII games and movies have been popping up everywhere, including the recent release of Crisis Core for the PSP. Many longtime fans of the original FF VII have found many great things about these new additions--as well as an equal amount of things to drink to. I've compiled a list of rules you and all your friends can follow while you enjoy your favorite (or least favorite) showcase of the FF VII universe.

Fun Tip: Turn out the lights and add a green glowstick to your favorite mixed drink for that authentic Mako feel! (Note: Drinking the liquid from said glowstick will also add to that authentic Mako feel but is not recommended. Trips to the Life Stream may result.)

Anyway, onto the rules:

1 drink every time a Shinra employee does something wacky
1 drink for each time someone crashes through a church roof (stack FF VII media for ultimate effect!)
2 drinks every time Hojo speaks in his Crazy Old Man Scientist voice
3 drinks every time Zach sounds a little too much like Tidus ("I'm trying, I'm trying!")
1 drink for every censored cuss word
1 drink for every hilarious translation error
2 drinks for "This guy are sick"
2 drinks every time a friend is surprised Sephiroth isn't the main villain of FF VII
1 drink for every word you realize you've been mispronouncing all this time (no drinks if you still think you're right)
2 drinks if it's a name
1 drink for every character you encounter named "[color] the [synonym of same color]"
1 drink each time Vincent poses in a badass way in DoC
1 drink every time Lucrecia says "I'm sorry"
1 drink for each zipper found on your favorite character's outfit
1 drink for every materia that looks as big as someone's head (or bigger!)
1 drink every time post-experiment Cloud needs to be saved
2 drinks if he's in a wheelchair

And finally:

Finish your drink when Tifa, a competently skilled fighter, engages in a slap fight with Scarlett

Warning: Excessive drinking during gameplay may result in lingering doubts about your past and the realization that you're not as awesome as you thought you were. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

The Flower Girl

2008-03-31T07:57:00.006-04:00

Playing Crisis Core has got me all nostalgic for 1997's Final Fantasy VII (but then, any story-butchering pre/sequel tends to do that to me). It always tickles me pink to see my favorite characters in action again, and I couldn't help but pick up the old classic just to see how it's aged. I was pleasantly surprised, poor translation and all, and glad to see that one of my favorite characters, Aeris Gainsborough, is still as great as ever.

It's true that Aeris has a huge fan following. Hundreds of gamers in Japan even sent a petition to SquareSoft asking for the ability to revive her after her iconic death. There are plenty of reasons to like her, but I want to concentrate on what makes her such a strong female character. Stereotypes and stock characters run amok in role-playing games, especially of the female persuasion, and it's good to see a leading lady that passes muster.

I'll start with the basics. While FFVII doesn't have a job system per se, Aeris is clearly the party's standard white mage, complete with staff and restorative Limit Break. While the conventional female character locked into the healer role tends to annoy me, this works in context. Aeris is balanced out by not one but two other women, neither of whom are magic users (Tifa as a monk and Yuffie as a thief). This is rarely seen in other Final Fantasy games wherein white mages like Rosa, Garnet, and Yuna also have magic-using female compatriots. More importantly, her "job" as a white mage works in tune with the plot. To rescue the Planet from Meteor, she uses the White Materia to cast Holy, a well-known high level spell in white magic.

A character's appearance plays an important role, as always, and it's great to see Aeris is not afflicted by a cheesecakey design (something that's admittedly relegated to black mage women like Lulu or Fran). I've always liked her Dress And Hiking Boots combo, showing a measure of function over form. Personality-wise, she's flirty and somewhat childish, but it works because she's not limited solely to these traits. Her relationship with her adoptive mother is poignant, adding to a display of genuine maturity that runs through her character.

In much of fictive media, the death of a female character is typically used as a simple plot device. The brave protagonist falls in love with Stock Woman A, she's killed off by the merciless villain, and the brave protagonist is spurred on by his love's death to ultimately defeat the merciless villain. Aeris's death works quite differently. While she can be seen as a love interest for Cloud, her flirtations never seem serious, and her death comes so early in the game that there's little time for a romantic relationship to form. She leaves the party and goes to the Forgotten City by her own choice, even though it would have been easy for the game designers to have her kidnapped in some way. She doesn't sacrifice herself for Cloud, and her death is so sudden that it doesn't feel forced or played-out (and, thankfully, the violence done to her is not sexualized in the least). She's still vital to the plot thereafter, and saves the Planet in the end. Arguably, she can be seen as a driving force for Cloud to destroy Jenova, but her purpose extends beyond this, and Cloud himself has a lot more to fight for.

I'll always be partial to games I played when I was younger, and it pleases me to say that Final Fantasy VII is still an enjoyable game eleven years later. Aeris is a wonderful example of those rare "strong female characters" you've heard so much about. She shows that, when done right, a character can be girly and swathed in tons of pink and still be a great representative of feminism in games.

The Great Debate

2008-03-28T12:51:00.003-04:00

I've always been a console kind of girl. While I have cheated with a fair collection of PC games, in the end I always find myself crawling back to my first love. Sure, there are lots of really great PC games out there, and it's not the games I have a problem with. It's the PC itself.

The biggest problem I have with PC games is compatibility. Having a three year-old laptop, it's simply not able to play a majority of the new games out today. I learned this the hard way when I received Neverwinter Nights 2 for Christmas two years ago--even with the graphics at their worst, the game was slow and jaggy as hell. It was pretty much impossible to play. Most new laptops are being created with a graphics card that is not compatible with Neverwinter Nights 2 as well as most games I already own, and if I want a Mac, I'll also have to kiss all my old games goodbye. Sure, I could always go with a desktop for ultimate PC gaming, but a travel-ready computer is vital, and I don't have the cash to have both, let alone a brand spanking-new laptop. I'm dreading the newest WoW graphics upgrade for fear it will render my account useless.

Consoles do not have this problem. Sure, the games are only compatible with the consoles they're made for, but you are guaranteed that they'll continue to work no matter how long you have the console. Plus, they're significantly cheaper than buying a souped-up desktop that needs to be updated every year. Games made for the Playstation 2 at the end of its life have breathtakingly beautiful graphics compared to the PS2's debut games with zero mandatory upgrades.

Of course, there are a few things PCs can do that I wish consoles could, the most important being patches. In a PC game, if a level's screwed up in any way, the company can release a patch to fix it. Patching also gives the players themselves the freedom of creating their own patches and mods that can transform a game from typical to sexy to completely insane. The gay bar mod for Oblivion is a great example of this. If a console game is glitched, however, you're pretty much screwed. Primal, unfortunately, has quite a few glitches that can make gameplay maddening; patching could have made it a much more enjoyable game. Now that newer consoles have internet access, I hope it's only a matter of time before developers create patches for their future games to solve this annoying problem.

There you have it: my completely biased ruling that console games are better than PC. What kind of games do you prefer, and why?

Zero Suit Scandal

2008-03-21T14:46:00.000-04:00

Super Smash Bros. Brawl was finally unleashed to the public last week--and to my delight, right smack in the middle of my Spring Break. And for that week I experienced the peaceful life of a hermit, serenely kicking ass in front of my Wii with little food, drink, or sleep. So deep was my meditation in front of that glorious flickering screen that, alas, there was simply no time for updates last Friday.

Adventure mode in particular is fun and engaging, and being the Nintendo fangirl that I am (hell, I grew up on the stuff), each cheesy cutscene left me in giggles. After a few stages, I arrived at the research facility, and I finally got to see Zero Suit Samus in motion.

Guys? Remember, a few months ago, when I expressed the reservations I had about how Zero Suit Samus would be treated? Christ on a cracker, I was right.

Practically every cutscene Zero Suit Samus is in, it seems there's a camera stuck to her boobs or her ass. They seemed inescapable, thanks to her exaggerated proportions. I felt like Lewis Black was behind me with every cutscene, shouting "Ass-ass! Titties-titties-ass-ass!" I couldn't wait to get her Power Suit so I could stop speculating how uncomfortable it would be to wear such a frighteningly vaccumm-sealed suit. But it wasn't just the creepy camera-ogling, either; Zero Suit Samus has a distinctly more feminine air to her, even if she's just standing in one place. The body language she emits before and after she obtains her Power Suit are jarringly different.

As a fighter, Zero Suit Samus isn't too bad. She's much faster out of her suit, which is nice, but as a hardcore Metroid fan I feel I must nitpick here. Isn't her Power Suit supposed to make Samus faster and more agile than the average human? I would understand if Zero Suit Samus were easier to knock off screen, but I'm not convinced she would be faster without her suit. The laser whip thingy she carries isn't as SexySexy Danger as I had anticipated, thank god, but it is significantly girlier than Power Suit Samus's grappling beam. Overall, Zero Suit Samus is certainly not a downgraded version of Power Suit Samus, in spite of her cheesecakey tendencies. For that I applaud Nintendo.

However, I am still disappointed in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for confirming my fears about Samus. She was the only human female of the Smash Bros. series who wasn't superfemme, but now Nintendo, like Activision did with Guitar Hero III, has succeeded in feminizing all of its female characters.

Ugh, I'm going to go beat up some Waddle-Dees.

Tempting the snake in the Garden of Eden.

2008-03-17T08:08:00.010-04:00

Warning! MGS3 spoilers follow!

In 2004, Konami released Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the prequel to its stealth-action Metal Gear series. Snake Eater sets itself apart from the rest of the series by moving the action from urban environments into the heart of the Soviet jungle, requiring players to utilize camouflage and various survival techniques. The game's Cold War era setting also imbues it with a James Bond feel, complete with a kitschy theme song and opening. With every Bond movie, there is also a so-called Bond Girl, and Snake Eater's irritating symbol of sexism is a frisky lady named EVA.

Our pal EVA is a KGB spy working alongside Snake in his mission to destroy the Shagohod, a nuclear-equipped ancestor of the first Metal Gear. She poses as a Russian woman named Tatyana to infiltrate the traitorous Colonel Volgin's forces, feeding Snake information from her position as a mole. She also repeatedly takes her clothes off (guess her boobs need some air), flirts with Snake in literally all of her scenes to the point of sexual harassment, and gets groped by male characters no less than three times over the course of the game. Oh, but she's tough, though! Tough and she wants to do you.

Yes, she's one of those characters: the tired "Beautiful but Deadly" stereotype we're all sick of. EVA fairly jiggles her way from scene to scene, pausing only to unzip her motorcycle onesie down to her crotch for no particular reason, and the more voyeuristic gamer can take advantage of Snake Eater's first person cutscene viewer to join Snake as he repeatedly ogles the goods. I have to admit, I laughed the first time, but does our intrepid hero really have to stare at her tits in every single scene as if they contain the meaning of life?

It's no surprise as well that EVA is boring as all hell. She's a tough chick, blah blah, she rides a motorcycle and can apparently fly a plane as well, she's a super spy with a kickass gun, whatever. In a series known for characters who are interesting (sometimes to a fault -- especially when you're covered in bees!), EVA is predictable and stale. Her lines are generously peppered with double entendres, she's a master of charming any and all foes with her smoldering good looks, and she falls in love with Snake at the end . . . even though she's not supposed to! How shocking.

Unfortunately, things get worse. While oversexed leading ladies are no strangers to all sorts of media, EVA's case is made more disturbing by the sexual violence inflicted on her. While posing as Tatyana, she is repeatedly raped and tortured by the sadistic Colonel Volgin over the course of the game. Fortunately, these scenes are never shown, but Snake does observe a number of scars caused by Volgin during one of EVA's "skip around in my underwear" scenes. Rape is not often addressed in video games, and the way it's presented here is cringe-worthy at best. While the act itself is (thankfully) never sexualized, EVA endures it as part of her mission -- something that no male agent would ever be expected to do. As well, EVA was trained to seduce her foes, a technique that places her in this victim's role intentionally. It's horrifying and sick, and treads dangerously into "She was asking for it" territory.

After all is said and done, she's also a centerfold in a men's magazine the player can obtain in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

Metal Gear Solid 3's female lead, EVA, is one of the worst examples of a female character I can think of. Two-dimensional and stereotyped, she's the Sultry Vixen With a Gun that we've seen thousands of times. Even more problematic is the sexual violence she repeatedly suffers, the effects of which are never even mentioned. I love the Metal Gear series, but EVA's design and presentation severely soured my experience with Snake Eater. I can only hope that her return in MGS4: Guns of the Patriots doesn't make things even worse.

First Friday Drinking Game: Saturday Edition!

2008-03-08T01:30:00.001-05:00

The beginning of March signals the coming of many wonderful things. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, spring is just around the corner; for students, Spring Break looms tantalizingly close. But for American gamers, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is coming to our shores! In celebration of this wondrous event, we'll be raising our glasses to the Smash Bros. series for this month's First Friday Drinking Game!

. . .

. . . what? Okay, I know it's technically Saturday, but I'm not changing the graphic. Moving on!

1 drink for every Snorlax that smashes you to oblivion
2 drinks for reaching a death match
3 drinks if you lose said death match
1 drink if you are a Sheik whore
1 drink each time Jigglypuff/Mr. Game and Watch kills you
2 drinks if a random Arwing blows you away
1 drink for dying from a Bob-Omb
2 drinks for stepping on your own land mine
1 drink if you KO the wrong Ice Climber
1 drink each time you miss a player with your hookshot/grappling beam
1 drink if you KO yourself because you're too distracted by the look of the stage
1 drink for choosing any stage that includes water
2 drinks if that water is a fast current

And finally:
Finish your drink if you plan on trying to upskirt Peach or Zelda when Brawl comes out. Seriously creepy and gross.

Warning: Excessive drinking during game play may result in an inability to find your character on the screen and may result in suicidal KOs. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

A note from Bombergirl.

2008-03-06T23:00:00.001-05:00

I will be on vacation for the next week, so, unfortunately, there will be no update from me on Monday. But fear not! I'll be back on Monday the 17th, so I will see you all then!

I Left my Heart in Nova Prospekt.

2008-03-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

Warning! Half-Life series spoilers follow.

I think we can all agree that 2004's Half-Life 2 came as a huge surprise to fans of the original game. Valve Software took us from the isolated, alien-infested corridors of Black Mesa to a full-blown apocalyptic Dystopia rife with new locales, vehicle portions, a very prominent physics engine, and scores of NPCs both old and new. Alyx Vance is one of the newcomers to the series, joining Gordon as part of the rebel forces that oppose Earth's new rulers, the Combine. She was just a child during the events at Black Mesa in the first game, and grew up under the Combine's reign. As players battle through armies of manhacks and headcrab zombies, Alyx is often along for the ride.

Alyx is the daughter of Dr. Eli Vance, who briefly appears at Black Mesa in the original Half-Life. She's a proficient hacker, adept with both machines and firearms, and wields a unique automatic pistol when fighting alongside Gordon. Her "pet" robot, Dog, also helps out with a lot of the heavy lifting. Awesomely enough, and something that's definitely not seen often in games, she's not only a woman of color but of mixed race as well: Dr. Vance is black, and his late wife was East Asian.

I adore Alyx Vance. She's another rare (but appreciated) example of an awesome female character. Her presence is neither forced nor stereotypical: she plays a major role in the plot, has a scientific mind, and doesn't fall into the pitfall of being of The Girl. She actually has a fleshed-out, fully-realized personality, with a sense of humor and everything! Seriously, though, she often provides a "voice" (both literal and figurative) to play off of Gordon's trademark silence, and she's also a source of comic relief to complement the tension of the plot. Though she sometimes finds herself in a pickle and needs a hand, she also rescues Gordon more than once, making her more capable companion than damsel in distress.

Alyx also has a great relationship with her father. Having well-written, fully-realized characters in a video game is a rarity, and both women and minorities are often underrepresented and stereotyped in an unfortunately typical fashion. However, such is not the case here. Alyx resembles an actual, you know, person, with emotions and relationships and stuff. Her interactions with her father are natural and sweet, making it even more heartbreaking when she witnesses his death at the end of Episode Two. And though she is the series's Love Interest, her connection with Gordon isn't shoehorned or condescending in a "Hey, she's a chick and he's a dude, they totally hook up at the end" sort of way. She even interacts with another woman, the perfidious Dr. Judith Mossman, who betrays the rebel forces in favor of the Combine. However, when Mossman has a change of heart and aids humanity once again, the two reconcile. It's not much, but it definitely passes the Bechdel Test, and with the state of games today that's good enough for me.

I'm as eager as anyone to see what becomes of Alyx in the concluding Episode Three. Both the prescient Vortigaunts and the G-man insinuate that Alyx and Gordon are somehow fundamentally linked, and I'm waiting for Episode Three to blow us all out of the water. Perhaps there will be a Half-Life 3 at some point, but I have a feeling that this final episode will be the last we see Alyx in such a significant role, and I can't wait for Valve Software to wow me at least one more time.

I Can End Discrimination

2008-02-29T14:30:00.001-05:00

Browsing through GamePolitics, I read an article about a unique PC game called ICED, or "I Can End Deportation." Created by the human rights organization Breakthrough, the game is meant to "spark dialogue and create awareness of unfair U.S. immigration laws on detention and deportation." In the game, players follow the life of one of five teenage immigrants as they are pursued by U.S. immigration officers. The object of the game is to avoid being deported and become a full citizen of the United States.

I read through Dennis's post excited to see that such a game had been created; even better, it's available for free download on the Breathrough website. Aimed at high school and college students, ICED is providing a valuable source of information for those who may not be aware of the problems immigrants face in America. ICED has already faced scathing attacks in the media, such as on the website InfoWars:

"An Indian woman, Mallika Dutt, has released a video game that essentially trains illegal aliens how to sneak across the border and avoid border patrol agents and cops…

As the average Mexican or Latin American does not have access to a video game console, let alone a television, the game is more practically geared toward an effort to inculcate middle class Americans into the belief that illegal immigration is a human rights issue, never mind open borders and the influx of third world people is a globalist plot to turn the United States, soon to become part of a North American Union, into a feudal slave labor gulag based on the China model. It has absolutely nothing to do with human rights."

The paranoia, the stereotyping, the viciousness of the post is staggering. Even more alarming, several comments on GamePolitics's post about ICED are not much better:

"I’ll consider this once the immigration officers are playable. Immigrant youth need savage beatings."

"That sounds like a very stupid game If you’re not a citizen of the US, come here legally and wait 7 years and then you can become a citizen, it’s not that hard. If you come here illegally, then you should be beaten or deported immediately."

“Whats next a game where u play as an al-qaeda member in america and u can kill americans? "

It's obvious what all of these people have in common: they simply can't read. ICED is not about illegal immigrants, and the game has nothing to do with sneaking across the border. The focus of the game is how fucked-up immigration laws can kick an immigrant out of the country for practically no reason, illegally here or not. Playing the game or even reading the post completely would tell you that.

Comments like the ones above prove how important a game like this is in our judgmental society--the very word "immigrant" can send the masses foaming at the mouth in hatred, and the vitriol practically spills out of the computer screen. Access to information is vital if we can make any kind of change, and I think this game is a very important step in that direction. Immigrants (especially illegal ones) have nearly no voice, and they deserve to be heard.

Read GamePolitics' follow up article for Dutt's amazing response to InfoWars.

Two things about fighting games.

2008-02-25T07:56:00.010-05:00

One that pisses me off and one that leaves me pleased as punch.

Pissy item first: Dead or Alive is infiltrating Smash Brothers Brawl. It ain't exactly breaking news anymore, but the developers over at Nintendo decided to lovingly render upskirts for both Peach and Zelda. I won't be posting any of the videos or images here to prevent myself from having an aneurysm. Please excuse me while I go vomit my breakfast.

Okay. Now for the neat stuff. Street Fighter IV news has been all over the gaming blogs with new character art, screenshots, and trailers. I'll treat you to one here.

I've been a huge Street Fighter fan ever since I was but a little Bomber, and Chun Li (silver Chun Li, to boot) is always my fighter of choice. There's been a bit of a brouhaha in many blogs (such as Kotaku) over how big and beefy she's become. Most comments tend to follow the vein of, "Oh my God, her thighs are so huge and disgusting!" I'll let you make your own decision first.

Am I really the only one who doesn't see a problem here? Nobody's bitching about Guile's inflated pecs or Zangief's hairy gams, but when Chun Li comes spin-kicking in with thighs like a brick wall, gamers get up in arms. First of all, doesn't anyone remember that she never originally had toothpicks for legs anyway? In a game that's already bulging with muscle from 98% of its characters, there should be nothing shocking about this at all. And need I mention that she's still on the leaner end of the scale?

The lone fact that there exists a lady fighter who actually looks like she could, you know, kick ass is a huge plus for me.

I am also very pleased about Street Fighter IV's newest female character, Crimson Viper, who also looks like she's going to hold her own in some brutal combat. As well, something about Guile's very feminine pose in his character art really tickles me pink for some reason.

Turok's Gay Agenda

2008-02-22T13:55:00.001-05:00

The simply-named Turok, released at the end of January, is the latest in the first person shooter series of the same name. The game itself has nothing to do with the plot of any of the past Turok games (or the comic book, for that matter) except for the protagonist's name, Joseph Turok, but nevertheless has been seen as a worthy addition to the series. That, and the whole shooting dinosaurs thing.

Looking at the cover of this game, one thing comes to mind: macho man shoot 'em up. Turok's standing in the shadows of a dark jungle, packing some major heat, ready to take down whatever's going to come at him next. The typical targeted demographic for Turok games is thus fairly obvious--guys who wanna shoot shit. Like dinosaurs, as I've previously mentioned.

Imagine my surprise when I got a load of this via Gay Gamer:

Yes, that would be Turok laying one on his man partner before racing off to battle.

What could this mean? It's an official story board from the game, after all, of a scene that didn't quite make it to the final product. Several theories are running rampant online:

First, some believe this was a legitimate story plot that was taken out of the game last minute. If this is true, it was either included simply for shock value or as another facet of Turok's character. The more cynical of us consider this a joke the creators put in the story board for shits and giggles--a sort of "Wouldn't it be hilarious if he did THIS" kind of deal. They refer to the "Panel omitted from game" comment below the panel in question as evidence.

My thoughts go two ways. First, I would like to believe this was considered a legitimate side story in the game. Turok is the perfect candidate to help dispel the stereotype that all gay men are fruity and femme-y, which is still a common misconception. I think it'd be awesome for this super-tough shoot 'em up manly man to love the cock, too. I don't think the comment below the panel is sufficient evidence against this because to me, it looks like someone else could have added it in, although I can't say for sure. However, I can't deny that using Turok's potential homosexuality as a joke wouldn't be below some game developers of macho FPSs such as this. And if it was put in as a joke, it's not in very good taste to imply the thought of Turok being gay is so far-fetched that it's funny.

I suppose all we can do is play the game and imagine what could have been. Sure, the man love didn't make it in this game, but perhaps this is one step closer to macho gay FPSs in the near future. Yes, one can dream.

Underneath the surface.

2008-02-18T07:58:00.006-05:00

Now this is certainly something to watch out for. Lila Dreams is a macabre, Flash-based indie MMORPG being developed by Creatrix Games. The game takes place inside the mind of a young girl, and players take on the roles of "memekins" that protect her psyche from the danger of apathy. An interview from Wired.com explains:

The "Big Threat" is a darkness which literally surrounds the world, constantly encroaching inward and eating away the landscape. But there is also going to be an array of strange creatures from Lila's thoughts and nightmares with which to contend and befriend. Different areas will provide different challenges.

The memekins themselves can be aligned with eight different emotions, each receiving benefits when Lila's mood changes to match. Instead of grinding for levels, players customize items to optimize their power in combat described as a 2D platforming style with "RPG mechanics." In order to gain these items, a unique crafting system lets your memekin grow them like plants. Jason, one of LD's three -- yes, three -- development team members assures us that in this surreal world, "plants are not just plants."

Creatrix is teaming up with publisher Kongregate to get their game onto the Internet. With such a small team, strange premise, and unusual execution (World of Warcraft this ain't), Creatrix needs a big name like Kongregate to reach MMO-loving gamers with a thirst for something fresh. While LD will be free, Creatrix first plans to release a small amount of polished features that will hook players and hold their attention. As the player base grows, hopefully funds will as well and then the game's content will grow.

Lila Dreams is a crazy, risky, unique game that aims to push the boundaries of more traditional MMORPGs. The premise blends science fiction, psychic powers, and psychology to fascinating effect, taking us into the illustrious mind of an eleven-year-old girl. The game's developers hope for a release by Halloween of this year. In the meantime, you can keep tabs on their progress and check out some cool concept art over on the official Lila Dreams blog. As for me, I plan on sneaking into the beta as soon as it's available.

Pseudoscience Strikes Again: It's Biological!

2008-02-15T02:19:00.001-05:00

GamePolitics has found another wonderful study that pseudoscience-loving types will eat right up: that men are more likely to become addicted to video games than women are. Through a "first-of-its-kind imaging study," these scientists have found that the reward-portion of the brain typically associated with addiction activated more in male subjects than female subjects while playing a video game. According to Dr. Fumiko Hayft, "this may explain why boys and men are more attracted to video games than girls or women." Imaging study, you say? The men's brains lit up more than the women's? I don't need more information than that--after all, those smart scientists know what they're doing. That's all I need to hear! Why, it's bullet-proof!

Did you see that? I just visited the minds of all the people who are convinced by this article. So many folks assume that, because the study was conducted by smarty-pants scientists, they don't need the details of the study to trust that it's true. This type of thinking is flat-out wrong, and trusting swiss-cheese studies like this one can become very dangerous.

Why don't we take a closer look at this "study":

Who were the Subjects?
The study consisted of male and female subjects. And that's pretty much all we know. Aren't there important details about these subjects that we should know? What about if they've played video games before? And if they have, how often? Hell, how many subjects participated in this milestone of a study?

What was the Equipment?
According to the article, scientists had an unspecified amount of men and women play a game while hooked into . . . something that shows brain images. What kind of brain-imager? Are we talking about an EEG, an MRI, an fMRI? One can only assume that, because it isolates specific images of the brain, it's probably an MRI or fMRI. While not a huge problem for the less neuroscience-savvy among us, this detail would have still been useful.

What was the Subjects' Task?
Anyway, the subjects played a game. What kind of game was it? After all, if the study plans on using just one game to represent all of video gaming, this element should be important. While the news report does not specify the game (although it was a PC game), the "implicit" goal of the game was to "gain more territory," which the male subjects "were able to learn faster and eventually gain more territory than females," which was apparently factored into overall attraction to the game itself.

As a reader of this blog, I'm sure you're aware that there is a huge variety of video games out there, and a single PC game about gaining territory will probably not cover all addictive elements of video games in general. The focus of rewarding, enjoyable behavior in this study is mind-numbingly narrow--and stinks of the Western perspective of victory. What about the subjects who would rather explore the area. As I mentioned before, the subjects were not explicitly told that the goal of the game was to conquer. Personally, if I were told to play a game without any clear goals, I would run around and explore as much as possible--something I find really enjoyable when I play video games. I'd begrudgingly get to conquering when I had nowhere else to go.

What are the Results?
Hayft bases her conclusions on the results received from the mysterious brain imaging, which showed that "the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more active in men than women during video game play." This part of the brain, according to her, "[overlaps] with the regions that are related to addiction." Are we really basing our conclusions off of this finding? That the pleasure part of the brain that is related to addiction is activated? I would like to see an example of someone engaging in an activity they find pleasurable that stimulates the brain in an area not related to addiction. Just because an area related to addiction is stimulated in the brain does not an addiction make--hell, I'm sure that part of my brain is activated when I chow down on fried eggs. I freaking love fried eggs, but I'm not addicted to them.

What's more, Hayft conducted no follow-up sessions with these subjects to see if they were jonesin' for more of this game or any other video game-playing. This is no evidence to connect a specific sex with more of a predisposition for addiction to video games than the other.

What was the Point?
Seriously, what good could this study have done to society? It's nothing more than an attempt to back up the sexist notion that boys like video games more than girls with biological "proof." The celestial teapot has more proof than this study.

Half-Life's All-Woman Hazard Team

2008-02-11T07:54:00.000-05:00

In 2001, Gearbox Software released a Playstation 2 port of the much-beloved FPS, Half-Life. Bundled with the game was Half-Life's third expansion, Half-Life: Decay, a co-op experience designed for two players on a split screen. Unfortunately, though a PC port of Decay was made, Gearbox was never able to release it, so the true core of Half-Life's fans -- the PC gamers -- never even got to play it. Which is a shame, because Decay rocks.

Just like its predecessors, Blue Shift and Opposing Force, Decay's sequence of events coincide with those of the original Half-Life. Two Black Mesa scientists, Dr. Gina Cross and Dr. Colette Green, are the monitoring team for Dr. Gordon Freeman's experiment that causes the resonance cascade (in fact, Cross is the one to deliver the cataclysmic GG-3883 test sample). When the shit hits the fan, as it is wont to do, Cross and Green grab their HEV suits and find themselves fighting to survive the onslaught of Vortigaunts, headcrabs, and zombies.

Decay is rife with two-player puzzle action throughout its ten mission-based chapters. While single players can get in on the excitement by switching between Cross and Green, the gameplay is definitely designed for the buddy system. (And don't tell me that finally getting the opportunity to crowbar headcrabs with your best pal isn't a treat.) And Cross and Green aren't just side characters, either: like their buds Shepard and Barney Calhoun in their respective expansions, their actions have a direct effect on the original Half-Life's plot. Specifically, they launch the satellite used to weaken the resonance cascade and prevent another dimensional rift from forming, an event that Freeman witnesses.

Of course, I noticed right off the bat that Decay features -- shock! and awe! -- not one, but two female protagonists. This is quite unusual, particularly when the most I've come to expect from games is the age-old Male Character 1 and Female Character 2 combo. Cross and Green are on the same playing field as Half-Life's other protagonists, and they don't fall victim to cheap shots like unusually sexy HEV suits or watered-down combat. It's also great to see women as scientists (particularly physicists kicking ass) instead of damsels in distress or hapless girlfriends. Cross herself has cameos as the holographic guide in the HEV training course in both Half-Life and Opposing Force, and she can also be seen delivering the test sample in a security video in Blue Shift.

Unfortunately, the fate of Cross and Green is up in the air as the game never discloses whether or not they survive the nuking of Black Mesa, so cameos in future installments are unlikely. However, Alyx Vance and Portal's Chell continue the trend of excellent female characters in the Half-Life universe, and FPS gamers everywhere are on the edge of their seats to see what Episode 3 has in store. In the meanwhile, you can support Decay by visiting the fan-made effort to port the game to the PC, which is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2008. You're welcome.

Aggression Toward Video Games

2008-02-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago I talked about my belief that video games are scapegoated by the media as the downfall of our generation. Through KillerBetties I found the blog of a licensed psychologist who agrees with me:

In 1955, the U.S. Senate blasted comic books, deploring their depiction of every horrible thing from murder to cannibalism ... Half a century later, violent video games are the comic books of our day.

Gaskill and Verhaagen are absolutely right to compare comic books in the 1950s to video games today. With every new generation, some new form of entertainment is the source of society's doom and inevitable downfall--ironically, the accusers turn out to be the doomed young generation before. If it's not comic books, it's rock and roll; if not rock and roll, it's movies; and the list goes on.

One frequently cited research article criticizing violent video games includes several studies. One of these studies was a "correlational study" from which the authors concluded, "Playing violent video games often may well cause increases in delinquent behaviors, both aggressive and non-aggressive." However, in a remarkable moment of self-contradiction, they later said that making such causative statements with a correlational study is "risky, at best."

Gaskill and Verhaagen go on to point out that correlational studies are often used quite erroneously to make concrete conclusions. This is because the point of a correlational study is to compare two different occurences and see if they have some sort of relation to eachother. In the case of this aggression and violent video games study, the authors found a correlation between the two--but, now everyone say it together, correlation does not equal causation.

What does this mean? It means that just because two occurrences may correlate together (such as aggression and violent video games), it does not mean that one caused the other to occur in the first place. An example that is particularly close to my heart is the positive correlation between ice cream sales and murders. If one were to follow the same logic that many politicians do concerning video games, one would conclude that buying ice cream makes you more likely to be a murderer. It turns out that there is a third variable that affects these two occurrences--summertime.

In other words, just because aggression and violent video games may correlate does not mean that violent video games cause aggression. Being a Psychology major myself, I've been recently studying aggression and its causes, and according to the American Psychological Association, violent media can have a long-lasting effect on a person only if it is viewed heavily and consistently over a long period of time.

So as long as you're not hooked into Grand Theft Auto six out of seven days of the week, you should be fine.

G4 Casting Calls for "The Ultimate Gamer Girl"

2008-02-04T08:04:00.001-05:00

Via Killer Betties, GotCast.Com and its partner, the G4 network, are actively searching for a new female host and correspondent for some of G4's upcoming programming. From GotCast's casting page:

We're looking for young females that live and breathe the world of video games. We'd like them to be able to play games as well as talk about the gaming industry. On-camera experience isn't necessary, but it's definitely a bonus!

In their application requirements, they specifically request a video showcasing both "personality" and "knowledge of video games," two things that in my cynical nature I wasn't expecting. As worded, the hunt for "the ultimate Gamer Girl" made me raise my eyebrows a little but, as far as I can see, G4 is genuinely interested in getting some authentic female talent for their network. And for that, it's awesome that they're looking to recruit young women for an industry that so often ignores us.

The casting ends on February 29 at midnight, so, to all who are interested, definitely take advantage of this opportunity to get the voices of women gamers heard!

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-02-01T16:20:00.000-05:00

The beginning of February signals something in the hearts and minds of corporations everywhere that Valentine's Day is just around the corner. And while our retinas are being mauled by hot pink hearts and blazing red kisses, it's also nice to think of how to spend the most romantic of days with our loved ones. Really, if you ask me, there's nothing more romantic than a fine wine, dimmed lights, and the sounds of laser beams and barrel rolls wafting through the air.

That's right, bitches--it's the First Friday Drinking Game, and we're making sweet, sweet love to the Star Fox series.

1 drink each time the characters interrupt each other in game
1 drink whenever Peppy tries to tell you what to do
2 drinks if he tells you to do a barrel roll
1 drink for every instance of Panther referring to himself in the third person
2 drinks every time Panther opens his mouth
1 drink each time Slippy needs saving
2 drinks when Falco finds a way to insult you after helping him
1 drink whenever Falco sounds overwhelmingly like he's from New Yawk
1 drink whenever someone mentions James McCloud (warning: avoid Peppy and Pigma scenarios)
1 drink for each not-so-ambiguously-gay moment between Fox and Wolf
1 drink every time Fox is able to stand on the wing of a flying space ship with no problem
1 drink for every "this character just died--psych!" moment in SF Assault
2 drinks if that moment actually does end with someone dying

And finally:
Finish your drink solely for the comedy gold that is "Faather?" at the end of SF 64

Warning: Excessive drinking during game play may result in erratic steering of the Landmaster and subsequent destruction of massive buildings and teammates alike. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

Sister slasher samurai slashing zombies up in here.

2008-01-28T07:59:00.001-05:00

ZOMBIE WHALE.

Am I done now? No? Fine.

This is a screenshot from Oneechanbara: Vortex, part of a Japan-only series (yes, it's a series) of hack 'n slash, zombie-dispatching, motorcycle-riding, bikini-wearing, samurai/cowboy proportions. The series was first introduced in 2004 on the Playstation 2 and has seen many iterations and upgrades since then. Recently, Oneechanbara Revolution was announced for release on the Wii, bringing what I'm sure will be very imaginative motion controls to the unique franchise.

Oneechanbara's name is something of a mouthful indeed, combining the words "sister," "samurai," and "slasher," which I suppose says it all. It combines Dynasty Warriors-style combat with the occasional motorcycle romp, and players can typically switch between protagonist Aya and her schoolgirl sister, Saki, for even more zombie-goring shenanigans. There is also, inevitably, a dress-up mode.

That's all there is to it, really. You play as a waifish Japanese girl dressed in a bikini and cowboy duds who drives around on a motorcycle hacking legions of the undead to pieces with a samurai sword invoking magnificent sprays of blood and oh by the way, remember that zombie whale? It's all just as ridiculous as it sounds, and frankly it leaves me confused.

True enough, Oneechanbara combines everything your stereotypical gamer nerd desires: chicks, ultra violence, sweet bikes, and samurai/cowboy action. The thing is, however, it's so goddamn kitschy that not only are you utterly unable to take it seriously, it doesn't even take itself seriously. It's a goofy game that cranks up the camp without crossing the line into ick-territory. Games like Dead or Alive alienate female gamers with gratuitous panty-shots and gravity-defying tit physics in an otherwise great fighting game; Oneechanbara achieves exactly what it sets out to do while keeping things, well, strangely light and fun.

Plus, you have it give it this: the ladies of Oneechanbara are all kickass, take-no-prisoners, zombie-stomping gods of the blade that are never victimized. The games don't exactly set out to make you think, and they're far from intelligent as far as concepts go, but there is something there.

In the end, is Oneechanbara over the top and ridiculous? Definitely. Is it offensive? No. I expect many people will disagree with me, and that's perfectly valid. But, looking at the big picture, this is a game that, while it may toe the line, it does so with humor, and you can't help but look at it as an amusing parody of everything that's wrong with the gaming industry.

Linkfest - Like a Surgeon Edition

2008-01-25T12:59:00.001-05:00

Video games have been getting a lot of love in the medical department recently. Being a virtual scalpel aficionado myself (of course Trauma Center's just like the real thing!), it makes my internal organs feel all warm and squishy when I read these articles:

"America's Army" Player Uses In-Game Medic Training Help Save Life
A man named Paxton Galvanek helped rescue two victims of a car crash with the medical training he learned from the PC game America's Army. It might be a good idea to give this game to your best PC-gaming buddy before your next road trip.

Study Finds Wii Beneficial for Surgeons
A recent study has shown that surgeons perform better on performing virtual surgical procedures after training on a program designed for the Wii. Maybe they should give Mario Galaxy's balance puzzles a try too?

Trauma Center Wii Accessory Kit
Many thanks to Gay Gamer for pointing out this (dare I say?) gut-busting accessory for the Wii-mote.

Check 'em out, and have a slice-happy weekend!

The Sexy Space Women of Mass Effect

2008-01-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

In Bioware's latest action RPG, Mass Effect, players are introduced to an expansive universe populated by diverse races, dazzling planets, and compelling adventure. Players explore this universe as the customizable Commander Shepard, and along the way questgivers range from the hulking krogan to the jellyfish-like hanar. One of the game's most advanced races is the asari, the first beyond the ancient Protheans to acquire space travel.

I have mixed feelings about the asari. Despite their ability to reproduce with those of any sex, the Galactic Codex refers to them as "an all-female race," and they definitely look just so. It's not surprising that the most human-looking race is also the only one that's all-female, but I'll get to more of that in a minute.

In many ways, I really like the asari. First off, their scientific prowess enabled them to be the first modern race to take to the stars. Their culture is one that values observation and logical reasoning before action, owing to their impressively long lifespans. They possess an intellectual capacity that is unmatched, celebrating interspecies communication and inclusion. Their breeding method emphasizes unity, both literally and figuratively: during a process called "melding," the asari and her partner essentially become a single functioning nervous system.

During their 1000-year lifespans, the asari experience three stages of life. The first is the curiously-named Maiden stage, wherein the asari is characterized by a need for restless exploration. The Matron stage comes next, bringing with it the inclination for settling down and reproducing. Lastly, the Matriarch stage marks asari that are old and wise with experience, often becoming councilors for the younger members of their race.

It's not hard to see the uncanny subtext beneath the classification of these stages. Maidens are, by definition, "young unmarried women," and I find it puzzling that a term specifying the necessity for men is being applied to an all-female race. Similarly, matrons are denoted as "married women," falling perfectly into step with a stage in life that's uncomfortably close to the good old "biological clock" myth. Words like maiden and matron have long, traditional histories that tie in directly with the patriarchal system of heterosexual marriage, and to be used in this situation is a misnomer at best and thinly-veiled sexism at worst. "Matriarch" is, however, spot on, and it pleases me that they didn't continue the trend with something like "old bat."

Though the asari live to a ripe old age, a complex system of cell regeneration keeps them from showing it. They all stay forever young-looking, even the wise matriarchs, which, while being pretty cool, doesn't keep me from raising an eyebrow. There's a lot to be said about how demonized female aging is in our own culture, and it's no coincidence that a race comprised totally of women is not only uniformly slim and comely, but totally ageless so that they can stay this way.

While the asari are just as diverse in personality and motivation as any other race, their presentation in the game is a mixed bag. They are strong, competent leaders, and their representative in the galactic Council is one of the most outspoken and shrewd. However, the first time Shepard encounters a group of asari (either in the Consort's Chambers or Chora's Den), they are all sex workers (prostitutes in the former, strippers in the latter). I hate to say it, but neither of these cases surprised me in the least. It would have been much less ick-inducing had there been even a reference to male sex workers, or at least members of other species. Also unsurprising is the skimpy wardrobe employed by many of them. Poor Matriarch Benezia is so strapped into her top that her boobs look like they're struggling to escape.

Overall, I've found Mass Effect's depiction of women to be overwhelmingly positive. However, just like most games, it has its missteps. I'm very fond of the asari for the most part, although their (unfortunately expected) objectification makes my skin crawl (see also: the Viera). Despite the many points in the game's favor, it becomes just another example of how difficult it is to find female video game characters -- and particularly those of an all-female race -- that are designed without bias.

There's Something About Krystal

2008-01-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

There's something about Krystal that bugs me. I know, I'm in the minority here, but she never sat quite right with me. I guess the sudden disappearance of Katt Monroe after Star Fox 64 didn't help much, but I was unhappy with this less-than-stellar substitute. Thousands of questionable pictures featuring the sexy blue fox were circulating all over the internet, doing little to improve my opinion. Well aware that I was more than a little prejudiced, I decided to give her a chance as the Star Fox series grew over the years.

Where did she come from, you might be asking? Krystal started out as one of two main characters in Dinosaur Planet, a Nintendo 64 game Rare was developing in 2002. However, with the upcoming release of the Gamecube and few opening titles to release at the time, Nintendo made a deal with Rare to transform the 3D action adventure game into Star Fox Adventures. The game received a full makeover to help make it relevant to the rest of the Star Fox series; as a result, Krystal went from a 16-year-old adventuring cat to a 19-year-old blue fox demoted to the role of damsel in distress. Sure, you play as her for about the first five minutes of the game, but after her capture (and even after her release), Fox takes over.

Unfortunately, Krystal's role in SFA was not a very good first impression for me. Rare missed a great opportunity for using her and Fox together in the game, but I guess Tricky was already taking that role. Although I had misgivings about her, that didn't stop Krystal from gaining an undeniably huge fanbase, furry or otherwise.

Star Fox Assault for the Gamecube saw Krystal go from ineffective damsel to a full-fledged member of the Star Fox team. While she remained The Girl of not only the team but also the entire game (aside from the Aparoid Queen I guess, but she doesn't count), I was grateful to see that she wasn't slathered in pink. I do however call shenanigans on the constant hip-popping and coy body language she displayed in every single dialogue scene she was in (and I don't think the destruction of Corneria is a good time for that kind of thing). Nevertheless, it was great seeing her in a more active role than she was in SF Assault.

Although, it would be naive to say that Nintendo wasn't pushing Krystal as a sexy pinup girl during the time of SF Assault's release. There are several official images out there (including the title image above) that are less than innocent. Sexing up Krystal may have sold more games, but it wasn't doing much for the image of female characters in the video game industry.

Star Fox Command is where Krystal really shines. The text-heavy story and multiple endings give her character an opportunity to be explored. The game focuses primarily on her and Fox's rather unstable relationship, which can be either mended or not depending on the path you choose. The story begins when Fox forces Krystal off the team for fear of her safety, effectively ending their relationship. With good reason, Krystal is hurt and angered by Fox's actions, and she ends up joining the Star Wolf team.

What I love about her role in this game is that the story reveals her flaws. Krystal is not just a 2D psychic piece of arm candy for Fox--she's stubborn. She gets mad when she's hurt. She makes bad decisions, but can also fix them. Krystal appears constantly in the game and even becomes the main character for some endings. Although, I probably could've lived without the Kursed ending; not only is the name cheesey (although she doesn't change her name in the Japanese version), her Jaded Space-Roamer outfit is a little too sexified to take seriously.

SFC really did change my mind for the better. Sure, I'm still not a huge fan, but I was happy to see Krystal as a more fleshed-out, three-dimensional character rather than a cardboard poster girl for the Star Fox team.

A Kingdom Ruled by Strength

2008-01-14T08:26:00.000-05:00

(SMT: Nocturne plot spoilers to follow!)

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is an RPG for the Playstation 2 wherein the world ends as soon as the game begins. The Conception is occurring, a hellish and barren transformation of the world in preparation for the birth of a new one. Demons rule and war in the transforming planet, and merely a handful of humanity's survivors remain. However, there is a catch.

The Reason. The new world can only be fashioned according to the vision, or Reason, of a human subject. In a bid for survival, the humans develop their own Reasons and compete with one another to become the creator of the new world.

Chiaki Hayasaka is one of these combatants. She's a cold, somber high school student raised in the upper crust of society. Following the Conception, she awakens all alone in the demon-occupied cities, and the change is more than jarring. Global apocalypse aside, she is now, as a human, the lowest of the low. Her weakness next to the might of the ruling demons is torturously palpable, and she finds strength only in forming her Reason.

Yosuga: survival of the fittest, elitism, the establishment of rigid castes. Chiaki's solution to her own fears of inherent weakness is to use her Reason to elevate herself above all life and institute a highly-organized class system. Seeking the strength to fully constitute her resolve, Chiaki seeks out the dying Gozu-Tennoh, leader of an enormous demon faction called the Mantra, and becomes imbued with his power. As a human leader possessing such demonic might, the Mantra become quite a threatening force in the race to establish Reason.

Chiaki is a villain that I can really get behind. Gaining Gozu-Tennoh's power grants her the means to be both brutal and utterly ruthless in her quest. She is unusual, commanding, tough, but desperate, and she shows a depth of character not often conferred upon female villains. Though she desires rigid order, her caste system isn't perfect: separating the weak from the strong would only breed paranoia and mistrust. Establishing herself as the leader of these castes would merely have her looking over her shoulder for anyone who would dare supplant her. Her Reason -- and her version of the game's ending -- is symbolic of chaos, which speaks volumes of her character's irony.

So Chiaki's definitely no pushover, and, awesomely, her character design reflects that. Upon receiving Gozu-Tennoh's might, her right arm twists and mutates. She gains an enormous, gnarled, acquiline hand that can crush bones to powder, and puts it to use in one of Nocturne's bloodiest, most tragic scenes. At that moment, it becomes more than clear how she's been transformed not just physically but mentally by the incredible forces around her.

Strong female characters don't have to be model citizens. I adore villains, and it's so good to see a woman among the baddies that can truly and believably pull her own weight. Chiaki's background and motivation is not just a flimsy add-on to a fanservicey character design or cardboard personality. She's the real deal, and I hope that in the future there can be more kick-ass female villains like her.

Inevitable Femininity

2008-01-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

I've racked up a lot of hours on Guitar Hero III. Sure, the boss battles are kind of gimmicky and the difficulty curve is nearly vertical, but the walls of chez Plasma have been alive with the sounds of the Rolling Stones and Dragonforce nonetheless. And while I do love Judy Nails in all her pierced and tattooed glory, my consistent partner in rock has been the underappreciated Casey Lynch. Casey has flown under the radar since she was introduced in Guitar Hero II, and the recent news concerning Judy has only buried her further into obscurity. Knowing nothing about her, I decided to check out her profile in GH II:

Casey Lynch - A veteran of the tour circuit, Casey's dirty, low-end growl and ultra-heavy riffs have influenced budding shredders from Maine to Alaska, she's tough, she's brash, and she'll break your heart faster than an E string.

Okay, I can get behind that; girl sounds really badass. In GH II, Casey is heralded for her down-and-dirty, heavy-metal style. Sure, she's basically wearing a bra, but nothing about it suggests objectivism (like Judy's torn-in-the-right-places outfit in III); in fact, it's more comparable to a male punk rocker with his shirt off.

And then Activision came along. While playing GH III, I read from Casey's profile that she decided to take a more feminine approach to her look. While there is nothing inherently wrong with choosing to be more feminine, it's the way in which her profile worded this change: she is described as "finally discovering her feminine side."

Let that sink in. "Finally." She "finally" discovered her feminine side. It's only one word, but it speaks volumes. By including this word, Activision is suggesting to us that because Casey is a woman, it was only a matter of time before she would shed her "dirty," "growly" ways and take on a more feminine persona.

Of course, this problem isn't restricted to Guitar Hero; we as a society are still struggling with it. Words such as "feminine" imply that the traits this word labels are not only inherent in women but also those traits that one must possess in order to be acceptable as a woman. To not possess these traits, or to act "masculine," suggests that a woman is not being herself, but trying to be a man. Because femininity is inherent in women, it is an inevitability, and any woman who doesn't conform to it is lying to themselves about who they are.

I've written about feminine female characters in video games before. I would like to clarify that I am in no way condemning femininity itself; what I do have a problem with is how femininity is treated as the only proper way for female characters to be, that to be "feminine" is to be "woman-like." I am frustrated over the feminization of Casey Lynch not only because of her unique character in GH II but also because every other woman in the game has received a feminine makeover as well. Activision has erased the individuality among their female characters, reducing them to an indistinguishable blur of ripped jeans, breasts, and leather.

Argh!

2008-01-09T18:20:00.000-05:00

Apologies to our readers! Classes are grinding up again and I have been unbelievably swamped this week. However, PlasmaRit will definitely be here on Friday with another juicy post, and you can expect me for certain on Monday. Thanks for popping in and we'll be back to our regular schedule in no time!

First Friday Drinking Game

2008-01-04T14:43:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, kiddies! Drag out the half-empty bottles of champagne and get ready for the the first FFDG of 2008!

Several of you probably received a copy of Super Mario Galaxy over the holiday season, and to celebrate this wondrous occasion, January's drinking game is all about Mariooo iiiin spaaaaaace. And really, who can resist pairing bubbly, sparkly champagne with this bubbly, sparkly game? Hand the kids some white grape juice and let's get crackin':

1 drink for every level featuring the Bowser Jr.'s (seriously, what happened to the koopalings?)
1 drink for every curse word uttered during those insane ball-rolling-over-hole-punched terrain stages
2 drinks for stages that involve holding the Wii-mote perfectly vertical (this rule can be combined with the previous one)
1 drink every time Cosmic Mario just barely beats you
1 drink for each boss battle that involves hitting it with its own projectiles
1 drink each time you fall off that stupid water race track
1 drink for every Cosmic Comet that appears
2 drinks for every Speed Comet that appears (to get you fired up and ready)
3 drinks for every Daredevil Comet that appears (so dying won't seem so bad)
1 drink every time you consider feeding a Luma until it explodes to be kind of weird
1 drink whenever the mushroom space crew's cracked-out voices creep you the fuck out
2 drinks whenever Luigi gets himself into a pickle (warning: this rule is for the hardcore)
3 drinks for realizing that Rosalina looks exactly like Peach with an emo swoosh

And finally:
Finish your drink when Peach ends up getting kidnapped AGAIN (really, girl should invest in some effective body guards by now)

Warning: Excessive drinking during game play may result in drunkenly-guiding Mario into a blackhole to his stretchy, implodey death. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

A Strictly Female Affliction

2008-01-02T10:15:00.000-05:00

In 1995, Cyberdreams published a one-of-a-kind adventure game for the PC that was based on Harlan Ellison's unsettling short story, "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream." The dystopian premise of both is basically the same: an all-powerful supercomputer called AM has taken control of the Third World War and destroyed most of humanity. Only five survivors remain, and they waste away in an underground chamber plagued by immortality of AM's making. Spurred by his hatred of humanity, AM has been torturing the five for 109 years, and this is where the game begins.

The basic structure of the game is this: the player navigates through five "stages" based on the psychological state of each character. The character must outsmart AM's torments by overcoming the challenges within. It's much more complex than that, really, but I'm afraid I don't have time to do the game's depth justice right here.

What I do want to discuss is something that bothered me greatly while playing through this otherwise stellar game. To begin, it isn't surprising that, of the five main characters, only one is a woman.

This is Ellen, whose cage deep underground is a splintering canary yellow. We learn just as she's introduced that she has a paralyzing fear of this color, which the game unfortunately (and repeatedly) describes as driving her to "hysteria." AM consistently focuses Ellen's torture on the color yellow, as we quickly see when we're presented with her stage:

An enormous, solid gold pyramid.

As we navigate the halls of Ellen's psyche, it's her fear of yellow that guides us. What could have possibly caused this unusual phobia? Why, after over a century of confronting the color, does it still inflict such panic?

We uncover the answer when Ellen enters a sarcophagus and finds herself in a very familiar elevator.

There's a piece of yellow clothing on the floor. Much to her horror, Ellen finds that she's locked in the elevator, and the clothing springs to life as an ominous shadow, taunting her, revealing her secret at last. Ready to know what's caused this terror of all things yellow?

She was raped.

To be completely honest, as circuitous as it all seems, I was expecting it. And it makes me sigh.

Rape is a tricky thing to incorporate into any fictive medium. It's violent and ugly and terrible -- and very real. I definitely do not doubt Harlan Ellison's writing prowess, either. However, what makes me uncomfortable about the inclusion of rape in a woman's backstory is that it's such a go-to motivation for fleshing out female characters. She's weak because she was raped; she wants revenge because she was raped; etc., etc. We see it so often (admittedly more in written fiction and comics rather than video games) that it's become cliche.

What's more, it's a strictly female affliction, which serves only to hammer home the cold reality that this is a danger that mostly women have to face.

This isn't cut-and-dried, of course. I'm not calling for an issue as tough and universal as rape to be excised from all of fiction. We also have to consider that the original short story was written in the sixties, and that rape is very rarely -- if ever -- dealt with in video games. However, in this particular case, Ellen is the only woman of five vastly differing characters, and, in a game as beautifully written and richly-detailed as this one, it's disappointing to say the very least.

Of Ellen's fellow prisoners, a former Nazi scientist must face the horror of his own work and a man whose wife was locked up in an insane asylum has to deal with his guilt. These are just two of the varying backstories that we come across. And we've seen this over and over: male characters with branching personalities and motivations are a sharp contrast to their more static or cliched female fellows. This is a much more general but just as prevalent affliction. If female characters were granted the same depth and diversity, it would be another step closer to a less patriarchal culture.

"I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is an intricate game that'll both disturb and challenge you. Its puzzles and narrative are what most adventure games wish they could offer, and if you can dig up a copy, I highly recommend it despite its flaws.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-25T09:16:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We here at Girl in the Machine are going to take a little break for the holidays. As always, thanks for reading, and take the time to thank everyone who's helped make your holiday a great one. See you on January 2nd!

The Jade Debate

2007-12-21T16:53:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard the news, please read this first.

Out of all the things I'm feeling, I wish one of them was surprise. I wish it was surprising to hear about such disgusting behavior directed at someone, but sadly, it's not. Jade Raymond had the gall, the nerve to be an attractive woman working on a popular video game. Someone's got to put her in her place--good thing Dave Cheung was there to knock her down a peg. After all, Raymond put herself out there by actually having a job, right? She's public property now; she has no right to protest.

It's debacles like this that prove to me that we still have a long, long way to go. It just blows my mind how threatened so many men were by Raymond that they had to objectify her to make themselves feel better. This wasn't some stupid little scribble of a comic by some college boy--this was a carefully-drawn, thought out comic by a well known published artist in the comic industry. Who posts on his website that he's proud he "made Jade cry." Great guy, huh?

If this comic makes you angry, then get angry. It's a childish, immature, and hateful thing that does nothing but potentially harm Raymond's career and set the gaming industry back decades in equality. I'm tired of seeing shit like this, so it's time to get angry. This doesn't need to go unheard, so don't let it.

Retro Rail Shootin’ with Resident Evil

2007-12-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

Playing a girl isn’t just like playing easy mode!

My dad recently picked up a copy of Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles for himself, and I’ve been giving it a try during my stay at home this Christmas. It reminds me of all the days I would spend in the arcades during middle school playing games like House of the Dead (dating myself much?).

I must say, I’m pretty impressed with it so far. It’s got easy, normal, and hard difficulty levels, and since it’s on a console you’ve got the chance to upgrade weapons on your save file. The game itself is broken down into “chapters” for the original Resident Evil, Zero Two, and Three. There’s also a final chapter with new material never portrayed anywhere else in the series.

Because it revisits the old episodes, the game is great for people like my dad who have only played the newer Resident Evil 4. It gives a good review of each one without having to dig out the old consoles and relearn a new system or suffer through terrible dialogue.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the game is that you get to choose the character you play as in most chapters. Whether you choose your favorite Resident Evil guy or gal, you get the same gameplay experience! I replayed several chapters just to be sure that it really was the same.

I’d initially thought that the women had stronger “counterattacks.” For example, Rebecca Chambers tosses a grenade at the zombies, and Billy Coen gives ‘em a roundhouse kick to the face. When I first used Rebecca’s, I noticed that the zombies stayed down afterwards. I had thought that the zombies Billy kicked got back up again, but it turns out that they do, in fact, stay down.

If I could change one thing about the game, I’d include female zombies. The ones they’ve got are definitely horrifying; however, this game makes it look like Umbrella was a very sexist organization. This can’t be true because you see all kinds of female zombies in cut scenes panning across Raccoon City! I just can’t understand why they’re not included in the game.

My only supposition on the matter is that the producers may have thought it would be “too disturbing” to blast the head off of a female zombie. Personally, I think the whole game is a bit intense, but hey. Never mind the carnage.

So if you feel like revisiting those good ol’ arcade days in the comfort of your own home, check out Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. It’s definitely worthy a rent, and perfectionists like me will enjoy replaying each level searching for all the secrets.

Kings and Queens

2007-12-17T15:53:00.000-05:00

I've been a huge fan of fantasy ever since I was a little kid. From books to movies to comics to video games, fantasy is a wonderful form of escapist fiction that lets me take a break from the "real world" and experience things I normally couldn't. Playing video games is a prime example because of its interactivity: the player inserts herself into the game and navigates the story through her own actions as opposed to passively watching a film or reading words on a page. However, despite the limitless possibilities that the fantasy genre offers, many "real world" conventions are often incorporated into our otherworldly realms. My main beef is with the "realistic" depiction of oppressed and/or subordinated women in many western-style fantasy games.

We've all seen it a million times before. Final Fantasy XII's Archadian senate is composed entirely of men. In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the all-important Amulet of Kings can only be worn by sons of the Septim bloodline. Queens take an automatic backseat to their husbands, militarymen are always just that, men are the heads of the household, et cetera, et cetera. All reflect the patriarchal injustices of the western medieval world that, admittedly, a huge number of fantasy games are based off of.

My question is "Why?". Why, in an in-game universe that has flying ships and summonable monsters and the irritatingly-spelled "magicks" and "technicks" can't there be high-ranking women in government? Why can we navigate ghost-infested tombs and traverse flaming gates to hellish worlds but totally halt at the idea of a significant female descendant in a royal family? I'm already completely sick of the male-centric conventions in my world, so why am I so often faced with the exact same thing in fantasy for the sake of "realism"?

I don't have a problem with other conventions of fantasy -- the stone castles and the mystic forests and all that, as cliche as they are, just plain work most of the time. More importantly, they aren't to the detriment of a specific group of people. The fantasy genre remains an acceptable bastion for relegating women to servitude and it just doesn't have to be.

Take Chris Lightfellow of Suikoden III's Zexen Knights. She's tough, strong, and wholly competent in battle, and her fellow knights follow her without question. She's no gimmick, either: her motivation to lead stems from her own strength and not from a lovey-dovey devotion to a male character, her kick-ass armor is sensible and lacks the much-hated Boob Cuirass, and her subordinates don't "comedically" sexually harass her. My only gripe is that she has no female equals, but -- as irritating as it is to always say this -- it's better than nothing.

When it comes to fantasy, some archetypes are better than others. I love epic sword battles and brilliant thaumaturgic displays, but as far as the needless subjugation of women goes in the name of tradition, give it a rest already.

Women Working in Games

2007-12-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

We're smack dab in the middle of finals season and BomberGirl is one busy robot! In order to tide you over, allow me to point you in the direction of the MTV Multiplayer blog, where there's been an ongoing series of interviews with women who work in the gaming industry. Awesome!

Today's interview is with Elspeth Tory of Ubisoft.

You can also find the first interview in the series here.

2007 Spike TV Video Game Awards

2007-12-10T10:26:00.000-05:00

Two Hours I’ll Never Get Back

As far as video game awards go, I’m not sure how much of a big deal the Spike TV awards show is, but I knew I was setting myself up for a frustrating night—I mean, it’s a “men’s network” named after a phallus. After watching the show, I don't have a very high impression of the awards. Fortunately, good games are still good games, and being featured on the Spike Network doesn't necessarily hurt their enjoyability.

On the runway before the show, I saw naked women painted all swirly and psychedelic with the Spike Video Games Awards logo screen printed on their bodies. I soon learned that these women would be presenting the awards. Samuel L. Jackson, the master of ceremonies for the evening, later commented, “And the winner is. . . all of us.” When he heard my surprise, a friend commented, “It’s Spike TV.” The problem is that it’s never okay no matter what the channel is.

Each award had a different woman painted up in a fashion corresponding to the winning game. The idea in and of itself is cool—maybe different costumed people giving out the awards. The Spike VGAs laid it all out on the table, though. They made no effort to hide the objectification.

The intro begins with a group of buff men infiltrating the hotel in Las Vegas, jumping over railings, doing flips over banisters, and handstands down escalators. How extreme. I mean, the gymnastics are cool and all, but I came here to see a show about video games.

As I mentioned earlier, was hosting—his jokes and stuff at the beginning of the show were hardly tolerable, but at least I knew who he was. I’m not exactly up to date on pop culture, so was a bit disinterested in the majority of the guests. I was pretty psyched to see Tila Tequila in the audience. It’s shameful how much I enjoy A Shot at Love. Even though she doesn’t look like a real human being (perhaps an anime character?) and probably doesn’t actually play video games, I still like her.

They did a special edition of her show, actually, where she had to make her final choice over the new consoles. Look at the Wii, she praised it for being active an fun for all ages. The PS3 was both a high roller and high maintenance—just like her. For Xbox 360, I’m not sure what it means but “the name says it all” and they have the same curves. It turns out she’s trigame-ual and ends up picking all three.

I was also a little disappointed that the Video Games Live Orchestra only played during the commercials and one short retro-medley featuring games like Pong, Donkey Kong, and Tetris. During Kid Rock’s musical performance, some women in leather bodices and short skirts paraded up and down the catwalk.

They also had a segment during the commercials called “Hot Girls with Cheat Codes” sponsored, of course, by Tag.

Last Night’s Awards:
Hottest Newcomer — Kristen Bell (from Assassin’s Creed)
Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Shows — The Simpsons
Best Team Sports Game — Madden NFL 08
Best Individual Sports Game — Skate
Best RPG — Mass Effect
Best Handheld Game — Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Best PS3 Game — Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Best Graphics — Crysis
Best Action Game — Super Mario Galaxy
Best Driving Game — Dirt
Best PC Game and Breakthrough Technology — The Orange Box
Studio of the Year — Harmonix
Most Addictive Video Game — Halo 3
Best Rhythm Game — Rock Band
Best Soundtrack — Rock Band
Best Shooter Game — Call of Duty 4
Best Military Game — Call of Duty 4
Best Xbox 360 Game — Bioshock
Best Original Score — Bioshock
Game of the Year — Bioshock

The quotation of the night preceded the Best Shooter award. Referring to the first Medal of Honor game, a man said, “What the fuck? A World War II game with no blood? That’s pretty gay!”

I got exactly what I expected from the Spike VGAs, and now I wish I could get those hours back. They’re gone forever.

First Friday Drinking Game

2007-12-07T13:11:00.000-05:00

It's that time again, folks! The snow's a-fallin', colored lights are springing up everywhere--and that can only mean one thing:

Time for another round of First Friday Drinking Game!

Today we'll be gathering 'round the fireplace (and computer) to talk some World of Warcraft. Yes, that lovely MMORPG can either be a wonderful present under the tree or a big ol' piece of coal in your stocking. Get all your friends together, ladle out the eggnog, and follow these simple rules for guaranteed fun for the holidays:

1 drink for every quest received that involves murlocs
1 drink for every quest that makes you run clear across the map (you'll need the fortitude)
2 drinks each time Stormwind is so busy it makes your computer slow to a crawl
1 drink for running to a town only to find there's no one there who teaches your profession
3 drinks for every quest that involves killing enemies for items they may or may not be carrying
1 drink for every group member who logs off unexpectedly
2 drinks for you leaving a group unexpectedly (for shame!)
1 drink for every person who tries to hit on you in game
2 drinks for every person who asks to cyber with you
3 drinks for every badass man chainmail that morphs into a skimpy bikini chainmail for women

And finally:
Finish your drink for every guild you find that has a "No Gurlz Allowed" clause because we're the ones who cause the drama

Warning: Excessive drinking during game play may result in an inflated sense of bravado and subsequent raidings of enemy capital cities the likes of which will only end in tears. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Plasma out.

Another One of Those Days (Weeks? Months?)

2007-12-05T16:41:00.000-05:00

Real life is keepin' me down, and I can't quite resist it. I don't have a substantial update for you this week, my dear readers.

Still, I'll leave you with this thought: Thinking back on my article last week, I remember commenting on the fact that you couldn't play a female dwarf. Oh, how wrong I was!

I'd forgotten that the Tolkien mythology states that male and female dwarves are close to indistinguishable--this means that the only way to tell boy and girl dwarves apart is through gendered names! This revelation officially makes the female dwarves the butchest of all female characters. Ever.

The curious case of Sorceress Adel.

2007-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

When I was but a bright-eyed thirteen-year-old, the eighth installment of the Final Fantasy series was released unto the masses. Still happily reeling from the convoluted yet satisfying experience that was Final Fantasy VII, I accepted VIII's bright colors, futuristic setting, and generous cast of characters with open arms.

However, there was a lot about VIII that was truly puzzling. Aside from the body-jumping antagonist, the time traveling nonsense, and the charming Every Baddie Levels Up With You So Don't Even Think About Having A Snowball's Chance Against The Omega Weapon system, there is the curious case of one Sorceress Adel. She's so minor that she only has three meager speaking lines and spends her sole boss battle as the puppet of the almighty Ultimecia (she of the "I will kast the world into khaos with katastrophic Time Kompression!"), and yet, Adel really stumped me.

You may notice from her picture that she is a man.

Well . . . she looks like a man, anyway. Or at the very least she has an extremely male physique. Or something.

The Final Fantasy series is not a stranger to gender-bending characters. VI's Kefka was certainly no Rambo, and it isn't much of an achievement to possess thirty times the raw masculinity of Squall, but Adel's appearance was so jarring to me as a budding teenager that it sticks in my mind even today. What could be the story behind this fascinating character design?

Certainly what's so neat about Adel's place in the storyline is that she's one of the baddest, most paralyzingly evil sorceresses that was ever cryogenically frozen and shot into space. Long before the plot of VIII even begins, Adel ruled Esthar as dictator, spreading enough fear and confusion to instill a deep prejudice against all sorceresses in her people (thus leading to Ultimecia's only discernible motive). In a game full of female characters that are willowy, flirty, and practically doll-like in their porcelainity, it's refreshing to see the rugged and almost ugly likes of Adel.

It makes me wonder if it's her beefy constitution that drives away the feminine stereotypes. Adel is ruthless and power-hungry just like any badass supervillain, and while Ultimecia is just as bloodthirsty and awesome, she . . . loves to play dress-up. Which isn't necessarily bad on its own -- I mean, who doesn't love the snazzy parade scene or Ulty's copious face paint? -- but, well, see for yourself. Her backwards hospital gown getup doesn't really strike new ground as far as objectified female villains go, and it's nice to see a woman of villainous ilk feared for her abilities rather than ogled for her goods.

Which is why Adel's stumpability is important. In a genre with a deathgrip on its cookie-cutter female characters, the ability to make players question what they know about the binary sex and gender system is a huge plus. Pretty, feminine men are basically the norm in the Final Fantasy universe, but tough, masculine women still have little exposure. Perhaps Adel was meant to be a man, and something got lost in translation; perhaps this was an intentional choice on the part of developers. Considering her broad shoulders and complete lack of breast development, it isn't a stretch to perhaps call her the first male sorceress. She could be referred to in the feminine form because sorceresses had always been female, just as female pharaohs often wore beards and were called "he." Who knows?

Either way, it's something different, and different is certainly good in my book.

Crafty Gamers

2007-11-30T17:25:00.000-05:00

December is just around the corner, and the holidays aren't too far behind; it's this time of year when I get that nagging feeling in the back of my brain that I should probably get the gift-shopping done soon if I don't want to end up trapped in a crowded Wal-Mart in the middle of the night wondering what could have been. Because I'm a dirty hippie (and would like to avoid Wal-Mart as much as possible), I like to take the crafty route and make presents instead, so I decided to compile a list of some of the coolest video game crafts I found on the internet. Each featured craft comes complete with instructions so you can DIY like the cool kids.

Love knitting? Check out these fantastic fair isle Space Invader socks. These babies feature the classic battle scene of ship vs invaders duking it out on one sock with your high score on the other. These are a great gift for your friends who long for the arcade age of games and have a mutual love for intricate hand-knit socks.

If socks aren't your bag, give this cool Super Mario baddies scarf a try. This basic scarf pattern includes charts for seven different classic baddies. If you don't have time for a scarf, how about this: pick two baddies, knit each chart separately out of kitchen cotton, sew them wrong-sides together, and crochet around the edges for a retro hot pad.

What could possibly be cuter than Kirby? Oh, yeah--cross stitch Kirby.

If you're a Nintendo DS fan like me, you have a ton of DS games just kind of hanging out with no place to go. Round up the little guys with a super-useful DS game case. Only basic sewing machine skills are required, and you can personalize each case with different-colored fabric. Great for keeping your games clean and functional.

Not so hot with needles? These Video Game Notepads are adorable. They make great stocking stuffers!

Retro crafting breaks new ground with this awesome NES controller wallet. Added bonus: a no sew project!

The Orange Box's Portal has become a huge hit in the video game world. Can't get enough of that Companion Cube? Why don't you just make one?

And there are even more awesome gamer crafts to discover. Here are just a few websites that feature cool crafts by dedicated gamers:

If you know any other video game craft ideas, drop a link in the comments section and get crafty!

I Like a Woman with Big Feet

2007-11-28T14:37:00.000-05:00

Hobbits in Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar

I’m always a few months behind on MMO games, but a friend of mine recently introduced me to Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar (April 2007). I’ve heard the game has taken a lot of slack for being too similar to World of Warcraft, but since I’m not particularly familiar with the latter, so it makes no difference to me.

What I’ve seen of Shadows has impressed me, though. I appreciate the different approach it takes to several of the classes. For example, minstrels are the healers, boosting morale with their songs. The hunters are the game’s “nukers,” dealing massive damage with their long-ranged bow attacks. The loremasters provide crowd control and debuffing instead of serving as the usual full-powered mages (after all, if anyone could be a wizard like Gandalf, Middle Earth would be far more frightening!).

Players have the option of creating either male or female characters (with the notable exclusion of the ever-so-rare female dwarves). Here’s what caught my attention:

The hobbit women are just as fat as the men!

That might sound like a silly thing for me to be excited about, but I think it’s awesome that the female characters aren’t put up on a pedestal. Their feet are just as big, and their bodies are equally portly. It would have been easy for them to take the stout Hobbit women and transform them into something “prettier,” or at least what some might call shapely. It’s nice to see a non-human race where both sexes possess the same physical traits.

Another point of note: you can’t put scars on the elven men. They’re deprived of such manly potential. The only appearance “features” they can get are headbands. I’d guess that it’s related to the perceived femininity of the elves.

If you’re into MMO’s and want to take a look at the game for yourself, the Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar website offer a free seven day trial of the game. Or, if you've already played it, tell us about your impressions of the game!

Oh so pretty.

2007-11-26T15:36:00.000-05:00

Recently I tripped upon an article called "Cool Tech and Accessories for Women," and I couldn't help but take a read. I wish that it was hope that spurred my curiosity, hope that maybe, just maybe, lazy journalism would not succeed this time and that I would find a thoughtful, well-written piece that didn't fall back on some of the most obvious feminine stereotypes there is.

Alas. The article started right off saying that women can "assert themselves" in a male-dominated environment by toting around a tech accessory (like a cell phone or handheld video game console) in a "quirky color" such as green, purple, and -- you guessed it -- even pink. And it only gets better:

"The female consumer, being as fashionable as she is, wanted a camera that not only captures great pictures, but that she is proud walking around with," says Greg Morrison, digital product marketing manager, Kodak Canada.

Blargh. Here we go again. First of all, the fashion industry does NOT equal just women, and especially not ALL women, for that matter. As well, the article states that gadgets that are specially designed for women are thinner with rounded edges that "accommodate small hands" and can "slip into a pocket or purse." I guess men are all running around with their enormous meatpaws grasping monochrome PDAs while suffering a marked lack of pockets, then. Is this article seriously insinuating that women the only people who prefer their gadgets lighter and more portable and in less "conservative" colors such as black or gray?

I disagree with the idea that most things must be designed specifically for one sex or the other. Just like I think a button-down shirt looks nice on a masculine or feminine form, I think whether your camera is red or has rounded edges or whatever is something that has universal appeal. Women aren't softer or more delicate than men. These are design choices rooted in aesthetics and not on any particular sex-based need.

There are many women that don't care what their keyboards look like just as there are many men who do. It doesn't matter what the majority on either side appears to be. Why not market towards all people who lean towards these aesthetics instead of boxing in all female consumers as having strictly "fashionable" needs? This could be an important step toward tearing down harmful gender roles, but, unfortunately, stereotypes sell. Just look at the "Boys" and "Girls" sections of any toy store.

I also chalk it up to pure laziness. It's never explained quite how women "assert" themselves by carrying around a green cell phone. Why would such a thing not allow men to do the same? And while it just happens to be one of my favorite colors, I know many female gamers that wouldn't be caught dead with a pink DS or a PSP. It's all a matter of preference, not some kind of hard-coded, binary-gendered genetic need. I wish I didn't have to state the obvious here, but articles like the above unfortunately remind me that I do.

We also see here that it's not just an issue of color but of design. A more "feminine" design -- thinner, curvier -- automatically equals female approval? I don't project myself onto a piece of technology before I want to buy it, thank you very much, and I find this description's proximity to that of the normative female form rather creepy.

Let's consider the original Nintendo DS design versus the newer DS Lite, as well as the original PSP and its Slim counterpart. Neither of the new designs were created for a specific female market, as this streamlined model is just plain nicer-looking and better for everyone. Both consoles also come in a nice rainbow of creatively-named colors (Felicia Blue, anyone?) that all sorts of different gamers enjoy. However, the pink models are consistently preyed upon for their ability to reign in the wimmins like moths to a Cosmopolitan-colored flame. It's as if we've never been aware of video games before and all we needed was some "fashionable" coaxing to take the dive.

Don't get me wrong, it's definitely awesome that technological goodies such as video games and PDAs are no longer being seen as just a "guy" thing. However, the approach is all wrong. Not only is it sexist to coat a digital camera in feminine stereotypes as a way to lure in the ladies, it's downright patronizing to pretend that, until now, women just never had a lick of interest in technology. It's inclusion on patriarchal terms, and it doesn't at all bother to tear down the stereotypes that caused the exclusion in the first place.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! We here at Girl in the Machine are taking the week off to polish off some classes and visit with family. We'll be back on Monday the twenty-sixth, so fear not! We'll see you then.

We're Not Gonna Take It, Activision

2007-11-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

The recent release of Guitar Hero III has unleashed a whirlwind of activity among the feminist gaming blogosphere--the center of the storm being one Ms. Judy Nails. The basic story is this:

Here's Judy as she looked in GH I and II. She's the "alternative" rock guitarist of the group, and she definitely looks the part. While she, Pandora, and Casey all seem to have the same body type (white, thin, large breasts), their styles are very distinct and different. Judy's outfit here is realistic and fun. And then we have GH III:

Judy seems to have been attacked by a bear--just look at her! Her shirt's all torn up and falling off, and you can see her bra, which is oddly pink and doesn't match her shirt at all. Maybe she just threw something on while she was trying to get away. Poor girl.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with looking sexy--it's when it's so obviously for men only that it shuts out players like me. In looks, we lose our hardass rocker and get eye candy for men instead. Combine the shredded-in-the-right-places clothing and the infuriating boob physics, Activision has basically slapped a "For Boys Only" sign on Judy.

But Judy's not letting this fashion catastrophe affect her--she can still play some badass rock. I'll continue to play Judy because she's awesome, but that doesn't mean I like what Activision did to her. I'm joining the other gaming bloggers who are calling Activision on their crap; hopefully this won't be a problem in the future.

Cracking KOS-MOS's Casing

2007-11-13T05:49:00.000-05:00

A Conflict between Form and Function

[Let’s keep this article spoiler-free!]

I’ve always been baffled by Kevin Winnicot’s decision to build a battle android like KOS-MOS. Sure, he wanted to fight off the gnosis. I get that, and I suppose it’s better to make a machine that’s decent to look at instead of a hulking monster, but geez! Talk about impractical!

Let's take a look at her shells across the course of the series:

We’ve got a good bit of skin, some garters, and what amounts to a thong. Oh, and don’t forget her high-heeled boots!

Discounting the fact that her blue glassy parts are where he skin should be, KOS-MOS was actually quite modest in her Xenosaga II incarnation—it must reflect the “wooden doll” look that the producers wanted. She still has her ridiculous high heels, though, and I think she’s smuggling grenades in her breasts.

Those Vector folks certainly have a thing for robots, it would seem. We’ve got a bit more skin here, but it could be worse. That black cloth around her shoulders and neck could be gone, as well as the blue on her thighs. Never mind that it’s skintight.

Xenosaga IV was in production at the same time as the third installment, and so we’ve got a render of how everyone’s favorite android would have turned out. In addition to everything I’ve already said, I’d just like to add that I’m perplexed by her cat ears.

Despite all this, she remains sufficiently badass. Hauling around massive gatling guns like toys (check about four minutes in) and fighting the way she does, you’d be a fool to doubt her combat prowess. I suppose it's even all the more impressive considering her high heeled boots.

Really, though, it's important to point out that KOS-MOS itself doesn't actually have a sex. She's an android, after all. This makes her sexualized casing even more ridiculous--a machine crafted for battle that has been endowed with such large breasts and a matching X-BUSTER.

At least she's better off than MOMO, poor girl.

Grand adventures in Cyrodiil.

2007-11-12T00:35:00.000-05:00

Let's get it right out there: I love Oblivion. As do many others.

Why should feminists in particular love Oblivion? It's simple: no sexist stereotypes.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a totally immersive RPG experience that lets you log several games' worth of play without even touching the main quest. You can skulk around in the thieves' guild, buy a haunted mansion in Anvil, or swing around a golden claymore that sets people on fire. Awesomely, the customization for your avatar is extremely diverse, letting you choose any race, any color, even species both human and no.

During my adventures throughout Cyrodiil, I have happily encountered none of the major sexist stereotypes that often plague fantasy settings. There is an abundance of female characters with wonderfully varying personalities. I've happily yet to encounter a sultry gypsy, whiny damsel, or mourning widow. Instead, women are knights, guild leaders, countesses, guards, bandits, mothers, vintners, alchemists, pirates, the list goes on and on. Just like in real life, women are (gasp!) just as diverse as men.

The excellent writing isn't the only good part. In other fantasy RPGs such as World of Warcraft, your typical iron cuirass is a sturdy breastplate that covers your manly warrior from clavicle to hip. However, when worn by his female counterpart, it magically transforms into a low-cut bikini top complete with C cup and underwire. In Oblivion, this mystical process never occurs. Bulky plate armor is rightfully just as bulky and formidable on a womanly form, and you can even raid villagers' closets and deck out your character in a foppish tunic 'n trousers combo, if you wish. (Note: I have not seen if you can put a dress on a dude yet, but a little modding does go a long, long way.)

And speaking of modding, nothing says creativity quite like user-created content. You can add in your own races or give Skingrad its very own gay bar. The possibilities are limitless, and Oblivion definitely gets an A+ in my book for not even needing the extra content to be entertaining. This is a game that doesn't get any "Yes, but" treatment from me: not only does it feel inclusive, it is inclusive, and in no way does it leave women out like so many of its competitors.

Readers, what have your adventures in Cyrodiil been like?

A Word from PlasmaRit

2007-11-09T20:02:00.001-05:00

Hello, folks! Looks like this week's been a rough one for all of us--unfortunately, I won't be posting an article today. However, I will be returning next Friday with a fresh article, so please browse through our archives in the meantime and have a great weekend.

Plasma out.

Through a feminist lens.

2007-11-08T18:52:00.000-05:00

I haven't always identified as a feminist. Due to a strong religious upbringing, I grew up with various and sundry biases that colored my view of the world. I went through an enlightenment period of sorts just a few years ago, and when my religion fell away it felt as if a blindfold had similarly dropped from my eyes. My everyday experiences were suddenly completely different to me, and I could see things that I'd been never even remotely aware of before. Specifically, I acquired a feminist lens.

"Lens" is a perfect word for it, too. Like a pair of brand spanking new glasses, my feminist lens brought so many things into focus -- things that had always been with me. Growing up, sexism bothered me in ways I could never quite describe, a niggling little feeling that made me ashamed of myself. I was a buzzkill for getting squicked out by the tits-and-ass depiction of Lara Croft; I was being too sensitive about the flying boobs and rampant panty shots in Dead or Alive. Discovering feminism and realizing that (lo and behold) women are people too gave me the tools to put a name to these worries.

Unfortunately, feeling oddly bothered by the sexism around me wasn't the only consequence of my biases. Oftentimes, I despised other women. Raised with a severe disdain for sexuality, I engaged in a fair amount of slut-shaming, seeing myself as better than those who "flaunted" their bodies. In video games, I couldn't stand female villains in particular, who more often than not acted as sultry temptresses instead of their kick-ass male counterparts. The blindfold was firmly in place.

Discovering feminism made sense of my conflicted feelings about women. I learned not to hate the women who were depicted in a sexist manner, but to analyze why such a thing had occurred in the first place and how I could fight it. I was able to fight through my own sexism and discover just how knowledge cripples ignorance. It's an experience I hope that many others can share.

Readers -- how has feminism changed your outlook on the world?

Apologetic Heroines

2007-11-07T05:56:00.000-05:00

Stop saying you're sorry!

I’m currently replaying Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria right now, and the second play through feels so much tougher than the first. I mean, what is it, something like a fifty-percent stat boost to all the enemies? . . . And I didn't get to carry over any of my stuff from the first time! Man.

All that aside, it's a marvelous game. There are some things I don't like about it--it's a bit linear, it's tough to make new items, and certain normal monsters can be incredibly difficult to defeat--but it's a nearly perfect RPG for me. Sadly, the heroine does one little thing that immensely annoys me.

Alicia often says, “I am sorry,” or “Forgive me” after slaying an enemy with her Nibelung Valesti attack, and she ends battles sometimes by saying, “I’m sorry.”

Every time she does it (and BomberGirl and PlasmaRit can attest to this), I shout at the TV, “No! You’re not sorry! If you’re sorry, it’s ‘cause they’re weak!” If anything, she should be saying, “I’m sorry. . . that you suck.”

Fortunately, as the game progresses, Alicia lets these phrases slip and replaces them with more interesting ones, such as, “Now you shall sleep forever!” or “You shall not withstand the force of my power.”

I completely get the idea of her character progressing and growing with time. I like that she develops as the game moves on. It almost makes sense, too—as a rather sheltered young girl co-inhabiting her body alongside the Valkyrie Silmeria, I can understand why she’s sometimes hesitant to slay her foes at first. Silmeria usually handles that kind of stuff for her, but Silmeria begins hiding more and more as her sister Hrist closes in on her throughout the game. Eventually, she learns that she’s strong enough to stand on her own two feet, and she gains the confidence to fight for herself and the world.

Let’s look some other sides of character comments in battle. Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria has a wide cast of female characters, and in the end I’d argue that all of them are strong women.

Five of the “light warrior” women in the game sometimes say, “I am sorry, I am not ready for my journey to end,” after a battle has been completed. They’ve still got that element of apologizing that I’m not completely comfortable with, but hey. . . At least they explain themselves. It even comes off as a sarcastic comment sometimes because of the tone of their voices.

Still other women say, “If I could only move, I would fight the god of death himself,” after dying in battle. Now that is hardcore. Most other characters cry out guttural noises or make frightening exclamations about being unable to see or move. . . but these women aren’t done yet. Even though many of the other characters don’t use this phrase, I believe they still feel it. Very few characters in the game simply resign to dying—one of them is Rufus, Alicia’s love interest in the story.

Aside from the Valkyrie Profile series, I feel like I’ve seen other instances of apologetic heroines. We’ve even mentioned it before in our First Friday Drinking Games series on fighting games. Please feel free to bring up any of those awkward apologies in our comments section. I’m interested in hearing about more games where it happens!

A note from Bombergirl.

2007-11-05T09:02:00.001-05:00

Hello! This week's update is going to be a little late, unfortunately, as I wrangle with several deadlines that have decided to gang up on me all at once. But do not fret! You'll see me again before the week is through.

First Friday Drinking Game

2007-11-02T12:27:00.000-04:00

Ah, November. There's a chill in the air, the leaves are really starting to turn, and the gourds are ripe for the pickin'. Of course, what better way to warm yourself up than with another round of First Friday Drinking Game!

This month we'll be focusing on the crop-growing, spouse-searching antics of the Harvest Moon series. Whether your rocking the classic SNES Harvest Moon or breaking the mold with More Friends of Mineral Town, you'll want to bust out the berry juice and get some friends together for a good time on the farm:

1 drink for every day it takes to clear your farmland
2 drinks if you take advantage of the endless night in SNES Harvest Moon to make up for it (sneaky!)
1 drink for every day you forget to hug your pet (they need love too)
1 drink for every tool you break
1 drink every time you lie to the harvest fairy (you should know better)
1 drink every time you miss watering a plot with the watering can
2 drinks whenever the harvest sprites take forever to give your tools back
1 drink if you don't think the pregger cows are cute
3 drinks for every storm that traps you in your house (hey, there's nothing better to do)
1 drink for every villager who gets lost in the woods/a cave/your farm
2 drinks for every piece of your soul you leave in the mine
2 drinks every time you accidentally throw a crop on the ground

And finally:
Finish your drink when you realize that winning a girl's heart in game involves nothing more than giving her stuff

Warning: Excessive drinking during game play may result in delusions of farming grandeur and tilling up the carpet around your television. Play with caution!

Think I forgot something? Suggest a rule in the comments section!

What drinking games do YOU want to play every month? If there is any genre or specific game you want featured in FFDG, drop me a line at PlasmaRit at gmail dot com.

Plasma out.

Gender Switcheroo

2007-10-31T05:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween, Readers!

After I’ve played a game a few times, I enjoy thinking about what would happen if one or two small things about the game had changed. Some people might not consider it such a small thing, but I like to change the sex of one or several of the characters in my imagination. The idea is that our assumptions about the essential nature of the characters haven’t changed, but our expectations make the situation somehow different.

In the spirit of Halloween, masks, and passing, here are a few of my favorite considerations:

Final Fantasy X: Surfer girl Wakka and that gothed-out punk Lulu make one helluva pair. It makes me giggle to think of spunky, carefree girl-Wakka terrorizing the quiet and withdrawn male-Lulu. Poor guy.

Final Fantasy X-2: Imagine the campy adventures of male Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. Oh, wait. It’s already painfully campy. Maybe we just shouldn’t think about it at all?

Thousand Arms: This is an old one. I really would have enjoyed the game so much more if Meis had been a woman (or gay) and surrounded by a harem of men. It just sucks that, on top of the crappy game play, you have to go on dates with the women to power them up! . . . Nelsha in particular would’ve been so adorable!

Phantom Brave: This game just makes me melt as it is—I love the dynamic between poor Marona and Castille. If one of them were to become a boy, I would insist that the other change sex as well. Their relationship is so pure and sweet because it lacks romantic potential. Of course, they could be homosexual--and I totally support the idea that they're gonna grow up to big big ol' lesbians together--but I don’t think it would be so overt (Although Nippon Ichi does try to pull some pretty interesting things with its characters!).

The Legend of Zelda: My mom has been playing Twilight Princess on the Wii for a while, and it’s a trip to watch. One of the best parts is that she renamed Link “Princess.” When I pointed out that Link was a male, she countered with, “No, Princess is a butch lesbian.” Touché.

Kingdom Hearts: Sora, Riku, and Kairi—changing the sex of any one of the characters makes the story far more interesting to me. Imagine the lesbian tones of female-Sora and Kairi seeking to find each other. Female-Riku could have added an interesting jealous love triangle to the game. . . but who’s to say that isn’t already there? Then there’s the full-blown homoerotic adventure when you include male-Kairi, making the Kingdom Hearts series my number one candidate for giving a character a sex change.

Feel free to share your own ideas in our comments section. Also, let us know if you’re doing any video-game related costumes to celebrate, and watch out for crazies tonight!

No, not so peachy.

2007-10-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

I know I can't be the only one who's disappointed that Super Smash Bros. Brawl has been delayed until February. Like many others, I've been watching the official Smash Bros. Dojo like a hawk, trying to guess who Nintendo would include (or, as the case may be, not include) in their ever-exploding cast next. Other updates to the site include descriptions of the combatants' Final Smash moves -- super special attacks that typically blow away everyone on the screen.

And man, do they look cool. Mario unleashes a smoldering eruption of fire, Fox's Landmaster tears up everything in sight, and Bowser balloons into the mega-scary, mega-awesome Giga Bowser that I'm sure many of you remember from Super Smash Bros. Melee. Clicking through the characters, it's not difficult to get excited about each one, and you start to guess what the next Final Smash move could be before you scroll down to check it out for yourself.

I got particularly excited about Peach. How was my favorite Super Mario character going to kick ass? Was she going to arm herself with a gigantic parasol that has the power to wipe everyone from the screen in a single swoop? Or perhaps she'd fire a wicked laser from her blue brooch because no one has any clue why she has always had it anyway?

What could it be?
Oh, she's about to do it, guys! I am so pumped.

Aww, cute, it's like a photobooth.

Wait, wha?

Peaches?! She just gets peaches?

That's right, folks. Mario may be able to conjure up a volatile pillar of surging flamey death, but the best that Peach can muster is a sleeping spell and a bushel of fresh, fuzzy peaches. To be fair, one can conceivably kick ass while everyone's dropping off like it's a Sunday morning, but what are normal kicks and punches when you could sprout celestial wings and belch torrents of fire? Even cute little asexual bundle of puff Kirby does some damage with his formidable Stew Pot of Death, and yet Peach is left twirling around as Ambien incarnate. Awesome.

Why? Why stick Peach with the lame defensive move? Isn't it enough that she's always getting Koopnapped and having extreme hormonal mood swings? A comically huge frying pan would have been better than this, or even explodey peaches that fall, ticking, from the sky and blow up on impact. Peach can hold her own on the Smash Bros. battlefield and yet her silly moves have got all of us laughing at her again.

And don't get me started on how Samus's Final Smash blasts off all of her armor.

My Sims, My Choice

2007-10-26T00:44:00.000-04:00

The first thing most people notice about My Sims for the Wii is that it is sickeningly cute--in place of the realistic proportions of the Sims 2 franchise are cutesy, blocky little Sims that look downright huggable. The main plot of the game is different from its PC counterparts as well: new to a small town that's seen better days, it's up to your cuddly little Sim to spruce the place back up to its former glory. You can do this by implementing classic Sims elements, from socializing to showing off your flair for interior design. It's a fun, lighthearted game that, although not without flaws, is worth picking up. My Sims also includes a feature that is easily overlooked but something that makes me very happy to see.

The Sims has always been a franchise I've enjoyed--although it does have its problems. While creating a Sim has always allowed a good amount of artistic freedom, games like The Sims 2 have some surprisingly strict gender roles. Areas such as facial features and makeup remain equal for both sexes, but the separation begins at clothing. For example, as I was creating a female Sim who I considered to prefer pants over dresses, I came across a problem as I reached the formal wear. With no mods installed, I realized every bit of clothing in the formal wear section were dresses! Not a single suit could be found for the women. Bathing suits were all classic bikini-cut bottoms with no boy short choice as well. It was a small detail, but it dramatically affected how I played the game from then on.

This is where My Sims shines. This game has no gender roles whatsoever--it doesn't even ask for you to specify your Sim's sex. You have full access to the My Sims wardrobe with no strings attached. Want to pair a curly mustache with a party dress? Go ahead. A snappy suit and lipstick? Sure. Or would you rather go completely androgynous? No problem. My Sims gives you complete freedom over the look of your Sim without forcing you into any preconceived gender stereotypes.

If you see My Sims hanging around at the video game store, why not pick it up and give it a try? This game has earned my love in a myriad of ways. From its cuteness overload to the complete gender freedom, My Sims is a game I highly approve of. It sets a precedent for gender freedom that I would love to see repeated in the future.

Coming Out of the Gaming Closet

2007-10-23T17:48:00.000-04:00

A Brief Look at the Past

[Editor’s Note: October is LGBT History Month, and so I have decided to spotlight a series of LGBT characters.]

Even though we can see gender and sexual orientation inequity in video games today, things have improved by leaps and bounds over the last twenty years.

When I sat down to do research on queer characters from the earlier days of gaming, I didn’t come up with much. While society and “the times” play a significant role, the lack of diversity is largely due to the actions of the game publishers themselves.

For example, Nintendo has always been a “family friendly” company and remains so to this day. In the past, however, it had a strict code for monitoring the content of its games. Anything from drugs and tobacco to religious imagery to sexually explicit content was banned from their games. It was this very same code that resulted in Super Mario Bros. 2’s Birdo, the first transsexual video game character, becoming censored into a female in 1988. Nintendo’s main competitor of the era, Sega, also had a video game censorship policy. While Sega’s policy was decidedly more liberal—such as allowing blood and female enemies—homosexuality remained off limits.

Early depictions of homosexuality were either highly feminized and comedic or lecherous and predatory. We haven’t fully escaped such stereotypes today, but it often appears as though there are more positive models in today’s games than before. Shadow Hearts: Covenant’s Joachim can be over the top, but he’s nothing compared to the Cho Aniki brothers. If nothing else, games like The Sims and Fable that allow characters to choose their character’s orientation are a major step, especially since it results in no significant change to the game play.

All I can hope is that in the next twenty years, people look back at the games we’re playing now and wonder, “Why are there so few queer characters? How strange!”