I didn't know this was a movie! – A geeks problem in the 21st century.

What happened to the days when you could just play a game?

I mean, once upon a time you could put in the disk, install the game and 30 seconds later actually be laying down some wrath on some heathens with a big ass sword.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the effort that game designers are putting into games these days. They’re beautiful works of art. I mean actual works of art, I’m not using the phrase just because it sounds cool.

But…

Last night, the boyf and I had a look at “The Witcher”. It looked like a promising game. Awesome artwork, cool characters and a gaming engine that will make your computer which is older than a week weep for mercy. (That’s a whole other issue).

Wonderful work was done.

But oh my god.

We started up the game and went into the first cut scene, you know, the obligatory back story.

It went on. And on.
I went to take a crap.
I came back and it was still going.
Ten minutes later, we were finally able to push a key and do something with a character.

Now a back story is a good thing but there are times these days when it’s taking it a bit far. Especially when a newly released game has a patch available a week later to fix some, you know, obvious errors. Like crashing quite often.

How about we go back to the old school way of doing things, set up the back story in a quick and simple manner and spend more time making sure a game actually works. I like the cut scenes, just not ones long enough to qualify as a nominee for the Academy Award for Best Short Film.

Or at least one that doesn’t allow me to go for a leisurely crap in the middle and not have missed anything when I come back.

Like, you know, Pac-Man. That worked like the bomb.

Some might say “yes this is true, but Pac-man wasn’t a very in depth experience was it?” Ah yes, you’re right…it wasn’t. That’s why we spent hours upon hours playing it over and over whereas today…you play a lot of games once and you never go back because they have no replay value. Which blows considering what you spend on a game. Especially if it’s a PS3 game.

Anyway, I would give you a proper review of the ‘The Witcher’ but, as with many other people, the game crashed before we could really have a proper look.

I’m downloading the patch as I write this.
For now, you’ll have to go look at meta critic or something and find someone who’s game didn’t come pre-loaded with PMS.

Anyway, I leave for JHB in the morning for MPH ’09 so there will be no Friday post this week. Photos and a run down of the event will be posted on Sunday when I get back