Star Wars: The Force Awakens but I nearly fell asleep.

***Spoilers everywhere***

If I had to describe Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in two words they would be “cheap” and “lazy.”

It hard to know where to begin talking about this movie. Does one start at with the tired, hollow callbacks to the original trilogy that feel even more forced and awkward than your usual cash-grab nostalgia project? Does one start at underwhelming new generation of characters - devoid of motivation, charisma, character development or, in the case of our new lead Rey, flaws of any kind? Should one talk about how it still manages to repeat some of the most damning failures of the prequels? Well, let’s start at the beginning.

Nintendo's Digital Event was the highlight of this year's E3 conferences

If we're being totally honest: the majority of E3 conferences are a complete shambles. 

Media Blackouts and You: How the Gaming Press failed the public, themselves and Zoe Quinn.

The most talked about story of the past two weeks is the story no one is talking about.

'Parasite' critics and moving on from journalism

Veteran critic Adam Sessler has announced his departure from Rev3 Games to explore other ventures in the gaming industry.

I can’t say I’m a long-time follower of Sessler’s work. The first time he was brought to my attention was after his somewhat controversial comments about God of War: Ascensions trophy titles, and I’ve only occasionally viewed his work since.

I also can’t say I’m totally surprised at his decision, due to a comment his made on his Twitter account earlier this year.

@LogicBreaker it's not my responsibility. They create, I am a parasite who benefits from their creation. It's a simple ecosystem.
— Adam Sessler (@AdamSessler) February 26, 2014

Its a very pessimistic view on the role of journalists and critics. Sessler does not see himself as a creator, nor does he believe in the value of his work. In fact, creators should ignore him and follow their own conscience. 

Can a journalist or critic operate on the belief their work is without value? If they do believe so, is it not their responsibility to find a way to instil value in their work?

Breaking Character

Games are often sold on experiences. How often have you heard a developer say they want the player to feel what its like to be a master assassin or a superhero, to sail the seas or drive a race car. Cutscenes and narrative are what cause the most dissonance between players and characters. They act and react in a way the player might not. But when it comes to games with a strong narrative focus should we be placing so much emphasis on the player? How does it affect a story when the player’s experience is more important than the lead character?

Sex Lives and Video Games

This article was originally written in October 2012 and may no longer reflect the beliefs of the author or subjects quoted.

Violence is an accepted and prevalent part of video games. However when sex, nudity or suggestive situations crop up, many of us react with discomfort. I tend to jam the mute button.

Video games are now capable of delivering emotional stories, complex relationships, cinematic experiences and political commentary just as effectively as other forms of entertainment. However sex is still a sensitive topic in video games, and its presence has been making waves in the gaming community.

Twitch's band-aid solution

It's not unusual to see eager consumers testing out all the features of their latest gadget. 

Many have decided to test out the Playstation 4’s Twitch integration with the family-orientated Playroom; a basic augmented reality game wherein players can interact with onscreen characters via their bodies and the PS4 controller. Basically, its an update on Sony’s Eye Toy games that accompanied the Playstation 2.

Its uncertain how familiar the broadcasters were with Twitch and its policies. 

Twitch might be a popular service in the hardcore game community but it’s largely unknown to non-gamers.

It's likely many were totally unaware, as they were confounded by popular references to the Twitch community and internet culture at large.

Men and women of various ages, groups of friends, kids and families were all seen broadcasting via Sony’s new console. It spawned a couple of impromptu call-in shows, some broadcasters just got drunk and interacted with the chat, one streamed himself sleeping on his couch. 

In the beginning, it was all mostly harmless. Even Sony employees were happy to join in the fun.

Journalism and Ethics: Sources in Reporting

I’m not a regular reader of the Penny Arcade Report. However today I came across Senior Editor Ben Kuchera’s post on The Cut; a subsection of the Report Kuchera describes as a place to “point to stories that are worth reading.”

Glancing through the archives, The Cut usually posts links to other gaming news sites or news articles pertaining to video games. The post I spotted led to the blog of UK-born game designer and founder of Positech Games, Cliff Harris.

The post in question pertained to marketing of independent titles and consumer reaction to  pricing. Mr. Harris recently released a title through Positech Games and discussed the psychology of his pricing strategy and consumer feelings of post-purchase rationalisation.

Mr. Harris states he has enjoyed a career in game development and programming; working for Elixir Studios and Lionhead Studios, formerly headed by Peter Molyneux. However there seems to be no indication of any reason why Mr. Harris’s opinions on pricing and marketing should be accepted as credible or reliable.

Are You Being Served?: Ethics in Video Game Journalism

In late July, Marcus Beer appeared on GameTrailers’ Invisible Walls program and set his sights on independent developers Phil Fish and Jonathan Blow. Beer labelled the two developers as "Hipsters," "Wankers," "Tosspots" and so on. Fish fired back at Beer on Twitter, the argument escalated and Fish decided it was time to step away from the games industry. 

Marcus Beer presents Annoyed Gamer

In late August, Marcus Beer returned for the second season premiere of his show Annoyed Gamer. This time he criticised the games media for coming to the defence of Phil Fish after their entanglement. Beer felt that the media had unfairly labelled him a “bully” and had no right to defend Fish. He claimed the media is, “there to serve the gamer, the reader, the viewer, the consumer...not the big boys, not the indie devs, not anybody else.”

However, Beer doesn’t seem to fully understand the role of journalism.

Grand Theft Auto V- Part 1: No Fun Allowed!

Disclaimer: At the time of writing, I have not finished GTA V. All opinions presented are based on my early experiences with the game and do not take into account the conclusion of the game's story. 

‘Fun’ is not a word I would use to describe Grand Theft Auto 5. 

But neither would I say its boring. Or even bad.

It is, most definitely, frustrating.

I played GTA V for 13 hours on launch day - from mid-afternoon until the early hours of morning - and I could have easily played more. I was totally engrossed, not even mindful of how much time had passed until my eyes began to hurt. And even though it was a struggle to stop playing, I cant recall a moment I thought, “I am enjoying this game.”

Even on day two, it was easy to get caught up in hours of GTA’s gun-toting, high speed action dramedy, but again it wasn’t what I would classify as fun.

Before I get too much into that, lets look back at past Grand Theft Auto games.

I’m a big fan of the PlayStation 2 era titles. GTA 3 is my clear favourite. It had an atmosphere the others failed to capture; it was silly and satirical, but the muted colour palette and bleak mood invaded every aspect of the city. Even during the daytime, a thick grey sky (likely the result of PS2 graphical limitations) never let any light shine through. The sparse traffic and quiet city streets meant any explosion or punctuated gun fire made a stark impression. It’s hauntingly beautiful.

Keeping 'Quiet': Consumers vs. Creators

Before Hideo Kojima first revealed Metal Gear Solid V he speculated, “The next project will challenge a certain type of taboo. If I mess up, I'll probably have to leave the industry." He’s not in that much trouble yet, but one aspect of his latest project has definitely caused a storm amongst the video game community.

While we caught a glimpse of Quiet almost four months ago at this year’s E3 conference, Kojima revealed her full character model through Twitter. Prior to the reveal, he tweeted about the design process for her character, recounting how he asked character designer Yoji Shinkawa to make her “more erotic,” and his hopes she would appeal to cosplayers and figurine collectors. Some cosplayers had asked him to reveal Quiet's full design so they might prepare a costume before the Tokyo Game Show. Due to legal reasons he couldn't reveal it to individuals, so he decided to released the images officially through Kojima Productions.

Gone Home

Gone Home is a call back to the first person adventure games of the past. In comparison to the bloated gimmicks and puzzles of its contemporaries, its a stripped-down experience. What’s not important is how the player interacts with the physical world, but where the player goes and what they discover. It’s a noble attempt at creating a personal tale in a market saturated by AAA games and experimental indie titles, but Gone Home is ultimately a shallow experience.

After spending the last year trekking across Europe, 23 year old Katie Greenbriar has returned home to find her parents and younger sister missing. The family has moved during Katie’s absence, making the Greenbriar homestead just as unfamiliar to her.

Boxes marked with thick marker still clutter the foyer and spare rooms. Many rooms sit unused, pitch black, and the spacious lighting barely touches some corners of the cavernous gothic mansion.

The lack of a family computer is a little unusual, even for a game set in 1995, but plenty of books and laserdiscs line numerous bookcases. VHS tapes lay haphazardly in around the living room and bedrooms. Most rooms feel suitably lived in, while others feel like they have become dumping grounds for still-packed amenties. It’s an obnoxiously large house for a family of four.

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Review (somewhat)

Daft Punk have returned, and they they've come a long way since delivering the rigidly technological duet of Human After All and Tron: Legacy.

From the glitzy, discoball lighting and L.A. sunrise-soaked visuals of it's first single, 'Get Lucky,' to the 'Thriller'-esque typeface of the album title, you might be forgiven for thinking RAM would be a straight-forward disco album. Slightly off track for the funky, electronic duo, but still familiar to long time fans.

RAM, however, is something else entirely.

RAM might feel more at home in the catalogue of fellow French contemporaries Air, notorious favourites of old synth tones and the experimental pop of the past.

Album opener 'Give Life Back To Music' explodes with hammering drums and piano, a sound so seemingly out of place on a Daft Punk record I had to check i was listening to the right album.

The initial shock to the system sends a clear message: Don't get comfortable.

The Robots don't want you lying down and letting the music washing over you.

This is something to sit up and pay attention to.

Matching your heart, the steady beat of bass lines and soft vocals settles into a familiar rhythm. But again the rock cuts through the funk.

"Bring the music of your life back," it implores.

The familiar rhythm isn't necessarily bad, it keeps you alive. But every now and then, it needs that kickstart.

Don't get comfortable.

Paul Williams tracks 'Game of Love' and 'Touch' weave a narrative of losing and regaining ones humanity. Becoming lost in the machinations before becoming human again. As the following track opens, "like the rising of the phoenix," the narrator comes back stronger and more alive than before.

'Lose Yourself To Dance' breaks all the rules. But that's okay every once in a while. A rising harmony urging the listener, "Come on. Come on. Come on." Its okay to let the music wash over you but don't let that rule your life, as 'Touch' warns.

Giorgio Moroder, provides a bibliographic narration to the track bearing his name. He speaks of a time when, to him, the hums and drones of Moog and Korg synthesisers promised to define the future of music. The music becomes a part of his tale, triggering one another. As we hit 1969/70 the disco beats drive forward with Moroder's life. At one point, the music pares down to a simple click track as he states thats what he needs. And as he talks of reinventing himself, becoming Giorgio the musician, the sound of the synthesisers act as a catalyst for his life. Its indicative of the way RAM wants to join together.

'Motherboard' is the only instrumental track on the album, an almost prog like tune featuring flutes and strings in a dark exploration.

'Fragments of Time' is an upbeat, pop-ish number. By far the least electronic number on the album, only peppered with swirling and beeping synths.

'Doin' It Right' has the danger of feeling out of place on the album, leaning a little too far into modern electro-pop. But it slot nicely between 'Fragments of Time' and album finisher 'Contact.'

'Contact' does well as a dark, heavily synth laden throwback to progressive rock acts, while incorporating crashing drums and distorted guitars of modern prog performers before disintegrating into electronic fuzz.

Random Access Memories weaves man and machine in a way Daft Punk have never achieved in the past. Their past albums have been about the relationship between the two entities, working side by side, their roles were clearly defined.

Even with its roots planted firmly in the past, RAM's focus is to the future. To a time when man and machine becomes indistinguishable. But even with this melding of skin an circuitry, they can still declare they are human after all.