Analyze and discuss why Sonic the hedgehog gets a lot of ire on the internet despite his status as a video game icon. The Blue Blur became a phenomenon in the 90's but then struggled during the dawn of 3D gaming. Despite having some successful 3D games with praise from critics and fans, a mass others still cry out that all 3D Sonic games are garbage and inferior to Sonic's 2D games despite there existing good 3D Sonic games. Is the massive disappointment of the modern Sonic justified or are people putting down Sonic as a popular fad to hate something for no explained reason.
One of the reasons that the Sonic franchise has received a lot of backlash is how the character is the embodiment of Sega's downfall. Think about it, Nintendo and Sega were constantly butting heads in the 90's, but now-a-days, we see a lot of Sega games on Nintendo devices. Now that we know that Sega lost the battle with Nintendo, Sonic as a character will always be carrying the stench of failure. – Aaron Hatch9 years ago
I think it's really interesting how Sonic has been incorporated into the Nintendo world with Smash Bros. It shows that Nintendo is so far ahead of Sega now and that they are so confident of their own products that they are willing to put a competitors character in their own game. – Jamie White9 years ago
A big part of this, I think, is Sega failing to understand the market and what their fans want. Objectively, on paper, the idea of a Sonic game NOT being about speed and fast traversal sounds counter-intuitive for the series, as was the case with Sonic Boom. They have tried to focus on mobile games, but their profits continue to dwindle. Sega cited the global economy as reason for their financial loss, rather than accepting ownership over the quality (or perceived lack thereof) of their games. They seem to lose sight over what people want from the Sonic series. – BradShankar9 years ago
All gamers know what a walkthrough is and many use one from time to time. Whether you're stuck in a dungeon and can't find your way out or you don't know where to find the last item you need to finish an quest/achievement, they can be extremely helpful. But where do we draw the line? People make walkthroughs on youtube for commentary and entertainment and that's great and all, but gaming companies also publish full books hundreds of pages long with every detail of the game laid out. When do walkthroughs stop being a tool to help and start being a force which dominates your gaming experience? Are you a real gamer if you use these walkthrough guides or are you a poser just trying to get to the end so you can brag about it?
I personally don't have a problem with walkthroughs for video games most of the time. When you watch a walkthrough that shows how to beat a tough boss, you still have to do that. For example if you watch a walkthrough on how to defeat Ornstein and Smough from Dark Souls, it will show you some helpful things on how to fight them, but you still have to do it yourself, which is never easy. I also am ok with it in story based games. Some people really only want to play a game for its narrative, and the gameplay itself acts as a blocker for them. I can't tell you how many obscure Point and Click games I've looked up the answers to particular puzzles on because I didn't care about how the puzzle was constructed, I just wanted to see the story.
The only time that I think walkthroughs are not good is when the game is specifically about the Puzzles. If the main focus of the game is puzzles and you look up the answers then it robs you of the satisfaction of solving the puzzle, ruining the game for you. If you just watched someone play Portal 1 and saw where they shot portals to get through the puzzle, its not really an accomplishment to do that yourself, and you get no satisfaction out of it. – Cojo9 years ago
I would never get through Witcher 3 without a walkthrough, this may well warrant losing my "real gamer" status. – Jeff9 years ago
You should probably focus on the subculture of walkthrough uploaders. They dominate the industry and fandom. – Joseph Manduke IV9 years ago
Interesting topic! I think you left out another utility of video game walkthroughs. Some people, myself included, watch video game walkthroughs of games they can't or will not play. Since there are so many consoles, so many games, and so little time, you might not be able to play every game you'd like to. But by watching a walkthrough you can still experience the game. – Cagney9 years ago
The article would need to pat down exactly what it's referring to in terms of walkthroughs. When I hear that, I think online guides on IGN and other sites alongside the giant printed books. If that's the case, then a lot can be said as to giving the player the power to create their own in-game experience. Where the developer wanted the player to be confused and stuck (or just under-prepared), the guide allows the player to swiftly move through the narrative at their own leisure. Of course a bunch can be debated for either case. But it might be interesting to see where Let's Plays fall into this category also. A side issue could also be printed guides. Although that might just flood the topic with the physical vs. digital debate. – Travis Cohen9 years ago
I don't think it really matters what medium walkthroughs are available in (print, video, etc.) because what matters is that they are there for anyone who needs them. Gamers shouldn't judge other gamers for using them if they are genuinely in need of help on a particularly difficult boss fight or if they want to find a rare item. I guess it all depends on what kind of experience you want, is what I'm trying to say. – Tanner Ollo9 years ago
Maybe take a look at the history of Final Fantasy and how it has evolved over the years. From the years of crystals and evil warlocks (or warlords), to the current fiasco with lightning, and more importantly the new one on the horizon. There has got to be someone out there who knows a good deal about this series, and it is amazing that is has been around for so long. Although, it may make more sense to wait until Final Fantasy 15 comes out to do this article. Figured I would throw the idea out there for any other fans
I would say the games have gotten better. One could trace the story development of how each game creates a more complex plot and more artistic creation than the last game. – Starvix Draxon9 years ago
Many video games with their own universes create a religion to follow it. It is tough to create a religion that seems both believable and also seems like something that people would purposely devote themselves to. Lots of these religions (like in Dead Space or Resident Evil 4) are cults but occasionally there are religions that mirror real life faiths to such a degree that they almost seem believable in their own world's mythos. Religions like the Chantry in Dragon Age or the comicly overdone Epsilon Program of GTA V feel believable in their world because they represent a lot of things that people believe in within that world. I personally don't know much about religion in the real world so I don't feel qualified enough to really write about this but it could be an interesting topic to write on.
Religion is also a major theme in the Legend of Zelda series and at this point is pretty much accepted by fact as all the characters. It is also constantly evolving and plays a more and more major role with each console game. It would be interesting to compare this to how religions operate in the real world (which is often very static) – Grace Maich9 years ago
Assassin's Creed would be a great example here. – Joseph Manduke IV9 years ago
I know Final Fantasy XIII is not that popular, but the storyline has a lot of against gods and fate. – Jill9 years ago
Final Fantasy ten would be a great case here and specifically looking at Seymour and the conflict with Sin. Organized religion is usually made to be either a main villain, or some type of sub villain. This topic would be fairly broad though. Maybe focus on either spectrum? The representation of religion in video games as evil or good? Maybe ask questions as to why this might be the case. – Xemnas9 years ago
The Order in Silent Hill could be examined too. – Lexzie9 years ago
Music has been thematically important to The Legend of Zelda series since A Link to the Past, and has played an even greater role in future games in the series like Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker. Explain how music is used symbolically and culturally in the Zelda games.
Important to note the use of the music for dramatic effect or for epic conclusions. Also worth nothing is the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses tour – cdenomme969 years ago
Absolutely, 100% support this topic. I can't help but associate certain moments with certain songs from the series. The Ocarina of Time alone allows the player to manipulate the music by giving you the option to play a tune at most points in the game. There's so much to say about the Legend of Zelda series and the music deserves a lot of attention. I feel that this topic could be broken up into different articles, categorized by the chronology of the various games that make up Link's adventures. – RobertCutrera9 years ago
Yandere Simulator is an Indie Game that explores the yandere archetype, as the objective of the game is to kill all the love rivals before a certain date. It's development has been documented via blogging, and many Youtubers have played and tested this game. However, this game can be seen as unethical, as the player can kill students with weapons, make them commit suicide, and use lewd photos to receive information. This article would go in-depth about why this game has garnered interest, and how documenting it's development has generated such a wide audience.
I do believe that the hype which has carried Yandere Simulator through over two years of development is not simply due to its constant update, although granted, it has been helpful, but mainly because of its topic. There is something really crucial in discussing the topic of yandere as an archetype and the love it gets in the online communities. – Ewilan9 years ago
Explore the coming of age of virtual reality as a technology with the potential to revolutionize video games. What is virtual reality? How will virtual reality affect gaming and the gaming industry? How does the technology work, and how close is it to becoming a household item? What are some of the major companies that are working on virtual reality technologies right now?
Analyse and explore how the success of the few has mobilized an army of individuals to seek riches with independent game development. Explore the difference between the evangelist indie developer and those who are chasing the dream.
