Yes, it’s another stopgap post, but I’ve been rather busy as of late since college has started. I thought it would be better to have at least something to post than nothing at all. I’ve got an open weekend though, so I’ll try and get something new written then.
‘Guilt-Free Gaming’ was a piece I wrote for ‘Ends’, the personal entry that featured as the final article of every issue of the physical copies of Square Go. They’re not published anywhere other than the tangible mag, so anyone reading from outside Scotland probably won’t have seen this.
So, here it is, available worldwide for the first time.
Enjoy.
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Education is a necessary evil on the path to self-development, but it can put a massive spanner in the works for us gamers. Release dates for eagerly anticipated titles always seem to fall on the same days as assessments, examinations and essay hand-in deadlines, and there’s nothing more disheartening than raking through page after page of notes knowing that your pals are having a great laugh online in your absence. It’s happened countless times over the two years of this course, with progress in several titles put on hold to ensure that elusive word count is reached, or that the final touches to that hellish entity known as the ‘Graded Unit’ are in place.
Which is why I can’t wait for the summer, where I can enjoy a session of Halo 3 without that gnawing feeling that accompanies an unfinished essay stalking me, or compete in a Gears of War 2 Wingman match safe in the knowledge that I don’t have to leave early to get stuck into more revision.
The fact that several games I can’t wait to get my hands on, such as Ghostbusters and Batman: Arkham Asylum, are coming out in the next few weeks only heightens the anticipation. I can enjoy them fully without having to restrict my playtime to that most fiendish of enemies, the dreaded ‘bedtime’. I can spend the day shooting at my pals online in the comfort of my living room, not sitting taking notes on an uncomfortable classroom chair; I can spend my evenings with my pals, belting out passion-filled choruses on Rock Band or Guitar Hero: Metallica, not rooting around the internet investigating management styles. The summer months are going to be epic, filled with good games, good company and good times…
Until next term, at least.
I’m a bit of a busy bumble these days. Having committed myself to a full-time college course, an at-home games design course, editing for a website and contributing to two more, it’s hard to find some time to sit down and get a blog written.
As a result, this blog is more of a stopgap to keep you satiated until I can find the time to get a new blog post written up.
‘Prepare For The Future’ was a piece I wrote for the soon-to-be-defunct Blogs section of Square Go. I had completed the main storyline of the epic Fallout 3 and wanted to share my feelings on the masterpiece.
I hope it reads as well as I thought it did almost a year ago.
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Preapare For The Future
It’s over.
It’s done.
I’ve completed Fallout 3.
Ever since coming home, swinging my lunchbox through town, and then chatting with someone from the train who was swinging his as well, I’ve been addicted. Garnering around forty hours since the games release, I’ve played every moment I could capture. Essays for college and articles for other publications had been put on hold to make time for this triumph. From the unique opening sequence to the end of the main story, I have sat enthralled through the entire journey.
And that’s what this game is: a journey. You choose your path, and play the game as you see fit. Will you be a bastard, or will you be a saint? Will you do good deeds out of the goodness of your heart, or will you make everyone pay for your services, no matter how destitute they may be? The choice is up to you, but no matter what moral bent you take, the game caters for them. Whether you decide to be good, evil, or attempt to stay neutral on a neutral allignment, you’ll stay engaged in the post-apocalyptic Capitol Wasteland.
But how did Bethesda manage such a feat? Was it the deeply emotional and engaging storyline, with every event and action you make feeling personal to you? Was it the wonderous visuals, the wasteland looking bleak and depressing, yet hauntingly serene and inviting? Or is it the fact that the combat is simply fantastic (blowing every limb off someone’s torso in ridiculously explosive slow-mo never gets boring)? God bless you, Bloody Mess.
It’s a mixture of all these features, plus many, many more, that make this one of the greatest games to be released in a long, long time. I can’t remember the last time I was so eager to get home from college or work to play a game, but Fallout 3 managed it.
But what now? I suppose I could explore every last area in the massive wastleland (amazingly, I’ve still not visited the White House), complete any unfinished sidequests,and also replay the game as an evil character. But the magic from playing the story through for the first time, with no idea what’s coming next, will never be recaptured. Fable 2 was relegated to the bottom of the pile when the Vault-Tec branded box of wonders entered the house, so I’ll probably end up getting that out again…
But you know what? All that put-off work, all those sacrificed hours of sleep, it was worth it. Fallout 3 is simply one of the greatest and most entertaining games ever developed, created from one of the most intriguing franchises ever. If you picked this up, then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If you didn’t, then that’s a shame, because you’ll genuinely be missing out on what can only be described as a milestone in modern gaming.
I prepared for the future. So should you.
This message has been approved by Vault-Tec.
Hello there.
Everyone seems to have a blog and they’re a good thing to have to express yourself, so I thought it would be a good idea idea to create one myself. Better late then never, eh?
I believe you’ll be wanting an introduction about me, then? Well, here goes…
My name is Michael Slevin and I live in Glasgow, Scotland. At the time of writing, I’m an 18-year-old studying Communications & Media at Cardonald College and freelance writer. Websites I currently contribute to include Square Go, GameBrit and Ace Gamez and I’m always looking for new opportunities and grabbing them with both hands.
My aspiration in life is to become known for something that is of cultural significance and ingrained on the public conscience. I have no idea how I’m going to do this, but hopefully I’ll get there someday.
The main reason for this blog is to act as a place for all the personal blogs that aren’t suited to any of the sites I contribute to. It’ll also act as a portal to any personal features that do make it onto the sites.
That’s about it. Any questions?