God of War

And n-o-o-o-o-o-o offence taken, pepsoid. I wasn't super enthusing about the game, but in terms of using the PS2 to it's limits, this is the best thing I've seen on it, and it rocks. The last game I really loved was Ratchett and Crank - I mostly use the PS2 for DVDs. I've played strip poker a few times, Missi - although I always played to lose -but never Spin the Bottle...

Sorry, I'm a closet Luddite. Bring back the Morris Men.

Hi Pesoid, like your comments! I'm with you on games being too hard. They have to be pitched just right for me, if I have to sepnd twenty minutes in a room just blowing spawning enemies away, I get bored, similarly, if I am forced to find a series of levers that I have to pull to open doors, I get bored, if the storyline is nasty, or too sexist, or violent for the sake of violence, I lose interest at the lack of imagination, and if its too hard, I give up and take the game back. I don't play that many computer games. I've had the PS2 for 2 years and all I've played are ratchett and Crank, Gran Tourismo - greatest driving game - and God of War. I treid Star wars battleground, it was pants - took it back and a few other contenders. Gameplay is everything - for me, I don't want an intense experience, I just want some low-level brain switched off entertainment. As for addiction - again, this is in humans all ready. The games, the drink, the drugs, the gambling, etc. do not make us addicted, its our brains who do that for us - something that is there all ready. And we can ban everything because a few people have adictive personalities, that's the nanny world that I am very resistant too. Do we want a safe life, wrapped in cotton wool and die comfortable but bored? Or do we want try and live life as best we can, with its goods and bads, it s highs as well as its lows and still die anyway?

I wouldn't call sitting in a room for hours on end playing video games 'living life', however. More like, hiding from it. JMO

I am most looking forward to PS3... and a little scared at the same time... surely more and more graphic/realistic representations of violence etc can't be good for our fragile human minds...? ( and pre-empting the mention of violent films and such, I would say that participating in ("virtual") violence is a whole different kettle of fish than merely watching it )

You don't watch TV or movies then AG? Or read a book?

It's never really bothered me, Pepsoid, it's cartoon violence whether movie or game or for that matter, books. Even if it is graphically realised, there is a part of me that knows that it is make-believe. I don't revel in it, or dislike it - I feel very much the same way I feel about sex in movies, books or games - if it's uneccessary, gratuitious, or just plain nasty it has no appeal. A few years ago, when sending people little amusing movies of car crashes and falling over turned into actual movies and jpgs of accidental and horrific deaths, I was utterly mortified. It made me feel sick. I have no interest in the horrors of real life, that is as far removed from movies and games as can be possibly - people actually dying! I never look at that stuff and never want to. Controlling a large pixel around a screen as he rips the heads off Cerebus, the three-headed dog and explodes undead soldiers in a shower of blood is, in the context of the game more than justifiable because it's great fun, it's a distraction from the real horrors that are lurking out there for all of us.

I do generally agree with arguments for the "harmless" nature of videogame violence - I am, after all, presently enjoying Shadow of Rome & Medal of Honour:Frontline. There is, however, a small niggling doubt in my mind that maybe I'm wrong! And if I'm wrong, then I'll be even more wrong (so to speak) when PS3 comes out... and PS4... and PS5... etc. Surely, as we become more and more immersed in the increasingly realistic violence of videogames, we cannot fail to become affected? (not necessarily influenced to go out and repeat what we see, but maybe affected in more subtle ways)

>>> I don't want an intense experience, I just want some low-level brain switched off entertainment. ...me too! Too many games these days seem to be going for super-realistic &/or v.difficult. I'm not saying videogames are addictive per se. I agree that pretty much anything can be addictive if you have that sort of personality... unfortunately I sometimes do! >>> I wouldn't call sitting in a room for hours on end playing video games 'living life' ...'living life' is doing whatever we do while we are alive... n'est-ce pas?

Why pay money to feel bad, I asks?

I don't think we are being affected, pesoid, I think quite the opposite - that the games/movies/books are taking care of a vicseral desire inside of us for violence and aggression. Both men and women have violent, primitive urges but we mostly control them. For instance football supporting fulfills a deep desire to be a part of a tribe or clan (I am not a football fan by the way!), to wave our colours and do battle. Playing games of strategy, playing God-games, playing hack and slash, allows us to vicariously experience the thrills and primitive desires of aggression but in non-violent and some might argue, positive ways. I play badminton, and I'm not the competitive type, I prefer to lose a great game than to win an indifferent one, but it is odd how placid, friendly humans become very animated, we bare our teeth and make winning gestures, and scream and grunt - like primitive versions of ourselves - and it is great! Like making love - we experience a loss of self and enter something infinitely more animalistic (particularly in our responses and noises, heh). The feeling can be quite freeing. So far from believing that the human obsession with violence is a negative thing, I think is definately a part of a neccesary catharsis that releases the remains of the animal within us. We are 'modern humans' but very close in evolutionary terms to our more viscerally domintated ancestors. I can honestly say that Playing God of War, and games like it, does not do this for me, well not much anyway, it is so far removed from reality as to be inneffective in that respect. I have no worries that games affect people negatively. If you go back in time, people have always worried about this kind of thing, be it banning paintings, books, TV, Movies and now games. This doesn't mean that everything goes, but we can't keep blaming this kind of thing for human behaviour

I don't feel bad playing computer games, AG, quite the opposite. They would not be popular if pople felt bad. I enjoy being lost in the moment of playing, much like badminton, tennis, or indeed, chess. I don't see it as much different.

>>>>...'living life' is doing whatever we do while we are alive... n'est-ce pas? It's just sneering, Pesoid - people sneering at us for liking computer games. I don't get it, myself. *shrugs* Future entertainment (and that all we're talking about) is going to be more advanced computer/virtual games. Movies, books and games will converge. But books will survive, there is no competition! It will be a long time before books are replaced and if they are, it will still be text that we read, maybe on an electric book like screen that we can download the latest novel etc. But we'll still be reading on the beach!

That's if we still have beaches... :-|

PS. I don't necessarily agree with archergirl, but I wouldn't say she is "sneering" - she seems nice! :-)

Not AG, she's nice - but other comments.

Played a demo! Fabness! Anyone played Destroy All Humans?

i am slightly worried by the idea of a grown man getting all excited over a computer game ... maybe i hang out with too many teenage boys and murderers (both sorts heavy game users) ... to feel comfortable about gaming being a normal adult pastime ... am i wrong to think this?

Yes you are wrong. And who says myself and the OP are grown? Or men?

i know that KJH is a grown man ... i wasnt actually referring to you at all ...

I used to like hopscotch as a child. Does that count?

do you play it now, juicy?

only when nake uncle pete comes to stay. he's a big fan of hopscotch and all jumping related activities.

I can't think that anyone here is really sneering at people who play computer games KJ - after all this is one of the most addictive computer games on the web :o)

i think if you are doing it for the pleasure of an elderly relation that is ok ... very selfless ...

i do many things to pleasure my elderly relations, i am a very generous man and i have nice knees.

Fish, how do you feel about a grown man earning his living from creating computer games? I am at the wrong end of my 40s and that is what I do...

What's wrong with a 'grown man' getting excited over a computer game? Or is the writing world just populated with grumpy old fogues who hate anything new because they can't think past their own limited expectations? It's such a generic knee-jerk reaction and yet that's all you seem get on here, disliking anything and everything new. God of war IS fantastic, the graphics are just amazing. And the thing is so smooth, with no long loading times and the in game story is superb. At the start you have to kill these absolutely enormous Hydras, it's a spanker, no doubt about it. As for the moves and combos, I'm usually a bit of a duffer when it comes to that aspect, but the combinatioons are brilliant, especially as I now have the Sword of Altair, which does some serious laugh and gasp out loud carnage. The magic attacks are pretty damn awesome as well. And the locations - absolutely beautiful. Totally addictive. Now, where's me zimmer?

i think that is perfectly fine foxy ... i don't have a problem with that ... it's just the whole idea of adult males sitting there with their little handsets ... blowing things up and shooting people ... it makes me shudder a little and reminds of that WRONG film starring tom hanks called BIG ... bleah ...

Kevin, as long it makes you happy and stops you from staying in the sun too long, I'm sure we can all recognise the game as a positive contribution to your life. I'm sure fish feels bad about what she said and is taking time to reflect on her words.

yes ... i am truly sorry kevin ... am just a little touchy on the topic of infantilism ...

Hello, my name is Pepsoid, I am 32 years old and I like computer games. I feel no shame! (well I do, occasionally, like for example when someone at work catches me stuffing my face full of toffee sponge cake whilst in town, but not on this topic) Although I did find KJ's above appraisal a little worrying... Shouldn't someone be in the gamefaqs.com forum...?? ;-)

Well Fish, I'm just a little touchy on small-minded moaners whose only contribution is negativity. Your only interest in this thread is to put people down for daring to have different, and in your limited perception, 'infantile' interests. Why do you feel the need to condemn, is my question? I see it time and time again, the terrific force of banality ready to speak up against anything that doesn't fit the tired and predictable norm. Who else do you condemn in your world? Not that you'd mention on here, oh no, but for you this is just the thin end of the wedge isn't it? I'm happy that I'm a welcoming, open-minded person who tries new things and is sometimes pleasently surprised. Thank god I don't live in your tedious little closed world. So I'll say it - I play computer games and I'm proud. Anyone else willing to 'come out' against the bland force of beige repression?

Thanks Peps, that's two!

I always REALLY liked 'Caesar III'. Absolutely addicting. But then, we mostly know I'm a drooling fan of anything Roman... Other games are a little worrying; so many are needlessly, gratuitously violent and I don't see what pleasure there is in even pretending to kill others. (In Caesar III there comes a point when the barbarian hordes attack, and, if you don't have your ducks in a row militarily, they slaughter everyone in their way, replete with sound effects. It's most discomfitting, and I do my best to have my defences well-prepared in advance...but it's neither gory nor does one, as the player, actually partake in the killing...more of a spectator. That's bad enough.) The husband went through a 'Doom' phase; I found it visually and audially horrific. Why spend hours looking at and listening to things from nightmares? Surely it must fuck you up in some way. I think there must be some differentiation between rather benign games and those that are, well, simply horrible.

Doom - that was a great game when it came out - truly groundbreaking. The gore doesn't bother me and I've never believed, not is there is any evidence that books, movies or video games have ever turned anybody violent, although they have given a few ideas to a few murderous nutters who were mad to strat off with. Did anyone see the Time Commander Episode on BBC2 when the trainee priests were on - they were totally vicious and they won in record time!

No, it may not turn anybody violent, but it begs the question: why would anyone gain any pleasure from looking at, participating in, or listening to, something so terrible? 'Real' or not?

oh dear, kevin ... have i rattled you a little ... i am sorry ... it's ok ... pop the dummy back in ... it's just ... my idea of being an open minded person who tries new things wouldnt really be the sort of person who specifies very particularly what sort of woman they like ... (elfin) but please dont take it personally ... i condemn all people equally ...

'Elite' was my all time favourite, hours and hours travelling through space only to crash when docking - wire frame graphics and an entire galaxy to trade in. Disappeared for weeks when I got that for my Spectrum - and I never did get to Elite. I think I was classed as 'Mostly Harmless' On ther Amiga it was 'Sensible Soccer' (and I don't normally like football!), a game called Canon Fodder and Pinball fantasises, as well as Lemmings and Sword of Sodan. I suppose I prefer games with more strategy, but then again, a good gore-fest can be just as good fun when done well, like God of War. And even at its worst, its hardly the stuff of nightmares. What happened recently in London gives me horrors.

My goodness. Someone out there has spent a little too much time talking to the Borg. Not you, fish... above you.

This happened at the weekend, AG, the same irritating post on every thread. ABC deleted it by this morning - but it must be another attack. You'd think people would have better things to do with their time, like playing on their PS2!

I rock at Soul Caliber 2 I don't get very excited about it, except when playing after the pub when 1 0wnZ0r j0r p|_|nk 455. L33t

Erm... I enjoy computer games, but I don't know if I necessarily want to be placed in the same category as KJ - sorry, KJ, no offence meant! What I mean to say is, I like to play 'em but I won't enthuse over how wonderfully stupendously fantastically great they are, or how much I "rock" at particular games, nor will I lay into anyone who thinks they are an "inappropriate" form of leisure for mature adults to engage in. Live and let live, is what I say! Personally I think anyone who is too enthusiastic about rugby is a bit "dodgy," but what do I know...??

All this begs the question... how does one represent a "sneer" in a smiley? (as in, "emoticon," not the name of the above poster...)

Well, I invested in the new slimline version of PS2 a couple of weeks ago and have only managed to prise myself away to read Potter VI and chat with the young financial wizard who cooks the books and saves me an arm and a leg in tax. Caesar 3 is great! I'm a great Roman general in cyberspace - Robius Robertus - and I'm certain the tiny digitised barbarian hordes quake at the sight of my imperial steel! (Archergirl - have you read the Emperor series by Conn Whatsisname ? Very good. But for quality writing, Pompeii by Robert Harris is tops). Other fave games include: Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter and a Japanese dance game which I occasionally try out after supper to shed a few of the Roberts pounds. But my online idol is, of course, Lara...a babe, Ms Fish, or what ?

I don't think anyone was sneering. Someone expressed an opinion and was pilloried for daring to. It works both ways.

Ratchett & Crank was a great game, got me through my terrible break-up. I love those guys, but never did get to finish it. A bit gory though, nuts and bolts everywhere!

'I won't enthuse over how wonderfully stupendously fantastically great they are' - I didn't think I was doing that Pepsoid, A lot of games similar to GOW just don't rock my boat, this is the first one I've really gotten in to. I have played Unreal Tournament 2003 on the PC, which was a single person shooter and multiplayer on the web - that's where it got interesting. Brilliant game. Also Wolfenstien Castle, I think it was called, for the PC. That was a brilliant strategy game, although you had to kill a fair number of German soldiers on the way. No more violent than your average war film, and, I am, ahem, over 18.

Ratchet & Clank gory! Huh! Robius Robertus slicing off the head of a Rhineland chieftan and holding up the dripping slab of fetid flesh for all his adoring legionnaires to see...now THAT's gory, Liz!!! Chins up adult male abc gamers!

Ooops, that was me, I'm back at home after a hard day on the forum - or was that a film with Frankie Howard?