The Cross and the Controller and other "Shameless Plugs"

A friend of mine recently posted a link to this website on my facebook wall, and I figured I'd pass along the favors to the readership here. Check out "The Cross and the Controller" website here:

http://www.thecrossandthecontroller.com/tcatccom/Default.aspx

Also, a certain Colin Malcolm contacted me on facebook recently requesting that I ask around for Catholics who are involved in or interested in game development. While I find it hard to believe that Catholics AREN'T involved in this industry, I do think Colin presents an interesting question. How does a Catholic integrate game development into their Catholic faith? I'd love to hear from an actual game developer about this.

On a final note, Merry 4th day of Christmas!

Another Catholic Gamer!

Thank you Ashley Collins for throwing this in my direction! Looks like a new Catholic-oriented gaming website has emerged during the past summer. Readers, head over to http://catholicgamer.com/ to see what's happenin'!

CVG Christmas Game Guide (patent pending)

It's that time of year again! As much as I deplore the consumerist, materialist, fill-up-the-void-in-your-life-with-more-crap attitude that pervades Adventide here in America, this is a videogame blog, and as anyone who's got kids/young adults/teenagers/boyfriends/girlfriends undoubtedly knows, videogames are not only almost always on someone's wish list, but they can make a good "filler" gift, as well.

So, to make the secular side of the season a little more bearable, I'm going to use this post as a "catch-all" for those interested in discussing the various games available right now - want to know if a game is appropriate for your son/daughter? In a Christmas budget crunch and need to know how to get the most bang for your buck? Got recommendations for other readers on good deals? Bored out of your mind and just need to vent about the long lines and crazy soccer moms who apparently don't know the difference between Rock Band 3 and Epic Mickey? Well, here's your chance!

So there you have it: the first official authorized Catholic Video Gamers all-purpose awesomesauce on toast-fueled Advent-2-Christmas Game Guide. Post away!

U.S. Navy: Video Games are good for you

H/T to the NeoGAF forums

"Think interactive video games are a waste of time or more suited for children? Think again. Research by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) indicates that video games can help adults process information much faster and improve their abilities to reason and solve problems. Dr. Ray Perez, ONR program officer, discussed video game-induced “fluid intelligence” on the Jan 20 webcast."

Other notable excerpts:

"...Early indications suggest that cognitive improvements from video games can last up to two and half years, Perez said, but he admitted that so far the results have been relegated to observations and measurements in a controlled laboratory environment..."

“The major question is that once you’ve increased these perceptual abilities and cognitive abilities, do they transfer to everyday tasks,” he said, “and how long do they continue to influence the person working on these everyday tasks?”

For the record, this is hardly the only instance of the scientific method demonstrating the health benefits of video gaming; one such benefit that goes unmentioned in this particular study (and, thus, earns a peculiar mention here) is accentuated eyesight. Personally, I think my prolonged hours of video gaming have done wonders for my hand-eye coordination, though that's probably the only physical health benefit I derived from them. The intellectual and spiritual formation these games provided, however, was invaluable. The artistic imagery of some of the games also gave me a taste of the transcendent, instilling in me (during those precious formative teenage years, no less!) the idea that beauty was, in fact, NOT in the eye of the beholder. I learned a bit about storytelling and characterization, as well; as a budding English major at a major Catholic University, it is no exaggeration to say that I owe my interest in the subject at least partially to the video games I enjoyed well into my teenage years...and still enjoy, albeit with less frequency, to this day.

That being said, the social isolation and addictive potential of these same games also contributed at times to a kind of spiritual desolation; I will be the first to admit that I failed to employ moderation during my more "hardcore" gaming years, and no amount of acquired ocular aptitude can replace wasted time (not to mention neglected friendships, a deteriorating physique, and a regrettably over-extended introversion). Too much of a good thing is, well, too much of a good thing. Games became my god, and that was...well, not healthy at all.

I sincerely hope the Navy Officers in this study don't fall into the same trap I did. There's something about video games and an incarnational spirituality that really...doesn't quite mesh. They can't replace love of neighbor, even if they do teach the value of the practice of this or any other particular virtue. They can impart wisdom and knowledge, but they can't make you practice it. They can depict, and even bring to life, Christ on the cross, in a way peculiarly unique to the medium, no less. They can never, however, replace Him.

Facebook games?

Everyone on earth is STILL playing farmville, Mafia Wars, and oodles of other video games on various social networks. The legendary game creator Sid Meier now claims he's making a Civilization game for facebook, as well!

Yet I've done everything I can to avoid "social network-based" video games. I spend too much time on both social networks and video games separately already.

That I don't spend time with this particular breed of video game, however, also means I can't attest to their quality. I CAN say, however, that they certainly LOOK like garbage - Farmville = cheap graphics, loading issues, and time-based gameplay that rewards prolonged screen exposure as opposed to skillful time management.

Why not just play one of the better iterations of Harvest Moon instead? Is there really something different about them?

What's on the Horizon for 2010?

Though I've had some success in eliminating my gaming backlog this holiday season, I'd be kidding myself if I committed to doing this throughout the coming year.

So, here's a list of video games slated for a 2010 release that I'm looking forward to:

Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver (I'm a pokemaniac. Need I say more?)

Dragon Quest IX (portable Dragon Quest! WIll the soundtrack be as good as VIII's though?)

Final Fantasy XIII (all indications are that it is NOT like Final Fantasy XII, so I'm all in!)

Star Wars: The Old Republic (in spite of it being an MMO)

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (even though I haven't really played the first one!)

Yeah, it's rpg-heavy, but I'm a sucker for the genre, and even though there really isn't much else I'm interested in, DQ and Pokemon alone (let alone together!) will be enough for me in the coming year.

Dark Void, Capcom's latest action game, is out soon, too...anyone gonna go out and buy that one?

Overall Game of the Year

Ok, confession time: I really don't think I've played enough video games across the course of 2009 to make my own definitive declaration regarding the very best gaming experience(s) that this past year had to offer. Thomas McDonald of GAMES magazine and the National Catholic Register (readers of this blog may recognize him from his recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review discussed here on this blog within the past 2 weeks), however, has separated the wheat from the chaff, as it were, and has what some will consider a surprising choice for "Electronic Game of the Year": Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Full text of the review, with some parts bolded for emphasis by yours truly:

"Batman: Arkham Asylum was a true last-minute upset. The idea that a licensed superhero game might not only be outstanding, but qualify as the best game of the year, just wasn’t feasible. Sure, there have been a few good superhero titles: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, The Spider-Man and Hulk series, and…actually, that’s about it. None ever transcended their license to become a great games on their own. But, as we explored Arkham Asylum more deeply, all the gameplay elements began to evolve, and the locations and story line opened up. We started making shocking comparisons—not to other superhero games, but to certified masterpieces like Bioshock (arguably the finest game of the last decade).

Yes, Arkham Asylum is that good. The combination of three disparate elements—stealth action, plain old brawling, and even a bit of detective work—takes some time to gel, but once it does, the game becomes almost impossible to put down. The upgrade system and gradual introduction of new abilities are remarkably satisfying, and 240 “Riddler puzzles” (including riddles that involve careful examination of the environment) add a tremendous depth and flexibility to the gameplay. The production is topnotch, with performances by the stellar voice cast of Batman: The Animated Series (including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the definitive Joker) and a terrific story and script by comic book writer and TV producer Paul Dini. The film is saturated with Batman lore and fan-service, and loaded to the gills with villains from the Dark Knight’s rogues’ gallery. It is, simply (and without any undue hyperbole), the best superhero game, ever. —Thomas L. McDonald

Haven't played the game, so I can't comment, but I know Mr. McDonald isn't the first to compare this game to Bioshock, nor the only one to name it Game of the Year for 2009.

Overall it's been a pretty good year for action game fans, with Resident Evil 5, God of War, Batman, Deadly Creatures, Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and Bayonetta receiving accolades from both critics and fans alike. Modern Warfare 2 and Beatles Rock Band are also bound to get the GOTY nod from quite a few people, as well. I've been playing too much of 2008 (and even 2007's) games to weigh in on this subject, but I'm still curious to hear what others are thinking, if only to know what to buy from the Toys R' Us bargain bin a few months from now. Give me the scoop, readers: What's the best videogame of 2009?

More Proof that I'm Not Crazy

See? Even priests think we can learn something from video games!

How Much is too Much?

It's Labor Day Weekend - and a Sunday - so any impetus to do homework is being shoved aside in favor of the normal weekend festivities. Having already played Rock Band quite extensively this weekend, however, the scrupulousity is setting in, and what would normally be a PERFECT afternoon for video gaming is currently being spent on writing this blog post. I'm half of a mind to go home for the afternoon, as well, even though I know that there is absolutely nothing constructive for me to do back there, either, save a quick hello to my family and the acquiescence of a new DDR mat that, despite being purchased for usage here at St. Joseph's, is currently sitting at home the dining room in an unopened box.

The thing is, I know that when I have to face the weekday workload again, I'm going to want to do ANYTHING to avoid it. I'll surf the internet instead of reading Sense and Sensibility, and I'll probably find myself battling virtual demons in Soul Calibur IV instead of making sure my own soul is primed and pumped for the spiritual battles of daily seminary living.

Grrrrr...Lord Jesus, lead this blind and deaf servant to the healing vision of your glory! AMEN!

On Temperance, Prudence and Purchasing Video Games

As a Catholic and as a gamer, I recognize that there’s a fine line between gaming for the glory of God and glorifying games INSTEAD of God. The cardinal virtue of temperance is absolutely essential in order to distinguish between the two. Scripture tells us that “for everything there is a season, and a time and a manner for everything under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). Catholic gamers would do well to remember that only a portion and not the entirety of their God-given existence is to be spent here on earth, let alone playing video games.

In the decision to purchase a video game, though, the virtue of prudence must be exercised, as well. Ever since video game violence first became a nationwide controversy in the ‘90s, there’s been no shortage of media coverage – including the Catholic media – regarding unsavory video game content, and while I personally believe that extolling the evils of violence in video games has became something of a tired refrain and easy scapegoat these days, I’m glad that, at least, there’s some attention to the issue now. But there’s no amount of media coverage or preventive legislation that can replace good parenting, and the complete lack of prudence on the part of some parents disturbs me greatly.

I’ll never forget the time I saw a youngster (I’d guess that he was, oh, maybe7 or 8 years old?) in a game store petitioning his mother to purchase the kid-friendly Gamecube game Luigi’s Mansion, which not only carries “E for Everyone” ESRB rating, but was available for a very inexpensive $20. The mother, however, had her eyes on the even cheaper item on an adjacent shelf: Turok, an “M for Mature” rated game featuring violence, foul language (as advertised on the box!) was available for a measly $10. The mother, seizing the opportunity to save $$$$, replied to her child in turn. “Honey, how about this one instead?” The child shrugged his shoulders and acquiesced. He went home that day with a game someone of his age should never play.

The obvious lack of prudence on the mother’ s part notwithstanding, it’s worth mentioning that Turok is a very low-quality game irrespective of the level of objectionable content. I would never recommend the game to even the most hardcore FPS (that’s “first-person shooter”, for those unacquainted with video game lingo) fanatic – the game is just completely intolerable, featuring slipshod controls, bad graphics, and tepid, repetitive gameplay. I do, think, however, that despite the game’s objectionable content (which renders it unsuitable for consumption for the younger set), there’s nothing in the game, morally speaking, that would make it unsuitable for a more mature crowd.

Part of the reason I started this blog to begin with was a perceived need for more information on this subject. Despite ESRB ratings, most parents I know are woefully ignorant of the content in videogames, and seeing as prudential judgment implies an informed conscience, the lack of knowledge (and in some cases, a lack of scruples, as the aforementioned story demonstrates) on the part of many parents about videogames as a whole is simply not acceptable. If my knowledge of the medium and its various minutiae can aid in abetting this problem, I will gladly share it.

I realize that what presents a temptation to sin for one may not present such a temptation for another – people of various ages and temperaments can digest various forms of media while others can’t, and such situations call for the discerning Christian to utilize prudential judgment. But for children who are unable to make such judgments, parental guidance is an absolute necessity; try as I might to lend my association with this medium to those who need it, I cannot be a substitute for a parent, who knows their child better than I ever could. So, for any parent reading this: know what game your child is buying/playing. Not everything is ok for a kid to play.

There are even some games that, dare I say it, NO ONE should play. Some games (like some movies and books) simply aren’t worth your time, and it’s actually not too hard to know a game falls into this category.

For example, just a few days ago, new information was released about the upcoming action game, Bayonetta. Now, the game’s premise is dodgy enough: playing as a witch who is quite literally hell-bent on killing angels certainly can’t be very wholesome, regardless of the merits of the gameplay, but tack on some posts from the link from the forum above, and…well, see for yourself:

“Bayonetta's outfit isn't actually leather despite the stitching you see in the CG art - It's magical hair that covers her entire body, and it's used in her attacks. The most powerful ones render her almost completely nude.”

“A fine mist covers the ground during the miniboss battle, designed to create a "holy atmosphere". The battle ends with an onscreen button prompt, which summons a giant hair dragon who bites the angel miniboss in half.”

I shiver at the thought of some parent(s) buying this game for their 8-year-old when it’s released sometime in the coming year. In the modern American lexicon, prudential judgment sometimes goes by another name: common sense. I pray that parents (particularly those of the Catholic variety) start employing it more frequently.

So Just What are Video Games Good For?

Despite the massive popularity of the video game medium, society seems far from ready to afford game developers, their products, and even gamers themselves much attention. If anything, video games are the subjects of derision and skepticism in news media; violent video games are often blamed for inspiring the tragic Columbine shootings. The Academy Awards are broadcast to a live television audience of millions of viewers and gain the attention of mainstream news networks everywhere, but gaming awards attract no such attention. It’s not uncommon to meet someone who sees video games as nothing more than a mindless and shallow diversion; others treat it as nothing more than a child’s toy. Some even condemn video games as overly violent, addictive, and even downright evil. Even Catholics fall prey to this line of thinking from time to time, and as much as I disagree with their assessments, their criticisms aren’t without merit.

When video arcades first appeared in America 2 decades ago, Pac-Man, a game starring a yellow amorphous blob with an insatiable appetite for white dots, was the epitome of the video game medium. Game players controlled Pac-Man, directing him (via a trusty joystick) to consume all the white dots onscreen while simultaneously dodging the assaults of multi-colored poltergeists.

It’s certainly quite a, well, um… unique concept on paper; I wouldn’t begrudge anyone who immediately dismissed the game as a silly and nonsensical, if harmless, diversion. Yet arcades, filled with Pac-Man machines, among other things, quickly became an American pastime: more than just a way to spend spare quarters, arcades became hang-outs for people of all ages, and despite the occasionally seedy types that could occasionally be found loitering at these locals, something about these games was clearly drawing people together.

Games continue to have this same effect today. While arcades are now nearly extinct, games live on, and games can be both intellectually and even spiritually enriching activities whether played unaccompanied or with friends and family.

Whether played competitively or cooperatively, many games offer a chance for fellowship in the same way that board games and sports do. My brothers and I have many fond memories of playing games like Tales of Symphonia, where teamwork was an essential ingredient to completing the game’s many challenges. Racing games like Mario Kart and Burnout provided us with endless laughs and nurtured in us a healthy competitive spirit. Classic, family-friendly board games like Monopoly, Risk, and Chess have “virtual” equivalents playable on a PC, a handheld game machine (such as the Nintendo DS), or a “home console” like the Xbox 360. Sports fans can purchase video game versions of nearly every game imaginable, from the ever-popular Madden football series or the more obscure World Championship Poker games.

Critics often level the charge that video games promote laziness and an unhealthy lifestyle, but recent games such as Nintendo’s Wii Fit actually attempt to promote healthy living (a nuance of Catholic teaching often forgotten in contemporary society). While Wii Fit has become a media darling within recent weeks, games designed with fitness in mind are hardly anything new. Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution - a game equipped with a “workout mode” that tracks the amount calories burned as you dance - has been used in physical fitness programs in public schools.

Games often spur rigorous intellectual stimulation, as well: The Civilization games, for example, not only foster an interest in history, but teach players the importance of strategic planning and prioritization of duties. During my younger years, I learned a great deal about the importance of the rainforest and its many natural resources from the Amazon Trail video games for PC. Classical music junkies (or anyone, for that matter) might want to check out the XBOX 360 game Eternal Sonata, which attempts to retrace the steps of Polish composer Frederic Chopin in his last moments on earth (albeit with some “artistic license” thrown into the mix).

Of course, with all the benefits video games can offer, it’s important to remember that, like all media, games can be used for both good and evil. Games like Grand Theft Auto and Scarface allow players to go on virtual killing sprees and generally fail to supply any redemptive narrative to justify the actions taking place. And even the very most enriching video game is potentially addicting – and an addiction is in no way conducive to bringing forth God’s kingdom on earth.
In the end, like all morally neutral activities, the operating principle with video games in conjunction with an authentic Catholic lifestyle is "In Medias Res" – moderation in all things. This explicitly Catholic principle has applications in almost every aspect of daily living, and video games are no exception.