By Ivan Martin

[Statement: The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect any views held by Latest Issue, Rojo Productions, our affiliates, business partners, advertising associates, or Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.]


Welcome dear plebes, to my first opus in a legacy of editorial arrogance to come. Before I wax infallible, let’s get a few things out of the way. If you’re looking for objective literature built on facts, value journalistic prudence or require I have a preestablished authority on the topics I discuss, then you and I aren’t meant for each other. If you dislike hyperbole, metaphors, ambiguity, similes, or esotericism, our relationship just won’t work. Drop me an Email and I’ll set you up with someone more compatible, like Chris (he’s a levelheaded individual—no, really). For the brave among you who decide to stay with me, I’ll send you my thanks in the form of sliced unicorn sandwiches. Let’s kick this off with an anecdote.

During my recent visit to a friend’s house I spent an hour playing Soul Calibur 3 with his 11-year old brother, who I will refer to as ‘Fucko.’ We got into a conversation about the Xbox 360 and this latest generation of consoles as our rounds carried on. I didn’t expect much of this chitchat given the age difference (I’m 23). At some point between his complaints about Quake 4 and my admonishing him on the invalidity of ring-outs, the discussion took an interesting twist.

Fucko: “These Xbox 360 games look cool and sound nice, but they don’t make me feel like we’re in the next generation of videogames.”

Me: “Fucko, what leads you to assume you know anything about game system generations? Your brother and I ran circles around Dr. Robotnik before you were a contraceptive afterthought.”

Fucko: “You mean Eggman.”

Me: “No, I mean Dr. Ro-bot-nik.”

Fucko: “Whatever. The thing I’m saying is that many of the 360 games I’ve played feel the same as games right now [Xbox, PS2, GameCube] and some of them still feel like old PS1 and Nintendo 64 stuff. Yeah, the 360 has beast specs, but I get this feeling that I’m playing the same game again and again.”

Me: “What about the graphics in Call of Duty 2, PGR3, or DOA4? Are they not next generation?”

Fucko: “Do graphics matter anymore? My PS2 and GameCube games already look good. How much better do graphics need to get? Have you seen that new Elder Scrolls game? Jeez.”

I was loath to concede it, but Fucko had a point. After ringing him out for a victory in our last match, I went home to digest this crumb of preadolescent wisdom. Hours of thought led me to one question: What is “next generation”? A benign phrase in daily language, yet it takes on a vague and abstruse meaning when used in the world of games. Developers, publishers, console producers, retailers, the press and gamers throw this pair of words around as if its definition were the most self-explanatory thing in the world. There’s no uniform agreement over what constitutes a next-gen experience but everyone inexplicably follows some unspoken consensus. It’s like when you talk to a group of men at a bar and after you’ve earned their trust you say, “Let’s have all the guys here who’ve engaged in at least one shameful hookup raise their hands!” Without fail, every man in the group will lift his hand and nod. This happens in spite of the fact that what may be a disgraceful romp for one dude will probably be desirable to others; and don’t ask me why some gentlemen are into orangutans. Now put a group of gamers in a similar situation and ask them “Do you know what makes a game or home system next generation?” Of course, they all raise their hands and nod, as do I. Conversely, my hand doesn’t go up in the other example; I never regret nights spent with deaf-mute cosplayers.

So are we in the next generation of console gaming? Yes, according to industry fiat. However, why are we in the next generation? The answer depends on who you ask. Microsoft might claim that high-definition resolution is why this new generation, which they have taken upon themselves to dub the “HD era”, exists in and of itself. It’d be difficult to disagree with them if you witnessed the grandiose affair they put together called “Xbox 360: Zero Hour”, complete with all manner of spectacle including musical performances, wrestling matches, and live beheadings. Of course, the current inability of most people to afford a good HD television matters little in the face of such promotional masturbation. The subsequent Best Buy fracas proved as much. It was a perfect illustration of consumers flipping out over some new product without having any coherent idea of why it’s a huge step forward.

With or without HDTV, the Xbox 360 is a powerful machine; I’m talking Barry Bonds with a needle sticking out of his rectum-powerful. Freakish technology not withstanding, is the graphical gap between the Xbox 360 and the Xbox really immense enough to usher in next-gen gaming on its own merits? The last time a surge in graphics effected fundamental change was the transition from the 16-bit era to the PlayStation age. That was a radical progression because 3D computer imagery allowed for unprecedented types of games. Super Mario 64, Tomb Raider, and Medal Gear Solid realized landmark advancement in range of motion, control mechanics, and thematic depth respectively. It was these shifts in the basic interactive experience that legitimized the PS1/N64 time as a new generation. Condemned: Criminal Origins is truly eye candy, unimaginable to me back during Illusions for the ColecoVision. Yet, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay bears gameplay similar to Condemned and looks pretty sexy itself. Graphics enhancement alone can’t facilitate evolution in games. If onscreen visuals are to be what define this unfolding generation, they won’t do so with improved rendering or more realistic physics; they must enable different ways of playing games.

It may seem unfair to expect any individual aspect of the Xbox 360 to serve as the determinant of what this next generation is about or if there’s a new generation at all. Microsoft’s second venture into home-system gaming features obscene amounts of multimedia functionality and delivers a socially effervescent online dimension in Xbox Live. Whether all the components integrate into a transformation in videogames or a single piece achieves that all by itself, the gameplay should be the vehicle through which any great change manifests. We would do well to consider where we are in the growth of games and why we’re there regardless of console availability or launch dates. Otherwise, announcing the next generation amounts to nothing more than a ritual—a pro forma gesture.


Questions? Comments? Unbridled hatred? Write Ivan at Ivan.LatestIssue@Gmail.com