Nathan Garcia

[Nathan Garcia]

Journal #13

Name: Spiderman
Author/Studio: Neversoft/Activision
Platform: Playstation (One)

Control System Used: PC Emulation/Keyboard

Gameplay & Mechanics:
The game juggles through several game mechanics, but they all revolve around some controls: The ability to punch, kick, jump, and use webs, the webs themselves have several abilities that can be utilized (and serve as a ranged attack during combat). As for the levels, they bounce around a few gimmicks, though many of them share the idea of travelling from building to building, having a few enemies to beat up, and reaching the end of a level. You could also be inside of a building, traversing through the level with some objective to complete. Or you have a boss battle. The gameplay is simplistic, not much in terms of complexity, there is a lot going on, and they seem to try and add a lot of features, but the features are pretty shallow. The levels themselves are small, though they try to add a sense of scale by making most of the levels on high-rise buildings.

Strengths & Weaknesses:
The games strengths lie in what it does and sets out to do, and it does it well. It sets out to be a game that is meant for children to envision themselves as the superhero they loved. This game does that well, for kids when this game came out, it probably was exactly as they thought of how they would play spiderman. The simplicity of the game also makes it pretty easy to at least pick up, and the family friendly nature makes it great for parents who want their kids to play safe games that still offer some level of combat and mild violence. However, the greatest weakness of the game is how they seem to try and have a lot of features, but none of them feel particularly extensive, most of them feel like they were surface level... Though an argument can be made that it is a strength given the target demographic.

Fun Factor:
I personally found the game okay... I never had a blast, but I never felt bored playing it (outside the few helicopter chase levels, it got old really quickly). This game was made for children and it shows. I found the characters saying the controls that needed to be used both refreshing from the ui pop up or pausing mid-game to explain the concept, and funny that characters literally say "Use (Button) to activate (ability/skill)." The combat itself was boring in my opinion, I understand the limitations of the game and the audience, but I could have cared less about it, the controls did not help the combat either. However, what took the most fun away from me was the sometimes stupid events that were taking place in the levels. Levels that included hostages make me rage at times, since it feels like one wrong move and the hostage would run into their own deaths, at other times, the camera felt like it was acting against me. It would move to face when i did not want it to, and at other times when I needed it to reorient itself it would refuse to do so, this caused me some frustrations, especially during some of the intense moments.

Influence:
This game has some influence, what I think it does best is being what a kids action game should be: A simple story, easy to understand and low skill ceiling combat, and simple level design. I don't think this game was groundbreaking, but what it set out to do it did good enough to leave a mark and be considered one of the best Playstation games out there. There is quality to be had and can be taken into consideration when thinking about how a game should be made, especially for something like a kids game, where there are plenty of games targeted to kids that have a severe lack of quality. What makes this game particularly interesting was that this felt like a game that was made for Spiderman, rather than a game that had spiderman in it. Which is another thing many games that utilize heros seem to lack: A game that was made for the hero or heros they represent. Games like Avengers felt like a random live service with a popular IP attached to it and abilities that fit the characters but could have passed as being for its own unique characters should the game have tried to make their own instead of using popular IPs and characters.

Overall... I give this game a 3/5

[Nathan Garcia]

Journal #14

Name: Super Mario 64
Author/Studio: Shigeru Miyamoto/Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 64

Control System Used: Nintendo Switch Emulation/Joycons

Gameplay & Mechanics:
Super Mario 64 was the first game to actually use a stick that could rotate in a 360 field of play, as it only has 1 joystick, much of the camera is tied to the movement that the 1 stick has, though the camera setting itself can be manipulated and changed through a few options should the player choose to change it. Outside of the stick, you have other face buttons that can be used, as well as 2 trigger buttons. Despite only having 1 stick, making independent movement of the camera (at least, while moving at the same time) impossible, everything feels smooth and outside of a few instances, the camera does a good job at not getting in the players way. Mario also has several other items at his disposal, many of them give powerful abilities but only last for a limited time. The objective itself is simple, go through levels, get stars by completing certain tasks, and use those stars to open doors and eventually face bowser several times, where you must beat him, and at the end peach is saved.

Strengths & Weaknesses:
The game has very well thought out controls, a colorful UI that tells more than enough information to the player without being overbearing, Each level has some unique element to it, and each level is replayable, there are secrets in many of the levels that are present in the game, and the other items that mario can get are fun to play and add another twist to the gameplay, and it felt balanced with having a limited time to actually use them. However, there were times it felt like the lack of another analog stick for controlling the camera really showed how limiting it could be, it has a charming art direction for being essentially the first true 3D game. The controls could also feel less responsive, but I do not know if that was because of emulation issues or if it was a different problem entirely. Lastly, I found the scarcity of the items mario can use to be lacking as well, I want to be able to play plenty of levels using the cap and fly around, even if it wasnt intended to be played in that manner, having more freedoms would have been nice.

Fun Factor:
The game is addicting to play, despite the fact that the objective has never changed since its release, the amount of ways you can tackle and play the game is astounding. The levels, though somewhat barren and small, feel alive and rich, the new moves mario has at his disposal make him feel better to play as, and each level itself has at least 1 thing that makes them stand apart from the rest of the levels, though the quality of each level is up for debate, the way you get into some of the levels is nearly as memorable as the levels themselves. I found myself quickly getting sucked into the gameplay and just wanting to play over and over again. 1 Ups werent handed out for free and each one truly did feel as though I had done something to earn it, same for each star. When I found a star it felt like an actual achievement and not something that felt like I just got because I had to get them, it felt like I got them because I was doing something and just happened to get the star. What I find very fun is just messing around the castle, looking at each painting and seeing not only the art itself, but sometimes the unique ways in which they are presented and help tell the player what each level is about before they even step foot in a single one of them.

Influence:
Super Mario 64 is one of the most influential games of all time, it is arguably the most influential game of all time. In my opinion, it is the most influential 3D game of all time, and its not even close, other games have come out that are extremely influential, but Super Mario 64 is in a league entirely to its own. Every single game that utilizes 3D traces its roots to this game in one form or another. I would go on and say that if Super Mario 64 never released, 3D games would have been held back in terms of overall dominance by a severe amount. You cannot even discuss video games past Super Mario 64 without talking about it first. This game effectively killed 2D gaming for a long time on main consoles, with 2D games being regulated to Arcades, the rare console game, and portables, where the technology for handhelds simply would be lacking for an extremely long time to even render proper 3D graphics, at least up until the PSP's release. The design of 3D spaces, controls, and game design itself when it comes to 3D gaming can trace its roots to this very game. This games influence cannot be fathomed into words, while this was an adventure/platformer game, it changed the very core foundations of the gaming industry forever.

Overall... I give this game a 5/5

[Nathan Garcia]

Journal #15

Name: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Author/Studio: Rockstar Games
Platform: PlayStation 2

Control System Used: Xbox/Controller

Gameplay and Mechanics:
GTA: San Andreas has a more complex set of controls the player must keep an eye on, such as running, driving, the weapon wheel, aiming, shooting, and much, much more. There are also a lot of mechanics, outside of things such as the weapons and cars the player can utilize, there is a gym to grow stronger, a restaurant to get health, and gaining respect by doing a variety of tasks. The gameplay is strong, despite a lot of mechanics being used and for the player to keep track of, during actual play, it's not as overwhelming as it might be. They are presented one by one and you will naturally go through most of these features just by playing the game, and each mechanic is fleshed out and plays a part of the game from the start to the end, so that nothing feels like filler and there is a reason for the player to constantly return and use what the game has to offer.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
The game has a lot for the player to do, there are multiple ways of going about the games campaign, which offers a great deal of replayability. The sandbox of the game is diverse and free as well. I can go around and do whatever I want and the game doesnt handhold me once the most basic of the tutorials are finished, and the only time the game continues to handhold is when you are in a mission. You also unlock more of the map as you continue to progress through the campaign, incentivizing you to play the campaign. Each character is memorable for their own reasons and the moments and memes that have been created is something I personally love. Although this game has plenty of strengths, I find the shooting mechanics to be lackluster. It feels stiff and hard to manage at times, which has caused me to feel frustrated when I really want the controls to work with me.

Fun Factor:
The game is exciting and very fun to play. Even just roaming around and doing my own thing is fun to mess around with for hours on end. The map feels grand despite it being pretty small by todays standards, and just moving around, doing random things or finding events that I can do feels rewarding and satisfying. Many of the missions do not feel dull (though some do feel like they could have been shortened), and the story is emotional to play through, despite them being horrible human beings, I couldn't help but root for them to succeed. Going to the gym and choosing to spend hours there, trying to get CJ to be as fit as possible was still fun for me to do, then destroying my progress slightly by eating junk food, and customizing what CJ is going to wear and have as a hairstyle was also fun for me, even if the choices for everything was limiting. Although I did give the controls of shooting a gun slack, I did still find mowing down people fun to do, it felt like an outlet for me to be as horrible of a person as I wanted to be without having to deal with any actual consequences (outside of the police, which did add more of a fun challenge).

Influence:
This game has quite a good amount of influence over the gaming space, this game has made violent video games more mainstream, and the quality of the product is also something that many should take note of when looking on how to make the most of the resources provided. Each idea and mechanic present is more than just present, its fleshed out, and valuable from the start to the end of the game. Many games fail to do this, often bringing in a mechanic that is too situational or rare to really be used, or it will become obsolete after reaching a certain point in the game. The campaign is fun and gripping, the stakes feel grand but also contained, there have been games that I have played where it felt like everything was always on the line, and the world itself was at stake, which can get boring and cliche. This game laid the groundworks for how future GTA games would be made, GTA III and Vice City helped create the identity that GTA would follow, its easier to see how future GTA games have used San Andreas as the baseline for how future entries should be developed, and how other games should model themselves after, whether they were adding violence like GTA or not.

Overall... I give this game a 4/5

[Nathan Garcia]

Journal #16

Name - Halo: Combat Evolved
Author/Studio: Bungie/Microsoft
Platform: Xbox

Control System Used: Xbox Controller

Gameplay & Mechanics:
Halo CE's mechanics revolve around being in an FPS environment, you can cycle between 2 guns, and switch out one of the guns by picking up enemy weapons. The Master Chief also has a shield mechanic, meaning that the player is allotted a set amount of time before they are punished more severely for not being careful. There are a variety of enemies to fight, each type being signified by both different species of the covenant and sometimes the color of the armor/clothing the enemies wear themselves, and the levels themselves offer different ways to play the game, some are more open and make it better for long range weapons to be used, while others are more linear, and there is an in-between, these are often in each level, though the way they are presented is drastically different, making each level feel fresh and unique (even if some levels are just copied and pasted).

Strengths & Weaknesses:
The controls for the game are done super well, fps shooters in the past usually had a plethora of issues which held it back from being as good as it could be, or the camera controls just weren't that good. Nearly all of the issues have been fixed in CE. The story itself is well told, easy to follow, and easy to understand, the stakes are presented clear and early. This game blends combat and storytelling in a satisfying way, where if I stop to look around, or slow down the way I progress through the missions and pay attention to the small details, subtle storytelling can be seen nearly everywhere (for me 343 Guilty Spark takes the cake, as if you pay attention, you can see the flood watching you before you even encounter them for the first time). I can't really think of many weaknesses, other than sometimes reusing levels instead of just making them actually unique, but the way they are able to change it up and make it feel unique is enough for me.

Fun Factor:
This game is addicting, no question about it. Outside of the campaign, the multiplayer element is what makes this a game where you can play for hours on end without feeling bored. The physics present also add a layer of fun, and is probably where the best moments have occurred, as the game was still new and the physics in the game were not established well, even just touching a moving vehicle was enough to kill the player, combined with team-killing being allowed, this could make for hilarious moments where teammates would turn on each other instead of fighting the enemy. The physics also played with the player when it came to gravity, if you were able to get someone at the right angle and right time, you could send them launching across the map; if this happened at random, this would create a long lasting memory. Finally, what I think makes this game fun is how much power is given to the player to mess around the game, there are countless videos of players doing things that the developers likely did not intend for the player to do, which adds further to the fun factor. There is nothing more fun that being able to do things to a game that the developers never intended for the player to do.

Influence:
The game is highly influential, not only as a game, but it was essential to Xbox itself, it helped established Xbox as a brand that could compete with Sony's Playstation, it gave Xbox a killer app and a mascot to brand themselves around that people could get behind. Furthermore, it helped create a great foundation on how the controls of a FPS game should be when it came to playing it on a console, and was one of the most influential games for its time because of how it strayed away from the FPS trope of having a massive weapon wheel where you had 20 weapons to work with. You had 2 weapons that you were able to use at any given time, and were forced to pick and choose whether or not you wanted to keep the weapon you had, but if it was low on ammo you ran the risk of running out of bullets when you need it most, or pick up a different weapon where you had to learn or relearn how to use that gun's mechanics. This level of thinking has been applied endlessly in not only console FPS games, but even PC games. It kind of killed FPS games where you had a plethora of weapons to use for several years.

Overall... I give this game a 5/5