The Hype Gripe: How I Ruined The Phantom Pain for Me

Those of you who know me (and those of you who used to read the blog) will know that I may have mentioned that I am a fan of the Metal Gear Solid series (I might have made passing comment once or twice or three hundred times), so by that logic, you must believe that I loved the hell out of the most recent entry to the series: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Well, not particularly, and that's my own fault (well, and Konami's).

What am I going on about? Well, simply put, it was my excitement that ruined it for me. I've been excited about video games in the past, quite a lot of the time in fact, but due to a number of factors, The Phantom Pain was a whole new level of excitement. I mean, I'd been waiting for this game for years. Any morsel of tasty information and I was all over it like it was a five course meal. A trailer would drop, I would drop everything to watch it, a new screenshot would arrive and I'd stare at it longingly and lustfully (have you seen Snake's grizzled man face? Oh my what a man), and when the release date finally dropped after years of no hints and it turned out to be essentially on my birthday? Good lord I was turned into hype goop.

I knew the game was going to play good, I had played the prequel Ground Zeroes, but with all the new features! Open world! Base building! Sheep abduction! This was it, this was going to be my game of the year, nay, my game of the century.

And all those trailers! Trailers fit for kings! The game seemed so dark and dramatic! We were finally going to see how Big Boss went from lovable mercenary to maniacal mercenary! This was it, no game was ever going to be as good as this game, it couldn't possibly happen.

All this was how I felt all the way leading up to launch. Can you see the problem? How can anything possibly live up to that kind of hype? In my head, this was going to be the greatest thing for me since the oxygen keeping me alive. It was already too late, even if it had been the most incredible game ever, it couldn't have been better than how it was in my head.

So the game eventually came out. I started playing it, I was loving every second of it! But then I started to get bored. Missions were repeated, story wasn't constant, snake never seemed to get any eviler. "Oh but once it gets into the final act, then the darkness will begin" I thought. It started to, we started to see a bit of snake's darker side... and then the game just ended. I beat a level, watched a cut scene, went through the credits, and then I was dropped back into my helicopter just like the end of any old mission. Huh. Well there goes years of hype.

While thinking back, I can see that a lot of elements of the game could actually be seen as bad rather than not as good as I personally hyped it up to be, but it still had so many incredible things. It played amazing! The mechanics were incredible! It felt so good and rewarding doing anything! But it wasn't good enough, not for me.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing. "Ugh it's not what I wanted 0/10." I can see how incredible it was, but the hype lasted so so so long and my excitement was so so so huge, that it was bound to fail my expectations.

I remember talking to someone about it when I finished it, and I recall saying that, in some ways, I kind of wished it never came out. That way, it would have remained this perfect, almost mythical game that was better than anything else ever. Why? Because it's over. All that hype, and I've finally finished it. You know when you've been watching a tv series and you're so excited for the final season to come out so you can find out how it ends, only for it to end and for you to realise that that big part of your life, that thing that you'd wish the week away just so you could finally see the next episode, is over? That's exactly how this is for me. Sure, you can rewatch stuff, but you know what's going to happen, it's never going to be the same again. All those years are over. It made me so very sad when I finished the game. The Phantom Pain was supposed to be my game of the forever, instead, it wasn't even my game of the year. It really hurts man.

Maybe it isn't all hype though, I mean I can still go back to the original Metal Gear Solid or the third one or the fourth one and have an absolute blast, so maybe it's more to do with it not feeling too much like a Metal Gear Solid game? It could be a combination of the two. Either way, I've never been the same since finishing it.

So is hype a bad thing? Not necessarily, just make sure it isn't too excessive. It is a hell of a drug after all, trust me, I'm the biggest hype addict there is.

-Chris

TGOI.COM 2.O

Do you feel that little hole in your soul? A feeling that starting arriving around the time our last post came out? Well that's because you've really been missing us! At least I hope you have. WELL DO NOT FRET LITTLE ONE, WE (well, I) HAVE SOME NEWS! TGOI.COM IS COMING BACK! PROBABLY!

I mean, I want to bring it back any day now, but I'm not sure what kind of content to create. Should I go back to the weekly recommendation? Should I go to some of the content I planned to make but never did? Should I just create something new altogether? Whatever I choose, I better choose fast. (Obviously your input is really appreciated as always.)

So will TGOI.COM be getting a brave new reboot? Or do we crave for the nostalgic days of late 2014/early 2015? We'll all find out soon enough. Again, probably.

Have an idea for the site, but don't want me to put my greasy fingers on it? Well send me a message and I'll set you up with some admin privileges, provided you create regular content for the site! I hope one day TGOI.COM will take over the world, and I'd like YOU can help me. Peace and all that jazz.

-Chris

Weekly Recommendation - Week #040 - Wait, I Thought the Eighties Were Over?

It's a well known fact that things often make comebacks. This can include all sorts of things, from one-hit wonder bands trying to make a name for themselves by making new music but people only want them to play that one song they did that one time, to confectionery that people petition to be brought back from their childhoods that they stopped making due to the fact that it was probably tearing them apart one sugary bite at a time. Enough about specifics, because I'm directly referring to an entire era. That's right, the eighties (good guess.) Not only are people once again falling in love with the neon glow of the past, but they are trying to replicate it in various media forms. So to carry on the comeback of the eighties, I'm once again recommending eighties stuff, but rather than actual stuff from the eighties, stuff from the now! That's trying to pretend it was from the eighties! Like I did in the first eighties recommendation! Because I'm a lazy idiot! Exclamation marks!

Kung Fury - LaserUnicorns (Movie)

So the world seems a bit obsessed with this crowd sourced, completely free to watch movie, and with good reason, because it is one of the greatest things to grace the eyeballs of mankind. If you love dumb homages to the eighties, then this is right up your alley punk. VHS effects, neon, awful voice-acting, awful one-liners, dinosaurs, nazis and, most importantly, David Hasselhoff. I'm not even joking, they got David Hasselhoff to do a song for it, and it's cracking. In fact, the entire soundtrack is synthy and phenomenal. Did I mention this movie was free? GO WATCH IT PUNK! WE NEED SOME ACTION! There is really nothing else to say, it's phenomenal. Like insanely so.

In Decay - Com Truise (Music)

I could have easily recommended the soundtrack to Kung Fury, but I'm not going to, because then I would have had to make the game the Kung Fury game. Which I was going to do, but I haven't played the game yet so yeah, I had to improvise. This album is classic 80's revival music, but instead of the more intense music that you'd get from say Perturbator or PowerGlove, this is a lot calmer, and is in fact actually really soothing and relaxing. I adore the gentle synthy tones of Com Truise. This album helps me get through a lot of things, college work, revision, stress, this current piece of writing, this list goes on! I can't count how many times I have listened to it, and I hope I get you hooked too. Also, look how rad that album art is. Groovy. Speaking of Perturbator...

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - Devolver Digital (Game)

FUCKING HOTLINE MIAMI 2! It is well known from the fact that I talk about it so much, listen to the soundtracks so much, and wear the jacket from the main character so much, that I absolutely adore this franchise. I recommended the first game in the original eighties piece, which you can find here, This game is just like the first game, but with more levels, more character variation, a crazier story, and ONE OF THE GREATEST SOUNDTRACKS EVER CREATED. SERIOUS LISTEN TO THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS! Then calm down with this beautiful piece that I actually want at my funeral. If you love ultra-violence, getting angry, insane soundtracks, and dying over and over, this game is perfect for you. Also they're adding a level editor, complete with cut-scene editor, so you can basically make Hotline Miami 3. Or the tale of the Neon Avenger (whoops secret project hush hush.)

Make no mistake, I love the eighties, but I do not believe I was born in the wrong era, no sir, I believe I was born at the perfect time. Why? So I can enjoy all this eighties revival stuff while I'm young. Peace and love guys.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #039 - The Wild Wild Wasteland

So when it comes to making themes, I often struggle (unless it is a special day like mother's day or whatever). However this time around, an idea came straight to my head days in advance. Simply put, I saw Mad Max Fury Road and holy shit it is good. So it got me thinking, "what other good stuff is set in an apocalyptic wasteland?" There is a surprisingly large amount of stuff actually. I bet you can guess what I'm going to recommend already though.

Mad Max: Fury Road - George Miller (Film)

HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS MOVIE. That could be the recommendation right there, I'm not even joking. This film has not only earned the right to use the title mad, but it should have complete ownership of it. This is one of the most insane movies I have ever watched, in fact, it is THE most insane movie I have ever watched. This film is staggering, the look, the pace, the story, the costumes, the practical effects (there is so much practical stuff) the soundtrack, the characters (so many strong female characters good lord), the EVERYTHING. Nothing will prepare you for how good this movie is. It is bonkers and I want to watch it over and over again. Best film of 2015 so far, do not wait for this one to come to DVD, see it in the cinema. It's so worth the money.

The Final Countdown - Europe (Music)

When you think apocalyptic music, you tend to think of gritty, twisted and empty pieces. However, if you want that, you ain't gonna find that here. This is the cheese, and mother of mercy I love me some cheese. It's one of the most stupidly catchy 80's tracks there is, and it absolutely refers to the apocalypse. It's all about the world ending and the final countdown to that point. There really isn't much to say, everyone's heard this song. I mean listen to this thing. I would watch the world end to this. And now it's stuck in my head. Top.

Fallout New Vegas - Obsidian Entertainment (Game)

This was a hard one, I mean I adore both Fallout 3 and New Vegas. However, in the spirit of Mad Max, I picked the one that had the most desert. Also because the title of this piece is named after a perk in New Vegas. So it's a game in which you make a person, go out into the wasteland of Las Vegas, and do whatever. You want to kill everyone? Do it! You want to gamble all your caps away? Do it! Want to wear nothing but a fedora and run around drinking out of every radiated toilet you can find until you literally die from it? You paid for this game, knock yourself out. It is a cracking apocalypse-em-up, just like 3, and you will get a lot of hours out of this. ALSO FALLOUT 4 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MY GOSH!

A friend of mine once said "Judgement day. The day I've been waiting for," in reference to a Wirral specific apocalypse that you guys don't know anything about. Quite honestly, if any of these products have taught me anything, it is that the end days for planet earth will be bleak, insane, and a hell of a lot of fun. It'll probably just be really boring actually, it will be a capitalist caused thing and it will be super dumb. Ah well.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #038 - Fight!

HOLY GOSH DARN WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN CHRIS? The art department at my college. For a long time. Well now that my art a-level is out the way, I can refocus on the recommendation (at least until exams in a few weeks. So in today's recommendation, WE TALKING ABOUT FIGHTS! AND CAPS LOCK! I myself am a former member of the C Wars fighting team (yes I named my own fake wrestling company after myself, I've always loved myself a bit too much) in which I took the name Mr X, and battled many fierce opponents, so I know a thing or two about fighting. Also I should mention I was like 8 and it was really not actual fighting but you know. So tip up your cup and throw your hands up, and let me hear the party say. This has become a really stupid intro. Like [name redacted] levels of stupid intro. Lets fights.

The Raid - Gareth Evans (Movie) - Author: Chris

So if you know me (or read that one recommendation in which I talked about the Raid 2), you will know that I adore these Raid films. And if you've read that last sentence, you will know I've already recommended the second one, which is literally the only reason I'm recommending the first one now. I mean I adore the second one, but the first one is super good too. It's a stupidly simple plot, in which a swat team attack a tower block, and move all the way up to take out the main bad man. That is all the plot is, and it makes for one of the best action martial arts films of recent, and I cannot get enough of these damn films. Also they are making a third one so AAAAAAAAAA YES!

Kung Fu Fighting- Carl Douglas (Music) - Author: Dasha

I have had this song stuck in my head so much lately. I always thought the lyrics were “Everybody loves Kung Fu Fighting” but I later discovered upon researching the real lyrics that it’s actually “Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting”, though I still prefer my original misheard version. It’s silly, and so ridiculously cheesy that it makes me feel instantly better about everything. It’s also got an excellent tune that includes everyone’s favourite Asian-themed riff in the chorus, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrEOZk23FzA) and like all good catchy songs, it’s also great to dance to. Definitely recommended for parties, Kung Fu themed hang-outs, and for if you want to annoy friends.

Mortal Kombat X - NetherRealm Studios (Game) - Author: Chris

THE TRAILER HAS CHOP SUEY WOOSH! So recently I have been playing nothing but Mortal Kombat X (or MK X if you have no time, or Mortal Kombat 10 if you are a dirty try hard), and it is, in my (and in a lot of other people's) opinion, the best fighting game out there. Like of all time. Everything about it is ace, the presentation, the character design, the story (yes the story mode is actually good, unlike every other fighting game story), the animation, how it plays EVERYTHING! If you are new to fighting games this is a good way to start, but at the same time if you are a fight stick vet, you will also love this, it caters to all. From MLG folks to people who like a bit of local fun and games (seriously, test your luck is the funniest game mode in anything ever), this game covers it all. ALSO JASON VOORHEES AND THE PREDATOR ARE CHARACTERS WHAT!

So that was a bit smaller than normal, for the simple reason that I am very out of practise. I promise it will be better next time, pretty promise! Don't forget to fight everyone you love and care about, as well as your enemies, as fighting can be fun as well as not fun!

Also, I might do a proper review thing of Mortal Kombat X, and any other film or game that I think deserves a lot of writing. What do you guys think? Do let me know mi amigos. Peace and love (no autographs.)

Weekly Recommendation - Week #037 - Star Wars is Best Wars

GUYS DID YOU SEE THE NEW STAR WARS TRAILER? AND THE BATTLEFRONT TRAILER? JESUS CHRIST IT'S GOOD TO HAVE STAR WARS BACK IN MY LIFE! So in case you didn't get the hint I love Star Wars, like, insanely so. I love the world, I love the style, I love the music, I love it all. So to celebrate all that cool Star Wars stuff that was shown recently, we're going to have some Star Wars themed recommendations! That's not all, like any good returning series, it's good to have a bit of nostagia to hook the audience, so for one night only (until the next time he writes), I'd like to welcome back that one guest writer that you all seemed to like the last couple of times he's written stuff for the blog: MAX! I hope you clapped then. I know I did.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - George Lucas (Film) - Author: Chris

So let's kick this thing of with the original film. The film formally known as Star Wars, before all the titling stuff was added at a later point. So A New Hope holds a special place in my heart due to the simple fact that it's the film that started it all. It's truly an amazing film, with so much to enjoy from the set designs, the prop designs, the costume designs, the characters, the music, the aliens (and so on and so on.) I could talk about this film (and any of the other films quite honestly) for ever, and I wouldn't get bored. As I've said on occasion, it's hard to actually write about what is so special about this film, considering most people have already seen it and enjoy it, but still, it's nice to have an excuse to gab on about this corker of a film. This film started something massive, and without it, a large portion of my life, and quite a number of people's lives, would so unbelievably different. It's insane to think that a consecutive set of still images can create such a legacy, but this film managed it. And after ten years, we are getting another Star Wars film. Holy shit.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back – Irvin Kershner (Film) – Author: Max

The recommendation this week is specifically about Star Wars, so what is my choice of film? The best of the Star Wars films of course! During my childhood, the franchise practically was my life, and this film has always been my favourite of the bunch by far. I can't explain exactly what it is, the plot, the director, whatever, but this film just has something that separates it from the other five to me. And in terms of every other film ever? Pff, they have nothing on Empire Strikes Back, and today's recommendation is solely about Star Wars so they can GO AWAY THEY'RE NOT WANTED HERE. Now, I'm fully aware that I'm not actually providing any real reasoning as to why this film is so good, but I feel like it doesn't need it. It has always been a part of my life and I have always loved it. I couldn't even begin to try and remember how many times I've seen it either, and every time I re-watch it, I am just swamped by this wave of nostalgia that causes the six year old Max inside of me to squeal with joy. If you haven't seen this film... I have nothing to say to you...

The Battle of Hoth (Medley) - John Williams (Music) - Author: Chris

When I originally started writing this segment, I wrote a few lines, then decided to read what Max had written. Honestly he put it exactly how I wrote it, not even joking. I talked of the obvious choices, and how John Williams is god. This was one of the hardest things to decide, but for me, the crème de la crème of Star Wars tracks was The Battle of Hoth. And not just particular segments of it. All of it. All fourteen minutes and forty seven seconds of it. Every second of it is essential, every moment creates an emotion, every note puts the exact moment it is played in the film in my head. I can see the rebels getting into the snow speeders. I can see them watching into the horizon through their goggles anxiously. I can see the stomping of the AT-ATs as it rhythmically matches the appropriate segment of the song. I can see the rebels finally bringing an AT-AT down and destroying it. Not many songs can bring emotion to me so easily with each beat, but this piece can. Oh lord above this piece destroys my emotions every time I hear it. That is how a score should be. Nothing comes close.
Check it. It will change your life.

The Battle of Endor II (Part 2) – John Williams (Music) – Author: Max

Okay, in terms of music, John Williams is a master. For this particular segment, there are some obvious choices, such as the main theme, Duel of the Fates or Imperial March, but this part of The Battle of Endor piece just gets to me. It occurs when Darth Vader is ripping into Luke during the end of Return of the Jedi, and Luke just kicks off at him. I think, and have always thought, that this scene is masterful. Just like Empire Strikes Back, I have watched Return of the Jedi countless times (it's the second best one, although I have watched them all countless times so eh), and every time I watch it, the music in this scene never ceases to give me chills. Also, it features the Emperor's theme, which is just brilliant and truly evil. John Williams, you babe. Now go and listen to this 6 minute long piece and you will not be disappointed. If you do not like it (which is unlikely)... then perhaps she will...
Here's the link to fun times.

Star Wars Republic Commando - LucasArts (Game) - Author: Chris

Oh LucasArts, rest in peace you beautiful company. I have played many a Star Wars game, so many I can't even count them (I bet I could if I tried hard enough), and while I have loved most of them, my true love resides in Republic Commando. It was a first person squad shooter, in which you played as a squad of commandos, the Republic's best clone troopers. It was so well made, the squad command was superb, the characters were intense, the setting were phenomenal, and in true me fashion, I adored the soundtrack. It ranged from beauts like this, to less traditional Star Wars stuff like this. Yeah there was an Ash song for some reason and you know what? I love it. No other Star Wars game to date has used a song like that, and it works! It really makes you feel like a clone, rather than an unkillable Jedi, I mean Jesus, you needed to fully have your squad at top game to take out ONE super battle droid. ONE! Oh, and then you have to sneak through a super battle droid factory solo. And if you mess up? You don't get game over, oh no, they all wake up, and you can (in theory) fight your way through them. I say in theory because you couldn't unless you were a master assassin. But it was possible, and that was just one of the many things I loved about it. Oh, and the ghost cruiser level. That shit was creepy as hell. Also, WHERE IS MY SEQUEL GOD DAMMIT!

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast – Raven Software (Game) – Author: Max

WHY DOES STAR WARS HAVE BRILLIANT THINGS IN EVERY FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT!? Once again, my choice here comes down to sheer nostalgia. Jedi Outcast is an absolutely fantastic game, I used to smash this back in the day on PC and I loved it because... well... it's Star Wars! You play as Kyle Katarn, a former Jedi who has cut his links with the Force after almost succumbing to the Dark Side. Honestly, I don't remember much about the game in terms of plot or anything, but all I know is it was phenomenal, also the Multiplayer was pretty darn fun. 2002 was a good year because of the release of this game (and also the release of Attack of the Clones but whatever), and now, 13 years later, I am wanting to dig out this game from wherever I left it, install it and blitz it. Which probably isn't smart, due to exams looming. Stress. Fun. Stress. Play this game.

BONUS- Death Troopers - Joe Schreiber (Book) - Author: Chris

So as most of you may know, I don't read much. But I did one time read a Star Wars book that was about zombies. Not in a fan fiction way either. Like, it felt like a really gruesome horror story (seriously, it is extremely dark and insanely violent), but set in the Star Wars universe. It's about a prison ship that finds an abandoned Star Destroyer in the middle of space. Like the entire thing is abandoned some how. Then it has zombies on it. That learn. It's actually really awesome and I reread it frequently. I am reminded about a segment in which someone is crawling over a dark cavern (like the one Luke swings over in New Hope), and after smelling an awful stench, turns on his light to discover the cavern is full of corpses, most of them reanimated. Then some of them start eating their way through the corpse pile to get to the top and get to the guy. In a Star Wars book. This may indeed fan-fictiony, especially considering Han and Chewie are in it. But I don't care, I adore this book. In fact, I do believe it is my favourite book ever. Not even joking with you.

Well damn that was a lot of writing. What can I say, we both have a passion for Star Wars. I really hope you've enjoyed this extra long edition of the recommendation, and I do hope you guys have your say on your favourite Star Wars stuff. Also I really want to find someone other than me who has read Death Troopers. IT'S SO GOOD HOLY SHIT. Goodnight guys.

Weekly Recommendation - Week #036 - Who's Idea Was This?

So recently I discovered that A Five Nights at Freddie's movie is being made. Okay would be fine if that wasn't a YouTube bait game that had 2 sequels in less than half a year AND wasn't .PNG jumpscares: The Game. Once again, the lumbering beast known as Hollywood has caught onto something right at the end of it's run, not to mention considering they will have to actually make the film first. Seriously, will anyone care when this film drops in two to three years time? I mean there could be, provided sequels keep getting made, so at this rate we will be up to Five Nights at Freddie's 15: Somehow Not Out of Business. Where was I going with this I can't remember. Oh yeah, theme. So here are some things that shouldn't be things, except for music, which I'm super happy is a thing. Yeah that explains the theme pretty well.

House of the Dead - Uwe Boll (Film)

Thankfully, I have not actually seen this film, just a shit ton of clips from it (because I was researching for this post), and I have to say, Uwe Boll is a genius. He somehow can take any game property and turn them into the biggest pile of shit movies ever. How the fuck do these people even get funding? So this film is awful. There is no reference to the source material apart from the occasional cut to footage from it (for literally no reason). So in this film, a bunch of twats go to an island for an illegal drug fueled rave, that is fully endorsed by sega (for some fucking reason) and then tits happen and then zombies happen. It's awful. I must say from what I have seen from it I want to die. I don't think I want to watch it fully ever. But who knows? Maybe I will hold an event in which we can all watch it. Maybeeeeeeeeeeeeee? Only if you're good.

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush (Music)

So I couldn't think of a song for the why would they make this theme that I had originally, so I changed the theme a smidge, because I'm lazy and gave up after about twenty minutes of searching (and also because I forgot it was Sunday.) Wuthering Heights is a book. It was written a while back. Then Kate Bush made a song about it. It is amazing. The video is so silly and her voice is so high pitch and the tune is so catchy. I love it. Why full stops? Because I have control over the blog. Write a complaint if you hate it. You know what you can't hate? KATE BUSH! If you do you are wrong and should consult a doctor. I can't properly explain my love for this song, I just kind of adore it completely, and hopefully you learn to too. Also I swear I recommended it already but I could find it anywhere, so that is bugging me really bad.

Aliens: Colonial Marines - SEGA (Game)

So I do actually own this one, and have played a lot of it, mainly because it's so bad (and because it was about the only local co-op game that came out that year.) This one actually really pisses me off, because, quite honestly, I was insanely hyped for this game. I've always wanted a game based off of Aliens, and I was going to get it (from all the trailers and shit.) So anyway, the game dropped and it was a colossal piece of wank. You fight aliens about three times (and fight humans the rest of the time), it's super linear, it looks awful, it plays awful, it IS awful. Maybe, just maybe, if you see it for a fiver, pick it up and have a silly time with a couch buddy (because couch co-op is amazing all the time,) but seriously, this is an atrocity. A colonial atrocity. I HAVE BEEN WAITED FOR SO LONG TO SAY THAT IN RELATION TO THIS GAME YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW LIKE SINCE THE GAME CAME OUT AND NOW YOU KNOW I SUPPOSE.

So my return to having to come up with my own theme was a bit bad, considering it was really twisted so I could actually find content for it. Oh well, I got to talk about Kate Bush, so that's always a plus. Tune in next week when I forget it's Sunday again and come up with some bullshit. That is how we do it.