61 Frames Per Second

Browse by Tags

(RSS)

God of War III Does Not Need Another Sex Mini-Game

I was struck by a nugget of information which opened Gamepro's interview with God of War III's Sig Asmussen (That's the kind of name a fella named Cole Stryker can get behind) regarding the game's use of sexual mini-games.

Will the sexy mini-games return for God of War 3? Yes, that is my first question. [laughter]
Stig Asmussen: It's definitely something we're looking at. The sex mini-games are a double-edged sword: we're damned if we do, we're damned if we don't. If we do include a sex mini-game and don't add anything new to it, then people will say it's getting old. If we don't include the sex mini-game, then the fans will be in an uproar. We're trying to come up with a clever new way of advancing it. If it works, and it plays into the experience, then we'll do it. If it doesn't work, I have no problem saying "this is turning into a gimmick" and putting those resources somewhere else.

Really? Fans will be in an uproar if they don't include a sex mini-game. Can it be true that developers spend so much time hearing about these controversies from the mainstream media that they actually believe controversial content to be relevant to gamers? So much so that they would be in an "uproar" if God of War III didn't include one? How out of touch with reality can one possibly be?

Integrating Mini-Games the Right Way

As a Wii owner, I've gotten awfully familiar with the concept of the mini-game. I imagine my fellow Wii fans are a little tired of them in fact. Mini-games, however, are not necessarily a bad thing and can bring vibrant variety to larger games when incorporated into the overarching play mechanics. Or at least that's their potential when utilized well. The best way to make use of a mini-game within the framework of the main game is to make it work within the context of the main game. When pulled off successfully, it enriches the experience. When not integrated well or even at all, the mini-game kills immersion.

about the blogger

John Constantine, our superhero, was raised by birds and then attended Penn State University. He is currently working on a novel about a fictional city that exists only in his mind. John has an astonishingly extensive knowledge of Scientology. Ultimately he would like to learn how to effectively use his brain. He continues to keep Wu-Tang's secret to himself.

Derrick Sanskrit is a self-professed geek in a variety of fields including typography, graphic design, comic books, music and cartoons. As a professional hipster graphic designer, his recent clients have included Nerve, Pitchfork and MoCCA, among others.

Amber Ahlborn - artist, writer, gamer and DigiPen survivor, she maintains a day job as a graphic artist. By night Amber moonlights as a professional Metroid Fanatic and keeps a metal suit in the closet just in case. Has lived in the state of Washington and insists that it really doesn't rain as much as everyone says it does.

Nadia Oxford is a housekeeping robot who was refurbished into a warrior when the world's need for justice was great. Now that the galaxy is at peace (give or take a conflict here or there), she works as a freelance writer for various sites and magazines. Based in Toronto, Nadia prizes the certificate from the Ministry of Health declaring her tick and rabies-free.

Bob Mackey is a grad student, writer, and cyborg, who uses the powerful girl-repelling nanomachines mad science grafted onto his body to allocate time towards interests of the nerd persuasion. He believes that complaining about things on the Internet is akin to the fine art of wine tasting, but with more spitting into buckets.

Joe Keiser has a programming degree from Johns Hopkins University, a tiny apartment in Brooklyn, and a fake toy guitar built in the hollowed-out shell of a real guitar. He writes about games and technology for a variety of outlets. One day he will stop doing this. The day after that, police will find his body under a collapsed pile of (formerly neatly alphabetized) collector's edition tchotchkes.

Cole Stryker is an American freelance writer living in York, England, where he resides with his archeologist wife. He writes for a travel company by day and argues about pop culture on the internet by night. Find him writing regularly here and here.

Peter Smith is like the lead character of Irwin Shaw's The 80-Yard Run, except less athletic. He considers himself very lucky to have this job. But it's a little premature to take "jack-off of all trades" off his resume. Besides writing, travelling, and painting houses, Pete plays guitar in a rock trio called The Aye-Ayes. He calls them a 'power pop' band, but they generally sound more like Motorhead on a drinking binge.