Wolf’s Wicked Words: Music, Moaning And The Mayans

Imagine, if you will; the gaming industry sitting at a desk.

Nervously wondering what to type next. Expectations from all over the world weighing on its shoulders like a lofty-sized serpent; eagerly awaiting the ideal opportunity to impale its whetted fangs into the industry’s neck.

Rummaging through the mess between the monitor and the keyboard in hope for finding a solution. Old newspaper articles, socks, post-it notes and mosquito repellent fail to provide answers. Just a yellow Angry Birds plush toy judging it from the right-hand side; sitting on top of a filing rack between an even bigger mess. Just a frown. Not one brief blink coming from this judging entity.

Cracking its knuckles out of pure habit. A habit that began out of curiosity and now serves as a way of dealing with its nerves.

I’ll be completely honest by saying that it must be crappy, crap-crap, crap o’ clock if you’re the gaming industry. Think about it. You’re constantly expected to amaze ALL of those around you. Some people want to use you; thinking solely about money and ways to make money without a smidge of creativity co-existing alongside those thoughts. The few of those that want to do something creative are not easily allowed to do so.

When something goes the way it’s supposed to and something truly great or creative emerges from that; I’m pretty sure that it must be awesome being the gaming industry. Other than that I’m pretty sure I want to stay out of those shoes.

Another year is drawing to a close for the industry and I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that its been a rather eventful year for gaming.

Instead of focusing on just one topic for this column; I’d like to touch at 3 topics.

What’s first on the agenda?

Let’s see… Ah, yes!

If there is one thing this year has taught me; it’s this.

In all fairness, I already knew this. 2012 just reminded me about it.

Music can have such an immeasurable impact while playing a game. I’ve talked about this before, sure, but this last month proved to be a reminder that cannot be ignored.

There’s a bar fight in Hitman: Absolution with a song that plays in the background after you sabotaged the jukebox and ignited everyone’s temper fuses. Causing a lot of blokes to punch you if you dare and come too close to them or even just look at them funny. Without any luck about finding a name or artist for this song by means of the all-powerful Google or even using music recognition software; I’m still inclined to tell you that it’s never been this fun punching a fellow, even if it is accomplished by a “quick time event”.

The other game that proved this triumph; Far Cry 3. I cannot even begin to describe the amount of pure bad-ass-ness you feel when burning down a few relatively small fields of marijuana with a flamethrower while Skrillex and Damian Marley endear your eardrums. All of this while dodging gunfire and indeed setting fire to those who are trying to give you a lead-based enema. (It’s not even my type of music, but it worked so well.) Another mention, in regards to Far Cry 3, may go to something related to Ride of the Valkyries, but I’m not going to spoil it for you.

Next on the agenda is something I’ve done multiple times and out of spitefulness; I’ll do it again.

I’ll say this to almost every gamer out there: Guys and gals from far and wide. Please stop bitching and moaning about every game that doesn’t do everything you thought it would do. You’re playing games, not discussing politics with an earthworm dead-set on bombing the planet. It’s a hobby. A passion. You’re only ruining it for yourself and irritating the living guano out of me. (I’m saying this again, because some gamers seem to forget that they have probably the most awesome hobby out there.)

To the last topic on the list.

It’s the end of the year and we’ve no doubt had our fair share of noteworthy experiences. Which brings me to this: According to the Mayans; this will be my last column. I sincerely hope that isn’t indeed the case, because I’ve grown accustomed to jabbering at all you wonderful people.

Make sure to stock up on cans of food, chainsaws, rubber duckies, plastic bags and toothpaste. All depending on the eventual outcome.

We will survive.

Because..

You know…

BioShock Infinite.