SpecialEffect GameBlast Begins Today

SpecialEffect is an organisation determined to help those with physical disabilities engage with the world of video games through assistive technologies. Using eye-control and modified joypads, the Oxfordshire based charity has been running since 2007 and works to bring the virtual world to those who previously had no way of accessing it. Nowadays video games and their cultures make up for a lot of kids' experiences of growing up. From playground conversation to exercising abilities in problem solving, perseverance, and creativity, gaming contributes heavily to childhood development. It's not surprising, therefore, that a large number of SpecialEffect's clients are children who, through the organisation's work, have been able to experience the joys of technology alongside their peers; boosting integration and general self-esteem.

This weekend, SpecialEffect is hosting the GameBlast 15 live stream event - a fundraising venture that sees a 24 hour Runescape marathon Friday-Saturday and GameBlast Live (a Children in Need type livestream from the London headquarters with gaming figures, playthroughs of new game content, and giveaways) on Saturday. GAME has also got on board, running a series of fundraising events as well as hosting a 24 hour "gaming spectacular" that will take place Friday at 6 GMT.

Through something as simple and seemingly peripheral as video games, SpecialEffect is transforming the happiness of people living in the UK with physical difficulties. With dozens of testimonies highlighting the organisation's obvious determination and tenacity in their aims, it's hard to ignore this literally game-changing work.

So far they've raised £19141.53, so head over to the GameBlast site to donate.

YouTube and Gaming: A Match Made in the Internet Era

With new information about gaming YouTube superstar PewDiePie's 2014 finances coming to light, it's no wonder so many gamers are turning to the popular video sharing site to create and share gaming content. The Swedish gamer brought home a cool $4 million last year, and it's easy to see why as gaming culture has effectively taken over the site; Minecraft was the second most searched topic on YouTube last year, after music. It seems to have taken off as a platform for sharing anything from reviews and playthroughs, to revelling in each other's glitches, spoofs, and ideas. 

So why has this video sharing site become such a large part of gaming in the 21st Century? Gautam Randurai  from Google has suggested that "a generation... has grown up on gaming. For them, having a gaming console was as ordinary as having a TV... and if they grew up on gaming, they came of age in the YouTube era. Many now consider it the best platform to explore their passions". YouTube has simply come about at the right time; those who grew up with video games (from whatever generation), have also been in the right age group to either grow up with the development of the internet, or been at the right age to appreciate its gathering momentum. With 34,588,063 followers as of 15th Feb 2015, PewDiePie has obviously done something right with his mix of spoof comedy and playthroughs. 

YouTube channel, PrismGamingUK (@PrismGamingUK), takes on big name games and provides

viewers with live-streams, competitions, and tips and tricks. Speaking to them, I learnt that consumers are "us[ing] YouTube to get help/advice and tips on games or simply watch reviews to decide what they want to buy", they started their channel by offering "strategies for games like Call of Duty", essentially providing gamers the opportunity to see exactly what is required of them to progress. This may seem obvious, but not until we think back to the era before the internet, when being stuck on a level meant potentially growing too disheartened to even try.

Some may carry certain objections to being handed the answer to the problem, suggesting that it takes away from the overall aim of the gameplay. In a way, the access to the answer possibly does detract from the formidable notion of the boss battle, or the sense of achievement after finally defeating said boss after hours of practice and troubleshooting. However, just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it. If you play a game because you're hooked on the storyline and the artwork, being locked in a situation that you can't seem to get out of can really dampen your experience, and possibly end it. I enjoy working out what is expected of me, and rarely use playthroughs for the answers, but I do watch them. I watch them to check out whether I want to invest in a game, watching the first 10 minutes or so to see what it's about, or watching someone else play a game that I have already played, to see someone's else's reactions.

So it's not so much about the 'answers', its about watching someone else playing a game, which can often hold just as much entertainment value as the games themselves. Blast Processing (@IHAVETHEPOWER82) on Twitter, highlighted the potential for the YouTube platform for the retro gaming market - "It really helps to get unknown or forgotten classics into the foreground". His YouTube channel, Genesis Moss, takes as its focus the retro industry. He harks the power of the internet, and told me that before the Internet "we had to rely on things like Nintendo Power and let's face it sometimes magazines had an extreme bias because their job was to sell games. But with YouTube it's different because most gamers give their honest opinions and it helps shape the gaming industry". So it seems that YouTube's popularity has also risen from its ability to provide a democratic platform for content and opinion - spurring thousands of independent viewpoints to be heard.

In a sense, YouTube brings the social side of gaming back into the forefront of the industry. Connecting people across the world through streaming sites and content creates a shared platform for individuals to discuss the industry, new games, and tips. But so do forums and Twitter, so why are video sites like YouTube and Twitch becoming so popular for this sharing of ideas? @JacquersLeo runs her YouTube site, Jacked, with her husband and described to me how they "like to challenge [their] audience to beat [their] highscores, it gives us all a sense of being connected and interactive", she feels that "a shout out or mention in a video feels more personal than just a forum or tweet".

YouTube provides a more intimate connection for users, while also allowing for a wider range of views to be heard. With gaming rapidly becoming more diverse, YouTube provides the necessary space for discussion with almost face-to-face contact across the world. The audio-visual crux of the site has also propelled it into gaming culture with its ability to easily present gameplay footage anywhere with an internet connection, which when you think about it, is a relatively new phenomenon. In essence, YouTube is where it's at for the gaming community at the moment, and hopefully we'll see its (and other streaming sites') growth in years to come.

Follow Me on Twitter: @MusingsTwit

New Releases Lineup

2015 has kicked off with an explosion of new and exciting content to take over lives and destroy productivity. From survival horror to dark comedy, stealth to strategy, battling through hell with Johnny Gat to conquering the Goo in the distant, technologically advanced future. Whatever you're looking for, at the moment, there's something for every one.

If You're On A Budget: Resident Evil Revelations 2 

It can be tough on the bank keeping up with the ever-inflating prices of new releases, but thankfully more and more games are jumping aboard the episodic format to help out the old PS Store wallet. Though, strictly speaking, Resi Revelations 2 is not a new release, the first episode is due out on the 24th February in North America, and the 25th for us in Europe, so not that long a wait. After playing Revelations on 3DS a couple of years ago, i'm desperately excited for the sequel. The abandoned ship setting is perfect for that up close claustrophobia we have all come to love to hate, and the wide range of tasks presented maintained for excellently fresh gameplay. Hopefully the sequel follows suit, but in my experience, if you love Resi it's likely you won't be disappointed, and the episodic gameplay allows small exchanges of pocket money for some high standard play. 

If You're Reminiscing: Grim Fandango, Resident Evil  

Two remastered classics have hit the line-up recently; Resident Evil, and Grim Fandango. Grim Fandango, a forgotten classic from LucasArts, is a darkly comic adventure game which has certainly stood the test of time. Play as Manny Calavera, who is working to pay off a number of debts over a four year period while working as a travel agent in the afterlife. From the depths of 1998, Double Fine Productions have dug up this treasure and brought it to the mainstream where no doubt its complex story, infuriatingly tricky challenges, and upbeat soundtrack will feel right at home. It's also got a developer commentary which I got really excited about - see my last post for the evidence.

Resident Evil is perhaps, less of a nuanced gameplay experience. The 1996 survival horror has been through the remastering machine and come out an almost-perfectly polished modern experience (save for some minute glitching) promising all the terror and nightmares that came with the original, in a beautifully renovated setting.

If You're Looking For New IP: Grey Goo  

Grey Goo was finally released in January after being pushed back from autumn last year. In this real time strategy game, a group of humans and their lovable alien buddies called the Beta attempt to conquer the Goo far far in the future. Goo, nanobots that consume their enemies in order to create new factions, with a large amount of strategic tactic developing, and confusion over who is on who's side. Needless to say, things get pretty muddled in the game, but the 15 campaign missions of complex story and large range of skills to develop (though you can only really master them and then forget them due to the movement between factions that happens every 5 missions) help you through. Grey Goo has just been released on PC and is going for £30. 

If You Want A Laugh: Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell  

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell is a short and sweet stand alone in the Saints Row series. Playing as Johnny Gat as you battle your way through hell, coming across some hilariously portrayed historical figures as well as previous characters from the series. Overall it feels and plays like a self-conscious giggle at the series itself and is certain to provide some lightly dark entertainment with all the fireworks you've come to expect from the previous games. 

Why I Want To Play Grim Fandango Remastered (and it's nothing to do with the game)

Grim Fandango has always been in my peripherals. Not because i've always known it existed, but rather because i've seen the art everywhere but never really bothered to check out where it originated from. This was changed with the Remastered version that has just been released for PS4, Vita and PC. While the dark comedy noir-ish vibes are intensely appealing, it's not the storyline, gameplay, or the chance to play a cult classic remastered for a better system that's really enticing me. It's the developer commentary.

The game allows you to take a moment and listen to the developers talk through their work, as well as crack up at parts they remember creating, sharing anecdotes and making for what I believe to be a much richer gameplay experience. Sadly not many games offer their developers this indulgence, with just a handful of releases such as Half-Life 2, Left 4 Dead, The Orange Box compilation, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary edition taking the time to implement this feature.

I enjoy the backstories, the mistakes, the in-jokes, and i'm sure so would many other players. There's a lot more to a game than the amount of time a developer spent on the project (and usually that comes under fire for making the players wait), and it's rarely seen in the video game industry. Especially with big games, players often forget the sometimes deeply personal experience that is developing and creating a video game and it's often tricky to bear in mind that every boss battle, puzzle, and gunfight came from literally nothing - a blank space on a computer screen. The journey from that blank screen to a polished, interactive, immersive experience is often unjustly ignored and I for one would love to hear the developer's stories behind their decisions. It just seems strange to me that for an industry so focussed on the creative decisions of a group of people, there is so much ignorance of the work that actually goes into those creative decisions.

To be able to hear the developers talk you through their creative decisions, the efforts they placed into the smallest effects (the number of punches a peripheral npc makes in a gym scene is the subject of one piece of Grim Fandango commentary), and the stories behind their efforts can only intensify your enthusiasm for the experience as a whole, especially in-game where you can actually experience there and then for yourself.

Smash Hit, ios: Review

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the best games to grace Apple products are the simplest, and Smash Hit is no exception. With its crisp graphics, sharp sound effects, and uncomplicated gameplay, it screams addiction. The premise of the game sees you travelling through a series of glass obstacles in first person which you must destroy with a limited number of metal balls (that you can win back by destroying crystals). It is a concept that through their sheer simplicity breeds a brilliantly attractive and effortlessly engaging past-time with no waiting time, and no ads.

The basic foundations of the gameplay have allowed for the developers to easily create new challenges, keeping the game fresh with a wide variety of tasks presenting themselves as you move up levels. These obstacles may warrant a few attempts before being beaten, but most of them rely on quick thinking, timing, and aim. 

The premium version is required for picking up from where you left off last time, however this isn't so much of a downer as it first seems. Though the higher levels are more difficult and often pose a real challenge, the therapeutic simplicity of the opening stages and the game's compelling nature makes it a pleasure to retread your steps. This is improved by the changing dynamics of gameplay in the form of certain power-ups. Hit ten consecutive crystals in a row and shoot multiple balls at your targets, allowing a greater impact and wider target range, with the number of balls awarded correlating to the number of crystals you have hit. This ensures that no two plays are the same, greatly increasing replayability. 

The game is consistently enjoyable due to its ability to challenge the player with new levels and threats while maintaining the entertainment required to play the game enough to learn how to proceed. Even then, it only takes a few tries to break through tricky levels which are just as favourable as the first ones and easily defeated with practice. While there are ample opportunities to boost the number of balls at your disposal (hit an obstacle and lose 10 in a heart-stopping moment of red screen terror), it only takes a few mistakes to seriously set you back from even the most promising of situations.

The impressive physics establish realistic reactions and forces, however it is not 100% consistent as there are some instances when the player is able to travel through a sheet of glass despite the fact that the area smashed area was nowhere near where it needed to be. This happens rarely however, and is quite frankly a relief in times of frantic ball-flinging. 

The sound reflects the crisp graphics, with coolly calming music accompanying the satisfyingly sharp shattering of the glass. Hearing the impact of the initial hit and the echo of the crashing obstacles makes for incredibly gratifying gameplay. 

Overall, Smash Hit is an intensely addictive game with a beautifully simple design and infinite replayability. Managing to maintain an enjoyable balance between entertainment and challenge, all aspects of the game collaborate to create a thrillingly original experience... which is probably why it is currently featured on App Store Best of 2014.