Tuesday, January 4, 2011

AWSD: Rediscovering PC Gaming

I have a confession to make: My first home console was an Xbox.

Now before you close the window because you just discovered this blogger’s gaming history isn’t as rich as your own keep reading.

It’s true my parents never allowed a console to have a permanent place in our living room in fear I would become an addict – they may have been right. However due to our frequent traveling, they did give me and my sister each a Game Boy and kept us up to date on that piece of hardware through the Color. We also had the home computer, which began with educational games then expanded to hours spent with games like Madden, Red Alert 2 and The Sims. However, I played many games with an imitation Playstation controller. Deep down I knew I was a console gamer.

Once I won my Xbox (thank-you Taco Bell!) I abandoned gaming on the gigantic E-Machine desktop. I was done with managing resources and was ready to get into some unadulterated shooting, racing and high scoring. This focus on console gaming continued all the way through college, however the situation changed as I moved back home.

It started with my curiosity surrounding the Madden Superstars game on Facebook which stemmed from my desire to regain knowledge of players currently in the NFL. The game is perfectly adequate and I still play it today. However, it broadened my mind back to the PC and I was made aware of the ease of simply clicking an application. My laptop is open most of the time anyway, making the activity much easier than taking the time to walk across the room to put a disk in the Xbox.

Since then I’ve replayed through both campaigns on Red Alert 2 – which allowed me to finally complete the Soviet campaign that troubled me back in the day, downloaded the fan-made Super Mario X, and bought myself an early Christmas gift and purchased Back To The Future:The Game.





It was in Telltale Games newest release, I realized the degree of excitement of great games wasn’t limited to flash titles used to pass the time. Developers are still making excellent single-player games beyond the one major title released every year and some of those are made as a PC game first!

Many claim that PC gaming is dead. A year ago I may have agreed with them but as of late I am second guessing that notion. My laptop will never replace my Xbox 360. I have no plans of purchasing Mass Effect 3 for the PC and I don’t know if I could ever feel the same joy of Team Slayer on a 50 inch screen. However PC gaming definitely has a place in gaming beyond quick rounds of Free Cell on the train.

Remember to Follow Eyes Open Thumbs Down on Twitter @eyesopnthmbswn for the latest news on new blog posts, and any other quips I have about developments in gaming. And be sure to vote in the poll on the left side of your screen.

You can also read my Film and TV Blog, Audible Motion at audiblemotion.blogspot.com. Theres a new entry every Friday.

Now Playing: Super Mario Bros. X, Halo: Reach

XBL: DocHolliday8706

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