Back From An Impromptu Hiatus

I'm back! Not that I was missed or anything. That would suggest I have an audience outside of the handful of personal friends I strong armed into critiquing my reviews. (An odd request, that. Reviewing a review.) I didn't really mean to stop writing. I just sort of forgot to. For 4 months. Give or take.

But now I'm back! And better than ever! Well, "better" stands to be seen, but I'm definitely back. And I've decided to fill this space with more editorial content. It seems cut-and-dry video game analysis doesn't pull in the crowds these days (Any days?), so this space will henceforth become, in addition to a platform for the occasional game review, my personal soapbox for commenting on any game-related news. To start with, there's this gem.



First off, let me say I frown upon fanboyism in all of it's forms. One company/console/genre/series isn't better than all others just because you say so. And just because it's better now doesn't mean it always was or always will be. And just because it's better AT ALL doesn't necessarily mean that the competition is worthless in it's own right. Fanboyism (and fangirlism) is a disease by any other name. It's close-minded bigotry and that's never good for anybody.

Because of financial circumstances, I'm currently limited to an Xbox 360. (Not counting my DS. And, yes, I was forced to sell my Wii.) Given the choice, I'd own all three of the major consoles. Since that's not an option, I went with a 360. (Exactly why is a long story that I won't get into just now.) Now that I have it, I wouldn't give it up. There's a handful of games that I'd like to have a Wii or PS3 around to play, but even if we had them, our 360 would still get more play.

All that being said, let me say that I'm sure the forums will be ablaze with fanwankery either reveling in the triumphant smiting of the 360 or leaping chivalrously to it's defense. 90% of the people who see this clip will gravitate to one of those extremes: unbridled joy or righteous indignation. My reaction? Indifference.

LittleBigPlanet looks interesting, but it hasn't inspired in me the rabid, drooling passion it seems to strike in so many others, thanks in no small part to my lack of a PS3. Even so, I'm not so attached to my console that I feel the need to protect it from insult, like some beleaguered paramour. Even if I was, this video certainly wouldn't come close to offending me. The clip, for what it is, isn't particularly funny or incendiary. It's the mockery equivalent of Nelson Muntz pointing and going "HA HA!" and, beyond showing off the versatility of the LBP editing tools, isn't very exceptional in its own right. It certainly doesn't rise above the sophomoric fanboy flame-baiting it's so obviously intended as. Even as a trolling effort it's a weak showing, since it's sure to only get a rise out of the most confrontational of 360 defenders.