What Goes On

I sometimes feel that we are capable of being only as great, or as good, as the occasion. Surrounded for most of every day by my fellow taxpayers at work, "good" seems ever more an archaism. I wish I were a good person, but what does that even mean?

I've been at my current job for nearly three years. In that time, there have been few new hires--understandable given the economy--so you might think that I should be fairly well acquainted with everyone by now. That's not exactly the case. Most of the faces are familiar to me, but there is limited occasion for interaction with co-workers not seated within the immediate vicinity of my desk, and even those conversations tend to be brief and of an extremely superficial nature. Then, every few months, new seating arrangements are assigned, and I find myself in the company of neighbors with whom I may be more or less compatible.

In these circumstances, I find that there are not very many opportunities for making a good impression. Because I am quiet and keep to myself, I suspect that, for most people, I come across either as a dullard or a creep. A few older ladies will think that I am sweetly innocent, like a fresh young babe perhaps. I will admit to being dull, maybe not worldly wise, and I can't really help it if I somehow exude a creepy aura. Extended exposure will reveal that I am utterly harmless, and I don't so much mind the other misconceptions. It is maybe not an ideal situation, but I can hardly resent others for failing to see beyond the surface, when I myself make so little effort to invite them in. Indeed, I regret that, whenever someone does show an interest in getting to know me, I am usually the one failing to show equal interest in them. Moreover, I am no less prone to forming opinions of others based on little personal familiarity.

There is one co-worker in particular that I took an almost immediate disliking to. He looks like a hippie Jesus with poofy hair. I'm not personally a fan of big hair, especially on men, but perhaps the Jesus part is by design; he also sports a chain necklace with a steel crucifix resting on a bed of his highly visible chest hair. I don't understand why he is permitted to persist in his incomplete button job, which I find obscene, but I'm not one of those dress code narcs. Perhaps he gets away with it because he is generally well-liked around the workplace. The supervisors will tell you with much affection that he's "a good guy"--words I rather doubt they would use to describe me.

Given, as stated, how little opportunity there is for truly doing good in this environment, I'm not sure what the basis of this prevailing opinion is. Frankly, there isn't much that he or anyone else there actually does, period. Rather, he is a popular fellow, I suspect, because, quite unlike myself, he speaks often and he speaks well. I do not mean that his speech is eloquent or his statements perceptive. But he must be charismatic, because I am always hearing girls complimenting him on his opinions or giggling at his witticisms. I am not certain what exactly he is saying that so impresses these young lasses that are his preferred company. I am usually busy doing my job while all this goes on, and only the shriller voices make it across to where I'm sitting. But I am sure that it is not just the girls indulging him out of pity or politeness. They are the ones stopping by his desk several times a day for the pleasure of his company.

The work sometimes requires that he consult with the supervisor seated closer to me, and it is then that I am witness to some of his act. He'll insert himself into any conversation that catches his ear along the way, boldly stating his hackneyed opinions as though with biblical authority ("James Cameron is a hack," "Clapton is the greatest guitarist of all time," "We started this war for oil," etc.). Perhaps he'll spot a music CD on someone's desk, at which point he'll be happy to recommend a new and better band that you've never heard of. And he should know what he's talking about because, after all, he sings and plays guitar for a band of his own. It is a manner that can easily intimidate more fragile egos into acquiescence. (Perhaps, given the girls' reactions, I should say "impress" rather than "intimidate," although I do believe "intimidate" is accurate, whether or not the girls realize they are being intimidated.)

I do not consider myself a superior judge of character, nor do I mean to boast by suggesting that I am uniquely immune to his charms. Seeing as how I am not a pretty female, his performance is obviously not meant for me. And even if it is a performance, which is merely my suspicion, that does not preclude his being in reality possibly more intelligent than me. In fact, I should think it rather a compliment to him that his appeal seems beyond my understanding. That said, while I may or may not be justified in finding his behavior irritating as so far described, what I actually feel is a more intense dislike. Allow me to elaborate with some additional observations, though I cannot guarantee that they will make my position any more rational.

The door-opening scenario may be the one daily opportunity to do a trivial bit of good. In the case of this Jesus, I have found that he is admirably consistent in his habit of holding the door for pretty young ladies, to which they may respond with a "What a gentleman!" or some similarly flirtatious expression of gratitude, which is then met with a cute "You're only just noticing?" Considering that I've witnessed this same scene with the same players well over a hundred times, the girl must indeed be some kind of mental retard. But that's not the only thing I notice.

We work the same shift and on the same floor, so quite often he and I will be approaching a door at the same time. In this case, when he is ahead, he will brusquely proceed forward without any acknowledgment of any man behind him. Conversely, many times have I been the one holding the door for him. For this, I get no thanks and again not even a glance in my direction as he steps through without any hesitation.

None of this especially bothers me. There are some people who just won't hold the door for others. Perhaps they lead hurried lifestyles. I can understand and accept that, and it's not as if I am old or infirm so as to actually require anyone's assistance with opening a door. If they have to get somewhere, or even if they just think they do, then I would certainly not want to slow them down at all.

But let's examine another common situation. What about when there is a girl thrown into the mix, in addition to us two guys? Suppose he is first to the door, and it is an inward-swinging door. He will pull the door open and we will both see the girl pass through first, but then, as I approach to follow, he will step in front of me and leave me to catch the door on my own before it swings closed behind him. What is up with that?! How much time could he be losing by continuing to hold the door for one more person? Mind you, this happens almost every day.

Now, etiquette demands that a man hold the door for a lady, but maybe the rule is hazier when two males are involved. I suppose one could see it as emasculating for a man to have a male peer holding the door for him. That could explain both his disinclination to hold the door for me and his lack of appreciation when I hold it for him. That is not how I operate. That is not how most guys there seem to operate. Timing has sometimes even resulted in a lady holding the door for me, to which I offer, not an apology, but my heartfelt thanks. Perhaps this Jesus is just eccentrically old-school. But I cannot properly play the prosecution and the defense.

Based on the limited data collected, how then should we assess his character? When his day of reckoning comes, will he be seen and judged as the image of goodness that he projects to most people for the better part of every day? Or does his senseless discrimination, admittedly minor and ultimately inconsequential, reveal something critical about his nature? His girlfriend(s) may truly love him and think him a man of good heart. But how does he act when there is not a pretty female to impress? I cannot accept him as a "good guy," because I perceive truth only in his rudeness, but am I seeing too little or too much? Mercy is a virtue, and perhaps my way is too harsh. Perhaps there is no practical difference between the appearance of virtue and the reality of it. In that case, if he appears good most of the time, then perhaps that's good enough.

Mr. Nice Guy

I'm a nice guy.

I may not be a friendly guy. Or a funny guy. Or pleasant.

But, believe me, I am a nice guy.

Not all the time, mind you! That would just be too much.

The Rematch

Like most true Americans, I grew up loving Rocky IV. And like most people who watched it as kid, the match between Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago was the first really traumatic instance of my life. Even now that I am two decades older, every time I see the movie on TV, I still secretly pray for a different outcome. I've suggested before, only pretending to kid, that maybe Sylvester Stallone could go back, bring together Carl Weathers and Dolph Lundgren again, and film an alternate cut to finally give the fans some peace.

While that may never happen, Weathers and Lundgren were finally reunited for a rematch (of sorts) on the third season premiere of The Jace Hall Show. YouTube user OfficialRob2KProds has helpfully cut together the relevant portions for viewing here. You can also watch the full episode at IGN, although I wouldn't really recommend it.

The Ultimate Chronicle?

Yesterday, Nintendo revealed its upcoming "full-scaled RPG" for Wii, The Last Story. This is not to be confused with The Last Remnant, Last Rebellion, Last Ranker, The Last Guardian, or Star Ocean: The Last Hope. Yes, those are all real game titles. With the exception of The Last Guardian, they are also all Japanese RPGs, the oldest of them having come out in late 2008. Nintendo's trademark for The Last Story was first discovered last September, after which it was at times confused with Last Window, the upcoming sequel to Hotel Dusk: Room 215.

But the one title that The Last Story may be intended to evoke is Final Fantasy, for this is the next RPG from Mistwalker and Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of Final Fantasy. The teaser site reveals almost nothing about The Last Story, but Sakaguchi himself has confirmed on his blog that this is his mysterious blockbuster project that he first mentioned over a year ago.

Mistwalker's two HD JRPGs, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, met with mixed reviews, the general consensus being that, despite being clearly conceived as rivals to the post-Sakaguchi Square Enix catalog, they posed no real challenge to the supremacy of the Final Fantasy name. I wouldn't hope for too much from The Last Story either, but that is one loaded title, and I would find it hard to believe that it could have been anything other than intentional.

Equally exciting for me, Nintendo will also be publishing Monolith Soft's next RPG, which was first announced last E3 as "Monado: Beginning of the World." It has since been renamed Xenoblade, and Nintendo has revealed that Tetsuya Takahashi, creator of Xenogears and Xenosaga, is involved.

Now almost two years since the Japanese release of Takahashi and Monolith Soft's Soma Bringer for the DS, Nintendo still has yet to announce a North American release for that game, while Reggie Fils-Aime has practically ruled out a stateside release for Monolith Soft's Disaster: Day of Crisis for Wii. Hopefully Xenoblade's name will lend it a bit more juice to help the game find its way over here.

All in all, these are exciting times ahead for Wii-owning JRPG players. In addition to the aforementioned two titles, Tales of Graces, the latest "mothership" entry in Namco's Tales series, is also a Wii exclusive, and Square Enix already committed Dragon Quest X to the Wii as well. Final Fantasy XIII notwithstanding, I think it's fair to say that the genre has not thrived on the HD platforms the way it did on the PS1 and PS2, so perhaps these developers don't have much to lose by returning to weaker hardware.

I also find it quite interesting that, as market conditions threaten to stretch this console generation into another entire cycle, while Microsoft and Sony seem intent on stealing some of that casual space with their own motion-control devices, the Wii in turn seems to be lining up some pretty hardcore titles for the next year or two.

And you notice!

Since landing the role of Nathan Drake, hero of 2007's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, voice actor Nolan North has been on a roll, with notable appearances--usually the lead--in a string of high-profile video game releases, including Prince of Persia (2008), Shadow Complex, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Assassin's Creed II, and Dark Void. He has also been cast as the lead in the in-development Spec Ops: The Line. I personally have yet to play any of these titles, but many players have begun to cite their fatigue at his ubiquity. It is not just that he is starring in all of these games, but that he is apparently playing much the same roguish Nathan Fillion-esque character in most of these performances.

In 2007, the Indiana Jones-like Nathan Drake was applauded as a refreshing departure from the musclebound badasses that dominated action game covers. North's command of his everyman persona was considered a defining part of the character and game, such that it seemed inconceivable that there could ever be a Drake without North's voice. In a surprising twist, however, it seems now it is the voice that remains the same, while the character gets swapped out for knockoffs. Considering how closely identified North is with his breakthrough role as Drake, I would think that recycling that performance for a slew of unrelated derivative characters would dilute the identity of the voice and simultaneously weaken all of those characters.

Of course, that's not really North's problem. He can and does play other types of characters. A prolific voice actor even before Uncharted, he paid his dues in minor parts (he was Vossler in FFXII!), and his filmography lists many even very recent "additional voices" credits. Well-received though his performance as Drake may have been, I rather doubt it led to studios actively casting him for his name recognition. He's a good voice actor with a pretty good agent, I imagine, but video game acting is hardly the big time. I'm sure he still needs to audition for as many roles as he can get.

If there is a lack of creativity currently afflicting Western game character design, the problem is in the writing. As long as they are writing Nathan Drake into every game, shouldn't North take advantage of his innate suitability for the part to get as many jobs as he can before the paradigm crashes? Would it really be better for companies to deliberately cast different actors just to try and disguise the similarities? Casting North at least lends one authentic element to the imitation.

That said, there is one Nolan North casting that I must take issue with. Earlier this year, he was the new voice of Elliot Salem, one of the two main characters in Army of Two: The 40th Day. I haven't played beyond the demo of this game either, so I can't comment on North's performance, but this is definitely not a Nathan Drake-type role. The problem is that Elliot Salem already had a damn fine voice actor in the original Army of Two:

At any given time during my playthrough of Army of Two, I could not tell by looking at them which masked mercenary was which. So, for me, the character of Elliot Salem began and ended with Josh Ryan's voice. I honestly could not have made it through the game without his wantonly obnoxious yet sickeningly pitch-perfect delivery as the cocky and amoral soldier of fortune. I don't know why Ryan and the rest of the original cast did not return for the sequel, but this is all very depressing. And don't try to tell me that this stuff doesn't matter, because it totally does! For me, Josh Ryan is Elliot Salem, just as much as Nolan North is Nathan Drake.

The Years of Wrath

I had a dream that our leader committed suicide. In the aftermath, his sons and generals fought over succession, but, as his former personal secretary, I still had the key to his "war room." This was where the missile controls were, and so I locked myself in and became the most powerful man in the world.

Apparently there was also a radio that allowed me to broadcast to all of America. As its new leader, I thus made my one and only address to the people:

"I'm not one of those liars. There is no hope."

I then proceeded to launch all missiles on Kansas.

I don't know why I did these things, but the feelings of desperation grew surprisingly much worse once my missiles were gone. I had no food, but I couldn't leave the safety of my headquarters to go looking for any. All I could do was wait in fear and solitude until I starved to death.

Two hours into Metroid Prime

It seems I can only handle this game in twenty-minute sessions. It's nothing to do with motion sickness or "Nintendonitis"; I find that the experience takes more of a spiritual toll for me, which I don't think I was adequately warned about when I signed up for this.

You're lost and completely alone out there, never knowing what awaits you in this alien world devoid of any intelligent life, where everything wants you dead. There's no support, no dialogue whatsoever, no props when you annihilate an enemy. There aren't even computers to talk to. Wandering blindly from one empty room to the next, with no idea what I'm even after, it is just endless desolation. In short, this is a game that leaves me, every time I shut down after saving, feeling like I need to hug my loved ones.

It all does give me an enhanced appreciation for Samus Aran as perhaps the toughest protagonist in video games. Although the game details little of her background and conveys even less of any personality, I figure it must take a superior psyche to continually engage in these extended solo missions in harsh, hopeless environments. I don't think Solid Snake could do it. With no backup and no evac, Marcus Fenix probably wouldn't last very long out there. The Castlevania characters can do it when they have to, but most never have to face Dracula more than once in their lifetimes. It makes me wonder what kind of person could do this for a living. It must be some kind of sickness of the mind or soul at work. Maybe the pay is just that good. But then what kind of life does she go home to? I don't know if Samus's creators had such questions in mind when they designed her, but, in the absence of any real story, these are the things that I think about while exploring this world.