There are lots of ways to approach diversity in gaming. Most of them have shown to be problematic. Need for Speed Payback seems to have found a good way to have a diverse cast without feeling like a Public Service Announcement or Diversity by committee. Obviously, this game learned from the best with the Fast and Furious movie series.
First we can start with the obvious bad…generic white protagonist, Tyler Morgan, BUT I am willing to let it go because the game makes it very clear that he can’t succeed without the help of his strong intelligent female companion, European black drift master and off road racer, and his hyper intelligent Asian mechanic. Reading all of that this probably sounds ridiculous, but so far (3 hours in) none of the characters feel like cheap caricatures of their race other than the white guy and even he seems cool enough (think Paul Walker, RIP).
This game has no reason to have a diverse cast and certainly not one with nuance but here we are. Mac, the black guy, is from Europe and has the typical “I may have done petty crime in Europe and that’s how I learned to drift” but when asked why he came to America and if it was to run away from his past he said, “no, I made mistakes in my past but I love the open roads of America and wanted to check them out”. That’s a paraphrase, but I love that the game doesn’t use him being a criminal as his defining quality. So far in the game, his most defining qualities are loyalty and his friendship with the crew. He is the glue guy and a really likable character.
No spoilers, but when the crew has to split up and do their own things Mac doesn’t get into crime. He sells his skills to online personalities, helping male drift videos for Instagram and YouTube. He’s an entrepreneur, and doesn’t fall back into criminal activity. Surprisingly, the only person in the game who fell back to illegal doings was the woman, Jess. She’s so bad ass that she is a getaway driver for the cash and for funsies. It’s pretty dope.
Lina….
I like this game but I’m too early in it to review it. As a racing game with a story, this game moves away from some really easy tropes to fall into for each character. Jess has not become the love interest, nor does the game use her for sex appeal. She’s good at dodging police and driving. She is unbelievably competent and that what she brings to the group. Side note on sex appeal though, the antagonist is a black women named Lina Navarro. She’s so hot.Sean Mccalister, Mac, is not just a trope criminal black “thug” who is looking for reclamation on the streets. These might seem like small things, but positive representation can go a long way. (I am well aware the villain is a strong black women and yes, that problematic because there are so few black women represented in gaming.)
Consider this a shout out to a game that seems to be doing things right from a representation stand point, and in 2017 that feels good.
There is very little context for this list. These are songs that I find myself going back to constantly for reasons I don’t understand. Each song represents a moment in time for me, a girl dated, a friend lost, a Transformer purchased….milestone moments. I have a deep infatuation with pop music from 1960-now. I have always had soft spot for singer songwriters from the 70’s as well. I loved Brittany Spears when she came out and have most ABBA songs memorized at this point. Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, and anything Motown is on my playlist. Huge Delphonics fan. I listen to a lot of rap/hip-hop, that music takes a more functional role in my life mostly during workouts and things.
I have to say, I grew up being very embarrassed by my musical taste because as a black man..well it’s not very black. I stay current with hip-hop etc more out of obligation than passion but it’s something that has always been an interesting topic to navigate. Music is such a cultural signifier. My history with music is more relative to my mom and dads. I grew up listening to P Funk and Luther Vandross. I didn’t buy my first rap album until 5th or 6th grade. I’ve always had a lot of shame that I like other genres of music more than rap. Part of that is there is a hyper-exaggeration of black “performance” that happens in the suburbs. Black people weren’t policing my blackness it was white people. I had a hard time dealing with that growing up. That ended when I got back into more black communities that truly represented the wide variety of interests/talent in music that our people have.
Also, Todd Rundgren is as great as you’ve heard. All that said! I also love listening to music while playing racing games. Test Drive Unlimited, Forza, and Blur are probably my most musical games and back when I was playing myplayer I went through a deeeeep depressing Kid Cudi phase. Feel free to listen and make fun of my musical tastes!
Kid Cudi- These Worries (NBA 2K12, I was in grad school and during breaks I would play all of his albums while laying in my grandmothers living room gaming on her TV)
All-Star- Smashmouth (life, whenever I am sad, this song makes me happy. Reminds of high school parties)
Wait for Me- Hall & Oates (the perfect song, listened too a lot during my sales time at Cox Radio)
T.I.- King Back (I used to think I was cool in college, so….I listened to Trap Music and relaxed in the suburbs. )
Clair de Lune- Claude Debussy (there was a midi version of this song on Windows chat and I played it constantly when MSN chat was a a thing.)
My Hero- Foo Fighters (takes me back to a time when I watched music videos on MTV)
Show me the way- Thundercat (this is a recent jam that is carrying me through some hard times at work)
By your side- Confunkshun (listened to this song driving home from playing basketball at the dayton salvation army)
Promentalshitbackwashpsychoisenema Squad (P. E. Squad the doo doo chasers)- Funkadelic (my dad played this song when we found out Grandaddy Tommy died, it took me years to hear this song and not cry. Now I love this song because it reminds me of a very poignant moment. I was sitting in a beige interior green Volvo S70 while this was playing and I was internalizing the realizty of my grandfather’s death)(nice car, weird door handles)
Close to you- The Carpenters (Karen Carpenters voice is proof that God is real. When Apu got married they played this song at his reception)
Strange magic- ELO (this song reminds of a friend/former RA, she always like ELO)
Mama- ELO (see above)
Witchita Lineman- Glen Campbell (I love this song, it paints a really interesting story. I listen to it when im running. Makes me think about things other than running)
Tuesday- ILoveMakonnen (this song is strikingly beautiful while still being something you can play at a party and not make the event somber. I listen to this song a lot on Fridays) (Friday is the new tuesday)
2SEATER- Tyler, the creator (Driving with SJ to Kenwood, great driving song and a beautiful piece in it’s own right. this goes has like 3 distinct stanzas and it could be 3 songs but Tyler the creator doesn’t roll like that)
Fucking young/Perfect- Tyler, the creator (Z-Bones)
Michael Jordan – Kendrick Lamar (I listened to this song a lot while I was flying to Hall Director interviews, it was a nice song to keep me from freaking out about being too high in the air)
It’s up to me- Lil’ Wayne (this is the realest song wayne ever made, the pain of him losing his father resonates in a way that few do. He was only 16 or 17 when this album came out and you can tell. My best friend from grade school’s father died and this song was the anthem)
I’ll Die for you- lil’ wayne ( weird sort of rock song off of a weird sort of rock album, i work out to it)
Living inside myself- Gino Vaneli (depressed summers, Goshen Joe)
This one’s for you- Barry Manilow (the single greatest song ever written and performed by man. I heard this song driving with a basketball coach to a game and never stopped)
Lay me down- Barry Manilow (I am depressed)
Crazy- Paul Davis (Dumped by who I thought was the love of my life…..hurt)
Off the wall- Michael Jackson (Best MJ song. Fight me.)
Leave a tender moment alone- Billy Joel (Reminds of a girl from grad school, she loved Billy Joel)
Benny and the Jets- Elton John (this is one of the few songs my wife always listens to if it’s on the radio. I still can’t place what my wife really likes musically so I hold dear the songs that I know matter to her. this song was also playing when I almost drowned in a pool at Myrtle beach. Some red head saved my life. I hope shes ok)
Raspberry Beret- Prince (WRF)
(no video available copy right claims, etc)
Dont hang up- 10cc (still depressed)
Cry- Godley and Creme (very depressed)
Steppin’ Out- Joe Jackson (another song I know my wife likes and I think it’s amazing, always play it on long road trips)
Kid Charlemagne- Steely Dan (just a good song, will never turn it off if it’s on the radio)
Bootsy- Physical Love (High school, played it a lot while practicing basketball and not doing homework)
Funkadelic- Adolescent Funk (see above)
WHAM- Last Christmas (when Jesus promised his return, many Christians have been waiting but they fail to see that his return was in the form of song. That song is Last Christmas by Wham. Don’t ever play the Glee version. ever. )
S Club 7- Never had a dream come true (watching TRL and love lost)
Styx- Renegade (high school football, Scaggs, life)
In conclusion, sometimes while listening to Andy Gibb I ask myself, “Why did God spare me and take such treasure away from us all?” RIP Andy Gibb. Never Forget.
“I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times.” Every time I hear this song, I feel like my mood automatically dampens and it’s like a quick 3 minute biography is playing on the radio. This song speaks to me on many levels (I think it captures how a lot of millennials feel after college, depression, etc) but the one I am going to focus on is my race. Lately, with all of the volatility between oppressed people and the status quo l have been really struggling to place my self in these movements.
I advocate for Black Lives matter and educate any chance I get but I also see myself on the outside looking in a lot. I don’t fuck with places like Ferguson. I’m lucky. I was raised in the suburbs and went to great school and got a great education. Did my family have money issues? yes. But I was so young it didn’t really influence my development. I was raised middle-class. I’ve struggled through acting hard and faking what I call a “BET” upbringing and then finally settled on being myself. It was embarrassing not being the black person that black people expect you to be. I was good at basketball, ran track…but I also collected Transformers and saw Brittney Spears in concert. I grew up at a time when being called OREO and/or gay were completely acceptable if you didn’t fit into the proper blackness box. I hate being called Oreo…way to ruin a great cookie middle school… I wanted to be “blacker” but honestly all I had to look at was BET, rap videos, and the news to figure out what that looked like (that’s problematic, as you can imagine).
“I keep looking for a place to fit Where I can speak my mind I’ve been trying hard to find the people That I won’t leave behind”
Being black and middle class is like playing for the Atlanta Braves. Everybody likes you, or appreciates you but you’re not the Yankees (rich or white) and your not the Cubs (black, poor). Everybody hates the Yankees but they want to be the Yankees. The Cubs aren’t winners but they are lovable, authentic, and hard working and we are waiting for them to reach the success they deserve. The Brave are doing fine, they are not as successful as the Yankees but they have success in their recent history. People like the Braves because they used to live in Atlanta or they see them on TNT or TBS but nobody really identifies with the Braves or care when they suck.
Looking for a place to fit in is the crux of being middle-class and black. The middle-class experience is defined by whiteness yet the black experience is defined by the struggle. As a middle class black person white people are disappointed in you because your not the “authentic” black friend they desire, and black people resent you because you talk white and you don’t understand the struggle or you left the community behind. It’s tough. I can’t speak my mind, what is there to complain about? I’m middle class and doing well. So the reality of my black experience isn’t considered. I try hard to find the people that I won’t leave behind but there is a turning point when the white people in your life don’t connect with you in the same way and the rift gets larger as we get older (that moment when your BFF votes Trump) and black people who are not middle class don’t live in your neighborhood and those friendships are hard to keep too. Where I am at, things are well segregated and I don’t live in the black half of the city. I goes days at home without seeing anyone that looks like me. It’s a sad state of affairs.
“They say I got brains But they ain’t doing me no good I wish they could”
“Where can I turn when my fair weather friends cop out What’s it all about”
The hardest thing for me as a middle class black male is that I love advocating for black rights and I desperately try to but at times it almost feels like I am appropriating a culture that wants nothing to do with me. I feel like Tom Dubois from Boondocks. He wants to support and be a great role model but nobody can get past the fact that he’s married a white woman and works for the state. He knows the prison system inside and out but nobody even wants his input because he talks white. It sucks. I can relate with him, even when racism shows up in my life it doesn’t seem to count. My experiences and my knowledge are invalid because I am not black enough.
I personally have a great group of friends that’s relatively diverse. The friends I have that fill the biggest need for me at times (for my mental health at least) are my black friends from college and working in higher ed. We live a shared black experience that is brought up on TV via Blackish but it’s still not really part of the lexicon for Black people or Black Lives Matter. Can I be a part of BLM if I married a white woman? I hope so, but sometimes I don’t know. “Real” black people “friends” are very quick to throw my life experience in my face. I can’t understand racial profiling because I have a degree. It makes having authentic relationships with black people really challenging, even as a black man. Black females basically disown me once they see my wife, and while I understand there position on that I cannot lie and act like it doesn’t hurt me. I love my wife, I didn’t marry her because she’s white. I also can’t deny the fact that I grew up around mostly white woman and I am sure that impacted my decision. I don’t hate black women because I didn’t marry one.
“Every time I get the inspiration To go change things around No one wants to help me look for places Where new things might be found”
This entire experience is dejecting. I feel like I can’t support my people, but then my people don’t want my support. I am not a role model for staying out of trouble, getting married, and pursuing education…I am a sell out. A phony. An Uncle Tom. I code switch so much, I don’t know who I am really am. What does my voice actually sound like? But there’s no escape. When white people see me walking down a street, I am just another nword walking down the street. Then they talk to me and it’s either “OMG you’re so articulate and smart” or “where are you from?”. I am black when it’s least convenient but not black enough when it holds cache. It’s an odd thing to navigate. Nobody sees middle-class, they just see black. That creates expectations for people, that are hard to affirm or break down.
Sometimes I feel very sad Sometimes I feel very sad (Can’t find nothin’ I can put my heart and soul into) Sometimes I feel very sad (Can’t find nothin’ I can put my heart and soul into)
I guess I just wasn’t made for these times I guess I just wasn’t made for these times I guess I just wasn’t made for these times I guess I just wasn’t made for these times I guess I just wasn’t made for these times I guess I just wasn’t made for these times
After being the only black male at a social justice conference, I am always reminded of the white savior complex. These collegiate social justice trips are supposed to transformative for the people experiencing them (mostly white people) and help the communities they are working with. In reality most of these are white people going to exotic lands or worse forced to “slum” it in diverse areas in America. These white people do tasks, all the while imposing their values for a short period of time on the community and then they go back to college while the community is left to deal with both the cultural invasion and loss of resources.
All that said! Video games have a large amount of white protagonist and some of these narratives parallel the white savior trope seen in movies. “What chu talkin’ bout James?!” I am glad you asked, let me educate you via some on-line resources.
First a basic definition used by Wikipedia to define how this trope looks in film- “The white savior narrative is a cinematic trope in which a white character rescues people of color from their plight. The white savior is portrayed as messianic and often learns something about themselves in the process of rescuing. The trope reflects how media represents race relations by racializing concepts like morality as identifiable with white people over nonwhite people. White saviors are often male and are sometimes out of place in their own society until they lead minorities or foreigners. Screen Saviors: Hollywood Fictions of Whiteness labels the stories as fantasies that “are essentially grandiose, exhibitionistic, and narcissistic”. Types of stories include white travels to “exotic” Asian locations, white defense against racism in the American South, or white protagonists having “racially diverse” helpers.“
That relates to games in a more direct level than other versions of the white savior complex. On a larger scale the white savior industrial complex looks at how there is basically an industry in “saving” impoverished communities. The problem is most of these communities were being ruined for years by American foreign policy but we don’t act until the “galvanizing moment” ( I learned that at my conference!). This excerpt from TheAtlantic sums up things well using Haiti as an example,
“Let us begin our activism right here: with the money-driven villainy at the heart of American foreign policy. To do this would be to give up the illusion that the sentimental need to “make a difference” trumps all other considerations. What innocent heroes don’t always understand is that they play a useful role for people who have much more cynical motives. The White Savior Industrial Complex is a valve for releasing the unbearable pressures that build in a system built on pillage. We can participate in the economic destruction of Haiti over long years, but when the earthquake strikes it feels good to send $10 each to the rescue fund. I have no opposition, in principle, to such donations (I frequently make them myself), but we must do such things only with awareness of what else is involved. If we are going to interfere in the lives of others, a little due diligence is a minimum requirement.”
Real Talk- Helping people and committing to service is great! That service needs to serve the true needs of the populations and long term sustainable solutions should be the focus. A donation to Haiti of 10 dollars is OK for the short term but what about their long term infrastructure? Even if we spend 10 years there rebuilding homes and cleaning up what happens when we leave?
When I think about White Savior complexes I always think about the idea that there is an assumption that the people who are currently in an area can’t take care of themselves. You say, “We made blankets for those black kids so they can stay warm.”, I hear, “Let’s give those black kids blankets because their crappy parents can’t keep them warm and they would never survive without us.” The irony being that the neighborhood wouldn’t be so financially depressed if white people had not left the area, schools weren’t funded via property taxes, and businesses didn’t leave. It’s this idea of cleaning up a mess you made and expecting everyone to thank you for it.
Video games are a fascinating look into this narrative especially because they normally take place during the galvanizing event and never show the long term plan.
An Example of a White-Savior Narratives in Video games
Mass Effect– For some reason in the vastness of space the human race is the alpha race and as such they represent the white people of space. Sheppard, the protagonist, receives mystic powers from the protheans and is becomes the only person able to save the world! As Commander Sheppard you gather a rag tag crew from around the galaxy to kill off in the second game’s suicide mission only to make sure you live long enough to save the Galaxy from the Reapers. Why is commander Sheppard the chosen one? In a game with more than just white people or black people we are stuck perpetuating the narrative that other cultures can’t take care of themselves.
Humans have a reputation in the Mass Effect Universe of being a little problematic, the main villain in the game is a human. The galvanizing event in the game is the discovery of the Reapers return and from that point Sheppard vs. the world. Sheppard learns about love, and culture and makes lots of tough decisions about the fate of entire species. The universe full of colorful people (see aliens) (colored…colorful…I laughed) is not competent enough and must be carried by commander Sheppard. Meh, he’s the savior…or the Sheppard to get us to prominence.
An Example of a White-Savior Subversive Narratives
Sleeping Dogs- Sleeping Dogs is really cool because it is a crime drama where in an effort to stop the crime issues in Hong Kong, authorities found a man from Hong Kong to go in and use his understanding of the culture to try and rectify the crime issues. The protagonist, Wei Shen, realizes that not everything is so cut and dry and maybe a lot of these cultural issues are actually being brought in from an outside factor! This leads to a story that doesn’t moralize racial groups. It’s also not a story that dehumanizes any group, it actually does the opposite. I don’t want to get too detailed because this is an awesome story-driven game but I recommend it to anyone and I think it subverts a lot of tropes.
To sum all this up, white-savior stories aren’t terrible because they exist. They are problematic because for too long they were all that existed in popular media. A lack of representation from other groups is what is really the issue. It’s hard not to think of white men and white race as heroes and look down on others if that’s what you see in your movies and games everyday.
I love Mass Effect. I love Tomb Raider, and I watch Indiana Jones films but I also understand that they can be problematic. A company that is surprisingly good about having strong black and female protagonist is GearBox. Borderlands and Battleborn are all super diverse and deal with the usual tropes of saving the world etc. but always have different representation of the hero.
Now seems like the perfect time to choose a real life black athlete who plays like a video game created player. That player, of course, is Lebron James. He has taken his game and legacy to new heights with this championship (#ALLIN, #DROUGHTSOVER, #BELIEVELAND) and put up numbers in the NBA Finals this year that seemingly could only be done in NBA 2K. He did it against another game breaking player in Steph Curry (who famously ruined NBA 2K because he can hit 3’s from anywhere at anytime and that ruins video game balance).
I will give you the abridged version of why Lebron matters in real life and then why in video games. Lebron was born in North East, Ohio. Was a legend for the people of Akron. He was the prophet seemingly born to bring a championship to the Cleveland. He was drafted by the Cavs and started an epic stat filling career. Lebron went to the Finals early, got ruined by the Spurs but gave hope. Then Lebron dumped Cleveland for Miami, won some rings and came home. He didn’t just come home, he came back to Cleveland and promised a ring (no pressure right?) and he pulled it off.
Lebron in video games is a very interesting thing, to give context he exists in a world where gamer’s grew up not having access to the greatest players of all time. Michael Jordan was in “Jordan vs. Bird” back in the early Genesis era but after that he disappeared.
In NBA Jam, there was no Jordan. It was crazy, the most fun basketball game ever made didn’t have Jordan. A game about glorifying the dunk was missing his airness… but that was the 90’s.
I remember feeling cheated in NBA Live ’98 when the Bulls would trot out “Player” who was a bald black SG but was not MJ.
It cheapened an entire generation of games because the biggest icon in the league was missing. Cut to Lebron James. He had every right to not be in video games but that wasn’t the case. He was as accessible in games as he was off the court. He was seemingly a real life game character that leaped out of the Xbox 360 and onto TNT Thursday nights. I envy kids who got to grow up using Lebron in NBA 2K.
LBJ is a fascinating figure in games. He basically broke 2K ratings from the jump. He was rated a human 78 overall because he a kid coming out of High School. Who knew he would be able to man up at 18 the way he did. NBA2K4 has a human 78 Lebron who can’t shoot a jumper but is athletic and can dunk. He was also listed as a PG in that game! We all know he was a center masquerading as a small forward.
From his second year on Lebrons rise in ratings in 2K is meteoric. 88 to 97 to basically 100’s. How do you rate a guy who can dribble like Anthony Mason, Pass like Magic Johnson, Shoot like Charles Oakley, and defend/rebound like Rodman. He’s a gamebreaker and who doesn’t want to play with the gamebreaker!
Significance of Lebron as a black video game character- Lebron is the rare combination of a transcendent athlete and a masterful role model. He accomplishes this by not conforming to white standards or losing his “realness”. Lebron is covered in tattoos and rolls around with a crew of his boys from the hood yet still connects with everybody. Where Iverson was/is a polarizing hyper black figure that is incorrectly and offensively labeled a thug, Lebron avoided all of this. He was liked by white people and emulated by black people. He has Jordan-like shoes without the Jordan-like stigman. He’s married and didn’t cheat on his wife. He shows the world that a black man with tattoos from a low income environment isn’t a criminal in waiting.
Lebron also forced a generation of devs to constantly work on their representations of tattoos.
Stereotypes
Black Athlete as thug- As stated above, he’s stayed out of trouble. He’s been authentic. He’s stayed true to his roots.
Black Athlete as womanizer/rapist- He is a great father and is happily married.
Black Athlete as selfish (unwilling to pass, doesn’t care about his people)- Lebron’s biggest crime is he passes too much. He is willing to let guys like JR Smith shine, hence the high rating in passing every year for LBJ.
Black man as criminal- He has a few speeding tickets?
Black man as lazy- There is this idea that black greatness is a result of talent and not hard work. Watching Lebron grow as a player and athletically has been incredible. His 2K ratings show it in the gaming world but the eye test shows how much Lebron has improved. Hard work personified is Lyndon B. Johnson, I mean LBJ. Lebron James.
Black man loves white women- He married a black woman so BOOM! Take that society! Lebron bucking all the trends!
Ain’t that some racist shit….
Is Lebron James (and his representation in video games) problematic?
Being able to select a Cleveland team in a video game and know that they are the reigning champs will be magical. It has never been done before. Lebron has been the most accessible transcendent talent in gaming since Bo Jackson, Mike Vick, and Kobe. James has been the small market hero sports gaming needs. So to answer the question, No. Lebron is not problematic and frankly most sports game are in a position to not present him in a problematic light. There really isn’t a story mode where you can be Lebron and take through Cleveland. MyPlayer mode might have a chance interaction with a real pro but most of the interactions happen on the court. Except in NBA Ballers. That shit was problematic! That is a post for another time. Peace! Go Cavs! Lebron did it big! 3-1 to 4-3! 52 year drought OVER!!!!
With the re-emergence of the fighting game scene on the backs of Street Fighter 5 and Pokken Tournament, I wanted to talk about some of my all-time favorites. I am awaiting Pokken Tournament to show up on Friday and I will buy SF5 when it is actually complete and worth purchasing.
Any time a new Street Fighter comes out it signifies a re-birth of the genre. Street Fighter is the tent pole. People in the FGC can argue about why that is and how it should be some other deeper game, the reality is that Street Fighter sets the stage.
I have loved fighting games my entire life. I played local, single player, and dabbled in a few tournaments and local meet ups in my hey day. There is something so pure about learning the mechanics and battling an opponent that is as skilled as you. For me, fighting games are the closest thing gaming has to sports. The rules are set, the athletes are constant, and their is a clear winner. No judges, no scoring. A health bar that depletes will tell you everything you need to know.
What do I like in a fighting game? I love frenetic action. Speed is everything for me. Crazy visuals, fun special moves, and scale. I like the spectacle of fighting games. I know some people really get off watching footsies and technical play, but for me…nah. Give me flashy lights and fireballs and shit. Street Fighter 4 was cripplingly slow for me. I loved the game, but it was moving in molasses. I fell in love with Street Fighter 2 Turbo where the 99 second clock was a joke, I never saw a match time out. For me playing a fighting game should feel like driving a sports too fast around a corner and just hoping the grip on your tires does it’s job and physics doesn’t leave you in a ditch. That feel of mastering technique that people think you are just button mashing until the match is over and you’ve won. The games below gave me these feels.
Super Street Fighter 2 turbo HD Remix- The perfect game. Everything I loved about SF2 Turbo but multiplied by 20. The sprite work is amazing, and the game is silky smooth. The net code was great. The game has this unpredictability about how much life a hit might take off the life bar. There was a sense of mystery to every fight. A combo that will normally clear out a health bar may leave a slither of life…now what? It’s perfect.
King of Fighters (’98, 13, and many others)- So many characters, so many moves and the sprite work is gorgeous. KOF holds a special place in my heart because in grad school I had some friends that were very into these games, and we had endless battles. My favorite thing about KOF is that you can play it competently without a clue of entire layers of moves and then you discover them and it’s a brand new game. Also, a lot of black characters have quietly been in the series to little fanfare.
Samurai Shodown (2, 5, and 2 for Neo Geo Pocket)- Brutal. Fast. Death. One second you are poking back and forth the next second a heavy slash literally chops you in half. The game revels in this idea of a death tournament, and not in the crazy way Mortal Kombat does but in this sinister way. A young female can get her torso lopped off as easily as the giant with the wrecking ball. It’s amazing. (the 360 version, the 3D game…one of the worst fighters I have ever played)
Pokken Tournament- Great cross between Tekken and a Naruto fighting game. It’s a 2D game at one phase and a 3d brawler at another. Very seamless, roster is too small. The problem with this game is that it immediately makes you want more, it makes you want your favorite character. All the great things it does (amazing single player, multiplayer is super smooth) is overshadowed by the want of more.
Street Fighter x Tekken- I know the gem system sucked…but you could avoid it. This game is fast and beautiful and it’s everything I wanted out of 4 and more! The roster was dope, it was awesome controlling the Tekken fighters in 2D. People were very hard on this game and I think unfairly so.
Saint Seiya Soldiers Soul- This game is amazing, it’s perfect fan service (not in the big titty way). I love this anime. The game has every special attack in it that the characters from the show have. The show is interesting because the cloths (armor sets) dictate power and moves. The game has every evolution of cloth and move set for every character. The single player plays out in a great way, if you want to watch the anime story in a condensed way this game is perfect. Graphically it looks like a cartoon. The fighting system is admittedly a little shallow but it makes up for that with style and lots of play modes.
Powerstone (Series)– I love this series with friends, but not one I have spent a ton of single player time with. This game was a great looking 3D fighter. It’s more of a 3D brawler, not a 3D fighter in the sense of Virtua Fighter but more like Smash Bros. in a 3D plane.
SkullGirls – This game is beautiful but the lack of charge characters in the initial roster was a deal breaker. I was impressed with the story mode though, it did not get enough press. The tutorials are a master class in teaching fighting game mechanics. The 50’s theme is awesome, they really commit to kind of an art deco style (I think?) and it’s a cool mix of watching steam boat willie and a Looney Tunes cartoon all in one.
Killer Instinct (1, 2, Ultra, New)- Focusing on the newest game, I must say that I hate guest characters in established franchises but the characters in KI are so bogus that it doesn’t matter and Rash fits in perfectly!!! I love the combo system in this game. Beautiful things happen on accident all the time. The stage combos and ultra combos are nuts. The single player content is good. This game is the first “games as service” that has delivered in spades. Try it. It’s free.
Eternal Champions- mediocre fighting game, vile death scenes. Cool black character but WTF she got impaled!!!! Game was nuts….
Marvel Vs Capcom 2- Best roster ever. Period. Wildly unbalanced, wildly fun.
Clash of Fighters SNK v Capcom- The first crossover game, and a neo geo pocket classic. It plays great, looks great and sets up a lot of dream match ups that I thought would never happen.
Justice League Task Force- I bought it on sale at Blockbuster. I was young. It sucks. BUT it taught me how to find special moves and who Darkseid was…so instant classic? The animations were good but it’s always off when Superman doesn’t just win.
Tekken 3- Bowling, Volleyball, Sidescrolling brawler, oh and a fighting game. Beautiful game with a full roster. This game perfected the Tekken style. The cut scenes are awesome and there are tons of things to unlock.
Soul Calibur- Best launch game ever.
Mortal Kombat 3- Jax.
Street Fighter Alpha 3- ROSTER! SPEED. So much speed. This game makes the other Alpha games look like slow motion. The animations are awesome, and there are so many options for specials.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom- One of my favorite fighting games of all time…is on the Wii. It’s an amazing mash up that is worth checking out. Cel-shaded graphics have aged well, simple gameplay and awesome combos. Very fast paced. In my opinion this is the last proper VS. game and it’s a great way to learn about some amazing anime.
Blazblu- The sprite work is great and this game is closest I have ever been to the Guilty Gear series. It’s a lot of fun, I love Iron Tager. The story was deep and interesting long before Mortal Kombat too.
Dead Or Alive 4- Boobs and Masterchief. Need I say more?
Those are my favorite fighting games! Thanks for reading! Peace!
What I am most thankful at this time of giving is that their is a generation of kids who will only know Keith David from his work on Saints Row not knowing he is one of the most prolific black actors in Hollywood.
Video games have celebrity voice acting all of the time and usually it’s mediocre at best. You see games are not taken as seriously as movies and when high class actors slum it in the game space the results are usually pretty shit. Not Keith David. He respects the medium and delivers his lines with the utmost of sincerity and hilarity.
I love Saints Row and I will never forget when Julius Little (Keith David) asks me, “You ready for this, playa.” Yes! A million times yes Keith, I am ready. Julius Little was the original leader of the 3rd Street Saints back when Saints Row took it’s story seriously (it was better then, series peaked at 2, went a little off the rails at 3 and was self parody at 4).
Keith David was perfect for Saints Row. When the first game came out it was competing in the same space as Grand Theft Auto. How do you make a crime drama seem legit in the face of the biggest series in gaming? You add a legit presence to lead your protagonist into the gang war that is Saints Row.
In the second game, Saints Row 2, Julius Little is used as the moral compass of the series. At one point, Little is done with the gang violence and tells you the player that your gang is no better than the other gangs…. you’ve become a sociopath.
Julius Little: “Don’t you get it? The Saints didn’t solve a goddamn thing. Drugs were still being pushed, innocent people were still getting killed…all we did was turn into Vice Kings that wore purple…” The Protagonist: “Jesus Christ you sound like a pussy…” Julius Little: “I sound like someone who’s not a sociopath…”
When you are on the spaceship in 4 (no spoilers) you can initiate sex scenes with anybody but Keith David. He always has a witty retort as to why y’all can’t bang at that time. It’s awesome (jump to the 2:10 minute mark).
It’s great to see an accomplished talent such as Keith David involved in my favorite medium. I am thankful for Keith David. Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Halloween is dead and now it’s time to revel in another holiday about death and slaughter…Thanksgiving! Does this holiday memorialize a massive genocide? Who knows…but I what I do know is I love Turkey and Football! And black people!
I want to highlight some black characters in games I am thankful for. These characters may not be the star of the franchise but their existence makes me feel better about gaming. We are in a gaming space where games still come out that won’t give you the option to change skin color (Need for Speed 2015…) even when all it would do is make players feel more engaged. When games have black characters, especially when the game isn’t showcasing them, it’s special.
This is my confession. I loved Borderlands 1. Playing as Roland was awesome. I hated Borderlands 2 (at first) because I didn’t have a black option and Roland was not playable. Roland exist in a weird place in the Borderlands world. He was playable in the first game but he was little more than an avatar that happened to be black (talk black?), but when he becomes unplayable in the 2nd game and Pre-Sequel you realize that they give him so much story and personality and in the process made Roland one of the most positive black characters I have seen in years.
Roland goes from vault hunter to revolutionary. When you reach the second game you realize the profound impact and leader that Roland has become. It’s a really cool moment when you are doing missions for him and his group. Roland helped form the Crimson Raiders, a group of radicals fighting the Hyperion Corporation. He was killed in the line of duty, and died a hero.
Roland was also in an interracial relationship with Lilith.
Roland was nothing more than a “boo-yah” spewing stereotype in Borderlands 1 but becomes an integral player in the plot for the rest of the series. Roland bucks stereotypes. He’s more than just a violent avatar. He is a leader. On some level he is fighting for civil rights on Pandora and beyond. The chaos is better than being under Hyperion’s thumb. Roland is multi-dimensional. He’s shown to be a soldier, a leader, and a lover. His relationship matters and the other characters (especially Tiny Tina) mourned his loss greatly. It’s awesome. I am thankful for Roland! GOBBLE GOBBLE
I take a lot of medications. I have some health issues. Due to these things, I pee a lot. Not like I pee twice a day and it’s a thing a lot, but I mean I pee basically every 30-45 minutes like clockwork. Regardless of how much I have or have not drank (drunk? Drinken?). This is relevant because on-line gaming cannot be paused. I realized I hit rock bottom with Freestyle Street Basketball 2 (a basketball MMO) when I pee’d into a cup because I couldn’t pause the game and I wasn’t just going to walk away. Rock bottom never felt so good.
What is Freestyle Street Basketball 2?
FSB2 is a massive multiplayer on-line game where you create an avatar and play basketball. This game is a 3 on 3 “street” basketball simulator. You create a baller at the beginning of the game. You can choose from some templates of a Center, Power Forward, Small Forward, Shooting Guard, and a Point Guard. After you create your player you are introduce to a confusing set of menus to show you how to upgrade your player. The game is a basic 3 on 3 basketball simulator that keeps you involved by having lots of customization options to unlock and currency to earn. There are some pay to win items if you choose to go that route but you can be competitive without spending money. I spent 5 dollars to get a pair of sunglasses and a high top fade….. I still have currency left. I felt like it was worth the money for the time. All of the upgrades that improve my performance were bought during the game.
How does it play?
This game is not NBA 2K, nor is it NBA Live. I would say this game plays like an early NBA Street crossed with NBA Jam. The controls are very simple. Pass, Shoot, Screen. Those same buttons double as rebound, block, steal on defense. There is a turbo button ala NBA Jam. The controls can get more complex if you want them to. You have the option to purchase via in-game currency new moves like jukes and v-cuts. The animations are a little choppy but the game is made to run on any PC. The games are high scoring, 3 point shooting, dunking affairs. You have great control of your character and there is basically no lag. Once you play a game or 2 the controls become second nature and that is when things get really fun.
The beauty of this game is in it’s simplicity and sports foundation. You don’t need to mid-mad characters upfront or spend money to have fun. The game of basketball has not changed. If you understand the game and can pick up the simple controls, you can play and win. The game is pure. You build your character as you see fit, you can run with a crew, or fin some randoms to pick up and run with. My level 3 PG is just as effective as a level 12 if I know the game better (and am surrounded by complementing talent).
How is the presentation?
The presentation is really eye-catching but the menu design is very unintuitive and takes some playing around with. There are so many things going on at once. You are constantly being informed of unlocking different things. Earning new nicknames, new icons, access to a wheel to spin, it can be overwhelming. The graphics look really nice. It’s a cel-shaded game. The characters are long and fluid. The game oozes color and style. The females characters are a little too sexy but overall it’s a very appealing game to look at. The courts are all outdoor and they have weather effects.
Another nice touch is that all upgrades are visual. No 2 characters look the same and it makes the entire experience constantly feel fresh.
How is the on-line community?
About as toxic as a real game of pick up basketball, so take that for what it’s worth.
Are there Black people in this game?
Yes! and women! and Asian people! and zombie looking creatures….. and everything in between. This game handles diversity in the best way. You have access to all sexes and races from the jump. Female centers are just as capable as males. The game has a weird cultural feel to it. It’s like this is what I imagine black and hip-hop culture looks like to somebody from Germany…or Japan even. It’s almost hyper-urban and hyper gaudy. It’s like MTV Cribs meets Def Jam crossed with Pokemon. I am not going to lie, the black characters in this game have real suspect lips….but otherwise they do a great job of giving lots of options for hair styles. This is the first game series i remember to have corn rows. It’s truly impressive. It doesn’t flaunt the diversity, and it’s just a great 3 on 3 basketball game that happens to have everyone in it. It’s really cool.
In conclusion, this game is a pleasant surprise. When I was in High School, I discovered the first FreeStyle Street Basketball game I loved it. I was addicted to it. This game represents community and basketball in a way that NBA 2K multiplayer doesn’t. The sequel doesn’t disappoint. The game is still addicting and fun as ever. Every time i log on, i feel like I am walking into a gym hoping to find some guys I gel with so I can keep winning and stay on the court. This game represents the dream for me. I always wanted a sports RPG and while 2K MyPlayer mode is great single-player representation of this, it always failed to capture my interest on-line. This game is special. It’s Free. I downloaded it on Steam. I recommend you do the same! Thanks for reading! peace
I came across the most interesting article on Kotaku this morning. The article details how in the game Rust for PC, the game chooses your racial and ethnic identity for you. That identity is tied to your Steam ID and cannot be changed. The community response has been a little negative as people don’t like not being able to choose their race. The article shows white people complaining about being black characters and I am sure these complaints go both ways.
I find this fascinating. Full disclosure, on my worst days as a black man I think to myself, “It really sucks being born on the wrong team”. I wanted to be born on the Yankees (white) but ended up on the Cubs (black).
Sometimes a white woman will walk by me at night and speed up while clutching her purse. She doesn’t see my master’s degree or my wife and kid. She just sees a black criminal. Her fear cuts me deep on those bad days and I know I had no choice in the matter. This “feature” in Rust captures that. When I read the complaints from those players online I can feel their powerlessness. As a minority in America I am a marked man. I am powerless to change your perceptions of me from the outside looking in, and I am powerless to change my skin color. I think it is amazing that a game captured this with one small change.
Honestly, when games force me to be a white protagonist I feel the same powerlessness. White is always the norm, so of course the silent protagonist is white. It’s frustrating. I am glad that other people can experience that.
I have not played Rust yet, but I might check it out now. I love when games capture real experiences. We don’t choose our skin color, and Rust has found a way to simulate that and the feelings that come with it.
J3Blackgamer 