Dungeon Keeper and the PC Golden Age

Have I ever mentioned how much I plain ol' adore GoG.com. It reminds me of the PC golden age of the 90's where developers could make weird games about mustering armies of humans vs. orcs, or a young visionary named Peter Molyneux could make a real commercial success about being a dick in high fantasy.

There is so much to love about the game Dungeon Keeper. Despite the dated graphics the game is very playable and the mechanics are so good that the game feels it has aged incredibly well. Nostalgia aside there is something inherently fantastic about strategy games with perfect mechanics (well great mechanics at least. Perfect may be a stretch) where it achieves a zen no other genre can hope to attain.

The intro cinematic also will forever be hugely nostalgic for me (despite having aged considerably worse than the game).

What I really loved and continue to love about this game and the 90's on the PC in general is that true innovation was possible. Development costs were in line enough where developers and artists could really experiment and make whatever they want and chances are they would even break even.

It's also nice to play something that isn't The Witcher 2 or Minecraft. Why did Notch have to put Nether in SMP. Dammit.

Stupid Witcher 2 I have to buy you

Man sometimes it sucks being a person, and gamer with principles. I absolutely love developer CD Projekt. I love gog.com. I love to give them my hard earned money because I love the companies value and DRM free philosophies. It goes to show that some companies are focused on making money the right way by finding win-win situations with their customers rather than treating paying consumers like crops to harvest; like property that is rightfully theirs.

If you don't have a gog.com account go there now. You're welcome.

So The Witcher 2 has, as of right now, a 92 Metacritic score. It is a PC exclusive action RPG that is about as intuitive as a nuclear physics and is about as forgiving as Maria Shriver (come one! It was just ONE love child!) On paper I should absolutely adore the first entry in the series. I didn't, but I love the idea behind it and the company that made it.

The first entry in the Witcher had writing that I found, to put it nicely, sub par. The story followed protagonist Geralt (that is actually the protagonists name....) and his quest to save the world from something. I dunno I didn't pay much attention. I was too focused on banging local barmaids. Seriously. You got little collectible cards for every digital high fantasy ass you tapped. The writing wasn't all that great either. The controls and combat we're a little too difficult to even understand, never mind master. I got about to the end of the first questing area when I about called it quits.

I am, however, reluctantly resigned to give another $49.99 USD to developer CD Projekt for their sophomore entry into the series. I will, as a person who feels an obligation to support his industry and companies that move the industry forward, give the Witcher 2 an honest shot and my financial approval.

I just hope I like the game. Will definitely put up impressions!!!!

As a post script I generally like to preserve the artistic integrity and maturity of this blog but hot damn! Did you see the nude video of the chick who was the model for Triss on youtube? Duuuuuuuuuuuude (not for underage viewers)!