I played Portal for the first time a few months back, and loved every bit of it. This weekend, however, I found myself playing it again after I showed it to my friend Flint. I sat by him as he played through the game once, occasionally asking me for hints; then I played it through on my own in an hour. Then I played it again.

Running through the game a second time in a few months, I’m struck by the brilliance of this game. This may well be the best pure videogame experience of the decade. I’m convinced this is one game that will stand the test of time, and still be highly enjoyable even once the graphics are severely outdated.

Portal is a game technology achievement. The portal mechanism, rather than being a gimmick, is one of those game mechanics that is both technologically impressive, and a paradigm shift in gaming. After playing through a few levels of Portal, you find yourself gauging your immediate environment not in terms of distance, but in terms of portal mobility. Suddenly, a high wall is not an obstacle, but an opportunity to jump a great distance, if you can only find a deep enough hole to fall down into before opening a portal at your feet. Portal is one of these amazing games that actually forces you to rethink a map’s topology in terms that are unique to the game. In other words, it makes you think differently.

Far from being a tech demo, however, Portal is also an incredible story. The story of <insert test subject name here>, the unknown and quiet prisoner of Aperture Science, is expressed subtly, through the one-way relationship the character develops with GladOS, the psychotic, passive-aggressive AI. The pathetic begging that GladOS deploys to convince the player to turn around and die a horrible death is simply priceless, and full of pathos.

For all its simplicity, the Portal universe is actually pretty well-realized. The game never, EVER needs a cutscene to expose its universe; you wake up in the lab, and are given the promise of cake at the end of the 19 tests. And that’s it. The rest is told through quick glimpses into the inner workings of the laboratory, including hidden corners where human lab rats have hidden, as well as Aperture Science Powerpoints. The intensity with which the survivors write “The cake is a lie” over and over on the walls is a quiet testament to how surreal and oppressive the lab environment is meant to be. Talk about driving the point across without the need for a cutscene.

Back to the gameplay mechanics themselves, I was stunned, watching my friend Flint play through, to see how progressive and rewarding the whole game is. Sure, some of these puzzles are pretty wicked, requiring clever thinking, but also some decent skills with a controller. But these puzzles are constructed in a sequence that gradually gives you the tools needed to solve the more complex puzzles, and makes you practice the techniques you’ll need. What’s left is an intense sense of satisfaction when you solve a challenging puzzle.

Overall, Portal is one of these rare combinations of technological, gameplay and storytelling innovations, all rolled into one neat, unpretentious and focused game experience. In my mind, the craft and creativity that went into making such a game makes it stand head and shoulders above the top tier of positively-reviewed games such as GTA IV or Halo 3. This is what videogames should be, and as such, Portal needs to be celebrated.

Bravo, <insert Portal game creator here>! You must really be the pride of <insert game creator’s home town here>!

I was originally reticent to pick up Call of Duty 4. I felt giving the cinematic shooter a modern setting would be pushing it squarely into the realm of glorification of war. But as the reviews started pouring in, I couldn’t help myself. Yeah, it’s another game that contributes to the fantasy that wars are exciting events that pit Americans against the forces of evil in the world; but at the same time, it was a pulse-pouding, no-holds-barred cinematographic experience, and quite possibly the best game I played last year.

Call of Duty 4 did the extraordinary thing that previously only Resident Evil 4 had managed: offer a new installment in the series which managed to both stay incredibly true to its roots, and yet offer something completely unique and riveting. Truth be told, we attempted that in Splinter Cell Double Agent, but ultimately did not pull it off. CoD 4, along with RE4, should be held in high esteem by any team wishing to inject a new dose of excitement in a long-running franchise.

That being said, I’m puzzled by the decision of Activision to go back to World War Two with the next installment in the series, Call of Duty: World at War. They had originally hinted at a new theater of war, but it turns out we’ll be going back to the Second World War, going to such exotic and original locales as Nazi Germany Berlin, and the Pacific. Wow, how compelling.

It sounds totally illogical to take such a step backward when you consider CoD 4 sold a whopping 10 million copies so far. Yet it all becomes clear when you notice who is helming this installment in the series: this is not Infinity Ward’s baby, people; rather, it’s Treyarch’s.

It’s no secret that Activision is alternating between Treyarch and Infinity Ward when it comes to pumping out CoD titles. Heck, that’s how I got to work on Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow and Splinter Cell Double Agent, when these episodes were sent to Shanghai while Montreal spent their time on the odd-numbered titles. What sucks here, however, is that clearly, when Treyarch began their work on the fifth installment of Call of Duty, someone out there didn’t believe in Infinity Ward. There’s no reason to go back to World War Two if it isn’t to minimize the damage of a botched Call of Duty 4. If the fans had rejected en masse the modern setting, they would be confident that the fifth installment would be bringing them back to the wonderful world of Nazis and kamikazes.

In other words, Call of Duty: World at War is quite possibly the result of Activision heding their bets with the modern setting, and placing a bit of their money against Infinity Ward. I bet an executive producer somewhere must have shit his pants the day he saw CoD 4 pass the 10 million units sold mark, though.

As for CoD: World at War, I can’t find much in it that excites me. Darker, more survival horror approach to war? Meh. Integrating the innovations of CoD 4’s multiplayer into the single player? Not sure how that’s innovative considering CoD 4 brilliantly took them from single player RPGs to begin with… Not to say World at War won’t be a good game; I’ll just wait to learn what’s next on Infinity Ward’s plate before I get worked up about the series again.

And Activision, for betting against your star studio when establishing the setting of the new CoD: bad publisher, bad!

I’m rarely, if at all, on World of Warcraft nowadays, which does feel a bit weird. The good news, though, is that my gaming habit - as opposed to my strict WoW diet - is back in full force. And two games are retaining my attention at the moment: Rock Band and Grand Theft Auto IV.

I’ve spoken about GTA IV before. I’m still of the opinion that it doesn’t offer much more than GTA San Andreas did, and I’m incredibly annoyed at the mission and saving structure. Every time I drive to a mission giver’s house, then drive to my objective, then start the mission and die… then have to go through the whole goddam tedious thing again, I want to scream. Fortunately, I found I can just get a cab from place to place. So I’m playing the game pretty much as a pedestrian, and I get to skip having to drive through Liberty City for the 200th time. It doesn’t overcome my frustrations, but it lowers the annoyance enough that I’m still playing this game, somehow.

If GTA IV is what I play when I’m alone, I kickstart Rock Band whenever Helene is in the mood. I tell you: it’s just an order of magnitude better than Guitar Hero. Personally, I was never that great with Guitar Hero… I made it to the end of Medium difficulty and pretty much stagnated there. Helene, on the other hand, kicks ass. She plays most of the Rock Band songs on Expert. The great thing here is that I can sing instead of playing the guitar, and as a result, we’re currently going through the Band World Tour on Hard. Feels like we’re on a bit more of an even ground.

The fact that you’re playing different instruments in the band is actually, I think, one of the most pleasant things about the game. It’s asymmetrical collaboration, if I can coin a silly game design expression: you’re all working towards the same goal, but you’re doing so in dramatically different ways. I love it. Case in point:

The other night, Helene and I were trying to finish a 7-song set when we ran into the hellish guitar solo of Molly Hatchet’s Flirtin’ with Disaster. After three tries, we decided the best strategy was to stock up on star power to get through the solo (Helene was playing it on Hard.) I kind of panicked and launched my star power too early, but Helene managed to power through the solo… only to die at the very end of it. And so, stressed like crazy, I hit two yellow lines… Enough to get the star power necessary to save her with the life bar an inch from the bottom. Whew!

As to the pleasure of playing on the X360 again, I have one thing to say: it’s good to be back.

Yep, this is my second SF review in the same weekend! This one is about The Android’s Dream, by an author I love, John Scalzi. If you’ve never read John Scalzi before, do yourself a favor and pick up Old Man’s War! As for this one, well… Not as good. Read my review if you want to find out why.

It’s been a little while since I’ve read The Player of Games, but the novel made such an impression on me I just had to review it for my SF review webpage, Future Shock. If you like thought-provoking space opera, trust me on this one: you owe it to yourself to read this book, whether you’ve read any Culture novel before or not.

Erick Wujcik, whom I was fortunate enough to call a friend, passed away quietly Saturday evening.

I met Erick at Ubisoft Shanghai, where he was the Game Design Studio Manager. Erick was a man like no other: a true master of game design, and a lover of the imagination. You could see where Erick went by the blazing trail of inspiration and dreams he lit on the way.

Erick died from pancreatic and liver cancer. The doctors had given him 4-6 weeks to live; he lived for six months, and passed away quietly, surrounded by friends and family.

Farewell, Erick. I am grateful to the Universe for making our paths intersect.

For a list of his staggering accomplishments in the videogame and the RPG industries, please visit www.erickwujcik.com.

Hmm… Tiramisu…

Saturday night was the “BioWare Food Club @ Home”: a house party, hosted by Theresa and Alain, for the food enthusiasts of BioWare. (Yes, I had a hand in setting it up.) Dozens of guests and dishes converged on Theresa and Alain’s place, and we got to enjoy an immense variety of meals and desserts before laughing our asses off playing Rock Band. As you can guess, a good time was had by all. I remember fondly the huge dessert prepared by Shauna in a punch bowl, as well as Sebastian’s mac & cheese, Ben’s indecent bread (featuring bacon, garlic and cheese) and Jocelyn’s cherry pie, among other delicacies.

As my “signature dish”, I brought home-made tiramisu. I just enjoy making tiramisu: it doesn’t require any cooking, and it”s one of these “magical” dishes that transubstantiate its ingredients. You put lady fingers and a mascarpone mixture in the fridge, and overnight, it magically transforms into a moist tiramisu cake. Magic!

My tiramisu turned out pretty magnificent, if I may say so myself. I was very pleased with the taste, and apparently so were the people at the party: it literally flew off the counter the second I pulled it out of the fridge!

And so, in the spirit of sharing, here’s my recipe. It’s adapted from a number of sources, most notably Helene’s own recipe (passed on to her by an Italian college friend) and this traditional recipe. (Although I guess the author won’t appreciate the link since I’m not advocating Italian espresso at all costs…) Helene’s recipe was simpler than this, and still very tasty, but I think the changes in this one are a solid step forward.

Continue reading »

I’ve put up a new SF review on Future Shock. This one is about Scott Mackay’s Phytosphere.

GTA IV’s Niko Bellic: “I’m hunting down the ghosts of my past…
But first, I’m taking my cousin to a game of darts!”

Having recently kicked my WoW habit, and being a huge fan of GTA: San Andreas, I really couldn’t help but pick up GTA IV and check out the hype for myself. After all, how could I pass up on the bestselling game of all time and one of the most critically-acclaimed ones as well?

For starters, I want to make it clear: I’m enjoying this game a great deal. There’s just something that resonates with me about the story of Nico Bellic, trying to escape his shameful past only to find into the criminal element of Liberty City. I enjoyed San Andreas’s story a lot as well, and the gangsta culture didn’t bother me at all… but the Eastern European flair of this installment is charming to me. Not only that, but the voice work and the mo-cap are pretty amazing.

But my problem is this: I don’t see the generation gap between Xbox and Xbox 360, here. Whereas GTA: Vice City on the PS2 was a revolutionary piece of gameplay, GTA IV on the X360 sounds like a refined version of an old-gen title.

Sure, there’s more details in the city. What I question, however, is how much of it actually builds up to a next-gen experience. It seems Rockstar has added width to the offering, but very little depth. So now I can go bowling, play darts, witness explicit sex with a prostitute, take the subway, or even go online and meet someone over Craigslist. Uhh… Ok.

Contrast this with San Andreas, and the way it innovated. GTA:SA essentially took GTA III, and expanded it in scope. It added elements of RPG into the mix with character customization. It gave us not only the city of Los Angeles, but also the countryside and San Francisco.

These added elements injected depth into the experience. I would argue that logging on and looking at websites in GTA IV is funny, but doesn’t add any depth. In other words: I get a slightly more complex GTA experience, but nothing innovative with this iteration. How is it that GTA:SA doesn’t deserve the magic “4″ number, yet this X360 iteration does?

And once I’ve experienced the added quirks, what am I left with? Pretty much the same mission structure as before, actually, with all its flaws. I still can’t save anywhere, and when I fail a mission, I have to start all over. It’s ok for a game to be hard and ask me to start again a few times, but when I have to start all over again the boring parts, then have to fail because of crappy controls or poor difficulty balancing? That’s unacceptable. When I dread certain types of missions because the crappy controls get in the way of my experience, that’s inexcusable especially if you consider that these problems have existed in previous GTA installments. (I’m looking at you, “shooting at an enemy motorcycle while trying to follow it at high-speed without being thrown off my own bike” missions.)

GTA IV is “old gen”. It’s a wider, more expansive version of GTA III, without much added polish or realization, or even depth. Was it too much to ask that GTA take the Call of Duty 4 road and offer us unparalleled levels of excitement instead of adding a bowling mini-game? Perhaps. After all, that’s not preventing them from selling gazillions of copies.

Wild salmon and spinach pasta in sesame pesto
(all ingredients from the Farmer’s Market)
Click to enlarge

Another Saturday, another visit to the farmer’s market.

The Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market is easily my favorite thing about Edmonton right now. It’s one of those old-school food and craft markets, where hippie soapmakers rub shoulders with Ukranian grandmothers peddling pierogies. It echoes the food markets I’ve grown to love in Asia, and yet somehow it’s completely unique.

Helene and I have been there every Saturday for the last four weeks, and it’s quickly replaced the Planet Organic market as our source of high-quality ingredients. Not only that, but we’re turning into “organic snobs”, as we’re starting to consider organic certification of food as the second-best option. Who cares about an international QA company calling a tomato “organic” when you can talk to the man who grew it, and ask him questions about the process?

Bison & saskatoon berry bratwurst, red cabbage sauerkraut
and aragula & tomato salad
Click to enlarge

Michael Pollan, in his stunning book titled In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto called this practice “shaking the hand that feeds you”. Truth be told, I’m getting hooked on this ability to meet face-to-face with the person who grew my vegetables, and be able to talk about their produce with them. When I drink my coffee in the morning, I can picture the young, dynamic couple who roasted it three days ago, and who gave me an extra free bag this weekend. When I eat aragula salad, I see the kind grandmother who sells it to us. When I cook the grass-fed beef I now buy, I can remember seeing the pictures of the farm where they were raised.

How can you not prefer eating healthy and natural when you can meet the people who grow or raise or bake your food? I try to picture a McDonald’s burger after this, and I’m forced to imagine the long chain of artificial processing, not to mention animal abuse, that goes into it.

Compared to that, the simple life of a locally-grown cucumber makes for a much more compelling story.