The Escapist, Issue 18: Otaku

[Evil Avatar]

Issue #18 of The Escapist (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/) is now available. Though video games were birthed in the western world, they were fully realized in Japan, and even today the east continues to be at the leading edge of console gaming. This week, The Escapist magazine looks east, at the culture and games of Japan, in Issue 18: "Otaku."

In "I Can't Believe It's Not Gaming," (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/18/5) feature contributor Pat Miller explores Japanese gaming culture, and what it means to be otaku. In "The Asian Weird," (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/18/10) contributor Allen Varney looks at unspeakably strange games from Asia such as Boong-Ga Boong-Ga and The Large Beauty. In "Japan's Mother," (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/18/17) contributor John Szczepaniak discusses Mother and Mother 2, unique and underappreciated titles by Japanese writer Shigesato Itoi. And in "The View From Here," (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/18/19) resident Contrarian, John Tynes, gives his reasons why Japanese-style gaming is doomed to be overrun by Western genres.

[TheKeck]

Can't wait for lunch so I can read this.

[Kyle Jones]

Cool mag! I'll definitely start reading this one. Thanks EA!

[DaXIthR]

Best gaming publication in the known universe.

Even their letters to the editor are a cut above the drivel that appears in other magazines. It's a huge relief to know that the knowledge these folks are splitting is reaching level-headed and smart futhamuckas in the gaming population.

[EvilBob46]

The John Tynes article was ridiculous. Some dude who personally didn't like hardly any Japanese games rambles on about his own convoluted views (he works for the Xbox 360 UK magazine by the way) while making Japanese games be almost synonymous with Nintendo. There are a lot of crappy Japanese games for sure, ones that I would never play, and many more that are too inaccesible or awkward. But the same can be said of games form anywhere.

If a person didn't at least enjoy the absolute creme de la creme of Japanese games (Resident Evil 4, I'm looking at you) then...my sincere condolences. Seriously.

[Rafer]

The John Tynes article was ridiculous. Some dude who personally didn't like hardly any Japanese games rambles on about his own convoluted views (he works for the Xbox 360 UK magazine by the way) while making Japanese games be almost synonymous with Nintendo. There are a lot of crappy Japanese games for sure, ones that I would never play, and many more that are too inaccesible or awkward. But the same can be said of games form anywhere.

If a person didn't at least enjoy the absolute creme de la creme of Japanese games (Resident Evil 4, I'm looking at you) then...my sincere condolences. Seriously.

Yeah I didn't care for the article, even though there is a point to be made, I've recall interviews with Japanese developers themselves bemoaning the lack of creativity in Japanese games lately, and are quick to praise Western games like GTA. Fumito Ueda, for instance, liked Western games such as Half-Life 2, Burnout 3 and God of War.

[TheKeck]

The John Tynes article was ridiculous. Some dude who personally didn't like hardly any Japanese games rambles on about his own convoluted views (he works for the Xbox 360 UK magazine by the way) while making Japanese games be almost synonymous with Nintendo. There are a lot of crappy Japanese games for sure, ones that I would never play, and many more that are too inaccesible or awkward. But the same can be said of games form anywhere.

If a person didn't at least enjoy the absolute creme de la creme of Japanese games (Resident Evil 4, I'm looking at you) then...my sincere condolences. Seriously.

Did you finish reading the article? He specifically says the Resident Evil is one of the few Japanese games he really likes.

Anyway, I disagreed with a lot of what Tynes said, and agreed with some of it as well. His article IS called "The Contrarian". It implies that he will go against what most readers think.

[Buddha Lotus]

I wish SOMEONE here in the states would import Super RObot Wars