A few days ago, as I was first coming back from the hospital, I felt fine. Well, sort of. Aside from sore arms from numerous blood tests, and a momunmentous headache from having the insides of your face packed with crap for almost 96 hours, I felt pretty much normal.
But just walking around, and riding shotgun in a car was making me feel ill. I could barely lift the grocery bag that held my personal effects, without the sensation that I was straining against a 30 pound barbell. I was moving in slow motion. I felt like someone was holding me back, forcing me on the ground.
A few days later, I feel much better. I wouldn’t say 100%, but I don’t feel a ghostly apparition leaning on me. I guess the 4 days of apathy, sitting in a hospital bed are slowly wearing off.
Anyway, I’m still here. Trying to relax. Again, Doctor’s orders. Which is the strangest thing. How do you “try” to relax? That’s got to be in some way oxymoronic, right? I mean, one can stop doing anything, and just lie there, but does that constitute relaxing? The minute I drop everything and just make an attempt to be chill, my mind starts racing as to if I’m being chill enough.
Maybe I just need a shrink.
I have not touched a pencil or brush to paper, or Wacom to tablet in about a week, since I was admitted to the hospital. I figure I should get back on that soon. I’ve been avoiding anything work related, as my veiled attempt at relaxing. So my time has been preoccupied with watching movies, reading and PS2.
Shadow of the Colossus. I know a review of this game right now would be a bit belated, but it’s awesome. By no stretch of the imagination a complete game, but a very innovative demo of what could be a mind blowing game! I say this, mostly because the game is a series of boss battles, and that’s it. Sure there’s some light platforming here and there, but when you boil it down, it’s a game that just you against end level boss types. And once you figure out the mechanics of the game, and how you bring these behemoths to their demise, there isn’t too much guess work involved. So, I hesitate to say this is a complete game, by current industry standards and conventions, but don’t let that stop you from picking this bad boy up. I would recommend Colossus over any complete game out there today. The gaming experience is second to none. It’s just different. It’s beautiful. Every aspect of the game is so deliberate in it’s intent and execution. The only gripe I have is with the camera. The in game views are very good for the game play, and it’s never a hindrance. But when you try to control the camera, to get a different view of the action, it’s not very responsive. And I would love to be able to view this game from different angles as I’m playing. I would love to edit together one of the battles as if I was editing a movie, because it would look that amazing. This game looks and plays great. I just wish there was more to it.
But who knows, the folks behind Colossus are probably hard at work on a next gen sequel, which would be good, having essentially maxed out the PS2’s resources. But I love games that are created in the final year or two of a console’s life cycle. They are usually the games that push it too the limit graphically, which is always good. But by the time developers have a few years of designing for a console under their belt, they often begin experimenting in gameplay. It’s like have free reign to do what they please, because that period of making conventional games that have guaranteed success in terms of sales is over. It’s in these twilight years of a console that game creators can let loose and have a little fun.
Kinda makes me rethink the way I approach creating my work.
ADC
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