That’s right. Hiding underneath all the accolades and slick marketing lies something much more sinister within — misogyny. Unlike most nefarious games, Bioshock starts off relatively benign. Only when your character acquires new weapons; called “plasmids”, does the misogynistic world of Rapture become embarrassingly obvious. You see, every plasmid comes with a tutorial demonstrating its abilities. In each video, players are treated to watching a poor innocent woman being eviscerated by a patriarchal, plasmid-wielding woman-hater.

References alluding to male privilege are laced throughout; the victim is always dressed as a housewife (misogynists love their women subservient) and overtly feminine, the male assailant is always seen with a smug grin of satisfaction as he overpowers the “uppity” woman. Even the presentation is done in a stylized 1940′s manner, referring to an era in which women were seen as property.

The poor thing. She never had a chance.

Later on in the game, you’ll cross paths with Bridgette Tenenbaum, the only female character in the game. She’s given very little screen time and is quickly relinquished as a babysitter for the children of Rapture, dubbed as “Little Sister’s”.  It’s disappointing to see a strong woman reduced to servitude but not surprisingly unexpected.

After playing Bioshock, I can only ask what kind of depraved individual could come up with such trash in today’s modern, gender-blind society? Kev Levine, Bioshock’s designer has often cited the philosophy of Objectivism as a major influence in his life and from this confession, I’ve been given the explanation for Bioshock’s sexism.

Misogynist extraordinaire, Ken Levine

Objectivism, created by Ayn Rand, is an archaic philosophy with many anti-feminist overtones. Her work often promoted something she called “hero worship” which she described as “the essence of femininity is hero worship — the desire to look up to man” and that “an ideal woman is a man-worshiper, and an ideal man is the highest symbol of mankind.”  Fancy words for a degrading type of relationship where women are seen as breeding stock for male pleasure.

Don’t believe me? When former lover of Ayn Rand’s, Nathaniel Branden was asked to clarify hero worship he was quoted “man experiences the essence of his masculinity in the act of romantic dominance; woman experiences the essence of her femininity in the act of romantic surrender.” Male dominance? True femininity equals complete submission to a man? Need I say more? Violence against women is another recurring theme found within Objectivism. The most famous example can be found by just flicking through the pages of The Fountainhead. Written in 1943 by Rand, it contains a graphic description of a rape between the female protagonist and her male counterpart:

He had thrown her down on the bed and she felt the blood beating in her throat, in her eyes, the hatred, the helpless terror in her blood. She felt the hatred and his hands; his hands moving over her body, the hands that broke granite. She fought in a last convulsion. Then the sudden pain shot up, through her body, to her throat, and she screamed. Then she lay still.It was an act that could be performed in tenderness, as a seal of love, or in contempt, as a symbol of humiliation and conquest. It could be the act of a lover or the act of a soldier violating an enemy woman. He did it as an act of scorn. Not as love, but as defilement.

The frequent depictions of violence against women in Bioshock are no mere accident but the product of a person indoctrinated by anti-feminist rhetoric. Ken Levine may remain irreversibly ignorant but that doesn’t mean we should sit idly by.  As the philosopher Edmund Burke wisely said “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing”.   It is our moral duty; an imperative requirement — for all good men and women to actively refuse and fight back against such sexism whenever it reveals its ugly head, whatever the medium.

When I first read about Lair, writers kept referring to the claim that it would consume an entire Blu-ray disc due to its high-end visuals. Normally, I would worry fearing that style over substance, graphics over gameplay was being given precedent. However, the developer was Factor 5. Their previous games were great fun with the perfect balance of graphics and gameplay. In fact, I was so confident in their ability that Lair took eighth place in my list of top 10 most anticipated games.

As the release date approached, review copies were sent out to critics and then, the reviews began to surface. Mostly negative, highly critical of the gameplay, reviewers wrote that Factor 5 had opted to focus on graphics, leaving gamers with a pretty but unplayable game.

Kevin VanOrd from GameSpot wrote in his review:

You shouldn’t play Lair. Not unless you have some morbid interest in experiencing what is quite possibly one of the worst control schemes ever devised. It’s a shame because as a cinematic experience, it’s stunning to watch. As a game, it’s a nightmare and an embarrassment. It sounds like a fantastic idea: You fly around on a dragon, spewing fire and clawing at other reptiles while generally wreaking havoc. Too bad you’re forced to use Sixaxis controls that destroy the possibility of fun and replace it with the constant need to scream expletives at your television screen.

Greg Miller from IGN had a similar opinion:

It was somewhere in the neighborhood of my fourth pass over a bridge filled with two warring factions and a bunch of evil rhinos that I went from thinking Lair wasn’t that bad to wondering if Lucifer himself pressed this Blu-ray disc in the pits of hell.See, the time had come for my Asylains to draw up a peace treaty with a group of neighboring bad guys called the Mokai, but when the peace process soured, a huge battle erupted and I — Rohn, one of the best dragon-riding sky guards around — needed to make sure our troops came out on top.No doubt, that sounds interesting and fun; however, Lair’s terrible controls and god-awful lock-on system make this a mission worthy of swallowing the business end of a shotgun to avoid.

Still eager to play Lair, I rented a copy, instead of buying and set off to find out if it was indeed as horrible as described.From the start, Lair screams polished. Beautiful artwork with elegant fonts adorned the title screen. As soon as the prologue ends, voiced by a Hollywood-style narrator, your eyes will be spoiled by the rich world crafted by Factor 5.A radiant sun shines down upon a beautiful, detailed medieval themed landscape. Tall towers cast dark shadows while a nearby ocean and your dragon’s wings reflectively glitter sunlight. The Asylian capital surrounded by rocky mountains, textured with hints of dirt, moss and snow.

The scope of the detail spent on the capital city becomes obvious as you set out for your first battle. As you soar through the skies, the ground below is covered with elaborate buildings, bridges and temples. Besieged by an surprise attack, flaming projectiles hurtle towards, smoke gushes out of burning structures and the sky is filled with fire, spewed by dragons as they battle.   The normally serene ocean now is filled with ships from the enemy navy, catapulting flaming bombardment towards you.

As the game progresses, you’ll view pre-rendered cutscenes.  Absolutely as detailed as the in-game graphics but serve more as an annoyance than anything else. You’ll be interrupted by them in mid-battle, usually over and over again.  It’s as if Factor 5 assumed most gamers are so dense that they need to be repeatively told what their mission objectives are.However, Lair sounds great, too. The entire soundtrack is appropriately filled with medieval themed music and the voice acting is superb for a video game. Support for 5.1 and THX is available for those with capable receivers.

For everything the graphics and sound add to the experience of Lair, the controls quickly take away from it. Factor 5 decided to go with SIXAXIS to control your dragon for most of the game. This might have worked if approached as a labor of love with an immense attention to detail for the nuance that such a control scheme would require. But this did not happen for Lair. The end product feels sloppy, overwhelming players as they’re forced to fight with the controls, instead of enemies. At first, it starts off innocent enough – X speeds you up, O attacks and so forth. Once you start trying to maneuver in the sky, you’ll quickly become frustrated.

There’s an obvious lack of precision here, so you can’t suddenly do a hairpin turn, quickly pitch up or dive which gives your SIXAXIS-free enemies an major advantage as they flank and chase after you.In battle, I would frequently have an icedragon on my tail. There’s a technique which allows you to 180 degree turn to shake them off which requires you to flick the controller upwards to pull it off. Being extremely unresponsive, I would be able to pull it off usually after 3-4 attempts. There’s also a targeting system but don’t get too excited. It, too is horribly broken. It doesn’t have the ability to select a target, so you’re forced to line it up in your sights, press R1 and hope for the best.

That’s because selecting the wrong enemy happens often, forcing you to unlock and try again because there’s no intuitive way to shuffle through targets like using the d-pad. Speaking of targeting, it’s used to set up battles with enemy dragons where the screen will zoom in, some dramatic music will play and you’ll have to melee into them by jerking your controller in the direction you want to rush from. But since the gameplay is so unresponsive, I felt more helpless than in control. Whenever I walked away from one of these fights, it was thanks to luck and chance, not skill and effort.In conclusion, Lair faced high expectations when announced in 2005. Now after being launched, it surely is beautiful sight, raising the bar for graphics but its lackluster gameplay will stop it from being considered a critical hit or runaway success. It is, as Kevin VanOrd noted in his review – a beautiful disaster.

The only problem is, in my opinion, Forbes is painfully out of sync with most gamers. The list contains tedious entries such as Madden NFL 08 (oh yes, updated rosters leave me breathless) and while I’m looking forward to Guitar Hero III, I just can’t help feeling that better games ended up being robbed.

So, to right a wrong, I’ve decided to come out with a list of titles that I’m anxiously waiting for with baited breath. Some are coming out within a few weeks while others have no announced date in sight. Disagree with my choices? Sound off in the comments. Now the list after the jump.

Number Ten – Halo 3

Sorry, fanboys. Sure, Halo raised the bar back in 2001 for FPS’ on consoles with use of scripted events, responsive controls and challenging difficulty (legendary, anyone?). But from there, it just got stale. Halo 2 was a tepid rehash and from what I’ve played on the beta, Halo 3 looks like more of the same, with prettier graphics. Of course, I haven’t played the final product, so its possible Bungie may redeem themselves. Because of this, Halo 3 takes spot number 10.

Number Nine – Grand Theft Auto IV

For most, RockStar has always delivered with Grand Theft Auto. However, its always been a one trick pony – ultraviolence, shock value and miniquests. Promotional trailers show off impressive visuals and production values which gives the impression that perhaps this time around, there’s some substance underneath the bling and violence.

Number Eight – Lair

Rumored to fill an entire a single layer Blu-Ray disc (that’s 25GB, folks) Lair is getting a lot of attention thanks to its incredible graphics. But as any seasoned gamer knows, graphics do not make the game. Luckily Factor 5, developer of Rogue Squadron and Rogue Leader is responsible for Lair, so one should except a harmonious marriage of graphics and gameplay.

Number Seven – Resident Evil 5

Just when hunting after clover-shaped keys were getting passe, Capcom reinvents killing zombies in Resident Evil 4 and manages to salvage the franchise from being destined to the bargain bin. The only reason why the rank isn’t higher is because of Capcom’s history of botching games — if you need a refresher, see Dead Rising (one save slot? Otis?) and Devil May Cry 2 (need I say more?) as grim reminders.

Number Six – Half-Life Orange Box

For FPS fans, Valve can do no wrong. Looking to continue their legacy, Half-Life Orange is loaded up with Episode 2, Team Fortress 2 and Portal. Whatever happens in Episode 2, there’s one thing you can depend on — expect Valve to raise the FPS bar again.

Number Five – Metal Gear Solid 4

Sony’s Playstation 3 desperately needs a killer app to boost sales against the Wii and Xbox 360. After watching the E3 trailer and gameplay demonstration, Metal Gear Solid 4 will most likely be that game. With new toys like Solid Eye and a new sneaking suit with T-1000 abilities, Sam Fisher has some competition for the title of king of stealth.

Number Four – BioShock

Described by developer Irrational Gamers as a spiritual successor to System Shock 2, BioShock will be facing high expectations from gamers. Lead Designer Ken Levine boasts that BioShock will be offering high visuals mixed with elaborate storytelling set in a 1940′s-stylized underwater city. Fancy buzz that means genetic research at an underwater lab goes wrong, leaving our hero with lots of baddies to kill. Hey, whatever works, just keep scaring us shitless like System Shock 2, OK?

Number Three – Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy is yet another quintessential Mario game from a long history of greatness — the original Super Mario Bros, Super Mario 3, Super Mario World and Mario 64. This time, Mario heads for outer space in hot pursuit after a kidnapped Princess Peach. With help of multiple space suits, will Mario be triumphant against his unknown foe? Well, of course, he’s Mario, after all.

Number Two – Spore

In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersion and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. (thanks, Wikipedia!). In video games, Spore is the latest (and most likely the greatest) God-game from talented designer, Will Wright. Players will be able to create life, first starting off as a single-celled organism, evolving over time to complex life, complete with sentience and sapience. Originally speculated to be released in 2006, Spore is now scheduled to be released sometime in 2008-2009. Hurry up, Will — creating life in a petri dish shouldn’t be exclusive to Richard Dawkins.

Number One – Shenmue 3

When Sega released Shenmue in 2000, it was critically praised for its innovative gameplay and real world environments. Shenmue 2 continued and upped the interest with its cliffhanger ending. But for patient fans, very little has been revealed on Shenmue 3, a quick search finds just some fan-made trailers and news dated from late 2006. If Yu Suzuki believes giving Shenmue 3 “the Steve Jobs treatment” will drive hype and speculation, it’s working.

After Sony’s price drop, all eyes turned to Microsoft expecting a similar response in kind. However Dean Takahashi, Mercury News reporter and friend of Redmond (he worked closely with the original Xbox team for his novel, Opening the Xbox) explains that Microsoft has something much larger in mind for the Xbox 360.

According to Takahashi, Microsoft’s battle plan, dubbed “Falcon” is about preparing chips that will use 65-nanometer specifications, instead of larger 90 nanometer ones now being used. By doing this, Microsoft benefits by having smaller chips that won’t generate as much heat, reducing warranty expenses, additional parts like heat sinks and would be cheaper themselves because as he explains – “use less material and fewer manufacturing steps to produce.”

Takahashi isn’t sure how “Falcon” plays into Microsoft’s larger strategy to win the console war but I can only see this as a move to allow Microsoft to fight “two wars” simultaneously with Nintendo and Sony. Since the Xbox 360 launched, Microsoft has spent over $21 billion to ensure their hegemony in the living room – for them, it seems losing is not an option.

Because of this attitude, I foresee any cost savings would likely materialize as price drops to sway consumers. There’s a reason why Microsoft didn’t discontinue their original Premium when they announced the higher-end Elite. Both SKU’s will be positioned with price drops that let MS go against both Nintendo and Sony in their respective markets and offerings.

Nintendo likely won’t be phased by this and shouldn’t be. With high margins on the Wii and a total monopoly in the handheld space, they’re positioned to easily weather the storm. Sony on the other hand with losing hundreds of millions on the Playstation 3 cannot afford the same luxury. Better luck next time, Sir Howard.

From a photo montage done by the New York Times which compares real life players against their avatars. Lucas Shaw, which thanks to his 55-hour a week EverQuest habit may never win a Nobel Prize but sometimes all you need to do to change the world is serve as personal motivation for others.

Via Valleywag.

Like most arguments, this one on the graphical superiority between Halo 3 and Resistance: Fall of Man plays out rather predictably. Fanboys spin, flame and swear while the rest of us lose.

As someone who has both consoles, it’s almost impossible any noticeable difference in their visuals. But it’s not just about the bump mapping or anisotropic filtering. There’s also an artistic quality that’s needed, giving the game a human quality that can’t be achieved with technology alone. FPS fans who’ve played both Half Life 2 and Doom 3 should be nodding in agreement right about now.

So, in the end, who wins?

Resistance looks like a mix of War of the Worlds and World War 2 with bombed out Manchester serving as a backdrop. With most of us tired of Tom Cruise and countless war epics, it doesn’t help the almost monochromic coloring. Instead of looking fresh, Resistance feels muddy and dull.

Compare this to Halo 3 which screenshots look like they’re from “Futuristic Outdoors and Ammo”. Outdoor scenes with alien structures set against pine trees creates much-needed contrast and a visual feast for your eyes. And the gluttony doesn’t stop there — enemies, weapons, pretty much everything enjoys the same treatment and loving care. Even arctic scenes break mold from the usual with generous use of purple and pink.

But that dazzle doesn’t save Halo 3 from its lackluster gameplay. The lack of innovation isn’t surprising, since currently Halo is a license to print money. And with Resistance being equally flat, there’s only one who can save Christmas for all — Valve.

“You buy the product, you get the content,” Team Fortress 2 designer Robin Walker told us. “We make more money because more people buy it, not because we try and nickel-and-dime the same customers.”

“[In multiplayer games] the content you’re playing is being created by the players you’re playing against, so the more people that get into the game, the more content you’re going to have,” Valve’s Charlie Brown concurred.

Valve’s marketing director Doug Lombardi admitted the company had “pretty strong opinions” about how to handle post-release content. “Our philosophy there is, if you buy the product, we put more content out to keep the game interesting, we sell more products.”

“Counter-Strike is number one and has been since ’99 because we kept the game interesting, not because we tried to charge people more, and that’s come back in sales of Counter-Strike,” he added.

Sure, the interview ends with Valve’s confessions that they’re dipping their toe into the pool of in-game advertising. But if two wrongs don’t make a right, I’m sure one of each cancels themselves out.

When Sega announced they had green-lighted a sequel to Condemned: Criminal Origins. I jumped up and down with the enthusiasm of my kid former self on Christmas morning.

I love to be scared. I’m a big horror fan, I used to explore dilapidated buildings at midnight to scare myself. You get the drift. Condemned served my adrenaline fix, level after level as I brawled with hobos, investigating clues to prove my innocence. Forget about F.E.A.R, Condemned will have you screaming like a schoolgirl.

However, Sega’s press release describes a lot of new fluff which looks like an attempt to reverse on its predecessor’s poor sales at the cost of its unique style:

As Ethan, players will engage in visceral combat using a variety of firearms, blunt instruments and an all-new fighting system complete with defensive and offensive combo chains.

Condemned 2: Bloodshottakes the series to a whole new level by introducing a variety of thrilling online multiplayer modes including deathmatch, which promises to deliver the most brutal hand-to-hand combat experience the first person genre has ever seen.

Bad idea, why speed up the gameplay at the cost of what works? One of the reasons why Condemned was so scary was because it was paced itself very slowly.

Suspense piled up on your shoulders like a heavy sack, your mind wandered scaring yourself and your nerves went into overdrive, thanks to the thick and creepy atmosphere (click the above links for a taste). Now it sounds like Monolith is almost going for Max Payne lite with a combo system.

If changes need to be made to the weapon / fighting system, how about more diversity in both weapons and their attributes? How about the ability to drop weapons from player or AI by repeated strong blows? How about a parry system, similar to Soul Calibur 2? Some polishing to improve fluidity would be a welcome addition, too.

And of course, the online mode looks thrown in without any real thought or respect for Condemned. Online play has always been lacking in the plot department. Condemned is largely driven by its plot and here this feels like another attempt to woo buyers at the cost of gameplay.

That being said, I do remain optimistic as details are sparse; perhaps two player co-op is in the works? Imagine the tension as you communicate with your equally scared partner, exploring together and shitting yourselves when spooked by scripted events exclusive to co-op multiplayer?

Or imagine in one level, getting separated and later on witnessing a scene between your partner and the killer that gives the impression that they’re a turncoat? Use online as a plot device to further the psychological drama in ways that couldn’t be achieved during single player. That’s how you incorporate Xbox Live while persevering what made Condemned chilling.

Are you listening, Monolith?

Which is where CeBIT comes in. The world’s premier consumer electronics expo shares an uncanny resemble to E3 in the booth babe department, bringing back a familiar warm feeling in the lower regions for many.

As a healthy young male, I don’t mind looking at beautiful young women while oogling the latest technology (or is that the other way around?) but is there a fine line between pandering male interests and flat out assuming we’re all mindless breast chasing bafoons?