My first job interview in over ten years tomorrow.  

I am sitting here in my kitchen, 11pm Sunday night, filled with sadness as my pet rabbit sits in a box next to me dying.

Forgive me whilst I indulge in my mental musing about the Xbox 360.  You see, I have been a major critic about the hardware for a long time and with good reason.  However, to deny the library for it would be ignorance in the highest degree.  I have been swayed of late (since late last year) because there were supposedly hardware changes (the falcon motherboard?) that should have rendered the high failure rate to one that is more normal for any electronic hardware.

As a previous blog of mine recounted, I had an experience with a colleague urinating over my clothes on a business trip, whilst sleepwalking.  Sure he was drunk as well, but it ended with him unemployed (damage to the hotel suite).  This week, I had another experience with sleepwalking and this one truly frightened the living daylights out of me.

What an eventful week I had.  One day after returning from my work trip to Sydney (and the resulting urine related story), was my annual pilgrimage to the anime/manga convention, AI-con.

I had an interstate conference with my job last week.  It is the usual trip at the start of the year, but this one was a little different than my previous 9.

After many years of thinking about it and at times, yearning for it, today, the first day of 2009, I finally lost my gaming, online virginity.  It was to some random person named Ruffles, which kind of sounds like a little girl, so I am feeling kind of creepy at the moment.  But still, I kicked her arse and that felt good.

Background - I have been gaming since Pong was launched.  I have played so many games and owned so many consoles, I have no idea exactly the house price size of the money I have spent.  I have never played online however.  Hell, I couldn't.  I have only, finally had broadband connected.  Sadly though, it is satellite and my consoles (Wii specifically) will not connect.  Sidetracking on that thought, it really annoys me that I can't at least get to the online shop and download games - the game playing I could live without.  Anyway.

Back to the my point.  I decided to try out my DS online.  First, it connected, making me very happy.  Now, what game should I try?  I thought about the obvious - Mario Kart, but I suck at it and I want to at least be competitive.  Advance Wars?  I am reasonable at that.  So I connect and Ruffles joins me.  I have a fairly set way I play most games.  First I get the cities closest and build a good defence and let them come to me.  Then I blow the crap out of them and go on the offensive as they try to regroup.

Ruffles fell right into my trap.  It wasn't long before I was pushing him/her back.  About 30 minutes of grinding, I had Ruffles completely surrounded and about to deliver the death blow.  It didn't happen, he/she finished before me and the Victory sign appeared.  I won my first game.  I was pretty pleased, but I did want the climax to be total annilhilation.

That is it then, virginity out of the way.  It was awesome and I yearn for more.  Pity though that I am restricted to the DS, although I could try the PSP (if anyone actually plays them).  Maybe now I should step up to a game of Civilisation IV online with the Mac, but like tantric sex, I don't know if I could go the distance - they can be very long games.

Today I am a man:)

The one constant that forever revolves around the forums like the moon revolves around Earth, is that *insert console of choice* has no good games.  This is usually so well balanced out by (sarcasm), by the the fact that *insert console of choice* has the best games, usually concluded with, “you would have to be a freakin' retard not to agree”.  

You know how it is, we saw it all the time.  Hell, some of you reading probably do it (especially if you frequent the Wii forums when you don’t have on).  After the Wii, the PS3 seems to cop the most flak about its games library.

Rather than just take this for granted, or allow it to continue to annoy me in a small way, I decided that it needs to be put to the test, in an objective manner.  How, however you say, can it be objective when games re about taste?  Well, yes, it can be done and I intend to put to rest all of the nonsense that weighs down this subject once and for all (actually, that part is not true, it is just like if I could absolutely prove that Jesus was not the son of God, a religious person would still believe anyway).

So, this rather lengthy blog is the first in a series on all consoles.  Why would I bother you ask (or not)?  It feeds into my Asperger’s Syndrome, like a compulsion to be as analytical about subjects as I can be.  I must add for this particular subject, being the PS3, I do not own one, nor do I intend to in any hurry as the price is to high and as my analytical study showed me, there isn’t much (or enough) to satisfy my gaming tastes.

AN OBJECTIVE AND ANALYTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PS3 GAMES LIBRARY.

Note:  This entire analysis is objectively based on average scores assigned in Metacritic.  No personal opinions are involved.  An average of game scores diminishes to negligible, personal bias in game reviewers.

The Statistics:

There are 203 games on the PS3 that are worth consideration.  There are only 14 games that are not worth the time of day, they are the rotten PS3 games.

Of the 203 consideration worthy games, 105 games are good to excellent games (a score of 75 - 100).  It is that simple.  These are games that anyone could enjoy, even if it isn’t your preferred genre or franchise because they clearly do what they set out to do - make a good game.  Of course, if you despise a genre or franchise, then all scores are irrelevant as you would never consider them (such as me a any Wrestling game), but this cannot be confused with a bad game.

98 games are average to okay (50 - 74).  This is that middle ground, the ones where you would only scrounge around in because you like the franchise or the genre, so you would get the enjoyment you seek, preferably at a budget price.

Summary Part One:

Looking at the big picture it is clear, the PS3 has games mo matter what the fanboy will say.  It has 105 good to excellent games to choose from.  Let’s face it, the vast majority of gamers won’t buy that many games during the entire life of the console (me excepted, I bought 110 GameCube games).  That is just 2 years into the life cycle, so imagine how many more games will fill that list in 1, 2 3 or 4 years!  There is no way it could be said that any reasonable gamer could not be satisfied (remember, I don’t own a PS3 and are not planning to).

Summary Part Two - A more in-depth analysis:

Now, it is easy to just say that there are 203 games that could be worth considering if you owned a PS3, but what about the games?  It is important to know the mix of games as many of us will shy away from games that do not interest us, limiting the number to select from.

This part of the analysis has no conclusive answer.  It is where subjectivity takes over.  I repeat, they are all games worth considering, but judge the types of games for yourself from this listing.

ACTION - ADVENTURE

These are games that include both adult and teen gamers.  They are variable in style from Tomb raider to GTA IV and Silent Hill.  Some of the kids style games like Narnia also fit in here, but almost always fit into the ‘okay’ selection.  This explains why the okay outnumber the good.

32 games - (of 203) = 16%

13 good games = 6%

19 okay games = 9%

Third-person 3D Action - 9 games = 4%

Good - 6

Okay - 3

First-Person Action - 1 game = <1%

Good - 1

Action Adventure - 17 games = 8%

Good - 4

Okay - 14

Survival Horror - 4 games = 2%

Good - 2

Okay - 2

FIGHTING

An oddity this group as it appeals to bioth the vilent, blood fest lover to the anime fun.  Either way, it is a select froup of motly males that find fun in here.

9 games (of 203) = 4%

5 good games = 2%

4 okay games = 2%

3D Fighting    - 5 games = 2%

Good - 4

Okay - 1

Wrestling - 4 games = 2%

Good - 1

Okay - 3

SHOOTING

The bread and butter of male gaming in this area.  By their very nature, they have adult classifications.  If you like killing stuff, then one in every 5 worthwhile PS3 games is right here.  

43 games (of 203) = 21%

18 good games = 9%

15 okay games = 7%

First-Person Shooter - 18 games = 9%

Good - 10

Okay - 8

Third-Person 3D Shooter - 6 games = 3%

Okay - 6

Squad-Based Shooter - 7 games = 3%

Good - 4

Okay - 3

3D Real-Time Strategy - 1 game = <1%

Good - 1

Combat - 3 games = 1%

Okay - 3

Stealth - 2 games = 1%

Good - 2

Shooter with Weapon Peripheral - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Flight Combat Simulation    - 3 games = 1%

Good - 1

Okay - 2

Giant Robot Simulation - 2 games = 1%

Okay - 2

SPORT

This is the single biggest catered for market on the PS3 - 1 in every 5 worthwhile games is sports related.  It is also the area of the most narrow consumer market.  You find most people either like or dislike sport games with very few in between.  There is one exception, that being cartoon based sport, but there is only a handful of games (like Hot Shots Golf) that are in this category.  Simple maths says that the list of 203  is instantly reduced to 125 if you hate sport.

There is a split in this area though as some people dislike sport, but enjoy car racing (such as myself).  The split from this means that 1 in 4 games (still a lot) is sport.  The other issue with sport games, including car racing, is that the average consumer sees one game much the same as the other (within its specific sport) and only hardcore fans buy the same game with a new number every year.

78 games (of 203) = 38%

43 good games = 21%

35 okay games = 17%

General sport - 53 games = 26%

Traditional sport - 48 games = 24%

Extreme sport - 4 games = 2%

Other sports - 1 game = <1%

Racing  -  25 games = 12%

Traditional racing - 23 games = 11%

Other racing - 2 games = 1%

Baseball - 5 games - 2%

Good - 3

Okay - 2

Basketball - 14 games - 7%

Good - 7

Okay - 7

Golf - 4 games = 2%

Good - 4

Tennis - 3 games = 1%

Good - 2

Okay - 1

Snowboarding - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Football (World) - 6 games = 3%

Good - 4

Okay - 2

Football (American) - 8 games = 4%

Good - 5

Okay - 3

Ice Hockey - 5 games = 2%

Good - 3

Okay - 2

Boxing - 2 games = 1%

Good - 1

Okay - 1

Olympics -  1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Skateboarding - 3 games = 1%

Good - 1

Okay - 1

Billiards - 1 game =<1%

Okay - 1

Sports Car Racing - 12 games = 6%

Good - 6

Okay - 6

Rally/Off-Road Racing - 7 games = 3%

Good - 5

Okay - 2

Formula-1/Indy Racing - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Stock Car Racing     -  2 games = 1%

Okay - 2

Motorcycle Racing    - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Mission-Based Racing - 1 game = <1%

Good - 1

Vehicle Shooter - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

GENERAL

This is the are that is most likely to capture a so called “casual” gamer.  These are usually friendly looking games, where you sing, play an instrument, answer a question, take the role of a cute character or perform the classic platform.  It does however hide some pretty hardcore games such as a JRPG or Turn based Strategy like Civilisations.  In the platform games, a lot of the movie based games appear, usually just scraping an okay score, but still have a big audience who are interested.

38 games (of (203) = 19%

22 good games = 11%

16 okay games = 8%

Party style - 2 games = 1%

Music style - 10 games = 5 %

Strategy/card style - 3 games = 1%

RPG style - 11 games = 5%

Platform style - 12 games = 6%

Trivia Game    - 1 game = <1%

Good - 1

Party    - 1 game = <1%

Okay - 1

Musical Instrument/Band Simulation - 5 games = 2%

Good - 4

Okay - 1

Singing/Voice Simulation - 5 games = 5%

Good - 2

Okay - 3

Empire-Building -  1 game = <1%

Good - 1

Card Game - 2 games = 1%

Okay - 1

Strategy RPG - 3 games = 1%

Good - 2

Okay - 1

First-Person Action RPG - 2 games = 1%

Good - 2

Third-Person 3D RPG - 2 games = 1%

Good - 1

Okay - 1

Third-Person 3D Action RPG - 3 games = 1%

Good - 1

Okay - 2

Action/RPG Adventure -  1 game = <1%

Good - 1

3D Platform - 11 games = 5%

Good - 6

Okay - 5

Side-Scrolling Platform -  1 game = <1%

Good - 1

So bringing the core figures together, approximately 1 in 6 games will be an action adventure.  Only 1 in 25 will be a fighting game.  A significant 1 in 5 games will be a shooting game.  A whopping 2 in 5 ames will be a sport game.  Finally, a significant 1 in 5 games will be general and friendly in nature.

Objectively, there are more games on the PS3 for the more seasoned gamer, which is really the opposite to the PS2 which was heavy on a broader audience (where the Wii has gone).  The lighter gamer will probably find a smallish list to pick appropriate games from.  Bottom line though, if you enjoy games no matter what your taste, there is plenty to please.

We will never speak of this again :)