Update

My last post on this blog was roughly four years and a half ago.

I stopped blogging because life kept happening. Also because I felt blogging was irrelevant, since I could just share my opinions on social media for the same audience. Besides, there's no way to compete with youtube vloggers and twitch streamers, anyway.

But I've been feeling downcast the last few days and there's some stuff I want to get on my chest. I think this is the right platform for that. Bonus points if anyone actually reads it (drop a comment if you want to absolutely make my day).

Four and a half years ago the 3DS was halfway through it's life-cycle, the Wii U still had potential, and he Nintendo switch was still code-named NX. Feels like forever ago.

If you're reading this it's likely because you were subscribed, so there's no point in telling you to stay tuned, but please do!

I tried to warn you. Gamers are on the brink of extinction.

That's right. Gamers are going the way of the Dreamcast. Gone. Cancelled. Forgotten. No need to be angry, though! It's gonna be fine! You're going to be fine, I promise! Put down your weapon and continue reading.

For the last few years I've been writing about how toxic the "Handcore demographic" has gotten. I've discussed Nintendo hate among gamers and tried to define the term "Hardcore". I think I caught a bit of a trend there, don't you?

Recently, however, a great deal of shit has hit the fan. I don't have all the facts, but the news are pretty disturbing. Here's some headlines:

• Trolls drive Anita Sarkeesian out of her house to prove misogyny doesn't exist

• The Anti-Feminist Internet Targets 'Depression Quest' Game Creator Zoe Quinn

• Fez developer Polytron hacked in ongoing game developer harassment effort

Even if these articles were full of lies, the fact remains that people are rushing to the comments section in these pages to defend whoever's harassing these people. Under what circumstances is it OK to attack people like this? None. It's wrong. I don't care how evil do you think these people are. I don't wanna hear about corruption in journalism and any other bullshit arguments. If you disagree with these people, then don't consume their product. There are more pressing issues right now! Like wars and global warming and shit!

So why are people turning violent over such trivial matters (AKA Video Games)? Previously I had hypothesized that the hardcore gamer crowd was taking the offensive because they suddenly felt like a majority, whereas they had previously been bullied. I still think this is true, but not the main reason. There's a point I had not considered, something else that hit the media today.

Dan Golding seems to have hit the nail right on the head (please click on the links for context). Turns out the gamers are feeling threatened!

I fully agree with his views. The gamers are lashing out against anyone who threatens to change their lifestyle, their identity, or to let outsiders into their couch fortress.

Suddenly the feminists say that we can't have gratuitous titties in our games. We're fucking adults! Stop messing with our games! Then these chicks are making girly games, and now when I go to Gamestop, there's little girls there too! I can't shop at a store that caters to little girls! Did you know girls can't be gamers? And if they are they have to be virgins! Ugly virgins that fear our ever-ready rape stick! Yeah, we can make rape jokes, we're adults! Now everybody wants to be a gamer, and if everyone is a gamer, then what am I? Just a person? What am I supposed to do with all this loot crate swag now? Who am I?

One thing the last two articles referenced never mentioned, however, is the Nintendo hate! The final piece of the puzzle! Now I know why the hardcore gamers love to hate Nintendo! Because Nintendo is changing their hobby! They're making games for children and adults. They make controllers that require body movements. They keep prices low to appeal to a wider audience... They are threatening the status quo. No, wait, they destroyed it long ago, now, with the Wii.

I heard people complain that Nintendo was refusing to evolve by developing underpowered hardware and sticking to their franchises. But isn't it the other way around? Hasn't the entire industry, including the consumer, refused to evolve by not allowing innovation and diversity?

If you're a hardcore gamer, know that there will always be a market for "triple A" games. But you will have to share now. But nobody's taking anything from you! There's just going to be more! Enough for everyone! But some things will change. But for the better! Some of the gratuitous violence and misogyny will slowly fade out as more and more females start to buy games, and as the media finally starts to pay attention. But more consumers means more business! The industry is going to flourish! Everyone's a gamer now, you're just a guy now. Sure, you won't have that feeling of belonging anymore, but you're no longer an outcast! See? I told you everything was going to be alright!

Please don't kill me. I love you!

Do not adjust your computer!

What you're seeing is normal. I posted three (well, four, counting this) articles today! My computer had been at the shop so I kept writing at work and uploaded everything when it came back. Enjoy!

Seriously?

This is some serious bullshit! Why didn't Downcast get a pre-launch 3DS? Pretty much every other gaming site got one! Even Tiny Cartridge got one!

Here at Downcast we are SERIOUS about video game journalism. We have committed countless minutes to seriously hyping the 3DS and being total absolute fanboys about it. And by we I mean I.

I can guarantee at least one sale has come from our hyping (mine is already preordered).

So, Reggie, if you're reading this, drop me a line so I can send you my address and your models can come over (might want to send dudes because the wife will probably be here) with that nifty box and all that software and stuff and we can all just forget about this huge misunderstanding.

We want OCRemix to do the Sonic 4 soundtrack!

So, hey. I'm getting some stuff together for an article on video game music I will be writing soon when I heard about this. There is a movement of video game music enthusiasts pushing for SEGA to have the extremely talented musicians from ocremix.org compose and perform the soundtrack for the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I!

This is the same awesome group of people who made the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix soundtrack! For all you nonbelievers out there, here's an index of all the great Sonic The Hedgehog Remixes they have done. Heck, Hedgehog Heaven and Project Chaos are among my favorite albums and a permanent part of my party shuffle.

So, how do they plan on convincing SEGA? Why, spamming the snot out of Twitter, of course. (I don't use Twitter so I don't mind it being spammed.) If you are a Twitter user, and you agree to this, simply click here. On the other hand, if you believe it is a bad idea, click here, which will take you to the same address as the previous link, anyway. The idea is to go to http://bit.ly/ocr4sonic4, this will help you post a generic message tagged so that SEGA hears of it. Hey, don't ask me, I don't know how Twitter works! JUST DO IT!

Don't forget to tell your friends!

There. I fix it.

Just a quick note: If you visit the Sonic the Hedgehog 4 webpage and the Intro section doesn't make any sense, do not contact SEGA. This issue has been reported by loyal fans from around the world as soon as the webpage was published.

According to an internal Downcast source - said intro was written by the Zero Wing localization team. By the time this post is published the entire SEGA web team should have cleared their desks and committed yubitsume.

In the meantime please accept this mark-up, and rest assured they will rewrite the whole damn thing because even after all these corrections it barely makes sense.

Story thus far:

It began as Sonic's animal friends begin disappearing from South Island. Soon Sonic he discovers that the evil scientist known as Dr. Eggman has been kidnapping them and turning them into robots to collect the legendary treasure - The Chaos Emeralds. Sonic decides it's up to him to save them and embarksto embark on a quest to free his animal friends. Sonic He battles Eggman through many different zones. Sonic and eventually pursues Eggman to the Final Zone where the first in many epic battles between them begins. In the end Sonic is victorious and Eggman's mMecha fly's flies away, badly damaged. Sonic returns to Green Hill Zone and re-unites with his friends.

Their reunion is short lived however, as Eggman resurfaces and begins kidnapping Sonic friends again, in an effort to create more workers to finish his ultimate Weapon - The Death Egg! Teaming up with the newly met, Miles 'Tails' Prower, Sonic embarks on a new mission through West Side Island in an effort to free his friends and ensure Eggman does not obtain the 7 Chaos emeralds Emeralds to fuel the Death Egg.

Once the West Side Island is freed, Sonic and Tails eventually board the Tornado and assault the Death Egg itself. After destroying Mecha Sonic, Eggman flees and enters , hops on his new Eggman Robot attacking and attacks Sonic! After a heated battle Sonic destroys the Eggman Robot and the Death Egg begins to explode.

Sonic and Tails fly down and come across a mysterious island called Angel Island. This The island, which floats due to is floating by the power of the precious stone called Master Emerald,but now this mysterious island are dropping down tofalls into the ocean surface becausewhen the Death Egg had been falling on this islandcrash-lands on it. Upon their landing, Sonic and Tails are attacked by a Red Echidna named Knuckles - the guardian of the island.

Knuckles He steals the Chaos emeralds Emeralds from Sonic , after being tricked by Eggman to believe that he is an enemy and has come to take the Master Emerald.WhileEmerald. WhileSonic and Tails are entangled by Knuckles, Eggman repairs the Death Egg and preps prepares it for launch.

Back on the ground Dr. Eggman begins the repairing Death Egg again. Feeling that Knuckles has served his purpose, he sends EggRobo to eliminate this potential threat. EggRoboIt finds Knuckles relaxing in Mushroom Zone and drops a bomb on him but Knuckleshe manages to survive. Enraged, the Wild Echidnawild echidna sets off to defeatdestroy EggRobo. Meanwhile Sonic and Tails explore the island to find traces of the Death Egg and find out Eggman's fate. After and Epicepic showdown between Sonic and Knuckles, Eggman uses the opportunity tofinally steal the Master Emerald and re-launches the Death Egg. With the power of the emeralds, Sonic goes after Eggman, who has taken the Master Emerald into space.

Sonic He manages to jump on Death Egg just as it's flying lifting off. After confronting and defeating Eggman on the Death Egg, Sonic defeats Eggman once more and, the Death Egg plummets back to Angel Island.

Back on the ground Dr. Eggman begins the repairing Death Egg again. Feeling Knuckles has served his purpose, he sends EggRobo to eliminate this potential threat. EggRobo finds Knuckles relaxing in Mushroom Zone and drops a bomb on him but Knuckles manages to survive. Enraged, the Wild Echidna sets off to defeat EggRobo. Meanwhile Sonic and Tails explore the island to find traces of the Death Egg and find out Eggman's fate. After and Epic showdown between Sonic and Knuckles, Eggman uses the opportunity to finally steal the Master Emerald and re-launches the Death Egg. With the power of the emeralds, Sonic goes after Eggman, who has taken the Master Emerald into space.

Sonic and Tails secure the Master Emerald and return it to Knuckles on Angel Island. With it'sits power restored, the Angel Island lifts off into the sky as Sonic and Tails fly off into the sunset.

But this humiliating defeat only serves to further Eggman's rage, and he has determined to once and for all to rid himself of Sonic. Eggman revisits - and improves - the very best of his creations to defeat our spiked hero.

And so a new Adventure begins...

Project Needlemouse: Sonic the Hedgehog 4

This is the greatest day in video-gaming history*. And no, I'm not saying this because I'm the world's biggest Sonic Fanboy.

Sega just announced that the much hyped Project Needlemouse is indeed Sonic The Hedgehog 4.

[pause for giggling like a schoolgirl]

Yes, my friends. That's Sonic - The - Hedgehog - and then a number 4 (four). If you are good with numbers, you must be aware that four comes right after three. Is this not a glorious day?

This is an event only comparable to the advent of the New Super Mario Bros. series (actually, it's very similar) except for the fact that Sonic kicks Mario's ass*. What they've done is that they have returned to the classic naming convention, thus making a direct sequel to the classic 16-bit-era games, forsaking the 3D crap they had been forced to make to keep up with an industry that was growing out of control. Street Fighter IV is also a good example. There is hope.

I mean, 3D games were mandatory, and I must admit Sonic Adventure was a pretty decent game*. But then they just went nuts, and now I know why. They wanted to build up anger and frustration so we could better appreciate the glory of Sonic in his true 2D goodness when he made his triumphant return.

Let's take a moment to embrace the return of the prodigal son of video games, Sonic the Hedgehog.

According to several sources the game will be episodic, fully 2D and the story (and gameplay mechanics) will pick up RIGHT where Sonic & Knuckles left off. I can only hope they don't decide to turn him into a sword-wielding werewolf on the last minute before launch.

Now I have something to look forward to in life. I will fire up this game, gather my kids around the living room TV, and show them what REAL video games are like. Eventually they'll get to play after I've gathered all the chaos emeralds and beaten every episode.

I'll do my best to keep you posted in any news pertaining this game. Now I'm off to cuddle my Sonic plushies*.

*This is because I'm the world's biggest Sonic Fanboy.

Press start to continue.

Hey, happy 2010 everybody!

I just wanted to let you all know Downcast is not dead! I have a long list of articles and reviews I will be writing soon. So don't forget to tell your friends, subscribe to the RSS feed and become a fan on Facebook!

Blogfreeze!

I just created this blog only to realize I won't be able to post anything for the next 6 days. Sorry bout that. Stay tuned!