I was ten years old when I walked into a GameStop in Houston with my mom and brother to become one of the 8.5 million customers to buy 2010’s
That year. The Western-themed video game—about a former outlaw who is forced by the FBI to hunt down members of his old gang and bring them to justice—follows the antihero tradition of Clint Eastwood’s characters and features the expansive scene-setting of
After my brother and I picked up the plastic case, with its M for “mature” rating, and took it to the register, we braced for the clerk’s response. Such a clerk, never much older than ourselves and, in my mind, always sporting glasses and an untidy ponytail, could make or break our leisure plans with his decision. Would he help us pull the wool over our mother’s eyes and undersell the violence in the game? Or would he responsibly describe it?
Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection
In this case, he did neither. Instead, he explained the game’s honor system, in which players can choose to do good or bad and will reap the consequences of their actions. Generous, (mostly) law-abiding players of the game are paid better and are respected by strangers; evil players instill fear and spit out insulting lines of dialogue. Our clerk said he liked to play bad.
Somehow, we walked out of the store with that game. I turned out fine (I think), and without that clerk, that game, and GameStop, I never would’ve learned how much narrative could be packed into the eight-bit’s great-great-grandkid.
I didn’t know until recently that GameStop, the largest video game retailer in the world, was born in Dallas in the eighties as Babbage’s, which attracted an investment early on from eccentric billionaire Ross Perot; got its present name in 2000; and is now headquartered in Grapevine. It’s the fourth-largest employer in the town, just thirty minutes northwest of Dallas. But from its dingy shops, you could walk out with a CD that would let you explore an engaging story or a whole new world for dozens, or even hundreds, of hours.
Amazon.com: Fallout 3
Video games have rapidly evolved from the particle that was Atari’s 1972 classic, Pong, to today’s galaxy of console, computer, and mobile games, which encompass everything from racing and flight simulators to games requiring virtual-reality headsets. Today, most games are purchased digitally rather than in brick-and-mortar stores like the GameStop of my childhood. Now 52 percent of Americans across every age cohort play games on consoles such as Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox, fueling an industry with a market value of nearly $52 billion.
Despite the ubiquity of video games, their storytelling power has long been underappreciated. For years, studios of artists, coders, and writers have worked to produce content of the same caliber as our best films and television series. And Hollywood is finally putting massive creative energy behind the adaptations of popular video games into streaming series. No piece of art better exemplifies this dynamic than HBO Max’s postapocalyptic
. The show is breaking viewership records. And while HBO Max makes clear that the series originated as a video game, many fans may not realize the just how similar it is, down to the exact same blocking of certain scenes, the dialogue, and the near-perfect faith to the plot.
Blue Dragon (video Game)
Where does this leave GameStop? For members of Gen Z like myself, 96 percent of whom are gamers, the chain’s stores were temples. But today, in the digital marketplace for buying games, the religion is fading. With cash on hand and minimal debt, GameStop is still trying to figure out how to address digital sales and turn a profit. After four years of losses, some analysts predict it will go the way of Blockbuster. But for now, those grungy temples still stand, and they deserve a prayer—or at least a “Thank you for your service.”
By Rose Cahalan Rose Cahalan Rose Cahalan is an associate editor who focuses primarily on stories about travel and the outdoors. View Articles Email Twitter RSSScars Above is a challenging sci-fi third-person action-adventure shooter combining the rewarding feel of overcoming difficulty with a compelling and intricate story, set in a mysterious alien world to explore. Some things were not meant to be discovered… A colossal and enigmatic alien structure appears in Earth's orbit and stuns the entire world; humanity names it ‘The Metahedron’. The Sentient Contact Assessment and Response team (SCAR) - consisting of scientists and engineers - is sent to investigate. Things don’t go as planned and the Metahedron hauls the team across space onto a mysterious extrasolar planet. Playing the role of Dr Kate Ward - a SCAR member - who wakes up dazed, alone in a strange, hostile environment. Determined to survive, you set out to find your crew and unravel the mystery behind what’s happened.
Kate is an astronaut and a scientist - not a soldier - but she's resourceful and determined to do anything to survive. Use a combination of ranged weapons, devices, consumables and melee attacks, you need to manage stamina as you run, dodge, exploit weak points and discover effective tactics to defeat your foes Combine different elemental attacks to beat the odds and break through otherwise impassable obstacles. Craft different items and gadgets to aid you against the countless threats in this exoplanet. Explore
Why We Shouldn't Bet Against Gamestop
Immerse yourself in a carefully crafted adventure, inspired by the sci-fi classics. Explore an alien world filled with countless threats, gorgeous landscapes and ruins hinting of an ancient - yet advanced - civilisation that somehow disappeared. Journey through different biomes, such as marshlands, freezing wastelands, underground caverns and alien facilities – all with their own set of challenges, enemies, secrets and environmental hazards.
Kate is a scientist to her core, and you'll use that scientific expertise to extract information from your surroundings by scanning artifacts, materials and creatures in order to learn about their features, properties and weaknesses. As you explore your surroundings, you will conduct analysis and gain knowledge which will allow you to craft new gadgets, weapons and unlock abilities in Xenobiology and Engineering trees.
Ghastly enemy designs - with diverse strategies and tactics - will keep encounters fresh, forcing you to find creative ways to defeat them.
The Gamestop Generation Would Like Some Respect
Power Up Rewards™ Pro Benefits Level up to Pro! Pros can gain $150+ in annual value for just $14.99/year. Already a member? Sign inSaints Row was released August 29, 2006 in North America, and on September 1, 2006, in Europe and Australia. Though the game was also announced for the Sony PlayStation 3 to be released at a later date, this port was canceled in favor of putting more resources towards the game's sequel, Saints Row 2, for release on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On May 29, 2018, Saints Row was added to the Xbox One Backwards Compatibility list.
Saints Row is similar to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in terms of story and gameplay. The game takes place in the fictional city of Stilwater which is plagued by urban violence between four rival gangs. Playa, caught in the middle of the violence, is offered the chance to join the 3rd Street Saints to help fight the other gangs. In addition to several common elements with the Grand Theft Auto series, Saints Row introduces many additional features, including extensive Player Customization, a 64-vehicle garage, a GPS, an activity and respect system, and online multiplayer modes.
The game was released to commercial and critical success, selling over 1 million copies by the end of 2006, and prompting for development of its sequel.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Join the 3rd Street Saints in their battle for control of Stilwater in the 1st urban open world game for the Xbox 360! Offering extensive character customization, 13 unique pick up activities, 4 story lines, and a sprawling city that's unlocked from the start, Saints Row is the next evolutionary step in open world gaming.
Welcome to Stilwater, a city where the streets are everything but tranquil. Divided by rivaling gangs, you'll need to adopt savvy street smarts to build respect, make money and gain notoriety, let alone stay alive. As a member of the 3rd St. Saint's, you need to push back against a city looking to wipe you out, in order to rise up the ranks and eventually control the streets. If it takes theft, extortion or tried and true brute force, then that's what ya gotta do. Only then will you rule the streets. BUT watch your back - on your purpose to rise as the city's controlling syndicate, reputable and powerful gangs, including politicians have you in their crosshairs.
Saints Row is a third-person shooter that takes place in the city of Stilwater, a large sandbox environment. The game is structured around completing main storyline missions and side activities, earning in-game Cash and other benefits to assist in future missions. These missions typically entail travelling around the city, carjacking vehicles, meeting people, collecting objects at checkpoints, facing off rival gangs in firefights, and other tasks. The game's main story missions are split into three separate arcs, each dealing with a rival gang in Stilwater. Missions are started manually, and
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