Movies:

There's no point in me offering up the "10 best films of all time" because simply googling (that's right googling not yahooing or binging) that phrase will give you a far more informed list than I could offer. Instead here are 10 films that, good, bad or otherwise, are most definitely worth your time.

1. Pan's Labyrinth - Directed by Guillermo del Torro
In the bleak setting of fascist Spain in 1944, living with a harsh and quite simply evil stepfather who is also an army captain, Ofelia is a young girl who discovers a fantasy world full of hope and adventure. Pan's Labyrinth is both a gritty tale of resistance in war torn Spain and a pure fantasy tale full of strange and memorable characters. It's a film I saw shortly after it's release but the power of the story and it's characters stays with me still. Pan's Labyrinth is not a happy Disney fairytale but don't let that put you off.

2. Videodrome - Directed by David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg is my all time favourite film director because of this film. I am so completely sold on his work that this entry was very nearly for Crash. Ultimately I chose Videodrome for the strong effect it had on me and the importance of the message it carries. Max Renn is a cable-tv producer of the look out for new material who stumbles upon Videodrome, a sadistic game-show that uses real graphic violence and torture. It quickly becomes and obsession for him and as he finds out more about the show he finds himself drawn into a much more dangerous reality than the show could ever depict. Cronenberg uses Videodrome to comment on how technology effects and corrupts people, something he did again in eXistenZ and Crash, in a stylistic and visceral way that needs to be seen. While his later works on the subject are also great Videodrome is the original and, in my opinion, best.

3. Rec - Directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza
Remade as Quarantine and ruined. Rec tells the story of a tv crew following a local team of firefighters for the evening, think along the lines of The One Show or similar, who get drawn into a nightmare. Shot on a single handheld camera exactly as you would expect from a small tv outside broadcast unit the crew and the firefighters find themselves quarantined (see what the remake did there?) in an apartment block where strange and terrifying things are happening. It's a great example of horror done properly and is worth seeing if only to keep money out of the hands of the makers of Quarantine which manages to become nonsense despite being re-shot virtually scene by scene.

4. Run Lola Run - Directed by Tom Tykwer
You have 20 minutes to get 100,000 Deutsche Marks to save the life of your boyfriend. What would you do?
Run Lola Run shows what Lola tries 3 times each one showing a bit more of the world around her and how her actions affect the people she comes across. Franka Potente is great as Lola and cuts a unique figure with her bright red hair. Each of the 3 runs has a different outcome for all concerned and the ultimate payoff will bring a smile to your face. If you have never seen a subtitled film Run Lola Run is a great place to start.

5. Hot Fuzz - Directed by Edgar Wright
The second film in the "Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy" from the Wright, (Simon) Pegg and (Nick) Frost creative team surpasses the first by virtue of not having a rom-com sub plot. Now I love Shaun of the Dead so I'm not being critical but I am a bloke and I do enjoy a good buddy movie, action flick. With all the comedic genius of Wright, Pegg and Frost and the bombast of films you might expect from Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer you have to be a very harsh critic not to enjoy Hot Fuzz. Who wouldn't love a cop drama set in a Gloucestershire village?

6. The Crow - Directed by Alex Proyas
This gothic cult classic would not be anywhere near as important if not for the tragedy that befell the movie during filming. Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee and a rising star at the time, died as the result of an accidental shooting on set. The fact this would be his last film makes the tragic tale of lovers separated by violence all the more poignant. While it suffers slightly from being a bit dated these days the style and direction is still as solid as ever. If you haven't seen The Crow or you don't know the story behind it then you really should go and buy the dvd watch both the film and the extras which include Brandon Lee's last interview before his death.

7. Resident Evil: Degeneration - Directed by Makoto Kamiya
The Resident Evil series of games brought survival horror to the masses like no games before them. To that end a whole generation of gamers were excited to hear a live action film was being made and then disappointed when it turned out shite. Degeneration goes some way to put that right by sticking to the cannon of the games and by bringing back two of the game's better known characters Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Set 7 years after the events of the second game, a year after we last saw Leon in Resident Evil 4, the two protagonists find themselves caught in the midst of yet another outbreak. If you haven't played the games and are currently bored and or confused don't worry, Resident Evil: Degeneration stands alone as a great zombie flick.

8. Sunset Boulevard - Directed by Billy Wilder
This one is a classic. It's a black and white 1950 film noir. It's often cited as one of the most noteworthy films of American cinema. Deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the U.S. Library of Congress in 1989, Sunset Boulevard was included in the first group of films selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. What's more is it tells a compelling tale of a failed screen writer drawn into the fantasy world of a fading star as she plans her grand comeback. As with all films of this caliber you owe it to yourself to make time for it, dim the lights, open a bottle of wine and let the twisted glamour of 1950 wash over you.

9. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - Directed by Joe Berlinger
The Blair Witch Project was an instant horror classic. It's low budget shaky footage created a myth so believable, thanks to a great publicity campaign, many people actually believed. Working within the universe the first film created and treating it as real Book of Shadows is the fictional movie based on the real events of the fictional events in the first film. Get it? No? Don't worry. Book of Shadows is a cheap and dirty, no brain-er of a cash in that doesn't deserve to be held in the same light as the original but it is a decent and creepy horror worth a look.

10. Battle Royale Directors Cut - Directed by Finji Fukasaku
"At the dawn of the millennium, the nation collapsed. At fifteen percent unemployment, ten million were out of work. 800,000 students boycotted school. The adults lost confidence and, fearing the youth, eventually passed the Millennium Educational Reform Act, AKA the BR Act...."
A class of school children are transported to an island, fitted with explosive collars and given random weapons. The idea is that they fight to the death until only one remains. Battle Royale depicts the panic, terror, sadistic pleasure and desperation that ensues. The directors cut includes extra footage that I believe helps make some of the supporting characters more human and as such should be the version you watch. It's a great film that you will spend the weeks after viewing asking yourself, "what would I do?"

Cheers,
R.

A Bright New Beginning

Nothing says arrogance like someone telling you what to think. When it's some random nobody at the other end of a web site it's even worse so, just for you cos you're lovely, here's the beginning of my new regular feature:

 

Oh Yeah! Comes with a sexy banner too!
Ok, so first up is Books. Books are good and without the following 10 you're life is missing a level of fulfillment that will allow hipsters to laugh at you. Armed with these 10 books and the eye-strain that will come from reading them you'll be a better person. So, in no particular order:

1. 1984 by George Orwell
Seriously, everyone should read 1984 by the time they're 18. It should be on the curriculum at school if only so you actually know where Big Brother came from before it was a TV show and you understand what doublespeak is. Besides being the source of many a song lyric or buzz phrase it's a good story too about forbidden love and betrayal. In fact if you haven't read it yet go and buy a copy NOW!

2. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
Better known for Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk is a masterful author with a depraved imagination. Haunted is the most twisted, depraved and corrupting novel I've ever experienced. This is not a book for anyone under the age of 18. Telling the tale of a group of writers and telling the stories they write under extreme circumstances Haunted pushes the boundaries of what's acceptable to breaking point. A point the author references himself in the afterword. No other media could tell this story and for that reason alone Haunted makes the list.

3. A Philosophical Investigation by Philip Kerr
Set in the near future and telling the story of a serial killer who kills other potential serial killers based on a test which shows an abnormality in the brains of all people capable of serial murder. Told from the point of view of the anti hero and the detective pursuing him it's a gripping thriller which calls into question the fundamental beliefs of right and wrong.

4. Night Watch by Sergey Lukyanenko
Forget the film and read Night Watch. The epic struggle between light and dark has reached a stalemate and is held in a fragile truce by the Night Watch, forces for the light who police the night, and the Day Watch, forces for the dark who police the day. As ever in these situation events conspire to disrupt the balance and as this trilogy begins (followed by Day Watch and Twilight Watch) we are introduced to the players in this epic saga and watch as the delicate balance begins to crumble. It's not the most accessible universe to get into even before the idiosyncrasies of Russian life become factors but it's well worth the effort.

5. World War Z by Max Brooks
10 years after the Zombie War, a cataclysmic struggle between man and the undead of course, Max Brooks travels the world to compile an oral history from those that were there. The book reads like fact and tells the stories of many individuals chronicling the war from the earliest outbreak to the final days. It's been 4 years since I read WWZ but I still well up every-time I think back to some of the tales of survival. There is a movie in the works, but 1) don't hold your breath it was meant to be out this year but is taking much longer to come to life and 2) it cannot do justice to the book as there's just too much to cover. There's love, horror, comedy, tragedy and more. There is something for everyone here but if you're a fan of zombies you'll be in heaven.

6. Tricks Of The Mind by Derren Brown
Whether you're a fan of Derren Brown or not this book will have something to interest you. It's a mix of autobiography and instructional manual telling both how he came to be a mentalist, mind reading, devil spawn (ok, that's a bit extreme) and how you too can sell you soul for mind powers! (again not true). It's a good read and will no doubt encourage you to set up a memory mansion and start trying to count cards.

7. Born On A Blue Day by Daniel Tammet
An autobiography by a high-functioning autistic savant may not sound like a great read but I promise you won't be able to put it down. Few things are more inspiring or life affirming than seeing a person overcome adversity, especially when that person is just a nice guy like Tammet.

8. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
If you've seen any of the film adaptations or read any of his other novels then you'll know Nick Hornby's style. A Long Way Down tells the story of 4 strangers with nothing in common except the fact they all meet on the same rooftop one new years eve ready intending to kill themselves. As their immensely personal plans are disrupted by their meeting they band together to try and get through their problems one day at a time. Told from the perspective of the for main characters some events are seen several times and in several ways each with the humanity and humour you'd expect from Hornby.

9. The Bible
Regardless of your religious beliefs or lack there of the bible makes for a fascinating read. More than any other written work this book has influenced life in the world today, especially here in the uk, so you really should at least dip into it to see why. If you regard it as pure fiction the bible tells one hell of a story or two and will arm you with all the tools you need for a theological argument down the pub.

10. The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Liegh and Henry Lincoln
By now most of us have read or seen The Da Vinci Code. The pivotal plot point in that tale is the assertion that Jesus, yup the star of The Bible, didn't die on the cross and in fact had a family and blood line that lives on to this very day. This is the book where Dan Brown got his idea, although definitely not in a plagiarism way - more a copy bits of a book no-one remembers and hope no-one notices kinda way. The authors work back from the present day to the time of Jesus exploring the very real possibilities of "what if?" It's an intriguing read that will shed light on Medieval Europe, The Knights Templar, The Vatican and the heresies that could be closer to the teachings of Jesus than Catholicism.

Cheers,
R.

Side One, Track One

Praise be to Sweet Zombie Jeebus! Thank Godaroo! After a week of being unable to form this article I've had a "Eureka!" moment. Unlike Archimedes I wasn't in the bath, (nor was I changing the world with my discovery but hey) I was playing some riffs on my guitar and started playing Sleepflower by Manic Street Preachers. It's the opening track to their second album, Gold Against The Soul, and begins with a lone guitar playing and infectious riff that sets the theme for the track. After a couple of repetitions it's joined by the bass playing the same and Sean Moore's typical tub thumping and the track comes to life. As an album opener it is one of my favourites as it never fails to get the volume cranked up and my head bobbing. As with most tracks on this list it's not the best by the band but it is a great example of the phenomenon that is the "side one, track one."

All albums need to start somewhere, somehow and the choice of first track sometimes be the difference between an album's residency on your ipod and being confined to the back of the cupboard with cassette singles from the '90's. As with all music there's no rules. Some great first track begin with a bang, some whimper into life, some just start and some don't exist at all. Before I continue I want to share some notable exceptions to the rule, great album, shit opener. Frankly anything that labels Track 1 "Intro" falls into this category just for being pointless (eg. Limp Bizkit - Significant Other) to feeling like it was cut from a track to create a single (Muse - Absolution). An "Intro" track just means none of the real songs on your album have enough impact to grab attention or that you're more worried about the singles than the album as a whole. The other type of exception is when a fully fledged opening track just doesn't cut the mustard. Finelines by My Vitriol is an amazing album but is begins with an instrumental track which builds into first track proper, Always: Your Way, (Smashing Pumpkins's Meloncholy And The Infinite Sadness does the same) and as such stunts the appeal of that track. In both examples the first track is very good and enjoyable but only really works in context and as such cannot be considered for this list.

So to the list. I have chosen 10 notable examples of what I consider to be great album openers. There are better tracks out there by these artists but as the first track to the album they grace the grab your attention, set the mood and give you a taste of what to expect. So fire up your music source of choice, find these tracks and enjoy:

1. "Awakening" by The Reasoning from Awakening
The album is a modern prog rock odyssey and this opener sets you up brilliantly. Initially sounding like an extract from Tubular Bells you'll have to wait 20 seconds or so before the over-driven guitars and melodic riffing begins. About 1 minute in the vocals start and you'll begin to see where this is going. Clocking in at 6:49 it's quite and opening statement for any album let alone a debut but as it weaves it's way through various styles it won't disappoint. At 4:22 we're treated to a true welsh rock solo which could easily belong to our next band....
2. "Sleepflower" by Manic Street Preachers from Gold Against The Soul
As I said before this is the track that switched on the light-bulb for this article. If the opening riff isn't enough to hook you then James Dean Bradfield in full rock mode will. It's not the most well regarded track from the album, over shadowed by La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh), but it is a worthy opener containing as it does all the elements of the album to come and seamlessly setting up single From Despair To Where.
3. "Everyone's At It" by Lily Allen from It's Not Me, It's You
Ms Allen's thoughts on drug abuse open her second album and does so in style. Splashy cymbals and a constant kick drum on 8th beats fade in with rising sirens and a simple vocal melody that promises something special. If you know Lily Allen's work then you'll not be surprised by the rest of the track which stands up strongly against the three singles the follow.
4. "Showdown" by Pendulum from In Silico
The third opener from a difficult sophomore album in this case begins with the same splashy cymbals and driving kicks of the last track but with Rob Swire's vocal from the off. As it builds, layer by layer, a solid drum and bass influenced rocker emerges and sets up what proved to be a divisive album for fans. Regardless of what your opinion is Showdown makes this list for it's no nonsense approach that just gets things rolling.
5. "Pornography For Cowards" by Million Dead from A Song To Ruin
Who needs intros? For a their debut album Million Dead simple play the blister riff from the opener twice and scream. In less than 10 seconds you'll be rushing as if down the first big hill on a rattling, old roller-coaster...in and earthquake...headed straight to hell. And what a roller-coaster it is. At 30 seconds you're soring towards daylight again, 1:00 and you're rushing around corners build speed before the beginning of the end at 1:27 as you hurtle inevitably towards a wall. It's a musical rush that blows away the cobwebs and encourages you to "gird up your loins" ready for what follows.
6. "Needled 24/7" by Children Of Bodom from Hate Crew Deathroll
As with all power metal there's a lot going on from the opening chord stabs and any song the offers a solo within 20 seconds is a winner in my book, but what qualifies this for my list is it's accessibility. Children Of Bodom are hardly the most listener friendly of bands but the opener for their forth album is a catchy tour de force which will encourage you to dance along in a similar way to the best Dragonforce tracks. Not bad going for a band named after a triple murder from 1960.
7. "You Held the World In Your Arms" by Idlewild from The Remote Part
When your first track on the album is going to be a single and contains anthemic guitars, strings, driving drums and drunken shout along lyrics then you don't need an intro. A simple snare hit prepares you for the opening riff which hits full force and starts an album made by a band at the height of their powers. Three of the album's four singles are the first three tracks and this punchy start gives you everything you need except a chance to adjust the volume.
8. "Torn" by Creed from My Own Prison
When beginning an introspective album such as this bombast isn't necessarily right. There's no need to raise the pulse or get people dancing and the opening arpeggios of "Torn" do precisely the opposite. Scott Stapp's mournful vocals cut through beautifully as the track gets going and the grungy guitars reassure you that there's rock to come. By the time the track strips back to those arpeggios for the outro you'll be in no doubt what you are listening to and probably be nestled into a comfy chair clutching your favourite teddy.
9. "Did You Miss Me?" by The Cooper Temple Clause from See This Through And Leave
If you could capture the sound of my tinnitus it would be something close to the high note that rings through the first 2 minutes of this schizophrenic, electronic, noisy bastard of a track. It's got a face only a mother can love and will leave you feeling uncomfortable and slightly shaken before you realise it's actually a friend for life if only you can get past the hideousness of it all.
10. "Invaders Must Die" by The Prodigy from Invaders Must Die
If you're going to start an album with the title track it had better be a doozy. If you are a band going back to your roots it's doubly important. A simple bass riff fades in and after 49 seconds it hits. All the classic elements are there and any apprehension fades away as the music brings you up almost as much as the drugs (that you are most definitely not on!)

There you have it, 10 great tracks that begin varying quality albums that range from good to amazing. Have a listen and see what you think.
Cheers,
R.

Writer's Block

In my head there is two novels and a complete fantasy history for the first 100 years of a human colony on Mars. There's also the apology I owe my ex and the words I need to say to the girl who broke my heart. There's also an article extolling the virtues of the side one, track one - first song on an album. It's all there in thought and in feelings but won't come out. The big problem is that words come out one at a time. This is a problem made worse when typing and forcing words to come out a letter at a time. In my head they all want to burst into life all at once and finding a way to make those words come out in any coherent sense feels like a bigger challenge than climbing Everest.

One may climb a mountain one step at a time but it doesn't matter what order those steps go in. My writing won't get far without finding the right order and as such I've become somewhat backed up. If only there was an Ex-Lax for thoughts.
Cheers,
R.

Oh for a time machine...

Back in 2002 there was a little known function built into some mobile phones call Bluetooth. To put this into perspective this was at the same time that mobiles with a 4 colour screen were cutting edge and wap was the nearest thing to internet any phone could offer. Now Bluetooth had been around for nearly a decade already but it hadn't made it as a well known product. 2002 was a time for change in the world of mobile phones. Monochrome was replace by colour and the first camera phones, BTCellnet became O2 and One2One became T-Mobile, Sony and Ericsson started a joint venture and became Sony Ericsson and were in a prime position to make Bluetooth the must have function in mobile phones. When use of a handheld phone while driving was outlawed the following year sales of Bluetooth handsfree devices shot up as people started looking for the best ways around the ban. Then when Sony announced the Playstation 3 in 2005 sure enough Bluetooth was the wireless connection of choice for controller and accessories.
That brings me up to date. While I've obviously not mentioned every step along the way it's clear to me that Bluetooth has gone from being an obscure function on some mobile phone made by a struggling manufacturer to something in almost every new mobile and many other devises. Even as I type I have a Bluetooth dongle in the side of my laptop (allowing my wireless mouse to work) and I'm controlling the video I'm watching with the single greatest gadget ever!

The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread!

Yup, a remote control. But unlike any other remote I have this one uses Bluetooth to talk to the PS3. That means I don't have to wave my arms around trying to make sure I've got line of sight, I don't have to move things out the way of some little sensor or anything like that. My magical Bluetooth remote, that's how it works by the way: magic, means I can look at what button I want to press and press it. I can point the remote backwards or even leave the room with it as I pause a movie, skip a song or do whatever. It's such a mini liberation that I was disappointed that my new HD TV didn't use Bluetooth, it feels like a step backwards to point a remote at the device I want to control. Jeez it's just so uncouth.
So what's my point, why do I want a time machine? Well, unlike some other inventions or technologies Bluetooth has slowly but surely grown into something that every home has and no doubt will continue to be adopted into more and more devices. With my time machine my 2002 self would have purchased some shares in that fledgling tech. Why not just exploit the lottery you ask?Well, investing in Bluetooth and the Smurfs that make it work would earn me a modest income continually rather than a huge amount as a one off. Anyway if you're still worried about the time machine (which would definitely be Bluetooth compatible) you've missed the point!
Cheers,
R.

The Rise And Fall Of Music Monday

12 weeks ago I started the first weekly update to this blog. Music Monday was to be my way of sharing my favourite lesser known bands with you all and for 10 weeks I delivered everything from hardcore punk to hip hop. Unfortunately for two weeks now I've let you down. There's two reasons for this: firstly I started to struggle to find quality artists to recommend and secondly I simple ran out of time on the the Monday's in question. Fear not music fans for Music Monday is not dead. Starting next week it's back and, hopefully, better than ever. For now here's a quick look back at the bands featured and reverandglass's pick for their best tracks:

Week 1 - Cats:For:Peru "Love in a Lift"
Week 2 - Gay For Johnny Depp "Shh, Put the shiv to my throat!"
Week 3 - Foxy Shazam "Wannabe Angel"
Week 4 - The Wake Effect "Ten Things to do if I Live"
Week 5 - The Pretty Reckless "Make Me Wanna Die"
Week 6 - Burn Before Reading "Markers"
Week 7 - My Vitriol "Falling off the Floor"
Week 8 - The Arkhams "She's Lost Control"
Week 9 - Fucked Up "Looking for God"
Week 10 - Cee Lo Green "Fuck You"

Well it's been an interesting 10 weeks and hopefully you'll check back next week to see the rebirth of Music Monday. In the mean time I'll leave you with a mini post for who should have featured in week 11:

There are few pieces of music, in the grand scheme of things, that are guaranteed to make the hairs stand up on the back of you next, that get the blood pumping in your veins faster than before, that make you want to get out of your seat and save the world. For me there are two pieces in particular that never fail to have that effect and the fact they both appear in the same movie just emphasises the point. The movie in question is Kick Ass and the composer John Murphy. You may not have heard of John Murphy, he's certainly not the household name John Williams is, but you'll probably know his work. If you've seen 28 Days Later, Sunshine or Kick Ass you'll be familiar with his soaring scores and even if you've missed all those amazing films you're bound to have seen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch. So for now it may be the end of Music Monday as we know it but turn the volume up and just enjoy Adagio in D Minor.
Cheers,
R.

New Look

Time for a change methinks so thanks to the magic of html, css and java I have a new look and a few new toys. Don't worry the same amazing level of insightful content will continue!
Cheers,
R.

Pre Owned Games are a Good Thing!

There has been an unpleasant development in the world of gaming in recent months that is threatening to change the way we look at games. While the console war rages on unabated publishers and developers have drawn their own battle lines ready to engage you and I, the humble gamer, should we dare to buy second hand.
The pre owned market for games has been around for as long as there have been home systems to play them on and in austere times such as these it's growing. Just recently Tesco announced they will start taking trade in games , after a successful trial, joining the likes of Asda, Game, Blockbuster and Hmv. The trade in / pre owned market is clearly something retailers like the idea of and judging by the online forums, and my own experience, gamers think is great too. The only people who don't like the idea are the publishers. It all started with EA and "Project $10", a simple enough proposition to charge $10 for users to play online unless they enter a one time only code that comes with the game. In effect, EA want gamers who buy pre owned to pay play online. Then came THQ, Activision and Ubisoft, all with their own ideas to make buying pre owned a less attractive proposition. But no other industry does it! Why would they do this? Well, if you were to believe everything you read, buying a pre owned game takes food out of the mouths of developers children. Actual food! By not paying £45 for Modern Warfare 2 you're actually taking spaghetti o's away from poor Timmy...
The argument is simple enough: when you buy a new game the developer, publisher and retailer all get a piece of the action and everyone gets paid for the work they put in. When you buy pre owned only the retailer gets any money, so the talent involved in making the game gets nothing. This is obviously true but omits an important part of the picture, one the publishers don't want you to think about because they want their extra money. For every game purchased pre owned, every single game, there was a transaction before where the original purchaser was paid and that same purchaser gave up the right to play the game. What that means to this situation is that if I sell a copy of Fifa 10 to my friend, let's call him Bill for argument's sake, then I can no longer play that game, online or otherwise, but Bill can. The number of copies of the Fifa 10 sold by EA doesn't change, which is what they don't like, but the number of players online, using EA's servers and bandwidth and needing support etc., hasn't changed.
In essence what these publishers are saying is that if you were not the original purchaser of the game and therefore have not directly put money into their hands you can't play. They incur no extra cost thanks to the pre owned market but are seeking to charge some perceived loss. It's also important to consider the other feature of the pre owned market, one that the publishers should be embracing rather than alienating. A couple of weeks ago I bought Wet for PS3, developed by Besthesda Softworks (they of Fallout fame) and published by ZeniMax Europe Ltd. (The owner of Besthesda and others and who have yet to suggest any anti pre owned tactics). I bought Wet pre owned from Game for £9.99 for two reasons: 1) because I can't afford to pay full price for any game at the moment and 2) because Wet had mixed reviews and I didn't want to feel I'd wasted my money. At £9.99 it was just under that magic barrier where I felt it was worth the risk and as a result I now own a copy of Wet. I played that copy of Wet and thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact I went online as soon as the credits rolled to look for news of a sequel. A sequel which I'm more than likely to buy brand new as soon as it comes out. The same could be said for Borderlands, which I've also bought all the DLC for and several other games. You see what the big scary boys at EA et al seem to forget is that the more people who get their hands on a game the better. Better for the publisher, the developer, the retailer, the gamers. I've lost track of how many sequels I've bought over the years but what I do know is a significant proportion of those would not have been bought, new I may add, were it not for an initial pre owned purchase of a game I was unsure about.
So what's the solution? Clearly someone somewhere is feeling screwed or greedy and needs things fixing. Firstly, if developers are feeling short changed then they need to either find other ways of getting their work out there, Steam, Xbox Live and PSN Store all negate the pre owned problem, or they need to negotiate better deals with the publishers. Secondly, if the publishers want to sell more copies then they should reduce the cost to the consumer. £40 - £50 is a lot of money to a lot of people (but apparently not if you subscribe to Xbox Live in which case it's "nothing" according to web forums). If new games cost less then people would be more inclined to take a risk on an unknown title or, as many do, pay that bit more just to have new. We all know development costs have spiralled in recent years to that of movie budgets in some cases (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 reportedly costing $40 -$50 million) but it isn't necessary to spend that much to make a great game, it isn't even necessary to spend that much to make AAA titles. When you consider the audience for games is growing and the chances of success hinging upon perceived value for money (as demonstrated by Braid, Flow, Flower, Limbo etc.) publishers should be more inclined to make games cheaper and get them into the hands of more and more gamers by any means possible.
I've seen people liken this situation to many other things, "Ford gets no cut of the resale of my car", but the best example would be the music industry, not least because it's structure mirrors that of the games industry quite closely. When I like a band, song, artist or whatever I tell all my friends. Quite often I'll make them a copy of a CD or send them an mp3. While this is actually piracy, far worse than resale, what often happens is my friends like the band, song, artist too and buy themselves the CD, vinyl etc. And then we all buy tickets to see them live. By sharing / spreading / disseminating the work in the first place the artist gets a larger return. It's the same with pre owned games, by allowing more people to experience the work of Naughty Dog or Bungie or Media Molecule more people are likely to buy games by them in the future.
Finally, there's the rest of the reasons why pre owned should be encouraged not penalised: Reselling a game is recycling it and therefore potentially saves resources. In times of financial difficulty pre owned sales help keep retailers in business and people in a job. Luxury purchases, which games are, become available to more people and help stimulate the economy. In the end there's no need to say, "but no other industry does it", there's just the truth: the big companies are looking for more money and could give a damn about customer loyalty. If it gets to the point where it costs too much to buy pre owned or we have to choose between pre owned or multiplayer then we'll stop buying those games. The industry will become less inventive, less likely to risk a new IP and eventually collapse again. No one wants that so maybe the war on pre owned needs to stop before it starts.
Cheers,
R.