More info can be found here. Thanks to Molly for the head's up!
Friday, August 18, 2006
Bob Marley Cell Phone Game
The makers of Bomberman and Bonk's Adventure finally bring us the cell phone game we've all been waiting for. From the official site: "Hey Mon! Enjoy the tropics as you play as Bob Marley in some fun mini games. This game celebrates Marley's passions, from island life, soccer, and of course, music - Reggae style!" No mention of the "pass the dutchie" mini-game. Someone please explain this screenshot:
Obviously, this is the "steer the soccer ball meteor with the power of Jah" mini-game. What's that sound you hear? Why, the sound of Bob Marley spinning in his grave, of course!
Thanks to Kotaku for the link.
Obviously, this is the "steer the soccer ball meteor with the power of Jah" mini-game. What's that sound you hear? Why, the sound of Bob Marley spinning in his grave, of course!
Thanks to Kotaku for the link.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
RIP Phantom
How can you kill something...that is ALREADY DEAD? Finally living up to its namesake, the Phantom console seems to be kaputski once and for all.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Rabbitts of the Lost Ark
I don't care if you think they sold out, the 30-second bunnies are still freaking funny.
Monday, August 14, 2006
YouTube for Games?
Yes...that's what Microsoft says. I predict 1,000 different versions of Joanna Dark nude mods, but I'm a skeptic. (Who knows...maybe this will breed the next Counterstrike for consoles.)
Thanks to Eric for link.
Thanks to Eric for link.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Hate + Love = Fun!
Here is a great blogpost in which the writer muses about his love/hate relationship with WoW. Frankly, it makes extracting oneself from Warcraft sound a lot like quitting smoking. (Something I am all too familiar with, unfortunately.) Dude, can I bum a gold?
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Finally!
According to USA Today, Pac-Man is going digital. All I can say is: about fucking time. Remember when we had to play Pac-Man with nothing but beads, a couple of sponges and a tennis ball? That sucked!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Ribbit
Microsoft is really crowing (croaking?) about Frogger on Xbox Live Arcade. (Did you know it was also on GameTap? Bet you didn't!) Anyway, peep IGN's "review" of Frogger, and don't miss the top five upcoming games in the genre:
1. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (X360)
2. Assassin's Creed (PS3)
3. Lost Planet (X360)
4. Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)
5. N3: Ninety-Nine Nights (X360)
I love that part in Splinter Cell when Sam Fisher puts Lambert on his back and ferries him across the Seine to escape the Chinese Mafia and a bunch of snapping turtles!
1. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (X360)
2. Assassin's Creed (PS3)
3. Lost Planet (X360)
4. Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)
5. N3: Ninety-Nine Nights (X360)
I love that part in Splinter Cell when Sam Fisher puts Lambert on his back and ferries him across the Seine to escape the Chinese Mafia and a bunch of snapping turtles!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
I <3 Murder Simulation
I'm probably totally outside scooping this, but anyway...you may remember Jack Thompson's "Modest Video Game Proposal" -- a ham-fisted attempt at satire in which the notorious anti-game lawyer described (basically) the most violent video game ever. He then went on to challenge game developers to make the game, and promised to give some money to charity if any accepted the challenge. Bah blah blah...if you need a refresher, read it here.
Anyway, earlier this year, someone made the game...
Ha! Ready? It's great fun! Features include "seven unique weapons, a Realistic Urine Engine and an ending that is almost 15 seconds long!" (From the official site.)
The game is surprisingly polished, and actually reminds me quite a bit of Dad 'n Me, a hytserically violent River City-esque romp from the guys who made Alien Hominid.
And check it: if you don't want to bother with the game, watch a playthrough on Google Video! What a world.
Anyway, earlier this year, someone made the game...
Ha! Ready? It's great fun! Features include "seven unique weapons, a Realistic Urine Engine and an ending that is almost 15 seconds long!" (From the official site.)
The game is surprisingly polished, and actually reminds me quite a bit of Dad 'n Me, a hytserically violent River City-esque romp from the guys who made Alien Hominid.
And check it: if you don't want to bother with the game, watch a playthrough on Google Video! What a world.
Monday, August 07, 2006
New Audioslave
Audioslave's new album, Revelations, comes out in less than a month. Didn't they just put out a record? Man, time flies when you're not waiting for new Audioslave albums! Anyhoo, I listened to the single -- entitled "Original Fire" -- on their official site. It's good, but a little wanky. Definitely not the awesomeness of "Your Time Has Come" (seen here) but I remain hopeful! Don't let me down, gentlemen. Make with the rock.
Wii Launch Titles from Ubisoft
Just got back from vacation and I'm catching up on all my emails...one came in from Ubisoft while I was gone, announcing their seven confirmed launch titles for the Wii:
Blazing Angels®: Squadrons of WW II: As a squadron leader and ace fighter pilot, leverage the Wii controller to experience intense dog fighting in the famous air battles of WW II. Air combat simulation, rating pending.
Far Cry®: As Jack Carver, use the Wii Remote to drive, shoot, slash, jump and climb your way through a rebel-infested tropical hell. First-person action shooter, rating pending.
GT Pro Series: Immerse yourself in the fast-paced action of this exclusive Wii car-racing game and take full advantage of the Wii Remote. Racing game, rating pending.
Open Season™: Allows gamers to relive the humor and adventure of Sony Pictures Animation’s highly anticipated, first feature-length CG animated film. Kids adventure, rating pending.
Monster 4X4 World Circuit: Use the Wii Remote to perform spectacular stunts, jump and race the most powerful Monster Trucks, and go head-to-head in pulse-pounding off-road competitions all over the world. Truck racing, rating pending.
Rayman Raving Rabbids™: Experience the return of Rayman when his world is threatened by a devastating invasion of crazed, out-of-control bunnies. Whether it be crazy Kung-Fu action or competing in the cow toss, players will use the Wii Remote in the most imaginative and innovative ways possible to defeat these whacky rabbids. Action-adventure, rating pending.
Red Steel™: This Wii exclusive title takes place in modern-day Japan and challenges players to master both the ancient art of the katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms. First-person action, rating pending.
Red Steel is the only thing I can really get really excited about, although Rayman could be a blast since Michel Ancel is once again involved in the series.
God, how many more versions of Far Cry will we have to suffer through?
Blazing Angels®: Squadrons of WW II: As a squadron leader and ace fighter pilot, leverage the Wii controller to experience intense dog fighting in the famous air battles of WW II. Air combat simulation, rating pending.
Far Cry®: As Jack Carver, use the Wii Remote to drive, shoot, slash, jump and climb your way through a rebel-infested tropical hell. First-person action shooter, rating pending.
GT Pro Series: Immerse yourself in the fast-paced action of this exclusive Wii car-racing game and take full advantage of the Wii Remote. Racing game, rating pending.
Open Season™: Allows gamers to relive the humor and adventure of Sony Pictures Animation’s highly anticipated, first feature-length CG animated film. Kids adventure, rating pending.
Monster 4X4 World Circuit: Use the Wii Remote to perform spectacular stunts, jump and race the most powerful Monster Trucks, and go head-to-head in pulse-pounding off-road competitions all over the world. Truck racing, rating pending.
Rayman Raving Rabbids™: Experience the return of Rayman when his world is threatened by a devastating invasion of crazed, out-of-control bunnies. Whether it be crazy Kung-Fu action or competing in the cow toss, players will use the Wii Remote in the most imaginative and innovative ways possible to defeat these whacky rabbids. Action-adventure, rating pending.
Red Steel™: This Wii exclusive title takes place in modern-day Japan and challenges players to master both the ancient art of the katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms. First-person action, rating pending.
Red Steel is the only thing I can really get really excited about, although Rayman could be a blast since Michel Ancel is once again involved in the series.
God, how many more versions of Far Cry will we have to suffer through?
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Stupidity: Still an International Problem
Suing game companies as a result of personal tragedy is not just for Americans, anymore! In this story from a few months ago, some parents in China sued the Asian distributor of WoW after their son fatally jumped off a roof. (Yes, it's horrible. I won't bother with the rant.) Interestingly, I did not see this story pop up on any game blogs...I wonder how the issue resolved.
So, anyone heading to China Joy this week?
So, anyone heading to China Joy this week?
Google Trends
Aren't you tired of hearing about what an awesome, amazing and super company Google is? Me, neither! Check out Google Trends, something I stumbled across this morning totally on my own, without any help from a magazine or a blog or forwarded email or anything! From the site: "Google Trends aims to provide insights into broad search patterns. As a Google Labs product, it is still in the early stages of development. Also, it is based upon just a portion of our searches, and several approximations are used when computing your results. Please keep this in mind when using it." Translation: it's in Beta.
Still, very interesting! And kind of similar to another cool hidden gem: the Google Zeitgeist. I can't wait until Google can spot trends in my bowel movements.
Still, very interesting! And kind of similar to another cool hidden gem: the Google Zeitgeist. I can't wait until Google can spot trends in my bowel movements.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Lady in Hot Water
Wow. Apparently, M. Night Shyamalan's latest film is a real turd. Swing away, critics!
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Retro A-Go-Go
I heard about these weird retro-styled GBA games coming out in Japan, and GSW was kind enough to point us to Nintendo's official site, which is now live. Not as cool as the Classic NES series site, but still pretty neat, with TV ads and other stuff to find. Next, check out Taito's Space Invaders 25th anniversary site, which has an awesome little Flash widget on the home page. (In fact, all the content here puts Konami's Frogger site to shame.) Speaking of Space Invaders, you MUST check this out!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Awesome SpyHunter Movie Gets Awesome SpyHunter Game
Meta alert: video game based on movie that is based on a video game is coming your way. (The snake has eaten its tail!)
Midway presents part one of this absolutely mind-bending interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, in which he discusses how awesome his awesome movie-based-on-a-video-game video game is going to rock with awesomeness.
Plus, his character is going to BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF HIS CAR, which is so awesome that I might not be able to stop my boner from shattering my pants. Get ready...
Midway Gets Candid With Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson
– Part 1 –
THE ROCK talks about his role in Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run and Knight Rider.
Were you a fan of the original SpyHunter?
I was a big fan of the original game. When Midway came to me with the idea, of course, we were still in the development of the movie. So my first question was how is this game going to be different? How can it compete? They said for the first time the fans of the video game Spy Hunter are going to be able to get out of the car and actually become this character who's been driving this car all this time.
So I thought, okay, how else can we compete because the video game market is so ultra competitive? How can we be creative? How can we maim and bring death to the opponents creatively with my bare hands? :)
Since your character gets out of the car for the first time in franchise history, do you think this makes SpyHunter the next Knight Rider?
Okay, well let me tell you something. Comparing Michael Knight to Alex Decker is like comparing wine to vinegar. Alex doesn't care about wearing the coolest jeans or the coolest jacket. He just has one mission, which is to hunt down spies and to kick ass like there's no tomorrow.
Are there any wrestling moves we'll recognize in the game?
Oh definitely. There's a couple of signature moves in there. For example, the rock bottom was a big finishing move for me, signature move. So we included that. There are different versions of suplexes and things that I learned from a lot of Japanese wrestlers, that if they're performed the way they're supposed to be performed, they're highly, highly dangerous. So then I just took it to another level. It's just crazy the stuff we were coming up with. And it was awesome. I saw it all back and I couldn't be happier. It was great.
Fascinating.
Wait a minute, did the Rock just dis my man Michael Knight back there? Like, wanting to wear the coolest jacket AND kicking ass like there's no tomorrow are mutually exclusive? Listen, Mr. Johnson, just because YOU can't walk and chew gum at the same time doesn't mean you have to get all up in Michael Knight's face about it. Frankly, I think Michael Knight would be happy to rip Alex Decker's pussy off and wear it like a kimono. Show THAT move to your Japanese wrestling friends, bucko!
(Dude, seriously? I actually kinda liked Doom, so get with the friggin' program!)
Midway presents part one of this absolutely mind-bending interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, in which he discusses how awesome his awesome movie-based-on-a-video-game video game is going to rock with awesomeness.
Plus, his character is going to BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF HIS CAR, which is so awesome that I might not be able to stop my boner from shattering my pants. Get ready...
Midway Gets Candid With Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson
– Part 1 –
THE ROCK talks about his role in Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run and Knight Rider.
Were you a fan of the original SpyHunter?
I was a big fan of the original game. When Midway came to me with the idea, of course, we were still in the development of the movie. So my first question was how is this game going to be different? How can it compete? They said for the first time the fans of the video game Spy Hunter are going to be able to get out of the car and actually become this character who's been driving this car all this time.
So I thought, okay, how else can we compete because the video game market is so ultra competitive? How can we be creative? How can we maim and bring death to the opponents creatively with my bare hands? :)
Since your character gets out of the car for the first time in franchise history, do you think this makes SpyHunter the next Knight Rider?
Okay, well let me tell you something. Comparing Michael Knight to Alex Decker is like comparing wine to vinegar. Alex doesn't care about wearing the coolest jeans or the coolest jacket. He just has one mission, which is to hunt down spies and to kick ass like there's no tomorrow.
Are there any wrestling moves we'll recognize in the game?
Oh definitely. There's a couple of signature moves in there. For example, the rock bottom was a big finishing move for me, signature move. So we included that. There are different versions of suplexes and things that I learned from a lot of Japanese wrestlers, that if they're performed the way they're supposed to be performed, they're highly, highly dangerous. So then I just took it to another level. It's just crazy the stuff we were coming up with. And it was awesome. I saw it all back and I couldn't be happier. It was great.
Fascinating.
Wait a minute, did the Rock just dis my man Michael Knight back there? Like, wanting to wear the coolest jacket AND kicking ass like there's no tomorrow are mutually exclusive? Listen, Mr. Johnson, just because YOU can't walk and chew gum at the same time doesn't mean you have to get all up in Michael Knight's face about it. Frankly, I think Michael Knight would be happy to rip Alex Decker's pussy off and wear it like a kimono. Show THAT move to your Japanese wrestling friends, bucko!
(Dude, seriously? I actually kinda liked Doom, so get with the friggin' program!)
Friday, July 14, 2006
Adrian!
Sure, everyone's going to tell you that Rocky Balboa is going to suck, but mark my words: this movie will KICK ASS. Sylvester Stallone, the most unfairly maligned star of our era.
(We'll just try to forget all about Rhinestone and Stop or My Mom Will Shoot and Oscar and Daylight and...)
(We'll just try to forget all about Rhinestone and Stop or My Mom Will Shoot and Oscar and Daylight and...)
Thursday, July 13, 2006
OK, You Win
Hey toy collectors, next time someone tells you that you have too many useless treasures, simply point them to the guy who has 15,000 Mario plushies. Thanks to GSW for the link.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Toonami Jetstream
The launch of Toonami Jetstream is just a few days away, and what I've seen so far has been really impressive. (Nice work, guys!) Jetstream is the natural evolution of a somewhat similar project that I worked on many years ago, called Toonami Reactor. (I guess we were just ahead of our time.) Although "Jetstream" is a much better name...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Things I Hate
I am starting a list of things that I hate. Here are the first ten.
1. Hangers
2. Dogs that sing
3. Stickers on produce
4. Car seats
5. Psoriasis
6. Clap-alongs
7. BMWs
8. Celtic music
9. Boss fights
10. Bob Marley: Legend
1. Hangers
2. Dogs that sing
3. Stickers on produce
4. Car seats
5. Psoriasis
6. Clap-alongs
7. BMWs
8. Celtic music
9. Boss fights
10. Bob Marley: Legend
Monday, July 10, 2006
These Are Not Fluffy Bunnies
Jetix Europe is debuting a new show called Yin Yang Yo on the web next week. I checked it out, and it looks pretty cool! The villain is a cockroach wizard, which is totally awesome. From the people who brought you the Fairly OddParents. Coming to the US in the fall. This post brought to you by the Walt Disney Co. and your favorite, most deliciousest sugar cereal.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Toys for (Rich) Nerds
Peep my pics from Rotofugi, the awesome hipster toy emporium in Chicago! (Visit them on the web here.)
Is pink Astronaut Jesus my favorite? Don't know, but he sure is awesome...and he died for our sins!
Is pink Astronaut Jesus my favorite? Don't know, but he sure is awesome...and he died for our sins!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Spider-Man 3
The new Spider-Man 3 trailer is live on Sony's site. Let's just say that it ain't only my spider sense that's tingling...wow!
Pinch a Brick
As a Blackberry user, I've often wondered if there is any kind of subcult devoted to "BrickBreaker" -- you know, the Breakout clone that comes installed on your BB for free. I'm not particularly good at the game (let's face it, some of the design is broken), but when I met a female executive in the Delta lounge a few years ago who had "beat" the game, I became determined to do the same. Well, no luck so far.
In any case, I googled "BrickBreaker" this morning and discovered something hilarious: according to the urban dictionary, the phrase "playing BrickBreaker" is a euphemism for taking a shit!
(You know you've done it, too.)
In any case, I googled "BrickBreaker" this morning and discovered something hilarious: according to the urban dictionary, the phrase "playing BrickBreaker" is a euphemism for taking a shit!
(You know you've done it, too.)
My Xbox Cup Runneth Over
And you thought gamers weren't athletic? This just in from the world of fake soccer:
(Note generous use of word "thrilling" in headline.)
PORTUGAL LIFT THE XBOX CUP IN BERLIN
THE XBOX CUP TOURNAMENT COMES TO A THRILLING CONCLUSION
Berlin, July 1, 2006 – Portugal was crowned the Xbox Cup Champions having won the tournament on EA’s 2006 FIFA World Cup™ on the Xbox® 360 console. In a rousing ceremony, the team lifted the Xbox Cup trophy to rounds of applause from the 8500 seater adidas stadium, at the centre of the Platz der Republik, Berlin, where the Xbox Cup’s action took place. Peter Moore, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft was there to present the trophy and be the first to offer his congratulations to the triumphant team.
The team beat Mexico 2 - 1 in the gripping final to secure their places in football gaming history. In the first semi-final, host nation Germany went up against Mexico, they were dominant throughout the first half of the game and translated that into a goal early into the second half. However, the Mexicans fought back aggressively and won through in extra time with a final score of 2 – 1. The second semi-final saw neighbors Portugal and Spain going head-to-head with the Portuguese 2 – 0 up by halftime. Though the Spaniards came back valiantly in the second half, the final score read 3 - 2 to Portugal. When it came to the Grand Final, gaming foreshadowed reality, with the Portuguese emerging victorious just hours before their World Cup counterparts did the same in their quarter final match.
The Portuguese team is made up of Miguel Angelo Dinis, 28, and Antonio Luis Ferreira Gomes, 21. Joao Miguel Gouveia da Cruz Dias, 24, accompanied them as their ultimate fan.
(Note generous use of word "thrilling" in headline.)
PORTUGAL LIFT THE XBOX CUP IN BERLIN
THE XBOX CUP TOURNAMENT COMES TO A THRILLING CONCLUSION
Berlin, July 1, 2006 – Portugal was crowned the Xbox Cup Champions having won the tournament on EA’s 2006 FIFA World Cup™ on the Xbox® 360 console. In a rousing ceremony, the team lifted the Xbox Cup trophy to rounds of applause from the 8500 seater adidas stadium, at the centre of the Platz der Republik, Berlin, where the Xbox Cup’s action took place. Peter Moore, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft was there to present the trophy and be the first to offer his congratulations to the triumphant team.
The team beat Mexico 2 - 1 in the gripping final to secure their places in football gaming history. In the first semi-final, host nation Germany went up against Mexico, they were dominant throughout the first half of the game and translated that into a goal early into the second half. However, the Mexicans fought back aggressively and won through in extra time with a final score of 2 – 1. The second semi-final saw neighbors Portugal and Spain going head-to-head with the Portuguese 2 – 0 up by halftime. Though the Spaniards came back valiantly in the second half, the final score read 3 - 2 to Portugal. When it came to the Grand Final, gaming foreshadowed reality, with the Portuguese emerging victorious just hours before their World Cup counterparts did the same in their quarter final match.
The Portuguese team is made up of Miguel Angelo Dinis, 28, and Antonio Luis Ferreira Gomes, 21. Joao Miguel Gouveia da Cruz Dias, 24, accompanied them as their ultimate fan.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Matt, Matt, Matt
A writer named Matt Hawkins has written an incredibly comprehensive piece about gaming in New York for GameSetWatch. Definitely worth a read if you live in NYC! (I was sad to hear that Lazer Park is dead, but so it goes.) Meanwhile, Matt Sakey gets all up in your shizzle about game writing in his latest column for the IGDA. Finally, this Matt is "working" from home today...did everyone see the latest Marvel Ultimate Alliance trailer? Black Bolt!!
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Music for Nerds, Vol. 1337
Simon over at GameSetWatch has posted a number of cool music-related things in the last week or so. First was the four-disc nerdcore compilation, which contains a whopping 80+ tracks of hit-and-miss geek rap. With subjects ranging from World of Warcraft to Emma Frost's hard outer shell, there's bound to be something here to tickle your fanboy bone. Next is the extremely nerdy Cave Story remix project. This is remixed music from the soundtrack of a homebrew sidescrolling freeware PC game from a Japanese developer. That's so hardcore, it's like adamantium-mixed-with-vibranium hardcore.
By the way, all this music is made available for free by the artists, so there's no reason not to check it out. And if you haven't played Cave Story (also free), then you really need to. The game has been making waves in the game community for its quirky style and high level of polish. Seriously, it's awesome. R2 called it "one of the best platformers I've ever played." Again, no excuses!
By the way, all this music is made available for free by the artists, so there's no reason not to check it out. And if you haven't played Cave Story (also free), then you really need to. The game has been making waves in the game community for its quirky style and high level of polish. Seriously, it's awesome. R2 called it "one of the best platformers I've ever played." Again, no excuses!
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wherever Particular People Congregate
Yes, the old Pall Mall cigarette slogan is highly appropriate for the salon of the future: MySpace! If you've been reading the news lately (or watching pedophile sting operations on Dateline), you've probably started to think that online communities are a sordid cesspool of sex and other deviant activities. Not so! Why, just the other day, I received this message in my MySpace inbox:
"Hey Matthew!
I don't mean to bother you.. I just moved out here around Atlanta for work a couple of weeks ago. It sucks cuz I don't know AnYBoDY out here ;(. My friends back home suggested I start a myspace and look for people in my area. I just started today so here I am! :D
Well I'm lookin to meet a guy and you are pretty cute Hehe. About me... Well I'm 24, single, and I love to have fun. I'm into older men. Since you're cute and 33, you fit the profile! LoL
I just started this myspace stuff today so my profile is pretty thin to say the least. If you wanna see some of my pix, I have a homepage @ houseofvicky.com/kris - there's a bunch of photos and stuff... I also left you a PeRSoNaL message on the front page so come check it out k?
XoXo KriSty"
What an enterprising young lass! With her clever use of online lingo, not to mention her tenuous grasp of punctuation and capitalization rules, I knew "KriSty" was legit. I responded immediately, and we met this morning for a coffee at a little after 7 am. Early? Yes. But, like, she just started her job, you know, and is trying to make a good impression by showing up on time. Anyway, KriSty is a fine looking young woman, to be sure. She was eager to learn about the Atlanta environs and wanted to know what I did to "kill time". Being a married man, this seemed to be a bit of an inappropriate question, especially the way she twirled her hair and pushed out her pert young breasts when she asked me. So I sort of dodged the question and suggested visiting the aquarium.
Anyway, if that doesn't prove that online communities like MySpace are excellent social networking tools and vital outlets for today's young people, I don't know what does. Long live the web!
P.S. Give KriSty a call; she gives awesome head.
"Hey Matthew!
I don't mean to bother you.. I just moved out here around Atlanta for work a couple of weeks ago. It sucks cuz I don't know AnYBoDY out here ;(. My friends back home suggested I start a myspace and look for people in my area. I just started today so here I am! :D
Well I'm lookin to meet a guy and you are pretty cute Hehe. About me... Well I'm 24, single, and I love to have fun. I'm into older men. Since you're cute and 33, you fit the profile! LoL
I just started this myspace stuff today so my profile is pretty thin to say the least. If you wanna see some of my pix, I have a homepage @ houseofvicky.com/kris - there's a bunch of photos and stuff... I also left you a PeRSoNaL message on the front page so come check it out k?
XoXo KriSty"
What an enterprising young lass! With her clever use of online lingo, not to mention her tenuous grasp of punctuation and capitalization rules, I knew "KriSty" was legit. I responded immediately, and we met this morning for a coffee at a little after 7 am. Early? Yes. But, like, she just started her job, you know, and is trying to make a good impression by showing up on time. Anyway, KriSty is a fine looking young woman, to be sure. She was eager to learn about the Atlanta environs and wanted to know what I did to "kill time". Being a married man, this seemed to be a bit of an inappropriate question, especially the way she twirled her hair and pushed out her pert young breasts when she asked me. So I sort of dodged the question and suggested visiting the aquarium.
Anyway, if that doesn't prove that online communities like MySpace are excellent social networking tools and vital outlets for today's young people, I don't know what does. Long live the web!
P.S. Give KriSty a call; she gives awesome head.
Massively Multiplayer Academia
Are videogames worthy of academic study? Sure they are! Here are some people from Trinity University who prove the point. (Although academics who still insist on hyphenating "on-line" deserve some skepticism.) With papers such as "MMOs as therapy: A therapeutic tool or barrier to psychological growth" and "Aesthetics and gratification: Sexual practices in virtual environments" you have to give props to the depths to which these scholars were willing to sink in order to shed light on these complex issues. Humankind will undoubtedly benefit from their collective efforts.
(Okay, so maybe you detect a little sarcasm here. In all seriousness, it's nice to see the academic community turning to games as a subject worthy of study, although I don't think a paper entitled "Violence in MMOs: It's not only adolescent boys who like this stuff" is really tackling the tough issues.)
Thanks to Kotaku for posting this!
(Okay, so maybe you detect a little sarcasm here. In all seriousness, it's nice to see the academic community turning to games as a subject worthy of study, although I don't think a paper entitled "Violence in MMOs: It's not only adolescent boys who like this stuff" is really tackling the tough issues.)
Thanks to Kotaku for posting this!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Happy Birthday, Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog turns 15 this year (wow), and that means SEGA's favorite mascot is probably gonna try pot for the first time, listen to annoying rap-metal and act all surly around the grown-ups. It also means that GameTap is celebrating with some interesting new additions to its library.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Bright Red Nonsense
Here is an amusing local news story about Cartoon Network's latest outdoor ad campaign.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Toy Discount
Since the three people who read my blog might care about this, check out Toyzz.com and use the code MYTOYZZ to receive a 20% discount on your order. They actually have some pretty obscure crap!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Angry Nintendo Nerd
I met two nice fellows from ScrewAttack.com when I was at E3, as they were kind enough to stop by for a GameTap demo. In any case, they got plugged on Kotaku today, so I was just checking out their website. And this made me LOL: the Angry Nintendo Nerd.
Witness his review of Castlevania II, which he colorfully describes as a "horrible steaming pile of goat shit." Absolutely priceless.
Witness his review of Castlevania II, which he colorfully describes as a "horrible steaming pile of goat shit." Absolutely priceless.
Monday, June 19, 2006
MGS4
You want to talk about the future of entertainment? Instead of debating whether or not video games are the medium of tomorrow, simply watch the extended Metal Gear Solid 4 tailer, and witness the argument come to rest before your very eyes. Seriously, this thing is incredible...and I don't even LIKE the Metal Gear games.
If you can, do yourself a favor and download the 1G HD trailer from IGN. You won't be sorry. Then get ready to put aside $600 for your PS3...
If you can, do yourself a favor and download the 1G HD trailer from IGN. You won't be sorry. Then get ready to put aside $600 for your PS3...
Friday, June 16, 2006
Hellboy Oh Boy
My pal Mario pointed me to this awesome blog about the making of the new Hellboy animated feature.
I had heard this was happening a while ago, but I had no idea that they were so far along. I guess it will be on CN (Adult Swim?) soon.
I had heard this was happening a while ago, but I had no idea that they were so far along. I guess it will be on CN (Adult Swim?) soon.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Five Alive!
Kotaku was nice enough to point out that GameLife episode 5 is now available for your enjoyment. I salute the kids who make this show, but damn if there isn't a Wesley Willis aspect to watching them.
And is it just me, or is Melissa kind of hot?
And is it just me, or is Melissa kind of hot?
Monday, June 12, 2006
CoH vs. WoW
Okay, so you know you're in the right job when your boss tells you: "You need to play World of Warcraft." Well, if I must...
As part of my job helping to design an MMO game, I obviously need to become more familiar with MMOs. Duh. Though I have dabbled in MMO games for a while, my real experience pretty much begins and ends with Guild Wars. So over the last few weeks I have signed up for City of Heroes and World of Warcraft, as well as Disney's Toontown. (Seriously, that's about as much MMO as one person can handle.) So without further ado, I present:
Paragon City in City of Heroes was my first stop. I created my first female character, a hot "magic tanker" named Molly Hatchet. During my initial login, I soloed for a little while to get the lay of the land, and got myself up to level 2 or 3. (I also got myself lost and wound up in a high level area. Whoops!) My impressions were definitely positive; the game has solid controls and the powers system is really interesting and intuitive. When I logged in a second time, I teamed with a bunch of guys on a "sewer mission" -- the sewers are one of the low-level areas near the start of the game, heavily populated with weaker enemies. I spent a couple of hours with this group, and they were all really nice. We were ushered through the environment by a level 32 guy who kept us healed and buffed, so before I knew it, I was at level 7. There was no cursing or noob-bashing. When I said this was my first character, the high level hero told me to add him to my friends list and look him up any time. This was easily the most fun I've had with a bunch of strangers in an MMO environment.
Now it was time to try WoW. After debating Horde vs. Alliance, I decided to go with Horde, as the undead race was too tempting to pass up (I love zombies). Since I almost always go with the "meat shield" warrior class, I decided instead to try a caster class. Hence, my undead warlock named Mordux. He has a big "X" on his face and looks like a badass...for a walking corpse, at least. Moving through the environment for the first time, I was immediately impressed with the design and level of detail in the art. Though it's no Guild Wars, the colorful variety of the environments and monsters (even in the first undead city) was impressive. I tooled around a little bit and killed some guys. Another undead player came up to me and offered me some magic water for a copper. Sure, why not? A little bit later, the same dude came up to me and offered me the same deal. Uh...no, thanks. About five minutes later, the guy challenged me to a duel, which I declined. So he challenged me again. DECLINE. He walked up to me, whispered "pussy!" and took off. Gee, thanks.
So, as you can see, my City of Heroes experience has been significantly more fun than my initial impressions of WoW. You obviously have to give these games time...and I don't have a ton to spare. Complaints about both games: the patches took FOREVER to get me up and running -- in City of Heroes case, over an hour. Also, the essence of any MMORPG -- fighting monsters to level up -- gets old quick. As a single-player guy, I find the combat in both games pretty boring. Perhaps it is the superhero setting, but I liked playing City of Heroes a lot more. The other thing about CoH that I appreciate is the lack of micromanagement of items. Instead, you manage your powers. This is cool. Not so much in WoW. During a few hours of WoW, I collected bat toenails and wolf pelts and worn boots and a bunch of other crap, all of which possesses little, or at the very least, questionable value (until you learn the game's crafting system). It wouldn't matter it I could hold onto all that junk, but my inventory filled up after about five battles. This kind of stuff drives me mad -- I hated it in Guild Wars, too.
Anyway, the MMO genre will never be my favorite, but I can certainly appreciate it more having dug a little deeper into a few of the more popular games. If you have a positive community experience (an MMO's biggest selling point), then you will likely have a grand time and forget how boring the actual gameplay can be.
See you in Paragon City!
As part of my job helping to design an MMO game, I obviously need to become more familiar with MMOs. Duh. Though I have dabbled in MMO games for a while, my real experience pretty much begins and ends with Guild Wars. So over the last few weeks I have signed up for City of Heroes and World of Warcraft, as well as Disney's Toontown. (Seriously, that's about as much MMO as one person can handle.) So without further ado, I present:
Paragon City in City of Heroes was my first stop. I created my first female character, a hot "magic tanker" named Molly Hatchet. During my initial login, I soloed for a little while to get the lay of the land, and got myself up to level 2 or 3. (I also got myself lost and wound up in a high level area. Whoops!) My impressions were definitely positive; the game has solid controls and the powers system is really interesting and intuitive. When I logged in a second time, I teamed with a bunch of guys on a "sewer mission" -- the sewers are one of the low-level areas near the start of the game, heavily populated with weaker enemies. I spent a couple of hours with this group, and they were all really nice. We were ushered through the environment by a level 32 guy who kept us healed and buffed, so before I knew it, I was at level 7. There was no cursing or noob-bashing. When I said this was my first character, the high level hero told me to add him to my friends list and look him up any time. This was easily the most fun I've had with a bunch of strangers in an MMO environment.
Now it was time to try WoW. After debating Horde vs. Alliance, I decided to go with Horde, as the undead race was too tempting to pass up (I love zombies). Since I almost always go with the "meat shield" warrior class, I decided instead to try a caster class. Hence, my undead warlock named Mordux. He has a big "X" on his face and looks like a badass...for a walking corpse, at least. Moving through the environment for the first time, I was immediately impressed with the design and level of detail in the art. Though it's no Guild Wars, the colorful variety of the environments and monsters (even in the first undead city) was impressive. I tooled around a little bit and killed some guys. Another undead player came up to me and offered me some magic water for a copper. Sure, why not? A little bit later, the same dude came up to me and offered me the same deal. Uh...no, thanks. About five minutes later, the guy challenged me to a duel, which I declined. So he challenged me again. DECLINE. He walked up to me, whispered "pussy!" and took off. Gee, thanks.
So, as you can see, my City of Heroes experience has been significantly more fun than my initial impressions of WoW. You obviously have to give these games time...and I don't have a ton to spare. Complaints about both games: the patches took FOREVER to get me up and running -- in City of Heroes case, over an hour. Also, the essence of any MMORPG -- fighting monsters to level up -- gets old quick. As a single-player guy, I find the combat in both games pretty boring. Perhaps it is the superhero setting, but I liked playing City of Heroes a lot more. The other thing about CoH that I appreciate is the lack of micromanagement of items. Instead, you manage your powers. This is cool. Not so much in WoW. During a few hours of WoW, I collected bat toenails and wolf pelts and worn boots and a bunch of other crap, all of which possesses little, or at the very least, questionable value (until you learn the game's crafting system). It wouldn't matter it I could hold onto all that junk, but my inventory filled up after about five battles. This kind of stuff drives me mad -- I hated it in Guild Wars, too.
Anyway, the MMO genre will never be my favorite, but I can certainly appreciate it more having dug a little deeper into a few of the more popular games. If you have a positive community experience (an MMO's biggest selling point), then you will likely have a grand time and forget how boring the actual gameplay can be.
See you in Paragon City!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
It's Awesome Because It Rhymes
Spider Riders: "Discover a lost world where ten-foot-tall spiders battle at your side. Awesome!" P.S. Please buy our shitty toys.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Now That Takes McBalls!
Some guy got up at a UK games convention, and, pretending to be a representative from (the apparently bogus) McDonald's Interactive, declared that a "simulation of the fast-food industry" has predicted that we are heading towards "global calamity". I don't know why they needed a game to predict this, but anyway, you can read the text of the speech here. Talk about stones! Thanks to GSW for the link.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Ninja Garnish!
Hey, if you live in New York, you totally have to check out this ninja restaurant. Their special: assassination! Man, the jokes just write themselves...
Friday, May 26, 2006
Cube on the Brain
A friend of mine recently asked me to name my Top Ten favorite Ice Cube tracks. With a recent shoot for GameTap in the bag, and a new album coming out on June 6, Ice Cube is all up in my shit lately.
Top Ten Ice Cube Tracks:
1. The Nigga Ya Love to Hate
2. Jackin' For Beats
3. The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit
4. Steady Mobbin'
5. 24 Wit an L
6. It Was a Good Day
7. Down For Whatever
8. You Know How We Do It
9. Wicked
10. Dead Homiez
Note that nothing from the "War & Peace" albums made it, even though I like "Pushin' Weight" from the first one and "You Can Do It" from the second one. Anyway, let's hope the new Cube album is a return to form.
Top Ten Ice Cube Tracks:
1. The Nigga Ya Love to Hate
2. Jackin' For Beats
3. The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit
4. Steady Mobbin'
5. 24 Wit an L
6. It Was a Good Day
7. Down For Whatever
8. You Know How We Do It
9. Wicked
10. Dead Homiez
Note that nothing from the "War & Peace" albums made it, even though I like "Pushin' Weight" from the first one and "You Can Do It" from the second one. Anyway, let's hope the new Cube album is a return to form.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
OMG OMG OMG
Awesome! The Wizard is going be released on DVD in August! Weird that I just blogged this only a few weeks ago.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Lost Game
Even though I'm a huge fan of the show, I'm not sure how a game based on Lost could possibly be any good...unless it includes a Hugo peanut-butter-eating minigame.
Monday, May 22, 2006
A Cautionary Tale
Sit back and let me tell you a story. A story about a game called "State of Emergency 2" for the PS2.
I went into this game with zero expectations. (In fact, I haven't even played the first game.) To further substantiate the Schwartz Theory of Low Expectation Media Consumption, my initial reaction to the game was super positive. In fact, SoE2 (as I will call it henceforth) was a blast to play! The game opens with your character inside the death chamber at a prison -- uh oh! Fortunately for him, someone was kind enough to strap a gun to the bottom of his chair. (Yes, check credibility at the door for this one, folks.) Time to make with the carnage!
I should have known something was up when I could not figure out how to exit the FIRST ROOM in the game. Apparently, I did something that prevented the correct story trigger to occur, because once I rebooted and did it again, progress flowed smoothly. The gameplay is typical third-person action: shooting, running, sniping, grenading, ducking around corners. The gimmick here, like in the first game, is that there are a whole lot of NPC characters running around the levels, making for a very chaotic "moblike" atmosphere. Once you bust all the prisoners out of their cells, the game succeeds remarkably well in this area. There are indeed lots of (often identical) chumps running around getting in your way, and woe is the prisoner who gets between you and a guard with a shotgun.
The game is tough. VERY tough. I kept failing the missions, even in the early stages. But unlike GTA, I was not frustrated -- not yet, anyway. Just the opposite: the challenge level was just high enough to make me want to keep trying again and again, without the fun factor diminishing. This is an astonishing achievement, considering modern games often become intolerable when the learning curve is too punishing. (The spinning towers of blades at the end of God of War jump to mind.) In the case of SoE2, the frustration was part of the fun.
Oh, but then how things went wrong. Horribly wrong. Eventually, you break one of your buddies out of prison, and suddenly you have multiple playable characters that you can hotswap during the action. Too bad your buddies are NO FUCKING HELP WHATSOEVER. Too bad there are suddenly CRACKSHOT SNIPERS ON EVERY GUARD TOWER who are all too ready to blow your head off at 2,000 paces. Too bad the levels are IMPOSSIBLY BLAND with nowhere to hide. Too bad it takes FOREVER TO SWITCH WEAPONS. And did I mention that the friendly AI is MADE OF PUDDING?
At a few hours into the game, the punishing challenge suddenly made a hard turn into the No Fun Zone. I started seeing SoE2 it for what it really was: an example of bad programming. Or bad level design, or bad enemy AI, whatever. (Note to developers: enemies that can hit you from across the level when you can't even see them is no longer acceptable.) Frankly, the game had so much going for it. Cool weapons, lots of explosions, a funny delivery and sense of attitude. Not to mention the first scene that takes place inside a DEATH CHAMBER. But ultimately, I turned off my PS2 in a huff and sent the damn game back to GameFly. Who has time for this stuff when there are so many other good games to play?
I love it when an overlooked gem or a budget title, having fallen victim to the oversaturated market, suddenly breaks through and impresses you with its sheer level of quality or awesome budget-ness. Unfortunately, SoE2 is just another game that could have been so much more.
I went into this game with zero expectations. (In fact, I haven't even played the first game.) To further substantiate the Schwartz Theory of Low Expectation Media Consumption, my initial reaction to the game was super positive. In fact, SoE2 (as I will call it henceforth) was a blast to play! The game opens with your character inside the death chamber at a prison -- uh oh! Fortunately for him, someone was kind enough to strap a gun to the bottom of his chair. (Yes, check credibility at the door for this one, folks.) Time to make with the carnage!
I should have known something was up when I could not figure out how to exit the FIRST ROOM in the game. Apparently, I did something that prevented the correct story trigger to occur, because once I rebooted and did it again, progress flowed smoothly. The gameplay is typical third-person action: shooting, running, sniping, grenading, ducking around corners. The gimmick here, like in the first game, is that there are a whole lot of NPC characters running around the levels, making for a very chaotic "moblike" atmosphere. Once you bust all the prisoners out of their cells, the game succeeds remarkably well in this area. There are indeed lots of (often identical) chumps running around getting in your way, and woe is the prisoner who gets between you and a guard with a shotgun.
The game is tough. VERY tough. I kept failing the missions, even in the early stages. But unlike GTA, I was not frustrated -- not yet, anyway. Just the opposite: the challenge level was just high enough to make me want to keep trying again and again, without the fun factor diminishing. This is an astonishing achievement, considering modern games often become intolerable when the learning curve is too punishing. (The spinning towers of blades at the end of God of War jump to mind.) In the case of SoE2, the frustration was part of the fun.
Oh, but then how things went wrong. Horribly wrong. Eventually, you break one of your buddies out of prison, and suddenly you have multiple playable characters that you can hotswap during the action. Too bad your buddies are NO FUCKING HELP WHATSOEVER. Too bad there are suddenly CRACKSHOT SNIPERS ON EVERY GUARD TOWER who are all too ready to blow your head off at 2,000 paces. Too bad the levels are IMPOSSIBLY BLAND with nowhere to hide. Too bad it takes FOREVER TO SWITCH WEAPONS. And did I mention that the friendly AI is MADE OF PUDDING?
At a few hours into the game, the punishing challenge suddenly made a hard turn into the No Fun Zone. I started seeing SoE2 it for what it really was: an example of bad programming. Or bad level design, or bad enemy AI, whatever. (Note to developers: enemies that can hit you from across the level when you can't even see them is no longer acceptable.) Frankly, the game had so much going for it. Cool weapons, lots of explosions, a funny delivery and sense of attitude. Not to mention the first scene that takes place inside a DEATH CHAMBER. But ultimately, I turned off my PS2 in a huff and sent the damn game back to GameFly. Who has time for this stuff when there are so many other good games to play?
I love it when an overlooked gem or a budget title, having fallen victim to the oversaturated market, suddenly breaks through and impresses you with its sheer level of quality or awesome budget-ness. Unfortunately, SoE2 is just another game that could have been so much more.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
GameTap E3 Picks
GameTap has selected its favorite games from E3 2006. You can also check out a video here.
Slimey
While we're on the subject of Square Enix, take a look at the full checklist of slime keychains:
I got #24, the blue king slime, which is pretty rare, I guess? Anyway, he's definitely a cool one to have!
I got #24, the blue king slime, which is pretty rare, I guess? Anyway, he's definitely a cool one to have!
Yangus: Mysteriously Absent?
So, Young Yangus' Mysterious Dungeon does not seem to be appearing on American shores any time soon, which really sucks. However, something that escaped me at E3 but now has me totally psyched: Square Enix announced Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors for release on the Wii. Unclear if it will be an exclusive. The press release says that the Wii hardware is integral to the gameplay, so if they port it to PS3 or whatever it will certainly be a different game in some respect.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Spow!
Those of you who went to E3 and actually had time to see stuff (I hate you) probably already got the full demo of Spore. We knew this game was going to be good, but after watching the 20-minute demo from Will Wright (available in a few places, including good ol' YouTube) I am completely and utterly floored by the game's design and scope. You want to play in a sandbox? How about an entire friggin' UNIVERSE? I have never been a Sims fan (too boring), and though Spore looks somewhat similar it is clearly cut from entirely different cloth. I was really amazed. Watch the whole thing, and avoid the Robin Williams clip if you can. Sorta funny, but totally unnecessary.
It's Official
Well, I can finally announce that I am officially moving into game design. As of May 30 I will be returning to Cartoon Network to work as content designer on a to-be-announced game project. I am extremely excited about this opportunity!
Monday, May 15, 2006
E3 Report
Unfortunately, my report from E3 2006 is a bit Wii'k. This show was a lot more work than I was expecting, with back-to-back media appointments and meetings, not to mention the fact that I was basically on my feet for 12 hours straight all three days. With only 3 or 4 hours to actually hit the floor and check out the wares, I didn't take back nearly as much as I was hoping. That said, I have some impressions to share, with more than a few pleasant surprises and plenty of games that left me salivating. Check out all my pics here.
God of War II: You know, God of War II left me feeling underwhelmed. Yes, it's gorgeous and, yes, it is still fun to play. But as is the case with great games, you hope that the sequel will bring more than just "more of the same" to the table. Based on my limited playtime, I did not see anything new here. The same great graphics, the same tight gameplay, even the same "Kratos falling through the clouds" intro. Maybe I wanted a new weapon? Maybe I wanted a new playable character? I don't know, but while this is definitely going to be a good title, I can't yet say that it will be a great sequel.
Dead Rising: You want a sandbox game? Capcom's got your sandbox game...with zombies. Simply put, this game is a blast to play. Hitting zombies in the skull with a giant LEGO head was worth waiting for, let me tell you. But what about that lazy camera? (Zombies kept sneaking up and biting me in the behind.) What about that annoying photographer dude? (Listen, pal. I don't want to take pictures of you beating zombies. I'd much rather beat you myself.) In a mall environment where everything is a weapon and with gameplay open-ended to the max, this just may be the game that gets me to buy a 360.
Too Human: Speaking of buying a 360, Too Human was on my "must play" short list before heading out to LA. I got the chance to sit down with the game twice, and I was really impressed. Now, keep in mind: the gameplay was very choppy and the load times were unforgivable. This was clearly an early build, and I would venture to guess that Microsoft really had to think hard about whether or not to display this puppy at E3. Well, I'm glad they did, because if you look past its rough edges you can really see the potential of something extraordinary. The controls are quite different, with all of the action orchestrated by the dual analog sticks. The environments were just gorgeous, with some really cool effects and enemies thrown in for good measure. The demo was way too easy, as I got the feeling I could have played through with my eyes closed. Silicon Knights is promising an "easy to learn, difficult to master" mechanic, and if they can deliver, this is going to be an awesome experience.
Spectrobes: Yeah, this game is a Pokemon rip but the creature designs are sweet! And the developer is the company behind Kingdom Hearts for the GBA. So I'm going to keep my eye on this one. Also, Buena Vista has revived the Turok franchise (good) and entered into the weird with the Desperate Housewives game (weird). So what do you care if you gotta catch all them Spectrobes?
Gears of War: Thanks to my friend Greg, I had the opportunity to go behind closed doors with Gears of War to check out the multiplayer deathmatch. Now, I'm mostly a single-player dude, so I was going in a bit skeptical. Let me first say that the game is freaking GORGEOUS. If you're a 3rd person shooter fan, you NEED to check out this game for that reason alone. But, okay, what else does the game offer besides pretty graphics? The only innovation I saw was that the guns had chainsaws on them. (Gone are the days when you had to be saddled with your chainsaw separately. Huzzah!) Seriously, this is next-gen? Freaking chainsaws? I'll wait for the single player, because this looked just like more of the same.
Yakuza: OK, now we're talking. This PS2 exclusive from SEGA is probably just around the corner. Maybe I'm just an old school fogey, but Yakuza was one of the best demos I played at the show: an RPG beat-em-up with real style. Set in the Japanese criminal underground, the title promises some pretty varied gameplay, AWESOME fight controls and elements of "go anywhere, do anything" that may or may not come to fruition. What I can tell you is this: beating a guy over the head with a golf club until it breaks, then smashing the side of his face into a coke machine is just about as cool as it gets.
Prey: There was a lot of buzz around this game leading into E3. Honestly, I played this game at the Microsoft booth because it was one of the few kiosks that was empty when I arrived. Well, I'm glad I played it, because it brings something different to the "been there, done that" feeling that I get from most FPS titles. In fact, I jumped into a deathmatch game and quickly found my footing. The action was fast and fun, and -- get this -- the maps rotate a full 360 degrees. This is hard to explain, but basically, you can run up alongside certain walls and flip the map over. I did not have enough time to figure out the strategy underneath it all, but I did get to see my opponents running on the ceiling like crazed cockroaches. And as far as I'm concerned, running on the ceiling = sign me up!
Full Auto 2: Speaking of deathmatch, I played me some Full Auto 2 deathmatch and I had a freaking blast. (Again, SEGA brings me one of my favorite game experiences of the show.) The controls were a bit dicey until I got a handle (pun intended) on the handbrake. At that point, I could zoom along at full speed with a bogey on my six, do a quick 180 degree turn and blast missiles right into his grill. I don't think this game is going to move any PS3s, but when I get one I will probably make sure Full Auto 2 is on my shelf with it.
DQ Heroes: Rocket Slime: No Dragon Quest Yangus on the floor had me crying in my Alchemy Pot, but this game is a fine substitute. Coming to your DS in September, Rocket Slime is an action/RPG hybrid (lower screen) with giant mecha slimes (top screen) all served up in the inimitable DQ style. Yeah, I'm a bit of a latecomer to the Dragon Quest games, since the only one I've played (other than DQ8) is the original Dragon Warrior for the NES. But who cares? I love this series.
Justice League Heroes: How about this for a surprise? Justice League Heroes is awesome! Developed by Snowblind, the same guys who did the Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath dungeon crawlers, JLH already has the same spit-and-polish of those games, with a superhero sheen. I played this one at the WBIE booth. I was Superman, the guy from Snowblind was Batman. We totally kicked some robot ass. Perhaps my reaction is due to severely low expectations, but as a comic book fan I am now really looking forward to picking up this game.
Guitar Hero II: What can I say? I've saved the best for last. Guitar Hero II promises to be awesome. I played "YYZ" in co-op mode with some other dude: me on bass, him on lead guitar. It was superb. To activate star power, you and your partner must tilt your guitars simultaneously. This is a lot like the Lifeson-Lee synchronized guitarring of old. I don't think I've ever rocked harder with a video game. Plus, I got a free poster.
Speaking of Guitar Hero II, there's something I have to mention. I was at the Capcom party at Gallery 1988 (where I bought the piece called "Zebes Welcoming Committee" at above right) and they had Guitar Hero customized with the Megaman theme! That was pretty sweet. (They also had the Ikari Warriors theme, but I didn't see anyone from SNK crashing the party.) I see a video game music edition of Guitar Hero coming some day to a console near you...
All told, this was a pretty amazing show. I was disappointed that I did not get to try the Wii. Everyone who walked out of that experience had a big shit-eating grin on their face. (Too bad I did not have the time or the patience to wait for 6 hours to try the damn thing.) Well, I am very happy for Nintendo. They really know how to buck the trend. I am sure some of the games will be gimmicky, but as one friend of mine said, "I've played tennis for real and in video games a million times. But now I get to play it in a whole new way." Can't argue that one, folks.
Other games to watch for are: Assassin's Creed, Spore, Hellgate London, Red Steel, Huxley, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Twilight Princess (of course) and Command & Conquer 3...among many others.
Now it's time for a nap!
God of War II: You know, God of War II left me feeling underwhelmed. Yes, it's gorgeous and, yes, it is still fun to play. But as is the case with great games, you hope that the sequel will bring more than just "more of the same" to the table. Based on my limited playtime, I did not see anything new here. The same great graphics, the same tight gameplay, even the same "Kratos falling through the clouds" intro. Maybe I wanted a new weapon? Maybe I wanted a new playable character? I don't know, but while this is definitely going to be a good title, I can't yet say that it will be a great sequel.
Dead Rising: You want a sandbox game? Capcom's got your sandbox game...with zombies. Simply put, this game is a blast to play. Hitting zombies in the skull with a giant LEGO head was worth waiting for, let me tell you. But what about that lazy camera? (Zombies kept sneaking up and biting me in the behind.) What about that annoying photographer dude? (Listen, pal. I don't want to take pictures of you beating zombies. I'd much rather beat you myself.) In a mall environment where everything is a weapon and with gameplay open-ended to the max, this just may be the game that gets me to buy a 360.
Too Human: Speaking of buying a 360, Too Human was on my "must play" short list before heading out to LA. I got the chance to sit down with the game twice, and I was really impressed. Now, keep in mind: the gameplay was very choppy and the load times were unforgivable. This was clearly an early build, and I would venture to guess that Microsoft really had to think hard about whether or not to display this puppy at E3. Well, I'm glad they did, because if you look past its rough edges you can really see the potential of something extraordinary. The controls are quite different, with all of the action orchestrated by the dual analog sticks. The environments were just gorgeous, with some really cool effects and enemies thrown in for good measure. The demo was way too easy, as I got the feeling I could have played through with my eyes closed. Silicon Knights is promising an "easy to learn, difficult to master" mechanic, and if they can deliver, this is going to be an awesome experience.
Spectrobes: Yeah, this game is a Pokemon rip but the creature designs are sweet! And the developer is the company behind Kingdom Hearts for the GBA. So I'm going to keep my eye on this one. Also, Buena Vista has revived the Turok franchise (good) and entered into the weird with the Desperate Housewives game (weird). So what do you care if you gotta catch all them Spectrobes?
Gears of War: Thanks to my friend Greg, I had the opportunity to go behind closed doors with Gears of War to check out the multiplayer deathmatch. Now, I'm mostly a single-player dude, so I was going in a bit skeptical. Let me first say that the game is freaking GORGEOUS. If you're a 3rd person shooter fan, you NEED to check out this game for that reason alone. But, okay, what else does the game offer besides pretty graphics? The only innovation I saw was that the guns had chainsaws on them. (Gone are the days when you had to be saddled with your chainsaw separately. Huzzah!) Seriously, this is next-gen? Freaking chainsaws? I'll wait for the single player, because this looked just like more of the same.
Yakuza: OK, now we're talking. This PS2 exclusive from SEGA is probably just around the corner. Maybe I'm just an old school fogey, but Yakuza was one of the best demos I played at the show: an RPG beat-em-up with real style. Set in the Japanese criminal underground, the title promises some pretty varied gameplay, AWESOME fight controls and elements of "go anywhere, do anything" that may or may not come to fruition. What I can tell you is this: beating a guy over the head with a golf club until it breaks, then smashing the side of his face into a coke machine is just about as cool as it gets.
Prey: There was a lot of buzz around this game leading into E3. Honestly, I played this game at the Microsoft booth because it was one of the few kiosks that was empty when I arrived. Well, I'm glad I played it, because it brings something different to the "been there, done that" feeling that I get from most FPS titles. In fact, I jumped into a deathmatch game and quickly found my footing. The action was fast and fun, and -- get this -- the maps rotate a full 360 degrees. This is hard to explain, but basically, you can run up alongside certain walls and flip the map over. I did not have enough time to figure out the strategy underneath it all, but I did get to see my opponents running on the ceiling like crazed cockroaches. And as far as I'm concerned, running on the ceiling = sign me up!
Full Auto 2: Speaking of deathmatch, I played me some Full Auto 2 deathmatch and I had a freaking blast. (Again, SEGA brings me one of my favorite game experiences of the show.) The controls were a bit dicey until I got a handle (pun intended) on the handbrake. At that point, I could zoom along at full speed with a bogey on my six, do a quick 180 degree turn and blast missiles right into his grill. I don't think this game is going to move any PS3s, but when I get one I will probably make sure Full Auto 2 is on my shelf with it.
DQ Heroes: Rocket Slime: No Dragon Quest Yangus on the floor had me crying in my Alchemy Pot, but this game is a fine substitute. Coming to your DS in September, Rocket Slime is an action/RPG hybrid (lower screen) with giant mecha slimes (top screen) all served up in the inimitable DQ style. Yeah, I'm a bit of a latecomer to the Dragon Quest games, since the only one I've played (other than DQ8) is the original Dragon Warrior for the NES. But who cares? I love this series.
Justice League Heroes: How about this for a surprise? Justice League Heroes is awesome! Developed by Snowblind, the same guys who did the Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath dungeon crawlers, JLH already has the same spit-and-polish of those games, with a superhero sheen. I played this one at the WBIE booth. I was Superman, the guy from Snowblind was Batman. We totally kicked some robot ass. Perhaps my reaction is due to severely low expectations, but as a comic book fan I am now really looking forward to picking up this game.
Guitar Hero II: What can I say? I've saved the best for last. Guitar Hero II promises to be awesome. I played "YYZ" in co-op mode with some other dude: me on bass, him on lead guitar. It was superb. To activate star power, you and your partner must tilt your guitars simultaneously. This is a lot like the Lifeson-Lee synchronized guitarring of old. I don't think I've ever rocked harder with a video game. Plus, I got a free poster.
Speaking of Guitar Hero II, there's something I have to mention. I was at the Capcom party at Gallery 1988 (where I bought the piece called "Zebes Welcoming Committee" at above right) and they had Guitar Hero customized with the Megaman theme! That was pretty sweet. (They also had the Ikari Warriors theme, but I didn't see anyone from SNK crashing the party.) I see a video game music edition of Guitar Hero coming some day to a console near you...
All told, this was a pretty amazing show. I was disappointed that I did not get to try the Wii. Everyone who walked out of that experience had a big shit-eating grin on their face. (Too bad I did not have the time or the patience to wait for 6 hours to try the damn thing.) Well, I am very happy for Nintendo. They really know how to buck the trend. I am sure some of the games will be gimmicky, but as one friend of mine said, "I've played tennis for real and in video games a million times. But now I get to play it in a whole new way." Can't argue that one, folks.
Other games to watch for are: Assassin's Creed, Spore, Hellgate London, Red Steel, Huxley, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Twilight Princess (of course) and Command & Conquer 3...among many others.
Now it's time for a nap!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
I Really Am 8 Bit
So I went to Capcom's party at Gallery 1988 tonight (which, for the record, is near the intersection of Labrea and Melrose) and bought something from the latest edition of I Am 8 Bit! It is called, "Zebes Welcoming Committe" and features some of the baddie creatures from Metroid. I also bought a poster print by Seth Fisher, which immortalizes the game Rampage, and was one of the last things he did before he died (tragically and unexpectedly) in Japan. Great night.
P.S. I decided that all the artwork at I Am 8 Bit could be called one of two things: 1) "My Wife Is Gonna Kill Me," or 2) "It's Going Right to the Office, Honey."
P.S. I decided that all the artwork at I Am 8 Bit could be called one of two things: 1) "My Wife Is Gonna Kill Me," or 2) "It's Going Right to the Office, Honey."
Wii Are Psyched!
So, this is what I hear: Super Smash Bros. for Wii. (Solid Snake as a playable character?) A Metroid game featuring Samus sans suit, and Kid Icarus next-gen!
Monday, May 08, 2006
GameTap @ E3
GameTap has posted its schedule for the E3 live clientcast. Space Ghost interviews Peter Moore? Well, that ought to be interesting...
Friday, May 05, 2006
Hilariousitination
I was just purging my work inbox when I came across an email from marketing that used the word "operationalizing" in the subject line. Isn't that funny? Let's take our learnings offline.
Concert Hall!
Seven songs confirmed for Guitar Hero II and probably playable at E3!
Psychobilly Freakout - Reverend Horton Heat
Strutter - Kiss
Who Was in My Room Last Night - Butthole Surfers
You Really Got Me - Van Halen
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
YYZ - Rush
Arterial Black - Drist
Psychobilly Freakout - Reverend Horton Heat
Strutter - Kiss
Who Was in My Room Last Night - Butthole Surfers
You Really Got Me - Van Halen
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
YYZ - Rush
Arterial Black - Drist
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Off to See the Wizard
My conflicted feelings about YouTube aside, it is definitely nice to find the trailer for The Wizard, the awesomest Nintendo movie ever. Come out on DVD, already!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Ubwiisoft
Ubisoft continues to show its support of the Wii with the addition of Rayman Raving Rabbids to Nintendo's slowly growing launch lineup. I guess the game is multi-platform, but they did include an awesome picture with the press release...
In the game, Rayman will fight "Ultra-Crazed Evil Rabbits" -- which sounds like a pretty good start, anyway.
In the game, Rayman will fight "Ultra-Crazed Evil Rabbits" -- which sounds like a pretty good start, anyway.
Haiku of Halitosis
This, and other hilarious subtitles, can be found one click away at the Castlevania title generator! Link brought to you by Joystiq.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Wii Respond
Game developer types respond to the Wii over at Gamasutra. What do we learn? Probably what we already knew: yes, it's a silly name, but ultimately, it's the experience that really counts. If the console and the games are awesome (looking likely), then they could have called it the Nintendo Doodybomb and it wouldn't have mattered. Right?
Excuse Me, Mr. Moore? Mine's Broken
Everyone has heard about the Xbox 360's so-called "quality problems" -- that is, the manufacturing defects, overheating, etc. (I have also heard rumor that a new chipset will be offered as soon as Q4 that has less tendency to overheat.) Anyway, no one I know has had this kind of problem with their 360, so I imagine most of this stuff is proliferating on the Internet. (What a shock.)
In any event, I don't own a 360. But whether you do or you don't, this story from the San Jose Mercury News will certainly raise an eyebrow. The most incredible thing? The guy found nine Xbox 360 games worth owning.
Zing!
In any event, I don't own a 360. But whether you do or you don't, this story from the San Jose Mercury News will certainly raise an eyebrow. The most incredible thing? The guy found nine Xbox 360 games worth owning.
Zing!
Friday, April 28, 2006
Emulatores Is Awesmoe
And this, ladies and gents, typifies my love it/hate it relationship with the Internet: dummies who feel that they are entitled to everything for free.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Whee!
The Nintendo Revolution has a new name. I'm not going to tell you what it is, though. You've really got to see it for yourself.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Grid Wars 2
You've probably heard all the hubbub about Geometry Wars on Xbox Live. Well, if you're like me and don't have an Xbox 360 OR Xbox Live, you'll have to make due with Grid Wars 2, a pretty awesome clone for both PC and Mac that you can download here.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Megaman Megamix
OK, this totally warrants a post: big-name music acts like Metallica and R.E.M. are ripping off Megaman! Witness "Seek and Destroy" meets Flash Man and R.E.M. versus Elecman. I can't wait to hear Linkin Park cover Dr. Wily!
Monday, April 24, 2006
Thirty-Three and a Third
So, my friend Mark sent me a book about the making of Paul's Boutique, one of the best albums ever.
What I've discovered is that the book is one in a series of books about great albums: Doolittle, Let It Be, Exile on Main Street, blah blah blah. The blog for the books is here. The publisher, Continuum Books, is here. But a comprehensive list of all the titles in the series is...where? Can't find it. But you can link to Powell's and Amazon from the blog.
Anyway, what's that sound that you hear? Why, it's the sound of more money flying out of my wallet. Yay.
What I've discovered is that the book is one in a series of books about great albums: Doolittle, Let It Be, Exile on Main Street, blah blah blah. The blog for the books is here. The publisher, Continuum Books, is here. But a comprehensive list of all the titles in the series is...where? Can't find it. But you can link to Powell's and Amazon from the blog.
Anyway, what's that sound that you hear? Why, it's the sound of more money flying out of my wallet. Yay.
Movie Quickies
I have seen some really good movies lately! (Also a few stinkers.) Here are some of them.
Serenity - I did not get on Joss Whedon's Firefly bandwagon. I watched this movie with almost no exposure to the TV show. Needless to say, I was blown away! Awesome sci-fi action, great script, and the best villain I've seen in ages. It's better than all three recent Star Wars epics, which is saying both a lot and a little at the same time. Seriously, see this movie!
Lord of War - Best opening title sequence ever (follow a bullet from its birth in a factory to being shot into someone's skull) leads to a nearly unwatchable film. Nicholas Cage is so miscast it's laughable. I made it about 40 minutes in and turned it off.
Saw II - I liked Saw. Not loved, liked. Saw II was even better. A really tight script, some truly grisly moments, and a story that keeps you hooked. Pun not intended.
Howl's Moving Castle - Again, the theory of low expectations wins out. The reviews of Miyazaki's latest were lukewarm, especially when you consider that most critics gush over everything the man does (with good reason). In any event, this movie was brilliant, although not as good as Spirited Away...but what is? Some of the imagery will stick with me forever.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - I'm not a Final Fantasy fan at all, but I've picked up on most of the stories through sheer force of geek osmosis. The film is gorgeous to look at, with some of the best (if not THE best) CGI action sequences ever created. I was thoroughly entertained, although I have no clue what happened. Might warrant another viewing, someday.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - The first half hour of this Oscar-nominated documentary is confusing at best. But stick with it to experience a disturbing portrait of a unique brand of American greed.
The 40 Year-Old Virgin - I was prepared for the most hilarious movie I have seen in my entire life, and I am happy to report that this title is still held by Airplane! Sure, this movie is funny. But it's really long and totally in love with itself. Again, high expectations are shattered as easily as low expectations are proven wrong.
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins - I loved this movie as a kid, and recently TiVo'd it. Man, it holds up surprisingly well. Joel Grey's borderline racist performance as a Korean martial arts master is forgiven due to its sheer awesomeness. Fred Ward is great, too. This film was supposed to launch a franchise, which never happened. Remake!!
Serenity - I did not get on Joss Whedon's Firefly bandwagon. I watched this movie with almost no exposure to the TV show. Needless to say, I was blown away! Awesome sci-fi action, great script, and the best villain I've seen in ages. It's better than all three recent Star Wars epics, which is saying both a lot and a little at the same time. Seriously, see this movie!
Lord of War - Best opening title sequence ever (follow a bullet from its birth in a factory to being shot into someone's skull) leads to a nearly unwatchable film. Nicholas Cage is so miscast it's laughable. I made it about 40 minutes in and turned it off.
Saw II - I liked Saw. Not loved, liked. Saw II was even better. A really tight script, some truly grisly moments, and a story that keeps you hooked. Pun not intended.
Howl's Moving Castle - Again, the theory of low expectations wins out. The reviews of Miyazaki's latest were lukewarm, especially when you consider that most critics gush over everything the man does (with good reason). In any event, this movie was brilliant, although not as good as Spirited Away...but what is? Some of the imagery will stick with me forever.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - I'm not a Final Fantasy fan at all, but I've picked up on most of the stories through sheer force of geek osmosis. The film is gorgeous to look at, with some of the best (if not THE best) CGI action sequences ever created. I was thoroughly entertained, although I have no clue what happened. Might warrant another viewing, someday.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - The first half hour of this Oscar-nominated documentary is confusing at best. But stick with it to experience a disturbing portrait of a unique brand of American greed.
The 40 Year-Old Virgin - I was prepared for the most hilarious movie I have seen in my entire life, and I am happy to report that this title is still held by Airplane! Sure, this movie is funny. But it's really long and totally in love with itself. Again, high expectations are shattered as easily as low expectations are proven wrong.
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins - I loved this movie as a kid, and recently TiVo'd it. Man, it holds up surprisingly well. Joel Grey's borderline racist performance as a Korean martial arts master is forgiven due to its sheer awesomeness. Fred Ward is great, too. This film was supposed to launch a franchise, which never happened. Remake!!
Friday, April 21, 2006
The Opportunists
I was interested to discover Metacritic's coverage of The Opportunists, the last film I worked on before giving up on the movie business.
Seems as though some people liked it, but I didn't know that anyone had actually SEEN it.
Seems as though some people liked it, but I didn't know that anyone had actually SEEN it.
How About That? x 2
Well, someone has made a modern-day Rescue Raiders, entitled Steam Brigade! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check this post here. Then go download the game and let me know if it's any good, because I frankly have no time to play it!!
How About That?
Between today and yesterday, my profile recieved 23 additional views. I guess sex sells, after all.
Zombies 3, Ambulance 4,085
How about this for a totally cool concept? It's Crazy Taxi, but in an ambulance. And instead of people, your fares are zombies. Get them to the hospital on time, or they eat you!! (Forget about Kentucky Fried Chicken.) It's The Zombie Versus Ambulance, and it's brought to you by Japan, world famous developer of ninjas and tentacle rape. What a country!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
For the Record
Ever since I posted those totally hot photos of pussy, cock and breasts, my profile has been viewed an additional zero times. So much for "sex sells".
Monday, April 17, 2006
Not a Bad Theory
Back to more important matters, I am currently reading Raph Koster's book entitled "A Theory of Fun for Game Design". It's a great read and more accessible than most game design books, probably because it is both technical and conversational at the same time. (It also has lots of funny cartoons in it.) And while the subject matter in principle is game design, the stuff Koster talks about can really be applied to any kind of creative medium involving storytelling. Worth a look! You can also check out his blog, in which the author further ruminates on games in an entertaining fashion. You can even listen to his guitar music, if that's your bag.
Amazing Breasts
My God, I just can't stop. Here is a totally hot photo of an absolutely divine pair of breasts.
Giant Cock
For good measure, here is a totally hot photo of a GIANT cock!
(I've seen this one myself, and yes, it really is that big.)
(I've seen this one myself, and yes, it really is that big.)
Dripping Wet Pussy
In a shrewd attempt to drive more people to my blog, I have posted this totally hot photo of a dripping wet pussy.
Seriously, will I get more profile views? Stay tuned.
Seriously, will I get more profile views? Stay tuned.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Those Zany Japanese!
Wow, and I thought that "shoot the 50-foot bikini girl with missiles" game was bad. Check out Battle Raper II, a game which features three-dimensional fighting and one-dimensional sex! You can download the trailer here, or check out a garbled version of it (along with the game's intro) on YouTube. Definitely NSFW!
(Despite the game's obvious offensive qualities, the trailer is hilarious.)
If you're not feeling brave, I found a pretty funny review of Battle Raper II on a gaming site.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
God pwnz
So, in case you missed it, the people who do the "Left Behind" Christian books that you can buy in the airport (over 63 million sold!) are getting into the game biz with a post-apocalyptic action game that tells the story of the Rapture by way of Grand Theft Auto. I don't care who you are -- or what religion you subscribe to and how tenaciously you do so -- if you're at all into games or pop culture, your eyebrows just went up.
In the video game hierarchy, Bible-themed games have historically fallen somewhere just below movie-based games starring The Rock and somewhere right above Atari 2600 porno. Frankly: they suck, and I predict that this one will be no different. However, with the right marketing behind it, it will probably sell faster than Girl Scout cookies at a fat camp.
Kotaku linked to an article that sheds some light (no pun intended) on the game. It's worth a read.
Being a proponent of free creative expression, I, for one, am totally for this kind of niche gaming -- if it succeeds, it can only lead to other games of its kind. Preferably from other genres and walks of life, but who knows? Maybe the game will be fun, and then who will have the last laugh in heaven?
Check out the trailer here. And try not to laugh when God reaches out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm...and clicks His mouse.
Digital Revolution, Part II
Here is a very insightful article about digital distribution and the future of online console gaming. The author makes a lot of very astute comments about Sony's umpcoming (and ambiguous) PS3 network, among other things, but he misses the point regarding GameTap. GameTap offers games post-retail by design, so it was never meant to compete with the retail console business. A very good read nonetheless.
Props to Gideon for the link.
Props to Gideon for the link.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Red Steel in the Hour of Chaos
I received a press release from Ubisoft announcing their exclusive shooter title for the Nintendo Revolution, Red Steel. Needless to say, I was excited! No images were included with the release, so I scoured the web for the above shot, which is a scan from Game Informer magazine or something. Anyway, it looks cool to me, buddy. Set in contemporary Japan, the game will reportedly allow players to "master both the ancient art of the katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms taking advantage of the emotion and immersive gameplay possible only with the Revolution’s remarkable controller." Remarkable, indeed!
Derren Brown
So, it turns out that the guy who did the Waking Dead videogame experiment is a famous "mentalist" and illusionist from the UK. He's got a new fan!
Waking Dead
This link is a must-click. Some guys in England created a videogame that induces a catatonic state in the player. Whether you believe this to be real or staged is up for debate, but what follows is truly remarkable and entertaining.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Gollum Wins!
So I guess there's a Tekken movie in pre-production, and Andy Serkis (of Gollum fame) is listed as one of the actors. Wake me up when they announce the River City Ransom TV series.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
1, 2, 3, 4
If you know what's good for you, you will check out Pan For Punks, the steelpan drum tribute to the Ramones. It is as good as it sounds. No, wait...it's better.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Totally Awesome
Okay, I'll admit it: I'm really psyched about Rampage Total Destruction. I just can't help it! Ralph, George and Lizzie are back with like a bunch of new monsters. I think there's a guy with a big shark head! Truth be told, I was always disappointed to discover that Lizzie is a girl.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
HDTV: LCD or Plasma?
I am getting ready to replace my TV, which is 10+ years old. Gearing up for a nice movie viewing/game playing television is exciting, but also daunting. HDTV? Of course. LCD? Maybe. Plasma? Maybe. DLP? Um...
I've been conducting some online research, and this link made me laugh. If you have any advice, and you happen to read my blog (yeah, right) -- please post a comment.
I've been conducting some online research, and this link made me laugh. If you have any advice, and you happen to read my blog (yeah, right) -- please post a comment.
Rated "D" for "D'oh!"
The Simpsons teaser trailer is now available for viewing in the magical world of the Internet. You can also download the entire film for free at everythingisfreeontheinternet.com.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Rescue Raiders
I was having dinner with a couple of my gaming buds at GDC last week, and we got on the subject of fondly remembered Apple IIe games. (Such are the activities that gamers are wont to engage in when attending GDC.) Titles discussed were Karateka, Castle Wolfenstein, etc. I can't remember them all. We got on the subject of helicopter games (Choplifter) and I suddenly remembered this game that I used to play for hours -- but what the heck was it called? It's been bugging me all week.
Of course, through the magic of the web, I found it: Rescue Raiders.
This game caused me endless amounts of grief as a kid, but I loved the game anyway. See, I never really knew how to play it. And I certainly never beat it. I don't even know if I got past the first level. I knew I was supposed to control the helicopter, but since I had the -- for shame -- cracked version, I had no instructions (in-game tutorials were a decade away). It was frustrating, but also unbelievably engaging. Like a kid with endless patience and time, I basically pecked away at the keyboard until I figured out how to launch my weapons, create infantry, vehicles and so on. I actually never knew what the point of the game was, but I created scenarios in my head about it, which made it endlessly entertaining. Rescue Raiders was much more realistic-looking than Choplifter, and the combat seemed a lot more true to life. What a cool game!
Now having discovered information about the game on the Internet, I realize this was one of the first real-time strategy games, albeit from a 2D sidescrolling perspective. As it turns out, seems the idea was to march your troops and vehicles across the map while pulverizing your enemy's caravan in order to make it to the other side. Huh. Seems pretty obvious in retrospect. Perhaps some day I'll play the game again in my Apple emulatior (try AppleWin, folks), but I don't think it can ever capture the magic of plugging away at those chunky gray IIe keys.
Chill Out, Kid
Don't worry, the Nintendo 64 library will be avaiable on Revolution for something like $20/game. And you probably won't even need to wait until Christmas.
You the Man Now, Gandalf
Sure, YTMND is totally hit and miss, but this one made me laugh out loud. Heartily.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Lore Sjöberg Is Funny
I don't know who this guy is, but his columns for Wired are consistently hilarious. Plus, he has an umlaut in his name, which has to count for something.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
More Video
In other broadband video news, 1up launched their public beta of the much-anticipated gamevideos.com this week.
Someone's trying to put the "video" back in "video games"!
Someone's trying to put the "video" back in "video games"!
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