5 Things Hurting the Video Game Industry

One look at my entertainment center or my favorites in Firefox reveals that I am in love with video games. It’s really not that hard to hide. On top of being in love with the games themselves, though, I am also madly in love with the culture of gaming and the history behind it.

Looking forward to the future, I continually fall in love with this lifestyle even more. However, there are a few trends that are starting to emerge that I am simply not a fan of. While these ultimately won’t break gaming, they are definitely detrimental to the overall community. Here are 5 things that are currently wrong with the video game industry.
Continue reading 5 Things Hurting the Video Game Industry

Dead Space Extraction Equals Rail Shooter

At least, if the new trailer can be believed, that’s how this game looks. I guess Nintendo Wii owners aren’t going to get a proper port of Dead Space after all. The new game is titled Dead Space Extraction, and while there is a mix of both cut scenes and what looks to be proper gameplay at the end, one thing seems to stand out- it looks more like House of the Dead in space rather than the game we all know and love.

Does anyone else find that disappointing?

Microsoft Wants to Buy Motion Control Company?

microsoftWith Nintendo currently dominating the console (and video game) market as a whole, it becomes no surprise that others, namely Microsoft and Sony, would want to follow suit. I mean, who’s not interested in making money hand over fist the way Nintendo is?

Apparently, Microsoft is interested in buying an Israeli VR firm 3DV. The technology specifically has to do with using your hands in front of a camera to manipulate objects in 3D space. So yes, it’s a form of motion control, and Microsoft has got their “do want” hats on as the two companies are now in talks.

So does this confirm it? Will the other consoles be moving towards motion controls? Is this a good thing or bad? Go!

Source- CNET

God of War III Trailer Contains Much Epic

You may or may not have seen the awesome God of War III trailer that hit this weekend. Well, if you haven’t hear it is, in all of its minion slaying, titan riding glory. The coolest part? Apparently, all of this stuff is using in-game assets. Now that’s hot.

Today’s Totally Awesome: Video Game Wallpapers

megaman1I’m a big fan of video game wallpapers. Really, I am. You should see the folder I’ve got, mostly full of some sweet MGS, Zelda, Halo, CSS and Mario backgrounds that I’ve got on my desktop. I rotate through these pretty regularly, and there’s nothing like painting your PC wallpaper with nostalgia-inducing pictures.

That’s why I was happy to see this awesome video game wallpapers gallery by DeviantArt user Otorio. They are superbly well done, and re-imagine some of our favorite retro games in new ways.

Particularly fascinating to me is the Braid-esque Super Mario shot, as well as the cyberpunk Mega Man depiction. Definitely worth checking out. Which one do you like most? And do you have a favorite video game wallpaper?

Source- Orioto’s Video Game Remakes

GamerSushi Asks: Video Game Binges

civrevI know we’ve had a feature on this before, but yesterday I went on a wild video game binge. I pretty much spent the whole day playing either Call of Duty: World at War or Civilization Revolution. It’s been some time since I’ve done this, and man, is it ever relaxing.

Basically, I spent almost a total of 10 hours rotating between solo and multiplayer on CoD, and playing a single player game of Civilization Revolution. Like I said, I don’t get to do that kind of thing anymore, so it really brought back some awesome memories. Some people don’t get that playing video games is a way that I majorly unwind when stressed, so the occasional binge is really just like therapy.

So, what was your last video game binge and what did it consist of? Go!

Machinima: Mirror’s Edge

Our good bud Mystfit makes some pretty cool machinima, and this time he’s back with a new short in Mirror’s Edge. Loving some of the camera work here, it’s for the win. Spread this around to as many people as possible, because he’s doing this for a contest- most views wins. Good luck, dude!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66usjHqvw0[/youtube]

Today’s Foot-In-Mouth: Sorry, Treyarch

wawYes. I’m going on the record. I’m apologizing to Treyarch. You see for the last year or so I’ve been on the bandwagon that Call of Duty: World at War wasn’t going to be very good, because it was made by Treyarch, and it was going to be set in World War II. I loved Call of Duty 4, so any departure from that game seemed to me to be a bad idea.

Well, I was wrong. I just had two epic 3 hour gaming sessions last night and this morning, and beat World at War. I have to say, that I was thoroughly impressed, and agree with almost all of Sean’s review of the game. I’d easily give the game, based on the campaign, a B or B+, even. It was great, and in particular the Russian/German levels were a joy to play, if a tad difficult towards the end.

So, does anyone else want to join me in apologizing to Treyarch?

Why Are Gamers Such Crybabies?

crybabyI am a man of passions. I mostly love things more than life itself or hate them with a fury that borders on the wrong side of psychotic. But even I am taken aback by the wrath that seems to regularly appear from gamers on the Internet. Perhaps it just that the Internet has given these people a voice. Or perhaps gamers are the biggest bunch of babies this world has ever seen.
Continue reading Why Are Gamers Such Crybabies?

Alec Baldwin and His Wii

I think Alec Baldwin is one of the funniest people on the planet. If you haven’t seen 30 Rock, you really need to go check it out, as it’s maybe the best sitcom on TV at the moment. He appeared last night in a Wii-related skit on Saturday Night Live last night that is crude, possibly NSFW, and also awesome.

Try not to laugh during it. Go ahead. I dare you.

Square Enix: More Big Time Delays

squareWell, talk about a bummer. While we’ve already lamented at the numerous (and now almost comical) delays of many high profile Japanese developers, it seems that more are in store for Square Enix.

Some game-breaking bugs were recently found in Dragon Quest IX for the DS, enough so that the game is being delayed from March in Japan until July 11th. Unfortunately, these bugs may not be just specific to DQ IX, but may be reaching across to several other Square Enix games- including Final Fantasy XIII. While Square would not say whether or not Final Fantasy XIII would be delayed as well, they allowed for the possibility that something like that could indeed happen.

Once again, this is unfortunate news if it turns out that FF XIII is delayed yet again. We’ve already waited how long for this game?

Source- Andriasang

Today’s Holy Crap: Escape from City 17

Dang. It’s amazing what you can do with some nice equipment and only $500 dollars on the Internet these days. These guys have put together a live action Half-Life 2 short film, Escape from City 17, that could easily be on TV. Some really great work here, I’m impressed.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1UPMEmCqZo[/youtube]

January Sales Figures Show Nintendo’s Pwnage

nintendoReally, Nintendo? I’m starting to get suspicious. Either you’re lacing your consoles with crack, or it’s full of hidden money, or maybe the Wii really is more than a fad. Whatever the case, the Big N is still smoking the competition month after month, and at this point it’s just getting shameful.

So how did Nintendo do in January? Well, here’s the list:

* Wii – 679,200
* Nintendo DS – 510,800
* Xbox 360 – 309,000
* PlayStation 3 – 203,200
* PSP – 172,300
* PlayStation 2 – 101,200

Nintendo needs to tell me the secrets of how to take millions of dollars from people. I need that info.

Source- Kotaku

GTA IV: Lost and Damned DLC Trailer

I knew that the GTA IV DLC, “Lost and Damned”, was coming out soon, but I guess it kind of snuck in under the radar for me. Apparently, it’s out on Tuesday, February 17, on XBox Live for all you 360 owners. It comes in at $20, and supposedly supports quite a few hours of new story missions. While this trailer is pretty cool, I’m not sure I’m ready to spend any more money on GTA IV just yet.

What do you guys think? Does anyone plan on buying it?

Bioware: Dragon Age Will Have 6 Unique Prologues

dragonageI heart me some Bioware, it’s official. Their new game Dragon Age: Origins is slated for later on in 2009, and I couldn’t be more excited about the awesome fantasy potential in the game. These are guys are master storytellers, and it seems like they’re ramping up to give us quite a treat.

They even revealed today that the game is going to sport 6 unique intros, depending on what class of character you select. Each of these prologues is going to sport several hours of gameplay that define your character’s origin story, with choices that will effect the main narrative and how it plays out. Some classes are of noble lineage, and others are on the fringes of society. All of this takes place before the actual game starts. Basically, it’s like the origin choices you make at the beginning of Mass Effect, only this time, you get to play them out and see your character’s past.

See the classes and situations after the jump!
Continue reading Bioware: Dragon Age Will Have 6 Unique Prologues

The Great Edge Killzone 2 Review Caper

kz21Killzone 2 is coming out later this month, as many gamers are no doubt aware of. Reviews are already starting to pour in, most of them overwhelmingly positive, which is exciting for me, as I own a PS3. However, what is not as exciting to me is some of the rabid fanboyism that it is inspiring amongst the gaming populace, either for it or against it.

Case in point: recently, Edge magazine gave the game a 7/10, which is admittedly lower than it has been receiving so far. However, 7/10 is still above average for a game, but no, not many others saw it that way. In fact, Edge was blasted by PSX Extreme and numerous other publications (as well as Sony’s most devoted fanboys) for being elitists and just trying to grab attention by scoring the game lower. Um, maybe they just didn’t like it as much as you did?

To me, this really drives home the reason why a game like Grand Theft Auto IV will get almost all perfect scores with little to no dissension among the ranks. Hell, disagreeing with the norm gets you labeled as a pariah in the gaming journalism circles these days. It’s ridiculous. To me, it speaks of a greater issue with gaming publications and the way they buy into their own hype.

What do you guys think? Fair/foul by Edge magzine, or by the other sites that are giving them guff?

Source- CVG

Gaming and Religion: Why Not?

megamanAs a storytelling medium, there is no doubt that gaming has come a long way. From the early years of navigating pixelated plumbers on to the revolutionary cut scenes of the late 90’s and finally to the high definition narratives of today, gaming is truly growing up in more ways than one.

While there are those out there that will always claim that gaming is not and can never be art, or that gaming can in no way tackle deep issues, I propose that those people have not been emotionally moved or impacted by a game before. Even though gaming is still an adolescent in terms of its medium, some great strides have been made in storytelling that place video games right alongside some of the best books or Hollywood blockbusters.
Continue reading Gaming and Religion: Why Not?

The Halo RPG Video

Heck, they already made a Halo RTS. Why not a Halo RPG, Final Fantasy style?

While this video isn’t terribly original, it’s pretty well done and mildly entertaining. A bit too long though. The trick to a good short is knowing when to stop the joke, and these guys kind of went overboard. All in all, it’s worth a watch.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CtNE0qjSDU[/youtube]

Left 4 Dead Survival Pack Is Yours for Zero Dollars

left4deadWow. I am continually impressed with Valve. They bitch slap the competition when it comes to releasing great content digitally, and releasing quality content in general. And now, they have bitch slapped Microsoft’s “paid DLC no matter what” stance as well.

That’s right, the recently announced Left 4 Dead Survival Pack DLC will be free for both PC and XBox 360 users! In addition, there are a few new details about the pack, as well.

The two new versus modes will be for the original two campaigns, Death Toll and Dead Air. Also, survival mode places humans against several waves of zombies on up to 12 different levels from the campaigns. I’m guessing these will be the crescendo moments scattered throughout each campaign.

This is pretty exciting, and re-enforces my love for Valve yet again.

Source- Kotaku

Microsoft and EA Promise to Stay Original

moneyIf you weren’t aware, these fair United States are in a bit of an economic crunch at the moment. Heck, the whole world is, really. As a result, we’re seeing news of lay-offs and downsizing happening in nearly every industry, and unfortunately, video games have suffered their own casualties.

However, both Microsoft and EA have officially declared that they will continue to push forward on new, original IPs despite the recession. Both companies feel that they can take risks due to their currently strong brands (Gears of War, Halo and Madden can do that for you, I guess). Hopefully this means more Dead Space and Mirror’s Edge.

To me this is certainly welcome news. Lately, I’ve felt that some of the only developers out there pushing new IP were coming from Microsoft Game Studios, joined last year by EA. Hopefully, we’ll continue to see some more innovation, instead of all the studios falling back on even more sequels than we’re already getting.

Source- Shacknews