GamerSushi Review: Alpha Protocol

Choices. Choices never change. Wait, wrong game.

Alpha Protocol is a game that was delayed and bashed, even by someone who worked on the game, who stated that it should have been canceled. All this led some to believe that the game was an unfinished, buggy mess, but I find this not to be the case at all. Well, mostly.

Alpha Protocol touts itself as an “espionage-RPG” set in the modern world and dealing with modern conflicts, such as terrorism. You play as Michael Thornton and can choose one of several backgrounds to begin with, ranging from former desk jockey at the Justice department to an assassin that doesn’t really exist. The decision results mainly in what areas your character is already leveled up in, such as Stealth or Assault Rifles, although a few NPCs may make a reference to your past, depending on which choice you made. A nice touch, I thought. I personally chose a blank slate so as to have better control over my character’s development.
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Review: Transformers: War for Cybertron

transformers war for cybertron review

There are some licensed properties that cry out for a decent video game adaption, and one of those is Transformers. When the basic premise is “giant robots beating the crap out of each other” you really have to try hard to mess that up. So far this generation, we’ve had two less than stellar attempts to cash in on the giant-bot franchise, and both of those fell flat (though that may have something to do with them being movie tie-ins). Now, High Moon Studios, the company responsible for the moderately-successful Bourne game, has gotten behind the wheel and is trying to steer Transformers in a better direction. Does the game deliver the goods, or does it perish in a Michael Bay-style explosion?
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The Video Game Level Hall of Shame

At present, we’ve already had two sets of inductions into our very own GamerSushi Hall of Fame: one for solo campaign levels as well as multiplayer maps. When I wrote those, I was sure to note that they were by no means a final list, and that we would be adding plenty of new groups in with them. That’s why I’m here today to bring a new set of candidates, but with a bit of a twist: The Video Game Level Hall of Shame.

This wing of the Hall of Fame is devoted to those game levels which are masochistic in their design, ever demanding more skill from us, more hours and frustration and yes, even blood sacrifices in order to add their notches to our belts. The Video Game Level Hall of Shame is reserved for those notorious offenders that made us collectively throw our controllers in frustration and disdain, scorning the forges that could create such misery in video game form.

Allow me to display the first inductees: Continue reading The Video Game Level Hall of Shame

The Economics of Gaming

MoneyWhen I was a kid, I remember lugging around a case of 20 or so NES games with me to my day care during the summer. The place that my brother and were imprisoned at had one bonus about it: a row of NES systems to keep the kids occupied, herded like sheep and left to stare bleating in front of small television screens.

Oddly enough there’s only thing to me that’s strange about this scenario. And no, it’s not the fact that I can’t even remember anything else about this period of my life except beating Mega Man 3 in front of onlookers, or the fact that the day care had all these NES units in the first place. The weirdest part of the whole thing for me? As a little kid, how did I afford to buy that many NES games for myself?

If there’s one drawback to this otherwise beloved hobby of ours, it’s that video games don’t grow on trees or drop out of the sky for our enjoyment. These little boxes of contained and bridled joy are ass expensive, especially when you add them up over time. Continue reading The Economics of Gaming

Dis-Kinect

Everyone is crapping all over Microsoft’s E3 press conference and though we mentioned some of this in our podcast, I thought it would help if we devoted a post to some of the concerns that gamers have about Microsoft’s foray into motion-controls.

Personally, I am amazed by the technology and the potential of Kinect. The voice recognition is very impressive and I think it can be utilized in better ways than simply telling your Xbox to pause a movie. Imagine navigation the Dashboard with it: “Xbox Marketplace” and bam! You’re browsing games or looking at your friends list. You can walk around the room and command your Xbox to start playing a disk without using a controller. I think that would be more useful than the admittedly cooler looking Minority Report-style interface. Sure that looks bad-ass, but using a controller is just faster and I am all about streamlining things. I’m not going to wave my arms around just because I want to look like something I saw in a movie. If I wanted to look like Tony Stark, I would shave my goatee like his and build and Iron Man Suit.
Continue reading Dis-Kinect

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 4: E3 Phone Home

Haters Gonna HateWell, E3 2010 has come and gone, and boy is there a lot to talk about. And talk we did. In this special E3 edition of the GamerSushi podcast, we tackle all three of the big console press conferences, the surprises (or lack thereof), motion control and even the ghosts of E3 past. This is probably our most fluid and lengthy podcast yet, and we easily could have gone on for another hour about all this stuff.

Hopefully you don’t hate it.

As you’ll hear me say in the beginning of the podcast, E3 is one of my most anticipated times of the year, so it’s hard for me to contain my enthusiasm for much of this session. Anyway, we hope you guys like it, and feel free to share your thoughts on our E3 themed discussions. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 4: E3 Phone Home

Drowning in a Sequel Sea?

Stormy SeaCan I just say that I’m tired of seeing only sequels? I just want to go out on a limb and say that to the entire video game industry right now: Please. Stop. With. Just. The. Sequels.

Now, allow me to back up a few steps before I continue that thought. Today was truly a stellar day for all of E3, past and present. I honestly can’t remember the last time that an E3 day was this monumental, this exciting, and this surprising. I was right there with everyone who was cheering about Donkey Kong Country Returns, Goldeneye, Twisted Metal, Metal Gear Solid 3, Star Fox and Mario Kart on the 3DS, and the like. Continue reading Drowning in a Sequel Sea?

Review: Red Dead Redemption

red dead redemptionRockstar has a well-deserved legacy of making really engaging, if somewhat wacky and ultra-violent, sandbox titles, one where the player assumes the role of a mass-murderer of some note. Ever since the first Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar has been poking fun at various eras of history, but they’ve never strayed further back than the 80s. The most recent game from the studio, GTA IV, took a look at modern America through a very skewed lens, using the viewpoint of immigrant Niko Bellic to make a commentary on our post 9/11 society.

For their most recent title, Rockstar has decided to eschew the modern trappings of GTA IV and travel all the way back to the Old West; 1911 to be precise, an age where the cowboy still roamed the plains, but the government was slowly encroaching on the frontier. Players assume the role of John Marston, gravelly-voiced gun for hire, forced to hunt down his old gang members at the behest of the Bureau of Investigation. Does Rockstar’s traditional formula survive in the Old West, or does the corpse get picked apart by vultures when I’m done with it?
Continue reading Review: Red Dead Redemption

GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop: E3 Edition!

It’s been a couple of months, and many of you left feedback that you love the GameCop vs LameCop vs PsychoCop feature, so we thought we’d do an honorary E3 rumor edition!

If you’re unfamiliar with this feature, we discuss gaming issues and we switch roles each time. The GameCop is looking out for you, the gamer, while the LameCop is just what he sounds like: kind of a lamewad. Meanwhile, PsychoCop is a troll in every sense of the word, and completely bat poop insane.

In honor of next week’s E3, we have a completely intellectual debate regarding the status of several E3 rumors, including Hulu coming to the XBox 360, Rockstar pulling out of E3, and Valve’s special showing.

Enjoy!
Continue reading GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop: E3 Edition!

Multiplayer Map Hall of Fame

You may or may not remember a feature we did some time ago titled the Video Game Level Hall of Fame, where we showcased and discussed some of our favorite single player missions or levels from video games. That got such a huge response, and I have no idea why I never followed up with it. Maybe because I am often too busy snacking on Fail crackers, or something. Who knows?

Anyway, I thought I’d remedy the situation by bringing a Hall of Fame feature back in full force, this time branching over into solo’s sister, multiplayer. Today, we’re taking a look at some of gaming’s best multiplayer maps of all time. Now, as before, this isn’t an end-all list, and it is not in any particular order. There will be several iterations of this feature, all highlighting different entries. Continue reading Multiplayer Map Hall of Fame

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 3: Videogame Movies and Gas

Super Mario Bros MovieI hope that my fellow Americans out there have all enjoyed a grand holiday weekend, full of hot dogs and sunshine and whatever else makes you happy and patriotic. We took the opportunity of the three day weekend to not only play video games, but also talk about them via Skype. That’s right, it’s the third episode of our GamerSushi podcast. As always, we cover topics like what we’re playing, but also spend a lot of time on video game movies. In fact, the discussion gets pretty intense… like a circus.

In addition to the videogame movies debate, there is also a rather humorous issue that took place. You see, for reasons later revealed, Nick thought that he was on mute upon several occasions, when in fact, he was still being recorded. The funny thing is, we couldn’t hear him. So there are some choice noises that happen that couldn’t really be edited out, but they’re also hilarious, so it’s all good. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 3: Videogame Movies and Gas

Gaming Pop Quiz, Summer Edition!

Well, we are entering into those hot summer months of video gaming, where there is usually a drought and we are forced to play or catch up on old titles. However, this year, we just got a new slew of games to get through, and that’s assuming we even got through the first couple of batches. I can’t wait to get caught up on Alan Wake, and I’m enjoying Red Dead Redemption for what little I’ve played of it. I figured with all of this going on, it was time for another Gaming Pop Quiz.

So, for our gaming pop quiz, we’ve come up with 7 different questions about your gaming history. As always with our getting-to-know-you type games, feel free to answer with as much or as little as you like. Obviously, some of these things you might not remember, but answer to the best of your ability. Go!

1. If you could switch the genre of any game to another, which game would it be and to what genre?

2. What games would you like to see bundled together and re-released in HD?

3. What is your favorite video game weapon/power-up of all time?

4. How many hours a week do you play video games?

5. What is the best boss battle you’ve played in a game?

6. Which video game do you most want to see as a movie, and who do you want attached to it?

7. What is the most money you’d pay for your favorite game, if video games ever started wildly fluctuating in price?

Quiz away, fools!

Review: Alan Wake

alan wake2010 may become known as the “Year of the Delayed Game” as we’ve already been graced with the release of several titles which may not have seen the light of day. Heavy Rain, Splinter Cell: Conviction and Final Fantasy XIII have all been pressed to discs and have been devoured by the hunger gaming masses, but what about that other game? You know, the next title from Max Payne developer Remedy Studios, the one that was voted the most anticipated game of E3 2005?

In case you’ve somehow forgotten, this product is called Alan Wake, a game where the player takes control of the titular character in an attempt to parse out the mystery of the dark presence in the town of Bright Falls. Playing upon the natural fear of the dark and blending that into the mechanics, Alan Wake promised to be a premier psychological thriller with a great story and gripping atmosphere. Now that the game is out, how well do the boasts of the developers hold up?
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Bioware vs. Square Enix: An Unbiased Analysis

JRPGs vs. WRPGs seems to be a hot topic as of late, thanks to comments from a Bioware employee that Final Fantasy XIII is not an RPG. This is the stuff fanboys crave, which, in political terms, is called “red meat”. It stirs up a nice frenzy and everyone pontificates on what an RPG is exactly, but nothing ever gets accomplished. Just like Congress.

Well, I’m here to take a small look at the differences between the way Bioware and Square Enix approach their respective video game franchises. These two, I think it is safe to say, are the biggest RPG powerhouses on either side of the Pacific, so it turns out the little controversial comments mentioned above were a perfect jumping off point for me.
Continue reading Bioware vs. Square Enix: An Unbiased Analysis

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 2: 99 Problems and a Mitch Ain’t One

99 problemsAnd… we’re back! It’s episode 2 of The GamerSushi Show, our still new podcast that we are extremely excited about. From the response you guys gave, and seems like you were too, so we did another one. We cover a pretty wide range of topics here, making for a whopping hour and twenty minutes, a fair bit longer than the original, but I think we’re less nervous so the discussion is even better.

The title of this week’s episode will become apparent pretty obvious, as we did this recording without the aid of our good Canadian friend Mitch, who went out on a date to see Iron Man 2 instead of doing a podcast with us. Lame, right? Anyway, we fixed a couple of our sound hiccups this time around, but added a new one in that my voice is way louder than everyone else’s. So I just apologize for that up front. That’ll be fixed in the next one. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 2: 99 Problems and a Mitch Ain’t One

A Gameblog Draws Near! Command?

Bonus points to whoever knows what the title of this post refers to.

We had a lot of fun last year with the Phantasy Star Gameblog and I thought it was almost time to do another one.  I am still a month or two away from getting started, but I thought we could at least get which game I will be blogging about out of the way.

I had originally written a nice long post, with detailed descriptions about each game, but that was lost due to the server timing out when I tried to save. So forgive me for the  lack of details, as I have entered a new dimension of pissed off. Continue reading A Gameblog Draws Near! Command?

Top Six: Our Favorite Developers

If you’ve ever watched the credits after the end of a game, you know that it takes a heck of a lot of talented people working very long hours to craft the piece of art you just enjoyed. Before that can even take place, though, you need someone with drive and vision that can get a project off the ground and keep it going when it falters. That’s where the lead developer comes in, and a lot of your favorite games have been made or broken on the whims of these visionaries. Who are some of the most prolific designers in the industry? Read on the see who, in no particular order, we’re pledging eternal obeisance to.
Continue reading Top Six: Our Favorite Developers

Review: Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy 13There is nothing quite like the release of a long-standing franchise giant like Final Fantasy XIII to get some great gaming discussions going. Square-Enix’s new entry to the well known franchise has started a slew of discussions from fanboys, haters and regular gamers alike, all armed with their own talking points about a franchise with an esteemed history, and how the newest addition stacks up compared to its long line of ancestors.

Final Fantasy XIII was first introduced at E3 2006, promising lush visuals, a deep and rich story, and some things we’ve never seen from this set of games before. Since then, people the world over have been itching to play it, to see if Square-Enix could continue to deliver on the leaps that the previous two titles had made. After a cross platform announcement and its own set of development issues, the game is finally here. So, how is it? Let’s talk about that.
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The GamerSushi Show, Ep 1: Very Important Conference Call!

PodcastThe other day Mitch made a post asking for topics of discussion about a super secret feature that he totally couldn’t tell you about. Well, that topic was actually regarding something we’ve been talking about doing for about six months amongst ourselves, and we finally put it together this week: a GamerSushi podcast.

The GamerSushi Show will hopefully be a recurring feature that takes place every 2-3 weeks, depending on our schedules. In the future, we want to talk about gaming stories, topics that you guys submit and reflect on cool discussions that have happened here on the site. We’re pretty excited about this, to say the least. We’re all in love with the cool community we’ve got growing here, so this is one of the many new steps we’re in the process of taking to help enhance and grow it in good ways.

Anyway, take the time and listen to us all ramble, nerd-style, about the video games we love and the things that interest us about them. It’s a fairly long first take at a podcast, clocking in at about 52 minutes or so, but I think it turned out alright for our first go at it. These things are tricky business, especially since we are all in different places and recording it via Skype, and I’m excited about how it’ll get better over time. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 1: Very Important Conference Call!

GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

The summer drought of gaming is upon us. Naturally, this means it’s time for another “Would You Rather” feature, since gaming news has pretty much slowed to a crawl unless it’s related to the Halo: Reach Beta. So, it’s time for some more getting-to-know-you type features.

In Would You Rather, I simply ask a series of questions, and you follow up with your answers. Give as much or as little explanation as you want for your choices, but we all know that we like to see the reasoning behind the madness.

Don’t let your answers suck, though. We will judge you harshly. Like, we might call you bad names and stuff.

Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?