Is it a game? Is it interactive fiction? These are the questions that inevitably surround a David Cage release. It happened with Heavy Rain and again with Beyond: Two Souls. It’s clearly a game, but is it fun and worth your time? That’s the question and the purpose of this review.
We’re back with our first post-Winter break cast and it is a doozy. Everyone is here and we rap about some neat stuff like the news out of CES, what we’re playing and then we wrap it up with some video game news.
It’s been a few weeks so I’ll remind you how this goes. Listen, rate and we’ll see you in the next cast!
0:00 – 6:11 Intro
6:12 – 13:49 4K TVs
13:50 – 18:33 PlayStation Now
18:34 – 30:19 Steam Machines
30:20 – 39:46 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
39:47 – 44:24 Gone Home and The Stanley Parable
44:45 – 47:44 The Walking Dead Season 2
47:46 – 55:16 Spelunky
55:17 – 1:03:54 Batman: Arkham Origins
1:03:55 – 1:13:44 Evolve
1:13:45 – 1:23:04 Titanfall
1:23:05 – 1:24:22 Outro
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As much as I think gamers and the gaming press in general are prone to histrionics, the ongoing saga of Battlefield 4 is cause for legitimate concern. While I have faith that DICE will eventually get the game working in almost tip-top shape, the whole process of Battlefield 4, from the demo Beta in early October to the mangled launch and the current state of the game has been quite the snafu.
The rumor out there is that EA rushed DICE to have Battlefield 4 drop on PC and previous generation consoles (the Xbox 360 and the PS3) on October 29, two weeks before the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts, sacrificing time needed to finish the actual game for a few extra sales. While the actual validity of this fact is up for debate, EA/DICE have a long history of taking potshots at Call of Duty and doing whatever they can to one-up Activision’s FPS juggernaut.
With lawsuits pending, future projects and DLC being delayed and more bugs than you can shake a stick at, has the rocky launch of Battlefield 4 shaken our faith in EA/DICE and cast aspersions on the future of the series? Continue reading The Troubling Future of Battlefield
Now that 2014 is here in full force, it only makes sense that we bring out our flatfoots of the gaming force to give their opinions of the biggest issues that gaming faced over the last year or so. That’s right, GameCop, LameCop and PsychoCop are back, and ready to hit the mean streets and the slummiest spots in town.
Since you haven’t seen them in some time, here’s how this feature works: GameCop is a sensible gamer, looking out for your best interests. LameCop is your average forum troll, causing havoc for the lulz, while PsychoCop should be locked up for everyone’s safety.
Here’s how they feel about these issues: Continue reading Battle of the GameCops: 2014
There’s something sublime about a 3D Mario game. Whether its the subconscious association with Super Mario 64 or the fact that almost every 3D Mario is really damned good (I put in the caveat for those Sunshine haters) you can’t deny that putting a Mario game into your system is a recipe for a nostalgic smile.
Super Mario 3D World does what 3D Mario games have been doing for the past while: taking an established formula and adding on just enough twists and tricks to make something really unique. While this particular series might have started on the 3DS, this Wii U sequel truly shines. Continue reading Review: Super Mario 3D World
1. The outrage over the VGX, while some understandable in parts, is also overblown in others. Look, it’s Spike TV; you really shouldn’t expect something elegant for video game awards. But that doesn’t mean you should sit there and be insulted or talked down to. My suggestion is let Geoff Keighly host by himself. He is capable and serious enough to do it. Also, three hours is way too long. Have the awards, have the world premieres and trim it to an hour and half, maybe two. Cut some of that crap. A new character for Donkey Kong? Cut it. Pewdiepie? Cut it. Be smart. Know your audience.
2. It’s a good thing that that the Xbox One and PS4 are selling like hotcakes. Despite what some articles would have you believe, there is no clear winner and there won’t be for several years and even then, who cares? Pick your console and enjoy it. Don’t let anyone ruin your fun and don’t ruin anyone else’s.
3. That said, I love my PS4 and I have zero interest in the Xbox One. It sounds like it is exactly what some people want and bless them all. But it doesn’t really speak to me and as I have less and less time to play games, I need to start being more rigid in what I can play. Money isn’t the issue, but time is and I need to prioritize the kinds of experiences I want.
4. I hate to be That Guy, but now that I have a next-gen console, I am really looking forward to seeing next-gen sequels to beloved franchises. Imagine what the next Fallout or Elder Scrolls or Mass Effect will look like. Imagine what they will be able to do with the new power at their disposal. Even God of War, a franchise I am tired of, could be given new life with the power of PS4. Same with Halo on the Xbox One. It’s all potential right now, but the mind reels at what we could have in our hands in the coming years.
5. I really enjoyed streaming Final Fantasy VII with Eddy back when that was happening, but I’ve never really streamed anything myself until getting a PS4. And wow. The ease of it and the experience of people watching along, commenting and cheering you on is pretty incredible. Make no mistake: streaming is the killer app for the PS4. I know the Xbox One will have it eventually sometime in 2014, but for those people who say it is not a big deal, you clearly have not tried it on the PS4.
6. Recently started Beyond: Two Souls and while I am only 2 hours into the game, I am really impressed. The story, told in a non-linear fashion, has kept me interested more than I expected and the jumping around the timeline is a smart way to keep the player doing different things, thus preventing the gameplay from becoming stale. The QTE’s have also been streamlined in a smart, elegant way. Look forward to playing more.
These are the things on my mind these days. What about you? Anything you want to get off your chests? The doctor is in.
We are back from a month long break to drop a cast on you before we talk another month long break. Hey, it’s the holidays, can you blame us?
In this three-man yuletide cast, Eddy, Anthony and Jeff talk about the PS4 and the Xbox One, the VGX and then do a live formulation of our top ten games of the year. Nick and I weren’t able to make it but I’d say that our views are fairly represented (except about The Last of Us, but that’s a battle I gave up on long ago).
We’ve never done a live top-10 discussion, but it worked out rather well, especially after our Top 20 Games of the Generation article kind of listed us out.
Hope you enjoy the last cast of 2013 and remember to rate and enjoy the Holidays! See you in early 2014, Sushians!
The GamerSushi Top Ten Games of 2013
1. Grand Theft Auto V
2. Bioshock Infinite
3. Tomb Raider
4. The Last of Us
5. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
6. Resogun
7. Pokemon X/Y
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
9. The Wolf Among Us
10. Fire Emblem: Awakening
Honorable Mentions: Super Mario 3D Worlds, Saints Row IV
0:00 – 5:03 Intro
5:04 – 18:46 Next Gen Consoles
18:47 – 41:06 VGX
41:07 – 1:11:09 The Top Ten Games of 2013
1:11:10 – 1:12:59 Outro
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A new generation of challengers arrive!
It’s pretty weird to see PS4 box art in this update of the Power Rankings, but they’re here, plain as day and just as bright and shiny. This month, we’re diving into 3DS games, PlayStation 4 games, small PC titles and more. I think the number 1 spot will surprise you, considering how down we were on last year’s outing, but rest assured that this game deserves all the praise we’ll no doubt heap on it over the next few weeks. You’ve been warned. Continue reading GamerSushi Power Rankings: December 2013
When Nintendo released the 3DS in 2011, everyone knew a Pokemon game for that system wouldn’t be too far behind. Game Freak ended up releasing two more Pokemon games for the DS (Black 2 and White 2) in 2012, but those were just holdovers.
The first Pokemon games on the Nintendo 3DS have been released, bringing Pokemon into a whole new dimension. With updated art, new features and a new region, how does Pokemon X and Y fare? Continue reading Review: Pokemon X/Y
Between gimmicky Wii shovelware, Red Rings of Death and large price points tainted by giant crab battles, this generation started with something akin to a whimper—and that’s being generous. But as the years went on, we were not only treated to one of the longest generations of console gaming, but also the most fruitful. We saw games take great strides in scope and imagination. With dozens of new IPs that hold great promise, some of the most fantastic sequels ever made and new approaches to storytelling, it’s safe to say that gamers are in a better situation now than they were back in 2005, when the Xbox 360 first debuted.
On the even of a new generation, we thought we’d take a look back at this last generation—and perhaps one of the greatest we’ve ever had. Over the course of several weeks, the GamerSushi staff voted on the best experiences of this generation, getting in heated debates, pitting games against each other in vicious battles and nearly ending several friendships. Below are the results.
Thees are our top 20 games of this generation. Enjoy, dudes. Continue reading The GamerSushi Top 20 Games of the Generation
It’s a new episode of (presumably) one of your favorite video game podcasts. We’ve got a full crew this week because Nick is jobless and that’s what you do when you don’t have to work. Podcast and play video games.
In case you haven’t heard enough about it, we talk GTA 5, including Nick’s impressions of the single player game and some online anecdotes. Then we talk Assassin’s Creed IV’s meta-narrative, some fields of battle, the newest Call of Duty and some next-gen stuff. It’s a pretty good show.
So, you know what to do. Listen, rate and don’t do anything we wouldn’t do. See you next time!
0:00 – 1:29 Intro
1:30 – 17:27 GTA 5
17:28 – 27: 20 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
27:21 – 36:44 Battlefield 4
36:45 – 46:13 PlayStation 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts
46:14 – 48:29 The Walking Dead: Season 2
48:30 – 57:41 The Stanley Parable
57:42 – 1:00:47 Outro
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We’re back with another episode of the video game podcast you love, the GamerSushi Show.
This week bears some exciting news as Eddy finally joins the ranks of 3DS owners. Nintendo’s handheld has picked up in some big ways, and the mere fact that he bought one brought up a conversation about how we’re all transitioning to a different style of playing games.
After that we talk memories from out PlayStation One and Two days and then I finally get to talk Pokemon. Anthony has also been digging into the newest iteration of the series so we get my perspective as a veteran and his as a newcomer.
I think you know the drill by now, but listen, rate the cast, and be nice to everyone. Except that one person. You know who I’m talking about. See you next time!
0:00 – 2:00
2:01 – 10:22 Eddy gets a 3DS
10:23 – 17:42 Getting older and finding time for games
17:43 – 33:00 PlayStation memories
33:01 – 46:55 Pokemon X and Y
46:56 – 50:40 Outro
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We’re back with an on-topic cast as the crew gather to talk all the video game news that’s fit to print…or talk about. Whichever.
Leading off, Eddy gets sad about Watch_Dog’s delay (much disappointment), Anthony bemoans the current direction of Final Fantasy, I talk about Ryse: Son of Rome’s crunch, Jeff soliloquizes about The Wolf Among Us and we close with some Grand Theft Auto 5. So, it’s a pretty full cast.
Listen, rate the podcast (it’s very important that you do this since we lost all our previous ratings) and enjoy life. We’ll be back soon with another episode.
0:00 – 2:48 Intro
2:49 – 12:24 Watch_Dogs Delay
12:25 – 21:03 The Death of Final Fantasy
21:04 – 33:14 #RyseFacts Crunch Tweet
33:15 – 43:06 The Wolf Among Us
43:07 – 1:05:48 Grand Theft Auto 5
1:05:49 – 1:09:34 Outro
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Even though this current generation of video game consoles isn’t wrapping up for at least another year, the new generation looms over the horizon. And thus, this warrants a look back at our recent past to honor the best of new franchises we were introduced to this gen. The list is based mainly on what franchises I found to be most compelling over the years. These opinions belong solely to me, but please feel free to list your own in the comments!
First, the games that didn’t make the cut. There are some awesome games here, but they just didn’t move me enough to make the list. All of them are still fantastic, though.
Honorable Mentions: Assassin’s Creed, Demon/Dark Souls, Gears of War, Saint’s Row, LittleBigPlanet, Borderlands Continue reading Top Six: Franchises of the Current Generation
This week we’re trying something a bit different. As you can hear in the intro, this is ExtraBytes, an off-topic GamerSushi Show.
As Eddy and I couldn’t make it last week, Nick, Jeff and Anthony decided to convene anyways and record a cast about all sorts of stuff. It’s pretty neat, and a bit out there, but sometimes it’s good to talk about things other than video games.
The guys talk about Gravity for a big chunk at the start of the podcast, but even though they give a spoiler warning, they really don’t spoil anything you won’t know from the trailers.
Anyways, you know the drill. Listen, rate and let us know if you’d like to listen to more off-topic casts in the future!
0:00 – 0:57 Intro
0:57 – 14:41 Gravity
14:41 – 22:50 The Oscars
22:50 – 38:55 Books
38:55 – 41:01 Outro
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Over the years Pokemon has gotten a lot of flack for remaining largely the same since the Red and Green versions hit the scene way back in 1996. Over the years there have been incremental improvements to the formula, so a newcomer, or someone who hasn’t played since the late 90s, might feel pretty safe picking up Pokemon X and Y for the 3DS.
Not so! While the series is making the transition into 3D polygonal models, a big change from the sprite-based game of the past, there’s also a lot of new mechanics to Pokemon X and Y. I’m going to give you a beginner’s run-down of what’s changed for X and Y.
A new challenger arrives!
Several new challengers, actually. Now that the fall is rolling out like AutoBots, it’s safe to say that our Power Rankings chart is going to undergo quite a few transformations of its own, month-to-month. See what I did there? References!
This month sees several new contenders making a debut on the rankings, from mobile games to indie titles and to arguably the biggest blockbuster of the entire year in Grand Theft Auto V. Yes, this venture into Los Santos and San Andreas has stolen our hearts, making us forget all of the abuse that Rockstar dished out in Grand Theft Auto IV. We’re fickle beasts.
So, without further ado, here are the top 10 games we’ve been playing over the last month. What do you guys think of this list? What are you playing? Go! Continue reading GamerSushi Power Rankings: October 2013
We’re back after a week break, but can you blame us? We needed time to digest Rockstar’s latest magnum opus, GTA 5. As you can imagine, a large portion of the cast is taken up by this game, but we only talk up to the first heist, so there’s not a huge risk of spoilers.
Other than that we talk Valve’s Steam announcements (outside of the Steam controller that hadn’t been revealed yet), I heap some love on Nintendo for the Wii U and Windwaker HD and the fact that Apple payed EA to give them the exclusive launch of Plants vs Zombies 2, and apparently that’s a big deal?
Anyways, you know the drill by now, listen, rate and come back next week (hopefully) for another installment of the GamerSushi Show!
0:00 – 6:27 Intro
6:28 – 21:40 SteamOS, Steam Machines
21:42 – 26:58 Next Gen Transfers
26:59 – 31:09 Wii U and Wind Waker HD
31:10 – 37:25 EA and Apple “Non-troversy”
37:26 – 1:01:07 GTA 5
1:01:08 – 1:03:48 Outro
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In my 26 years of existence, I didn’t think I’d ever feel bad for standing up a tiny animal made of pixels in a fake video game world, but I did. I said I would be at their house at 6:30 pm, but I missed it, leaving them looking crestfallen and disappointed in me. I felt more than a little ashamed.
This is what Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS has done to me. Let’s review the damn thing. Continue reading Review: Animal Crossing: New Leaf
We’re keeping the podcast rolling this week with a new episode, in which Eddy experiences a halucinatory fever dream and leads us all on a magical adventure in which we learn a bit more about ourselves. Nah not really, we mostly just talk video games and troll each other, like we do.
We gab a bit about the new iPhones, Kickstarter, Saint’s Row 4, now that I’ve gotten a chance to dig in to it, Grand Theft Auto 5 and how Rockstar is trying to kill Anthony, and a few more things besides. It’s an excellent cast as always, so listen, rate and be awesome. See you soon!
0:00 – 1:54 Intro
1:55 – 8:50 iPhone 5S and 5C
8:51 – 20:56 Kickstarter
20:57 – 30:09 Saint’s Row 4
30:10 – 38:25 GTA 5
38:26 – 46:53 Steam Family Sharing
46:54 – 57:37 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Shorter Games
57:38 – 59:49 Outro
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