Wow. Who needs Little Big Planet when you’ve got Counter-Strike: Source? Here, someone has literally created the whole Haunted Mansion ride and ported it into the game. Knowing a little bit about map building myself in Hammer for Counter-Strike: Source, I have no idea how this guy pulled off some of the stuff he did here. And planting the bomb in it is just mean.
Category: FPS
Doom Creator Says PC Shooters Still Pwn
For as long as I can remember, there has always been a debate raging about PC versus console shooters, and which are better. I remember leaving the world of PC shooters for some time because of games like Goldeneye, etc, before being dragged back in by Counter-Strike and convinced that no other shooter on the console could come close. But then I go back and play a Halo and realize that sometimes simpler is better. Sometimes.
In a new interview, John Carmack of Id, creators of Doom, says that PC shooters are still the best in the business, as the PC is much more suited to the genre. He says that the mouse and keyboard set up is the “superior interface” for shooters, and that browser based gaming can be the future of the business, as Id is working on Quake Live to be played straight from your browser. He’s got some interesting things to say, so I’d recommend checking it out.
I know we’ve got a lot of PC gamers here, so I dare to ask: what about you guys? What are your favorite PC shooters, and why are they so much better than console shooters?
Source- GamesRadar
Left 4 Dead Gets Dawn of the Dead Map
A couple of weeks ago, when I was still debating about whether or not I should get Left 4 Dead on the XBox 360 or the PC, a friend of mine told me that the custom content for the PC would ultimately make it the choice that you would want long-term. He insisted that it would just be a few short weeks before someone created the Dawn of the Dead mall. Well, he was right.
Over at L4DMods, a user has posted that a replica of the Crossroads Mall from Dawn of the Dead is already nearing completion, having been made for a previous HL2 mod. The screenshots look fantastic, and there’s even a video walkthrough. Check it out:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atuZvbEPsAg[/youtube]
Source- L4DMods
Valve: Gaming’s Best Storytellers?
One of the most important aspects of any visual medium, be it films, games, graphic novels, machinima, etc- is story. While many people put an emphasis on the kinds of images and effects they can put into their production, it’s ultimately story that leaves a resonating impact on the viewer/participant.
While gaming has come a long way in recent years, I still find this to be one of the more lacking areas in the industry. Game makers just don’t seem interested in telling great stories. Sure, they’re interested in gameplay, physics, art, mechanics, coding and so forth, and if they can slide a decent story into that framework, then great. But it always seems to be an afterthought.
After reading a great article from Gabe Newell about Left 4 Dead’s design and the idea of using “procedural narrative” that simulates a story that is unique to each player, rather than a traditional scripted narrative that unfolds before the player’s eyes, some of my suspicions were confirmed. Namely, that Valve might be the best storytellers in gaming today.
Mirrors Edge 2D Flash Game Kind of Rules
There’s a new Mirrors Edge 2D flash game out that is actually pretty sweet. It’s a joint project from Brad Borne and EA to bring the Mirrors Edge experience to the browser, and I’m surprised by just how fun it is. You can do a bunch of the normal moves of the game including sliding, jumping, wall kicks, etc.
Even though this is just a one level beta, I’m thoroughly impressed by what’s pulled off. It’s relatively difficult, but I’ve got to say that if the final game is anything like that, I’ll be playing it on my browser, that’s for sure. As for the real game, it’s still on the Gamefly queue. How many of you guys have gotten to play it? Thoughts?
Source- Borne Games
Left 4 Dead- Blood Harvest Gameplay
So I broke down and got Left 4 Dead on the 360. I don’t regret it, either. I had a blast playing it with my brother and a couple of friends tonight. The amount of zombies coming at you is just incredible, and you absolutely have to work together to survive. In honor of this momentous game, I’m posting some gameplay from later on, in the Blood Harvest act, where you are running from zombies in fields of corn. It ends with an epic showdown in a barn.
Fallout 3 Plus Google Maps Equals Sweet
Wow. I know I say it all the time, but I’m continually impressed by both the ingenuity of gamers and the way that they can help each other in community on these crazy tubes called the Internetz. For anyone that’s feeling overwhelmed by Fallout 3’s Capital Wasteland and all of its many places of exploration, some of the folks at Planet Fallout have built a google map edition.
Basically, you can find everything from NPC’s, easter eggs, to points of interest and all kinds of other stuff. You can even filter through the different groups, if you’re feeling extra spoiler-conscious. It’s really astonishing, even though the Wasteland isn’t nearly as big as Oblivion’s world, just how much is packed into the space.
Just clicking around is showing all kinds of cool stuff I didn’t know about, and I’m anxious to get in there and start exploring.
Source- Planet Fallout
Left 4 Dead Now Available On Steam
Ok all you crazy zombie nuts… Left 4 Dead, the game you’ve been waiting for, is now available on Steam. I know several people on my friends list who are already downloading this game, and going nuts about it as we speak. Or as I type this rather.
So, who’s grabbing this game today and playing the junk out of it? Weigh in on the version that you’re grabbing- PC or 360! Also, feel free to leave Steam/ Gamertags, so people can get together and start playing.
I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do about this game, and whether I’ll grab it on the 360, the PC, or both, just so I can play with my 360 friends and have all of the assets for possible use in the future on the PC…
Fallout 3 Versus Oblivion
So we are several weeks into the holiday season of video game releases, and no doubt many of you are already piled too high with games to play. Myself, I just finished Saint’s Row 2 over the weekend and have just jumped into Fable II as of yesterday. One game that I’m putting on hold so I can savor it in its entirety is Fallout 3, which has been good to me when I’ve had a chance to play it.
I know a lot of people are curious about how it stacks up against say, Oblivion, so CVG has put together a little article that stacks the two against each other head to head in terms of eye candy, combat, questing and the worlds that the games take place in. Looks like Oblivion wins, in their eyes. Definitely worth a look if you’re into either game.
Personally, it seems that Oblivion had way more interesting quests (dark brotherhood, wow), but Fallout 3’s story is very immersive, as is the world of the wasteland. What about you guys, what do you think?
Source- CVG
Bragging Rights: Pwning Call of Duty 4
Do you ever finish a game and don’t know what to play next? Man, I agonize over this sometimes. Should I go back and play some more Oblivion, but if I do will I not want to play Fallout 3 when I get it for Christmas? Do I want to finish Final Fantasy X-2 or find more prizes in Little Big Planet? When in doubt, I play Call of Duty 4.
Continue reading Bragging Rights: Pwning Call of Duty 4
Valve Proves its BadAss-ness with Complete Pack
If you needed any further convincing, Valve has just confirmed that they are, in fact, complete and utter badasses. How did they do this? Well, first of all, by making some truly classic games, with a great track record. Second, for being the only gaming company that understands how its gamers want to use the Internet to buy things.
And lastly, the new Valve Complete Pack, which includes essentially every Valve game ever made, including Left 4 Dead and the Orange box, HL2, HL, CS, CSS, and all kinds of other things. How much does this cost you? $99. Seriously. It’s almost $140 in savings.
This is perfect for me because I actually don’t own the Orange Box and I was thinking about getting Left 4 Dead on the PC anyway. Anybody else going to hit Valve up on this?
Source- Steam
Call of Duty World at War Teases us with Jungles
Another trailer is out for Call of Duty: World at War, this one featuring sneaky foes hiding in secret jungles, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. This game released this week a little under the radar, considering how much hype was centered around it, but so far I’m only hearing great things. In particular, I hear the Pacific levels are wild and epic, with some huge clashes.
Has anyone played this? Tell us your thoughts!
Halo 3: Recon Details in New Game Informer
If you’re a Halo fan and a subscriber to the popular magazine Game Informer, then you’re going to be a very happy person this weekend. In the newest issue, there is a 10 page feature over Halo 3: Recon, due out in late 2009. While the article doesn’t have anything new in terms of gameplay or screenshots, it features tons of concept art, plus a few interesting details…
For one, Recon armor will be unlockable with all of the vidmaster achievements in Halo 3, so if you do those, yes, you can has. Second, Bungie doesn’t see Halo 3: Recon as a $60 game, especially considering that it’s an expansion pack that is about 5-6 hours long in terms of its single player campaign. This is exciting news, and I really wish more developers would follow suit on this.
Hopefully I’ll get my GI in the mail today or tomorrow, so I can provide some new details. Anybody else think this is cool, or are you just not that jazzed about Halo 3: Recon?
Source- HBO
Fallout 3 Scenes in GMod
Ah, silly GMod dudes. Mingebags, roleplayers, and the like. You always come up with the most creative stuff. In fact, you were Forge and LittleBigPlanet before there was Forge and LittleBigPlanet. Why, here’s an example of someone re-creating some scenes from Fallout 3 in G-Mod, complete with Megaton and even a little dancing hula lady. Shame it’s not faceposed, and the camera work is pretty bad, but it’s still quirky enough to get on my good side.
Left 4 Dead Demo Impressions
As many of us know, the Left 4 Dead demo dropped on XBox Live as well as Steam yesterday, sending gamers into a frenzy much akin to the virtual undead hordes that awaited bullet-pummeling. After a bit of a download time, I managed to nab the demo myself over XBL for the 360, and I couldn’t wait to get into my first game.
The thing that was curious to me from the menus and even once the game started was how much it felt like a game that belonged on the PC rather than the 360. Something about the controls, the HUD, the interface, everything about it screamed PC at me. Even hooking up with a party didn’t feel completely intuitive, though after a bit the matter was settled. So how was the gameplay?
Left 4 Dead Goes Zombies on a Plane
We all want Left 4 Dead. Zombies and such. Well, part of the goodness that is L4D is the main campaign which can be played as 4 player co-op, or if you have no friends, by yourself. This campaign is split into 4 acts. So far, we only know that one is in the corn fields, one is in a hospital, and some new details have recently emerged about a third act, “Dead Air”, which takes place in an airport.
The dudes over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun have meticulously constructed what they call a Photo Essay of this part of the campaign, spoiling everything and showing you all the details that you could possibly want to know about this great zombie shooter. Beware though, there are spoilers galore, especially considering that this is possibly the last act of the game.
The Left 4 Dead demo also drops on XBL today. Excited much?
Source- Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Mirror’s Edge Arrives, Sneaky Style
So in all the hoop-lah from Gears of War 2 over the weekend, I forgot that Mirror’s Edge was going to show up today. Today! I’m totally at a loss for how I’m going to manage to play this game with everything else, seeing as how I need to move on to other games, but keep playing Horde mode. Anywho, there are some new videos out on GameTrailers showing even more of this awesome gameplay, and reviews are starting to come out everywhere as well.
The question, as always- who’s actually picking this up today? Let us know!
Pitch Your Game: Ridiculous Version
Here at GamerSushi, we’re not only about talking about our favorite video games, we’re all about being creative and making them, too. Granted, none of us are developers, coders, artists, and any of that stuff. But we can play a mean lick on Guitar Hero or pull off a triple jump on Mario. That should be enough right?
Since we’re completely qualified to make up new games, we figured we’d start off with some of the most ludicrous, ridiculous, cheesy and stupid ideas for video games that we could think of, in a new feature called “Pitch Your Game!”
Call of Duty: World at War Launch Trailer
Get your grunge rock hats and gaming helmets on, because the Call of Duty: World at War launch trailer is upon us. I can’t believe this game is out this coming Tuesday. Lots of sweet explosions, slow motion headshots, and action galore. Can’t wait!
5 Features That More Shooters Need
Shooters, shooters, shooters. Gaming is full of them these days. I mean, one has to look no further than this year’s gaming line-up of heavy hitters and system sellers like Call of Duty: World at War, Resistance 2, FarCry 2, Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, Mirrors Edge, Quantum of Solace and the like to see that shooters have replaced the titles of old.
With all of these titles coming out, it’s easy to start wanting a little more from the genre. At this point, we’ve slaughtered so many imps in Doom and Nazis in Wolfenstein 3-D that we kind of know what to expect.