I 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.
Killzone 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?
Flower is a PSN game that puts you in control of flower petals that float across colorful landscapes, all done via the PS3′s motion controls. While the concept is mega artsy fartsy, and the developers talk about it as such, it still looks like a damn innovative game, and we don’t get enough of those these days. It’s actually getting good reviews, too. I think this is a game that you can easily get for your significant other.
Pretentious mumbo jumbo aside, aren’t the visuals pretty great? It actually looks kind of fun to play, too.
It seems that the mysterious viral Dead Rising 2 trailer from the other day was actually the real deal. As of yesterday, Capcom officially unleashed the news that the sequel to the popular zombie brawler will be dropping for the PC, PS3 and XBox 360.
The second game takes place in Fortune City, a spoof of modern day Las Vegas, and from some of the ludicrously gorgeous screenshots, it looks like you will take to killing zombies in all kinds of crazy ways, including roulette tables, slot machines, and whatever else the new protagonist can get his hands on. Apparently, it’s set around 7 years after the first game, and the zombie outbreak has recurred in several cities beyond the humble town of Willamette.
Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on this game. I think if they fix some of the save/replay options (the first game only allowed one save file and skipped the story if you were late), then itll be a surefire winner.
Who’s excited about this? Did anyone play the first game?
I hear that Call of Duty: World at War is a good time. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival via GameFly for me to sink my sharpened fangs into. In addition to having some great solo and co-op campaign action, it also sports a fairly wicked Nazi Zombie mode. I mean, I’ve said before that I can think of no better thing than zombies to add to any game to spice it up, and the idea of mowing down Nazi undead is terribly appealing.
I actually hear that Nazi Zombie Mode is one of the best parts of World at War, so it’s no surprise, then, that Treyarch’s first map pack for the game will have a new zombie mode map in it. Right now, the current map places you and other survivors in a house together, purchasing new rooms and boarding up windows. But apparently, a new map is coming soon that opens the gameplay up even more, and brings a “new wave of undead”, according to the developers.
Ah, more lovely gameplay footage from the new Riddick: Dark Athena game, which actually comes out next month, if you can believe it. The more I see of this game, the more interested I get. I love the idea of stealth and action gameplay, FPS style, that really seems to blend well together. It looks like it’s shaping up to be a good time. And supposedly, we’re getting a demo of it try for ourselves rather soon.
So I imagine you guys are all aware of this little title called Killzone 2? Yeah, thought so. The 360 fanboys hate it already and the PS3 fanboys are ready to canonize it, so I thought I would take a look at it myself. Having read dozens of reviews of the game already, I had a good idea of what to expect and my main complaint was that the demo was really too short to make a firm judgment about anything. This preview will also answer some things I have seen pop up online regarding the demo and the game itself.
Some time ago, I asked GamerSushi user Sean to write a review for us. I’ve known Sean for a few years outside of GS, so I thought it’d be cool to have him contribute a guest feature. He was very prompt and did this right away. I, however, having been a bum, did not post it until just now. So, here’s a guest review of Call of Duty: World at War!
Some more details are dropping from the New York Comic-Con today concerning Battlefield 1943: Pacific, which comes out this summer from EA. I’m terribly excited about this, as the original game was one of my favorite PC shooters ever, and had some truly epic and memorable battles. Here are some of the new bits of info released for the game today…
Apparently, the game is going to be a $15 to $20 purchase, and will only be about a 350 MB download. In addition, the game will feature fewer classes than the original Battlefield titles, having removed medics and heavy weapons soldiers. To make up for this, all classes will be better suited to deal with tanks and vehicles, and will have regenerating health and unlimited ammo. Also, environments are destructible, which rules.
Personally, while I don’t like having fewer classes or unlimited ammo, I’m curious how the experiment works out in terms of having a smaller, cheaper game that releases paid DLC in small bits. To me, this could be better than dropping $60 bucks on a game that you dont utilize all of the features for. Should be interesting to see how this turns out.
I know that there already people disappointed about this (looking at you, Mitch). So what do you guys think?
Source- Kotaku (thanks to Mitch for pointing this article out to us)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance, while not perfect, was a rather fun superhero beat-em-up, especially if you had a friend playing through the game with you. I really enjoyed the story, and playing with an overpowered Wolverine was pure bliss. So imagine my shock when I saw a Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 trailer today, complete with a storyline ripped right out of the Civil War series that took place just a couple of years ago. Iron Man versus Captain America anyone?
So, apparently EA just announced Battlefield 1943 this morning, which is coming out this freaking summer. This is a welcome surprise, and seeing as how Battlefield 1942 is one of my favorite PC shooters ever, I can’t wait to create me some more sticky bombs out of moving jeeps.
They even did us a solid and released an awesome trailer, full of vehicle combat, turrets and straight up mayhem. Who else thinks this news totally rules?
Wow. Adam Sessler is a super nice guy, at least from the time that I met him at PAX. He was super busy, and in a rush, but took the time to talk to me and even accepted a business card from me. Super swell fellow.
Well, this happy-go-lucky man is a bit pissed off in the newest edition of “Sessler’s Soapbox”, in which he responds to the fanboy wars between XBox 360 and PS3 fans after X-Play’s review of Killzone 2. Basically, after the review, people accused XPlay of being biased towards the 360, and also of lacking integrity, for getting paid off to review the game the way they did.
The best part of all? They gave the game a perfect score. Yeah. I can see why he’d be pissed. He really gets going by the end, too.
Ok, so Metal Gear Solid 4 came out last summer for the PS3, but some of us didn’t get a chance to finish the darn thing until recently, so sue me. I wanted to take some time away to reflect on finishing this epic saga that spanned multiple console generations, and review it without the hype of the story itself weighing me down.
For me, Metal Gear Solid ranks as one of my favorite series in gaming history. The PSX game grabbed me in some kind of vicious chokehold, and still hasn’t let go to this day.
The combination of stealth gameplay and big-budget Hollywood action, not to mention an entangled plot really struck me back in those days, awakening me to the potential that video games had as a medium. Over the years, there have been stumbles and triumphs for this series, moments that leave you shaking your head in embarrassment (naked Raiden, anyone), or raise your fist in victory (defeating The End). So, how does Metal Gear Solid 4 stand up to its predecessors?
I’ve said plenty of times that I find Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune to be one of the unsung heroes so far for this generation. It’s a shame the game was only on the PS3, which meant that only a small pocket of the gaming community at large got a chance to share in its platforming, cinematic joy. Bummer.
However, I’m still stupid excited for the game’s follow up, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Some brand new screenshots released today that about made me slap a bear in the face. These new pictures are not only gorgeous, but they may sport some of the best graphics I’ve ever seen.
Seriously, go look. This rates high on the “do want” meter. Very high, indeed. Who played the first game and wants the second?
Wow, EA had themselves quite the day today. First, they informed us rabid fanboys that Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins wouldn’t be hitting multiple consoles (XBox 360 and PS3) or the PC until later in 2009, which is contrary to the “early 2009″ release date they teased at last year. Those whores.
After that, they went on to confirm a rumor that started circulating last week- Dead Space Wii! That’s right, the Nintendo Wii console-slaying machine will be getting its own dose of strategic dismemberment. I’m wondering how the controls translate, and I actually imagine they’ll be pretty well suited.
And lastly, we finally got some dirt on Mass Effect 2, also from Bioware. Namely, that it’s not coming until early 2010. However, the juicy part of all that is that they said it would be a multiplatform release. Now, that could mean XBox 360 and PC. Or better yet, maybe the PS3 will see Mass Effect 2 after all.
So, after that flurry of announcements- which are you most excited about? Dragon Age: Origins, Dead Space Wii or Mass Effect 2? Go!
Some of you know me to complain about modern video game reviews. To me, you shouldn’t review a video game until you’ve had some extensive time with it, enough to really sit down and tell people what’s what, and if this thing is worth their money. For instance, many Grand Theft Auto IV reviews are based on only 8 hours of total play, which is almost criminal.
Well, it seems the same is happening to Killzone 2, as GameSpot revealed today that any reviews of the game so far are based on just 3 hours of multiplayer play (they have gotten to play all of single player, however). And not just 3 hours back-to-back of multiplayer, but rather, 3 single hour sessions held for the press over the last month. As a result, GameSpot is actually holding off their reviews until they can spend more time with this aspect of the game.
This trend is incredibly disturbing to me, especially considering that all the major publications have already released reviews of the game. Hell, IGN even gave it a 9.4. Kind of odd considering these people only played the multiplayer aspect of the game online at 3 press events. Seems to me that there should be separate reviews for multiplayer and single player these days. What do you guys think? Fair/foul for video game reviewers?
In our chosen hobby of playing video games, it is fair to say that the Internet is a major component. And the internet is good at several things, but the thing it excels at more than any other is buzz. Nothing gets word moving faster than the InterGoogle and game companies and fanboys alike take advantage of this. But hype comes in more forms than that.
Let’s take a look at Halo 3. It had the kind of buzz reserved for a major box office movie. When I saw all the cross-promotional tie-ins, I started to wonder if Bungie was being run by George Lucas. I mean, seriously: Halo energy drinks?
I saw so many commercials and trailers and ads with Master Chief pleading with me to finish the fight that I honestly was ready to join the Covenant.
It’s a special weekend here in America. A sacred one, if you will. You see, there’s this thing called football, and apparently a big showdown is happening tonight that we are all going to stop and marvel at. By the way, go Steelers.
However, the weekend is also the time for gaming. So what games have you guys been working on lately? Me, I’ve been doing some Left 4 Dead versus still, but the gaming gem I’ve been having a blast with lately is Valkyria Chronicles for the PS3. How nobody is talking about this game, I have no clue, but it might be the best PS3 exclusive out there, I’m thinking. It is also the best Strategy RPG I’ve played since Final Fantasy Tactics, and quickly becoming one of my favorites this gen.
Seriously, if you haven’t heard anything about it, it’s great. Beautiful art, addictive gameplay, a great step in innovating the SRPG genre. So what about you guys? What are you playing?
Ok, so Mark Hamil’s Joker and a new Batman video game is a total “do want” kind of thing for me. This new Batman: Arkham Asylum trailer finally shows off the voice talents from the animated series, as well as a look at some gameplay. Great stuff in here, this game might actually be worth playing. Thoughts?
Just when I thought I wasn’t interested in Final Fantasy XIII any longer, Square-Enix goes and releases a brand new kick-ass trailer for it. Seriously, after seeing the same one for the last 3-4 years, it’s nice to see some sweet new footage, along with some really exciting battle gameplay. I guess I’m back on the hype train again.
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I 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.
Killzone 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. 
It seems that the mysterious viral Dead Rising 2 trailer from the other day was actually the real deal. As of yesterday, 
I hear that Call of Duty: World at War is a good time. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival via GameFly for me to sink my sharpened fangs into. In addition to having some great solo and co-op campaign action, it also sports a fairly wicked Nazi Zombie mode. I mean, I’ve said before that I can think of no better thing than zombies to add to any game to spice it up, and the idea of mowing down Nazi undead is terribly appealing.
Some more details are dropping from the New York Comic-Con today concerning Battlefield 1943: Pacific, which comes out this summer from EA. I’m terribly excited about this, as the original game was one of my favorite PC shooters ever, and had some truly epic and memorable battles. Here are some of the new bits of info released for the game today…
Ok, so Metal Gear Solid 4 came out last summer for the PS3, but some of us didn’t get a chance to finish the darn thing until recently, so sue me. I wanted to take some time away to reflect on finishing this epic saga that spanned multiple console generations, and review it without the hype of the story itself weighing me down. 
I’ve said plenty of times that I find Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune to be one of the unsung heroes so far for this generation. It’s a shame the game was only on the PS3, which meant that only a small pocket of the gaming community at large got a chance to share in its platforming, cinematic joy. Bummer.
Wow, EA had themselves quite the day today. First, they informed us rabid fanboys that Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins wouldn’t be hitting multiple consoles (XBox 360 and PS3) or the PC until 
Some of you know me to complain about modern video game reviews. To me, you shouldn’t review a video game until you’ve had some extensive time with it, enough to really sit down and tell people what’s what, and if this thing is worth their money. For instance, many Grand Theft Auto IV reviews are based on only 8 hours of total play, which is almost criminal.
In our chosen hobby of playing video games, it is fair to say that the Internet is a major component. And the internet is good at several things, but the thing it excels at more than any other is buzz. Nothing gets word moving faster than the InterGoogle and game companies and fanboys alike take advantage of this. But hype comes in more forms than that.
It’s a special weekend here in America. A sacred one, if you will. You see, there’s this thing called football, and apparently a big showdown is happening tonight that we are all going to stop and marvel at. By the way, go Steelers.
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