GamerSushi Asks: Your Gaming Setup

Over the weekend, I became the proud owner of a new 46″ Samsung LCD TV. Needless to say, I’m rather excited by this new development. For the past few years, I’ve been gaming on a 32″ Samsung LCD, so this isn’t much of an upgrade in quality (though the last TV was showing some awful image retention issues) as much as it was in size. What was once small is now huge in comparison. I played Mass Effect 2 like crazy today and loved every minute of it.

I know it’s goofy (and maybe more than a little obvious), but I haven’t been this excited about something I’ve purchased in quite some time. The wife and I have said for years that once we bought a house, we’d buy a big TV to match the new living room, so it was time to finally cash in on that deal. Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll pick up a new surround sound system, as ours is old and more than a bit dated.

Anyway, this upgrade got me thinking about you guys, and what you play your games on. So, tell us about your gaming setup. Go!

GamerSushi Asks: Achievements Hurting The Experience?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m an achievement whore. I get the biggest kick out of earning new rewards, trophies, unlockables, points, you name it. I’m not really sure what bone in my brown body makes me this way, but some primal and awful thing is triggered in my core when I see that “achievement unlocked” bumper accompanied with that sweet melodious noise. While I’m not as into trophies on the PS3, the principle is the same and I love accomplishing these goals.

However, lately I’ve been noticing the way developers are handling the doling out of these rewards, and it’s been a curious study. While early games of this generation were heavy on rewarding players with achievements based on a certain kind of behavior (be it in a solo or multiplayer setting), I’m noticing a new trend. Take Mass Effect 2, for example. The first game rewarded players for reaching certain good/evil (paragon and renegade, to be more precise) levels, while the sequel does not. Honestly, I’m finding that this makes for a better experience the second time around, as I’m not feeling like I have to always lean in one direction to be sure I don’t miss out on the achievement.

Likewise, multiplayer games are dropping the focus on weapon-based achievements (with the occasional ludicrous exception), and are leaning more towards gameplay and gametype exploits. I think one of the worst offenders of this early on was Gears of War, which offered achievements based on what weapons you killed with. This lead to irritating matches with people doing nothing but using one kind of weapon like the torque bow or the pistol, and lead to lots of grumbling when players couldn’t find the weapon they wanted. This is different than say, Left 4 Dead 2’s achievements which rewards playing as a team (spitting on somebody that is being smoked, etc).

So what about you guys? Do you find that this kind of design lends itself to better gameplay styles? Do you even care? Or am I just that much of an achievement nut?

GTTV’s Most Anticipated Games of 2010

I’m a fan of Gametrailers TV, though I don’t always get to watch it. It’s video game programming that’s not trying so hard, and just does a good job of covering games without trying to jazz anything up. I think we need more shows like that.

Anyway, last night they kicked off a brand new season with a bang, showcasing the most anticipated games of 2010. It really is nuts that the combo of last year and this year could make of for one of the best one-two punches we’ve had in recent memory. So many games, and so much excitement. So what games are you guys most excited about?

Impressions: Mass Effect 2

We don’t always write impressions of games that we’re currently playing, but I figured since 15 people on my friends list last night were playing Mass Effect 2, I’d start a little thread about it.

As you all know, I’m a pretty big Bioware fan. I don’t know what it is, but something about their games just grab me in a way other games don’t. With most games, I have to take a break every couple of hours or so. With Mass Effect 2, I played it for 7 hours straight without a break once I got home from work…

So I guess that means I like the game. A lot. I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, story wise. Perhaps that’s because I spent over an hour scanning planets for raw materials and looking for sidequests, maybe. I hesitate to gush over the game too much, because admittedly, for the first hour or two I was terribly confused. Gone were many of the RPG elements I loved from the first game. But with them, the awful item management system, confusing menus and cumbersome weapon/armor load-outs. The game is an extremely simplified version of the first, and my worry when I loaded it up and got into the action was that it was much too simple.
Continue reading Impressions: Mass Effect 2

GamerSushi Asks: What Are You Playing?

Left 4 Dead 2This Spring is going to be an usual one for us gamers. Heck, even this January is going to be odd. With some well-reviewed games like Bayonetta and Darksiders already hitting the shelves, as well as Mass Effect 2 dropping this week, it seems that we’re going to have our hands full with more than our Christmas gaming purchases. And that’s not even considering that Heavy Rain, Bioshock 2, Splinter Cell, Final Fantasy XIII and Crackdown are all on the way before the summer.

So, before (yet another) flood of good gaming options, what are you guys sinking your time into? Are you still working on the games you just got, have you purchased new ones, or have you returned to the old favorites?

Right now, I’ve been playing Left 4 Dead 2 on the XBox 360 and really enjoying the enhancements to the game. As much as people griped about its release, I’m impressed with just now how much content there is, and how well some of the new mechanics have been implemented. Really, kudos to Valve on proving some people wrong. In addition, I plan on starting some Brutal Legend tonight or tomorrow while I wait for Mass Effect 2 to be in my sweaty and anxious hands.

So, what are you guys playing? Go!

GamerSushi Demands: Post Your Lootz!

Well, it’s Christmas time, and naturally that means one thing: epic loot! For many gamers, this is the time of year that we can’t stand waiting for, because we know that Christmas Day will reap a bountiful harvest of the things we’ve been dying to play for the last year or even longer.

So far, I haven’t been able to do any present opening, so I’m not sure of what gaming things might be waiting for me, if any. If I get some money/gift cards, I’ll be very tempted to buy Left 4 Dead 2, which I keep hearing is even better than the first one. If nothing else, I’m going to be saving up money for Mass Effect 2 (January), Splinter Cell (February), Final Fantasy XIII (March) and Heavy Rain. This week I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed 2 and while it starts off pretty terribly, it’s getting better fast.

So, what kind of loot did you guys get? Feel free to post about it, gaming or otherwise. Go!

Mass Effect 2 Features the Dreaded Disc Swap

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We all know Mass Effect 2 is going to be, ahem, massive, but just how gargantuan is the upcoming sci-fi epic? Chris Priestly, community coordinator at BioWare, mentioned on the game’s official forums that Mass Effect 2 is going to be a two-disc game, three if you’re picking up the collector’s edition.

PC owners get the benefit of only using two discs for install, but 360 players will have to experience the awful exchange mid-game. It’s not going to be so bad though, as Priestly went on to break down just how the two-disc system is going to play out:

“Even though there is a disc swap, it occurs at a carefully planned place in the game (that does not interfere with gameplay) and is done once,” Priestly wrote on the Mass Effect 2 forums. “You do not swap back and forth. 1 swap and then done.”

Well, that’s a relief. I honestly don’t mind swapping discs, but it has been a while since I’ve needed to do that. The way I figure it, the more discs you use, the less time you spend in elevators. How do you guys feel? Is this a big deal for you, or not so much? Are you excited by the prospect of the sequel being so immense that it requires more than one disc?

Source: Kotaku

Mass Effect 2 Roster Expands With An Old Friend

Today is Thanksgiving down in the USA, a holiday where we all take the time to reflect on things we’re grateful for by shoving our faces full of flightless fowl and pumpkin pie. Of course, me being Canadian, today is just a regular day (besides the fact that I’m home sick), but that doesn’t mean I can’t be appreciative. One thing I’m thankful for is that it’s only two short months until Mass Effect 2 comes out and officially kills my social life. Seriously, this game is still looking quite good, and the “Empire Strikes Back” feel BioWare is striving for has really gotten my motor running. In this new video for the upcoming sci-fi RPG, we’re re-introduced to Tali, the soft-spoken quarian crew member from the first game. It looks like there’s some political unrest among the nomadic race, and Commander Shepard’s right in the middle of it.

So, what’s your opinion on Mass Effect 2 so far? Is it going to be a sure-fire purchase for 2010, or are there other games that are vying for your attention? Just for fun, what game-related stuff were you most thankful for in 2009? Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

PAX 2009 Report

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My brother, Evan, lives in the Seattle area, so of course he attended PAX. Nick, Eddy and I might have gone, except we were busily working on a Smooth Few Films mystery project. Maybe next year? Anyways, enjoy his extremely detailed report on the con! He only had to fight off a bit of the flu to bring it our way.

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I think I understand what a journalist must feel like at times: There was so much going on that I just want the chance to tell people about it all, because you could go through the entire show for all three days and still not run out of things to see.
Continue reading PAX 2009 Report

Alpha Protocol Demonstration

So, I’m not quite sold on Alpha Protocol yet. I feel like I flip-flop a little on the game each time I see it. Sometimes it looks like the cool parts of Mass Effect mixed with some Splinter Cell, and other times it just looks like a bad mashup of both of those games. This developer walkthrough has a couple of cool points to it, but I’m still not sure how I feel. All in all, I’m wondering if the game will be a slightly decent substitute while I wait for Mass Effect 2 to come out. Thoughts?

Mass Effect 2 Teaser Includes Shephard

Mass Effect 2 is maybe the game I’m looking forward to the most this generation. I loved the first one, and I have no reason to believe that the sequel won’t be even better. In a brand new teaser for the Bioware space RPG, we are finally shown glimpses of Shephard, who may or may not be something more than human. I’m really liking the look of this, it seems like it’s improved graphically, and the shooting segments look beefed up. Thoughts?

Mass Effect 2 Has a Trailer for an E3 Trailer

Bioware is super excited about what they’re going to be showing off at E3 this year in regards to Mass Effect 2. Apparently, there will be a new trailer that gives us the scoop about what to expect from both the gameplay and the story. How excited are they about it? Well, so excited that they made a trailer for that trailer. That’s right, it’s the Mass Effect2 E3 prelude, and it’s full of teasing galore. Give it a watch.

Bioware: Mass Effect 2 is Bigger and Better

me2Even though we all knew it was going to happen, Mass Effect 2 has finally been officially announced for the Xbox 360 and the PC, so it’s time for us all to stand up and take notice.

Not only is it now official, but Bioware is also bringing out the big funs, saying that Mass Effect 2 is going to surpass the original through better combat, more customization and a rocking story. While I know that it’s every company’s job to hype their product like this, I can’t help but get giddy about the prospect of another game set in Mass Effect’s universe. This is easily my most wanted game for 2010.

So who is on board the hype train with me for Mass Effect 2? Does anyone believe that it will surpass the first?

Source- Kotaku

Rumor: Mass Effect Trilogy to PS3?

masseffect1You all know of my love for Mass Effect and its awesomely epic sci-fi space opera ways. As I’ve said before, it’s one of the more underrated games of this generation, and deserves a spot right near the top of the heap because of its excellent story telling, something that not many games do that well to begin with.

So, it should excite some of you Sony dudes to know that Second Story Gamer is reporting a rumor that Mass Effect and its eventual trilogy of games are all going to be hitting up the PS3. Their source says that this decision was made by EA due to the economic climate, and the official announcement will drop during GDC (also where Mass Effect 2 will first be revealed).

As I said before, this is a rumor, but even the idea of it is exciting. The thought of more gamers getting to experience such a fun title is always a welcome one. So what do you guys think?

Source- Second Story Gamer

GamerSushi Asks: Most Anticipated in 2009?

Well, as far as I know, we’re past most if not all of the major releases for this gaming season of 2008, and boy was it a memorable one. Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, Prince of Persia, Bioshock, Little Big Planet, CoD: World at War, Mirror’s Edge, Saint’s Row 2, Gears of War 2, and then some, and still counting. While these games will keep us busy for a while, there is still more on the horizon…

So, that begs the question- now that these games are out, what are your most anticipated titles of next year? Anything on your radar that you’re just dying to play? It seems to me that there’s not quite as much to look forward to next year, though I’m interested in LotR: Conquest, Mass Effect 2, Final Fantasy XIII, Diablo III, Dragon Age and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. However, not all of those are even confirmed yet.

What are you looking forward to still? Answer away!

The Mass Effect 2 Wish List

Christmas is the time of year for wish lists. It’s often fun to ruminate on the things you’d like the most, put them all down, and hope that perhaps, you’ll get all those things you desire. This is no different for video games, particularly when we start talking about sequels.

The guys over at AtomicGamer have done just that in regards to Mass Effect 2, creating a wish list for the things that they would like to see in the follow-up to Bioware’s sprawling space opera RPG. The list includes all kinds of goodies like more alien races, visiting alien home planets, more tactical combat, unique weaponry, less linear storytelling and then some.

Personally, I’d love to see more consequences for the things that you choose in the game, as well as better sidequests with more variety. I simply loved the dialogue points, and I’d like to have even more to do and more people to interact with in such a brilliantly sculpted universe. What about you guys? What do you want to see from Mass Effect 2?

Source- AtomicGamer