Archive for the ‘Video Games’ Category
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
While Hollywood has been busy fawning over Thor, Zen Studios has been busy admiring a different Marvel license. Continuing to make good on their promise of DLC tables, Zen Studios’ Fantastic Four table launches onto Xbox Live Marketplace this week. However, more content isn’t always better; has Zen Studios crafted a new reason to dive back into the fight for Superscores, or is the reliance upon Marvel characters beginning to wear thin?
DLC: Fantastic Four Table (for use with Pinball FX 2 platform)
Platform: 360, PS3
MSRP: 240 Microsoft Points ($2.50)
Release Date: May 18th for 360, TBA for PS3
It truly pained me to toy with your emotions with such a gripping cliffhanger, but rest assured; Fantastic Four is a, wait for it…fantastic addition to Pinball FX 2’s existing selection.
I, um…I’m sorry. (more…)
Tags: DLC, Fantastic Four, Marvel, Pinball, Pinball FX 2, Tom Schulenberg
Posted in Editorial, Reviews, Tom Schulenberg, Video Games | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
Sorry, but the Playstation Network is currently undergoing maintenance. Sony’s faithful have been tortured over the last week from their online services being taken down. What was once thought as a possible intrusion by Internet trolls has turned into one of the worst server meltdowns in gaming history. Not only has the server collapse prevented users from downloading new roster updates, classic titles, and online competition, it may also have given away your private information to these hackers. I’m very optimistic, probably more optimistic about bad situations like this than I should be, but I’ve got to say people really should be worried. The Playstation Blog has been posting question and answer forums to help users through this FUUUUUUUU! kind of time. While they stated how sophisticated (an obvious lie) their security system was, they did openly admit the hackers breached the security system which held some of the network users’ personal information. They had also stated the credit card system which is placed on its personal security platform was encrypted and protected. They also state there has been no evidence of credit card theft, but will not state the information is safe. Although the hackers would not be able to obtain the CVS or 3-digit security code, they possibly have the credit card number and the expiration date. And if these hackers are able to breach the entire Playstation Network, I wouldn’t put it past them to obtain a 3-digit security code. (more…)
Tags: hackers, identity theft, Josh Thompson, PSN, Sony
Posted in Editorial, Josh Thompson, Video Games | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead
I don’t even know how to start this second part review. After a seething, angry fit of Dragon Age 2 playing I simply walked away and couldn’t bring myself to go back. It wasn’t until I was forced by my editor to finish the game for the review that I bitterly returned. So let me begin by saying I loved Dragon Age: Origins. I loved it so much that before I even finished my first play through I couldn’t wait to start another character. The plot was grand and the characters were so magnificently written and voiced. Dragon Age: Origins was a beautiful, shining piece of RPG treasure. DA 2 however…I think I would rather spoon my eyes out and steal a rabid bear’s honey. I just want to pretend it never happened. I want to think that DA2 was not, in fact, made by Bioware, but by EA simply pooping out a sequel in order to buy another yacht.
I miss a lot of things, people, and places from Origins. I miss the camp in which I could sort through everybody’s weapons and armor at once. I miss that feeling of having a cohesive team. I miss being able to talk to my teammates whenever instead of having to track back to their houses. I even miss constantly inviting Zevran into my tent for fun time. All romantic Anders can tell me is he is glad for my love. I don’t even have the option to kiss him. The most I get is an empty mansion where I can run around and have Hawke say Anders left his socks under the bed. Whoop-dee freakin’ doo. Hawke won’t even go into her dead mother’s bedroom. Is it too much to program a scene of Hawke coming to terms with her dead mother three years after the event? (more…)
Tags: Bioware, Christine Motsinger, Dragon Age 2, EA, Hawke, RPG
Posted in Christine Motsinger, Editorial, Reviews, Video Games | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
RPGs come in all different shapes and sizes, and, recently, they have made their home on the iPhone. I recently got a hold of an exceptional RPG, Ash. Made as a tribute to the SNES era of games, Ash utilizes an old-school fighting system with several modern twists.
What’s Good
The Script and Story:
The banter between characters is well-written and very funny to read. It’s written professionally, which is a relief from the typo-ridden RPGs available on the App Store. Not only that, but the story is very, very well done. The game begins with two mercenaries-for-hire stumbling upon a mysterious artifact along with an even more terrifying creature. It only gets better from there. The story has that wonderful effect where it leaves you with wanting more, which gets me every time.
The Interface
Moving is simple–tap the screen in the direction you want to go. Want to swing your sword? Tap your enemies! This game utilizes the touch screen functionality of the iPhone very well. It responds quickly, making it feel smooth and efficient. You can also change the interface to a more traditional D-pad and A button if you prefer (this only applies to the overworld). (more…)
Tags: Ash, iPhone, review, RPG, Tyler Thomas
Posted in Editorial, Reviews, Tyler Thomas, Video Games | No Comments »
Friday, April 29th, 2011
Video games are a big part of our lives today; I know they are a big part of mine. Like television before it, many have relied on videogames to teach us stuff that our parents just couldn’t get around to. So, in that spirit, I just wanted to share some things that I have learned from my 3rd parent.
I can never got to war- Halo has ruined me for war (sorry Uncle Sam). Seriously, I’ve never been, but if it’s anything like Call of Duty says it is, then I would be screwed. I’d mainly consider myself a Halo player when it comes to first-person shooters, so you’ll probably believe me when I tell you that my main strategy for a gun fight is to charge straight at my opponent while unloading my entire clip into his face and then hitting him with my elbow. This strategy has eliminated my chances of being good at paintball, so I’m pretty sure that we can count military off of the list of things that I have a future in (they fight with guns for realsies). Not to mention that I’m always the one guy playing CoD who has no idea what gun I’m using (it’s a fucking assault rifle, I’m still racking up as many kills as everyone else, what do I care what the acronym is?).
(more…)
Tags: Fallout 3, funny, Parenting, Procrastination, Video Games, Wartime
Posted in Editorial, Hobby Games, Quinn Anderson, Uncategorized, Video Games | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Every gamer has their personal list of favorite games. A lot of us regard quite a few of the same titles as our favorites, games that were commercially successful and well-received by the gaming world as a whole. Games such as Oblivion, Halo 3, or Final Fantasy VII. However, every one of us has a place for those special games that others might have overlooked, but you found great. This is a list of games that I consider my favorites, but you may not have tried. I urge you to try out these games, for they might just end up being a favorite of yours too.
If it seems that there is a lack of Nintendo titles is my list, that’s because (my family’s Wii excluded) the only Nintendo systems I’ve ever owned have been a Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance. Most of my list is Playstation titles. Sorry Nintendo fans!
10. Front Mission 4 for the Playstation 2
Using equipment mechanics similar to the Armored Core series mixed with a battle system comparable to the Final Fantasy: Tactics types of games, Front Mission 4 brought me a unique fusion of mecha and strategy that I loved. You could outfit your squad in a variety of different styles, ensuring the battles one player engaged in would be fairly different than the experience of another, even in the same mission. For a turn-based game the graphics were pretty impressive, especially for its time.
9. Medabots AX for the Gameboy Advance
I spent many car rides to my grandparent’s house up north playing my Rokusho version of Medabots AX. It’s a fairly simple 2D fighting game were you fight other robots using you’re a primary Medabot and a supporting, computer-controlled Medabot. There’s a progressive story-mode, much like the Pokémon series in that you must defeat the bosses of each area to move on, while fighting lesser enemies along the way. It also borrows the collection aspect of
games, where defeating enemies wields another part you can use to customize your Medabots. These different pieces wielded different effects and fighting moves. All in all, I spent many hours trying to collect all the pieces. (more…)
Tags: Age of Empires II, Armored Core 3, Baldur's Gate, Cole Wohler, Command and Conquer, Front Mission 4, jedi, Medabots AX, Monster Hunter, star wars, Top Ten Tuesdays, War of the Monsters, Xenogears
Posted in Cole Wohler, Editorial, Top Ten Tuesdays, Video Games | 1 Comment »
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011
Welcome to the first Retro Review, reviews devoted entirely to games that are no longer “hot releases.†They can be anywhere from a year old to twenty years old, or even older.
Just a little disclaimer right here, this review is in NO WAY meant to insult the intelligence of the gamers that read this. It is meant to introduce the newer generations to the control scheme of the Nintendo 64.
Grab an ocarina and belt out a few tunes, because this time we’re breaking down The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. OoT, as it is often referred to, is an old Nintendo 64 title released in North America in 1998. The player controls the series’ staple character, Link, as he learns of a sinister plot to destroy the land of Hyrule. You begin as a child in the Kokiri Forest, a small settlement of children-like people, the Kokiri. Every Kokiri has a fairy partner that helps them throughout their lives, but Link does not have a fairy. Makes you wonder, huh? Anyway, the guardian spirit of the forest, the Deku Tree, is laid waste to by a sinister man from the desert. He places a curse on the Deku Tree, slowly killing him from the inside out. So, the Deku Tree decrees that it is time for the “boy without a fairy†to well… get a fairy. He sends Navi, a little blue fairy, to Link’s house. She wakes him from his slumber and explains that the Deku Tree has sent for him.
This brings the player into the beginning of the game. At first you have to complete a couple of fetch quests. A mean Kokiri named Mido is blocking the entrance to the Deku Tree’s clearing (more…)
Tags: Jeff McCord, Link, Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time, Retro Review, The Legend of Zelda
Posted in Editorial, Jeff McCord, Reviews, Video Games | 3 Comments »
Thursday, April 21st, 2011
Arcades may be a dying breed, but pinball enthusiasts have likely already found salvation in ZEN Studio’s Pinball FX 2 for Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network. Although it was released half a year ago and boasts compatibility with all of the tables for the original game, ZEN Studios has pursued an active DLC schedule in order to keep fans coming back for more. December’s Marvel Pinball Pack was a worthwhile offering, but can they craft additional tables without a popular license that are still satisfying contributions? (more…)
Tags: arcade, Mars, Pinball, Pinball FX 2, Thomas Schulenberg
Posted in Reviews, Tom Schulenberg, Video Games | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this month, or sequestered inside of a specially designed relaxation vault located deep underground, then you’re aware of Valve’s latest little marketing ploy: The Potato Fools Day Pack. Thirteen indie games, both old and new to Steam. It’s a fantastic deal filled with big names in the indie games scene like Tripwire Interactive, Dejobaan Games, and Frictional Games. The pack practically oozes with an absolutely astounding variety of games. That, and it’s tied in with Valve’s Portal 2 ARG.
“Thirteen games?!” you ask yourself, full of incredulity. “That’s far too many for me to comprehend, let alone play what with my busy schedule, filled with playing bad games.” Well, good thing for you I’m here to break down each game in the pack so you know what you’re getting into. (more…)
Tags: 1 2 3 Kick-it, A Reckless Disregard for Gravity, Amnesia, AudioSurf, BIT.TRIP BEAT, Cogs, Dan Hawes, Defense Grid, Dejobaan Games, Frictional Games, Killing Floor, PC, Potato Sack, Rush, Steam, Super Meat Boy, The Ball, The Wonderful End of the World, Toki Tori, Tripwire, Valve
Posted in Dan Hawes, Editorial, Video Games | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011
Ever since Portal was included in the Orange Box, gamers have been thinking with portals. The central game mechanic was funm and the puzzles were interesting. One of the most interesting characters in gaming was created: GLaDOS, whose curious brand of unnervingly low safety standards really set the stage for the game. I know I seriously questioned whether Portal 2 might live up to the original. For starters Portal 2 would be a full game, while Portal was a well condensed product. Could the kind of story Portal had be continued for five or six hours? Having played the game, I can say that Valve has delivered. Boy, have they delivered. (more…)
Tags: GlaDOS, Mark Godec, Portal, Portal 2, puzzle game, review, Steam
Posted in Editorial, Mark Godec, Reviews, Video Games | 1 Comment »
