The Grand Experiment

Keita Takahasi Reborn

2010-10-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

Man, that's a creepy picture...

Keita Takahashi, shortly after leaving the cozy confines of Namco Bandai, resurfaced today as the co-owner of Uvula, a freelance "fun" studio comprised of himself and his wife.

Although he's not specific about what "fun activities" (and "fun people") are, it certainly appears that games are not out of the question, since he features his games prominently on a "Video Games" section on his website. What kind of games can we expect from the auteur, now that his corporate bonds have been broken?

My vote goes to "Robot Table Adventure!"

A Band Reunited

2010-09-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

Although the direction of LucasArts has taken an abrupt change of direction, possibly shattering my hopes for an adventure game renaissance, Tim Schafer quietly picked up those tiny shards and crazy-glued them back together with the announcement that he is teaming up with Ron Gilbert on a new game!

What will it be? As any bigshot company will tell you, not very much. However, Mr. Gilbert dangles this most delicious carrot at my muzzle:

"Fans of those old adventure games will like it."

While they haven't announced a publisher, I'm going all in with Telltale. As I've suggested before, a teamup of the original adventure game rockstars will create an Übermensch capable of laying waste to all the generic space marines and pendulous spellcasters of the industry, paving the road to a gaming nirvana, free from the criticism of politicians and mainstream media.

Well...at least I'll be happy.

NPR's Gots Some Skillz

2010-09-25T00:12:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I try to pry myself from reading countless game blogs, and find some fresh air that doesn't smell "visceral" or "innovative." Tonight was one of those nights.

I stumbled upon the story of "Toxie," NPR's grand experiment of purchasing a toxic asset and watching it burn, and, while a topic like this would normally make me click the back button on my browser like I stumbled on a porn site *cough*, the pure awesomeness of the presentation made me watch the entire report to its sad, sad end.

Oh...spoiler alert.

It's Foil Hat Time!

2010-09-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

During my routine of getting my life's priorities in order, a thought occurred to me: "Why Bioshock Infinite?" Yes, this is how I roll -- much to the disappointment of my better half (Sorry, love ya!).

Ken Levine has since been mum about his apparent fear of the number 3, and could only tease that the truth of the word choice would be revealed once people touch it's timely, jingoistic surface. That leaves us only the kind of wild, hair-brained speculations that only a minuscule bloggers like myself can provide...and I'll do it! As you can see from the header image, I've come the the epiphany that Bioshock Infinite has a connection to Duke Nukem Forever, and -- if you follow my lead -- this connection may lead deeper than you can imagine.

The Logo
"Infinite" and "Forever"? Sounds like a cheesy love song at first, but then you realize that they're synonymous. Considering Duke Nukem Forever's record-breaking development schedule, it's obvious why it's labeled "forever," but Bioshock? Bioshock doesn't have the pedigree of 12-year development cycles under their belt -- thank god -- so it's unusual that they would choose to ascribe such a similar term to their game.

Let's not forget the use of "old glory" in the logo as well. Both titles are unabashedly American in their theme, be it Duke's hyperbolistic, guns-blazing American stereotype, or Bioshock Infinite's commentary about American nationalism to its extreme...with guns blazing. It's a curious connection, like Armageddon is to Deep Impact.

The Game
Perhaps it is just an indication of how popular the genre is, but both games are First-Person Shooters. While this connection could be filed under "duh," both games have benefited greatly from the gameplay choice. Even though Duke Nukem was born from a side-scroller, his popularity exploded with the introduction of DN3D. When Bioshock hit the scene, Irrational adamantly defended the fact that it was an FPS, not an RPG, and it greatly helped in its pick-up-and-play appeal. Did I mention that they're both Sci-Fi FPSs too?

The Themes
Both games tackle xenophobia, though Duke's approach may be construed as more "direct" than Bioshock's. In DNF, you're protecting Earth from an alien invasion. In Bioshock, people are defending Columbia from an invasion of "aliens." *deep breath* Coincidence?

Also, both games involve saving "babes." While this could be another "duh" moment, the previous Bioshocks never featured women as visually pleasing as Elizabeth. Yes, I'm talking about cleavage. When was the last time you've seen a woman in Bioshock that didn't resemble Ida Lowry from Brazil, or some child of the damned? Yeah, that's right...and maybe you can thank Duke Nukem for that.

The Business
The most important connection, at least for me, is that both titles will be published by 2K. When two titles are developed under the same roof, would it be any surprise to anyone that certain aspects of both games could overlap? While I don't anticipate a cameo of Duke in Infinite -- which would be mind-blowing, to say the least -- I'd expect at least a handful of hints about either game to appear. It's a business, after all, and if one popular game can spur the sales of the next popular game, then so be it.

Convinced?
Okay, some of these connections may be thinner than a sitcom plot, but, like I've always said on this blog, that's the point. I'm doing all the geeking out, so you don't have to.

Until next time, fellow readers...Nanu Nanu.

TIWILG: Super Mega Worm (iP)

2010-09-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know whether this game will entertain for as much time as its trailer did, but I'm giving its developer, Deceased Pixel, points for style. This is one of those kind of "elevator pitch" ideas that could potentially spawn a franchise, especially if it gets to table of SyFy. Who needs Piranhas and Sharktopuses? Get Super Mega Worm on the line; there's a world that needs saving!

Keita Takahashi Collects Items And Leaves

2010-09-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

After Duke Nukem Forever's earthquake of an announcement almost a week ago, a smaller aftershock hit the game industry today, when Keita Takahashi announced he was leaving Namco Bandai. In a way, this should come as no surprise, since he's been uncharacteristically -- for a Japanese worker -- critical of the industry and his company for quite a while. Now that he's out of the game business he'll now focus on his playground redesign in England. I'm going to guess that Namdai won't be sponsoring those trips anymore.

As one of the few real game designers out there, I was a little sad at the announcement. Could the community's pleasure towards a new Duke Nukem game be Takahashi-san's final indication that the videogame world has left him behind? I can only hope that the independent community can draw him back into the world of gaming, because I like the way he thinks, and the world would be much better off playing his games than the next big-budget shooter.

Duke Nukem Forever Revealed

2010-09-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Surprise surprise! Duke Nukem Forever was officially announced today at PAX, and attendees were able to touch a playable demo of the game!

Hitting stores ~~allegedly~~ by next year, Take-Two seems to have got their wish granted and have the rights to publish DNF, which has been developed by Gearbox Software. Apparently Gearbox had most of the work done for them, as 3D Realms spent most of their 13 years of development time creating assets for DNF. Says Gearbox boss, Randy Pitchford:

The approach and investment and process at 3d Realms didn’t quite make it and it cracked at the end. With Gearbox Software we brought all those pieces together. It’s the game it was meant to be.

How cool is that to come off of such high-profile projects as Brothers in Arms and Borderlands, then get the opportunity to work on one of the most recognizable icons of the game industry, where most of the work has already been completed? That's a sweet deal, Gearbox!

What else can I say? Duke Nukem Forever is real, it's playable, and it's coming out soon!

The Search For A CS5 Setup

2010-09-03T02:14:00.000-07:00

I picked up Adobe CS5, thinking I could run it on this old laptop. Big mistake! Granted, I knew I'd have to upgrade, but I wasn't expecting a complete overhaul! Long story short, I need a new computer.

My research into the matter has led me to an interesting plan. Since I already have an old desktop and a laptop, I thought it would be neat to replace the PC with a CS5-ready box, hook up the old PC to my TV, then use my laptop as a remote terminal. The problem is, I have no idea whether working remotely would...work. The internets has only gotten me as far as selecting hardware, but running CS5 remotely -- as in cloud-like computing -- doesn't appear to be a popular experiment among the techies, and I'm short on time.

It's not that I'm especially fond of this laptop, but the thought of having two laptops ranks up there with TVs in the bathroom. Plus, a good CS5 laptop is way more expensive than a maxed-out desktop. Furthermore, I'm not exactly the mobile type. It's not that I'm lazy; it's more of a security-thing. I've heard way too many stories of armed laptop thefts to even consider taking a newly-purchased piece of technology into the wild. I think my creative process would suffer if I had to wind-up my roundhouse kick everytime someone walked nearby.

So that's my plan; create my own version of Onlive, but with CS5 instead of games. I'm venturing into new technological territory, so I feel compelled to let everyone know where I'm going, just in case I get lost along the way.

Kinect: A Spastic Mess

2010-09-02T01:59:00.000-07:00

Video Games | Kinect | Video Physics Tech Demo

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Gametrailers put together a demonstration of the new Kinect motion controller, and showed the world -- if the "Avatar" window is any indication -- that Kinect could use a little more time to cook in the oven. Granted, I haven't seen full-body mo-cap done like this before, but if that mo-cap information is translated into a twitchy, flickering blob of polygons, then my interest takes a nosedive.

~~Microsoft PR~~ Commenters have said that this footage is from old Kinect builds, and that all the kinks would be ironed out by the time it's released, either in hardware or software. However, considering all the public showings Microsoft's done up to this point, I'd be hesitant to believe those statements. Every clip I've seen, from Leipzig to Hollywood, shows Kinect's motion controls as laggy and inaccurate at least. If it's months away from release and the thing can't even detect a jump properly, then something drastic needs to happen.

I really don't understand the mentality of releasing a product before it's ready, though it seems to be common practice in the game industry, save for Blizzard and Valve. When your first product is a hot mess, do they expect consumers to make a return visit when the successor is really ready? You know the saying, "you can't get fooled again?" That's the consumer talking, Microsoft, and they won't be pleased if you give them a buggy paperweight for $150. I can guarantee they're going to remember that moment if when Kinect 2 hits the streets.

Please, Microsoft. Listen to this tiny mouse click in the void of the blogosphere; Focus on the software that's 100% solid, not the "wouldn't it be cool" stuff. Save those for after the launch!

TIWILG: WeeWaa (Wii)

2010-08-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Video Games | WeeWaa | GC 10: Demo Walkthrough (Cam)

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Although I feel this one's a little late to the party, WeeWaa, the virtual/real pet simulator/game is finally taking shape...and what a cuuute shape it is!

Behold it's plushie, mohawked goodness, and -- what appears to be -- near accurate tilt response! I'm not exactly crazy about the gameplay, but I can see some serious fun potential with this one. Maybe it's appealing to that Ren & Stimpy warm spot in the ol' cockles with that adorable blob shape and jelly-like physics. Whatever it is, I like it!

TIWILG: Big 3 Gun Shooting (PS3)

2010-08-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Sure, you can place this Namco commercial under "overcompensating," but it's the kind of madness that is almost exclusive to commercials about videogames. What really makes it for me, though is the comic book-style onomatopoeia. I think life would be a lot more interesting if there was more "dogooon!" in it.

Sort-of Review: Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play (PSP)

2010-08-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

I have to call this a "sort-of review," because I'm not really reviewing the title you see here. Instead, I'd like to write about it, than about...it. Let me rephrase that. I'm not going to discuss how good/bad the title is, but the grander (more grand?) significance of this to games in general.

I wrote an earlier piece about releasing PS2 games in new territories in an effort to extend the life of the PS2 a couple more years. The main point I was driving toward was that these "unplayed" games could be experienced on the platform that they were designed for. If someone were to emulate it on another platform, as in the case of Midway Arcade Treasures, it simply wouldn't be the same experience. Ian Bogost discovered this issue with the Stella emulator for Atari games. Sometimes it is the details in the periphery of gameplay that makes a game a classic.

When I was looking in my library for a new game to play, my eyes were immediately drawn to Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play. Spy Hunter? Sinistar? Paperboy? 720? Mortal Kombat? Marble Madness?! TOOBIN'?! C...CYBERBALL?! There was no other game on the shelf that moment. This would be my next distraction.

No sooner than I turned turned on my PSP did a slight twinge of worry. "I'm not in an arcade anymore. I'm not standing at a cabinet. I'm not staring at a 20" CRT. I'm not holding a joystick," I thought to myself. I started up Mortal Kombat.

The blocky, aliased logo appeared on the little screen just like I remember in the 90's. I felt a bit of reassurance from that. I then chose Raiden, as I always did in the arcade, since he had the easiest combos. "So far, so good," I thought. Then the round began.

Now, I refuse to admit that I've become rusty in the past 20 years, because I believe I was inputting moves just as quickly as I did in the arcade, but Raiden was spastically moving around the screen like a pigeon on Amphetamines. That is to say, it was not me playing that moment; it was a control issue...right? I paused the game.

I remembered the days I played MK on the Sega Game Gear. There was no way that the technology at the time could emulate an arcade experience, so the Game Gear version took some liberties with the port, some of it had to do with the controls. Instead of smooth arcs of the d-pad, you had to press it in slow, deliberate movements (e.g. down, then forward, then punch). After I came to that revelation, I was able to kick Goro's butt repeatedly. I unpaused the game.

Just as I suspected. Directional button controls on a PSP were similar to those Game Gear days, though the input window was considerably shorter.

"Why not use the analog nub," you may ask? I did...and it sucked. There is no way any console manufacturer can convince me that a thumbstick is any replacement for a palm-sized joystick. Plus, it's placement on the PSP doesn't lend itself well for attacks towards the left of the screen -- my thumb simply doesn't bend that way. I quit out of Mortal Kombat.

I then made the grand mistake of booting up Marble Madness -- one of my all-time favorite arcade games. Can you already see where this road is heading? Without the rollerball controller, the game was absolutely unplayable. The graphics were there, the sounds were there, but the controls -- analog controls and button presses for slow and fast movement -- took all semblance of nostalgia and smashed it into thousands of tiny glass shards to be swept away by a disembodied broom and dustpan. To add insult to injury, no continues. I was done.

As I've said before, part of the fun of playing "old" games is within the environment surrounding that game, not just the game itself. A child watching Star Wars on a 9" in the backseat of an SUV will not experience the awe and wonder that I've felt seeing it in a theater with my parents. Seeing an emulated game on a screen will only play on your sense of nostalgia. Playing an emulated game, especially in a control format that it was not designed for, will undoubtedly make you question why you loved that game in the first place.

I just want you all to realize that it's not you. Your mind isn't playing tricks on you. It simply isn't the same experience.

I Gotta Include This In My Will

2010-08-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

I was just flipping channels, and I stopped on this episode of 30 Rock. I don't normally watch the show, but the idea of being encased in carbonite at a funeral is beyond geek-cool that I had to post about it.

Sometimes I Don't Know My Own Strength

2010-08-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

After reading about some gamers in Hawaii fighting off a robbery, and after just watching Pulp Fiction for the hundredth time on DVD, I was inspired to throw together a little "phototorial" about it, and post it in the comments. Some pats on the back ensued from the community, and I was a happy for a job well done. Then I went over to Fark.

I guess another blog liked what I did, so they posted it in their blog, which then got posted to Fark. That's cool, in a street art cred kind of way, I guess. Since I go by a pseudonym, I don't expect any knocks on my virtual door for any discussions of my work, but then a part of me wondered, "did anyone else use my image?"

"That's a good question," the other part of me replied.

While my image is by no means setting the internets on fire, I found a blog post where they not only cropped my image, they reported it as real news! "You can't make this stuff up, folks," the blogger reports. Yes, you can make this stuff up, and that's what it is; it's made up!

The part of me then wondered, "should I say something?"

"No. Let's watch what happens," replied the other part of me.

I wonder if anyone will track down our young gamer hero and ask to see this badass DS they've seen on the internet. To me, that would be pretty awesome...and a little scary...but awesome nonetheless.

Long Time, No Blogging

2010-07-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

The month of July has been so crazy that I haven't been able to post until now. The place I was staying at in LA had terrible wi-fi, and now that I'm in Hawaii, I've been busy meeting with friends and fambly. My blog, sadly, had to take a backseat to more important duties.

So, today, during my ongoing search for good poke -- for you non-locals, it's pronounced "poh-keh" -- I wandered into a Savers in Kalihi, where I found these little gems. "How much," you ask? Try two dollars a piece! Man, I hope they work...

If they don't, well, I'm out $4. Yeah, I'm Mr. Moneybags.

Where's Michel Gondry?

2010-06-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

A Green Hornet trailer hit the internets today, and man it looks good...but I don't see Michel Gondry's hand in all this. I'm used to the handmade, darkly whimsical stuff that seemed to be Mr. Gondry's signature. Other than the screen-stretching Kato kick, I don't really see anything that would separate it from the other comic book action flicks we've seen since X-Men.

Oh well...it looks good anyway!

OnLive is Live...Now What?

2010-06-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

With very little fanfare last week, OnLive servers were switched on, and the age of cloud gaming had begun.

So far, the press hasn't covered much (i.e. reviewed) about the service -- followed by commenters flaming it -- which is a little disheartening. The most recent news reveals OnLive's pricing model, which, to be honest, is a little off-putting.

Although the membership is free currently, a monthly subscription of $4.95 will eventually become standard. On top of that, you will need to purchase your games -- currently at 19 titles -- which appear to be retail-priced. Since the games exist on a server, if the game is no longer supported, you will not be able to play it any longer. I'm curious if there is a refund if such an event occurs.

The biggest disappointment, at least for me, is that Crysis is noticeably missing from the list of launch titles. The whole selling point of OnLive was that the one game that required insane hardware to run at full settings could run at full settings via the service. Now, with the omission of Crysis from the lineup, the seed of doubt has been planted. Not only that, but can anything run Crysis at full settings?!

Does OnLive have something up their sleeve? When you consider the waves of excitement and criticism surrounding their announcement at GDC last year, the no-shows at both E3s, and a blip of a launch event last week, you have to wonder if they're approaching this like a viral campaign...in reverse. It's absolutely puzzling.

Update: A review! It actually looks pretty good, I must say.

Video Games | | OnLive Review by Saieno

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Game Releases This Week (June 20 - 26)

2010-06-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Need for Speed World (PC)

Monday
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Puzzling Pages (WiiWare)
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Chaotic Conflicts (WiiWare) - same vid as above
Art Style: Rotozoa (WiiWare)
Legendary Wars: T-Rex Rumble (DSiWare)
Professor Lexis's (sic) Mega Words (DSiWare)
Spin Six (DSiWare)
Super Swap (DSiWare)
Puffins: Let's Fish (DSiWare) - vid NSFW...plus Puffin eating...
Animal Color Cross (DSiWare)
Puzzle Dimension (PC)

Tuesday
Transformers: War for Cybertron (Multi)
Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Episode 3: They Stole Max's Brain! (Multi)
Field & Stream: Total Outdoorsman Challenge (360)
MAG Interdiction (PS3DLC)
Transformers: Cybertron Adventures (Wii)
The Garfield Show: Threat of the Space Lasagna (Wii)
ThinkSMART: Family (Wii)
Wipeout: The Game (Wii/DS) -- no DS footage? Hmm...
Dragon Ball: Origins 2 (DS)
Transformers: War for Cybertron - Decepticons (DS) - vid from TF2
Transformers: War for Cybertron - Autobots (DS) - vid from TF2
Just Sing (DS) - ff to 2:13...Awesomesauce.
thinkSMART (DS)
Burnout: Legends (PSP)
Making History 2: War of the World (PC)

Wednesday
Duke Nukem Manhattan Project (XBLA)
RISK: Factions (XBLA)
Puzzle Quest 2 (XBLA)
Puzzle Time (DS)

Friday
15 Days (PC)

My Most Anticipated Game From E3 Is...

2010-06-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

Combine Max Payne, Devil May Cry, and a little bit of Evil Dead: Regeneration, and you have the foundation of Rebellion's Never Dead.

I didn't have to see the game in motion; all I needed was this screenshot:

When the trailer finally hit, I was completely sold. A wisecracking, gun-toting, nigh-invulnerable protagonist whose dismemberment is a gameplay element? Oooh, I this is gonna be good!

Does Microsoft Read This Blog?

2010-06-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, then VP of Microsoft Game Studios, Shane Kim, made a visit to UC Berkeley's Play conference where I (frankly) asked him whether the shape of the Xbox 360 may be the only thing holding it back from being a "phenomenon" like the Wii and the iPod. Of course, I could have phrased the question better, but the idea was posed. Perhaps this started the ball rolling.

Last year, the internet was abuzz with the rumor of a new 360. After doing a little research, I came to the conclusion that the reporting site was commenting about then Project Natal, which turned out to be true. At the end of the piece, I left the idea of a redesigned 360 that openly addressed the Red-Ring-of-Death to the mainstream consumer.

Now, not only do we have a redesigned 360, but a redesigned 360 that's incapable of red-ringing, if Joystiq's report is true. How's that for a solution; Simply remove the red LEDs! Pure genius.

Hey, Microsoft! If you're reading this, make an MMO with Kinect, like Jenova Chen talked about!

(Yes, I'm trying to boost my ego here, thank you very much.)

Sony Mentions Something, Press Resumes Playing 3DS

2010-06-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

When you look at the coverage of E3 today from a gestalt perspective, you'd be surprised to find any mention of Sony's press conference. It's a slight exaggeration, of course, but it's difficult to ignore the impact that the 3DS has caused throughout the industry. It was enough to overshadow any "Wii-too" announcements from the competition, and that was no easy feat. Despite the PS3's (ahem) move towards 3D, more details on their motion controller, some nifty sequels -- with another GT5 announcement -- and Gabe Newell's shocking about-face towards Sony's "disaster" console, all this was eclipsed by a 5 inch piece of plastic with some (ahem) game-changing features.

E3 2010 Has Begun (and I'm not there)!

2010-06-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Following Microsoft's "elephant in the room" ~~staged~~ stage performance yesterday, Nintendo officially started E3 with a little more bang, showing the world the new -- highly anticipated -- iteration of the DS, the 3DS.

Sporting such nifty trinkets as a goggle-free 3D display, a 3D camera (on the lid), a nub stick (but not on the right side, ~~those dummies~~), motion-sensors, and a pretty cool lineup of titles (MGS:Snake Eater in 3D?!), motion controlled consoles seem so 2009.

This is not to say that Microsoft's Kinect is in trouble at the outset, but when they present a bunch of very familiar titles for their launch, you have to wonder if they really believed that making Wii and EyeToy games in HD would be enough of a sell. While I'm certainly impressed by the technology behind the peripheral, I had much greater expectations for the software.

Ah well...ball's -- or should I say "glowstick's" -- in your court now, Sony!

The New Xbox 360...5 Years Later

2010-06-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here's your new Xbox 360, as reported by Kotaku. Now sporting touch-sensitive buttons, built-in wi-fi, 250GB out of the box, a "smaller" power brick -- I'll believe that when I see it -- and a Kinect-ready port.

As I've said earlier, making a new box for the mainstream consumer at the launch of their motion controller is the most logical step for Microsoft to take. I'll assume that they'll now market the heck out of this box, telling everyone that this is stable, easy to use, and a serious upgrade from the Wii. Although I'll argue that the aggressive styling is not exactly the best approach to a family-friendly console, they could easily say that it matches with your HDTV, and that would shut me right up.

Though I still don't have $300 sitting around for such a purchase, I can see this "new" console working out very well for Microsoft during the holiday season. Well, good for them...

Update: Okay. The new power brick actually looks manageable this time around.

Movie Review: Bigger, Stronger, Faster

2010-06-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

If you've ever needed proof of where America ~~has~~ may have screwed up, look no further than this little documentary. Channeling Michael Moore in his glory day of Roger and Me, Chris Bell explores the world of steroid use in sports and the stigma it's created in the minds of most Americans. Focusing the camera on his family and his "juiced" brothers, Bell creates an interesting portrait of the new American -- one spawned by mega-heroes, nurtured by pharmaceuticals, then ultimately broken by a flawed system of double-standards.

What made this documentary truly special -- which is Moore's strength and weakness -- was the brilliant editing. Quick cuts to clips of movie scenes and videos reinforce the messages, and often serve up a heaping dose of "daaaaaaamn" to every segment.

Even if this documentary fails to sway your thoughts about steroid use, it's a crafty and entertaining presentation that will (hopefully) make you wonder whether being "number 1" is really the best path to pursue.

Game Releases This Week (June 13 - 19)

2010-06-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Monday
Bejeweled 2 (Wiiware)
Legend of Kay (DS)
A Kappa's Trail (DSiware)
Telegraph Crosswords (DSiware) - vid from PSP
100 Classic Book Collection (DS)

Tuesday
Toy Story 3 (HD/SD) -- No DS footage...hmm...
~~Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Multi) -- Supposed to be announced at E3. Ooh, a scoop!~~
Naval Assault: The Killing Tide (360)
SBK-09 Superbike World Championship (PS3)
Mahjongg Artifacts (PSN/PSPmini) - vid from iPad
Gundemonium Recollection (PSN)
GundeadliGne (PSN)
Hitogata Happa (PSN)

Pirates Plundarrr (Wii)
Dance on Broadway (Wii)
Let's Play Ballerina (Wii/DS)
Puzzle Quest 2 (DS)
Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends (DS)
Let's Play Garden (DS)
I Spy Universe (DS)
Mahjong Mysteries: Ancient Egypt (DS)
Let's Play Flight Attendant (DS)
Western Riding Academy (DS)
Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyvillle (DS) - vid from PC

Fallen Earth: Blood Sports (PC)

Wednesday
Space Ark (XBLA)

Saturday
The Treasures of Mystery Island (PC)

Update: NFS:HP announced to ship in November.

Mars Without US

2010-06-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Humankind's Grand Experiment to colonize Mars has taken a small step towards reality today with the "launch" of the Mars500, an Earth-based simulation of the year-and-a-half flight to Mars. Conspicuously, Americans are absent in this experiment -- 3 Russians, 2 Europeans, and 1 Chinese were chosen -- which begs the question, "what are we doing?" Did we not qualify, or did we not bother to show up?

Although I feel that, ultimately, Mars colonization with result in the exploitation of natural resources similar to what we're experiencing on Earth, it's honest progress for the human race, and that's something we need to pursue. Certainly, Star Trek's concept of a Federation -- a united planet, not just nations -- has influenced my opinion, but it bothers me that something as important as expanding humankind's reach in the universe may be divided by petty politics.

Perhaps the ~~failure~~ results of the Biosphere 2, or the experiments done in our strangely Watchmen-esque research base in the Antarctic, has contributed to our country's no-show, but my guess is that our segment of the world has simply said "no thanks, we'll do this ourselves."

As with everything I put in this blog, I could be totally wrong, and the results of this grand experiment will be shared with all humankind...but who am I kidding?

Oh...and to make this game-related, they're reported to have a Wii available for use on the "spacecraft." I'd die if they have Muscle March on that thing!

Update: Could our no-show be due to...toilets?

My Excuse For Non-Blogging

2010-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

What you see above is a little taste of what I've been working on for the past couple weeks, among my other final projects for the Spring semester. Sorry for the internet silence for the past couple days...but isn't this cool? My first game! It isn't nearly as playable as I planned at the moment, but it's animating and I can move the little dude around, so it's just a matter of time to get this done right.

Now that Summer's here, and stupid budget cuts eliminated Summer session, I can resume blogging...and put some more work into my little project(s). Get ready!

Game Releases This Week (May 16 - 22)

2010-05-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Monday
Bit.Trip Runner (WiiWare)
Kirby Super Star (WiiWare)
Blood Beach (WiiWare) -- not based on the movie...darn
Looksley's Line Up (DSiWare)
Frogger Returns (DSiWare)
A Topsy Turvy Life: Turvy Drops (DSiWare)
Flips: More Bloody Horowitz (DSiWare) -- vid for Flips in general

Tuesday
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (SD/HD)
Shrek Forever After (SD/HD)
Split/Second (Multi)
Supermarket Mania (PS3/PSP)
Red Dead Redemption (PS3/360)
Alan Wake (360)
Attack of the Movies 3D (Wii/360)
Trauma Team (Wii)
Canada Hunt (Wii) -- vid has some swearin'
Veggy World (Wii)
Burger Bot (Wii/DS)
Imagine: Animal Doctor Care Center (DS)
Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow (DS)
Wildlife Camp (PC)
Runaway: A Twist of Fate (PC)
Becky Brogan: The Mystery of Meane Manor (PC)
Fantasy Earth Zero (MMO)
Rocket Knight (PSN)
Gundemonium Recollection (PSN) -- vid from PC
Dragon Age: Origins - Darkspawn Chronicles (Multi DLC)

Wednesday
Metal Slug XX (XBLA)
Aqua (XBLA)
Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection (PC)

Friday
Legio (PC)

And The Thrilling Conclusion Is No Surprise

2010-05-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

(Sorry I can't embed the clip. Stupid new restrictions...)

The conclusion to Penny Arcade's interview process was posted on GT today, and it was just as I expected. I won't spoil the ending for you, but I'll give you a hint; this person didn't need the job.

As I've said before, interview processes rarely bring out the real person, which, by that logic, forces you to choose among the most "real." So, in most cases, interviewers gravitate towards the people who are the most comfortable around them, and the one's who are most comfortable, generally, are ones who don't care. Maybe they already have a good job, or they have some kind of stable income beforehand, so these people have no reason to be nervous at a job interview; they don't care whether they get the job or not. It's always the same story.

So what does that tell me?

Maybe the best attitude to take during an interview is the uncaring one. Don't research the heck out of the company you're interviewing with. Don't try to impress the interviewer. Don't try to get attention. Most of all, already have a good job beforehand, so you don't look like you need the job.

Sounds simple enough, eh?

Movie Review: Exit Through The Gift Shop

2010-05-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

Despite the lame news report about Banksy in San Francisco, I thought I should give his film, Exit Through The Gift Shop a go, since the guy (or guys) has never let me down. I can say it was a very wise decision.

Not content with producing a typical documentary of shaky-cam shots and Q&A sessions, Banksy creates something that's more like his street art than a history lesson...with shaky-cam shots and Q&A sessions. What is initially presented as an exposé on some of the most ~~notorious~~ famous street artists of the decade, it becomes a genius prank that overshadows anything that Sacha Baron Cohen could muster. Everyone -- people in the film, watching the film, paying for the film; everyone -- becomes a victim, but, like with most street art, nobody gets hurt.

No, this movie is about street art and is street art simultaneously. It takes your expectations (or sets you up with some), shakes it up in a can, then sprays it in your face. Not in a malicious way, mind you, but in a provocative, humorous way that makes you see the world a little differently.

In other words, it's very Banksy.

Booby Trap! (NSFW)

2010-05-15T03:57:00.000-07:00

Used as a standard gadget in the Metal Gear Solid universe, the saucy magazine distraction has made the transition to Team Fortress 2 with ~~predictable~~ hilarious results. While its usage in MGS was intended for scripted NPCs, watching this "effect" occur on real-life players demonstrates Hideo Kojima's forethought when his group was programming soldier behaviors.

When will men ever learn?

Probably The Best Nothing You'll Spend This Month

2010-05-14T01:57:00.000-07:00

There's gotta be some reason why Valve is giving away Portal for free. Maybe they're testing some new servers or something, 'cause they're in for some traffic! It's darn well nice of them to give such an acclaimed game away, as opposed to the usual way the industry clings onto popular IP like a hot, bacon mushroom cheeseburger, slowly sweeping crumbs to us off the side of the table, but savoring all of its meaty goodness for themselves. Not this time! Chef Newell serves up a heaping pile of First-Person-Puzzle goodness for all the internet-capable! Yes, you!

Oh, and it's on PC and Mac, so there's no excuse; it's free and compatible!

Note: The deal ends on May 24.

Banksy SF: The Great Double-Standard

2010-05-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

It's kooky when the news does a piece about saving graffitti.

Yes, it's Banksy -- whose works are awesome, by the way -- but when the mainstream newspeople feign awe, even telling a shop owner that they're destroying $40k in art, I have to shake my head. It's silly enough that the mainstream news took a complete 180 in their usual demonizing of street art, but when the motivation for that turn is money, they should get a big 'ol punch to the face.

Yeah, let's get rid of graffitti on our streets...but we need to preserve works of art!

Here's CBS 5's list of Banksy work in SF:

853 Valencia St. between 20th and Cunningham: a boy with the writing "This will look nice when it's framed." (Has been painted over.)
672 Haight Street between Belvedere & Cole: a rat with "This is where I draw the line."
720 Grant Ave between Commercial & Sacramento: a doctor with a peace sign and a heart.
On Cafe Prague at 2140 Mission Street at Sycamore Street: A Native American holding a "No Trespassing" sign. (Was repainted to reflect Frank Chu, the Bay Area man known as "Galaxy Man" and is now difficult to see under more paint.)
Erie & Mission Street above the parking lot: a bird singing in a tree.
1309 Howard Street at 9th: a rat with skull and crossbones.
North Beach: a figure wearing a gas mask with "If at first you don't succeed - call an airstrike."
Alcatraz Ferry at Fishermans Wharf - a rat with a shovel. (Has been painted over.)
On Alcatraz: another rat with a shovel.
Location unknown: a rat with ZipCars sign.
9th Street & Howard: a rat with a Muni sign.
Fern Alley: a rat with the Anarchy sign.

This Is Why Interviews SUCK

2010-05-09T23:48:00.000-07:00

Having experienced interviews from both sides of the table, and after watching this video, I can't stop cringing. Why? Look at it this way; does Penny Arcade really know these people? No, they don't...but they'll judge them like they do, and soon two people will be sent packing because they "didn't fit."

When will people realize that you can never be yourself at an interview? You're there because you're asking a group of strangers to give you money on a regular basis. Does that sound like a normal situation to you? No, you're going to put on a show for these people, and dazzle them with your persuasive charm; you're not going to act normal.

The age-old saying about books and covers instantly comes to mind, and interviews are just that -- judging covers. These three applicants probably have identical portfolios and credentials, but the ultimate decider is how they present (i.e. sell) themselves? I feel bad for the applicants that get turned down simply because they said "yes," when they should have brought up an amusing anecdote instead.

Interviews are stressful, time-consuming, and, most of all, nowhere near an accurate portrayal of a person. Having conducted interviews myself, I can say almost all of the people that were accepted became completely different people once they sat down to work -- both better and worse -- and I couldn't blame the interview for this. There was no way I could accurately judge a person's performance in the workplace without literally seeing them perform in the workplace. Eventually, the interview criteria became simply performance-based, and questions were more like explanations, and it seemed to have worked out better for the group.

This video demonstrates to me the futility of interviews. If I can't be witty, or pithy, or other things that end with a "y," why bother competing against the people who can? It all sounds like a quick ride to disappointment and self-loathing...

...and it sucks to be there.

Game Releases This Week (May 9 - 15)

2010-05-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

Monday
Chess Challenge! (DSiWare, WiiWare)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations (WiiWare)
Earthworm Jim (DSiWare)
Photo Dojo (DSiWare) - yay!

Tuesday
Skate 3 (PS3/360)
Lost Planet 2 (PS3/360)
3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
Batman Arkham Asylum: GotY Edition (Multi)
Monster Racers (DS)
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 (PSP)
Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer (PC)

Wednesday
Rocket Knight (XBLA/PC)
Things on Wheels (XBLA)
Heroes of Newerth (MMO)

Ready For 90 Minutes of Mega Man?

2010-05-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

To be honest, the quality is equivalent to the "impluse click" movies I watch on Netflix, but you have to hand it to this team of hardcore gamers who put together a full-length film about their favorite franchise, Mega Man. Judging by the promo image above, it seems like it's been in development for quite some time. That's perseverance!

I Heart Flash Again

2010-05-06T04:28:00.000-07:00

Although I could only attend the Web 2.0 conference in the most basic way possible -- but free! -- it seems that I'm not the only one that's disappointed with Apple's stance on Flash.

...but no matter. After sitting in an extremely brief presentation by Adobe for Flash CS5 features, I can say that I'm all excited again. The topic of the presentation was for multi-touch and accelerometer functionality in Flash, and it's incredible. Most of the dirty work was handled by the script, so it was just a matter of calling the right operators, and ka-pow; a tilt game! Flash also came with an emulator, so you can observe the behavior of the movie on most displays, even HDTV's.

I guess it's time for another upgrade. I don't think I've ever been more excited to type that.

New York Gets 8-bitten

2010-05-06T01:18:00.000-07:00

I guess they really mean "Voxels!," but that's just my inner (outer?) geek talking.

Maybe New York wasn't the best setting for this, but you gotta work with your surroundings, right?

Game Releases This Week (May 2 - 8)

2010-05-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

Monday
Picross 3D (DS)
Zombie Panic in Wonderland (WiiWare)
Kung Fu Funk: Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting! (WiiWare)
Sokomania (DSiWare)
1001 Crystal Mazes Collection (DSiWare)
Bloons (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Iron Man 2 (HD/SD)
Autobahn Polizei (360) - vid from PC
Family Gameshow (Wii)
Reader Rabbit Preschool (Wii)
Reader Rabbit Kindergarten (Wii)
Reader Rabbit First Grade (Wii)
Reader Rabbit Second Grade (Wii)
Game Hits! (DS)
Dementium II (DS)
Jane's Hotel (DS)
Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake (PSP)
What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2 (PSP)
Total War: Battle Pack (PC)

Out of the Park Baseball 11 Deluxe (PC)
Fritz Chess 12 (PC)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Stimulus Package (PSN DLC)

Wednesday
Raystorm HD (XBLA)
Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition (XBLA)
Shattered Horizon: Firepower (PC)

Friday
Penny Dreadfuls Sweeney Todd (PC)
Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold (PC)
Blood Ties (PC)
The Dragon Dance (PC) - vid from DS
Burger Island Combo (PC)

Saturday
Space Shuttle Mission (PC)

As The World Turns

2010-04-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Among the relentless monotone of news about stupid, political bickering, violent law-breakers, and veiled infomercials disguised as reporting, appeared a brief announcement that the World Expo opened today in Shanghai. Yes, World Expos still exist.

Despite providing some of the most iconic structures in the world, it seems that the US has grown disinterested in participating in these expos, which is completely out of character. America not wanting to show off to the world? No way!

After watching our "too big to fail" companies literally showered with money from our government, it's completely frustrating that this same government finds attending world expos a waste of money. Um, Uncle Sam, it's time to review your priorities, because this thing we're doing now...it's not working.

To make matters worse, the constant stream of product placements, fear-mongering, and xenophobia on television make me think that people are conspiring to shield us from the progress of the rest of the world. I don't expect the coverage of the World Expo to go beyond that 10-second announcement this morning.

It frightens me that World Expos are continuing to be held, yet I've been brainwashed to believe that it's an archaic pastime, and even believed that it no longer existed.

The Flash Fight Rages On

2010-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

Although most of the gaming press has been engrossed in the Infinity Ward vs Activision litigation series, my interest lies with the delicious corporate smack talk over the absence of Flash on iPhone and iPad, with the mega-suits of Apple and Adobe standing 20 paces apart, fingers twitching over their Manolo Blahnik pistols.

Starting with Adobe's Flash honcho, Mike Chamber's, blog rant, where he was obviously frustrated with Apple, oh so tantalizing close to typing "fascist" on his keyboard.

The situation soon got cranked to 11 when none other than Steve Jobs donned his seal-skin Isotoners and stepped into the Octogon. Mincing no words, he called Flash a bloated, broken, outdated piece of...technology. Ka-Pow!

Upon observing the brutal head-stomping of an Adobe brother, Papa Bear Adobe, Shantanu Narayen arrived as backup by reiterating Mr. Chamber's claims to Wall Street Journal. Two against one? That's some tough odds, Mr Jobs.

...but I see you're packing some heat, so it's a tough call.

Game Releases This Week (Apr. 25 - May 1)

2010-04-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

Monday
DodoGo! (DSiWare)

Tuesday
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (Multi)
Dead to Rights: Retribution (PS3/360)
Record of Agarest War (PS3/360)
Super Street Fighter IV (PS3/360)
NIER (PS3/360)
Free Running (Wii)
Truck Racer (Wii)
Kart Racer (Wii)
Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley (PSP)
PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe (PSP)
Samantha Swift Trilogy (PC)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (PC)

Wednesday
Casual Mania (DS)
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (PC/XBLA)
Tecmo Bowl Throwback (XBLA/PSN)

Thursday
Dante's Inferno: Trials of St. Lucia (DLC)
Kick-Ass (PSN/IP)

Friday
Jumpgate Evolution (PC)
Linkin Park: 8-Bit Rebellion (IP)
Team Fortress 2 (Mac) - vid probably from PC

Bye Bye App Store...

2010-04-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

I guess my aspirations to become an App Store Millionaire has been put to pasture, since Adobe "officially" cut plans to have Flash programs ported to the iPhone. It's unusual that the news would come from a blog post as opposed to a press release from Adobe, but I feel disappointed nonetheless.

All hope is not lost, however, as the post also claims a refocus on the Android platform. While this sounds great, who's to say that the Android support will bring the same goldrush effect that the iPhone brought?

No matter. I'm far more capable of putting something out there with Flash than I was with any other application, so whatever Flash supports is fine by me.

...but I had plans for the iPad! Plans, man!

My Clairvoyant Abilities Are Staggering

2010-04-19T23:55:00.000-07:00

I was only joking when I suggested Atari get in touch with Nolan Bushnell when they ~~canned~~ kindly requested Phil Harrison to step down.

Maybe some executive Googled this little blog or something and thought I was offering free advice, because, just like Jack, they brought him back! Okay, maybe the fact that his life story is heading to the big screen may have played a part in it, but it's just another example of the kooky times we're living in. Can we expect Atari to really shape up when their leader returns after a 30-year absence? I imagine it would get all Austin Powers-y in that boardroom once they start talking business.

Game Releases This Week (April 18 - 24)

2010-04-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Monday
Bang Attack! (WiiWare)
Mega Man 4 (WiiVC) - vid from NES
Surviving High School (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Ball (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Flagman (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Donkey Kong Jr. (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper (360)
Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)
All Star Karate (Wii)
Dementium 2 (DS)
Beat City (DS)
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (PCdl)
3D Hunting 2010 MBX (PC)

Wednesday
Puzzle Chronicles (XBLA)
After Burner Climax (XBLA)

Thursday
After Burner Climax (PSN)

Game Releases This Week (Apr. 11 - 17)

2010-04-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Final Saga (XBLIG)

Monday
Dark Void Zero (PC/iP)
Military Madness: Nectaris (WiiWare)
7 Card Games (DSiWare)
Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. (DSiWare)
AlphaBounce (DSiWare)
AiRace (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (Multi)
Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City (Multi)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (360)
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans (Wii)
Family Gameshow (Wii)
Blood Bowl (PSP)
Easy Piano (DS) - too bad, DSi people...
Photo World (DSi)
Ship Simulator Extremes (PC)

Wednesday
Seapark Tycoon (DS)
Final Fight: Double Impact (XBLA)

Thursday
Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse E1: The Penal Zone (Multi)
Final Fight: Double Impact (PSN)
Brothers in Arms: Double Time (Mac) - vid from Wii

Friday
Mind Over Matter (DS)
Learning To Spell (DS)
Pure Hidden (PC)
Rig'n'Roll (PC)

Someone's Using Their Noodle

2010-04-11T01:02:00.000-07:00

I had brought this up before, but the iPad is an ideal format for adventure games, and it sounds like Telltale Games got the memo and announced the new Sam & Max adventure on iPad!

The video is interesting because it describes the multi-touch control scheme for the game, which looks a little iffy to me, especially with that unmistakable DualShock analog joystick on the screen (port alert!). It would have been more interesting, though a little cumbersome, if they used the accelerometers on the iPad to pan the camera, but that's a minor criticism against a greater good, which is the impending adventure game resurgence.

Once Good Old Games gets their iAct together, and expose the public to the sheer awesomness of 90's PC adventures, perhaps games will finally achieve the kind of mainstream legitimacy that they have pursued for so long.

Let Telltale lead the way...to the future!

I Think I Died A Little Inside

2010-04-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

That's not Photoshopped, folks, nor is it a late April Fools prank. Behold the face of Metal Gear Solid for years to come!

Konami recently held a press conference in Japan where they shilled products like an informercial, announcing (and displaying) the various product-placement throughout the game.

Although the MGS series has never been a stranger to the practice, it always felt like the products were relevant to it in some way. Now, I don't think they're even trying anymore. Should I expect Hideo Kojima to make appearances from now on, covered in sponsorships like Captain Amazing? Will "Axe Snake" be a recurring character?

Thanks, corporate world. You all are making great strides towards a better society. Make sure to leave your filthy fingerprints on everything I love, because I just can't get enough of it.

Game Releases This Week (Apr. 4 - 10)

2010-04-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

Monday
Game & Watch: Manhole (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Vermin (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Helmet (DSiWare)
Mr. DRILLER: Drill Till You Drop (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Borderlands: Double Game Add-On Pack (360/PC)
Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory (360DLC)

Thursday
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West (PCDL)

iBrilliant

2010-04-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, man... If I was Montomery Brewster, I'd definitely spring for this awesome iCade.

As a criticism, though, I think this would be better in a cocktail format, or have interchangeable controls -- seriously, not all arcade cabinets used a joystick-button format! -- but, overall, I think $150 is reasonable for such a novelty piece. I'd definitely spend some time making scaled arcade items for the thing, like tiny tokens, and miniature "audience" standees.

San Fandango

2010-03-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that I was living in the Land of the Dead? Don't answer that.

After feeling guilty --- and slightly upset -- about stumbling onto game maps in the real world, I've come to realize that it might not be a bad thing...especially if that thing came from the classic game like Grim Fandango. The Department of Death is just 15 minutes away? Who knew?

Otherwise known as 450 Sutter Street, this building not only houses the source material for some of the iconic sets of the fantastic PC adventure, it also contains Tim Schafer's doctor! I guess if you had to walk through some Meso-American Art Deco atrium every time you have a mortality-check, it would inspire you to make an epic game about Dia De Los Muertos, wouldn't it? Ah, I think I'm beginning to understand his process now.

I really should get out more...

Game Releases This Week (Mar 28 - Apr 3)

2010-03-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday
America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking (DS)
WarioWare D.I.Y. (DS)

Monday
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (WiiVC) - N64 gameplay
WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase (WiiWare)
Diner Dash (WiiWare)
Save the Turtles (DSiWare)
Super Yum Yum: Puzzle Adventures (DSiWare)
Nintendo DSi Instrument Tuner (DSiWare)
Nintendo DSi Metronome (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Prison Break: The Conspiracy (Multi)
Samurai Shodown Sen (360)
Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition (XBLA) delayed
Quantum Theory (PS3)
The Secret Files: Tunguska (Wii/DS) - DS vid from Secret Files 2
Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (Wii/PS2)
Cabela's Monster Buck Hunter (Wii)
Dance Sensation! (Wii)
Monster Rancher DS (DS)
Again (DS)
Virtual Villagers (DS)
Love Is... In Bloom (DS)
Jigapix Wonderful World (DS)
My Pet Chimp (DS)
Disney Stitch Jam (DS)
World Championship Spelling (DS)
Let's Play Fight Attendant (DS)
Dead or Alive Paradise (PSP)
Mimana Iyar Chronicles (PSP)
Mount & Blade: Warband (PC)
727 Captain (PC)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Stimulus Package (DLC)

Wednesday
Auditorium (Multi)
Grill-Off with Ultra Hand! (WiiWare)
Mega Man 10 (XBLA)
T.A.C. Heroes: Big Red One (DS)
Garfield's Pet Force (DS)
Duke Nukem: Critical Mass (DS/PSP)
Commandos Complete (PC)

2010-03-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Zhu Zhu Pets (DS)

Monday
Cave Story (WiiWare)
Game & Watch: Chef (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory (DSiWare)
Game & Watch: Judge (DSiWare)
Drift Street International (DSiWare)
Plain Sight (PC Download)

Tuesday
Just Cause 2 (Multi)
How to Train Your Dragon (HD/SD)
MotoGP 09/10 (PS3/360)
Red Steel 2 (Wii)
Rooms: The Main Building (Wii/DS)
Cabela's Monster Buck Hunter (Wii)
Bakugan: Battle Trainer (DS)
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS)
Squishy Tank (DS)
Imagine Gymnast (DS)
Cheer We Go! (DS)
My Pet Chimp (DS)
Disney's Stitch Jam (DS)
The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom (PC)

Wednesday
Game Room (XBL)

Thursday
Wakeboarding HD (PSN)

The Bottom-er Rung

2010-03-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you thought a game tester's average salary of 40k a year was ridiculous, a recent survey of salaries in the Japanese game industry uncovered that their game testers earn a whopping $28k a year. This is Japan, folks. 28k pays for rent, and nothing else! At that pay rate, it would make sense to pull 24-hour shifts in the office, so you can have a place to sleep at night.

Obviously, the US isn't Japan, so they may have a system set up where employees are properly cared for, so 28k may be a sustainable wage, but there's no way I could live in San Francisco for that little. Well, I guess I could, but I'm not going to like it. It would be dorm living all over again!

Then again, they could be working in anime for $11k, which is just unimaginable.

Something's Missing at GDC 2010

2010-03-17T02:22:00.000-07:00

This may be old news to many, but the Experimental Gameplay session at this year's GDC was cancelled, due to "not [having] enough material for a full high-quality session." It's too bad, really, since the EGS -- though flawed -- presented ideas that were truly unique, kind of like a Kentia Hall for game designers, which I absolutely love.

Perhaps this is a sign that the indie community is finally enjoying the spotlight this year. It certainly seems that way, considering most of the news from Moscone Center seemed to mostly have an indie-skew to them. Since the indie designers were getting a ton of press this year, they probably didn't feel the need to be showcased at the EGS.

The question in my mind was, "was the session canceled due to lack of quality or quantity? If it was the latter, then that would justify a cancellation. If it was the former, well, I think there's something wrong with that.

It's the Experimental Gameplay Session, not the Must-Meet-Our-Subjective-Criteria Gameplay Session. If the premise of the game is unique enough, then who cares about how good it plays or how it impacts game design? I mean, no one expects the gameplay to be even remotely polished, so why not give them a chance?

Remember Camera at TGS? It was completely useless. Anyone could have thrown that title together in under 5 minutes...but that was not the point. Was it novel? Does it entertain the audience? Mission accomplished.

The Experimental Gameplay Session should never be canceled. Where else can we take a step back from all the commercialism of GDC and focus on some real games? You know, the one's that don't give a crap about licensing and "exploitiveness?"

We need more of that.

Game Releases This Week (Mar. 14 - 20)

2010-03-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Pokemon HeartGold Version (DS)
Pokemon SoulSilver Version (DS)

Monday
Triple Shot Sports (WiiWare)
Rage of the Gladiator (WiiWare)
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (WiiVC)
101 MiniGolf World (DSiWare)
Zoo Frenzy (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening (Multi)
Resonance of Fate (PS3/360)
Metro 2033 (PC/360)
God of War III (PS3)
Supreme Commander 2 (360)
Prison Break: The Conspiracy (360)
GTI Club: Supermini Festa! (Wii)
Sushi Go Round (Wii)
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii)
Family Gameshow (Wii)
Smart Series: Jaja's Adventure (Wii)
Infinite Space (DS)
Sonny With a Chance (DS)
Spectral Force Genesis (DS)
T.A.C. Heroes: Big Red One (DS)
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC)
Mount & Blade: Warband (DLC)
Aika Online (Online)

Wednesday
Perfect Dark (XBLA)
Hall of Fame: Ultimate Hoops Challenge (Wii)
Pet Forest (Online)

Oh Shoot

2010-03-11T23:35:00.000-08:00

When footage of The Shoot became available, I got that feeling that's akin to taking a big bite of pie and getting a mouthful aspartame. That's to say, I was greatly disappointed.

Lightgun games have been my favorite genre since Beast Busters, so I've watched it evolve through the decades since -- from the bulky, hinged plastic monstrosity, to the brightly-colored, fragile accessories, to these not-remotely-looking-like-a-gun controllers. Although I'm glad that lightgun games have not fallen into "past-gen" territory, these current games haven't ventured very far from the mold, and The Shoot has decided to stay firmly inside its cold, boring rails. For a controller as sophisticated as the Wave, I expected a lightgun game that was equally sophisticated. Instead, we get this peek-a-boo gameplay reminiscent of arcade games from over 20 years ago!

My biggest gripe against these current lightgun games is that they avoid the most basic design rule of lightgun games -- it's all about accuracy.

When the only skill required to succeed is a fast trigger finger, the game is no longer a lightgun game; it's a point-and-click. When the essential gameplay is to move a cursor around on the screen, the game is no longer a lightgun game; it's a point-and-click. When the benefit of one, well-placed bullet is the same as a scatter-shot approach, the game is no longer a lightgun game; it's a shmup.

A lightgun game is required to challenge the player's ability to shoot accurately. There's a reason why these games are designed with limited ammo, off-screen reloading, and hit areas; they're meant to throw off your shooting accuracy. What fun is a lightgun game when there's no reward for fast and accurate aiming? Not much, if you ask me.

While I've read that The Shoot implements a motion-detecting duck mechanic like in Police 911 -- which is a great feature -- there doesn't seem to be any challenging gameplay to support it. Add to that a complete lack of gun-like features on the Wave (i.e. sights), which prevents players from telling how accurate they (or the Wave itself) is, and you have a recipe for lightgun game disaster.

Considering that The Shoot will have several months to gestate, maybe Sony will be able to present something later that's a little more attractive and next-gen-y than what they currently have.

TIWILG: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)

2010-03-11T13:12:00.000-08:00

I better start stretching out my thumb, 'cause this game's guaranteed to tear it up on that awful PSP nub-stick! I can't wait!

Welcome To The Real-Unreal

2010-03-11T02:27:00.000-08:00

In an event that totally mirrors a Sharon Apple performance in Macross Plus, virtual idol Hatsune Miku performed live on-stage in Japan yesterday. Sure, it's a projection on a scrim, but it looks very cool!

Commenters remarked that Gorrilaz did a virtual live performance as well. Neat!

Movie Review: Triangle

2010-03-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

(I was thinking about posting the trailer for this movie, but it gave away some key moments from the film.)

Triangle was a movie that came out in 2006, apparently with very little fanfare. I could see why I would have overlooked this film, since the advertising pushed it as a slasher flick...but it's sooo much more than that!

The "triangle" in Triangle refers to the Bermuda Triangle, a motif that has faded into obscurity since the X-Files got canceled. For those unfamiliar with the mystery...ah, just check out the Wiki about it!

The story revolves around Jess and a fateful boat trip with a bunch of acquaintances. It starts out formula enough -- the cast of static characters, the cliched sailboat fly-bys -- then, literally, the wind is taken out of the sails. It was as if the story, on it's present course, could not sustain itself for the rest of the movie. That's when things get interesting.

Oh, I'd love to go into the details of this flick, but I'd be spoiling the mystery. I'll just say that it was a greatly satisfying story with some genuine twists that were unexpected...and welcome.

If you have Netflix, go see it -- it's streaming!

GDC Has Begun (and I'm not there!)

2010-03-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Ah, it feels like I have come full-circle. I started this blog a year ago with a series of rants about the GDC, and now it's back, seemingly less filled with mind-rotting hype this time around...but there's always time.

In order to cleanse your palate before the force-feeding begins, check out Gametrailer's Bonus Round about the current (greedy/crappy/heartless) state of the game industry. It's arguably the best episode I've seen on the site. Jason Rubin is the best!

Game Releases This Week (Mar 7 - 13)

2010-03-08T00:14:00.000-08:00

Monday
Max & the Magic Marker (WiiWare)

Tuesday
Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition (360/PS3)
Final Fantasy XIII (360/PS3)
Yakuza 3 (PS3)
The Daring Game for Girls (Wii/DS)
Calling (Wii)
Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space (Wii) - vid from XBLA
Racquet Sports (Wii)
Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games (Wii)
Dream Chronicles (DS)
Foto Showdown (DS)
Chocolatier (DS)
BlazBlue Portable (PSP)
Project Runway (PC) - vid from Wii
Assassin's Creed II (PC)

Wednesday
Scrap Metal (XBLA)

Thursday
Mega Man 10 (PSN)
BioShock 2: Sinclair Solutions Test Pack (Multi DLC)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II Gold Edition (PC)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising (PC)

Friday
Let's Play Garden (Wii)
Let's Play Ballerina (Wii/DS)
Order of War: Challenge (PC)

The Idea Grabber Strikes Again

2010-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Closely following Bobby Kotick's announcement of offering $500,000 for game ideas, online portal Nexon ups the ante with a one-meeellion dollar prize for game ideas. Could it be possible that indie development is finally getting its due with big game distributors, or is this some new form of exploitation?

It's rarely coincidence when big businesses make similar announcements, much like how big Summer movies mysteriously cover similar themes. I wonder if ceo's get together in a cabin in the woods and make gentleman's bets over these things.

Maybe I shouldn't give into the temptation of sharing ideas for money. It's one thing to see your idea become a reality, but it's another to see it "adapted" into the next big thing.

Update: The God of War lawsuit just got dismissed. Another win for big business...

The Hopeless Struggle For Control

2010-03-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

After some reading up on the Infinity Ward vs. Activision lawsuit, I can't help but get the feeling that Activision will come out the victor in the end. This has little to do with "what's right," as it does with "who's better." In this particular case, Infinity Ward is fighting against a tsunami of legal speak that only a billion-dollar company can afford to utter.

Drawing from the experience watching hours of The People's Court and Judge Judy, this lawsuit feels a lot like one of the many cases where the plaintiff sues a company for not delivering on an expectation of services. For instance, when a client sues a limousine company because of a filthy car and a rude driver. Unless it specifically stated in the contract that the car must be clean and the driver must be nice, the case would get dismissed. In the small chance that the service was unreasonably bad, the judge may grant an award, though not in the amount that the plaintiff wanted.

What I've gleaned from the paperwork of the lawsuit, Mr. West and Mr. Zampella signed a contract under the expectation that they would receive royalties and creative control. It wouldn't surprise me in the least that Activision's lawyers carefully worded the contract to give them the opportunity to pull the rug from under the two co-founders and effectively take everything from them on the grounds of "insubordination." Incredibly rude, yes, but in the blind eyes of the law, wholly acceptable conduct.

At best, Activision would settle, which would save the company money as well as a little face. At worst, if the DJ Hero vs. Scratch lawsuit was any indication, Activision will get exactly what they want.

Why Splinter Cell Can't Fail

2010-03-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

Unlike most games which feature the voices of famous people, the Splinter Cell series was actually improved because of their celebrity voiceover, via the soothing growl of one Michael Ironside. When the rumor swirled that he was not going to voice Sam Fisher in the upcoming Splinter Cell: Conviction, I got worried. Real worried.

Fortunately, the rumor didn't come to fruition, and our favorite mega co-star -- along with JT Walsh and James Cromwell -- returned to fill the shoes of Sam once more. So, how does he feel about voicing Sam for the fifth time?

"It's like getting into a car you like," he says in a rumble.

That's a good one. I'll make sure to use that line sometime...

A Sign of Online Consoles' Downfall (Updated)

2010-03-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

(I had previously written the issue stemming from a firmware update, but it was reported to be a hardware issue on the "fat" PS3s.)

Recently, PS3s were crashing worldwide due to a mysterious network error. Sony immediately scrambled to find the root of the error, which they report ed to be linked to the system's internal clock, and announced a fix would be broadcast within 24 hours. Supposedly, the discrepancy in the internal clock and PSN were blocking users from accessing the network and playing certain games.

Although consumers were glad that the error was being fixed, I had to wonder about the benefits of an online-dependent console. Why do this in the first place?

The argument was that the console would be infinitely scalable, with new features added as they're dreamed up. Like the CD, modem, and R.O.B. attachments to consoles in the old days, a base console could be expanded to take advantage of new technology (and floorspace). Online updates seemed like the logical progression in this upgrade-happy culture...and, as we see now, it came at a price.

While this PS3 issue may not be Earth-shattering, it clearly demonstrates a problem with consoles which heavily rely on online features. Should the consumer be required to participate in these online systems, and moreso, should the system fail, how will it affect them?

Will the consumer lose their hard-earned gamerscore or trophies? Will the consumer lose their access to (purchased) downloads? Will games become unplayable?

At the moment, PS3 owners were affected by all of these issues...and all because of a clock.

Maybe it's time to reconsider the benefits of an online-dependent console. Maybe the best way to handle an online-dependent console is to not have an online-dependent console.

Game Releases This Week (Feb 28 - Mar 6)

2010-02-28T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Halfbrick Rocket Racing (PSN)
Gunbird 2 Remix (PSN) - vid from Arcade version
Royal Envoy (Online)

Monday
Dante's Inferno (PSP)
Mega Man 10 (WiiWare)
VT Tennis (DSiWare)
Real Deal Slots: American Adventure (PC)
Real Deal Card Games 2011 (PC)
Rhem 4 (PC) - vid from Rhem 3

Tuesday
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Multi) - vid from PC version
Major League Baseball 2K10 (Multi)
MLB 10: The Show (PS3/PS2/PSP)
Lips: Party Classics (360)
Alice in Wonderland (Wii/DS/PC) - the DS version looks fantastic!
SpongeBob's Boating Bash (Wii/DS)
Racquet Sports (Wii/DS)
Project Runway (Wii)
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony (PSP)
Deca Sports DS (DS)
Sonic Classic Collection (DS)
Jigapix Pets (DS)
Quad Kings (DS)
Silent Hunter V: Battle of the Atlantic (PC)
N.E.O. Online (Online)
Supreme Commander 2 (PC)

Wednesday
Toy Soldiers (XBLA)
Clover: A Curious Tale (PC)

TIWILG: Rittai Kakushi e Attakoreda (DSi)

2010-02-27T02:29:00.000-08:00

If you can't tell from the title, this is a Japanese game, designed for the DSi. Arguably a billion-times better than augmented reality game Ghostwire, this DSiWare game (i.e. downloadable, and cheaper) pulls off an incredible 3D trick using the camera, reminiscent of Johnny Lee's work.

Just like Photo Fighter X, this title is Japan-only at the moment, so, once again, I can't be too excited about this game, since it may not make it stateside...which would make me sad...which would make me shake my angry fist.

Just...One...More...Alien...

2010-02-27T02:09:00.000-08:00

I may have brought this up before, but I am a huge Alien fan. The previous generation has their Wolfmen, Frankensteins, and Draculas, but we have the Alien, Zombies, and...Vampires (hmm...). Also, despite what the majority says, I think David Fincher's Alien 3 (uncut) was the best film in the franchise. Yeah, that's how hardcore an Alien fan I am!

So, color me excited when Hot Toys released their version of the 1979 Alien. Although I tend to put Hot Toys into the model-building category, the level of detail they put into their work is hard to ignore. While I already have the awesome Neca 18-incher, at $40, this figure is much more attractive to purchase than their previous wallet-busting Power Loader.

When my personal recession eases up, I think I'll have to add that Alien to my swarm.

Hummer Runs Out of Gas

2010-02-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

...and just like that, Hummer is no more.

I shall make one lap in the dirt in your honor. ~~Good riddance~~.

TIWILG: Infinite Space (DS)

2010-02-23T22:46:00.000-08:00

Sega, despite my personal animosity towards the company, I must admit, has a great eye for videogames. While I haven't indulged in the franchise of the Blue Hedgehog since Spinball on the Genesis, I've played almost every other game in its vicinity, with the most recent being Shiren the Wanderer (which I still play).

I've had Infinite Space on my list since it was announced -- A starship captain simulator with a customizable ship builder, epic storyline, and wi-fi multiplayer...on the DS?! Yes, please!

Game Releases This Week (Feb 21 - 27)

2010-02-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

Monday
Endless Ocean: Blue World (Wii)
Mouse House (WiiWare)
Flipper (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Multi)
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo-Kazooie (360)
Deadly Premonition (360)
Risen (360)
Heavy Rain (PS3)
Last Rebellion (PS3)
Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games (Wii)
Sled Shred (Wii)
Pony Friends 2 (Wii/DS)
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia (DS)
Super Speed Machines (DS)
Hello Kitty: Birthday Adventures (DS) - vid from HK:Happy Party
Lovely Lisa and Friends (DS)
Metal Slug XX (PSP)
Arsenal of Democracy (PC)
Napoleon: Total War (PC)
Legends of Norrath: Vengeful Gods (PC) - vid from LoN original
Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny (PC)

Wednesday
Greed Corp (XBLA)
Lazy Raiders (XBLA)

Thursday
Greed Corp (PSN)
Hyperballoid HD (PSN)
Age of Zombies (PSP/PSN)
Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 (PC)
Order of War: Challenge (PC) - vid from OoW original

Stealth Action, One Token At A Time

2010-02-21T00:04:00.000-08:00

I feel a little bad for Hideo Kojima whenever a new Metal Gear game hits the streets. I just know the guy's itching to hand over the reins to a new group, but every Metal Gear spin-off, for lack of a better phrase, just isn't the same thing.

With Metal Gear Solid 5 far beyond any kind of speculations, Konami attempts to squeeze the franchise's withered teat again, which now coagulates into Metal Gear Arcade.

The gameplay is blurry, since the game is presented in 3D, but you can get a good feel of how it plays, which seems to resemble MGO, but in a fancy cabinet, goofy peripherals and cumbersome controls.

It's yet another disappointing entry in the Metal Gear universe, but not nearly as sad as Silent Hill: The Arcade. That one was just plain stupid.

Kotaku's Quest To Improve Covers

2010-02-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

In this crazy consumer culture, packaging can easily make or break a product. Quality rarely matters, as long as it sits in a box that says "quality" stamped on the front. Millions are spent on researching consumer trends in the pursuit of the perfect stamp of quality, which results an approach which appears generally successful. As Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark put it: "That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it... and it's worked out pretty well so far."

The question then, is why, given that the goal is to please the consumer, are game covers are generally banal or repulsive? If the goal of a product is to stand out, why do so many games have packaging that appears to blend in?

Kotaku's Luke Plunkett decided to investigate the practice of game packaging design, and interviewed Charles Bae, a designer who's worked on packaging for several big publishers.

"The actual process of box art creation has remained relatively the same in the past 20 years: compile audience research, create concept sketches, go through focus groups and internal rounds of reviews from key stakeholders (usually too many cooks in the kitchen), and produce the final box art."

The design-by-committee approach has been the bane of designers for decades (centuries, even), and resulted in some spectacularly bad examples. In an attempt to avoid the bad, Marketing tends to use tried-and-true protagonist+logo combination.

"Immediacy in conveying the key character of a game is an important factor for marketers when deciding on what the box art is going to be", Bae says, "which is a core reason why we see the same thing over and over again."

This could explain Valve's decision to put a face on Gordon Freeman on the cover of Half Life, or attaching celebrities on sports games' covers. It seems that any deviation from this formula invites blame if sales are poor, so no one takes a stand. Sounds a lot like the Senate.

The rest of the article goes into "improving" cover design, which feels subjective to me, but interesting nonetheless.

There's certainly room for improvement in cover design, but the influence from "above" seems to be the root of this stagnation. Maybe the solution to bad cover design is not in the visual tools, but the people involved.

Of course, with the movement towards digital distribution, discussing package design trends may become a moot point very soon.

The Price of Ideas Has Got Hotter

2010-02-19T01:42:00.000-08:00

If you've been sitting on an aging pile of game design documents, dismissing claims that ideas are worthless, you're in luck. Activision's Bobby Kotick has officially dangled $500,000 -- although the official announcement says $100,000 -- for your game idea. You can decide for yourself whether this is a legitimate helping hand to indie game development or a clever ploy to steal ideas, but the image of raining money is difficult to ignore.

However, hesitation sets in as the details of this contest are apparently in very early stages of development. The official announcement resembles a hastily-written Word document with many details left out and missing the typical marketing polish you would expect from a top publisher. Perhaps this is the result of a sudden executive decision, which isn't new in this industry.

Here's what they are asking for at the moment, which seems deceptively easy for such a big prize:

A two-page summary, with bullet points
A 5 minute video presentation
A filled-out entry form (coming soon)
An NDA (coming soon)

The great-big cynic in me sees this contest similar to those sweepstake drawings you'll find in the mall or those people on the street with the clipboards, where they're only out to get your mailing information.

In this case, awarding money and fame serves a secondary purpose; the primary purpose being a game idea hoard. The NDA requirement seems to feed my paranoia. Signing away something I've worked on for years for the promise of a big prize makes me wary.

Of course, since the details are sparse, I may be worried over nothing. I mean, there's real money from a financially stable source, so there's a level of legitimacy that goes beyond the usual "let us develop your idea" programs I see on TV. While this may not convince me to sign away my magnum opus, I don't see a problem with giving away, perhaps, a demi opus.

It's not like I'm selling my soul; It's more like a pound of flesh...and I could stand to lose a pound.

Building Characters The Sato Way

2010-02-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

If you were like me when I played Silent Hill 2, seeing James Sunderland rub his face while looking at his reflection in a filthy restroom mirror made you realize that games had reached a new level of quality, and effectively shut the door on Dreamcast. Sure, it was a pre-rendered sequence that many games have done before, but you knew there was something special about this game -- a subtlety of character and movement that captured the essence of Silent Hill.

Silent Hill 1&2's character designer, Takayoshi Sato, recently wrote up a feature on Gamasutra which delved into the minutiae of character design which became both his success and his signature. For most designers, I assume it may be common sense knowledge. However, judging by the archetypes of current videogames, I can also assume that those rules are not being followed. It's a fascinating read...and there's pictures too!

Can you recognize the difference between a focused and unfocused eye? You will now.

Attack of The Toy Nazis

2010-02-15T23:22:00.000-08:00

Upon hearing that my anticipated Bioshock toys were now available, I had to go check them out...and I am sad.

The secondary market, like a big daddy's drill attack, aims to violently gouge me in the wallet until my bank account is dead, dead, dead. $60 for Mr. Bubbles? No way, you creeps!

As much as I like Neca's awesome Bioshock toys, there's no way I'd fork over that kind of money for that figure. Not at this point, anyway. Maybe once WonderCon rolls around in April, the price will return around the original price of $20, then I'll add it to my collection.

Besides, I have my ugly Bioshock figurine to keep me happy for the time being. That reminds me, I still have to get that Little Sister figurine...before that falls into the clutches of those damn toy nazis too.

Game Releases This Week (Feb. 14 - 20)

2010-02-15T01:10:00.000-08:00

Monday
Art of Balance (WiiWare)

Tuesday
Aliens vs. Predator (Multi)
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce (PS3/360)
Tropico 3 (360)
Chicken Riot (Wii)
Triple Crown Snowboarding (Wii)
Everquest II: Sentinel's Fate (PC)
Everquest II: Battlegrounds (PC)
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (DS)
Ragnarok DS (DS)
KORG DS-10 PLUS (DS)
Crime Scene (DS)
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 (PSP)

Wednesday
Data East Arcade Classics (Wii)
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (XBLA)

Friday
Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island (PC)

Wanna Fabulous Wii?

2010-02-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I'm torn whether to think marketing understands the gamer or not. If this Namdai limited-edition Muscle March Wii is an indication, I'll take back what I've said earlier about Namdai's marketing and say that they get it (although a little late at this point).

Destructoid is having a contest to win one of these fabulous consoles, but it comes at a price. To win, you'll have to photograph yourself, in public, performing a muscle pose. Sounds simple enough, sure, but I know the winner will be donning ("donging") a thong, so that rules me out. No bearing the "lobe" for me, thank you very much.

It's unusual to see such marketing for a $5 WiiWare game, but it's good to see that some people at Namdai are really putting in the effort. Good job!

...now where's those plastic dumbell attachments for the controllers...or Vera De Milo DLC?

Update: Destructoid picked a winner. Man, I feel bad for the folks who showed their junk to the world and got nothing but cold junk. I warned them, didn't I?

It's Called "Kah-Rah-Teh"

2010-02-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

I'm going to forgo my usual rant format and present this piece in script form:

DEVELOPER
We have an idea for the Wii that we'd like to develop; Karate Sensei. It's not so much a game at it is a virtual Karate instructor.

THQ
Ooh, I like that idea...but what's a "sensei?" That sounds weird. Change it to "All Star Keraty." Yeah, that sounds better. It's like, "the best" Keraty.
*chops the air with his hand*
Hai-yah!

DEV
Um...are you interested?

THQ
Yeah yeah. Show me what you got.

Dev demonstrates the game. The game directs the player to emulate hand positions and motions, then ends with a sparring session which utilizes the newly taught move.

THQ
That's great, but where's the ninjas?

DEV
Ninjas?

THQ
Yeah, ninjas, swords, the old Oriental guy...

DEV
"Orienta..."

THQ
You can't call this stuff Keraty if it doesn't have that stuff in it. That's what the kids want, am I right?
*pantomimes swinging a sword*

DEV
Um...will we get funding?

THQ
It's all about money with you guys, ain't it? You got 6 months. It better have those things I told you, or we'll be looking elsewhere. Oh... Stinky socks! You gotta have something about stinky socks because they train so much and get all sweaty.

DEV
You don't wear socks in...

THQ
That's funny! Stinky socks. You do that.

DEV
Yes, sir.
*exits room*

THQ
Stinky socks. Genius.

Game Releases This Week (February 7 - 13)

2010-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Tuesday
BioShock 2 (Multi)
Dante's Inferno (PS3/360)
Star Ocean The Last Hope: International (PS3)
World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars (360)
Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)
Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii)
Rock Blast (Wii)
Best Friends Tonight (DS)
Scene It? Twilight (DS)
The Daring Game for Girls (DS)
World Cup Of Pool (DS)
Sniper-X (iPhone) -- NSFW some swearing and shootin'
Samurai Rising (iPhone)
Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity (PC)

Wednesday
Darwinia+ (XBLA)
Bookworm Adventures (DS) - vid from PC version
Stargate Resistance (PC)

Thursday
Galcon Fusion (PC/Mac)

Friday
Zorro: Quest for Justice (DS)

Saturday
Square Logic (PC)

iAn iUnstoppable iForce

2010-02-03T00:30:00.000-08:00

Now that the wave of opinions about the iPad has subsided, I'll make my little splashes before I go.

It seems the consensus regarding the iPad is that developers -- unless you're PopCap -- are approaching it with "cautious optimism." "A big iPod Touch," they say. "A fascist tablet," they say (okay, they don't really say that, but that's what I've interpreted from some articles). Come on, people! Haven't we learned enough from the iPhone?

The truth is, it doesn't matter what they say about the iPad. People will develop for it. Why? Because anyone can develop for it, that's why. When the only barrier to entry for the App Store is, "Do you have a Mac and $100," any person willing to tinker with app development is going to make an app for it, which means tons of jun...software to sift through once the iPad launches. Judging by the way Apple has handled things thus far, there's no way iPad is going to suffer from too few apps.

I really don't understand all the naysaying from the game industry. The iPad is not a platform for the on-the-go hardcorer; It's an entertainment device for the take-it-easy casualies. I don't think iPad is the best platform for racing games and FPS, but it's definitely perfect for adventures and puzzles. Perhaps many developers are so stuck in a Mountain Dew haze that they can't see a gaming platform without some kind of shaky-cam or space marine in it. Then again, it would have been a tough sell if Mr. Jobs showcased Sudoku and Full Throttle (well...).

So, development community, if you want to be cautious about supporting the iPad, then go ahead. I'm certain your reluctance will be met with an overwhelming plethora of people who think differently.

Bye Buy!

2010-02-02T01:04:00.000-08:00

Remember those game buy-back kiosks at Walmarts and Best Buys around the country? Well, that's the only way you're going to see them, because they're just a memory now. Following reports of "underwhelming" performance, the kiosk-maker E-play has shut down the program (and maybe their doors as well). What. A. Shock.

While I hate to see another business fail in this economy, this one...not so much. It's like feeling bad for a telemarketer when they stop calling.

Just As I Thought

2010-02-02T00:06:00.000-08:00

Sony's PSN show The Tester has launched a trailer for the show, and -- surprise surprise -- it's so damn formulaic that you'll forget what the prize was. Allow me to remind you: They win a tester job at Sony. Yes, all that drama, all that bravado, all those...physical challenges...for a slightly-above-minimum-wage job in San Diego.

Uh...huh...I do believe that is the sound of a new low. Good work, Sony!

I shall end this piece with a line from Joystiq, then we shall never speak of this again:

Should "The Tester" successfully sidestep traditional employee recruitment and take off, don't be surprised if Sony announces "Who Wants to be Our Janitor?" next season.

Yet Another Reason To Love Flash

2010-01-27T01:40:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that my Flash CS4 knowledge may become obsolete in a couple months by the arrival of CS5, I can't help but be excited. Why? Because Flash CS5 comes with the ability to make iPhone apps!

I was so disappointed when Apple snubbed us PC people last year with no announcement of a PC iPhone SDK. So much so, that I was seriously entertaining the thought of going to the school lab to start some development.

Hooray for Adobe! Not only do I not have to buy a Mac now, I know a little bit of Flash!

Come October, it's Appin' Time! (Oh, that sounded horrible!)

Saving PlayStation 2

2010-01-26T02:11:00.000-08:00

Having worked at Sony since the PS2's birth in 2000 until its bigger sibling arrived in 2006, you could say my relationship with the system was "intimate." (Keep it clean, people!)

So, upon hearing the PS2 will "cease being relevant," I was compelled to don my cape and gloves and rush to the aid of my poor, defenseless console. Irrelevant? Hah! There's still a bit of kick left in that old girl, let me tell you.

Oh...You Want Me To Actually Tell You?
The PS2 is in a unique position; It's had a tremendous amount of software support internationally, and it's still available in stores. I'd like to emphasize the "internationally" part, since that is essential to my argument. The "still available" part is also very important, since it means you don't have to purchase anything "virtual" or travel back in time, but I digress.

The number of PS2 titles in the US is staggering, but that is not the complete library. Things like localization, market research, and -- let's face it -- quality have kept many games in their respective territory, never to see the light of day in a foreigner's hands.

Let's change that, shall we? Since the console's "on its way out," isn't it about time to show us what we missed?

So, What Are We Waiting For?
While there's many reasons why a particular game didn't make the journey overseas, its restriction should never be permanent. Although the timing may have been off, the sales projections were low, or -- my personal peeve -- "too foreign," there should be no more excuses at this point. There's so little to lose and so much to gain!

The fact that these games were released should be reason enough to release them in another territory -- The code is complete, the packaging is ready, and better still, it's passed certification in one territory (or more). The game may require a couple technical tweaks and some added captions, but, by all accounts, it's a complete game. Why deprive the rest of the world from playing it?

How could experiencing a game from another country possibly be a bad thing? A game is much more than a product; it is an expression of a culture. Although a game may require a certain frame of reference to use, it is an opportunity to learn something new about another culture, and how they play games. I think we're all smart enough to be open minded about these things, right?

Where's The Money?
Of course, the first question that comes to mind is, who's going to pay for this? While the cost of releasing a game in another territory is considerably less than developing one from scratch, it's not cheap. However, if you look at some of the smaller publishers like Natsume, Agetec, and Mastiff, you can see how quality controls and limited quantities can support these kinds of projects.

The main support in saving the PS2 from irrelevance should come from Sony, though. If Sony is concerned about developers leaving PS2 game development, maybe it would be a good time to devote some resources to work on some games that have already been made.

Off the top of my head, I can think of several titles: Siren 2, Initial D, Ultraman Fighting Evolution, Ka 2 (since I only had access to Japanese titles, these are the ones that stood out). Just take a look at the Wikipedia listing, and marvel at the games you may not have played, let alone seen!

The PlayStation 2 is on its last legs, but it is far from irrelevant. It would be a shame to let some games go, especially when people still have the ability to enjoy them in the format they were designed for.

Pach-Man Reborn

2010-01-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

Where would this industry be without Wedbush Morgan Securities?

Oops...I mean, Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter?

~~Probably in the same place we're in now~~ In a boring, non-financially-motivated state, I should say! Yes, the game industry took one step towards legitimacy in the mainstream when this lone, family man took the stage and showed us all that games are not only fun to play, but fun to invest in as well. Not only that, but that a non-gamer could contain all the knowledge and persuasion-powers of the hardest of the hardcore.

Now he has his own webshow; Pach Attack (awful title/logo). I guess it's just the logical step for our favorite industry analyst, isn't it; to go from regular guest to regular host?

Better watch out, Pach! I see NPD's Anita Frazier on the horizon, and has she got some stats for you!

Game Releases This Week (Jan 24 - 30)

2010-01-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

Monday
bittos+ (WiiWare)
"Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game (WiiWare)
Number Battle (DS)

Tuesday
Mass Effect 2 (PC/360)
Blood Bowl (PC/360)
MAG (PS3)
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans (Multi)
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii)
Fast Food Panic (Wii)
Imagine: Party Planner (DS)
Shadow of Destiny (PSP)
Hotel Giant 2 (PC)

Thursday
Legend of Vraz (PC)

Friday
Monsteca Corral (WiiWare)

Game Releases This Week (Jan 17 - 23)

2010-01-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

Monday
Glory of Heracles (DS)
Dark Void Zero (DSiWare)
Muscle March(WiiWare)
Bejeweled Twist (DS) - video from PC version
Starship Defense (DSiWare)
Me and My Dogs: Friends Forever (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Dark Void (Multi)
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PSP/PS2) - video from Wii
Shepherd's Crossing 2 (DS) - video from SC1

Wednesday
Death By Cube (XBLA)
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment (XBLA)

Something's Afoot with Apple

2010-01-19T00:30:00.000-08:00

If one of the biggest gaming blogs, Kotaku, receives an invitation from Apple for a special event, you might just want to grab onto something for stability, just in case.

While Kotaku assumes this is just a tablet PC reveal, I thinking it might be something bigger, like Apple's rumored foray into the world of videogames. I would have expected Apple to invite, say, Gizmodo or Wired to the event, but Kotaku? Kotaku does games...mostly.

Oh, I'll be watching on January 27, eyes peeled!

I never understood that idiom.

Augmented Reality Is What?!

2010-01-17T01:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been so utterly amazed at something that you had to tell someone about it, only to be told that it's old news?

I'm having one of those times...again.

If you were like me, the tech demo for Eye of Judgement in 2006 was mind-blowing. I thought that the new PS3 EyeToy must have had some incredible technology to pull off that kind of card-reading, virtual action figure stuff.

Fast forward to 2009, and Avatar's touted Augmented Reality toys still managed to impress me. It wasn't using an EyeToy, but a webcam! I thought about the years of research and funding it took to develop this cool technology.

Come to find out that the technology behind Augmented Reality is not only free, but that it's been around since 1999. That's a year before the launch of the PlayStation 2!

Called ARToolKit, it's a software library that's works on any platform, uses any input hardware, and, yes, can be used by anyone. Sure, you might have to know a little C programming to use it, but, if you do a video search for "artoolkit," you'll find that lots of people have been tinkering with Augmented Reality for quite a while.

...and that's news to me.

Welcome To The Game Industry!

2010-01-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

Pants or No Pants - Sprint Commercial - The best bloopers are here

Like "EA spouse" before it, *big inhale* "Determined Devoted Wives of Rockstar San Diego Employees" claims of unfair work practices has gained traction in the past couple days, with many "Rockstar employees" chiming in with loud, anonymous support, the IDGA sweeping in, and recently culminating in an "internal memo" from Rockstar itself, disputing the "claim." I'm using lots of quotes here, folks, because I have yet to see a solid name attached to these reports.

I'm not discrediting DDWRSDE claims, just to be clear. I've seen/experienced my share of this kind of corporate behavior for a while now, so I don't think that it's completely baseless. The part that concerns me is the direction this complaint will take the industry, which is nowhere.

Granted, the work of EA spouse resulted in lawsuits and (eventually) payouts from EA, but for the industry as a whole, this achieved nothing; Crunchtime remained part of a "corporate culture," lousy decisions still rained from above, and quality of life continued to be a rare and elusive beast. Add to that some personal experience in the industry, both good and bad, and I'm left with the impression that some greater force is at play...and it may never change.

The funny thing is, if you told the "spouse story" to any working person, I'm guessing they'll just roll their eyes. Unfair work practices have been around since the invention of the employee.
Now, companies have so many dangling carrots at their disposal -- health benefits, retirement benefits, "career opportunities" -- that it sounds almost stupid to quit because of 60-hour work-weeks and canceled vacations.

The main problem is that situations like these are undesirable, not illegal. Terms like "exempt" and "at-will" will get thrown in, and the conversations end, usually. Unless the government puts aside their interest in banks and cars for a second to step in the ring, I don't see the cries of a game development crew going anywhere beyond the enthusiast press.

...but here's a new, shiny game for you folks! Hoo hoo ha ha!

TIWILG: Little Wheel

2010-01-14T23:44:00.001-08:00

This may be the reason I don't go out to purchase games as often as I used to...

Thanks to the internets, this Flash-thingy, and some really talented people, I can now occupy my time with small, high-quality titles like Little Wheel...and they're free!

While the puzzles are simple -- coming from a long-time adventure game junkie -- and has a click-and-watch interface that mirrors Amita Design 's work, it has a level of quality and charm that you don't see very often in free games. It's also been a while since a game made me smile, so Little Wheel is a welcome diversion from the daily gloom.

Real Myst. Real Cool.

2010-01-13T11:44:00.000-08:00

Possibly the best title from the Myst series, realMyst continues Cyan World's list of re-releases on Good Old Games.

At the time, realMyst required some serious hardware to run properly. Add to that a general decline in interest for PC gaming, and you had a recipe for shelf-warming. As for me, the appeal of touring Myst in any direction became and instant draw. Taking screenshots of gameplay have never been more entertaining.

So, no more excuses, people.

We have the tools, we have the talent, and at $6, it's well worth taking a trip down the fissure one more time!

2010: The Year of The Auteur

2010-01-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

If I were to name all of the influential games in my gaming life, Prince of Persia and Out of This World (aka Another World) would be on that list. Well, it just so happened that Gamasutra uncovered a recent interview with Jordan Mechner and Eric Chahi! Two, two, two industry legends in one!

The topic of the interview was the role of the auteur in today's game industry. Does the world of sales forecasts and demographics have any room for the single person with a grand idea? These two game designers certainly think so.

JM: I think it's absolutely still possible today for one person to create a game that will have a major impact on the field. The level of technology and tools available, and the instant worldwide distribution network afforded by the internet, are absolutely incredible compared to what we had to work with in the 1980s. That doesn't make it any easier to do, but it wasn't easy then either.

EC: Absolutely. I fully agree with you, Jordan. You can create beautiful works while keeping it modest; you don't have to go down the path of multi-million dollars blockbusters.

Then what's taken them so long to make a game for the past decade?!

For Mr. Mechner, he wanted to pursue his interest in writing. As for Mr. Chahi, it was partially the industry's fault:

EC:It is true that by the end of the '90s, the direction the industry was moving in was such that creating a new game was the last thing on my mind. Our field was going through a period of mutation and restructuring as marketing was establishing its iron grasp. In the end, it didn't prevent me from getting back on board. I just needed to take a step back from it all for a while.

"Marketing...establishing its iron grasp;" an interesting choice of words.

...but everything's better now; Mr. Mechner has some Prince of Persia projects buff...lined up, and Mr. Chahi unannounced an upcoming game. As for the next generation of "auteur" game designers, Fumito Ueda, Keita Takahashi, Jonathan Blow, and Jenova Chen get the fist-bump from Mr. Chahi.

Good luck, future superstar game designers. Let's hope the "iron grasp" doesn't trap you in its clutches.

I guess we can leave out Takahashi-san for now.

Game Releases This Week (Jan 10 - 16)

2010-01-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

Monday
Chronos Twins DX (WiiWare)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (WiiWare)
ShadowPlay (WiiWare)
Mary Kay Andrews: The Fixer Upper (PC/Mac) -- click Watch Video
Star Wars The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition (Mac)

Tuesday
Army of Two: The 40th Day (Multi) HD/SD
Vancouver 2010 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Winter Games (360/PS3)
Crazy Chicken Tales (Wii)
Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)
Walk It Out (Wii)
Sands of Destruction (DS)
Windy X Windam (DS)
Daniel X: The Ultimate Power (DS)
The Sims 2 Fun With Pets Collection (PC) -- clip from Sims 2: Pets

Wednesday
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter (XBLM)

Friday
Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis (PC)

2010: The Year We Meet RoboGeisha

2010-01-10T04:10:00.000-08:00

Happy new year, everybody!

After spending a little time enjoying Malasadas and blowing stuff up, it's time to get back into the saddle and ride this blog full-sprint towards its first anniversary in March. So, where should I start?

Ah, yes. RoboGeisha. Although it was already released in the states last year, for some strange reason, I wasn't in Austin last September to see it...as were most of us.

Since it's the same people that put together the somewhat disappointing Machine Girl, this feels like it will be a "shame on me" kind of movie, but I have to hand it to the marketing people at T.O Entertainment for suckering me in with some awesome trailers (which are NSFW!). They had me at "RoboGeisha," but they ratcheted up the Oh-Naw-They-Di-Int with Geisha Transform and Shiro Robot!

Hooray for Funimation, who have announced that they picked up rights to distribute Robogeisha in 2010. Now I don't need to invest in a time machine to see an English version of the film.

Thank goodness, because time machines don't work!

Game Releases This Week (Dec 27 - Jan 2)

2009-12-28T01:29:00.000-08:00

Sunday
World Party Games (WiiWare)
Wildhollow (Mac/PC)
Learn Geography (DS)

Monday
The Magic Obelisk (WiiWare)
Four Player Tangerine Fight (XBLCG)

Tuesday
Learn Chess (DS)
Borderlands: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot (360DLC)

Wednesday
CatTaTa (iPhone)

Hello Christmas! Bye Christmas!

2009-12-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas is in the bag...Good work, people!

Now, get ready for 2010!

Game Releases This Week (Dec 20 - 26)

2009-12-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

Explain to me how having a Final Fantasy game released after Christmas makes any sense...

Sunday
Skies of Glory (iPhone)
Retro Shoot (iPhone)

Monday
Pallurikio (WiiWare)
myNotebook: Green (DSiWare)

Tuesday
Guitar Hero: Van Halen (Multi)

Wednesday
0 Day Attack on Earth (XBLA)

Thursday
Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign (PSPdl)
Advent Annihilation: Westbang Xmas Special! (iPhone)

Friday (Happy Holidays!)
AiRace (DSiWare)
RC Plane (iPhone)

Saturday
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)