To contact us Click HERE
We're live with Sony in a few minutes here! I'm going to do my best, as I'll have a cantankerous child to put to bed during the conference, so there may be some misses and lag. Hopefully he's an angel... Anyhow, again, check the live video at IGN or at the PlayStation Blog.
8:00pm - Conference should have started... hopefully hackers haven't hacked Sony's clock...
8:07pm - And we're finally live! Christina Lee of Pulse fame, and Jeff Rubenstein of the Playstation Blog are kicking off the pre-show.
8:13pm - And Rey Gutierrez is unceremoniously cut to get to the real show...
8:15pm - ...which still has yet to start.
8:16pm - And now we're live...
8:18pm - Sizzle reel still playing... saw some unrecognized God of War footage in there along with many of the new games we're expecting. New God of War?
8:19pm - Of course, some Mortal Kombat in there too, so maybe not so much.
8:20pm - Jack Tretton is taking the stage!
8:21pm - Immediately addressing PSN outage.
8:31pm - Back from taking care of the kid, and it looks like we've got Uncharted 3!
8:34pm - We're in a ship that is slowly sinking, and we've got some great level morphing on the fly.
8:36pm - Great trailer, and releasing 11-1-11, in 3D as well as 2D.
8:37pm - Resistance 3 takes the stage.
8:43pm - God of War Origins (remastered PSP games) and Ico/Shadow of the Colossus collection are announced as being released in 3D.
8:45pm - Announcing the PS3 ability to use the 3D to display different screens to different players. Releasing bundle with a set of glasses, HDMI cable, Resistance 3, and HD screen for $499.
8:47pm - NBA 2K12 up next.
8:48pm - NBA "on the Move" announced, allows you to use the Move controller for a kind of weird casual experience. Calls Kobe Bryant to the stage to demo?!?
8:50pm - Kobe talking a LOT of junk for a guy that got unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs :-)
8:52pm - New title introduced from the developers that made Sports Champions. "Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest" is being demoed in 3D.
8:55pm - You can clearly see the sword/shield, throwing stars, and bow and arrow mechanics were pretty much lifted wholesale from the Gladiator, Disc Golf, and Archery events of Sports Champions.
8:56pm - As usual, it appears that this 100% motion game is on rails.
8:58pm - Now it's time for Infamous 2, releasing tomorrow.
9:00pm - Announcing the ability to create User Generated Content with Move on Infamous 2 in the Fall. In addition, LittleBigPlanet 2 will be getting Move support as well.
9:01pm - Starhawk trailer now hits the screen.
9:04pm - Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time trailer now on screen.
9:06pm - Eve Online CEO on stage...
9:07pm - "Dust 514" will be an online persistent shooter that interfaces with the Eve Online PC MMO. This can be played on PS3 or NGP!
9:09pm - Trailer completes, which was pretty cool, and a closed beta will start late this year with release early next year.
9:10pm - Enter Bioshock Infinite!
9:11pm - About a minute of gameplay is shown, and Ken Levine takes the stage.
9:12pm - Levine is talking about him making a comment about Move not being the greatest thing in the world and being contacted by Sony.
9:13pm - Bioshock Infinite will support the Move..
9:14pm - Levine pulls an NGP from his pocket and mentions that Irrational has a Bioshock project brewing for it.
9:15pm - Infinite will come with the original Bioshock on the disc.
9:18pm - EA has three exclusive offers. SSX Mt. Fuji map will only be on PS3. Need For Speed: The Run will contain seven additional supercars only on PS3. Lastly, Battlefield 3. The PS3 version will include Battlefield 1943 on the disc. (I can hear Greg Miller now... Old game is old!)
9:20pm - Kazuo Hirai is now on stage... NGP time I bet!
9:21pm - "They learned a lot during the recent PSN outage."
9:22pm - Talking about PlayStation Suite first, recapping info already released, and not giving any more either.
9:24pm - Official name of the NGP is Playstation Vita (vee-ta).
9:26pm - The PS Vita will have Wi-Fi only and 3G models. The 3G model is locked to the AT&T network. The groan from the audience was noticeable.
9:29pm - Live demo of Uncharted: Golden Abyss now on display.
9:32pm - Uncharted is showing that you can use multiple ways of controller input to accomplish the same thing. Don't like the fancy new touch controls? Fine, keep using the traditional stick controls. Looks like they're wise to the fact that not everyone will want to use the touch option.
9:34pm - Looks very smooth... controls incredibly well, and is everything you'd look for in an Uncharted game.
9:35pm - Now on to "Ruin", which appears to be a third person hack and slash RPG for the PS Vita.
9:37pm - Ruin will also have a PS3 SKU, and the save from either will be sent to the cloud and can be picked up on the other platform where you left off.
9:40pm - ModNation Racers introduced for PS Vita. Built specifically for the Vita, it is not compatible with either the existing PS3 or PSP versions.
9:43pm - Vita users will have access to all of the user content created for the PS3 version of ModNation Racers from day 1 of release.
9:45pm - LittleBigPlanet announced for PS Vita.
9:48pm - Street Fighter x Tekken announced for PS Vita, trailer follows.
9:50pm - Cole from Infamous will be joining the roster!
9:52pm - Sizzle reel for the many PS Vita games currently in development.
9:56pm - Vita will be released in time for this year's holiday season. The Wifi model will be $249, and the 3G model will be $299. GREAT pricing!
9:58pm - Jack Tretton returns to the stage. Kaz mocked Jack's tie when he came out, Jack now cracks back about the Ridge Racer line from years back!
10:00pm - End of conference.
13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi
NGP Officially Named the PlayStation Vita, Priced at $249 and Coming This Holiday Season
To contact us Click HERE
Contrary to the last price announcement Sony made where everyone asked "Are you serious?!?", this one was with positive disbelief rather than the negative variety. In what's easily been the announcement of E3 to this point, Kaz Hirai dropped a nuke on Nintendo and revealed that the PlayStation Vita would be released this holiday season at an entry price point of $249 for the Wi-Fi only model. The PSV (as I'll be calling it) will come equipped with 3G on arguably the nation's most terrible network, AT&T, for 50 more clams. Despite the AT&T announcement which was openly groaned at by those in attendance, this was an absolute dagger to the 3DS. Same price point, but with a much larger feature set to allow developers a myriad of opportunities. Get your dollars ready... you'll need a pre-order for any prayer of securing one of these come this Christmas!
Contrary to the last price announcement Sony made where everyone asked "Are you serious?!?", this one was with positive disbelief rather than the negative variety. In what's easily been the announcement of E3 to this point, Kaz Hirai dropped a nuke on Nintendo and revealed that the PlayStation Vita would be released this holiday season at an entry price point of $249 for the Wi-Fi only model. The PSV (as I'll be calling it) will come equipped with 3G on arguably the nation's most terrible network, AT&T, for 50 more clams. Despite the AT&T announcement which was openly groaned at by those in attendance, this was an absolute dagger to the 3DS. Same price point, but with a much larger feature set to allow developers a myriad of opportunities. Get your dollars ready... you'll need a pre-order for any prayer of securing one of these come this Christmas!
Games Journalism Isn't Objective
To contact us Click HERE
So I've come out from hiding (and basically insanely busy work and personal life schedules) to comment on this:
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
"The trick, to crib a line from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical Rent, is finding a critic with baggage that goes with yours."
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Early Play - What's the Big Deal?
To contact us Click HERE
It appears that a few retailers have jumped the gun and began selling Modern Warfare 3 just a *tad* early. Those that have been able to take advantage of this, of course, started playing. Yesterday, Xbox Live Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse tweeted the following:
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Veteran Gamer's Top 5 Games of the Year
To contact us Click HERE
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Xbox 360)
It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned
(Xbox 360)
God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Xbox 360)It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned
(Xbox 360)God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
12 Ekim 2012 Cuma
Mansion tax kiboshed?
To contact us Click HERE
A snippet from David Cameron on BBC Breakfast this morning:
Well those don't count of course, because a) MPs can claim back their council tax and b) how many of Cameron's mates keep their savings abroad and out of the government's reach?
"I think the Mansion tax is a bad idea because people who work hard, who save, who put money into their home, they shouldn't have the government coming after them every year in respect of that."So what about that yearly mandatory government collection based on the price of your home known as council tax? What about the money the government takes out of saving accounts in respect of tax?
Well those don't count of course, because a) MPs can claim back their council tax and b) how many of Cameron's mates keep their savings abroad and out of the government's reach?
Political news shuffle
To contact us Click HERE
On Monday BBC's Breakfast interviewed the Chancellor George Osbourne live from Birmingham, when they switched to the weather I switched channels and after a moment watched ITV's Daybreak interviewing the Chancellor George Osbourne live from Birmingham.
On Tuesday BBC's Breakfast interviewed the Prime Minister David Cameron live from Birmingham, when they switched to the weather I switched channels and after a moment watched ITV's Daybreak interviewing the Prime Minister David Cameron live from Birmingham.
This morning BBC's Breakfast interviewed the Foreign Secretary William Hague live from Birmingham, when they switched to the weather I switched channels and after a moment watched ITV's Daybreak interviewing Charlotte Church live from Birmingham.
Poor William.
On Tuesday BBC's Breakfast interviewed the Prime Minister David Cameron live from Birmingham, when they switched to the weather I switched channels and after a moment watched ITV's Daybreak interviewing the Prime Minister David Cameron live from Birmingham.
This morning BBC's Breakfast interviewed the Foreign Secretary William Hague live from Birmingham, when they switched to the weather I switched channels and after a moment watched ITV's Daybreak interviewing Charlotte Church live from Birmingham.
Poor William.
Local Police politicking
To contact us Click HERE
Oh dear with the run up to the elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner and the shunting of Party members into the candidacy this type of puff-piece was inevitable
Strip it down and it states:
Awesome, thanks for that. Next up - Conservative candidate states that, if elected, he will try to do good things and not bad things.
Strip it down and it states:
Conservative candidate for Commissioner says burglaries are a bad thing and that the police trying to reduce the number of burglaries is a good thing.
Awesome, thanks for that. Next up - Conservative candidate states that, if elected, he will try to do good things and not bad things.
Unforeseen consequences of the new Minimum Wage
To contact us Click HERE
I mentioned how the new minimum wage was devised by people who obviously didn't understand how it would be used, but what other effects does it have?
The previous wage per hour was set at £6.08. Assume a person is on a salaried income working 9-5 with a half hour lunch break. That's 37.5 hours per week and exactly £228 per week in wages. Assuming a standard 810L tax code that breaks down as follows:
£228 Gross Salary
£9.84 NI
£14.40 PAYE.
Except the employer also has to pay NI and that comes to £11.60. The government gets £35.84, the employee gets £203.76 and the employer has to pay out £239.60 total.
With the increase to £6.19 an hour at 37.5 hours the employee gets £232.125 (because it's stupid). To keep it simple let's round that to £233 (can't round down or it's below the limit).
£233 Gross Salary
£10.44 NI
£15.40 PAYE.
Again the employer pays NI this time it's £12.29. The government gets £38.13, the employee gets £207.16 and the employer has to pay out £245.29 total.
So the government gains £2.29 a week or £119.08 a year, the employee gains £3.40 a week or £176.80 a year and the employer loses £5.69 a week or £295.88 a year.
Given that in 2007 the number of workers on minimum wage was 1.7m and assuming they all work a 37.5 week that's an extra £202,436,000 a year going straight to the government and an extra £502,996,000 a year out of businesses.
I'm not saying the minimum wage shouldn't increase only that it should be done in line with tax threshold changes too.
The previous wage per hour was set at £6.08. Assume a person is on a salaried income working 9-5 with a half hour lunch break. That's 37.5 hours per week and exactly £228 per week in wages. Assuming a standard 810L tax code that breaks down as follows:
£228 Gross Salary
£9.84 NI
£14.40 PAYE.
Except the employer also has to pay NI and that comes to £11.60. The government gets £35.84, the employee gets £203.76 and the employer has to pay out £239.60 total.
With the increase to £6.19 an hour at 37.5 hours the employee gets £232.125 (because it's stupid). To keep it simple let's round that to £233 (can't round down or it's below the limit).
£233 Gross Salary
£10.44 NI
£15.40 PAYE.
Again the employer pays NI this time it's £12.29. The government gets £38.13, the employee gets £207.16 and the employer has to pay out £245.29 total.
So the government gains £2.29 a week or £119.08 a year, the employee gains £3.40 a week or £176.80 a year and the employer loses £5.69 a week or £295.88 a year.
Given that in 2007 the number of workers on minimum wage was 1.7m and assuming they all work a 37.5 week that's an extra £202,436,000 a year going straight to the government and an extra £502,996,000 a year out of businesses.
I'm not saying the minimum wage shouldn't increase only that it should be done in line with tax threshold changes too.
11 Ekim 2012 Perşembe
Editorial: Time For a Mea Culpa
To contact us Click HERE
Much like Irrational's Ken Levine on stage tonight, I have to eat some of my own words. In the wake of the PSN outage, I was an angry, angry PlayStation customer. My identity was put at risk, I was lied to, and for a while completely ignored. Then the truth came out, and Sony offered it's apology in the form of their Welcome Back program. While I still maintain that this program was self serving PR, the complete shocker to even myself is how they actually got my attention again. Not by the continued apologies, not by the Welcome Back program, but with this:
Yes friends, the NGP was revealed tonight as the PlayStation Vita. I'm calling it the PSV, because it's nice and short, and still sounds like "PSP". Astoundingly, it was announced as arriving this holiday season, and at the unbelievably reasonable price of $249 for the Wi-Fi model, and $299 for the AT&T 3G equipped model. In addition, some rather cool games were demoed, and to sum things up nicely, my jaw is on the floor overall.
In my original editorial on the Welcome Back program, I stated that you've got to vote with your dollars when dealing with companies in America. In that case, I was extremely dissatisfied, and prepared to take my dollars elsewhere. On the flip side, you've also got to support what you want to keep around as well. It's in that spirit that I admit that I've got to back track on my original stance. Despite Sony's complete incompetence at handling the PSN situation, they've turned around and done something very, very right here. If anything can unseat Nintendo as the king of dedicated portable gaming, this is the piece of hardware that will do it. Priced at the same point, and with a wider array of features that will work for every gamer, the PSV has the potential to breathe life back into the dedicated portable gaming market that iOS devices had put on life support.
It's hard to admit that you may have been a bit rash in your decision making, but I'll gladly eat my words in this case. This is a step in the right direction for portable gaming, and in my opinion will be the definitive platform for dedicated portable gaming for years to come.
Yes friends, the NGP was revealed tonight as the PlayStation Vita. I'm calling it the PSV, because it's nice and short, and still sounds like "PSP". Astoundingly, it was announced as arriving this holiday season, and at the unbelievably reasonable price of $249 for the Wi-Fi model, and $299 for the AT&T 3G equipped model. In addition, some rather cool games were demoed, and to sum things up nicely, my jaw is on the floor overall.In my original editorial on the Welcome Back program, I stated that you've got to vote with your dollars when dealing with companies in America. In that case, I was extremely dissatisfied, and prepared to take my dollars elsewhere. On the flip side, you've also got to support what you want to keep around as well. It's in that spirit that I admit that I've got to back track on my original stance. Despite Sony's complete incompetence at handling the PSN situation, they've turned around and done something very, very right here. If anything can unseat Nintendo as the king of dedicated portable gaming, this is the piece of hardware that will do it. Priced at the same point, and with a wider array of features that will work for every gamer, the PSV has the potential to breathe life back into the dedicated portable gaming market that iOS devices had put on life support.
It's hard to admit that you may have been a bit rash in your decision making, but I'll gladly eat my words in this case. This is a step in the right direction for portable gaming, and in my opinion will be the definitive platform for dedicated portable gaming for years to come.
Games Journalism Isn't Objective
To contact us Click HERE
So I've come out from hiding (and basically insanely busy work and personal life schedules) to comment on this:
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
"The trick, to crib a line from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical Rent, is finding a critic with baggage that goes with yours."
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Early Play - What's the Big Deal?
To contact us Click HERE
It appears that a few retailers have jumped the gun and began selling Modern Warfare 3 just a *tad* early. Those that have been able to take advantage of this, of course, started playing. Yesterday, Xbox Live Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse tweeted the following:
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Veteran Gamer's Top 5 Games of the Year
To contact us Click HERE
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360)
It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned (Xbox 360)
God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Xbox 360)It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned
(Xbox 360)God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
Life's Apptastic!
To contact us Click HERE
Are you getting an iPhone for Christmas? Or maybe sometime later? Do you want some "pay for apps"? Well then, check out this website we recently came across!
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
10 Ekim 2012 Çarşamba
Nintendo E3 Press Conference Liveblog
To contact us Click HERE
Alright Nintendo, Microsoft didn't have a lot, and Sony laid down the gauntlet. Suck me in like you always do with a new console!
12:06pm - Starting off with a Zelda montage with music played by a live orchestra...
12:10pm - The trailer was for Zelda 25th Anniversary. Shigeru Miyamoto comes to the stage.
12:12pm - Having the orchestra play some of the classic music cues from Zelda games... received item, found secret, and fairy's fountain.
12:15pm - Launching a game for each of their hardware platforms for the 25th anniversary. First to be released is Link's Awakening from the Gameboy Color Virtual Console on the 3DS. This will be followed by the Ocarina of Time remake next week.
12:16pm - On DSi, the Legend of Zelda - The Four Swords, will be a free download for DSi owners. Lastly, Skyward Sword will be launched for Wii this holiday season.
12:18pm - There will be a Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony concert held in each region around the world. Specific dates will follow at a later time. In addition, two music CDs will be released. The Ocarina of Time 3D soundtrack will be released to those that are the first to register their copy of the game with Club Nintendo. Also, the other CD will be recordings from the symphony events to be released alongside Skyward Sword.
12:20pm - Miyamoto introduces some key team members that have worked on Zelda over the years.
12:22pm - Satoru Iwata now takes the stage.
12:24pm - Paraphrasing: We intend to create a platform for casual and hardcore gamers.
12:25pm - And he's a big tease and says the details will be coming later in the presentation.
12:26pm - Confirms that new console will be for next year, but introduces games coming this year in a following trailer.
12:27pm - The Regginator is on stage!
12:28pm - "We hear you. You want what you've always wanted, but you also want something new."
12:29pm - Announcing new titles coming for 3DS. First up, Mariokart for 3DS. Looks a lot like Mariokart.
12:30pm - Kart customization looks to make a real appearance for the first time. It will be ready this holiday season.
12:31pm - Number two is Starfox for 3DS, but, pretty sure that was already announced. New feature is with group play, the pictures instead of the pics of Slippy and company, it will be video of your opponent. Releases in September.
12:32pm - Super Mario 3D up next. Think Super Mario 64 meets Super Mario Bros. 3 and you've got a pretty good description of what this game is. Released before the year is out.
12:34pm - Kid Icarus Uprising shows now.
12:35pm - Unlike the previous 2D side-scroller, this appears to be a 3rd person shooter/brawler with a multiplayer mode. There also looks to be an AR game teased at the very end as well. No details on this, and it will be released "later this year".
12:37pm - Lastly, Luigi's Mansion 2 is being shown. Much like the first despite Reggie's claims, just on the 3DS.
12:39pm - Sizzle reel of third party games shown. Both previously announced Resident Evil games, Mario and Sonic at the London Olympic Games, Ace Combat 3D, Tetris Online, Cave Story 3D, Driver Renegade, Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions, Tekken 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.
12:42pm - Recapping eShop now. Going through the Pokemon Pokedex 3D. To fill it out, you'll need to trade with friends, find special AR markers and cards, and other ways. A free download for all 3DS users after picking up the eShop firmware update.
12:45pm - Project Cafe is dubbed "Wii U"
12:48pm - Trailer shows. Showing features allowing you to stream your game to the controller while someone else watches TV.
12:49pm - Controller contains a front and rear camera, and does contain the touch screen as rumored. The thing looks HUGE in the demo hands. Iwata back on stage.
12:58pm - Smash Brothers announced for 3DS and Wii U and they can interact. No timeline given.
12:59pm - Reggie back on stage to show a trailer for Wii U games/concepts.
1:00pm - New play mechanic using the rear camera. The Wii U can display a piece of the big screen on it's own screen.
1:02pm - First announced title for Wii U is "Lego City Stories". Will be released for 3DS as well.
1:04pm - Developer video on screen showing many developers commenting on the new system.
1:05pm - Darksiders II (launch title), Tekken, Batman Arkham City, Assassin's Creed, and Ghost Recon Online announced for the Wii U.
1:06pm - Darksiders II trailer running on Wii U now showing.
1:07pm - Dirt, Aliens Colonial Marines, Metro Last Light, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge now show on the sizzle real along with some of the previously announced titles.
1:10pm - EA CEO John Riccitello joins Reggie and Iwata on stage. Announces EA games will be coming to Wii U.
1:11pm - Specifically mentions or screen behind him shows Madden, Battlefield 3, FIFA, Need for Speed, Harry Potter, and the Sims.
1:15pm - Reggie back to the stage to close the show. Another look at the new Wii U controller in a woman's hand... SHEESH that thing is HUGE!
1:15pm - Conference ends.
12:06pm - Starting off with a Zelda montage with music played by a live orchestra...
12:10pm - The trailer was for Zelda 25th Anniversary. Shigeru Miyamoto comes to the stage.
12:12pm - Having the orchestra play some of the classic music cues from Zelda games... received item, found secret, and fairy's fountain.
12:15pm - Launching a game for each of their hardware platforms for the 25th anniversary. First to be released is Link's Awakening from the Gameboy Color Virtual Console on the 3DS. This will be followed by the Ocarina of Time remake next week.
12:16pm - On DSi, the Legend of Zelda - The Four Swords, will be a free download for DSi owners. Lastly, Skyward Sword will be launched for Wii this holiday season.
12:18pm - There will be a Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony concert held in each region around the world. Specific dates will follow at a later time. In addition, two music CDs will be released. The Ocarina of Time 3D soundtrack will be released to those that are the first to register their copy of the game with Club Nintendo. Also, the other CD will be recordings from the symphony events to be released alongside Skyward Sword.
12:20pm - Miyamoto introduces some key team members that have worked on Zelda over the years.
12:22pm - Satoru Iwata now takes the stage.
12:24pm - Paraphrasing: We intend to create a platform for casual and hardcore gamers.
12:25pm - And he's a big tease and says the details will be coming later in the presentation.
12:26pm - Confirms that new console will be for next year, but introduces games coming this year in a following trailer.
12:27pm - The Regginator is on stage!
12:28pm - "We hear you. You want what you've always wanted, but you also want something new."
12:29pm - Announcing new titles coming for 3DS. First up, Mariokart for 3DS. Looks a lot like Mariokart.
12:30pm - Kart customization looks to make a real appearance for the first time. It will be ready this holiday season.
12:31pm - Number two is Starfox for 3DS, but, pretty sure that was already announced. New feature is with group play, the pictures instead of the pics of Slippy and company, it will be video of your opponent. Releases in September.
12:32pm - Super Mario 3D up next. Think Super Mario 64 meets Super Mario Bros. 3 and you've got a pretty good description of what this game is. Released before the year is out.
12:34pm - Kid Icarus Uprising shows now.
12:35pm - Unlike the previous 2D side-scroller, this appears to be a 3rd person shooter/brawler with a multiplayer mode. There also looks to be an AR game teased at the very end as well. No details on this, and it will be released "later this year".
12:37pm - Lastly, Luigi's Mansion 2 is being shown. Much like the first despite Reggie's claims, just on the 3DS.
12:39pm - Sizzle reel of third party games shown. Both previously announced Resident Evil games, Mario and Sonic at the London Olympic Games, Ace Combat 3D, Tetris Online, Cave Story 3D, Driver Renegade, Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions, Tekken 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.
12:42pm - Recapping eShop now. Going through the Pokemon Pokedex 3D. To fill it out, you'll need to trade with friends, find special AR markers and cards, and other ways. A free download for all 3DS users after picking up the eShop firmware update.
12:45pm - Project Cafe is dubbed "Wii U"
12:48pm - Trailer shows. Showing features allowing you to stream your game to the controller while someone else watches TV.
12:49pm - Controller contains a front and rear camera, and does contain the touch screen as rumored. The thing looks HUGE in the demo hands. Iwata back on stage.
12:58pm - Smash Brothers announced for 3DS and Wii U and they can interact. No timeline given.
12:59pm - Reggie back on stage to show a trailer for Wii U games/concepts.
1:00pm - New play mechanic using the rear camera. The Wii U can display a piece of the big screen on it's own screen.
1:02pm - First announced title for Wii U is "Lego City Stories". Will be released for 3DS as well.
1:04pm - Developer video on screen showing many developers commenting on the new system.
1:05pm - Darksiders II (launch title), Tekken, Batman Arkham City, Assassin's Creed, and Ghost Recon Online announced for the Wii U.
1:06pm - Darksiders II trailer running on Wii U now showing.
1:07pm - Dirt, Aliens Colonial Marines, Metro Last Light, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge now show on the sizzle real along with some of the previously announced titles.
1:10pm - EA CEO John Riccitello joins Reggie and Iwata on stage. Announces EA games will be coming to Wii U.
1:11pm - Specifically mentions or screen behind him shows Madden, Battlefield 3, FIFA, Need for Speed, Harry Potter, and the Sims.
1:15pm - Reggie back to the stage to close the show. Another look at the new Wii U controller in a woman's hand... SHEESH that thing is HUGE!
1:15pm - Conference ends.
Project Cafe Becomes Wii U.
To contact us Click HERE
After months of speculation, the new console from Nintendo has been revealed to be the Wii U. Showcasing the ability to use the controller as a new way to extend the game with its 6.1 inch display was a theme throughout the press conference. Unfortunately, with a 6.1 inch display and a large border to hold onto, this thing is absolutely gigantic looking in a normal person's hands. The scale reminds me if you shrunk the screen of an iPad a bit and added some physical buttons to each side. Interesting as well was the noticeable absence of the actual console. Apart from some looks from a distance in some of the trailers, it was completely MIA. What little there was to see resembled the existing Wii, although this could very well just be a prop made for the video. The only thing we heard about the console itself is that it would be backward compatible with the original Wii and its peripherals, and that it would be an HD console.
Back to the controller though. Unlike the console, the specs on the controller were laid out pretty nicely. It's the first Nintendo controller ever to have a standard dual analog layout. This is coupled with 8 input buttons, featuring four face buttons, two triggers, and two bumpers. It also has a front and rear facing camera, and of course, the ginormous 6.1 inch touch screen in the center. It was not revealed if this was a multitouch capable screen, and I would venture to say that it likely isn't since it wasn't mentioned. Is the Wii U Controller Plus in our future?
It was shown in a few unique ways that certainly gives developers some things to think about. It's main thrust was that in much the same way the DS line of handhelds allowed you to have one thing on the main screen and another on the lower screen, this allowed you to do the same. From using an interesting AR technique in pointing the flat side toward the screen and using the rear camera to display a piece of the big screen on the controller, to actually laying the controller on the floor to show your lie for a golf shot and swinging with the Wii Remote. Another big feature showcased was the ability to play the game on either the big screen or the controller itself via the system's streaming capability. The first shot in the demo reel showed a kid stopping his game so his dad could watch a baseball game while he picked the controller back up and played some Mario. There was a lot to digest in the conference that I'm sure someone would find interesting that I missed, but I hope I hit the high points.
The big thing that Nintendo fans get to take away is the myriad of hardcore titles announced for the system. Darksiders II, Tekken, Batman Arkham City, Metro Last Light, Ninja Gaiden 3, Assassin's Creed Revelations, and more were announced to be in development for the console. In addition, John Riccitello, CEO of Electronic Arts took the stage and pondered what it would be like to play Madden, Battlefield 3, and many other EA games on the console and confirmed EA's support of it. It appears that Nintendo finally has the third party support it has lacked since the Super Nintendo days.
For all the positive things and all the announcements made, many question still linger. What does the console actually look like? How much storage will it have? How will it connect to the Internet? How will you link up with friends? Surely all of this couldn't be mentioned today, but at least some things related to the console itself could have been announced. In true Nintendo secretive fashion, I suppose we'll have to wait for another day to learn about the console.
After months of speculation, the new console from Nintendo has been revealed to be the Wii U. Showcasing the ability to use the controller as a new way to extend the game with its 6.1 inch display was a theme throughout the press conference. Unfortunately, with a 6.1 inch display and a large border to hold onto, this thing is absolutely gigantic looking in a normal person's hands. The scale reminds me if you shrunk the screen of an iPad a bit and added some physical buttons to each side. Interesting as well was the noticeable absence of the actual console. Apart from some looks from a distance in some of the trailers, it was completely MIA. What little there was to see resembled the existing Wii, although this could very well just be a prop made for the video. The only thing we heard about the console itself is that it would be backward compatible with the original Wii and its peripherals, and that it would be an HD console.Back to the controller though. Unlike the console, the specs on the controller were laid out pretty nicely. It's the first Nintendo controller ever to have a standard dual analog layout. This is coupled with 8 input buttons, featuring four face buttons, two triggers, and two bumpers. It also has a front and rear facing camera, and of course, the ginormous 6.1 inch touch screen in the center. It was not revealed if this was a multitouch capable screen, and I would venture to say that it likely isn't since it wasn't mentioned. Is the Wii U Controller Plus in our future?It was shown in a few unique ways that certainly gives developers some things to think about. It's main thrust was that in much the same way the DS line of handhelds allowed you to have one thing on the main screen and another on the lower screen, this allowed you to do the same. From using an interesting AR technique in pointing the flat side toward the screen and using the rear camera to display a piece of the big screen on the controller, to actually laying the controller on the floor to show your lie for a golf shot and swinging with the Wii Remote. Another big feature showcased was the ability to play the game on either the big screen or the controller itself via the system's streaming capability. The first shot in the demo reel showed a kid stopping his game so his dad could watch a baseball game while he picked the controller back up and played some Mario. There was a lot to digest in the conference that I'm sure someone would find interesting that I missed, but I hope I hit the high points.
The big thing that Nintendo fans get to take away is the myriad of hardcore titles announced for the system. Darksiders II, Tekken, Batman Arkham City, Metro Last Light, Ninja Gaiden 3, Assassin's Creed Revelations, and more were announced to be in development for the console. In addition, John Riccitello, CEO of Electronic Arts took the stage and pondered what it would be like to play Madden, Battlefield 3, and many other EA games on the console and confirmed EA's support of it. It appears that Nintendo finally has the third party support it has lacked since the Super Nintendo days.
For all the positive things and all the announcements made, many question still linger. What does the console actually look like? How much storage will it have? How will it connect to the Internet? How will you link up with friends? Surely all of this couldn't be mentioned today, but at least some things related to the console itself could have been announced. In true Nintendo secretive fashion, I suppose we'll have to wait for another day to learn about the console.
Games Journalism Isn't Objective
To contact us Click HERE
So I've come out from hiding (and basically insanely busy work and personal life schedules) to comment on this:
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Any of you that follow games journalism should recognize Justin McElroy in the video above embracing his beloved copy of Skyrim. This video is certainly meant to be funny, and a bit serious as well since nobody honestly will be seeing Justin for probably 100+ hours now that he has the game.
But it has fueled the ire of those over at NeoGaf claiming "TEH BIAS!!!!11!1!". Here's the deal everyone, a game review is simply an opinion of the person playing it. And that person, no matter how much they want to admit it, will have a bias if they're already a fan of the game, its series, or its publisher even.
Now *normally* I wouldn't have a problem with a video of this type. The problem in this instance though is Joystiq's mantra that they are unbiased in their work. They have put themselves in this ivory tower over and over and over again. So when an editor is such an unabashed fan of something, and your site makes it a HUGE deal that its reviews and reviewers are unbiased, editorial has an easy fix for this. Don't let that person review that game. This of course is a problem if the person with the problem is the site's managing editor that refuses to give up the review.
On his personal blog Justin goes on to defend his video and the fact that he will still be reviewing the game for Joystiq. He says near the end:
"The trick, to crib a line from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical Rent, is finding a critic with baggage that goes with yours."
This would be EXACTLY RIGHT except for the site's stated policy that everything is unbiased, and the lengths they go to in order to "provide unbiased coverage and criticism of the video game industry."
I know, it's easy for me to talk with a po-dunk personal blog that receives exactly squat for free. But here's the thing, if anyone anywhere ever wants to send me anything for free, I'm taking it, disclosing it to the public, and then publishing my thoughts on what I got. That's *my* stated policy. We'll see whether or not Joystiq's Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant sacks up and tells Justin he needs to stand down in order to preserve the site's ethics. Either way it goes, it's made for high comedy.
Early Play - What's the Big Deal?
To contact us Click HERE
It appears that a few retailers have jumped the gun and began selling Modern Warfare 3 just a *tad* early. Those that have been able to take advantage of this, of course, started playing. Yesterday, Xbox Live Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse tweeted the following:
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Stepto: clarification: dblchk'd with Activision. Mw3 pre-release play not authorized. So pls be patient. Playing early may impact your account! (link to tweet)
Two things are at question here. First, it has been Microsoft's policy in the past that if you've legitimately obtained a game prior to its official release, go nuts. This even came from Toulouse himself earlier in the day tweeting:
Stepto: For those asking about MW3 pre-release play: If your copy is legit and obtained legitly, have fun. It's a great game. (link to tweet)
So why the reversal? Is Activision now dictating to Microsoft what its policy should be? Moreover, if they're really that concerned about people playing it before release, here's a novel thought. Turn off the multiplayer servers until release. That'll teach those bastards to pay you money before they're supposed to!
And that brings me to point number two. Why does it really matter? These people are not pirates. They're paying customers. I could totally understand if these were leaked copies of the game being spread far and wide across the Internet. This is not the case. Here, you're punishing your most rabid fans for legitimately obtaining the game early. You want to take it out on someone? Find the retailer that sold it early and tell them they don't get the game next time. Or if it was really that severe in your eyes, blacklist them from getting other games published from your company. Don't punish the consumer, they're innocent in this scenario. Who of us *wouldn't* take that opportunity?
The conspiracy theorist in me isn't entirely sure this hasn't been orchestrated since Battlefield 3 is enjoying some pretty ridiculous sales numbers with no opposition and Activision can't have it. This could be the *wink wink, nudge nudge* "Now you're not supposed to be doing this yet guys!" in order to get some free publicity and to undercut the competition.
It's moderate level d-baggery at its worst, and crappy publicity stunt at its best. Either way, the consumer that did no wrong ends up standing to lose the most.
Update - Toulouse later went on to say that nobody would see retribution for early play but to "wait til Tuesday to play with everybody", whatever that meant.
Veteran Gamer's Top 5 Games of the Year
To contact us Click HERE
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360)
It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned (Xbox 360)
God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
Back again! Sorry for the delay on this article, but hey, I'm only one man. And just as with last, year, the following disclaimer returns:
There's no way I can play all of the great games that were released this year. So this is purely my "Top 5 Games I played this year" list, with the system I played it on in parenthesis. The biggest caveat to this list that should be noted off the top. I only own the 360 and PS3. The Wii hasn't held my interest since launch, and I don't have a PC that is beefy enough to run anything worth playing.
Continuing last year's start, I present to you the game I just didn't get last year:
WTF Was This Game So Popular Game of the Year: Nobody!
Three cheers for the gaming industry and press! As I looked back at last year, there were NO critically acclaimed games released that I sat wondering why I was playing. Everything I played was worth playing, and I think that speaks to just how AWESOME a year 2011 was for gaming.
Most Disappointing Game of the Year: Battlefield 3
As awesome as Battlefield Bad Company 2 was last year, Battlefield 3 completely disappointed. Glitches galore ruin this iteration of 2010's best shooter. My crew and I still have issues with mics working properly and actually staying in our squads after joining games. EA shot high with its marketing and unfortunately DICE fell flat in delivery.
#5: Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360)
Surprise, surprise, surprise. For the first time in forever, a Mortal Kombat game was worth playing for me. Chucking the 3D gameplay that strayed so far from what made the series great at it's inception, NetherRealm went all nostalgia on us and FREAKING NAILED IT. But it's not just nostalgia running the show here. The game includes a real story mode that is the most entertaining in any one on one fighting game I've ever played. I've sunk 11 hours in this game and still haven't finished the story. If you've ever been a fan of the series, you'll find the newest iteration well worth your money.
#4: Uncharted 3 (PS3)
Uncharted 3 was equal parts frustrating, equal parts mesmerizing in my experience. Game controls were frustrating in many parts, from inadvertently jumping to my death many times, to everyone's favorite thing, instant fail sequences. But the parts where it fell short were minimal compared to the fantastic visuals and engaging story, which is why despite my frustration, Uncharted 3 reaches my top 5.
#3: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Xbox 360)It just couldn't live completely up to the hype for me. Add in a month period where the game was unplayable due to an elemental bug introduced after a patch, and Skyrim fell out of the GOTY perch for me. However, this is still an outstanding game. I've barely scratched the surface in my 16 hours of play, and love this fact. This is of course a detriment to several high quality games sitting on my shelf, some of which I've not even touched, but they'll get their due. Eventually.
#2: Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
The Gears trilogy finishes strong. Another great single player experience, and a lot more splattering grubs and glowies. Though I don't get the competitive multiplayer at all in this series, Horde 2.0 and the new Beast modes shine. The tower defense style in Horde 2.0 improves on an already addicting formula. And of course, the ability to play as the Locust in Beast mode is a neat new addition. In another year, this could have been the GOTY... but it's most certainly the shooter of the year!
Before I get to #1, here are some honorable mentions...
Honorable Mention: Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)
Everyone's favorite version of car porn probably would have made my list had I just had some more time to play it. Sadly, with only 3 hours played, I couldn't in good conscience put it into my top 5. That said, I've had a blast with what I've played of what is easily the most beautiful racing game on a console.
Honorable Mention: Shadows of the Damned
(Xbox 360)God of War like in it's gameplay, but a 3rd person shooter in reality. Throw in copious amounts of gore and bullet time sequences and you've got... well... what this game is. This is a really hard game to describe, and yet in the short time I played it (less than an hour) I was having a lot of fun. If you like shooters and want something different, you won't be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Once Upon a Monster (Xbox 360)
Holy crap, a Kinect game made this list! But it's because it's an unbelievable experience if you also happen to have young children. I've played eight hours of this game with my son, and he's just loved it to death. I can't thank Double Fine enough for giving me my first gaming experience with my son and making it great.
And now, Veteran Gamer's Game of the Year is...
Game of the Year: Portal 2 (PS3)
I could wax poetic about this game. I devoured the single player in this game, leapt into the multiplayer via couch co-op with a friend, and was disappointed to finally reach the end. The puzzles were brilliant, the humor was some of the best ever in a video game, and the gameplay was near perfection. I'm not sure how Valve will deliver us a Portal 3 after the ending, but here's hoping they find a way, because a world without GladOS is a world I don't want to live in.
Thus closes my year in gaming for 2011. Can 2012 possibly top 2011 and even 2010 before it? Like last year, the games I didn't get to which certainly could have been contenders for my top five were numerous. A few that would certainly have been in the running were Batman Arkham City, Saint's Row the Third, Dark Souls, LA Noire, and certainly more. As with last year, thanks to everyone who's sticking with my tiny little blog. I hope to improve more for this year!
9 Ekim 2012 Salı
Listen: Prototype Banner for a new podcast idea I have
To contact us Click HERE
While I enjoy every minute of co-hosting RetroFlickFillet, however everyone knows my real "passion" is covering the horror genre. There are already tons of horror podcasts out there so I tried to think of a somewhat unique take on the horror genre for a new podcast. That is when I cam up with this:
As the banner above says, it will be covering all TV-based horror. From, tv shows, to mini-series, series, specials, made-for-tv-movies and more! I haven't seen many horror podcasts out there that are dedicated mainly to the genre of tv-based horror. I will still of course keep a littl e room available to discuss theatrically released movies as well as current/news and headlines, and feedback/mail (if I ever get any, lol)!
Also, check out that NEAT-O production company name, eh?
My goal is to have it up and running (with a website) by this Summer. *Wish me luck*
So what do you all think?
As the banner above says, it will be covering all TV-based horror. From, tv shows, to mini-series, series, specials, made-for-tv-movies and more! I haven't seen many horror podcasts out there that are dedicated mainly to the genre of tv-based horror. I will still of course keep a littl e room available to discuss theatrically released movies as well as current/news and headlines, and feedback/mail (if I ever get any, lol)!
Also, check out that NEAT-O production company name, eh?
My goal is to have it up and running (with a website) by this Summer. *Wish me luck*
So what do you all think?
Read: Samsung unveils translucent TV screen....
To contact us Click HERE
Technology gets more amazing every day, eh? Check this out!
They also have a transparent laptop they are working on.
From the article linked at the bottom:
They also have a transparent laptop they are working on.
From the article linked at the bottom:
Samsung just unveiled an amazing new solar-powered LCD television that can operate completely free from the power grid! The 46″ prototype TV, shown at CeBit in Germany, includes solar panels that produce energy from the ambient light in a room – because it was engineered to use very little energy, no additional power sources are needed. Another major breakthrough behind the concept is that the thin screen can display images and information while allowing objects behind it to be visible – this means that it has applications ranging from car windshield HUDs to storefront displays and digital window blinds.http://inhabitat.com/samsung-unveils-solar-powered-zero-energy-transparent-tv/
Watch: One way to handle the RROD!
To contact us Click HERE
Ahh, Xbox....the console I have never owned. Heard great things about it. I once considered purchasing it, but due to lack of spare spending cash and time, it would awfully hard to justify owning a 360 to sit alongside my PS3. I am man enough to admit I am on my second PS3. The first one crapped out on me. The blu-ray drive stopped working. I even had it replaced and that one eventually died on me too. However, I have never had an internal software problem. The system itself has never just died. Not so much luck for this guy and his Xbox 360. According to this video he is on his fifth Xbox 360, and he is none to happy about getting another Red Ring of Death! Some people simply throw their console away....this guy handles it in a much better way!
Ahh, Xbox....the console I have never owned. Heard great things about it. I once considered purchasing it, but due to lack of spare spending cash and time, it would awfully hard to justify owning a 360 to sit alongside my PS3. I am man enough to admit I am on my second PS3. The first one crapped out on me. The blu-ray drive stopped working. I even had it replaced and that one eventually died on me too. However, I have never had an internal software problem. The system itself has never just died. Not so much luck for this guy and his Xbox 360. According to this video he is on his fifth Xbox 360, and he is none to happy about getting another Red Ring of Death! Some people simply throw their console away....this guy handles it in a much better way!LISTEN: Episode #9 of RetroFlickFillet - It's a little (people) world afterall!
To contact us Click HERE
Yep, the episode where we finally cross the line and GO THERE! What better episode than this one to feature Jeff Martin from BETTERGEEKTHANNEVER website & blog to join in on the fun with!
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
Get the scoop on our thoughts on Child's Play, Leprechaun, & Willow from the twisted minds of Doug, Mike & Special guest co-host Jeff!!!
This episode is SUPER-SIZED, coming in at just about 2 hours, plus a bonus 30 minutes after the show's outro!
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
LISTEN HERE:http://tiny.cc/x2kv9
YouTube's Brand New Look
To contact us Click HERE
As many of you have noticed by now, YouTube has gotten a makeover. While most people were unhappy with the change, I personally like it. People get too accustomed to certain things and don't like change. When it comes to a website however, change is usually good. Of course I'm not even mentioning Myspace and Facebook for they're bad examples of what I'm trying to point out.
Sometimes when a website has used the same look for a good while it can get rather boring looking at it. At these times it's a good idea to change the look of the site to better improve it's performance. I too have gotten used to the old look of YouTube, but I do like the new layout. It just takes a little getting used to that's all. Maybe if YouTube would let us customize our home page layout people would be more willing to accept the change. So what do you think of the new YouTube design?
Sometimes when a website has used the same look for a good while it can get rather boring looking at it. At these times it's a good idea to change the look of the site to better improve it's performance. I too have gotten used to the old look of YouTube, but I do like the new layout. It just takes a little getting used to that's all. Maybe if YouTube would let us customize our home page layout people would be more willing to accept the change. So what do you think of the new YouTube design?
8 Ekim 2012 Pazartesi
WATCH NOW: Play Later? LA Noire, trailer #3
To contact us Click HERE
To be honest, I am a bit burnt out on Grand Theft Auto (and the like) games. LA Noire looks like it could be the game from Rockstar Games to break the mold and be the next evolution in that style of gameplay. If that is what happens, then I will be truly grateful and put lots of time into the game. While that indeed, still remains to be seen, I must admit, these trailers for the game are pretty epic. Here is the third official trailer for LA Noire:
Play: Uncharted 3: Multiplayer beta July 7th
To contact us Click HERE
If you are a gamer and don't have a PS3, seriously WHY? If I hear one more person say "There are no good games for it" one more time.....ignorance, pure ignorance.
The Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta goes live June 28th if you buy Infamous 2 or are a PSN+ member, and then live July 7th to everyone. Here is a short preview of it, and wow....HOLY SHIT!
PS3 Games - E3 2011 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Don't walk...RUN...and go get a PS3, buy Uncharted 1 & 2...so you are up to speed for Uncharted 3.(not to mention GOW 3, Ratchet & Clank series, Killzone, Resistance etc etc etc....#justsayin)
The Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta goes live June 28th if you buy Infamous 2 or are a PSN+ member, and then live July 7th to everyone. Here is a short preview of it, and wow....HOLY SHIT!
PS3 Games - E3 2011 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Don't walk...RUN...and go get a PS3, buy Uncharted 1 & 2...so you are up to speed for Uncharted 3.(not to mention GOW 3, Ratchet & Clank series, Killzone, Resistance etc etc etc....#justsayin)
Life's Apptastic!
To contact us Click HERE
Are you getting an iPhone for Christmas? Or maybe sometime later? Do you want some "pay for apps"? Well then, check out this website we recently came across!
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
Now we all know apps become free once in a while as promotions. What the website basically does, is tells you when an app becomes free. This website also tells/shows you, original price, pictures of content, and links. Best of all, this premium service is free! Now while this isn't a game, we believe it still deserves a rating, so here it is!
The Three States rating; 8/10
This may just become your #1 online website! Either that, or the website we mentioned above...
YouTube's Brand New Look
To contact us Click HERE
As many of you have noticed by now, YouTube has gotten a makeover. While most people were unhappy with the change, I personally like it. People get too accustomed to certain things and don't like change. When it comes to a website however, change is usually good. Of course I'm not even mentioning Myspace and Facebook for they're bad examples of what I'm trying to point out.
Sometimes when a website has used the same look for a good while it can get rather boring looking at it. At these times it's a good idea to change the look of the site to better improve it's performance. I too have gotten used to the old look of YouTube, but I do like the new layout. It just takes a little getting used to that's all. Maybe if YouTube would let us customize our home page layout people would be more willing to accept the change. So what do you think of the new YouTube design?
Sometimes when a website has used the same look for a good while it can get rather boring looking at it. At these times it's a good idea to change the look of the site to better improve it's performance. I too have gotten used to the old look of YouTube, but I do like the new layout. It just takes a little getting used to that's all. Maybe if YouTube would let us customize our home page layout people would be more willing to accept the change. So what do you think of the new YouTube design?
7 Ekim 2012 Pazar
PlayStation Store Online and alive
To contact us Click HERE
Yesterday via Twitter, Sony made it official and announced that PlayStation Store is back online with several downloads now available in certain areas, which includes the U.S.A.
For more details on all the great stuff by Sony, click on link below to be directed to their information blog page: Sony Blog
Several of the PlayStation Plus updates should be free to non-plus subscribers if they give us 1 or 3 months free subscription with the welcome package. Well a lot of goodies, let’s just hope the network does not go down from so much traffic and downloads.
 | Back online with several download content. For PlayStation Plus subscribers, new additions include full game trials of "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2" and "Dante's Inferno." Here are just a few of the items now available for PlayStation Store: |
- Full Game Trial
- Featured Games & DLC
- Discounted Games & DLC
- Featured Themes & Avatars
- QORE
- Updates
- Downloadable Games
- Alien Crush (Same Code As PSP) ($5.99)
- Bonk’s Adventure (Same Code As PSP) ($5.99)
- Wizardry: Labyrinth Of Lost Souls ($14.99)
- Sega Rally Online Arcade ($9.99)
- Star Raiders ($9.99)
- Red Johnson’s Chronicles (exclusive) ($12.99)
- Under Siege (exclusive) ($19.99)
- Back To The Future: The Game – Episode 3 – Free With Season Pass (Free)
- Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp ($9.99)
- Bomberman ’94 ($5.99)
- Learning With The Pooyoos – Episode 1 ($8.99)
- Game Demos (free)
- Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean – Demo
- Wizardry: Labyrinth Of Lost Souls Demo
- Star Raiders Demo
- Red Faction Armageddon Demo
- The Fight: Lights Out Stress-Buster Demo
- MotorStorm Apocalypse Single Player Demo
For more details on all the great stuff by Sony, click on link below to be directed to their information blog page: Sony Blog
Several of the PlayStation Plus updates should be free to non-plus subscribers if they give us 1 or 3 months free subscription with the welcome package. Well a lot of goodies, let’s just hope the network does not go down from so much traffic and downloads.
Kaydol:
Yorumlar (Atom)