Month: July 2009

GamerSushi Asks: Portable Classics?

ff7I’m flying to Florida this weekend for some much needed vacation, and if there’s one thing I’m not looking forward to its the flight. Being a rather big dude makes flying a completely uncomfortable affair, not to mention that I hate the way flying makes me feel. The one thing that makes the experience more bearable is portable gaming of some kind, be it the PSP or Nintendo DS.

One thing that got me really excited this week was the realization that I could download any number of PS1 classics onto my PS3 and then transfer them over to the PSP. I could play Suikoden, Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid. The cooler part? I can even copy those save files back onto the PS3 when I get back, and continue the games I started there. This makes me happy.

The idea of playing FF7 and MGS in particular is what really has me stoked, mainly because they are two of my favorite games. This got me thinking. If you guys had a chance to have a handheld and portable version of any of your old school favorite games, what would it be and why? Go!

Phantasy Star Game Blog Part IV: To Rescue A Stoner

phantasy_starI take Myau out for a few battles, test his mettle and such. He promptly dies. Thank heaven for nine lives, right? Back to town, revive him and try again. FASTER, PUSSYCAT KILL, KILL! Thankfully, Myau manages to stay alive long enough to gain a few levels, enough that I am reasonably confident that he will also stay alive long enough to rescue Odin from Medusa’s Cave. So we head back to Palma and enter Medusa’s Cave, my first full-fledged dungeon!
Continue reading Phantasy Star Game Blog Part IV: To Rescue A Stoner

GamerSushi Asks: Adventure Games?

monkey-islandOne of my favorite old school genres had to be the point-and-click adventure games for the PC. I remember when I was a kid I used to love playing games like Police Quest, Space Quest, Maniac Mansion and Myst. Myst especially changed the way I viewed video games, with its hauntingly quiet atmosphere, its hefty brain teasers and creepy story of two sons. I for real used to play that game for hours at a time.

However, I never played The Secret of Monkey Island until just the last couple of weeks, when it re-released in a special edition form on XBox Live Arcade. I’ve always heard great things about it, but I’m finally getting to experience the games charms for myself. It really has some brilliant writing, great characters and some laugh-out-loud moments.

The crazy thing is I’m realizing just how much I miss these kinds of games. How cool would it be if all of those old school games started re-releasing with new coats of paint? I’d play the heck out of them, that’s for sure. So what about you guys? Did you ever get into those old school point-and-click games? What were your favorites? Go!

Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Debut

Now here is one FPS that I am looking forward to in a real bad way. I still maintain that Call of Duty 4 has some of the best (if not the best) multiplayer gaming of this generation so far, so I really can’t wait to see what Modern Warfare 2 does to improve upon that. So that’s why it’s exciting to see this new Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer debut trailer, which dishes out some of the dirt about a new perk, customizable kill streak load-outs. Awesome.

Cutting Through the Shooter Fat

hot-dogThose of you that frequent this site know something of my sordid disdain for the FPS overflow of the current generation. It seems that nearly every blockbuster title for the last couple of years has been some kind of shooter, be it Resistance, Call of Duty, Gears of War, Halo, Left 4 Dead or Killzone. Shooters are bombarding us from every corner, and after some time, I grew rather sick of them.

So for the last few months, I’ve been on something of an FPS diet. I’ve been on a real diet, too, coincidentally enough. The funny thing about losing weight is that people always want to know what your secret is. You say that you’ve lost x amount of pounds, and people always ask, “How have you been doing it?” When the answer is “getting off my ass to exercise and not eating like a wildebeest”, they tend to get a tad upset. As if I’m holding out on them. Oh right, there was also a secret pill that made it really easy. Forgot to mention that part.
Continue reading Cutting Through the Shooter Fat

Splinter Cell and Red Steel 2 Migrate to 2010

sccMan, as if the list of games moving to 2010 wasn’t already long enough, it seems that Splinter Cell: Conviction and Red Steel 2 are jumping the 2009 ship, too. Apparently, they are heading to the brighter, greener and Modern Warfare 2-less pastures of 2010, able to enjoy some more publicity.

While I understand that people are afraid of the Modern Warfare 2 machine (not to mention Halo: ODST and Super Mario Galaxies 2), I really am shocked that this many game companies are breaking up the dreaded Fall o’ Games. I mean, I’m not complaining about it, although Splinter Cell was my number one anticipated game, I do think it’s interesting that publishers are finally trying to spread their profit around a little bit instead of loading up. You saw Warner Bros. pull the same move last year by bumping Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to Summer 2009 instead of Winter 2008. I think Ubisoft didn’t want 3 of their blockbusters (along with Assassin’s Creed 2) all coming out at once.

So far, Bioshock 2 and Heavy Rain have already moved. What do you guys think about all these games moving out of the Fall?

Source- VG247

Left 4 Dead 2: What’s New?

At this point, I’m pretty sure everyone’s aware about Valve’s new mod, er, sequel for the popular zombie shoot-em-up, Left 4 Dead 2. There’s lots of controversy, whining and general bickering out there about the release of this game so soon after the first. Well, for anyone wondering what’s new, here’s a new video interview with Valve sporting a few highlights from the upcoming game. So, is it new enough for you?

Phantasy Star Game Blog Part III: A Whole New World

wtfA new fantastic point of view…no one to tell us no! Or where to go! Or say we’re only dreaming…sorry. Aladdin was a big hit when I was a kid. So I arrive on Motavia. One small step for man, one giant leap for Alis who is clearly desperate to escape the humdrum tropical world of Palma. Motavia is a desert planet, but you wouldn’t know it from the spaceport. Looks like every other area I have visited so far. The townsfolk are friendly and the Clone Troopers stay out of my way thanks to PASSPORT and PASS. I sip my newly poured cold Pepsi (sponsor?) with satisfaction at my newfound bad-assery.
Continue reading Phantasy Star Game Blog Part III: A Whole New World

Halo Anime Coming Next Year

halo-animeEven though they’re not my favorite games ever, I’m still a dork about anything related to the Halo universe, especially peripheral materials that explore other areas of the mythos. For some reason, Bungie hasn’t done a stellar job presenting their story within the confines of the game, but all of the extended media is an entirely different story.

That’s why I’m kind of excited about the Comic-Con announcement from today that reveals that Halo Legends, a Halo anime, is coming early next year to DVD and digital platforms. There aren’t a whole lot of details yet, but some pretty cool looking images. So far, all we know is that it’s going to be seven short films from the director of Appleseed Ex Machina, which I haven’t seen.

Anywho, does anyone else think this is kind of cool? Like I said, I’m not a huge Halo fanboy, but I really think it’s got a quality mythology behind it, and if the art is cool enough, this could be sweet. Thoughts?

LA Times

On Video Game Endings and Falling Action

fable2If there’s one thing that not too many video games have, it’s a solid, well-thought out ending. In fact, many games just throw you up against the final boss, show the heroes riding off into the sunset (or helicoptering, if you’re Chris and Sheva) and ready to face another adventure in the oh-so-exciting and inevitable sequel. But is this the way it needs to be?

The dudes on the 1UP podcast had an interesting discussion about the idea of video game endings, recently. Namely, that most good stories are structured so that they have a denouement, or falling action that occurs after the climax. A sense of wrapping things up towards the conclusion. Video games, however, don’t do this at all. They build and build until a climactic boss battle, and then end within 5 minutes of the action. Very rarely do they offer any real resolution for the player, much less in a playable form.

This is interesting stuff. Check out what the 1UP guys say after the jump:
Continue reading On Video Game Endings and Falling Action

Phantasy Star Game Blog Part II: Owl Bears Make Me Cry

ss-Phantasy_Star-04-640Grinding. Grinding never changes.

Ok, well I have finally had a taste of what combat is like in Phantasy Star and it’s kind of like going to Epcot Center and trying all the different sodas from around the world. China has their head on straight, but the Italians clearly have dead taste buds. And don’t even get me started on Israel. The battles in Phantasy Star take place from a first person POV and consists of ATTACK, MAGIC and ITEM. Oh, and RUN. RUN rocks. Love RUN. You don’t get to select which enemy to target, which can get really amusing sometimes. By amusing, of course I mean frustrating and by sometimes, of course I mean all the time.
Continue reading Phantasy Star Game Blog Part II: Owl Bears Make Me Cry

Valve Says Let Gamers Fund Games

valveA growing topic within the video game industry this generation has been the rising cost of development. This leads not only to higher prices, but to publishers being less willing to take a chance on new properties. Heck, it was just revealed last week that Crackdown, which sold 1.5 million copes and then some, just barely broke even. To me, this is a primary reason why this generation needs to last for a long time (imagine how expensive the next next-gen games will be), but I digress.

However, Valve’s Gabe Newell has recently spoken about something that he feels is an alternative: gamers becoming investors that fund the making of games. Right now, the current model works with a developer going to a publisher with an idea, and getting a commitment of millions based on the concept. What Gabe is proposing is that gamers would become that investor, thus eliminating the middle man and producing an open relationship between the creative and the consumer.

While I think this is an interesting idea on paper, I can’t really see it working. It seems to me that gamers would only really want to pay money up front for a game that they are sure of, and if there’s that kind of demand, there is probably a publisher willing to back it anyway. I mean, who would fund Katamari Damacy based on the premise of a guy pushing around a ball of garbage? You get the point.

Anywho, what do you guys think of this? Is Valve on to something here?

Source- Kotaku

GamerSushi Asks: Save Systems?

monkey-islandHowdy all. Been a long and relaxing weekend, hence the lack of posts. I’m kind of a weird creature in that the less I have on my plate, the less I tend to do. The busier I am, the more time I make for posting on GamerSushi, working out, etc. It’s odd.

Anywho, after playing Battlefield 1943, 1 Vs 100, Mass Effect and last but not least, the Secret of Monkey Island, this weekend has been monumental for me in terms of gaming. Lots of great flavors. Mass Effect and Monkey Island got me thinking about save systems, though. In those games you can save the game whenever and wherever you want. While this is great in lots of ways (it’s nice to just be able to save and turn off a game without having to wait to find a save point), in some ways you can get screwed if you’ve saved yourself into a corner.

So what do you guys think? Is there any particular game where you’ve really enjoyed the save system? Have you been screwed over by a save point in a game before? Go!

Phantasy Star Game Blog Part I: A Tentative First Step

dd432dc903be08ecd861213ec510493f-Phantasy_StarCaptain’s Log Stardate 456335.45

The ruthless bastards loyal readers of GamerSushi have made their voices heard and chosen a game for me to blog about. Sadly, their voices are that of demons from the 6th Circle of Hell, for they have chosen Phantasy Star. In order to properly blog about this game, I have traveled back in time to 1988.
Continue reading Phantasy Star Game Blog Part I: A Tentative First Step

What a Wonderful L4D

Oh, man. Coming straight from the dude that made that awesome Black Mesa: Source trailer months back, a new video celebrating the dismal and zombie-fied Left 4 Dead has just arrived. The best part? It’s got Louis Armstrong singing away. This video is extremely impressive, and I love what this guy gets out of the Source engine. Watch it!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7_Ta7vVW-c[/youtube]

Has Slayer Marred Shooters?

ctfI have been an FPS guy for years. Years upon years, even. I remember playing Wolfenstein 3D, Quake and Doom on my slow-as-balls PC, gunning away to my heart’s content. Eventually, as the Internet actually became a living, breathing entity that took hold of our collective psyche, I started jumping into multiplayer matches like they could sustain my very being.

I loved playing CTF gametypes in shooters, or planting bombs in Counter-Strike: Source. These were fun and interesting ways to play games that were essentially the same, and they added lots of depth to keep you playing for endless hours. But sometimes, things change.
Continue reading Has Slayer Marred Shooters?

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet Trailer

For awhile, I’ve been firmly rooted in the belief that people never stopped liking 2D games, but rather, developers just stopped making them. Taking a look at the Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet trailer proves that this I’m always right, as this game looks like a crazy good time. This is what happens when you give some talented 2D artists free creative reign, people.

Most interesting part of the whole deal? It’s only coming to PC, the “best of all gaming platforms”, according to the developer. Who else thinks this looks awesome?

Gaming’s Best Quotes

barrelrollOver the years, gaming has produced quite a few fond memories for me. There are the emotional moments, the rushes of pure adrenaline, the challenges, all of these things have created a slew of experiences for me to draw from. However, there’s another thing that gaming is great for, and that’s memorable quotes.

GamesRadar has put together a list of the 40 Most Repeated Game Quotes, ranging from error messages to ridiculous things said by a co-pilot rabbit in space. While I’ve heard most of the ones on the list, there were a few that I wasn’t quite as familiar with, so I was glad for the sound bytes they provided. I’d have to say my favorite gaming quote is probably the “master of unlocking” line from Resident Evil. So painfully bad and hilarious.

What about you guys? Are you familiar with the quotes on this list? What’s your favorite?

Source- GamesRadar

Nathan Fillion Talks Halo ODST

I’m a big fan of all things related to Firefly, particularly Nathan Fillion, Captain Mal Reynolds himself. Not only is the guy really into Bungie and the Halo series, he just happens to be one of the leads in the next Halo game, Halo ODST. This new interview shows off a few new clips of the game, and some humorous stories from Mr. Fillion as well.

I have to say, while I initially didn’t care for this game at all, I’m starting to slowly warm up to it. What about you guys? Who’s going to play this?

Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition is Silly and Hot

mw2prestigeI’m all about collecting absurd video game paraphernalia. I mean, I’m the guy that bought the stupid Legendary edition of Halo 3 so I can have that Master Chief helmet chilling in my living room next to my shelves o’ DVDs. I also eye those Final Fantasy figures from time to time.

But the Prestige Edition of Modern Warfare 2 is a different kind of animal all together. Not only does it come with the totally rad Modern Warfare 2, a sweet art book and some other goodies… but it also sports a real, functioning and completely excessive pair of night vision goggles. Wow.

I have to say that while I would never buy this, a small and dorky part of me is beyond tempted to. I mean, people use those things for wars, and I could have them in my home. Way better than a Halo helmet, if you ask me.

So what do you guys think? Cool, lame or meh? Go!

Source- Destructoid