GamerSushi Review: Alpha Protocol

Choices. Choices never change. Wait, wrong game.

Alpha Protocol is a game that was delayed and bashed, even by someone who worked on the game, who stated that it should have been canceled. All this led some to believe that the game was an unfinished, buggy mess, but I find this not to be the case at all. Well, mostly.

Alpha Protocol touts itself as an “espionage-RPG” set in the modern world and dealing with modern conflicts, such as terrorism. You play as Michael Thornton and can choose one of several backgrounds to begin with, ranging from former desk jockey at the Justice department to an assassin that doesn’t really exist. The decision results mainly in what areas your character is already leveled up in, such as Stealth or Assault Rifles, although a few NPCs may make a reference to your past, depending on which choice you made. A nice touch, I thought. I personally chose a blank slate so as to have better control over my character’s development.
Continue reading GamerSushi Review: Alpha Protocol

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Kid Icarus – Underworld Theme

Well, in honor of the awesome news we received at E3 about Kid Icarus returning after a 20 year break, I downloaded the original NES game on Virtual Console. After receiving a few ass-whippings, which I attribute to 20 years or so of rust, I realize another reason I always loved this game: the music.

Specifically, the music of the first level, of which I am becoming way too familiar with as I try to remember how the hell to play this game. So here’s a taste, hope you enjoy. I personally can’t wait to hear a modern version of this when it releases on the 3DS!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUBsXUt5RQE[/youtube]

Dis-Kinect

Everyone is crapping all over Microsoft’s E3 press conference and though we mentioned some of this in our podcast, I thought it would help if we devoted a post to some of the concerns that gamers have about Microsoft’s foray into motion-controls.

Personally, I am amazed by the technology and the potential of Kinect. The voice recognition is very impressive and I think it can be utilized in better ways than simply telling your Xbox to pause a movie. Imagine navigation the Dashboard with it: “Xbox Marketplace” and bam! You’re browsing games or looking at your friends list. You can walk around the room and command your Xbox to start playing a disk without using a controller. I think that would be more useful than the admittedly cooler looking Minority Report-style interface. Sure that looks bad-ass, but using a controller is just faster and I am all about streamlining things. I’m not going to wave my arms around just because I want to look like something I saw in a movie. If I wanted to look like Tony Stark, I would shave my goatee like his and build and Iron Man Suit.
Continue reading Dis-Kinect

GamerSushi Asks: Are You A Streaker?

Now before you shout, “YES!” and grab your trenchcoat and sunglasses, allow me to explain.

A streaker, in this definition, is someone who plays a game consistently for a long time, but if another game is played, the first one loses all appeal. For example, after beating Final Fantasy XIII, I continued to play, doing side missions and hunting down monsters. But, once I played Alpha Protocol and beat it, all desire to play Final Fantasy XIII is gone for right now. I’m sure it will come back again sometime, but I’ve noticed that I sometimes have to maintain a streak of playing a game every day and if I stop, I find that I don’t want to play as much as I used to.

Do you guys ever experience anything like this? Are you streakers?

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Time Only Knows

In honor of the “meh-ish” Prince of Persia movie currently exiting theaters right now, I thought I would do what I could to salvage this once proud franchise by looking back at the premier game in the series and the song that blew me away upon first listen.

This song plays during the end credits and as I sat there listening to it, I was really moved. The lyrics and music fit in very well with the story and setting of the game and I listen to this on my iPod on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy it as well, especially this fan-made music video version.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGeCivJ7zCc&feature=related[/youtube]

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Metal Gear Solid 3 – Snake Eater

This one goes out to my loyal listeners Mitch and Eddy, who submitted this idea to me and after a few listens, I fell in love with it. This song plays during the opening credits of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and is very James Bond-ish, which I think works in its favor. The images that play during the movie are very cool, but I think the song works just by itself, which is the point of these posts: game music you can enjoy without having played the game. Enjoy and may the mullet be with you!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CbFAZ2ztlE[/youtube]

Infamous 2 Announced

In keeping with this new theme of announcing blockbuster titles before E3, we are now able to confirm, thanks to Game Informer, that Infamous 2 is in the works for the Playstation 3.

Sucker Punch, the original developers  of Infamous, will be in charge just as before and will feature

a new city, new powers and a powerful new foe.

Having been honestly shocked (get it?) at the high quality of the first game, I have to admit, I am pretty excited about this. Infamous competed with Prototype, another open-world game where you gained super powers and made moral choices, but I think anyone who has a reasonable amount of judgement would agree that Infamous was superior in almost every way.

Are you excited by this announcement? What would you like to see improved or changed in the sequel?

Source: 1UP

Great Moments in Video Game Music: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – Dracula’s Castle

Not every song has to be an epic piece of music in order to qualify as great music. Sometimes just kick-ass background music that plays while you explore the depths of an evil vampire lord’s lair is enough. If you have ever played Symphony of the Night (and any so-called hardcore gamer had better), then this tune is ingrained in your mind forever.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh_uhV0ta0[/youtube]

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Chrono Trigger – Tyran Castle

Okay, I couldn’t resist this one any longer. When you first hear it, you might think of Golbez from Final Fantasy IV, but stick around to about 45 seconds in and the crunchy guitars kick in and you are suddenly nodding your head to a bad ass riff. If you think JRPG music can’t kick a little ass, listen to this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gVkEUmwstA[/youtube]

Treyarch Hears The Call Of Duty

Well, bad news for fans of Treyarch’s Spider-Man games, all four of you: the developer recently revealed in an interview with CVG that they are all about the Duty now. Call of Duty, that is.

That’s right, everyone’s favorite B-team in the CoD bullpen has forsaken all others to focus exclusively on Activision’s Call of Duty franchise. They claim this has been the case for sometime and is not a result of the hoopla involving Infinity Ward that you might have heard of. I can’t really blame Activision for such a decision, as despite my pre-release hating, World At War was actually really good. Treyarch even has a whole team dedicated to just multiplayer, which can’t be a bad thing. Right?

How do you guys feel about this sudden change in focus for Treyarch?

Source: 1UP

GamerSushi Asks: What Developer Should Make A Lost Game?

Well, this is it, people. The final episode of Lost is airing as I type this. Having only seen the first episode, I am kind of regretting now watching the damn thing, but I’m sure someone will be kind enough to let me borrow the DVDs one day.

With that said, I know there has already been one crappy Lost game, which should have stayed lost from what I hear (nyuck, nyuck), but I wanted to know what developer out there that you guys think would make a good game that would stay true to the series and still be fun?

Bethesda? Imagine an Oblivion-style game, wandering the island, talking to people and doing quests, learning about the mysteries of the errant hunk of land in the middle of the ocean.

What about Bioware? They are great at writing dialogue and might be able to salvage something worthwhile from the wreckage of that doomed flight.

Or what about Remedy, which just released Alan Wake? They do atmosphere up like few others and might have an interesting take on things.

So…you get to pick: who makes a new Lost game? GO!

Great Moments in Video Game Music: Mass Effect 2 – Suicide Mission

Mitch recommended this one to me and with a careful listen, it only took about halfway through before I decided I loved it. I’m going to go ahead and assume that this song plays during some sort of mission that might be a tad bit dangerous. The quiet opening leads to a bombastic theme that kind of reminds me of the Saw theme, but in a good, sci-fi sort of way. Thanks for the advice, Mitch and enjoy this one, everybody.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r2txD68qnw&feature=related[/youtube]

Bioware vs. Square Enix: An Unbiased Analysis

JRPGs vs. WRPGs seems to be a hot topic as of late, thanks to comments from a Bioware employee that Final Fantasy XIII is not an RPG. This is the stuff fanboys crave, which, in political terms, is called “red meat”. It stirs up a nice frenzy and everyone pontificates on what an RPG is exactly, but nothing ever gets accomplished. Just like Congress.

Well, I’m here to take a small look at the differences between the way Bioware and Square Enix approach their respective video game franchises. These two, I think it is safe to say, are the biggest RPG powerhouses on either side of the Pacific, so it turns out the little controversial comments mentioned above were a perfect jumping off point for me.
Continue reading Bioware vs. Square Enix: An Unbiased Analysis

Great Moments in Video Game Music: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – Casino Nights

Nick reminded me of this little swinging ditty during our podcast and after listening to it for about 3 seconds, it all came flooding back to me, much like Celine Dion once sang. The Genesis was not known for its sound chip, but you wouldn’t know it from listening to this. The song holds up well even after all these years and I love the little breaks before the music picks back up again. Enjoy this trip down memory lane.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl6kjAkVw_s[/youtube]

A Gameblog Draws Near! Command?

Bonus points to whoever knows what the title of this post refers to.

We had a lot of fun last year with the Phantasy Star Gameblog and I thought it was almost time to do another one.  I am still a month or two away from getting started, but I thought we could at least get which game I will be blogging about out of the way.

I had originally written a nice long post, with detailed descriptions about each game, but that was lost due to the server timing out when I tried to save. So forgive me for the  lack of details, as I have entered a new dimension of pissed off. Continue reading A Gameblog Draws Near! Command?

Great Moments in Video Game Music: Final Fantasy XIII – Blinded by the Light (Battle Theme)

Like I mentioned in the podcast, I am trying not to go crazy with Square Enix music, but give me a pass for this week. I was in love with this music before the game even came out and I have to say, 30 hours into this game, I never get tired of hearing this song. That’s pretty damn impressive, if you ask me. Enjoy:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6e8al-mHQ[/youtube]

Great Moments in Video Game Music: Uncharted 2 – Drake’s Theme

Time for another awesome song that I think you guys will like. Just to clarify, I am trying to pick songs that are good regardless of whether or not you have played the game.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time and amid all the praise, the music is one aspect that really drew me into the game. Featuring a score akin to that of something by John Williams, this is the main theme of the game and one of my favorites.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkPF5UiDi4g[/youtube]

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Chrono Cross – Dream of the Shore Near Another World

I thought I would do a random post about a song I listen to at least once a week and I will do other posts with other great songs at intermittent intervals.

This is from Chrono Cross, the “sequel” to Chrono Trigger that appeared on the PS 1 back in 2000. A great RPG that got pooped on (even by me) for derailing Chrono Trigger’s story, but one aspect that held up over time was the music, this track in particular. The mournful, melancholy drone can make even the most jaded weep and the most superficial suddenly finding themselves contemplating the complexities of the universe.

Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKcr2OTgws[/youtube]

Supreme Court to Rule on Violent Games

Supreme CourtCalifornia’s law banning the sale of violent video games to minors was thrown out by a court of appeals and now it appears to be heading via warp zone to the final stage: The Supreme Court.

With this comes the usual debate about games and free speech, the responsibilities of parents and so forth. Personally, I think it’s up to parents and game stores to self-regulate, but what do I know?

I also don’t think the Supreme Court, which last week asked, “What’s the difference between an e-mail and a page?” is going to see the gamer side of this issue, but that won’t stop me from asking: where do you stand on this hot-button issue?

Source: Yahoo News

3D Dot Game Heroes Brings The Nostalgia

In case you were not aware, 3D Dot Game Heroes, a PS3 exclusive due to be released in May, brings a love and reverence to 8-bit classics. Indeed, the entire game seems like a homage/rip-off of the the original Legend of Zelda. Despite that, viewed in the proper context, it seems to be really awesome and is garnering some decent reviews.

GamesRadar has an awesome preview of some of the loading screens, which are old NES and SNES box covers, as seen through the lens of 3D Dot Game Heroes. Follow this link and check it out!

Source: GamesRadar