Eddy has written a total of 422,116 words on this site.

I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

Time Management with Persona 4 Golden

persona 4 golden

I’ve got this new sort of addiction in my life. I’m not sure if there’s medical terminology for a full-obsession with a 6 year old game from two gens ago, but hey, I’ve got it apparently. After years of hearing about the excellence of Persona 4, I decided to finally give it a try on my PS Vita in the form of Persona 4 Golden, an updated version that is an almost perfect handheld experience.

So what makes this game so great? There are a number of things, not the least of which happens to be just how damn Japanese the whole thing is. For those that aren’t aware, P4G is an RPG that centers around a high school murder mystery. So, yeah. It’s different. Continue reading Time Management with Persona 4 Golden

A Whole New World: Destiny Alpha Impressions

destiny

I’ve had this weird sort of fascination with Destiny ever since Bungie first released news about it. There’s one part of me that feels a tinge of regret whenever I see it in motion, knowing that I could have been involved with it in some way (a job opportunity that ultimately didn’t pan out for me). Another part of me has moved on from multiplayer games almost entirely—other priorities have taken precedence in my life, including family, writing and friends. And even though videos of the game in motion never quite thrilled me, there was something about the game that I found intriguing.

And the Alpha won me over completely. Continue reading A Whole New World: Destiny Alpha Impressions

Hotline Miami 2 Lays Down the Beating

Hotline Miami 2 now has a trailer, and my god, it’s beautiful. The first game was one of my favorites, and it looks like the sequel is upping the ante with some ridiculously cool additions.

Dat dual wielding in multi directions, tho.

President Obama Talks Smack in Titanfall

This video needs very little introduction, other than saying that someone who does a very good Obama impersonation plays a lot of Titanfall and pretends he’s the President of the United States. The results are pretty glorious, mostly because everyone else is playing along and enjoying the shtick.

Alien: Isolation Sounds Like a Great Game I Will Never Play

Polygon has a fantastic write-up about Alien: Isolation, a first person horror attempt at bringing the Alien franchise back to its roots. While most games try to emulate the space marines feel of James Cameron flick, Isolation plays with your expectations and pits you against one single-minded killing xenomorph.

I will never play this game because I am a wuss, but it sounds awesome.

Celebrate Katamari’s 10 Year Anniversary with Awesome Music

Crazy how time flies, huh? Katamari Damacy, that lovable game where you play as the Prince of the Cosmos, rolling all over the world in a great big ball, turns 10 years old today.

It’s interesting to think back on that time of my life, where I lived carefree in college and listened to that game’s rad soundtrack while driving all over Tallahassee. Who else has fond memories of Katamari Damacy?

GamerSushi Asks: Spring Releases?

InFamous: Second Son

Finally.

We’re used to slight slumps in gaming. This hobby is defined by periods of feast or famine, it seems, and it’s just one of those things our gaming tummies have grown accustomed to over the years.

But now spring has arrived, and we’ve got a slew of new titles to nom upon, across a variety of platforms. In particular, my Playstation 4 has been mostly unused for the past month, but now it prepares for a helping of InFamous: Second Son, set to arrive later this week. Titanfall likewise graces PC and Xbox One, and Dark Souls II comes out for whatever systems people who care about that game own (if you’re confused about my disdain, listen to the podcast). Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Spring Releases?

Little Known Nintendo 64 Facts

It’s so fascinating to hear bits of our gaming history these days, especially with systems that I was old enough to read about and care about in the days leading up to their release. Here’s a video about the development of the Nintendo 64, including a list of really cool tidbits such as why Nintendo claimed to stick to cartridges, the system’s original name, how Goldeneye was developed and more.

I’ve got some fond memories of this fine machine. Crazy to think that it came out almost 20 years ago. What are some of your favorite N64 memories?

Gods Will Be Watching This Summer

Gods Will Be Watching, a self-dubbed “point-and-click thriller”, puts you in a variety of harrowing moral dilemmas set against the backdrop of space. From the sound of it, there’s no walking around or gathering items, just tense, thrilling scenes that give you choices with big ramifications throughout the game. What’s really interesting is the game also provides you with no moral compass of sorts, it just lets your choices be your choices.

I know that pixel art is getting a bit cliche these days, but there’s something really timeless about the art style that hits me just right. And I’ll be damned if these short, story-based, tense kind of dilemma games don’t ring my bell just right.

GamerSushi Asks: Site Updating?

You might notice a few changes around these parts.

We’re gearing up sometime in the next month or two to roll out some bigger updates to GamerSushi’s design and layout. But in the meantime, we’ve introduced some new shorter format posts, which you’ve probably already seen.

The idea behind these is as we get busier and as the focus of the site is changing to more discussion, we really wanted to be able to do some quick and dirty posts. The new GS (whenever it happens) will likely focus more on our mission statement of “byte-sized” posts with a bigger emphasis on comments. You know, you guys. Since you all make this place so awesome.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that these new, different posts aren’t some kind of glitch in the system. Would you guys have any requests for a new site? Something you’d love to see, or that you want to be sure we port over from this design/format? Go!

Breaking Down the Perfect XCOM Run

Enemy Within

One of the things that I’ve loved about gaming in recent years is the explosion of Let’s Play videos and streaming. With the new opportunities gamers have to capture themselves playing more easily, it’s bringing us back to a day of speed runs, high scores and documenting really monumental achievements that players are accomplishing every day.

Take for instance the Impossible Ironman playthrough of XCOM: Enemy Within by Youtuber Antti Kokkonen, where he managed to beat the game’s new expansion pack on the hardest difficulty, with no saves—losing zero soldiers. It’s one of those things that’s almost impossible to imagine if you’ve played any XCOM, and experienced its startling brutality firsthand. This writeup by PCGamer is incredibly fascinating, breaking down the most nail-biting moments and critical saves that Kokkonen experienced over the course of his time playing the game.

This is one of those things I could totally see myself doing if I had the time. I remember spending hours in front of Mario 64 trying to perfect the timing of jumps and platforming, and running through Metal Gear Solid on total memory in just around 2 hours. What kind of madness have you pulled off in a game recently? Have you watched any of Kokkonen’s playthrough? Go!

Source – PC Gamer

Zero Escape and Replayability

Zero's Escape

One of my favorite games on the DS, 999 was a mystery game that placed 9 people on a cruise ship to solve Saw-type puzzles. If you could stand to read lots of text, it proved to be a gripping, heart-pounding visual novel that really knew how to tease your brain. Zero Escape, its sequel, is no different, and in many ways might be better than the original.

As I’ve been playing Zero Escape, however, I’m noticing something about myself as a gamer these days. Continue reading Zero Escape and Replayability

In-Game Reporters Document GTA V’s Los Santos

GTA V Media

As much as it’s easy to loathe the Internet at times (take for instance this 500 page Mass Effect 3 fanfic), there are other times when I find it just brilliant and amazing. The things that people can cook up when they find like minded folks is just astounding.

Proof: this subreddit of people that roleplay in GTA online as reporters, documenting the gang violence of Los Santos like digital versions of Anderson Cooper. It’s just one of those things that surprises you but doesn’t shock you, because of course there’s a subculture of the game’s population that gets a kick out of that.

To me, one of the most interesting things about online communities for games is the way that they tend to break down into these really unique niches. Take the custom game community of Halo, the roleplaying community of old Star Wars Jedi Outcast games or the MLG community for any competitive multiplayer title. I love that games give these people a home, because where the heck else could they have done some of these things?

What are some of the most interesting developments you’ve seen in an online community? Go!

Source – GTA V Media
Image – Stustuca

Inside Look at Wii U Reveals Development Woes

Wii U

We’re sometimes hard on Nintendo around here, but it’s (for the most part) out of love for what Nintendo was and could be. The Wii U, Nintendo’s latest stab at relevance in the gaming world, has been met with a lack of enthusiasm embodied by abysmal sales.

So how does something like this happen? If you’ve ever wanted an inside look at the development process of an entire console, EuroGamer presented the latest in its series, The Secret Developers. The premise of this feature is that developers write candidly and anonymously about particular subjects. This edition of the Secret Developers just happens to focus on the genesis—and troubling development— of the Wii U by a major third party developer.

And it’s certainly…interesting, to say the least. Continue reading Inside Look at Wii U Reveals Development Woes

Crafting Fun with Don’t Starve

Don't Starve

There’s a certain kind of crafting that I dig when I play games. Hunting animals to craft bigger weapons and pouches to hold more ammo to kill even bigger animals? Sign me up. Huddling in the dark and crafting that one tool I need to barely make it through the next night, while monsters press in all around me? Not so much.

This is part of why I avoided Don’t Starve for so long, despite hearing nothing but good things from just about everyone that’s ever played it. Since Klei’s roguelike survival simulator with an art style right out of a Tim Burton movie went up on PSN Plus this weekend, I thought I would give it a try. And I’m glad I did. Continue reading Crafting Fun with Don’t Starve

Pixel Count: Is the Steam Machine for You?

steam machine

Hot off the presses at CES in Las Vegas, it sounds like Valve has finally dropped some details about their upcoming foray into home entertainment—the Steam Machine. While the idea of a Valve system that acts as a vehicle for all of your impulse buying—er, I mean, PC gaming—right from your couch might be appealing, the company has had quite a few questions to answer about price, specs and the like.

It seems we’ve finally got those answers. This week, Valve unveiled specs and designs for 14 of its initial run of Steam Machines. The machines cover a range of hardware capabilities, but in my mind, the most interesting thing about them (aside from many of the hideous designs) would be the price points. Continue reading Pixel Count: Is the Steam Machine for You?

Battle of the GameCops: 2014

gamecop

Now that 2014 is here in full force, it only makes sense that we bring out our flatfoots of the gaming force to give their opinions of the biggest issues that gaming faced over the last year or so. That’s right, GameCop, LameCop and PsychoCop are back, and ready to hit the mean streets and the slummiest spots in town.

Since you haven’t seen them in some time, here’s how this feature works: GameCop is a sensible gamer, looking out for your best interests. LameCop is your average forum troll, causing havoc for the lulz, while PsychoCop should be locked up for everyone’s safety.

Here’s how they feel about these issues: Continue reading Battle of the GameCops: 2014

GamerSushi Asks: Gaming Christmas?

Steam Holiday Sale 2013

Merry Christmas to all you fine GamerSushi folk. We’ve said it before, but we’re grateful and thankful to have an awesome community like this one. You guys are smart, funny and have some mighty fine taste (your gravitation toward our ramblings not withstanding).

Even though it’s just Christmas Eve and not Christmas, I’m sure many of you have already started the experience of unwrapping all of your gaming loot this year, including the illustrious and addictive Steam sale. I’ve already picked up Fire Emblem and Zero’s Escape for the 3DS, along with Stanley Parable, Arkham Origins, XCOM: Enemy Within and Papers, Please! from Steam. Still looking at Gone Home and State of Decay, along with The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. I’m unsure about those last few, so if anyone’s played them, let me know what you think.

What about you guys? What games or gaming items have you gotten so far this year? What do you think you’ll pick up? Go!

The Grind of Progression in Battlefield 4

Battlefield 4 multiplayer

As much as I loved this past generation, I think one of the worst things it’s left behind is the idea of progressive unlocks in multiplayer. I hate to lay the blame at just any one game’s feet, but let’s face it, everybody pretty much took this from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Now every franchise from Halo to Assassin’s Creed is borrowing the idea, and multiplayer suffers for it.

Last week and over the weekend, I ran into a lot of this with Battlefield 4. While I enjoyed what I played of the game, I couldn’t help but get frustrated that all of the things I really wanted to do were behind a wall of arbitrary XP unlocks. These requirements dictated that I get a certain amount of XP before getting better weapons—which is extremely difficult to do without better weapons. Continue reading The Grind of Progression in Battlefield 4