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!

Just Cause 2 Brings Madness and Mayhem

I never got to play the original Just Cause, but I remember playing its demo nearly non-stop for several days straight. I loved the free-falling so much, it reminded me of the flying in Super Mario 64. However, when reviews started releasing, it became clear that the game had little much to offer in terms of variety and lasting appeal.

Now that the sequel is out, I’m curious about the franchise again. This new Madness and Mayhem Montage certainly bolsters the idea that this could actually be a pretty fun game. Has anyone here played it?

Gaming Pop Quiz, Spring 2010 Edition

Ah, Spring is rolling on in, bringing with it a wave of warmth, pollen and a fresh batch of new games. Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I was still trying to catch up on new games at this time of the year. Not that I’m complaining or anything. Anyway, in honor of the bountiful harvest of gaming goodness, we’ve brought a new pop quiz!

Here’s how it works: We’ve come up with 7 different questions about your gaming history. As always with our getting-to-know-you type games, feel free to answer with as much or as little as you like. Obviously, some of these things you might not remember, but answer to the best of your ability. Go!
Continue reading Gaming Pop Quiz, Spring 2010 Edition

Crackdown 2: Rocket Tag

Many of you know of my great love for the game Crackdown. I credit the sandbox/platformer hybrid with my obsession for achievement hunting, and also name it as one of my best of this generation with no shame. It was a game unlike any other I had played before, and made you feel like a super soldier in the midst of a gorgeously realized open world.

While I have my doubts about the sequel, I’m still holding onto hope and looking forward to its release. The primary draw for me would have to be the four player co-op, which just seems like it’s going to be a screaming good time. It seems there’s a new Crackdown 2: Rocket Tag promotional video out, highlighting what was good sport in the first game: shooting the crap out of each other with rockets.

I’m still not sure how I feel about the game completely, so I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this newest trailer.

Are Games Emotionally Engaging?

Mass Effect 2One phrase that we have been hearing a lot lately from the videogame industry is the idea of making our current gaming stories more engaging in terms of emotion. Doing something like this seems to be one of the last great barriers in the minds of game makers, considering what the technology of their platforms can do.

Specifically, Bioware is the company speaking about this most of all. In a recent interview with Kotaku, company manager Ray Muzyka shared Bioware’s vision statement. Namely, to “create, deliver and evolve the most emotionally engaging gaming experiences in the world”. The article goes on to talk about character development and progression, and how Bioware aims to create these feelings in all of their franchises.

The problem with this? As good as Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins were, I don’t know if I ever felt “emotionally engaged” at any point of the stories. Sure, there were characters I was crazy attached to, and moments that took my breath away or dropped my jaw- many of those, in fact. But I wouldn’t say that there was any point that hit me like moments of Final Fantasy VII, IX, X, or Shadow of the Colossus, and those are all from previous generations. To me, it’s odd that developers are still trying to hit this, but to me it comes down to the writing.

So what about you guys? Do you find that games are emotionally engaging enough? What games have you played that have done that for you?

Source- Kotaku

GamerSushi Asks: Games You Miss?

Final Fantasy 13I just spent a whole weekend in Austin, Texas for South By Southwest Interactive, the glorious tech and social media festival. I got to experience a whole lot of awesome things like hanging with some folks from Revision3, Burnie Burns from RoosterTeeth, and fans of Web Zeroes.

However, one thing I didn’t get a lot of: video games. As much fun as I ended up having, whenever I’m separated from gaming for a few days or more I start to go a little nuts. All weekend long, I couldn’t stop thinking about Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s sweet multiplayer and Final Fantasy 13. Despite its opening story issues and inherent Japanese-ness, Final Fantasy 13 is still tickling at a bone that doesn’t get tickled too often these days. I’m not sure what it is, but even though I had some complaints about the opening chapters, I keep finding myself drawn back to it.

So, what games do you guys start to miss when you have to get away from gaming for too long? What are you playing right now?

GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop

Welcome to a new edition of GameCop vs LameCop vs PsychoCop. It’s about time, huh?

If you’re unfamiliar with this feature, we discuss gaming issues and we switch roles each time. The GameCop has your best interests as gamers at heart, while the LameCop is just what he sounds like: kind of a lamewad. Meanwhile, PsychoCop is a crazed, complete troll of a dude.

In this week’s edition, we have a fair and reasonable debate about Activision and Infinity Ward, Assassin’s Creed II DRM and the statute of limitations on video game spoilers.

Enjoy!
Continue reading GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop

Splinter Cell: Conviction Co-Op Interview

Man, the more I see for Splinter Cell: Conviction, the more pumped I get about it. I’ve been trying to avoid getting media overload from the whole thing, but it’s hard to stay away from great new videos that tease me with what I’ve been wanting since the co-op mode of Chaos Theory.

Ubisoft isn’t letting up apparently, and have given us a brand new video featuring a co-op mode interview. It sheds some new light on the mode, and gives tons of glimpses into the gameplay and the strategy that’s going to have to go into it from two players. I seriously can’t wait to play this, and it’s hard to believe it comes out next month.

Anybody else pumped?

Introducing: PlayStation Move

PlayStation MoveEver since Nintendo dropped trou on the video game industry with its motion control system, and then consequently made a metric crapload of money, it was only a matter of time before the other boys followed suit. We all knew that Project Natal from Microsoft was worming its way into our homes sometime soon, but there had been little development from Sony’s side of the ring.

Well, the gloves are now off. It seems that Sony has officially announced PlayStation Move, its new motion control device that is totally not a Wii-mote, as indicated by that strange blue ball on the end. Anyway, VG247 has a list of all the PS Move news you could shake a stick at, so I’d recommend checking that out if you want in on all the dirty details. The more interesting pieces of information include the fact that 20 first party titles are going to support PS Move when it launches this holiday, and that the device will be bundled with the EyeToy for a measly $100 bones.

So, what do you guys think of the PS Move? Go!

Source- VG247

The Real Life Portal (Nerf) Gun

Some time ago, I believe we posted a video of the hilarious Freddie Wong playing Bike Hero, and there was much merriment along with the transpiring of lulz. Well, it seems that Wong is back with a new live action short, this one built around Portal, and purchasing a real life Portal gun from Aperture Science, which apparently looks like a Nerf gun.

I’m a big fan of this dude, so it’s great to see more video game related stuff out of his channel. Oh, and don’t bother with the subliminal message at the end. It pretty much just says “ha, I got you to decode this”, only much longer. Anyway, enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L-rrkyvApU[/youtube]

Modern Warfare 2 Machinima: No Russian

I am a man who has an affinity for some mighty fine machinima from time to time. That’s why I’ve taken a liking to a cool new video by YouTube user Michael Barnes, who has produced a new Modern Warfare 2 machinima titled No Russian.

The video is basically a re-telling of Modern Warfare 2’s plot, with different camera angles and what looks to be some sick as hell settings on his video card. I honestly don’t remember Modern Warfare 2 looking this good, but I really like what he’s done and how he’s cut everything together. Impressive stuff, I must say. Anyway, give it a watch and revel. That’s an order.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHHBK6PGN8M[/youtube]

GamerSushi Asks: What Are You Playing?

Battlefield Bad Company 2We’ve repeated it so many times, but I think it can’t be overstated: the amount of great games we’re getting so far this early in 2010 (with more still to come) is simply staggering. Already we’ve played a game of the year candidate in Mass Effect 2, seen some stuff we’ve never seen before in Heavy Rain, and soon will be revisited by an old friend in Final Fantasy XIII. Oh, and that’s not to mention the Resident Evil 5 DLC (second pack released last week), Crackdown 2 (coming this summer), Splinter Cell: Conviction or the newly released Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Speaking of DICE’s new game, that’s what I’ve been playing a good bit of this week, in addition to Heavy Rain as well as Tropico 3. If you’re curious, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a fantastic multiplayer game, and even has a fairly decent single player game, from what I’ve experienced. I’ve been up late a few nights playing some epic multiplayer matches. Something that’s become obvious to me is that I simply love Battlefield’s multiplayer format. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia or simple that its layout is just better than many other games, but whatever it is, it hits me in that special place.

So what about you guys? What are you playing lately? Go!

Review: Heavy Rain

Heavy RainIn these parts and others, there is often the discussion of video games as a storytelling medium, and how it fares compared to its brethren such as films, books and the like. More often than not, gamers expect video game stories to be an afterthought, a means to an end, with the “end” being a fun game with engaging gameplay. The story simply serves as the vehicle by which you move from Level 1 to Level 2, the reason you are shooting/whipping/jumping to your next goal.

Quantic Dreams’ flagship title, Heavy Rain, promises something different. On the heels of the well received Indigo Prophecy from 2005, the studio set out to top their original interactive storytelling with a tale more realistic, lifelike and ultimately emotionally engrossing. So, how does the PS3 exclusive fare in this regard? Does it change the way we experience a story in this medium with all of the weight of a towering thunderhead? Or is it simply, and I can’t resist this awful pun, a light drizzle? Ahem. Let’s move on.
Continue reading Review: Heavy Rain

Valve’s Going Viral

Valve Mac AdIf you haven’t been paying attention, or if you’ve somehow wandered away from the Internet this week, you may have missed the fact that Valve is going bat poop loco with some new viral marketing regarding Portal. They’ve updated the puzzle FPS classic with some mysterious radio codes as well as a new achievement in the last week, and have sent their fans into a rabid frenzy: here is an active Steam thread where they are decoding some new images.

As if that wasn’t all enough, Valve has let loose with some not so subtle teases about its Steam platform seeing a potential future release on the Mac OS. They’ve put together images from several different Mac ad campaigns and incorporated Half Life 2 and Source characters in them. Say what you will about them, these guys are damn clever.

And on top of all that, people have discovered that Portal has been sneakily updated this week with a new ending… Yes, you read that right. If you don’t feel like playing the game to see, check out this video of it below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq9oKn-SJCU[/youtube]

So what do you guys think this is leading up to? It seems that Valve is really laying it on thick about a Portal 2 announcement, but there seems to be some Episode 3 imagery in the coded messages as well. Could we be getting both of these bundled in one awesome box? I certainly hope so. Theorize away!

Source- Kotaku and Shacknews

The Future of 3D Gaming?

For the record, I have never been a fan of the idea of 3D coming into our homes and to our gaming consoles. To me, the idea of strapping something to my face to watch and interact with the media I own seems rather ludicrous, cumbersome and ultimately lame. However, if this is what the direction of 3D in gaming is like, then I might have suddenly become a believer.

Check out this proof of concept video where a Nintendo DSi camera is linked to the software, creating startling 3D images within the screen of the handheld itself. Basically, the camera is recognizing the relative position and viewing angle and adjusting the image to match. The result? Awesome 3D. What do you guys think?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5QSclrIdlE[/youtube]

Review: Resident Evil 5 DLC: Lost In Nightmares

It is no great secret that we here at GamerSushi are a bit in love with last year’s Resident Evil 5, even to the chagrin of some in our community. We voted the game as one of our tops of 2009 and have sung its praises on many occasions. And while no, we don’t love Resident Evil 5 enough to go out and marry it, we do feel a great desire to take it behind a middle school and get it pregnant. You heard me right.

So it should come as no great surprise or shock that a few of us were hungrily clamoring for the first bit of DLC that Capcom sent hurling our way. Lost in Nightmares hit the Webs just last week, ready for gamers all around to savor its tasty flavors. This is the first of a few downloadable co-op chapters that will all eventually be packaged in the RE5 Gold Edition hitting sometime in the near future.

The burning question, though: how is Lost in Nightmares? Let’s find out.
Continue reading Review: Resident Evil 5 DLC: Lost In Nightmares

GameStop Actually Offering Good Trade-In Value

GameStopYes, you read that right. The video game superstore giant is currently offering a ridiculous trade-in special, and everyone that’s even remotely thinking of parting with some games should go take advantage of it. As Anthony pointed out the other day, this Spring is actually ripe with games for us to pick, and everyone should experience them together.

What’s the trade-in deal, you ask? Well, GameStop is actually offering 50% more than normal for trade-ins. If you are an Edge card member, you get an additional 10%. The best part of all this is that the deal is going to last for the next 3 weeks. You can do what Nick did today: trade in 2 games to purchase Heavy Rain, which he plans on beating this week, and then trading back to get Final Fantasy XIII. With the additional trade-in value, such schemes are more than possible.

So, who else is going to take advantage of this? My plan is to trade in Modern Warfare 2 to purchase Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Source- GameStop

StarCraft II Beta is Go: New Footage

If you didn’t know, the StarCraft II closed beta is officially live, with thousands of eager RTS gamers gobbling up the goodness in what is totally not a double entendre. While I was not a huge player of the first game, I know that we’ve got some die hard PC faithful among our ranks at GamerSushi, so I wanted to show you some of the footage that’s floating around these here InterWebs. So far, the game looks like a lot of fun to play, but that’s coming from somebody that doesn’t know a whole lot about the franchise. What do you guys think?

Gaming Needs More Genre Busters

Brutal LegendI had a rather unique experience over the last week. Or at least, unique for me. These days, as I’ve lamented quite often and obnoxiously, I’m met with a schedule that doesn’t allow me to play and finish too many video games. However, in this last week, I’ve managed to complete two titles. And not just any two titles, but two fun and individual titles: Brutal Legend and Mass Effect 2.

While for the most part, these just seem like regular old video games on the surface, there’s something special about them. Something that struck me. You see, both of these games are genre busters. Games that come along and buck genre tropes, straddling the line between two or several different styles of play, combining them all in a way that doesn’t play awkwardly. Sure, there are several games that try to shove mechanics of multiple games together (Grand Theft Auto for one), but it’s more like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Very rarely do these games actually succeed at what they set out to do. Which makes it pretty cool when the developers actually pull it off.
Continue reading Gaming Needs More Genre Busters

Does the Video Game Industry Need to Slow Down?

Slow DownSome people, if faced with the opportunity to do nothing all day, would probably freak out and have some kind of nervous breakdown. Me? I would just play video games. And I still might not have enough time to play everything I want to.

I don’t know if you have been feeling this way recently, but I know that for me, my free time is getting more and more limited (a job, house, wife, Web Zeroes and writing a novel will do that to you). As a result I’m finishing far fewer games now than I ever have before. In the immediate future I’ve got Brutal Legend waiting for me, assuming I don’t do any repeated playing of all the games I’ve bought recently.

A new GameSpy piece by comedian Michael Drucker covers this very topic, and is making a simple request of the videogame industry: stop making games for one year. His point? There are simply too many great games coming out to keep up. While it is meant as a mostly humorous piece, there are parts of it that ring ridiculously true, such as when he notes that a Legend of Zelda game was maybe the 10th best game of last year. 10 years ago, that thought was absurd. Anyway, the article is a great read, and made me laugh out loud a few times, so I’d definitely recommend checking it out for yourselves.

How many of you guys have felt this way lately? Right now, I’m a little disappointed that I’ve had too move on past great titles that warrant more replay time (Borderlands, Dragon Age, Modern Warfare 2 to name a few). What games are on your backlog?

Source- GameSpy

GamerSushi Asks: Your Gaming Setup

Over the weekend, I became the proud owner of a new 46″ Samsung LCD TV. Needless to say, I’m rather excited by this new development. For the past few years, I’ve been gaming on a 32″ Samsung LCD, so this isn’t much of an upgrade in quality (though the last TV was showing some awful image retention issues) as much as it was in size. What was once small is now huge in comparison. I played Mass Effect 2 like crazy today and loved every minute of it.

I know it’s goofy (and maybe more than a little obvious), but I haven’t been this excited about something I’ve purchased in quite some time. The wife and I have said for years that once we bought a house, we’d buy a big TV to match the new living room, so it was time to finally cash in on that deal. Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll pick up a new surround sound system, as ours is old and more than a bit dated.

Anyway, this upgrade got me thinking about you guys, and what you play your games on. So, tell us about your gaming setup. Go!