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!

Holiday Gaming Memories

holidaysHappy Turkey Day, fools!

One of the most interesting things about holidays is the traditions that we and our families adopt, and the memories that form with them. For me, every Thanksgiving is a get-together with the family, along with some board games such as Risk or Apples to Apples. We also throw the football around a little. We’ve been repeating this for quite some time, and I enjoy it for the most part, especially the way we’ve all grown and changed over time. It really makes for some fond memories.

While gorging myself on food today, kind of wishing I was home finishing Dragon Age: Origins or jumping in on the second season of 1 Vs 100, it made me think about some of my favorite memories and traditions from my gaming background.
Continue reading Holiday Gaming Memories

Top 50 Worst Video Game Voiceovers

Not sure how many of you guys have seen/heard these, but I thought I’d post them here because they rule. Over the years, we’ve heard our share of pretty horrendous video game voice acting. Well, how about checking them out when they’re all compiled together, nice and friendly like?

Yup, it’s the 50 Worst Video Game Voiceovers of all time, and they kind of slay me with karate chops made of humor. Interestingly enough, many of them are from the Playstation, but that makes since, seeing as how it was the first console where voiceover became the norm. I think my favorite is number 5. “I like girls. But now- it’s about justice.”

GamerSushi Asks: What Are You Playing?

thanksgivingThe holidays are coming up. The games are coming out. And here we are, with all these new toys to play with. What’s more important, though, is that some of us are going to have lots of time on our hands to play them next week, due to the wonderful thing known as Thanksgiving break.

Right now, I’ve been pouring my whole life into Dragon Age: Origins. It’s a very deep RPG with some great writing, a fascinating world, cool characters and a fun story. I have to say, I’m starting to hit the near obsessive point with it, wanting to play it all hours of the night and during the day. I don’t know if it’s that it’s such a wonderful game so much as I’ve been needing an RPG fix for a long time, and this has just what I’ve desired. We’ll see how I feel when I’m done.

I’m also playing Modern Warfare 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, and I’m hoping to be knocking out some Assassin’s Creed II or Left 4 Dead 2 next week. What about you guys? What will you be playing during Thanksgiving week?

Today’s WTF: Amazing MW2 Knife Throw

One of the things I’m enjoying about Modern Warfare 2 is the final kill cam, which shows everyone the way the last dude in the match got owned. While I’ve seen my fair share over the last week, none of them come even close to being as awesome as this video. You need to see this to believe it.

Who’s Getting Left 4 Dead 2 or Assassin’s Creed 2?

l4d2Though they might have been slightly overshadowed by the walking titan we know as Modern Warfare 2, two rather large games are making their presence known this week. One of them is a title that has had some silly controversy around it, and another is a sequel to a less than stellar but promising original IP that might turn into something more. I’m speaking of Left 4 Dead 2 and Assassin’s Creed 2, of course.

While I’m not one of the boycotters for L4D2, I still don’t have much desire to pick it up at all. I kind of burned myself out on the zombie slaying with the first game, so I’m having trouble mustering up enough gumption to go out and buy the thing. And while I was one of the few who enjoyed Assassin’s Creed, the sequel doesn’t intrigue me all that much, though I’ll probably give it a rental.

So what about you guys? Who out there is getting either of these games?

GamerSushi Asks: On Reviews?

grade-sheetOne of the things we strive for here at GamerSushi is to include you guys and keep this as democratic as possible (within reason of course) in order to make this an awesome community. As you all know, one of the things we do here is review games, most often the bigger titles that are hitting the market.

So, in regards to our reviews, I have a few questions. The first one: what do you guys think of our rubric? While it used to please us, lately we’ve been having some issues with it. For instance, a few months back, I gave Resident Evil 5 an A instead of an A+ simply because by our rubric, it wasn’t “one of the greatest games of all time”. However, looking back, I still desperately want to give it an A+, rubric be damned.

That’s just one small example out of the many, but I think something about our rubric is what’s making most of our game scores fall in the B+ to A range. I’d like to fix this however possible, and we’re open to suggestions from you guys. I’m convinced that letter grades are the best thing to do, but I’m ready to hear out other thoughts.

Second question: what do you guys think of us going back and permanently adjusting review scores? I know that in some communities, the site gets vilified for changing scores, but personally, I think that more sites ought to go back and re-evaluate games months after the fact. Off the top of my head, I think that I scored Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead and Metal Gear Solid 4 all far too high, and would like to change them.

So, tell us your thoughts on those. We’re gearing up for some changes around here (hence the less frequent posts over the last few weeks), so there will be more of these kinds of questions coming. Go!

Review: Modern Warfare 2

mw2Ok, I won’t write a cheesy intro paragraph about Modern Warfare 2. You know what this game is. I won’t even make a statement about how you have to have been hiding under a rock to not know. I think it’s safe to say that we’re all familiar with this game, its controversies, and some of its more publicized info leading up to the epic launch this week. This is without a doubt the biggest title to drop this year. So, with all of the hype, how did it stack up?

Continue reading Review: Modern Warfare 2

Final Fantasy XIII Drops in March

Has hell frozen over? Are pigs flying? Are Republicans and Democrats holding hands in the streets? The only reason I ask is because Final Fantasy XIII (and no the number on the end doesn’t represent the development cycle) finally has itself a good and proper release date. Imagine that! The game drops on March 9th, 2010 in the US and Europe.

Is anyone else pumped about this? Which console will you buy the game for? Playstation 3 here. Sticking to my roots. Also, check out the new trailer for the game, which rules.

May Require Instructions

instructionsIs there anything better than opening a new video game? OK, well maybe a few things, but seriously, purchasing and unwrapping a new game is for real a cool feeling. Something about the anticipation, the smell, and most of all… the instructions.

I know that sounds weird, but hear me out. One of my favorite things about buying a new video game is to take out the instruction booklet and give them a good read-through before I even put the game in. Call me a dork, but it’s part of my ritual before I play. However, lately, I’m noticing a downward trend in the effort that people seem to put into instruction manuals.

Whereas old games used to have fun art, bios and worlds of information regarding the game, nowadays it seems that all we get are black and white cheapo prints that any five year old could make. Heck, the Modern Warfare 2 instruction manual ranks among the worst I’ve ever seen. Granted, the game is fun, so in the long run it’s all good, but I seriously love me some good instructering.

So am I the only crazy guy who cares about this kind of thing?

GamerSushi Asks: Drinking the Kool-Aid

kool-aidOh yeah!

With all the new games coming out every year, it becomes tricky to negotiate which games you should/shouldn’t buy. Already this Fall, I’ve bought a game I didn’t expect to (Halo: ODST) and I’ve been tempted by two other titles I didn’t have any plans on buying (Forza 3 and Borderlands). However, there is inevitably the game that everyone else seems to love, but you don’t necessarily drink the kool-aid for the way others do.

For me, that might be Left 4 Dead 2 this year. In previous years, games like Bioshock and any of the Devil May Cry games have failed to catch my fancy. Same thing with Mario Galaxies. Also, and this one might get me yelled at- Ocarina of Time. Though others loved them, I just never caught the fever. What about you guys? What recent great games do you not drink the Kool-Aid for like everyone else does? Flame on!

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Trailer

Yes, the trailer for the live action Prince of Persia movie is now available for all of us geeks to “meh” at, studying the long-haired Gyllenhaal and the no doubt unfaithful translations of a great game to the silver screen. It looks like they’ve at least nailed down the basics, which include some sand, a dagger and action, but who knows where it’s going from there. I won’t lie though, looks like kind of a mindless good time. Thoughts?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0zJz7qLXKM[/youtube]

Waiting for Dragons

dragon-ageTomorrow marks the release of Dragon Age: Origins and I honestly couldn’t be more excited. Through the recent release of the new Wheel of Time book, the Gathering Storm and Bioware’s new RPG tomorrow, I suddenly have a plethora of fantasy world experiencing to do.

I have to say that I’m a bit surprised by just how pumped I am for Dragon Age. It makes me realize just how long it’s been since I’ve played a really solid RPG. So far, the reviews are giving it great scores and my anticipation is at an all time high on the eve of release. I’m not sure what it is about a good RPG that gets my blood going, but whatever it is, Dragon Age has stoked that fire as well.

What about you guys? What game left on the holiday schedule are you jonesing for? And just for kicks, who else is in to fantasy? Got a favorite series?

Bioshock 2 Story Interview

Even though I appreciated Bioshock’s quality in terms of its immersiveness and story, I just didn’t go quite as crazy about it as everyone else did. I didn’t dislike the game, it just didn’t hook me the way it seemed to for hundreds of thousands of other gamers out there. I keep thinking I want to pick it up and finish it one day, but the sequel so far hasn’t gotten me all that excited either.

However, I do have to say that it seems that they’re really putting a lot of thought into the game’s universe and how it ticks, which is starting to perk my interest a little. The newest developer interview sheds some more light on what the game’s about and who some of its new characters are. I’d suggest giving it a watch. What about you guys? What do you think about Bioshock 2?

GamerSushi Asks: Scariest Games?

silent-hill-2In honor of Halloween, I figured it was time for at least a fright-filled question. Something to get the ball moving in between the costumes, candy and partying like rock stars.

One thing that people close to me know is that I’m a wuss when it comes to anything remotely scary. I don’t do well with horror movies in the slightest. Seriously. I scream like a girl and often times close my eyes or cover my ears when I sense that something scary is coming up in a movie I’m watching. Yes, the 6 foot tall latino dude is frightened and I’m sure it looks funny as hell.

Anyway, the same thing applies to scary games as well. I don’t handle them with any semblance of dignity. I think the scariest game I can ever remember playing is Silent Hill 2. My brother and I played it one weekend with the lights off, and I was barely even able to handle it.

So what about you guys? What’s the scariest game you’ve ever played? Or a particular moment that really freaked you out? Go!

Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

uncharted2-among-thievesUnless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few months, you know that Uncharted 2 is the Playstation 3’s big great piece of hype, lying in wait to strike at just the right moment this holiday season. You also might know that the game is the object of a ridiculous amount of affection as gamers and reviewers alike swoon over its pixelated action. So, how does the game actually stack up? Let’s find out.
Continue reading Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

GamerSushi Asks: Suggested Reviews?

Hello fellow gamers. Got a question for you dudes.

Recently, someone brought up on a review that we only tend to review blockbuster titles that almost always get the same kind of scores. While it must be noted that we are just some regular guys that aren’t going to waste our time with games that will get lower scores, we do feel that this was a solid issue worth discussing at a later time.

To be honest, we don’t always think about all of our options available to us for reviews. So we wanted to ask you guys and get some opinions- what other games do you want to see reviewed, besides some of the bigger titles like Uncharted 2, Forza 3, etc? Feel free to suggest anything that you’ve been wanting to know more about. We can’t promise that we’ll get to all of them, but we’ll definitely broaden our horizons and try to hit on some upcoming games that you guys are curious about. Fire away!

G-Man Sings Body to Body, Oozes Sex Appeal

Put this one under the “weird but hilarious” category. This is a machinima music video by WAM Studios in which G-Man sings Body to Body by Jay-J. It was created with Half Life 2, lots of Faceposer and GMod.

The song is pretty much horrid, but the video rules because they re-created the original music video by Jay-J almost perfectly, only with G-Man and Alyx in the leading roles. Seeing G-Man act suave and sexy is worth the price of admission on this one. Be warned it has a few images that are more than likely NSFW, especially the original, which I recommend suffering at least a few seconds of in order to fully appreciate what was done here.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1OMBJ9MZBc[/youtube]

Putting the Controller Down

uncharted2-ps3Woah. So Uncharted 2 is one incredible game. If you have been on the fence about getting a Playstation 3 (or a PS triple, as some would say), you no longer have any excuses. Go out and get this game right now. I’m being serious. There will be punches if you ignore me on this.

Now that that’s out of the way, on to what I was really trying to say. This morning I finally finished this fantastic game, and I found myself sad to see it over. Most of the time when I beat a game, I usually find myself excited about my accomplishment, being able to move on to something else. It’s only with movies and books that I get sad during an ending. Which really says a lot to me about the quality of Uncharted 2’s storytelling. In fact, I was so engrossed throughout the whole game that it was often hard to put the controller down. On nights that I needed to go to bed earlier, I would purposely avoid the game because I knew once it was one, it was go time.

Honestly, I can’t really remember the last time that a game struck me with that same sense of “holy crap I can’t put this down”. For a single player game, it’s certainly been awhile. What about you guys? When was the last time you suffered from “can’t put the controller down” syndrome?

GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop

In the past, GameCop vs. LameCop has been a feature where Anthony and I argue about video game issues, playing the role of either the GameCop or the LameCop as we do so. However, with the addition of a new GamerSushi team member, we’ve added another more absurd character to the bunch: Psycho Cop.

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, rabid forum troll that rants like a complete lunatic.

In this week’s edition, we not-so-calmly debate Day 1 DLC and Modern Warfare 2’s erasure of dedicated servers.

Continue reading GameCop Vs LameCop Vs PsychoCop

Fighting Gaming Addictions

everquestEven though I joke about being addicted to video games, I don’t think I can ever honestly say that I’ve had a real actual addiction to them at any point in my life. Thankfully, games have been an area where the fun stays fun, and I can walk away if something is sucking away too much of my life, though Counter-Strike came close to reversing that.

A really interesting article went up a couple of days ago on Kotaku called I Kept Playing – The Cost of My Gaming Addiction. I highly recommend reading it for any of you who have ever had a problem with MMOs (or any game for that matter), or if you’ve had friends affected by the kinds of addiction described within. He describes losing two jobs and the love of his life, all for Everquest. While I’ve had my share of difficulties in one area or another over the years, I’ve never experienced need for something to that level. It really is frightening to think that something could come along and uproot everything that people work for. And a videogame, of all things.

A few years back, my brother went through a pretty rough time where Everquest was all he did. It took him awhile to come out of the funk, and he doesn’t like to think back on it. He’s all better now, thankfully, and living a normal life, but those years were a little nuts. What about you guys? Have you ever known anybody who’s had a gaming addiction like this?

Source- Kotaku