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!

GameFly Thief Brought to Justice

gameflyI love me some video games, but probably not enough to go to prison. Apparently that’s not the case for some people. Take postal worker Reginald Johnson, a former truck unloader for a Philadelphia area post office. Recently, the office became the center of an investigation after many GameFly packages started to be reported as missing.

It seems that Mr. Johnson loved to lift these GameFly packages and then resell them to a local GameStop. So much, in fact, that he stole over 2,200 packages, amounting to about $86,000 of video game merchandise. How’s that for store credit?

Hilariously enough, the guy crashed his SUV when the cops showed up, and took off on foot, ditching a backpack and duffel bag that had about 160 games total between them. The dude has now been apprehended and faces 12-18 months in prison. It seems to me that if you were going to try and pull this scam, that surely someone would notice after game, I don’t know, 500. To steal a total of 2,200 just wreaks of idiocy. But I will allow it since it ends with my amusement.

Source- 1UP

On the Etiquette of Gaming

The thing that unites us here at GamerSushi is our unhealthy love and adoration of all things related to gaming. I’d like to think it creates a unique bond between us. Something that forms a common knowledge through shared experiences, a collective set of ethics and codes that we follow. Sure we deviate on issues here and there (Splinter Cell Conviction and night vision, for instance), but for the most part, we seem to understand one another.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of a few things that I’ve been curious about in terms of gaming etiquette. Things that tend to cause awkwardness in gaming circles or in the online atmosphere. I want to hear what you guys think about these things. Feel free to give as much or as little response as you like. Let’s roll.
Continue reading On the Etiquette of Gaming

GamerSushi Asks: Greatest Single Player Game?

uncharted2Two great single player games are coming out today, in case you didn’t know. That’s right, both Uncharted 2 and Brutal Legend are dropping today, and from the reports, they are both awesome. In fact, Adam Sessler referred to Uncharted 2 as the greatest single player game he’s ever played. Ever. While it’s usually hard to take such grand statements seriously, I can’t help but get hyped for this game.

So it got me thinking about what the greatest single player game I’ve ever played actually is. There are quite a few of them, to be honest. Knights of the Old Republic, Mario 64, Final Fantasy 7 and Suikoden III come to mind. Also, Shadow of the Colossus is a strong contender for number one as well.

I’m very much aware that this topic of discussion is the complete opposite end of the spectrum from one we had last week, but I wanted to explore it anyway. So what about you guys? What’s the best single player game you’ve ever played? And are any of you going to pick up Brutal Legend or Uncharted 2? Go!

Dragon Age: Origins Sacred Ashes Trailer

If there was a technical term in the video game industry that was the equivalent of what it would be like to have mind boners, then this new trailer for Dragon Age: Origins comes dangerously close to producing this effect in me. It’s hard to necessarily quantify how badass this trailer is in words, so I’ll just let you guys do the watching. Needless to say, there are dragons in this fantasy game, and it’s something that’s been sorely missing from my favorite pastime.

Who else is getting this game on November 3rd? I’ll be first in line.

The Death of Single Player Gaming

brutal-legendWe’ve talked around these parts before about how single player gaming seems to be going the way of the buffalo, slowly shuffling towards some great doom in future generations of gaming yet to come. It seems that you can’t make a decent single player experience without trying to tack on a co-op mode or some kind of competitive multiplayer. Why, Brutal Legend and Uncharted 2 are recent examples of this idea in action.

Kotaku has put up a fairly thoughtful piece on the idea of single player gaming’s slow extinction, and what it means for the industry. The big factor in most of these multiplayer mode add-ons is that companies don’t want people to resell and buy their games used. To me, you can’t escape the inevitable- used games are here to stay, and there’s nothing you can do about it. What you can do as a game company is lower your budget and (gasp) maybe even the prices of games so that there’s more incentive to both buy and keep the games you want. Another great model is Fallout 3’s DLC packs.

So what do you guys think? Is single player gaming dying?

Kotaku

Modern Warfare 2: Infamy Trailer

There is no question that Modern Warfare 2 is the most anticipated title of the year, with a hype level that has been snowballing as of late. As if that wasn’t enough, the folks over at Infinity Ward have released a brand new trailer for the game, moving me from excited to a near fever pitch. One of the wildest parts of the trailer? Images of what looks to be Washington, DC under attack. Why isn’t it November yet?

Getting the Gaming Craving

firefightOh man, what a weekend and a week. You guys may have noticed a lack of posting on my part. That is because my life is just a poopstorm of activity these days, with a slight chance of things slowing down finally. We’ll see. My wife and I just bought a house a couple of weeks ago, and have finally moved in. In addition, I’ve been working on Web Zeroes and not to mention my full time job. Mitch, likewise has just started a new job as well, and Anthony’s PC broke. So, we’re doing our best, and I think things are finally about to return to normal.

Since I’ve been so busy, I’ve missed out on the chance to play some games over the last week. And the thing is, the longer it goes, the more I’m starting to crave it again. I find myself oddly dying to play games I haven’t touched in a while, like Resident Evil 5 or Fallout 3. Though another part of me just wants to kick back and do some Firefight in ODST.

So what about you guys? When’s the last time you’ve had to go awhile without playing any games? What games do you start to crave when you haven’t played in awhile?

Heavy Rain Corner Store Gameplay

Man, I want this game. Even though Heavy Rain has been pushed into 2010, it doesn’t make it any less desirable. Especially if gameplay videos like these keep popping up.

In this new video highlighting a corner store sequence, we see a detective trying to find out more about the Origami Killer that he is pursuing. Unfortunately for him, a robber shows up in the store, demanding and waving a gun the way robbers are wont to do. The cool thing about this video though, is that it shows several of the different ways that this sequence could ultimately pan out, including the main character himself dying, at which point a new character would take over.

GamerSushi Asks: List Your Fall Purchases

beatlesrockbandThe Fall gaming season is upon us! That’s right, the time of year that we all wait for without much patience, reacting to every bit of news and feasting upon new gameplay videos. I really truly hunger for this season each and every year, and the new experiences that lie in wait inside disc-shaped treasures. New video games. Does it get any better?

While I believe we’ve asked this question in months past, things always seem to change at the last minute as more information comes out and we get to see some more gameplay, or even read reviews. So I’ll ask it again: what games are you going to purchase over the next few months?

For me, I’m going to be picking up Dragon Age: Origins and Modern Warfare 2 for sure, having already partaken in the fun Firefights of Halo 3: ODST and the melodious harmonies of Beatles Rock Band. Recently added to my list is Uncharted 2, which has received some resounding praise that I just can not ignore any longer. I’ve also removed Borderlands from my list, as I’ve read a few “meh” assessments of its fun factor.

What about you guys? What kind of budget are you looking at? What games are you on the fence about? What are you for sure purchasing? Go!

Today’s WTF: Splinter Cell Conviction Has No Night Vision

scconvictionOk, I hate to sound the “WTF” alarm for just anything these days, given the rather easy-to-upset gaming community at large, but this article I read today kind of jumped out at me. As some of you know, one of my most anticipated games for next year is Splinter Cell: Conviction. Chaos Theory still ranks among my favorite games of all time, and I’ve been waiting for a true sequel since then.

Well I might have to wait a little longer. While I’m largely OK with some of the additional gameplay mechanics that Ubisoft has added (the one-button executions, etc), something I read in an interview with the game’s creative director Max Beland disturbed me…

I crept through some dark areas as I worked my way into the building. Even in darkness, I did not need night vision to see, notably. In dark areas the game’s graphics become grainy, but the expected night-vision overlay doesn’t come into play. Beland doesn’t like green night-vision sequences in games and told me that Fisher’s goggles aren’t used for anything like that; just for sonar scans, which show enemy positions through walls.

Seriously? No night vision in a Splinter Cell game? I mean, call me crazy, but that just about throws the game off my radar. Looks like I might not get the proper return of the franchise that I wanted.

So what do you guys think? Am I overreacting to this? How would some of you guys feel if your favorite franchise was stripped of a staple of its gameplay?

Source- Kotaku

GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

Wow, it’s been quite a while since we’ve been graced with the presence of a Would You Rather. In fact, nearly half a year! So, before the salvo of new Fall titles drop, let’s give it another shot.

In Would You Rather, I simply ask a series of questions, and you follow up with your answers. Give as much or as little explanation as you want for your choices, but we all know that we like to see the reasoning behind the madness.

Don’t let your answers suck, though. You will be excommunicated and labeled with some kind of vulgar name. Believe it.

Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

TGS: Final Fantasy XIV Trailer

Malboros! I know Final Fantasy XIII still isn’t out yet, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have trailers for Final Fantasy XIV, the new MMO (maybe) entry into the series. While Final Fantasy XI never really did it for me, something about the art and the presentation of what I’ve seen so far for FF XIV have been striking.

This new FFXIV trailer straight from TGS only solidifies this position for me. Unless I’m wrong, am I spotting a hint about air and sea battles? Sign me up.

Thoughts on a One Console Future

one-consoleA lot has been made recently over the recent (and supposedly untrue rumor) that Microsoft may purchase Electronic Arts. Even though this rumor appears to be false, it does bring up some valid questions, and ones that got Anthony and I engaged in a ripping e-mail debate this morning.

As most debates go, it ended with us making various claims about each other’s mothers, but before that there was some reasoned discussion going on. Anthony believes that a move like this could really hurt the video game industry on the whole, and potentially see the downfall of the other two giants (in this case Sony and Nintendo). My position is that while I agree that such a situation might occur, we are reaching a point where a one-console future could and probably will be a reality, it’s just a matter of who goes the way of Sega first.

So, what do you guys think about this idea? Would you push away the idea of a one console future, or welcome it? To me, we are already on our way there, seeing as how there are fewer and fewer exclusive titles to separate the systems out anyway. Go!

TGS: New Last Guardian Footage

TGS 2009 is going on right now in Tokyo, and with it comes lots of new information from all those lovable Japanese developers. Why, we’ve had some new previews from MGS: Peace Walker, FFXIII and FXIV, and then some. But the thing that interested me the most was some new footage of Team Ico’s new game, The Last Guardian.

I just can’t get enough of this hippogriff thing. The gameplay looks intriguing, and the art design is just gorgeous. Who else is dying for this game?

Who’s Getting Ready to Drop?

halo3odstAs many of you devoted Halo-ites know, we are mere hours away from the launch (or should I be cheesy and say drop again?) of Halo 3: ODST in stores all along these American shores. Though you east coasters won’t see it for another hour or so and the rest of us have to wait even longer than that, I’m sure the anticipation is already pretty high for another Halo title release.

I have to admit, I was trying to avoid the Halo fever this time around, but starting about two weeks ago, I once again got caught up in the hype train. It was completely inevitable. The thing that really sold me on the game has to be the 4 player co-op story play as well as the Firefight mode, reminiscent of Horde mode from Gears of War 2. I’m hoping to attend the midnight launch in just a couple of hours. And if I can’t do that, then I’ll pick it up tomorrow after work.

So- which of you guys is planning on getting the game, too? Go!

GamerSushi Reviews: Quick Hits

quick-hitsWe play lots of games here around GamerSushi. So many, in fact, that there’s not possibly time to write reviews for all of them. While we would love to give some in-depth analysis of every title that graces our screens, we just don’t always get a chance to.

So, rather than neglect this bunch of titles, and make way for the deluge of blockbuster games that are about to appear on the queue, Mitch, Anthony and I decided to give you guys a new feature called Quick Hits.

What are Quick Hits? Quick Hits are fast and to-the-point reviews of several titles we’ve played recently, machine gunner style. Feel free to discuss the games at article’s end, and let us know what you think of them.
Continue reading GamerSushi Reviews: Quick Hits

GamerSushi Asks: Beating the Game?

prototypeOne thing that I’ve gotten really bad at in recent years is beating a game. I used to beat nearly every game I played, no matter its quality or length, including all the crazy JRPGs that I used to power through in college. Part of the reason I don’t seem to do this anymore is that as I get busier, my free time is a lot more valuable, and I don’t want to spend it playing a game that starts to feel like a chore.

That being said, I’ve made it a point to beat a few games that have been sitting on my docket recently, such as finishing Halo Wars on co-op mode, Shadow Complex and the Secret of Monkey Island. I have to say, I was really surprised at how satisfied I felt to beat a few games in a row, and it made me realize just how few games I seem to beat these days. Just this week I gave up on Prototype after getting tired of the repetitive missions.

So it made me wonder, do you guys do this too? What’s the last game that you guys have beaten, and what games have you given up on lately? Go!

3D Dot Game Heroes is 3 Degrees of Awesome

So what happens when you create a role-playing game in the vein of old school pixelated JRPG’s… only you build it in 3D out of blocks? Why, you get 3D Dot Gamer Heroes, a PS3 exclusive coming out later this year in Japan. I have no idea if/when this game is coming out in the US, but please, for the love of all things holy, I can has?

Tell me that this trailer doesn’t make you nostalgic for games long forgotten. I dare you.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UvYWMSRAVo[/youtube]

Just Cause 2 and Vertical Gameplay

One of the best demos I’ve ever played for a game was the one for Just Cause. While the game itself ended up being a bit repetitive, the demo showcased just enough to really make you want more. To me, the free-falling/parachuting mechanic was some of the most fun “flying” gameplay I had experienced since the wing cap in Mario 64. An open world game that allowed you to leap from car to car, or even jump up into helicopters, Just Cause made you a ridiculous action star, and had some promise, which is why I’m excited about the sequel.

The new edition to the franchise drops in 2010, and so far, it’s shaping up to be a hell of a ride. This vertical gameplay trailer really showcases some of the things you can do, and the thought of hook-shotting my way up skyscrapers and then leaping off of them gets my do want meter going. What do you guys think? Who here played the first game?

Oops: Your Pixels are Showing

sc-chaos-theoryAs nostalgic as it is to pick up an old game and go retro for a bit, often times it’s a bit risky. While we do love those old games and the kinds of flavors they bring to us, games have progressed so much in terms of gameplay, design and more obviously, graphics. That’s why you never know what you’re going to get when you pick up an old game. Will you find a title that has gotten better with age like a fine wine, or pick up a clunky mess that was only good because it was the first of its kind, and has since been passed by much better endeavors?

Just the other night I finally caved in and re-downloaded one of my favorite titles from last generation – Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. I’m not sure what made me do it, but it was probably the combo of playing a new sneaking game such as Batman: Arkham Asylum, as well as JJ buying it, so I knew I’d have a buddy to do some co-op with. Speaking of co-op, the two player missions in that game were mind-numbingly good for their time.

So how did they (and the rest of the game) stack up?
Continue reading Oops: Your Pixels are Showing