Category: Gaming Theory

Game Industry Pros Want More Micro-Transactions

horse-armorLet me put on my shocked face. The subtitle to this story should be “And Nobody is Surprised”. Or better yet, “And Gamers Cried Out in Agony”. Just in case you were wondering, I mean.

According to a recent survey, when asked about the most impactful areas of the industry, it seems that video game professionals are the most excited about the future of micro transactions, with 66 percent of those questioned choosing that as their first option. So basically, they chose to take more of our money, but just in smaller bite sized chunks? I’m overjoyed.

While I understand that this is where everything’s heading, I just wish that game makers would stop planning and finishing all of their damn DLC before the game’s even out, and just release great games that are worth every single penny. Don’t go nuts over my additional $10 bucks until you’ve earned the first $60, please.

What do you guys think? Are you bothered by the ever-growing trend of micro-transactions, or are you ok with them?

Source- Game Industry Biz

Layoff: The Game

Ah, gotta love the news media. They can take a story about a video game and twist it however they want. Take this story about a new game called Layoff, for example. It’s a bejeweled clone which lets the player lay off workers, and instead of a high score, your points come across as the amount of money you’ve saved the company.

Clearly, this game is made to demonstrate a greater point through satire. But even still, the news show can miss that point, go on the streets, get soundbites from uninformed interviewees and then claim that the game has upset quite a few people. This is why I don’t watch the news anymore.

What do you guys think? Is the game too far?

By the way, if you want to play the game yourself, check it out here.

Keeping It In The Family

sopranos_lMore and more it seems that gaming is becoming a pasttime for the entire family. Thanks to the Wii, we can even get the grandparents involved, although my grandma did play Top Gun, Contra and Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers with me when I was sick one day. It was cute to see her play Top Gun. She even shot me down once or twice!

In my family, gaming has been around since I was born. My mom and dad both played on the Atari and Intellivision. My mom used to reset the game if she died anywhere on the first 3 levels of Pac-Man! She also loved Burger Time, a game where a chef runs over lettuce, tomatoes and other parts of a sandwich in order to drop them to a platform below the level and complete the sandwich, all the while being chased by a couple of hot dogs and a pissed off egg. That egg always was the hardest to avoid.

My dad also had a Commodore 64, which was very big in gaming. He was one of the first people I ever heard of who invited his friends over just to play games. My uncle and him would play this horrible football game, with lousy graphics and control, and sit there and talk trash and argue and have a great time. It was fun just to watch them. He has a PS2 and still plays PC games, to this very day.

My older brother was once a loyal console gamer. We discovered Final Fantasy together and had a great time playing Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance on the PS2. Now that he has kids, his console days are over, as they play the Wii and he sits all alone in the corner, playing World of Warcraft non-stop. It’s kind of sick. My little brother just got a PS3, so we play online against each other all the time. I hooked him on Final Fantasy and he introduced me to Suikoden, a PS1 rpg that is amazing. Go download it on the PSN, it’s like 5 bucks. Before all that, he mainly played Pokemon, which I gave an honest try and just could not get into it. Not after having played epics like Final Fantasy and the Legend of Zelda. My older sister just plays the Wii, although she had a GameCube and Nintendo 64 and always played any Mario games that came out, like Tennis or Golf. She ignores most other games, which is kind of typical of a girl gamer.

So you see, gaming has been a part of my life since I could ever remember. I have played every system from the Atari to the Wii and my family has been there to for me to leech off and try new things. I am the only one now who is really into gaming, but I prefer to think of myself as the last man standing, rather than the last one who refuses to grow up.

What about your families gaming history? Do you still play together?

GamerSushi Asks: Extend the Story?

ff7-acOver the weekend, I got sick as a dog. For real. Burritos and stomach viruses do not mix, and apparently I don’t go well with with those two, either. Anywho, my brother was in town visiting, and since our options were limited to anything I could do while plastered to a couch, we chose to partake in the glorious fight scenes of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

All complaints about the movie aside, the fight scenes are some of the coolest I’ve ever seen in any medium, but beyond that, the movie itself is total fanboy service in terms of the content it delivers. I mean, really, they revisit nearly every single major or minor character and even give you a glimpse at life after the events of the story. Hell, they have the main bad guy show up again.

This got me wondering- what other franchises or video games would you love to see get the Advent Children treatment that Final Fantasy VII got? If you could have a ridiculous fanboy-loving movie sequel to any game that allowed you to see what happened to your favorite characters, and even threw in pants-wettingly awesome action sequences, what would it be? Go!

Alpha Protocol Trailer

Alpha Protocol is a game from Obsidian that is not scheduled for release soon enough. I say that because the trailer is incredible, and screams Mass Effect meets Splinter Cell. The blend of stealth action, great graphics, and RPG elements seems like definite win to me. Thoughts?

Are You Ever Too Old For Gaming?

old-gamingA few years ago, my youngest brother asked me a question in front of my dad about a new video game coming out. Before I could respond by saying that yes, I was excited about its release, my dad interrupted by saying “Eddy’s too old to do things like that anymore”.

You see, as long as I can remember, people have been telling me that gaming is for kids, or that I’m too old to still be doing it. I don’t quite understand the way this works in people’s brains, but for some reason, spending my time reading a book or watching TV would be far more acceptable socially than playing an RPG or tea-bagging a dude in Halo 3. Ok, kidding about that last part (mostly), but you know what I mean: people view gaming as a kid’s hobby that you “grow out of”, given time.
Continue reading Are You Ever Too Old For Gaming?

Bioshock 2, Starring the Big Daddy

bioshock2Got my Game Informer in the mail yesterday, which featured not only awesome cover art of the new “Big Sister” from BioShock2, but also a story with some of the first details of the game.

From the article, it seems that this game takes place 10 years after the first game, and the “bad ending” as canon for moving forward. Rapture has fallen into chaos and disarray, and the Little Sisters, now grown up and sporting a mean Adam addiction (including a needle directly into their arms) have returned as Big Sisters, sporting Big Daddy-esque gear.

The big twist, though? You play as a Big Daddy. The first Big Daddy, to be exact- the prototype that is smaller, quicker and able to use plasmids. And while fighting Big Daddies is no longer as challenging as it once was, fighting Big Sisters sounds terrifying. They hunt you, can leap across a room in one bound, and hurl objects at you via telekinesis.

So, what do you guys think? I’m optimistic, but the prospect of playing as a Big Daddy could be hit or miss. Thoughts?

How Diablo is Diablo III?

diablo3Next to The Old Republic MMO, Diablo III is pretty much one of the only PC games that I’m really dying to get my hands on these days. I loved Diablo II, and playing co-op accounts for some of my favorite gaming moments.

As with many sequels, change has apparently come to the Diablo franchise, and many fans have voiced their unhappiness at the change in art style from the dark and gritty to the vibrant and colorful nature seen in WoW. Personally, I don’t really care that much, because the game will still be a blast to play.

But who cares what I think, since I’m not Bill Roper, one of the original bigwigs behind the Diablo series. And his opinion? He preferred the dark and gritty style better, but sees why Blizzard would go the way they did. Check out the quote after the jump.
Continue reading How Diablo is Diablo III?

Bioware: Mass Effect 2 is Bigger and Better

me2Even though we all knew it was going to happen, Mass Effect 2 has finally been officially announced for the Xbox 360 and the PC, so it’s time for us all to stand up and take notice.

Not only is it now official, but Bioware is also bringing out the big funs, saying that Mass Effect 2 is going to surpass the original through better combat, more customization and a rocking story. While I know that it’s every company’s job to hype their product like this, I can’t help but get giddy about the prospect of another game set in Mass Effect’s universe. This is easily my most wanted game for 2010.

So who is on board the hype train with me for Mass Effect 2? Does anyone believe that it will surpass the first?

Source- Kotaku

GamerSushi Asks: Favorite Video Game Stories

We all love to play games, but some of us enjoy the stories that come along final-fantasy-vi-advance-1with the game even more. Myself, if a game has a good story, its a bonus. Rarely do I get caught up in the plot and characters. I try not to skip the cut-scenes, but I find myself getting impatient sometimes. Other people live for the cinematics and can’t get enough of them. This is a generational thing, I believe and I plan to delve into more in a future post. Before I can do that, I want to know what game stories you guys like.

Personally, I have a few that I really love: Bioshock’s twists and atmosphere really drew me in to the world of Rapture. I enjoyed the first Halo for its simplicity, but the other games tried too hard to be clever, while also rehashing the original’s story. RPG’s are my passion and Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana and the Final Fantasy series have all rocked my world. Final Fantasy IV, VI and XII are my favorites with Tactics right up there. Tactics had a rough translation, so its hard to get all the little nuances, but the sheer epic feel of the world won me over.

What games had a story that you really enjoyed? Did any blow your mind? What about them did you like? Was it the plot, the characters, the setting and atmosphere? Don’t hold back! Be as specific as you like.

Top 10 Downloadable Games

When I finally hooked my PS3 up to the InterGoogle, the first thing I did was jump on the PSN Store. I had heard about some great games and I was really looking forward to seeing what they had to offer. Downloadable games are a cheap way to get quality games, not to mention old classics and new, experimental games that would never see a retail release. So here are the Top 10 games you can get on the PSN Store, XBox Live Arcade and the Virtual Console. I have included classics, exclusives and multi-console releases.
Continue reading Top 10 Downloadable Games

GTA IV Sales About “50-50” Between 360 and PS3

gta4Take-Two said in a press conference that sales of its mega-ultra-super-shiny juggernaut Grand Theft Auto IV (the one without the digital ding dong) were split about even between the 360 and PS3. They did not give any other specifics or release any actual numbers, but fanboys on both sides are freaking right out, while Wii fanboys wave a plastic remote in the air cause they just don’t care.

GTA IV sold 13 million copies worldwide so if they sold even down the middle on both systems, this means that more of the PS3’s installed base bought the game than the 360’s, which is odd and just a little surprising. The PS3 has sold 21.3 million worldwide and the Xbox 360 has sold 27.93 million worldwide. Maybe its due to the PS3’s demographic skewing older? Maybe people just preferred getting it on the PS3 because thats what the old GTAs were originally on? If this is accurate and Take-Two is not just having a laugh at us, it also means that Microsoft’s much vaunted exclusive DLC did not play much of a factor in people’s decision, which is even more odd. If I had a 360, I would have got it on that for the DLC. As a PS3 owner, I am still hoping it is simply a timed exclusive.

What did you buy the game on and if you have both systems, why? What do you make of this surprising news?

Source: SeekingAlpha.com

The 2009 BAFTA Winners

baftaJust like those oh-so-endearing video game lists, video game awards provide much fodder for us to analyze, debate and generally moan about. And don’t you worry, I like to join right in!

Whenever they get around to it, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), does a video game awards show much like the Oscars, which leads to the big “Best Game” award handed out at the end of the night. The end result for this year shows that they awarded a robust and surprisingly diverse list of titles. Something to keep in mind is that they didn’t do the awards last year, so it looks like these cover more than just 2008.

See the winners after the jump!
Continue reading The 2009 BAFTA Winners

Rumor: Fallout MMO in the Works?

fallout3ps3MMO’s. Everybody’s doing them, so you should, too. One day, every game ever will be an MMO. Well, maybe not, but sometimes it seems that way, no? Heck, even ZeniMax Studios, parent company of a nifty little outfit called Bethesda, wants to get in on the action.

Yup, that’s right. The dudes that own Bethesda are looking at hiring some folks to make themselves an MMO. They’ve already nabbed some Blizzard talent, and are currently searching for additional game dudes.

So, could this mean that a Fallout or Elder Scrolls MMO could be in the works? Interesting thought indeed. I must say that I really do like the idea of living in an online world full of vaults, and traveling across barren landscapes to reach other areas. I mean, imagine living in the city you actually live in, only in Fallout style. What do you guys think?

Source- Destructoid

Myth of the “Killer” Game

dark-cloudFanboys and the media just love to start trouble. Fanboys we can understand, they just want to see their console succeed and all others fail. Why, I have no idea, but thats their moronic role and I have to live with it. The gaming media, which I am beginning to think is pretty juvenile sometimes, should know better than to manufacture a story. But they do all the time, with their unrelenting hype.

Dark Cloud was widely called a “Zelda-killer”. First, I don’t know what that even means, since it won’t stop Zelda games from being made. Trust me, as good as Dark Cloud could be, Nintendo will still make more Zeldas. I loved Dark Cloud, but I bought a GameCube just to play The Wind Waker. So it didn’t really kill anything, did it? Second, the two games are really nothing alike, apart from the green hat the heroes both wear and that it is an action-rpg. Dark Cloud was a dungeon crawler with a focus on stamina and weapon maintence. You only explored one dungeon at a time and rebuilt a town using items found in the caves. Zelda is much more open and epic, with the focus on exploring and puzzles.
Continue reading Myth of the “Killer” Game

100 Best Games to Play Right Now

ootWe all love lists. You know it’s true. It’s so fun to look at something that’s ordinarily so difficult to measure and to break it down in to easy to understand numbers. And then after we’re done, we can bitch about whether or not the list was right, in our oh so humble opinions.

Anywho, Edge has put up a list of 100 Best Games to Play Today, and it’s a pretty epic order. It’s not exactly a “best games of all time” list. But rather, if you had access to every game ever made, these are the 100 that you should play right away, classic or not. Definitely an interesting take.

While I don’t know that I’d put Ocarina of Time at the top, I have to say that I love that Mario 64 came in second, as that would probably be my number 1 or close to it as well. Also, their description of Counter-Strike is absolutely perfection.

What did you guys think of the list? What would be the first games you would play with access to every game ever made?

Source- Edge Online

What are You Playing This Weekend?

deadrisingSince we’re just in the middle of a new gaming season with several major releases coming in the last couple of weeks, there seems to be plenty on the plate at the moment. Some people are playing these brand new titles, while others are still stuck on the ones that they got around the holidays.

Right now, I’m still playing a lot of Civilization Revolution, as well as some Valkyria Chronicles, Left 4 Dead, Gears of War 2 Horde Mode, and hopefully this weekend, a used copy of Dead Rising I picked up recently. I never really got to finish the game, so I’m excited about getting to really jump into it.

So, what are you guys playing lately? What are you playing this weekend? Go!

GamerSushi Asks: Rate Your Skill?

goldeneyeI remember back in the day, Goldeneye was the console multiplayer game of choice. Granted, that might have been because it was the only console multiplayer game, but even still… When it came to seeing who was the best at video games, Goldeneye was the game that we busted out.

And I owned at it. Seriously. Something about that game really stuck with me, and I just got it, really understood the way it worked. The funny thing is, I have still to this day never met a single person that could beat me at that game. Except for my brother.
Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Rate Your Skill?

The Wonderful World of RPG Cliches

chronotriggerI am a rabid fan of RPG’s, and have been for quite some time now. I love playing an engrossing story, leveling up, and collecting loot. While these games used to be priorities in my gaming schedule, they’ve gradually grown a little weak, and perhaps, a tad too predictable. Let’s face it, if there’s one thing that we know for certain about video gaming, it’s the basic generic plot that most RPGs tend to follow.

GamesRadar has put together a hilarious, awesome and totally accurate list of 30 Rules Every RPG Must Follow in an attempt to outline just how cliche the stories of these games have become. Everything from the hero’s village being destroyed all the way to the mythical “ancient race”, they nail them perfectly.

I’d have to say my favorite bit is the one about the family sword that is passed down from generation to generation that also happens to be the worst sword in the game. What were your favorites? And what’s the last RPG you played?

Source- GamesRadar