Category: Industry News

Time’s Top 10 Games of 2010 Hails Alan Wake

time top ten games 2010Hot off of Eddy’s post about a list (we told you they were coming), I bring to you Time Magazine’s Top 10 games of 2010. Personally, I feel that the list is kind of strange, but I thought I would put it up here to see what kind of reaction you guys have to it. The first thing that I noticed about the list is that Alan Wake, Microsoft’s Lovecraftian exclusive, comes in at number one, beating out other luminaries like Red Dead Redemption and Halo: Reach.

The number two game on the list, something that I’m sure will make Jeff happy, is Rovio’s mobile sensation Angry Birds. On a traditional “game of the year” list, throwing something like Angry Birds on there still looks strange to me, even though I personally love the game. Instead of running through the list one by one, though, I’ll post it for you fellas after the jump. Continue reading Time’s Top 10 Games of 2010 Hails Alan Wake

GamerSushi Asks: Biggest Let Downs of 2010?

Final Fantasy 14

As the end of the year draws nigh, it’s only natural that every site in the world is going to come up with a series of “Best Of” lists regarding the nearly late but still great 2010. We try to vary things up around here when we can, but since there’s no news, you’ll probably be getting a few of these lists as we find them, because hey, we like to post. Sort of.

Anyway, Gamasutra has been doing a series of lists about 2010 in review, including this new one I enjoyed where they covered the year’s Top 5 Disappointments. The list covers everything from the giant cluster that was the Final Fantasy XIV launch through the removal of the Taliban in Medal of Honor. I suppose it could also be called the biggest fails of 2010, but hey, it’s their list. I think if I’m going over my list of disappointments, it would include Little Big Planet 2 getting moved to next year, and Microsoft’s focus on Kinect at E3.

So what about you guys? What were your top disappointments of 2010?

Source – Gamasutra

Poll: Favorite Announcement of VGA’s?

Well, the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards have come and they have gone, leaving us slightly more forgiving of the show’s shortcomings this year, thanks to the plethora of awesome reveals dumped on us. Honestly, I was expecting something pretty cool, but what we got was beyond awesome.

Which leads to our poll. Vote for the announcement that got you most excited and let us know why. Personally, confirmation of Mass Effect 3 being released this year coupled with Elder Scrolls V and seeing just a snippet of gameplay of Uncharted 3 was my favorite part. I know, I picked 3 things, sue me, it’s my post. Also, did you like the trailers we saw or would you prefer more gameplay? Vote now!

Most Exciting Announcement of the 2010 VGA's?

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The GamerSushi Show, Ep 13: VGA Special

VGA 2010Wow. So the VGA’s happened last night, and anybody that’s remotely interested in gaming news has probably heard by now – 2011 is going to be insane. With Portal 2, Uncharted 3, Mass Effect 3, Elder Scrolls V, Forza 4, Resistance 3, Killzone 3, Dragon Age 2, Twisted Metal, Last Guardian and Gears of War 3… it’s looking like many of us are going to go broke just trying to keep up with everything.

As I’ve said previously, I’m not exactly a fan of televised video game anything, because it seems that the people producing the material have no idea what really appeals to gamers. While the VGAs had some gimmicky and annoying bits about them last night, they were certainly better than years before, primarily because a lot of the content skewed towards gaming more than it has in the past.

Anyway, before all of this insanity happened, the GamerSushi dudes got together to record a podcast and make some predictions. We thought it’d be cool to post just after, so you can fact check us against everything that happened. Here’s the list of official VGA 2010 winners if you’re interested. Beyond the VGA’s, we play another one of Nick’s awesome games and even talk about the reveals of Uncharted 3 and Mass Effect 3.

Hopefully you guys enjoy our goofy rantings. Once again, please go rate this cast on iTunes and subscribe with the handy links to the right. Enjoy! Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 13: VGA Special

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Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Trailer is All Hot and Bothered

Besides Mass Effect 3, the other eagerly awaited trailer at the Video Game Awards was for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. Before the Game of the Year was announced (congrats to Rockstar for that, by the way), we got a quick peek at what sort of peril Nathan Drake will be in come November 1, 2011. The trailer also shows a little snippet of gameplay, something that made it stand out amongst the pre-rendered trailers of the night. Have a look see, I know you want to.

November alone is going to be kind of a ruinous month next year because we’ve got this, The Elder Scrolls 5, possibly Mass Effect 3 and who knows what else dropping. If I give this year an S game wise, I might have to give 2011 an S+. What do you guys think of the Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception trailer? What do you hope Naughty Dog will do with the game?

Mass Effect 3 Trailer Makes Landfall

It was rumored, teased and leaked on the EA Store, but now we have official confirmation of the existence of Mass Effect 3. The teaser trailer shown a while back is actually just a small sample from a much larger, much more grandiose effort. Enough mincing words, though. Have a look:

Not too many details about the actual mechanics right now, but who really cares? It’s Mass Effect 3, it’s real, and it’s coming Holiday 2011. I think I speak for everyone when I say “do want”. What do you guys think?

Who’s Watching the VGA’s?

Spike Video Game Awards 2010Friends, gamers, dudes, etc – did you know that the 2010 Video Game Awards are on tonight? They’ll be airing twice in a row on Spike, so that you can catch all of the video games in their televised glory.

Honestly, I’m not always that excited about the VGA’s, but this year rumors abound with all of the potential reveals and game announcements. For one, we’ll get to see the first glimpses of Unchated 3, as well as Batman: Arkham City. And if the rumors hold true, Mass Effect 3. I’m hoping the show itself isn’t mega lame, but I’m willing to bear with it if it means that we get to see all kinds of crazy trailers and announcements for games we didn’t know about previously.

And in addition to all of that, there will be that whole “awards” thing, where different games get honored for their achievements. If you haven’t seen the full list, we’ve got it posted here, so be sure to check that out and make your early predictions.

If you’re hankering for even more VGA talk, our podcast is going to drop tomorrow, and this week’s edition is all about our VGA predictions, so you can check if we’re right.

So, who’s actually going to be watching this, and what games are you hoping to see? Which ones do you want to win? Go!

GamerSushi Asks: Big 2010 Games That You Didn’t Play

2010 games you missed

Father Time is a cruel master, marching forward inexorably without a care for our mortal whims, such as the real and growing concern that there were too many games this year and just not enough time to play them all. True, I’m not really one to talk given how many games I’ve put away since 2010 started with Mass Effect 2, but there were some that I’ve missed. Final Fantasy XIII tops that list, followed by Gran Turismo 5 and a couple downloadable titles like Super Meat Boy and Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

True, some of the games passed me by simply because I was busy playing other ones, but every year there’s always a few that slip through my fingers regardless. Since we had such a banner year release wise, with something new to play almost every month, I was wondering if you guys had any games you missed out on. While it is true that we can always go back and play ones that we forgot, 2011 is quickly coming up and the bevy of games that are going to be available then look tasty indeed.

So what games got by you and why? Any you regret missing, or any you passed up on purpose? Go!

Call of Duty: Black Ops Outsells Everything, Ever

Black Ops

Yikes. So apparently, Call of Duty: Black Ops isn’t only a fairly good time and a fun game to play, it also cures cancer, makes sandwiches and prints out posters of Christina Hendricks. Wait, no. It doesn’t actually do all that other stuff. So why in the world are people buying it like the future of the free world depends on it?

Regardless of the reason, Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, and more than 8.4 million in the U.S. alone. That means that it has barely passed the likes of great gaming staples such as the Mass Effect and Uncharted series combined. It’s also sold more than Grand Theft Auto 3, Ocarina of Time and Metal Gear Solid. And Halo 3. So maybe that doesn’t mean it’s outsold everything, ever (the Super Mario games will probably always stay on top), but dang if this isn’t still impressive.

It’s seriously hard to wrap my head around the sheer juggernaut capabilities of the Call of Duty franchise. Every year it gains more and more steam, and it’s hard to imagine that it won’t outlive its welcome some time in the next few years. That being said, I plan on buying it soon.

Who’s still loving this game which is apparently the Chosen One of all things video game, ever?

Source – Kotaku

Cypress Hill Singer Sues Rockstar Because They Stole His Image for San Andreas

san andreas lawsuitI guess some lawsuits belong under the “better late than never” category, at least according to Cypress Hill backup singer Michael “Shagg” Washington who is just getting around to taking Rockstar Games to court for allegedly stealing his image for 2004’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Mr. Washington, who says he only recently found out about the game’s existence this past July thanks to his nephew, bases his lawsuit on the claim that Rockstar interviewed him on various topics relating to his youth such as gang life and riding bicycles with said gang (yes, really). Mr. Washington was told, after he was “allowed” to leave, that if Rockstar decided to use his likeness in the game, he would be notified and compensated.

Somehow the nearly six year old game managed to escape Mr. Washinton’s notice despite the fact that he recalls being questioned by Rockstar for thematic elements used in San Andreas. Furthermore, he believes that the character CJ is entierly based on him, and he’s looking to be reimbursed to the tune of twenty-five percent of the games total sales-approximately two hundred and fifty million dollars.

This isn’t exactly life-changing news, but I thought it was humorous enough to share with you guys. What is with the recent trend of celebrities suing video games years after they come out for frivolous reasons? Probably because they’re running out of money and video games look ripe for the picking. If you’ve got any thoughts, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Source – IGN

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Revealed for 2011

uncharted 3

In the grand Internet tradition of revealing things days in advance of when we’re supposed to find out, Sony and Naughty Dog have popped the cork on the official reveal of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception before the first legitimate trailer goes up Saturday on Spike’s Video Game Awards show.

In a post on the Official PlayStation blog, Arne Meyer, Naughty Dog’s Community Strategist, dropped some knowledge about the upcoming Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. Like the previous game, globe hopping will be a main attraction but most of the plot centers around the search for a so-called “Atlantis of the Sands”. The game will pull inspiration from many sources, but Lawrence of Arabia is once that’s getting touted a lot. Players will also get to explore the relationship between Drake and his long-time partner and mentor Victor Sullivan, which is good news if you’re into some potential stubble-on-mustache action.

Also returning are the co-op and multiplayer modes that made their debut in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, but this time around they’ll be a bit more robust. Single player also includes some new gameplay mechanics like being able to go toe-to-toe with multiple enemies. Naughty Dog also mentioned that Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will be available in high-definition stereoscopic 3D so you can have a little motion sickness with your platforming.

Not much else has been revealed aside from the potential release date of late 2011, but I expect that Saturday will uncover more about Drake’s third adventure. So, are you guys excited about the return of Nathan Drake? What do you want from Uncharted 3? Go!

Source and image – Official PlayStation blog

Today’s WTF: A Whole Decade of The Old Republic

The Old Republic

I think a few years back, if you told me I was going to get 10 solid years of the Knights of the Old Republic universe I would have either called you a liar or maybe pushed you into a pile of broken glass for the way you were taunting my gaming psyche. However, now that I know that the next entry into Bioware’s beloved Star Wars RPG franchise is actually going to be an MMO, that makes a little more sense. Sort of.

According to EA CFO Eric Brown, the gaming giant isn’t just hoping for something to come along and help them take a shot at WoW, but they also want a game that can be sustained for the better part of ten years. I’ll let him explain:

“We think we can run and operate a very successful and profitable MMO at different levels… The key thing here is to really perfect the product. We’re shooting for an extremely high quality game experience. We view this as a 10 year opportunity.”

Yikes. That’s a long time to stick on the same MMO. Obviously, the big dog on the block here is WoW, and if you’re wondering they are in the middle of their 7th year. I’d say it’s pretty ambitious to shoot for a new MMO in this market in general, but to hope that it has the same staying power as the PS2 seems more than a bit optimistic. Considering that the game is coming out in 2011, that means they could still be milking this thing in 2021. By then, “old” will be the most appropriate title imaginable. But hey, I’ve been wrong before.

What do you guys think? Am I being a Debbie Downer here?

Source – Eurogamer

Experience PC Envy with the 3DMark 11 Launch

If you PC gamers were unaware, 3DMark 11 dropped today with a few versions for you to try out on your fancy machines and see how it stacks up in today’s market. Strangely enough, the last time I attempted a PC benchmark was all the way back around 2002 or 2003, back when I was still into the whole PC gaming scene. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, the rig I’m working on right now was built in 2005, so I imagine my benchmark leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Here’s a video of the test from version 11 in all of its glory and fidelity:

For those of you that are super serious about the whole benchmarking thing, there are a couple of advanced versions of 3DMark 11 for you to grab, including one professional installment that will cost you $995 big ones. I don’t know anyone that hardcore about it, but there you go. For the rest of us normal dudes, the free version should suffice.

Did anyone else try this out? What was your score? Go!

Source – 3DMark11

Rooster Teeth Plays Horse With Halo: Reach

Rooster Teeth is back once again, this time showing us the amazing versatility of Halo: Reach. Forge mode, for those of you unfamiliar with the game, is a level editor of sorts, allowing you to tweak weapon layouts and add pieces of geometry to maps. While you can’t change the base layout of the level, you can add little additions to it, like ramps off of cliffs and floating platforms in the middle of nowhere. This functionality forms the basis of the video that RT put together, which combines Halo: Reach’s malleability with the old fashioned game Horse.

The hosts say it a couple of times in the video, but this just shows the amazing versatility of a game that ostensibly shipped as just a First-Person-Shooter. The fact that you can put away your guns and play home-made games of your own devising within minutes speaks volumes for Bungie’s design.

GamerSushi Asks: Who’s Playing Cataclysm?

world of warcraft cataclysm

Last night, the evil dragon aspect Deathwing burst from the core of Azeroth, forever changing the face of the world that millions of people have been adventuring across for the past six years. After journeying to Outland and then to the frozen wasteland of Northrend, adventurers are called back to the main continents of the World of Warcraft to see how the Cataclysm has changed the planet.

As we all know, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm brings some big changes to “vanilla WoW”, as the base game is also known. The landscape, which had remained mostly static for the game’s lifetime, has been radically altered by an apocalyptic event. While the expansion does add a bunch of things under the hood, increases the level cap to 85 and re-tools a bunch of quests, this virtual face-lift is the most noticeable aspect of the the changes WoW has undergone.

While I’ve manage to avoid being sucked back into the hype, I know there’s a couple users here (like SK Beans and my friend The Nage) who are busy flying around Azeroth grinding out levels until they reach 85. Amazingly, someone has already reached the level cap for Cataclysm, so no pressure. If you’re playing Cataclysm, what are your impressions? Does it breath new life back into the World of Warcraft? What do you want to see from future expansions?

Game Informer Unearths Details About the New Lara Croft

game informer tomb raider

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was my biggest surprise of 2010 by a large margin. The previous Lara Croft games haven’t been all that great (I’m being kind, here), so I wasn’t honestly expecting much from a top-down Diablo clone with guns. Once the Great Mustachioed One (also known as Nick) started raving about it, I decided to give it a try. The formula, a mash-up of Resident Evil 5 and Diablo, was a refreshing change from my normal video game fair and it was also a blast to play in co-op.

Since Lara Croft had once again found purchase amongst gamers, many of us began to wonder what was going to happen with the future of the franchise. There were rumors of a reboot of the age-old series flying around, and it seemed like Guardian of Light was meant to tide us over rather than serve as the foundation for a new chapter in the Lara Croft saga. So what do Square Enix and Crystal Dynamic have planned for the heroine?

Continue reading Game Informer Unearths Details About the New Lara Croft

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 12: Characters and Cameras

Epic MickeyIt’s the first week of December, so we’re bringing a brand new edition of the GamerSushi Show, back in our shorter and more frequent format. If we can keep rolling with this, you should see one of these bad boys each and every week.

In this edition, we cover a whole slew of topics, including a brief look back at 2010, and a look forward at the titles we’re going to be playing in an effort to close the year out strong. We also tackle the release of Epic Mickey, one of the Wii’s new flagship titles, and discuss the game’s virtues and a couple of its shortcomings, including third person video game cameras and why it seems so hard for developers to get it right. After that we tackle a new game from Nick (which Anthony dominates) and then take a look at Game Informer’s list of 30 Characters that Defined a Decade.

So, as you can see, just because things are shorter does not mean we don’t have anything to talk about. Once again, please go rate this cast on iTunes and subscribe with the handy links to the right. Enjoy! Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 12: Characters and Cameras

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GamerSushi Asks: Favorite Sleepers of 2010?

Pac Man

Every year, there’s a bunch of games that seem to slip through our nets as gamers. As frantic as we are about our hobby, there’s absolutely no way we can manage to grab or buy everything so that we can get a full sample of the year for review. I know that in my life, I pretty much have to narrow down my buys to a handful of games and really cut it off there, for fear of an angry wife or an empty checkbook.

Because of this whole “not enough money and time” thing that reality constantly slams us with, occasionally a few great games slip by the wayside. On top of that, sometimes the gaming media at large doesn’t always properly cover everything in a way that highlights some of the greats. They tend to focus on the Halo: Reach’s, the Valve games, the Call of Duty’s out there while ignoring some of the other sleepers.

For instance, I keep hearing things about the following games: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, Vanquish, Enslaved, Super Meat Boy, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Amnesia: The Dark Descent for PC, but haven’t been able to see or play any of these games as of yet. I think that needs to change.

So what do you guys think? Do you have a favorite sleeper hit of 2010 so far? Is there a game that you’ve been loving lately (or even earlier) that doesn’t always seem to get a lot of buzz? Share!

Little Big Planet Fan Gets his Dream Job

Little Big PlanetI’ve got to be honest. Every time I hear awesome stories about people that are fans of games getting to work at those studios, I go through a range of emotions. On the one hand I’m insanely jealous and maybe a tad annoyed (SFF fans should understand), but more often than not, I’m just happy that one person gets to live out a really awesome story. Because I’m a human, I love these tales.

Take John Beech, who also goes by “johnee” on PSN. A construction worker by trade, John also happened to be an advent map and level creator for Media Molecule’s Little Big Planet, the sprawling sandbox game that allows players to do virtually whatever they can think of. CVG has posted a cool look at Beech’s story, which goes from his time designing maps with a blanket over his head and the TV (so he wouldn’t wake his sleeping girlfriend) to his near-death experience on a construction site, and how it lead to him asking MM for a job… and then getting it. Beech now works as a designer on Little Big Planet 2, and it sounds like he’s totally living the dream.

The whole story is really kind of touching. The craziest part of the whole thing to me is that Beech didn’t have any other work experience except construction, and didn’t even have a resume with him when he visited Media Molecule. A brief excerpt of the encounter:

I didn’t even have a CV, and I hadn’t done anything except be a builder my whole life, which they thought was hilarious. Then I loaded up my PlayStation and started showing them one of the things I had done.

Two minutes in Kareem, the art director, told me to stop and said, ‘Hold on a second.’ He went and he brought half the company back in and then said, ‘Okay John, you can carry on now.'”

Anyway, I highly suggest reading it for the “warm fuzzies” factor. Do you guys have a talent that you’d love to turn into a video game job? Personally, I’d love to write stories for someone like Bioware.

Source – CVG

Xbox LIVE November Activity Shows Call of Duty Domination

xbl activity list cod4

We all know that most Xbox LIVE users are all about Call of Duty, but I don’t think any of us could have fathomed how deep their collective addiction goes. Since 2007, we have had four, count them four, Call of Duty titles, and they all are being played enough over LIVE to take up a spot each on the Xbox LIVE activity list for the week of November 22.

The Call of Duty game with the lowest placing is the original Modern Warfare at number thirteen. Holding the top two spots are Modern Warfare 2 and the recently released Black Ops. Halo: Reach stays steady at number three, while its predecessor, Halo 3, amazingly comes in above Call of Duty 4 in seventh place. Hit the jump for the full list: Continue reading Xbox LIVE November Activity Shows Call of Duty Domination