Category: lists

Ranking the Best Co-Op Video Games

Left 4 Dead co-op

If there’s one thing that we’re crazy about here at GamerSushi, it’s the wonder of co-op gaming. I’m surprised you guys aren’t sick of hearing about me always talk about how much I love playing games with other people. I don’t know if co-op’s just that fun or if I’m just that sad and lonely, but either way, I want to marry it.

UGO recently added a new list to their site about the 25 Best Co-Op Games of all time, and it’s interesting as a study of the wide variety of co-op games we’ve seen over gaming history. Really, the NES, Sega Genesis and SNES days had a lot more co-op gaming than I gave them credit for, which makes a lot of sense considering how much my friends and I used to play together. Toe Jam and Earl is one the list reminded me of that I hadn’t considered in a long time.

It’s actually pretty difficult to quantify my favorite co-op experiences of all time. There’s so many to choose from. For this gen it would be Resident Evil 5 (no jokes, wise guys), Guardian of Light, Crackdown and Left 4 Dead.

What about you guys? What do you think of this list? I know we’ve asked this before, but what are your favorite co-op games you’ve ever played?

Source – UGO

The Video Games of 2011 So Far

Dead Space 2

I’m just going to go ahead and get this out of the way now.

2010 isn’t even over yet, and already I am kind of freaking out about the kind of year 2011 has in store for us. We’ve been saying it a lot over the last few weeks, and you’ll just have to bear with us, because we’ll be saying it a lot over the next few months as well: 2011 is going to be a tornado of gaming. It will be so crazy you may slap a bear in the face. And trust me, that’s crazy.

I promise we’ll try not to talk about Uncharted 3, Mass Effect 3 and Portal 2 too much. But it’ll be difficult. So, in an effort not to overdo the hype and the excitement, I feel like it’s best to just have an official topic dedicated to the list of 2011 games. Kotaku recently posted the entire thing, and it’s even crazier when you see it all together.

Hit the jump to see the full thing!
Continue reading The Video Games of 2011 So Far

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

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!

Gaming’s Most Bizarre Endings

Solidus Snake

There’s nothing more satisfying than beating a video game that you’ve been sinking a lot of time into. For me, watching the resolution of all of those hours of gameplay is pure bliss, especially if it comes on the heels of some long dungeon grinding or a particularly epic boss fight to tie off the whole experience. I love that feeling of setting the controller, and then kicking back to see what kind of ending I earned. You know, unless that ending sucks.

Sadly, this has happened more times than ought to, and I think the most recent examples of this for me would be Alan Wake. My wife even looked over at me after it was finished and asked if I was mad, following that question up with “I would be if I just played that crap.” Usually, when I’m slapped in the face with a bad ending, I just kind of stare at my TV in shock rather than anger. I don’t know, maybe I hope there’s a secret ending hidden somewhere.

It seems that I’m not the only one who’s experienced bad endings though, seeing as how UGO put together a list of the 11 Weirdest Game Endings of all time. Here’s a hint: MGS2 is number 1, because of that weird Solidus Snake business. Definitely worth the read, and you’ll be able to laugh at it alot, unless of course you played those games and were burned by them.

What game endings have left you dissatisfied with the outcome? Any games that were particularly weird? Go!

Source – UGO

Gaming Pop Quiz: Winter Edition

Well fellow gamers, it’s now officially December, so that means that all around the land, people are jumping into holiday mode. It’s kind of funny actually, that once November passes everyone runs around like crazy all the way until Christmas-ish time, and then everything gets calm again. At least that’s the way it is around here.

As we’ve been discussing, winter and holiday season naturally means one thing for all of us and our interests: games, and lots of them. Over the years, I know that all of us have received a bountiful harvest of great gaming goodness, and we’ve played games until we couldn’t stand them any longer. Traditionally for me, December is the time that I play more games than any other.

I’m setting all of this up to give you some sweet gaming questions, naturally. As always with our getting-to-know-you type games, feel free to answer with as much or as little as you like. Answer to the best of your ability. Go! Continue reading Gaming Pop Quiz: Winter Edition

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

GamerSushi Asks: Favorite DS Game?

Dawn of Sorrow

Up until about 2008, one of the many outrageous things that could be heard flying out of my ever-flapping lips was the statement that I thought the Nintendo DS was the best system out, bar none. Yes, that included the consoles. Now, since then, I have revised my opinion, but I can say, without blushing, that I think the DS is the best handheld system of all-time. Why? The games, man!

It always comes down to games and if you aren’t aware of the robust (cliche alert!) library the DS has to offer, fear not. Our friends over at GamePro put together a list (!) compiling the 31 Best DS Games. Although I think they missed the mark by putting Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars at the top spot, the rest of the list is pretty spot on. Personally, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow is my all-time favorite, so it’s nice to see that near the top.

What DS games are your favorites? Who here has a DS? Are you happy with the games that have come out for it? Go!

Source: GamePro

A Wish List for Motion Controlled Gaming

DBZ Kame Hame Ha

As much as we dog pile on motion control gaming, I think all of us here at GamerSushi recognize that when utilized correctly, it has tremendous upside. Who didn’t get excited at the prospect of awesome sword play in a Legend of Zelda game way back when, before we realized that these hopes were totally misplaced? I think I like the idea of what motion control gaming could be, but I recognize that many developers are too lazy or have deadlines much too tight to really give it a thoughtful implementation that makes sense and enhances gameplay.

That being said, whenever people talk about the potential of big name titles getting some motion controls, I can’t help but let my mind wander to a magical place without all of that reality that normally bogs down tacked-on control schemes. I suppose RipTen feels the same way, as they put together a couple of lists of ten games that would be awesome with motion controls, including one for Kinect and one for Move. I would totally agree with their assessment on games like Fight Night Round 4, Starcraft 2, From Dust and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for the different machines. But really, what I’d like is to be able to do Dragonball Z motions with my arms. Someone needs to get on that.

Joking aside, as much as those would be nice, I still think they would miss the mark somewhat. Continue reading A Wish List for Motion Controlled Gaming

GamerSushi Top Six: Things to Be Thankful for in 2010

Ah, Thanksgiving time. The time of the year where we show our thanks by way of a gluttonous feast, with food fit for a king. Also, there’s that whole Black Friday thing, where we shove our money in our ears and buy everything that’s marked down in price. But that’s almost a different holiday altogether then, isn’t it? Greed Day, or somesuch.

However! We, the kind and wise overlords of GamerSushi, wanted to stop and take a quick look at the gaming year so far. In the spirit of the holidays, we had a hand-to-hand combat battle to determine the things that we are most thankful for in 2010, so that we could benevolently share them with all of you, our loyal fellow gamers and all around awesome dudes.

So, without further ado, here’s our top six gaming things we’re thankful for in 2010. Continue reading GamerSushi Top Six: Things to Be Thankful for in 2010

The Generation’s Biggest Flops and Fails

Red Ring of Death

Every generation has its own ups and downs. Each console and PC era is like a little roller coaster ride full of great games and disappointing ones. Ideally, with each new generation we’d see the peaks get higher and higher, but it only makes sense, then, that the drops would be lower and perhaps more full of fail.

That’s why GamesRadar has put together a list of the Top 13 Failures of this Generation, and it is a sad but mostly true account of the more head-turning moments of the last few years. Obviously, it’s got to have the dreaded Red Ring of Death on it, as well as APB, the failed MMO. Of course, the list was also going to need to touch on the Wii’s horrid online play, and the lack of all the promised console MMOs, each one biting the dust in turn. I wouldn’t have included Alpha Protocol on the list, but then again, I didn’t realize it had been in development for 5 years.

What really surprised me actually is just how many of the fails on here come from the XBox 360 (faceplates, the hard drives with only half the space, Too Human, etc.), but really it shouldn’t have caught me off guard. Microsoft had a ridiculously rough start, and one only wonders if they’re repeating themselves with Kinect. One other addition I would make would be DRM attempts for PC games.

So what do you guys think? What would you consider to be the biggest failures of the last few years, on both console and PC? Do you agree/disagree with anything on the list in particular?

Source – GamesRadar

GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

Apparently we’ve been leaving the Would You Rather game off to the side of the road, flopping like a fish out of water. So, being the kind gents we are, we decided to resuscitate it and bring it back to life for your enjoyment. Not that I’d do mouth-to-mouth with a fish. Well, maybe I would.

For the uninitiated, 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.

But beware, lest your answers be terrible and full of fail. For if they are, Jeff will use his vast eyebrow powers to blink you straight out of existence. Either that or he will call you names that hurt your feelings. He’s good at both, but it really depends on his mood that day. Anyway, have at it, folks.

Would you rather… Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

Spike Video Game Awards 2010 Nominations Go Live

Spike Video Game Awards 2010Boom, sucker! Coming at you like a whole week’s worth of cliched masculine programming, it’s the list of nominees for the 2010 edition of the Spike Video Game Awards. All joking about Spike TV’s lineup aside, the VGAs are gaming’s only legitimate awards show and we need to lavish it with our praise, hoping that it will one day become less of a gong show. Hopefully this year they won’t troop out the troglodytes from the Jersey Shore again.

This year’s list of contenders is actually very solid, with some impressive choices filling out each category. While the big names fill in most of the lists, Spike gave due attention to all walks of gaming from the big Triple-A titles to the indie darlings that captured our cold, jaded hearts.

If you want to see the full list, hit the jump.

Continue reading Spike Video Game Awards 2010 Nominations Go Live

The Not So Fun Moments of Co-Op Gaming

Leeroy JenkinsCo-op. You’ve all heard us gush on numerous occasions about how we love it and want to get it pregnant. It’s one of the best things that this generation returned to us on a massive level, and has become a staple of most gaming releases.

But it’s not always fun and games. We’ve all had that co-op buddy that just doesn’t pull his weight, or is constantly griping about the game’s controls, or is always screwing you over so he can get the best loot. While my brother and I loved our time in Guardian of Light, there were definitely a few arguments had over whose fault it was when everything went to hell. Name calling might have happened. It’s a tough memory. I got to thinking about this because The Kartel posted its list of the 5 Worst Co-Op Gaming Moments, and it gave me a good chuckle. I think Leeroy Jenkins easily should top that list, as it’s one of the greatest gaming griefs of all time.

Anyway, as much as you all love co-op as well, what are some of your least favorite or hilarious co-op memories? Got any buddies that make it hard to play through a game with, or any games where it was particularly easy to grief your partner?

Source – The Kartel

Transferring Franchises from East to West

Legend of Zelda

Japanese game development has had some bumpy spots as of late. The old school game dudes can’t seem to catch much of a break, and some would argue (and by that I mean me) that they are losing touch with gamers outside of their own country. I wouldn’t say that they are getting worse at what they do by any means, but there seems to a part of the industry that’s moving past them. So what about all those classic Japanese franchises?

That’s why CVG has put together a list of 7 Games Japan Should Give to Western Developers. I’m not entirely in agreement with everything they’ve got down on here, especially with Final Fantasy, which is just one title removed from being a really excellent series again. Likewise, they list Resident Evil on here as well, but Resident Evil 5 was a huge hit, a critically acclaimed game and was designed with many Western sensibilities in mind. Also, many racers should be striving to achieve what Mario Kart has done even in recent years. It’s hardly stagnant. Those aside (plus the really ridiculous names they’ve given the titles), I agree with the rest of the list, particularly Legend of Zelda.

Interestingly enough, we did a feature very similar to this last summer. So what do you guys think of this? Would you take those Japanese franchises and give them to Western developers, or leave them where they are? Go!

Source – CVG

Call of Duty Remembered

Call of Duty

Only in this fast-paced, Internet-savvy world in which we live could a series that is only 7 years old warrant a retrospective, but in all honesty, it’s probably a good thing that GamePro has created one. Personally, I didn’t pay attention to Call of Duty until the first Modern Warfare, mainly because I had been a Medal of Honor fan and after I soured on that franchise, I wasn’t looking to get into another World War II FPS. But after borrowing Call of Duty 4 from a friend, it only took an hour of multiplayer and I was hooked. It also helped that I tried the game out on a Double Experience Point Weekend.

After that, I rented World At War and was pleasantly surprised and I own and still play Modern Warfare 2, although I know many of you are still upset with that one. Now I am looking forward to playing Black Ops when I get it for Christmas. So that’s my personal Call of Duty dossier. What about yours? After reading the retrospective, I realize I missed out on quite a bit. When did you enter the series? What was your favorite entry? Answer now, that’s an order!

Source: GamePro

GamerSushi Asks: Favorite Franchises of This Gen?

Retrogaming is a lifestyle for some us, which is why outlets like the Virtual Console, PSN and Steam come in so handy. But 20 or so years from now, when we are all plugged into our own personal holodecks (and after testing out the Megan Fox app), what games from our current generation are you going to want to download to your mindchip? There have been quite a few stellar entries, I think we can all agree.

Personally, Uncharted and Mass Effect get my votes as two of the finest franchises of all time, let alone this gen. And those only have 2 entries so far! Imagine when we are on Mass Effect 7: Shepard’s Pie Party and Uncharted 10: What’s Left to Chart? In case you want some other choices, GamesRadar compiled a Top 7 list of Best New Franchises of the Current Generation and there might be one or two on there that would surprise you. I think we are in a nice era of gaming and this list reflects that.

So, having seen my choices and the list, what franchises from this gen do you like the most? Which ones do you think have the most potential longevity? Are there any new franchises that you consider epic fails? Go!

Source: GamesRadar

ScrewAttack’s Top 10 Online Multiplayer Console Games

Alright fanboys, it’s time to polish off your sticks. I know that we all just love to argue until we’re blue in the face about the lists that other game sites come up with, so I thought I’d bring a new one to your screaming attention.

You see, ScrewAttack just recently released a video that goes through what it considers to be the top 10 online multiplayer console games. They cover everything from Call of Duty to Phantasy Star Online, and manage to have a few other surprises on there as well. One only imagines how much different this would have looked if they had included PC titles on here as well. In fact, I think only a couple of these titles would have made the cut if they opened up the criteria in such a fashion.

So what do you guys think of the list? What other games would you include on there if PC games were added? Go!