Category: GamerSushi News

GamerSushi Asks: Insane Gaming Stories?

Minecraft

Epic multiplayer matches. Horrid save fails. Ridiculous things that you pulled off, wishing someone had been there to witness what could have been a storied feat. We all have those ridiculous gaming stories, things that defy explanation, logic or just happen to be worth their weight in lulz.

I find that these most often take the best shape in either sandbox games or in multiplayer. Exhibit A: my Halo: Reach Killtrocity from a few weeks ago is something I’m quite proud of, in the nerdiest way possible (you’ll notice several GamerSushi editors being dominated). In terms of other stories, I’m finding that Minecraft seems to produce them from everybody that I talk to. It’s just one of those games where the unthinkable happens. For instance, my friend was playing and mined underground so long that he got lost from his spawn point. When he dug his way back to the surface and found that the sun was setting, he hurriedly pulled his compass and accidentally threw it into the ocean. He never found his way back home, died, and lost all of his stuff. It happens.

Hearing all of these hilarious things lately made me wonder what the deal was with you guys. So, what are some of your favorite gaming stories? Feel free to share!

Image by Janitor.Master

Fable 2 is Free [Updated]

In what seems to be a glitch by Microsoft you can go right now to xbox.com, and download Fable 2 for free. I know we only gave it a C, but as Jeff said to me, “free is free.”

I would suggest grabbing it quick before Microsoft fixes the bug. (I’m currently downloading it)

UPDATE: Per @XboxSupport, this is a legit download, but is only Episode 1 of the game.

Update: Valve Not Considering Steam Trade-Ins

steam trade insWe generally like to avoid cluttering up the front page with multiple articles on the same story, but I think that this particular story deserves a follow up. A couple of days ago, I published an article in which I quoted Michael Pachter saying that Steam is “supposedly” looking into allowing trade-ins via their digital store. Now that the interview has had sometime to make it’s way to Valve, the quote is coming back to haunt Mr. Pachter.

Valve marketing head Doug Lombardi recently spoke to EuroGamer regarding the alleged trade-in plans, and said that Valve has never met with Michael Pachter, and they have no idea where he got the notion from. Pachter responded in turn, agreeing that he had never met Valve, and that the problematic quote came around because the game journalist posed the question to him awkwardly. This is his new stance on his line from a couple days ago after the jump: Continue reading Update: Valve Not Considering Steam Trade-Ins

Dota 2 and Other PC Modder Victories

Defense of the Ancients 2

One of the advantages that PC gaming still maintains over consoles is its modding community. I’ve stated on numerous occasions that until 360 and PS3 games allow the same kind of tools and access as you’ll find in the PC world, the question of “have consoles surpassed PCs” is a discussion that can’t yet happen. If you’re not too keen on the exciting world of PC modding, you might have missed out on a few pieces of big news that happened this week.

  • Dota 2 (an adaptation of the name Defense of the Ancients 2, probably to avoid legal issues) was announced by Valve for PC and Mac in 2011. For the uninitiated in PC gaming lore, Defense of the Ancients was a Warcraft III mod that pitted teams of heroes against one another as they rushed enemy turrets, with AI controlled units battling it out between them. Valve hired project lead IceFrog to come aboard and develop a Source version.

  • A Duke Nukem 3D fan remake of the game in the Unreal engine titled Duke Nukem: Next-Gen received legal approval by Gearbox and Take Two to continue in production.

  • Derek “Krael” Paxton, creator of the Fall From Heaven Civilization IV mod, was hired by Stardock to fix their maligned and catastrophic release build of their new RTS Elemental.

What do you guys think of all of these pieces of news? Have you played either DotA or Fall from Heaven? What other PC mods would you like to see full releases for?

Source – GameInformer, Shacknews, and for the sake of repetition, Shacknews

Bungie Announces Noble Map Pack for November 30th

Halo_Reach_NobleDLC_Tempest_03
We’re exactly a month after Halo: Reach’s monumental release, and we keep finding things to post about it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! For the small but vocal minority out there that have been lambasting Reach for its relatively slim selection of multiplayer maps, Bungie has heard your cries.

Coming at us next month for 800 Microsoft Points, or 10 real life dollars, the Noble Map Pack will deliver three new maps and 250 Achievement points. Considering that I still haven’t beaten the game on Legendary solo (it’s really hard!) I can only imagine what these new cheevos will bring. Halo 3 had some ridiculous Achievements added after the fact, so my inner Achievement whore shudders to think what I’ll be going through in a month and a half. Bungie has also released some screenshots of the battlefields contained within the Noble Map Pack, so hit the jump to see them in their glory!
Continue reading Bungie Announces Noble Map Pack for November 30th

Official Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Trailer Rides Zombie Horses

A few weeks back, Rockstair unveiled the first glimpses of the Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare DLC, which puts John Marston in the precarious and frightening position of battling zombies in the old west. Well they’re back to the teasing again, this time with the official trailer, which also shows Marston riding an undead stallion. Sign me up.

I think the most interesting thing about all this is how much fun they’re having with it, story wise. When I first heard the news that we were going to see zombies in Red Dead Redemption, I just assumed it would be a thing where you were mindlessly fighting the mindless, but it seems like they’re going all out with it. The big question I have now, after seeing some of the major characters from the game: is this canon?

Still no official release date, but we can probably all take one wild guess. Who’s picking this up? Go!

Rumor: Bioware Blogger Reveals The Old Republic’s $300 Million Price Tag and Other EA Secrets

The Old Republic

The rumor mill churned out a doozy today, kids. A person claiming to work at Bioware Mythic started a blog, EA Louse, and has decided to air out some dirty laundry, the kind that I’m sure the masters at EA would rather the world not know. Granted, all of this is unconfirmed, but it’s too juicy to just ignore. Some of the tidbits include details about upcoming EA layoffs in November, keeping with the current trend in the industry of letting people go just before the holidays.

In addition, he or she claims that the budget for the upcoming Star Wars MMO, The Old Republic, is a whopping $300 million and that EA is panicking because they realize now that they have a failure on their hands. He goes on to claim that it will be the biggest MMO failure in EA’s history. There is plenty more on there, including some gossip about Warhammer, so head on over if you want to read more about that.

Assuming (dangerous, I know) that this is true, it would spell disaster for EA, as that is a lot of money to throw out the window. Do you see any truth to these claims? Do you think it’s ethical for an employee to reveal company dirt like this? Let’s hear it!

Source: EA Louse

Michael Pachter Believes Valve Will Offer Steam Trade-Ins Soon

Steam trade in service
Michael Pachter, an analyst that tries to gauge future trends in the video game industry, has basically built a career saying crazy things and hoping they come true (kind of like some games journalists, but I digress). While most of what he says can be brushed off as preposterous rumor, he sometimes produces a rare gem, like a diamond in a coal mine.

Take this recent interview he had with NowGamer where he postulated that Valve will begin offering a trade in service on Steam fairly soon. While we all love Steam, apparently there’s some demand to have Valve’s digital store offer the same sort of service provided by GameStop, i.e the ability to trade in titles for credit towards new ones. This is the explanation Pachter gave as to how he thinks it would go down:

“Steam is phenomenal, it’s a great service,” Pachter explained, “Steam gives gamers enough other stuff so that they don’t resent the fact they can’t trade in their games. And you know, name all the Steam games that you’ve purchased that you’ve traded back in to somebody else for credit. Steam’s about to let you do that supposedly, you know like trade and exchange, but they’re going to take a fee from it.”

While the “supposedly” does take this idea pretty firmly into guesswork territory, I think it’s a novel idea that Valve are possibly exploring, if only to further their dominance on PC gaming. What do you guys think? Any truth to Pachter’s statement? What kind of “fee” would Valve take, if any?

Source – NowGamer

What if Retro Games had Achievements?

While there are naysayers in the gaming world about the advent of achievements and trophies, I’ve fervently maintained that they send us back to a simpler and more community-oriented time in gaming. The era of high scores is something that was lost as games migrated from the coin-op to the couch or computer chair, left behind as some kind of relic in the arcade graveyards. What I’ve loved about achievements and trophies is that they feel like a return to that mindset of gaming gone by.

On top of that, I just like seeing where my friends are in the games they’re playing, and vice versa. It’s like displaying your marvelous feats of gaming for your friends to see – not so much for the e-peen factor (as many of its detractors claim), but for conversation and joining in on the shared experience and joy that only gaming can bring.

How awesome would it have been for your friends to see that you completed Super Mario Bros. 3 without the fabled whistle? Or that you located Cloud and Aeris in Final Fantasy Tactics? Or that you can beat Metal Gear Solid in under 2 and a half hours if you skip cut scenes (I swear, it can be done)? The idea that someone could look at one unified profile and see everything I’ve done in games would be incredible. This is sadly not possible, but it got us thinking: what if classic games had achievements?

It might look a bit like this: Continue reading What if Retro Games had Achievements?

Fable 3 Trailer is a Revolution

Ah Fable 3, the black sheep of the Microsoft exclusive lineup. Not as successful as Gears of War or Halo, you still manage to maintain a certain presence within the gaming community despite your continued over-promising. Broken dreams of a fully realized world aside, Fable still has enough clout to make a major debut this holiday season, and we’ve got a new trailer to celebrate the impending release. The launch video for Fable 3 chronicles the overthrow of the current, presumably evil, King by you, his brother. Worst family ever.

I kind of like the stylish presentation of the trailer, and I am anticipating being the King of Albion after busting my hump to save it in the past two games. Time for this faux-British fantasy world to start paying dividends (oh, and friends list baby making). Anyone here getting Fable 3, or is this one we’re passing on in this stuffed holiday season? Saving it for later? Anyone getting it on PC? The game hits the Xbox 360 on October 26.

Today’s WTF: Gran Turismo 5 Delayed Again to “Holiday Season”

Well, after all of the to-do about Gran Turismo 5’s supposedly final rigid launch date of November 2, 2010, it looks like that might not be the case. Yup, adding to a string of WTF-inducing delays, SCEA has announced that Polyphony Digital want to keep working on the game some more, thus pushing the new launch date back to some other time in the nebulous holiday season. Here’s the full word from Sony:

We can confirm that Gran Turismo 5 will not be available this November 2nd, but the game’s release will be coming this holiday season.

We sincerely apologize to GT fans for the delay, however, creator Kazunori Yamauchi and the team at Polyphony Digital want to make certain they are creating the perfect racing experience, and we are confident that this ambitious game will exceed expectations when it launches.

Kind of crazy that this game was first unveiled all the way back in 2006, and it still has yet to see release. This begs the question if a change is needed in the games industry: should developers hold their tongues and stop showing these things off years before release?

And the follow-up question, you get to vote on.

What's more likely to happen first?

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Source – PlayStation Blog

Nathan Fillion Campaigns to be Nathan Drake in Uncharted Movie

Sometimes, the stars align in a perfect way and then all is right with the ‘Verse. We aren’t at that point yet, but we are on the right track because Nerd Hero and All-Around Awesome Guy Nathan Fillion tweeted a message linking to a story about David O. Russell being attached to direct the Uncharted movie and indirectly asking his followers to campaign for him to get the role.

Now, myself and countless others have been advocating for this ever since the original Uncharted was released. Drake’s sardonic, but heroic manner fits easily with Fillion’s smarmy charm and wit, as anyone who has seen Castle or Firefly would attest. It’s just nice to see Captain Reynolds himself get into the mix. I doubt anything will come out of this, as given the current trend in Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds will likely get the role, but a man can dream, can’t he?

Do you think Fillion would be good for the role of Drake? Barring that, who else would you like to see play the role? What about the rest of the cast, like Sully, Elena or Chloe? Speak now!

Source: @NathanFillion

EVE Online Gives New Players a Leg Up With the Commissioned Officer Box Edition

EVE Online Commissioned Officer EditionWe’ve talked about EVE Online here at GamerSushi a couple of times, and both occasions have been about how some unfortunate soul was ruined by the actions of other players. This sort of stuff is the norm for EVE, just on a smaller scale than $1,200 USD in damages or an entire guild being brought down overnight. Understandably, these kinds of stories creates a barrier for people interested in trying EVE for fear that their tender avatar will be ravaged horribly as soon as they click the “create” button.

Fear not, timid noobies, as EVE developer CCP has plans to make things a little easier for newcomers. The Commissioned Officer Edition of EVE Online gives players the Cerebral Accelerator, an in-game item that allows users to gain a significant advantage in skill gain for the first 30 days of playtime. The package also comes with a month of play time and a nifty poster covered with helpful hints (I wonder where “trust no one” falls on it). The box will only be available in brick and mortar stores, and I assume that there will be some sort of fail safe built into the Accelerator to prevent any unscrupulous activity.

There you have it, a nice little package designed to give you a running start in the dog-eat-dog universe of EVE Online. Apparently this is a good a time as any to get into the game as CCP has a couple new expansions coming out in the next half a year.

Anyone going to finally take the plunge with EVE Online now that it’s extending a helping hand?

Source: Massivley

Drastic Changes: Sequels That Changed The Game

A frequent discussion around GamerSushi’s worldwide headquarters is what makes a sequel worthwhile. Is it more of the same, just fine-tuned and streamlined to perfection? Or it throwing out the baby with the bathwater and starting anew? It’s a question that has a different answer depending on what series you are talking about.

Well, the fine folks at GamesRadar put together a list of Sequels That Changed Everything  and as we all know, the Internet loves lists. Personally, I don’t mind if a franchise changes things up now and again, but being a Final Fantasy fanboy, that goes with the territory. But look at the greatness that has come from such changes: Resident Evil 4 (and 5!), Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and even Mass Effect 2.

What games did you like most when they switched the style up? Are there any that you didn’t care for? What franchises need a serious make-over? GO!

Source: GamesRadar

Minecraft Interstate Time Lapse Video Goes to Ludicrous Speed

Trying to describe what makes Minecraft so addicting is actually a fairly difficult task. It’s like trying to describe a color, or a raptor in a time machine. Actually no, that second one is pretty easy and would lead to total doom. Anyway, Minecraft is a game that looks crappy that you dig and build stuff in. It doesn’t sound so great, but that’s why people have to see it for themselves. Either by playing it, or watching awesome videos like this one.

YouTube user brt5470 has created a gorgeous Minecraft time lapse video, showcasing an interstate railway of sorts he built that spans his entire world. In addition to that, he’s running some high resolution textures, creating a stunning and trippy picture when it’s all said and done. Seriously, seeing the moon in the sky and the sun set while speeding along the landscape is worth the price of admission here, which is actually free. Lucky you. Watch!

Call of Duty: Black Ops Single Player Trailer Does Not Exist

If you weren’t watching ESPN tonight for whatever reason, then you may have missed the full length trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops. The teaser went up a few days ago, but good things come to those who wait, right? Because you’ve been patient, we have the trailer embeded right below for you. Go ahead and get a quick look at the single player campaign of Call of Duty: Black Ops:

Say what you will about Treyarch and their previous efforts, I kind of like the behind-the-scenes, cloak-and-dagger setting that the game is building, which is different from what Call of Duty usually gives us. While I’m sure the game will involve all the bombastic action that we’re used to, having an opportunity to fight through the Cold War is a new one for us gamers. Now that we’ve seen a bit more on the single player for Black Ops, any thoughts? Do you have doubts after Modern Warfare 2, or do you think Treyarch will succeed in single player?

The Question of Replay Value

Metal Gear SolidOne of the things that’s become a bigger part of game design over the last generation or so has been the idea of replay value. With game prices getting higher and used sales taking over more of the market, developers are faced with the problem of giving gamers more game for their money. This takes the form of multiplayer modes, branching narratives and any other number of things.

Over on Gamasutra, Adam Bishop recently posted a blog about The Myth of Replay Value, saying that this is an issue where the video game industry is missing the point. He goes on to cite how these added bits to games don’t really enhance replay value at all, but what really does is just making a good, rich experience. His main citation is Metal Gear Solid, a game that is completely linear with no variation, but still compels gamers to play through more than once.

Honestly, I only partially agree with this point of view. While I think it’s true that people aren’t going to replay through games that they didn’t love, there’s something to be said for offering extra incentives for players to jump back in time and time again. I think there’s got to be a mix of something there, because a great experience that’s only 10 hours long still isn’t my cup of tea, especially when the price tag is $60.

So what do you guys think of the question of replay value? How important is it to you? When buying a game do you care more about the experience or the replay value? Go!

Source – Gamasutra

Everything You Wanted to Know About Batman: Arkham City

Batman Arkham City

As many of you know, Game Informer recently published a huge cover story that detailed previously unknown information about Batman: Arkham City, Rocksteady Studio’s follow-up to the smash hit Batman: Arkham Asylum. What you may not know is that this enormous cover story is now posted online in its entirety, ready for your eager eyes and cautious optimism.

I seriously recommend checking this out if you enjoyed the first game at all. I read this back when it hit shelves and I have to say my excitement level for the game increased ten-fold. For one, it sounds like they’re going for broke here, trying to hit a grand slam after Arkham Asylum’s home run. Their attempt to create a living breathing Gotham is something I’ve always wanted to see in a Batman title, and it sounds like the sidequests are going to be just a joy to play. Also, there are lots of pretty screenshots, and I know how you all like pretty things.

Anyway, check it out and read up. Who else is pumped for this game?

Source – Game Informer

Review: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Castlevania: GabrielIn 2009, I remember feeling a little left out of the geek fervor when I went to go attend a showing of the new Star Trek movie. For some reason or another, I just had never been a fan of the beloved series, and had only ever seen one movie (which I thought was boring). Still, the new movie seemed like it would be worth a watch, so I thought I would check it out with the rest of the red-shirt masses. Long story short: I left the movie feeling high on adventure, and itching to check out all the Star Trek that I had missed up until that point.

If you want to bring this over to gaming terms, I guess you could say that Castlevania has always been my Star Trek, so to speak. It’s one of those titles that I’ve just missed out on over the years. And now, after having spent a whole weekend plumbing the depths of Konami’s newest entry in the long-running classic action franchise, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, the results are the same: I think Castlevania’s got a new fanboy. Continue reading Review: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

GamerSushi Asks: Boss Battles?

Lords of Shadow

It’s sad that more and more these days, the phrase “boss battle” seem to be getting removed from our vocabulary as avid gamers. Really, with so many shooters getting the green light over traditional games, there just doesn’t seem to be room left for great boss fights in most of the titles that we play. There’s something to be said for tackling a well designed boss, which is why I think Batman: Arkham Asylum resonated so strongly with me as an old school gamer.

Well, consider me stoked up on boss battles again, since I just spent most of the weekend marathon-ing Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The game is not shy about throwing boss after boss at you, and I was in geek heaven because of it. I’ll save some more details for the incoming review, but let’s just say I liked them.

So, since it’s fresh in my mind after completing the game, I thought I’d bring the question here: what are some of your favorite boss battles you’ve faced in games? Any that were particularly memorable because they were frustratingly hard? Sound off!