Top 10 Final Fantasy Songs

Man, watching things like this really reminds me how much I love the Final Fantasy series. Square really has created a long lasting tradition of great music in their flagship series, so I’m hoping that Final Fantasy XIII continues to deliver the great medleys.

It’s actually pretty cool to compare this list to Anthony’s Top 5 Final Fantasy Musical Pieces from a few months back, which is entirely different. Though to be fair, this video only chose one song per game. So which on this list is your favorite? Did any get left out?

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

GamerSushi Asks: When to Quit?

quitLast night, while playing a Civilization Revolution multiplayer team game with a friend, we got owned hardcore. It wasn’t entirely our fault, as we got a pretty terrible opening situation (each map is randomly generated). My teammate ended up with both of the enemies within about eight tiles of him, and they pretty much held him under siege as they explored his continent and found all the early bonuses.

There came a point when they took his city that had all of his main forces. Basically, at that point, they were within a couple of turns of taking his capital and winning the game, but they didn’t realize it. We knew the writing was on the wall and we were screwed. And then we argued about if we should quit.

After that, the two teams played it cautious, and then toyed with us for the next hour and a half while we were clearly beat. The whole time we debated about just quitting the game, but held onto a sliver of hope. When it was all said and done, we knew that we had just wasted a bunch of time.

So when is it appropriate to quit a multiplayer game? Do you guys ever do it? I never want to be “that guy” that quits and ruins a game, but in cases like last night, we really should have done it. What do you guys think?

Debunking Video Game Lies

mk-ermacRemember back in the day, when there was nothing like PSN or XBox Live or Steam for you to monitor what your friends were doing and see their trophies or achievements? Back then, they could say whatever they wanted, and you had to take them at face value. There’s a dude named Ermac in Mortal Kombat, they would say. Or you can resurrect Aeris, they’d report. Lies!

Well, someone has finally decided to put a stop to all of the video game lies with the official Video Game Lies Wiki, which documents the many untruths that people cling to about their old favorites. It’s definitely interesting to scroll through some of the lists and see things that I recognize from my elementary and middle school days.

Definitely worth checking out. So which of these are familiar to you guys? Did you have that one friend (like I did) who always lied to you about things hidden in video games?

Source- Video Game Lies Wiki via GameSetWatch

Halo 3 Joins the 1 Billion Club

halo3One billion is a big number. That’s a thousand million, if you weren’t aware. That’s a lot of millions, when you think about it. Anyway, we’re so focused on this big billion number, because as of yesterday, that’s how many Halo 3 matchmaking games have been played online. One billion games. That’s a poop ton of tea bagging, no?

To help put into perspective just how monumental this is, Halo 2 still has yet to reach one billion games in its huge, seemingly everlasting tenure. Right now it sits just under 800 million. Another cool fact? The matchmaking games played equal out to over 64,000 years of playing time. How wild is that?

So, who has contributed and is still contributing to these one billion games and then some? I’ve contributed quite a fair share, and most of those are of the slayer variety.

Source- Bungie

Dead Rising on the Wii Versus XBox 360

Dead Rising: Chop ’til You Drop just recently hit for the Nintendo system, and it’s received a lot of flack for just how much fewer the zombies seem to appear in number than the original 360 version. While it’s painfully obvious that the Wii would never match up with the XBox 360 graphically, it really is a shame to see so many gameplay changes that will probably hurt the zombie beat-em-up we all know and love. Also, the graphics really are just not all that great. If you don’t believe me, check out the comparison video.

GamerSushi Asks: Old School Downloads?

mgsOne thing I love about the newest consoles is the ability to download and play old school favorites straight onto the system. Whether it’s XBox Live, PSN or Virtual Console, each one is allowing gamers to download and experience old favorites at their leisure.

However, I’ve noticed that there are a lack of some of my favorite previous gen games on some of these networks. I think that the Virtual Console is probably doing the best job of giving some of the classics like Super Mario RPG, Zelda and the like. While there are some options on the PSN and XBox Live, there are some notable entries still missing.

So, if your console (or PC) could download any five previous gen titles for any system onto it, what would your choice be? I think I could easily go for KOTOR, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy VI and Metal Gear Solid. What about you guys?

First Old Republic Webcomic Is Live

swtorBioware is hard at work on The Old Republic, the MMO continuation of the KOTOR franchise. Right now, this is the only MMO that I’ve ever really been tempted to play, and the more content I see, the more I just salivate and have to avoid the Internet altogether. Seriously, this game might ruin me.

In preparation for the inevitable albeit mysterious release date of the Star Wars MMO, Bioware has published the first TOR webcomic. By the time the game comes out, there will be six total. Perhaps when the second one comes out, we’ll have a better idea of when this game might launch.

As far as webcomics go, I’m a big fan of the art, and it looks like it’s setting us up for a pretty grand and epic space opera once the game hits. While many of the commenters hilariously feel the need to gripe about what is just a bit of a prequel piece, I enjoyed it. What do you guys think?

Source- Star Wars: The Old Republic

GameCop Vs LameCop #5

GameCop vs. LameCop is a feature where Anthony and I argue about video game issues, playing the role of either the GameCop or the LameCop as we do so. We switch roles each time. The GameCop has your best interests as gamers at heart, while the LameCop is just what he sounds like: a total loser.

This week, we tackle several issues including GTA IV’s DLC dong, Resident Evil 5 and the problem with reviewing video games too early.

Continue reading GameCop Vs LameCop #5

Oregon Trail for the iPhone Brings Back Memories

Man, did anyone else remember playing Oregon Trail on old school computers back in the day? Because I remember playing the junk out of that in the library and in elementary school. My favorite was when like, you’d have a kid get cholera. And you’re still pushing on, trying to make it to the next area. And you get the messages.

Timmy has cholera.
Timmy has cholera.
Timmy has fever.
Jenny has died.

Wtf?! Jenny wasn’t even sick! Damn you, Oregon Trail! Anywho, the game is coming out for the iPhone and now I kind of want one just to play this game. Check out the trailer.

Homophobia On Xbox Live (and PSN)

9609The Consumerist is reporting that a woman who identified herself as a lesbian on her gamertag profile was banned from Xbox Live. In order to prevent offensive actions or harassment, Microsoft bans certain words, regardless of how they are used. This policy makes a certain degree of sense, but wasn’t the case:

The woman, who only goes by “Teresa,” claims that she was harassed by other XBL users. “They followed me into the games and told all the players to turn me in because they didn’t want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap. As if xbox live is really appropriate for kids anyways!” She goes on to say that her account was suspended. When she brought the issue up to Microsoft, the response was that other users found it “offensive.”

Simply saying you are gay, which has no affect on anyone you are playing online with, causes this kind of hatred. I think its really sad and it makes me ashamed that gamers treat people like this. Microsoft told MTV they are reconsidering their policy towards offensive words, which is good news.

Xbox Live and PSN are full of people who shout “faget” and other racist and homophobic terms. Gamers get so offended when someone portrays them as mouth-breathing neanderthals or violent-loving sickos, but this kind of portrayal doesn’t seem to bother most. I think its really wrong when people play a GAME and can’t even enjoy it without hatred and vitriol spewed at them.

This is Anthony, getting off his soapbox, in a bad mood because Morrissey canceled his concert, which was Anthony’s birthday gift.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled life.

Nintendo Releases List of 120 Games I Don’t Want

punchoutwiiOk, I kid, maybe I want one or two, but even that might be stretching it. Nintendo recently unveiled a whole ton of games coming out this year with release dates, and put them all together for us to see and ogle. Problem is, I’m just not that interested in anything that they have listed, giving more credence to the selling of my Wii.

The only two games that I have even the slightest desire to play are probably the new Punch Out game as well as the exclusive Indiana Jones title, but beyond that, I feel very much “meh” about it. I’ve said before that while I don’t and have never hated Nintendo, they’re just baffling me this generation, and I’ve been severely disappointed in their complete lack of games. So what are they? Check the list out after the jump.
Continue reading Nintendo Releases List of 120 Games I Don’t Want

Another WTF: Most Influential Games List

smkThroughout the years, there have been any number of games that proved to be influential to both gamers and developers alike. Games that dropped and made an impact on gaming culture as we know it, and things were never the same. Whether you like them or love them, it’s hard to deny the power of games such as Halo or Grand Theft Auto III, simply because of what they did to the business.

Guinness Book of World Records have now come out with their own list of most influential games of all time. And what tops it? Well, uh… Super Mario Kart. While not a bad game in the slightest, I’m confused at how this has been dubbed the most influential game to ever be released, over titles like Doom or Super Mario Bros.

So what else does the list say? Find out after the jump.
Continue reading Another WTF: Most Influential Games List

Do Video Games Prepare Kids for the Apocalypse?

Got to love the Onion, and their hilarious take on the ridiculous media taglines that seem to go along with video game coverage these days. In this skit, they ask the question if video games adequately prepare kids for the apocalypse, which as we all know is inevitable. Whether it’s zombies, radiation, or a combination of that and much more gruesome things, we do know that it is speeding towards us. Right? Anyways, watch the video so you can laugh and ignore the impending doom.

Today’s WTF: Man Takes Hostage With Sega Light Gun

segalightgunAh, the Sega light gun. What great games we might have played with you along the years for the Master system and beyond. We could play old school games like Gangster Town, Operation Wolf and even Rambo III. Apparently, we can also fool Brazilian police and take a hostage. Who knew?!

A few days ago, a Brazilian man took a 60 year old woman hostage a Sega light gun, trying to collect money back from a debt that was owed him. First he broke into her house, and then entered into a 10 hour standoff with police, before finally letting her go unharmed. I mean, really, the only damage he could have done to her would have been with the cord, I guess.

My question for this man is “seriously”? What did he even think was going to happen? This is truly WTF worthy, and I deem it so.

Source- Kotaku

Gaming’s Sweetest Records

lanEvery hobby has some kind of weird record associated with it. Or at least, that’s what I like to tell myself. Whenever I go on a particularly epic gaming binge, I like to think that surely, someone, somewhere, has committed far more heinous deeds than I. This is how I go to sleep every night. Plus, I snore.

Anyway, I came across a list over at CVG of what appears to be a list of 30 gaming world records. Some of them are bizarre, and some of them are cool, but most of all, I find them terribly interesting. Did you know that the largest mass-participation LAN party was 203 people for 36 hours straight? That actually seems small to me. Or perhaps you knew that the greatest gaming setup is a dude that owns his own motion picture screen with theater sound? Or that GTA IV had a voice cast of almost 900 actors? Well now you do.

If you’re interested in those tidbits and more, be sure to check out the list. Kind of awesome. By the way, I think GamerSushi could totally beat that whimpy 203 person LAN party. So what was the most epic one you ever participated in?

Source- CVG

GamerSushi Asks: What Would it Take?

gamersushiasks2In every area of our lives, we’ve got limits and boundaries. Places we’ve decided for some reason or another we will never go. This turns out to be true even in the realms of video games. We tend to separate out between things we like and don’t like, things we are willing to try, and things we would never touch with a ten foot pole.

In “What Would it Take”, we ask you questions about your predispositions towards video games, and what it would take to get you to broaden your horizons, or move to a new realm that you’re not currently familiar with. Feel free to give as much or as little response as you want, we’re definitely interested in hearing why you game the way you do, and what’s keeping you from crossing these lines.
Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: What Would it Take?

Yuusha 30: The 30 Second RPG

The design philosophy behind the Halo series is “30 seconds of fun” on an endless loop. Yuusha 30 for the PSP is a game that takes this idea almost entirely literally. I heard about this over at BloodworthGT’s GameTrailers page today, and I find it to be incredibly fascinating, from a game design standpoint.

In Yuusha 30, the main premise of the game is that it is an RPG that is only 30 seconds long. You see, an evil wizard is casting some badass spell that is going to wipe out the entire world. As the hero, you have only that amount of time to level up and become strong enough to beat him, before it all comes crashing down. The result is total madness. Observe the first level:

If you thought that was nuts, it actually gets even more insane with each additional stage.
Continue reading Yuusha 30: The 30 Second RPG

Dragon: Age Origins Trailer Makes Me Happy

I can’t remember the last time I’ve played an honest-to-goodness fantasy game. Most RPG’s that I pick up these days are more sci-fi in nature, or steampunk, or anything else that decidedly does not have uber-awesome dragons and dudes in chainmail slugging it out in epic battles. This new Dragon Age: Origins trailer definitely has all of that and more, and really kicks up my excitement for the game to a new level. Anyone else geeking out with me?