Category: Playstation 3

Gaming Pop Quiz: Spring 2011 Edition

Where is 2011 going? It’s already a week into March, and I feel like time for playing games is just slipping through my fingers. I was going to see if I could make a joke about pixels and grains of sand in there, but it kind of fell through last second. Don’t judge me.

As we have no doubt beaten the issue beyond death by now, you probably already know that 2011 is the year of the gaming assault. Already we’ve had some stellar titles, and we’ve barely even scratched the surface. Nearly every single month for the rest of the year is going to have some kind of landmark release (or several), and for March that title is Dragon Age 2. Naturally, we thought it was time to check in with another edition of the Gaming Pop Quiz. You know, because of the dragons and all.

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: Spring 2011 Edition

Poll: Which HD Remake Excites You Most?

In case you’ve been holding your fingers in your ears every time we hit the topic on the podcast, you should know that I love Beyond Good and Evil. This past Wednesday the classic (although not commercially successful) title hit XBox Live Arcade, gracing player’s screens with re-done assets and a slick HD resolution.

As someone who’s had a soft spot for this game for years, I can say that it’s an excellent recreation of a game not many got to play the first time around, and so far I’m getting into it just as much as I did back then. The thing is, that’s not the only HD remake we’ve got on the horizon. We’ve discussed this before, but there’s also the Splinter Cell games coming, the Team Ico collection and Halo CE HD.

I thought I’d create a poll to find out which of these HD games you want to play most. Because I’m generous like that. Go!

Which HD remake excites you most?

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GamerSushi Asks: Best Looking Games Ever?

TF2 Pyro

I’ve never been one to call myself a graphics whore. In fact, over the years, I’ve taken quite a few shots at those friends of mine that I knew only cared about graphics. Oddly enough, the two types of people that seem to really love graphics fall on opposite ends of the spectrum, ranging from hardcore PC gamers that love their real time benchmark demos to frat boys who can not get over how good a game looks, bra.

However, even my elitist mind can get knocked down a few pegs when I see something truly stunning, something that makes my jaw drop until drool leaks out, and I’m left mumbling incoherently while watching awe-inspiring visuals. Over the years, games that have really stood out to me in terms of graphics have been Mass Effect 2, Uncharted 2, Red Dead Redemption, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Crysis. In terms of design, I’d have to say Shadow of the Colossus and any number of the Zelda games.

It seems that CVG has put together a list of what they consider to be the 9 best looking games of all time. That’s a fairly lofty claim, although I don’t know if any of you will be surprised by their list, save for one or two entries. I really do like that they included Team Fortress 2 and Limbo on the list though, because those two games have such unique looks that make them both iconic.

So what do you guys think? What games left you stunned visually when they came out, and what games do you think still rank among the best looking games of all time? Go!

Source – CVG

Battlefield 3 Shakes It Up With The Fault Line Series

When I posted the Battlefield 3 Gameplay teaser last week, I had a pretty decent understanding that a much longer, more involved trailer was going to follow shortly thereafter. The fact of the matter is I’m really digging Battlefield 3, so I apologize for “double dipping”, as it were. That said, I think you’re going to enjoy this trailer (Part 1 of the Fault Line Series) which goes a bit more in-depth with the short snippets we saw last week.

I’d file that under “do want” for sure. Since this is Part 1 of an ongoing series, you can bet that I’ll be posting the remainder as they come. I’m certain that we won’t be disappointed.

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 21: Drunk Cast

Urgh. This is the episode of the podcast where we decided to play a drinking game in honor of our 21st birthday together, so to speak. The results are either brilliant or completely inaudible. For real. You may excuse yourself from this if you don’t want to hear us all embarrass ourselves. Especially me.

Along with the drinking game we play (shots every fifteen minutes plus drinks for podcast memes), we also chat about Skyrim, marrying video games, Battlefield 3, Bulletstorm, goats and donkeys, the Dragon Age 2 demo and difficulty in games. Nick also takes time away from slamming beer and whiskey to deliver a brand new game of grades. The results are not very pretty, but probably hilarious to listen to.

So yeah. Hopefully you don’t hate us after this.

Alright, warnings aside, here’s the podcast. Listen. Rate. Enjoy.

Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 21: Drunk Cast

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User Created Missions Will Make You Infamous 2

infamous 2

As if the excitement for Infamous 2 isn’t palpable enough, Sucker Punch decided to…well…sucker punch us with the news that the sequel to the popular super hero/open world game will have user-made missions, as reported by 1UP. That’s right, you can devise all kinds of crazy ways to put Cole through his paces and piss your friends right off.

The missions can be uploaded online and will actually appear in the game world on the map, though user-created content will be marked by a different color and also display the creator’s username. The levels range from races to puzzles to regular missions where you kill lots and lots of enemies. There appears to be quite a bit of options, including action triggers and enemy placement.

I was already pretty pumped about this, but now I think Infamous 2 might be in my top 5 most anticipated games of 2011. Does something like this interest you? Do you think more open world games should incorporate features like this? Sound off!

Source: 1UP

Review: Bulletstorm

bulletstorm review

While some may say that the age of the “silent protagonist” in video games is over, there are a few times where I wish that we could return to the days of yore, where our controlled hero just got on with the job and didn’t have a smart-ass remark for everything. Bulletstorm is one of those times. Everyone in this game suffers from a severe form of tourettes crossed with verbal diarrhea. The story in your game doesn’t have to be amazing to please me, but at least make it so I don’t want to jam a power drill through my skull every time I have to listen to one of the characters wax philosophic about dicks.

For a little history, Bulletstorm is a First-Person-Shooter collaboration between Epic Games and People Can Fly where the object of the game is to kill enemies in creative ways to rack up Skillshots. Taking advantage of the Unreal 3 engine, and going out of its way to distance itself from every other FPS on the market, Bulletstorm hopes to carve out a niche with its unique take on FPS mechanics. How well does it fare in that regard?
Continue reading Review: Bulletstorm

GamerSushi Asks: Sound Off!

Skyrim

At GamerSushi we do our best to scour the Webz for the things that we think you guys would like to talk about. Over the years, we feel like we’ve gathered a decent taste for everyone’s interests (Valve). When we can’t locate anything worthwhile, we try to pull from the issues we ourselves face in the games we play. Typically, this means we select all of the topics and put them up for your perusal.

Tonight, I wanted to try something different. I thought I’d ask what you guys want to talk about. Since we don’t have a forum proper (and plan on keeping things that way), you guys don’t always get to sound off on what you’ve been thinking about from a gaming perspective. Heaven knows that between all of the trailers (such as Skyrim or Dead Island) and new releases over the last few weeks, there’s certainly a lot to discuss.

So, have at it. What have you guys been thinking about in terms of games? Thoughts on the industry or things you’re playing? We’ll see how deep this rabbit hole goes. Go!

inFAMOUS 2 Duality Trailer Tears It Up

It’s been a week for excellent trailers, it seems. While Skryim is definitely the best of the bunch, I do have a soft spot in my cold, jaded gamer heart for inFAMOUS 2’s Duality trailer, which shows off some more gameplay along with the two warring sides of Cole’s psyche. This time around, the good and evil parts of Cole are personified Kuo and Nix, who will tempt Cole into assisting them to further their own goals. Check out the trailer embedded below:

I’m very much looking forward to inFAMOUS 2, which has been confirmed for a June 7 release. The original was one of my favorite games of 2009, so I can’t wait to see how developers Sucker Punch have juiced up the sequel. What about you guys, excited about inFAMOUS 2?

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 20: Hype Machines

Welcome to Episode 20 of the podcast, this time with bigger explosions, more sadness and lots of terrible burns. Mitch is absent for part of this cast, although Jeff is back. But worry not, for the fellowship will be re-united tonight when we record Episode 21 of the podcast, complete with drinking games.

In this podcast, we tackle a number of gaming issues, including the ridiculously good Dead Island trailer (and all they have to live up to), replaying classic video games and ten year console cycles. Nick also hits us with a mathematically stimulating game of percentages which has us battle about Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Video Games at the Smithsonian, and Bungie’s Space MMO. We also chat about Mega Ran’s Black Materia, the FFVII hip hop tribute which is seriously incredible stuff. I may post about it separately later, but for real, check it out if you love either hip hop or the FFVII soundtrack.

So, without further ado, here’s the podcast. Listen. Rate. Enjoy.

Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 20: Hype Machines

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Skyrim Official Gameplay Trailer Released

I don’t know about you guys but Skyrim has me excited. As some people around here anticipate some of the upcoming titles like Battlefield 3 you may notice some of us even talking about PC upgrades already, 8 months before the titles are set for release. Skyrim now has its official trailer released with in game footage. You can find the video embedded below or check it out at The Elder Scrolls website.

Wow. All I can think about is everything I see in there that has been talked about by the developers. From the stunning new graphics and world to the death moves and dynamic new gameplay. The trailer shows off enough for me to already be impressed with the look and feel of the game.

So after seeing the official trailer for the game, are any of you more stoked about Skyrim? With a taste of the gameplay are you planning on console or PC?

Source – The Elder Scrolls Official Site

Battlefield 3 Gameplay Trailer Looks Oh So Good

Without a doubt, 2011 is going to be a crazy year. If you’ve been hanging around this site long enough, you’ll know that we hit on certain beats over and over again, so the over-the-top gaming goodness of this year is something you’ll hear us bring up a few more times. Speaking of over-the-top, a new trailer for Battlefield 3 dropped today featuring some in game footage, and needless to say, it did a Strike at Karkand…in my pants. This is not pre-rendered, folks, this is all running on the Frostbite 2 engine (on a crazy rig, probably) and it’s amazing.

It really sucks that I’m going to have to upgrade my PC to Windows 7 to play this (I’ve been running XP since it came out), but it just might be worth it. I’ve already put down my hard-earned monies on the pre-order to get the Back to Karkand expansion for free. What about you guys? Down for some Battlefield 3? What system are you getting it on?

GamerSushi Asks: What Are You Playing?

Dragon Age 2

You thought you had a break, didn’t you? In your naivete, you thought that maybe, just maybe, there was going to be a brief lull for you to catch up on all of your games, before all of the big releases of 2011 rained down on us like manna from heaven. Sadly, you’re mistaken. You see, time has this way of sneaking past you – yes, it’s already almost March.

Between Dead Space 2, the Dragon Age 2 demo, the release of Bulletstorm, Killzone 3 and Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, we gamers have our plates more than full. Sadly (or joyfully, depending on how you look at it), it’s only going to get crazier from here on out.

In terms of what I’m playing, I’ve been splitting my time between a small bit of Dead Space 2 (yes, I screamed like a girl), Little Big Planet 2 and my first ever playthrough of Final Fantasy VI Advance. I also tried my hand at the Dragon Age 2 demo today, and I have to say that I’m already in love with how they’ve revamped the combat. It feels slightly more hack-n-slash without losing that DA:O flavor that I loved. The art style is very nice in motion as well, so hopefully that will alleviate some concerns in that department. I’m not sure just yet how I feel about the conversation system, which has a little less moral gray than I would like, but I suppose I’ll have to wait and see how it pans out.

Needless to say, I’ve been infected with the Dragon Age flavor all over again and can’t wait for March 8th to get here. So what about you guys? What are you playing? Did any of you try out the demo? Go!

Sony Committed to 10 Year Console Cycle

Playstation 4Something that we’ve discussed on GamerSushi quite a bit for the last year or so is the collective desire to keep the “next generation” talk as far away from this generation as possible. As much as I love the thought of upgraded games, I like the idea of enjoying the current generation even more, especially because I feel like this generation is only recently hitting its stride. Every year around E3, I dread that one of the big three is going to be the first to drop a new console on us, and I watch the press conferences with fear and trembling.

However, it seems that Sony won’t be doing that to us any time soon. In a recent interview, Sony Computer Entertainment big wig Kaz Hirai again stated Sony’s intentions to see that the PS3 has a long and healthy life. Here are some quotes for your enjoyment:

“As regards home consoles, the PS3 was put into business in 2006, and it has a 10 year life cycle… This means that we aren’t even at the halfway point. There are certainly many more desirable first and third party titles coming out. As we announce and implement new initiatives on an annual basis, I still believe in the importance of improving the software and feature set of the PS3. I think the value of the PS3 will continue to rise. Because of this, a near-future PS4 or next-generation home console is not something that we are even debating now. That is to say, we are still concentrating fully upon the PS3.”

Even though the dude could be lying through his Ridge-Racer-loving-teeth, this brings me some comfort. The idea of just enjoying our consoles until 2015 or so is a pleasant one, at least for me.

So what do you guys think? Are you happy that we’re far away from a PS4, XBox (Insert Number) and Nintendo (Virtual Reality Machine)?

Source – Eurogamer

Rumor: Bungie’s Next Game is “Destiny”, a Sci-Fi MMO

Bungie Destiny

The rumor mill gets cranking once again about Bungie’s next game, which is certainly shaping up as very “MMO-like”. After Bungie writer Joseph Staten made a few cryptic comments about the nature of Bungie’s upcoming title at GDC Online, Kotaku comes along with an anonymous source who alleges that the Halo-creating studio is cooking up a sci-fi MMO for Activision codenamed “Destiny” or “Tiger”.

The unnamed ex-employee, who claims to have been laid off from Bungie at the behest of Activision along with 30 other workers (an allegation which Bungie quickly debunked), said that “Destiny” will be “WoW in space”, and will have “unique online connectivity and matchmaking technology”. This game is apparently a whole different type of enchilada as it runs on a new engine and doesn’t appear to be linked to previous Bungie intellectual properties in any way.

Seeing how all the rumors are stacking up, and given that Bungie protested just the layoff claim and not the MMO, it seems to me that the signs are pointing very specifically in one direction. What do you guys think about this whole to-do? Is Bungie actually working on a sci-fi MMO, or is this just some random troll out blowing smoke? What do you think Bungie’s next game is? Go!

Source – Kotaku, Bungie.net

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 19: Axed

We have to be setting some kind of record for ourselves now with multiple weeks of podcasting in a row. Why someone hasn’t given us an achievement or a multiplier score for these consecutive releases is still a puzzle to me, but that’s another strike against life in the ongoing debate of life vs. video games. You hear that, life? Get your act together.

Episode 19 of the podcast is yet another one without our kindly old Web master Jeff James, and I think the podcast shines because of it. OK, not really, that was kind of mean. Anyway, this podcast had a number of technical issues which I doubt you’ll notice thanks to Nick’s editing, but it’s just another symptom of trying to do a podcast with people that live all over the continental U.S. and beyond.

While there wasn’t much actual news for us to dive into, we still covered a healthy array of topics, including video game soundtracks, Dead Space 2’s hardcore mode, Mass Effect 3’s new composer, Magicka and more. Nick also drops in with a game of Either/Or that produces some humorous conversation. Go Beard!

Anyway, check out the podcast. Listen. Rate. Enjoy. We all know how this goes. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 19: Axed

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Dead Island Resurfaces With the Best Trailer Ever

As a group, we gamers are prone to hyperbole. Games are either the best thing ever, or they totally suck. We either have our minds blown or relegate the offender to the bargain bin of history. I’m adding this little forward because, as much as the title of this post might seem like exaggeration, the new announcement trailer for Dead Island has left me breathless. Yes, it’s another zombie game, but screw that. Take a look at the trailer, and try to see if you can keep your head from exploding.

This game has been off the radar for a number of years, but the basic premise is that you’re a guy trapped on a tropical island surrounded by zombies. The game makes big use of localized damage, which means that zombies won’t get hacked apart a la Dead Rising; rather, you’ll have to specifically aim your blows to get decapitations and head-shots. Now that the game is back amongst the living, I can say I’m officially hyped. What say you?

Why Your Multiplayer Needs Soul

There are those certain types of games out there, the ones that have you discussing for days or weeks on end how you totally stomped your opponents, or some random happenstance that blew your mind. These are the games that get you back together with your friends on a nightly basis to trade blows and throw grenades, striving to be the best, to get the next unlock, or just compete for bragging rights.

Just by imagining these scenarios, you probably conjured up a list of your favorite experiences and the games they were connected to. Whether its the exact right combination of tight mechanics and engaging gameplay, or just the fact that you can destroy your environments in real time with your friends, there are multiplayer experiences out there that stick with us through different consoles and generations. Conversely, there are certain ones that, no matter how much they try to emulate the successful models, just can’t achieve that level of notoriety. This is a sort of nebulous aspect about multiplayer games, a “soul” for lack of a better term. Which games have it, and which games don’t?
Continue reading Why Your Multiplayer Needs Soul

GamerSushi Asks: Early Reviews?

Dragon Age 2

Waiting on reviews for an anticipated video game release is like nothing else. I find myself anxiously checking news sites, ready to hear if the hype has been worth it. This typically comes to fruition about a week before release, and then suddenly the floodgates (or media embargoes, if you will) lift and I can learn what the consensus is.

As you well know, one of the big releases of the Spring comes next month in the form of Dragon Age 2, and it seems that someone has already reviewed a copy of it. That’s right, PC Gamer’s got a Dragon Age 2 review in its next issue. While we don’t know what it scored yet, we do know that it has received the “Editor’s Choice” label, which I suppose is kind of like our S. For what it’s worth, PC Gamer’s Shogun 2 review receives the same thing, and that’s a game I’ve never heard mention of. The good news, however, is that PC Gamer calls Dragon Age 2 “darkier, sexier, better.” Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Early Reviews?

The GamerSushi Show, Ep 18: The Jam of War

Here’s the podcast. You know the drill.

The podcast is all grown’s up this week now that we’re on episode 18, so it’s legal. Jeff had to skip out on this podcast because he hates us, or was busy, I don’t really remember which. We recorded this last week, so our topics reflect that. We chat about broken systems, gaming innovation, Killzone 3 and more. Check out the list of topics below. Nick also brings us a game of fill in the blank, where I curb stomp the competition the way I always do in these affairs.

Give it a listen and please rate the podcast on iTunes as well. Continue reading The GamerSushi Show, Ep 18: The Jam of War

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